A/N: Hey everyone. Sorry for the wait. First of all, this is more of a transition chapter, so it's mainly thoughts. I also just wanted to give you the warning that the formatting isn't working that well, so nothing that is supposed to be centered is centered. Deal with it! J/K. Well, enjoy!
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Green Eyed Monster
By: Noelle
Chapter 16: Breaks
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Disclaimer: I do not own Lily Evans, James Potter, Sirius Black, and any of the recognizable characters. I do own Ella Reichman though. I do not own the recognizable places, such as Hogwarts and Hogsmeade. J.K. and Warner Brothers have the right to the Harry Potter universe, and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
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For the next week, Lily avoided James Potter. She also tried to avoid Severus. However, that didn't work out the way she planned. Severus Snape was clinging to her arm from her waking hour until she went to sleep.
This was not to say that James avoided her. On the contrary, James tried to corner her every spare chance he got. But Lily would not let herself get into that situation.
Because she knew that if she was in that situation, she might do nothing to stop it.
It was a cold fact that Lily tried to deny, and yet it ached to the depths of her soul. It wasn't that she liked James. She was sure of that. She still considered James to be as annoying, cocky, irresponsible and as churlish as when they had first met.
Perhaps it was that she liked kissing. Severus never actually kissed her. He would hold her hand, and cling to her arm, but that was it. Kissing James was incredible. She felt as if she was spinning uncontrollably, and floating, and falling, all at the same time. It wasn't because she was kissing James. It was just kissing, in general, she was sure.
As Lily mused these thoughts, she crossed the last 't' of her Potions assignment. Lily relaxed, and looked around the room. Her books were neatly stacked on the shelf she had installed in her third year. True, the shelf was slightly lopsided, but that was what you got when Ella Reichman helped. Her armoire was closed, but Lily knew that all her robes were hung neatly inside. Her muggle books were neatly stacked by her schoolbooks, except for the one on her nightside table. Her trunk was at the foot of her bed. On her nightside table, the lamp was dusted, and she and Ella waved feverishly from the small picture frame. Her jeweled box gleamed, next to her shining Querobrall. Speaking of her Querobrall… the sea green tinge had turned to a mid-green tinge. However, that wasn't incredibly unusual. The Querobrall showed what you wanted. Finals were coming up, and Lily wanted perfect marks. Nothing unusual there…
In that instant, the door slammed open, and Ella bounded into the room, landing on her bed in a tornado of sheets. She looked furious. "I am never speaking to Sirius Black! Never, ever again!"
Lily tried to hide her smile, and managed a look of calm serenity. "Hullo Ella. How is your day going?"
Ella glared at Lily. "You should know very well how my day was going if you were with me to support me, as best chums do! But don't trouble yourself. Sirius Black is a git, but of course you already knew that."
"As we all do… what did he do know, Ella?"
Ella fumed. "When I was trying to patch things up with David, Sirius came over! And he put his arm around me! I was offended, but I could deal with that, you know. It was a lot less difficult to explain than when Sirius tried to kiss me! With David right there!"
"But I thought that you and Sirius were back together…" Lily said, confused. "Why were you with David?"
"Sirius and I were never back together! Yes, we kissed. But we were both yelling, and hormones and all, and it was natural to kiss in that situation! It was a natural mistake."
Lily bit her lip. "Obviously Sirius didn't consider it so."
"That prat! Death by slow torture sounds promising."
"So, he tried to kiss you. Then what happened?"
Ella tossed her head back, melodramatically. "Well, I pushed him off, naturally. However, my arms got tangle up in his, and David thought that I was trying to snog with him, right then and there! And he ran off in a huff. I have no chance of putting things right between us now. So I slapped Sirius, and came back here. So, how's Severus?" The word tasted foreign and awkward on Ella's tongue. She was only calling him that at Lily's three-week request.
"Severus? Oh. He's all right, I suppose. I haven't seen him today."
Ella gazed at Lily knowingly for a second, before changing the subject. "It's a lovely day outside. Want to go out to the lake and skip rocks?"
"Not my idea of fun, but I'll come," Lily agreed. Ella leaped off her unmade bed, grabbed Lily, and dragged her all the way down.
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"He what?" Remus nearly shouted. Quickly, Sirius covered his mouth, and dragged him away. They were in the library, and Sirius was keeping Moony up to date on the latest happenings. Once Sirius was sure that no one was watching, he let go of Remus, but gave his werewolf friend a look that quickly silenced him.
"This is a secret, Moony. 'Hush-Hush', 'Top Secret', 'Confidential' kind of information. No need to broadcast it around." Sirius leaned against the bookshelf, scrutinizing Remus.
Remus, on the other hand, was flabbergasted. "He kissed her! And she let him! After he told her off? Is this the same Lily Evans who turned James into a farm animal this year?"
"The one and only," Sirius said, frowning. "James might actually win that bet… My fault of course. I could have done more to stop this, All I did was tell Vanessa McKinnon that James fancied her. But he dumped her rather quickly. Most embarrassing moment of that wench's life, getting dumped, not once, but twice."
"Forget Vanessa McKinnon," Remus said. "How much longer does James have?"
Sirius sighed. "Until the summer holidays."
Remus let out a low whistle. "He has a few months then to work his magic. And you have a lot to lose…"
"Indeed I do, Moony. Indeed I do."
Vanessa McKinnon slowly backed away from the shelves, taking care to stand in the shadows. Well, Sirius would pay for that 'wench' comment. She had learned a lot though. This whole Lily Evans thing was a bet? Vanessa despised Lily Evans. Lily Evans was the only thing standing between her and the Hogwartian pedestal.
Lily Evans would pay. And with her, so would James Potter.
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"So, we're breaking up?" Severus asked. Lily was proud of him -- his voice only trembled slightly on the word 'breaking'.
Lily gazed down for a moment, trying to find the right words. "I'm sorry Severus. It's just not working out anymore. You deserve a better girlfriend than me. I don't have the time for a boyfriend anymore."
"Are you sure that this isn't about James Potter?" Severus Snape questioned.
Lily's slight intake of breath might have given all away, but Severus was not paying attention. He was trying his best to be nonchalant. "What do you mean?"
"Well, he's been following around, and trying to work his so-called 'charm' on you. But it works on most girls. Are you sure that this isn't about him?"
"No," Lily answered. "It's not about James. I have no feelings, except for feelings of disgust, for James Potter."
"Well… it was nice dating you, Miss Evans," Severus said, with a small smile. "I wish you all the best in the future."
Lily smiled comfortingly. "We're still going to be friends, Severus. No need to act like we'll never see each other again."
Returning the smile, Severus said, "Very well. I'll see you around, I suppose. Goodbye." He stood up in one fluid motion, and kept a steady pace as he exited the library. Lily remained sitting, however.
She knew that what she had done was right. Severus did deserve a much better girlfriend than her. She had not been there to support him, and to comfort him, and just to be with him in general. She was so caught up in her own life, she had no time to be a part of someone else's. But why would Severus think that it was because of James? Unless he knew about the kiss… Lily shuddered at the thought. She had done the right thing in breaking up with Severus. She was not in love with him -- in fact, she never had been. But her and James? Why would he connect them? Severus would be more accurate in connecting her and Michael Brantley, or even Remus Lupin. Why James? At least Severus had taken it well. He had probably expected it for weeks. But why James? Why?
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That's all for now. In the next chapter, Vanessa conceives a daring plan, which my have dire consequences. Sirius tries to 'woo' Ella, and win her back. And James and Lily are back to being 'civil', since no one less than perfect would settle for less.