Disclaimer: Character and settings are property of J.K. Rowling. What you don't recognize is mine.

Author's Note: This is not, I repeat, not, the sequel to 'A Marauder's Girl.' Yes, this is set in the Marauder time frame, but it's an entirely different story. The character names might seem familiar, but I've changed quite a few personalities from that story, and this should not be taken as related in any way to that universe. You've been warned. (For those of you who did read A Marauder's Girl, there's nothing to fear. I willwrite the sequel. In due time. Patience.)

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Time Of Our Lives Chapter 1 – First Encounters

August 1976

"Oi, you seen the Prophet this morning?" came a voice near Lily's ear. She turned, so that she was face-to-face with the bluest eyes she'd ever seen. With a smirk twisting the corners of her mouth, she quickly gave Janine Garnet a shove, so that the other girl tumbled off her bed, still clutching a rolled-up Daily Prophet.

Lily laughed as Janine swore at her, her green eyes dancing. When Janine began to repeat herself, Lily cut her off with a smile. "What's in it?"

Janine sobered so quickly that Lily knew at once that it wasn't good. "Take a look," she said softly, and threw the newspaper at Lily, who quickly unrolled it and began to scan the front page, which bore its headline in large block letters. " 'Another One Bites the Dust'," Lily read, and then scoffed. "How unoriginal…" Humming, she continue to skim, reading aloud choice bits, feeling the awkward twisted feeling in her stomach that she always got after another attack. "Bennet Everard… room locked from the inside… no body?" Lily paused, and then continued reading, and then cried aloud indignantly. "Would you listen to this! 'Law Enforcement officials say that Everard was "always a bit mad," especially after his recent divorce from his second wife. Inspector Robards suggests that he may have faked his death like the infamous Janus Thickey three years ago…' What rubbish," Lily declared as she finished. She tossed it aside and frowned at Janine. "What's your bet?"

The other girl looked thoughtful. "Death Eaters, probably. But hiding the body – be a bit difficult, wouldn't it?"

"Not overly, if they managed to disable the Apparition wards on the house," replied Lily softly. "All they'd have to do was disable the wards, break in, kill him and take the body, and then lock the door, apparate out."

"Don't you think the authorities might have noticed if the wards were down and suspected something like that?" replied Janine critically.

"Stands to reason that if they could disable the wards, they could re-enable them again, couldn't they?" Lily sighed. "Robards suggested… you remember Gawain Robards, don't you?"

"Of course I do. He was a sixth year when we were ickle firsties, wasn't he?"

"Seventh," corrected Lily. "And unless I'm mistaken, he was a bit of an idiot."

"Not true," protested Janine, flicking her fringe from her eyes. She frowned at Lily. "All right, I suppose he was, a bit, but really, he was just very superstitious. Besides, I think the Janus Thickey incident was one of the first cases he took on as an Inspector for the DMLE, and it did made him look stupid. S'pose he doesn't want another one like that."

"Possibly." Lily pursed her lips. "Of course, that's what you get for putting someone so green as an Inspector. He must've been… what, twenty when was made an Inspector?"

"Something like that," answered Janine, still examining her fringe. "You know, I look bloody awful with bangs." Lily rolled her eyes. "D'you have a pair of scissors?"

"What, are you mad? Give you sharp objects? Not on your life. Besides," she added when Janine gave her a baleful look, "you're a bloody witch, aren't you? What do you need scissors for? Just use your wand."

"Should I trim them, then?"

"I wouldn't advise it. Do you remember when Sirius Black tried to cut his own hair? He looked like he'd been run over with a lawnmower."

"A what?"

"Never mind. It's a Muggle thing."

"Oh. Well, you know, he was drunk." She sighed. "By the way, I don't suppose I told you, did I? Quince and I broke up again."

Lily snorted in laughter. It was common knowledge that Janine was more or less incapable of holding a steady relationship. She went on dates to Hogsmeade with any number of boys, if only just to bring back amusing stories, but so far, none of them had enjoyed a repeat visit with the exception of a Slytherin boy in their year by the name of Quincy Travers. Although Lily didn't particularly like Travers much – "He's a poncy git," she told Janine one day – they more or less tolerated one another, with the obvious exception of the deep looks of loathing Travers threw her when Janine wasn't around. Still, she had to applaud Janine's efforts for going against the grain and dating a boy from Slytherin. There weren't many Gryffindors who would do that.

In any case, since beginning a relationship somewhere in the middle of fourth year, Janine and Travers had had an on-and-off relationship. They thrived on messy arguments, preferably ones that took place in the middle of a large, densely populated area. Lily found them irresistibly amusing, if only because she would listen to Janine complain for days on the many faults of Quincy Travers, only to date him again the following week, during which Lily would have to listen to the many talents of Quincy Travers instead.

"Don't laugh at me," she told Lily, looking injured, although she rolled her eyes eventually and added in a dry voice, "Although I suppose we are a bit amusing—" This sent Lily into gales of laughter, which did not subside even as her older sister Petunia stalked into her bedroom.

"Do you mind?" she demanded crossly. Although Lily and Petunia rarely got along very well these days, she usually wasn't so testy. Lily suspected it had something to do with Janine, whom Petunia held no fondness for. ("All that silly time playing sports; she's a complete airhead, how can you stand her?" Lily never bothered to point out to Petunia, who was very set in her ways, that Janine was hardly an airhead; it really didn't seem worth it). "Vernon and I are trying to watch a video down-" But her words were drowned out by Lily's sniggers, and she cried angrily, "Grow up!" before stalking out and slamming the door shut behind her.

As Lily's laughter trailed off, Janine asked dryly, "Would it be awful if I went downstairs and did something bad?"

Lily considered this for a moment, and then smirked. "Well, that depends. D'you want to see them sucking face?" The two girls contemplated this rather disgusting image for a few moments, before pulling identical, revolted faces.

"Time for a change of subject, I think," said Janine hastily, and then she grinned abruptly. Lily felt a sense of foreboding. "Did Potter send you anything for your birthday?"

"Yes, he did, that insufferable git!" she cried indignantly. "And I sent it back!" Then she scowled darkly, and added, "Even though it was the new record by the Billywig Stings which you can't get anywhere—" She frowned at Janine, who was roaring with laughter. Lily heard a few bangs from below and a "SHUT UP!" but she ignored it. "Don't suppose you have it," she mumbled, looking sulky.

"Not yet, but I've ordered it by post and it should arrive in the next couple of days." She paused. "Unless, of course, Mum cancelled my order. She reckons that I ought to be reading more, not spending my days listening to music and playing Quidditch."

Lily couldn't quite fault Mrs. Garnet for this. She'd only met the woman a few times, but Janine's mother had come across as a particularly refined and charming woman, the perfect wife for any pureblooded wizard. Then again, Mr. Garnet was a Quidditch player and liked the fact that Janine preferred Muggle jeans to a fashionable skirt and robes any day, and he also seemed to enjoy the constant struggles for dominance between his wife and his only daughter about this particular fact.

Because pureblooded or no, Janine certainly didn't act like one of those rich, snobbish girls that put so much faith in blood and the latest fashions and what boys thought of them. She hardly cared that half of her jeans were ripped from traipsing through the woods, and that most of her shirts were Quidditch jerseys or comfortable clothes suitable for playing sports in.

Until the fourth year, when Janine had inexplicably arrived late to Potions class and somehow ended up paired with Lily for the potion of the day, the girls hadn't been friends. Acquaintances, maybe, but certainly not friends. But Lily had made a sarcastic comment, and Janine had retorted with some line directly quoted from Shakespeare, which led to a conversation about the famous playwright, and many more besides. And since then, they'd been the best of friends, almost as though they had always been that way.

In any case, prior to the Shakespeare conversation, Janine had come across as the general tomboy of the Gryffindor house, interested only in Quidditch and what latest scheme her friends – James Potter and Sirius Black and their lot – were coming up with. Lily had never pegged her as a girl who read books on complex potions for fun, or spent some of her Sunday afternoons in bed, reading a favorite play.

Since the fourth year, the girls had discovered more than a common love for Shakespeare. They shared a general loathing for the god-awful strains of Celestina Warbeck, as well as a deep disgust for the girls who threw themselves at boys' feet, and many other things besides.

Looking back on it, Lily wondered how she and Janine had never had a serious conversation up until the fourth year, and how she'd managed to miss out.

"Lily? You're a million miles away. Come back." Lily frowned at Janine, who was smirking. "Thinking on Lover-Boy?"

"Lover-Boy?" repeated Lily quizzically.

"Yes, your darling James." Lily snatched the Prophet and smacked Janine on the butt with it. "Don't kill the messenger," Janine said, snagging the newspaper from her friend and tossing it casually in the corner. "Are we going out tonight, or staying in?"

"Oh, I don't know. I was thinking about a nice night in, but with Vernon here…"

Janine grimaced. "Yes, I see where that might be a problem. Tell you what, you ring up Dorcas and have her meet us in… oh, go on, the Serpent's Tongue? At eight or so."

Lily's eyebrows rose. "And pray tell, what are you going to do in the meantime?"

Janine smirked. "Rummage through your closet for something hot to wear, of course."

"Don't be ridiculous. You wouldn't fit into a thing I own, you're so much taller than I am. Any skirt that's short on me would be even worse on you."

"Like I'd wear a skirt on a night like this," Janine shot back, dusting off her pale jeans. "I'll just borrow a top."

"I'm… er…" Lily flushed. "Face it, Janine, I'm curvier than you are."

"I'll just shrink one of yours! Why are you still here? Go call Dorcas!" Rolling her eyes, Lily disappeared off to give their other compatriot, Dorcas Meadowes, a call.

An hour and a half later, Lily and Janine found themselves seated at the bar in one of the more crowded wizarding bars hidden around London, complete with dismal lighting, a filthy bar, bright green walls, and two drinks that were green, smoking, and rather noxious-looking. Lily grimaced at her drink before glancing up, only to find a girl no older than fifteen dancing on top of a table, while several boys shook sickles and galleons at her.

"Look at her," Lily grumbled morosely, finally consenting to take a sip of the creation in front of her. It burned all the way down her throat. "I mean, where's her life going?"

"Probably to hell, if it's not already there." A girl with long honey-blond hair and friendly hazel eyes fell into a seat between the two. Dorcas Meadows stole the remainder of Lily's drink, tossing it back in one long draught. Setting the glass down (it was still smoking), she grimaced. "My God, what was that?"

"Called the Serpent Eye," Janine said thoughtfully, frowning into it. "I think there might be vodka in it, but I don't know what else."

"I didn't taste any vodka."

"Neither did I, but I think it might be in there." Janine scowled down into her drink, before drinking the whole thing. Lily watched in mild interest as her friend's face turned several shades of red before returning somewhat to normal.

Janine ordered another one. Lily watched as she began to drink that one, too, until she asked, rather sweetly, "Isn't that Travers in the corner, snogging that blonde?"

This was, perhaps, not the most intelligent thing to do, because it caused Janine to spray Dorcas with her drink as she spat it out. With a very baleful glance in Lily's direction, as if it were entirely her fault (which it certainly was), Dorcas began to dry herself off with a napkin as Janine hissed, "That arse! Who does he think he is?"

"Well, he clearly doesn't think himself your boyfriend," suggested Lily dryly. "Which, by the way, he is not. Are you jealous?" She looked at Janine's face, which was turning a rather unattractive shade of plum, although that might have been a mixture of resentment and the alcohol she'd just consumed. "You're jealous," she confirmed, nodding. "Go get into a fight with him. There are plenty of people here to watch."

Janine apparently didn't realize Lily was mocking her, because she got to her feet and stalked towards Travers. Lily and Dorcas (now dried off) watched in morbid fascination as Janine quite literally ripped her ex-boyfriend away from his new toy, slapped him across the face, and produce a litany of very impressive swearwords.

Five minutes later, the pair of them were snogging in a manner that probably should have been illegal. Dorcas frowned in their direction. "You know, I can't for the life of me understand what those two have in common."

"Probably nothing." Lily watched Travers's hand snake up Janine's (well, actually, it was Lily's) shirt. "Well, maybe they do."

"Oh?" Dorcas's eyebrows rose. "What, then?"

"Sex." Lily smirked.

"No, sorry, I don't see it. As far as I can tell, Janine's very much a girl, and Travers is very much a boy."

Lily rolled her eyes. "Not that kind of sex, you idiot, the other kind. You know, the kind where you take your clothes off and do naughty things in a bed?"

"First off, I'm not an idiot, because I'm a Ravenclaw, and Ravenclaws are very obviously not idiots. Secondly, you can do naughty things out of a bed, too, or have you never tried that?"

"I refuse to answer that question," replied Lily shortly, but a smile was growing on her face. "You just want to know if anything ever came of that time I kissed Sirius Black in the fifth year. On a dare, I might add."

"Well, yes," admitted Dorcas without a trace of shame. "You would never tell me, and I figure I may be able to persuade you to tell me, particularly as you've had a drink, or at least part of one. So. Did anything come of it?"

"Yes. James Potter and Sirius Black had an almighty row over it in the middle of the common room, and I disappeared with Remus Lupin for an hour or two."

"Ooh, that's scandalous. Were you drunk and doing naughty things?"

"Drunk, yes. Doing naughty things, unfortunately not."

"That's not very detailed."

"Oh, sorry." Lily cleared her throat. "Well, first we were just chatting, wanting to get away from all the noise Potter and Black were making, and next thing I knew, we were snogging in a manner rather like Janine and Travers over there, and he had strategically maneuvered his hand down my shirt, but then he pulled back and said James liked me and it was wrong to be doing that sort of thing."

"That's too bad."

"It most certainly was. It had taken him a good quarter of an hour to get his hand under that ridiculous shirt Janine lent me. You know, the one with all the ties?"

"Yes, I remember. That really is too bad."

"You're telling me. What a perfectly good waste of a quarter of an hour. And I'd been trying to get Lupin to notice me for ages, too. But he just kept on refusing, saying he couldn't do that to James. I had to get him rather drunk to even look at me as more than a friend! But I've given up on him now, though."

"Good for you." Dorcas cleared her throat. "So I suppose you won't mind if I… er, pursue Lupin?"

"Help yourself. I do suggest you leave Black alone, though."

"I beg your pardon, Lily, but Black and I hooked up at the after-O.W.L.'s party in the Astronomy tower a year ago, and it is my rule to never do the same boy twice."

"Too much information, Dorcas."

"Sorry." She didn't look it. "You know, he is a very good kisser, though, and it is a pity about that rule. Even if I didn't have it, I'd never be able to hook up with Black again. For one thing, he's terribly unromantic. After we kissed, I asked him what he'd thought. He spends all his time spouting off all this poetry and sounding all romantic, but when it comes right down to it, he can't think of a single poetic thing to say. Would you believe he said it was 'all right?' I've never been so insulted in my life."

"Shocking."

"It is. And do you know, he can't pay attention to a girl for longer than an hour before getting bored. Imagine! Getting bored of me."

"Now that is shocking." Lily smirked. "You are many things, Meadowes, and boring is not one of them."

"Too true. The only girl he'll spend longer than an hour with is Janine, and they're not even dating! Did you ever hear how some girl went off on him for not paying enough attention to her and paying too much to Janine? She forced him to choose, and he walked away from her for his friend." Her scathing tone left no doubt that she didn't believe all that 'friends' nonsense.

"Yes, all that about being just friends. Would you believe it's actually true?"

"That's not what Ellen Brooks said. She said that they have sex every Thursday behind Greenhouse three at six o'clock. Is that true?"

"Certainly not. Every Thursday at six o'clock, they all have Quidditch practice, and that's common knowledge. Didn't you say Ravenclaws were smart?"

"I suppose Ellen's the exception, then." Dorcas pursed her lips. "You know, she really is very nice. Just a gossipmonger, that's all. Can't help it, the poor dear – she just loves to spread rumors. Oh, and of course she's mad about Black."

"Most of the school is. I had a mad crush on him in the third year, but then I actually had a conversation with him, and got over that in a hurry." Lily's smile was wry. "He talked about James for a good solid hour. I'd almost think they were lovers."

"That would certainly explain a lot. Did I ever tell you about the Christmas last year when I walked in on them—"

"Dorcas, I do not want to know the rest of that story, so you're not going to tell me and I won't hear it." She cleared her throat and decided it was high time for a change of subject. "By the way, did you notice that we have several Slytherins watching us very mistrustfully?"

"Yes, I did, actually, and I wondered why you'd selected this place in the beginning, and then I'd realized that it was most likely Janine's choice and she chose it so that she could find Travers. Am I warm?"

"Spot-on."

"I figured as much. And that was a pathetic attempt to change the subject, and if I weren't so nice, it wouldn't have been successful in the least. And I wasn't going to say anything randy, you know, they were just tussling on the floor… without their shirts on."

"Didn't I say I didn't want to know?" Dorcas shrugged. "So are you going to let me change the subject, then?"

"I suppose."

"Oh, good. Because, you know, I really am getting rather sick of that bloke with the long blond hair watching me, and I think I may just force one of those Serpent Eyes down his throat. D'you suppose he'd stop watching me then?"

Dorcas turned around without even bothering to be discreet about it to see who Lily was talking about. She turned back, rolling her eyes. "He might, you know, what with his throat burning up like that. You do realize that's Lucius Malfoy, don't you?"

Of course Lily realized it. "I didn't know," she replied off-handedly. "Did you know, Janine used to be mad about him when we were firsties? The only crush I've ever known her to have, and we weren't even friends then."

"Well, he is awfully fanciable, darling, and I have to admit, that if you're only ever going to have one crush, he's not a bad choice. But what about Travers, doesn't she have a crush on him?"

"Hardly. There's no point to having a crush on someone you're dating, is there? And as far as I can remember, they got to talking the fourth year, and next thing we all know, they're dating and rowing in the middle of the Great Hall every other day. And anyway, I'm not entirely certain why she does date him. I think it's for the drama of it all, and he suits her needs perfectly. They can have a row in the middle of any place, and she'll be the center of attention."

"Didn't we already decide it was for the sex? But you know," continued Dorcas thoughtfully, pursing her lips, "Janine could have nearly any boy she wanted in the school – I mean, it's not just that she's pretty, but she's rich too, you know, most of the pureblood boys adore the rich ones – and she goes after a poncy git like Quincy Travers. I really can't understand it."

"Neither can I. And I called Travers a poncy git, too, but she didn't appreciate that. All of sixth year – and most of fifth and some of fourth, actually – she had boys coming up and asking if they could walk her to class or carry her books or if she wanted to study. And she always said yes, you know, and went on dates dutifully, but what was wrong with all those boys? Why Travers? She could just as easily have had a very dramatic relationship with someone else, and I must say, I can't for the life of me imagine what she sees in Travers. She may as well get someone who's not a poncy git."

Dorcas didn't answer. After a moment's pause, she said, "We are truly pathetic to be sitting here analyzing our friend's love life. Particularly when she's getting some and we're not. By the way, ten galleons says she goes home with him."

"No bet." Lily gestured for another round of Serpent Eyes. "Well, as long as we're sitting here being truly pathetic, we may as well be drunk while we're at it, wouldn't you say?"

Dorcas smiled wryly. "I'll drink to that."

An hour or two later, Lily had her head in her arms, and the room was spinning rather fast. Dorcas had slumped forward onto her seat and was scowling at her empty glass, or she would have been, except her eyes were going in two very different directions. "We're pathetic," Dorcas grumbled, slurring her words together. "There is no reason that two reasonably attractive girls like ourselves couldn't go and pick up two reasonably attractive blokes."

"Absolutely none," agreed Lily. The bright lights of the room were beginning to hurt her eyes. "I wish they would turn the lights off," she said randomly.

"They aren't really on, dear, that's just the small candles. And it's not so bright in here." She squinted. "Is it? I can't see Janine anymore. D'you s'pose she's left already?"

"It's likely." Unlike most people, Lily found herself getting more eloquent the more drunk she got. She waved to the bartender, who was studiously ignoring them. "Oi, you! Poncy git in the leather pants! Come here and fetch us something else to drink, eh?"

"More Serpent Eyes?" he asked wryly. He really was rather good-looking, Lily decided. His nose was a bit large, but she liked the way his floppy brown hair fell into his eyes. They were nice eyes, she added mentally. Hazel eyes – like Dorcas's, like Potter's, like – wait, what?

"That would be lovely, thanks." Lily smiled in what she assumed was a flirtatious manner. She scrunched up her eyes and tried to read his nametag. "…Er, Bob."

"It's Rob, actually," he offered her with a smile, "but you were fairly close."

"So'm I," said Dorcas, hoisting herself up and leaning over the bar so that their noses were an inch apart. He blinked at her in surprise. "I don't suppose you'd be willing to give us free drinks?"

He smiled, or Lily thought he did. "Well, I could. But then I wouldn't get paid."

"That seems to present a problem," Lily said solemnly.

"Yes, it does." He paused. "If you have any money left, though, I'll be happy to get you your drinks."

"They're on me," said a voice off to Lily's left. She didn't bother turning to it. "Two – what was it, Serpent Eyes?" Rob nodded stiffly. "Two of them, then, and a gin and tonic, if you would." Lily finally deigned to turn to the man, and wasn't the least surprised when she was able to connect his smooth voice with the handsome face of Lucius Malfoy. Dorcas giggled like a young girl behind her.

"Good evening, Malfoy," Lily replied in what she thought was an even voice. "Fancy running into you here."

Malfoy said nothing for a few moments, before musing (with very obvious amusement in his voice), "It's not often I run into little lionesses here." He glanced at Dorcas. "Or eagles. What brings you to the Serpent's Tongue, Miss Evans?"

It was obvious that he didn't care much for Dorcas's presence, and it was even more evident that however fanciable Lucius Malfoy may or may not have been, Dorcas didn't care for his presence much either. She stood up and announced, "I have to pee. Really badly. Will you come with me, Lily?"

"No, she won't," Malfoy said firmly. "Go throw up on your own time… what was it, again? Meadowlark?"

"Meadowes," Dorcas slurred irritably.

"For someone who was supposedly raised well," Lily contributed, "your manners are appalling, Malfoy. Didn't your mother ever teach you to be polite to a lady?"

"I see a lady and I see a very drunk little girl who ought to be in bed," Malfoy said, directing the latter part of his comment to Dorcas. She seemed to take offense to this and only proved his point by first sticking her tongue out, and then flipping him the bird.

"Fine, stay and chat with snakes, Lily. I'm goin' to the bathroom, and then I'm gonna find Rob. M'kay?"

"Okay." Lily screwed her eyes up to try and watch Dorcas wander off, and eventually gave up. Her head was beginning to hurt more fiercely, and looking at Malfoy's pale, shining hair was certainly not helping her any. "Can you turn your hair off?" she asked slowly. "Because it's really hurting my eyes."

Malfoy sighed. "Never mind your drink, then. I think it's best if I get you outside for a breath of fresh air. It will help you clear your head."

"Like I'm going to go anywhere with you, Malfoy. I might be drunk, but I'm not stupid." She crossed her eyes. "Besides, Dorcas will notice if I'm gone, and then she'll worry that you've carried me off somewhere."

"I guarantee that your friend is not going to be in any position to notice much of anything. I happen to know the bartender, however, and I'm certain Robert will take adequate care of her. In the meantime," he continued, grabbing Lily's arm firmly, "I'm going to take you outside for some fresh air."

"I have my wand," Lily warned him.

"And I have no desire to be on the other end of it. Come along."

Once outside in the back alley, Lily hoisted herself haphazardly onto a trashbin while Malfoy lit a cigarette and pointed his wand at her. Lily, drunk though she was, jerked her wand out to hex him first, but he calmly said, "Sobrius." Lily's head, although still very painful, instantly cleared, enabling her to think more clearly. What was she doing?

"The sobriety charm will not completely rid you of the effects of the alcohol," Malfoy told her, "but it will help some, as you've undoubtedly noticed. Interestingly enough, do you know what is in Serpent Eyes?"

Lily scowled up at him, wondering what had possessed her to go along with this obviously mad man. "Vodka?" she guessed.

He laughed, and then took a long drag of his cigarette, before offering it to her. Lily frowned. It felt like he was trying to corrupt her, in which case he was in for a very big disappointment. Janine and Dorcas had introduced her to cigarettes the year before.

His face betrayed no surprise when she took a long drag and handed it back, blowing smoke out from between gently parted lips. One of his eyebrows rose delicately; Lily kicked a foot back against the trashbin. "So what did you think you were doing, chatting up innocent girls like me?" She smirked as he scowled. "Especially Mudbloods," she added derisively.

"Calling yourself a Mudblood is only inviting others to do so as well," he pointed out.

"Call me what you like, Malfoy. If you buy into the current pure blood nonsense floating around, that's your business. It won't bother me."

"So I see. How old are you, Lily?"

"I haven't given you permission to call me by my first name, Malfoy," she said coldly, and then added, "I'm seventeen." You're playing with fire, Lily, she warned herself. Best be careful. She reached into her pocket for the smooth wood of her wand.

He smirked at the action. "I'm not going to harm you, you know. First off, we are in the middle of a very public place—"

"Are we? I see you, and I see me. Does that count as public?"

"Tell me, Evans, are you trying to convince me to attack you, or not to?" Lily shrugged. "If I wanted to attack you, it's unlikely I would have bothered sobering you up first."

"Fair point. What do you want, then?"

"Maybe," Malfoy said very quietly, stepping closer to her so that her knees came into contact with his body, "I want you."

She laughed. "When you have your pick of girls – of women – you pick a little Gryffindor? I'm surprised at you, Malfoy."

"I'm full of surprises."

"So I see." She pushed him away with her knees delicately, leaping to her feet. The motion caused her head to pound again, but she ignored it. "I mean it, Malfoy. What do you actually want?"

"You are undoubtedly aware that we are at war."

"Rather, Malfoy, but I don't see what that has to do with me."

"I've always thought that a fault of Gryffindors," he said, with more than a touch of annoyance in his voice, "was their overwhelming impatience."

"I've always thought," she replied in the same tone, "that a fault of Slytherins is their overwhelming presumption."

Malfoy laughed at that. "Call us what you like, Evans, but we are far from presumptuous." Something in his eyes gleamed. "I prefer to reserve my judgment."

"Do you? Because it seems to me that you are presuming that I care for what you have to say. Which I don't, not particularly. You still haven't mentioned what you want. And if you don't soon, I'm going to leave." It occurred to Lily that she ought to have done that already. "In fact, I think I'll do that anyway."

"You would be wise to listen to what I have to say."

"I doubt it is anything of particular interest to me, Malfoy." Lily moved past him. "I appreciate you buying me the drink, although I never actually got to drink it."

Malfoy smiled coldly. "You are welcome to put your bill on my tab, Evans."

"Careful, Malfoy. I'm not as scrupulous as you might think – I may actually take you up on that." She was actually considering it.

"I would be delighted if you did. It would only prove what your dear professor Horace Slughorn has been saying for years."

"Which is?"

"That you would have made a much better Slytherin than you do a Gryffindor."

Lily laughed and went inside.

Malfoy watched the door through which she'd disappeared for a few moments, before letting his cigarette drift to the ground. He crushed it finely with a boot heel, before spinning to leave the alley. He had a report to make.

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Author's Note Numero Dos: Okay! So this is my new story, and I love it. I just… like the portrayal of characters better. If you don't, you're certainly entitled. I hope you read the note at the top; if not, your loss, because if you've read A Marauder's Girl and are confused, well, that's no surprise because, as I will be nice enough to repeat, the two fics are NOT related. Although those of you who have read it will recognize Janine, and note that she is very different. That's intentional.

I realize Malfoy may have been a bit OOC, and that's intentional too. All will be explained in due course, my friends. Patience! (Do I sound like Yoda? I love the way he says 'Patience.' It's funny.)

Please leave me reviews and I will ADORE you! I'm sorry for grammar errors and typos; I'm really awful at finding those myself. I should get a beta, but I'm lazy.

Review please! The more I get, the more inclined I am to post again! Xoxo Peaches

P.S. I have a request. You may have noticed, but the characters in this story are a bit more blunt than the last, and certainly more mature. Or maybe that's just me, but anyway… I'm rating this fic 'Teen', but if you all think it deserves a 'Mature' rating, please let me know. I will never write sex scenes (possibly the parts leading up to it, but never sex scenes) but if you think that it is a bit mature, do let me know, and I'll change the rating. I'd hate for this fic or any other of mine to get deleted from the site.