*Disclaimer*- Messrs. Fuzzbutt and Fantail do not now, nor will they ever, claim to be J.K. Rowling. They own none of the characters or situations presented by Ms. Rowling in any of her brilliantly written books.

Authors’ Notes: Welcome to chapter three! ;) Thanks to all of you who have reviewed previous chapters, it means a lot!

Chapter Three: Flea Be-Gone, Anyone?

Wednesday morning came (all too quickly, if you asked Lily, and all too slowly, if you asked James), and to Lily's dismay, when Lily told Professor Walker of their planned tutoring session, Professor Walker said to go ahead with out her, that she had ‘other matters to attend to,’ and expected her classroom to be exactly as she had left it when she got back.

Sitting in Transfiguration, his best subject, and therefore one he could afford to not pay attention in for once, James thought of Lily and what was planned for the evening. He'd be there at seven. He was rather excited at the prospect of getting to spend time with Lily, even if it was just tutoring.

At the same time, however, he worried about how Lily would blame him. She hated him already, and he knew that Lily was already upset at him about his needing tutored, and so he was apprehensive about how she would treat him. (It couldn't be any worse than usual, though, could it?)

But this was also a chance for him to show her that he wasn't an arrogant, bullying toe-rag. And he was determined to show her as much.

-----

When seven-o-clock came around, a flustered looking Lily Evans entered the Potions classroom. James, surprisingly, was already there.

Lily, although in shock, still managed a, “Wow, Potter, you’re actually on time for something.”

James, before he could stop himself, said, "Anything for you, flower." Stupid, stupid, stupid, he thought as Lily glared at him.

Lily cleared her throat. "Look, Potter. I really don't want to be here. The faster you act like you want to learn something, the faster we can get this over with."

"There's not a lot for me to learn. I know what I'm doing. I was just distracted. I mean, it was one stir too many, that’s all," James said.

"Whatever you were distracted by can go throw itself into a window, because it's really ruined my day," Lily said.

"Ah, but surely you don't want to throw yourself into a window," James said, not knowing he was speaking aloud. Shoot, was about all he was thinking when she turned and narrowed her eyes and looked at him as if she wanted him to drop dead at that very moment.

"Potter, why can't you give your silly infatuation a rest? The only reason you think you fancy me is because I'm the girl you can't get. I already know this, so will you please just let it go?" Her voice was dangerously low.

"That's not true," James said forcefully. "I fancy you because you're beautiful, you're intelligent, you speak your mind, and you're everything the rest of the girls in this school aren't."

"I already told you I don't go for flattery," Lily said, although, despite outward appearances and her words, she was flattered.

"It isn't flattery, it's the truth," James said softly.

Lily cleared her throat. "Let's just get this started. I thought we'd just do the Flea Be-Gone Potion tonight to figure out where, if anywhere, you're having trouble, and move onto something more complex next time."

James simply nodded, not trusting himself to say anything anywhere near intelligent.

Lily took out the ingredients and placed them on the desk. She had the instructions (she had taken notes the previous year) laid out as well. "Just make it, Potter," she said, sitting down on the desk nearby to watch, and, if needed, make sure he didn't blow up the classroom.

A few minutes of silence and potion-making later, James found that the silence was deafening. "I think it's pretty sad that we're making a flea potion for Walker's cats, don't you?” he said, not being able to stand the quiet any longer. “I mean, she is the potions mistress, you'd think she could do it herself..." Well, that was stupid, but not as stupid as it could've been, right?

Lily rolled her eyes. "Emmeline would agree with you."

"What about you? Do you agree?" James asked curiously.

Lily shrugged. "Count out loud," she said.

"What?" James said, confused at what that had to do with agreeing with him.

"It's time for you to stir the potion,” Lily clarified. “I want you to count out loud, to avoid distraction."

James pouted. "Do I have to?"

"Yes. Now shut up and get to it,” Lily said, frustration creeping into her voice.

And so, although he wondered how he could shut up and count out loud at the same time, James began counting out loud, feeling like quite the idiot. He could feel his face heat up, and avoided looking over at Lily, who was barely holding back a smirk.

James finished the potion perfectly. Lily rolled her eyes. "See, look, you did it, for once. I wish you'd stop wasting my time."

James looked at her sadly. "I didn't choose this... Lily, will you ever give me a chance?"

Lily's face was expressionless as she replied, "Give you a chance? No. But if you were someone who wasn't so arrogant, who didn't strut about hexing anyone who got in your way, who didn't fawn over me, and who had some regard for rules, then maybe, maybe I would."

Lily cleared her throat. "But nothing to worry about, because I don't see that happening, and I've got top marks in Divination."

With that, Lily left the room, also leaving James. James ran his hand through his hair. "Bugger."

----------

Lily stormed her way through the halls on her way to the common room. How was it that Potter was able to get under her skin and make her say something like that? She had told him what she wanted him to change, and then said if he did she'd give him a chance! What was wrong with her? Damn it, Potter. Look what you've made me do.

When Lily finally reached her dormitory, she was surprised to find all it's occupants (Emmeline, Marlene, a very sweet girl called Alice Kirgenser, and Alice's friend, Dorcas Meadowes) sitting about, seemingly waiting for her return.

"Erm..." Lily said as they all looked at her.

"Well," said Emmeline expectantly, "how did it go?"

"How did what go?" Lily asked, playing dumb.

"The tutoring, you nitwit," Emmeline said, rolling her eyes.

"Oh, that," Lily said.

"Well what else would it be?"

"Erm...classes?"

"Ah! Lily, how did tutoring James go?" Marlene asked, exasperated with Emmelines failed attempts to start the conversation properly.

"Terrible," Lily said, flopping unceremoniously onto her four-poster.

Alice looked at Lily sympathetically. "What happened?" she asked, while Dorcas said, "Oh, come on, Lil, it couldn't have been that bad."

"It was that bad, though," Lily said. "He did his potion perfectly. And then he asked me if I'd ever give him a chance and I said I wouldn't give him a chance, but if he wasn't so arrogant, and would quit asking me out, and would stop hexing people for the heck of it that I might, and I think I shouldn't have said that because now he probably thinks he's got a chance," Lily rambled.

The other girls exchanged glances "Does he have a chance?" asked Alice.

"Of course not!" Lily answered, a bit too quickly. "I don't fancy him in any way. I can't stand him! No chance for James, nope, no chance for James." She shook her head to emphasize her point.

Emmeline glanced at Marlene, a knowing look on her face. "Lily, why did you just call him James?" Marlene asked.

"I didn't call him James. I never call him James"

"You called him James," Emmeline said, smirking despite trying to hold it back. "You called him James," she said again, in a sing-song voice. "Does Lily fancy Jaaaames?"

Lily blushed. Do I? "Of course not! He's an arrogant-"

"Bullying toe-rag," Emmeline cut her off. "We know. But do you fancy him any way?"

"No," Lily said, more determinedly. "But since we're on the subject of fancying, do you fancy Sirius, Emmeline?" Lily asked in revenge.

Marlene, Alice, and Dorcas looked up in interest as Emmeline blushed crimson. She recovered quickly, however. "No," she said. "But this isn't about anyone fancying anyone, Lily, this is about you fancying James."

"I do not fancy James," Lily said forcefully. "I'm just a little more willing to try and not be enemies, as we're both Heads this year, and I refuse to do everything on my own."

The girls looked at Lily skeptically. She rolled her eyes. “I’m going to bed,” she said, shutting the hangings around her bed and lying back.

As Lily lay, she stared angrily at the ceiling. Why wouldn't her friends just let it be? She didn't fancy James. She was just considering being almost-friends with him.

Was that really such a big deal? Lily hadn't made a big deal when Marlene pined after Remus the previous year, and hadn't made a big deal with Emmeline fancying (or so she suspected) Sirius. Well, she hadn't made that big of a deal, anyway... And Lily didn't even fancy James!

She rolled over grumpily. So much for a fantastic seventh year.

----------

James took much longer to get to the dormitory. What Lily had said about him really made him think. Did she really mean that she'd give him a chance if he'd change? He didn’t want to change, though. Of course, there were the small things he could do: She wanted him to quit asking her out. Well, he could do that. And he could stop hexing people, well, all but Snape, of course. And he could try to lay off the arrogance, but he wasn't sure if that was possible.

And maybe...maybe if I'm her friend, rather than trying to be something more...maybe then she'll see I’m not as bad as she thinks!

James sighed. Who are you kidding, Potter? She hates you. She'll always hate you. She was only saying those things so you'd leave her alone and be a bit more bearable.

When he reached the common room, he flopped unceremoniously onto the couch next to Sirius. (Sirius, Remus, Peter, and another boy in their year, Frank Longbottom, were all chatting about something or another.)

"I was wondering when you'd get here, mate," Sirius said. "Your dearest Lily got here a good ten minutes ago."

James mumbled something incoherent.

"I take it the tutoring didn't go well then, eh?" Remus said.

“Ah, I’m sure it wasn’t that bad, James,” Frank said.

"It was awful," James said. "I did my potion perfectly, so she hates me even more because I'm wasting her time. She made me count the stirs out loud. And then she told me why she won't give me a chance. She'll never give me a chance. It's hopeless," James finished, letting his head fall back onto the couch.

"Nothing's hopeless, Prongsie," Sirius said cheerfully, "we're the Marauders."

"Maybe you should just give up, Prongs," Peter said unhelpfully.

James sat up and stared at Peter incredulously. "Give up?" he asked. "I can't give up! She's...she's Lily Evans! I can't give up, Peter." Sirius, Remus, and even Frank were staring at Peter incredulously as well.

Peter grinned sheepishly. “Just…just letting you know your options.”

"I know what would cheer you up, Prongsie," Sirius said, choosing not to comment on Peter’s stupidity as Frank excused himself for sleep, “a good old fashioned prank! We've yet to pull one this year, you know."

James looked to Sirius. "I know...but.… But I really want to go out with Lily and she hates pranks!"

Sirius' eyes widened. "You're going to let a little crush rule your life?"

"I think it's a bit more than a crush if it's been going on since fourth year, Sirius," Remus stated.

"Little crush or big obsession," Sirius said businesslike, "We cannot let Prongs quit pranking."

“Agreed,” chorused Remus and Peter.

James sighed. "Alright," he agreed reluctantly. "But we better not make it full blown. And no injuries. And it has to be aimed at more than Snape, otherwise Lily will be angry."

Sirius looked at James sadly. "You've got it bad, Prongs."

"Got what bad?" he asked, clueless.

"You'll figure it out eventually," Remus answered before Sirius could. "But as for now, we need to get planning."

"So we'll aim it at the Slytherins?" Sirius asked.

"Erm...well, Lily would get ups-"

"Oh, shut up, Prongs. So, we aim it at the Slytherins?" Sirius asked again.

"You know, James has got a point. And he is Head Boy-"

"Moony! Not you, too! You're all turning against me! Well, at least you're still with me, right Pete?"

"I have to use the loo," Peter said, standing up and leaving.

Sirius pouted. "Fine! Be that way!" he yelled at Peter's retreating figure.

After a few moments of silence, Sirius broke it. "Alright. So we aim it toward the whole school?"

"You know, I'm exhausted," Remus said. "I think I'll head to bed. We'll plan tomorrow."

"Bunch of lazy pansies," Sirius muttered.

"I'm sort of tired, too, Padfoot," James said. "I, er, well I think I'll be going."

When Sirius was the only one left in the common room, he glared up at the girls' dormitories. "Damn you, Lily Evans!” he yelled.

Lily sat up and looked around curiously. "Did you hear that?" Lily asked.

Alice giggled and nodded. Dorcas was still asleep. "Was that Sirius?" Emmeline asked.

"Funny how she asks about Sirius," Marlene muttered.

Emmeline blushed again.

"But you heard it, too?" Lily asked.

"Yeah," Marlene said.

"Wonder what it was about..."

"Oh, who cares. They're a loony bunch, those Marauders," Marlene said sleepily.

"'Cept Remus, right, Marlene?"

Marlene pretended not to hear her.

Soon the dormitory was filled with the even-breathing sounds of sleep, and the snoring of Dorcas.

"Crazy kid," Lily muttered as she fell asleep.

Author’s Notes:
Fuzz and Fan do now thank you,
For reading their fic through chapter three,
Now if you’d please leave a review,
We’ll probably say words like ‘squee!’

Review!