A/N – Thank you to my reviewers! You make my day, really. I know I said 7, but I really couldn't wait to get this chapter out there. I'm pretty proud of it. That being said, I'm not really much for the start of this chapter, but there isn't a real way around it as it's an important bit, so I hope I've made up for it at the end. I think you'll like that bit XD. So, here is chapter…5!

Life at school was going quite normally now. Except that I was completely ignoring Sirius and anytime we were alone together I quickly made up an excuse to leave. That, and the fact that I was now finding that Potter's company was slowly beginning to become…bearable? I don't completely enjoy our time together, but I don't try and avoid it as much as I used to. I still find his stupid remarks a little annoying, although he doesn't often say them anymore, and I'm not on a first name basis with him, but I feel our relationship is slowly improving. Not that I'd tell him that. I wouldn't say that we are friends exactly, but were not complete enemies anymore. It was four weeks after my break up with Sirius. I was still angry with him, and he seemed to be avoiding his fellow Marauders whenever possible. I began wondering if they'd had a falling out. I decided to ask Potter about it the next tutor session we had together. That was another thing that had changed. He was tutoring me in transfiguration now. Just a couple of times a month, when I needed a lot of help with it. He was surprisingly good. No annoying side comments, just helpfulness, something I didn't think he was capable of. I'd asked him if he'd ever considered teaching when we'd first started meeting in the library. He'd laughed and said it was way too boring. He wanted to be an Auror. That surprised me. It seemed that we did have something in common after all. Maybe I really could be friends with Potter…

"And the incantation for the Vanishing Spell is?" Potter prompted.

"Um…Oh, Evanesco!" I answer. Potter grinned and nodded, standing up and beginning to put his notes and books back into his bag. We were sitting by a table in the library in another tutor session.

"Why do you even take Transfiguration if you're no good at it?" He questioned me suddenly, looking down at me.

"I'm not that bad!" I am way too defensive. I sigh, putting my things away. "I want to be an Auror when I leave. I need high marks if I'm going to qualify for it, but unlike someone, I have to work hard to get my results." I've finished packing up, and so has he. I decided that now is the best time to ask.

"Potter...I'm sorry if this sounds like I'm intruding, but…have you and Sirius fallen out?" Something flashes in his eyes and he sits back down, gesturing for me to do the same. He looked a little surprised that I'd said that.

"Yes. We have. How did you know?"

"I think everyone suspects something, Potter. You haven't spoken to him for days."

"Neither has Remus. Listen, Lily, don't tell anyone I've told you this. Me, Remus and Sirius, we've already agreed that we won't say anything to anyone. It's between us, no one anyone else. But, I think you have a right to know."

"Oh for Merlin's sake, James, just get on with it!"

"Ok, ok. We started to argue just before you broke up with him. In fact, it was just before you ended up in the Hospital Wing." I nodded. I could see where this was going. "It was because of, well...what he…did. Me and Remus, we thought you deserved to know, but we'd already promised Sirius that we wouldn't say a word to anyone, let alone you. He was our best mate, Lily, but we couldn't believe he'd done that. He was being stupid. Anyway, we told him we felt bad about keeping it from you and said we might have to tell you. He got angry with us and then...How much did he tell you?"

"Only that he'd been on a date with Candy in Hogsmeade whilst I'd been in the Hospital Wing."

"Did he tell you how many times?" I felt my stomach drop. He'd done it more than once?

"No. How many times did he…" I trailed off. Despite myself, I felt the little bit of love I still felt for Sirius disappear.

"He told us that he'd been on four. But he didn't tell us about all of them, I'm sure of it. I'm so sorry, Lily."

"Don't apologize. It's his fault, not yours."

"We should have told you. But at least the truths come out now, anyway. Not to cast him in a bad light or anything, but he'd got what he deserves. He's a good guy most of the time, but sometimes he can be a bit of a-"

"Prick?" I offered. He grinned and nodded at me. He stood up, signaling the end of the conversation, and he began to walk away. "Oh, and Potter?" He turned to face me. "Thanks. Maybe you're not the complete idiot I thought you were." He smiled, then turned back and began walking towards the exit again. I waited for a few minutes, then followed him out.

I was late out of Potions. Again. This time it was Slughorn inviting me to the Slug Club Christmas Party. I'd accepted, of course. Not that I was the teacher's pet or anything, but it always helped to get as many teachers on my good side as possible. I was running down the empty corridors to Charms, my red hair flying out behind me. Someone barged into me, running into me as they came charging down the corridor I was passing by. I was knocked to the floor, although I wasn't hurt that much.

"Oh, Merlin, I'm sorry!" I recognized the voice and looked up. "Oh, hey Lily." James smiled, running his fingers through his black hair. I'd realized a few days ago that he'd started using my first name as we'd started to become friends. Well, I thought, it's only polite if I start doing the same. He offered me his hand to help me up and I gratefully took it. He pulled me up without showing any effort, like he was picking up a feather. All that Quiditch practice must come in handy. Despite myself, I found myself staring at his incredible muscles…

"See something you like?" He said with a sly grin. I rolled my eyes then froze as I heard footsteps and voices drifting down the corridor, coming our way. James must have heard them to, as he grabbed my hand and hastily pulled me behind a nearby tapestry.

"What are you –" He interrupted me, clapping a hand over my mouth. He removed it when I didn't try and talk again. He put a finger to his lips, signaling that I should be quiet. The voices got louder and the footsteps closer and I knew I recognized them. There were three of them, and I recognized all of them. They were all from Slytherin. One of them I knew was a Prefect, and I had recently given the other two detentions for sending a first year to search for something right by the Whomping Willow. Idiots. They appeared to have learned from the last time I overheard them, as their voices, although loud and recognizable, had been changed, so that any eavesdroppers couldn't understand what they were saying. I had to give them credit for that. It was very clever and the spell itself required a lot of skill. They passed us and the footsteps and voices slowly got quieter until they faded away completely. Neither James nor I made any attempt to move. I suddenly realized how close we were. My heart started beating so loudly that I was sure he could hear it. I found myself leaning closer to him, smiling at the warmth that he gave off. He leaned in closer as well. My head was warning me to stop before it was too late, before I did something I'd regret, but I ignored it, leaning closer still, until there was no space in between us. I tilted my head up, and he bent his down. Our lips were inches apart, getting closer every second. My breath got caught in my throat…Then laughter came from down the corridors and we broke apart, embarrassed. I shakily stepped out from behind the tapestry, checking the corridor was clear. Then, before James could stop me, I ran down it, my mind racing with thoughts about what had just happened. But the one thought that bothered me the most was that I'd actually wanted it to happen. I regretted pulling away. I actually had a crush on James Potter.

A/N – Aww. Lily has a little crush on James. Isn't that cute? I wish I could make it so that they kiss and then they go out with each other, but, no, that's way too easy. There are a lot more twists and turns coming. Plus, that would make for a very boring story. Let's say...9 reviews? Then I'll update. I mean it this time :). So go review and tell me what you think if you want to carry on with this story! ;)