Rating:: PG-13
House:: Astronomy Tower
Characters:: James Potter Lily Evans Sirius Black
Genres:: Romance Humor
Era:: Multiple Eras
Stats:: Published: 03/11/2002

Updated: 05/08/2004

Words: 12,185

Chapters: 11

Hits: 15,987

Boys will be Boys

Bastet

Story Summary:: L/J Love/Hate Lily Evans doesn't think much of James Potter. Actually, she wants to strew his body around the Quidditch field. But is there more to James Potter then she realizes?

Chapter 08

Chapter Summary:: L/J Love/Hate Lily Evans doesn't think much of James Potter. Actually, she wants to strew his body around the Quidditch field. But is there more to James Potter then she realizes?

Posted:: 07/23/2002

Hits:: 923

Author's Note:: Sorry that this chapter is so short!!! I was surprised with all the reviews!!! LOL, you guys are grrrreat! I'll have more soon, hopefully! Am going to France in a couple weeks, tho, so I'll be gone soon!

Lily: I am so sick this ownership thing We're not J.K. whats-her-name's, for goodness sakes!
James: Yeah!
Sirius: Who IS she anyway? Her name is always in the discl- The er- dis-thingies.
Remus: She owns us, it seems.
Dara: Ha!
Sirius: So is she some sort of slaver or something?
Me*shakes head sadly*

Lily was now excited. Yes, she was. She turned her wide eyes to Professor McGonagall, who stood by the door. She smiled at them and then called out, in a magnified voice, as they walked through.

"Sirius Black and Dara Reynolds!"

"Remus Lupin and Maria Johnson!"

Lily held her breath, wondering how it would sound…

"James Potter and Lily Pot- oops, and Lily Evans, I mean." She laughed at her mistake and so did the ballroom full of people.

Lily was in a state of shock. She blinked and James pulled her through the doorway.

Sirius was quite amused as was Dara and, well, everyone else.

Lily was aghast, "I can't believe-"

"Aw, Lils!" Dara said. "Lighten up! Besides…you DO make a cute couple!" She smiled at them and Lily carefully avoided James' eyes.

James was, not that he'd admit it, a bit embarrassed, but got over it. It wasn't that he didn't like Lily. He did. Well, so she had taken his leg off…but that was only a JOKE…for the most part. And that just made her even better! She had er- anger! And she sure knew how to curse. He sneaked a side-glance at her flushed face. Pretty? Check. Smart. Yep. Hated him? Oh yeah.

Lily's mind was a mixture of "I hate James Potter", "I knew this was a bad idea." and "I knew I should have strewn his body parts over the Quidditch Field!" And not necessarily in that order. This night could only last so long. And if it went badly, she could just ACCIDENTLY curse him. She could say she was aiming at Snape. He glanced at him again. He was laughing, curse him.

She gritted her teeth as the music started. Suddenly, she did NOT want to dance with him, "I'm thirsty," she said and walked off to the refreshment table. James shook his head and followed her. She was so transparent!

Dara huffed as she watched Lily stalk off. What was the girl's problem?! She'd gotten her a perfectly acceptable date. James really wasn't all that bad! What would it take to drill this into Lily's head?

As the ball progressed, so did the competition involved in it. Whenever a camera man hoisted his camera into position, everyone with in 200 feet would sprint to get in from of the lens. It was pure chaos, but, as Sirius observed, the injuries that resulted from those peculiar races were narrowing down competition considerably.

Competition was as, well, worse then usual. Slytherins were cursing (or attempting to curse) everyone…including other members of their house. It was, all in all, comepletely comical. The "magical evening" gad turned into nothing but a farce. A race to win.

Lily had become ridiculously relaxed. She was a bit tipsy because of the enchanted punch bowl. It was one of the boys better pranks. They hadn't got caught yet.

She was actually pleased to find that James could dance. Most boys she had danced with had about zero sense of rhythm. But James was a good dancer. She'd danced with Sirius, who was, as usual, grinning like mad and enjoying himself immensely. His smile had been contagious. She now smiled at James.

"Well, Pot- er- James, I must admit that this hasn't been that bad."

James studied her face. There didn't seem to be any sarcasm. Could Lily "the Ice Queen" (Well, Ice Queen to him at least) Evans, actually smile at him like that? Now he knew why quite a few members of his sex had fallen head over heals in love with Ms. Evans. She was captivating when she smile like that.

"Er-" he stumbled, still bemused by the change in her. ''Really?"

"Of course!" She laughed happily, "You're not that bad, James Potter."

What was one to say to this?

James gulped gratefully as the music ended. He feigned thirst and left Lily chatting with Dara and Maria. He went to the drink table and pretended to drink the punch. Then someone came up from behind him.

"I know what's going on…" it sang.

James' arm jerked in surprise and he was splashed with the liquid in his cup. He turned around, controlling his anger.

"It isn't polite to sneak up on people, Sirius."

"Isn't it?"

James rolled his eyes, "What do you want?"

Sirius smiled seraphicly, "Oh, nothing much…just the truth."

"What do you mean?" James asked, trying desperately not to blush or look over at Lily. However, he didn't succeed in either.

Sirius grinned, "Jamesie, Jamesie, Jamesie…"

"Don't call me that!"

"But I'm sure you'd like someone else to call you that!"

"Damn it, Padfoot!"

Sirius, realizing he'd hit a nerve, grinned more broadly.

James gritted his teeth. Sirius could read his face as clearly as if he'd shouted his feelings out to the ballroom. What was the point in trying to be clever. Sirius would beat it out of him anyway.

"You like her, don't you?"

"NO- er- yes, but- Well, alright, what's the point of fencing about?! I give up!" He proceeded to pout. There was silence, then-

"Yes?"

"Yes."

Sirius smiled triumphantly, "I knew it!" Then his smile faded a bit, "Well, not really, but that sounds better than, 'I had no idea!', huh?"

James shook his head sadly and Sirius continued.

"Dara told me that this would happen. I doubted her, but I should have known! She told me that you'd end up having a crush on Little Lily.''

James felt a flicker of hope, "What? So Lily likes me?"

"She never said anything about Lily having a crush on you," Sirius answered sweetly.

James could have hit him, "Sirius, you are such a great friend. Get my hopes up and then trample them with a raging Hippogriff…"

"Glad to be of service."

Both of their gazes wandered towards Lily and Dara, still gossiping happily. Then they looked at each other. Then back at the girls. James sighed. He'd never meant for this to happen.

"So what do I do?"

Sirius smiled and started to saunter towards the girls. He turned when he was a few steps from James and gave out a rare and important quote of Sirius Wisdom.

"How should I know?"