Chapter 23 "Underneath it all" by marauderyears
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or anything related to it, J.K Rowling does.
Note: Thanks to everyone. Random fact: Mad-hatter day is celebrated on my b-day! Does that say something about me? Does anybody know when that is? I'll give you a hint: If you watch Alice in Wonderland, it says so on the Mad-hatter's hat...
ZayneLily: Sooner? That'd have to be like 3 chapters in one day, lol. That'd be funny.
Slytherinbabe05: Flirting, definitely. Not too dark, not too happy. Somewhere in between? Thanks, I want to know as soon as you make the fic.
lollipop: Oh my goodness! Do you really think so? Thank you! I'm so happy to hear that. I've never been told that before!
arwen2121: Thanks for your vote! Although it's too late if anyone wants it in a sequel, lol.
Glaz: 41 hours! Wow! That's got to be a record! Do you know what the record is in the Guinness Book of World Records? Maybe you've broken it, lol. Sirius is my favorite character too! That's why I never like to make him have a serious relationship b/c he's mine, muwhahah! I'm very sad the Rowling made him die, I'm still in denial...sighs
Danu3: Thanks for reviewing for both chapters, I really appreciate it! I'd laugh too.
ChristinaMarie15: They are cute together!
iluv0liver16: I don't think you did...I'm glad you like it!
Pranks Are So Siriusly Padfoot: Of course, lol. I always think of you because I absolutely, positively LOVE your reviews, they always make me laugh!! LOL.
evil-pillow: Glad you like it, here's the update!
Lily's POV
"Lena? Are you up here?" I opened up the girl's dormitory and peeked in. A quick search of the room told me that she hadn't even been up here. And I'm starting to get worried.
In the Gryffindor Common Room I ran into Frankie. "Frankie! I'm so glad to see you. Have you seen Lena?"
Frankie shook his head. "I haven't seen her since yesterday. Why? Is she okay?"
I shrugged. "If there's a problem it's just emotional."
Frankie wrinkled his nose. "Oh whew! Than I'm going to stay out of this, but you should check in the Great Hall maybe she's eating breakfast."
I rolled my eyes and walked out of the Common Room. Where else could she be? Certainly not somewhere as obvious as the Great Hall... The Astronomy Tower! Yes, maybe she's there!
James' POV
I looked around for Lily for what seemed like forever. In reality it's only been like 30 minutes, but that's close enough to forever. I've looked in the Great Hall and the Quidditch Pitch already...maybe she's in the old dormitory.
I raced into the Common Room to see Frankie walking up the boy's dorm staircase.
"Frankie! Frankie, have you seen Lily?"
Frankie looked like he was about to laugh. "Yeah, she's looking for Lena I think. She's been searching everywhere."
I kicked the wall angrily. "This is like a wild goose-chase!"
Frankie laughed. "Maybe you should check the Great Hall. I told Lily to check there, maybe she did."
I nodded and ran down the tower, through the halls and shortcuts that I knew and finally arrived at the Great Hall.
Like I expected, Sirius, Remus, and Peter were eating breakfast. I wish I could, I'm practically emaciated. I ran up to them, breathing hard.
Sirius grinned and said to Remus. "Looks like he finally took my advice and found a good shag to vent out his anger..." We both gave him a disgusted look. Peter, being the sidekick he is, just laughed.
"I'm not even going to say anything to that. Have you seen Lily?"
Sirius snickered. "Ran out on the morning after did she?"
Remus smacked him. "No we haven't. Why?" I explained to them how I had been looking for her all morning to see if she was okay.
I sighed, feeling defeated. "Do any of you have the Marauder's Map? I think one of you had it last."
Remus' lips twitched. "It's in our dormitory. I put it there after I was done..."
"No bloody way. I was just up there. There's no bloody way I'm going to bloody walk all the bloody way up to the bloody dormitory."
10 minutes later I was in the dormitory looking through Remus' stuff for the map.
Lily's POV
After searching the Astronomy Tower and finding nothing but a few snogging couples- which I of course took points for- I decided that maybe she's just eating breakfast.
What do you know but the last place I look, she is at? I saw her eating her breakfast next to Anna and Gwen down at the end of the table, the opposite end that the Marauders were sitting at. Well at least 3 of the Marauders. I wonder where James is...
As I was passing by the Marauders, Sirius grabbed my arm and pulled me toward them. I saw Lena look up at me. When I smiled at her she just looked back down at her food and continued to talk with Anna and Gwen.
"What do you want Sirius?"
"Prongs is looking for you." Who?
"Huh?"
"James. He's looking for you." Oh I had forgotten that James' friends called him Prongs. I wonder why...
"Why is he looking for me?"
Sirius shrugged. Remus said, "We don't know but you should stay here. Eventually he's going to get hungry and come here and than see you."
I rolled my eyes. "As much as I'd love to wait around here all day, I have to go talk with Lena." I pried Sirius' hand off my wrist and walked down to Lena and her friends.
Not sitting down, I said, "Lena, can I talk with you for a minute?"
Lena sighed and stood up. "I'll see you in History of Magic Gwen. And Anna."
I led her out the front doors and to the lake. I sat down, motioning for her to do the same.
"Are you okay? You just kind of ran out when...James and I were in my room."
Lena threw a rock into the lake. "I'm fine."
I looked at her. "Are you or are you just saying that?"
"Did you and James...?" The suggestion hung in the air until I finally got back to my senses and answered her.
"Ew, No! We were just sitting on my bed talking-"
"It didn't look like you were 'talking'."
"Well we were."
"Do you like him?"
"Well of course, he's a friend of mine."
"No, that's not what I meant. I meant...do you like him. Like how he likes you."
I turned to her but she was carefully avoiding my gaze. "I think so. I'm not really sure to be honest."
Lena stood up and sighed. "Well of course you like him. Why wouldn't you like someone who's charming, good-looking, and in love with you."
"He's not-"
"Oh come on Lily, wake up and smell the pumpkin juice." We were silent for a minute, and I was debating whether or not I should say something when Lena interrupted my thoughts.
"Would you go out with him if he asked?" I was silent. How do I respond to that? She threw another rock into the lake. We both watched as one of the Giant Squid's tentacles flickered in the water.
Just as I was about to answer I saw James walking fast toward us. He looked out of breath, like he had been running...
"There you are Lily, I've been looking everywhere for you." He glanced at Lena, who ignored him and threw another rock into the water, causing the Giant Squid to splash some water at her.
"Hi Lena, umm...can I borrow Lily from you for a second?" Lena glanced up at him for a split second.
"Of course Potter, do what you will with her. Who am I to stop you?" James raised an eyebrow at her, looking at me as if to say: 'What's up with her?'
I just shrugged and followed him as he led me across the grounds to a tree. My favorite tree to sit under, when it's a hot day because the shade from it blocks out all the heat. It's really quite nice.
He stopped walking and we both sat down under the tree. I could almost see Lena at the lake, still tossing rocks into it. I hope she doesn't upset the Giant Squid. He's really quite lenient of kids when they swim in it.
"I'm sorry Lily."
I shot him a confused look. "For what?"
He raised his eyebrows at me. They almost completely disappeared under the dark locks of hair that almost reached his eyes.
"Well I thought I had upset you when I had tried to kiss you today." I felt myself blush. He continued. "I'm sorry for taking advantage of you; I really shouldn't have gone into your room. It's...not right."
I almost smiled at his embarrassment. "That's fine. I'd say it's equally my fault. Why did you come into my room?"
James' POV
I let out a sarcastic laugh. Could I really tell her that I heard her bed moving and heard her giggling and I thought she was shagging someone and that I was angry enough to come over and beat the pulp out of the guy for touching her, and it turns out she was just jumping on her bed? No. She'd think I was too overprotective...or that I was spying on her...or something.
"Oh that. Well I woke up and I heard some noises...so I just came over to make sure you were alright..."
She nodded. "Well...that was sweet of you."
I felt myself blush. I hate that she can make me blush. I feel...out of control...
"So have you tried jumping on your bed?"
I looked up at her and grinned. "Of course. I couldn't call myself James Potter if I hadn't already tried that. Except unfortunately for me I forgot that I was rather tall and ended up smacking my head on the ceiling..."
To my delight, Lily burst out laughing. I smiled as I watched her face turn red. By the time she was done laughing she had tears running down her face.
"I had a mental image of that..." She wiped a few tears off her cheek and snickered a bit before calming down.
"Well I'm glad I could make you laugh...even if it was at my expense."
She smiled and pretended to mull over something. "I wonder if maybe the ceiling knocked some sense in to you..."
"Ha ha, very funny."
"Yes I guess not even a ceiling can do that..."
"Yes, well this is all extremely funny and all but I needed to ask you something."
She looked at me to show that I had her attention. "What?"
"You and Lena aren't in...a little disagreement are you?"
She shook her head. "I don't think so."
"How can you not know?"
"Well, Lena is a good friend...but we never really connected like best friends usually do...like you and Sirius per say.
"I guess so. She's a bit different from you."
She nodded. "Well yeah...she's more flirtatious with boys and such. And even has the guts to...never mind. Frankie and I are closer."
"To shag them?"
Lily flushed and nodded. "I don't like that she does that. Or did, she hasn't had a boyfriend since you."
I sighed. "We were NEVER boyfriend and girlfriend."
"Well you know what I mean..."
"I guess so." Okay here goes. I've been planning since yesterday how to say this... "Maybe when we go to Hogsmeade, after we finish our Head stuff we could...you know hang out or something..."
She raised an eyebrow. "Are you asking me out...like on a real date?"
I felt my face turn a little pink. "Well yes."
She smiled. "Sure, why not?"
We were quite for a little bit, me silently skipping for joy and her...well I don't know what she's thinking.
"So why did you suddenly decide to go out with me?" Damn. That was way too daring of a question...please don't backfire on me...please don't backfire on me-
"Do you really want to know?"
I nodded and she smiled at me teasingly.
"Well the Giant Squid turned me down."
(A/N): That was one of my longer chapters. Do I get a cookie? Question: Is anyone who's reviewed for the first couple chapters still reading this story? Just curious...