Jily Week

Day Three

Day Three: My best friend is on date with your best friend and tricked us into going on a double date but I secretly have a crush on you

***

Lily Evans loved Marlene McKinnon with all her heart. Since the first night on the Gryffindor girls dormitory, they became best friends at once.

Sure, she had other friends. Remus Lupin, for example. He was a brilliant mate, very kind and loyal. She had been friends with Severus Snape too - not that it had been for the best.

The girls from her dormitory were cool, also. And she usually had some laughs with Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew too. Truth be told, the only people from Hogwarts she couldn't really stand were the Slytherins. She could even tolerate James Potter nowadays (that's what she said to her friends).

But no one on the school came near to Marlene McKinnon. She was almost family to Lily.

Which explained why it was really hard for Lily to say "no" to Marlene.

"Please, please!" Marlene begged while they were playing exploding snap. Lily shook her head.

"I don't know, Marls. It'll be really awkward."

"I swear it won't! You know I've always wanted to go out with Sirius, but he got the idea it was a group meeting, so he already invited James before I could correct him..." Marlene explained.

"It won't be awkward for you. It'll be awkward for me." Lily argued.

"Please, Lil! It took all the courage I had to just ask him... I already agreed it was a group meeting..." Marlene pleas were met with a sigh from Lily.

"Why won't the others be going again?"

"Remus and Peter are on detention for the last prank, Mary's got herself a date and that's pretty much it." Marlene explained with a small, hopeful smile. Lily narrowed her eyes.

"Wait a minute. By 'group meeting' you mean 'double date'?" Lily asked through gritted teeth. Marlene made a face and sighed.

"Please, please, please! I'll talk to James and explain it to him! He won't think it's a date!"

"No. I will talk to him. You're not trustworthy." Lily agreed. Marlene grinned.

"So you'll do it?"

"Yes, McKinnon."

"Oh, thank you, Lily!" Marlene said, hugging her friend, who rolled her eyes.

"You owe me big time."

"Sure! Anything."

One may wonder why Lily feared the group meeting (she refused to think it was a double date). For her, it was clear: James Potter had tried to go out with her since fifth year, always failing because she found him to be quite arrogant.

It was a surprise to her to discover he could be a nice person – one who didn't hex younger kids for no reason – when they were thrown together as head students. Not only that, but James also was responsible and (that really surprised her) nice.

Sure, he still played childish pranks, his dorkiness was still very remarkable, and his arrogance was now directed at his Quidditch team. But he also helped first-years with school work, made Lily laugh and was a good friend.

"Hey, Potter." Lily said, as she slid to a chair next to his on the library. He looked up and smiled, adjusting his glasses.

"Evans. What do I owe the honour of your presence? Surely nothing regarding patrols?" He growled, "I swear I'll just curse them all if we've got to do it again...!" Lily chuckled at him and raised her eyebrows.