A girl with rich red hair and startlingly green eyes sat in front of the Common Room fire. She had a Charms textbook propped in her lap, and she appeared to be deeply immersed in the book. So immersed, in fact, that she didn't notice a tall, slim boy approach her.

"Hey Evans," he said sweetly, as he ruffled the back of his jet-black hair.

"Good morning, James," she said absent-mindedly. Visits from James weren't extraordinary; he liked to talk to her often. She wasn't really listening; she just wished he'd go away so she could better concentrate on her wonderful book.

"Would you like to accompany me to Hogsmeade today?" James appeared hopeful.

"Sure, James," she said impatiently. She hadn't been listening to this conversation at all. She was still in her book, reading about a wonderful old wizard by the name of- "HEY PADFOOT!" James yelled over the Common Room noise.

An extremely handsome boy with nose-length chocolate brown hair looked up. Following his lead, two other boys also looked up: one with cream hair and another with sandy-blonde. The noise had also managed to arouse Lily from her stupor, and she wondered what in the world James could have to shout about this early in the morning. "Lils just agreed to go to Hogsmeade with me!" he yelled to the other boys excitedly.

Sirius grinned, then called back, "Told you she'd come around eventually, Prongs," he said with a wink.

Remus smiled sincerely, and Peter giggled and clapped his hands in glee.

Lily's jaw dropped. She vaguely remembered agreeing to something, but she hadn't been listening to the question and had only answered so James would go away! "I...but...no," Lily sputtered. "I did not," she finally cried feebly.

"Yeah you did," James said, bewildered. His smile faltered. "Just now, you did, I saw you."

She gave a hysteric chuckle. "Hallucinating a little, are we James?" She prodded him in the chest. "I've told you before- I don't like you, I never have liked you, and I will never, ever go out with you!"

She turned and ran to the Common Room door and out into the many corridors of Hogwarts. James sighed and looked after her sadly, and pulled out a worn parchment. He turned it away from the crowd and tapped it with his wand, muttering a select few words. He studied it for a minute or so, smiled bitterly, and turned to follow Lily out into the corridors.

----*----

Lily's face was as red as her hair. 'It's true then,' she thought bitterly, 'redheads do have terrible tempers.' She snorted and pushed a tapestry out of the way hurriedly. The wall hanging revealed a hidden staircase down into what seemed like a circular room with a single couch and chair. "He can't find me here," she murmured satisfactorily.

"I'd think twice about that," James smirked as he leaned casually against the doorway.

Lily groaned, still not facing him. "James, I practically bite your head off, and you have the nerve to follow me?!"

James held up his hands. "Hey, take it easy. I didn't follow you. Actually, I trust you enough to show you this." He pulled the parchment out of his pocket and sat down on the couch next to Lily. He opened its many folds and laid it on the coffee table in front of him.

Lily took in a sharp breath. "No way," she breathed. "Is this-?"

James nodded proudly. "A full and complete map of Hogwarts, as we know it."

"But James," she murmured (she had forgotten about her angry feelings towards the boy in place of awe), "where did you get this? Only very talented wizards could ever have possibly made it. It has to be very advanced magic!" James grinned. "Very talented wizards, you say? More like, Sirius, Remus, and myself. Oh yeah, and Peter too," he added as an afterthought, "but come to think of it, he didn't really do all that much work..."

Lily tapped it smartly. "So this is how the famous Marauders do it? They never get in trouble because they can see the teachers coming? And how you always manage to find me between classes no matter how many shortcuts and secret passageways I take?"

James ruffled his hair. "The secret to our success."

Lily snorted. "Whatever, idiot."

He yelped. "I'm not an idiot!"

She rolled her eyes. "You are too. And besides, I might have agreed to go out with you, but it's not fair because I wasn't really listening."

"And is that my fault?" He looked at his hands. "And besides, what could it hurt? I mean, just give me a chance. You've already agreed...I guess I could let you out of your promise, but that wouldn't be very nice. Come on, Lils, one little chance...Hogsmeade, today."

"Fine," she grumbled. "But I swear, James, never call me Lils again. And if you mess this date up, OR, if Stupid Sirius messes it up, never, ever, again."

James beamed. "Don't worry, Padfoot and I will be on our best behavior." He winked, and left the secret room and headed back to the Common Room. Lily followed, but instead of following James back to his friends, she settled herself back into the armchair with her book again. However, she found the book had lost its luster. She sat there, too dumbstruck to resume reading. She had done it. For years, James Potter had trotted after her like a lost puppy, and she had now accidentally become his girlfriend. She had always been so sure, so confident that James only meant to humiliate her by repeatedly asking her out. But that look of pure, innocent delight that she saw in her new boyfriend's face was truthful. How could she have been so wrong, for so long? Had her friends been right? Would James Potter be the best boyfriend any girl could ask for? She shook her head exasperatedly. This was not a good sign, he was already confusing her. She looked back at her book, but it didn't seem quite so exciting anymore. She looked back at the group of laughing boys, and firmly made up her mind.

----*----

"Hey boys," Lily said sweetly, as she slipped into the couch position beside James.

Remus's eyes were as wide as saucers, Peter was too dumbstruck for words, and Sirius just smirked with a defiant look on his features. Lily looked at the boy sitting next to her, and saw him in awe of her.

"I...uh...I was uh...eh...Iwasworriedyoudidntreallylikemeafterallandonlyaccidentallyaccepted," he finally said in one breath.

Lily giggled, and brushed a hair out of his eyes. "Well, yes, if I hadn't been dead to the world I probably would have declined, again, but I did accept, even if I wasn't really there at the time. So I'm going to be just as good a girlfriend to you as I would be to any boy." She smiled.

James's eyes were wide behind his glasses, and he uneasily smiled back at her. "Right. Of course. Well."

Sirius coughed, with a meaningful glare at James.

James jumped at his cough and then seemed to remember something. "Oh yeah, um, Sirius wanted me to ask you if you wanted him and Wormtail and Moony to also bring dates. You know, to uh, make it not as uncomfortable?"

Lily shook her head at his nervousness. "Whatever you want, James, I don't mind. But Sirius," she said, with a hint of a smile, "One of my friends would love to be in your company..."

Sirius grinned. "Oh yeah? Well, I'd be glad to show your lady friend around, Lils. You're an Honorary Marauder now, so your wish is our command." He bowed, and gave another of his charming smiles.

"So," Lily started, "How about we all get ready, and meet back down here in thirty minutes? Sirius, I'll bring my friend with me."

The four Marauders nodded, and Lily swept off to the upstairs girls dormitory to prepare.


----*----


Lily burst into her dormitory, and ran to her friend's bed. She yanked back the curtains and shook the poor girl awake. "Charlotte! CHARLOTTE! WAKE UP! CHARLOTTE!"

"Nnnnnnn, Lil, too early," the girl murmured sleepily.

"You and I have double dates with Sirius Black and James Potter today," Lily said with a smile on her face. "Are you going to get ready or will you be going to Hogsmeade with Sirius in your pajamas?"

Charlotte sat bolt upright in her bed and Lily nearly laughed at her friend’s appearance. Her straight blonde hair was tousled and messy, and her eyes were ringed with mascara smudges. Someone hadn’t taken their mascara off last night…. "You're joking," she breathed. "Sirius Black?"

"Yep. You better be glad I accidentally agreed to go with James."

"Accidentally? Lily, I've told you for weeks, and weeks, and weeks that you should go out with him! This will be so much fun! He worships you, Lils, it'll be great."

"Yeah, it'll be great watching you walk around in your pajamas with Sirius," Lily retorted. "James and Co. will be downstairs waiting in approximately-" she checked her watch "-twenty-five minutes time."

Charlotte let out a shriek and rushed off to the shower, yelling as she went, "I HAVE A DATE WITH SIRIUS BLACK AND YOU GIVE ME ONLY twenty-five-MINUTE'S NOTICE?!?! I NEED MORE LIKE 3 HOURS!"

Lily chuckled, and began reapplying makeup.


----*----


"Charlotte, time to go," Lily called, as she smoothed her skirt and blouse.

"Right, I'm ready," Charlotte said breathlessly as she hurried in. "Do I look Sirius Black-worthy?"

Lily snickered. "Yep. Blonde hair perfectly flat-ironed, long eyelashes, low-cut blouse...definitely ready for Sirius."

Charlotte blushed, and Lily smiled. "You look great too, Lil, but it doesn't really matter. James would worship you anyway," she said.

Lily opened the door and the two girls shuffled down the steps. She smiled when she saw that the two boys stood by the Common Room entrance, talking casually to each other. Sirius looked up and nudged James, who looked up, and smiled proudly when he saw Lily.

"Hello, fair lady, Sirius Black at your service," he bowed at Charlotte’s feet.

Charlotte smiled, and Lily stifled her giggles.

"And what would be your name?" He smiled charmingly.

"Charlotte. Charlotte Cranworthy."

"Pleasure to be of your acquaintance, Lady Charlotte," he murmured, taking her hand and lightly kissing it.

Lily jumped when she heard a voice in her ear. "Padfoot's crazy," James murmured. "He's the biggest flirt but he doesn't get attached to any girl he meets. I hope you don't expect me to act like that idiot," he said nervously.

"Of course not, James," she said matter-of-factly. "I don't date idiots. Well, not on purpose at least. That's why I'm not one of Black's fan girls.”

James snickered. "And I wouldn't have you any other way."

Lily was taken aback by his careful flattery and sincerity, and she hurried to mask her surprise. "So, shall we go?"

James nodded, and the four set off for Hogsmeade.


----*----


Before they knew it, the four were walking down the main street of Hogsmeade. Much to Lily’s surprise, she was having an easy, flowing conversation with James. She had always imagined an awkward, broken one but they actually had a lot of the same interests, like Defense Against the Dark Arts and a strong passion for the Gryffindor Quidditch team. Before long, they had arrived at Madam Puddifoot’s Tea Shop. Sirius and Charlotte eagerly entered the pink, frilly couple’s hideout. Lily snorted, her hands flying to their trademark spot on her hips. “You’ve got to be kidding me,” she scoffed, but she wasn’t the only one who had spoken.

James was also staring at the place with a defiant expression on his face.

“No way,” Lily repeated.

“I completely agree. How about Honeyduke’s, instead?” He gestured to the shop next door, which was chockfull of Hogwarts students.

Lily smiled. “My pleasure.”

James grabbed her hand (Lily’s heart fluttered) and they walked to the busy, colorful shop. Lily and James walked around, peering into the various jars and buckets full of the sweetest, most delectable candy around. There wasn’t an empty spot in the place; the walls were covered with shelves, all completely topped with boxes and containers with gorgeous candies inside. Fluffy pink cakes, sweet nougat centers with white sprinkles, iced coconut squares, an entire cage full of Chocolate Frogs, barrels of Bertie Bott’s every flavor beans, and a large bowl full of what appeared to be pure honey surrounded them both. James grabbed a large bag from a little stand and offered it to Lily.

Lily took it questioningly. “Uh, thanks James, but what am I going to do with a bag?”

“You fill it up of course!” James rolled his eyes. “Walk around and put in all sorts of candy you like until it’s full. And don’t even think about paying, it’s on me. Anyway, I have to go and get a special surprise, so have fun!”

Lily shook her head. “Ah, might as well…” she murmured as she began scooping an assortment of candies into the bag.

Meanwhile, James jogged lightly to the nearest flower store, buying a large bouquet of pink lilies.

Nobody had seen him until he was nearly back at the Honeydukes store. “Nice flowers, Potter, they match your eyes,” a sneer said from behind him.

James groaned, but turned around anyway. Sure enough, James knew who it was from first glance at the shoulder-length black, greasy hair, abnormally pale skin, and his large hooked nose. “Look, Snivelly, I don’t have time for this. I’ve got to get back to my date, thanks.” He turned back around; hoping against hope Snape would leave him alone. Lily hated it when he attacked Snape and knowing his luck, she would find out if he did so today.

“I don’t think so, Potter.” He drew his wand, giving a cold laugh as he did so. “Heard about your date with Evans. I’m afraid I’m going to have to spoil it for you…”

James sighed, but he pulled his wand out also. Why did Snape have to adore Lily, of all people? He waited on tenterhooks for Snape to hurl the first curse. He didn’t have to wait long.

“Sect-“

“Stupefy,” James muttered quickly as Snape fell onto the ground, frozen. “Sorry, Snape, I’ll be back later to undo it. I would unfreeze you now, but I’m afraid you’d try and ruin my date.” He turned and jogged back to the Honeydukes shop, where Lily was just topping off her bag. She looked around, and James quickly shrank the flowers until they could fit into his pocket, perfectly hiding them. “Hey Lily!” he called.

Lily saw him and walked over. “Um James, should we go get Sirius and Charlotte?”

“No need, dear friends!” Sirius said in a jolly voice. His hair was slightly tousled but other than that, he looked just the same. But Charlotte was blushing furiously and her clothes were slightly disheveled in a suspicious manner.

James grinned. “Hey, Lily, don’t you think we should take a page out of their book?”

Lily rolled her eyes. “Watch it, Potter.”

James frowned. The renewed use of his surname was a bad sign.

“Just a joke, heh,” he laughed nervously.

Sirius and Charlotte cracked up at their friends’ interaction.

Lily rolled her eyes. “Don’t do it again,” she murmured sweetly.

--*--

James, Lily, Sirius, and Charlotte walked slowly down the streets of Hogsmeade, talking merrily, when a group of haughty Slytherins blocked their path.

“Well, look who’s here.” Sirius smirked at the sight of Bellatrix and Narcissa Black (different as night and day; Narcissa was the pale blonde “fairy princess”, as Sirius called her, and Bellatrix was the tall, sultry brunette), Lucius Malfoy (who looked like Narcissa’s twin but was really her lover), and Severus.

“Sirius,” James warned, “I don’t think this is the time for a duel. I doubt Lily and Charlotte would approve, so why don’t we go ahead and go back to the Common Room?” James was trying desperately to keep talking, so Snape wouldn’t have a chance to tell Lily about what he had done earlier on the date. Knowing Snape, he’d twist the actual events to put James in a bad light- everyone knew that Snape was after Lily.

“Funny, Potter,” Snape drawled, “you were so keen to duel earlier today.”

Lily looked between James and Severus questioningly. “Severus, what are you talking about? I’ve been with James the entire time, except when he disappeared for a surprise, I think he said,” she said with a glance towards James.

Severus smirked. “A surprise, he said? Potter, that’s a little low, even for you. Telling your girlfriend you were going to get a surprise for her, when you were actually hexing me?”

Lily’s eyes flashed angrily. “You did what?” she asked, rounding on James in an instant.

“I went to go get you flowers,” he stuttered quickly.

Lily’s mouth was pinched into an unflattering frown. James tried desperately to save his date, but to no avail. “Lily, I swear I didn’t hex him, I swear, I got flowers, look,” he said as he pulled out the shrunken objects, which he enlarged on the spot and offered to her.

Bellatrix laughed. “But James, aren’t you the top of the class in Transfiguration? Who’s to say you didn’t conjure those flowers, just now, hm?” She seemed to be near to another onslaught of hysteric laughter that she was prone to.

Narcissa smiled. “Yes, it is suspicious, Potter…” she twirled a golden curl around a finger innocently. Of course, she and the rest of her gang knew exactly what had happened, but their hatred for James overruled their general dislike towards Severus, even if he was in their own house. Severus didn’t have any friends, actually, due to his poor hygiene standards and obsession with the Dark Arts.

Lily rolled her eyes. "You know what James, we all know you're a Transfiguration know-it-all, but you don't have to use your talent to enforce a lie. It's low, James. You've ruined our date too, so I hope you're happy." She took the flowers and chocolate and threw them on the ground cruelly. "Goodnight, Potter.” Before he had time to protest she had Apparated on the spot to the entrance of Hogwarts. James followed her, but by the time he got there, she was already locked in her dormitory.

When Sirius and Charlotte got back to the Common Room (they weren’t in a hurry, they simply walked), James was trying feebly to get up the staircase that led to the girls’ dormitories. Unfortunately, the staircase’s charm was in full effect, and because James was a boy, any time he set foot on them the stairs melted into a slide and James fell back to the ground with a thud.

“Whoa, mate, a little desperate are we?” Sirius folded his arms across his chest and raised his eyebrows skeptically. “Easy there, Prongs, she’s only one fish in the sea.”

James rounded on Sirius. “Padfoot, that is the girl of my dreams. I’ve been begging her to go out with me and when I get a chance, everything is ruined by stupid Snivelly-pants! She isn’t just another fish; she’s the prettiest fish in the sea for everyone and the only fish in the sea for me. Now, will you stop smirking and find me a way to get up this bloody staircase?!”

Sirius’s eyes widened innocently. “James, how would I know? I’ve never sneaked up to a girl’s room in the middle of the night.”

James growled. “Sirius…I know exactly how many times you’ve left our dormitory because the bloody door creaks. Tell me. Now.”

“Fine.” Sirius looked vaguely insulted. “But you’ll have to work it out yourself. What do we both have in common, that you’re amazingly wonderful at and love above all other things except Lily?”

“Quidditch,” James answered promptly.

“There you go,” Sirius rolled his eyes.

“Wha-“ and then comprehension dawned on him. “OH!” He raised his wand and muttered, “Accio Nimbus,” and his broom came soaring from the boys’ tower. He hopped onto it and soared to the landing, where he dismounted his broom and knocked hesitantly on the door labeled, “Lily Evans, Head Girl”.

No one answered, yet James swore he could hear a few muffled sobs. He shook his head sadly, knowing Lily wouldn’t approve of him entering her sleeping quarters without permission, and quietly flied back down. Sirius scoffed. “You blow up on me, I find a way up there for you, and then once you get there, you turn around and come back? Whoa, mate, you’ve changed.” Sirius rolled his eyes and sat down in front of the fire with Remus and Peter.

James swore under his breath and kicked the edge of the carpet angrily. “First Lily, now Sirius,” he muttered. He had no one else to go to, so he quietly trudged up to his bedroom and tugged the drapes shut around his bed. He laid down, staring at the canopy above him, but he was unable to sleep. He went over the events of the horrible day in his mind, berating himself in the points he could have changed and still been in good terms with Lily and Sirius. He heard the three other boys go to bed in his room, and quickly heard their snores. But he stayed awake for a long time, wondering how he would be able to win Lily back. Suddenly, the perfect idea dawned on him. It was perfect, brilliant…even cruel. But first he had to clear his conscience. He yanked his drapes open, and hastily rummaged through some drawers until he managed to find a piece of parchment, a quill, and some ink.

“My dearest Lily,” he murmured as he wrote. “I deeply apologize for my behaviour today. But I must insist that I did not arrange to meet Snape and duel him. He hexed me first.” He read back over his words, decided they sounded acceptable, and signed it with a scrawl.

He grabbed his broom, flew back to the girls’ landing, and slipped the sealed envelope underneath the heavy oak door. He heard soft footsteps hit the ground and walk slowly over, but before the door opened, James was already back in his dormitory, snoring.

--*--

Lily was lying flat on her back in her bed. The canopy above her hadn’t changed since first year, but it was usually the one unchanging factor when everything went wrong and she couldn’t sleep. She loved that canopy- she highly doubted she’d be able to leave it behind when she graduated at the end of this year. But right now, her thoughts were in turmoil. James had been so happy to finally go on a date with her, why did he jeopardize it all for a few minutes pleasure of torturing Snape? Unless…James couldn’t have been telling the truth, could he? Her thoughts were interrupted by the soft rustle of paper.

Lily curiously pushed back the bed curtains and peered towards the sound. A folded note was lying in front of the door. She slid off the bed softly, not wanting to wake her roommates, and lightly walked to the note. She opened it, and murmured softly, “My dearest Lily, I deeply apologize for my behaviour today. But I must insist that I did not arrange to meet Snape and duel him. He hexed me first. Love, James.” Lily ran her fingers through her hair, pushing the red locks out of her face. Why on earth did James have to like her? And for that matter, why did he have to be so confusing? What was so wrong with talking out your problems, instead of hexing people to solve them? Hexing people didn’t solve anything. It simply showed superiority and forced the enemy to drop the subject matter. Lily preferred to end her problems, not simply postpone them to a later date, like James.

But really, would she like James so much without his impulsiveness? Would she be so thrilled to see him, so excited, so enthralled by him, even after one date, if James was like all the other boring guys she’d dated? What would she do if James left Hogwarts tomorrow, or died? What if she never saw him again? What if one day, James decided he wasn’t going to wait on her anymore? What if James decided she wasn’t worth the chase? What would she, Lily Evans, Head Girl of Hogwarts, do if James Potter wasn’t a part of her life? But that won’t ever happen, a small voice said at the back of her mind. And as much as Lily hated to, she knew she’d listen to that voice. Lily Evans would never publicly confess her love to James Potter. She would be too proud to sit through his cocky smirk. And considering half of her friends thought James was simply adorable, she knew she’d make a lot of enemies by finally fighting for him.

She slowly opened the door, expecting to see James Potter on one knee, with a bouquet of roses outstretched to her. His face would be illuminated in the moonlight, his eyes begging her for forgiveness. But all Lily Evans saw was a cold stone floor, and all the dormitory doors were closed. James had closed his door on her. James had closed the door to his heart. James was tired of her foolish games, of her running away. He didn’t want to follow her anymore. Sometimes, you never know what you have until it’s gone.