A/N: Do people actually read these things? Probably not. Anyhoo . . . here is the next chapter! Sorry so much for the delay . . . I've been working on stories for other sites, and sort of (oops) forgot about this one. So please forgive me! I promise not to do it again! Thanks especially to Cara, my best reviewer!
*******
"So Lily," said Emily, when they were tasting samples in Honeydukes, "has James convinced you to tutor him yet?"
"No. Why? I never told you about that, did I?"
"Not exactly," Emily admitted. "You never tell me anything interesting about James. But now I have another informant."
"Sirius," said Lily knowingly, and Emily nodded with a blush. "So if you keep on complaining that I don't tell you anything about James, and believe me, there's nothing to tell, why don't you tell me about your little romance?"
Emily was hesitant in responding. "Well, nothing's actually happened yet . . . he's never made any initiative . . ."
"Don't worry, he will."
"You think so?" Emily flashed a sweet smile that reminded Lily why she loved her.
"It's a sure thing. I bet you'll have a date to the Halloween ball this year."
"If I do, Lily, and I'm not saying that I will--"
"But you will!"
"Then," said Emily, not heeding Lily's interruption, "You have to get a date, too."
"Oh, no!" said Lily in exasperation. "You are not getting me into this business! I fully support you if you get a boyfriend . . . but you have no right to force one on me!"
Emily sighed. "Why are you always so irrational?"
"I could say the same for you."
"Only it wouldn't be true. But I know there's no point in arguing. You're always so used to having your way." Emily turned around to taste a new flavor of chocolate.
If only she knew, thought Lily. Because Lily wasn't at all used to having her own way. If she had her own way, she thought, James wouldn't have been Head Boy. He would never have signed up idiotically for his classes. He wouldn't be such an arrogant person. Maybe he wouldn't even exist. And Lily was above all sure that, if she had her own way, she wouldn't like him.
Not that she did, of course.
She had more time to think about her feelings when James Potter himself came strutting into Honeydukes, for once, all alone.
"Where's your gang?" she asked.
"Sirius went off somewhere, and Remus took Peter to Zonko's."
"And why aren't you with them?" She wished she could think of something more intelligent to say, not to impress James, of course, but in a way, to convince herself that he didn't turn her into a lifeless puddle. Which he did.
"I came looking for you." Of course, Lily had set herself up perfectly for that. Emily turned around to face Lily, and said cheerfully, "Lily, I think I'll take a walk down the road, okay?" Down the road led to Zonko's, of course, and Lily was fuming. Of course she didn't mind that Emily wanted to be with Sirius; they were practically a couple already. But the fact that Emily would desert Lily at such a time was beyond aggravating. Emily didn't give Lily time to protest, of course, and Lily wasn't about to do it anyway-maybe James would think that he had more effect on Lily that he really did.
Looking desperately after Emily as she walked out the door, Lily tried to be casual. "What, trying to get some free tutoring sessions?"
"Not particularly, although it would be nice if you agreed to help me out. It's not so much the 'free' I'm after, you know. There's plenty of girls who would pay to tutor me."
Lily groaned. "Then get one of them to help you out. I'm too busy."
"Doing what, I have no idea. Haven't you recited Hogwarts, a History to yourself enough? I mean, you don't even play quidditch!" Lily was furious, but before she could retort, James was speaking again. "Which brings me to my point. Our best Chaser decided to drop out of the team this year, for various reasons. And we need a replacement. You'd still need to try out, of course, but . . . I'm fairly sure I could guarantee you the spot."
Lily tried to look as dignified as possible. After all, it wasn't as if she wanted it or anything. "Sorry, James. Even if I did want to be on the team, I wouldn't ask for any special favors, especially not from you." Following Emily, she walked quickly out the door. It was true. Lily never asked for special favors from anyone, so why would she stoop down and accept one from James Potter, who was, after all, a nemesis if Lily had ever had one?
Lily assured herself that she was far too busy with her duties to play quidditch, which was only for boys with too much testosterone to burn. No wonder all the players were boys.
But a little voice in her head demanded, Isn't that why you should prove them wrong?
So Lily walked back to Hogwarts alone, her thoughts battling furiously for control.
*******
Bellatrix pulled her cloak higher up and tightened her collar. It was fairly chilly for September, especially in the evening, on the quidditch pitch. But she wouldn't miss watching the team practice tonight for anything; after all, wasn't that James Potter, zooming around?
But today, as Bella soon learned, was no ordinary practice. The team was looking over prospective players to fill the spot of Chaser. She watched, bored, as Frank Longbottom clumsily fumbled the Quaffle.
And who was that figure, walking to the center of the pitch? Bellatrix squinted. It was most certainly a girl. As the girl's hat blew off and she ran hastily to retrieve it, Bellatrix, no matter how she tried, could not mistake the long red hair that was blown about by the wind.
One of the quidditch players immediately descended and caught the hat, flying close to the ground to return it to the girl. And there was no mistaking who the boy was. How many hours had Bellatrix watched him, memorizing every movement of James Potter?
But unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, Bellatrix could not hear the conversation that ensued.
James' hair was so windblown that there was hardly any need to rumple it further-and yet, predictably, he did it anyway.
"So, Evans, glad to see you showed up after all. Did I convince you in the end?"
"It has nothing to do with you."
"Oh, alright. Nothing to do with me, I know." Somehow, they both knew that it wasn't true. "Oh, Evans, have you also changed your mind about the tutoring?"
Lily abruptly changed the subject. "Is this how you pick new players? Talk to them? How silly of me, I thought I'd actually have to demonstrate my skills . . . that's why I brought my broom!"
James laughed. "No, you're right, as always. So come up! Let's see what you can do!"
Lily had to admit it to herself--she flew brilliantly. Of course, even if she didn't admit it to herself, there was always James to let her know.
"Great flying!" he said. "I'm much more impressed than the last time I saw you. You'll make the team for sure!"
Lily hoped that James would credit her blush to the weather. "Thanks. I have to go now . . ."
"Hall duty?" Lily nodded. "Then I'll go with you."
Belltrix, although she had missed the conversations, did not fail to notice James and Lily walking together back to the school. And suddenly, after being hopelessly lost for ages, she realized that she was running out of time. She had one more year to win James, or else all would be over. She gritted her teeth and decided that she would do anything to gain his love.
*******
James was failing Arithmancy, and Lily knew it. When they got their first quizzes back on Monday, she was appalled to see that he had hardly gotten anything right. She watched as James helplessly stared at his grade. She sighed. James was a big baby after all.
After class, she walked up to his desk. "C'mon, why don't you tell Professor Dumbledore? You know he'd change your class."
"Yeah, and let him know that I took these stupid classes?"
"It's not like he doesn't know. Does Dumbledore ever miss anything?"
"Of course not! But I care what he, and everyone else for that matter, thinks! And I can do it!"
"James, you need to get over your pride, and learn some humility." Lily felt as if she was giving a moral lesson, and she felt stupid.
"I'm not proud! Haven't I been begging you on bended knee to tutor me? How many times do I have to tell you that I need help, not advice?"
Lily sighed. "No more. I can't take this. Meet me in the library after dinner, before hall duty tonight."
He could hardly believe his ears. "Of course! Thank you so much, Lily! I'll be the best student ever, you won't regret it!"
Lily looked away, the better to hide her blush. He had called her Lily again.
*******
Emily was practically jumping in her seat. "You agreed to tutor him! How sweet of you!"
"Maybe just a few times. Maybe only once."
"Yeah, right, Lily. You have a responsibility now!"
"Emily, he'd not a little kid, and he needs to learn how to take care of himself."
"WHO needs to take care of himself?" James came from behind her and put his hands over her eyes. As if she couldn't recognize that voice.
"The immature person who doesn't want to reveal his identity!" she laughed, and Emily giggled.
James removed his hands and pouted as she turned around. "How'd you know it was me?"
"Who else could it be?"
"Anyway, if you remember, we have a study session to attend! Doesn't that sound like fun?"
"For me, maybe. Don't forget, you'll be hard at work on Arithmancy. It's not easy, you know."
"Oh, I know. Compared to Muggle Studies . . . Arithmancy is killer." He pulled back her chair to let her stand up. What a gentleman, thought Lily.
"Serves you right for slacking off before."
He smiled. "If I'm getting free tutoring sessions from you, Evans, who am I to complain?"
He might have been happy at the moment, but half an hour later, James was buried under a pile of exercises that Lily had given to him, and it wasn't much fun. Only the thought of impressing Lily kept him from slamming his book shut and running to his dorm room.
After an hour, Lily briskly exclaimed, "It's been an hour already! And it's time for hall duty now! Wow, the time passed quickly, huh, James?"
He nodded sleepily.
"Oh, it must be hard for you," said Lily more sympathetically. "Don't worry, we'll do it again."
"Tomorrow?"
"Sure. I can see that you really need the help."
"Thanks. You do wonderful things for my self-confidence."
"It's not like you need any help on that aspect of your character. I can't see how you can further maximize your ego at all."
But James' sheepish smile was not full of conceit, as it had been before, and Lily couldn't help noticing that James looked just as cute when he was humble as when he was arrogant.
*******
A/N: Is Lily really liking James now? Is she admitting it to herself yet? Dun dun dun!
Thank you so much to all of my reviewers! Sorry for the long delay!
.