finally, lily and james

acquaintance

" Evans?" Sirius asked, righting his ruffled shirt after he got off the floor, staring at her curiously, brushing his hair back in a way that quite reminded her of James...

" What're doin here?" Lily flushed at the direct question and played with her hands, looking down at her shoes. Sirius was confused, she rarely went up to the boys dormitories, and when she did, all she would talk about is the horrid state of the rooms and the mess, and usually made all the boys clean it. Sirius peered questioning at her, she seemed to be nervous.

" I- er..." Trailing off, and Sirius sighed impatiently, tapping his foot like a dog waiting for food. He was a rather impatient bloke, suppose it comes with being a dog.

" Is James alright?" She blurted, her face going even more red than it already was. Gathering the surprised look on Sirius's face, she turned away quickly.
"Oh! Nevermind, sorry, I-

" Seriously, chill, Evans." He thought for a moment, his mind lingering on something she had said, until it clicked, like a lightbulb flickering on, "It's fine - did you call him James?" Sirius exclaimed, taking his hand off her shoulder in shock. She flushed once again.

" Oh, shut it, you dog!" She whisper shouted, and Sirius grinned wickedly. She was the only exception to the Marauders who knew of James, Sirius and Peter's animagus transformations, and she sometimes joked around with Sirius about it, who was more than willing to make dog puns.

" Can't help that I'm barking mad, darling." He winked at her, and she rolled her eyes, crossing her arms.

" You're unbearable."

" Oi! I'm a dog, not a bear!" Sirius claimed indignantly, his face earnest.

" Okay, enough with the jokes," She bit her lip, " Is James okay?" She asked once more, and Sirius sighed.

He didn't really want to talk about it, more than he had too, and he was on his way to Professor McGonagall's to go an assure her that he had taken care of James, and that the four friends - five, now including Lily, were going to skip lunch. She was becoming closer with the group everyday.

" Yeah. I guess, as okay as he can be right now." Sirius explained vaguely, not wanting to betray James and go on spreading that his father was dying from Dragon Pox, one of the most feared diseases in the Wizarding World. Gossip travels fast at Hogwarts.

" What's happened?" Lily inquired, and he shook his head.

" Ask him, if he tells you, which he probably will, then you can talk about it with me." Sirius waved Lily goodbye and trotted down the rest of the steps and out of the common room. Lily sighed, Sirius was an odd one.

Waiting for him to leave the common room and glancing around to make sure that no one was watching them, she went up the boys dormitory steps quickly, making sure not to make noise.

She reached the Marauders door and smirked at the handiwork carved in. On the center of the door was carved, Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot & Prongs ; enter at your own risk, we are not responsible for injuries caused by our fun.

She shook her head and tucking her shirt in neatly, she knocked on the door. No response. She tried again, and to her dismay, no response. Lily sighed, a stubborn James was impossible.

" Potter. Hello? It's me," She tried, rolling her eyes. " Lily. Y'know, the girl you love to torment? Lily Evans, she's here to see if you're alright." She joked lightly, hoping this would make him come around. To her surprise, she heard a confused Evans? and the creaking of bed springs and footsteps.

The door swung quickly, and opened to reveal a tall and confused James Potter. He looked down at her and furrowed his brows. Though all she could really think about was his small quirked grin and really gorgeous, dark brown skin he inherited from his mother, his thick eyebrows and messy hair that flopped right over his big and intriguing, dark brown eyes-how was she thinking this? She'd hated him for four years straight and become acquaintances merely because Remus and Sirius had gotten together! And after all of his teasing, bullying and pranks, his jokes and outbursts - she thought he was attractive! And she couldn't do a thing about it. Still looming over her, James cleared his throat to a blushing and embarrassed Lily.

" Er... Evans? What're you doin here? Shouldn't you be in class?" He asks, not meeting her eyes, but she already notices his bloodshot eyes and frown. And for whatever reason Lily can't place - it makes her sad too. She feels bad for James Potter.

" I came to check up on you. What's wrong?" Asked Lily, and James huffed.

" What's with everyone insisting that I'm not okay? I'm alright and everything's fine! I'm always fine, and no one needs to worry! I'm not depressed, I'm not injured, I'm not angry, I'm not going to d-

He cuts off abruptly and stares angrily at his shoe, as if it too, had asked him if he was alright. Lily sighed. " James. I'm not a fool, we both know that. What's happened?" She said softly, putting a comforting hand on his shoulder. " You can talk to me, you know." She smiled genuinely at him, and he attempted a smile back. Admitting defeat, he opened the door to the room and spread his arm out.

" Come in, it's a long story Evans."

" Lily."

" James."

She laughed. Hearing her laugh lifted James' mood a bit, and he smiled at her, his eyes a bit brighter than before. He swore she blushed.

She swore she had butterflies in her stomach. James was definitely more than an acquaintance.