ALMOST UNREAL

Disclaimer: The Characters and everything else recognizable from Harry Potter books belong to J. K. Rowling.

Author's Note1: I was going to make Almost Unreal a one-shot story, but I can't help but attend to the request of my reviewers… So here it is! Chapter two.

Author's Note2: Please, don't mind my grammar and spelling mistakes, but know that I'm working on it.

02. Back to Reality

James yawned as he entered the kitchen, noticing it was already twenty past ten. Sitting on the nearest chair, he magically summoned the bottle of milk. Not bothering to fetch a mug, he drank from the bottle.

"So?"

James lifted his eyes – eyes witch much preferred to stay shut – to find the one and only Sirius Black leaning against the doorframe.

"So what?" he asked back, pretending he hadn't the slightest idea of what his friend was talking about.

Sirius rolled his eyes. "Where exactly were you last night?"

James sighed while playing with the empty bottle on his hands. "It's a long and complicated story…"

Sirius smirked and sat in front of James. "I've got all day."

"Wow."

"My thoughts, exactly." It was all James said. Sirius's face was one of utter chock and, hadn't it been a serious matter, James would have laughed for the first time in forever Sirius Black was lost of words.

"I-I'd never think…" Sirius stammered. "A Potter… It's unbelievable!"

"Yeah, I know." James replied with a sour look on his face. "I thought we were safe… I mean, we're pure blood! And as far as I know the Dark Lord only goes after mudbloods and muggles."

"The Dark Lord?! I don't give a damn about that crazy bastard! I was talking about you and Evans! I had already given up hope to see you guys together…"

James' expression lightened considerably and a sweet smile forced it's way to his mouth. Sirius was right. They would deal with that problem later… And as he pictured Lily's smile after he asked her to be his girlfriend, he knew that there was hope.

Standing up with a cocky smile, he walked around the table to stand beside Sirius's chair.

"Well, my dear Padfoot, I never had any doubt!" he said as he boosted himself up on the table.

Sirius simply snorted.

The Platform 9¾ was as crowded as ever, but Inah Lancaster easily spotted Sirius's dark haired head over the sea of people.

"Sirius, over here!" she yelled while waving her hand to get his attention. When he turned around and smiled, Inah felt her heart skip a beat.

Sirius made his way through the crowd and soon he was standing in front of her. Grabbing her around the waist, he swirled her around.

"Inah! It's so good to see you again!" he put her down, but didn't let go of her, instead, he moved his hands from her hands to her upper arms. "How was summer?"

They simply talked about the new while walking to the Marauders' Cabin – as they called the last cabin of the last wagon that they had used since day one and claimed as theirs.

"I could hardly believe when that owl came," Sirius was saying. "Prongs a Head Boy! I almost had a heart attack… Really, I'm still trying to cope with Moony being made a Prefect in our fifth year! What a shame for the Marauders…"

Inah chuckled, her fair hair falling in waves over her back. "I wonder what Lily will say about it… Maybe she'll act a bit more friendly towards him?"

They sat side by side and Sirius lazily placed an arm over her shoulders. "And that's the best part…" but he was interrupted by the slam of the door.

Peter Pettigrew came in panting heavily and Remus Lupin was just behind him with an amused grin on his face.

Peter was clearly trying to say something, but, apparently his was choking with air, because his face was red and his small brown eyes seemed to be about to pop out of their orbs. Inah tried to stand up and help him – mainly because she was curious to know what had brought this reaction – but Sirius' strong grip on her shoulder held her in place. She was about to protest but the look in his gray eyes shut her up. Following his gaze, she saw Remus patting Peter on the back, telling him to calm down.

"That's it, Wormtail. Breathe in, breath out…" he was saying, barely restraining his laugh.

"So, Moony, what happened?" Sirius asked.

Remus smiled widely. "Peter here caught Prongs and Lily snogging."

Inah grinned and looked up at Sirius. "I suppose that's the best part?"

He nodded.

Lily patted the first year girl's head and smiled kindly. "You don't have to worry about the Sorting! Everything will be just as I explained to you."

The girl nodded and ran down the corridor, looking much calmer now that a weight had been lifted from her shoulders.

Lily shook her head and leaned against the door of a cabin. The veterans always tormented those poor kids…

Just as she was about to leave, the door behind her opened and she felt herself falling… into the arms of none other than James Potter. She barely had time to spin around to face him when his mouth claimed hers.

After a couple of – enjoyable, passionate – minutes, the parted, after all, they needed to breathe! Still painting slightly and with his cheeks of an adorable color of red, James rested his forehead against Lily's.

"I missed you." He whispered.

Lily smiled blushing, and bent down the take her clasp from the floor – clasp which James had quickly pulled from her hair.

James watched her tie her beautiful hair and licked his lips, still being able to feel the taste of chocolate on them – Lily was crazy for chocolates. "You shouldn't do that." He said, surprised to find his voice a bit husky.

"Do what?"

"Tie your hair… It is so beautiful." He ran a hand through her hair, undoing all her work.

Lily shrugged. "It helps to keep the it out of my face… You should try it sometime!" she laughed, but James noticed she didn't tie her hair again.

"So?" James leaned against a wall and cocked his head to a side, smiling deviously.

Lily just stared back and raised an eyebrow.

"Aren't you going to say you missed me too?"

Ah, but she had… She had missed him so much that it annoyed her. Every waking thought she had since that fateful night was about him, and when she was sleeping, she was constantly dreaming of him.

"I'm not going to lie like that!" she laughed.

James rolled his eyes and stretched his arms for her. Despite her earlier words, Lily walked to him to soon be enveloped in his arms again.

He stroked her back up and down. "You should know that I meant every word I said that night."

Lily pulled back slightly and stared into his hazel eyes, and then she slowly nodded, lifting her head to meet his.

That stolen moment would have been perfect, if Peter hadn't burst in.

Hestia Jones hurried up to meet her friend, Inah – who happened to be with Sirius Black and his friends for her utmost displeasure.

"Are all these rumors about Evans and Potter true?" she said instead of 'Hi'.

Inah looked at Sirius with a stern look – for he had just sighed exaggeratedly loud – before saying yes.

"So everybody already knows… Lily isn't going to like that." Remus said while they sat around the Griffindor table.

Lily and James had left earlier to meet Headmaster Dumbledore, so they most likely didn't knew word had spread.

Peter nodded, scanning the Great Hall with his eyes. "They're coming."

All of then turned to see Hogwart's most unlikely couple walking to their house's table – as distant from each other as possible, as Sirius had pointed. Lily had her eyes averted to the ground while James didn't move his gazed from her. Pretty obvious, wasn't he?

They sat apart from the others and started to talk in hushed tones, very aware that everyone's eyes were on them right now.

"But Lily, they would have to know someday. Or did you want to sneak around forever?" James was obviously exasperated.

"I know it! But still… I hate gossip." She looked at him and he felt his heart immediately soften.

"Ok," he sighed. "What do you want me to do? I'll do anything, just… just don't be mad."

She shook her head helplessly.

"All right…" he muttered and stood up.

He left his gaze wander through the room before he started talking:

"Yes, I'm dating Lily Evans."

No one expected the slap that hit the Head Boy across the face.

James stared at Lily in utter surprise but she just turned around and ran away. As soon as his brain egistered her escape, James jumped across the table and ran after her.

And for the first time, Hogwart's Great Hall was silent… Until Sirius, feeling that he should do something about it, said aloud:

"Ain't this food delicious?"

And everybody resumed their previous actions.

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Annoriel.