"You did what?" Remus Lupin stared at the girl beside him, not believeing what he was hearing "This is a joke, isn't it?"

Lily looked at him disbelievingly "Would I joke about this?"

"How did - what - how - why did you - when-"

"I don't even know." She looked at the floor, frowing "Has he not said anything?"

"No." Remus replied, frowing "And I really have no idea why not because it's the sort of thing he'd usually scream from the rooftops." He shook his head "I can't believe it."

"Neither can I. I do not have sex with people I hate in the school Library. The Library, Remus."

He smiled "Your place of worship."

"Urgh!" she said, her face buried into her hands "I had sex with James Potter."

He shook his head "I cant believe it."

"No...It didn't really sink in until I was sat in the Great Hall about to eat my tea and - oh God."

Remus patted her shoulder consolingly, as her face was once again deep her hands "Was this why he was so edgy this morning when you weren't in Potions - oh Merlin, you two made the mess in the Library!"

"Edgy?" Her head snapped up "He was edgy?"

"Yeah; it was like he couldn't sit still and he was looking all around the classroom for something - for you, I suppose."

Lily moaned "What have I done?"

"James."

"I said what not who." she responded, pushing the hair from her face "Oh my God."

"What made you-"

"I don't know!" she sighed "He was just there and he was looking all...I don't even know but one minute we were talking and then he said he wanted me and then the next I've got my legs wrapped around his-"

"Alright I get the picture." Remus cut her off and there was a small pause "You seemed very calm this morning."

"Well, like I said, it didn't sink in until I was half way through dinner and then I had to run out of the Great Hall and throw up." She shook her head sadly "I had sex with James Potter."

Remus nodded as grey drizzle began to hit a nearby window. The floor of the stone corridor was cold and hard, filling Lily with an uncomfortable feeling from her feet upwards.

"Have you spoken to him?"

In response she shook her head.

"Are you going to?"

She shrugged "I have no idea. I suppose I'll have to..."

They were quiet for a moment, listening to nothing but the now heavy rain beating against the castle walls.

"Why me?" After about fifteen minutes, Remus spoke softly "Not Marlene, not even Alice...why me?"

Lily shook her head "I don't know. Alice would...she'd be horrified and she wouldn't understand why I did it - I don't even understand why I did it so I can't explain it to her."

"Marlene?"

"Marlene would understand better but she wouldn't take it seriously - it would make her entire year. She'd just laugh for a really long time and make comments whenever he happen to be in the room."

Remus nodded "Still, though - why me?"

Lily shrugged "I suppose you were my third option. You listen, you'll take me seriously, you give decent advice and, well...you know him, I suppose."

"That, I do." He sighed "Not that it gives me much of an advantage - I can't believe he hasn't said anything!"

"To everybody, or just you?"

He shook his head "No, I'm not insulted - just surprised. If he doesn't want to tell anybody then that's his decision, I just can't figure out why."

Lily shrugged "I don't know - I hardly know him."

"Says the girl who had her legs around his back last night."

Lily hit his arm and Remus laughed, shaking his head "Blimey."

"What?"

"He's changed."

She frowned "What are you talking about?"

"Well," He rubbed the back of his neck "You know how he's had this thing over you for ages?"

She raised an eyebrow "Hmm."

"Well, he must have realised over summer at some point that the reason you wouldn't go out with him is because he's so arrogant and egotistic and, well, all the other names you've called him over the past seven years."

"Correct."

"Yes, well he decided that he was going to change so that he might actually have a chance with you. Obviously, we didn't believe he would - Sirius nearly wet himself, but that's beside the point."

"What is the point?"

"Think back to this time, last year."

"Yeah."

"Imagine you'd had sex with him...what would he do - the very first thing?"

She frowned "I don't know?"

"Tell people, Lily. And he hasn't - not even his best friends."

x

James Potter looked up from his Charms essay as the Portrait Hole opened and a teenage girl walked in. The dying embers of the fire were the only source of light in the circular room.

"Evening." He raised an eyebrow.

Lily looked at him for a moment. Of all the people to be up at quarter to twelve, it would be James Potter - that was just her luck.

"Why are you still awake?"

He laughed "Quidditch practice, sweetheart."

"Quidditch practice ended at eleven - I saw Marlene on her way back."

He waved lazily to the parchment infront of him "Hence why I'm doing this now."

Lily shook her head and made to walk away, but James continued the conversation.

"Any idea where Remus is?"

"Kitchens." She replied "He was hungry when we'd finished-"

"Finished?" James raised a mocking eyebrow "So that's half the group you've shagged on two consecutive evenings?"

"-Our duty."

He said nothing but let the corners of his mouth curve into a smile.

"Why haven't you told anyone?" Her voice was quiet but sincere, causing goosebumps to erupt down his arms.

"Do you want me to?"

"Of course not."

"Didn't think so."

She shook her head "I just assumed you would."

He messed his hair up with one hand and looked at her steadily "Why?"

"I don't know," She shrugged "Because that's just you."

"Me?"

"Yeah - I assumed you'd be so proud-"

"Oh, I am."

"-That you wouldn't be able to control yourself."

"Yeah, well," He said, "Maybe I have more self control than you think."

"And are you going to?"

"Not if you don't want me to."

"No, I don't but I'd rather you told people now rather than drop it into conversation in six months time when I'm least expecting it."

He smiled "You need to learn to trust people."

"I do trust people - just not you."

"Well it looks like you're going to have to, doesn't it?"

Lily was about to respond but the Portrait Hole swung open and Remus walked in, a bar of Honeydukes chocolate in his hand.

He looked from James to Lily, before holding out his arm "Chocolate?"

"No thanks." Lily said, taking her eyes away from James "Good night."

Both boys watched her disappear up the girls staircase and heard the soft thud of a closing of a door two flights up.

"Alright?" Remus asked tentatively.

"Bloody women..." James responded, before nodding "Yeah, I'm fine thanks."

"She'll get it." Remus said.

"Get what?"

"You...how you feel...you know, all of it - eventually, she'll understand."

"And how do you know how I feel?" James smiled.

"Just a hunch." He shrugged "But I've never seen anybody look at a girl the way you look at Lily Evans."

James laughed softly, before gathering his essay and ink and following Remus up the boy's stairs to a bed where he hoped he could escape from thoughts of the Head Girl.

But of course, she plagued his dreams as much as his thoughts.

x