A/N: This chapter is a little short but I'll make up for it in the next
chapter. I'd like to thank all of the ppl who have reviewed this so far.
A special shout out goes to Kat Riddle who was my first reviewer and had
reviewed all of the chapters of this story so far. Go read her stories!!
lol
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Chapter 4: Rose
The rest of the holidays sped by. Rumors flew of course but the silences whenever James and Lily were both in a room ended quicker and quicker as nothing new happened. Lily watched the approach of the end of the holidays with dread that soon developed into downright terror. Because, then the rumors would flow again in full force and... Rose would be back. Rose wasn't one of Lily's closest friends but they had always been friendly towards each other. Lily was sure that that would change as soon as Rose came back.
There was no question of her not finding out. The whole school knew already. Lily wasn't quite sure how. Only their closest friends had seen and she didn't really want to suspect any of them of telling. It was possible though. Although she didn't want to think it, she was almost positive that it was Peter. She sighed and shook her head. "That Peter couldn't keep a secret if his life depended on it," she muttered to herself. (A/N: He couldn't keep a secret if anyone ELSE'S life depended on it either. *Glares daggers at Peter*)
So, it was quite understandable that the night before the rest of the school returned, Lily had another sleepless night.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
(A/N: I'm going to switch to the narrator following James now.)
James too was dreading the next day. The rumors didn't really bother him, he was used to those. You couldn't be one of the most popular guys in school and not have storms of rumors all the time. He had even managed to take them as a form of praise. No, it was his meeting with Rose that he dreaded. She was one of the sweetest girls he knew. He'd dated others of course, and she'd dated other guys, but it never lasted. They always came back together.
But this was different. He didn't know why, but it was. He couldn't explain it even to himself and when he tried, all he managed to do was confuse himself more and more. James sighed as yet again his thoughts turned to his inner turmoil. He rolled over and punched his pillow trying to get comfortable. Finally, he just gave up and walked down to the Common Room. As he looked out the windows onto the day that promised to be gray and clammy, his thoughts grew steadily more depressing. After an hour of only his own morose thoughts for company, he finally drifted off to sleep, in the same chair that had been the focal point of his friends a few days back...
* * * * * * * * * * * *
After trying unsuccessfully to wake James up, the Marauders and the other Gryffindors had gone down to breakfast where the rest of the school was returning to at the moment. Leaving James sleeping peacefully in the chair.
James woke up with a set of ruby lips pressed lightly upon his and a shock of white blond hair tickling his face. The girl pulled back and he was suddenly looking into the silvery gray eyes of Rose. A smile played about her full lips as she ran her hand through his tousled black hair. "Wake up sleepyhead," she said, the smile widening.
James looked at her fondly and smiled contentedly at her. "'Lo Rosie," he said kissing her again. "How was your Christmas?" he said blinking sleepily at her.
She smiled and sat down on his lap laying her head on his. "It was ok. 'cept I had to spend it without you," she said with a loving smile, coaxing a laugh from him. But then he grew serious again.
"Rose..." he began but she laid one pale finger across his lips.
"Shhh. I already know," she said looking at him tenderly.
James' face grew stricken. "I... I was going to tell you," he said in a pained voice.
Rose smiled at him. "I know Prongs. I know," she said as she kissed his cheek. "I know it didn't mean anything. Its ok James. I forgive you," she said hugging him tightly.
He turned and smiled at her. "I'm lucky to have a girl like you," he said with an unbelieving smile. He tipped his head up and kissed her again.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
(A/N: Back to following Lily.)
As Lily had suspected, the rumors spread like wildfire that day. She wasn't hungry so she lay in bed as her friends got up and went down to breakfast. Ten or so minutes later, the door to the dorm room opened. Lily flipped over to see Lucille standing with a small smile on her face. Lily smiled back but then her attention went to what Lucille was holding. The delicious aroma of toast drifted over to Lily. As well as the aroma of...
"Hot chocolate!" squealed Lily, throwing off the covers and running over to her friend.
Lucille smiled as she handed the food to Lily. "There ya go Lil. I thought that you'd need it." Lily smiled then sat down on her bed and began to eat. Lucille sat down on the bed and looked at her. "You ok Lil?" she asked looking at her friend concernedly.
Lily nodded not looking up from the food. "Yeah, I'm fine Lucille," Lily replied.
Lucille's eyes narrowed. "Then you won't care at all that the first class we have today is Herbology?" she said shrewdly. "With James in it," Lucille thought amusedly.
Lily twitched and looked up at her friend. Then a delicate pink flush invaded her cheeks and then she quickly looked back at the food. "Of course I don't care. Herbology is one of my best classes," Lily said a breathless quality to her voice.
Lucille smiled wildly. "Oh I see. You don't care at ALL. I see," she said, struggling not to giggle.
Lily gave her a pained look. "Lucille," she said reproachfully.
Lucille held up her hands in defeat. "Alright alright I'll be quiet. You should get dressed though. It's almost time for class," she said as she got up and turned toward the door.
"I'll be down soon," Lily promised. Lucille nodded and left the room.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Twenty or so minutes later, Kit, Lucille, and Lily were walking down to Herbology class, the former two throwing somewhat worried looks at the latter. Lily for her part was simply trying to retain her breakfast. She had finally thought that she had gotten a hold of herself when a familiar laugh reached her ears. Rose, Tina, and Carla along with a few girls from Ravenclaw were just ahead. Lily felt her stomach lurch when she saw James Potter come over and link arms with Rose, she felt physically ill. She knew perfectly well what was wrong with her but she was not going to reveal it under any circumstances.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
A/N: : I own Elly Mae, Kit, Lucille, Tina, Carla, and Rose. I also own the plot. Man!!!! That scene w/ Rose and James absolutely KILLED me too write. *sighz* Btw, Rose doesn't know what the nicknames mean either. Please review. I need all the encouragement that I can get. Latas!
~Teva~
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Chapter 4: Rose
The rest of the holidays sped by. Rumors flew of course but the silences whenever James and Lily were both in a room ended quicker and quicker as nothing new happened. Lily watched the approach of the end of the holidays with dread that soon developed into downright terror. Because, then the rumors would flow again in full force and... Rose would be back. Rose wasn't one of Lily's closest friends but they had always been friendly towards each other. Lily was sure that that would change as soon as Rose came back.
There was no question of her not finding out. The whole school knew already. Lily wasn't quite sure how. Only their closest friends had seen and she didn't really want to suspect any of them of telling. It was possible though. Although she didn't want to think it, she was almost positive that it was Peter. She sighed and shook her head. "That Peter couldn't keep a secret if his life depended on it," she muttered to herself. (A/N: He couldn't keep a secret if anyone ELSE'S life depended on it either. *Glares daggers at Peter*)
So, it was quite understandable that the night before the rest of the school returned, Lily had another sleepless night.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
(A/N: I'm going to switch to the narrator following James now.)
James too was dreading the next day. The rumors didn't really bother him, he was used to those. You couldn't be one of the most popular guys in school and not have storms of rumors all the time. He had even managed to take them as a form of praise. No, it was his meeting with Rose that he dreaded. She was one of the sweetest girls he knew. He'd dated others of course, and she'd dated other guys, but it never lasted. They always came back together.
But this was different. He didn't know why, but it was. He couldn't explain it even to himself and when he tried, all he managed to do was confuse himself more and more. James sighed as yet again his thoughts turned to his inner turmoil. He rolled over and punched his pillow trying to get comfortable. Finally, he just gave up and walked down to the Common Room. As he looked out the windows onto the day that promised to be gray and clammy, his thoughts grew steadily more depressing. After an hour of only his own morose thoughts for company, he finally drifted off to sleep, in the same chair that had been the focal point of his friends a few days back...
* * * * * * * * * * * *
After trying unsuccessfully to wake James up, the Marauders and the other Gryffindors had gone down to breakfast where the rest of the school was returning to at the moment. Leaving James sleeping peacefully in the chair.
James woke up with a set of ruby lips pressed lightly upon his and a shock of white blond hair tickling his face. The girl pulled back and he was suddenly looking into the silvery gray eyes of Rose. A smile played about her full lips as she ran her hand through his tousled black hair. "Wake up sleepyhead," she said, the smile widening.
James looked at her fondly and smiled contentedly at her. "'Lo Rosie," he said kissing her again. "How was your Christmas?" he said blinking sleepily at her.
She smiled and sat down on his lap laying her head on his. "It was ok. 'cept I had to spend it without you," she said with a loving smile, coaxing a laugh from him. But then he grew serious again.
"Rose..." he began but she laid one pale finger across his lips.
"Shhh. I already know," she said looking at him tenderly.
James' face grew stricken. "I... I was going to tell you," he said in a pained voice.
Rose smiled at him. "I know Prongs. I know," she said as she kissed his cheek. "I know it didn't mean anything. Its ok James. I forgive you," she said hugging him tightly.
He turned and smiled at her. "I'm lucky to have a girl like you," he said with an unbelieving smile. He tipped his head up and kissed her again.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
(A/N: Back to following Lily.)
As Lily had suspected, the rumors spread like wildfire that day. She wasn't hungry so she lay in bed as her friends got up and went down to breakfast. Ten or so minutes later, the door to the dorm room opened. Lily flipped over to see Lucille standing with a small smile on her face. Lily smiled back but then her attention went to what Lucille was holding. The delicious aroma of toast drifted over to Lily. As well as the aroma of...
"Hot chocolate!" squealed Lily, throwing off the covers and running over to her friend.
Lucille smiled as she handed the food to Lily. "There ya go Lil. I thought that you'd need it." Lily smiled then sat down on her bed and began to eat. Lucille sat down on the bed and looked at her. "You ok Lil?" she asked looking at her friend concernedly.
Lily nodded not looking up from the food. "Yeah, I'm fine Lucille," Lily replied.
Lucille's eyes narrowed. "Then you won't care at all that the first class we have today is Herbology?" she said shrewdly. "With James in it," Lucille thought amusedly.
Lily twitched and looked up at her friend. Then a delicate pink flush invaded her cheeks and then she quickly looked back at the food. "Of course I don't care. Herbology is one of my best classes," Lily said a breathless quality to her voice.
Lucille smiled wildly. "Oh I see. You don't care at ALL. I see," she said, struggling not to giggle.
Lily gave her a pained look. "Lucille," she said reproachfully.
Lucille held up her hands in defeat. "Alright alright I'll be quiet. You should get dressed though. It's almost time for class," she said as she got up and turned toward the door.
"I'll be down soon," Lily promised. Lucille nodded and left the room.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Twenty or so minutes later, Kit, Lucille, and Lily were walking down to Herbology class, the former two throwing somewhat worried looks at the latter. Lily for her part was simply trying to retain her breakfast. She had finally thought that she had gotten a hold of herself when a familiar laugh reached her ears. Rose, Tina, and Carla along with a few girls from Ravenclaw were just ahead. Lily felt her stomach lurch when she saw James Potter come over and link arms with Rose, she felt physically ill. She knew perfectly well what was wrong with her but she was not going to reveal it under any circumstances.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
A/N: : I own Elly Mae, Kit, Lucille, Tina, Carla, and Rose. I also own the plot. Man!!!! That scene w/ Rose and James absolutely KILLED me too write. *sighz* Btw, Rose doesn't know what the nicknames mean either. Please review. I need all the encouragement that I can get. Latas!
~Teva~