S E C O N D M O N T H:

Lily had a dream on one of the nights of the fifth week since her bet with Marlene, and it was quite a pleasant one, of utmost nostalgia.

She was eleven years old and so very exited to start secondary school. Not even her sister's teasing bothered her that whole week, because her parent's pride made up for it. Lily Evans! At Gryffindor School? It was quite absurd. She had always been a smart child, yet she hadn't gone to the main private school in the area, rather a smaller, public school by the name of St Grogory's, a dreary, miserable building, for her parent's simply couldn't afford the main school. But it didn't matter, she had gotten a place, in the top grammar school in the county!

"No, Dad, you needn't worry!" smiled Lily, as she shrugged on her back pack over her black school uniform. "I can walk myself to the bus stop. And Mum, you really ought to rest, you have a shift tonight."

She had been practising her 'posh speak' since receiving her acceptance letter, and Petunia despised it. But the older girl didn't dare comment. Not with their parents there to witness the loathsome words.

"Alright love," said her mother, fussing over her crimson and gold tie. "Have fun. Behave yourself."

So Lily set off out the door and down the road to the bus stop. And that was where she met a fellow student. He was taller than she was, wore an identical uniform to her (besides the skirt) and circular glasses were perched on his nose, hazel eyes glinting behind them. His hair was dark, almost black, but not quite, and stuck up at the back.

"Hello," he said, smiling at her. and Lily was beyond grateful that the boy wasn't posh. She hoped this meant she could return to her old accent. "Are you starting Gryffindor too?"

She nodded, colour flooding to her cheeks. She wasn't usually shy, what had gotten into her? The boy grinned wider, before squaring out his shoulders and holding out his hand for her to shake.

"I'm James Potter. Ace football player, and artist. Well, I doodle. Some people say they're good but..." He looked awkward and uncomfortable so Lily decided to speak up.

"Lily Evans. I'm sure your drawing are great." She smiled.

"So do you know anybody who's starting too?" He asked. "I don't, not really. You're the first person I've met so far, apart from Sirius."

"Sirius?"

"Yeah," James grinned. "Sirius Black. He's my best friend. Should be here soon. You'll like him."

Just then, another boy came hurtling around the corner, running as fast as he could. He had dark hair and, upon closer inspection, grey eyes. Lily would have found him quite handsome if the first thing he said to her wasn't:

"Well, hellooo Ginger." he laughed, before turning to James. "You didn't tell me you had a bird."

"As a matter of fact," she replied folding her arms. "I'm not anybody's 'bird'. Imagine if girls referred to boys as.. I dunno, dogs, for instance. How would you like that?"

Sirius simply shrugged. "I love dogs. So I wouldn't mind one bit."

James laughed loudly, before speaking once again to Lily."Lighten up, Flower. It's just a joke."

"You're obnoxious." She replied, but she couldn't deny the butterflies in her stomach that went into a frenzy at the nickname.

But, no. She wouldn't crush on him. Not now, anyways.

When Lily awoke, she sighed. It was that stupid vow that had messed up everything. She should have just forgotten about it. It was made by a naive eleven year old whom she should never listened to...

She would get the bus that day. Just that once.

When she reached the bus stop, she met the same boy who was taller than she was, wore an identical uniform to hers (besides the skirt), with circular glasses perched on his nose, and hazel eyes glinting behind them. The February wind was playing with his raven hair, but she knew that it would stick up at the back regardless, even without the wind blowing.

Their relationship hadn't advanced past close friendship since their kiss in the children's park and Lily was quite glad, for it, although a very satisfying one, was not a kiss that she wished to repeat. It had only made her feelings for James more solid, only made her want more and well, if she wanted more, that surely meant that everything would just... She'd start to feel.

But she was perfectly content being friends with the seventeen year old. James Potter was great to be friends with.

Yeah sure, her subconscious seemed to laugh at her. You want to snog him again, don't lie to yourself.

"Lily," he smiled as she approached him. "What are you doing here?"

She rolled her eyes playfully, linking her arm with his. "I am going to school. Et toi?"

"The same," he shrugged. "But you know what I mean. I thought you walked?"

"I decided against it. Besides, I thought you drove?"

James laughed loudly. "Oh, I do usually. But Sirius stole the car today, he said he can't be bothered with anybody's bullshit, but... I don't think it's a coincidence that he offered Moony a lift."

"Is he..?" Lily bit her lip grinning, widely.

"Mmhm."

"Wow." she said, still slightly surprised. "I guess, I kind of see it now."

"Kind of?" James asked, eyebrows raised. "Are you messing? The hair, the clothes, the attitude, not to mention the pathetic cover ups. I tell you, he hasn't brought a single girl home. Not whilst he's been living with us anyways. Sirius Black is queer as fuck."

Lily laughed loudly. "I think Remus is too. Or at least bi-curious. But I don't think he quite knows it yet."

"How so?" he frowned and Lily would have swooned over how cute he looked in that moment. But she didn't.

"Well, he stares, for one. Both sexes. He hasn't ever said anything about it, but I've noticed. How have you not? You're his best mate!"

"I don't pay attention to details." James shrugged, innocently. "It might seem that way, with the paintings and shit, but really, that's only when it comes to you."

That boy will be the death of me.

Lily opened her mouth to say that she payed attention to him too, everything about him, from his hair, to his eyes, to his smile, to his stance and it would have been a silly thing to say, completely needy and desperate and not at all like herself... But then the bus pulled over, and the two of them payed two pounds for their day tickets and they didn't mention anything about details again.

And that same doubt entered her mind, again and again. How long can I keep this up?