"Leah," almost whispered Lily, as she knocked softly on the door. She pushed it open and found Jonathon comforting a sobbing Leah. She strode over to them. "Leah," she began.
"I know, I know," Leah interrupted. "We're broken up but I love him so much," she said.
"That's not what I was going to say," Lily said. "I was going to ask if you were ok? But I guess that's obvious." Leah didn't answer and Jonathon and Lily exchanged a worried glance over her head.
It took the best part of an hour for Leah to stop wailing. By that time not only were Jonathon and Lily comforting her but Arabella and another one of Leah's friends, Gracie, had arrived as well.
"I'm ok," Leah said, suppressing a hiccup. Her cheeks were red and puffy from crying and her nose was bunged up.
"Come on," Lily ordered. "Let's go for a walk. It'll do you good." She pulled Leah up and linked her arm through Leah's left one. Arabella was linked through the right.
"We don't need Remus or Joshua anyway," Arabella said, a lot more confidently than she felt. Leah sniffled.
"I guess you're right." Arabella nodded, satisfied, willing herself not to break down and cry.
"Remus? What happened?" James asked, timidly. James and Sirius had dropped by. Peter, however, was too busy trying to cook dinner for his partner, who was still revolted that she had been paired up with him.
"I kissed Melanie and Leah saw." He shook his head. James shrugged and Sirius whistled.
"So?" said James. "You are broken up, aren't you?" Remus nodded, shortly. "So what's the problem?"
"Well I think that she still likes me," Remus answered.
"Well that's her problem, then," James shrugged.
"No it's not 'cos I still like her as well."
"But do you like Melanie?" Sirius asked, examining a painting on the wall. Remus thought about it.
"I guess I do," he said. "Arrrrrrrrggggggghhhhhhh!" He swore a couple of times and sank his hands into his head.
"Who are you gonna choose?" Sirius queried.
"I don't know," snapped Remus.
"Go out with both of them," James suggested. Remus just gave him a look.
"James," he said, coolly. "Who do you think I am? You? I mean I know you're used to playing girls around and not giving a damn about their feelings or about how much they love you but that's not something I would do. I pride myself on having respect for girls. Just look what you did to Leah. Do you know how long it took her to get over you?" He stormed out of the room and slammed the door. James glanced helplessly at Sirius.
"He's right you know," Sirius said, shrugging.
"But I don't . . ." started James.
"Yes you do," interrupted Sirius. James looked speechless for a moment. "I can't wait to see how long Hope lasts," he told James. James gawped at him. Remus re-appeared.
"Can I ask you one more thing James?" Remus asked. James nodded numbly. "Why are you dating Hope? It's because she's a knock-out, isn't it." James didn't answer. "I knew it," Remus said, smugly. "Y'know Lily's right about you. You are arrogant."
No one slept well that night. Remus was worrying about Melanie and Leah. Leah, herself, was depressed out of her mind and her stomach was grumbling from not having eaten anything in the past two days and hunger, depression and sleep is not a mix which is going to react. Arabella was thinking about Joshua and how much she had loved him and how dare he turn to Hope JUST because she was there? James was thinking Remus and Lily's comments over in his head. Was he really such a bastard with a huge ego? Sirius was upset about Arabella. She was torn over Joshua no matter how much she tried to hide it. Was it possible that she was in love with him and didn't care about Sirius at all? Lily was worn out with the stress of having so much responsibility but sleep wasn't coming to her. Why? Because of bloody James' relationship with Hope. No she corrected herself. It was because she was worried about her friends.
"You look awful, Lily," James greeted her.
"You're not looking fabulous yourself, Potter," Lily retorted, stifling three yawns in a row. "Thank God there's no classes on Saturday's," Lily thought, a yawn escaping out of her mouth.
"Hope's coming over in about three minutes," James told her.
"Great," Lily said, rolling her eyes. "Do you want me to cook you breakfast or something?" Lily asked, sarcastically, smiling sweetly at him.
"No," James answered, shortly. He wrung his hands together and Lily glanced strangely at him before running to the bathroom to dress herself before the "amazing" Hope arrived. By the time she returned Hope and James were sitting across from each other at the table. James cleared his throat and looked up at Lily.
"Don't mind me," she said, breezing through the kitchen. She pressed her ear up against the door and listened for what was coming. She'd bet her life that James was breaking up with her.
"Hope," she heard him saying.
"James," Hope said, giggling. Lily rolled her eyes and gritted her teeth.
"Look Hope I'm really sorry but I think we should break up," came James' voice. Kudos to me Lily thought. I was right.
"James?" Hope asked, voice cracking.
"Look, I do like you but not in the way you'd want to be liked," he explained. "I've been thinking it over and I think Lily, Sirius and Remus are right. I AM a player and I break way too many girls hearts. That's not how I want to live and I've decided I'm not going to do it any more." His words rang in Lily's ears loud and clear.
"But James' you're breaking my heart now," Hope said.
"I'm sorry," James said. "But I'm dating you for all the wrong reasons. A relationship based on looks just wouldn't work." Lily heard Hope crying.
"If that's the way you want it, James, then fine," Hope said, before running out the door. Lily stumbled and fell through the door. James caught her before she hit the ground and helped her stand upright, absently. Lily flashed him a grin.
"Potter," she said. "I don't like you very much but I gotta admit; I'm impressed." She grinned again and this time James couldn't help but notice how pretty she looked. "This doesn't mean I'm going to cook you're meals for you and clean up after you though," Lily warned. James shrugged.
"Lily," he said, before she walked out the door. "You should smile more often. It suits you. You look really pretty." Lily flushed, in spite of herself. He thought she was pretty! She ducked out the door and practically ran to Arabella's cabin.
"James broke up with Hope," she gasped when Sirius opened the door.
"Did she go past her sell-by-date?" Sirius asked, grinning. Lily shook her head.
"No," she said. "Get this. He said we were right about him playing around and how he didn't want to be like that anymore." She smiled and blushed, remembering James' comment on her smile. Get a grip, Evans Lily told herself. What's wrong with you, girl?
"Are you sure we're talking about the same James Potter here?" Sirius demanded. Lily nodded.
"I know," she said. "I couldn't believe it. But the main thing is I was right!" She jumped up and down and hugged and kissed Sirius.
"Are you ok Lily?" he asked amazed.
"Just peachy," Lily answered, running back out the door, giggling.
"What do you think she's on?" Sirius asked, Arabella, who had materialized next to Sirius and was watching Lily twirl back to her cabin.
"Recreational drugs?" tried Arabella. Sirius shrugged.
"So how are YOU doing?" he asked, shooing her into the living room and closing the door behind them.
"I could be better," Arabella admitted.
"Look just forget about Joshua," Sirius said, impatiently. "Come on I'm taking you out for the day.
"But . . ." Sirius glared at her and she stopped mid-way through her sentence. "Ok," she said, simply, grinning. Sirius grinned back. They stood grinning at each other until Sirius managed to snap out of it.
"Ok let's go," he said briskly. Arabella grinned, twirled a strand of chestnut coloured hair around her finger and made after Sirius.
"Lily," Remus came up behind her.
"Oh hi," replied Lily, coolly.
"Lily don't be like that," Remus said, stamping his foot.
"Like what?" Lily asked, briskly. Remus struggled to find a word.
"Dismissive," he said, finally.
"Remus," began Lily. "One of my best friends has been crying over you for the past 48 hours because you kissed another girl IN FRONT OF HER only a couple of days after you break up. What do you expect me to do? Run up to you, hug you and skip happily, hand in hand through the grass with you?" She glanced at him, wryly. "News flash," she added. "I don't think so."
"Leah's been crying about me for the past two days?" he asked.
"As if it were any of you're business, yes," Lily said, skimming a stone across the smooth surface o the lake, she was sitting by.
"Oh god," groaned Remus, sinking his head into his arms.
"So when are you going to kiss and make up?" Lily asked. Remus didn't answer. "Remus?" Lily prompted, beginning to look startled. "You are gonna apologize aren't you?" Remus still didn't reply. "Oh my God. You're not," Lily realized.
"No," Remus said, shortly.
"Jesus Christ," Lily said, paling. "Why not Remus? She's still crazy about you."
"I know," Remus said, in a muffled voice. "I was going to talk to Leah until I kissed . . ."
"Melanie," filled in Lily, looking shocked. Remus nodded.
"I guess I just like her a tiny bit more," he said, almost crying.
"Oh Christ all mighty," Lily said.
"I know, I know," Leah interrupted. "We're broken up but I love him so much," she said.
"That's not what I was going to say," Lily said. "I was going to ask if you were ok? But I guess that's obvious." Leah didn't answer and Jonathon and Lily exchanged a worried glance over her head.
It took the best part of an hour for Leah to stop wailing. By that time not only were Jonathon and Lily comforting her but Arabella and another one of Leah's friends, Gracie, had arrived as well.
"I'm ok," Leah said, suppressing a hiccup. Her cheeks were red and puffy from crying and her nose was bunged up.
"Come on," Lily ordered. "Let's go for a walk. It'll do you good." She pulled Leah up and linked her arm through Leah's left one. Arabella was linked through the right.
"We don't need Remus or Joshua anyway," Arabella said, a lot more confidently than she felt. Leah sniffled.
"I guess you're right." Arabella nodded, satisfied, willing herself not to break down and cry.
"Remus? What happened?" James asked, timidly. James and Sirius had dropped by. Peter, however, was too busy trying to cook dinner for his partner, who was still revolted that she had been paired up with him.
"I kissed Melanie and Leah saw." He shook his head. James shrugged and Sirius whistled.
"So?" said James. "You are broken up, aren't you?" Remus nodded, shortly. "So what's the problem?"
"Well I think that she still likes me," Remus answered.
"Well that's her problem, then," James shrugged.
"No it's not 'cos I still like her as well."
"But do you like Melanie?" Sirius asked, examining a painting on the wall. Remus thought about it.
"I guess I do," he said. "Arrrrrrrrggggggghhhhhhh!" He swore a couple of times and sank his hands into his head.
"Who are you gonna choose?" Sirius queried.
"I don't know," snapped Remus.
"Go out with both of them," James suggested. Remus just gave him a look.
"James," he said, coolly. "Who do you think I am? You? I mean I know you're used to playing girls around and not giving a damn about their feelings or about how much they love you but that's not something I would do. I pride myself on having respect for girls. Just look what you did to Leah. Do you know how long it took her to get over you?" He stormed out of the room and slammed the door. James glanced helplessly at Sirius.
"He's right you know," Sirius said, shrugging.
"But I don't . . ." started James.
"Yes you do," interrupted Sirius. James looked speechless for a moment. "I can't wait to see how long Hope lasts," he told James. James gawped at him. Remus re-appeared.
"Can I ask you one more thing James?" Remus asked. James nodded numbly. "Why are you dating Hope? It's because she's a knock-out, isn't it." James didn't answer. "I knew it," Remus said, smugly. "Y'know Lily's right about you. You are arrogant."
No one slept well that night. Remus was worrying about Melanie and Leah. Leah, herself, was depressed out of her mind and her stomach was grumbling from not having eaten anything in the past two days and hunger, depression and sleep is not a mix which is going to react. Arabella was thinking about Joshua and how much she had loved him and how dare he turn to Hope JUST because she was there? James was thinking Remus and Lily's comments over in his head. Was he really such a bastard with a huge ego? Sirius was upset about Arabella. She was torn over Joshua no matter how much she tried to hide it. Was it possible that she was in love with him and didn't care about Sirius at all? Lily was worn out with the stress of having so much responsibility but sleep wasn't coming to her. Why? Because of bloody James' relationship with Hope. No she corrected herself. It was because she was worried about her friends.
"You look awful, Lily," James greeted her.
"You're not looking fabulous yourself, Potter," Lily retorted, stifling three yawns in a row. "Thank God there's no classes on Saturday's," Lily thought, a yawn escaping out of her mouth.
"Hope's coming over in about three minutes," James told her.
"Great," Lily said, rolling her eyes. "Do you want me to cook you breakfast or something?" Lily asked, sarcastically, smiling sweetly at him.
"No," James answered, shortly. He wrung his hands together and Lily glanced strangely at him before running to the bathroom to dress herself before the "amazing" Hope arrived. By the time she returned Hope and James were sitting across from each other at the table. James cleared his throat and looked up at Lily.
"Don't mind me," she said, breezing through the kitchen. She pressed her ear up against the door and listened for what was coming. She'd bet her life that James was breaking up with her.
"Hope," she heard him saying.
"James," Hope said, giggling. Lily rolled her eyes and gritted her teeth.
"Look Hope I'm really sorry but I think we should break up," came James' voice. Kudos to me Lily thought. I was right.
"James?" Hope asked, voice cracking.
"Look, I do like you but not in the way you'd want to be liked," he explained. "I've been thinking it over and I think Lily, Sirius and Remus are right. I AM a player and I break way too many girls hearts. That's not how I want to live and I've decided I'm not going to do it any more." His words rang in Lily's ears loud and clear.
"But James' you're breaking my heart now," Hope said.
"I'm sorry," James said. "But I'm dating you for all the wrong reasons. A relationship based on looks just wouldn't work." Lily heard Hope crying.
"If that's the way you want it, James, then fine," Hope said, before running out the door. Lily stumbled and fell through the door. James caught her before she hit the ground and helped her stand upright, absently. Lily flashed him a grin.
"Potter," she said. "I don't like you very much but I gotta admit; I'm impressed." She grinned again and this time James couldn't help but notice how pretty she looked. "This doesn't mean I'm going to cook you're meals for you and clean up after you though," Lily warned. James shrugged.
"Lily," he said, before she walked out the door. "You should smile more often. It suits you. You look really pretty." Lily flushed, in spite of herself. He thought she was pretty! She ducked out the door and practically ran to Arabella's cabin.
"James broke up with Hope," she gasped when Sirius opened the door.
"Did she go past her sell-by-date?" Sirius asked, grinning. Lily shook her head.
"No," she said. "Get this. He said we were right about him playing around and how he didn't want to be like that anymore." She smiled and blushed, remembering James' comment on her smile. Get a grip, Evans Lily told herself. What's wrong with you, girl?
"Are you sure we're talking about the same James Potter here?" Sirius demanded. Lily nodded.
"I know," she said. "I couldn't believe it. But the main thing is I was right!" She jumped up and down and hugged and kissed Sirius.
"Are you ok Lily?" he asked amazed.
"Just peachy," Lily answered, running back out the door, giggling.
"What do you think she's on?" Sirius asked, Arabella, who had materialized next to Sirius and was watching Lily twirl back to her cabin.
"Recreational drugs?" tried Arabella. Sirius shrugged.
"So how are YOU doing?" he asked, shooing her into the living room and closing the door behind them.
"I could be better," Arabella admitted.
"Look just forget about Joshua," Sirius said, impatiently. "Come on I'm taking you out for the day.
"But . . ." Sirius glared at her and she stopped mid-way through her sentence. "Ok," she said, simply, grinning. Sirius grinned back. They stood grinning at each other until Sirius managed to snap out of it.
"Ok let's go," he said briskly. Arabella grinned, twirled a strand of chestnut coloured hair around her finger and made after Sirius.
"Lily," Remus came up behind her.
"Oh hi," replied Lily, coolly.
"Lily don't be like that," Remus said, stamping his foot.
"Like what?" Lily asked, briskly. Remus struggled to find a word.
"Dismissive," he said, finally.
"Remus," began Lily. "One of my best friends has been crying over you for the past 48 hours because you kissed another girl IN FRONT OF HER only a couple of days after you break up. What do you expect me to do? Run up to you, hug you and skip happily, hand in hand through the grass with you?" She glanced at him, wryly. "News flash," she added. "I don't think so."
"Leah's been crying about me for the past two days?" he asked.
"As if it were any of you're business, yes," Lily said, skimming a stone across the smooth surface o the lake, she was sitting by.
"Oh god," groaned Remus, sinking his head into his arms.
"So when are you going to kiss and make up?" Lily asked. Remus didn't answer. "Remus?" Lily prompted, beginning to look startled. "You are gonna apologize aren't you?" Remus still didn't reply. "Oh my God. You're not," Lily realized.
"No," Remus said, shortly.
"Jesus Christ," Lily said, paling. "Why not Remus? She's still crazy about you."
"I know," Remus said, in a muffled voice. "I was going to talk to Leah until I kissed . . ."
"Melanie," filled in Lily, looking shocked. Remus nodded.
"I guess I just like her a tiny bit more," he said, almost crying.
"Oh Christ all mighty," Lily said.