All cats are grey by night

Chapter 1- In Still of the Night

James ran along the corridors. He still could hear Mrs. Norris's soft padded footsteps behind him. Damn beast, he thought. Filch can't be far away.

Sirius, Remus, and Peter had split up. There was a chance that none of them had gotten caught. James wasn't worried if Filch would catch him. He could say that he was on patrol even though it sounded boring to him as he had said it a million times before.

But this time was different. If Filch got him he was as good as dead. The caretaker had confiscated the Marauder's Map just a few weeks ago. Okay, Filch was a Squib and couldn't work out the secret but he wasn't that stupid. James saw how the caretaker had sniffed suspiciously at the blank parchment and had felt the surface like something was engraved.

Also it was in the middle of the night, way past the end of all patrols, and even the dimmest person in the world wouldn't believe his lame excuse. Well if you don't count Wormtail, James thought and turned around a corner.

But Mrs. Norris was waiting for him.

“How do you to that?” he asked angrily while he acknowledged the tousled cat. “You were right behind me!”

Again she mewed.

“If that was an answer I will kiss Evans,” he said.

Once again Mrs. Norris mewed.

“Hey! You know that is impossible for me to do,” Prongs rebuked her before smacking himself on the head, “Why I'm talking to you anyway?”

But suddenly he could hear steps and low swearing. James took flight. In great hurry he rushed off, and around a corner he saw a tapestry. It just took him a second of thinking before he yanked it aside and stepped into the secret passage. James wasn't sure if Filch knew about this passage, and if so, he still wouldn't find him because there was a second hideout not far from the other end of the passage.

Nobody will find that cabinet, James told himself proudly.

He walked down the passage that led to another corridor, but Prongs thought it would be good to hide for a little while. He felt along the rough wall till he found the invisible doorknob. Even with light he wouldn't have found it faster so he didn't bother taking his wand out and saying Lumos. He opened the door and stepped inside the small cabinet.

There he leaned against the wall. His breath was pacing.

“Well that was close,” he said to himself.

“Really?” asked a quiet voice.

“Ahhh!” he yelled jumping about a foot in the air before searching for the owner of the other voice.

“Hush!” said the soft voice before a hand was laid on his arm to calm him down. “Be quiet.”

The shock was deep for James. “Do you want to kill me?” his heart was racing. He took several slow steady breaths to calm his heart down.

“I'm sorry,” the other voice said sheepishly, “I was scared myself when you opened the door.”

“Well I didn't mean to scare you on purpose.” James slowly continued to calm down.

“Okay, then we are even,” said the friendly female voice as she took her hand off his arm.

“What are you doing here?” James wanted to know.

“What does it look like?” she laughed.

“Oh, right. Stupid question,” he agreed and joined in her laughing. ”How do you know about this passage?”

“Once I leaned on the tapestry and I fell trough it,” she replied quietly and James could tell she was grinning.

“Really?” he smirked remembering how he and his friends had found it in a similar fashion, “How did you found the cabinet?”

“I made my way along the wall and I bumped into the doorknob. I'll never forget the pain,” she trailed off.

Silence fell over them.

“Who are you hiding from?” she asked trying to fill the awkward silence that had fallen over them.

“Mrs. Norris,” James answered. “She was about to call Filch and I had to run to save my ass.”

“Yah, that damn beast,” she hissed. For a short moment James thought the hissing voice sounded really familiar, but then she spoke again in that soft tone, “I would love to hex that mangy excuse for a feline.”

“Oh, there are many things you can do,” grinned James. “How about pimples, hair loss or a second tail? Color would be good for her a well. Or one could try and get a bloodthirsty dog. I'm sure Hagrid got one.” His mind trailed off.

Again she laughed. “I'll think about it. Thanks.”

“Your welcome, I'm always at the service for those looking to torture that meddlesome cat,” James said charmingly and he knew she smiled.

A few more minutes passed and they decided the coast was clear. They stepped out of the cabinet into the passage.

“It was nice talking to you,” she said and she sounded honest. “It's not every day that I hide with a charming guy in a secret cabinet.”

“My pleasure,” James thanked her. “I need to go this way,” and he pointed in front of him.

“I need to go this way,” she answered and made a few steps forward.

It was still pitch black in the passage and neither of them saw the other's gesture and they bumped into each other. For a few seconds, James held onto her to keep her from falling over. He was instantly enchanted as he smelled her bewitching fresh perfume.

“Oh, I'm sorry,” she mumbled a little bit embarrassed.

“Don't worry. Neither of us was hurt, I'll see you around,” he joked.

“Yeah, maybe we meet again.” When she left she brushed his arm and was gone.

Nice, James thought for a moment. When he stepped out into one of the main corridors, the torches momentarily blinded him. He listened intently but no sound came to his ears and he walked off to Gryffindor Tower.

“Password”, asked the Fat Lady grumpy before she murmured something that sounded like “Another one out of bed.”

“Calipoli”, James answered and the portrait swung forward. He yawned loudly as he crossed the common room.

“Why are you still up?” asked someone snidely. The voice sounded really familiar and he turned around to face his inquisitor.

“That's none of your business Evans,” he replied as he once again turned toward the boys' dorms.

“Sure it is. You are Head Boy and I'm Head Girl! We both can get into trouble.”

“If it makes you happy,” he said coolly “I haven't done anything! I was on a patrol. Satisfied?”

Lily stood up from her armchair near the fireplace and glared at him skeptically. “Who would believe that?”

“You wouldn't.”

“Of course, I wouldn't.”

“Then nothing changed.”

“No, it hasn't.”

“Well then, night Evans.”

“Night, Potter.” And she went and walked up to the girl's dormitories.

When James went up to his own dorm something shot trough his head. Why was Evans wearing a school robe in the middle of the night.

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Chapter 2- Sniffing Prohibited

The next morning James told his friends of his encounter with the unknown girl in the closet. To Sirius's disgust, James admitted that they only talked and there was no snogging.

“Who do you think is she?” Remus brooded and he glanced over the house tables.

“I've got no idea whatsoever,” shrugged James. “I don't think I've ever spoken to her.”

“She could be a Ravenclaw or Gryffindor,” reasoned Sirius. “Because you were on the fifth floor and those common rooms are close to the closet. Plus, no Slytherin in their right mind would go up so high. There are too many muggle borns and they're all afraid that they might catch something more terrible than a flu.”

“What about Hufflepuff?” Peter questioned, “You can't forget about them.”

“Never,” said Padfoot dismissively waving his hand about, “They follow all the ruled and do exactly what they're told to do. Pushovers, the whole lot of them. If Professor Sprout tells them not to leave the common room after dinner they won't!” But Wormtail glanced at him skeptically.

Together they observed the long house tables for possible candidates. But not one single girl looked like she might slip out of bed in the middle of the night.

“Maybe she isn't in the Great Hall yet,” Moony thought aloud, “Maybe she comes down to breakfast late.” The four turned to the entrance, which was open. But just a few Ravenclaws with noses buried in books came into the Hall.

“No, doesn't look like,” Remus confessed sheepishly and they turned back but Peter still looked at the door.

“Maybe yes,” he said after a while and grinned maliciously.

James, Remus and Sirius followed his look until they saw Aurelia Marks and Lily Evans enter the Great Hall.

“Are you nuts?” asked Prongs. “I would be able recognize Evans's voice in a crowd of people and most definitely a dark quiet closet and she mine!”

“And what about Aurelia's,” Moony wanted to know.

“Her Welsh accent is to strong!” Padfoot dismissed his thought. “Everyone hears that!”

James and Remus looked with slightly gaping jaws and astonishment at Sirius. “She's got a welsh accent?”

“Of course she does,” Sirius said looking at his friends in disbelief, “Don't tell me that you've never heard it?”

“Never,” the other three said in unison.

“Well, then she could be in the circle of our suspects,” Sirius said stroking the imaginary beard on his chin.

“Meh,” Prongs frowned.

“Did you notice anything else about her that would help you recognize her,” asked Peter, “You said you bumped into her, did you get a feel for her height, body shape . . .”

“Yes! I smelled her perfume.” James answered after a few seconds of thinking and Peter's suggestive questioning.

“Well, that's it!” Sirius clapped his hands together. “Walk over and smell her!”

The others looked at him like he was mad.

“Ehm, Padfoot,” Remus said like he was explaining how to add two and two to a small child, “What do you think would Lily do, if James came over and sniffed her?”

Sirius looked blankly at him before saying, “What's wrong with that? I do it all the time.” The others groaned in unison.

“Well James is not a dog,” said Moony. “That's your animagus form. You could go over and sniff her but -”

“Hey! That's an idea!” Sirius exclaimed interrupting his mild mannered friend.

“Sirius, please get your mind out of the gutter! Is it possible that you've got a perverted disposition towards this whole thing?” James tried to figure out.

“Now that you mention it . . .” Sirius wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

“Uahg. Padfoot! How disgusting!” his friends complained.

“I was joking!” he protested.

“Are you sure?” Remus asked skeptically.

“Yes!” Sirius said rolling his eyes before he suggested, “Why don't you use the cloak. Nobody will see you but don't sniff to loud.” The eyes of his friends narrowed.

“I've never used your cloak for such purposes ever, James,” he defended himself, “It's just a suggestion. No need to get your knickers in a twist.”

“I guess the gates of hell have opened,” Remus shook his head, “Padfoot had a good idea.”

“I think the cloak is a wonderful idea,” Peter agreed with Sirius. “You will be invisible!”

“Wonder why, Sherlock? Could it be because it's an Invisibility Cloak?” Padfoot laughed loudly.

“Hush!” Moony stopped him. “Okay, Prongs. Take the cloak.” He suggested as well. And so it was settled.

“Why I didn't come up with this earlier,” Sirius pondered when they went to Defense against the Dark Arts.

“He's a pervert, I tell you,” whispered James to Remus, “He's trying to hide it with his stupidity.”

XXXXXX

In the evening they waited in the common room for Aurelia to show up and put the plan into action.

“Where is she?” nagged James. He wanted to lift the secret that surrounded the unknown girl from the closet.

“Patience is a virtue,” Peter murmured sagely and starred back on his essay, which he spent all afternoon and most of the evening on. Once in a while he glanced out of the corner of his eyes on the essays of his friends and scribbled feverishly further.

Time crept along slowly while they waited and finally Aurelia and Lily climbed through the portrait hole. They dropped their bags and sat down at a table to do their homework.

“Here's your chance Prongs. Go now before it's too late,” whispered Sirius. “Now, do it!”

“Let them settle down,” recommended Remus. “If they are into their homework it will be easier and they're less likely to notice anything.”

“One of us sure knows his stuff,” teased Padfoot, “Are you sure you haven't done this before Remus?”

“No, I don't go around sniffing random girls for any reason!” hissed Remus. “I just came up with a rational plan using logical thought. A quality, might I say, that you seem to be missing.”

“So says the guy who transforms once a month into an uncontrollable beast that acts like it's never heard the phrase `logical thinking' ever,” he hissed back.

“This from the guy who transforms into a dog to be with said beast and winds up chasing his tail during that one time a month until he feels sick,” Moony said coolly glaring at the shaggy haired teen..

Sirius was about to reply when James cut him off, “You two fight like a, old, married couple. Shut up now and I'll get the cloak. Try not to kill each other while I'm gone.” And he stood up and hurried up the stairs to the boy's dormitories.

Prongs went straight to his trunk, got the silvery cloak, and put over him. When he walked down the stairs he had to flatten himself against the wall to get out of the way of a third year that was walking up to the dormitories. In the common room he glanced over to Moony and Padfoot who had started to bicker again. He could hear snippets of their conversation, such lovely things like, “wolf in sheep's clothing,” and, “walking flea circus.”

Rolling his eyes at his two friends, James made his way carefully through the common room until he stood right behind Lily and Aurelia.

James carefully bent forward to sniff Lily. It wouldn't do harm, James thought, when Lily, without warning, pushed her armchair back. James suppressed a groan as it collided with his stomach. She looked confused that it stopped without a visible obstacle and she pushed back again more forcefully setting the chair on his big toe. Shrugging, she then took her essay again and started to read it over.

For several painful seconds, James stood with the heavy armchair on his big toe. He had to bite the inside of his cheek to keep from letting out a heartrending cry of pain. He then carefully pulled his toe free and winced.

Shit, he thought, well, then not, Prongs gave up and turned to Aurelia. He considered carefully if she too would push her armchair back out of nowhere and decided to step to her side. Just to be on the safe side. Again James bent forward. But just that moment Aurelia yawned loudly and stretched her body. Her elbow hit James painfully on the nose and it cracked loudly.

“Ouch,” he wheezed stumbling back and grabbing his nose. Aurelia and Lily looked up.

“What was that?” Lily asked looking around, her essay forgotten for a moment.

Aurelia looked to her side. “I think it came from right next to me,” She claimed reaching out a hand blindly.

“Are you certain?” Lily asked looking at the empty space beside her friend.

“Yes,” she answered hesitating and pulling her hand back, “I think I hit it with my elbow!” Lily and Aurelia looked around curiously, but nothing could be seen.

“Maybe we just imagined it?” Lily brooded and they listened intently. But they also couldn't hear anything.

“Well, I guess we just imagined it,” Aurelia shrugged and glanced back down on her essay.

James felt something warm drip from his nose. Damn, my nose, he thought before he stormed, beaten and bloodied, up the stairs. When he opened the door he slipped inside and took the cloak off. His friends entered their room shortly after he did

“Wow. What happened to you,” Remus asked and handed him a tissue.

“Aurelia yawned and hit me with her elbow in the nose. I think she's broken,” James whined dabbing his injury with the offered tissue.

“Who? Aurelia?” Peter asked confused once again.

“His nose! Wormtail!” hissed Sirius. “Could you smell Lily?”

“Nope!” James said and felt his nose carefully.

“What did she do?” chortled Sirius, “Poke your eye with her quill?”

“No. She put a heavy armchair on my toe,” James gestured to his foot, “I think it's broken too.”

Remus shook his head. “Can't you do anything right?”

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Chapter 3- Idiotic Keenness Effects Amour

That same evening James went down to the Hosptal Wing so that Madame Pomfrey could heal his broken nose and toe. Doing her nusely duty, she inquired as to how James had received his injuries. This line of questioning led to James lying and saying that he had a scrap with Sirius.

“Well, I'll just have to have a talk with Minerva about that boy,” Madame Pomfrey huffed as she went about tending to his wounds. As she worked, James couldn't help but over hear her muttering scornfully things like, “foolish boys” and “behaving just like muggle scoundrels” or “completely backwards.”

“I can hear that!” James complained. Madame Pomfrey raised her eyebrow as she gave James a disapproving glare that clearly told him to keep his trap shut.

“I'm just stating the truth,” Madame Pomfrey rebuked him before she then said that he was allowed to go. But he still had to wear butterfly bandages over the bridge of his nose which complimented the two black eyes that were quickly developing.

“Well, at least the bandages are flesh toned, but those two black eyes really complement your hazel eyes, Prongs my boy!” Sirius smirked.

“Yeah, laugh it up now while you still can, Padfoot! I told Poppy you hit me and she ran off to tell Minnie!” James retorted as he stuck his tongue out at his best mate.

“Prongs, please don't call her Minnie!” wheezed Moony. “She's our professor for one. And for two, it's just plain creepy. Every time you call her that, I feel like my skin is crawling or bristling.”

“How does that work?” Padfoot inquired innocently before adding, “Oh yes. The wolf inside of you. Tell me, does your fur tickle you when you swallow?”

Remus glanced at him in blatant disbelief and shock, “Please, tell me. Did you walk off with an extra opium sphere in your bag in Divination? Or did you nick some belladonna in Potions? Because you, dear Padfoot, are seriously tripping.”

“What makes you say that?” Sirius grumbled while glaring at his friend

“You seem to me a little mad lately,” Remus explained, “and I mean a lot more than usual.”

“Well,” Sirius huffed, “I'm sure you have plenty of first hand experience when it comes to being completely off your rocker.”

“That is not my fault,” Remus said acidly, “I don't have any control that one time a month, but you have full awareness of yourself right now. At least I should hope so.”

“Maybe it's because of the cookies Andromeda sent me. They did taste a little strange, but after you ate one or two you feel so light- hearted…” grinned Sirius. Remus rolled his eyes in disbelief.

“Sure, go ahead and use your cousin as a scapegoat for your natural lack of sanity,” hissed Moony.

“Hey, everyone look! It's Moaning Moony,” Sirius brooded. “I bet you're related to Moaning Myrtle, confess it!”

“Oh, I will give you Moaning Moony it you don't shut it!” Remus said rolling up one shirt sleeve and pulling out his wand.

“Oh I'm shaking in my robes. Why don't you just bite me,” Padfoot provoked, “You know you want to.”

“You better watch your ass in the forest next month!” Remus snarled, “I just may!” Sirius let out a low growl from the back of his throat.

“Not again!” James hollered, “You two behave now! And for the love of Merlin, stop fighting!”

“Minnie. That sounds like the name of a cat,” Peter thought loudly and the other three boys snapped back to reality. Sirius looked at Wormtail with a furrowed brown and his eyebrows almost touched each other.

“Sometimes I ask myself how we became mates,” he pondered. Peter just shrugged nonchalantly.

“I ask that same question myself every time I look at you, Padfoot. But that doesn't matter now,” said Remus and waved a hand dismissingly, “What does matter is that it's Professor McGonagall. Not Minnie.”

“Well, fine. McGonagall,” Prongs gave up. “I guess Poppy ran off to Professor McGonagall to tell her that Padfoot beat me up and now he will probably have a detention!”

“Well, that suits me just fine,” Sirius opened the bottom drawer of his dresser and dug around before finally pulling out a misshapen cookie, “My cookie reserve is almost empty.”

James and Remus shared a disgusted with each other after they had seen the contents of the drawer. Cookie crumbs from the last seven years had transformed into a grey mass that was attached to the bottom and every little gap in the wood.

“You should really have a House Elf look into cleaning that Pads,” James said with utter disgust, “That really can't be sanitary.”

“Do you still want to know who she is?” asked Peter in an attempted to get the group back on track to the matter at hand.

“Of course,” assured James vehemently, “I've got this gut feeling that she is really special. One of a kind.”

Padfoot rolled his eyes. “Enough of James's love sick sentiments. Tomorrow we have Divination; we can ask the spirits who his mystery girl is.” He laughed one of his trademark barking laughs and sunk his teeth into a second cookie.

XXXXXXXX

Sweet smoke filled the room. It smelled suspiciously like opium and several other intoxicating and illegal herbs and fungi.

“If you feel your aura climb on a new level, then tell your partners fortune from the cards,” whispered Professor Delphi in a dramatic voice. Sirius put a Celtic cross for James on the table with unfocused eyes.

“We just ask the cards who you met in the dark,” he grinned and turned the first card.

It was a cart that drove unremittingly over stones and a rolling countryside. But the second card caught Sirius' whole attention. It was a plump woman with two long blond braids in a Viking costume. She was armed and dangerously brandished her axe. In a hurry, Sirius flicked through the pages of his Divination book: The Cards (Almost) Never Lie by Calista Fibber.

“That's the Empress,” Padfoot laughed loudly as he continued to read the description of what the card stood for, “She means fertility. Together with the cart it means that you are in for an unforgettable encounter,” and he laughed even more.

“Very funny,” James growled, “but I still don't know who she is!”

“Remus, Peter!” Sirius said with great difficulty, “Take a look at her!”

“She looks familiar,” said Wormtail with small eyes.

“Peter, you're sitting too close to the opium sphere again,” James remarked. “I think you're hallucinating!”

“No, I swear!” Wormtail said with a straight face.

“Now that you mention it,” Remus stroked his invisible mustache, “She does look sort of familiar . . .”

Lily, who sat with Aurelia just one chintz cushion away, ignored the comments of the four boys as she brooded over the hidden meaning in her own cards. One showed a tornado that raced over a field and the second had a dancing and jumping court jester with his stuck his tongue out.

“Well,” Aurelia grinned, “According to the cards: you will have an unusual change in attitude.”

“What?” Lily asked disbelievingly, “with a court jester or a fool?”

“Yes!” her friend proclaimed.

“I don't know any court jesters or fools,” Lily protested.

“Are you sure?” Aurelia pried and Lily nodded firmly. Sighing, Aurelia looked over Lily's shoulder to see James and friends laughing hysterically, “Why, in Merlin's name, are you lot laughing so hard?”

“We think that James's unforgettable encounter looks very familiar.” Remus grinned and held the Empress high up so they could see the card. Despite their best sense, Lily and Aurelia came over.

“She looks like Gudrun Harkonson,” Lily remarked as she took the card from Remus to examine it closer.

“The Swedish exchange student?” Sirius asked perking up like some sort of dog that just heard its owner put food in its dish.

“Yeah,” Aurelia said taking the card from Lily.

“Well, then,” Moony clapped James back, “Mystery solved, mate. She's all yours!”

“Gudrun is so scary,” said Aurelia after starring at the card. “Do you believe that, she brought her own furniture to Hogwarts. They the Swedish are completely daft. And she always eats special bread that they just bake in her hometown. Wasa, I think it's called. Plus she got an ever lasting torch right next to her bed and she named it `Mid Summer'.”

James gave his friends a pleading and pathetic look.

“Oh come on. You don't honestly believe all that rubbish! It is just Divination,” Lily attempted to cheer James up, against her usual habit; “According to Aurelia, I will have an unusual change in attitude with a court jester or fool,” She laughed, “Last time I checked, there weren't any court jesters attending Hogwarts.” She glanced around the room. Remus held back a snort.

“You realize that she is completely wrong about that,” whispered Remus to Aurelia. She gave him a knowing smile.

“Yes, I agree,” she whispered back, “There is a court jester sitting right next to her.”

“Exactly,” Remus replied.

When Professor Delphi dismissed them the four boys and two girls all went together down the spiral staircase. James was a little down because he was thinking that his mystery woman was a Nordic woman who could eat him for breakfast. Sirius was still teasing James but Remus was serious again and was talking to Lily and Aurelia.

“You know, he really shouldn't believe the cards,” insisted Lily, “They've never really told us something real.” Slowly they reached the bottom of the stairs.

“I mean honestly, a fool!” Lily proclaimed, “I'm sure I would recognize one from a mile away.” Lily still had her eyes on Aurelia who tried to hide a giggle. She hopped down two more steps and bumped into James.

Prongs was about to jump down the last two steps when someone bumped into him causing him to lose his balance. He waved his arms about in a futile attempt to regain his balance or grab onto the banister, but he fell face down on the floor.

“Merlin and Agrippa,” Lily shrieked. “Are you alright?”

“YES!” James grumbled into the marble floor as he tried to get up.

“I'll help you,” said a jolly voice with a heavy Scandinavian accent and seconds later he was lifted of the ground.

Through his broken glasses he looked in Gudrun Harkonson's blue eyes.

“I think you broke your nose,” she said and handed him a tissue.

Not again, James thought and mumbled, “Thanks!”

“You're welcome!” Gudrun smiled, “You should go to the nurse.” The others stood there with gaping mouths.

“Ehm, I'll take you to Madame Pomfrey,” Lily said, snapping back to life. “Well, it's really my fault that you lost your balance and fell down the stairs.” Lily took his arm and led him away in the direction of the Hospital Wing.

“Did she not just say few seconds ago she would recognize a fool,” Aurelia thought aloud and stared after them.

“For you information, James is not a fool,” Remus remarked, “He just acts like one every once in a while.” All the while he was thinking about how correct the cards had been.

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Chapter 4- Erotic Nose Bleeds

James let Lily lead him to the Hospital Wing. The two traveled in silence, but every now and then Lily would murmur another apology. This is a nice change, he thought happily as she open the door for him. He still thought this even his nose was gushing out blood.

“You're here again, Mister Potter?” asked Madame Pomfrey with tired disbelief. “Why are you always picking fights with people who are bigger and stronger than you?” James looked completely offended. The nurse had just called him weak. James Harold Potter was not a weakling.

“But I didn't fight,” James protested and almost whined at the elderly nurse.

“Well, I can understand that you don't want to admit to fighting and losing in front of a girl but you're looking in a right state, Mr. Potter,” the nurse tutted.

“But I really didn't have a fight!” James attempted to explain.

“Mh, was it a younger student who beat you up like this?” asked Madame Pomfrey sympathetically. “You wouldn't be in so much denial if it had been an older student. You can tell me, Mr. Potter.”

“No!” James growled losing his patience, “I didn't have a fight!”

“It was me, Madame Pomfrey,” said Lily finally seeing that James was about ready to blow his top, “I accidentally bumped into him and caused him to lose his balance. He fell down the stairs.”

“Miss Evans! You?” Madame Pomfrey asked in complete disbelief.

“I didn't do it on purpose,” Lily confessed with large puppy dog like emerald eyes, “it was an accident, I swear.”

“I believe you Miss Evans. You would never intentionally harm anyone,” the nurse agreed and went to fetch her wand.

“I wouldn't be so sure about that,” hissed James.

“I didn't do it on purpose!” Lily protested, “How many times do I have to say `I'm sorry'?” James ignored her question.

“Whatever,” James grumbled. Lily looked like she had just been slapped across the face.

“Hey! At least I brought you in the Hospital Wing!” Lily huffed putting her hands on her hips; “I could have let Gudrun have her way with you . . .” James shuddered.

“You wouldn't dare,” he muttered darkly, “Plus bringing me here was the least you could have done.”

“The least is good enough for you!” Lily exclaimed glaring at him.

“You are a sweet little ray of sunshine today, aren't you Evans?” Prongs smirked as well as he could but it hurt, “Compared to you, a Banshee would be considered a high society, aristocratic, well-behaved, charming escort at a Ministry ball.”

“Don't push your luck, Potter,” Lily threatened while hardening her glare.

“Ha!” James laughed dryly, “I'm already injured and profusely bleeding from my nose. It can't get much worse!”

“Are you sure?” Lily taunted as a vindictive glimmer came to her green eyes, “I could break your nose again if I wanted to.”

“You wouldn't dare!” James growled at her coldly.

“Well then don't tempt me, Jamesie,” she said coating her voice in false sugary sweetness, a coy smile on her lips.

“I'll tempt you all I damn well please,” James grinned with a still bleeding nose. “You know you want me Lily. I can see your desire in your eyes. You can tell me; I won't tell anybody.”

“Oh, yes, Potter,” Lily said sarcastically rolling her eyes, “There is nothing more erotic on God's green earth than watch your nose bleed.”

“Now you're getting into it, Evans,” James went on arching his eyebrow suggestively “You want to pounce on me and make hot passionate love for hours on end.”

“Oh yes,” Lily drawled coldly in monotone, “I want to pounce on you for the sole reason of hitting you real hard upside the head!”

“Oh please, you couldn't hurt me! You're just a girl,” James mumbled into his tissue. Lily's jaw dropped in outrage.

“Just a girl?” she demanded, “just a girl!”

“Yes!” James hollered at her

“Fine, then! I will give you `just a girl'!” Lily snarled and she pinched his broken nose causing him to yell out in pain. But just as she did so, Madame Pomfrey chose that moment to walk back into the ward.

“Miss Evans! What are you doing?” the nurse exclaimed. She was completely flabbergasted that one of her patients was being attack right in front of her.

Lily stopped and stood deathly still but she still had a firm grip on James's nose, “Uh . . . um . . . nothing,” She said as innocently as she could before she pinched him again.

“Do you really expect me to believe that, Miss Evans?” Madame Pomfrey said angrily, “Now take your hands off my patient. You will be receiving a detention for attacking a fellow student!”

“But he provoked me!” Lily protested glaring at James who had a smug look on his face, “He said I'm `just a girl' and that women can't do anything right,” she lied without missing a beat. James was flabbergasted, but Madame Pomfrey cut him off before he could respond.

“Mr. Potter will receive a detention as well,” hissed the nurse furiously before muttering, “You will see what girls can do!”

“Damn women's rights activists,” James murmured painfully cradling his nose but Lily still could hear him.

“Hey!” she said slapping him hard on the arm. James winced.

“THAT'S ENOUGH!” yelled the nurse, “Miss Evans you should go.” Lily didn't move. “NOW MISS EVANS!”

“Yes, Madame Pomfrey.” Lily said softly and left the Hospital Wing; but not before she shot him another look that sent chills down his spine.

That damn arrogant, big-headed, immature, snot-nosed, idiotic, so stupid he couldn't pour piss out of a boot if the instructions were on the heel, whining, good for nothing, spoiled, shallow, delinquent, little shit, thought Lily as she stormed from the Hospital wing.

She was so mad, she could spit nails. She had to find a way to dispose of her anger. Luckily she knew just the place to do it. Lily glanced around to see if there were any other students nearby. But seeing that the coast was clear, she stepped behind the tapestry. As soon as she had closed the door of the secret cabinet, she completely exploded.

“If Potter says one more word demeaning word about me or any of my friends, or if I catch him when he is breaking yet another rule, I swear on Dumbledore's white long beard I will turn him in! I've had so many chances to turn that little bastard in and I didn't do it but now he has crossed the line and I am not going to put up with his arrogant ass anymore,” and so Lily went on and on and on about how much she hated James Potter. She was screaming at the top of her lungs. She had been yelling for so long that her voice finally became very hoarse and she couldn't carry on.

“Damn it,” she said in a low rough voice, “My voice!” It hurt for her to talk. She attempted to clear her throat several times, but only a croaking sound came out.

Just great, she thought again and decided to walk back to Gryffindor Tower. As she stepped into the passage she could hear steps coming towards her and Lily stopped. She listened intently but the sound was gone for the moment. She walked further and again she heard footsteps. Once again she stopped walking.

“Hello,” Lily whispered.

“Hello,” someone responded back. It was the same voice that she had encountered in the cabinet two nights ago.

“You're here too?” he asked with a friendly tone, but Lily could hear some note of concern.

“Yes,” Lily said in her usual soft voice, not the angry voice she used to scold James and the other troublemakers.

“Are you hiding again?” he asked gently, but Lily could tell he was smiling. She smiled back unconsciously.

“No, I actually just wanted to be alone,” she said calmly with a hint of sadness thinking of how James had just treated her with blatant disrespect.

“Stress?” he pondered aloud not really asking her, but she responded anyway.

“Yes,” she said softly, “I suppose you could call it that.”

“You want to talk about it?” he asked softly not wanting to force her into anything. Lily appreciated his kindness; it made Lily smile.

“Do you really want to know?” she asked in a tone that sounded disbelieving and humorous. The other voice laughed softly; Lily decided that she liked his laugh. It caused goose bumps all over her skin.

“Maybe I can give you some advice,” he suggested nonchalantly, “I've been known to have a few good ideas from time to time.”

“Well okay,” Lily said slowly, “There is this guy. He's just completely awful. He thinks that he can get away with anything and everything. He thinks he has the answers to everything and he knows that he drives me up the wall. I swear that at the next sight of him or hearing him act all cocky I'll just explode.” Lily finished and let out a tired sigh.

“Well, it sounds to me like the guy is a real idiot, Maybe he wants to impress you or get you attention,” the stranger told her, “Try ignoring him. Either he gets the message or you tell me and I'll talk to him and tell him to back off.” Lily couldn't help but laugh.

“Thanks,” she said shyly, “that's so sweet of you. Now, if you don't mind my asking, what are you doing here?”

“I have . . . stress too,” he responded after a moment of silence.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Lily offered him the same deal he had just given her. The stranger laughed again sending warm thrills down her spine.

”Do you really want to know?” he asked her and Lily got a pleasant tickling sensation in her stomach.

“Maybe I can give you some advice. I've been known to have a few good ideas from time to time,” she said and grinned.

“Well, okay. There is this girl. She won't let me finish a sentence or get a word in edgewise. She looks at me like I've got an infectious disease and she yells at me in this voice that's just . . . oh boy . . . completely terrifying,” he said quietly.

“Well, it sounds to me like she is just trying to seem like a bitch. It's all just show, a mask that she puts on. Believe me. The truth, actually, is that she is completely the opposite of that. She just doesn't want someone to get too close,” Lily explained to the stranger.

“I don't think that she has a normal speaking voice,” the stranger brooded, “Like you. I mean, you've got a wonderful, soothing voice.”

“Thanks,” Lily said and blushed, “actually, I have a bit of a cold,” she lied. The stranger didn't need to know she had just yelled till her voice was gone.

“Then I want to hear you when you're feeling better,” he said in a deep, husky bass. Lily felt a pleasant shiver fly up her spine.

“Thanks,” she said again and took a step forward as did the stranger, and they bumped into one another again. It was like magic. They were really close, and his hands wrapped around her waist to steady her and her hand rested gently on his . . . muscular . . . chest. Lily knew he was taller than her. She just felt it and looked up into the darkness.

“You are really nice,” Lily said after a few moments of silence, “Much nicer than any of the other guys I know.”

“Thanks,” he responded and Lily could tell he was smiling, “I can't remember that last time I've had a decent and intelligent conversation with a girl who's not judging me.” Lily smiled.

“Perhaps its fate,” she suggested softly.

“Yeah, seems like it,” he answered just as softly. Distantly, they could both hear the bell tower tolling.

“I need to go to class,” both said and then laughed.

“Are you going to be coming back again?” the stranger asked with a hopeful tone.

“Yes, I think so,” Lily responded with a smile.

“Well, then,” he said happily, “until we meet again.”

Lily couldn't explain to herself later why she did it, but she stood on her tiptoes and moved to kiss his cheek. Well, at least that's what she thought she was doing. But fate had other things in mind, because at that moment the stranger turned his head and their lips lightly brushed against each other. It was just a nice, sweet, simple, brief kiss.

“See you,” Lily joked with a wavering voice after they had broken the kiss. With a swish of her robes, she was gone.

-->

Chapter 5- Detentions and Allergic Reactions

Lily had just taken her seat next to Aurelia when James stumbled into the classroom with a bemused dreamy look on his face. All of his friends were slightly concerned when the agile James Potter began stumbling over various desks and chairs as he walked over towards his friends. He collapsed down into the open seat by Remus with a big goofy grin gracing his countenance.

“Are you okay?” Remus asked warily as he inspected his friend. James continued to smile.

“Yes,” he answered dreamily his head still obviously in the clouds.

“Did Madame Pomfrey accidentally drug you up again?” Peter asked shuttering at the memory of the last time that happened. It was their fourth year, and James couldn't stop hitting on one of the suits of armor outside of the common room.

“Nope!” James replied, he seemed to be slowly returning back to normal.

“What's up with you then?” Sirius asked impatiently.

“She likes me!” James proclaimed to his friends. They all exchanged a confused look.

“Who likes you, James?” Sirius asked obviously confused, “Is Madame Pomfrey hitting on you again?” James shook his head and snapped back to reality.

“Eww, no, Padfoot, that's disgusting,” James said scrunching his face up in disgust, “I'm talking about the girl in the cabinet.”

“Hold on a second, you've been hiding a girl in our dorm?” Peter asked astonished.

“You should have told us!” Sirius said angrily. “Then we could have shared…”

“He means the girl in the secret cabinet,” Remus said frustrated with his friends' stupidity, “My God, sometimes I just want to strangle you two . . .”

“No need to get your knickers in a twist, Moony,” Sirius scolded his friend before turning back to James to ask him curiously, “How come you think she likes you? She doesn't even know what you look like or who you are. For crying out loud James, you've only talked to her once!”

“She was there again,” James ignored Sirius comments as he talked mainly to Remus.

“Well that doesn't mean that she likes you,” Remus pointed out siding with Sirius, “Just because you talk a girl more than once doesn't mean that she's interest.”

“Take Evans for example,” Sirius pointed out, “You've talked to her on numerous occasions and she completely hates you!” James let out a dramatic sigh.

“You do wonders for my self-esteem, Padfoot. Now I know why I keep you around,” James said sarcastically rolling his eyes, “But I know she likes me because she kissed me.”

“What?” Peter demanded completely shocked, “You kissed Evans?”

“No, you idiot” James said quickly getting frustrated, “The girl in the cabinet! I kissed the girl in the cabinet.”

“Oh,” Peter said seeming to get it, “Wait is this the one in the secret cabinet or the one in our dorm?” James, Sirius, and Remus all smacked their foreheads in unison before the later two turned to James and congratulated him.

“Have you figured out who she is,” inquired Remus, “I mean if you kissed her, she should have at least told you her name.”

“Nope,” James replied, “I didn't tell her mine either.”

“Did you at least think about asking her?” Remus asked as he shook his head at his friend's stupidity.

“Of course I thought about it,” James replied offended, “but the time just wasn't right.”

“Since when are you concerned if it's the `right time'?” Padfoot asked grinning, “You've never cared about timing when it comes to members of the opposite sex. Remember all of the failed attempts of you asking Lily for a date? Horrible timing, every last one!”

“If I remember correctly, a few times you were at fault,” Remus rebuked Sirius, coming to James's defense, “Remember when James asked Lily out and you threw that frog spawn at him!”

“I didn't know that James would turn away at that exact moment!” Sirius exclaimed, “I didn't mean to throw it at her!”

“Are you sure?” Remus inquired rolling his eyes.

“Ehm, well, a little bit, maybe,” Padfoot broke under Moony's disbelieving glare.

“Prongs, just a bit of advice: If you really want a girlfriend, get rid of Padfoot,” said Remus, “Or you're going to end up a lonely old man with twenty cats and lacy doilies under your tea cups.”

“Moony,” Sirius said a bit put out, “Are you trying to say that . . . that I- I'm . . .”

“Whatever you're trying to spit out,” Remus said calmly flipping through his book, “I'm sure you are.”

“. . . absolutely desirable . . .” Remus sat dumbfounded for a moment before realizing that Sirius had duped him.

“You didn't mean to say that!” Remus protested.

“How do you know that?” Sirius taunted and stuck his tongue out at his studious friend.

“Real mature, Sirius,” Remus said dryly, “but that completely changed the meaning of the sentence. Besides, you are not absolutely desirable!”

“What are you talking about?” demanded an angry Sirius, “Of course I am. You can ask any girl at Hogwarts. They'll all tell you that I'm a stud!” James and Remus grinned maliciously.

“Hey, Aurelia,” they called with a coy sweetness at the same time.

“Yea, what do you lot want?” Aurelia asked as she turned around in her seat and smiled just as sweetly as they had called her.

“Do you think Sirius is absolutely desirable?” asked James. Aurelia seemed to ponder this question seriously for a moment or two.

“Sirius . . . who's that?” Aurelia asked back. Sirius's jaw dropped in shock and outrage as his friends attempted to cover their laughter.

“ME!” Sirius angrily pointed to himself.

“Oh! They mean you,” Aurelia said as if some grand revelation had suddenly dawned upon her, “I was just asking myself if there is another Sirius at Hogwarts,” she turned back to James and Remus, “Nope, not desirable at all.” Sirius glared at her.

“Thanks Aurelia. You've answered our question,” Moony smiled at her.

“You're welcome, Remus,” She smiled back at him and turned around in her chair again to face Lily.

“Do you want to see her again?” Wormtail asked suddenly and they snapped back to their original topic.

“Well, technically I won't be seeing her, but rather hearing her . . .” James mused with a goofy grin. The others sighed in mock frustration.

“I hope for you, that you won't be in for a nasty surprise when you finally find out who she really is,” Moony thought aloud, “She could be anyone!”

“Don't worry, Moony,” James assured, “I know for certain that she is wonderful person regardless of what she looks like or who she is.”

XXXXXXX

When Lily sat down for dinner Professor McGonagall approached her with a slightly angered and serious air.

“Miss Evans,” she said in a cutting voice.

“Yes Professor,” Lily asked innocently.

“Your detention is set for 8 PM tonight. You will go down to the grounds to Greenhouse 3. I have informed Mr. Potter already. Professor Sprout will be waiting for the two you.”

“Yes, Professor McGonagall,” Lily answered and her Head of House hurried off.

“You didn't tell me that you received detention,” Aurelia complained before mocking her friend, “Detention and you are Head Girl.” Lily snorted angrily.

“I rather have a hundred detentions than letting that arrogant Potter make some `you're just a girl' comment. I couldn't resist giving Jam… Potter a taste of his own medicine.”

“What did you do?” Aurelia asked intrigued by her friend's comments.

“I pinched his broken nose,” Lily responded almost sheepishly

“No,” Aurelia gasped looking scandalized.

“Yes, I did!” Lily protested and angered that her own friend wouldn't believe her.

“Are you mad?” Aurelia asked awed and shocked, “Do you have any idea how painful that would be for him?”

“But he deserved it,” Lily said desperately while a little nagging voice in the back of her mind told her otherwise.

“You should apologize!” Aurelia reprimanded her friend, “First, you kicked him down the stairs and he broke his nose because of you. Then you add insult to injury by pinching his broken nose and hurt him again! You should be ashamed of yourself, Lily!”

“Well I'm sorry,” Lily protested, “But you know I get carried away when I'm angry. Short-fused anger and all that jazz. Potter always pushes my buttons and sets me off!”

“You know, Lily,” Aurelia said serious. “I'm beginning to think that you're not mentally stable. You need to get a boyfriend. Then you will feel better and mellow out a bit.”

“Excuse me,” Lily flared up, “I only broke up with John two weeks ago. I don't want a guy right now.” Aurelia arched an eyebrow at her friend.

“I didn't know you swung that way, Lils,” Aurelia teased and Lily smacked her hard.

“You know what I meant,” Lily said angrily.

“I know I know,” Aurelia conceded, “He was stupid anyway. You need to get a Gryffindor guy. All of the guys in Ravenclaw are too arrogant for their own good and Hufflepuffs are all complete idiots.”

“But wasn't your last boyfriend a Hufflepuff,” Lily commented astonished and amused.

“Just goes to show that I know what I'm talking about,” her friend retorted.

“Okay, I will remember that,” Lily promised.

XXXXXXX

It was ten minutes to 8 PM when Lily had finally walked down to the greenhouses. By the entrance to Greenhouse 3 she saw and met with James.

“Ah, ready to attack me again me, Evans?” asked James angrily.

“Okay, I will only say it one more time.” Lily croaked, because her voice had slowly worsened through out the day, “I didn't do it on purpose and . . . I-I'm sorry.”

James looked at her in disbelief, “Are you apologizing?” A slow smile spread across his face.

“YES,” Lily hissed, “for the hundredth time today.”

“It's a miracle,” he said to the sky, “Evans actually apologized.”

She glanced at him with an expression of boredom and anger, “Don't get used to…” she couldn't say another word because her voice had completely died out on her. She clutched at her throat.

“To what?” Prongs asked. Lily gestured to her throat and James laughed, “A second miracle. Merlin, you must love me!” Lily shot him a poisonous look. You will pay, she thought angrily. James was about to tease her more when Professor Sprout arrived.

“Good evening, Mr. Potter, Miss Evans.” She nodded and opened the door of Greenhouse 3. It smelled after earth, dragon dung, and flowers. Lights flared up and they stood in the middle of what looked like a tropical forest.

“You task is to repot the Toadgrass,” the Professor said happily like it was the best and easiest thing in the world to do. Lily opened and closed her mouth in an attempt to communicate with the professor.

“I didn't catch that, Miss Evans,” Professor Sprout said looking at the confusing hand gestures.

“She lost her voice,” James explained while Lily gestured furiously to the Toadgrass and then to her hands.

“This is not the time to be playing charades, Miss Evans,” Professor Sprout exclaimed and she summoned a quill, ink, and parchment. Lily wrote something down and showed it to her.

“Oh, you are allergic to Toadgrass,” the teacher exclaimed as she read Lily's neat, curvy handwriting, “Well, than take these dragonskin gloves, Miss Evans.” Lily made a disappointed face which caused James to smirk.

Shortly afterwards, Lily stood next to James with the bulky gloves on her petite hands and they stood next to a table with several pots that contained a flower with a bloom that looked like the head of a toad. Lily avoided any contact with the plant.

“The Banshee of Hogwarts lost her voice,” James snickered. Lily made a croaking sound that caused James to chortle.

“Well, well, now you know that from now on that you should be kinder to your voice,” said Prongs and added in a whisper, “Banshee of Hogwarts!”

Lily felt her anger rise consistently from a slow simmer to a full rolling boil. She did what she had already done earlier that day; she resorted to violence. Lily slapped him so hard on the shoulder that even her own hand stung through the protection of the gloves. She was sure that it was more painful for him because of said gloves.

“Ouch! That was uncalled for and just plain mean,” James whined causing Lily to smirk, “You're wearing dragon skin gloves too!”

Lily whispered something that sounded like: “Okay if you want it the other way then you can have it the other way!” She took one of her gloves off and was about to slap him again when he caught her hands in his.

“Not again,” he growled and stepped closer. Lily flushed a lovely shade of pink as she felt head radiating off of James. For a few seconds they stood transfixed as emerald stared into hazel, both wanting to let go but reluctant at the same time. Then James let her go. Lily turned back to her Toadgrass forcing the blush that had crept into her cheeks back and placed it in a new pot. When she touched the plant her fingertip tickled.

Oh no, she thought and tugged in James's robe. He let out a frustrated grunt.

“What is it?” he demanded with an edge to his voice before he turned to her. Lily held her hand under his nose before then gesturing furiously at the Toadgrass. She repeated the process for about two minutes when she realized that it was too late. Lily gasped inaudibly, her eyelids fluttered and she fell backwards landing with a dull thump on the earthen floor. Prongs stood staring at her on the floor, completely fascinated by her acting skills.

“That wasn't half bad,” he said lazily and bent over her, “Evans, that was a nice little act, and very entertaining to watch, but it's time to get up now. I don't want to be here all night replanting Toadgrass.” But Lily didn't respond.

“Hey Evans!”

Nothing.

“Lily? Wake up.” He roughly shook her but still she didn't move. He was starting to worry.

“Lily, if you don't get up right now, I swear that I will bend down and kiss you,” he threatened. When she didn't even flinch at this remark, Prongs knew that it was serious and that she had had an allergic reaction.

“This is so abso-fucking-lutley perfect,” he mumbled and lifted her off the ground. Against his expectations Lily wasn't heavy at all and so he didn't even think about using a levitation charm to carry her to the Hospital Wing.

As he carried her up to the school, he saw that her school robes and uniform were in a disarrayed position thus allowing more skin to be visible than was usually accepted. As he adjusted her weight in his arms, he could see that her tie hung loosely around her neck and the top few buttons of her shirt were undone, exposing the smooth skin of her neck. Gulping he averted his eyes to look back at the corridor her was currently in, but they slowly wandered to her lower appendages. Her skirt scrunched up and was higher than usual. Thus it showed more of her legs. Long slender toned legs . . .

Oh Merlin. Don't look at her, James thought as he tried to banish the dirty thoughts about Lily that were beginning to surface in his mind, Just don't look at her!

But he couldn't stop himself risking a look from time to time. Every time he caught himself admiring her body, he blushed and tried to keep looking away. Thankfully, he finally arrived at the Hospital Wing. He told Madame Pomfrey all about her allergy and what had happened.

“It was smart of you to bring her up here. The last time she had a reaction it took her several days to recover, because she wasn't treated immediately. Can you believe her friends thought she was acting?” James blushed slightly at the nurse's last remark.

Damn, James thought, Why I wasn't near her the last time? I would have brought her up much faster this time around had I known it was so serious. Plus I might have gotten to carry her again . . . and he then had several very vivid images cross in front of his mind's eye that made him grin from ear to ear.

-->

Chapter 6 - Cat Lover

When Lily woke up, she was groggy, disoriented, and felt like she had been run over by a heard of centaurs. As she sat up and looked around, she slowly realized where she was: the Hospital Wing. As she attempted to stand, she still felt dizzy; her temples pounded like someone had pulled out every single hair on her head one by one. Carefully she sat up.

“Ah, you are finally awake,” rejoiced Madame Pomfrey as she bustled into the room carrying several potions and forced Lily back into the bed.

“What happened?” Lily croaked, “How did I get here?”

“Mr. Potter brought you up to the hospital wing last night,” the nurse explained and handed the two potions to Lily, “Apparently you had a nasty allergic reaction to some Toadgrass.” Lily swallowed both without hesitation and felt her voice go better that instant, “Mr. Potter also told me that you lost your voice,” answered Madame Pomfrey as she saw Lily's questioning look.

“Really? Where is he?”

“He carried you here, put you in a bed, and then he left,” the nurse continued as she looked over Lily making sure that she was fine, “He said he had to finish your detention.”

“He carried me up here,” Lily asked alarmed and glanced down her clothes. Her school uniform was a little bit disheveled, and she blushed profusely. I'm sure Potter got an eyeful, dirty wanker, Lily thought harshly.

“What do you think of Mr. Potter, now?” Madame Pomfrey asked noting the look of disgust that had suddenly appeared on the girl's face, “Surely he isn't all that terrible.”

“Ehm,” Lily hesitated, “Only the best.”

“As I feared,” said the nurse rolling her eyes before she went. Lily could still hear her as she murmured something like: “Teenager and their hormones. What really goes on in their brains . . . Oh yes, it is spring! I guess it won't be long now . . . spring fever.”

XXXXXXXX

The next morning Lily was allowed to leave the Hospital Wing and she did so with a heavy heart and guilty conscience. She was amazed with herself that she felt so bad and about Potter none the less. She knew she had to apologize to James, but that didn't mean she wanted to.

Merlin, first I kick him down the stairs. Then I pinched his broken nose and then I punched him with dragon skin gloves, she thought, while she walked down to the Great Hall to eat some breakfast.

Lily had spent the night sleeping on and off and had prepared a proper speech for James to thank him and apologize again. When she saw him, he was outside the doors of the Great Hall with Sirius and the two were laughing loudly. They were laughing so hard that they had to use the wall to steady themselves. Sirius wiped a tear out of the corner of his eye when he noticed Lily walking towards them.

“Well, I'm off,” he said suddenly and fled like the very devils of hell were on his heels.

“Why? What's wrong?” James yelled after him but he didn't get an answer from his fleeing friend. Instead, Lily caught up with him looking interestedly at what James and Sirius had laughed about. It was a parchment that looked like a copy of the Daily Prophet and Lily snatched it from his hands and read it.

Clumsy Squib

Looking for clumsy Witch/Squib

Cat lover preferred

If you like punishment and beating up

Then contact me

Codeword: Floor cloth

“What are you doing here?” Lily asked in a mock serious tone, but she was suppressing a giggle. The personal ad was quite funny.

“I'm laughing,” he answered giving her a big smile.

“Yeah, I can see that,” she said shaking her head, “But where did you get that?”

“Remus suggested that we use the “Lonely Hearts” advertisements in the Daily Prophet to play a little prank. We decided that we should help Filch to find a proper lady for him. We made it a little bit more visible to the public this time around. You know, the first time we had that advertisement run it was really really small in the corner of the last paper . . .” Prongs tailed off.

“But what if Filch sees it?” Lily pressed, “I don't think he'd find it very amusing.” James rolled his eyes.

“Well, Evans. That's the point,” James sighed dramatically, “It's supposed to be funny for everyone else.” More and more students who had copies of the Daily Prophet were taking note of the enlarged dating ad and began snickering.

“But that means detention,” Lily said angrily putting her hands on her hips and glaring at James, “Harassment of a teacher is not encouraged.” Again James rolled his eyes.

“Not if you don't turn us in.” James shot back batting his eyelashes flirtatiously at Lily.

“I think I've held my tongue long enough,” Lily warned and took a few steps backward, “There have been so many pranks that I could've told a professor about, but I didn't.”

James closed the gap between them, and he looked down at her as he towered over her, “This is the thanks I get for carrying you to the Hospital Wing? Way to show your gratitude, Evans.”

“Nobody asked you to do it,” Lily hissed back at him remembering the state of her clothes when she had first woken up.

“I suppose that I could have left you lying on the floor,” said Prongs in a serious voice and continued smirking, “But then I would have had to step over all the time.”

“I would have woken up eventually!” Lily said hotly and she prodded him in the chest.

“Oh really, Evans,” James mocked as he continued to glare down at her, “Do you know what Madame Pomfrey told me? She told me that if you don't get any help quickly after you have an allergic reaction you could be seriously injured . . . or worse.” And James wiggled with his eyebrows.

“Right, like you would actually have let me die?” Lily said sarcastically, “Besides it's really not that bad. Madame Pomfrey has a tendency to be overdramatic about students' injuries.”

“I'll keep that in mind,” James leered, “Maybe next time I'll have my way with you before I take you to the Hospital Wing.”

“Then I'll be sure to stay away from you if you're waving Toadgrass around,” Lily rolled her eyes, “The only way I'd ever get close to you, period, would be if we had met in the dark and I was blind!”

“Oh, it's possible to arrange that, Evans!” James growled slowly losing his temper. Suddenly all the students who were standing in the front of the Great Hall chucked their Daily Prophets to the side and fled in a hurry. Mrs. Norris had showed up and it meant that Filch would soon follow.

“Well have fun, Evans,” James told her as he gestured to the newspaper in her hand and started to leave, “And you don't have to thank me for finishing our detention! It was a pleasure for me.”

“Oh no! You're not getting off so easily!” She yelled as she caught up with him and grabbed his arm, “Stay!”

“Why?” James asked in disbelief at what Lily was suggesting, “To get caught because of a prank. Are you nuts?”

“What's going on here?” asked a growling voice. James and Lily turned around to see Filch at the end of the corridor looking at all of the papers on the floor.

“Come on,” said Lily and dragged James with her and together they ran down the corridors until they were far away.

“Why you did that?” demanded James as he pulled his arm from her grasp.

“Do you want to get caught?” Lily said coarsely as she glared at him.

“No,” he responded like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“Well then!” Lily huffed as she absently straightened her uniform.

“But just seconds ago you wanted to turn me in,” James stated looking completely confused.

“Well, I changed my mind,” Lily said gesturing nonchalantly. James let out a groan of frustration.

“Women are so inconsistent,” James muttered darkly as he glared at Lily who had started walking away from him.

“I didn't hear that,” she spat before she turned on her heel and began marching back to where James stood.

“But you did,” he growled and glared down at the smaller redhead, “And you know that it is the complete undistorted truth.”

“I know something that is even truer,” Lily taunted narrowing her eyes.

“That is?” James scoffed darkly.

“You're an idiot,” Lily said hotly. James snorted in disbelief.

“And you're a bitch,” he shot back.

“You just want to impress me,” Lily countered.

“And you are putting on a nice, little one woman show,” James growled back at her. The two glared at each other in silence before Lily spoke again.

“Perhaps I am the idiot,” Lily mused, “Here I was this morning thinking that you weren't that bad. That you might be, dare I say it, nice.”

“I thought the same about you when you were unconscious,” James retorted with an angry snarl, “But you're just a cat with sharp claws that scratches everyone who comes too close.”

“Take that back!” Lily demanded completely affronted.

“What?” James asked with a cocky smirk, “That I thought you were nice? Sure, I will.”

“I meant when you compared me with a cat,” Lily deadpanned.

“What do you expect? It's true. I don't think that you'll ever change,” Prongs doubted.

“The same goes for you too, you bastard,” Lily poked him hard on his chest as she said each word.

“You see,” he now complained, “You always resort to violence when you don't get your way.” He rubbed over the spot Lily's finger had poked him.

“Oh get a grip on yourself. You're not some helpless little baby. Oh wait, maybe you are,” Lily said coolly.

“I will show you what I am!” James snarled his temper finally beginning to get the better of him.

“I'm waiting,” she answered and faked a large yawn.

James grabbed Lily pushed her up against a wall surprising his fellow Gryffindor and Head. His body was pressed roughly against hers, but offset slightly so that one of his legs went between hers. He had grabbed her wrists and pinned them over her head with one hand while his other held onto her waist firmly. There was only an inch separating their faces as they glared merciless and coldly at each other. They could both feel their own and the other's heart racing, their breathing was shallow and quick, and an unquenchable heat climbed up their bodies. One could almost see little lighting bolts erupting between them.

“Are you two finished yet,” Sirius interrupted their tense situation, “Or do you need a few more minutes to wrap things up?” But the tense connection was broken and James stepped back.

“No, that's it,” he said roughly, his gaze still on Lily. Relief flowed through her veins as he stepped away. For one short moment, James had truly frightened her, and she didn't know what would have happened if Sirius hadn't stepped in. She hid her emotions masterly with a blank face as James fumed silently beside his friend. Lily shot James one last glare and walked, head up high, back towards the Great Hall.

“What the fuck was that?” demanded Padfoot with a low whistle, “Was that really what that looked like?”

“No, Padfoot,” answered Prongs as he rearranged his school robes, “I was just teaching her a lesson.”

“With your leg between hers,” asked Sirius with raised eyebrows. James snorted as he walked off.

XXXXXXX

The next days were rather quiet between the Heads. A few bets were on already: Who would start a scene in front of school? Who would curse the other first? The odds for the moment: 5 to 1 for Lily to start a scene and 10 to 1 for James for to curse her first.

Furthermore Sirius had told Remus and Peter loudly at dinner in what a state he had found Lily and James, and so rumors were spread. One variation said that Lily had forced a love potion down James throat. Another said that James and Lily were betrothed from childhood and both refused to marry the other. This latter rumor had slowly become favorite and far more convoluted. Some said that a lot of gold had passed between their parents. Others said that there vows were involved that couldn't be broken. Even more had said that a curse would be place on them if they wouldn't agree to the settlements.

James fled from the rumors and hid in the secret passage behind the tapestry. To his big surprise, and delight, the girl was there as well. Together they laughed about the bogus personal ad.

Why Evans can't laugh about my jokes, James thought, it isn't that hard!

James and the mystery girl often sat on the cold stone floor laughing and talking about the ridiculous rumors that were flying through the school. James felt more comfortable with her every time they met and he felt like he had known her for years. And when it was time to go, she always stood on her tiptoes and kissed him goodbye.

But these innocent kisses changed slowly to longing passionate kisses and it was getting increasingly harder for both of them to leave once they had said good-bye.

Soon they were meeting just to kiss.

-->

Chapter 7- In a Different Light

“How long have you and this girl been meeting?” Remus asked when James returned back from his nightly rendezvous with a gigantic grin on his face just like every other time before.

“Seven weeks,” he said proudly with a bemused look on his face.

“It's almost disgusting to see you in such a good mood all the time,” complained Sirius.

“Aw, is little Padfoot jealous?” Prongs taunted and grinned even more.

“A little bit,” his friend agreed, “but you should let me have a turn so I meet her. I'm sure she wouldn't object the difference and when I'm through with her I'm sure she wouldn't want you anymore. Then she would be all MINE!”

“You have completely lost your mind, Sirius,” Remus rebuked Sirius, “You must have lost it somewhere in the forest and some wild animal took off with it!”

“Maybe it was you,” answered Padfoot harshly, “With your animal instincts once a month you could have easily done it.”

“Now that you mention it,” Remus face lightened up, “Maybe that's why I've felt so sick since last full moon.”

“Moony, maybe it because you eat anything you can find on the forest floor. You're a bad werewolf,” Sirius said like he was taking a lollipop from a three year old because of bad behavior.

“Perhaps, Padfoot, you should work on self-control,” James said teasingly.

“Why are toy defending him?” Sirius asked his friend. James snickered.

“Because you do loose something from time to time on the forest floor,” James said knowingly, “and last time I almost stepped in it with my hooves!”

“NEVER,” yelled Sirius, “I've got much more patience than that. Also I can't be the only dog at Hogwarts!”

“Are you sure?” his friends asked suspiciously.

“By my honor as a Marauderer!” answered Sirius highly. James and Remus looked at him with small disbelieving eyes but then Moony turned back to the original topic.

“When you gonna see her again?” Remus asked turning back to James.

“Well, technically it's not seeing,” James mused, “I would say it's more smell and feel her again.” James snickered as his conservative friend turned bright red.

“Yes, well then,” Remus stuttered, “So when?”

“Tomorrow evening, same time,” James said before grinning like a child who was looking forward to his birthday.

XXXXXXX

Aurelia had recognized that something in Lily's life had changed. Well, she was still fighting with James like some type of deranged monkey, to the displeasure of all students, but every evening she vanished without a trace and turned up later completely jolly and balanced.

“Who is it?” Aurelia cornered her one evening.

“What do you mean?” Lily asked confused.

“You're meeting someone,” Aurelia accused, “a blind, deaf, and dumb squib could see that!”

“What makes you think that?” Lily continued to deny.

“Come on Lils. You vanish every night angry and return with a stupid lovesick look on your face,” Aurelia explained, “So, who is it?”

“I don't know who he is exactly,” Lily told her with some hesitation.

“Excuse me?” Aurelia asked completely shocked, “Do I look like I was born yesterday? You have to know who you are meeting!”

“No, I don't know. I haven't seen him yet,” Lily protested.

Aurelia looked at her like someone had just smacked her hard in the stomach with a beater's bat, “You have no clue who he is? What he looks like and what his name is?”

“Nope,” replied the red head.

“But, Lils, it could be anyone! He could be some crazy ax murder. Or he could be that big-headed bastard from Ravenclaw or that ugly Hufflepuff. Or even worse! A Slytherin,” she had said the word `Slytherin' like it was the dirtiest word known in the English language.

“I don't care what House he belongs to. It's important to me that I get along with him very well. We can talk about everything and he is really funny and…” Lily stopped, when her friend shot her a disbelieving look, “What is it now!?”

“Oh yeah,” Aurelia said mockingly. “I'm sure you're just talking. That's the only reason why you come back grinning like a fool in love every evening you come back.”

“Okay, well fine. You got me,” Lily said, “We aren't just talking, but he . . . there's just something about him that makes me want to keep going back. Merlin Aurelia, the way that he kisses me… that's just…” she trailed of.

“Well then, you've got it quite bad, Lils,” Aurelia said with raised eyebrows. “So when you meeting the mystery man again?”

“Tomorrow evening,” Lily smiled as scenes from just a few minutes ago flowed through her mind like how the stranger had held her and how his lips had touched hers in a way that set her entire body on fire.

XXXXXXX

It was the usual routine for the student for the last few days. Lily and James had yet another spectacular and almost theatrical fight. The audience this time was not welcomed and so they had walked into an empty classroom to throw their very well considered insults at each other. A crowd of students gathered in front of the closed door and listened intently to the yelling voices.

“You are so irresponsible!” Lily's voice screamed. A Ravenclaw made a demanding hand gesture to a Hufflepuff who then threw some coins in her hand.

“And you behave like my mother!” James countered instantly and the students groaned at his insult because it was a really mean and over the top.

“I really don't understand why she is behaving like this,” said Aurelia head slightly shaking. “Lily is actually so different.”

“Yeah, it really surprises me. I know from prefect duties that Lily is completely the opposite of how she is acting now,” agreed Remus.

“I know Evens just like this,” Sirius disagreed, “It seems to me she is not balanced in the head. She really needs to get laid or get a steady guy.”

Aurelia started to laugh. “Well, she actually has one. She meets him every evening.”

“Really?” Moony asked interested, “Where?”

“In a secret passage,” Aurelia whispered just to let the guys know. “But she doesn't know who he is or what he looks like. Crazy, isn't it?” Remus, Peter and Sirius looked at her astonished.

“Is something wrong?” she asked, feeling slightly unnerved by their starring and opened mouthed looks.

“James meets a girl in a secret passage as well,” Padfoot said stunned, “He goes down every single night.” The four looked at each other. How high was the possibility that Lily and James had been meeting for weeks and didn't know it? When it comes to things like this, at Hogwarts, the possibilities of it being reality are very high.

“We shouldn't tell them,” Moony blurted out, “That would ruin everything. When they find out that they have been seeing each other and doing Merlin knows what, then they will be so shocked that they will never talk to each other again and they'll probably start to bicker even more, and it's bad enough as it is. We'll never be released from the fighting Heads and Hogwarts will never be a quiet nice school again.” He gasped for air because he didn't stop talking till he had finished his thoughts.

“I agree with you completely, Moony,” Sirius remarked. “Those two finding out that their mystery person is the other will just lead to more pain and suffering for the rest of us.” The four glanced at each other knowingly.

“For Hogwarts,” Aurelia said.

“For Hogwarts,” the three Marauders answered.

XXXXX

It was almost midnight when James walked down the stairs to the common room and saw how the portrait closed behind someone.

Who is wandering off at this hour? Well, except me, he grinned and left the common room as well. He could hear steps from time to time, while he walked to the secret passage. It seemed like he was being followed by someone and he walked faster not to get caught.

---

Lily could hear someone walking behind her. Someone is following me, she thought and listened intently. When she heard the steps come closer she broke into a run and she vanished behind the tapestry. In a hurry she walked down the passage and didn't hear him walking towards her. So they bumped into each other and Lily's lips escaped a frightened scream.

“Oh Merlin,” her breath was racing.

“Is it you?” asked a familiar voice.

“Yes, it's me,” she said relieved and let out a brief sigh.

“Did I scare you? Is something wrong?” he asked her concerned.

“I could hear steps. I guess someone followed me,” she said nervously casting a look over her shoulder.

“Maybe you heard me,” he suggested.

“Yes, maybe,” Lily said and stepped closer.

“How was your day?” he asked softly because he wanted to know and Lily knew he must be smiling. She was sure he had a wonderful smile.

“Well, the usual,” she replied nonchalantly tracing circles on his covered arms coyly, “And yours?”

“Yeah, nothing special,” he said and wrapped his arms around her.

Suddenly Lily felt very comfortable and he pressed his lips on hers. Soft and carefully, like every fist kiss he used to greet her. His tongue ran over her lips, slowly and appreciatively. It was like a rite. Then she kissed him back. Her arms went around his neck and her hands buried themselves in his hair.

She made that the hair on the back of his neck stand on end when she ran her hands through his messy hair.

Both stepped closer. It felt so right from the beginning and so familiar. They could feel each others' heartbeats.

---

James had his arms wrapped around her. Somehow she had made pushed him back so that now his back was against the wall and she came closer with every fiery kiss. Wherever she touched him he felt like he was on fire and the smell of her skin obscured his senses.

It felt so good.

His hand roamed over her hips. She wasn't wearing a robe and he caressed the silky fabric of her blouse and the coarse wool of her skirt. His hands began to move further down until he was touching the skin of her thigh. He allowed himself a smirk as he felt that she had goose bumps all over her normally smooth skin.

---

The stranger gently moved Lily's hair to one side and she felt his warm breath on her neck. She let out a soft giggle as he tiny kisses and light bites on her skin. She felt a tingly sensation and a sigh escaped her lips. I could die happy right now, Lily thought pulled her head back when his lips left a burning trail over her throat.

Slowly her fingers worked their way up over the buttons of his shirt and up to the clasp of his robe. Just seconds later slid the fabric over his shoulders down to the floor.

---

James swallowed hard when the girl pulled his robe off of him.

They never had gotten this far yet, but it seemed that nothing was going to stop them, and that neither of them really wanted to stop what was happening between them. Her hands roamed back to his shirt and opened the first button. A short moment later her nails brushed over his skin and it felt galvanic.

James knew that he was quickly getting lost in her touch.

---

Lily was surprised when the stranger took several steps forward and pressed her against the opposite wall. But the coldness of the stones didn't disturb her; actually it soothed the feeling that her skin was on fire where he had touched her. With one hand he had her arms pinned over her head while the other hand began to trace the outline of her body.

His hand moved at a torturously slow pace as it trailed over her cheeks, down her throat, lightly brushing against her breast, caressing her waist, and down her hips. His hand continued to travel further down where he began stroking her inner thigh.

---

When James touched the sensitive skin of her thigh a little sigh escaped from her again and he thought he would loose his mind. He loved how she began to grind her hips against his adding to the aching feeling that was steadily growing in his groin. One fiery kiss chased the next and it didn't seem like an end was in sight. James wanted to feel every inch of her body and he knew she wanted him to. One of his legs had settled between her thighs and he felt the wet warmth that came from her. He groaned as he felt her make little rocking movements of her hips against his leg. James let go of her arms and suddenly a few more buttons of his shirt were open. Just a second later his necktie was gone and her hands rested on his broad bare chest.

---

Lily's hands wandered all over his stomach and chest. She could feel each of his well defined muscles and in her imagination began to run wild with drawing a picture of him in her mind.

I bet he plays Quidditch, she thought and brushed with her fingertips over his skin. He groaned quietly and Lily was confirmed in her ministrations. With relish she began kissing him along his collar bone and down his chest. Her hands went down faster. They lingered for a moment at the top of his pants before continuing to venture down . . .

---

James let out a startled gasp when the girl touched the bulge that was making his pants quite uncomfortable at the moment. He was losing himself in her touch again as she began to squeeze, grab, and caress his ever hardening manhood. It was over too soon for his liking and she began to run her hands back up his chest. He let out a frustrated growl.

“What?” she whispered with a hint of humor in her voice. James silenced her with a passionate kiss. His right hand slid over the fabric of her blouse and he un-tucked it from her skirt. His hand quickly found its way under and up her shirt. Slowly he stroked up to her breast. With his left he took hold of her thigh and raised it to his hip. His fingers brushed the bottom side of her thigh from behind her knee cap and up to her bottom before going back down again. For a brief moment he caressed her center gently. James felt the heat and wetness her thighs hid.

He wanted to feel her, taste her, and smell her. Feverishly he tried to open the buttons of her blouse, but he didn't want to waste time so he skipped the last three and just ripped her shirt open the rest of the way.

---

Lily heard the material tear and a mumbled, “Sorry.” Somehow he had pulled her blouse off without her noticing it, but she didn't care too much. She was thankful to have one less article of clothing separating her body from his.

Her skin tingled as he gently slipped the first strap of her bra off her right shoulder and then the second one. Lily couldn't fight him off because she didn't want to. This felt so right to do. The stranger placed kisses on her shoulder and down to her breasts. Lily shuddered when he took one of her nipples through the fabric into his mouth and stroked her inner thigh with one of his hands while the other was wrapped around her waist.

Slowly but steady he drove Lily into madness and she could barely keep her head straight, but she knew soon she wouldn't succeed anymore.

Suddenly, she caught her breath. He had unclasped her bra and let it fall soundless to the floor. His tongue drew circles over her breast and left a hot, wet trail on her skin and she moaned in pleasure.

---

The scent of her skin intoxicated James. It reminded him of warm milk, sunshine, and some type of bath essence. He could feel how sexually aroused she was becoming because her nipples were hard and she continued to grid her hips against his erection. James groaned when he felt her grind particularly hard. Her small hands stroked down his chest but this time they stopped at his belt and unbuckled it. The button of his pants was open and the zipper unzipped.

James had completely lost his senses.

He pushed her back against the wall, griped her bottom and lifted her off the ground. She wrapped her legs around his waist. Her kisses were demanding, desperate, and fiery. James gave in willingly and kissed her back with an equal amount of passion.

He fumbled for his wand and pointed it to the floor. He whispered something into her mouth and a light shot out of it. For a fraction of a second they could vaguely see each other's eyes. Just their eyes.

“What did you do?” she asked between several kisses.

“It's getting a little bit uncomfortable standing up against the wall,” he breathed, “And I hear that cold stones aren't good for you health.”

---

Lily was gingerly placed on a blanket. I love magic; she thought and kissed him back as she pulled him down on top of her. Slowly and with great pleasure they pealed the rest of their remaining clothes off until they were skin to skin. The stranger stroked up her inner thigh again and stopped just short of her hot, throbbing center. Lily whimpered and slid down a little bit; she wanted him to touch her.

---

James sensed her shuddering when his fingers began to gently stroke the soft skin between her thighs.

“Oh Merlin,” she moaned and he smiled.

---

Lily felt completely out of her senses when he touched her, stroked her. She was dazed from this wonderful feeling that was quickly arising in her stomach. But she knew that she needed to return the favor. Her hand slid down his body and to his erection. He groaned with pleasure as she gripped his manhood and began to move her hand up and down the hard length. She couldn't help but smile as she felt him harden with her touch. She wanted to feel him completely and pulled his hips to hers.

“Please…” she whispered.

---

James was thankful she had asked him to go further because he wasn't sure if he could've waited any longer. The thought to be inside her and feel her completely had grown stronger.

“Have you done this before?” James asked as he planted kisses on her neck.

“N-n-no,” she said and James could tell she was blushing. It made him smile.

“There's nothing wrong with that, but I'm not going to lie,” James whispered softly into her ear, “this is going to hurt at first.” He positioned his body over hers and had to bite his lip to keep from groaning when he felt a warm and wet sensation on his tip.

With a single strong thrust, he had penetrated her. She let out a yelp and James lay completely still as he allowed her body to adjust to him. Pure relief flooded over him as she began to rock her hips against his; a sure sign that she was ready for him to go on. Both moaned with pure ecstasy as they settled into a steady rhythm. The feeling to possess the other grew stronger. Slowly James rocked front to back and she lifted her hips.

---

Lily had never felt so much pleasure as she was feeling now when he left her and just to come back stronger with each thrust. The feeling of frenzy grew in her and she was soon caught up in madness. Unconsciously she dug and scratched her nails into his back and she heard him gasp. She lost all sense of time, so when she was overcome by an absolutely wonderful tingling sensation she didn't know if they had been at this sweet torture for hours or just a few minutes. This feeling just felt so right and she didn't want to do anything against. She just let it take her away.

---

James knew he couldn't hold back anymore when she stretched out under him and pulled him deeper inside of her. He felt her nails scratch over his back.

“Holy Agrippa,” he groaned and gave himself to her more and more. And then he felt it, when she cried out it made his hair stand on end. A wave rolled over him, picked him up and took him with it.

---

Lily slowly felt her senses return to her again. She was still in a dazzled state and she shuddered when he finally pulled completely out of her. He laughed softly and she took his face in her hands and kissed him passionately.

---

James returned her passionate kiss and he knew there was more lying beneath it. But he couldn't name it.

After lying side by side in silence that was punctuated with a few soft kisses for a few moments, they eventually fumbled for their clothes and got dressed.

“Oh no,” she said weakly.

“What is it,” James asked as he reached over in the darkness and took her hand.

“You ripped my blouse,” she moaned.

“Sorry,” he said and grinned. He really wasn't the least bit sorry. The shirt was in the way and it had to go . . .

“I know that you're grinning,” she said, and James knew that she smiled as well.

“Take my robe,” he suggested and pulled it over her shoulders.

“Are you coming back,” they asked in unison.

“Yeah,” they said again.

“'Til tomorrow then,” she breathed; kissed him goodbye and was gone.

James took his wand. “Accio buttons,” he said and the three little accessories zoomed into his hand.

XXXXXXX

When Lily opened the curtains of her four- poster bed the sun hit her in the face and momentarily blinded her. Pulling herself together she glanced at her watch. It was lunchtime and nobody was ever in the dorm this time on a Saturday. She fell back in the pillows for a few minutes before she jumped out of bed just to stop instantly and walk slowly to the bathroom.

Memories from last night flowed through her mind when she pulled his robe over her shoulders and left the dormitory. Her body was still a little sore, but she figured that if she were to do a bit of walking she would feel better.

When she arrived at the bottom of the stairs, she couldn't see anyone in the common room but she could hear two voices. Two guys talked to each other and didn't notice her entrance. She quickly spotted the sources by the fireplace.

“Wow, James,” said Remus sitting back in his chair.

“I swear,” answered Prongs, “It was the most amazing thing. It was just so . . . perfect.”

“And you still don't know who she is?” Remus asked shaking his head.

“No, I have no clue,” James replied, “But does it really matter? I mean, this girl is perfect.”

“But you haven't any hints as to who she could be?” Remus continued to press.

“Well, the only things I have are three buttons off her blouse,” explained James and took something out of the pockets of his pants.

“OH my god!” Lily exclaimed. The sudden exclamation from a voice from the stairs of the girl's dormitories caused James and Remus turned around.

Lily's face was ashen. She was tugging the fabric of the robe she was wearing before she pulled it completely off and began examining it. James looked at her questioningly.

“What the…?” he looked her up and down. Then he looked at the robe and gulped. It looked very, very familiar.

Lily starred at the buttons in his hand. She swallowed hard. Could it be true? She prayed to any deity listening that it wasn't true.

James walked over to her with wide eyes. This couldn't be true. Never in Merlin's life!

He placed the buttons in one of her hand and took the robe from her. Feverishly he looked at the inside of the robe. There it was, hidden under the collar were the initials “JP”.

James stared at Lily. Lily stared at James. Neither of them wanted to believe it, but the proof was right there in front of them. The knowledge struck them like a lightning bolt.

“Oh Merlin,” Lily whispered and James instantly recognized her voice.

Seconds passed and they just continued to stare at each other. It was like they had just met for the first time.

“Well,” said James eventually, “I didn't see this one coming.”

-->

Chapter 8- Reconciled

James ran his hands through his hair ruffling it up and then trying to smooth it flat. It looked messier than ever, and a sure sign that he was nervous as hell and didn't know what to do about it. Lily had her hands folded in front of her at about her waist level. It looked like she was praying, praying that what he just unfolded before her wasn't true. While they went through these actions over and over, one thing didn't change.

They continued to stare at each other with expressions of utmost shock on their faces.

“This can't be happening to me . . .” Lily whispered as she leaned against the wall by the girls' steps for support, “It can't be him!” She allowed herself to sink to the floor, completely dejected.

“Merlin, why did you do this to me?” James asked quietly as he looked at the ceiling in defeat, “I did everything I could to forget her! And then you pull this stunt . . .” Remus tried to show shock and concern for the two heads, but he was ready to burst out of the room to tell the others. As they stood in silence, he decided it would be best if he left.

“I'm sure you two want to talk about all this,” he suggested waving his hand in the air dismissively, “I'm off.”

“NO,” they both yelled causing Remus to start slightly before turning back to the two of them.

“Please don't leave,” begged Lily softly. James's last strand of hope that she wasn't the girl from the passage was suddenly stamped into oblivion like a herd of hippogriffs trampling a flobberworm. Her voice . . . there could be no mistake. She was the girl.

“No,” replied Remus firmly, “This is your business.” Without another word to the two, he left the common room.

When the portrait closed behind Remus, he paused for a moment before sprinting down the halls in the direction of the Great Hall. All the while he made sure that he avoided the steps that vanished from time to time and he was forced to push several students out of his way. Completely out of breath, he entered the Great Hall and almost fell totally exhausted down on the floor at Sirius' feet.

“What's up with you?” Aurelia asked astonished and shoveled a biscuit in her mouth, “Did Snape finally wash his hair?”

Sirius laughed loudly and clapped her on the back, “That was a good one, you learn so quickly, Marks! I must say I am impressed.” Aurelia coughed, preventing crumbs from clogging her air pipe.

“No,” Remus said, still gasping for air, “They found out!” The remaining three looked at him in astonishment.

“How?” Peter asked.

“James was telling me what happened last night and, oh boy…” Moony trailed off.

“What happened? What did they do?” Aurelia demanded as she stared at Remus.

“Oh yeah, they did something!” smirked Remus.

Padfoot laughed, “Don't tell me they shagged. There is no way that would happen.”

“Well, they actually did,” Remus replied and saw three shocked faces.

“Never,” Aurelia couldn't believe it.

“Bloody hell,” Sirius murmured disbelievingly.

“I'm telling you! James had three buttons off of her blouse because he had ripped off last night,” Remus explained, “And Lily was wearing his robe he had given her. His initials were under the collar, where his mother had placed them!”

“Unbelievable!” Peter squeaked.

“Yeah, tell me about it!” Remus said taking a swig of water as his breathing returned to normal.

“So what they are doing now?” Sirius asked a big fat grin on his face, “Continuing where they left off?”

“No, they're actually staring at each other quite shocked and disbelieving. I'm hoping that they won't murder each other,” Remus prayed.

“I don't know about you guys, but I don't want to miss that,” Padfoot said and hurried out of the hall with Aurelia and Peter on his heels.

“Oh well,” Moony mumbled and went after them grabbing a piece of toast on his way out.

When he arrived at the entrance to the Gryffindor common room Aurelia, Sirius and Peter had squeezed themselves together and were listening intently. The portrait of the Fat Lady stood slightly open and she, along with all of the other painting in the general vicinity, listened too.

“What's happened,” Remus whispered.

“Not much,” Aurelia whispered back, “Lily's sitting on the floor and James is pacing around the room. They look like deer caught in the sights of an archer.” Suddenly a voice in the room made all jump.

“I'm in hell,” Lily said with an eerie amount of calm in her voice, “I'm dreaming and this is all a nightmare. But any moment I'll be waking up! In just a moment it will happen…” and she closed her eyes. Not only was she trying to block out her surroundings, but she was also trying hard not to look at James who was the cause of her quickening heartbeat.

James glanced at her. He knew he shouldn't think it, but he did. She was so completely gorgeous when she was close to hyperventilating. He stopped walking around and sat down right in front of her.

Lily was still whispering, “Now I'm waking up, now I'm waking up…” when he pinched her leg.

“Ouch! What was that for?” she protested opening her eyes and suddenly her heart was racing again. She didn't think he realized how close they were, but her body was aware of it, extremely aware.

“To wake you up,” he smiled and his laughter carried up to his eyes.

“That is not funny,” she looked at the floor, “That was terrible, James. It hurt, too.”

“Are you telling me that I was awful? I didn't think it was that bad . . .” he looked hurt.

“Yes… I mean - NO,” she replied fast, “Merlin, no. I know… I can… I want… I… that… it was… oh I feel like I'm going to be sick.” And she almost fell to the side; even though she was sitting on the floor. James caught her by the shoulders and steadied her.

“Okay, calm down Lily,” he soothed her gently rubbing her tense shoulders, “Close your eyes and breathe slowly in and out, in and out…” he told her like he was talking to a small hysterical child. He could feel her shoulders relaxing. He took his hands off her shoulders and she felt some fingers brush over her cheek.

“Calm down, it's ok. I'm nervous too,” he said softly as he cradled her cheek in his large calloused hand.

“You are?” she asked weakly looking up at him. James found the action completely adorable.

“Hell yes!” he replied instantly.

“But you don't look like it,” Lily pointed out.

“But I am. Believe me,” James said with a nervous hitch in his voice causing it to break.

“But you don't…”

“Hey, let's not start bickering, okay,” James said cutting her off and taking one of her hands in his.

“Okay I won't if you won't,” Lily replied softly sounding like a child who had just received the scolding of her life.

“Great, so are you calm now?” James asked.

“Yes I am,” Lily replied with a smile that drove James nuts.

“Wonderful,” he replied with a smirk that had the same effect on her.

“Uh . . . James?” she said unsurely.

“Yeah?”

“You can stop touching my cheek now,” she said sheepishly. James blushed the color of her hair.

“Oh, sorry,” he muttered and he took his hand away. They fell silent but after a few seconds James spoke again with an unsure tone, “So did you like it?” Lily blushed.

“I take that for a yes,” he said.

“I didn't say anything,” Lily protested, but only blushed even more.

“But you blushed, when I asked,” James replied knowingly.

“No I didn't!” Lily continued to argue as she attempted to force the blush to go down, but to no avail.

“Oh, yes! And you're still blushing. Your cheeks match your hair,” he grinned. Lily attempted to glare at him but failed miserably.

“No they don't” Lily proclaimed, “and stop smirking like that, James!” James still continued to grin.

“Okay, fine. I liked it,” She blurted out shocking both James, herself, and the people at the door, “but you did as well.”

“I didn't say I liked it,” James said smartly causing Lily to look downtrodden, “But I do say that it was abso-fucking-luteley great,” he said in his soft, deep voice that made her hair stand on end. Lily blushed again as a shiver shot up her spine.

“We shouldn't be talking like this,” she eventually murmured, “We're supposed to be enemies and that makes this whole situation is so…”

“Damn complicated,” he ended the sentence.

“Well, yes!” Lily exclaimed.

“We don't have to make it complicated,” James pleaded, “Look at it positively. It was actually really nice for both of us.” She glared at him.

“Positively? Really nice?” She asked with an edge of anger, “James, you make it sound like you opened a door for me and I had wished you a good day. The fact of the matter is, we fight every second when we meet.”

“Don't you think I know that?” he asked her.

“No, it seems you forgot,” Lily said hotly, “Nice things between us don't happen, James. They can't happen.”

“Well, then,” James said with just as much anger, “I guess it was a mistake.” Lily looked at him outraged.

“A mistake?” she asked rhetorically and stood up. James also got up.

“Well yes,” he answered a little bit nervously. He had seen Lily angry, but never furious. Suddenly she stamped on his foot.

“Ouch, what was that for?” he said stepping back.

“Well that was a mistake,” she answered and she pushed him, “and that too!” Before she could hurt him any more he caught her hands and pulled her close.

“Why didn't you just tell me it wasn't a mistake for you?” James asked.

“Fine! Then I will tell you now,” she hissed, “I didn't plan on giving up my virginity to some guy by mistake. Got it?”

“Yeah got it,” James said hotly before softening his voice greatly, “and it wasn't a mistake for me either, Lily.” Emerald eyes looked in hazel.

“You mean that . . . it mean as much to you as it did to me?” Lily asked him softly.

“Yes, Lily,” James said gently stroking her hair, “it did.”

“Even though it was me?” she asked unsurely.

“Especially because it was you,” he grinned, “Do you regret it, now that you know it was me?”

“I don't know,” Lily stammered, “I still can't believe that was you there in the passage. You were so different.”

“Well it was me,” James said with an edge of laughter, “And I can prove it. I can show you the marks you left on my back.”

“Sorry,” she mumbled wrapping her arms around his neck and pulled him close as he tighten the hold around her waist. They were so close again, just like the time James had pushed her against the wall in the passage. He was about ready to lower his head and kiss her, but suddenly a voice yelled, “What are you looking at?”

Both of the Head students looked to the portrait hole and saw it was slightly open. They also saw four pairs of eyes staring at them.

“This can't be happening!” James groaned as Lily and he broke apart. The four in the hallway entered and smiled sheepishly at their friends.

“You were standing there the entire time,” Lily suddenly yelled at the four of them and they winced.

“Don't be mad Lily,” Aurelia tried to explain, “We already knew for a couple of weeks . . .”

“WHAT?!” James and Lily both shouted. Their friends shared a panicked look.

“Well, we did,” Sirius agreed.

“You knew and didn't tell us? That's it!” she shouted and Lily turned around and walked up the stairs. James glared at them.

“Thank you for messing everything up!” he roared. He then took his wand out and muttered something to the steps. He walked them up like there was no enchantment that prevented boys from coming up to the girls' dormitories. He was up the stairs in no time and saw her go in the last dorm on the right side. Without knocking he walked in and closed the door behind him.

“What are you doing here,” she asked astonished as she sat down on the edge of her bed.

“I want to sort this out,” James said

“There is nothing to sort out,” Lily replied and crossed her arm in front of her chest as she looked away from James.

“Yes, there is,” he insisted as he sat down beside her and forced her to look at him, “I won't let our stupid friends mess everything up before it even has a chance to be started.”

“You're calling your friends stupid?” she asked with the ghost of a smile on her lips.

“Well, yes,” he said and ran a hand through his hair, “At the moments I have only one priority!”

“Which is?” Lily asked in a huff

“You!” James exclaimed.

“Excuse me?” Lily asked softly with astonishment.

“You heard me, Lily,” James pleaded, “Just pretend you didn't know the guy in the passage was me, would you go there again?”

“Yes I would,” she answered without hesitation.

“So, you liked that guy?”

“You know I do! Remember what I said about the virginity thing?”

He grinned. “Yes I do.”

“Okay, so what are you up to,” she asked.

James walked to her coming very close. “Well, we have to face the facts. It was me, and it was you. We can forget about the things the years before. To be honest, I really am sorry about the things I have done to you, even turning your hair yellow that one time. I was just trying to get you to notice me . . . because I liked you . . .”

Lily looked up at him. She stood silent, looking into his wonderful hazel eyes. Thinking about what he had said.

“You are sometimes a real pain, you know that?” Lily asked mockingly, “That's all I've ever known you as.”

“Well are you too,” he replied.

“And I actually haven't liked you,” she continued. James looked hurt once again, “ever since you were a real prat since the first time I met you on the train.” He looked even more hurt.

“Okay, I get it,” he said, turning away but Lily stopped him.

“But in the passage I finally saw the real you, not that stalking smart ass,” She took his face in her hands and kissed him deeply. James was so astonished he didn't kiss her back, at first. After they broke the kiss she smirked at him.

“You thought I would turn you down, did you?” Lily taunted knowingly.

He grinned sheepishly, “Well yes,” he admitted. Lily laughed lightly causing James to smile.

“Friends?” she asked and James scoffed.

“Bloody hell, Lily,” James exclaimed, “We did not just go through all of that just so we could be damn friends. You're my girlfriend whether you bloody like it or not.” Lily laughed as he swept her up into a tender embrace and spun her around the room before capturing her lips in a passionate kiss.

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