Ch 2 –

[a/n Wow I never expected that many reviews for one chapter! Thank you so much everyone, it made my day. I regret to say I will not be updating this fic for a while after this as I am heavily into the sequel to my HG fic. NOTE: No matter what happens, no matter how much time passes, no matter what I do, I will DEFINITELY finish this fic- there is no way I could not. But I am sorry to all those who will be disappointed at this. I promise that I will get straight on this fic as soon as the one I am currently working on is finished. To the people who are awaiting the sequel of WAM: Give me one and a half more weeks and you shall have ch 1. Also thanks in advance for the people who are still with me on this fic even though I haven't updated in half a million years.]

            ~*~*~*~*~*

I wanted so badly somebody other than me

Staring back at me but you were gone

I wanted to see you walking backwards

And get the sensation of you coming home

I wanted to see you walking away from me

Without the sensation of you leaving me alone

Time and time again

Time and time again

Counting Crows – Time and Time Again

            ~*~*~*~*~*

"Have you heard?"

"What?"

"Lily Evans is going out with Mark Vega!"

"Are you serious?"

"I just saw her kiss him in the hall!"

"Oh my gosh! I have to tell Kate!"

Lily was just as famous as James and people knew it. People weren't just gossiping about who James's current girlfriend was, but who Lily's boyfriend was too. The first time they had gone out people had been talking about it and somehow it had spread that they had slept together after their very first date (although Lily had to admit it was true) but she had no idea how people had found that out.

By the time she had gotten up this morning just about everyone in Hogwarts knew that Mark and she were the new "it couple". Sure, she loved the limelight but not 24/7. When she had stepped into the hall this morning whispers had immediately broken out and people could be seen staring and giving each other knowing looks. James had been oblivious to this and was busy entertaining the sixth year from last night while Sirius was "occupied" with a Ravenclaw seventh year while sitting down and the girl didn't seem to notice that her hair was dipping into a bowl of cereal.

Lily stiffened when she felt some arms go around her and turned around sharply only to see the smiling face of Mark. He blushed a little as he held out a pale pink rose for her. Lily inwardly thought that was a bit over the top for only going out twelve hours but it was still sweet and she accepted it with a gentle smile.

"Thanks, I missed you last night," she whispered softly.

"I missed you too, I was wondering-"

"Ohhhhh Lily!" Lea yelled from her seat at the end of the Gryffindor table. Lily waved and turned back to Mark.

"See you soon. . ." she said and headed over to Lea and Sky. Mark looked after her longingly before taking a seat at the table, shooting glances at her every so often.

Lea was talking to Sirius (who had stopped kissing the Ravenclaw) about something and they were both laughing uproariously. It probably had something to do with Severus Snape suddenly realising that he now had webbed hands and couldn't pick anything up. Lily rolled her eyes; Lea and Sirius were the best of friends ever since they had first met on the train all those years ago. They had played a trick on Sky because they had never met her at the time and the opportunity was too good to miss. For while after that prank Lea and Sky had been enemies, but they kept finding it hard because they were both close friends with Lily. But slowly Sky had forgiven Lea and they had become best friends. Although Sky had never forgiven Sirius and still never talked to him unless forced.

But Lea and Sirius had the same type of personality and got along fantastically. They could always be seen together thinking up a prank to play on unsuspecting Slytherins – or anyone for that matter. It had always surprised people that they had never actually gone out on a date, and they had always remained just friends.

"I'm guessing you hexed our good friend Severus?" Lily commented as she walked up to them.

"It was just too good to miss Lil, and he still hasn't realised it was us!" Lea exclaimed and she burst into laughter again as Snape dropped his glass of pumpkin juice on a very angry looking Slytherin.

"Plus he hexed me in Potions; I couldn't stop singing everything I said for an hour!" Sirius added, his eyes darkening when he recalled the incident.

"Yes but wasn't that because you conjured up a wind around him that lifted up his robes?"

"Hey, it wasn't my fault he picked that exact day to wear baggy grey underwear!" Sirius said indignantly, but his eyes were laughing. Lily grinned and flapped her hand at him, giving up. She went and took a seat next to Sky, who was busy ruffling through her Charms book.

"Forgot huh?" Lily asked as she grabbed some toast.

"All about it, I hope this cramming will be enough." Sky replied, frantically running her finger down a page.

"Why cram? Just go with the flow," Lily said simply.

"That's easy for you to say, you manage to pass every test. Maybe not with flying colours but you can always pass." Sky complained, pulling at a strand of hair.

"Sky what's wrong with you lately?" Lily asked. "You've been acting strange these past few weeks, like you're hiding something."

Sky stiffened and took a breath. She smiled lightly and said, "Like I could keep anything from you guys. Don't worry Lils, it's just school getting to me."

Lily looked at her but didn't argue, knowing Sky would tell her when she was ready.

Lea sat down next to them, still grinning.

"I don't know why you're friends with him," Sky informed her, wrinkling her nose.

"I don't know why you're not," Lea retorted, looking over at Sirius and nodding at something he said in some secret sign language only they could understand.

"Because of what he - or rather both of you did to me."

"Yes but that's all in the past, you've forgiven me." Lea said winningly, taking some of Sky's toast.

"Yes I've forgiven you, not him." Sky sniffed, glaring over at Sirius, who was totally oblivious to the fact that if looks could kill he would be dead.

"Ah look, it's the apple of your eye," Lea teased Sky as Amos Diggory walked into the Hall. Sky had sat up suddenly and couldn't stop looking at Amos with quick nervous glances. They had been going out for five weeks now yet Sky never seemed that thrilled. Lea and Lily exchanged glances warily, they both disliked Diggory immensely and often voiced this to Sky herself.

"Good morning." Sky said in a timid voice to her boyfriend, shrinking away slightly. Lily raised an eyebrow at this.

"I didn't see you last night." Amos said, staring at her calculatedly.

"I was tired." Sky said, but she refused to meet his gaze.

"I have to go, see you later." Amos said, like he was talking to a wall that he didn't expect to answer him but decided to try anyway.

"Bye. . ." Sky trailed off, pushing her toast around the plate.

"Sky I love you, but can't you do any better than Diggory?" Lea asked.

"Lea! She didn't mean it that way hun, we just think you deserve better than him," Lily said, shooting Lea a glare, who just stuck out her tongue.

"That's basically the same thing," Sky pointed out, her eyes still on her boyfriend.

"So have you done it yet?" Lea asked curiously.

"No, I wanted to wait and he isn't pushing me. So stop telling me to dump him because he is really . . .sweet to me." Sky said, but her two friends didn't see the darkness in her eyes as she said this.

"Sky. . ." Lily sighed.

"I'm going to class." Sky said in a final tone, picking up her bag and striding out of the Hall. She blinked back a single tear threatening to fall down her cheek.

"Should we tell her?" Lea asked as they watched their friend leave, all merriment gone from her eyes.

"No, no. It would break her heart." Lily objected doubtfully, looking at Mark who was staring at her for what seemed to be the fourteenth time in five minutes.

"It would break her heart to see Diggory cheating on her too!" Lea shouted passionately, lowering her voice when the fifth years across from them looked at her in confusion.

"I know he's a bastard but. . ." Lily trailed off, her mind focusing on a certain Quidditch player instead of her friend. Lea rolled her eyes, seeing the object of Lily's gaze.

"Lily snap out of it!" Lea exclaimed, clicking her fingers in Lily's face.

"Hmm?" Lily asked, eyes still slightly vacant.

"Well if you won't tell her then I wi-"

Lea broke of mid-sentence to stare as Amos Diggory hurried out of the Hall doors after his girlfriend.

"Now I wonder what he's doing." Lea said curiously, as Lily narrowed her eyes at his disappearing back.

            ~*~*~*~*~*

Sky walked along the hallway, on her way to Charms. Lily and Lea thought she was angry at them for putting down Amos, but it wasn't. If truth be told, it was Amos who had caused her to be so annoyed this morning. What her friends had said was true, Amos was a jerk. She knew that, although only for about two weeks now.

"No, I wanted to wait and he isn't pushing me. So stop telling me to dump him because he is really . . .sweet to me." Well that had been true before, Sky sighed as she blinked back another tear.

She hadn't wanted to tell them, especially Lea who was so protective of her. She didn't want to see the I-told-you-so look in their eyes when she told them that Amos had hurt her physically. . . three times. She had really liked Amos, her feelings had been becoming quite deep when one night on the way back to the common room he had done it for the first time.

            ~*~

Sky was walking along the corridor, coming back from the library. She had been studying for a test and had not realised the time. She was hurrying along when she heard footsteps behind her. Sky stopped and turned around, slightly nervous. She relaxed visibly when Amos Diggory walked out of the shadows and smiled at him.

He didn't smile back.

"Hi, what are you doing up late?" Sky had asked, stepping closer.

Amos didn't answer, only swept her in a tight hug. She had been surprised but hadn't pulled away. After about two minutes of kissing though, Amos had started to get really aggressive. He had pushed her against the wall and she had dropped her books, still in the kiss.

"Amos. . ." she had warned quietly, trying to push him away.

He had ignored her and it seemed like his aggressiveness only increased and Sky had begun to get scared.

"Amos, please!" she had whispered fiercely, trying to push him off again. Amos tried to pull her down against the wall. That was when she had slapped him away, finally breaking the contact and almost crying.

Amos' face hardened and he came towards her again. Sly gulped and walked backwards until she was pressed up against the wall. She would never forget the look in his eyes in that particular moment.

He slapped her on the face and she yelped in pain, sliding down the wall nursing her cheek.

"Don't touch me you bitch." He had hissed before turning away with a whip of his robes. "If you tell anyone it'll be ten times as worse." He had called over his shoulder.

She had remained there for almost twenty minutes afterwards, waiting for her tears and the red mark to go away. But the pain had never left.

            ~*~

Sky shuddered still, the first time had been the biggest shock but it hadn't been the worst. The second time was the worst and even after the third she didn't have the guts to tell anyone for fear of him hurting her worse. She could never tell anyone now. But on the third time she had had to cover up a few bruises, avoiding questions from Lea and Lily.

She heard footsteps behind her. Familiar footsteps. Footsteps with a slight limp from when she had stepped on his leg after the third time. Sky gulped and walked faster, regretting the deserted shortcut she had taken.

She gasped as his strong hand gripped her shoulder tightly, wrenching it around roughly. She cringed automatically as she looking into Amos' crystal emotionless blue eyes, whimpering and clutching her bag.

"You didn't seem me last night." Amos said angrily.

Sky looked down nervously. "I told you before, I was tired." She said with more bravery than she felt.

SMACK. Sky clutched the side of her face in pain, standing there and not moving.

"Don't talk to me like that." He said, grabbing her arms and squeezing them tightly. Sky yelped as he bent them backwards slightly. He ignored her and didn't stop.

Suddenly she stopped squirming in his vice-like grip and looked at him squarely in the face and spitting into it. Amos' eyes widened in disbelief.

SMACK.

"How dare you, you stupid bitch?" he yelled, slapping her again. Sky fell on the ground sobbing as her last bit of bravery left her. He hit her again, and she cried out in pain. Then the blows were raining down on her, unstoppable and unmerciful.

Then as suddenly as they had begun they stopped and she heard a muffled yell. She looked up to see Amos struggling with another guy, a guy who was definitely beating him thoroughly.

"You sick, twisted bastard." The guy said in between punches. Sky gasped when she recognised the unruly black hair and glasses. James Potter? She thought in amazement.

"Apologise now." James said roughly, pulling a bloody Amos to his feet.

Amos glared at Sky, who flinched and looked up into the angry eyes of James.

"Apologise you shit." James yelled.

"Sorry." Amos muttered, before James pushed him away. He cast a dark look at them before rushing down the hall, limping even more now.

James' eyes softened as he took in Sky's trembling figure on the ground.

"Are you alright?" he asked gently, as he helped her up.

Sky brushed the hair out of her eyes, smiling sadly up at him.

"I will be." She whispered, not meeting his eye.

"Mark my words," James said, lifting up her chin with his fingers and staring at her. "He will pay." James was looking at her pretty face with worry, just seeing now how attractive she was. Someone he would like to know better.

Sky stared at him for a second; taking in the honest emerald of his eyes and feeling so grateful she was finally free from Amos. James still looked worried so she nodded. And as she kept staring into those eyes, she realised she couldn't tear her own away. She looked at the person who she had always disliked until now and something registered in her brain.

She had a bit of a crush.

[ So you probably hate me now. But hey, at least I've given you my word that I will finish this fic. I love it so I will. Now, I have a feeling that some of you are not liking Lily at the moment. Don't worry, there will be a LOT of character depth on her and she will get better. I promise! Now, review! Oh and I realise the chapters are quite short but don't worry, they will get longer.]

Thanks to: Hippie-Banana, icyfire2, Moony9103, nikki, zeldagrl436, Silvercrystal77, Swishy Willow Wand, hp, snowman1400, lien, mwonw, Vicous Pixie, Aquarian Fire Tiger, Voldie On Varsity Track, LeilaniPotter, EvilSeamonkey, lover of good ff, ElvishGirl18, rebelchic, Cassi Angelica, Ceso, hpOracle, Danny, SchaffyTaffy15, LilyEvensPotter, ashlita, SMH, Lux Aeterna, avlrocks, Potterholicnumerouno, elp5089, outoftheordinary, emma, Lili, Daisi, cHoCoLaTeZ, Candy83, CasedVeela, Raine an Frodo, Dreamer, serendepetee, PsYcHoJo, Slam.

Isabelle Black – No, James isn't going to be jealous – but I think you can already tell that. Your English seemed fine to me =D Well, I like Mark too yet I feel bad for him already. He's gets more of a personality in later chapters.

lilith witch – Yes you were rude. Quite frankly I think you're a little silly to be reviewing something you don't like and can't even give constructive criticism.  Believe it or not it is different to most l/j fics, so I don't know where you're coming from on that. I suggest you think about it.

Nesserz – so good to see a familiar face! I know hardly anyone on this fic so its good to reply to someone I know really well. Thanks for BETAing those chapters by the way again and I'm still looking forward to The-Fic-With-No-Name.

Magic sparkle 1 – ooh another familiar face! Hope you're not angry that I updated this before WAM's sequel. I hope you stay with me on this fic too.

Shadyday9 – And another familiar face! That's three so far. Thanks for reviewing this fic so much and I am pleased that you think it's "kookookatchoo." As to your ranting about the evils of snow: you haven't changed my mind in the least – I still adore the snow! =D I'll swap for the beach any day. Although right now it is getting into winter so its getting cold but out winter is boring because we have no snow.

Anonymous miss – wow thanks for putting me on your faves, it really means a lot to me! Thank you thank you thank you! Hope you enjoy this chapter.

Orligrl – Ah, a fellow clown hater AND a person who thinks Ginny is a bit left out. I think this is beginning of a beauuutiful friendship. I will read your fanfic as soon as I get the change ok? School is taking over my life too much right now even though we're on holidays!

Lovesickpuppy – I know, I am so sick of the same L/J's. Once in a while you will find a good one that is the same but since it is well written you'll still read it. One of my ex's is called Michael actually, I "damn him" too.

Candy Cane Child – well you said it nicely so I can accept it. Someone else said something along the same lines and was downright rude. So thanks for being nice about it and I'm glad you think I'm not a bad writer.

Deer boy – good to see you, I would love it if you Fedexed me some snow, though it's probably warmer now and there is no snow left. Ah, I remember the good ole FedEx truck. Hope you stay with me on this fic as well as the sequel.

Lauren – if you don't like Lily than that's a bit tough because that is how she is for about half of this fic. If you don't like that hun, don't read it.

Luvhp224 – Is my writing in this fic really that different from What About Me? *is astonished* There you go, and I didn't even realise. Well, I'm glad the first chapter got your approval and I look forward to your opinion on this chapter. I must say the fuckwit bit is fairly amusing isn't it? I swear a fair bit in the sequel to WAM too. Hmm. Yeah, I do know this doesn't follow the canon in OotP but that was always the plan because that's what all the rest are like. Update P&P soon because I do enjoy reading it.

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