A/N: Btw- OFNF readers, I'm almost finished with that chapter, so it should be up in not too long...I've had less time to write lately; my sister has come home from college for a bit, so I've been out with her. Lol, sort of a fluffy chapter, maybe a little angst...if that gives you any hint...

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Chapter 13- Nobody's Perfect

       James was sitting on his bed, clutching a bottle of beer tightly in his right hand. He didn't see Lily come in at first; it was dim. Dreary was a better word for it. She could smell something wrong in the air, and it wasn't the alcohol.

He looked worn, faded and torn. Lily's heart broke and she couldn't figure out why. She hated him, hated what he had done to her...didn't she? Or was it possible that he had done it to himself?

She took a few steps, moving closer to him. Without looking up, he heard her approach. One flick of his wrist had the bottle of beer smashing against the wall, leaving a trail of liquid on the wall and tiny pieces of glass on the floor.

"Look at me!" he said loudly but almost incomprehensibly. "Look at who I've become! A hypocrite, a drunkard. I'm a liar and a coward." he closed his eyes and added softly, "I am the person I thought I would never become."

She knelt before the bed, before him, and brushed back a strand of wayward black hair with her fingers. "Nobody's perfect, James. Nobody's perfect." she whispered, staring into his dark, miserable eyes.

A lone tear raced down his cheek as he shook his head. "You are."

There was a long silence, and she stared at him, frozen. Regaining her sense of feeling, of thought, she replied softly, "I am what I am, James. And it's far from perfect. I don't know what's happening to me, what's happening to you, but- it can be fixed."

"Nothing can be fixed. Nothing will ever be fixed." He laid his head into his hands to hide the tears he knew were going to come. But she reached out and brought his head to her. Settling herself next to him on the bed, her arms encircled his body, and she hugged his head to her chest, brushing black hair away from his face. Tears began to form in her eyes as well. She had missed this. Being able to do this. So they sat, comforting each other.

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       Mary hummed to herself, almost positive about what was happening with Lily and James at that moment. She felt like congratulating herself on a job well done. She and Sirius had spent time together without Lily, though whoever knew if Lily realized it. After Sirius had gotten over his anger at James, they had been thinking. It was plain that Lily and James loved each other, or maybe they weren't there yet, but it was clear that they would love each other. It all worked, except for the fact that they were angry with one another. And Sirius had admitted that he had felt something for Lily. But James felt more.

Suddenly the door to her dorm sprang open, and in walked Sirius.

"Speak of the devil." Mary said.

Sirius stopped and gave her a bewildered look. "What?"

She laughed. "I was just joking."

He crossed his arms defiantly. "Well it isn't funny, you know."

"Oh well. I tried." she continued smiling thoughtfully.

"You know..." he began. "I have another idea on how to get Lily and James back together..."

"Sorry, I beat you there." she pretended to glance at her watch. "Yep, they should be at it right about now."

He sighed, jumping up. "When were you planning on telling me? We're missing the action!" He raced from the room.

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       Lily needed James and James needed Lily, and it was as simple as that, right? Well, maybe to other people. She looked down at the man she thought she loved, so suddenly, so much, and so unexplainably. How did it happen that she loved him? Or maybe it wasn't love. Too rushed, too soon. How did it happen that they needed each other? It wasn't right...she wanted it...but could it work? Would they be able to make it work? Not just the relationship, it was more than that. Even if they were both totally committed to each other, they would not be free to do anything with that. And so Lily came back to the chains that she felt dragging her down...

She pushed his head away from her embrace, rose from the bed. He watched her tearfully, and smiled solemnly, faintly. "Go Lily. I know you will. Just go."

She sniffed, wiping one eye. Slowly, she turned towards the closed door (which she hadn't closed), and took a couple steps. Then she stopped. With one swift, invigorated motion, she streamed back to him. Grabbing his face with two hands, she smoothed his hair back, and kissed him slowly without any trace of modesty. An old, empty bottle of beer rolled off of the bed with a clunk, forgotten. Eventually she pulled back, wrapping her arms around his neck and burying her face in his shoulder.

And then the door popped open. Mary uttered an "oops." and Sirius laughed while he snapped a picture. Lily glared at them, and James looked disturbed.

"Just what do you think you're doing?" demanded Lily.

"Oh, well, you know....aw, come on, just a little fun Lils." Sirius replied, unable to wipe the silly grin off of his face.

James stared at his former best friend...or wait. Since he and Lily were sort of together again, was it necessary to be angry with Sirius anymore? Obviously, he had had some part in getting them back together, grinning as he was.

Lily bit her lip to keep from grinning back. "Unless you what me to kick your ass, I suggest that the both of you leave right now."

Sirius made an 'o' shape with his mouth and covered it in feigned disbelief. But Mary hit him on the shoulder, nodded encouragingly to Lily, and closed the door. Lily listened for a bit, hearing muffled sounds and then finally a "Get your eyes away from that keyhole!"

Lily allowed herself to laugh while she turned back to face James, who was watching her with a revering expression. "James?" she whispered, noticing that she could feel his breath.

"Mm?" he replied, not tearing his eyes away from hers.

She pulled back. "This isn't going to work...unless we work some things out."

He nodded carefully. "We have a lot of working out to do, I think."

"James, this relationship isn't going to work like we had planned it to. Neither of us are in a position at the moment, I don't think, to be having some sort of nice, casual relationship…"

"When did I say that I wanted it to be that way?" he asked, and she let him kiss her.

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A/N: Aw, yes, how sweet. Lol, anyway…please review, I need encouragement people…(or just an 'it was horrible' will do fine) hehehe