A/N: I know I can be updating other things, but I have a good feeling about this one.

This hasn't been beta'd, because I haven't been able to get in contact with my beta. So if you see any mistakes let me know.

This has been written for two weeks, but I was going to wait for my beta, but that didn't work out, then life got in the way...

Fifth Year: OWLs

"I am never going to pass these OWLs, Alice! What's the point in studying? I'm not smart enough for it, and even if I do study, I'll forget it when I get my test."

"Lily, stop! You're psyching yourself out," my best friend, Alice told me.

"I don't think so! My Transfiguration OWLs are tomorrow, and you know that Transfiguration is my hardest class," I retorted, a little too harshly.

I was sitting in the Gryffindor Common Room by the fire trying to study for my Transfiguration OWLs with my best friend, Alice. I was freaking out. I don't handle stress very well. Ever since my first spelling test in first grade, when I…actually, I'd rather not talk about it. Let's just say that Julie Johnson never forgave me for the puke in her hair. Well, she deserved it. She was one of the so called popular girls at my school. I never have fit in with the cool people….

That's beside the point. The point is, I get stressed really easily and I act irrationally. Like right before the exams at the end of first year, I actually had a decent conversation with Potter. We talked about how nervous we were for the exams. See? That was completely irrational and out of character for me. I'd rather not talk about what happened during final exams during the other years, it just gets worse. Or better, if you're Potter.

Anyway, to solve my irrational problem, Alice and I play the word association game. For some reason saying the first thing that comes out of my mouth without thinking of it first relaxes me. Plus I like the crazy things we come up with. I think the best one was when I said 'McGonagall' and Alice answered with 'Scary'. We laughed for hours at that one.

So when I was on the verge of crying because of the stress, Alice suggested we play the word association game.

"Okay," I said, brightening at once, "but I get to choose the category, and we can only play until 10:30,"

"Okay," Alice answered, "What's the category, then?"

"Literary References," I said with a small smile. This was our favorite category.

"Oh, my favorite! I'll start! Sense,"

"Sensibility,"

"Elinor,"

"Marianne"

"Colonel Brandon"

"You know, I had always hoped Elinor and Colonel Brandon would have gotten together in the end. I mean I like Edward, but I really don't think Marianne deserved Colonel Brandon," I said thoughtfully.

"I know what you mean, but this is a game so please continue,"

"Oh right, sorry! Er, Willoughby,"

"Wickham"

"Lydia"

"Elizabeth"

"Mr. Darcy"

"Could we not name all the main characters in our favorite books? This is literary references, not main characters from Jane Austen Novels." I asked. If we named all the characters it wasn't any fun.

"Okay, Pride. Wait! Was he pride or was it Elizabeth?"

"Hmm, I should know this. I think he was proud and she was prejudiced because of her judgments."

"Oh, yeah. I think you are right. It's your turn. I said Pride,"

"Right. Prejudice,"

Alice sighed, "We are getting no where! Mary,"

"Glasses," I replied.

"Glasses?"

"Yep, whenever I thought of Mary I always see her with glasses. I can't even remember if she is described having glasses."

"Ah, well that changes it up some. Rabbit,"

"From?"

"Alice's Adventures in Wonderland,"

"Should've known,"

"It's not my fault that it's my mom's favorite book, and I just happen to be named after the main character. It's your turn,"

"Queen, she's my favorite character for some odd reason,"

"Hearts"

"Love

"Lily! This is literary references! Not miscellaneous. This was your idea," Alice said, although I think she was feeling the same thing I was. This category is getting us nowhere. I just happen to be the only one who will admit it.

"I got bored let's change it to whatever we come up with,"

"Fine. Story,"

"Oh, I love that movie! And the book. I've read the book three times and bawled every single time. I'm not going to talk about how many times I've seen the movie. Even though I have to watch it by myself because no one with me," I glared at Alice.

"Hey, I'm sorry, I just don't like overly romantic stuff. I find it annoying," Alice answered in response to my glare.

I looked at her dolefully, "It's times like these I wonder how we became best friends,"

I am a self-proclaimed hopeless romantic. There's no use trying to deny it. Anyone who talks to me about anything would know this piece of information in less than five minutes. Two if you were extremely perceptive. I am known for my frequent lapses in to La-La Land, more affectionately known as The World in Which Lily Evans Has The Perfect Man and Lives Happily Ever After. Man, I love that world. When I'm there, I get to cuddle up next to…

Oh, wait. I almost said who was in my day dreams! Well, that would have been bad. No one knows who he is. Not even Alice. At least I don't think Alice knows…

"Alice, do you know who I dream about in my day dreams?"

Alice snorted, put on an innocent face and said, "No, you never told me. I am completely clueless," before bursting into a fit of giggles.

Okay, I'm going to ignore the fact that I know she knows. It will be a better world if we all just pretend to be ignorant. It'd solve a lot of world problems.

Alice stopped giggling at my somber expression. "It's ok, your secret is safe with me," she said as she patted my arm comfortingly.

Great! Now she knows I know she knows! Well, that was a tongue twister. Anyway, I've got to change the subject before I verbally acknowledge the fact that I fancy….

I'm sorry, I just can't say it. Even in my head. Then it means it's true. It can't be true. It's just not possible. After all these years...

After a minor hyperventilation attack, I changed the subject.

"Book,"

Alice, after a curious glance at me, followed up with, "Library,"

"Pince,"

"Filch,"

"I heard this rumor about those two the other day, I heard…"

"Don't want to hear about it!" Alice yelled, putting her hands over her ears.

It's not fair that I have to be scarred with mental images and she doesn't.

I opened my mouth to tell her anyway when she glared at me. I am not scared of Alice's glares, but at this moment, I keep getting a sickening picture in my head, and I realize that I wouldn't wish that image on my worst enemy. Not even Potter. So I continued the game.

"Mrs. Norris,"

Looking relieved, Alice said, "Cat,"

So I said, "Dog," I mean how else are you supposed to respond to 'cat'.

Alice rolled her eyes, "That's original"

I returned Alice's glare to her, and reinforced it with a "Humph,"

Alice laughed and continued with, "Hogsmeade,"

"Hogsmeade?" I asked, "What does that have to do with dogs?"

"Didn't I tell you? When Frank and I were walking around Hogsmeade yesterday we ran into this big black dog. It was rather friendly. It followed us around for a good hour or so. At one point I even think it was smiling."

"Aww, how cute! Anyway, Honeydukes,"

"Chocolate," Now we were getting onto dangerous ground. Word association games always ended with a trip to the kitchen if we started talking about food. We would always make ourselves hungry. One time we went down there and asked for a stack of waffles, vanilla ice cream, and chocolate syrup.

Funny story, really.

Alice had said 'waffle' during that round and I had said 'cone' thinking of my favorite ice cream cone. After I explained waffle cones to Alice (she doesn't venture out much into the muggle world), we started talking about whether or not ice cream would be good on regular waffles or not. In the end we had to find out ourselves. The chocolate syrup was just a given, how could you have vanilla ice cream without chocolate syrup? We think it rather impossible.

Anyway, if you ever get a chance to try waffles with ice cream and chocolate syrup on top, definitely do it. We kind of started a trend here at Hogwarts. Girls especially like them. Poor house elves now have to make waffles for every meal. But I'm not complaining, it's good!

"Frogs," Phew! I saved us from a midnight trip to the kitchens! Go me!

"Green,"

"Snakes, this one time…"

"Lily!"

"Yeah?"

"Stay on task!"

"Sorry"

"It's ok. Slytherin,"

"Ugh,"

"Ugh? Lily, 'ugh' is not a word,"

"Yes it is! It means a sound of disgust, aversion, or horror. I looked it up."

"Okay, why would you look that up?"

"So I could prove you wrong in a situation such as this,"

"That's a little weird, but whatever, sigh,"

"Why did you just say sigh? Why not just sigh?"

"Sigh was my word, silly!"

"Oh, chirp,"

See? Two can play at this game. I am an overflowing dictionary when it comes to onomatopoeias.

"Birds,"

Dang! She changed the subject on me! I hate it when she does that!

"Ducks," I said smugly. I will not be averted from onomatopoeias. Now she'll have to say quack.

"Geese," Alice said, laughing at my expression.

Bugger! She is not playing the way I want her to!

"Bread,"

"Water,"

"Cold,"

"Hot,"

"P…porridge,"

Alice rolled her eyes, "Nice save,"

"I have no idea what you are talking about," I answered primly, "Oh, look at the time! It's already 10:45! I really need to get back to studying! Thanks for the help, Alice. I really appreciate it."

I really didn't need to worry; I got an E in Transfiguration and an O in all of my other classes.

A/N I'm on break this week so I should be able to update more. As long as I stop watching movies. Seriously in the last 48 hours I have watched: Moulin Rouge! (twice), Love Story (I cried. Like always), Fame, Emma, Entrapment, and Down With Love. Oh, and Dancing with the Stars. And I've read like 15 fanfic stories. lol.

Reviewing always makes me happy, and I'm pretty happy with this story