Disclaimer: J. K. Rowling's.

But if I could just say who I write this for I'd like to say for my crazy, she's-not-as-sane-as-she-seems, best friend. Don't mess. With her.

"Lily!"

I rolled my eyes and kept walking. You'd think after the thousands of times we'd been over this he'd finally take a hint, get the message, understand, get a clue, get a life and-

"Lily!"

"Stop! Following! Me!"

I must have looked insane yelling in the middle of a corridor like that. But it didn't matter, as long as he knew who I was talking to. Which he did because I was talking to him.

"Just hold up for a second."

I spun around on my heel and he nearly ran into me due to my sudden stop.

"No," I enunciated clearly, maybe he hadn't heard me the first billion times.

"But I haven't even asked yet!" he exclaimed.

"I don't care," I said impatiently. "The answer is no."

"Why won't you go out with me?" he asked as if he really couldn't fathom a plausible reason.

"Why won't I?" I repeated "Save me the time Potter and just ask me why I should go out with you. Because that list, won't take me hours."

"I could think of a few reasons," he smirked.

"Really? Because," I smiled "I can't."

"Why don't you like me?"

"Because you're..." I gestured at him "this."

"What does that mean?"

"You're terrible. You're arrogant, and insufferable. You think of nothing and no one but yourself. You're chauvinistic, and conceited. You act immature and have the biggest ego. I hate the way you walk around twirling that stupid little gold snitch. How you run your hand through your hair to make it stick up and look 'cool'. I can't stand to be around you let alone go on a date with you! " I yelled.

"You don`t like this?" James gestured at himself how I had and I nodded.

"Exactly. Glad we both understand. Now if that's all... I'll be on my way," I spun back around and stormed away.

And that's when it stopped.

Everything. The flirting, the smirking, the winks, the stupid little pet names like 'Lilyflower'. The next day I waited for something. Anything. But...nothing. He didn't even ask me out. Not once.

Then the next day I watched him all through class trying to figure out what was going on. Was he planning something? Was he going to slip me a love potion or something equally immature? And then when he caught me staring I was prepared for a smirk, which I would easily return with a glare. But...he didn't smirk or even run a hand through his hair, or wink. No, James Potter smiled at me and then turned back to his work like nothing had happened.

But all I could ask myself was what did happen?

A month went by and I still hadn't an answer. By then, I stopped watching him in class and tried-without success- to stop thinking about him. But I couldn't like before, when James came up to me every day and asked me out or flirted with me I thought I hated it. But then when he stopped I missed it. It wasn't that I missed the jokes or winks or his failed attempts to get me to agree to date him, it was that I missed him.

Another month went by and spring came. Spring was my favourite time of the year. Spring was when the rain came. As a little girl I had always loved walking in the rain, something I used to do with Petunia, before I was told I was a witch. We would laugh and dance and play in the pouring rain until our mother would come and pull us both inside saying it wasn't safe and whatnot.

Here at Hogwarts I never had anyone to dance in the rain with. But I refused to let that stop me. My friends always told me it would make me sick or that I was 'just plain insane. It would ruin my robes and my hair." But why should I care about my hair and robes? The rain was worth it. So on a dull Saturday afternoon when I realized it was raining slightly I ran outside.

It was raining hard enough that I could feel the raindrops hit me but light enough that it would take awhile to get drenched. I watched as the rest of the students outside ran into the castle with their books and bags over their heads trying to escape the water falling from above. And I laughed at them. Then when there was absolutely no one outside I started to walk towards the quidditch pitch.

"What are you doing out here?"

At first I was shocked. The voice almost sounded new to my ears but I knew it wasn't.

I turned slowly and broke out into a huge smile as I saw I was right.

He looked confused at my expression but I just couldn't stop smiling. "I could ask you the same thing Potter."

James smiled back at me "Didn't your mother ever tell you that being out in the rain could get you sick?"

I laughed slightly "Yes, that's why she'll never know."

It had started to rain harder and my hair was sticking to my neck and the sides of my face.

"Lily, I thought you knew better," he teased.

"But it's so much fun!" I yelled over the rain. He walked closer to me so that we wouldn't have to yell. And I continued to smile.

"Why so happy Evans?"

"I love the rain," I explained.

"So that's why you're out here,"

"Well what you're reason?"

"I don't know. I kind of saw you out here and thought you could use some company. Dancing in the rain is better with two people," he took another step closer and for once I felt no need to step back.

"Who said anything about dancing?" I asked playfully.

"I did," he took my hand and pulled me out closer to the middle of the quidditch pitch.

My jeans were soaked and my sweater was clinging to me and my t-shirt.

We were 'dancing' and playing in the rain for awhile before the rain began to lighten up and we went to sit by the lake.

We sat under a tree and leaned against the trunk as we talked.

"So where have you been?" I asked curiously.

"What do you mean?"

"I haven't seen much of you lately," I commented.

"You missed me Lily?" he teased.

I sat up and turned to face him "Yeah, I did." I replied seriously.

"I shouldn't be doing this," he told me.

"What?" I asked in confusion.

"You remember what you told me a couple months ago. In the corridor when I was...following you?"

I smiled sheepishly as I remembered it. I nodded "I remember. And, look, I'm really sorry I about that-"

"You shouldn't be," he interrupted "You were right. About everything you said. Which is why for the past little while," he blushed slightly and I resisted the urge to laugh. James Potter did not get embarrassed. "I've been getting Remus to help me become less of what I was. I've changed Lily," he said "I'm really trying now. And I want a chance to start over with you."

"James, I really did miss you," I told him "And the you I've spent the last hour with dancing in the rain is the you I want to know. I had fun," I smiled at him.

"I shouldn't do this either," he mumbled. And before I could ask what, he had wrapped an arm around my waist, pulled me close, and pressed his lips against mine.

After the initial shock wore off and I came to terms with what was happening I wrapped my arms around his neck and began to kiss him back.

He pulled away and I looked into his hazel eyes "You never answered my question," I said softly "Where have you been?"

"Waiting for you,"