Too Far by DeeCohen Rating: PG13 Genres: Romance, Action & Adventure Relationships: Lily & James Book: Lily & James, Books 1 - 6 Published: 24/01/2006 Last Updated: 18/02/2006 Status: In Progress Lily is pushed to breaking points and starts to fight back. LJ please r/r my first fic on here 1. Wingardium Leviosar ---------------------- **Disclaimer: I own nothing so don't sue** **A/n: This is my first Lily/ James fic. I hope you don't flame me too much** **Chapter One** It was a normal Saturday in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, well as normal as it could get anyway. Peeves was floating around the halls, tormenting people as he always did. The normal group of giggling girls would be found, hovering around James and his group. Lily found that quite disturbing, they weren't anything special. If anything they were all arrogant. Save Remus Lupin, he was different compared to the other three; he seemed to actually care about school and the people in it. Lily had often wondered why he was friends with them, but she didn't dwell on it too much. Lily as usual was sitting by the lake, reading. Reading was her favourite past time. She loved learning new things; her friends had decided that they wanted to go into Hogsmead. Lily being in the sixth year didn't find Hogsmead as interesting as she did when she was in the third year. So she decided to sit by the lake and read until they returned. She was halfway though her book when she heard a familiar sneer “So Evans, reading again?” It was of course Lucius Malfoy he was in the year above Lily, but always seemed to find it fun to tease her. Lily just took a deep breath and awaited there torment, they had been doing it since she was in the third year, she had grown accustomed to it now, she just blocked them out. She was a calm natured girl and didn't feel the need to retaliate. She looked up into the face of the sneering Malfoy. “So Evans, I was walking along the lake, to find my favourite spot, only to find that a mudblood had taken my place. What do you think I should do about that?” Lily did her best to ignore them, yes she was muggle- born but that did not mean he could tease her about it, she bit her tongue to keep from retaliating. “Evans, you do know it is rude not to answer, don't you?” He pointed his wand at her “Wingardium Leviosar” Lilly was risen in to the air and then dropped to the floor, it had been the first time he had used a spell, to harm her. Taunting she could deal with; she had been dealing with it, but physical bullying she couldn't take. She got up quickly, surprising Malfoy and even herself with her speed. Her face was red with anger; her hands were balled into fists. Her breathing getting heavier as the angrier she got. Malfoy replaced his look of shock quickly “Ah Evans plan on fighting back? Now we all know that a mud bloods are weak, you are the prime example of that” Those words however rushed over Lily as did the wind, Lucius started to notice that the wind had picked up remarkably quick. He looked around and his so called friends looked scared. Lily walked slowly, closer to Lucius “If you ever, and I mean EVER use a spell to physically harm me again I will make sure that that is the last thing you do” The wind was now whirling around Lily making her hair flow behind her, making her look menacing. Lucius, being a Malfoy couldn't help but retort “And what are you going to do about it Evans?” Lily growled and with the same speed she had used to get up, she pointed her wands at each of the boys in turn, as the wind was so loud in their ears now, they could not hear what Lily was chanting. All of a sudden, his friends dropped to the floor, unconscious. His eyes going wide he looked back at Lily; her normally green eyes now looked dangerously close to black. Lucius for the first time in his life was scared, of a mudblood. Just as she was about to curse him “Miss Evans put your wand down, immediately” Lily glared at Lucius and lowered her wand, her eyes went back to her normal bright green and the wind died down. “What on earth were you thinking?” Lily however didn't remove her gaze from Lucius. “He used a charm to raise me into the air and then drop me, I was merely defending myself” the professor looked from Lily to Lucius and then to his friends and bit back a smile. “Detention for all of you, you will receive your times and dates at dinner. Now go back to the castle Miss Evans, while I deal with these three” Professor Dumbledore said as he pointed to the three unconscious bodies on the floor. Professor Dumbledore knew it was only a matter of time before Lily would explode and he was glad she had, it did not do well to bottle up feelings. As Lily walked away, she was still angry, that she had failed to notice that someone other than Dumbledore had noticed what had been going on. It was none other than James Potter, he had noticed Lily before, she was gorgeous but he did not have any interest in her before. Mainly because she was a push over and James liked his women strong willed. Needless to say, she now had his full attention. **A/n: What did you think? Please read and review.** --> 2. Lucius and James ------------------- **Disclaimer: I own nothing so don't sue** **A/n: Thank you for your reviews. I hope you like this chapter.** **Chapter 2** Lily hadn't seen or heard from Malfoy's gang in the last three days, not since she had had enough of their torments and knocked three of them unconscious. She had secretly hoped that no one had noticed, she didn't want the school thinking she was crazy or something. They already thought she was weird because of how much she read, not that she really cared what they thought. Not that she would admit it to anyone but herself, but she was shaken up that day. She knew that eventually they would push her too far, but she didn't know what would happen when they did. She could remember everything, her anger rising up and the wind getting stronger as it did . She felt a power surge through her; it was like adrenalin to her. Like her blood was rushing around her body that fast, that her magic was multiplied. She felt like the world had slowed down, the wind somehow, making her feel even more powerful. She couldn't even remember the spells that she had sent at them, but she knew which one she would have used on Lucius, if Dumbledore hadn't have stopped her. With the amount of anger that was coursing through her veins she would have used an unforgivable curse, mean it and actually do harm. Evidently, Dumbledore did stop her, and the reason it scared her; well she had never been that angry before. --------------------------------- Lily sat in the Great Hall waiting for her friends to come back from Hogsmead. She sat there and looked around at the people who hadn't gone. She saw a few first years sitting at the end of the table, playing Wizarding chess. Lily was good at Chess and assumed that Wizarding chess would be the same. She continued to watch them, and saw the queen kill a pawn. Lily sat shocked as the first year cleared the pawn of his board. It was definitely nothing like ordinary chess. Even though being a sixth year, she had never actually stopped and watched people play chess; she just assumed it would be like the normal chess. Now she wished she would have taken the time to watch. She looked further up the table and saw the ever famous giggling girls. As usual they were sitting just a few seats down from James and his friends. Although they all seemed to be ignoring the girls, Lily knew that they loved the attention. Just then James looked up at her and locked gazes. They were just staring into each others eyes, for what seemed an eternity. Until Lily's friends sat down beside her and made her break contact. “Hey Lily, what was all that about?” Lily looked from her friend and then back to James. “I…don't know” Lily shook herself and tried to clear her mind. “How was it, Hogsmead I mean?” Then her friends launched into a long explanation of what they had done, and that they met a group of guys. Lily was only half listening, why had she not broken eye contact with him before her friends got there? She had felt paralysed, like she couldn't look away even if she had wanted to. She looked back up at James and noticed he was back into his conversation with Sirius. Lily put all thoughts of James to the back of her head, and continued to listen to her friends, talk about the guys that they were meeting again, the next weekend. ------------- Lily had gotten back into her normal routine. She had seen Lucius once since the incident and he didn't say anything to her, until the week after. It was Saturday again; Lily's friends had snuck out to Hogsmead to see the guys from the previous week. And Lily was yet again sitting by the lake, reading. It was as if it was all repeating itself. Lucius and his cronies were walking up to Lily with smirks on their faces. Lily was prepared this time, if he even lifted his wand to her, she would be ready. “Evans, you think that after last time, you would have learnt your lesson” Lily laughed “Don't you mean, *you* should have learnt *your* lesson, I don't remember being warned. Wasn't it you who was warned” His smirk was soon gone “You filthy little mudblood. How dare you, you hex my friends and now you gloat? I will soon wipe that smirk of your face” Lucius lifted his wand up and was just about to mutter a curse when one was thrown at him. It only made him stumble back a little bit. He looked up at Lily for the source of the spell. However not only did he see Lily, he saw James. “Potter, come to protect a fellow mudblood?” Lily looked at James and saw the anger in his eyes. Why had he gotten so angry at that remark? Lily had heard it so often now, that it didn't mean anything to her. Obviously James wasn't used to hearing it. “Malfoy, you will regret ever saying that” James shot a curse at Malfoy which he deflected and it hit a near by tree. Lily just stood there, transfixed by the site before her. She couldn't do anything, it was if she had been put into a full body bind, but she knew she hadn't. She watched as James and Lucius shot curses at each other. She saw one of his cronies lift up his wand at point it at James. Lily didn't necessarily like James but she didn't want him to be ganged up on in a duel, so she pointed her wand at him and muttered a curse “*Reducto”**.* The guy immediately fell to the floor in pain. The scream he let out caused Lucius and James to look at him and stop their duel, for now. Lucius looked at Lily “What did you do?” Lily smiled “I used a Reducto curse on his nether regions” all of the remaining boys winced as they looked on at the boy in pain. However that didn't last long as Lucius was throwing a curse at James. James quickly dodged it and threw one back. It was done at such a speed, that Lucius couldn't think of another spell, so he just deflected it. Everything went in slow motion from then onwards. Lily looked at James who had turned to her, she looked at Lucius. Who had also turned to her and then she saw it. A stream of blue light came towards her, and before she could do anything, it sped up and hit her directly in her chest. The last thing she saw as she was falling to the floor was James's face, the look of horror and upset. She felt her back hit the floor, and everything went black. --> 3. I didn't say a thing ----------------------- **Disclaimer: I own nothing so don't sue** **Chapter 3** Lily opened her eyes to find complete darkness surrounding her. She had no idea where she was or how she got there. She heard the door open and her instincts told her to pretend to be asleep, and she did just that. She rolled over and closed her eyes, while straining her ears to hear any sound or anyone that she could. “How is she doing?” Professor Dumbledore said whilst striding into the room. He had been checking on Lily every hour or so. “She should be awake soon; I can't find any lasting results. It appears that the spell was just to knock her of her feet nothing more.” “Thank you Poppy. Keep her in for a day so that you can make sure that there are no lasting results or complications. Then you may let her go. I must go and sort out why this happened. Good day.” With that he turned and strode out of the Hospital wing. He had an air about him that just oozed responsibility and power. He was such a caring person and Lily loved him for that. Once Lily heard the door shut behind Dumbledore and Madame Pomfrey retreat back to her office, she gave a sigh of relief. At least there would be any lasting damage. At least she would be ok, now she just had to figure out what had happened. 888888888888888888888888888888888 “Would you care to explain what happened earlier today?” Dumbledore said as he peered over his glasses at James Potter. “Well, I was walking towards the lake, when I saw Evans talking to Lucius Malfoy. It looked like they were having an argument. He drew his wand and pointed it at her; I hit him with a curse knocking him back a few feet so that he couldn't curse Lily. Then he started throwing curses at me, so I threw some back. He deflected one and it hit Lily. That's what happened.” Dumbledore nodded “Do you remember what spell you sent at him?” James thought for a moment. In all of the commotion he wasn't exactly thinking of curse or charms they just came to him. “Sorry, I can't remember” “Ok, well just so you know. Lily is going to be fine. It seems that there are no lasting effects as of yet. You may leave. I will not give you detention as it seems you were acting in self defence. But do not let me find you in this situation again. You may leave” James nodded and walked out thinking that he had gotten of lightly. Lucius had detention for a month solid. He was tempted to go and see Lily, but he couldn't face her. It was his fault that she was in the hospital wing. Yes he had been trying to protect her but she didn't need to know why either. It was his fault that she was hit with that stupid spell, whatever it was. He just hoped that even though she was ok physically, that she was ok with him too. Lying in bed that night, James couldn't do anything but think of Lily. He had been arguing with himself for a while now, tossing and turning thoughts over in his head. Reasons why he should go and see her and reasons why he shouldn't. At the moment these thoughts seem to tie. Just then he had a flash of her, standing up to Malfoy. She was the only person in a long time to do that and it made him smile. And that made his decision for him. He decided that he would sneak in and see her, after all it was night. Not many people would be around. It wasn't long after curfew; he could just say he got sidetracked in the library. He followed the path to the hospital wing and peered in. Pomfrey was in her office making some potions. Lily was the only person in there, and it seemed she was asleep. So he walked in. He would just check and see that she had no physical side affects, and then he would leave. So he thought. That was his reasoning of being there. Just to make sure she was physically ok, although he knew she was. Dumbledore had told him as much. He walked up to her bed and saw that her eyes were closed. He looked over her, no scaring, no physical effects at all. Had his charm been that flimsy? He had hoped it would do damage if he hit Lucius with it, but was now glad it didn't damage Lily. Although he didn't know her or even notice her until a few days before. He found an odd sense of belonging when he was near her. He shook off the feelings and walked out, happy that she was ok. As the doors closed Lily opened her eyes. Maybe she was dreaming but she was sure that James Potter had just been there. Lily shook her head of those thoughts, it was completely impossible; James doesn't even know that she exists. Not that she cared. Lily found that after James had left, she couldn't sleep; she just kept tossing and turning. Not before long Madam Pomfrey had seen her awake and rushed over to her, pouring various potions down her throat. Lily couldn't find sleep that night. She had an odd feeling in the pit of her stomach. It wasn't something that she had felt before. ------------------------------------------- Lily woke up the next morning, finally having fallen asleep around 4am. She woke up to find Dumbledore smiling down at her. “How are you feeling?” He said as he sat down in a chair next to her bed. “I'm fine, thank you. When can I get out of here?” She asked as she arranged her pillars so that she could sit up. Dumbledore chuckled. “Soon, I just want Madam Pomfrey to run some tests on you to make sure that everything is ok. Then you can leave” Lily nodded. She didn't know what to say. She hadn't spoken to Dumbledore much before. He looked at her with his blue eyes twinkling. Madam Pomfrey walked over to her, and placed her wand on various parts of Lily's body. After every spell she performed a blue smoke rose out of the tip. Evidently that meant that she was fine and was let go. As she was walking out of the Hospital wing, her stomach started to rumble. She had missed breakfast and was too early for lunch. She had heard about a secret entrance to the kitchens and thought she would try it out. She got to the painting of the fruit basket and tickled the pear. She laughed as the pear giggled but was shocked when it had turned into a handle. She opened the door and walked in, closing the door behind her. As soon as the door was shut, four house elves rushed to her side. “How can we be helping you miss?” One said as it bowed to her. “Erm I missed breakfast and I'm hungry” Lily said, she didn't know how to talk to them, she didn't know if she was even allowed to eat in here, or if she was allowed to order food. Within minutes Lily was sitting at a table with a glass of pumpkin juice in front of her as well as a plate of sausages, eggs, bacon, beans and tomatoes. The breakfast was quite large. Lily didn't manage to eat it all, but she ate enough so that she wouldn't have to go to lunch. She thanked the house elves and walked out, bumping into someone as she did. “Oh sorry” Lily said as she turned around to see the person she had bumped into. It was James. James looked at her. `What are you doing here? I'm surprised you would come down here being a teachers pet and all. I'm surprised you even know about this place.' “Hey!” Lily said as a frown crossed her face “there is no need to be rude I apologised” “I didn't say anything” James said as he looked at her as if she was barking mad. “Yes you did, I heard you. You said that I am a teachers pet and that you are surprised that I would come down here. Well let me tell you James Potter, I was hungry and I am not a teacher's pet. Just because I get good marks, does not mean that I am a teachers pet. It means I am smart.” “Well, for a smart witch, you sure seem to hear things. I didn't say anything. I thought it but didn't say it.” Lily just looked at him “Whatever” and walked away. In truth Lily was angry; she had heard him say that, she knew she had. His voice was so clear. Although she didn't see his lips move, she had heard his voice. James stood still in the place where she had left him. He hadn't said anything. He had thought it but didn't say anything he knew he hadn't he hadn't moved his lips; he was too stunned to speak. Both carried on confused as to what had happened, but carried on the rest of their day as normal. **A/n: Ok another chapter finishe****d. I hope you liked** **it;** **it's a little longer than my last few chapters. Let me know what you think. I got a few hits the last two chapters, but not many reviews. I hope that doesn't mean that my story sucks. I hope** **to update** **at some point in the next week** --> 4. Think you can order me? -------------------------- **Disclaimer: I own nothing so don't sue** **Chapter 4** Lily was sitting in the library; she had a project that was due for potions and decided to do it during her free period. Just as she was finishing up, she heard the library door open. As Lily was the only person in the library other than the Librarian, the sound startled her out her studying. She looked up and warm green eyes locked with cold grey ones. Lucius Malfoy. She breathed deep; she knew this meeting would come sooner or later. It had been almost a week since the incident by the lake had happened and she hadn't seen or heard from him. She wasn't normally the kind of girl, who would hide away from someone, and she wasn't hiding, their paths just didn't seem to pass each other. But lately, she had found herself feeling, odd. It was always when she was around James Potter. She would hear things, that he had said and he would deny saying it. She knew he was just playing a trick on her, and it was getting annoying. “Well, well. Look what we have here. A little Gryffindor to play with” Lucius drawled out while never losing eye contact with Lily. Lily calmly put all of her ink and parchment away in her bag. Once she was done she crossed her arms and looked at Lucius expectantly. She was sick of Lucius and his arrogance. She hadn't done anything wrong. Lucius looked at her and then at his friends. “Leave us.” His friends began to protest, but with one cold look from Lucius they had dispersed. Lily looked at him and raised her perfectly shaped brow. “Yes?” Lucius looked at her for a few seconds before smirking at her, then sitting down in front of her. “There is a ball coming up, you will go with me, I will choose your dress and you will dance and spend the evening with me until I tire of you.” Lily looked at him in complete and utter shock. How dare he. “Excuse me?” Lucius rolled his eyes and began again “The ball that is coming up. You will…” But Lily had cut him off “I heard that, but what I didn't hear, was an invitation.” Lucius looked affronted by this. “That is because Malfoy's don't *invite,* we order” Lily stood up and grabbed her bag “Well you can go an order yourself another date, because there is no chance on earth that I'd go out with you. You are the most foul, loathsome creature I have ever had the displeasure of meeting. Goodbye.” With that Lily stood up, she was sick of his attitude. He couldn't just go around ordering people to date him. Just who did he think he was? She would never, ever be caught seen with him. She would rather date Sirius Black. And that was saying something. Lily was so angry as she was leaving the library; that she had failed to see James behind the door. He was just about to go in when he had heard the end of the argument. He smiled at Lily's fiery temper, that's what made him notice her. He couldn't believe Lucius though; he actually thought that he could *order* her to go out with him? The thought made him laugh. “And just what do you think you are laughing at, Potter?” Lucius drawled out. James looked up at him and continued to laugh. “You… Lily…Dance” he couldn't string a sentence together because he was laughing so hard. “Did you really think she would go with you, after everything that you have done to her?” Lucius' eyes narrowed as he advanced on James, instead of shrinking back to the wall, which is what everybody who came into close contact with Lucius did. He stood up tall and looked up into his eyes. “I will have her. She is mine. She will be on my arm at that ball. She will have no choice.” With that Lucius walked away leaving a very angry James behind. He would be damned if he would let someone like that hurt Lily. Although he hadn't actually spoken to Lily very much, he had the instinct to protect her, keep her from harm. He would just need Lupin's help to do it. ---------------------------------------------- “Lily wait up, Lily” Lily turned around to see that Remus had been calling her. She had been in her own world for the past few days. Lucius had been intent on getting her to go to the dance with him; he would constantly get her alone and try to bully her into going with him. Every time she said no, every time she left him getting angrier and angrier. She knew that one time he would not accept `no' as an answer, but she was never, ever going to say `yes'. “Hello Remus.” Remus came to a stop next to Lily, a little out of breath. “Lily, how have you been?” They started a light conversation while walking to class. They had discussed various topics before Remus got to the topic he had been waiting to get to. “Lily, about Lucius” Lily turned and looked at him. “What about him?” He wasn't quite sure how to tell her this; James had told him that morning what he had heard. James couldn't tell Lily himself because, well because she wouldn't listen to him. “Well, you know how he keeps asking you out? Well the only way you are going to get him off your back is either to go with him, tell Dumbledore or get a date.” Lily just looked at him “Ok for a start, I will never, *ever* go out with him, voluntarily or otherwise. I will not tell Dumbledore, he has enough on his plate as it is. As for getting a date, I can get a date on my own. I just choose not too. I do not plan on going to the ball. I would rather not watch the girls fawn all over the boys. It's useless; I will be spending my time in my room, catching up on my homework.” They had just reached the classroom. Remus nodded to Lily and walked over to his seat. He told James and Sirius what she had said, and James had a huge smile on his face. `I wonder if she would go if I asked her.' Lily looked up and she had heard James talking. He was looking at her `Not likely Potter' She saw the shock on his face had he heard her? `How can you talk to me, without actually talking to me?' James thought in an accusatory tone. Lily was shocked `you can hear me? Oh god. When did this happen, how did this happen, why did this happen' She heard James chuckle `Calm down Lils, I don't know why we can hear each other and talk to each other through our thoughts, but stop with all the questions your giving me a migraine.' `I would love to give you more that just a migraine believe' James and Lily never broke eye contact whilst this was going on, and The Marauders seemed to notice. `Oh. And just what would that be?' “Miss Evans, Mr Potter pay attention” Lily looked up at her professor. “Sorry sir.” `Teachers pet!' Came James' silk voice `Shut up you!' was her reply. Lily knew that this would be a long day; she just hoped that at the end of that days lessons that she could go to the hospital wing and find out why this was happening. They had told her that there would be no lasting effects. --> 5. Lils ------- **Disclaimer: I own nothing, so please don't sue.** **A/n: I am sorry, I know that it has been a while since i have** **posted** **but I have a lot of** **things going on at the moment. This is the last of my pre-written stuff. I just needed to go over it.** **Chapter 5** Lily had headed to the hospital wing after lessons and Madam Pomfrey had done a few tests to try and determine what was making Lily hear James' thoughts and for him to hear hers. The tests showed that Lily was perfectly healthy and the only thing that was out of the ordinary was that she was linked to someone telepathically. Something which Lily knew already, however it wasn't damaging her and Madame Pomfrey had told her that it should wear off in a few days to a few weeks with no lasting effects. As she was walking to the Great Hall Lily's mind began to wonder, now it made sense, when she would hear something James said and he claimed that he hadn't. He was telling the truth, he hadn't said it he had just thought it. Lily shook her head and walked down to breakfast. As usual Lucius was bearing down on her as soon as she entered the Great Hall. “Lily, I do not need to repeat myself over and over again do I? You will be coming to the ball with me. Malfoy's do not get rejected.” Lily laughed, “Well there is always a first for everything. I don't plan on going with you to the ball or anyone else to the ball as a matter of fact. I am not going. So please leave me the hell alone.” “You have to go, everyone in the school has to go, and there is no choice in the matter.” Lucius drawled. Obviously very pleased with himself for knowing something that she didn't. Lily looked around a little panicked and then she saw James looking at her. She used their telepathy to ask him for help. “James, you know how I would hate to admit this, but the only way I can get rid of this idiot is to go to the ball with someone…. Will you go with me?” Lily saw the smile on James' lips. “Of course.” Lily then turned to Lucius. “In that case I will be going with James Potter. Good bye.” Lily then turned to sit next to her friends. She could almost feel the anger radiating of Lucius as he sat down with his friends. She turned to look at James. “Thanks, he was beginning to annoy me.” James just smiled. “Oh don't pretend that was the only reason you chose me Lily. You know you want me really.” Lily merely sighed “I chose you because there and then you would be the only person who I could ask without Lucius hearing.” James just smirked and continued to eat breakfast, as did Lily. Both unaware that Lucius planned on doing something to both of them, for no one humiliates and rejects a Malfoy and gets away with it. Lily looked up as she left the Great Hall and saw that Lucius was talking to Snape. She had never seen them talking before, at least not very often. She however just walked away, not caring. At least he was off her back now, although she would have James and his big ego to deal with before, during and after the ball. “Your joking with us right?” Sirius said later that day as he and the rest of the marauders where sitting by the lake. James just laughed “No mate, seriously she asked me. I think it's this telepathy thing, she's always in my head now, and I'm always in hers. Kind of hard to keep secrets that way don't you think?” Remus and Peter just laughed at how big headed James was being. Sirius however was astounded that he finally got Lily to be his date. He knew however that it wasn't long before Lily would fall in love with James. Remus knew it too. Lily and James were perfect for each other. Lily was a rule abiding witch, and James was a rule breaking wizard. Lily would help calm him down, and James would help lighten Lily up. They were perfect for each other; Lily's friends knew that, as did James', Lily and James however didn't know. James was infatuated and Lily was just naïve. It was the day before the ball and Lily was yet walking away from a laughing James. Since she had asked him to the ball he had been gloating ever since, and not always in front of people. Their telepathy had seemed to grow rather than weaken over the past few days. They could now hear each others thoughts while in completely separate parts of the building. The only thoughts they seemed to pick up over the long distances were those of extreme anger and happiness. Of course James was happy that he could gloat as much as he did therefore she could hear him, and he could hear her anger. He just didn't care. `James I am not in the mood for this, I have a two foot long essay to write up for defence and a one and a half foot essay for potions. I need to get them done before I fail my classes. So could you please leave me alone?' Lily felt a mental shrug `fine' and then there was silence. James hadn't sounded angry or upset. But there was something in his voice, that had made Lily feel bad, she had been shouting at him a lot… even though sometimes he had needed it. She just sighed and carried on to the library to finish her essays. As Lily came to the end of her essay's she could hear a bunch of giggling girls from behind the one stack of books. She just rolled her eyes and started to pack away her things. As she walked past she heard her name being shouted. She turned around to find Caidence, a girl in her year walking up to her, with her friends behind her. “I was just wondering what you were planning to wear to the ball. I mean you have the best looking guy in Hogwarts, save for Sirius that is, as a date you wouldn't want to look like anything less than what he deserves would you?” Before Lily could reply the girls walked away giggling. `Great, now I have to look fantastic so I don't look like a fool.' `You always look fantastic and would never look like a fool' James' head floated into her thoughts. `How can I hear you? Your not in the immediate area, I'm not angry or happy so why can you hear me?' Lily though as she walked towards the common room as it was starting to get late. `Dunno, maybe the links getting stronger or something. Whatever, anyway Lils you would look TONS better than Christine if you were in a black bin bag and she was in the most expensive dress ever made. Don't hang up on it' And with that he was gone, and instead of feeling annoyed as usual. She felt relaxed and … happy, but why, Because James had complemented her? No, he always did that. Maybe just maybe she had started to like him and maybe she loved that he called her `Lils' -->