No one said anything. Remus opened his mouth as if he was going to, but closed again with another pitying look.
"I'm sorry…" I said desperately.
Lily ran up and gave me a huge, fierce hug. I didn't know what to do. James and Sirius were watching me and I didn't know how they'd react to me hugging Lily. But I did anyways.
"We were so worried when you didn't come back. We had no idea where you were!" She said, pulling away.
"You could have used the map…" I suggested, more to myself than to anyone else.
Her eyes widened and I knew that they hadn't thought of that. Or maybe they hadn't even tried…
I looked around at the rest of the group. Remus smiled at me and gave me a hug.
"We were worried." He said, as if to assure me that Lily was telling the truth. I hugged him back, glad that two of five had forgiven me at least.
Remus sat down on his bed again and I looked at Sirius and James.
Pettigrew had turned his back on me. James was staring with an odd expression. He seemed to fighting with himself as to whether he should forgive me or not. Sirius's eyes were the same.
"I'm sorry. So sorry." I said again.
"You chose him over us." James snarled.
"No! You would have been expelled if you'd hit him with that spell James! You and I both know you had something more than a Disarming spell on your mind." I said, desperately trying to explain myself.
"You protected him." Sirius said, less snarl-y than James.
"I'm just as mad about what he said to Lily as you!"
"Obviously not, or you would have let us at him." James said.
"You would have been expelled! Try hexing him or winning over Lily when you're not allowed here ever again." I said, getting frustrated.
"I'm right here you know." Lily piped in, but none of us said anything to her.
"He's scum." Sirius's voice dripped with hate.
"You don't have to like him! You don't have to act any differently at all! Just accept that I do." My eyes were beginning to brim with tears, as I whispered the last part.
They both heaved huge sighs and it was Sirius who answered.
"He's Slytherin scum and as soon as he messes up, he's ours."
I smiled. "You got it." I said as I flung my arms around him. I gave James a glance but seeing that he agreed with Sirius, I hugged him tightly too.
"It really was for our own good that she intervened." Remus defended me. Lily nodded in agreement.
Pettigrew still had his back to me. Light-hearted as I was at the moment, I addressed him. "Peter? Do you forgive me?" I asked him.
His pudgy form turned to face me and he looked upset still but nodded. I smiled at him, but didn't give him a hug. It was a little awkward in the room so I excused myself and headed downstairs. I was surprised to hear Lily excuse herself as well and follow me.
I stopped on the stairs and turned to her, sadness in my eyes and on my face. "Lily, I don't forgive him for what he called you! And you have to know that I, more than anyone else, know how much it isn't right. You're a better witch that most people in the senior grades! I'm so sorry but, but-" I couldn't fin the right words but didn't have to.
"Sandy, it's ok. I know. I didn't want them to hurt him either…well as bad as they were going to anyway." She smiled and I smiled back, hugging her again.
"He's outside the portrait. I should probably let him know what happened. He'll be apologising for a long time before I forgive him for this."
"Forgive him, Sandy." Lily warned.
"In time." I said.
I headed down into the room still full of muttering Gryffindors. I walked past them all, happy now that I had my friends back.
"What are you all muttering about?" Lily said loudly. "At least she has somebody!"
The muttering stopped and I smiled without turning back to look at her. The portrait opened and I stepped onto the platform and looked at Severus.
"You've got some apologies to make" I told him.
He looked at me and it was almost like things were back to normal. He didn't want to apologies, I could tell.
"If you ever want me to forgive you completely, Severus, you have to apologies. To all of them."
He scowled at me but I stared at him determinedly.
"You're lucky." he snarled, but I knew he was going to do it. I gave him a quick hug and turned to go back into the common room.
"I'm going to sleep. Too much drama for one day. Way too much." I said, yawning.
"Goodnight."
"Goodnight." I said. He nodded and headed back to his own common room where he'd have his own peers to deal with. I wish I could help him, but I think my being there would just make it worse.
So, instead I headed into the common room where I was greeted by stares, but no more muttering. I headed to the guys' dormitory to let them know I was heading to bed and to say goodnight. I was happy when I got a goodnight from all of them in return.
I went to sleep happy, surprised that so much could happen in a single day, but happy that it had all ended well.
