-----------------HOGWARTS, 7TH YEAR-----------
"Please?"
"No."
" Pretty please?"
"No way!"
"Please please please?" He took Lily's hand and stared at her with big puppy dog eyes. " I'll be
extra sweet and -"
"James Potter, stop begging." Lily tried her hardest to sound annoyed but she could tell by the gleam in his
eyes she hadn't pulled it off. He was just so.......funny and charming and really really adorable! Lily
finally melted.
"All right, all right, I'll go," she said while trying to hide her smile. James just stared at her,
completely stunned. There was complete silence for a moment or two, then...
"I'm sorry. I seem to be experiencing a brain fart, or possibly a temporary hearing loss. It could just be a
really vivid hallucination, but say that again please? In my good ear this time." James was certain he had
imagined her response.
" I said I'll go to Hogsmede with you tomorrow. But only to save yourself from public humiliation. This
begging in the Great Hall deal you've been doing is killing your cool reputation," Lily grinned. She just
couldn't help herself.
"Ok, cool," James said. Lily could tell he was trying to appear nonchalant about the whole thing, like it was
no big thing. It didn't work. With a whoop of joy, James suddenly grabbed Lily around the waist and began waltzing
around the Great Hall with her, singing all the while: "I've got a date with Lily! Ladeedadeeda..."
Laughing, Lily let herself be pulled along, even though she knew all the eyes in the Great Hall were staring. Well,
almost.....
**********
A dark pair of eyes glared stonily at the dancing couple. Jealous eyes; eyes that longed to hurt. Potter
doesn't deserve Li--Evans he thought. Not that he would ever admit to wanting Lily, mind you. She...wasn't
his kind. But he still longed to make James pay for everything, and he would. Nobody could stop him, not Potter, or
Lupin, or anyone. They had walked over him for too long. He knew an opportunity when he saw one. He just wasn't
sure how to get at them. His beetle black eyes scanned the Great Hall, searching. They settled on a group of people
across the hall, laughing at the antics of James and Lily. Everyone except one. Of course he thought, the
rat.... It was perfect. Ruining them this way would be the ultimate revenge. Ruining EVANS would be the ultimate
revenge...
*********
Sirius strolled into the Gryffindor common room that night and looked around for his fellow Marauders. He didn't
see them, but he did see an opportunity he just couldn't pass up. So, he walked over to the couch and plopped down
right next to Lily Evans. She kept her nose in her book, determined not to give him any attention.
"So, Evans, how was the dance," he asked.
"Shut up," Lily shot back. She tried to hide the fact that she was blushing, but Sirius had already
noticed.
"Awww, c'mon, you can tell your dear friend Sirius," he grinned. "So, do you love him?"
"What?!?!?" She looked up in surprise.
"Oh, please. 7 years my buddy's been after you for a date. So, what made you finally crack? The public wants
to know, Evans! Out with it!"
Lily looked at him for a long moment, and then grinned. "Jealous?"
"Huh?" Sirius was confused. How could she possibly know - wait, I am NOT jealous! He thought
furiously.
Lily closed her book and put her hand on Sirius' knee. Very seriously she said, "Now, I know you love James,
and you wanted things to work out between you, but some things just aren't meant to be! You're just going to
have to accept the fact that James has someone prettier than you. It may take some getting used to but in
time--"
Her words were cut off as Sirius whacked her playfully with a couch cushion.
"You're a total nerd, Evans, you know that?"
"Oh c'mon Sirius, is that the best you can come up with?"
" You're just asking for trouble Evans! Be careful!"
"Or what? You'll hit me with another cushion? Oh, I'm so afraid..."
They were both laughing hysterically now. It was an interesting sight, Black and Evans having a laugh together.
Moony's right, Sirius thought. She isn't so bad....
"Hey, don't mess with me girl. I have a couch cushion and I'm not afraid to use it!" Sirius waved
the cushion threateningly at Lily, who doubled over and clutched her sides from laughing. Sirius laughed harder too,
which made Lily laugh even more . The two of them fell off the couch laughing at each other.
"Why do I feel like I'm in second grade?" Lily asked.
"I dunno. Why are you acting like you're in second grade," Sirius shot back.
"Bite me," Lily retorted. Before he could think about what he was doing, Sirius leaned in and did exactly
that, right on her neck.
Lily stopped laughing and looked at Sirius in shock. Sirius felt himself turning red and looked at the floor. Why,
why, WHY did I just do that? OK, Black, just think of something clever to say, quick... "Ummmm....."
Unfortunately, he made the mistake of looking up while he ummmed, and looked right into Lily's green eyes. Losing
his train of thought, he let his voice trail off while he looked at Lily.
"Hey, Black, anyone home in there," she asked him softly. Sirius didn't answer her. He just kept looking
into her perfect green eyes. His body was reacting to her even though his mind knew James would kill him for this.
Don't do it. Don't do it. Don't do it....
His body ignored his mind. Sirius leaned toward Lily. Their faces were inches apart. He leaned even closer and closed
his eyes.....