AN- okay its been a long time. i havent left LIOLI i promise. ive been trying to drop kick writer's block to the moon but it hasnt been working. anyway, enjoy this lighthearted one shot...again its the first thing ive done in a looooong time :)

Disclaimer- i make absolutely no money off of thise, i loosely use the framework JKR put together.

James Potter was sitting on a bench in the Great Hall before dinner one evening, looking over some papers. No one was there just yet, but people would start flooding in soon, and his father had sent him a letter that he wanted to read in peace.

The Great Hall was the best place he could think of. Sure there were unused classrooms and the shores of the lake, but he hated empty, lifeless places. A handful of other early birds to dinner were trickling in, and the platters had just appeared, foodless still. The candles were lit, and the ceiling showed a lovely spring sky. The only alternative would have been the library. It was well lit, and full of his peers, but it was Lily's Territory.

And he had sworn to himself to leave her be for the short remainder of this, his sixth year. It was May as it was. He was determined to follow advice that many people had given him. It was time to somber up.

He hadn't said a word to her for a week and a half. It was killing him, and he relished moments where he could turn and see her in the corridors or look up in class and catch a glimpse of her bent head. But he was going to make their last year different.

Sighing as resolutely as he could, he skimmed the next piece of parchment in his hands. He heard the light, running footsteps, but didn't pay them any heed. The sharp punch on his arm got his attention though.

"Ow! What the…Lily?" he said, in honest confusion, rubbing his arm and looking up at her panting form.

Lily glared at him, hands on thin hips. "YOU JERK!"

"What did I-"

"You became my FRIEND!" she huffed angrily, throwing her hands up in the air and pacing a little.

"…what?" James shook his head in confusion. He could only understand two things from his situation. One was there would be a bruise on his arm tomorrow. Two was Lily was about to give him a very long winded speech full of brilliance that would surely clear up his confusion.

"YOU! Single-handedly, stealthily, accidentally became my friend! How could you!" James stared at her patently, waiting for her to continue. "Really! In your absence for the past week or so-"

"It was a half." He supplied helpfully.

"Yes, thank you, a week and a half I realized…I think you've somehow managed to become my friend. I mean, at the beginning it was appreciated, you left me alone, all was well, but then I was missing something."

James stared; hand still over his rapidly bruising arm. What kind of tantrum was this? Isn't it a good thing to have friends? Wait…were they friends? He was so confused. Lily, meanwhile, had been frantically pacing in front of him, all frenzied eyes and frazzled hair.

"And so this morning," it seemed she had been giving him a detailed account of the past week and a half, "I pieced it together!" she stopped and turned to him. "It was YOU! You're not there in the halls, you aren't there next to me in charms, and you aren't asking me about my day or if I did the Transfiguration homework alright…how DARE you!"

"Lily," James began cautiously, "isn't it a good thing to have people who care about you?"

"But I didn't even notice! You sneak EVERYWHERE. It's all you do! You were a part of my life and I hadn't realized…you're my friend! You jerk! You did it on purpose, didn't you?"

"Well. Yes. I did. I think."

Lily plopped down onto the bench. "Well at least you're being honest now."

"So let me get this straight." Lily looked at him expectantly. "You're upset because I accidentally became your friend."

"Yes."

"And my leaving you alone was a bad thing, because you, for lack of a better phrase, missed me?" James fought the tingling sensation spreading through his abdomen with all his willpower.

"Well, yes."

"So I can go back to asking you if you wanted me to quiz you before the next Transfiguration exam and how your day was, and the occasional 'alright Evans?'"

"Please do. None of that silly stuff though, Potter."

"None! I promise." He muttered a low "for now" which she thankfully missed.

"Good. Now I had a question about the next chapter…"

James answered her questions while he whooped and did cartwheels in his head. He was her friend! It worked! Well, not the way he thought it would but he didn't really care because she was his friend. She actually sought him out. With the way things were going he might even be able to write her over summer vacation.

AN- there you are! i really hope you enjoyed it. please please review!