SEQ CHAPTER \h \r 1Summary: Lily and James went to Hogwarts together. Unfortunately their memories are not all enjoyable. Their time was spent pranking each other senseless, while competing for the top grades in the school. Two years after graduation they bump into each other, again, and again, and again... Could it be that they have a combined fate?

Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognize. I probably don't even own the plot-someone must've snatched that up before me. If you feel the need to sue I'll drive my shopping cart down to the courthouse to apologize!

Author's Note: This is my new and improved version of what was recently A Portent of Love. I'm sorry that I never updated it. I got caught up in school, dance, track and all that fun stuff that never allowed me to update the story. When I went back and read it I was ashamed! I can do better! I thought to myself. So here is my new story. More descriptive. Longer chapters. More of a plot! It's perfect...err maybe not... Oh and I borrowed the Quidditch scene from GOF...I'm not creative enough to come up with one on my own...

Midnight Goddess

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Excuse Me Miss Evans

Chapter One: It must be a nightmare

By: Midnight Goddess

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        The sun was shining with a golden morning glow as a young woman with beautiful, deep red hair basked in the sunlight as she stood in the window of a local coffee house, staring out into the clouds.

        Meanwhile, a young man stood at the counter waiting to order. His messy black hair was flopped over upon his forehead. He rolled his deep brown eyes from underneath his silver framed glasses and sighed as the lady taking his order giggled and flipped her bleached blonde hair over her shoulder while scanning his body. The young man moved over to the counter to wait for his order.

        Why must I be giggled at everywhere I go? The man thought to himself as he walked across the café. It is like I'm a light and the moths are drawn to me...The young man glanced up at the girl again who was still flashing smiles his way. Moths, but never butterflies.

        In an instant, while the young man with messy hair was deep in thought comparing his love life to bug behavior, the young girl with deep red hair finished with the cream and turned around, right smack into the man with the messy black hair.

        A shriek echoed throughout the café as the girl with red hair's pale face deepened until it matched the beautiful shade of her hair. The girl glanced down at her once crisp, brand-new white shirt. Her emerald eyes glinted in the sunlight with anger.

        "You ass, watch where you're going! I have an important job interview in an hour!" The woman with red hair shouted to the man. Everyone in the café turned in their chairs to witness the drama unfolding for their morning entertainment.

        "Evans?" The man with messy hair hesitantly questioned when she looked up from her shirt.

        Her eyes scanned the man before she responded, "Potter?"

        To the amazement of all the costumers sitting on the edge of their seats waiting for the man and woman to begin the drama, the man and woman were suddenly in each other's arms hugging.

        "Lily Evans, I haven't seen you in two years!" The man shouted happily to Lily.

        Lily smiled up at James, who stood a head above her as she responded with, "Well James Potter, I've seen you," After seeing James' puzzled look she added, "in the newspapers. I hear you are a promising auror."

        James nodded his head as he said, "So Evans, since I ruined your shirt for your job interview, can I at least buy you another coffee?"

        Lily nodded as she said, "Of course Potter, but I have to go get Bella, she is outside waiting for me."

        "Do you mean Arabella Figg?" James Potter asked.

        "The one and only!" Lily called over her shoulder as she proceeded to walk out of the door; without much luck. While Lily had her head turned she ran into another man, this time she ended up on the floor. Looking a sight with her red face, and stained shirt.

        "Jamsie look," the man began, "girls still fall to my feet at the sight of me!"

        Lily rolled her eyes as she responded with, "Not you too. This must be a nightmare."

        The man looked down at the woman who he bumped into before sending his hand down and pulling her to her feet, "Lily Evans! There's a first time for everything."

        When Lily looked up confused and embarrassed he said, "I'd never imagine you'd fall for me."

        Lily just blushed and responded, "Are you ever serious?"

        Sirius beamed down at Lily as he cleverly joked, "I'm always Sirius."

        Lily rolled her eyes at Sirius as she said, "I'm going to go get Arabella, I'll be right back."

        Sirius called out after she had left with a hopeful glint in his eye, "Figg?"

        In a few minutes the four were sitting around a table drinking their coffee silently, each one wondering what to say to make up for the lack of conversation. Their past flew through their heads on fast forward, as they relieved all of the memories of each other silently, while no one spoke.

        "How has everyone been?" James suddenly asked in order to break the silence that surrounded the table like a blanket, keeping it trapped in and suffocating them with the lack of sound.

        "Bella and I are sharing a flat together," Lily responded softly, while looking into James' eyes. He has really beautiful eyes. Lily thought to herself, but she was snapped out of her trance when James asked, "Where are you working?"

        "I work for the Daily Prophet," Arabella responded glancing over at Lily with a small smile playing on her lips.

        Sirius smiled at this as he softly said, "I've read your reports Bella."

        Arabella smiled warmly at Sirius as she asked, "Verdict?"

        "They were very helpful. Thanks to you, your highness, I now know what is going on in the dark war,"  Sirius joked. Bella just smirked at Sirius.

        "I'm a Mediwitch," Lily responded, "I work for the ministry with healing charms. I'm on the team of Mediwitches and Mediwizards who heal the aurors."

        "Sirius and I have been sharing a flat," James announced. Sirius nodded his head to James' statement, as though he were confirming its truth.

        "We're both aurors!" Sirius excitedly exclaimed. James glared at him.

         "Sirius the whole world doesn't know that, you never know who could be here," James scolded, "and we aren't even aurors yet we are still in training," James told Lily and Arabella.

        Silence once again covered the table; until Arabella began laughing.

        "Who would have thought that we'd all end up having a civil conversation two years after graduation?" Bella giggled out. Lily joined in Arabella as she laughed at the absurdity of the situation. James and Sirius finally joined in, and before long all four of them were laughing hard.

        "Lily do you remember when James turned your nose into a pig nose?!" Sirius laughed out. Lily blushed to a deep red as she softly responded, "yes."

        "Lily and I got him back but putting tampons in his bag, and making it rip in the middle of transfiguration," Arabella choked out. At this comment, James turned a deep red, matching Lily.

        "Look, now they're matching!" Sirius pointed out, this caused Sirius and Arabella to laugh more.

        "Jamsie, then there was the time when Lily turned your skin green for the Christmas Ball!" James grew even redder, if that was possible, as he looked hopelessly around to make sure no one was watching.

        "He needed to look more festive," Lily shrugged as her excuse for doing the prank. She turned to smile at James as she added, "It would've worked best with his face this red."

        James responded to this by saying, "That was the day that I caused you and Bella to loose your hair before your transfiguration presentation."

        Lily laughed remembering how angry she had been that day, "I got my first detention that day because I was trying to murder you, James."

        "Then there was the time that James charmed your robes to look like pajamas," Sirius laughed.

        Lily grew red, and so did James as he remembered how Lily had looked. Shaking that thought out of his head he laughed along with Sirius.

        "Imagine what we could have done if we had been friends," Lily sadly said.

        James turned to look at Lily after her quiet statement. Arabella and Sirius were already reliving more memories of their pranks on each other. When his eyes locked with Lily's his breath got caught in his throat. He regained his composure quickly enough to whisper back, "Those Slytherins would have been in hell."

        Lily smiled, and she realized how close they were. His breath was tickling her ear and his eyes were locked with hers. If I were to lean a little bit forward...Lily shook the idea from her head as James backed away. They turned back to the conversation. Stealing glances out of the corner of their eyes, and remembering the feeling that their closeness had brought them.

~*~

        "Lily Evans!" Arabella yelled as she threw open the door to their flat. She raced into Lily's room and threw open the door.

        "Lily Evans, get up this instant or you are going to miss the opening game of the Quidditch season!" Lily shot up out of bed at this comment.

        "What did you say?" Lily asked, unsure of whether she should believe Arabella, or if it was all a ploy to get her out of bed.

        "England versus Ireland!" Arabella screamed, "hurry up or we're gonna miss it, we need to leave in fifteen minutes."

        "Fifteen minutes, Arabella?" Lily asked.

        "Yes! Now get your butt out of bed and get ready!" Arabella exclaimed. With this Lily flew out of her warm bed and into the bathroom without a word. Arabella just laughed as she went downstairs to prepare breakfast.

        Ten minutes later, Lily flew into the kitchen. Her red hair was dripping down her back, wearing muggle clothes; jean shorts and a green tank top. She wore plain black robes over these clothes. She hurried over to the kitchen table, scarfed down her eggs and orange juice and stood ready to go.

        Arabella just smiled and said, "Finally,"

        Lily smirked as she disappeared with a pop from the flat, Arabella not far behind. When Lily opened her eyes she was staring at the Quidditch stadium.

         Arabella yelled, "Lets go find our seats!"

        Lily followed Arabella through the crowds, searching for their seats. Lily glanced around in awe at everything she saw. Even though Lily had been part of the wizarding world for many years now, she always managed to find new things that amazed her.

        Lily managed to get Arabella to buy Omnioculars. Lily squirmed in her seat, like a little child every two seconds, Lily showed Arabella something new they could do.

        "Lily, can you please get it through your mind that I'm not Quidditch obsessed like you," Arabella finally said.

        Lily lowered her Omnioculars and slyly asked, "Why did you get tickets then?"

        Bella just smiled as if she had been waiting for Lily to ask that question, "Well Miss Evans have you perhaps forgotten that it is your birthday soon?"

        Lily beamed as she enthusiastically said, "Thank you Bella!"

        "What did Bella do?" A deep voice asked from behind Lily.

        Arabella and Lily turned around at the sound of the familiar voice. When they realized who the men behind them were they started laughing. James and Sirius stood behind them with blank expressions.

        "What?" Sirius asked while looking himself up and down, wondering why they were laughing. When he found nothing wrong with his appearance, he looked over at James. He stared at both girls with a blank expression.

        Finally Lily regained enough composure to speak clearly, "Sirius, it is just ironic that we were mortal enemies in school and after two years we see each other two days in a row."

        Sirius and James did have to smile at the odds of it happening.

        "What did Bella do?" James asked once again.

        "She bought the tickets," Lily beamed, "for my birthday."

        "Happy birthday," James softly told Lily. Lily grinned as she stared into James' eyes. Who would have thought that James Potter would ever say Happy Birthday to me? Lily thought. Who would have thought that I would be thinking James Potter has gorgeous eyes? Lily erased the thought from her mind.

        "Bella, will you come with me to get something to eat?" Lily asked.

        She likes James, Arabella thought to herself. It's so obvious, the way she looks at him, and the way he looks at her. Arabella smiled to herself at her newfound discovery.

        "Lily, I'm tired. Can you please have someone else go," Bella told Lily. That should help them. Arabella thought in her mind.

        "I'll go with you Lily," James quickly responded. At this Arabella smiled.

        They are so obvious. She thought again as she sat down next to Sirius to get ready to spend hours watching a Quidditch game.

        Lily and James left their seats and began roaming the grounds. People were still filing in steadily with an hour left before the first game of the Quidditch season. Lily and James walked silently side-by-side searching for someone with a cart selling food.

        I wonder what he's thinking. Lily thought as she studied James' face. James turned to look at Lily and their eyes locked. Why am I thinking of Lily Evans this way? James thought to himself as he continued to stare into Lily's emerald eyes. The Lily Evans who you pranked mercilessly in Hogwarts. The Lily Evans who was better than you in Charms. The Lily Evans you Head Boy with. The Lily Evans with the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen.

        James and Lily snapped out of their trance when a vender apparated over to their spot.

        "Bertie Botts every flavor beans! A risk with every mouthful!" the man shouted, "Candy, pumpkin juice..." the man continued shouting before Lily cut him off.

        "I'd like to buy some Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans," Lily said. She handed the man some money and her and James turned around and began to walk back to their seats.

        "So you like Quidditch..." James began. Why did I say that? Of course she likes Quidditch she was on the house team, she is at a Quidditch game...

        Lily, however, didn't seem to notice the stupidity of James' statement as she responded, "I love Quidditch! Bella doesn't though, she just comes to see the players. I could care less about their bodies though. They play amazingly. I wish I could play like that, and be able to be as swift, and work as a team like them..." Lily rambled off.

        James smiled at her rambling. Lily Evans is so similar to me. Why did we hate each other so much during school?

        Lily's face scrunched up in a bad expression and James worriedly asked, "Lily, what is it? Are you okay?"

        Lily swallowed and hesitantly said, "I hate tomatoes."

        James laughed as they finally found their seats. Bella and Sirius were engrossed with each other laughing. So Lily and James took their seats next to each other and began to wait for the game.

        They only waited for a few minutes, because the announcer began to speak, the scoreboard was wiped clean of the ads that had been written upon it, and now read. Ireland: 0, England: 0,

        "Ladies and Gentlemen...welcome to the opening game of the Quidditch season! Ireland versus England!" The crowd erupted in cheering and applause. Lily and James edged further up on their seats.

        "Now for the Ireland National Quidditch team I give you... Troy, Morgan, William, Patrick, Ashby, Bard, aaaaaaand Collins!" The announcer shouted out into the crowd.

        "For the English National Quidditch team I give you...Scott, Clapp, Dunstan, Fry, Heaton, Oswald aaaaaand Roberts!"

        The players all shot out at the sound of the whistle. Their speed was amazing; their skill was unmatchable.

        "THEY'RE OFF!" The announcer shouted as everyone's eyes turned to the game. It's Scott! Clapp! Dunstan! Troy! Back to Scott! Clapp! Morgan! Dunstan! The chasers were passing the quaffle back and forth so fast that the announcer barely had enough time to speak their names before the ball had moved onto another player.

        "It's the Hawkshead formation!" Lily shouted above the crowd as she watched English chasers fly very closely together, with Dunstan in the center and slightly ahead of Scott and Clapp.

        The chasers then moved onto a new play as Dunstan darted upwards with the Quaffle, with the Irish chaser Troy following him, quickly Dunstan dropped the Quaffle to Clapp, who caught the Quaffle with ease.

        "Clapp scores!" the scoreboards was changed to England: 10, Ireland: 0 and the game continued...

        Within thirty minutes the English team had scored twice more, bringing their lead up thirty to zero.

        Suddenly, Troy stole the Quaffle out from Clapp's hands and flew off to the other side of the field. Passing it back and forth between the other chasers. Troy threw the Quaffle past Oswald, the keeper, and scored.

        England: 30, Ireland: 10

          Ireland once again gained control over the Quaffle, "Troy, Morgan, William, Morgan, Troy...Oh my gosh!" The announcer yelled as the stadium gasped simultaneously. The two seekers, Roberts and Collins, were speeding as fast as they could towards the ground.

        "They're going to kill themselves!" Arabella screamed as she clutched onto Sirius' arm in fright. At the very last minute Roberts pulled up and flew off, whereas Collins hit the ground with a bang that echoed throughout the stadium.

        "Roberts was feinting! Any idiot could tell that!" James yelled out into the crowd, upset over Collin's crash. "Time-out!" the announcer yelled, "Mediwizards are examining Joseph Collins!"

        "He'll be fine Bella," Lily said reassuringly as Bella clung to the edge of her seat looking terrified, "he was only ploughed."

        "Of course Roberts wanted that to happen..." James added, "It's called the Wronski defensive feint, it is a dangerous seeker diversion," James explained. Bella still remained confused, and it clearly showed through her deep brown eyes.

        "Roberts never saw the snitch," Lily told Bella, "he was just making Collins follow him." Bella nodded her head in understanding.

        After many hours of rough and merciless playing, England had scored eleven more goals. Bringing the score to England: 140, Ireland: 10. Bard the Irish keeper knocked Scott off of his broom as he tried to score.

        "It's a penalty to England!" the announcer shouted over the roaring crowd of fans either cheering or booing. The Irish beater, Ashby clubbed Clapp nearly knocking him off of his broom.

        "Its another penalty to England!" the announcer shouted as the Irish crowd yelled angrily at the referees.

        "Troy, Clapp, Scott, Dunstan, Morgan, Troy, Clapp...Clapp scores!!" Once again the English crowd cheered, but their encouragements were barely heard over the insults, and angry calls shouted out by the Irish fans.

        All of a sudden Collins dove into a dive. With Roberts on the other side of the field whose hand had just been hit by a Bludger there seemed to be no hope of Roberts ever catching up.

        "He's seen the snitch!" James shouted to Lily, who was already on the edge of her seat watching as Collins dove down towards the ground. Roberts, surprisingly gained speed and was neck and neck with Collins reaching out for the snitch with his good hand, balancing on the broom.

        "They're going to crash!" Arabella screamed for the second time that evening as she watched the two seekers dive towards the ground. At that very moment Collins unable to grab the snitch crashed into the ground again.

        "Where is the snitch?" Lily asked, puzzled at the outcome of the seekers' chase.

        "Roberts caught it! Its over! The game is over!" James shouted.

        Roberts, whose right hand was hanging limply beside him, held up the snitch with his left hand. The scoreboard flashed...

        England: 180, Ireland: 160

          No one in the stadium seemed to realize the game's abrupt ending, then suddenly the cheering from the English fans grew louder as screams of joy flew throughout the stadium.

        "ENGLAND WINS!" The announcer shouted, "Roberts gets the snitch but England wins!" the announcer shouted sounding surprised.

          Lily and James yelled in delight at the win of the game. Sirius and Arabella still seemed distant from the crowd and the game. As the four walked back to the designated apparated spot they said their goodnights and apparated back home.

        Back at Lily and Arabella's flat, they stumbled to their bedrooms. Lily mumbled, "Goodnight Bella, thank you for the tickets. It was wonderful."

        "You're welcome Lily," Arabella responded before she dragged herself into her room to get some sleep. As she closed her eyes she smiled as she dreamt of her day and the events that had occurred.

~*~

        "James have you checked out these new dungbombs?" Sirius called from across of Zonkos. James immediately turned and walked over to where Sirius was standing inspecting the new pranking items that Zonkos had just received.

        "Sirius don't you think you are a little old to be playing pranks?" James asked.

        Sirius just smirked, "You'd want me to think that wouldn't you."

        James just shook his head and said, "Sirius, isn't it a little immature?"

        Sirius laughed as a light bulb illuminated over his head, "So Prongs, do you need to become mature for Evans?"

        James looked horror-stricken. "Sirius, why would I want to become mature for her?" James asked unsurely. What is Sirius hinting at? Does he actually think that I like Lily? How can Sirius think that? It's Evans! Evans! The Evans I've hated since I was eleven...

        "Come off of it Prongs, admit that you like her?" Sirius teased James as he continued to thrift through the pranking items.

        Great, Sirius actually thinks that I like Li-Evans! I need to call her Evans! No one will know that I like her if I call her Evans-wait...Did I just say like her? I don't like Lily-Evans! I DO NOT LIKE EVANS!

        "Sirius get it through your thick skull that I do not like Li-Evans!" James flubbed.

        "Yes you do," Sirius began, "don't even try to start calling her by her last name, it won't work."

        Merlin! Can't he just leave me alone? James thought.

        "Prongs! Jamsie! James Potter!" Sirius shouted as he waved his hand in front of James' face.

        "I don't like Lily!" James immediately replied.

        "I wasn't saying you did," Sirius laughed, "I was going to ask you which dungbomb you thought would be the most effective...but since you put it that way, at least I know you were thinking of her!"

        "I was not thinking of her!" James shouted. The crowd in the store became quiet at his outburst. James turned a deep red, dragged Sirius to the counter to purchase their goods so they could leave as fast as they could.

        "Sirius can we please drop the subject?" James pleaded as Sirius and him dumped coins out onto the counter.

        "Jamsie, when have I ever dropped anything as important as this?" Sirius asked teasingly.

        James' face grew increasingly red as he whispered harshly to Sirius, "Padfoot, I do not like Lily!"

        Sirius just laughed as he said, "Well, at least she hasn't totally taken over your mind yet, you still bought the dungbombs even if you were against them at first."

        That was it for James. He turned around and stormed out of the store very angry with Sirius and himself for allowing Sirius to believe that he even liked Lily.

        I can't believe Sirius thinks I like that...that...woman. I mean we HATED each other at Hogwarts. Why should things be different now. Sirius should just be glad that I put those stupid fights behind us and I'm talking civilly to her now...for the first time in history. I've never been nice to her, not even when I met her, and now the moment that I am I'm in love with her.

        Unfortunately James was so preoccupied with his thoughts that he didn't notice a certain red-head walking, and laughing with a brunette walking down the crowded streets of Hogsmeade. He was thinking so hard that he stopped watching where he was going. His goal was just to walk, and get away from Sirius and his crazy thoughts. They were making him think too much.

        Of course thinking to much is never a bad thing, but in James' case it causes him extreme embarrassment. Such as a few moments before right now; which leaves James lying on the ground in a popular wizarding village next to Lily Evans; the girl who caused James and her to fall, by occupying his thoughts.

        Despite everything that happened James' mind was still racing. Wow this is nice. I try and forget about Lily Evans, and the possibility that I like her, and then I run into her. Smooth James just ruin your chances before you decide you want them.

        Lily also had many thoughts occupying her mind at the moment. I cannot believe I just ran into James Potter. I despised him in school, loathed him. Now suddenly I find myself able to have a civil conversation with him. How is that possible? This is the third time I've bumped into him since Monday. Now we are both here lying on the ground in public, and I find myself enjoying it. This is insane. I can NOT like James Potter!

        Lily and James, who previously had been wrapped up in their own thoughts began to smell something unpleasant. James realized the scent and turned redder than Lily's flaming hair. Lily's eyes widened as she too realized the scent.

        "James you prat, can you not see where you are going?" Lily shouted to James who was sprawled out on the ground his arms and legs tangled with Lily's. At the sound of her angry voice both of them sprang apart and stood up as quick as lightning.

        "Lily maybe you should move out of the way when someone is walking near you," James shouted right back at Lily, who was now red with anger, or possibly embarrassment.

        "Potter, you crashed into me, plus you caused all your dungbombs to go off on me!" Lily screamed back into James' face.

        "Evans, you were not paying attention either, you don't need to be a hypocrite the world is full of them. I just paid for those dungbombs and you ruined them!" James yelled back.

        "Potter, you are so immature, you still use dungbombs, you're nineteen years old grow up." Lily harshly said. James' ears turned pink at this comment, seeing as he had been trying to avoid this conversation with Lily.

        Sirius noticed their exchange, and he turned his head to smile at Arabella who was standing there also quite shocked at the anger in their voices.

        Sirius leaned over, while Lily and James continued to yell and scream at each other and said, "Denial,"

        Arabella laughed as she nodded her head. They both turned to watch their friends yell at each other about whose fault it was that they fell.

        "Shut up!" Arabella yelled, Lily and James became quiet, "Can you two just please be civilized and stop yelling at each other?" she shouted.

        Lily and James just glared at each other and moved further back from each other.

        "Stop that act," Arabella ordered, "We also know that you are just trying to hide your feelings from each other, as well as yourselves."

        Lily and James tried to hide their faces, which were bright red with what they called, anger.

        "Sorry Evans," James forcefully whispered so only Lily could hear.

        Lily smirked and replied, "Ditto."

        "Now that we're on speaking terms," Sirius began, "how about be all go get a butterbeer on me?"

        Arabella, Lily and James nodded their heads and they set off towards The Three Broomsticks. As they walked Lily and James became considerably closer than they were before.

        Lily smells nice. James thought. She smells like vanilla. God why does she have to make me feel like this? James thought to himself. It is not because I like her, because I don't...she's an old friend, no, I can't call her an old friend. She's an old acquaintance, an old enemy turned acquaintance.

        Lily watched James who appeared to be deep in thought once again. I wonder what he is thinking about. Lily thought. He seems so caught up in something else. Maybe it's a girl...I hope it's not a girl. Lily blinked as she looked around after thinking that thought. Why shouldn't it be a girl, James is my friend, not my boyfriend. I don't even LIKE him that way. I never have and I never will...

        Lily and James' thoughts were interrupted when they arrived in the Three Broomsticks. Arabella grabbed a table, and Lily and James joined her. Arabella purposefully sat at the edge of the booth so Lily and James were forced to sit next to each other.

        The booth was tight and Lily's knee kept brushing up against James'. She could feel all the blood racing towards her face whenever it would happen as she hid her face in her glass of butterbeer.

        Why is this happening? Lily cursed in her head, Why does he have to make my blood pound and race throughout my body? Why does my skin tingle where I brush him? Why must he make all thoughts leave my head the moment he touches me? I hate him...I hate him...I hate him...I hate James Potter. I always have and I always will.

        James was watching Lily, who was deep in thought, upset about something. Arabella and Sirius were off at the bar, getting another round of butterbeer for everyone. James gently touched her arm, "Lily what's wrong?"

        Why does she do this? James thought to himself. I don't want her to make me feel this way. I can not live with her; I can not stand her. She's been my enemy ever since I've known her!

        Lily glared at James but as she stared into his eyes her look softened. Her emerald eyes glowed in the dimly lit room, as she searched James' chocolate eyes for something, anything.

        "Butterbeer for everyone!" Sirius announced when he reached the table. Causing Lily and James to break their eye-contact. Lily and James turned away quickly and tried to not glance back. They searched out of the corner of their eyes, for a reaction from each other.

        "Did I miss something?" Sirius asked teasingly knowing that it would upset his friend.

        Lily and James quickly shook their heads no, too quickly.

        Arabella and Sirius grinned at Lily and James as Arabella said, "Okay, drink up!"

        The four of them drank in silence. With crazy thoughts running through Lily and James' heads they did not have time for small talk; when one of the most important feelings throughout the world was coursing throughout their veins.

        After the butterbeers were finished the four said goodnight, Lily and James barely nodded to each other, as they all apparated back to their houses. Thoughts racing throughout their minds untamed.

~*~

        Lily walked down the sidewalk, the wind ran its fingers through her hair as she closed her eyes and felt the moonlight shine upon her face and kiss her cheeks. It was silent.

        Silent completely.

        Then, out of nowhere a pebble rolled down the sidewalk. Lily slowly opened her eyes to see two hooded figures walking down the street towards her. She turned away from them quickly; they were mysterious and dangerous. Lily could sense it.

        What is going on? Lily thought to herself as she turned away from the two figures dressed in black. Only to face two more figures dressed exactly the same as the two behind her.

        Lily just stood there. In awe, or in fright. Either way she could not bring herself to lift up her foot to move. There was some control that these figures had over her. They intrigued her. She wanted to know more about them, what they were they for, who they were.

        Slowly she saw their wands being pulled out, as swords. Wands were intended to be their weapons. Lily's green eyes widened, as she understood. She turned, but yet again there were more figures walking out on the street. Before she could yell a hand was clamped over her mouth and reached around her waist to pull her into a dark corner where she had been standing. The figure that grabbed her pulled her with him until she was completely out of sight, never removing his hand from her mouth or her waist.

        "Mister, I don't know who you think you are but if you do not remove your horny hands off of my body I will hex you to kingdom come!" Lily screamed as she turned around the face the man who had pulled her out of danger. He quickly dropped his hands from her body, and immediately she felt herself shiver from the lack of warmth that she had been receiving.

        Lily's fiery green eyes stared into two warm chocolate brown eyes, which happened to belong to James Potter. They just watched each other for a minute until Lily's face widened into a smile.

        "Thank you for saving me James," She whispered. Lily and James were still standing quite close to each other in the darkened corner, and were still hiding from the Death Eaters.

        "It was no problem Lily," James replied softly. He could feel her breath on his neck and it took all of his self control to contain himself from touching her soft skin once more.

        Lily smiled once again as she lowered her voice and whispered, "I'm sorry I yelled at you."

        James just grinned and said, "Its no problem Lils."

        Why does she have to control me like this? James wondered silently. I have no control over myself when she's around me. I want to touch her and I want to hold her. All I think about is her. Why does she have such a hold over my brain?

        James seems to have this hold over me. Lily thought. He makes me feel different than anyone ever has. How can he do that? I swear that when he touched me warmth spread throughout my body, and when his hands left I was shivering and cold. I felt lost. With him I'm home...Why does he do this? What does he have that possesses me to feel this way?

        "We should apparate," James finally said.

        Lily just nodded as they both apparated to Lily and Arabella's apartment. When Lily and James appeared in the kitchen, Arabella's face broke into a smile.

        "Lily I've been so worried about you!" Arabella shrieked when she saw Lily, "I called Sirius and he said he didn't know where James was...I knew you two would be together!"

        "Lily had a run in with some death eaters Arabella," James sternly told her, recognizing Arabella's teasing tone to be the same tone that Sirius used with him earlier that afternoon.

        "So you weren't-I mean you didn't," Arabella stumbled over her words.

        "No!" Lily shouted, quite loudly, James looked over shocked, and as Lily glanced into his inviting eyes she thought she saw something that mirrored hurt lurking deep within his eyes.

        Lily doesn't like me. James thought to himself. She doesn't like me and I don't' like her. I was right, Sirius was wrong, why would he ever think that Lily would like me? And I would like Lily? Hmph yeah right.

        "I'm going to leave," James mumbled as he got ready to apparate.

        "Wait!" Lily shouted at James when he began. Lily threw her arms around James and hugged him.

        "Thank you for saving me," Lily whispered. Then she turned and walked into the back of the apartment into her room and shutting the door. Arabella blinked and James was gone.

        What was that? Arabella wondered, If something happened wouldn't Lily have told me? James was so startled, nothing could have happened. He was startled but happy. He must love Lily, just like she loves him! This is perfect!

        With happy thoughts of love dancing in her head Arabella walked into her room and shut her door, as Lily had, drifting into a deep peaceful sleep.

~*~

        Lily browsed through the strawberries in the local supermarket trying to find the best box.

        "Bella, what do you think of these?" Lily asked Arabella, who was staring at the worker who was unloading boxes onto shelves, his muscles were showing and Arabella was marveling in their beauty.

        "Bella!" Lily shouted once again to try and gain Arabella's attention.

        Arabella finally turned her head tossing her dark brown hair over her shoulder and responding with, "Lily, you were head girl, and you are the top mediwitch in England I think you are capable of picking out strawberries."

        Lily just smirked at Arabella, who turned to watch the employee unload more boxes. Lily just sighed and continued looking through the strawberries, unable to decide which box she wanted. Her mind was so set on the task that she was unable to notice two men standing only a few feet away with messy black hair.

        James was pulling bottles off of shelves and inspecting the label of each one before replacing the bottle back on the shelf and pulling out another one, which was often identical to the one he had pulled out before. Sirius was pushing the cart back and forth, ramming it into James' back.

        "Sirius stop being a prat!" James shouted at Sirius.

        "Prongsie, lighten up. It's only your mother that you are making dinner for," Sirius laughed.

        "It is not just my mom! Its my dad too! And if I do not do this well my parents are going to think that I have never grown up and that I'm still an immature brat like I was in school," James shouted at Sirius.

        "This is really about Evans isn't it?" Sirius asked.

        "Argh!" James yelled at Sirius as he replied, "It is not about Evans okay. I do not like her, she does not like me! This is about my family's views. What they think of me is important."

        "Jamsie, you are going to be one of the top aurors, and you were Head Boy, how can they still think you are immature?" Sirius asked.

        James did not have a response to Sirius' comment, so he just continued reading the labels on bottles and placing them back on the shelves.

        "Are you ever going to pick one?" Sirius asked.

        James turned and glared and Sirius, who backed off into the cart. The cart rolled down the isle at a fast speed as Sirius fell on the floor. James looked to see what had caused the loud thud. As he saw Sirius laying on the floor and the cart rolling down the isle at a woman with deep red hair he yelled, "Sirius you ass!"

        Sirius got up just in time to see the lady be hit by the cart and knocked off-balance and fall to the floor.

        "Miss!" James ran towards the lady yelling, "Miss I'm so sorry! My friend accidentally pushed the cart down the isle..." James trailed off as the woman responded.

        "Why do you keep hurting me Potter?" Lily mumbled from underneath the cart.

        "Lily!" James yelped as he helped to pull Lily up from the floor.

        "Is anything broken? Do you have a headache? Can you see okay?" James began asking Lily.

        "James, I'm the mediwitch here," Lily mumbled as James began to feel her head to make sure she was okay.

        "James, I am fine!" Lily shouted. James dropped his hands from her head and looked down at the ground sheepishly.

        "Did I ruin anything this time?" James softly asked as his eyes reached up to meet Lily's.

        Lily smiled warmly as she laughed, "Nothing of mine..." James turned to look at his shopping cart. His packages were spilled across the floor. Bottles were leaking and boxes smashed.

        "Lily what happened?" Arabella asked as she walked up to see the mess.

        "James tried to kill me again," Lily joked with Arabella who looked up to see James and Sirius standing across from Lily. They all looked down at the packages once more.

        "Do you really eat that much?" Lily teased James as she lightly punched his arm.

        "No!" James answered protectively, "Uh...well I'm cooking dinner for my family, and I have to make it perfect because if it isn't then..." James trailed off.

        "You can't cook can you?" Lily softly asked James so Sirius and Arabella could not hear. They had already walked off to find someone to clean up the mess.

        "Er...no I can't," James finally replied awkwardly.

        Lily giggled as she looked into James' coffee brown eyes, "I could help."

        Her giggle is so different than everyone else's. James thought amazed. All the other girls force their giggles. They sound so fake; Lily's is so natural...

        James' face brightened at the thought of Lily helping him cook, "Thank you Lily!" James shouted as he hugged Lily tightly. The quickly pulled apart, blushing, when they realized that Sirius and Arabella had returned.

        Why does he make my heart race? Lily wondered. He's no different than anyone else I know. The only difference is he's my enemy turned friend. Is that possible? Can someone be your greatest enemy one day and the next be your best friend?

        "Can you come at four Sunday?" James questioned eagerly, "My parents are coming at seven."

        Lily nodded her head and waved goodbye, because Arabella was pulling Lily down the isle to collect their groceries that they came to buy. 

        "Oh Lily! Bring a change of clothes. You are welcome to stay for dinner," James shouted to Lily who turned around and smiled before she walked around the corner with Arabella.

        "You're going on a date with James!" Arabella shrieked once James was out of earshot.

        "It is not a date you twirp," Lily quickly told Arabella as she grabbed a gallon of milk, "I'm helping him cook dinner for his parents," Lily blushed.

        "But you are staying to eat afterwards," Arabella teased Lily, causing her to blush even deeper.

        "To eat with him and his family," Lily responded softly.

        "Admit that you want it to be a date!" Arabella shrieked to Lily who blushed a deeper red than before.

        "I do not!" Lily protested.

        "You do!" Arabella shrieked, pointing at her blushing cheeks. Lily just lowered her head knowing that the battle was lost.

        Meanwhile, in the checkout line, James and Sirius appeared to be having a very similar conversation.

        "You and Evans looked cozy a few minutes ago Prongs," Sirius teased.

        "Lily is doing me a favor Sirius, don't make something out of it that isn't true," James warned.

        "You know that you want to snog her!" Sirius teased once more.

        "Do you think of anything else Sirius?" James asked as he rolled his eyes at his friend.

        "I do not," Sirius replied, while winking at James and the lady behind the cash register who was ringing up their food.

        "She's helping me cook," James argued, "you have seen me cook!"

        "She's staying for dinner!" Sirius added.

        "With me and my family," James told Sirius.

        "Afterwards you are going to start snogging her Prongs, I know you are!" Sirius teased once more.

        "Damn you! I do not want to snog Evans!" James shouted at Sirius as he stormed off. Sirius paid for the food and apparated after James.

        "Someday you'll learn Prongs."

End of Chapter one

Authors Note: I hope you enjoyed that chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. 17 pages just for you! Well I have other stuff to do I just finished adding the HTML codes in so hopefully it will look nicely. Please review! Please!

Midnight Goddess