Well, here is the chapter I promised! I hope you like I! Please Review!

Iris

It was the beginning of December and the snow around the school was at least four feet deep and all outdoor classes had been canceled. It was during that time that Lily and James sat by the fire discussing ideas for Christmas. Lily sat with her head propped up on her hand thinking. She wasn't thinking about Christmas, though, she was thinking about Sirius and Jessica.

She and Jessica had gone to Hogsmeade and got a real pregnancy test, and thankfully Jessica wasn't pregnant. But it had been a very close call. Sirius was so relieved that he began to cry, though he had sworn he wasn't. Lily smiled. Remus and Hannah were still going strong; they hadn't even fought yet, so there wasn't any entertainment for the common room from that couple. Sirius and Jessica, though, were a different story; they had a fight at least once a week, but always made up about an hour or so after the fight. But their latest fight had been very intense with things said like:

"You arrogant dick!" and "You stubborn ass woman!"

Lily herself had been shocked. Even James and Morgan had taken time out from their make out session to gawk. Lily grimaced. James and Morgan...the perfect couple. She couldn't stand watching them because she knew if she did she would think of how much she wanted to be in Morgan's shoes. She still loved James, deep in her heart, but when she saw how happy he was with Morgan, she again pushed all thoughts of love to the back of her mind and tried to avoid their company as often as possible.

James suddenly interrupted her thoughts.

"Hello in there? Lily Evans, come back to Earth!"

"What? Oh, yeah, what were you saying?"

James shook his head. "I was saying...What do you think about a ball, a Christmas Ball?"

Lily nodded. "That sounds cool. And maybe the theme could be masquerade?" Lily said.

"Cool," said James writing the suggestion down. Lily continued.

"We could have games, prizes-"

"Morgan said she would show us some American traditions they do at Christmas. Would that be cool?" James asked.

Lily rolled her eyes and hid her frustration. "All right. I'll hear some of her suggestions," Lily sighed.

"Thank you." There was an awkward pause.

"So," said Lily breaking the silence.

"So," said James. "You know Lily," Lily started as James said this statement. "You know Lily, if we have a ball, people will, you know have to ask other people..."

"You and Morgan will go together of course?" said Lily.

James nodded. "Sirius and Jessica-"

"No," said Lily interrupting him. "They broke up, remember?"

"Oh yeah."

"Remus and Hannah of course," said Lily.

"You and Sirius could go together," said James.

"No James Potter. Sirius and I will not go together. I will either go solo or with...my friends," she said choking the last part out.

"I'm part of the friends, right?" asked James nervously.

"Yeah, of course."

"Okay, good. Your tone scared me for a second."

Lily shrugged. "I've just got a lot on my mind." She began gathering her stuff. "Let's finish this tomorrow. Class will be starting soon."

Lily glanced at her watch; actually it didn't start for another thirty minutes.

"All right, see you," said James a bit bewildered.

"Bye."

Lily walked out of the head's room and quickly hurried toward the Gryffindor Tower. Tears began to sting her eyes and finding she could not hold them in any longer ran into an empty room.

The room was surprisingly small with one solitary arm chair in it and a box of tissues conveniently placed beside it. Lily took this is in quickly before she sank into the armchair and began to cry. She couldn't help it. She could deal with him and Morgan going out, that was fine with her. She could deal with them kissing in front of her that was okay. She could even deal with them making out in the common room, but when he called her Lily, that was the last straw. He had always called her Lil, for as long as she could remember. Even in their first year, he had called her Lil. But he was the only one allowed too, as everyone knew. He calling her Lily was heart breaking. She had lost him.

"I've lost him," she sobbed. "For good."

She didn't go to any of her classes that day. She stayed in that small comfortable room that kept supplying her with tissues when she ran out and gave her some sandwiches for lunch. She returned to the common room while everyone else was going down to dinner. She went up to her dorm and fell face forward on her bed.

"Lily?" Lily winced.

"Lily," said Hannah shaking her. Lily sat up. "Where have you been all day Lily?" Lily turned her face so Hannah wouldn't see the tear stains, but it was too late, Hannah had seen them.

"Lily, you've been crying." Lily looked back into Hannah's face. "What's wrong?" Lily could again feel tears behind her eyes, threatening to form.

"Nothing," she said fighting to keep her voice free from tears.

"No, something is wrong..." Hannah knew she was taking a big risk asking the next question, but she had seen the looks that Lily had tried to keep hidden. "Does it have anything to do with James?" Lily's head snapped around and stared at Hannah, shock and anger etched on her face.

"I-"The look melted away. Lily broke into tears and fell into her friends outstretched arms. "How did you know?" She managed to choke out.

"I just kind of guessed. You were acting differently and I saw the looks of love and jealousy you shot in James and Morgan's direction every night, even if no one else did...you love him don't you?"

Lily nodded. Hannah didn't say anything to her reply, and Lily was grateful. She didn't feel like giving explanations and now that she had admitted her love to a friend, the pain was, if possible, all the more harder to bear. Hannah soon after went down to dinner, promising not to tell and to bring Lily up some food. Lily sat on her bed her knees drawn up to her chin, tears still rolling silently down her cheeks.

That was the last and only time she cried. She promised herself she would not cry and she didn't. She also promised herself that she would not be hurt anymore when she saw them together or lose her cool, and slowly but surely she was turning into what Sirius called unfeeling. Hannah had kept her promise and had told no one about her and Lily's conversation, and Lily was grateful. Lily stayed up in her dorm more often than usual and didn't participate in any of the pranks the Marauders played. She was always reading or writing and she began to forsake the common room in the evenings and went outside and walked around the lake, brooding, instead. James had noticed and had tried to get her to laugh by telling her about the latest prank he and Morgan had played but she had just given him an icy smile and walked away. It had unnerved him at the time, but he had shaken the feeling off. Morgan, Hannah had noticed, seemed a bit happier than usual. Hannah observed this with mounting dislike.

"James," said Morgan the day before Christmas Eve. He looked up from his game of chess. "I'll be right back I have to go get something in my dorm." He nodded and she stood up.

Lily was sitting in the window seat reading, when Morgan came in. She was reading her favorite book called The Princess Bride. She was on the part

where Fezzik and Indigo take the man in black to see Miracle Max.

"Aren't you Miracle Max that worked all those years for the King?"

"I got fired didn't you hear? That's a painful subject, you shouldn't have brought it up, good night, next time learn a little manners."

Ra-a-tat-Rat-a-tattt

" Get away, I'm telling you, or I'll call the Brute Squad/"

"I'm on the Brute Squad."

Lily looked up as she heard the door open.

"Oh hi Lily, I didn't know you were up here." Lily smiled her icy smile and turned back to her book. There was silence for a couple of moments.

"You know Lily, James and I are as strong as ever."

"I never said you weren't...in fact I didn't say anything," said Lily from her seat.

"You will never come between us, we are too strong." Lily looked up from her book.

"Who ever said I wanted to break you guys up?"

"I've seen the way you look at us," Morgan said coming nearer until she stood right in front of Lily. "You will never get him; he's too good for you." Lily's icy smile melted into heated glare.

"No," said Lily in perfectly controlled tones, "He is too good for your mercenary hands! For that is all you want from him is it not? His money!" Morgan grabbed Lily's shoulders and began to shake her.

"I love him! He and I have something you will never have! True love!"

Lily smiled and said quietly, "'True love is the best thing in the world, except for cough drops. Everybody knows that'."

"What?" said Morgan letting go of Lily. Lily picked up her book where it had fallen on the floor and stood up.

"'True love is the best thing in the world, except for cough drops. Everybody knows that.'" Morgan's mouth dropped and Lily took her leave. Lily walked down to the common room and sat down on her favorite pouf and returned to her book, oblivious to the stares of everyone in the common room who had heard Morgan screaming.

James stood up and made his way over to Lily.

"Lily?" Lily glanced up from her book.

"Yes, James."

"What...er..." Lily put down her book.

"Yes Mr. Potter?"

James shook his head and said, "Never mind, I don't want to know."

"Well then, I'll just go back to my book and I believe you should go back to your chess game; it looks as if Remus's is about to win." James hurriedly turned around to the yell of, "Checkmate!"

"How'd you?" But Lily didn't answer; she had already picked up her book and was again lost in its pages.

SnoopyViz – Thank you so much for reviewing! I hope I'm updating fast enough for you....I try....anyway, thanks a lot!

judystarr – Finally! Someone who thinks my humor is funny! WOOHOO!! Thanks for reviewing!

The ORIGINAL Meathead – I'm not sure...I love triangle may turn up....you'll just have to wait and see...Thanks for reviewing!

Kel – I'm so glad you thought that was funny. I didn't think a lot of people would catch that. More funny stuff on the way....Thanks for reviewing!

erin kite – I'm so happy that you like my story so much to save some of it as away messages! That is a huge compliment! Thanks!

KTSweep08 – I totally agree...Thanks for reviewing!

I am not trying to imitate et cetera Ms. Rowling and would like to tell those who try to go to therapy. There is one and only one J.K. Rowling. Period. Thank you for reading my story please tell me what you think.

Iris

PS The Princess Bride doesn't belong to me either...but I recommend everyone to read the book and see the movie.