A/N: a complete James and Lily chapter.

- - -

Lily waited under the stony alcove. The past week had passed blissfully with a certain peacefulness that snow always brought. Everything was covered in a thick blanket that softened every last hard edge of stone. Her heart skipped a beat when she spotted James making his way towards her. He was wearing the scarf that she had made. He always seemed to have it on these days, not that Lily minded of course.

"Hey." He smiled and stooped in front of her.

"Hey." Lily said grinning back up at him. James rumpled his hair suddenly feeling shy. "You're ears are all pink." Lily said. She inwardly cringed, if anyone were listening they would probably doubt if they were ever capable of intellectual talk. He rubbed his ears.

"They're cold." He said. Lily pulled of her fluffy white earmuffs and capped them over his ears. Now his whole face went pink.

James knew he looked really stupid and even without seeing his reflection he knew that the earmuffs looked much better on Lily. All the same, he left them on for a little while.

"Aren't your ears getting cold?" he asked.

"Yes but I'm enjoying you looking silly."

"I don't look silly. I think they suit me." James said playfully. Just then, Dumbledore walked by, humming casually to a tune. He was wearing a purple set of fluffy earmuffs that his robes. As he passed them he winked and continued to hum. "See, it's in fashion." Lily fell into a fit of giggles.

"I think Linda is waving at you to go over." James said seeing the fellow Gryffindor over Lily's shoulder.

Lily turned. "I think you're right. I'll be right back!"

"Wait!" he stopped her before she could leave. He took off the earmuffs and slipped them over her ears. "Good, I can hear again!" He pinched Lily lightly on the nose.

"Watch it Mister or you'll lose an eye." She warned as she went to Linda.

James stood in the ankle deep snow marveling out how disgustingly sweet everything seemed to be. If he had known being with Lily would cause this sugar coating effect he would have tried to ask her out earlier. Wait...he did. He shrugged, amused at his jumbled thoughts.

He almost didn't hear it when Joey came up from behind. "Hi!"

"Oh hi, Joey!"

"You look happy, today. I mean, uh, more so than usual." She went red and James thought she looked like a Christmas tree ornament. A nice one of course, just like everything else that seemed so lovely at that very moment.

"That's a nice scarf, you don't usually wear scarves."

James' hands went his neck. How did she know? "It is nice isn't it? It's from Lily."

"Oh." Joey looked uncomfortable.

"Hang on." James reached out and pulled a dried leaf from Joey's hair.

"Thanks." Joey mumbled all smiles again.

"No problem."

- - -

Lily could see James and Joey talking. The younger girl was twisting on the spot her eyes never leaving him. James was laughing and then he reached out to touch her hair. An odd lump formed in Lily's throat. Every bad thought and insecurity came flying back and hit her with a hammer. How could you have been so stupid, Lily Evans? She asked herself. James might have liked her but he also liked a lot of other girls. It stung a little to see him behave in the exact same manner to Joey as he had to her. Benefit of the doubt. Benefit of the doubt. Lily chanted to herself. The lump was still hard to swallow.

With a forced gulp she made her way back to the happy couple. When James saw her coming his Lily-is here- smile appeared although unbeknownst to him its effect had bounced straight off. He reached out and took her hands, folding them into his to warm them up. Lily gave a Joey a polite smile; it was not her fault. And neither was it James' she told herself.

Lily could tell that Joey felt uncomfortable in her presence. The girl excused herself as quickly as she could just as Lily expected.

"What did Linda want?"

"Nothing." Lily answered moodily. Linda had actually wanted to ask if she and James were a couple and Lily had been about to nod but shook her head instead when she say Joey with him.

James sensed the upset; he was beginning to turn into somewhat of a radar when it came to upset. "Is something wrong?"

"No." Lily pulled her hands away from his and tucked them away in her pockets.

"Your frown says otherwise."

Lily's frown deepened. "My frown doesn't say anything." She said stubbornly. James gaped at her in wonder. His sweet Lily had walked away and not five minutes later a sour Lily came back. If this was one of those mood swings he knew he was treading on thin ice. "You know I don't need all this special attention you're giving me."

James was confused. "Special attention?"

"I don't need you to be with me all the time. I don't need you to wait for me after lessons or to sit with me at lunch. I don't even need you to talk to me!"

"But you're my girl-"

"No I'm not!" Lily huffed and crossed her arms.

James' jaw fell open. "I'm not your-"

"No you're not."

"Not even a little-"

"NO!" James wasn't liking this mood swing thing and the scary this was: she seemed absolutely serious. She was giving him the Lily-glare and with a sinking feeling he knew that it was the end. Actually, it could not be the end if it had never started.

"Fine." He began to leave, deliberately taking slower steps in case she might call him back.

Lily watched him leave, her heart beating more steadily than it had done for the past week. Each hollow thump reverberated inside her chest. It felt like an ache. Despite her words she did not want to see him go. She had loved his special attention. It was nice having someone to walk her to classes and to wait up for her. It was wonderful having him beside her at meal times and it was sweet when he kept stealing the nice dishes and putting them in front of her.

Lily opened her mouth but pride won over and she closed it again. Whether she could see it or not, this was for the best. If she couldn't have all of his heart then she wouldn't want a piece at all. Lily of all people could not share a boyfriend with others. With a heaviness that she could not explain Lily trudged back to her room.

James walked aimlessly about the castle grounds. Each step he took he felt the injustice and hurt jab at his pride. So she hadn't even considered him as boyfriend, that was fine with him! No, actually it wasn't but it looked like he had no choice.

He wanted to kick himself for believing in a false hope. In some ways he had been better off when she kept rejecting him out straight, at least then he had no way of mistaking her words. But her actions...everything in the past few weeks said that she liked him. In fact, now he was convinced that she did like him! This served nothing but make him angry because he was so confused and he did not like being left in the dark.

With his mind set he changed his direction and made his way back to the tower. If the Lily he knew did like him she would be upset and if she were upset she was likely to be in her room and that will be where she would give him some answers.

Having decided his plan of action and confirmed by one Lily's friends that she was indeed in her room, he found that executing it became a whole different matter. It was a minor problem that came in the form of stairs designed to prevent him from climbing them. As soon as he placed one foot on it everything flattened out and he would slide down them. He tested it again but the same happened, there was absolutely no friction on them! Growing more determined he started to try running up as fast as he could but each time he landed at the bottom.

James took a deep breath. Where there's a will there's a way. He gritted his teeth and tried again. This time he managed to get more than halfway up before he slid back to the floor. Panting with his hands on his knees he waited until the stairs became stairs again. If he could just get far enough before it flattened out... He crossed the room so he could give himself a run up. He ran at fall speed and leapt up skipping the first four stairs. He managed one, two strides and the stairs were flat and as smooth as obsidian. James threw himself up the last distance and his hands hit the floor at the top. With an effort he pulled himself up.

For the first time in Hogwarts history a male student had made his way up the girls' dormitory stairs. His triumph was short lasted as he stood up and wiped his forehead. What lay ahead of him was a much tougher task than the stairs. Lily Evans.

A third year came out of her room talking to her friend. She squeaked when she saw James standing outside her door.

"Which room belongs to Lily Evans?" he demanded.

Still shocked at seeing a guy there she pointed. "Second door on the right."

"Thank you." James headed for the door his jaw set and face grim. Outside the door however, his courage seem to want to dwindle. He knocked lightly.

"Come in." Lily's voice came from inside. James steeled himself and went in. Lily was sitting on her bed with her back to him.

"Evans." He cleared his throat. Lily spun around.

"Potter!" her eyes went wide. "How did you get up here?" she snapped crossly.

"Up the stairs."

"But how- Never mind! You shouldn't be here! I don't want to speak to you!"

"Well I need to talk to you."

"Go talk to Joey instead." She turned her back stubbornly to him.

"What? I'm not going to-" It dawned to James then what was wrong. "Oh, I get it. You're jealous." As soon as he had said it he wished he had phrased it differently.

"I am NOT jealous, Potter! Don't think too highly of yourself."

James could feel anger flare up but it did not burn as fierce as it did before he knew of the cause. "Look, Lily. There's nothing between Joey and me."

"Could not care less." She said resolutely.

"Right, so why are you so angry with me?" he challenged.

Lily paused. "I'm not angry, I just don't want to talk to you."

"Why not?"

"Because!"

"That's not a good enough answer." He approached her bed with caution. Sirius had been a prime example of the kind of damage flying books and accessories could do. In one case his ex-girlfriend had thrown a jewelry box at his head and had knocked him out cold. James did not want to be unconscious before he got answers. He gently eased himself onto his knees on the floor to her left. "You seem angry. Have I done something wrong?"

Lily refused to look at him; instead she focused on the fistfuls of blanket in her hand. "No." she said finally, a lot calmer than she had been. "I'm not mad at you. You're just being yourself. I'm mad at me."

James was still confused but at least she was talking to him now. Nutmeg entered the room, the bell on her collar tinkling as she made her way to the bed and jumped into Lily's lap. Lily stroked her thick fur. James was eternally grateful for the cat because the last creases of anger left Lily completely leaving the sadness that was underneath it.

"I know I've been stupid again." He started. "It's a habit hard to break. I don't know what I've done but I know I've done something. I'm sorry that I assumed that we were dating, or at least were going to date. It's just that for once I thought it might happen."

Lily could feel something go soft inside. It was the way he talked, it made her want to listen and believe everything. He might have told her one day that the earth was flat and given the right tone of voice and sincerity she might have questioned whether it were true. "It has happened for you. With a lot of other girls. One less doesn't make a difference."

"Yeah but they don't count." He stopped realizing his callousness. "I don't mean it like that. I thought they were good people but I never felt the way I do now." James stopped again. It was coming out all wrong, he hunted for the right words but they just weren't there.

"How do you know that it won't change." Lily sighed, her shoulders dropping low. "I never know whether you're messing around or being serious." She looked up and straight at him. "I feel scared sometimes, that you're just messing around with me."

James was shocked. Is this what she really thought of him? "No! I'm not messing around!"

"But how do I know that?"

He thought, long and hard. "You don't. But I do." Lily continued to look at him, her expression unreadable. "I'll prove it to you. With time I promise you will understand that I'm nothing but serious and I will swear it on anything. The problem is, are you willing to give me a chance to prove it?" he extended a hand to her. Nutmeg mewed and stretched out a paw on his hand. "Not you." He said with a trace of humor and pushed it away. Lily also smiled.

"I guess if you proof ends up sucking then I've got a legitimate reason to commit a murder." Lily placed her hand in his and he closed his fingers around it.

"Phew! I was so glad you were going to say no!"

"POTTER!" McGonagall screamed from the doorway.

A/N: Yes, Lily did seem a bit petty but things are never clear cut in relationships and jealousy can get very ugly. I took the liberty of making James the one and only ever guy to go up those stairs. You'd think it would have been Sirius but James got there first!