Lily couldn't help but laugh at Cara and how she was trying to distract her from everything that had been going on around them.
As the students filed into the Great Hall one of the professors was handing out the schedules.
"I can't believe we have potions and defense against the dark arts with Slytherin again… Aren't you Slughorns favorite? Can't you get him to change his mind?" Cara laughed evily.
"You are thinking about something dirty… And no.. I can't." Lily smiled.
"Prude." Cara glared.
"Slut." Lily laughed.
"Eh… Maybe." Cara smiled over at Sirius.
"Do I need to tie you to your chair? You can't really be thinking about him like that can you?" Lily sighed.
"I can think whatever I like." Cara winked at her.
"I'll cut you… Paper cut you.. Those are the worst." Lily threatened.
"You wouldn't dare." Cara smiled.
"You're right.. But please don't drag me into that mess. I can't stand three of the four anyway."
"You know you probably should think about getting a boyfriend… People are beginning to wonder that maybe you don't like boys." Cara said holding her face serious.
"What…" Lily cried.
"Hey I'm just telling you what I've heard."
"Cara… You can't be serious."
"What.."
"I just haven't found the right guy yet… Is it too much to ask to find a guy I might actually want to spend time with? Why do these gossips have to keep talking about me?"
"Because James is always after you and you always say no. And I know you don't like him, but he is gorgeous."
"Then you date him." Lily said, annoyed as she walked to her first class.
Cara shaking her head as she followed after her.
"I don't want to date him…" Cara smiled. "Plus who cares what they say?"
Lily and Cara sat at the front of the Charms classroom waiting for the professor to come in.
'''''''''
Lily hit her head on one of the tables in the library.
"I think I took to many classes." She sighed.
"I'm hurting for you." Cara smiled.
Jane and Selene laughed as they walked into the library.
"You two have been very none whiny today, what's going on?" Lily asked.
"We're just happy to be back really." Jane smiled, looking over at Remus and company a couple tables over.
"Uh huh… And I'm Cleopatra." Cara smiled.
"You'd make a lovely Cleopatra, perhaps for Halloween?" Selene laughed.
"You are no fun." Jane sighed, glancing at Remus.
"You like him… What is wrong with you two? Did they slip you something on the train?" Lily looked between Jane and Cara. "I swear if someone starts to like Peter I'm out of here."
"Just because you don't like them doesn't mean that we can't." Cara laughed.
"I need new friends." Lily smiled, looking around.
'''''''''''
"They're looking over here at us." Peter whispered.
"Why are you looking at them?" Sirius asked, annoyed.
"Great." James sighed.
"Just because you're trying to be a better person doesn't mean you have to drag the rest of us down with you." Sirius smiled.
"Speak for yourself mate." Remus turned the page in his book.
"If this is how this year is going to be I'm just going to kill myself now." Peter frowned.
"Knife or potion?" Sirius smiled.
"Neither, I'm just going to throw myself off the astronomy tower."
"Good luck with that." James sighed.
They went back to finishing up their charms essays that were due by the end of the week.
''''''''
Lily couldn't sleep that night and wondered back down to the common room to have some alone time.
She sat in front of the fire place, annoyed.
The flames were dying down and she didn't feel like adding anything to the fire.
Before she knew it she was dozing off to sleep, completely unaware that she was being watched.
James Potter sat in the corner chair, afraid to move.
Lily didn't generally do things like this and he knew that there must have been something wrong.
James tiptoed over to her when it was clear that she was sleeping.
He watched her sigh in her sleep and curl up into herself on the couch.
He wanted to tell her how much he had missed her and that he was trying to become a better person for her, but he knew that if he said anything he'd ruin everything he was trying to work for.
Over the summer he realized how much of a prat he was and planned on working on that over the next years to become a person worthy of her.
Lily whispered for her mother in her sleep, a sad look on her face.
James' heart melted for her and he wished that he could hold her and make those sad thoughts go away, but instead he wondered back upstairs.
'''''''
Cara woke Lily up early the next morning.
"Morning love, but you probably shouldn't have slept down here. Who knows who may have snuck a peek or touched you…" Cara laughed.
"That's disgusting Cara.." Lily smiled.
They walked quickly down to breakfast and sat at their usual spot.
James smiled slightly at them when they walked in.
"How they hell is he awake before us?" Lily sighed.
"He was probably the one sneaking a peek." Cara laughed.
Lily tried to hit her but she jumped away.
"What… Act like you wouldn't like it."
The rest of the week passed in a blur and the girls were anxiously waiting for the weekend and their time honored tradition of staying up all night and gossiping.
"James hasn't said a word to me." Lily sighed.
"I knew you couldn't go a whole week without saying his name. You owe me Selene." Cara sighed.
"You guys are soo annoying." Lily smiled.
"Admit you want his attention and we'll never pick on you again." Jane smiled.
"I will never say that." Lily frowned.
"Why? Would you rather wait and we all have an I told you so moment later?" Selene giggled.
"I'm going to hurt you!" Lily laughed.
"You always resort to violence… I wonder what is wrong with you." Cara laughed.
"How 'bout I show you what's wrong with me?" Lily laughed and lunged at her friend.
"Get off me!" Cara laughed.
"Take the James thing back." Lily smiled, tickling her friend.
"Fine!" Cara sighed, and rubbed her side. "You are a cheat."
"Maybe." Lily laughed.
"And I didn't really take it back. You know you want his attention." Cara laughed.
"I do kind of miss him…" Lily whispered.
"WHAT!" Selene cried.
"If you don't shut up right now I will make you…" Lily frowned.
"Why do you miss him?" Jane asked.
"I don't know… its weird really, its like I don't really feel like school has started. He always made it more enjoyable. I guess I miss the banter… But I don't like him like that." Lily added quickly.
The girls all laughed and nodded.
"That is going to get taken the wrong way isn't it?" Lily asked.
They giggled and then nodded.
"I hate you." Lily sighed.
Lily pulled her blanket over her head, but couldn't help but smile.
"But seriously do you want to do something about that, or are we just going to be a prude like last year." Selene asked.
"Sometimes you are too blunt." Cara sighed.
"I don't know yet, k?" Lily said through the fabric.
"We can all try to be friends…" Jane whispered.
"That would be a great place to start." Cara smiled.
Lily nodded, embarrassed.
'''''''''''''''''
What do you guys think? I need some feedback here.
