Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. It pains me to say it, but it's true.
Rated: T, once again, because I never know where I'm going with these until I'm there and I want to play it safe.
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"Just tell him how you feel"
Remus rolled his eyes, "That's your answer for everything Lil"
The red head sighed, "Maybe because it's good advice. Ever think of that?"
He pretended to consider her words, "Hm, the thought did cross my mind, but then I remembered yours and James' sordid past and realised what a complete raving hypocrite you were"
She bit back a sigh, "Low blow Rem. Low blow"
"It's true. You ignore his exclamations of love for six years and the minute he moves on a gets a girlfriend you want in his pants. Where's your declaration of undying love, hm?"
"That's different" she said, eyes guarded.
"Is it?" He cocked a brow, "If by 'different' you mean ultimately much much simpler than my situation then yes, I concur"
She scowled, "How is my situation any different than yours Remus? James is just as unavailable as your flea ridden mutt"
Remus rolled his eyes again. They'd had this conversation more times that he could count, "Because Lily, You know that James has been in love with you forever. If you asked him out he'd definitely say yes and trust me, the rest of us wouldn't hear the end of it for months. Sirius, mind you, would laugh in my face and avoid me and my pervert self for the rest of our extremely awkward friendship. If we even had one after that. So yes, our situations are very different" He turned to face her bodily now, his lean form shifting against the old oak they were lounging on, "You have a chance. I don't. It's as simple as that and I don't plan on deluding myself any further into thinking the situation is anything but ultimately hopeless. I like being friends with Sirius and it's going to stay that way. End of story"
Lily stared at him for a minute before breaking eye contact and tucking a piece of flyaway red hair behind her ear, "I see your point Rem. I just think you're wrong"
"I know," He whispered, voice softer than before, "I just can't risk it Lil. I can't not have him in my life you know?"
She nodded, "I get it. You know you don't have to worry about that with me"
He smiled, he knew he didn't. Apart from the marauders, Lily was his closest friend. She had been since second year when they slowly began to realise they were just about the only students who used the library and started studying together to cut their course load in half. Remus, being brilliant at Charms, Defence Against the Dark Arts and Transfiguration, but absolutely pants at Potions found Lily's guidance invaluable. Where Lily struggled with the more complicated Charms and Defence spells, Remus was brilliant at practical application of even the most complicated theory. Together they were unstoppable and with each other's help they both began to rise to the top of their classes, their only real competition each other. Neither of them being particularly competitive, they didn't mind and became fast friends regardless. They'd been almost inseparable ever since.
"I know Lil. I know"
She looked out towards the great lake, where she could see the sun setting over the water. She grimaced at the thought of going back to the tower where Mary McDonald would undoubtedly have her tongue down James' throat, "We should get back, it's getting late"
Remus nodded slowly and stood up, offering her a hand. She took it gratefully and they began the long trudge back to the castle, having wondered too far and talked too long to get back before dark. She sighed. When Remus was like this it made her heart ache for him, because despite his cynicism she knew he was right. Even though she saw the glances the dark haired Gryffindor threw her friends way when he wasn't looking and the way his friendly touches lingered, she hated to admit it, but it could just be a product of their close friendship. She understood his wariness to take it any further and test the waters because she knew, if it were she in his position, she would ultimately do the same thing. Nothing. She just wished she could help. She hated seeing him like this, all self-deprecating and despondent. She wished she could do something to help her friend-
"Oh!" she gasped, a brilliant smile breaking over her face. That could work.
Remus paused a few paces ahead of her, "You okay Lil?"
She caught up to him quickly, still grinning from ear to ear and tried to make her face as serious as possible, "Go out with me"
He stared at her blankly, "What?"
"Go out with me"
He stared at her like he was seriously questioning her sanity, "Lil, I'm in love with Sirius and for the record bisexualdoes not mean, willing to do anything with a pulse"
She rolled her eyes, "Yes I know, dumbass"
"Then why, pray tell, are you asking me out?"
"Because," she smirked, "I'm an absolute genius"
He frowned, "I'm not sure you know what the word genius actually means if you're using it in reference to this moment of insanity. What the hell are you on about?"
She had to bite back a moan of frustration, "Shit up you. It's brilliant I tell you"
He looked sceptical, "Are you going to explain this to me, because unlike you I may be a genius, but it doesn't mean I can actually read minds. That's just a rumour Pete came up with when I kept calling him out for stealing my potions homework" He smirked, "ruddy idiot would always leave his grubby paw prints all over it"
Lily stared blankly, "Are you done?"
"Yes"
"Good"
She cleared her throat, "As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted by your token daily tribute monologue to your own brilliance-"
He glared at her.
"- we should go out. It would have the two-fold effect of making James unbelievablyjealous and revealing what that flea-ridden scoundrel of yours reallythinks about you. It's perfect!"
His brow furrowed in what Lily recognised as his 'considering' face. She smiled, at least he was thinking about it.
"What about James?"
She frowned, "I thought I just explained how this would help with the whole James situation?"
He rolled his eyes, "Not that! What I meant was how is James is going to react to all this, with me?"
And suddenly Lily got it, "Oh"
He smiled grimly, "Yeah, oh"
She considered this. James and Remus were good friends. Best friends. And Remus suddenly dating the girl he pined over for six years might be a bit of a dick move. She bit her lip, "That could be a problem…"
He smiled a little sadly and put a reassuring hand on her shoulder, "It was a good plan Lil. James always has had an annoying habit of being the world biggest monkey wrench. He can't help it"
She paused and considered his words, "You know what, screw him!"
Remus started, "What?"
"Screw him! He doesn't own me. I can date whoever the bloody hell I want! He's moved on and so can I with whoever the hell I fancy!"
"Lily," Remus spoke carefully, obviously more than a little concerned for her sanity, "You haven't moved on. You want to date him remember?"
She waved him off, "I'm talking about hypothetical me Rem, not actual me"
He frowned in confusion, "You lost me"
She rolled her eyes, "Hypothetical me, which would be dating hypothetical you would be moving on and wouldn't care that James still thinks he has some sort of claim on me. Hypothetical you, being all liberal and into equal rights would respect and understand that in today's world of equal opportunity for men and women, no one has claim over another person and would completely discount Potter's idiotic, misogynistic claim over my person"
He blinked, "So what you're basically saying is that I would hypothitcally not give two shits about my best mate's feelings and go out with you anyway?"
She made her face as serious as possible, "With your left-wing values, it would be the only proper course of action"
Silence.
He looked at her dubiously for a few moments, then relented with a tortured sigh, "Fine. I'll do it, but if James murders me in my sleep I'm holding you accountable and haunting you for the rest of my days, you crazy woman"
She squealed and hugged him tightly, "You're the best Rem and this will work out for the both of us, you'll see!"
She grabbed his hand and proceeded to drag him back to the castle. He sighed, "I have a bad feeling about this"
"Oh shut it you giant ninny. Let's go get our men!"
xxxx
AN: Tada! I love Remus and Lily's friendship or well, er, the one in my head anyway. A small traitorous non wolfstar part of my brain actually thinks they would make a really cute couple. So this fic is my way of indulging that little bit of my person, whilst still shipping wolfstar and Jily. What do you think so far? Overused plot I know, but I couldn't get it out of my head. Tell me what you think and I'll update (with the first real chapter) within the next few days after I gauge the interest level.
Love you all.
Read and Review guys!