"Lily my darling! My flower! My cherry red teddy bear! My-"
"Let me stop you right there James Potter." Lily held a shaking hand up.
She was about to completely lose it when Sirius Black appeared beside James.
"I'll have to agree with Evans mate, you were one bad compliment away from completely annihilating any type of reputation you've managed to build up in these few short years."
Sirius looked at Lily and smirked.
"So Lilyflower, I've heard a few stories about you lately!" Lily glared at him. "Black, Marlene is behind me, care to piss off with her?" Sirius grinned.
"Oh, touchy I see…Prongs you have your work cut out for you with this one!"
James rolled his eyes. "Padfoot, leave."
Sirius breathed in dramatically and stuck his lower lip out. "Everyone is so mean to me!"

Remus walked up to the group, a half empty bottle of butterbeer in his hand. "Who is Sirius annoying now?" He looked over at Lily, looking apologetic. "I'm sorry about him. He gets nervous in front of new people." James snorted.
"I'm not a dog!" Sirius said, though he looked over at James and winked. They burst out laughing.
The girls shared confused looks and Lily shrugged.

"I'm off to find Frank." Alice said.
Lily spun around. "What happened to spending the day together?"
Hestia bit her lip. "Yeah, I'm going to go try and talk to Amos."
"What the hell!"
"Come on, Lil. Today is my big chance to impress him! You know how long I've liked him for."
Lily sighed.
"And you, Alice?"
"Frank asked me at breakfast. He said he's found a plant on the outskirts of the village that might be a new breed!" Her eyes were twinkling. "You know how I am with Herbology, I couldn't pass this opportunity up!"
Lily raised an eyebrow, not understanding her friend's obsession with plants.
"Whatever, just go. See you back at school." They looked surprised but walked off speedily. Alice looked back, as if checking to see if Lily was going to hex them when their backs were turned. "I'm not that bad, am I?" She said quietly to herself.

Lily put her hands into her jean pockets and turned back around. Marlene had left without a word, following Sirius to a booth in the back. Remus and James faced her, looking awkward. "Well," Remus said. "I have to, er, go. Peter is waiting for me outside Zonko's." Lily's eyes widened. "Bye James, Lily!"
Remus walked off in the opposite direction that Hestia and Alice had walked to.
"Evans, just you and me then!" James grinned, messing his hair. Lily dug her nails into the back of her hands. "Potter…I'm not going anywhere with you!"
"C'mon Evans, I'm not that bad!" He grabbed her hand and Lily yelped, jerking back as if she'd been burned.
"Touch me again Potter…" Lily whispered.
James raised his eyebrows. "Merlin, fine then…just, come over here. Sit down. We should talk."

Glancing around at the staring crowds, Lily had no choice but to follow him to a table a little bit away from Marlene and Sirius. She looked over, trying to get a look at them, but their table was shadowed over. She could see nothing.
Lily sat down.
"Butterbeer?" James offered, holding a bottle out. It seemed he'd planned this. Lily took it, but set it down on the table. James took a long drink from his before finally looking at her. "Look at us Evans, finally on a date!"
Lily stiffened. "This is not a bloody date, Potter!" He shrugged.
"Sure, sure. Anyways…how're you?"
Lily screwed her eyes up. What was his game? He couldn't actually be being nice. "Crappy." Lily smiled coldly. "And yourself?"
"Spiffing actually." He smirked. "I'm with you!"

Lily groaned and looked across the pub. At least 10 sets of eyes quickly looked away. At least 15 stared right back at her. She raised a rude hand gesture and returned to James, who was staring at her in admiration.
"Evans! I'd never thought you'd result to such vulgar behaviour!"
Lily breathed out and looked down. "You are so weird Potter."
James saluted to her. "Just doing my job."
"And immature."
He smirked.
"Arrogant."
James turned his head sideways.
"Rude."
He nodded slowly.
"Aggravating!"
The smirk returned.
"Why thank you Evans, I don't think I've ever been complimented so much in all my life…you spoil me!"
He took another drink and gestured to her untouched one. "Drink up, love."

Lily shook her head but the steaming bottle did look tempting…she placed her hands on the rim and looked up at him. He propped up his head with his hands on the table, staring intently at her. Lily was beginning to feel uncomfortable so she raised the bottle to her lips and gulped. Warmth spread through her, and she took another drink, half draining it. It wasn't like it was alcoholic or anything.
"Potter, why am I here?" Lily asked.
James pushed his glasses back up to his eyes. "I just want to get to know you Lily."
"Watch it. We are so not on a first name basis. See that would mean we were friends, and that is never going to happen."
James grinned once more. "Okay…Evans." He exaggerated her surname, annoying Lily even more. She took another drink to calm her down.
"OWLS coming up then," James said, trying to make casual conversation. "Studied much?" Lily scoffed.
"I'm Lily Evans. What do you think?"
He placed a hand on the table.
"Okay, stupid question."
"Of course it was, it came from your mouth." Lily joked. She found herself actually smiling properly at him. Right, what was happening to her?

Lily wasn't sure how much time passed, but soon her and James were having a friendly conversation, laughing and everything.
"Potter, I don't get you!" Lily grinned as James drained his glass. "I mean; you're an arse! A huge one!" She giggled. "I bloody hate you!"
James chortled.
"Why do I like you Evans? You're so horrid to me." Lily nodded.
"Yes!"
She looked up at him. He was smiling genuinely at her, playing with his empty bottle.

"Well," She hesitated. "Maybe we could be…friends?"
James's grin spread all over his face. "I'd like that Lil-"
"Having fun?" A cold, high voice uttered.
Lily looked over. The smile died on her face.
"I see how it is." Severus said.
"No, Sev!" Lily stood up, knocking the remaining butterbeer over the table. "It's not what it looks like!" James had also stood up, looking furious.
"Leave Snivellus." Lily rebounded on him.
"Potter!" She turned back to Severus.
"Sev, please…listen to me!" But the smaller boy had already turned around, walking away.
Tears welled up in Lily's eyes. She turned back to James.
"You!" She shouted. "This is your fault!"
James shrugged. "He's nothing, Lily."
"And what are you?" Lily said, furious. "The bloody king of Hogwarts I suppose, James Potter; because everyone adores you!"
The pub had gone silent again. Sirius was poking his head out from his booth, looking worried.
"You can forget what I said about us being friends!" Lily felt dizzy, like she could throw up. "Leave me the hell alone!"
Lily looked around at the shocked faces and ran.