AN: We know that it starts out kind of slow, but do not worry! The plot
will arrive, we just need time to get into the year first. And don't
worry... Lott will NOT turn out like Umbridge. *GNL hangs a picture of
Umbridge on her dart board and has fun mutilating it* And of course Lily
and James will get together, just remember this is only year six.As a
forewarning to you we are focusing more on year seven, so year six may seem
a bit brushed over (it has around a third of the chapters, anyway), but
there is a plot! Also we plan on posting at shorter more regular intervals
so there is less time waiting for plot. AKA: We update!
SIDE NOTE: We {especially GNA you should hear some of the lectures GNL has gotten from her!}dislike mush, fluff, and all other romantic-y stuff...alas we decided to write a fanfiction...that revolves around it.... GNA: so...much...mush...gah... GNL: Umm... GNA....you wrote this chapter GNA: I don't care if I wrote it! GNL: . . . . GNA: Just get on with the chapter...
CHAPTER FOUR: RUMORS AT BREAKFAST
Lily woke up suddenly, looking around in surprise. She had felt a hand shake her shoulder, but no one was there. Groaning, she sat up. Outside it was hazy and cool, the fog rolling back from the Forbidden Forest in sheets. The only one left in the circular room was Lily.
"Maybe I'm going insane." She muttered, pulling out her uniform quickly. Alice walked in at that moment, already dressed.
"No, I got you up before you missed breakfast" she said, checking her hair in the mirror. Lily laughed; Alice was rarely in the presence of a mirror, much less looking in one.
"What are you doing?"
"Oh, just making sure nothings out of place."
"Frank will be at breakfast, won't he?"
Alice tried to hide a smile, but it broke through.
"Actually, I'm going with him to breakfast."
"Oh. Well, I'll get ready then." Said Lily. Alice skipped down the stairs happily, picking up her bag and leaving Lily alone in the room and slightly miffed.
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James walked down the dormitory stairs slowly, trying to rub the sleep out of his eyes. He had been up most of the night thinking on what Remus had told him about the prefect meeting, and Remus had looked tired himself, though for different reasons.
Lily walked down the dormitory stairs quickly; she was starving. She knew that she shouldn't, by rights, feel so cheerful after last night, but Alice had started her thinking on breakfast: hot, steamy eggs and sausages, thick, golden pancakes, icy cold pumpkin juice . . .
She looked up in time to see James run his hand through his hair and trip on the stairs. He looked rather tired. A quick spasm of guilt went through her when she saw the darkish bruise on his cheek. Sighing to herself, she tried to concentrate of food again . . .
"Potter." Nodded Lily, and James looked up surprised. Lily mentally slapped herself.
"Oh. Hello, Evans." He muttered, grabbing his bag.
Lily walked through the portrait hole brusquely, and James followed her. He was almost more worried about her than himself. She seemed . . .cordial after the meeting.
"Evans, you alright?"
Her eyes got hard.
"I'm fine, Potter."
"Whoa, don't bite my head off! You just looked a little stunned after that meeting with McGonogal."
"Well who wouldn't be, Potter. I just found out that the wizarding world might be in serious danger from a dark, nameless wizard, people are disappearing left and right, and that the students in Hogwarts are possible targets. I'm just chipper." She snapped, walking ahead of James. He stood still for a moment, running his hand through his hair.
"Well I don't blame you." He said as he walked back to her side. He ran his hand through his hair again.
Lily glanced at him and gave him a pained expression, once again walking ahead.
He caught up again.
"I mean, I myself didn't get a good nights sleep over it."
She moved ahead, he caught up.
"It's not something you should really worry about now, though, you're too-"
"POTTER, LEAVE ME ALONE!" yelled Lily, in a rage, and she whirled around. Her heavy bag swerved completely around, hitting her in the stomach. James almost caught her, but the momentum was too much, and her head hit the stone corridor floor with a smack. Scared out of his wits, James kneeled down beside her and tapped her cheek. Her eyes stayed close.
"Lily!" he practically yelled, tapping her other cheek. His heart clenched when she still didn't move. Thinking frantically, he leaned down and yelled "Lily!" again.
Lily groggily opened her eyes, seeing James Potter leaning over her. He smiled ecstatically for a moment as he saw her eyes open, and he slowly closed his eyes . . .Yelling, she shoved him and he fell over.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING, POTTER!"
"Bloody Hell! You were knocked out, Lily, I was only seeing if you were alright!"
She stood up, kicked him, and stormed back down the hall. She wasn't hungry anymore.
James grimaced as her shoe connected with his shin. It didn't matter to him too much, though. His robes would cover this wound, and he was strangely relieved to see that she was perfectly fine.
"That Evans . . ." he said, and limped down the stairs.
Lily stomped down the hall, full of wrath at Potter.
"How dare he! If I hadn't woken up before he . . .he touched me, why . . ." she was tempted to go on thinking over it, and maybe scrub her face raw, but a girl from Gryffindor was chasing after her as she walked into the great Hall.
"Lily! Lily Evans! Could I talk to you!?"
The girl was rather short, and wearing the rhinestone glasses popular with muggles a few years back. Her hair was pulled into a bouncy ponytail, held with a sparkly scrunchie. She was waving a fuchsia quill around wildly as she chased after Lily, making quite a sight.
Lily rolled her eyes at the enthusiasm of first years, and stopped.
"Yes?" she said.
"I-I was just wondering if you could confirm the rumors."
Lily stared sharply at her.
"Rumors? What kind of rumors?"
"You know, the rumors."
"About what, uh, Miss. . ."
"My name's Rita. Rita Skeeter. Now, is it true that you were caught snogging James Potter in a broom closet by Sirius Black-"
Lily's face went through an amazing set of transformations. She started out sputtering, then shocked, then angry, and finally, completely furious. Lily turned on her heel and ran back down the hall, Rita trailing behind.
Rita cackled as she saw Lily's face, and stepped out of the way as Lily made it to the great hall doors. James had just walked in, and turned around at the sound of footsteps approaching.
SLAP.
James stared stunned at Lily, cheek smarting and mind reeling. What did he do now?
"WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU, POTTER! DO YOU THINK IT'S FUNNY OR SOMETHING, SEEING ME GET HUMILIATED!" She slapped him again.
"But, wh-what?"
"POTTER, YOU ARE THE MOST DESPICABLE CREATURE I HAVE EVER KNOWN! HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME! SPREADING VISCIOUS RUMORS, TAILING AFTER ME CONSTANTLY, TALKING ABOUT ME, ACTING LIKE SUCH AN IDIOT-"
"What are you talking about!" yelled James.
"DON'T PLAY STUPID, POTTER, YOU KNOW VERY WELL WHAT YOU DID! THIS IS THE LOWEST I HAVE EVER SEEN YOU, YOU! I AM SICK AND TIRED OF YOUR LITTLE ANTICS, RUNNING AROUND HOGWARTS LIKE YOU OWN THE PLACE, THINKING YOU CAN SIPMLY SAY SOMEHTING AND IT WILL HAPPEN-"
"What are you talking about?!" yelled James again, taking Lily by the arm to calm her. She shoved him off instantly.
"DON'T TOUCH ME! I AM ABSOLUTELY TIRED OF THIS! WHY CAN'T YOU LEAVE ME ALONE, JAMES! WHY CAN'T YOU JUST LEAVE ME ALONE-"
James was shocked. Lily Evans was standing there screaming at him for some unknown reason with the whole student body listening. Lily felt her eyes smarting, but she was too angry with Potter to care.
"L-Lily?" he sputtered.
"WHAT!"
"What did I do!
She almost slapped him again, but McGonogal stepped in between them.
"Lily! I am completely shocked at you! You too, Potter!" Minerva looked as mad as Lily. "Both of you, come with me this instant!"
She grabbed James by the ear and Lily by the arm and led them out of the hall. Rita looked as if she would burst from happiness. Sirius, on the other hand, was rolling on the ground laughing. The rest of the great hall soon joined in, shrugging and returning to their meals.
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" . . .IF YOU TWO DO NOT SHOW AN IMPROVEMENT IN BEHAVIOUR SOON I WILL HAVE TO TAKE DRASTIC MEASURES! I AM SHOCKED AND DISAPPOINTED BY YOU TWO! YOU HAVE LET DOWN ME AND YOUR HOUSE TODAY, EVANS, POTTER!"
With that, McGonogal finished reaming the two unlucky Gryffindors out. Lily's face was splotchy and her green eyes were surprisingly red, and James looked completely at his wits ends. They picked up their things slowly, the silence echoing around them. James looked over at Lily as they bent to get their things sorted out. She sniffed silently, quickly wiping her eyes. He turned his eyes down again.
James had never felt ashamed of anything in his life, and now, once he was simply accused of something he didn't do, and he didn't even know what it WAS, he felt horrible. Of course, he still was angry with Evans, but he was scared by her show of hatred. He didn't know someone could despise him that much . . .
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Thoughts like these kept occurring to him as he sat in charms, a much calmer Lily doing perfect Redundium Charms. The leprechaun money they had been given kept falling, over and over and over . . .
"Redundius." Said James tiredly, and his coin half-heartedly flopped on the table, instead of jumping up and falling in a perfect imitation of its previous action.
Flitwick looked over at James horrible charm, and tutted.
"Mr. Potter, you charms seem to have gotten worse over the summer, if that is possible."
"Oh . . .sorry, professor. I'm a bit tired."
Professor Flitwick's cheerful face softened. Besides hearing of the uproar in the Great Hall, James was looking the worse for wear. He had bags under his eyes, and there was a nasty bruise on his cheek.
"Well, be sure to be prepared for next class."
"Yes, professor."
Lily's coin was now doing spectacular aerobics in the air. She had flipped the coin and now it repeated itself, over and over and over . . .
Sirius watched as James head hit the desk, yanking him up by the hair. His head fell down again.
"Jamesey, its only the first day. How did you manage to be wiped out?"
"lphhhiggangghhhhdrrokkkwrrshhhhds."
"Riiiight . . .now what was the part about the Feral Monkey?"
James groaned into the wooden desk.
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Alice had followed Lily back to the common room, not wanting to upset her. Her smile seemed pained, and her step had no spring. Her huge bag of books hung limply from her shoulder as she walked, and she kept yawning.
"Lily?"
"WHAT-Oh, Alice. I'm sorry . . .I'm just so tired . . ." she yawned, dropping her bag in the common room. "I've never had such a long day."
Alice shrugged, and glanced at her watch.
"Lily, I'm meeting Frank in a few minutes; he wanted to ask me something. Think you can manage?" Alice smiled good-naturedly, and Lily grimaced.
"Yeah. I'll see you tomorrow."
Lily walked up the stairs, and Alice settled herself on a chair near the fire. Students from every year were walking around, chatting and complaining over homework. After a few minutes, she saw a blue-eyed boy break himself away from a group of 5th and 6th years and walk her way. He smiled brightly, sitting down and throwing an arm around her.
"Hey, beautiful!"
Alice laughed.
"I hope you've never tried picking up girls before."
"No. .Ok, one. But that turned out well, didn't it." He was looking at her very contentedly, a happy smile on his face. Alice blushed, pushing him gently.
"And it was the most romantic experience of my life, I assure you." She said sarcastically.
Of course, they had met under completely mundane circumstances, involving Christmas break, pliers, and Rutabagas.
"You know it took me days to get the smell of that gunk out of my clothes."
"Well if I hadn't tried to rescue you, it would have been much worse."
"How so?"
"I don't know."
They laughed, and sat in silence watching everyone go about their business. Finally, Alice shifted and looked at Frank.
"Why does Lily hate James?"
"What!? Where did that come from?"
"I'm worried about them. Even last year it wasn't this bad between the two of them."
"Yeah, I guess so. Speaking of couples-"
"But honestly! James, with his perfect little world, is too . . .insistent. He doesn't understand the concept of anything bad. Lily has had a taste of it, and is still bitter, and she hates James for not understanding."
Frank blinked.
"Alice, I was wondering-"
"And what is really horrible is that James doesn't know he doesn't know things about Lily, like how her father died, or how hard it is to keep up the emotional strain of James, whom I'm sure she likes in some way, and her father's death and her sister's cruelty, and all her duties here at the school, and-"
"Alice."
"-And James! Really, if he had explained to Lily something, I'm sure at least she would understand . . ."
Frank looked around nervously as Alice went rambling on. Obviously, she had put a lot of thought into this. He saw the group of boys shaking their hands in the air and catcalling to him, and he gave a rather uncomfortable thumbs-up. Alice shoved his hand out of her face and continued.
"Now really, how come he can't come out and be honest with her, because Lily has only seen the bad side of James when there's really a whole good side which I know she would fall in love with if she could only see it once. And Lily, James has only seen the bad side of her lately and it would be like the world ended if he didn't like her, wouldn't it?"
Frank tried cutting in again, but Alice kept going.
"Really, some days I wish I could be one of those two. They have no idea how lucky they are to be smart, beautiful, loved by all-"
"Alice, hello!"
"And someday they are going to look back on this, and they will either regret everything or laugh at it all, and I can only hope that they will be laughing because it is my belief that they belong together, and some days I wish Frank would just tell her that-"
Frank realized what she had been saying all along. Rolling his eyes, he kissed her square on the lips.
Well, at least she wasn't talking now.
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Thanks for reviewing:
Tiffany&co.- Thanks for the review! *Hands out a guava muffin* Child-of-Scorpio- * GNA/GNL duck behind a big cardboard shield* J.E.A.R.K. Potter- *pauses in midst of handing out guava muffins to chuck one at the picture of Umbridge* The Lost Guava- WOO! Guava Land! GND- Yes it was intentional, we have to much fun in Smitty's class not to add him in. Morph- Have a guava muffin! (You're probably getting pretty sick of these aren't you? haha)
SIDE NOTE: We {especially GNA you should hear some of the lectures GNL has gotten from her!}dislike mush, fluff, and all other romantic-y stuff...alas we decided to write a fanfiction...that revolves around it.... GNA: so...much...mush...gah... GNL: Umm... GNA....you wrote this chapter GNA: I don't care if I wrote it! GNL: . . . . GNA: Just get on with the chapter...
CHAPTER FOUR: RUMORS AT BREAKFAST
Lily woke up suddenly, looking around in surprise. She had felt a hand shake her shoulder, but no one was there. Groaning, she sat up. Outside it was hazy and cool, the fog rolling back from the Forbidden Forest in sheets. The only one left in the circular room was Lily.
"Maybe I'm going insane." She muttered, pulling out her uniform quickly. Alice walked in at that moment, already dressed.
"No, I got you up before you missed breakfast" she said, checking her hair in the mirror. Lily laughed; Alice was rarely in the presence of a mirror, much less looking in one.
"What are you doing?"
"Oh, just making sure nothings out of place."
"Frank will be at breakfast, won't he?"
Alice tried to hide a smile, but it broke through.
"Actually, I'm going with him to breakfast."
"Oh. Well, I'll get ready then." Said Lily. Alice skipped down the stairs happily, picking up her bag and leaving Lily alone in the room and slightly miffed.
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James walked down the dormitory stairs slowly, trying to rub the sleep out of his eyes. He had been up most of the night thinking on what Remus had told him about the prefect meeting, and Remus had looked tired himself, though for different reasons.
Lily walked down the dormitory stairs quickly; she was starving. She knew that she shouldn't, by rights, feel so cheerful after last night, but Alice had started her thinking on breakfast: hot, steamy eggs and sausages, thick, golden pancakes, icy cold pumpkin juice . . .
She looked up in time to see James run his hand through his hair and trip on the stairs. He looked rather tired. A quick spasm of guilt went through her when she saw the darkish bruise on his cheek. Sighing to herself, she tried to concentrate of food again . . .
"Potter." Nodded Lily, and James looked up surprised. Lily mentally slapped herself.
"Oh. Hello, Evans." He muttered, grabbing his bag.
Lily walked through the portrait hole brusquely, and James followed her. He was almost more worried about her than himself. She seemed . . .cordial after the meeting.
"Evans, you alright?"
Her eyes got hard.
"I'm fine, Potter."
"Whoa, don't bite my head off! You just looked a little stunned after that meeting with McGonogal."
"Well who wouldn't be, Potter. I just found out that the wizarding world might be in serious danger from a dark, nameless wizard, people are disappearing left and right, and that the students in Hogwarts are possible targets. I'm just chipper." She snapped, walking ahead of James. He stood still for a moment, running his hand through his hair.
"Well I don't blame you." He said as he walked back to her side. He ran his hand through his hair again.
Lily glanced at him and gave him a pained expression, once again walking ahead.
He caught up again.
"I mean, I myself didn't get a good nights sleep over it."
She moved ahead, he caught up.
"It's not something you should really worry about now, though, you're too-"
"POTTER, LEAVE ME ALONE!" yelled Lily, in a rage, and she whirled around. Her heavy bag swerved completely around, hitting her in the stomach. James almost caught her, but the momentum was too much, and her head hit the stone corridor floor with a smack. Scared out of his wits, James kneeled down beside her and tapped her cheek. Her eyes stayed close.
"Lily!" he practically yelled, tapping her other cheek. His heart clenched when she still didn't move. Thinking frantically, he leaned down and yelled "Lily!" again.
Lily groggily opened her eyes, seeing James Potter leaning over her. He smiled ecstatically for a moment as he saw her eyes open, and he slowly closed his eyes . . .Yelling, she shoved him and he fell over.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING, POTTER!"
"Bloody Hell! You were knocked out, Lily, I was only seeing if you were alright!"
She stood up, kicked him, and stormed back down the hall. She wasn't hungry anymore.
James grimaced as her shoe connected with his shin. It didn't matter to him too much, though. His robes would cover this wound, and he was strangely relieved to see that she was perfectly fine.
"That Evans . . ." he said, and limped down the stairs.
Lily stomped down the hall, full of wrath at Potter.
"How dare he! If I hadn't woken up before he . . .he touched me, why . . ." she was tempted to go on thinking over it, and maybe scrub her face raw, but a girl from Gryffindor was chasing after her as she walked into the great Hall.
"Lily! Lily Evans! Could I talk to you!?"
The girl was rather short, and wearing the rhinestone glasses popular with muggles a few years back. Her hair was pulled into a bouncy ponytail, held with a sparkly scrunchie. She was waving a fuchsia quill around wildly as she chased after Lily, making quite a sight.
Lily rolled her eyes at the enthusiasm of first years, and stopped.
"Yes?" she said.
"I-I was just wondering if you could confirm the rumors."
Lily stared sharply at her.
"Rumors? What kind of rumors?"
"You know, the rumors."
"About what, uh, Miss. . ."
"My name's Rita. Rita Skeeter. Now, is it true that you were caught snogging James Potter in a broom closet by Sirius Black-"
Lily's face went through an amazing set of transformations. She started out sputtering, then shocked, then angry, and finally, completely furious. Lily turned on her heel and ran back down the hall, Rita trailing behind.
Rita cackled as she saw Lily's face, and stepped out of the way as Lily made it to the great hall doors. James had just walked in, and turned around at the sound of footsteps approaching.
SLAP.
James stared stunned at Lily, cheek smarting and mind reeling. What did he do now?
"WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU, POTTER! DO YOU THINK IT'S FUNNY OR SOMETHING, SEEING ME GET HUMILIATED!" She slapped him again.
"But, wh-what?"
"POTTER, YOU ARE THE MOST DESPICABLE CREATURE I HAVE EVER KNOWN! HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME! SPREADING VISCIOUS RUMORS, TAILING AFTER ME CONSTANTLY, TALKING ABOUT ME, ACTING LIKE SUCH AN IDIOT-"
"What are you talking about!" yelled James.
"DON'T PLAY STUPID, POTTER, YOU KNOW VERY WELL WHAT YOU DID! THIS IS THE LOWEST I HAVE EVER SEEN YOU, YOU! I AM SICK AND TIRED OF YOUR LITTLE ANTICS, RUNNING AROUND HOGWARTS LIKE YOU OWN THE PLACE, THINKING YOU CAN SIPMLY SAY SOMEHTING AND IT WILL HAPPEN-"
"What are you talking about?!" yelled James again, taking Lily by the arm to calm her. She shoved him off instantly.
"DON'T TOUCH ME! I AM ABSOLUTELY TIRED OF THIS! WHY CAN'T YOU LEAVE ME ALONE, JAMES! WHY CAN'T YOU JUST LEAVE ME ALONE-"
James was shocked. Lily Evans was standing there screaming at him for some unknown reason with the whole student body listening. Lily felt her eyes smarting, but she was too angry with Potter to care.
"L-Lily?" he sputtered.
"WHAT!"
"What did I do!
She almost slapped him again, but McGonogal stepped in between them.
"Lily! I am completely shocked at you! You too, Potter!" Minerva looked as mad as Lily. "Both of you, come with me this instant!"
She grabbed James by the ear and Lily by the arm and led them out of the hall. Rita looked as if she would burst from happiness. Sirius, on the other hand, was rolling on the ground laughing. The rest of the great hall soon joined in, shrugging and returning to their meals.
HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP
" . . .IF YOU TWO DO NOT SHOW AN IMPROVEMENT IN BEHAVIOUR SOON I WILL HAVE TO TAKE DRASTIC MEASURES! I AM SHOCKED AND DISAPPOINTED BY YOU TWO! YOU HAVE LET DOWN ME AND YOUR HOUSE TODAY, EVANS, POTTER!"
With that, McGonogal finished reaming the two unlucky Gryffindors out. Lily's face was splotchy and her green eyes were surprisingly red, and James looked completely at his wits ends. They picked up their things slowly, the silence echoing around them. James looked over at Lily as they bent to get their things sorted out. She sniffed silently, quickly wiping her eyes. He turned his eyes down again.
James had never felt ashamed of anything in his life, and now, once he was simply accused of something he didn't do, and he didn't even know what it WAS, he felt horrible. Of course, he still was angry with Evans, but he was scared by her show of hatred. He didn't know someone could despise him that much . . .
HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP
Thoughts like these kept occurring to him as he sat in charms, a much calmer Lily doing perfect Redundium Charms. The leprechaun money they had been given kept falling, over and over and over . . .
"Redundius." Said James tiredly, and his coin half-heartedly flopped on the table, instead of jumping up and falling in a perfect imitation of its previous action.
Flitwick looked over at James horrible charm, and tutted.
"Mr. Potter, you charms seem to have gotten worse over the summer, if that is possible."
"Oh . . .sorry, professor. I'm a bit tired."
Professor Flitwick's cheerful face softened. Besides hearing of the uproar in the Great Hall, James was looking the worse for wear. He had bags under his eyes, and there was a nasty bruise on his cheek.
"Well, be sure to be prepared for next class."
"Yes, professor."
Lily's coin was now doing spectacular aerobics in the air. She had flipped the coin and now it repeated itself, over and over and over . . .
Sirius watched as James head hit the desk, yanking him up by the hair. His head fell down again.
"Jamesey, its only the first day. How did you manage to be wiped out?"
"lphhhiggangghhhhdrrokkkwrrshhhhds."
"Riiiight . . .now what was the part about the Feral Monkey?"
James groaned into the wooden desk.
HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP
Alice had followed Lily back to the common room, not wanting to upset her. Her smile seemed pained, and her step had no spring. Her huge bag of books hung limply from her shoulder as she walked, and she kept yawning.
"Lily?"
"WHAT-Oh, Alice. I'm sorry . . .I'm just so tired . . ." she yawned, dropping her bag in the common room. "I've never had such a long day."
Alice shrugged, and glanced at her watch.
"Lily, I'm meeting Frank in a few minutes; he wanted to ask me something. Think you can manage?" Alice smiled good-naturedly, and Lily grimaced.
"Yeah. I'll see you tomorrow."
Lily walked up the stairs, and Alice settled herself on a chair near the fire. Students from every year were walking around, chatting and complaining over homework. After a few minutes, she saw a blue-eyed boy break himself away from a group of 5th and 6th years and walk her way. He smiled brightly, sitting down and throwing an arm around her.
"Hey, beautiful!"
Alice laughed.
"I hope you've never tried picking up girls before."
"No. .Ok, one. But that turned out well, didn't it." He was looking at her very contentedly, a happy smile on his face. Alice blushed, pushing him gently.
"And it was the most romantic experience of my life, I assure you." She said sarcastically.
Of course, they had met under completely mundane circumstances, involving Christmas break, pliers, and Rutabagas.
"You know it took me days to get the smell of that gunk out of my clothes."
"Well if I hadn't tried to rescue you, it would have been much worse."
"How so?"
"I don't know."
They laughed, and sat in silence watching everyone go about their business. Finally, Alice shifted and looked at Frank.
"Why does Lily hate James?"
"What!? Where did that come from?"
"I'm worried about them. Even last year it wasn't this bad between the two of them."
"Yeah, I guess so. Speaking of couples-"
"But honestly! James, with his perfect little world, is too . . .insistent. He doesn't understand the concept of anything bad. Lily has had a taste of it, and is still bitter, and she hates James for not understanding."
Frank blinked.
"Alice, I was wondering-"
"And what is really horrible is that James doesn't know he doesn't know things about Lily, like how her father died, or how hard it is to keep up the emotional strain of James, whom I'm sure she likes in some way, and her father's death and her sister's cruelty, and all her duties here at the school, and-"
"Alice."
"-And James! Really, if he had explained to Lily something, I'm sure at least she would understand . . ."
Frank looked around nervously as Alice went rambling on. Obviously, she had put a lot of thought into this. He saw the group of boys shaking their hands in the air and catcalling to him, and he gave a rather uncomfortable thumbs-up. Alice shoved his hand out of her face and continued.
"Now really, how come he can't come out and be honest with her, because Lily has only seen the bad side of James when there's really a whole good side which I know she would fall in love with if she could only see it once. And Lily, James has only seen the bad side of her lately and it would be like the world ended if he didn't like her, wouldn't it?"
Frank tried cutting in again, but Alice kept going.
"Really, some days I wish I could be one of those two. They have no idea how lucky they are to be smart, beautiful, loved by all-"
"Alice, hello!"
"And someday they are going to look back on this, and they will either regret everything or laugh at it all, and I can only hope that they will be laughing because it is my belief that they belong together, and some days I wish Frank would just tell her that-"
Frank realized what she had been saying all along. Rolling his eyes, he kissed her square on the lips.
Well, at least she wasn't talking now.
HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHHPHPHPHPHPHHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPPH HPHPHPHP
Thanks for reviewing:
Tiffany&co.- Thanks for the review! *Hands out a guava muffin* Child-of-Scorpio- * GNA/GNL duck behind a big cardboard shield* J.E.A.R.K. Potter- *pauses in midst of handing out guava muffins to chuck one at the picture of Umbridge* The Lost Guava- WOO! Guava Land! GND- Yes it was intentional, we have to much fun in Smitty's class not to add him in. Morph- Have a guava muffin! (You're probably getting pretty sick of these aren't you? haha)
