The whole woods could tell that something was different. Not only in the entire atmosphere as the winter season rolled around, but especially in the air between two specific deer.

The doe no longer tensed up when she heard those familiar hooves. In fact, she did the exact opposite. With the snap of a twig, telling of the stag's nearing presence, her head would immediately shoot up as it did before, but those eyes held a playful gleam. He would always attempt to sneak up at her, tease her. She would simply dance away from her spot, through the bushes, with him at her heels. This always happened nowadays. They often chased each other, engaged in lighthearted jousts.

No being could have guessed that the doe and stag had never before been like this; it seemed so natural between the pair of them.

-x-

"Give it back!" Lily's shout rang out through the hallways.

Almost instinctually, the crowd of students all parted towards the walls, allowing the noisy pair of students through. They had all grown used to James and Lily's antics; first it had been shouting and arguments. Now it had just switched to teasing and laughter.

"You'll have to catch me first!" She could not see him anymore; he'd gotten too far ahead of her. Damn that Quidditch; his endurance was beyond hers, and she cursed him for that nearly every day.

"What did he take this time?"

Lily turned to face Alice, who had appeared beside her rather suddenly.

"My quill."

"Well that can't be too bad," Marly shrugged, coming up on Lily's other side. "They're cheap."

"Maybe, but that's my last one. And we don't have another Hogsmeade coming up for another week. So if you'll excuse me," Dropping her book bag with Marly, she sprinted forward without the hindrance of added weight.

"Do you think she really realizes how she's acting?" Marly commented to Alice as she hoisted the redhead's bag onto her shoulder.

"Nope. Do you think she realizes why he's acting like that?"

"Nope!"

The two shared a laugh that was unheard by Lily, as she had already rounded the corner in pursuit of the quill thief.

Footsteps and laughter were bouncing off the walls around her, but she still couldn't see him.

"I could give you detention!" She shouted the threat, knowing full well how empty it was. There were no grounds of detention here. And he could give her the same threat, as he had the same status as her in the school.

"I bet you could. But would you?" His voice was suddenly behind her. Wheeling around on her heel, she started back. Her progress was cut short though, with a tug on the back of her robes pulling her back against him. She must have run right past him. A blush grew on her cheeks, but she could not linger on her embarrassment for long, as she caught sight of her possession in his hand. She reached for it, but he dragged it away behind his back.

Her glare was met with a grin, and she knew she wouldn't be able to hold her frown for much longer. She never could anymore. Those hazel eyes would melt her resolve, and she'd be left with nothing to do but return his smiles.

"No, I wouldn't give you detention. But I can make your life pretty miserable if you don't return my quill to me."

"Oh, you can make my life miserable? Is that so? Because I am in expert in that. Are you sure you want to take me on?"

"I'm sure," The words sounded confident, but her stomach was deflating, making her knees begin to wiggle.

"Then you'll have to prove it by catching me."

James turned away from her in a flash and was down the hall in a matter of steps. He stopped at the corner, waiting for her.

Calmly beginning to walk towards him, Lily shook her head, "I already caught you."

"Aha, but it was I who caught you, Miss Evans!" James cackled before taking off again.

"Damn it," She muttered under her breath as she started after him again.

-x-

Owls hooted at the pair in disdain, for their daily sleep had been interrupted by the crazy rustling the deer were making.

But the complaining did nothing to stop the stag and deer from continuing on their merry way. Somewhere along the line, they had switched roles, with the doe now pouncing after the stag, who if he'd been able to, would have been letting out stanzas of laughter. The doe may have even added her own giggles to the poem, if she'd had the ability.

Many eyes watched them pass from the depths of shrubs and trees, but the stag and doe paid them no heed.

The trees were growing thinner as they neared the edge of the forest, but they did not notice, wrapped up only in each other.

-x-

The bloody idiot had dragged her outside.

It was not nearly cold enough for the snow to clump on the ground yet, but the light flakes were still moseying down from the clouds. Without her cloak, Lily could feel her skin protest as goosebumps spread about her arms.

They were already late for Transfiguration, and she was not looking forward to having to go before their head of house, but she couldn't very well take notes without a quill. This was a necessary task. It did not matter that it was enjoyable.

James danced just out of her reach, an arrogant grin on his face as he tripped down the grassy hill before her, some of the snowflakes sticking in his unruly hair.

"This is ridiculous Potter!" Her breath was growing heavy, having followed him all through the halls and out the front doors.

He only chuckled in response, coercing her forward with a wave of his hand. The air was colder than the Black Lake, and steam was rolling off of the body of water, giving an eerie look to the already gray landscape. James finally stopped his running, leaning back against a tree, the steam reaching his feet.

"It is by no means ridiculous. You stole something from me, and I will not give you your quill back until I get what belongs to me."

"I stole nothing from you!" Lily did not nearly enjoy being called a thief than she did chasing one.

"Yes you did." James teased in a baritone sing-song voice. Shivers ran along Lily's arms that must have been the chilly air.

Crossing her arms over her chest, she froze in her steps an arm's length away from him. "Then what did I take from you?" She was still unconvinced that she had stolen anything. James enjoyed this sort of banter; he was probably just making it up.

His still smirking mouth had opened to answer her, but no sound came. Those hazel eyes of his had focused on a point behind her. She was about to mock him, when he brought a finger up to his lips.

A stroke of fear shot up Lily's spine. She'd read a lot about the dark magic followers attacks in the Daily Prophet, and there had even been rumors of such acts whispered within the walls of Hogwarts, but nothing had actually happened at the school. It would only be a matter of time though.

But there was no sign of worry in James' expression. He stepped towards her, a hand coming up to rest on her shoulder. Slowly, he spun her so she was facing away from him.

Confusion and fear were still etched on Lily's face as her eyes searched the landscape. What in the world was he staring at? Was this some sort of trick so he could steal something else from her? He'd surely have a hefty collection of her things if she kept falling for his games like this.

"I don't see-" She began in exasperation, but she stopped, her eyes finally fastening on what he'd seen.

Standing as frozen as they were, at the very edge of the Forbidden Forest, was a magnificent stag. Behind him, still in the darker part of the trees, was a doe, slightly smaller than the male, but equal in brilliance. They too stared at James and Lily, both pairs amazed that some other being was out disrupting this calm landscape as well.

Lily could not be sure how long the moment lasted, how long she had met the gaze of the doe peering out between the trees. It still seemed too soon that the stag moved in front of the doe in a protective manner, still keeping a careful eye on the humans. The deer slowly made their way back into the shadows of the trees. James and Lily still did not move even after they had disappeared.

Without saying a word, James slid her quill back into her hand, their skin brushing for the shortest of seconds. The nip of the cold air was not so bothersome anymore.

A bell sounded from inside the castle up the hill, indicating that class was over and it was now lunch period. They had missed an entire class.

James moved first, nudging her shoulder lightly with his as he slid his hands into his pockets. She fell into step with him, her eyes still raking the place the deer had just vacated. Lily tried to bring herself to think about the punishment they'd surely get for missing class, but her mind was still filled with the sighting they'd just witnessed. It shouldn't have been such a big deal, but she couldn't get it out of her head. She couldn't stop thinking how similar the two pairs of them had been.

*A/N: It's been awhile since this story was updated, but it's back in progress! Thanks for reading!