Disclaimer: The characters you can recognize are JK Rowling's and the characters you can't recognize are mine. There. A short and sweet disclaimer.

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James strode up to Lily immediately after the Herbology lesson was over.

"Lils, why have you been giving me the cold shoulder all lesson?" James asked, perplexed.

It was true. Lily had blatantly ignored James' questions and attempts at striking up a conversation with her all Herbology lesson, treating him as if he was invisible. Naomi, too, had been behaving strangely in James' opinion. She had constantly thrown James frosty glares all through the lesson and had refused to talk to him unless it was required for the class.

"Like you care. And don't call me 'Lils', Potter. Only my friends are allowed to call me that," was Lily's curt reply.

"But-" James was bewildered. Why was Lily's behavior towards him so hostile?

Lance Morton, who was walking nervously up to Lily, interrupted James.

"Err… Lils?" Lance addressed Lily.

Lily smiled encouragingly at him. James turned green with envy and jealousy.

How come I'm not allowed to call her 'Lils' but Lance Morton is? James asked himself in his head bitterly.

"Well, Lils, I was, err… wondering if you would, err… like to lunch with me this Sunday at Hogsmeade?" Lance stumbled over his words in anxiety.

James glared venomously at Lance. Say no, Lily. Say no.

"Sure, Lance!" Lily replied brightly.

James blinked in disbelief. Did his hearing deceive him, or had Lily Evans really just said what he thought she had just said?

"I'll see you this Sunday then, Lils. It's a date!" Lance said with relief as he gathered his books and exited the greenhouse happily.

"Oh yes, Potter. Were you saying something before Lance came?" Lily turned back to James and regarded him coldly.

James did not answer her immediately. He slowly picked his Herbology books up from the table he had been working at, one by one by one.

Lily was about to make an exasperated noise and tell him she that didn't have all day when he finally spoke up.

"I see." Were the words that fell out of James' mouth, barely audible. He looked Lily squarely in the eye when he said that simple sentence, and then walked out of the greenhouse, not giving Lily any chance to reply.

Not that Lily would have been able to, had she been given the chance. She was standing there, quite still, stunned. No, James. You don't see. You don't see at all.

* * *

"An unhappy feeling caused by knowing that you have done something wrong. Five letters, Lils," Naomi read out the seventh clue of the crossword puzzle lazily as she relaxed in her armchair.

The common room was empty except for the duo. The rest of the Gryffindor population was down in the Great Hall having their dinner. Lily and Naomi had rushed through their dinner earlier on, Lily not wanting to face James at dinner after the greenhouse incident. Naomi, good friend that she was, had accompanied Lily and they were now doing Lily's crossword puzzle in the Gryffindor common room.

Lily bit her lower lip in deep concentration.

"Ugh. The word's at the tip of my tongue… I think it begins with a 'G'," Naomi stated.

"Guilt."

"Lils, it seems you're brilliant at crossword puzzles," Naomi fished a quill out from her pocket and penned 'Guilt' down on the crossword puzzle.

A companionable silence ensued.

"Nom, I just can't take it anymore!" Lily burst out suddenly.

"Take what, Lils?" Naomi wisely pushed the crossword puzzle back into Lily's bag and prepared herself to listen and give good advice like a good friend should when his friend is in trouble.

"The situation at hand. I can't go on that date with Lance!"

"Why not?" Naomi raised an eyebrow.

"Nom, I can't… I only agreed to go on that date with Lance because I was trying to forget James and, well… I don't think I can ever just forget James like that," Lily admitted, hanging her head in shame at what she had done.

"Does James really mean that much to you, Lils?" Naomi asked softly.

"I-I… yes…" Lily's cheeks flamed.

"Are you willing to forgive him and give him another chance if he apologizes sincerely then?"

"Yes," Lily did not even hesitate.

"Then I suggest you cancel that date with Lance. Don't worry, I don't think he'll be too hurt. Some girls say he's already got his eyes on Selina Blunt and only asked you on that date as a result of a dare one of his friends gave him. He'll survive," Naomi paused, then continued. "And of course, you should talk to James. Though I don't think that insufferable git deserves another chance after what he did, you think he does, and that's what counts. Talk to him tomorrow and who knows? He may have a perfectly innocent explanation as to why he was snogging that Hufflepuff."

Lily stared at Naomi in amazement. "Wow, Nom. You should have your own advice column in the Daily Prophet!"

"It's just what friends do, Lils. Why don't we retire to bed early tonight? You can think about the advice I've just given you, and if you want, turn words into action tomorrow," Naomi smiled serenely at her friend.

That night, Lily pondered over what Naomi had advised her to do before falling into deep slumber, dreaming of a better tomorrow.

Guilt- A remorseful awareness of having done something wrong. Well, Lily was certainly going to right the wrong… tomorrow.

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Uh huh. Another chapter completed. Hooray! I hope to post the next chapter up tomorrow and finish this whole story by the end of 2003. Which is 4 days away. Wish me luck… and Review!!!

It sounds like Lily is procrastinating in the last part of the chapter, doesn't it? Oh well, it can't be helped. I frankly don't really like this chapter (But I don't hate it either :P). What do you think of it? Review!!! And the next chapter will be better, I promise.

Once again, 'Thanks' to the people who reviewed. Please continue reading and reviewing! XD