Remus avoided everyone that week. He purposefully opted to patrol hallways on the other side of the castle so as to be as far from Lily as possible. He went to bed late so that he would not have to converse with his dorm mates. He rose early so that he could leave and eat breakfast before any of them had even changed clothes. He spent his breaks in the library away from the rest of the student body. Finally Saturday came around and he had felt more tired than he had all term. He checked the clock on his bedside table. Six AM. He rolled over and groaned. He wanted to lay in the oasis that was the warm space between his comforter and mattress forever.

He forced himself to sit up and he stretched. He quickly changed and hurried downstairs. The common room would have been deserted if it hadn't been for the single boy slumped in a crimson armchair in front of the fire. It was James. He held a mug of what appeared to be coffee in his hands and it was teetering dangerously to the verge of spilling all over the hearth rug.

Remus made his way over and gently removed the mug from danger. James's eyes snapped open, he was alert. When they fell on Remus's, they softened and he smiled. "Where the hell have you been?" he asked with a playful tone of irritation.

"Around," Remus mumbled in response and he sunk into the armchair next to James's.

"I stayed up all night waiting to talk to you, but now I'm so bloody tired I can't remember what I was going to say." James thew back his head and laughed. Remus felt a pang of admiration toward his friend and James continued, "I've got a deathly pain in my neck now, and for once it isn't Wormtail."

Both boys laughed. Remus sat quietly examining the logs burning loyally in the fire place. Wasn't this what he had wanted all along? A friend who would sit beside him joking amicably as if he was a normal human being. A friend who actually made him feel normal. His entire childhood had been spent alone, and now here was this boy who was exactly what he had yearned for. Hell, he even had multiple friends thanks to James. He had Sirius, and Pettigrew, and all the other casual acquaintances that came with hanging out with the "cool" kids at school.

But what about a girl. Such soft creatures. Someone to hold. Someone to share tender, intimate moments.

He folded his arms over his chest and frowned. He was getting tired of this internal conflict.

"I'm hungrier than that chubby second year on a diet," James voiced. Remus laughed at his friend and they both stood up. "Do they even serve breakfast this bloody early?" James asked.

Remus snorted, "Surprisingly, the entire student body doesn't sleep in 'til noon James."

They laughed again. Each time they laughed Remus felt as if his soul was being cleansed. It was such a refreshing feeling. There seemed to be no problems going on, no internal conflicts, and especially no guilt.

When they reached the great hall his eyes immediately fell upon a head of red hair hiding behind today's issue of The Daily Prophet.

Oh good lord.

He sat down with James as far away from this person as possible. Both were struggling not to look in her direction, each for his own reasons. James piled some eggs and sausage onto his plate and began to scarf them down hungrily. Remus however, had suddenly lost his appetite. He sipped his coffee and stared off into the distance. A few minutes passed. James had settled down and began to eat like a normal human being as opposed to a starving predator. Remus had selected a piece of toast, but the minute he put it in his mouth he experienced the sensation of eating sandpaper. He gave up and put the toast back on his plate.

"What are we gonna do today?" James asked casually although his voice had an irritated edge to it.

"Not sure. I was going to go to the library and get some studying done."

James nodded and the silence resumed. "When's our next party animal session?" he finally asked quietly.

Remus shrugged. "Next week maybe. 'Round Wednesday I figure."

"Excellent. I need a little break from the usual grind of things now and again."

So it's just a break for you? A way to unwind and relax? Well guess what James, that's the hardest time of the month for me. Don't you get it?

"Hey, mate, are you okay?" James waved a hand in front of Remus's face. "I was only joking. You just spaced out there for a second."

Remus looked up at him, "I should head off to the library. I'll see you later." He got up. He could hear James protesting somewhere behind him but he didn't care. Oh God here it comes. The internal conflict.

He just kept walking. He didn't even care about where he was going. As long as I'm alone and able to think properly without being bothered. I'll be fine.

He reached an abandoned corridor. He sat down on a windowsill and looked out on the grounds. He wasn't aware of how much time had passed but his mental struggle was broken up by a sweet voice, "Remus. Have you been ignoring me?"

He looked up. Of course. Lily Evans was standing uneasily next to him. She was tugging at the end of a strand of her hair and biting her lower lip.

"No," he lied, "I've just had a lot on my mind."

"May I sit down?" she asked. He nodded. She took a seat across from him. He turned his attention back to the view outside the window. He wasn't absorbing any of it. His mind was focused on the girl sitting across from him. "It was wrong of me to make you choose," she said.

He turned to her. She smiled at him weakly. He frowned and rested his forehead against the glass. "I can't choose Lily. No one could make me choose. He's my best friend. I know he can be a complete ass half the time, but the other half..well he's not half bad, okay?"

She nodded understandingly. "I was just upset," she said, "I wasn't thinking properly at all and," she stopped and looked down, "well, I dunno, I guess, I just like you a lot."

Without thinking he leaned over, cupped her chin in his hands, and raised her face to his. "Lily, since the very first time I met you on the Hogwart's Express, I've been wishing for you to say that. What took you so bloody long?" They moved in at the exact same time and their lips brushed together softly.

An electric current flowed through every single nerve in Remus's body. It felt like his limbs were slowly going numb. Her lips curled into a smile halfway through and he stopped kissing her. He rested his forehead against hers and wrapped his arms around her shoulders, pulling her closer to him.

"I've been wishing you would kiss me since that one time you sat next to me in Potions because Pettigrew was sick. What took you so bloody long?"

They both laughed softly. Lily scooted closer to Remus and put her head on his chest. He rested his head on the top of hers and allowed himself to absorb the smell of her hair. He was surprised at the flowery scent that greeted him. It didn't have the same divinity that he had imagined. No. It doesn't. It doesn't because she's not divine. She's Lily Evans. She's completely human.

And that's what I adore about her