Chapter 32

"James!" Lily shrieked, "STOP!"

James did not stop. He tackled Brian to the ground, and started punching him. Brian was fighting back, but he wasn't quite as strong as the Quidditch player James was.

Finally after about 30 seconds, Lily was able to pull her fiancé off of Brian, and put her hand on his shoulder to calm him down.

While James was breathing, Lily looked around. Everyone was staring at them. She turned her eyes to the head table, and locked eyes with Petunia. She was fuming.

Lily looked away, and looked back at James.

"Don't you ever do that again James." She said clearly. "Unless I am in big trouble, I can take care of myself."

James grinned sloppily.

Lily, understanding that it was the liquor talking, resisted the urge to slap him, and glowered. "Listen to me James! I am NOT joking." she shook her head, and went to sit down at her table.

Lily looked at her watch. It was 10:00 and the party didn't end until 11:00. Lily was feeling horrible. The dimmed lights made her very sleepy, and she was so sick, and that made her more tired. Her nose was running, she was coughing, she had a headache, and she couldn't leave the party for another hour.

Tessa came over and talked with her, but Lily was barely listening. She was staring at where James was, with people all around him, dancing.

"They're all drunk." She muttered.

"What?" asked Tessa. She was just telling Lily how nice the DJ was and that she should go and meet him.

Lily nodded in James' direction. "They're all drunk."

Tessa chuckled. "You're still mad about that whole fight thing aren't you?"

Lily looked at Tessa, shocked that she could be so insensitive. "You're not too are you?"

"Not what?" asked Tessa.

"Drunk."

Tessa giggled. "No. I'm not drunk. I think the atmosphere has gotten to me a little."

Lily coughed and put her head down on the table.

"Well, if you won't go with me," Tessa continued, "I'm going back over there." She went back over to flirt with the DJ again.

"Remind myself not to have wine or alcohol of any sorts at my reception." Lily mumbled to herself.

After a little bit, Lily looked around, and James lumbered over with a guy Lily didn't know. "I'm going back to dance dude." Said the man, while James sat down.

Lily looked at James while he stared into space for a few seconds. He then turned his eyes to Lily.

"Come on Lily get drunk. I promise, it'll be the best day of your life." He then looked Lily in the eyes, but Lily noticed, it was the kind of look where you couldn't really see anything. Lily looked James in the eyes for a couple second, and then tears welled up in her eyes and she slowly burst of sobbing into her hands.

"What's wrong?" asked James somewhat insensitively.

"You're… scaring… me." Lily managed to get out through her sobs.

James was silent for a second, then said, "I'm sorry... But come on! Get drunk. It'll be for better in the end."

He then got up to leave. Lily sobbed even harder then before. She sat there for a few minutes, and then got up and discreetly made her way to the bathroom. When in the bathroom, she took the time to cry desperately, and to think of why she was crying like this. Lily knew the answer. It was everything added up. She was very tired, she was very sick, and James was being an asshole.

"I deserve to cry." Lily told herself. But after a while, she dried her tears, and splashed water on her face to try to cover that she had been crying.

Just then, Brian opened the door to the bathroom. "Oh hi Lily, is Hannah in here?"

Lily had no idea who Hannah was, and she knew that Brian was very drunk, and so she just said, "No; I don't know where she is." Lily stopped herself from saying anything about this being the Girls Bathroom.

"Oh; okay." Brian was about to shut the door, when he turned back to Lily. "Are you okay? Have you been crying?"

Lily shook her head. "No."

"Are you sure?"

Lily forced a small smile out. "Yes, I'm sure."

Brian shut the door.

Lily burst out crying again.

"Even Brian is more considerate than James, and we're not even going out!" she thought, which made her sob even harder.

After another little while, she regained her composure, and wiped her eyes again. This time she headed out to the reception room, and sat back down at her table trying to be discreet, and hoping that no one would try to talk to her.

"Well, this is the end everyone." The DJ said over the microphone, "Would everyone please gather around the dance floor while the newly wedded couple close with the last dance. And after that, would you please stay where you are, because the bride and groom would like to come around and thank each of you personally for coming."

Lily went back by the door. She wanted to get out as soon as possible when it was finished, (she would get James first, she wasn't THAT mad at him), and she had no desire to say goodbye to Petunia.

The last dance was fine; Lily couldn't believe that she almost cried at the first dance because it was so beautiful. Now, it was horrible because Lily was so impatient to go. Then, the goodbyes. The goodbyes took a good 10 minutes, and after that, James went around hugging everyone and saying a little something to each one.

"When I tell him about this in a few days he will be so embarrassed." Lily thought. She smiled a bit, and then went to get James.

She smiled at the people he was talking to, and pulled James away. "It's time to go James." She said.

Lily held James by his hand and dragged him out of the small building, and into the main building. Lily went up to the front desk, and asked for a room. The clerk was very kind, and gave them the last room.

James followed Lily noisily down the hall and into their room.

"I'm going to throw up." He stated calmly.

Lily franticly found the bathroom, lifted the toilet seat up, and leaned James head into it.

After James relieved himself of a large amount to alcohol, Lily led James over to the bed, took off his shoes, and put the covers over him. She then got in the other side herself.

James turned over.

"Did I do anything wrong Tails? You seem mad at me."

Lily gave him a half smile. "It's okay. I'll tell you tomorrow."

With that, they both went to sleep.