Right now I'm sweating like if I had ran 150 miles, but I've been the last hour sitting here writing this for you, so I hope you like it, and also realize how hot is here. Why are you still reading this? You should be reading the story!

The Night Everything Started

''Potter, sod off! Once again, NO. I'm not going out with you! I'd rather go to Hogsmeade with the Giant Squid!'' my beautiful Lily yelled at me. No one really paid any attention to us, it was a routine. Each morning, at breakfast, I would ask her out, she would turn me down; during classes I would ask her out, she would turn me down; at lunch I would ask her out, she would turn me down; during classes (again) I would send her a little note asking her out, she would reply a huge NO; while she studied in the library I would ask her out, and she would turn me down; and before going to bed I would ask her out once again, and once again she would turn me down.

She thought that I asked her out just for the thrill of chase. She had been the only girl that had been able to resist my charm –wait; I have to stop doing that. Things like this freak Lily out. But what she didn't know is that I really wanted to have something serious with her, not that one-week relationship. I had to convince her that I was good for her, and the only way I thought it was possible was getting her finally going out with me.

At first, maybe she was right, during the first trimester of fifth, I did chase her just for the thrill, but then, she went to her home for Christmas holidays, and I missed her terribly. Even though I was with the Marauders, and we had the castle pretty much for our own, I longed to see her face, and that was when I realized I had a crush on her. But apparently just a crush wasn't enough: as soon as I found out what love was, I was sure that that was what I felt for her.

''But my gorgeous Lily-flower, you know I'm not going to stop inviting you until you say yes. Why don't you just accept my invitation for once so you can see how wonderful we look together?'' What a big mistake to say that. The Common Room was empty now; the people that were left had gone to bed when they heard me asking Lily out, thinking that nothing especial would happen. She had got redder than her beautiful silky hair.

''Let me explain you something, Potter,'' she spit my name, ''the odds about me saying Yes are smaller than the size of Pettigrew when he's transformed into a rat! Besides, what part of I-rather-go-to-Hogsmeade-with-the-Giant-Squid didn't you understand?''

''Oh, come on. I'm not that… wait a second! What have you just said?'' She knew our secret? She knew Remus was a were-wolf? She knew that the stag that made her company when she sat under the tree in her sleepless nights was me? She had let me accompany her? Hold on, focus, James, she knows about The Marauders!

''That I rather go to Hogsmeade with the Giant Squid! What, are you deaf and stupid? Merlin, I pity your mother.''

''No, not that. What did you say about Wormt…? Peter,'' I corrected myself. She shouldn't know.

''Oh,'' she stared at me blankly for a second, while the level of red color in her face decreased. Her green-almond eyes shone like gemstones, ''I've known Remus is a were-wolf since second year. Black, Pettigrew and you transform into a dog, a rat and a stag to go with him in his nights. That since the beginning of this one.'' She said that like if she was talking about the weather.

I didn't know what to say. Remus hadn't told her, he would have told us first. I knew she was smart, but I didn't know she was so smart. Another thing to love about her, a voice in my mind said. Like if I didn't love her enough.

''But… how? What… you knew I was the stag? You allowed me rest my head in your lap? But… How? What?'' I couldn't put my thoughts in order.

''I'm going to bed.''

And she left; she left me there, alone. She was amazing.

I left to bed after she did. The Common Room had lost all its beauty the moment she disappeared. I changed into my pijamas and covered myself with the duvet. Even though my purpose was to sleep, I couldn't, I kept wondering about how she found out. Around three I decided it was useless to remain there: Wormtail was snoring too loudly, Padfoot was murmuring things in his sleep and Moony was restless, so silently I went down to the Common Room.

The fire had gone out; the room was in the most absolute darkness you could imagine. With my arms extended ahead of my body I reached my favorite couch. It was besides the fireplace and it was very comfortable, but, the main reason why I liked it so much was because Lily always sat there whenever it was empty. It was her favorite couch.

''What the hell…?'' someone muttered once I sat. Maybe they had bought a new chair; this one was extremely smooth and warm. Human-warm.

''Potter, get right now off me!'' the voice of my girlfriend-to-be cried. ''Are you aware that you are sitting over me?''

When she said that I jumped immediately. In sat on her! What a way to improve our already bad relationship…

''For Merlin's sake, Evans! I'm so sorry, I didn't see you!'' I helped her get up, as for she looked like her limbs had gone numb.

I lighted up my wand and she did the same. The glare she gave me was scary. She was so beautiful…

''You've got five seconds to let me go. If you don't, I promise I'll hex you so badly you won't remember your name,'' she threatened me. I didn't realize that I was kind of hugging her. I took three steps back and waited for her to say something.

''Can you tell me why in Merlin's name you decided to use me as an armchair?'' I couldn't help but laugh at her expression.

''Well, I couldn't sleep so I came down here. I'm sorry, '' I apologized again. She laughed.

Hold on a second, had she just laughed because of me? I, James Potter, made her, Lily Evans, laugh? My Lord, this looks like a good night.

''There's something that's been bugging me since our last conversation,'' I said, but before I could add anything else, she spoke.

''Back in October you weren't careful enough to check if anyone was there before transforming. I was sitting by the tree. I silently rushed inside, but not because I was afraid of Remus, I was more afraid that you'd find me. I never told a word to anyone. I wasn't planning in telling you tonight, but it just came out. I guess I just wanted to leave you speechless once, though it didn't work. You talk too much,'' she said with a grin that made her look amazingly like a redhead veela.

I couldn't say anything. How could we be so stupid? How could I have missed her?

''You aren't talking. Yes! I'm the best. Lily Evans has just let James Potter, speechless!'' she laughed again making a small victory dance.

After a few seconds I could say something, though it was pathetic.

''Oh, I see…'' Really, James, is that everything you can do? But then another question popped into my mind: what else did she know?

''Do you know anything else? I mean, about us?'' That was better, but somehow I was afraid of hearing the answer.

''As a matter of fact, I do, Prongs…'' I froze at the mentioning of my nickname. ''I'm going to bed,'' she said again while grabbing a book that was lying on the floor.

I grabbed her wrist before she could move. All this years of Quidditch had been useful for something besides trying to impress Lily.

''Hold on there, Lils…''

''Evans.''

''Fine, Evans. What do you know?''

She sighed. I sat in the couch and made some space for her to sit, but she chose the arm chair that was in front of it. Too close, she had said when I asked her why. Actually, I was kindda hoping she would sit in the small thing with me, her body pressed against mine, her lips rather close…

''I know about the map. The other day Pettigrew left it over the desk where I was doing the Potions essay. He's not very smart, let me add. Just a few seconds before Black had yelled not to forget it.''

When she finished talking, I rushed towards the boys' room.

''Padfoot, wake up mate! Sirius, it is a big deal! SHE KNOWS! EVERYTHING!'' I jumped up and down in his bed. He peeked through one eye, and when he realized it was useless to pretend being asleep, he sat with a very annoyed look in his face.

''Man, no offense but now I see why Evans hates you so much,'' he grumbled. When he said 'Evans' I remembered that Lily was downstairs and I wanted to smack myself for leaving her alone. This one could be a once in a lifetime opportunity to be alone with her.

''Oh, Sirius, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to wake you up. I must have been walking and talking asleep again,'' I lied.

He black dog animagi cursed against me and went to sleep again. I rushed down the stairs just to see a flash of red hair going up to the girls' dorm.

''Evans, wait! I think we need to talk!'' I whisper-shouted.

A very annoyed Lily came down the stairs. ''What do you want to talk about, Potter?''

Actually, now that I think about it, there was nothing to talk about. She knew, but she wasn't going to tell to anyone, so what was the point of keep on chatting?

''Everything,'' I said, hopefully she would think about the animagus thing and the map.

''Fine'', she said after a minute or so. ''Just let me go to change into my pijamas and leave this book.''

I sat on the armchair and lit the fire with my wand. It was bloody cold down here. When Lily came down she was wearing an over-sized shirt from the Chudley Cannons. Although the shirt was covering everything from her knees up, it should be illegal for her to dress that way. I had seen her in the school skirt before, but the thought of her only wearing a shirt that could be easily taken off with just a single movement made my heart skip a beat.

''Err… Lily, I mean, Evans,'' I mumbled. I must have looked like a complete idiot, ''aren't you cold?'' I'm officially the world's greatest git.

''No,'' she gave me a confused look. ''Why? Are you? Look, Potter, I'm not cuddling or hugging or anything physical with you.''

I hadn't thought about that, but the idea of getting physical with her was very tempting. ''That would be lovely, but no. I was talking about you only wearing a shirt. By the way, are you a fan of the Cannons?''

''I charmed the shirt for it to always remain warm. And yes, Remus told me a bit about them during second year. Then I decided I would learn about them by myself and apparently Frank has a cousin who is a great fan, so we exchanged some letters.''

''I thought I was the only one following the Chudley Cannons here at school,'' I said amazed. Just when I thought she couldn't be more perfect, she comes with this.

We remained quiet for a while, a very awkward while. I couldn't take it anymore, but lucky me, she spoke first.

''So Potter, why are you depriving me from some precious hours of sleep?'' she asked looking annoyed.

I really didn't know what to say. I remained quiet for a while, looking like the most utter imbecile.

''Why didn't you say anything before?'' it was a pretty smart question, given the consequences.

She hesitated. ''I guess it just wasn't my secret, something I shouldn't know about. I almost felt like spying on you.''

We continued talking for a long while. When we finished talking about the animagus thing, we began to discuss about the Chudley Cannons. They weren't playing very well lately, but Lily was convinced that next year they would be top on the board.

''Trust me, they will improve. If the team buys George O'Conner, and they get another seeker, they will be on top. The other day I read that they were going to look for a new one. Mullet is awful,'' she would say every time I would try to tell her otherwise. And then she would add ''Are you a fan of the Cannons or not? If you support them, is because you believe in them.''

We continued discussing about them for a while, but around 4.30 I asked her the question that had been torturing me since the beginning of the night.

''Lily, may I ask you something?,'' she didn't corrected me for using her first name, that was a good sign, and nodded. ''If you knew I was the stag, why didn't you just walk away o punched me?''

She meditated her answer a bit. ''I really don't know. One reason could be you weren't able to talk, so it was an advantage,'' we both laughed. ''But, serious now, I honestly don't know. You are very pretty as a stag. I felt like I was with the real you, not the prankster façade you always put up.''

I didn't know what to think. Did this mean she liked me the least bit?

Don't be stupid, she said she liked you as a stag, not as the Great James Potter, a voice in my mind said.

You're right about that, but she said she liked the real me, I answered.

But is there a real you? Is the prankster thing just a façade, or the real you?, it shot back

It is actually kind of. I admit I don't like to study and all that crap, but I don't mind reading something I like, or staying calm and relaxed for a day or so…

You better not let Sirius know about that. He would slaughter you, it warned me.

I'm a bit ashamed of saying this out loud, well, out loud in my mind, but I think the real me is very similar to Evans. Similar in the way two persons can be. I mean, we compliment each other: she may sometimes be too quiet, and I'm extremely loud; she could make me quieter and I could make her louder. We both like Quidditch and have excellent marks. She could calm me down and I could do the opposite with her. You see what I mean? We're perfect for each other!

You know you sound like a girl, don't you?, the voice teased. But really, man, if you want things with Evans to work out, you need to be you 100% of the time, not just as a stag or when you're alone with her.

''Potter? Potter, are you alright? Potter? James?''

''Sorry, I was just arguing with myself.'' I didn't realized what I had said until it came out of my mouth.

YOU BLOODY IDIOT! You must have sounded mad! LOOK AT HER FACE! Now she is going to go running to her room and never talk to you again!, the voice yelled. I'll have to name it.

Yeah, I know. But I'm being totally honest and real about her, so let's see where the honesty takes us. By the way, I'll name you Simon.

''It's good to know I'm not the only one,'' she smiled. She hadn't found it weird, or funny. She was amazing.

''I really didn't mean to say it, it came out without thinking. I was afraid I would scare you out,'' I admitted a bit embarrassed. She gave me a kind smile. She had smiled at me more times tonight that she had had in the past five years.

''Well, James, as nice as it has been talking to you, I'll be going to bed. If I sleep at least two hours I'll be able to survive tomorrow… Well, actually, today.'' She stood up, and she was heading to the girl's dorms when I grabbed her wrist again.

''You called me James,'' I whispered, marveled, looking her right into the eyes.

''Well, at some point of our lives we should become civil to each other. I just thought that maybe the first name basis was a good start, but don't worry, I'll call you Potter.'' She didn't look hurt, but you could see in her eyes disappointment. I mentally slapped myself.

''NO! I mean, no. I would love you to call me James; it feels like you almost like me. So I guess I'm allowed to call you Lily and I'm no more getting jinxes as a response, right?'' She laughed.

''I propose we make a truce: you are not asking me out again and I'm going to try to like you, and maybe be your friend. How's the sound of that? Besides, I had a very interesting talk with Black the other day…'' she added, with a mysterious grin in her face. My Lord, what the bloody hell had Sirius told her?

Merlin, you, big buffoon! SHE IS WAITING FOR AN ANSWER! This is more than you could have ever hoped for, so you better stick your head out of your arse and answer! Simon yelled.

''I agree. I know I have been a little… overwhelming. Well, fine, I've been and idiot,'' I added when I saw Lily's face. ''It's just… Never mind. But I've got one condition: I'll not ask you out until you want me to.''

''I would make you tell me what you were thinking, but I'm too tired, so I'll do it another day. I accept your condition, but what in your bloody mind makes you think I'll ever want to?''

''You'll see. One day, one day you'll say yes. I'll wait till then,'' and with that I let go her wrist and I went to my dorm. Maybe she was right: two hours will be enough to survive the day; and with her being my friend it would be much more bearable.

So… What do you think? I really hope you liked it, and if you did, as if you didn't, why don't you leave me some reviews? I'll give you chocolate if you do, and nobody can resist chocolate.

Love, me :)