A/N: Thank you to all of you who have reviewed on this, or requested it. I am happy to comply, really. I know it seems a little slow at the moment but it will pick up. I am waiting on one of my readers to give me a name, so that is all I am waiting for… I know it is taking me a bit to respond back to all of your reviews, but I think I am caught up now, so review on! Thanks to all!
Night of the First
It wasn't enough that he was her boyfriend, no. He was also the Head Boy, which meant he had a duty to not only her as his girlfriend, but to the school as a leader. Lily sighed. This would have been less frustrating if the boy was a little more organized. She looked at her watch and shook her head. They couldn't wait any longer for him to arrive.
"I am Lily, and I want to thank you for meeting me tonight," Lily said as she glared at one of the new Slytherin prefects. "I know after that feast, we are ready to head off to bed, but I wanted to remind you of our duties as leaders to not abuse powers. I am specifically speaking to you, Garner. Just because Hufflepuff wiped the floor with Ravenclaw doesn't mean that you can retaliate by giving the entire Quidditch team detention."
"Got it, boss lady," Garner said saluting her good naturedly. Lily knew the kid meant well, but sometimes she wondered if his mean streak didn't make him more suited for Slytherin.
"Now, I liked our schedules for patrol last year, so unless anyone has any complaints, I would like to leave it the way it was," Lily said as she checked her note book. She was prepared, for sure. It may have been a blessing, or a fault. She wasn't sure. "Ok, any questions?"
"Is it true that the Heads have a private dormitory?" a familiar voice droned from the back of the meeting room. All heads turned to look at Severus Snape. Lily nodded.
"Yes, but I don't see where that is really important," Lily said. Snape's mouth curled into a rather cruel smile.
"Well, should one of us lowly prefects ever need to find our distinguished Heads, it would be helpful to know where to look," Snape said. Lily nodded.
"Right," Lily said. "Well, since both Heads are from Gryffindor this year, the dormitory door is located behind Violet's portrait next to the Fat Lady. Not sure how it works, but it leads to a common area and then splits off to the two dorm rooms. My door is always open, should anyone have any issues or need to discuss things."
"And, where is the Head Boy tonight?" Snape asked loudly, interrupting Lily who was about to dismiss them.
"Um, out doing Head Boy things, I am sure," Lily lied as James and Remus entered the room laughing. Lily shot them both a dirty look, which caused them to both clam up quick. Lily looked to the others. "Thank you for meeting with me, and I hope that you will all have a great school year."
A few students waved curiously at Lily as they stalled to leave, but Lily waited until it was just Remus and James remaining with her. She had her arms crossed and she looked at them with a great amount of disappointment. James tried to flash her one of his innocent-boy smiles. Lily shook her head, but her expression softened.
"I can't believe you both skipped out on my first meeting as Head Girl," Lily said quickly. She shook her head as she sat on the edge of the desk.
"We didn't mean to, really," Remus said.
"It wasn't our fault," James said. "Sirius was telling the first years about that trick step, and Peter wasn't paying attention and stepped on it. Well, you know the step is only used to first years, so chubby little Pete got stuck, and we just now were able to free him."
"Really?" Lily said as she sat there with her arms crossed. She looked at James intently. "That's funny, but I don't believe you. Professor McGonagall sent Peter up her to make sure I didn't keep everyone too long. Nice try, James."
"Fine, fine," James said sighing. "I lied. Sirius, Remus, and I were goofing off."
"See, was that so hard to do?" Lily asked. She answered her own question, "No, it wasn't. I know that you and I are, you know, boyfriend and girlfriend, but I can and will still stick you in detention."
"I thought we weren't admitting anything," James said as he raised his eyebrow at her. "Though I would love to shout it from the astronomy tower. Ooh, to see the look on Snape's greasy face."
"We aren't," Lily said hurriedly. "For all intensive purposes, it is our little secret. I mean both sets of our friends know because your friend Peter couldn't keep it quiet with my friend, Drena."
"I know, aren't they sweet?" James joked. Lily rolled her eyes.
"James, be serious for a change," Lily said.
"I can't. We can only handle having one Sirius in our bunch," James said laughing. Remus joined in the laughter but Lily didn't even crack a smile.
"That is the corniest thing I have ever heard," Lily muttered as she began to gather her note book. "I guess you can come to talk to me when you have grown up a bit."
"Hey, Lils," James called to her. "Can I still stop by Ye Ol' Bedchamber, tonight?"
"I suppose," Lily said sighing. "But, you're not staying, and it is only to go over the schedule, ok?"
"I love you, Lily," James shouted. Lily turned around, surprised. He hadn't ever said that to her before, like… yes, but never love.
"I… I love you too, James," Lily said in quiet awe. She smiled at him and left the meeting room. James whooped loudly.
"You do know, you are going to have to try harder if you want her to allow your relationship to come out into the open," Remus told him. James nodded as started etching his and Lily's initials into one of the desks with his wand.
"I know," James said. "It's just that old habits are hard to break."
"Well, I can think of at least a dozen that you are going to have to give up if you want to keep Lily as your girlfriend," Remus said as he looked at what James had etched. Remus took out his wand and corrected the desk. "For one, quit vandalizing school property. Lily doesn't take kindly to vandals."
"Ok," James said pouting a bit.
"Hey, no one said that dating Lily was going to be easy. She is a very `by-the-rules' person, as you very well know," Remus said. "I wouldn't doubt that she'll put you in detention yet."
"I am so going to screw this up," James groaned. He shook his head. "There is no way that I will be able to live up to her high standards."
"Don't say that, James," Remus said. "You were meant for each other, you are just going to have to work at it. It was easy this summer because that was relaxed, fun-loving Lily. During the school year she is hard-working Lily. You have to show her that you are willing to work hard, too."
"I can do it," James said confidently. "I am, after all, James Potter, Quidditch captain extraordinaire."
"You do know that Quidditch means nothing to Lily, right?" Remus said smirking. "You could be the best damn seeker in the world, and it wouldn't matter to Lily. Now, if you were the top of your class she would stand up and take notice."
"Well, we both know that'll never happen," James laughed as the two of them headed out of the meeting room and back towards the Gryffindor tower. They parted at the portraits, Remus heading in behind the Fat Lady, James hesitating in front of Violet's portrait. Maybe Remus was right. If James wanted this to work, to be a normal relationship with dates and hand-holding, he was going to have to try very hard at this. He had wanted to date Lily since their first year, and he wasn't going to let anything screw it up.
"James," Sirius whispered as he climbed out of the portrait hole. "Care to join me for a midnight stroll down to the kitchens?"
"I was actually going to go in and spend some time with Lily," James said hesitantly as he pointed toward the Head Dorms.
"C'mon, man, it'll be just a quick down and then you will be in your lady's arms," Sirius said dramatically. "I need you man."
"Well, if it'll be quick," James said as he nodded. The two of them headed down to the kitchens. James wasn't sure how long it had been until he looked at his watch.
"Sirius, we have to go," James said as he pushed Sirius out of the kitchens. The little house-elves waved merrily at their departure. "It's nearly three in the morning, and Lily's going to kill me."
"Nah, just sneak in and head to bed," Sirius laughed, his mouth full of sweets. "She'll never know."
"She'll know," James said guiltily.
"So you were late coming in one night," Sirius said shaking his head. "I don't know what the big deal is."
"I told Lily I would be there," James said. "Already, I am skiving out on her."
"It was one time," Sirius said holding up a finger. "Tell her it was all my fault."
"It was all your fault," James exclaimed.
"There, you see," Sirius said as he came to the portrait. "Oh, what is the password, by the way?"
"Uh, I don't know," James said sheepishly. "I missed the meeting."
"Damn you Potter," Sirius laughed. "I guess I am staying at your place tonight."
"The only thing," James said bashfully. "I don't know my password either."
"Great," Sirius said sulking as he went to sit down.
"The Gryffindor password is `Selah' and there isn't a password for our common area," a voice said crossly from behind them. Sirius and James looked to see Lily standing there in her robe and slippers, looking quite cross.
"Lils, it was all my fault," Sirius said immediately. Lily's arms did not uncross.
"Good night, Black," Lily said as she tapped the empty portrait with her wand. Despite the lack of the Fat Lady, the portrait swung open.
"Lils, really," Sirius said.
"Good night," Lily replied as she headed through her own portrait hole. Sirius shot James and apologetic look as he headed into the Gryffindor common room alone. James followed Lily.
"Lily, really, I am so sorry," James started. "I was coming in and then Sirius asked me to head to the kitchens, and it was supposed to be quick, but it just wasn't and…"
"Save it James," Lily said crossly. "I have been waiting all night for you to come back here so that we can go over our schedules. I am tired, cranky, and I am going to bed. Your schedule is on the table. If you have any questions, ask me in the morning."
James watched as Lily headed straight into her bedroom and shut the door. He shook his head, knowing she was mad at him. Figuring it was too late to do anything now, he headed to bed without even looking at his schedule.
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