See? No disclaimer. I kept my promise, I said the previous one would be the last!

Author's Note: Sorry it took a while; I kept rewriting this chapter because somehow I was never satisfied with it.

Chicken Wang - Well thanks ::blushing::

Lils - Updated already!

Hikki1116 – Homework? Poor you.

ViviBlack – Exactly. I'm glad someone got the point, that 'I'm engaged' just slipped out of her mouth because she was kind of desperate.

E – Bump. Well said. ;)

You will never know who I am mwuahahaha – No, I don't think I'll know who you are. Unless you tell me. Hint, hint

s.s.Harry – Maybe he doesn't sneeze at all?

Captain Oblivious – I think your predict cap seems to be working very good actually, because what you said is very much possible. Except for crappit maybe. I can actually reveal that crappit will not be a part of my story.

Lovablechick213 - No, Lily and James will never get together. It was no use that Hermione broke up with James, and the whole story will end in misery. HEY! JOKING, okay?

Sara – This is a James/Hermione fic (kind of), so Lily isn't really like in the main part or something although she is in it.

Ecot123 – Um… read last chapter?

Monkeystarz – They sure do. ::cries her heart out::

Angel of Slytherin – Okay, might be a little farfetched but it was meant to kind of make her realize what would have happened if she didn't break up with James, etc. I mean, she was so blinded with love that she couldn't see it herself. I look forward to the other fic too. It's going to be fun, I think.

I like writing responses to reviewers hint that you should review and write something to which I can replay in next chapter

Chapter 9 – Step Out into the Light!

Hermione somehow managed to get through the lessons before lunch the following day, and she was very happy that he seemed to avoid her as much as she avoided him, because simply seeing him forced the tears out of her eyes again.

After a quick lunch (still no sight of James) she decided to go to the library to catch up with some studying. She had actually skipped the homework during the last days' events, something that was very unlike Hermione, and now she was far behind in nearly all classes. But she actually managed to concentrate, probably because the library was about the only place that didn't remember her of James, since he almost never was there. However, she worked hard during the rest of the lunch, before heading off to her next lesson.

Somehow the afternoon's lessons passed as well, and it was time for dinner. Hermione sat in the middle of her eagerly gossiping roommates plus Lily. Unfortunately though, the subject of this evening was Hermione and James' break-up plus Hermione's engagement.

"But honestly, Alyssa, why haven't you told anyone?" Melanie asked curiously.

"And how could you date someone when you are engaged?" Gladys added.

"I don't know," Hermione said slowly. "I guess I couldn't control my feelings correctly..."

"Sure James is hot", Emily said thoughtfully. "But I mean… cheat on her fiancé… that wouldn't even Linda do."

"Who?" Lily asked, although she didn't really care about who Linda was.

"The Slytherin girl over there", Lily said and nodded towards the far end of the Slytherin table.

Linda appeared to be a thin girl with long, blond hair and big boobs. Apparently the Slytherin boys considered her being very attractive, seeing as she was surrounded by like a dozen of guys. Hermione, however, couldn't say she thought Linda was some kind of female ideal (like no one should think, really).

"I'd go", Hermione said and rose from the table. "I have some studying to deal with. See you around."

She hurried from the table before anyone had the time to say anything.

"Alyssa! Wait!"

Hermione slowed down a little so that Lily could catch up with her.

"I know this might not me a… fitting time, but I just wanted to tell you something", Lily said.

"Go on."

"I just wanted to kind of… thank you!"

Hermione stopped abruptly. "Excuse me?"

"He has stopped calling me his babe, in fact he is in no way disturbing me any more. Actually, he's even polite! It's a miracle. I mean, we aren't even close to being friends of course, but he is even being polite! I thought I'd never see that day."

"Glad I could be any help."

"Oh I'm sorry. I upset you going on about James, don't I? Gosh, I'm such an idiot, ranting on about your ex-boyfriend."

"It's okay. Um… I'd go, I really want to catch up with the homework."

"Oh sure."

Lily waved and turned around, heading back into the Great Hall seeing as she hadn't finished her dinner quite yet.

Meanwhile, Hermione decided to go to the library again, hopefully she would be able to concentrate just as she had done during the lunch. She got some books got her dormitory before heading for the library.

Immediately when she entered, she saw them. James and Sirius, sitting at a table further in (James – in the library?! She was surprised that it wasn't raining cows as well.). Hermione slipped in behind a bookshelf and tried to walk as quietly as possible towards them. She stopped when she could hear what they were saying.

"Forget about that girl, Prongs", Sirius said.

"I had forgotten about her already but you brought the subject up!"

"I'm suffering with you, but come on; there are loads of girls in the school."

"I'm not suffering! She's an idiot anyway," James said.

"Oh yeah, I mean, she cheats on her fiancé! Who knows, she'd have done the same thing to you. You're better off without that girl."

It hurt so much inside Hermione hearing them talk about her like that, especially since it wasn't really her.

"Drop it Padfoot!" James hissed.

"But James my friend", Sirius said – and this time he actually sounded serious –, "I know you, she's all you think about!"

James muttered something that Hermione couldn't hear, after which he rose and walked out of the library. Sirius rose too and was just going to follow him, when his gaze suddenly stopped right at Hermione. He walked closer, and Hermione tried desperately to back into the shadows.

"You can't hide, Alyssa, I've already seen you," he said coolly. "Eavesdropping? It's getting worse and worse for you."

"I-" Hermione started but trailed off.

"Step out into the light," Sirius demanded.

Hermione swallowed before taking a step out into the light. They stood like that for a while, angrily staring at each other, the bookshelf still between them.

"You know what?" Sirius said. "I don't beat girls up. But if I one day would make an exception, may I suggest that you would suit yourself in a place very, very, very far from where I am."

"It wasn't my intention to overhear anything," she said quietly. "I just happened to pass by-"

"-behind the bookshelf", Sirius filled in. "That's something that happens to all of us." (A/N Quote from Daniel Radcliffe, Mtv Trl UK. MUAHAHA!!! I apologize for the unnecessary interruption and will be returning to the story immediately.)

Hermione bit her lip and looked away down into the floor.

"Don't look away!" he said hard and Hermione lifted her eye up to meet his instead. "I don't understand what's your problem," he said slowly, "neither do I really care. But you should know one thing; messing with a marauder; messing with four marauders. Messing with me. And you do not want to mess with me, believe me."

"Um," Hermione said slowly, "er… actually, I was thinking that I might ask for your help."

"You WHAT?!" he exclaimed, raising his eyebrows and looking at Hermione like she had gone mad. "No way, Alyssa, I'd never-"

"James and Lily," she interrupted. "They're perfect for each other – they just don't admit it."

He stared at her. "You're just trying to cover up for yourself."

"No! I lied, I'm not engaged – don't freak out – but just listen to me, please?. I love him. I would never do anything to hurt him intentionally, but he's meant to be with Lily. Even I can notice – the only ones not noticing are themselves."

"You broke up with him because you think he should be with Lily?" he asked, stunned.

She nodded. "Something like that", she said uncertainly. Well at least that was as close to the truth as she had ever told anyone!

"Yeah," Sirius agreed. "Come on, do you have to be standing behind the damn bookshelf?"

Hermione stepped out in the free space in front of the bookshelf.

"So what's your plan?" Sirius asked.

"Huh?"

"How are you planning to get them together?" he repeated patiently.

"I-er-well you see, I said I was thinking of asking you for help."

"So, you are asking Sirius Black, master of intrigues for help? I am flattered, but-"

She rolled her eyes.

"-stop rolling your eyes like that or I'll turn your hair green."

Hermione stopped rolling her eyes.

"So what do we do, master of intrigues?" she asked.

"Um… er… let's see…"

"Come on, tempo, I haven't got the whole day!" she teased.

"Don't interrupt the master in his great thoughts."

"Incorrigible", Hermione muttered.

"What does that mean?"

"Don't you know? No offense but it's kind of general knowledge."

Now, it was Sirius turn to roll his eyes.

"It means kind of… hopeless", Hermione explained. "Now, has the master of intrigues got any idea?"

"We lock them into the Head Boy and Girl common room for a week", he said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Ha ha."

"Honestly, you have to admit that it could work."

"What about classes?"

"Screw classes."

"Incorrigible."

"Oh shut up."

"So, Master of intrigues-"

"That was a joke, okay?!"

"Whatever, have you got a plan, then?"

Sirius thought for a while.

"Um… something like… it's a Hogsmeade weekend in two weeks, we might be able to use that."

"How?" she asked curiously.

"Suppose that we…"

Author's Note: Maybe it is another of Sirius' hrm… less good ideas, maybe it isn't. Maybe it will work, maybe it won't. Maybe Hermione and James will get together, and maybe Harry won't be born, just as in her dream. Or maybe a fairy will appear, swing her magic wand and everything will turn out fine in the end. Nobody knows, except for me. Oh yeah, I like having this kind of power. I also like writing nonsensical stuff in my author's notes.

Tip of the Day: Mix frozen strawberries with yoghurt. Yum-yum! Delicious.

Now review or the evil… pineapple will come eat you,

Megafreak