Oi Evans! {Lily}

[James Potter]

How had James managed to avoid detention? This was brilliant! Considering it had been his idea, and he'd helped Sirius smuggle in the dung bombs, the fact that Flitwick didn't even question his part in the whole things was pretty incredible. Was he glad he'd escaped this detention? Sure! Did he feel guilty that his fellow marauders wouldn't be escaping said detention? Well... maybe just a little.

But what's done is done - and it even got them all out of class fifteen minutes early. An added bonus. Well, it got James and the rest of their class mates out of the room. Sucks to be his roommates who were being made to stay in the stink while they explained their actions. James chuckled and wondered how many glares he'd get from them later...

Ahead of him, James spotted a familiar head of red hair and grinned. "Oi Evans! Slow up!"

He jogged to catch up with her and flung one arm around her shoulders, knowing that it wouldn't take long before it was roughly shoved away again. One of these days this girl wouldn't be pushing him away. James knew it. So let her be rebellious now and pretend as if she didn't want him, he knew she'd come around soon enough. "I gotta say Evans, you've never smelled better." Well, it was impossible to miss the heavy dose of sarcasm, but then, Lily seemed to speak sarcasm as a second language so his wouldn't go unmissed.

James sent her another grin and looked her over. "So... heading for the showers? You know we could always share. Conserve some of that water, you know?" He winked and gave her one of his most charming smiles. Evans was so fun to wind up. "So what d'ya say, gorgeous?"

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[lilyevans]

Of all the things she had believed in over the years it was that James Potter was a nuisance to society, he didn’t have what it took to be a friend much less anything more than that. There was nothing special about the boy at all. Sure he had magical abilities and was a wizard but, so were many others who were inside the school and they all were better than he was. Kinder, sweeter men. Not the ones that just went out to look for a good time, without thinking of the consequences. There were worse men, she knew but still.

For someone who had been following her around like a puppy dog he sure didn't know what she wanted from a relationship. Not that she'd EVER want one with him. That would be her worst nightmare!

Things were working well. Potter was out of her hair for the moment and so she had taken the time to make her way down the hall after her last class. Of course she didn’t want to deal with the overly arrogant toe-rag who almost usually followed her around like a lost puppy when he wasn’t pulling pranks of his own. Potter and his friends were supposed to be in detentinon for some stunt they’d pulled with dung bombs or so she had heard. Professor Flitwick didn’t take things like that lightly and she knew it!

She hadn’t been out of Professor Flitwick’s class five minutes when she heard the arrogant toe-rag himself approaching and it irritated her to no end. Why couldn’t she have five minutes without him constantly showing up? What was it exactly that made him go after her and no one else? When James shouted at her she kept right on going, ignoring the little boy. Because that’s what he was. Just a child. A child who wasn't willing to grow up!

The second he put his arm around hers, she immediately flung it off of her. Why couldn’t he take a hint that she was not interested in him? But then again perhaps it was because he didn’t think. He didn’t have a brain to show for it, after all he didn’t seem to use it where it counted.

“What do you want Potter? Can’t you tell I’m busy? I have no time to indulge your childish whims today.” When he mentioned the showers, she glared at him. Not in the mood for his stupidity right now. “You know, other women might find your lack of manners as a good thing, but you can just take it and go away. I’m not interested. Go away Potter. NOW.” She said, pulling out her wand as she was seriously thinking about hexing him.

She knew she could do it too, but knowing her luck with as good as she was in certain areas when it came to hexing, she knew he’d probably hurt more if she ignored him and threw his advances to the wind. “You’re not even worth the time to argue with. As you’re not even a real man. You’re the last man in this world that I’d even consider being worth my time. Why would I even want to talk to you after everything you've done? Not just to me, but to my best friend as well.” What she had meant by that little statement is that he was acting like a child not a grown adult.

Of course whether he understood her reference was another story. She’d stopped walking as there was no point if he was just going to keep following her. “Don’t you have something better to do anyway? Like doing one of your pathetic pranks? You need to grow up before you even think of getting any female’s attention. That is if you’re looking for something other than a one night stand which by all means if that’s what you’re wanting from a girl, then you’re seriously wasting your time. ” And with that she would let him think things over. She wondered how he would react to it.

She knew she probably hurt him by what she said but right now it didn’t even matter because he was getting on her last nerves. And they hadn’t even been in the same area for even five minutes yet. What was this a new record? She only hoped it didn’t sound too mean. As she wasn’t a mean woman, she just needed to get her point across. With everything going the way it were, she wouldn't even give him five seconds to explain himself. Why would she? When all she ever saw him do was prank her best friend, the one guy that had been there for her all along? A guy she cared for.

[James Potter]

As expected, she threw his arm straight off from around her shoulders and he grinned. It always happened, but one day, she'd change her mind. She was just so stubborn and put up a fight against him. That would change. She couldn't play this game forever. He'd have her soon enough.

James heard her out during her rant but it only made him grin more, even when she pulled her wand out at him. "Now, now Evans. Don't go getting yourself a detention over me. Put that thing away." As for the comment about his manners? Well, he wasn't even going to respond to that. There was nothing wrong with his manners! Sure he could be a bit blunt sometimes, but it was better than beating about the bush all the time.

“You’re not even worth the time to argue with. As you’re not even a real man. You’re the last man in this world that I’d even consider being worth my time. Why would I even want to talk to you after everything you've done? Not just to me, but to my best friend as well.”

As Lily began to speak James held a hand to his chest and gave her a dramatic look of shock, "Lily, my darling, you wound me." He didn't care that he was butting in while she was still talking. He likes theatrics at times. Made things so much more fun. Whenever Lily came out with comments like the ones she was making now he would always act overdramatic and pretend to be wounded by her words, but it was always a struggle to keep a straight face while he did so, and he always ended up grinning. "Best friend? Hmm, now let's think who that might be... Ferret? Emily? Nope, I don't think I've done anything to hurt either of your friends, m'dear." James knew she was talking about Snape but he refused to acknowledge that slime-ball as being worthy of anyone's friendship. How could she say those things about him, then go off and talk to Snivillus? Really?

“Don’t you have something better to do anyway? Like doing one of your pathetic pranks? You need to grow up before you even think of getting any female’s attention. That is if you’re looking for something other than a one night stand which by all means if that’s what you’re wanting from a girl, then you’re seriously wasting your time. ”

He watched as she began to walk away and he couldn't help but laugh. Well, he could be pranking, but with his fellow pranksters still being ratted at by Flitwick he'd be on his own, so where was the fun in that? "I've done my bit of pranking for now. I think I'll save more pranking till tonight. Why, want to help?" More likely she'd want to throw his ass in detention the first chance that she got and take off a few house points at the same time, too. Ever since she'd got that stupid badge she'd been constantly nagging at him and trying to get him into trouble. Well, that was till Filch started telling her to deal with her own detentions rather than lumping them all on him. Even Filch could only cope with a limited amount of James Potter. Which had been good for him because it meant his detentions had started getting shorter and shorter until Filch said he wouldn't take him any more. So now, if Evan's gave him detention she wasn't going to have to think up his 'punishment' herself. And what was she really going to make him do? Write lines? Pft!

James grinned. "I get plenty of female attention, if you hadn't realized. I don't need to change at all. Gals love me for me, what makes you feel like you have to be so different? Besides, those one-nighters? They'll be fine for now. You know, fill in some time until you realize just how much you want me all to yourself."

He let her walk away for a bit till she was almost at the corner before he shouted after her again. "You know you want me. You'll realize soon enough."

Well, he'd mostly told the truth. The one-night stands were a bit of an exaggeration. He didn't actually go crawling into the pants of every girl that looked his way, but some snogging and groping in a broom closet or empty classroom? Close enough

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[lilyevans]

What was it about him that infuriated her so much? James was an egotystical piece of work to put it simply. She disliked men like him. But boy was he stubborn! She knew how this would end and it wouldn’t be pretty. James liked to think he ruled the entire world, at least Hogwarts, and this time was no different. She kept her wand out as she glared at him when he told her to put it away. She didn’t know why he was testing her so much. Was it because he did seem to have actual feelings about someone other than himself and his mates? James was not going to get her to change her mind as long as he was acting like a child. She kept her distance from him as she wanted nothing to do with him, why would she? After all he was an arrogant toe rag, who liked to think he knew everything. She knew that she could be quite stubborn when it came down to it, but she had her reasons as she wasn’t just going to settle for someone whom didn’t deserve her attention or her love.

It was true that everyone had tried to tell her that Severus was no good for her, that their friendship would be a disaster in the making but she hadn’t wanted to see it, she hadn’t wanted it to be proven true. Severus had treated her with more respect than some of the other men in her world. He’d never tried to make her be something she wasn’t....he was there for her for who she was. If there was anything about Severus it was how much she respected him for allowing her the space to figure out what it was she wanted for herself....and not to push her into something she wasn’t ready for.

She had been walking away from him but stopped when she heard him talk to her again. She wasn’t known to be rude, except when Potter was concerned so she turned back around and faced him. Though she left plenty of space between them, just for his safety more so than her own. “You’re lucky I at least have standards, because if I didn’t, I’d have hexed you already. Why do you have to be so bloody difficult? Why do you have to be such an arse? Stop with the theatrics. You really think that’d earn you brownie points? You just don’t get it do you? Of course you don’t. All you think about is Quidditch and those bloody pranks of yours. Someday, James, you’ll realize that maybe you’d have better luck getting what it is you want if you act your age instead of acting like a child. But then again what does it matter, you’ll never change anyway. So why do I bother wasting my breath on you?” James really was getting on her last nerves, which wasn’t a good thing for him as if she lost her nerve she would hex him and it wouldn’t be pretty.

“Leave the others out of this. They have nothing to do with this conversation. You know bloody well I’m talking about Severus! Since you and your lot have hated him for no reason at all. Aside from the fact he is a Slytherin and the rest of you are Gryffindors like me. I don’t know if it’s because you envy how close Severus and I are, or if it’s just because you’re jerks. Either that or you’re jealous. I’ve known him longer than I’ve known anyone else from Hogwarts. When I met him.....we were I think eight or nine years old. He lived down the street from me, and still does. Of course you’re not the only one I know that hates him, for some bizzare reason, and it is somene who doesn’t even go to Hogwarts with us.” She said, although this was the first bit of personal information she probably had shared with James since knowing him. She knew she should try and be nice.

“Not a surprise. You know bloody well I wouldn’t help you. I have no reason to.” She answered with her wand still in her hand she was so tempted to hex him. A detention would be worth it just to see Potter’s reaction. She knew he wanted her....but she just didn’t understand why he had to be such an arse about everything. “Besides you have more than enough help from what I’ve heard.” She knew all about his little gang, and knew what they did. Remus was the only one she actually liked out of his little friends. She respected him. The only thing that James had going for him was his loyalty to his friends, that was the only good thing about him.

She knew he was being an arse like most of the little boys his age. “You don’t get it. You have no idea what I want. Did it ever occur to you why I turn you and every other guy down every time? I’ll never want you. You’re just fooling yourself. I know who I am and I don’t need a pathetic excuse for a man to tell me what it is that I’m looking for. I’m not in the mood for games. Not when it comes down to it.” She wanted to gag when he spoke about the one nighters. No smart girl would ever fall for his party lines. But then again there were girls in Hogwarts that didn’t care about their own selves let alone someone else entirely, same with their male counterparts. She was perhaps about fifteen feet away from him but knowing him, he would come closer to her. Like always, in which case she’d be more than willing to remind him just how serious she was about having her space.

[James Potter]

Was James allowed to eye roll right now? He didn't think Lily would appreciate it too much but... really? She wouldn't hex him standards or no standard. She cared too much about her reputation and her prefect badge to risk them over a hex. Woah, woah, woah. Did she just call him a child? It was his turn to glare, and this time it wasn't theatrics. "You know, usually I'd point out that you actually called me James for once, rather than Potter, but I think I'll let that pass. As far as being a child... What do you actually know?" For once, his voice was quite cold and level. Most of the stuff that she said he could just let slide and he thought nothing of it, but that was one comment he wasn't about to let pass so easily. "You actually know nothing about me, do you Evans? -and don't bother with another lecture I don't want to hear it." Well, if she was going for a record of bite-backs and harsh digs he'd send a few back in return.

James scoffed. "Jealous? Of Snape? You have got to be kidding me. I mean, I totally dig the human sized slime ball look, but I don't think it's enough to get jealous about." He rolled his eyes. Once again, the second language made it's appearance.

He raised an eyebrow. "I know where Snape lives, Evans... Thanks for that. I now know where you live too." The grin he gave her was devilish and more than just slightly mocking. Of course he wasn't going to do anything with that little bit of information, but it would be something he could pull out in conversation again at a later date.

James gave her an exasperated look as she started going on about what it was that she did and didn't want, and he just shook his head and blinked at her, not really taking in a single thing of what she was saying. What did any of it matter? Point was, she would come around and she'd give up this 'I don't want you' routine she had going, eventually. As she finally slowed down on her tirade he started to laugh, still staring at her and shaking his head. "Evans... Seriously. You can talk for England! Even the Queen's speech isn't as long as one of your lectures. I mean... I thought Binns was bad!"

Well, maybe he was going a little too far with that comment. He didn't mind listening to her speak. She actually had a very nice voice... if only she wasn't shouting and b*tching at him all the time. It kinda got on his nerves. Okay, not kind of - definitely. James glanced at the wall and leaned against it casually, smirking at her. He knew what she was expecting him to do, so he was going to do the opposite and keep her off guard. It would no doubt keep her around for a while long. By then, with a bit of luck, the other Marauders would be free from Flitwick and he might actually have something to do other than have his ear drums burst by Lily's shrill tones.

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[lilyevans]

She heard his tone go from the usual devil may care, comical one to one that was kind of coldhearted. Not that she blamed him. The things that were happening between them she didn’t undrstand. “Fine, Potter. I don’t want to argue with you right now. So I’ll try and keep it plain and simple for you to understand in a way that doesn’t sound near as harsh. Because I’m not that kind of girl. I’m not one of those who just go looking for fights, except whenever you are around, that’s the only time fights seem to happen.” She smirked as she looked at him. Truly looking at him, there were things about him that she had seen for herself and things others had pointed out to her.

She took a deep breath. ”You’ve made your point. All I am trying to say is your tactics need improving if you’re going to try and get someone to see things your way. Look, I know I may be a bit difficult to deal with. But you’re just as difficult. It’s not about knowing things, Potter. I see how you are okay....and I know that you can be a good guy, I see it. With how you treat your friends, and I don’t think I’ve seen a more loyal guy....however that’s not enough to win points. What...I am trying to say is....you have no idea what I have to go through, what I’ve had to endure. Simply because I am what I am. I’ve defended Severus for a reason, because he needs someone in his corner. He always has. You may be right, I don’t know you....not the way your friends do, but that’s probably a good thing. You don’t know anything about me either. If you did then by now, you would know that I don’t just give up, not that easily. Especially when it comes to those I care about. There is nothing I wouldn’t do for a friend, whether it’s a muggleborn or halfblood or even a muggle....like those I grew up around.”

Then the conversation turned back to Severus and she couldn’t help but smirk. She needed to keep herself calm. “Watch it Potter. That’s my best friend you’re talking about. And I’ll tell you this, you and your mates picking on him isn’t going to get me to see you as a good guy, in fact it only makes me mad, which is a bad thing. Especially with the knowledge I’ve gained. Not like it matters. Because I know the truth. I know him for who he is, and the kind of man he is. You have no idea what I would do to protect him or those I actually cared about. If you think throwing hexes is bad, that’s nothing compared to what I would do for someone I actually cared about. I think that’s the one thing we might actually have in common.” She said with her a small smile. She was going to be civil even if it killed her.

“Why is it you feel the need to pick on others just to make yourselves feel good? Having fun is one thing, but when you go and humiliate others simply because it’s something you find funny is another. It’s sick and twisted. But I don’t expect you or your mates to change that, as well unless you grow up you won’t. Here’s something you might want to consider though, for future reference if you’re trying to deal with one particular female, get to know her start by being a friend and let things go from there. Trust me, it works.” She knew this from her own personal experiance.

“Well that’s what happens when you get me riled up, Potter. But for now, I think I’ll just wait and see what’s about to happen.” She leaned up against the polar opposite wall, just watching him. She didn’t know what he would do, but if he was giving her space, that was a first. It definitely caught her off guard. This was starting to become more of a civil conversation, although if he kept being an arse she’d call him out for it. Time would tell what would happen between the two of them, and hopefully she could make it through seventh year without hexing him into oblivion. As long as he kept his distance she would be watching him very very closely.

[James Potter]

She sure that that right. Difficult would certainly be one word to use to describe her. And what was with her? One minute she was all shrill and screeching at him and the next she was standing there smirking and sounding quite calm considering she was around him. James just shook his head. Women. There was no logic in the way they acted.

He raised an eyebrow as she spoke. Was she… complimenting him? Wait, what was this? He sure wasn't used to hearing a civil-sounding Evan's talking to him. "You're right Evans. I am loyal to my friends and my family, and any one who deserves my loyalty. I'm surprised you've ever opened your eyes enough to even notice that. But since you have, why can't you realize that I am loyal to those who deserve it, and then picture yourself into that equation. But you just don't want to, do you? You don't know me at all because you've never let yourself know me. You only see what you want to see and not the truth. Us being friends was never even an option in your books."

Well it was true. She was ridiculously stubborn and she'd always been that way. Ever since they'd first bumped into each other on their first train ride to Hogwarts she'd taken an instant dislike to him and had never even tried to see him in any other way that as her enemy. Which was rather annoying.

James scoffed. There was hardly a kind bone in Snapes body! She was crazy to think that he could possibly be some nice guy who cared about her. Care and Snape didn't belong in the same sentence. "Oh, really? Please. Any time you've been around Snivellius they two of you have been alone. Add in any other Slytherin to the question and he's hardly going to be Mr Nice Guy around you. You just don't see that."

He shook his head again. Here she went on another one of her rants about how terrible their pranks were and he couldn't help but roll his eyes. "Picking on and pranking are two different things. Look it up if you don’t believe me. And what we do isn't to humiliate. It's for fun. Whatever comes from it is usually forgotten within a few weeks and no one is hurt. There's nothing sick nor twisted in it. And like you said, I'm not the only one of this group who pranks, so why do you always rat on at me about it? Why not Peter? Or Sirius? Or godforbid, Remus? You two are friends and he does exactly the same as I do!" Which was also totally true. Out of all of the Marauders he was the only one who Lily lost her cool with so often. If one of the others had tried to talk to her she wouldn’t have acted like she had with him. "And thanks for the relationship advice but I really don't think I need. If anyone does, it's you. When was the last time you even had a boyfriend? Oh, right, never?" He laughed. He didn't mean it in a bad way, but really? She was hardly the one to be dishing out advice when it came to romance! "And how am I supposed to get to know you and be your friend when you wont even speak to me, Evans dearest?"

Once again, James raised an eyebrow at her comment as she leaned against the other wall. "And what exactly is it that you think is going to happen next?"

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[lilyevans]

She was getting a little irritated with this whole situation. James was no angel that was for sure. She had trusted Severus from the start. Of course men were ridiculously stubborn, especially the men in her world. The only good guy who actually made some sense to her was her father. Severus was a close second though. She took a deep breath as she looked at him. She had to remain calm because if she didn’t, well there was no telling what would happen. She would just have to bide her time until she knew.

“There are things I’ve seen that I don’t often say. Because there’s no reason to. I’m loyal to those who deserve it in my oppinion. Even....even if I wanted to throw myself into that little equation as you so delicately put it, it’s kind of hard to do so when I’ve only seen you pick on my best friend. You just don’t get it do you? Think about it from my perspective. If the situation was reversed and Severus and his gang picking on you or even Sirius for that matter, wouldn’t you want someone to step in and help without question? You really think it’s that easy to turn my back on someone who has been there for me? How did you expect me to get to know you when I saw the same thing over and over again. If you hadn’t picked on Severus as much, as you have done since I’ve known you then maybe there would have been a chance for a friendship between the two of us. I’ve known Severus long enough to see him for who he is. What he is. I know you and your mates have disliked him from that first train ride to Hogwarts, you never even gave him a chance....but I’ve known him longer. It makes sense as to why I’d have protected him. Why I still do. Even if others think it is not a good thing.”

She said as she rolled her eyes when he talked about Severus in the way he was. She had no intention on getting close to him, not without a reason. But she didn’t like being in one spot, for a long period of time as she seemed to get restless. So instead of walking away from him down the corridor she was walking in the opposite direction until she was exactly right in front of him leaning on the other side of the wall as she didn’t want to have to yell at him from the other end of the corridor.

“So? What kind of a fool do you take me to be? I know most of his house would try and hex me the moment they saw me. I also know that he does what he has to do, for a reason. Even if that reason isn’t always understood. You only know him when you see him here. I know him from home, and I’d do anything for him. Because of all that he’s done for me. I don’t know that....he wouldn’t be there for me if it came up, though I hope I never find myself in that situation...as I prefer to avoid Slytherins with the exception of Severus, for a reason.” She glared as she looked at him. “You are the instigator, along with Sirius don’t think I don’t get on him just as much. You dragged Remus into it, even if he is a willing participant at times. And don’t even get me started on your little friend Peter. Oh really? Then why is it I end up having to step in whenever you’re pranking someone? It’s not right. It’d be different if both sides were having fun, instead of just the one. Not that it matters you don’t even see it.” She realized she was not going to be getting anywhere any time soon so she might as well just deal with it.

“Not here, of course not. There’s nobody worth dating here. We’re speaking now aren’t we? And who knows knowing you.” She was still leaning against the other wall, watching him closely. What was it about the two of them that whenever they were in the same room at the same time, that sparks tended to fly, and that was never a good thing! She wanted to believe that there was some good in him, but she just couldn’t bring herself to do it. “Well you’re the one that seems to follow me around like a lost little puppy dog....so clearly something’s going on. I just don’t know what yet. But I’ll figure it out soon enough. Count on it." She said honestly.

[James Potter]

Well this conversation was going a little differently to most others that they'd had over the years. This wasn't didn't involve them both completely losing their tempers and shouting insults at each other like had happened in the past. This one was quite a… civil one…

James saw Lily take a deep breath and, once again, rolled his eyes, preparing himself for another earful from her. It felt like they were having a one-sided conversation half the time. But, he heard her out again, rolling his eyes at certain moments, and shaking his head looking amused at others.

"Evans, if all you've ever seen is me 'picking' on him, then how can you say you know I'm loyal to my friends? That clearly suggests you've seem more to me that just that. Even I couldn't 'pick' on Snape all day every day. It'd get boring pretty fast. Well saying that probably wasn't going to help much, but it was too late to start caring about that. "And if the situation was reversed, at least myself or Sirius would have the balls to actually defend ourselves rather then just taking it. And therein lies his problem. Tell him to actually grow a pair and he'd stop being as amusing to torment."

It was true what he said. Snape was so pathetic! What a loser! He couldn't even speak up enough to defend himself when they made digs and insulted him, and if he couldn't even do that? Then there was no chance of them backing off.

To say that James was slightly surprised when Lily walked closer to him would be an understatement, and he narrowed his eyes at her. Getting closer to him was one thing that Lily Evans never did. She usually ran as far as she could in the opposite direction. Well, he wasn't complaining really, was he? He watched as she leaned on the wall opposite him.

"You don't get onto Sirius half as much as you do me. In fact, I'm sure I've even seen you two talking quite civilly before. And Remus if definitely not 'dragged' into it as you put it. He's just as much the willing participant as any of the rest of us. You just have a personal grudge against me and it's getting really quite annoying."

James had to roll his eyes again. Seriously? What a prude! Though he knew better that to say that out loud.

An idea came to him and he smirked to himself before trying to put on the most serious face that he could. He knew that this wasn't going to work any way, and he knew that Lily wasn't about to end her grudge on him quite so soon, so he was going to have a bit of fun… "Tell you what Evans, let's start over. We got off on the wrong foot." He pushed off from the wall he was standing against and made his way over to her till he was standing not even a few steps away. He held out his right hand. "James Potter. Nice to meet you."

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James rolled his eyes again. (It was something of a James Potter trade mark to o so.) "Please. There's nothing going on, and nothing to figure out. And I do not follow you around like a little puppy dog. I'm more of a…. Stag, don't you think?" He laughed at his own inside joke. She had no idea why he said that, and that made it all the more fun to say.

From further up the corridor James could hear voices coming from the charms classroom. That must mean that his fellow Marauders were finally being released from the claws of Flitwick. He grinned.

"Well, I guess this means good bye, eh, Evans?"

Before she had a chance to respond his hand shot out, grabbing her wand from her grasp and throwing it some distance along the corridor, in the opposite direction to the charms classroom. At the same time as he did that he leaned in fast and planted a kiss smack on her lips. Just a quick one - he didn't dare linger. He pulled back almost instantly and grinned. "Bye, gorgeous!"

With a laugh James ran in the direction of his friends who were just appearing from the charms classroom. At least since he'd grabbed her wand from her she couldn’t hex him straight away. She'd need to go and pick it up before she could do anything, but knowing her, she'd sooner shout at him first, hex him later. A much better alternative.

Evans was so easy to wind up![/blockquote][/blockquote][/justify][/font]

[lilyevans]

Why was it that he seemed to be able to get to her when no one else did? It wasn’t that he was horribly bad to look at either, but right now she had to focus on her other priorities first. The conversation had started out to be a civil one but that was becoming harder and harder to have happen when he kept bringing up the fact that Severus needed to be targeted even if he didn’t so much as say it. He didn't have to.

She could imagine being civil to him to say the least but sometimes it was harder to do it. Again she saw him roll his eyes, classic James Potter. It was the one thing she knew him to do.

“I see you pick on him when the lot of you are around him but I never said that was all I saw....because I have seen you when you’re not around him. If you’d leave him alone you might actually see changes....but of course being the difficult Gryffindor that you are, that won’t happen any time soon. I’ll do no such thing. Ever think about it from his perspective, he knows not to piss me off. But you and your little gang don’t care so much about that. Which is why he’s got more of a chance than you do. He’s better than you are."

Her wand had been in her hand, as she watched him completely unsure of what was going to happen. Not that she liked what he was up to.

“That’s because Sirius doesn’t piss me off nearly as much as you do. As far as Remus is concerned that’s his own doing. I don’t agree with it but I’ve at least seen him try other things aside from Pranking. Oh well personal grudge or not, you’re the most difficult out of your group to deal with. That’s why.” When James approached her, and extended a hand. She smirked. She knew he was up to something now. “Lily Evans, nice to meet you.” She said in a sarcasatic tone, which was almost a trademark tone between the two of them. And yet something seemed to be changing.

This was starting to seem like they could start over, little did she know it wouldn’t last for long. “Please, you do too. Stag or not, you still follow me around. Everyone sees it. I’m not the only one noticing it.” She knew Sirius, Remus and Peter would be coming sooner rather than later and she’d rather not be around when they did. “Bye Potter.” And then he grabbed her wand, throwing it down the corridor, and then leaned in and kissed her. At first she didn’t know what to think. What to feel....as she didn’t understand why he had kissed her but the kiss hadn’t been all that horrible. “Why you insufferable toe rag, get your arse back here!”

When he said goodbye...she rushed over to pick up her own wand. There were a few students out.....but she still had somewhat of a clear shot to hex him. Taking a deep breath she questioned herself briefly if she should do this.....but something stopped her. She just couldn’t bring herself to do it, whether it was because on some deep level she cared about him or if it was because she just didn’t want to break the rules. She ran after him. The crowd didn't bother her as she was too irritated with him to stop now. Part of her had in fact been curious when he'd kissed her and wondered why he had, and the other, well she wanted him punished for it. Part of her wanted to throw him up against the wall and hex him into oblivion but she just couldn't....it was as though something stopped her from doing it.

[James Potter]

James saw her smirk. Now that one she'd definitely learned from the Slytherins, no doubt about it. But, she played along and introduced herself, sarcasm positively drooling as she did. He shook her hand, returning her smirk.

"No hidden motives. I don't appreciate your false accusations. And I hardly follow you around Evans - we're in all the same classes and we share the same common room. The schools not that big you know."

[/b] He grinned to show he was joking. This was probably the first time in history that the two of them had held anything even slightly close to a civil conversation. Though, considering the way this little meet up had started he couldn't quite figure out at what point things changed. Well, at least she wasn't screeching down his lug hole any more!

Well, that certainly wasn't going to last - didn't he just know it.

When he pulled back from the kiss he could see the brief moment of confusion pass over her face. It wasn't quite the reaction he'd expected but then... he had caught her completely off guard. Still, he turned and ran, dodging around the students who had appeared. Flitwick's next class? Who knew. A few of them James recognized, and they clearly recognized him too, because he could see the shocked looks on the faces of those who'd seen what he'd just done.

He could hear Lily shout after him but he didn't stop. He wasn't stupid enough to. He did, however, cast a quick glance back over his shoulder to see what she was doing. Ah, picking her wand up. That was buying him some time.

When he reached his friends he grinned and ducked behind Remus, putting him between himself and the presumable rather annoyed Lily. Peering over his friends shoulder he watched her run after him. "C'mon, Evans. You're not going to hex me in a corridor full of students, are you? It seemed all these students made their appearance at just the right time. She wouldn't dare risk her perfect record now.

James sent her a grin and a wink. "Go out with me, Evans."[/b] He always asked and she always said no, but if he didn't ask it as usual then she'd really think something was up. You know, one of these days she'd surprise him and actually say yes. But he didn't see that time being any time soon.[/blockquote][/blockquote][/justify][/font]

[lilyevans]

The sarcasm had been used numerous times on James Potter especially. She disliked him with a passion, especially after the stunt he had been about to pull. “Hidden motives. Very funny. I know you too well. And yes you do. The castle is plenty big enough!” She was trying to remain civil which was very hard to do after the last few yeas of their lives. James was arrogant, and a bully. But there was more to him than that, something she had seen over the years. She wasn’t stupid she wasn’t going to give him what he wanted.

She still watched him even with the other students beginning to move around them. He had doged several of them. She was seeing red, that was how angry she was getting. When he had pulled away....she thought of what he was up to, what he was aiming to get her to do. To ruin her reputation perhaps. But she’d always been able to see the good in most others, but him, he was making it far too difficult. She had tried, and had failed with him. Part of her enjoyed the kiss, but it was a tiny part. She wouldn’t admit it of course, because she was stubborn of course.

She took a deep breath as she thought of what to say....and how to phrase it. It wasn’t that she didn’t understand that he was after her, even if he wouldn’t cop to it. That boy was trouble, and she knew it. But yet she found herself attracted to it. She had picked up her wand....and had wanted more than anything to use her wand on him. Even if she wanted to, she knew she couldn’t. Not without risking his life....and her own. Magic was a gift and she knew it but she also knew that when she was angry, that it would be more difficult to control her emotions and whatever spell she cast would most likely backfire and do more harm than intended.

“No, I’m not going to hex you, because you’re not worth it. Not at all.” She gripped her wand tighter, wanting more than anything to hex him within an inch of his pathetic excuse for a life, but something kept her from doing it. Nothing had made sense within the last few minutes. Her heart had raced when he had been that close to her, and yet she didn’t get it. He had been an arse for everything he had done. She had tried over and over to convince herself that he was the enemy. And that was something that now, she knew wouldn’t change. “Go out with you? After the stunt you just pulled, I think not. Why would I bother going out with someone like you? You’re not worth it. I’d rather be single than date someone who was an insufferable arrogant toe-rag, like you!” She wasn’t about to give him the satisfaction of being right. She’d never agree to be with him, not now not ever. He had alot of growing up to do if he wanted her in his life.

She couldn’t picture a life with him. Or even a date with him, as it was just too unreal. The kiss however, lingered in her mind, even if it was as brief as it was. Each second that had passed seemed to be moving past her slower than a snail. All she wanted was answers as to why he had done it. Why he seemed to be so stupid! If he wanted to get to know her that was one thing but to continually beg her to go out with him was another. He didn’t even know her. If he did he wouldn’t have stooped to the level he just did without thinking first. But most men if not all of them, never thought before doing something. And James Potter was one of those kinds of men.

She was getting highly confused by him but she knew she had to at least make a point. "Look, I know....you want me around. Otherwise you wouldn't constantly ask me out. So just hear me out....alright?" She said as she got close to him, they were near an empty...hardly ever used classroom. She went to grab him and hoped to pull him inside. Which knowing Potter he'd be confused. "Just get in here. NOW." She said as she was sure he was going to resist being alone with her, even if it was momentarily thought of. "Just trust me." She answered. She was going to figure this out, one way or another. Even if she had to cast a spell or a charm in order to do it. Taking a deep breath she cast a spell that was hopefully going to get the truth out of him, little did she know it was going to backfire. Creating a situation for both of them, something neither would have ever expected. A love Charm.

[James Potter]

James rolled his eyes, making his next comment to no one in particular, though he could hear Sirius trying to cover a snicker. "Once again she calls me a toe-rag. That's three times and counting." He didn't take her words as an insult. In fact, he liked to twist them and make jokes out of them, and there were somethings, like that, that she tended to repeatedly call him over and over when she was annoyed with him, and he sometimes kept a mental tally to see how many times she could fit that particular phrase into one conversation.

Lily said something about hearing her out as she moved towards him, and to say he was slightly confused when she started trying to drag him in the direction of the nearest empty classroom would probably be an understatement. "You. Me. An empty classroom. Alone. I can see where this is heading." He looked over his shoulder and grinned at his friends who were laughing behind him. Trust him to twist her words around, but she should expect that from him by now.

The 'get in here now' was an order, not asking, James was suddenly more amused with the current situation that confused. He slowed considerably, pausing to look at the room questioningly and hum, as if considering whether he should enter it or not. He looked back at her when she spoke again and he couldn't help but laugh. "Trust you? I would think it would be more a case of you trust me, Darlin'."

He shoved his hands in his pockets and whistled to himself as he heading into the darkened, unused room, looking as if he didn't have a care in the world. That was sure to annoy her somewhat. But what the hell did she want with him? Well...after what he'd just done, probably to hex him, but who knew? With a bit of luck Sirius, Remus, and Peter would hover somewhere close so that if she did hex him they could help him afterwards. He hex their asses to next season if they didn't... then again... Sirius and dinner time... who knew.

He heard her say something behind him and spun quickly, just in time to see her wand pointed in his direction. He'd expected to be hexed but not this fast!

A bright flash of white light shone from her wand for a second before dying out, and James stood, one eye squeezed tight shut waiting for impact.

It never came.

He looked down at himself confused, hands patting himself down before he looked back up to her, brows pulling together in confusion. She'd definitely cast something but... he couldn't see or feel any effect of whatever it was on him. Had it not worked? But this was Lily Evan's he was talking about - her spells always bloody worked. Well whatever it was, it sure hadn't worked on him. He looked at her and frowned, noticing a sudden change in her.

"Erm... What exactly did you just try and do?"

[lilyevans]

She knew what she was feeling was not normal for her at all. She never cared about what Potter wanted, or rather how he felt but her spell had backfired and she could tell. After locking the door she stayed on the other side of the room for her own protection as she knew if she got close to him, there was no telling what would happen or what wouldn't.


“Do you have to keep count over stupid things like that? What is your point Potter? Really. Because it....it’s not going to get you anywhere any time soon.” Of course Potter was being overly irritating but what else was knew. She’d deal with Black and Lupin later along with whomever else was snickering behind Potter. “Don’t get cocky. This isn’t what you think.”

Once they were inside she took a deep breath. “Why should I trust you? I know you’re trying to prove a point so just prove it. You kissed me back there and I want to know why. Why would you do that when I was willing to at least listen to you for once? Are you just that stupid? But then again you don’t seem to think at all do you? The only thing you seem to think about is pranking and Quidditch. That much. I’ve been able to see myself.” She said as she was highly irritated with the boy in front of her. She locked the room door as she was going to deal with him her own way. She could tell that something was a miss she just didn’t know to what extent.

Of course the spell didn’t seem to have any kind of an effect so obviously something went wrong. “That should have worked, so why didn’t it?” She felt herself feeling connected to him...as though she liked him and she didn’t like how she was feeling. She tried her best not to allow whatever sudden impulses she was feeling to get out of control. Part of her wanted to just drop everything and kiss him, that was how she was feeling but it was because of a spell nothing more than that. She refrained from allowing that to happen as she didn’t want to break her own views.

“It doesn’t matter...does it?” She mumbled as she was getting frustrated and ran a hand through her hair. “Just answer me something. What is it that you and your mates have against Severus anyway? I mean I know you’ve hated eachother for years. Otherwise you wouldn’t have sought out to hex him every chance you got. I also don’t expect you to understand why I worked so hard to protect him either.” She responded using the same tone as before, she was going to get answers from him one way or another before the spell she had cast drove her insane.

[James Potter]

James watched as Lily locked the classroom door before heading to the other side of the room as far away from him as she could get. "Is that supposed to keep me in or keep others out?" He asked it more to himself than as an actual question to her. He just didn't entirely see the logic in what she'd done. If he wanted out he could be out before she knew what had happened, and if it was to keep others out then it wasn't like they didn't know how to open locked doors by now.

He had no idea what spell she'd just tried to cast on him but he didn't seem to feel any different at all. He had no idea what she'd just tried to do and why he couldn't see any obvious effect of it, but he knew that whatever it was, it couldn't have been good.

Lily asked him about why he kissed her when she'd been willing to listen to him and all James could do was laugh. "Please, like when do you ever listen to me? Whatever possessed you to consider hearing me out this time wouldn't have lasted. You'd have walked away from here, questioned why you bothered listening, then gone straight back to normal the next time we crossed paths. That moment? It would never have lasted. Even I know that."

Lily was clearly expecting some other sort of answer, and it was tied to whatever spell she'd just tried to cast. Her out loud wondering of why her spell hadn't worked made that obvious. "Heck! What did you try and do this time?" He didn't feel any different, but that didn't mean anything sometimes.

Lily suddenly appeared quite fidgety... as if there was something really bothering her all of a sudden and James was pretty sure that it didn't have anything to do with what he was saying. Something to do with her spell? He took a few steps closer to her, wanting to gauge her reaction.

She appeared to ignore his question and dismiss her own before turning to him again. James rolled his eyes. "Oh, please. The last thing I want to talk about is that slimy git. I get it, he's your friend. Now you get it, he's sure as hell not mine. End of convo." Of all the things to talk about, of all the things she could have brought him in here to ask about, she chose to ask about Snape? God! Did she think of no one else? Did she not have anyone else to worry about? What did she see in that slime ball anyway?

She always seemed to throw in his face about just how much they were friends and how much she cared and how much she protected him. Why didn't she just bloody marry the git if that's how she felt? She didn't need to constantly remind him of how much Snivillus meant to her. The comments were really starting to get on his nerves now. Couldn't she just accept that he liked her and stop bugging him with her Snape issues already?