Lily had never been one for stealing, not even for something as small as gum, and yet somehow not only had James smoothly talked her into the idea, she had quite happily, gleefully in fact, assisted in it, from the complicated bewitching of spells that stopped robbery, to slyly putting the gum in her pocket, to the running madly out of the shop when after all the bewitching the assistant had seen them anyway. And so this was how she found herself giggling, her cheeks pink from running, in the first shop they had dived into upon reaching a corner. James Potter, who had been watching her laugh with a rather large grin, pulled some gum out of his pockets once she had caught her breath, "What flavours you get, Evans? I managed Self-centred Strawberry, my favourite for future reference." Lily gave a small laugh,

"If you're nice to me this year I may just buy you one for your next birthday. I managed Rebel Raspberry though, a much greater feat I feel, and reflective of my many skills as a thief."

"I'm always nice! And your skills?" James put on a deliberately patronising face and chuckled pompously, "I believe I was the mastermind behind the theft in question, lets not get ahead of ourselves." Lily playfully flicked him on the shoulder, to which he over-reacted greatly, clasping his shoulder as though wounded in battle. Something caught her eye as he did though, she grabbed his wrist and gasped,

"It's half past five! We're meant to have gone back by now!"

"You could have asked for the time you know."

Lily lowered his hand smiling at him, "I didn't feel like it, Potter."

He grinned back at her, his eyes glinting mischievously,

"Wanna book before we go?"

Lily blinked. James had been doing things like this all day, suddenly shifting topic, and throwing her off balance...in all honesty, she had to admit to herself he managed to do that anyway, and as a result she had spent the day in a strange kind of daze.

"What, steal one?"

"No, fool. I'm offering to buy you a book," He gave a little laugh, as though she should have expected this and was missing something.

Lily frowned, "Buy me one? Why would you do that?"

"So you can be in my debt," he said simply.

"Well, with pleasure."

For a moment James looked at her, startled, and a rather curious grin grew across his face, "With pleasure, eh?"

Simply nodding and shrugging as though she had intended to say that, she could feel the heat spreading through her cheeks. With pleasure...?

And so without saying anything further, James walked off. She stood still, trying to calm down. She felt so flustered! All that running perhaps...

"How would you like this?" James was holding up a large, leather bound book with gold letters spidering across it, 'Hollows Way'

"What is it?"

James grinned, "Thought you might not know it. But it really is essential as a person of magic to have read it I believe. Some of the finest of our literature. It's got the kind of plots I would presume you like."

"What sort of plots do I like then?"

James simply looked at her, but she felt herself shift slightly all the same.

He grinned, "Love conquers all type stuff."

"Cheesy ones?" she laughed.

"No, brilliant ones! Honestly, if you are going to read cheese, you read these. Plus they have interesting characters, not your average heroes and heroins..."

And that was how Lily found herself holding a large new book to herself as James and she walked back towards the castle.

Despite the serious conversation they were now having about Remus, Lily felt...content. She couldn't quite comprehend the day she had just had. James had taken her everywhere; all these tiny shops she hadn't even known had existed, but all filled with the most fantastic objects. And, though it scared her slightly to admit it, he had been wonderful company. Some of the best in fact...

"It just irritates me you know?" James was telling her now, "Remus has always seemed the oldest out of us, like if we're annoyed or...moping around or something, he just says some stuff and we're ok. He explains it. But how am I supposed to return the favour? Explain him out of this?"

"You don't have to do anything, and I'm sure he doesn't expect you to. Especially with how he's feeling. Just be there. That is all that is required of you. As long as the three of you are still there when all is said and done he will be ok. Maybe not right now, but like you said before, it's not something you can just get over. He has to come to accept it."

James nodded, "S'pose you're right. It -" He stopped speaking and sighed, looking back towards Hogsmeade, "Lily, we didn't get Lauren's things."

Lily, who had a very strong suspicion there had been no real need of such things shrugged, "It doesn't matter, I'll apologise, she'll be fine."

"Nah, I feel like I should get them for her."

It was an odd sentence, and Lily felt an uncomfortable squirm as he said it. "What do you mean you feel like you should? I'll get them for her some other time."

James shrugged, "Just think we should." Suddenly he grinned, "Want to go back there and have some dinner? I know this great place."

"Um...the gate is locked now? We can't..."

James shook his head, laughing, "Lily, come on. We're not going to use the gate. You should know that much about me."

But Lily, as much as she was interested, didn't feel like going.

"No, lets just go back."

His face fell slightly, "Aw, come on, it'll be fun!"

"No it's fine, it's dark nearly and it's pretty cold. Lets just go."

Lily started walking but James lingered, "Lily come on, please?"

"Well... what would we be going for?"

James looked confused, "what I just said?"

"The stuff for Lauren you mean?"

He considered, "Yes. Well, if I'm perfectly honest, the dinner's the bigger attraction but-"

"Fine lets go."

"What?"

"I said lets go! Now move, Potter!"

James grinned bemusedly, "If you wish," he reached into his bag and pulled out the invisibility cloak, "We should get out via the Whomping Willow methinks."

"Psst, Frank!" Frank turned to find his lips suddenly meet with someone else's. His hands reached around her immediately and he felt the soft hair and the fairly curvy figure he had become so fond of. After a long while she leaned back and eyes the colour of deep ocean filled his vision. He smiled, "You finally got away then?"

"I did..." she blushed, "For you I did."

He kissed her gently, "You're lovely, do you know that Alice?"

"Remus, she wants to talk to you, you know. She's pretty fit as well! Always liked you for some reason," Sirius chuckled, "Why not go down and talk to her? She likes this whole dangerous werewolf thing, thinks it gives you a bit of an edge!"

Remus ignored him. Sirius knew very well he wouldn't. Something was distracting him besides, a figure leaving the grounds. They were moving as though not wanting to be seen. Strange, Frank usually escorted such visitors from the premises personally...where was he...

"Remus?"

The man had already, somehow, managed to get past the locked gate. Who was he?

"Remus, I know your sulking but are you going to speak-"

"I'm not sulking!"

Sirius gave him a wry smile, "What would you call it then?"

Remus sighed and Sirius looked at him sternly, "You are above and beyond these critical people my friend...its why you ended up being permitted my company."

Remus almost laughed, "How privileged I do feel."

"Now...you coming to dinner with me and the others tonight?"

He sighed again, and then turned to look at Sirius, who grinned rather wickedly at him.

"Fine." Sirius whooped and made a triumphant gesture, "The wolf is coming out of its den!"

Remus actually felt his mouth curve in a slight smile, "Perhaps. Shall we go find James?" Remus didn't think he would be entirely able to face all these people if James wasn't there as well...

"Yes! Lets go at once," Sirius enthusiastically walked to the door, "Haven't seen him all day, you got any idea where he might be?"

"He will not serve you."

"Whatever. Just watch me."

"Your arrogance never fails to astound me."

"That I should have such power as to be able to shock you every time we meet says something admirable about me, don't you agree?"

Lily laughed derisively at him and had to make effort not to let it turn into an uncontrollable giggle. She was feeling very strange tonight. She kept having bouts of giddiness for no apparent reason...most unnerving.

They sat for ages; eating, laughing and drinking, (non-alcoholic beverages; Lily couldn't stop teasing him about it). She thought about how strange it was - despite how on edge she felt, how light-headed and giddy she was, it was just so easy to talk to him. The kind of ease that came with 10 years of friendship not mere months, if that. The kind of ease that made it rather obvious to her how oddly...alone she had felt before this. She'd just never managed it, sharing so much of herself with someone before. It felt strange to her, but it was...a relief. Like she'd been tensed up without realising and now she wasn't.

As he smiled at her while she was trying to explain her fussy mother to him, Lily was feeling so...good-natured, that she allowed a few thoughts to slip through that would otherwise remain hidden... he had nice eyes, for instance. And it did look rather good when he rumpled his hair up like that, she refrained from giggling at the five or sixth time he did it...not to mention that wide grin...warmth just seemed to radiate from it.

And that was it. That one slip up right then as she laughed with him. It just sort of happened to her. She was just so relaxed, she'd spent all day just being herself; a novelty. The blocks she had kept in place all because she was afraid of this, petrified even, suddenly seemed stupid - childish even. She was convinced it was entirely his fault, but she couldn't possibly be angry at him as she once had because she finally allowed herself to realise what the hell it was.

She liked him. More than that. It felt more ingrained in her than some passing crush... he was too much like her. He seemed to know too much of her, and empathise too well. And vice versa...he was, (it was the only way she could describe it) part of her. Permanently. And knowing this, rather than feeling shocked or embarrassed or even horrified as she might have once, sitting here with him, she could feel nothing but... happy about it.

Lily blinked all of sudden. In the time it had taken for her to allow this revelation to sink in, James had stopped talking. She was staring...no, she was gazing at him whilst he looked bemusedly back. She could feel herself beginning to blush a furious red, and panicking she looked down, taking a shaky sip of her drink.

Thinking of any way she could cover up the moment she laughed nervously, "Sorry I was off in a world of my own, you were saying -"

She looked up to find James still looking at her, a curious expression on his face. He leaned a little further in and her breathing seemed to stop.

"Lily," he murmured, and then hesitated, leaning back again slightly. There was a pause.

"You know," he began again, his voice just as quiet but it shook a little, "Sometimes, it almost seems like you could... like me."

There was little doubt as to what he meant by 'like'.

"Right m'dears, sorry to bother you but we're closing now. Can't be too late these days you know."

Both Lily and James had jumped when the waitress arrived, breaking their gaze, hastily grabbing for money to pay and getting ready to leave. They didn't make eye contact at all but Lily was extremely aware of what had happened. She knew that once they were outside and on their own again, she would have to answer somehow. Not because he would demand it, but because...she wanted to. The thought was so strange to her – that whole exchange had lasted barely a minute, and yet here she was ready to admit to him that she... what would she say...

But she didn't have the chance, they got outside and James threw the cloak immediately over the both of them.

"What-"

"Ssh! I know that man. He's...he's not on our side."

Lily watched as a man with a slow, heavy walk appeared outside the three broomsticks. So he was on Voldemorts side...? Lily looked up at James, James was watching the man with an incredibly intense look in his eyes. Her mind lingered on the idea that she only had so much courage to say what she wanted to say to James...but the moment seemed past now.

"Well lets follow him then."

"Follow him?" James looked at her curiously, his eyes searching her face.

"Yes. Quickly."

He nodded and they both hurried after him.

The man went directly to a dustier tavern nearer the edge of town. It seemed to be closed but the stranger pushed open an unlocked door. James hesitated and Lily looked at him. There was more than curiosity or suspicion in his eyes...there was a real need there. And so she said, "Lets go nearer."