All Right, Evans?

Chapter 9: Hogsmeade

Friday, 4:03 P.M.

"Evans! Hey – Evans!"

Lily released a heavy sigh as she heard the unmistakable footsteps of James Potter running to catch up with her. It had been a long week, and all she'd wanted was to get out of her final lesson of the day so she could find some peace and quiet. And now, only three minutes since the bell sounded, she knew that was going to be so much harder to achieve; if there was one thing James Potter's presence didn't guarantee, it was peace and quiet.

"Yes?" she said tiredly when James had slowed his step to match hers. She didn't stop walking, but continued down the crowded corridor on her way to Gryffindor tower; she was tired and she wanted a nap and she wasn't going to let James slow her down.

"Go to Hogsmeade with me tomorrow?"

Merlin, he didn't waste any time.

"Sorry, Potter, but I've got a prior engagement," Lily said.

"Oh, yeah?" James grinned, not believing her for a second. "What's that, then?"

"Date with the giant squid."

Now it was James's turn to sigh. Not this old bit again... "Lil-yyyy," he whined in his most drawn-out voice.

"Ja-aaames," Lily mimicked him.

James elbowed her playfully. "Go on, go to Hogsmeade with me," he pressed. "I know that Prewett and McKinnon are actually priorally engaged –"

"Priorally?" Lily echoed incredulously. "You just made that up."

"I'm top in the class, I can do whatever I want," James said smoothly, figuring that that was a fair justification. "As I was saying, you don't have anyone else to go with tomorrow, so why not cave for an afternoon and go with me?"

"Because I don't feel like feeding your ego."

"Perish the thought." James pressed a hand to his heart mockingly. "I know you're much more partial to starving it –"

Lily couldn't help a laugh. "It could use a bit of starving, don't you think?" she pointed out, shooting him a reprimanding look. "It's bordering on morbid obesity, after all –"

"You're evading the question!" James accused.

"I already said no!" Lily argued as they mounted the staircase that would take them to Gryffindor tower.

"No, you said you've got a date with the giant squid, and I know that's not true," James reminded her. "You don't want to say no so you're dancing around it –"

"Fine," Lily said. She acknowledged that he was right about her evading the question, but she'd rather eat Bubotuber pus than admit that she actually wanted to go out with him. Because she most certainly did not. "No, James, I don't want to go to Hogsmeade with you."

Determined to be pushy, James tried a different tactic. "Come on, we're friends, aren't we?"

"Friends don't go on dates."

"So it doesn't have to be a date," James conceded. He hopped onto the stair in front of Lily, blocking her path. "Come with me and the boys – Sirius, Remus, Peter – they'll make sure I keep my hands off you. Well, all right, Remus will make sure," he amended when Lily shot him another look.

"Hmmm..." Lily pressed her lips together, thinking. Yes, they were friends, and it would do her some good to get out of the castle for an afternoon. And if they weren't alone, no one could say that Lily Evans was caving on the James Potter front.

"All right," she said at length, giving in to what she considered to be a compromise. She saw the triumphant look that passed over James's face and pointed a warning finger at him. "But don't get any ideas, Potter, or I swear I'll hex you."