I gasp. Martin and Courtney are snogging each other on a classroom table. Snogging is probably even an understatement. Neither of them has noticed Lily and me yet. Lily has collapsed in shock into my arms, her electric eyes wide with horror. I put one arm under her legs and one under her back and carry her back to the Gryffindor tower. I lower her gently into a chair and make to return to my dormitory. She gives a little sob and grabs my arm to stop me leaving.
"Oh god Lily, don't do this to me," I murmur, sitting down next to her. Beautifully silent tears are pouring down her face. I push her hair from her face and wipe the tears with my hand. If I stay any longer I'm not going to be able to resist myself.
"C'mon Lily, I can't stay," I try to stand up.
"No, James, don't go," Lily cries.
I sigh and hug her into my chest, allowing her to cry all over me. She doesn't have anything to say. I guess she just wants to be able to cry to someone. Too bad that someone is me. I sit patiently for an hour. It's almost three in the morning. Lily eventually falls asleep, exhausted.
"Why do you do this to me. How can I be a good friend when I'm in love with you?" I whisper, stroking Lily's hair, "Life is so unfair." Lily mutters something in her sleep. I sigh and gently kiss her forehead, "Goodnight." I'm so tired; when I close my eyes I fall asleep instantly.
~*~*~*~*~*
I wake up warm. I snuggle deeper into my pillow. Wait, that's not my pillow. It smells vaguely familiar. I breathe in deeply. It's James' scent. James?!? I open my eyes. I'm in the Gryffindor common room, asleep in James' arms in a couch. Then everything from last night (early this morning actually) comes flooding back.
Classroom.
Martin.
Courtney.
Then me crying all over James. How embarrassing.
I try to wriggle myself out of his arms without waking him.
"Hmn? Lily?" James mutters, opening one eye.
"Yeah, it's me," I reply softly, unwrapping his arms from around me.
James looks at me half guiltily. "I – you - last night - after detention - you were crying - wouldn't let me go," he mutters.
"Mmm, sorry," I blush, "I didn't mean to cry on you. Sorry."
"That's ok," James gives me a smile. I glance at the clock. 5:30 in the morning!
"Go back to sleep," I suggest.
"Nah, already awake, might as well get up and finish history home work," James says.
"Crap, we had home work? I'll go get mine. Be right back." I dash up to my room and grab my history books without waking the other girls.
James and I work on the essay for an hour. Funnily enough, we help each other out. I used to always be the one who helped other people, and now I was accepting help. It felt so… strange. By 6:45, the essay is done.
"Yes!" I drop my quill in triumph.
"Give me five!" James and I high five each other and collapse on the floor, tired.
"Hey Lily?"
"Yep?"
"Don't you hate me for… you know…"
"For what?" I ask.
"For, you know, getting drunk in detention with you, waking up… you know what I'm talking about!"
"Getting drunk, hmn, that was stupid, you are such an idiot, but it was partly my fault too. Whatever we did while we were drunk, which I'm adding is not a lot, was not neither of our fault," I reply. That's weird, I'm not even that angry with him.
"Ok…" James says, and then adds, "Do you still like Martin?"
"Um…" I don't know what to say.
"If it's too hard to talk about it, you don't have to answer."
God, that has got to be the most understanding thing James has ever said. I don't have time to think of a way to word it, as giggling interrupts us. The portrait hole opens and Martin enters, Courtney giggling (drunk I think she is) in his arms. He drops Courtney onto a couch and sees James and me.
"Good morning Martin. Have a nice night?" I say acidly.
Martin sways on the spot and blushes, and then points at James and me. "What about you two, eh?"
"Um, we're doing home work," James replies calmly.
Martin holds his head in his hands. No doubt the hangover is getting to him. "Get – away- from – my – girl – friend."
"She can move if she wants to," James replies.
I don't move. Martin's obviously drank a lot last night.
"What if I don't want to? What if I don't like it that you make out with some other girl?" I shout.
"Get away from him," Martin shouts back.
"No!"
"You did exactly what I did. What right do you have to get angry?" Martin whips out his wand and points it shakily at me.
"I did not do the same as you. James and I didn't do anything!"
"Leave Lily out of it, it's my fault," James says and Martin shifts his wand to aim at James.
"Yeah, you're right, it is your fault," Martin steps closer, "It's all your fault," closer still, "If you weren't here," now he's only a few centimeters away, "Everything would be fine." Martin punches James in the jaw.
"Shit! Ow," James pushes Martin back.
Before I know it, the two of them are rolling around on the floor. Serious dejavu. Suddenly there is a shout of a blurred incantation and the fighting stops. Martin gets up, his wand still pointed at James. James is lying on the floor, unable to move. He's performed the binding curse on him. Martin lunges at James.
"This is for being a bastard! (*punch*) This is for stealing my girlfriend! (*punch*)"
I reach inside my pocket for my wands to undo the spell, but I find my pocket is empty.
"Martin, stop!" I scream.
"I'm doing this for you Lily," Martin says breathlessly.
"No, you're not!" I yell, pushing him backwards.
"Fine! Whatever!" Martin storms to the open portrait hole. He dizzily tries to climb out, sways on the spot, and then falls to the floor snoring. Definitely very drunk.
~*~*~*~*~*
"Oh god, James, are you ok?" Lily rushes to my side. Stupid question really. My jaw feels dislocated, I have a huge headache, just had the crap beaten out of me, and I can't move. No really, I'm fine. Lily's face creases with worry. She reaches inside my robes (my heart is practically pumping at 200 per second as she brushes on me), and takes out my wand to undo the spell.
"Thanks," I mutter and try to sit up, but a stabbing pain in my chest doesn't allow me to.
"James, don't move," Lily lifts my head and rests it in her lap. "I'm so sorry. Someone always gets hurt when I'm around…"
"It's not your fault," I try to smile but my jaw kills.
Students start coming down to the common room. Whispering fills the room as people survey the scene.
"Oh my god, what happened?"
"Martin and Courtney? Didn't they like break up ages ago?"
"So both Lily and Martin cheated on each other?"
"Look, Lily and James."
"Are they together now?"
~*~*~*~*~*
AN: aw… no cliffhanger! So, how are we liking it? Yay! 150+ reviews! You guys rock! Let's try for, um… 170? Push that review button and help me get there! Replies:
LimeJuiceTub – yeah, they are a bit too bitchy huh? Oh well, all teenage girls are really bitchy sometimes.
CrazyStarz – hmn… ok… whatever, just review!
Windowseat wonderer – ok, this was a suspenseless ending.
You know you're right – didn't like what they saw, did you?
ShadowFox991 – you haven't reviewed for a while. Yeah, cliffs are funny.
Hollow headed hamster – are you dead yet? I'm not on your favs anymore! I am offended!
Angelbud2233 – ooh, you're good - it was something with martin.
Padfoots-angellover – keep asking nicely!
Dee Ann – I only do cliffs cause people's reactions are funny! Like yours.
Tori bird – I will not kill martin. That is heartless. But then again, I am heartless.
Darkening sky – major jealousy fits. I like chocolate.
Lady-anna-bee – suspensefulness is not a word. See? Microsoft word underlines it.
Calanthea Willow – You have to read all of it!