Hi-i. My comps still screwed, so I can't actually read your reviews as I'm putting this chapter up. But! Thanks again for reviewing, I'll go re-read them in my emails on my comp upstairs.
Lily's POV
"Hel?" I sighed, I threw myself onto my bed. "How come I'm not like you?"
"How do you mean?" she asked, jumping up from her 'yoga' position on the floor. Yep. She's into that stuff.
"I mean you never have problems with lads. . . You either like them and they like you, or you don't like them and everything's fine. I want to be like that! Simple!"
Helen giggled. "I just don't where my heart on my sleeve, like someone," she said, poking me in the side.
"Hmm. I shouldn't have got mixed up with Sirius."
Helen frowned. "No. . . You got a few friends out of that, right? I mean. . . Remus and Peter are nice to you. So's Sirius, even though you're not too fond of him anymore. And you spend quite a lot of time with James," she said thoughtfully.
I nodded. "I guess. . ."
She was right. I've been spending quite a bit of time with James.
"Maybe I shouldn't though," I continued.
"Why?"
"Because. . . I'm not sure, I'm not in their year. I hardly spending any time with you lot anymore."
"Well-"
"I just need to spend less time with them. I would still have my tutoring with Severus and everything, and they'd still be my friends, I guess, but. . . I don't need them," I said firmly.
Right. I don't need James.
He's too busy with Lorredana, Tess and God knows who else.
The next day, I sat in Transfiguration (actually knowing what I was doing, for once in my life) when a few people stopped by our table.
When I saw our, I mean mine, Tess' and Helen's.
"Hey," Logan Murray greeted us, with a smile.
I know Logan and his gang. We hand around with them sometimes and. . . they're okay.
"So, do you lot want to come ransack the kitchens with us tonight?" another, Tony Green asked.
"Erm. . ." I exchanged a glance with Helen.
Eh, why not?
"Come on Lils, you hardly ever spend time with any of us anymore," Logan said.
Yes. I figured that out last night, thanks.
"Sure we'll come," I replied, ignoring the comment about me abandoning them.
"Great," Tony grinned, already making his way back to his table. "See you later."
"We're going to ransack the kitchens?" Tess asked quietly, the minute they'd gone. "How can we 'ransack' them? The House elves will bend over backwards to give us anything we want!"
Helen and I giggled, copying down notes from the board.
"They're trying to make themselves sound. . . manly. And tough," I pointed out. "As if it's not easy."
"Yeah, well. . . you can't get much easier, I'm afraid," Tess sighed. "But, it'll probably be fun, I suppose." Suddenly her face lit up. "Ooh! Maybe James'll be there!"
In spite of myself, I had to laugh. Just. . . at the look on her face.
James' POV
Okay. I was going to have to do it.
Just bite the bullet - or what ever that Muggle phrase was - and do it.
Of course, if she publicly rejected me, then I'd die. That was obvious.
First of a broken heart. . . (Yes, sympathy, people)
And then of embarrassment.
Ooh. Unless I told her immediately afterwards it was a joke. . .?
Okay. I'm stalling.
Just. . . deep breath aaaand. . . go.
"Hey! Helen?" I used my quick Quidditch reflexes to manage to get from one side of the Common Room to the Portrait Hole, which Lily's friend was just about to step out of.
"Erm. . . yes?" Helen glanced quickly at her watch, and then smiled up at me. "Actually, James-"
"No, I won't be a minute. Do you know where Lily is?"
Whew. That part wasn't so hard.
"Lily? Yeah, I'm just going to meet her. She's with. . . a group of guys right now. Um. . . do you want me to give her a message, or something?"
Yeah. Tell her I'm madly in love with her, and have been since the moment I first laid eyes on her.
"Nah, it's not that important," I shrugged.
"Oh. Okay. Well. . ."
"Actually, do you know when you'll be back?" I asked, as she started to make her way out of the Portrait Hole again.
"No, sorry. Tonight. . . sometime."
"Right. Okay then. Bye."
Lily's POV
"So how come you never hang around with us anymore?" Logan asked.
It was just me and him, sat by the fire. We had a glass of pumpkin juice each, while the others were off. . . somewhere.
Tony and Tess were off fawning over the house elves, Helen was no where to be found, and everyone else seemed to be having a contest for the most unlikely places they could fit food that the house elves gave them.
Hey. The more unlikely places they found, the more food they got. Good luck to 'em.
I sighed, looking into the flames. "I dunno. . . I'm just really into my tutoring, I guess," I shrugged.
"Yeah, I heard about that," Logan nodded, letting a few strands of his sandy hair fall in front of his eyes. "For your Head Girl chances, right?"
"Yep."
Logan nodded again. "You'd make a good Head Girl. . ." he said thoughtfully.
I smiled, taking another sip of my Pumpkin Juice. "Thanks."
Suddenly he turned to me and grinned. "So. Do you want to come into Hogsmeade with me this weekend?"
Ugh. All I'm ever in is Hogsmeade.
"This weekend's a Hogsmeade weekend?"
"Hmm-Mmm. Go on, you can get all dressed up. Just me and you, it'll be fun," he smiled.
Ahh. He was asking me out.
Well, that was fine!
I - at one point - fancied Logan Murray. . . With his mysterious grey eyes and everything.
Of course, James has deep blue with little flecks in them. . .
But I could go out with Logan!
And you know why?
Because I do Not. Need. James. Stupid James who wanted my Stupid Tess.
"Sure. That'd be nice."
Remus' POV
Sirius, Peter and I all made our way down to the Common Room, where we spotted James carelessly flipping through a book.
Hmm. He said he was leaving so he could talk to Lily. . . and that had been over an hour ago.
But. . . where was Lily?
"Ohmigosh!" a blonde girl said in a blurt, as she fell onto a couch next to her friend.
We were still walking, but I glanced at her, out of pure curiosity to the reason of her excitement.
"Did you hear that Lily Evans is going out with-?" the girl squealed, and Peter grinned.
"So he did it, already," he murmured.
Sirius gave him a fixed smile.
It's so obvious Sirius is really not happy with this arrangement.
"Lily's going out with Logan Murray?" the other screamed. "Ugh, no fair," she added bitterly.
"Whoa-w-whoa!" Sirius exclaimed, dropping to his knees behind the couch and staring at them.
I noticed James look up from his book and frown slightly.
Oh, don't come over. Don't, don't, don't.
"Lily's going out with whom?" Sirius demanded.
"Um. . . Logan Murray?" the blonde answered, looking at Sirius queerly.
"Oh. . ." Sirius jumped up, anger on his face. "Urgh!" he snapped, kicking the nearest table.
Lily's POV
"I can't believe you're going out with Logan, Lils. . ." Tess murmured, the day I was due to be going to Hogsmeade with him.
Yeah, well. . . that makes two of us.
"Mm-hmm," I replied distractedly.
I was getting ready in front of the mirror, while she was spread out on her bed.
"And Snape-"
"Severus," I corrected automatically.
"Severus likes you too. Okay, maybe I'm not really jealous about that one, but-"
"Tess, he doesn't like me. What, you believe Lorredana over me?"
"No. But. . . okay, you went out with Sirius!"
"Yeah. That wasn't a mistake at all," I said dryly.
I looked at myself in the mirror one more time, then spun around. "Alright. How do I look?"
"Like a million galleons," Tess said appreciatively.
"Yeah," Helen smiled. "And you probably add up to it as well. Where did you get that necklace?"
She walked towards me, delicately touching the diamond crucifix hanging on the gold chain around my neck.
I shrugged absent mindedly. "My mum got it me. . . I've just never wore it before. Anyway! I've got to go."
"Okay. See you later. We're still meeting in the Three Broomsticks, right?"
"Right," I nodded, flashing a smile and walking out of the room.
James' POV
So. Today was the today Lily was going out with that. . . that Slytherin guy Luke, or something. . .
Damn him.
Damn her.
No, I take that back.
I carried on walking towards the Common Room, choosing to look at my feet.
Okay. All I had to do was get rid of that guy, get rid of Snape, and perhaps get rid of the whole Slytherin-
"Ouch!" someone exclaimed, as we collided with each other going through the Portrait Hole. "Oops," she giggled. "Sorry about that. . ." I looked up into her face, realizing who it was. ". . .um, James," she finished.
I have to admit, my eyes very nearly fell out of my head.
What was she doing? Seeing how little material it was legal to wear in public?
Ugh, but she looked good. Little black skirt and a white halter neck.
"You going to see that Luke?" I sneered.
"Logan."
"Same difference."
"Well actually, I am," she said hotly.
I beamed sarcastically. "Have fun!"
Sending me a dirty look, she pushed past me and stalked off.
"Good afternoon James," Dumbledore said good naturedly as he walked past me.
I nodded. "Good afternoon, Professor. . ." I replied, then suddenly stopped him and nodded towards Lily. "Hey, sir? There's got to be some sort of school rule. . . right? She can't go out dressed like that."
Dumbledore followed my gaze and then looked at me with amusement. "Actually James, as it's a Hogsmeade weekend, I have no say over what my students choose to wear."
"Yeah? Oh. Then. . . hmm, maybe I should go after her. Being Head Boy and everything."
"Well, I don't really see the need-"
"Alright then, I guess I'll have to go if you say I should," I sighed heavily. I heard him chuckle softly as I walked away. "Don't want her to end up pregnant, or something. . ." I muttered, already following her towards the Main Hall.
Once I made it to the Main Hall, Lily had already met up with the Logan guy.
Jerk.
Logan, I mean.
He had the same reaction to her clothing as I did, then grinned and led her off into Hogsmeade.
Ugh. Here's to hoping Remus accidentally attacks him during the next full moon.
"Hey James," someone said perkily, making me jump and turn around.
Ahh. Tess. The girl Lily tried to set me up with.
"Hi. . ." I smiled, glancing at her friends who were with her. "So, are you going into Hogsmeade?"
What? The perfect way to get close to Lily (and Logan) without her knowing. . . hang out with her friends.
"Yes," Tess, rather quickly.
Oh, bless her.
"Great!" I grinned, walking alongside them.
Once we got into Hogsmeade, we went straight to the Three Broomsticks.
Where I made small talk whilst keeping my eyes glued on the door for a certain someone.
Who didn't show up for quite awhile.
But our good friend Lorredana did. Which wasn't a surprise. She turns up in just about every other friggin' place we go.
Walking past our table, she gave me a look that clearly said 'Why-are-you-with-them?'
So, shrugging slightly, I returned with a look that said 'Who-knows?-They're-crazy.'
Well, it's not as if I was going to tell her the real reason.
Looking amused, she stopped in her tracks. "Hey James. And. . . you're Tess, right?"
"Yeah."
"Huh. So. . . where's Lily?" Lorredana asked me, holding back a smile.
Oh, I hate her.
"She's on a date," I retorted pointedly.
"Ooh. . ." she patted my shoulder discreetly. "Wait, with Snape?"
"No!" one of Tess' friends (Like I'm supposed to know their names?) cried. "With Logan Murray."
"Oh. Never heard of him."
"Well he's riiiight over there," Tess pointed out, nodding towards the door.
Logan and Lily were there. Her cheeks were flushed from the cold outside, and she was laughing at something he was saying.
"Ohh," Lorredana nodded.
"Hi," Lily said happily, making her way over to us. She did a double take when she saw me. "Wh. . . hey," she said slowly.
I grinned at the look on her face and relaxed back in my seat, while Lily exchanged a quick look with Tess.
"Well, I've got to go meet my friends," Lorredana suddenly said. "Have fun, Jamesie."
James. James!
"What. . . um, um. . . what are you doing here?" Lily asked me, raising her eyebrows.
Aww. Was she really that happy to see me?
"I'm here with these," I explained as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, and smiled at her friends.
"Oh," she replied quietly.
"So. You two having fun?" I asked sarcastically.
Logan shifted his feet uncomfortably.
Wuss.
"Yeah. . .?" he said slowly.
"Ahh. That's nice."
Lily's POV
Okay, I know I was supposed to 'not need James' anymore, but it still hurt when he was all sarcastic and mean.
But then again, I'd interrupted while he was with Lorredana and Tess.
That must have been, like, heaven on earth for him.
"What the hell is your problem?" I demanded, hand on hips, as I confronted him in the Common Room that night.
He glanced up lazily from the Quidditch magazine he subscribed to.
"What do you mean?" he asked, looking bewildered.
"Today!" I snapped. "What? Do you have a problem with Logan, or something?"
As much as I hate to admit, I found a part of myself - the part I was trying to force to the back of my brain - wishing he did.
Praying he had a problem with Logan. That maybe. . .
Oh, what's the point? He was all over my best friend.
"A problem with Logan? Why on earth would I have a problem with Logan?" James asked, in that sickly sweet way that drove me insane.
"Then what? Why've you been so nasty today? I. . . I thought we were friends?"
James sighed loudly, flipping his magazine shut.
"Lil, we are friends," he said, nodding.
I scowled, and fell into a seat next to him. "You have a bad way of showing it."
"I know. And I'm sorry," he insisted. "Look, maybe. . . maybe I don't like Logan, okay?"
"But you just said you didn't have a problem with him," I said blankly.
He so has to make up his mind.
"Yeah, well. . ." James shrugged and shifted in his seat so he was facing me. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you mad at me."
Well, I forgave him.
Ugh. I'm such a pushover.
He just looks at me, and I melt. That is so unfair.
"Hey," James said suddenly, as if inspiration had just had hit him. "What are you doing for Easter?"
"What?"
"For the Easter holidays? What are you doing?" James repeated, just as Sirius jumped down the stairs.
"Easter? Um. . . revision, mainly. My birthday. . . Why?"
"Come stay at mine," James said simply.
"What?"
Okay, did I hear him right?
"Why not? My mum's hardly ever around and. . . well, my dad's. . . gone," he replied slowly.
"Hey," Sirius greeted us, as he fell into a large chair. "What's going on?"
"I just asked Lily over for Easter," James explained.
For some reason Sirius' eyes lit up. "Ooh, yeah! Come!" he exclaimed. Then he frowned and turned to James. "I'm still coming though, right?"
"Course," James confirmed. Then he looked back at me. "Bring some friends, actually."
As much as I was still surprised over him asking me to his house for two weeks, I had to raise his eyebrows. "You must have a pretty big house, if you can fit all those people in."
"Sure he does," Sirius said carelessly. "So are you coming?"
Sirius' POV
Finally. James was making a move.
It was only after she was going out with someone of, course. . .
He seems to have a knack of doing that, doesn't he?
Then again. I doubt this Murray guy will hand her over with open arms.
"Um. . . um. . ." Lily stammered, looking thoughtful. "I'm not sure."
"Oh, come on," James insisted. "Bring Tess. . . and. . . Helen."
For some reason, Lily's expression hardened. And I wasn't the only one who noticed it, James did too.
"Or," he said quickly. "Um. . . don't?"
He shot me a confused glance, obviously wondering what he'd said wrong.
Lily shrugged, and her voice turned cold. "I still don't know. Like I said, it's my birthday-"
"So we'll throw you a party," I grinned.
"Yeah, but. . . I don't know if my mum will let me, will I?"
"Aw. But you're going to be seventeen. . . you should be able to do what you want."
"I know. I'll see, okay?"
Lily's POV
So. I could spend two weeks at James' - James' - house, where I'd be thrown a party, and basically. . . be around James.
Or I could go home, never see my mother anyway, and be picked on by my bratty sister.
Decisions, decisions.
Ooh. And I could always 'forget' to tell Tess. I mean, I know it'd break poor Jamie's heart and everything, but. . .
No, that's not fair. If he likes her, and she likes him. . . I shouldn't stand in their way.
I suppose.
Wait a sec. Hold up. What am I saying? I'm with Logan. Yeah, he asked me to start dating him when we were in Hogsmeade. And I – for lack of anyone better asking me out – agreed.
"He-ey. . ." I greeted my dorm members, as I pushed the door open.
"Hiya," Helen smiled. "Where've you been? Last I heard, you were after James Potter's head. . ."
Oh yeah. . . Funny how things turn out.
"I was," I confirmed. "But. . ." I flounced onto her bed, and Tess came and sat next to me, looking interested. "What are you two doing over Easter?"
"Easter? Nothing. . . I think I'm staying here," Helen shrugged. "Why? Are you doing something for your birthday?"
"Ooh, about your birthday," Tess sighed. "I'm so sorry. My mum and dad are taking me to Texas. I'm meeting some relatives, or something. . ."
"Really?" I asked. "Aw, that's too bad."
"No, I know, but I can leave your present and everything," Tess suggested.
"It's not that. It's just that James just said we could all go to his house for two weeks," I said casually.