My apologies for this chapter taking longer than the last. Its also rather short too, just couldn't seem to get it flowing but I gave it my best shot. I also have the next planned out so it shouldn't take too long.

Once again thank you so much to all the people who spared the time to review and to all those who added me to their favourites. It truly makes me feel honoured. XXX

Chapter 3

'Three months?' said Alice for what felt like the millionth time as she applied her mascara. While being Lily's best friend, Alice had a touch more girlishness in her. She wore basic make up, forever trying to convince Lily to try it just once.

'For the last time Als yes,' said Lily rather snappily, brushing her hair; after managing a few hours of restless sleep and an early morning she was not in the mood for this discussion.

'I'm sorry Lil,' she said quickly. 'I'm just getting my head around it. There's never been a week –' she sighed, pulling her long blonde hair up in a ponytail. 'Scratch that. There hasn't been three days go by since second year that James hasn't asked you out. And now suddenly he stops?'

Lily shrugged, blaming the squirming in her stomach on hunger.

'I'm glad.'

It was at least half true. Although initially thrown by his newly tame demeanour around her, Lily had breathed a sigh of relief when it seemed James had become bored of pestering her. She even found that the Charms lesson they shared wasn't too horrendous, they had a few fun moments. And then a few weeks later she'd began to wonder why he'd stopped pursuing her, still telling herself (to this day) that it was a weight off her shoulders. Except the thought she caused the only boy who liked her to finally give up just seemed to shift the weight and have her haul it around in her stomach instead.

Said organ suddenly growled angrily; it was certainly time for breakfast.

'You ready?'

'Just about,' said Alice, spraying the light smelling perfume Frank had given her. 'Are you sure you don't want to try just a itty bitty bit of mascara?'

Waving the tube enticingly before her, Lily saw the way the mascara framed her blue eyes. Since term had started, she'd wanted to give to that alien need to try something a little different every time Alice asked her. But the thought of knowing what reaction her friend would give made her hold back a little. It seemed that today though, when the answer of 'no Alice' didn't immediately spring from her lips, Als knew exactly what was going through her head. She looked a little dumbstruck for a moment.

Cringing, Lily felt her face flush and she waited for the squeal of 'finally!'. Waited to be tugged down and painted like some Muggle Barbie doll. But her best friend just smiled softly, her blue eyes sparkling with glee that she was obviously suppressing.

'Come here,' she said, shifting along on her bed to make room for Lily in front of her mirror.

Nervously, Lily sat down and Alice gave her the make up bag she had.

'I'll show you how ok?' Als said, grinning. 'I won't make you look awful I promise.'

'Thank you Als,' said Lily quietly, hugging her.

Alice smiled to herself as Lily asked what she did with the pink powder: Merlin she must have it bad...

***

'For the love of Merlin Padfoot GET OUT OF THE SODDING BATHROOM!'

James chuckled despite his still half asleep state, marvelling at the way only Sirius could make Moony lose his rag. Every Marauder knew to get to the bathroom before Sirius did, lest they pay the price. The sound of flushing water echoed from behind the door until it opened, hot steam issuing into the room.

'Perfection takes time and patience Moony!' said Sirius cheerfully.

'Perfection my arse!' Remus shot, though his mouth was starting to twitch.

'I think you'll find its my arse that's perfection Moony,' smirked James.

'Is that so?' said Remus, that knowing smirk twitching as he walked to the bathroom. 'And here I thought you said that it was a certain Miss Lily Evans who had, what was it again?'

He paused at the door, looking falsely thoughtful.

'Oh yes the 'most delectable and heavenly arse in the whole of history'.'

Sirius spat out the Butterbeer he'd been swigging from last nights left over bottle, his bark like laugh making Peter, who'd just fallen whilst putting his socks on, chuckle from his position on the floor. James coloured.

Gulp. 'You know sarcasm is the lowest form of wit Moony?'

'And yet I pull it off magnificently,' he answered, closing the bathroom door before James' pillow hit him in the face.

'Oh lighten up Prongs,' chuckled Sirius as he gave Peter a hand up off the carpet. 'You should enjoy Moony being so cheerful while you can,' he added a little quieter.

It was true. It was inevitable that as this week progressed, Remus would become more short tempered as the full moon approached.

'Yeah I know,' James sighed, pulling on his tie. 'Sorry it's just –'

'Evans,' said Peter knowingly. 'You get this look on your face when you're thinking about her.'

Focusing on knotting his tie, James tried to stop his mind straying to her again... or her highly delectable arse. He had finally managed to drift off after talking to Sirius last night, but the sleep he did have was plagued with images that made him want to throw out the plan completely. Merlin knows what he would do at breakfast this morning when he saw her. The picture of throwing her down onto the table, her cheeks flushed and hair fanning around her made him need to hide himself from the waist down.

'Don't worry Prongs you'll get her eventually,' Peter said.

Yeah you've only been saying that for the last five years, James thought. Then felt instantly guilty. He was only trying to make him feel better after all.

'Thanks Wormtail,' he said as cheerfully as he could.

Not five minutes later, Moony was out of the bathroom. James tied his jumper around his waist, deftly leaving the sleeves hanging in front of his crotch, before throwing his robes on over his white shirt.

'We heading down now then?'

***

'Lily stop fidgeting!'

Self conscious didn't even cover how Lily was feeling as brushed her hair from her eyes. What was she thinking to have agreed to this?!

As soon as the doors to the Great Hall came into view her stomach lurched so much she felt it might jump from her mouth. She truly felt the impulse to run. But Alice held her arm in a vice tight grip.

'You said yourself I've hardly changed anything!' said Alice exasperated. 'You're a Gryffindor! Use your guts. And plus just think, when you get in there'll be pancakes waiting.'

Mmm pancakes with lemon juice! But her hair fell back into her eyes and she felt like running again. She had allowed Alice (after much internal struggling) to style it differently for her, pulling just a little back from her face, leaving two silky red strands to frame her features. The slightest amount of chocolate brown around her eyes made the green irises contrast brightly; and when she looked up the tips of her eyelashes tickled her eyebrows. Alice had dusted the lightest amount of blush on her pale cheeks, claiming that as soon she got embarrassed she wouldn't need any.

This much was true. Her cheeks had all the natural flush they ever needed, and she swallowed several times as Alice dragged her into the lions den.

Blowing out a slow breath, she opened her eyes, thankful no one had noticed anything yet. Within seconds though, Frank had bounced over from the Hufflepuff table and given Alice her good morning kiss.

'Mmm good morning Mr Longbottom,' beamed Alice when they finally broke apart.

'Well good morning my angel,' said Frank.

The way they looked at each other secretly made Lily ache; but they needn't know that as she cleared her throat loudly when they attempted to redouble the effort to swap saliva.

'This is public breakfast, not a private all you can eat tongue buffet,' she said, rolling her eyes. 'Please restrain yourselves.'

'Sorry. Good morning Lil,' said Frank finally glancing at her.

'Good-' she started.

Lily felt her cheeks turn scarlet as Frank did a double take.

'Lily?! Wow you look lovely!'

Alice shot her an 'I told you so' grin from next to her boyfriend and Lily felt her face flush so hot someone could probably fry an egg on her cheeks.

'Thank you,' she said quietly, wanting to deny the smile that was pulling at her lips.

Leading them to their seats, Lily stopped herself from glancing at the door. Unbeknownst to her, Frank was whispering in Alice's ear.

'James is going to wet himself.'

Alice smirked. 'Oh I know love, that's the whole point.'

***

'Bacon sarnies this morning!' said Peter, bouncing off the walls.

'I bloody hate morning people,' Sirius muttered to James, but with a little fondness under the statement.

James snorted. 'Yeah you're more of a keep everyone up all night person.'

Sirius winked.

'Don't you mean a keep it up all night person?'

Moony groaned in disgust.

'I beg you to stop.'

'So do they after a while!'

James had to burst out laughing at that point.

'Do you have a comeback for everything Padfoot?' asked Peter.

'NO!' shouted Moony before Sirius could take advantage of that comment.

Sides hurting from laughter, James fought for breath as the Great hall came into sight. Seductive smells of breakfast wafted to him, appealing to the growl of his stomach. Bacon didn't sound like such a bad idea now.

'Let's get in before Wormtail scoffs everything.'

Following as Wormtail ran to the first available seat, James ploncked down into the seat beside him.

'Good morning boys,' said the familiar voice of Alice a few seats down from opposite him. He looked up at her.

'Good morning-'

The rest of his greeting stuck in his throat when the red-headed, scarlet cheeked beauty beside the blonde looked at him, licking her full lips.

'Morning Potter,' she said softly, immediately breaking eye contact.

He swallowed thickly, his Adam's apple jiggling. His mental functions were taking an age to register; drowned out to the fierce thumping that was his pulse, surging hot blood in the opposite direction of his brain. He was positive that if he hadn't been seated, he would've fallen to his knees before her.

Those beautiful, almond shaped eyes glowed a brighter green than he'd ever seen them from beneath long eyelashes, which he was certain would make him weak willed to her every command, should she bat them at him. The red of her cheeks reminded him of when she would be ready to scream at him in outrage – oh Merlin she was licking her lips again! Thank you to whoever created lemon juice on pancakes!

Too distracted by her to notice the number of eyes on him, or the palpable silence that had fallen, James was snapped from yet more bad, bad thoughts about those lips by Padfoot kicking him hard under the tale and saying –

'Bloody hell Evans! Don't you look thoroughly shaggable today?!'


Oh yes that snapped him out of it all right.

'I recognise that as the equivalent of a 'you look nice' in your world Black,' said Lily, pouring herself more juice. 'So thank you.'

'You can thank me properly if you lik–'

This time in was James that kicked Sirius.

'Really Lily,' said Remus as he sat opposite her. James kicked himself for not taking that seat. 'You look –'

'Stunning.'

Those green eyes were on him again and they made his hair stand on end. Don't ask her out. Don't ask her out. Do NOT ask her out!

'Thank you,' shesaid to both him and Moony.

James ate in silence, thoroughly jealous of how easy it was for Moony to hold a conversation with her. Every time he went to open his mouth, all he could think to say was how much he wanted her. Not good.

Talk to her about something she's interested in. That was the advice Moony had given him. He swallowed thickly again.

'Er, Evans?' he said, just as everyone stood to leave. 'Do you think we should plan tomorrow night's Prefect meeting later?'

'NOW!'

James gasped as a sharp rush of cold enveloped him from the head down, soaking into his clothes.

'WHAT THE HELL?' he shouted to his fellow Marauders, all of whom (along with a few others) were practically pissing themselves at the sight of him, drenched in freezing water.

'We – we made a deal,' gasped Sirius through laughing, clutching the empty jug. 'That the first time you – you mentioned your Head duties on your own, you'd need s – snapping out of it!'

'Some bloody mates you lot are,' he muttered, wiping his glasses. Cringing, he looked to Evans, expecting her to be breathless with mirth.

What he saw shoo him to the core.

Licking her lips slowly, James followed her eye line, to his well toned chest, which his semi see through shirt was now stuck to. Her face was flushed scarlet and her eyes were glazed over slightly.

'Lily?' said Alice, elbowing her and smirking at James.

He watched as her eyes wandered back to his face, her dazed expression slipping to one of horror, blushing vividly to the tips of her hair until she resembled a gorgeous, green eyed, tomato.

'Er, meeting plan? Right, er seven in the Common Room tonight? I'll um, see you, then – I mean after, later. Bye James!'

She practically bolted, leaving a dumbstruck crowd of dumbstruck boys behind in her wake.

'Merlin did she really just...' started Padfoot.

'Call him James?' finished Moony.

Wormtail nipped his own arm.

James felt a little hope swell in his chest. Better not point out she knew we have double Charms now.

Once again I apologise for the shortness. And please note that the next chapter will be moving on time wise I'm just setting the scenario atm.

I'd be touched if you review. All comments welcome as usual. Please tell me how I could improve. XXX