Disclaimer: I own nothing here.

Chapter 13

Just like that James and Lily were friends, and in James' opinion there was nothing better than being friends with Lily Evans.

Suddenly he found he didn't need an excuse to sit next to her in the Great Hall, or walk with her to class. He could just find her in the library and ask for help with Potions homework or tease her just for the hell of watching her blush.

While he had found he'd never been happier, he was also more than a little worried. As much as he loved being friends with Lily, he also knew that wasn't enough and one day he would want to be more than just friends.

The problem was, he wasn't sure that she would.

It was this he was mulling over as he climbed through the portrait hole on a chilly Friday evening. He had nipped to the Owlery after dinner to send a reply to his mother's letter and hadn't wanted any company.

He found Sirius and Peter sitting together on the armchairs by the fire playing a game of chess. By the look of the board Sirius was winning, as most of Peter's players lay in pieces on the table. Although why he even bothered to play, James wasn't sure. He'd been trying to beat Sirius for six years and still had never managed it.

"Where's Moony?" James asked by way of greeting, talking a seat on the arm of Peter's chair.

"Decorating the Great Hall with all the other prefects" Sirius answered, giving one of his pieces an encouraging prod. "I tried to get him to skive but Evans intervened."

James sighed, "I thought we were finally having a good influence on that girl."

"Well she didn't shout when you hexed Snape in the corridor the other day" Peter said fairly.

"That's because Moony was distracting her and she wasn't paying attention" James pointed out.

"Who cares" Sirius said, stretching his arms like a contented cat. "The slimy git deserved it."

"Don't let Evans hear you" said James mildly.

"Bet Snivelly is down there cosying up to her now" said Peter darkly, "trying to get back into her good books."

Sirius looked stunned, "Sometimes you are smarter than you look, Wormtail."

Peter glared at him.

"Evans wouldn't forgive him, and he doesn't seem all that interested anyway" James said dismissively, "he hasn't even tried to speak to her since the first week of term."

"Not that you know of" Peter put in.

"We could always pop down and see for ourselves" Sirius said, noticing the now worried expression on James' face. "I'm dead bored up here and Wormtail is no competition."

"Yeah let's go" James agreed, already up and out of his seat. "Maybe we can even find something to get into detention for."

Sirius clapped him on the back as he followed, "That's the spirit" he said jovially and the three of them left the Portrait Hole together.

Technically they weren't breaking any school rules; it was only 8 o'clock and sixth year students were allowed to be in the corridors until nine.

However, James was certain they weren't supposed to be in the Great Hall while the Christmas decorations were being put up.

Not that it was likely to stop them.

The three of them paused in the entry way to the Great Hall to survey the decorations so far. Twelve huge Christmas trees lined the hall, several of which were already bedecked with glittering decorations.

At the far end of the Hall Professor McGonagall was supervising the fifth year Gryffindor prefects as they hung decorations on the tree closest to the top table. Little Professor Flitwick was stood on a stool levitating decorations to the top of one of the tallest trees.

James spotted Remus and Lily half way down the hall. Remus was hanging baubles on one of the trees with the help of Damocles Belby, a Seventh year Slytherin prefect. At the tree beside them were Lily and Benjy Fenwick, who were looping tinsel over the branches together.

Just seeing Lily stood next to the Ravenclaw made James' blood boil.

"Peter!" someone squealed, and James was momentarily distracted by a pretty, pale girl with charcoal hair and bright blue eyes who came running over to them. She paid no attention to him, or Sirius for that matter, simply grabbed a hold of Peter's wrist and dragged him into the Hall. "You can come and help me!" She said enthusiastically before yanking him away.

Peter had never mentioned he had a girlfriend, and he didn't look back at the two of them to give any indication as to what was occurring. Through whatever it was James was certainly happy about it, after the fiasco with Mary McDonald, Peter deserved to be happy with someone.

"What the hell just happened?" Sirius wanted to know, still staring at the two of them as they crossed the hall together.

"Isn't that one of Daisy's friends?" James said conversationally, watching the girl with dark hair as she threw tinsel over Peter's neck. "She was in the Three Broomsticks that day."

"Nah, can't be" Sirius said dismissively while still squinting to get a better look at her.

"What are you two doing here?" Another voice asked, and they both looked around to see a girl with curly blonde hair and aquamarine eyes staring at them. Her arms were crossed over her blue tie and her eyebrows were raised in a bemused sort of way.

"Hello Felicity" Sirius said, grinning at her charmingly. "How are you this fine evening?"

"Wondering what sort of trouble you're planning on causing me, Black" she said, her blue eyes melting as she looked at him.

James sighed, "I'm going to find Remus" he mumbled, turning and walking away from them both before they could reply. Though he was sure neither of them would have done anyway.

He made his way over to where Remus was hanging decorations, "Hey Remus" he called, pausing before he reached the tree.

Remus looked up in surprise, "James" he said, sounding a little shocked. "What are you doing here?"

"Sirius' idea" he said, jabbing a thumb in the direction of his friend who was now whispering something in Felicity's ear.

Remus rolled his eyes but turned back to look at the tree. James took a step closer, "Hey Moony" he said quietly, glancing around to ensure no one could hear them. "Snape hasn't tried to talk to Evans, has he?"

Remus looked up at his friend and frowned, "No" he said, "I don't think he's even looked this way all evening."

"Good" James nodded, satisfied. "Because we need to keep him away from her."

"Why's that, Potter?" Damocles Belby asked loudly from beside them. "Do you have something against Slytherins?"

James looked up and narrowed his eyes, "No" he said firmly, "But I do have something against Voldemort sympathisers." He was inwardly pleased when Belby flinched at the name. "Don't you?"

"If I say no are you gonna warn me off Evans too?" He asked, not bothering to keep his voice down.

James glanced over to where Lily was, but she was too busy laughing at Benjy to pay any attention to their conversation.

"Yeah, I would" James said roughly. "If you're interested in running around like a nutter in a mask then stay away from Evans."

Belby shot him a two fingered salute but smirked before turning back to decorating the tree.

"James relax" Remus said quietly, "Belby's alright."

James wasn't paying any attention however, he had lost all interest in the conversation as soon as his eyes moved to Lily and Benjy. He watched as the sweet talking Ravenclaw looped tinsel around Lily's neck and pulled her closer to him.

"Come on, Lil" he grinned in a way he must have imagined to be charming, "I swear I saw some mistletoe over here."

"I'm sure you did, Benjy" Lily laughed, pulling out of his grasp and turning back to the tree.

"Don't you want to go and take a closer look?" he pressed, moving back around so he was the forefront of her attention.

"I've seen mistletoe before" she said mildly, "I really just want to finish this and go to bed."

Benjy looked as though he was going to press her again, as he moved even closer so their faces were almost touching. James thought this was the perfect time to shout, "Alright Evans!" causing the two of them to jump apart and look over at him.

"James" she said, a genuine smile overtaking her face and brightening her eyes. "What are you doing here?"

"People really need to stop asking me that" he smiled, shaking his head as he moved closer to her direction. "Maybe I just wanted to come and see my favourite person" he took a lock of her hair between his fingers as he said it and looked into her green eyes.

He was pleased to see that she had forgotten all about Benjy Fenwick, and the boy in question looked as though he had just swallowed stinksap.

"But Sirius is right over there" she breathed, grinning at him.

James couldn't help but laugh.

"Hey Lil, you gonna help me with these decorations or not?" Benjy called, looking more than a little annoyed as he hung another bauble on one of the branches.

"Of course" she replied, a little breathy as she turned her attention back to the Christmas tree. "Sorry James, but I really need to finish this."

"No need to apologise, Evans" he grinned at her, "How about I give you a hand."

James could practically feel the daggers Benjy was glaring into his back but he couldn't bring himself to care. Even if Lily hadn't noticed, the Ravenclaw definitely had a thing for her, and he wasn't about to sit around and find out if she still thought he was the most attractive boy in the school.

Between the three of them it didn't take long to finish the tree, and after they'd all moved across to help Remus and Damocles hang the remainder of their decorations, Professor McGonagall came over to tell them it was past curfew and they all needed to go to bed.

"I'm going to pretend I didn't see you Potter" she said, surveying him sternly over the top of her glasses. "And you, Black."

"You're a doll, Minnie" Sirius called to her from the other side of the hall.

She shot him one final glare before turning her back on them.

"Hey Evans" Damocles said as they reached the Entrance Hall together, "I'm going to take you up on your offer sometime."

"I look forward to it, Belby" Lily smiled slightly, bidding him farewell as she made her way towards the staircase with the rest of the Gryffindor's.

Damocles threw a wink in James' direction before turning towards the dungeons. James glowered but chose not to follow him. Benjy was still tagging on to Lily, and for now that was the more important issue of the two.

He'd ask her about her offer to Belby later.

"Hey Fenwick, shouldn't you be going that way?" Sirius asked, pointing in the direction of the opposite corridor they all knew led to Ravenclaw Tower.

Benjy glanced up at Sirius before he said, "Er, yeah." He cleared his throat awkwardly and scratched the back of his head, "Say Lil, could I have a word?"

"Of course" Lily said, smiling as she looked up at him.

Lily hadn't seemed to grasp that Benjy wanted a private word with her, away from prying eyes. Or perhaps she had but was doing her best to avoid it.

Whichever it was, James couldn't help feeling a little sorry for the Ravenclaw who was now looking awkwardly at the three Marauders staring at him.

He cleared his throat, "Well, I just wondered if you'd like to go to the Hogsmeade weekend with me?" he asked quietly.

"Oh" Lily said, a pink blush painting her cheeks and confirming James' suspicions that she had no idea what Benjy really wanted from her. "It's really nice of you to ask Benjy, but Marlene is my friend and I think it would hurt her feelings."

Benjy glanced up at Sirius before turning his attention back to Lily, "She isn't interested in me" he said firmly.

"She really is" Lily contradicted, "Plus, I already made plans to go with someone."

"Who?" Benjy wanted to know, glancing suspiciously at James.

James was just as interested in this as Benjy was, it was the first he'd heard that she had a date.

"Peter Pettigrew" Lily said, continuing to smile away like the cat that got the canary.

"You have a date with Peter Pettigrew?" Benjy clarified.

"No, it isn't a date" Lily said, "He just asked me for a favour, and it wouldn't be very nice of me to cancel at the last minute." She looked up at him with those big green eyes, "You understand, don't you?"

"Er, of course!" Benjy said quickly, "Well, there's always next time right?"

"Right" Lily agreed, "Good night, Benjy."

"Night Evans" he smiled, departing with a small smile of farewell.

She groaned as she turned back to the James, Sirius and Remus and continued their walk towards the Gryffindor tower together.

"You are a cruel woman, Ginge" Sirius said, grinning.

"Oh shut up, Black" she snapped, massaging her temples as though she could push the guilt she was feeling away. "I hate turning people down."

"So why did you?" Remus asked curiously, "I thought you liked him."

"I said I thought he was attractive" Lily corrected, rolling her eyes. "Don't think I don't know Benjy Fenwick has been out with more girls than Sirius Black."

"He has not!" Sirius said defensively as the other two laughed.

"We better warn Peter he's your fake date" James laughed as the four of them climbed through the portrait hole together, "Or Benjy will catch you in a lie."

"Oh, I wasn't lying" Lily said easily, throwing herself into one of the armchairs by the fire. "Peter did ask me to go with him."

James felt the colour drain from his face.

"You're going on a date with Peter?" Remus demanded.

"That's it!" Sirius threw his hands up in the air, "He is officially no longer a Marauder."

Lily's eyebrows knitted together, "I told you, it's not a date."

"Then why are you going together?" James wanted to know.

"Why do you care?" Lily fired up immediately.

"I don't know, Evans" James said sarcastically, "Maybe because I'm the only Marauder you haven't been to Hogsmeade with."

"Well maybe if you actually asked me I might think about going with you!" Lily burst out.

James paused for a moment as he watched a pink blush flush Lily's features, "Would you?" he asked immediately, "Would you go with me, Evans?"

"I already told you, I'm going with Peter" she said, her cheeks still red and her eyes downcast.

"If it isn't a date then why are you going with him?" Remus wanted to know, taking a seat in one of the vacant armchairs and cutting James off before he could say anything else.

In all honesty he had forgotten there was anyone else in the room with them. He had forgotten even that Lily was going to Hogsmeade with Peter. He had forgotten everything that didn't involve Lily telling him she would have gone to Hogsmeade with him if he'd asked her.

"He asked me not to tell you" Lily said shortly.

"Well that can't be true, Evans" Sirius said, squishing himself into the armchair next to her. "We Marauders don't have any secrets."

"He thinks you'd tease him" Lily said.

"Probably" Sirius conceded, "But you can still tell us."

She sighed, "Alright fine, you know that Hufflepuff fifth year Katie that was in the Three Broomsticks with us during the last Hogsmeade trip?"

Sirius said "No" the exact same time James and Remus said "Yes."

"Well, she and Peter have met up a couple of times" Lily continued as though there had been no interruption, ""He asked me to go with him because he wants my help in picking a Christmas present for her."

They all stared at her stunned for a moment.

"No way, Wormy has a girlfriend!" Sirius finally burst out, breaking the tension and causing them all to laugh.

"You won't tease him, will you?" Lily implored.

"Not as much as we'll tease you about being asked out by Benjy Fenwick" Sirius grinned.

"Oh shove off, Black" she said, pushing him out of the chair but laughing along with them.

James smiled but shook his head at his friend's antics, mulling over the possibility that this coming Christmas might be his best one yet.