Chapter 26 – Sirius P.O.V.
James still wasn't the same, but he was better. Remus somehow managed to cheer him up a bit, and he was almost to his normal self. Almost. He would laugh and smile and talk to others, but we could see the little things – his smile never reached his eyes anymore, and the happy twinkle in his hazel eyes disappeared.
"Prongs, Moony! Are you ready?" I yelled up the staircase leading to our dormitory. I had been waiting in the common room for about five minutes. We were about to go to Hogsmeade to shop for clothes to wear to the upcoming dance.
"Calm yourself, Pads!" Remus' irritated voice called down the stairs. "It's not my fault you don't people to impress!"
James and Remus walked down the staircase, dressed and ready to go. I smirked when I saw the irritated expression on Remus' face.
"Oh? And you have someone to impress then, I'm assuming," I teased. I laughed when I saw Remus cheeks redden.
"S'nothin," Remus mumbled, looking anywhere but at me. James and I chuckled.
"Well c'mon! The girls are waiting for us already," James called over his shoulder as he made his way over to the portrait hole.
Remus snickered, "Looks like someone is pretty eager to see Lily." James stumbled a bit as he stepped out of the common room, fueling my and Remus' laughter.
James threw us faux angry glares. "You two are gits," he muttered, but I could see a hint of a smile in the corner of his mouth. I was just glad he wasn't actually angry.
Remus and I had been acting different around James ever since his confession. We didn't want to say something wrong and have it upset him in any way. James still hasn't gotten over it, but he's now comfortable admitting his feelings for Lily. Remus and I have actually teased him a couple times, and at first James would tense, but now he laughs it off. However, if you looked closely, you could see in his eyes that the pain in his eyes never left.
We met the girls in the Entrance Hall. We watched as they said good bye to Aislinn, who skipped away to join her brothers. Apparently, they were going shopping as a family. Niall glanced over at us and I met it with a harsh glare, to which he immediately looked away.
"Hi!" Lily sang, skipping up to us. She quickly pecked me on the cheek and hugged James and Remus. I quirked an eyebrow at her cheerfulness.
"Any reason you're so happy this morning?" I asked.
Lily shared a knowing look with Alice and Thalia and turned back to me, with a faux look of innocence and confusion.
"Nope, no reason. Just happen to be in a happy mood," she replied.
I didn't buy it for a second.
The girls definitely knew something we boys did not.
And I didn't like it.
Not one bit.
Lily P.O.V. - Earlier that day
"Thalia, I know what I have to do," I stated, as I got changed.
Thalia paused and turned to look at me. "Lils, what are you talking about?"
I sighed. "I have to tell Niall I just can't do this, I can't go out with him anymore. I mean, I know now what I really want."
Alice stopped what she was doing and turned to look at us. We had filled her on in what happened, and she fully believes I have feelings for James.
It's time to tell them they're right.
"And what is it that you want, Lils?" Alice asked, hope shining in her eyes. Lia and Alice looked at me eagerly.
"James, I need him."