Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, and never will.

Chapter 1: The gift…

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James gave me a notebook for my birthday. A notebook. I know! A stupid, sodding notebook. Not that I care, really. I hate Potter. And just because I was expecting something perhaps a tiny bit more eloquent than a regular, spiral, lined-parchment notebook from Potter, it wasn't about to spoil my birthday. That's what I remember thinking when his piercing hazel eyes flashed into mine cheekily like they always do, when he gave it to me. And I'm sure he could guess my thoughts on the matter precisely. Though, he didn't seem all that disappointed. He just gave me one of those devilish grins of his and spun off with his best mates; Sirius, Remus, and Peter. Except what I didn't know, was that it wasn't just a notebook. It was another one of his "ingenious" (please notice the quotations) schemes to get me talking to him.

And do you know what the worse part of it all was?

It bloody worked.

Wanker.

xxx

"Hey, wotchya got there mate?" spoke Sirius casually and falling into step with James down the corridor.

"Lily's present," said James smiling and admiring the accomplishment in his hands.

Peter snorted. "Like that's going to do anything."

James smirked. "You watch."

"Oh we will. Again. And again."

James looked at Sirius curiously. "We've got one of them muggle camborders," said Sirius triumphantly, shaking it as his hand was strapped to it. Remus rolled his eyes.

"Brilliant film it'll be!" continued Sirius charismatically and flipping some of his shaggy black hair out of his mischevious, grey eyes. "But seriously, Prongsie, what makes you think she'll even look at you? She doesn't say one word to you if she can help it. And you know it."

"Which makes the present even more perfect," nodded James, grinning, and not caring to elaborate.

Remus rolled his eyes once again and waited along with Sirius and Peter in silence. "Gonna tell us what it is?"

"Nope, you'll find out in…about five seconds," said James quickly eyeing Lily walking towards them in the corridor with her friends. He quickly shoved a hand through his hair nervously.

James gathered up a bit more speed to his pace to stop in front of Lily, causing Sirius, Remus, and Peter to jog to catch up.

"Hi, James," said Dorothy smiling brightly, next to Lily, who was looking away at the portrait of Madam Hemingway uninterestedly and trying to ignore the face that was straight in front of her.

"Hey, Dorth," said James, "—er…um…Happy Birthday, Evans," said James uncertainly.

Lily, having her arms crossed, continued to look away as if she hadn't heard him and as if she wasn't at all aware he was standing a foot away from her.

James cleared his throat as he looked nervously to Remus and Sirius, who incidentally, had thankfully forgotten to start recording, and continued, "err—I haven't entirely mastered the whole art of wrapping paper thing," James gave a forced laugh, "...but it was the best I could do."

Dorothy nudged Lily, who turned grudgingly to James' outstretched hand. Lily had a determined scowl on her features, which softened slightly, as she looked at the present with a large red bow in his hand and then at his face. His hazel eyes shined brightly and his lips became a crooked smile when Lily's gaze was finally on him. She took this brief instant to study him.

His jet-black hair was dishevelled quite a bit, and it suited him superbly. He had always been a lanky, skinny kid, and just a bit taller than herself. However, the James Potter in front of her now had filled out to more muscle and had grown at least six inches over the summer. She acknowledged this as she had to actually look up to meet his eyes; which were at the current time, peering at her through his same old wire-rimmed glasses. It seemed as though those were the only things about him that had remained exactly the same. Except the way the glasses now rested on the bridge of his nose, it was as if it gave him a professional look.

Though, with his relaxed attire, shirt tale untucked, unbuttoned buttons, and his long sleeves rolled up to his forearm, it instantly betrayed the conservatory appearance. In fact, he looked quite the opposite; with an easy and rebellious 'I-don't-care' attitude about him. His now broader shoulders became apparent through his button down shirt, as well as his abdominal muscles. His former, younger and more child-like cheeks, had flourished into a strong masculine jaw line, enhancing his features even more. His hazel eyes were gorgeous, as always, sparkling and complimenting his dark-black eyelashes.

Of course, he wasn't the only one to have abruptly changed in appearance. She herself had as well, and giving a glance at the marauders, she noted that they had either grown tremendously, or become even more pleasing to the human eye since the past several months.

Lily eyed James suspiciously before taking the gift from him hesitantly. After all, this was James she was accepting a gift from. The arrogant, Mr.-likes-to-make-my-life-hell-and-dye-my-hair-pink Potter we're talking about.

She felt his gaze upon her as she began unsealing the cello tape and taking off the bow. And it seemed that the rest of his friends were staring at her with just as much anticipation…for some odd reason. She took the object out of the wrapping paper, looked up at James' expectant face, and then back at the present.

"What the hell? Is this some kind of lame joke"

"Wow—er…thanks for the notebook, um, Potter," said Lily, with a slight disappointment in her voice that had not escaped James' ear in the slightest. There in her hands, was the exact same notebook that she had purchased from Flourish and Blotts when she was shopping for the rest of her school supplies, and he knew it! He was (unfortunately) there when she had purchased it. She didn't fail to notice the incredulous and half-amused looks Remus and Sirius were trying to give James from the corner of her eye either. "It's really….quite…er—thoughtful of you."

"This sucks. I can't tell him off for the rude joke because..well because it might not even be a joke! That and it would appear ungrateful. I mean he did remember my birthday after all..."

James smirked.

"I bet he knows this exactly. Stupid arse."

James only smiled and nodded as his stunning hazel eyes glittered in mischief. Lily proceeded to put it in her messenger bag and give them a small smile as she nodded her head at them and signalled to Dorothy, who followed her as they walked passed them.

"What the blazing hell is wrong with you, Prongs!" exclaimed Sirius as soon as Lily was out of hearing distance, tossing his handsome black hair out of his eyes, completing the haughty yet carefree attractive quality about him. "I thought you were going to get her something nice! Like jewellery and that other crap women like!"

Remus laughed. "HA! Wonder if she's ever going to talk to you now!"

"I forgot. Were you trying to make her fancy you?" asked Peter. All four of the marauders walked in to their classroom.

"Mates, mates, mates, keep your knickers on wouldya? I know exactly what I'm doing."

Remus snorted. "Like that's going to help."

xxx

"Please be seated class," rang out their old History of Magic Professor, Mr. Binns. "Today we will be discussing the 'troll' movement across the alps and into France as the giants…"

"Psst, Lily," said Dorothy next to her. Lily didn't reply, but what completely focused on the lecture.

"LILY!" whispered Dororthy slightly louder.

"What!" whispered Lily still not taking her eyes off the black board.

"It's a common known fact I don't like to be disturbed while taking notes! Why does she insist!"

"Your bag is glowing!"

Lily only half-heard her and rolled her eyes while flapping her hand in the air. "Not now, Dor."

"NO, I'm serious! You're bag…"

Lily looked at her bag, and her eyes widened as she saw that it was indeed, glowing. She pulled open her bag and rummaged through it to find whatever it was that was causing the red light to emit from her bag. At first she thought it had been her wand, but she knew her wand was on her desk, even though she didn't need it for the class.

HA! She found the source—it had been the very same notebook James had given to her earlier that day. It's glowing was now brought into the open in front of her desk, and therefore catching the attention of many onlookers.

Panicking slightly, Lily tried to somehow hide the book before the Professor could see it. She tried hiding it in her cloak (as it should have drained the light with the black material), and even sat on top of it, but the light was so strong that it still managed to be as conspicuous as ever.

"Try opening it," whispered Dorothy, edging closer to Lily on her stool and eyeing the teacher and Lily.

Lily hesitated a bit before opening. But to her relief, it worked. The notebook stopped glowing. Then, leaning in slightly, Lily gasped as she saw words appearing on the first page of the notebook.

Hey there, sexy!

Bet you weren't expecting this out of my present were you? That's okay though. You can thank me later. You didn't honestly think I'd just give you a regular spiraled notebook did you? Oh, Lily, you have much to learn. Ha. But the look in your eyes was priceless, I HAVE to say. "What a prick."

By the way, I highly endorse your neglect to buy a new skirt over the holidays…your older, shorter one definitely suites my taste. Lily bent her head down with a slight tinge to her cheeks and made a mental note to buy a new skirt first thing when they had their first Hogsmeade trip. She kept on reading.
So how's your birthday been going so far? Good, I hope? I have more surprises for you you'll be pleased to know! But I'm not telling you as of now, because as I already mentioned, it's a surprise, and knowing you, you're probably going be asking me what the surprise when you write back. Lily's eyes widened. That was exactly what she was going to ask him."But who says I'm writing back?" And I know you'll write back, you have no choice I'm afraid. Sorry, love. Scary isn't it? How well I know you, eh Evans? "Damn right it is. Except for the fact that I'm still not writing anything back.

Love,
James, J-man, Jamster, or only for you Red, Jamie.

Lily scowled as she reread the scrawly, messy handwriting on her parchment in front of her, and turned around to look into the eyes of a hazel eyed young man from the back of the classroom. That respective young man grinned and winked at Lily attractively with his hand resting on a similar notebook to Lily's. Other Seventh Year girls watched James and his interaction with Lily avidly.

Lily clenched her teeth and turned around back at the parchment, not noticing the jealous looks the female students were throwing at her.

Lily closed the notebook in front of her, about to act upon her idea to ignore it entirely and to pay attention to Professor Bins even though she knew all the history already and even though no one else was listening to the lecture. Though as soon as she did, she instantly regretted it as the notebook flashed even more brilliantly than it did before. Anxiously, Lily opened it again before the Professor could notice.

Lily looked at the parchment not sure what she should do.

Then Lily smiled as she realised that it wouldn't glow if it was open.

"Stupid Potter," thought Lily grinning as she put her History of Magic textbook on top of the notebook, only to find that it began glowing again two minutes later after trying to pay attention. She frowned and reopened it.

Did I mention that it won't stop glowing when it's closed and eventually open if you don't answer me?

-shnookums

Lily inwardly growled. "I can't believe I'm doing this…" She softly lifted her quill above the parchment and pressed the quill to the parchment firmly, and hastily began writing.

Her neat, slanted handwriting began its way across the parchment:

Potter….

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And from the back of the class, the young man with hazel eyes smiled as he saw the red-haired beauty scribbling ferociously, to who he knew was himself.

Leaning backwards casually on his chair's two back legs and putting his hands behind his head, he grinned in bliss at his handiwork.

Not even caring that the teacher was telling him off for leaning back in his chair.

"Brilliant. Completely brilliant."

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A/N: like it? Hate it? Hopefully the first!

Please REVIEW!

-MissMarauder5

P.S. Oh, and for those of you waiting for "The Year Everything Changed", it should be posted fairly soon! I've also posted forums in my profile page if anyone's interested!