A/N: This one's kind of short. Heh. I've updated my profile with information on each of my stories. From here on out, this one will be updated on WEDNESDAYS. "Everyone's At It," my NextGen one-shot collection, will be updated on TUESDAYS. My Soul Eater one-shot collection, "Days in the Life of Soul 'Eater' Evans - And Why He Loves Her," will be updated every THURSDAY. I end up unable to really get on and write/edit/review on the weekends, so I'm doing the weekdays from here on out.

Enjoy ^-^

CHARACTER: Lily Evans

YEAR: 4th/1975

PLACE: Hogwarts

WORDS: 576

Tutors

She hates him, absolutely hates him. And Mary has a crush on him! How can she do that? Doesn't she know how much of a prat he is?

"Lookin' good, Evans."

Oh, shit. "Go away, Potter."

"I just wanted to tell you something."

"Go away, Potter," she repeats.

"C'mon, Evans—"

She slams her quill down. "Potter! Go away!"

There's a cough behind her. "Out of my library—both of you," Madam Pince says, dangerously low.

Lily quickly and angrily throws her things into her bag. She quietly apologizes to the librarian and leaves, James Potter on her heels. Where is she supposed to go to study now? And Potter is still following her.

"Evans, will you wait up?"

She ignores him and keeps her fast, steady pace.

"I'm not going to ask you out, okay? McGonagall wanted me to speak with you."

Startled, she stops and turns, brow furrowing. "About what?"

"Since you heavily opposed getting extra help, she sent her best Transfiguration student to tutor you."

Her mouth drops.

"She didn't tell me how much trouble you're having, but I'm assuming it must be pretty bad."

The smirk on his face pisses her off. "I don't need your help."

"McGonagall seems to disagree." At her silence, he continues, "Look, I'll behave during the tutoring, if it makes you feel any better. Unless you want to damn near fail your exam this year."

Her face grows hot, and her vision narrows until all she sees is Potter. She wants to hex him into next week. She wants to pour a cauldron of bubotuber pus on his head. She wants to pass the damn Transfiguration exam without having to stress about it like years previous.

"Fine," she grinds out.

"Great! We'll start tomorrow after Quidditch practice. You can come watch—"

"Potter."

Her warning tone has him raising his hands. "Right. Okay. See you."

It's their sixth session, and this is the first time she has ever seen Potter impatient with anyone about schoolwork. She thinks it's a bit (very) hypocritical, considering he never studies and goofs off during class. She still has trouble believing he's the best at Transfiguration in their year, but, when she asked earlier that day, Remus confirmed its truth.

"No, that's wrong."

"No, it's not."

"Listen, Evans, I know you can't stand being wrong, but you've got this backwards."

"No, I don't!"

"Yes, you do!"

"You're an idiot!"

"I'm not the one failing Transfiguration!"

The common room goes silent. Usually, the Gryffindors ignore them, used to their fighting. Not now. They have everyone's attention, and the room is quieter than Lily had ever experienced.

I will not cry, she says in her head. I will not cry, I will not cry, I will not cry. But she feels the tell-tale stinging in her eyes.

Potter's mouth drops open, as if he's just realized what he said. "I didn't mean that," he says. He's no longer shouting like they were a few minutes ago.

She angrily grabs her books. With a wave of her wand, she Vanishes one of his chair legs before storming up the stairs to the girls' dormitories. Alice and Mary join her not long after. Alice proudly announces that Mary slapped Potter right across the face.

Lily cracks a small smile before a sob escapes her, and the tears start coming. Fuck James Potter. She'll get help from her friends if McGonagall thinks she needs it so badly.