Chapter 3…Lily's Secret

"Hi Evans!" James hardly controlling his grin.

"Oh God! Why do I have to see his face early morning." Muttering to herself.

"Yes Potter." As politely as she could manage. She didn't want to spoil her morning by again quarreling with him.

"I Know your little secret." Now grinning ear to ear.

"Secret… what secret… I mean which one does he know… does he know that I was not in bed but in Ralph's room last night… how can he possibly know that…he is not in Gryff.."

"Evans!"

"Yeah…" she was shaken from her reverie.

"I was saying something. I said I know your secret. Care to ask me what I know." James was dying to tell her this on her face. He wanted to see her defeated face. Merlin it was going to be great.

"Fuck off Potter! I am seriously not interested in knowing any bullshit that you might know." She said making a face.

"That's cruel ma lady." He mocked being heart broken.

"Whatever." She started walking away from him

"Wait. I am not done yet." He ran after her and stood in front blocking her way.

"I know why you wouldn't go out with me." His face full of the impending triumph.

Lily stopped. This was going to be interesting she thought.

"And pray what is it?"

"You think I am cleverer than you. RIGHT!!!" He was grinning broadly.

"Wha-What!.. whoever said that to you." She could not believe him. Yes she did think that he was a silly little kid sometimes but this was the best he ever came up with. She started laughing like crazy.

James was hoping for a confession, an acknowledgement - not this. He had clearly not anticipated a blunt mockery of his intellect as he put it.

"What.. did you… say," Lily was talking between her hysterics, "I .. you.. cleverer… Merlin it's the funniest thing I have ever heard." She was still in her fits of laughter.

"So.. You don't believe anything of this sort." He asked sheepishly. The smile suddenly off his face replaced by a very scarlet Potter.

"I still can't believe you said this Potter. Well I certainly don't believe anything like this. Certainly not after today."

Though he was really mortified by what had happened, he could not help but appreciate the smile he had brought upon Lily's face. The way she laughed, the way she talked was absolutely amazing.

It was pure magic.

He came out of his reverie when he suddenly could not hear her laughter. She was gone. Somebody was going to face death today. MOONY!!!!

"What.. you actually went and said that to her!!" both Sirius and Lupin were laughing their heads off.

"Guys you are not helping. I am hurt here."

"But this is hilarious. This is the joke of the century." Said Sirius between his laughing spree.

When the laughter had died down James started, "Now what I do. She certainly thinks I am some sort of a crazy-head. Like she didn't believe this earlier, now she has a proof also."

"Listen James, you don't go telling this to girls mate. This was absolutely a mistake." Lupin said like a parent.

"Lets analyze what can be the consequences of your sudden outburst." Said Lupin. Sirius was still sniggering. James glared at him and he shut up.

"The most inevitable is that soon all the Hogwarts' girls- that includes the Slytherins also- will come to know about this, if they don't know till now. Gossip travels faster than light among the girls."

James sank in his chair. Now the whole school will make fun of him. He will no longer be the cool Marauder that he was. This was a tragedy. How could God let this happen. It was Merlin's fault actually. He should have sent some sort of message that said James this is wrong. But no. Cheating God.

"So the best you can do is to be normal as if nothing happened. Don't do anything stupid and talk normally to everybody including Lily. If you can manage all this then it won't be difficult to deal with the current situation you are in. I must say it is a really curious position."

James thought for a moment and then said, "Ok but has this ruined my chance with Lily forever, not that I care or something but just like that?" he asked with a fake smirk on his face. He didn't want his friends to know that he really cared for her. What if they made fun of him? What if they didn't understand?

"Hmmm… I don't think so. I mean… I think she likes you." Said Lupin after some thought.

James' heart started beating again. But he didn't make it very obvious for people to know. "That's impossible. She hates me I know." Trying hard not to sound very desperate.

"No she doesn't. I think she just needs you to grow up a little." It was Sirius this time. A rare stroke of brilliance I know.

"Do you really think so??"

"Yes of course. You always act like a small kid in front of her. You make her believe that you are asking her out as a mere whim. Make her believe that you mean it. I know you can." Said Lupin agreeing with Sirius for the first time.

"Ok. I'll try." James shrugged.

"And by the way we know that you really feel for her. No need hiding from friends."

James smiled, "Thanks for understanding." And they all hugged.

There Lily was having the time of her life. She told her friends and by friends she meant just Alice. She didn't share her secrets with anyone, not even with Ralph but with Alice. They were best friends since first year. Both Lily and Alice were heads over heels. Their laughter could be heard in the common room also where the Marauders were sitting trying to console James.

When they all came down for dinner, James could not meet Lily's eyes. It was for the first time ever that James was avoiding Lily. He was concentrating hard on the muffin on his plate so as to not look up. That day Lily deliberately sat across him. Any other day James would have believed that it was Lily's way of making him ask her out. But today he knew that the reason was slightly different.

He eyed all the girls and wondered if they knew. He saw two girls looking at him and smiling. Merlin they knew, he thought. Lily you will pay for this. What was he saying? He could never dream of doing anything to her. Slowly he realized that the hall was behaving the usual way. Nothing out-of-the-ordinary had happened. No one had tried to make fun of him, not even Lily. Everything was fine. He was the cool Marauder again.

He bent over and whispered, "Thanks Lily."

Lily blushed. Even she didn't know why. "What for?" Suddenly realizing he had called her Lily.

"For not spreading the word of my intelligence." He laughed at his own stupidity.

"My pleasure. But if you want then I can announce thy greatness here itself." She said mockingly.

"Na Na my lady. Some things should not be revealed to the ignorant world."

She laughed and left.

"God I love her" He sighed as he watched her leave, her ponytail swaying and her petite figure bouncing as she walked.