Uninvited Affection
"Being in love with someone you can't have is like living in a life that's not yours"

***

He was in love. Anyone who knew James Edward Potter, knew that he of all people, never fell in love. And now, he had. As he lay on his bed contemplating his situation, thoughts of her flooded his head. She was smart, beautiful, sarcastic, heartless, and all in all she was perfect. She was Lily Bridget Evans. James had known her forever.

Their parents were the best of friends. As little kids they had played and laughed together. After Lily's parents divorced when she was 8, the playmates had gone their different ways. James grew up to be a fun- loving, comical, prankster, while Lily had attended finishing school and took ballet. Of course, over the years they had seen each other, but animosity between them had grown. James' personality contrasted with Lily who had shut herself out from fun and become the stereotypical rich, arrogant, snob. At Hogwarts, being in the same house had caused an infinite number of problems, and everyone knew how much they despised each other. And now at 16, James was in love… with Lily. James sighed, but the wind was knocked out of him when a black dog pounced on him.


"Oy! Sirius get off me!" James yelled in annoyance. The dog turned changed into a smiling Sirius Black.


"Oh Jamie! Must you be so rude? What's up your arse? The sun is shining, the birds are singing, and you are sitting inside." Sirius replied.

"Sirius, it's raining."


"See what I mean? What is it with you Jamie? Is it that time of the month again?" Sirius nodded knowingly. James shoved him off the bed.


"Ouch! That hurt!"


"You're such a baby."


"Am not!"


"Quit whining."


"Why should I? It's a free world. And you didn't answer my question. What's up mate?" Sirius asked climbing onto the bed again.


James fell back into his pillow and said, "I'm in love."


Sirius stared stupefied at James for a moment before he fell on the floor laughing.


"Good one James. The day you fall in love is the day Severus Snape takes a bath." Sirius' comment earned a smile from James. James offered his hand to help Sirius up, and Sirius obliged.


"Let's get to breakfast Padfoot. I'm starving."


"I second that." Before they could make it out the door two boys burst through hyperventilating.


"Sirius! You idiot! The chef chased Peter and me down the hall carrying a bloody knife!" The dirty-blond one screamed.


"What did you do this time?" James asked exasperatedly. The French chef at Potter Manor was known to have a temper, and Sirius loved to rile him up.


"This bloody git 'ere put me into Chef Pierre's soufflé, WHILE I was still in rat form!!!" The second blond boy answered still gasping for breath.


"Well it wasn't my fault you two didn't have the common sense to run away like me." Sirius quipped earning a smack on the head from Remus.


"Remmy! That was uncalled for."


"How many times do I have to tell you the name is Remus. It's easy to spell R-E-M-U-S."


"Sorry Remmy, I have a short term memory." And with that comment Sirius fled to the dining room with an angry Remus chasing after him.


"Come on Peter, we better get there before Moony pulls a Chef Pierre on him." James said and the two remaining boys followed suit down the corridor.


When they arrived, Sirius was covered in cereal, eggs, syrup, and bacon. Remus was still throwing various breakfast items at him, while Sirius tried in vain to catch them in his mouth. Peter restrained Remus while James cleaned up Sirius and the mess in the room with a couple of simple spells. After they had settled down, the foursome began breakfast.


"Even though he does have a temper, that Chef Pierre makes a good waffle." Sirius said with a mouth full of food.


"Sirius, I doubt Valerie would appreciate that." James replied.


"Valerie and me have been over for more than a month."


"No wonder you've been annoying the hell out of Pierre." Remus added knowingly.


"And why's that Moony?"


"You need a woman." The three responded simultaneously.


"How rude! Are you three implying that I, Sirius John Black, cannot survive 1 month without a girlfriend?"


"Yes" was the unanimous reply.


"Damn, you know me too well. Tis true I need a girlfriend, a one-night stand, a passionate session of lip---Good Morning Mrs. Potter." Sirius quickly changed the subject from his love life to the arrival of James' mother, Evelyn Potter.


"Good morning Sirius." Evie Potter had given James his striking blue eyes, but her straight brown hair was nothing like James' unruly mess of black.


  "Where to Evie, dearest?" Sirius asked flirtatiously.


"Sirius quit flirting with my mum!" James reprimanded.


Mrs. Potter laughed, "You need a woman, Sirius." The four boys began to laugh and Mrs. Potter stared at them suspiciously.


"Well, Sirius I think I have the answer to your prayers."


"What?!?!" Sirius stood up in excitement, "Is your sexy niece, Giselle, coming from France and spending the week again?" Sirius asked hopefully. He had met Giselle last summer and they had become quite close.


"Sorry, Sirius. Actually Tommy is throwing a cocktail party at his place tonight. He invited us, and you three's parents as well."


"A cocktail party at Evans Manor! A cocktail party at Evans Manor!" Sirius danced around the table. James inwardly groaned, now this was horrible news.



***



              James fixed his tie for the umpteenth time staring at himself in the mirror. At Sirius' urging all four were wearing black single-breasted suits with black neckties.

              "Jamie ol' chap you look terrific. But I warn you be careful around Lily, you wouldn't want her to 'accidentally' spill another glass of champagne on a brand new suit would you?" Sirius said, reminding James of an encounter at last year's Christmas Ball at Evans Manor.


              "Thanks for reminding me Padfoot." James groaned.


              "What are friends for James?"


              "Are you two prats ready, everyone is waiting for you two to finish primping." Remus glared.


              "Let's not keep them waiting. Race you, James." Sirius challenged.


              "I'll gladly kick your arse." And the two ran out the door. Remus slapped himself on the forehead. When will those two grow up? he thought to himself. Before he too slammed the door shut after leaving the room.




***


              Chardonnay Parker stared as her best friend, Lily Bridget Evans, groaned over her reflection in the mirror.


              "What's wrong Lily? The dress looks gorgeous." she asked.


              "It's not the dress, it's not my hair. Family issues." Lily answered simply.


              "I see. Well it's almost 7:30, Lily. We should get downstairs we're already 'fashionably late' now we'll really be late." Chardonnay answered. She knew about Lily's mood swings. They usually had to do with one of her parents, and Chardonnay knew better than to pry. Lily had given her answer, and that was all she would reveal.
             


              "Your right Chard. And that dress looks amazing by the way." Lily complimented while putting the final touches on her hair expertly tying the tendrils of super-straight red up with chopsticks.


              Lily donned a pale green, full-length, sleeveless silk dress with a mandarin collar. Small sprigs of lavender flowers dotted the dress. Her straight red hair was pulled back with chopsticks, and a few tendrils framed her face. Chardonnay on the other hand was looking completely different. Her wine colored, spaghetti strap dress fell right beneath her knees. Her dark brown hair was in soft curls that reached her shoulders.


"Ready Lily, darling?"


"Of course Chardonnay, dear."




***



              James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter had done their share of mingling and had proceeded to sit down.


              "Holy. I must've said hello to half the people here. And I didn't even know them!" Remus exclaimed.


              "Well, well, it looks like Lillian and Chardonnay have finally decided to grace us with their presence." James said referring to the duo who had reached the table.



              The natural flirt, Sirius was first to speak. "Oh Lily, you look absolutely ravishing tonight! And Chardonnay may I say that color looks fantastic on you."


              "Cut the crap Sirius. If you want to make out with someone, my dear cousin Lindsay would gladly oblige. She's the one in the turquoise dress over by the bar." Chardonnay replied. She had gone out with Sirius for quite awhile before she caught him with another girl. Ever since then relations had been strained to say the least.



              Sirius sensed her bitterness. "I'd rather not Chard. There's only one Parker girl I would ever make out with."


              "You could've fooled me." Chard replied quietly.


              Sensing the weirdness of the situation, Remus switched the subject.


              "Lily, how has the summer been? Another summer in Ireland with your mum? How are things with Robbie?"


              "The summer was not bad. Between London and Dublin it was kind of hectic. My mother is still the same, she was working on a novel the whole time. It didn't leave much time for me. And Robert Fisher is history. He bored me." Lily answered.


              James let out a chuckle. "Don't they all bore you Lillian?"
             


              "Eventually…"


              "I doubt there will ever be a man who can hold your interest for long."


              "They're all the same egotistical jackasses like you."


              "Touché. But, my dear, egotistical jackasses cannot waltz. And I can."


              "Prove it." With that James got up and stood in front of Lily. He put his hand on his waist. The other took her hand and they proceeded to dance.


              "What is the verdict Princess?" James whispered in her ear.


              "Marginal."


              "Is that so?" James twirled her around then dipped her. He stared at her green eyes, daring her to move out of the close proximity.


              "There are no spins or dips like that in a waltz, Jimmy." Lily whispered.

                                   
              "Too bad…"


              "The music stopped. Do you mind putting me back in upright position?" Lily asked.


              "I'm obliged Princess." He stood up pulling Lily to him.

                                   
              "Thank you for the dance James. It's getting late, good night. See you at Hogwarts." Lily whispered and kissed his cheek. And with a whish of her dress, Lily Evans left James Potter cursing himself in the middle of the dance floor.


              "You let her get to you James. Letting your guard down around Lily isn't a good idea." James mentally slapped himself and headed to the bar. He needed something to clear his thoughts.


              "Champagne, chap?" The cockney accent asked.


              "Something stronger…"


              "Martini?"


              "Make it a double."


              Sirius and Remus had watched the dance with Lily, and now James' strange behavior. James usually preferred Butterbeer and Champagne to anything strong, and that included vodka. They exchanged nervous glances, something was up with James, something that had to do with Lily Evans. Knowing that, they became even more worried. This could lead to nothing good.




***