Lily glared at him. "No kidding," she snapped. Then she hesitated and her voice softened. "Thanks, though. I would have never known that there was a phone in this village. . ."

"Not a problem," James said, and shrugged. He tilted his head slightly, studying her.

"What?" she asked suspiciously, after a few minutes.

"Nothing. . . Come on. We'll go get a butterbeer. My treat," he replied, extending his hand to her.

Lily sighed and shook her head. "We can't. We've got to get back to class."

"Oh, live a little. Look at is this way; we're already late. We may as well just skip the class altogether."

Lily looked at him sceptically. "Why are you being so nice?" she asked.

"Because that's me. A nice person," James said, flashing a grin. Then he rolled his eyes. "Will you come on already? It's not everyday I offer to pay for a drink."

"No," Lily agreed, as she let James snatch her hand and lead her out of the inn. "Just the days you're with girls."

The woman at the reception desk looked at them disapprovingly and murmured something about, "Appalling behaviour. . . cutting school. . ." when they walked past. They chose to ignore her, but James turned his head at Lily's words.

"You shouldn't believe everything you hear, you know," he muttered bitterly.

"Oh, really? So you're trying to tell me that you're the innocent party?"

"No, but I shouldn't have to. You don't even know me and you're judging me!"

"Well. . ." Lily trailed off, and stared into his face. "I've heard enough about you, thankyou very much."

"And you believe every word of it?"

"Why shouldn't I?"

"Okay then. Clear up something for. How many times exactly, have you been pregnant?" James asked, his forehead creased with wonder.

"What?!" "We're in school Lily. There are more rumours than there are quills," James sighed, as he walked her through the door of the Three Broomsticks.

They sat down at a table, and Lily was silent, looking thoughtful.

"What are you thinking?" James asked after awhile, sick of the silence.

"I'm thinking. . . people seriously say that I've been pregnant?"

James rolled his eyes, taking a sip of butterbeer.

"No, no. Seriously, I'm thinking about my parents," Lily sighed, looking down at the liquid in her cup. "It makes no sense."

"Yeah. Divorce is harsh," James nodded.

"You're parents are divorced?" Lily asked, looking up at him. "I didn't know wizards got divorced. . ."

"Why not? They're still people."

"Uh-huh. I guess I just never thought about it before."

"Hmm, well I'm guessing it's going to be harder on you. I don't think I was as close to my 'daddy' as you are."

When Lily looked at him, he was trying to hide a smile, and focusing on drinking.

"Are you teasing me?" she demanded, but in spite of herself smiling.

"I'm just saying, you can work your emotions to your advantage," James answered defensively.

"Well, that's definitely true," Lily agreed, and nodded. Then she stretched out in her chair, her butterbeer still clasped in her hand. "So go on then. You're trying to tell me I've got you all wrong?"

"Huh?"

"You said it was all rumours."

"Oh. Well, maybe not ALL rumours. . . but I'm not as incapable of commitment as people claim."

"Is that so?"

"Sure is."

~*~

As it turned out, Lily and James ended up being late for History of Magic as well. Professor Binns - the old ghost who taught them - didn't seem that bothered, but it caused talk among their friends when the two walked into the classroom together, having been missing for the last period.

"Lily!" Kimberley exclaimed, smirking slightly as Lily dropped into her usual seat. "And here was me thinking you hated James. . ."

"Where have you been Lils?" Courtney asked, looking at her curiously. "You just stormed out of the Great Hall like that, I was worried. . ."

Lily sighed and explained briefly to them, promising she'd tell them everything later. Then she concentrated on paying attention to the class.

When it was over, she gathered her things and walked alongside her friends out of the door, laughing along to a story Courtney was saying.

"-and he was just stood there, it was so disgusting-" Courtney laughed, as they all giggled with her, throwing in a mixture of "eww"s and "urgh"s.

Then someone grabbed Lily's arm roughly, spinning her around.

"Hey!" she complained, the smile wiped from her face. She frowned when she saw her boyfriend, and wrenched her arm from his grip, rubbing it gently. "Ouch! Danny, that hurt!"

"Where the hell have you been?" he snapped, ignoring her.

"What?" Lily asked, as her friends exchanged looks behind her.

"You heard me! Where've you been all morning?"

"I've been. . ."

"With Potter?"

Lily was suddenly angry, and her eyes narrowed. "What if I was? He was helping me, okay?"

"Helping you? If you need help; come to me!"

"Man, give her a break," someone said casually. Lily turned to find James and Sirius stood there, Sirius looking amused and James looking at Danny with disgust.

Lily almost closed her eyes. James would NOT help this situation.

Danny raised his eyebrows. "Oh, look. It's the big shot himself," he said sarcastically.

"Why are you so. . . suspicious?" James continued.

"Why are you suddenly so interested in my girlfriend?"

"Why can't you get over it?" Lily cried. "Jesus! James was being nice. That was it! He helped me do something I had to do. Okay? I feel better now. Or I did, before I got the third degree from you."

Danny looked at James darkly. "So this something took all morning?"

"No," James answered innocently. "But we decided to go for a drink in the Three Broomsticks afterwards."

Danny stared at Lily in disbelief, then turned and went to join his friends.

Lily turned on her heel and glared at James, her hands in a position that looked as if they were trying very hard not to strangle him.

"Urgh! Do you want a wooden spoon James? Stir it up even more?"

*~*

Hey! Another chapter done. Sorry they're taking so long. Anyway, thanks for the reviews! Hope you like this chapter. It was sorta rushed so. . .yeah. . .