The next day there were no classes, due to several of the professors coming down with fevers and a strange collection of tentacles growing out of their torsos. Although the tentacles were quickly cured, the fevers were stubborn. Lily had not slept the night before, thinking about the fight she had with James, and how much she wanted to take all of it back. She had taken a shower early and waited in the common room doing the rest of her homework for four hours before she gave up and decided to wait in her own room. When she went down to lunch and came back up and realized that James probably left before she had come out, and she went back into the girls' dorm. However, there was a note on her bed from Lupin, telling her to go to the boy's dorm. Since she had nothing better to do, she once again left the dorms and went up the stairs to Remus' room.
"Hey," He said. Lily sighed a breath of relief.
"Oh good, you're here. Can you believe it's only the fifth day now, and me and James are already fighting?" Lupin laughed.
"Well, honestly, yes. But I suppose this is a different type of fighting isn't it? You two lovebirds?" Lily lay down on his bed and motioned for Lupin to lie down next to her.
"You know," she said, "We were having such a good time yesterday. I thought that things would move more slowly. And then almost kissing yesterday, it could've been like kissing a stranger." Lily moved on her side. "I guess I wanted it to be like us. We've been friends for such a long time…" No one spoke, but after a few seconds of pensive silence, their eyes met. Lily rolled onto her stomach, and leaned over so her face was right above Lupin's, and they kissed. Lily wondered if it was Remus' first kiss. If it was, it didn't show. At first she felt that this was meant to happen, but then she thought about James, and how she wished it were him. She got an odd feeling in her stomach, like kissing a brother. Her eyes opened, and she saw Lupin's eyes looking back at hers. She backed away slowly.
"I'm sorry." She whispered.
"It's alright. We got that out. But I think that should be the only time?" He said.
"Yeah. We're friends…I love you as a brother." Lily looked at Lupin with a sideways glance and laughed.
"You know what else?" Lupin said, and paused to wait for Lily to say something, but she did not so he finished the statement.
"I think this has told you something. You want James, don't you?" Lily chewed on that thought. It's only been five days. Are you crazy? Something else in her head spoke. No, it's been six years. This is supposed to happen.
"Yeah, I have to go apologize to him."
"I always knew you two would be together. The story is too perfect. The best story a son could hear when he falls in love with some other beautiful red haired woman." Lily laughed and gently pushed Lupin.
"Come on, let's go down to the lake. Get your mind off your new lover."
"Fine, but let me get decent. I only went down to lunch like this because I knew no one would go since it's so early." Lily went into the bathroom and put some eyeliner on and put her long hair into a braid. She was putting the hair band around the bottom of the smooth braid when the door opened to reveal James fully dressed.
"Sorry, I'll use it later."
"Wait-James, I want to talk to you."
"Maybe later, Lily." And he walked away. Lily sighed and looked down into the sink.
"Maybe later." She whispered. She put on a happy face, walked out of the bathroom. As she zipped up her black hoodie, she got Lupin by the arm and they began to tiptoe out of the dorm.
Lupin and Lily strolled down the main street of Hogsmeade, looking at the shops that lined the streets and talking. The lake had been too crowded, so they decided to go on the monthly trip. Nothing seemed appealing, so they admitted defeat and walked into the bustling Three Broomsticks. Lupin bought them both butterbeers with the money that he had won from the card game earlier.
"So," he began. "What are you going to do about James?" He asked. Lily bit her lip and shook her head.
"I don't know he doesn't seem like he really wants to talk to me. When we were fighting he just got really quiet towards the end and said he wanted to separate himself from me. And he seems pretty set on that. I'm not sure if I'm ever going to be able to get to him." There was an awkward pause, where Lily could tell that Lupin didn't want to tell her what he really thought. But he suddenly spoke.
"Lily, you might have been a little…er, quick to judge James, even after six years. But believe me, after years of hard work. He isn't one to give up easily. I know that right now he's thinking about you, and planning to apologize and win you over again. Whether its now, in a week, or maybe a few months. Things just need to smooth over a bit. I say you go up there and try to speak to him again right now to let him know you're sorry. And even if he doesn't respond, at least he'll know that you want to talk."
"You're right! I have to make him listen to me." They both chugged their drinks and set off at a hurried pace towards Hogwarts.