Don't Let Your Guard Down
chapter 21

wow, 21 chapters and still SO much more to go! sorry my updates aren't as soon as they used to be. i was home this past weekened and i only have a week and a half left of classes and then finals week (eek) so i've been busy finishing up work and preparing for exams. i hope you can forgive me.

sorry for the cliffhanger last chapter (i know, i'm so evil!), but thanks to all of you who reviewed...i really appreciate it!

Disclaimer: In no way ami J.K. Rowling (no matter how much i wish i was).

Now, on to the story... if you don't remember, this is where it left off:

After several minutes James couldn't take it anymore. He looked up, staring straight at Lily's back and said, "I love you."

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Lily stopped writing immediately and slowly and cautiously turned to face him. After a few seconds of looking him over to see his sincerity, she opened her mouth to say something but was interrupted by a few of the prefects walking in.

"Hey guys," the prefects said to Lily and James.

Lily and James refused to lose eye contact and just muttered a quick hello while still staring at each other.

"Okay, so far all you guys have told us is that pranks are against the rules," a prefect, Freddie, said. "And last time I checked…we already knew that."

"Yeah, and last time I checked," another prefect, Mikey, chimed in. "James was the king of pranks."

"Uh huh," Lily muttered, obviously distracted.

"So, let me get this straight," a third prefect, Margot, said. "You called us here to warn us about pranks?"

"No, we have an agenda," Lily said.

"We've been here for almost forty minutes," Freddie said. "Is that agenda going to bediscussed anytime soon?"

"Why? The last time I checked, you didn't have a life to get back to," James snapped.

Freddie opened his mouth to retort but then shut it, "Yeah, that's true."

"Didn't your girlfriend just break up with you?" Margot asked Freddie.

"So how 'bout that agenda?" Freddie joked.

"Okay, so maybe Freddie doesn't have a life to get back to, but James, don't you have a life that you want to get back to?" a prefect, Isabella, asked.

"Well not anymore now that he's learned that pranks aren't allowed," Mikey said and all the prefects laughed.

"Fine. This is pointless!" Lily said, throwing her hands up in the air. "Forget the agenda! Forget this stupid useless meeting! Go have lives! I don't give a damn anymore, see if I care."

It grew really quiet as people tried to interpret her reaction. "Is this a trick?" Mikey whispered.

"This is bringing out a lovely side of her," Freddie responded.

"She should be mad at James more often; then maybe we'd get out of these meetings before the night was over," Mikey whispered back.

"So…does this still mean we can't play pranks?" Isabella asked.

"Quick, let's go play a prank now. Maybe she won't notice anything," Freddie said, quickly gathering his things and exiting.

Lily groaned as they all left. "They don't take their jobs seriously anymore," Lily groaned to no one in particular.

"This coming from the girl who just told them all to forget the pointless agenda and the stupid useless meeting," James mumbled with a hint of a smile.

Lily turned to him. "I didn't realize you wanted me to kick your ass tonight."

"Um…I don't," James said carefully.

"Then shut up."

"Will do."

It grew quiet mainly because a million things were racing through Lily's head. Did he mean what he said? Or did he just want to get out of a fight? Does he said he loves every bimbo that walks into his life? Or is she special?

Lily sighed to herself andlooked up at James and asked, "Did you mean what you said before?"

James looked over at her. "That I didn't want you to kick my ass tonight? Yeah, I did mean it."

Lily gave him a look. "You know that's not what I meant."

James put his stuff down and walked over to Lily. "Yes I meant it."

Lily smiled and looked into James's eyes. "I love you too." James leaned in to kiss her but she interrupted him, "I just don't love when you have Nancie in your room." James opened his mouth to retort- "And I don't love when you get mad that I hang out with Sirius, or any of my friends." James tried once again to talk. "And I don't love that you-"

"Lily!" James exclaimed and Lily closed her mouth and looked at him. "Are you done yet?" Lily shrugged and nodded. "I don't care about Nancie…nor have I ever cared for her the way I care for you."

Lily smiled. "I know." James smiled back at her and gave her a kiss.

"Damn, we always walk in at the worst times," Remus said, entering the classroom.

"You mean the best times," Sirius said with a smirk.

Lily and James broke apart, rolling their eyes. "Don't you have anything better to do that doesn't involve stalking us?"

"Yes," Sirius said. "But Melanie wasn't available tonight."

"Translated as he was too lazy to get out his blow up doll and so he jumped up and down on my bed until I put my books away to help him find you two," Remus said, rolling his eyes.

"I was concerned!" Sirius exclaimed. "I was afraid that you guys were going to be killing each other. I was only looking out for you two."

"You told me you wanted to go find them so we could all get cake together," Remus said.

"The cake is to celebrate them not killing each other," Sirius said. "And you promised me cake this weekend and I got nothing!You owe me!"

"How come you can't remember the answers to tests, or the times of classes, but you can remember us promising you cake," James asked.

"I choose to only remember the important stuff," Sirius said. "But let's get back to you two."

"There's nothing to tell," Lily said.

"You were kissing," Sirius said.

"Thanks for the clarification," James said. "Otherwise I would have been utterly confused as to what we were doing."

"You haven't kissed for a few days now," Sirius said.

"Not each other, no," Lily said jokingly.

"You were in a fight," Sirius said. "And now you're not?"

"Yup," James said.

Sirius sat down. "My head hurts."

"That's because for once, you're trying to use your brain," Remus said. "You know it hurts when you do that."

Sirius jumped up from the seat. "I want cake."

"Why do we put up with you?" James asked with a groan.

"Because I'm so damn cute, you can't resist me," Sirius said with a grin.

"No…" Remus said slowly. "That's not it."

"Because I'm so entertaining?" Sirius suggested.

"No…" James said.

"Because when you hang out with Sirius, you appear ten times smarter," Lily said with a smirk.

"Yeah, that's it," Remus and James answered.

Sirius pouted. "I'm not gonna pretend that didn't hurt," Sirius said. "…but I'll forgive you if you get me some damn cake!"

All four of them laughed as they exited the room. Lily glanced over at James and smiled, intertwining her fingers with his. She smiled to herself, so happy that Nancie hadn't ruined what they had; so happy that she was now talking with James and not avoiding him and/or yelling at him; so happy that she was in love.

"So Melanie turned me down," Sirius said, entering his room and plopping down on the bed. "And before you get all judgmental on me, I know that happens often. I know people get rejected all the time. I heard a girl crying about it in the library this morning."

"Whoa, let me get this straight," Remus said, looking up from his homework. "You were in a library?"

"Hey! I happen to love the library," Sirius said. Remus gave him a look. "…I followed Melanie in there."

"Of course," James said.

Sirius looked over at Peter's desk where James was sitting. "Why the hell are you here?"

James looked up. "Is it me, or has 'hello' gone out of style recently?"

"Don't you have your own commons room, and your own room, and a girlfriend to hang out with?" Sirius asked and then groaned. "How come your life is so perfect?"

"Because I'm not in love with a girl who hates my guts," James said. James ducked as a pillow was thrown at him.

"Unlike you, James has learned to study, be courteous, and not use girls as sex objects," Peter noted.

Remus glanced over at james. "Well, he's learned to study at least," he joked.

"No he hasn't," Sirius insisted.

"What do you call what he's doing right now?" Peter asked.

Sirius glanced over at James reading a book and writing notes down on parchment. "Oooh, so that's what studying looks like."

"It amazes me that you made it past the first week of Hogwarts," Remus teased.

Sirius rolled his parchment in a ball and threw it up in the air to catch it. "Once we get out of this place, I'm getting new friends."

"Imaginary ones don't count," Remus said, catching the piece of parchment Sirius threw at him.

Sirius rolled onto his side and glanced over at James. "How do you do it?"

James looked up from his book. "How do I do homework?"

"No," Sirius said rolling his eyes. "I know how to do homework."

"Copying James is not doing homework," Remus said.

Sirius paused. "Oh...well whatever, learning how to do homework is pointless at this time in my life."

"Yeah, almost as pointless as good grades," Peter joked.

Sirius looked back over at James. "How do you commit to one girl? How do you juggle classes, studying for NEWT's, and being Head Boy? How do you constantly play pranks and act all high and mighty but yet, make professor's still love you?"

"It's called charisma," James said.

"Can I buy this so called 'charisma?'" Sirius asked.

James laughed. "You'll get it right eventually Si. We're still teenagers right now. We're supposed to have fun. You'll learn all that stuff when it comes time."

"So I won't end up alone, miserable, and living on the streets?"

"Of course not," James said. "…you'll end up alone, miserable, and with me."

Sirius laughed. "Thanks mate."

"Why do you ask?" Remus wondered. "Are you finally realizing that sleeping with girls every night, not doing work, and playing pranks is not what life is all about?"

Sirius gasped. "Life is definitely all about sex with girls every night!"

"No its not."

"Yes it is!"

"No it's not."

Sirius pouted. "No it's not."

Remus turned to Peter and James. "It's taken seven years, but he finally listens to me."

Sirius smiled in Remus's direction and got to thinking about Remus's comment. Sirius bit his lip and got up from his bed. "I'll be back."

"Where's he going?" Remus asked as Sirius left the room.

Peter shrugged. "Probably getting cake."

Sirius surveyed the commons room until his eyes fell upon a certain brown haired, blue eyed girl. He walked over and sat Indian Style on a couch right beside her.

She looked up. "What do you want Black?"

"Hi."

Gigi sighed. "I'm busy Black. There's nothing you can say that will make me stop studying and close this book. I have-"

"I'm sorry."

Gigi closed her book. "Book's closed...go on."

Sirius took a deep breath. "Life isn't just about sex with random girls each night."

"Not for me, no," Gigi said.

Sirius just looked into her crystal blue eyes and couldn't believe that he had been avoiding this gorgeous girl for so long. He leaned in a little closer so she had his attention. "When you find that one person you care for, you shouldn't let them go. You shouldn't avoid them. You should hold on to them tight," Sirius said sincerely. "I didn't do that."

"Oh what? You let Shelby, Melanie, Gabrielle, Tanya, Sasha, etc go too easily?" Gigi asked, reopening her book. "Afraid you let your soul mate go after your one night stand with her?"

"Giliba-" Sirius started.

"This is stupid Black," Gigi said.

"Can't you let me explain?"

"No," Gigi said tiredly. She looked up at him with a sigh. "I'm tired of excuses."

"They aren't excuses Giliba," Sirius said. "None of those girls mean anything to me-"

"And yet you still date them," Gigi said.

"Yeah, but-"

"I have to go," Gigi said, gathering her books.

"Giliba-" Sirius repeated.

Gigi took a deep breath and looked up at him. "My boyfriend is waiting for me."

"You…you have a boyfriend?" Sirius asked warily.

Gigi nodded. "And he treats me the way I deserve to be treated."

"Oh so he takes you straight to bed every night?" Sirius sneered, annoyed at himself that he was too late.

Giliba got up, hitting Sirius with her books. "I hope you rot in hell."

Sirius sighed, angry with himself for saying that. "Giliba, wait!"

Giliba whipped around. "What is your problem Black? What's with this soul mate and I'm sorry crap? Stop acting like a sensitive guy when you and I both know you're just an asshole underneath."

Sirius sighed and ran his hands through his hair angrily as he watched Gigi and her crystal blue eyeswalk away.

Sirius walked in and slammed the door. "I'm your friend right?" Sirius said loudly, throwing a crumpled piece of parchment violently in the direction of the three boys.

Peter, James, and Remus looked up. "Not if you keep throwing things at us," Remus answered.

"When Giliba got a boyfriend, why didn't you tell me?" Sirius asked.

The boys exchanged worried glances. "We didn't think you'd care."

"I don't!" Sirius cried out.

"So…you're pacing the floor angrily for no reason?" Peter asked cautiously.

Sirius sighed and put his hands on his hips but kept pacing."I don't care."

"So…you're sighing angrily, slamming doors, and throwing things for no reason?" Remus asked.

"I don't care," Sirius repeated sternly.

"You have 'I care' written all over your face," James noted.

Sirius stopped pacing and faced his friends. "I don't care," he said softly and very unconvincingly.

"Yes you do," all three of them answered.

"Yes I do," Sirius muttered to himself. Sirius sighedand started pacing again, telling himself not to care about a girl he's had no problem fighting with for the past year.He floppeddown on his bed and looked up, leaning against his elbows."This is good. Now I not only get to torture Giliba, but I also get to torture her new boy toy."

"You have a strange way of showing girls you like them," Peter said.

"I don't like Giliba," Sirius insisted.

"Oh right, my mistake. You just kiss Gigi multiple times, stay away from practically every bimbo who wants you in this school, ask James how to stick to one girl, and you obviously care that she has a new boyfriend…but you're right, you don't like her," Remus said, rolling his eyes.

Sirius sat up. "I'm glad you see things my way."

"Sirius, no one will ever see things your way," Peter noted.

"Gigi's only been with this guy for a few days Si," Remus said. "We would have told you eventually."

Sirius turned on his side, supporting his weight by leaning on his arm. "Whatever, I don't care."

"It sucks, doesn't it?" James asked.

"What does?" Sirius asked.

"Not caring."

Sirius paused. "Yeah," Sirius sighed. "It does." And then he fell back onto his bed, staring up at the ceiling.

"He found out," Gigi said, throwing her books down on Lily's bed and dropping onto Lily's bed, stomach first.

Lily looked up from her work. "Explain please."

"Sirius found out about Jesse," Gigi said with a sigh.

"How?"

"Me."

Lily put her quill down and turned to Gigi. "So…all this threatening me and Kacie and telling us not to tell Sirius was just a joke?"

"Oh no, I really was going to kill you if you told him," Gigi said.

"Oh," Lily said, leaning back in her desk chair. "As long as we've got that figured out."

Gigi sighed and lay back on Lily's bed, looking up at the ceiling. Gigi pictured Sirius looking so casual and gorgeous sitting on the couch beside her, acting like there wasnothing between them.For some reason, she couldn't get what he said out of her head. He apologized to her and tried being nice and all she could do was snap at him. And what was most visible in her mind was the way he looked when she told him that she had a boyfriend.

She sighed and continued to look up at the ceiling. "It was weird, Lily."

"Talking to Sirius?" Lily asked. "Or talking to Sirius about your boyfriend?"

"Being in the same room as Black," Gigi corrected.

"How did you run into Sirius?" Lily asked.

"He came to talk to me."

"The same Sirius who has been avoiding you for weeks?" Lily asked. Gigi nodded. "The same Sirius who never wanted to talk to you again after you told him he meant nothing to you?" Lily nodded. "The same Sirius who-"

"The same messy black haired, dark eyed, tall, stupid acting guy," Gigi finished.

"You forgot goofy looking," Lily said. Gigi rolled her eyes at her. Lily grinned. "So what did he say?"

Gigi sat up and looked at Lily. "Those three words you never hear out of a guy's mouth."

"He said I love you?" Lily squeaked.

"No," Gigi said, rolling her eyes. "He said I am sorry."

"Ah, those three words," Lily said. Lily grinned, leaned in, and looked up at Gigi. "So he came to talk to you huh?"

Gigi looked at her suspiciously. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"He came to talk to you," Lily repeated in the form of a statement, not a question.

"Yes, I think we've established that already," Gigi said.

Lily smiled wide. "He came to talk to you," Lily said happily.

"Do I need to say it in another language also? Or maybe I'll sign language it to you," Gigi said. "How many times do you need to repeat it for it to get through that thick head of yours?"

"Just go with me on this one," Lily started.

"No."

"You don't even know what I was going to say," Lily pointed out.

"It's gonna be some theory about how him talking to me was a sign that he truly likes me and wants to be friends or more than friends or something like that," Gigi said.

Lily gaped at her. "You've been friends with me too long."

"Black just got bored of hanging out with the same bimbos, happened to walk into the same room that I was in, and sat down next to me," Gigi said.

"So tell me this," Lily said, getting up from her desk and plopping down on her bed. "Why didn't you tell him about your boyfriend before now? Or why didn't James, Remus, and Peter tell him? And why did you threaten me and Kace not to tell him?"

"I don't see your point," Gigi said stubbornly.

"That's because I don't have one," Lily said. "But you do."

"You're not making sense."

"There's a reason you didn't want Sirius to find out about Jesse," Lily said.

"Remember when you and James hated each other and he completely ruined your date with Geoff just for the fun of it?" Gigi asked.

"I call those times 'the dark period,'" Lily joked.

"Well whatever you call it, that's why I didn't tell Black. Because then not only would he make my life a living hell…he'd make Jesse's life a living hell. Just for the hell of it," Gigi said.

"James did all those things to me because he liked me," Lily said.

"Black doesn't like me," Gigi insisted. "And I don't like him."

"Of course not," Lily said with a hint of a smile.

Gigi groaned, noticing the smile on Lily's face. "Don't you have studying to get back to?"

"I always have time to take a break for gossip," Lily said with a grin.

"Guess what?" Lily cried out.

"Mars isn't a planet anymore?" Kacie said, leaning forward.

"Um…no," Lily said.

"Oh…you finally learned that life isn't all about books?" Kacie asked.

"No," Lily said, putting her hands on her hips.

"McGonagall isn't giving us any more work this year!" Kacie exclaimed.

"Yeah, like that would ever happen," Lily said sarcastically.

"Hmm…ooooh, Sirius has finally become sane!" Kacie cried out.

"McGonagall not giving us work is more likely," Lily said.

"Okay then," Kacie said still thinking. "James asked you to marry him!"

"No," Lily said sternly.

"Guess what!" Gigi cried out, running into the room.

"Oh god, don't get her started," Lily muttered.

"Well if Mars is still a planet, maybe Pluto isn't one!" Kacie cried out.

"Are you done yet?" Lily asked impatiently.

Kacie thought about it and leaned back in her chair. "Yeah, I'm all out."

Gigi looked from Kacie to Lily. "Do I even want to know why Pluto isn't a planet anymore?"

"Let's just say that Kacie is the worst guesser ever," Lily said.

"Oooh, I got it! You finally found friends who actually like you!" Kacie cried out with a smirk. Lily gave her a look. "Okay…now I'm out."

"Guess who made an effort to talk to our one and only Gigi over here," Lily said with a grin, laughing at Gigi's annoyed look.

"Satan!" Kacie exclaimed. "Santa Clause!"

Lily turned to Gigi. "Do me a favor…whenever I tell Kacie to 'guess,' just slap me."

Gigi grinned. "Gladly."

"The Pope!" Kacie cried out.

"You completely ruin any piece of news I have," Lily said, leaning back in her pillows.

"Okay, tell me who talked to Gigi," Kacie said.

"Sirius," Lily said with a wide grin.

Kacie sat up. "He is way better than Santa Clause!"

"Tell Black that," Gigi muttered. "We don't need his head growing so big that he doesn't fit through doorways." Gigi paused. "Although it would be kinda funny to watch him try."

"So he made an effort to talk to you huh?" Kacie said, leaning back. "Do you know what this means?"

"Either he was abducted by aliens, or it was a dare," Gigi said. "And being that he was abducted by aliens many years ago, I'd go with the latter."

"Or, he wanted to talk to you and he really like-"

"I liked you better when you were annoying Lily by guessing wrong," Gigi mumbled. "Let's get one thing straight. Black likes to annoy me and make my life miserable. In no way does he like me or will he ever like me, okay?"

Lily and Kacie were quiet for a bit before Kacie sat up and grinned. "He so likes you."

>>>>>>>>>>>>>

awww, Sirius is trying to be friends with Gigi. is that a good idea? and whoa, Gigi has a boyfriend. how long with that last and how will Sirius actbecauseof it?yay for Lily and James getting back together! will that last?

only one way to find out: REVIEW!