AT LAST! MY FINALS ARE FINISHED!

That's all I could come up with today. Yes, at last, I've finished my finals. Now, I'm waiting for some sort of miracle for my grades to pass.

Anyway, first of all, I'd like to thank everyone who reviewed the last chapter and also the new readers of my work. Nice to know that people enjoy what I write.

So, finally, I've reached chapter twelve and because I've no classes anymore, I'd probably be updating twice a week so wait till Wednesday or sometime in the middle of the week for the next chapter. That's because Harry Potter 5 is coming up soon! And surely, there will be loads of new stuffs about James and Lily that would definitely conflict with what I'm writing.

On to the next chapter. I know, I know, it's kind of confusing on who's going to end up with whom and who will break up with whom. But just go with the flow and you will see. Hopefully, I'd make sense in the end. So, go on, read and enjoy! Don't forget to review…

i don't know when i got bitter... love is surely better when it's gone... -- tonic, "you wanted more"

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CHAPTER TWELVE: Lily's Prediction

Lily trotted cheerily out of the library. Apparently oblivious of the fact that Remus just overheard her conversation with Lucius. But, for now, that wasn't anyone's worry but his. All she knew then was that she couldn't help but flash a timid smile across her face, conscious that someone might see that she was smiling to herself and might think that she might be going insane.

In a trance, she made her way toward the Gryffindor tower.

She was just passing by the hallway to the common room when she saw a girl scowling and walking toward her. She recognized Emma Creton flashing a look of hate and knowing that there were only the two of them in the hallway, she was pretty sure that Emma was referring to her.

"There you are," Emma said in a scornful tone. She raised an eyebrow and blocked Lily's way, her arms crossed.

Lily flashed a confused expression. "Pardon me?" she uttered, not really sure how she would react to what was happening.

Emma ignored her and continued. "Well then, congratulations," she said with a smirk. "Now you can have James all by yourself."

Lily bobbed her head backwards in surprise and for a while, she got lost from what Emma just told her. "What… are you talking about?"

Emma snorted, thinking how ridiculous it was that Lily kept on denying. She rolled her eyes and mocked her. "Why don't you ask him? Hope you're happy," she finished and then carried on walking the opposite way.

For a few seconds, Lily just stared at Emma's figure walking away. She couldn't be any more confused as to what that was about. Something angered Emma and she was taking the blame for it—no, not something. Someone.

* * * * *

Trying to figure out what could've happened, she searched for the only person that Emma and her had in common. And with some luck, she found that person sulking in the Head Prefects Room.

She entered the room and found James sitting on the couch by the fire. To her surprise, he was doing a Yule Ball-related work. He was finishing the making of confetti for the ball. And lo and behold, he wasn't using any magic to get off the task as soon as possible.

"This is quite a sight!" Lily greeted cheerfully as she approached him. And for an answer, he just did a casual glance at her. "Aren't you supposed to be cramming for McGonagall's assignment?" she asked instead, trying to get some response from him.

"Tsk tsk tsk. Lily, Lily," James replied, as he shook his head. He reached for the few rolls of parchment that were lying on the coffee table and handed them to her.

Lily took the parchment and swiftly scanned the pages. It was James' essay alright. And it wasn't the fact that he did it beyond the deadline that surprised her. It was about the details that he had written in the essay. "Wow. For someone who hasn't been in the library quite often, no offense, you did a pretty comprehensive piece about this."

Lily just complimented James. For the first time, she had just said something good about him and the only thing that he was able to come up with, as a reply, was a weak smile on his face. But she didn't pay too much attention on that detail. She had another purpose in being there. "Where did you get all these?" she asked, trying to keep a casual conversation. "Some of these are not even in the library."

"They are," James replied. "But you cannot get your hands on all of them."

Lily knitted her eyebrows not quite getting what he was driving at. Then she realized, "You snuck in the Restricted Section for a school paper?" she said disbelievingly. "That's new."

James only shrugged and didn't say anything more. He went back to making the confetti with a very serious look on his face. This time, Lily seized the opportunity to ask him.

"Why so glum?" she said. She waited for an answer but no reply came from him. "Oh, I'll guess!" she said rather joyfully like they were playing some sort of charade. "Is it about… hmmm… a certain girl… a girl you broke up with this morning named Emma Creton?" she concluded not knowing that she just hit the right reason.

James straightened in his seat. "Hey, I thought no meddling with private lives?" he said defensively.

"Oh, I don't know, Potter," Lily replied mockingly. "But your ex-'private life' was angry with me and somehow she links me to it. Why is that? What did you tell her?" she demanded.

"Are we back on the last name again?" James asked, trying to change the subject.

Lily rolled her eyes. She knew James that long to know that he was trying to avoid the topic. "I dunno. I just got used to calling you Potter," she replied, emphasizing James' name. "Anyway, don't change the subject!" she directed. "What did you tell her?"

"Nothing!" James insisted, failing to stay relaxed about it. Because he thought that if she knew the reason, he'd probably get a hard smack on the face. But she eyed him piercingly. "I just broke up with her. It's natural," he insisted, trying to sound like it wasn't much of a deal. But Lily glared at him harder. "Alright! She, uh—" he bowed his head, somehow embarrassed of what he would say next. "She thinks I like you," he finally said. It sounded more like 'shethinksilikeyou' but from the look on Lily's face, he was sure that she understood what he just said. "I didn't say anything remote for her to think that. I swear!" he exclaimed, sounding like he was just sentenced to die.

He waited for Lily to retaliate what he had just said but it didn't come. All she did was laugh at him. That was funny? he thought, getting puzzled by the minute. "You're not mad at me," he began, confused. "What's wrong with you?" he added, now feeling like it was safe to make fun of her.

Lily stopped laughing but a smile was still playing at the corners of her mouth. "None of your business," she answered, shaking her head.

James tried contenting himself with her reply and continued doing what he was doing there in the first place. And Lily even sat beside him to help him with the confetti.

After a few seconds, it was proven that James couldn't be anymore curious about what was going on with Lily. The last thing he knew that was remotely related to her was that… "So, did Remus talk to you?" he asked, concluding that maybe his friend had something to do with Lily's good mood.

"No, why?" Lily replied. "I was in the library all morning."

"Library," James repeated. He nodded and something in his expression told that he didn't like what he just heard.

"What?" Lily asked.

"Nothing."

"What?"

James hesitated but since she asked for it, he answered. "Library on a Sunday – weekend – morning. You were with Malfoy," he said Lucius' name with utter disgust in his tone.

Apparently, Lily noticed just how James pronounced 'Malfoy.' "What's that tone supposed to mean?" she demanded trying to remain as calm as possible.

James shook his head and responded, "I'm not in the place to answer."

"You just don't like Lucius. That's all," Lily inferred.

"Yeah. Yeah," James said, waving a hand to admit that she was right.

"No," Lily interrupted, unsatisfied with his reply. "That's not all."

James turned his head and looked at her. Her eyes were apparently searching for more answers. He hesitated but then gave in. "Remus—"

"What about Remus?"

"Alright," James conceded, turning back to his task. "I'm only going to say this because I care about my friend and you can get mad at me all you want but," he paused, taking a deep breath, hoping against hope that his friend wouldn't kill him for saying this, "you know that Remus apparently likes you and you don't even recognize that."

Lily snorted, not believing that someone like Remus would actually feel that way about her. "Remus and I are friends," she insisted.

James raised his hands in defense, not wanting to persist. "Fine," he said, putting an end to the topic. "Just know this. Don't expect him to be as friendly once he finds out you're with Malfoy," he said, only presuming the last part of his sentence. But when Lily avoided his eyes, he came to the sudden, unbelievable, nauseating – for him – realization. "You're really with Malfoy?" he concluded, this time not at all guarding his tone of utter disagreement.

Lily snorted, amazed by the fact that James could say such thing. She turned to him and raised an eyebrow. "Well, at least I know I'm not going to break up with somebody just because my time quota doesn't allow me to date him anymore," she declared frankly and almost tactlessly.

"At least I let them know I'm not interested in them," James retaliated like a seven-year-old boy.

Lily paused from helping James with the confetti and looked straight into his eyes. "You know, I'm not even going to get offended with that," she stated. "Because you, James Potter, are one day going to fall in love so hard with a woman and when that happens, it'll be your turn to suffer because she's never going to feel the same way about you," she finished with a firm expression on her face.

James would want to get back on what she just said, but the point was, he just couldn't top that. So, as a reply, even though it was the most childish, he smirked at her.

And Lily smiled an annoying smile as an answer.

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actually, bottomline, you tell the truth sometimes... -- lisa loeb and nine stories, "taffy"

you can say what you want but it won't change my mind... i feel the same about you... -- texas, "say what you want"

I know the chapter's kinda short. Well, that's actually the bottomline of the chapter anyway. Don't worry, I'd be uploading the next chapter very soon.

But for now, what would make me glad are your reviews! Review, please. :)