SEQ CHAPTER \h \r 1Summary: Lily and James went to Hogwarts together. Unfortunately their memories are not all enjoyable. Their time was spent pranking each other senseless, while competing for the top grades in the school. Two years after graduation they bump into each other, again, and again, and again... Could it be that they have a combined fate?
Disclaimer: I have to say that you need to go buy some glasses. You obviously DO NOT have 20/20 vision if you think that I own these characters or places or anything that you recognize. I don't! J.K. Rowling does!!
Author's Note: I have to say that I have been spitting chapters out as fast as I can think. I'm going faster than my betas can send back and I'm very sorry for them because of that. I know you are all very happy and truthfully so am I! So here is Chapter 5 of Excuse Me Miss Evans for your own enjoyment. It continues right where Chapter 4 left off in the middle of their awkward dinner!! Lol... And! Dun dun dun! The arrival of Remus Lupin everybody!! Please review and tell me to keep writing because I always need your encouragement!
Midnight Goddess
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Excuse Me Miss Evans
Chapter Five: This Is Not Funny!
By: Midnight Goddess
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"Lily, would you please pass the carrots?" James mumbled quietly, trying to keep himself from making contact with Lily's eyes or her hand. 'I hope no one notices that I was talking to Lily. I don't want Joey to have another outburst like the one he just had.'
James was out of luck, for Lily turned and her eyes locked magnetically with James' as they watched each other expectantly, hoping to all higher power that they would not be noticed but neither having the strength to break away.
"What?" Lily asked, suddenly occupied by James, and less than entertained by her food, which had been her dinner companion for the few awkward minutes that followed Joey's interrogation.
"Would you please pass the carrots?" James asked again, a little louder for Joey was watching them very suspiciously out of the corner of his eye as he moved his own carrots around with his fork.
"Of course," Lily responded quickly as she grabbed the carrot bowl and handed it to James. Their fingers brushed up against each other as they passed the bowl, a tingling sensation went up Lily's arm.
'Why does he have to do this to me? I can't act normal around him because he makes me feel this way.' Lily thought.
Unfortunately, when Lily pulled her hand away from the bowl, trying to remove the tingling sensation from her arm, James also decided to rid himself of the feel also and the bowl of carrots dropped and smashed on the floor, splattering carrots everywhere.
'Here we go again...the disaster strikes as always.' James thought as he covered his face in his arms.
"Uncle J, maybe if you two didn't stare at each other so much you wouldn't drop things!" Joey proposed innocently as he put a carrot into his mouth.
"Let's have coffee!" Mary announced quickly, before Joey had another chance to open his mouth.
Joey made a face at the mentioning of coffee and his father turned to him and said, "Joey, it's time for you to go to bed."
Joey didn't complain and just said, "I didn't really want to see them kiss anyway."
With that, he bounced out of the room, leaving a very red Lily and James behind. Lily and James desperately tried to keep their eyes away from each other. Mary noted their awkwardness and smiled. 'They are oblivious to everything in front of them.'
As the four of them walked into the sitting room, Lily trailed behind everyone else, not wanting to walk too closely next to James. She didn't look at the cords that were carelessly placed on the floor and she tripped over it, sending her sprawling down onto the floor.
With a bang the lamp, that the cord had been connected to it fell down and crashed dangerously close to Lily's head. She clamped her eyes tightly, trying to gather up enough courage to face everyone's smiling face.
'It is nice to see Lily fall instead of me for once...'
"Are you okay?" James asked sincerely concerned, lifting Lily's arm up off of her face and trying to read her expressions to find the truth of how she felt.
"Perfect," Lily responded sarcastically, still clamping her eyes shut, not wanting to look at the trouble she had caused.
"It's not as bad as you think," Mary's voice rang out from somewhere on the other side of the room.
'I can hear the amusement in her voice. To everyone we are a joke...the way we act around each other is funny to everyone.' Lily thought.
At this point in time, Joey ran into the room, looking as if he had just woken up. His hair was sticking up in odd directions, as James' hair often did, and he was rubbing his half opened eyes sleepily.
"What happened?" Joey asked, not taking notice of state of the room, or its occupants.
"Lily just knocked over the lamp," Mary answered quickly, trying to remove Joey from the room, knowing how he turned even the simplest conversation into an increasingly growing awkward one.
Joey's eyes widened as he saw Lily laying on the floor and James crouched next to her holding her hand and looking at a cut on her arm that blood was trickling slowly out onto a handkerchief that James was holding there.
"Are you okay?" Joey asked as he sat down next to James and look at Lily's cut arm.
"She's fine, Little J," James replied a little crossly at his nephew for interrupting his job of taking care of Lily.
Joey seemed amused at the sight before him and he said in a small patronizing tone, "Uncle J, you aren't a very good actor."
Mary had to stifle a giggle at her son who was bringing up the topic that they had tried to hard to avoid once again.
"Joey, you can go back to bed now," Joey's father commanded, trying to push Joey out of the room.
Joey then bent down and whispered in James' ear, "Thank you for waiting until I left."
James turned a brilliant shade a pink as Joey danced off out of the room and back into his bed. Mary finally laughed and Lily looked around between the family with signs of confusion.
"How about you two step outside while I get us some coffee?" Mary suggested to James and Lily as she led them outside and closed the door.
~*~
Lily and James stepped outside, letting the cool air rush over their reddened faces. James kicked at a few stones and Lily just stood there, both trying to avoid each other's eyes, while trying to study the other and see what they thought about Joey's outburst.
"How is your arm?" James asked quietly as he finally gave in and turned towards Lily.
"It's feeling much better, thank you." Lily replied politely, still trying to avoid James' attempt at conversation.
Once again silence engulfed them, daring them to speak, and to chance glances at one another.
"I'm sorry about Joey," James explained as he kept his eyes away from Lily and staring out into the forest.
"It's fine," Lily insisted, as she too kept her eyes locked on the vast collection of trees on the back of the property.
"He has an overactive imagination," James laughed out nervously, wondering if that was the right thing to say immediately after the words had escaped his lips.
'Of course he does. James does not look at me in any way like that...and I certainly do not look at him...It's just Joey's overactive imagination...'
"Does he act like this around everyone?" Lily asked with a small giggle, thinking of Joey doing it to any woman who entered the house.
"Er...no," James answered nervously, making sure that he was keeping himself distanced from Lily, and his eyes away from anywhere they might meet hers.
The silence flew over them again and wrapped them up in its tense feeling. The atmosphere was thickening by every second that passed without another word being spoken.
"You must be special," James smiled, breaking the silence, and finally turned to face Lily.
'If things are ever going to be the same between us again, I need to get over these awkward moments and pretend that they never happened. I need to pretend that Joey did not call Lily my girlfriend and say that I wanted to kiss her...ugh I think that it is physically impossible.' James decided.
"I suppose," Lily replied, trying desperately to turn away from James.
'I can't let him see how I really feel. How I wanted everything that Joey said to be true...I know that James doesn't want any of that and I can't allow myself for him to find how I truly feel.' Lily thought as she diverted her eyes out towards the trees once again.
"Lily?" James asked softly as he reached his hand out to rest on her arm lightly.
"What?" Lily asked, grabbing her prickling arm back quickly away from James' reach.
"What's wrong?" James asked taking a step closer to Lily, who automatically backed away from his reach once again.
"Nothing," Lily snapped as she closed her eyes and turned away from his gaze once again, feeling it burning on her neck.
"Something is wrong!" James insisted as he took a step closer to Lily, who appeared to shrink on the spot when he touched her shoulder.
"You're wrong," Lily protested as she whipped around trying to go back inside and leave James' intense gaze.
"I'm right," James announced as he grabbed her wrist, forcing her to stay outside.
"Please," Lily murmured as James took a step towards her, closing a large gap that had been between their bodies.
"Yes?" James asked distractedly as he looked deeply into Lily's eyes.
"Nothing," Lily replied as she instinctively closed her eyes and tilted her head upwards waiting for contact, which she had been craving.
James smiled as he leaned in, he could feel her warm breath softly on his cheek. 'I am so glad that Joey is not here to ruin this...'
At that moment, the door opened and slammed into James' back, knocking him over and causing him to fall on top of Lily. They rolled down the steps and promptly landed in a play pool that had been set down for Joey.
The splash caused Mary, who had opened the door, to look in their direction and gasp in both amazement and amusement of the conditions, "Was that me?"
James just glared at Mary as he said, "No, Lily and I just decided to go for a swim."
Mary rolled her eyes at her brother as she sheepishly responded, "Sorry."
James shot daggers at his sister, who was now trying hard not to laugh at the sight that laid before her, "This is not funny!"
"No, not at all," Mary gasped out, trying to breathe.
At that moment Mary's husband walked outside with Joey on his tail trying to figure out what all the commotion was outside, "What's going on?"
"Nothing, Paul, Lily and James just decided to go for a swim," unfortunately, Mary was unable to keep a straight face and the words were garbled with laughter.
"But they've got their clothes still on!" Joey burst out suddenly, bringing the laughter from Mary and now Paul even harder than before.
Lily and James just sat awkwardly in the pool of water, freezing, "It's cold! Do you think that you could help us?"
"Jamsie, I could always just transform it into a hot tub for you two!" Mary burst out between her giggles of what she had walked in on and what she had done.
"What?!" Lily and James burst out at the same moment, clearly embarrassed and shocked by the suggestive glint that was in her eyes.
"I know what you were doing out here," Mary giggled out.
"We were talking," Lily replied seriously as she squirmed uncomfortably in the pool trying to distance herself from James.
"And then some," Mary added on as she laughed even harder, leaning on Paul for support.
"Why is this so funny?" James asked incredulously, wondering what had caused his sister to laugh so hard.
"You...you...were..." Mary began before she completely lost her wording again and burst out laughing.
Joey's eyes widened as he exclaimed, "You kissed her finally Uncle Jay!"
James and Lily both visibly inched away from each other at this statement as they both shouted in unison, "No!"
Joey rolled his eyes at their outburst and said, "Then what does mom think is so funny, you don't move that fast Uncle J!"
James' mouth hung open at that comment as he turned to Mary and said, "What are you teaching your son?!"
Mary began laughing harder as she managed to choke out between giggles, "Mom and dad...came to visit...didn't lock door."
James covered his ears at that moment and screamed, "Don't tell me any more!"
Finally, in midst of all the laughter, Mary waved her wand and dried Lily and James as she stumbled back into the house saying, "There you go."
~*~
"I left my purse at your sisters' house," Lily nervously told James as he opened the door to his flat, showing a very nervous, and embarrassed Lily.
"I have it," James told Lily, but he didn't move from the doorway.
"I left in such a hurry," Lily rambled quickly, trying to avoid the awkward silence that she knew would begin if she closed her mouth.
"It was cold," James added in as he still stood at the door without Lily's purse.
"We were wet," Lily added also, determined not to let the silence take over.
"Would you like to come in?" James asked suddenly as he held the door open for Lily to enter.
Lily nodded her head and stepped into James' flat, letting the familiar, warm feel of the room wash over her, the flat seemed quiet and Lily asked, "Where is Sirius?"
"Out snogging someone," James answered with a smile as he walked over to the table where Lily's purse rested.
"He told you?" Lily asked, as she giggled slight at the thought of Sirius telling James exactly where he was going.
"Well, no," James answered as he snuck a glance back into the hallway that led towards the back of the apartment.
"Then why do you think that?" Lily asked through laughter as she beamed up at James.
"To tell you the truth, I found a very suspicious piece of woman's clothing in the hallway that I know wasn't mine, and I'm pretty sure isn't Sirius'," James told Lily, causing her to laugh harder.
"You were only pretty sure it wasn't his?" Lily teased as she took her purse from James.
"With Sirius you never know," James joked.
Lily laughed in reply as she fidgeted now that their conversation was wearing thin.
"Would you like something to drink?" James asked suddenly as he turned to walk towards the kitchen.
"Yes, please," Lily answered as she trailed behind him into the familiar kitchen.
"Who do you think he's with?" Lily asked James casually as she accepted the cup from him.
"This is Sirius Black we are talking about, it could be anyone," James insisted as he sat down at the kitchen table.
"Anyone?" Lily questioned coyly as she also sat down at the table across from James.
"It could be some random girl he picked up in a bar, it could be some random girl who remember him from Hogwarts, or it could be Professor McGonagall, it's just hard to say," James said calmly as he smiled into his cup.
"That's the grossest thing I have heard in my life," Lily responded as she made a face of disgust.
"I'm betting it's some random girl from a bar," James replied as she threw three sickles onto the table.
"I'm going to have to say that it will be someone who was with us at Hogwarts," Lily said throwing four sickles out.
"Playing dangerous Evans?" James asked as he raised his eyebrow at the money out on the table.
Lily laughed and replied, "I live on the wild side."
At that moment they heard the door open and Sirius' voice fill the room, "I don't think James is home."
Lily and James quickly covered their mouths to hide the laughter that was bubbling up inside them.
"Should we go check it out?" Lily asked James once she gained control of her vocal chords.
"Yes, quickly before Sirius starts moving," James replied with a wink.
Lily and James crept towards the kitchen door and leaned up against it trying to listen to what was going on in the other room, Sirius was saying, "Would you like something to drink?"
Lily and James looked around frantically, until James pulled Lily underneath the kitchen table. Just as they had gotten their breathing under control, Sirius burst into the kitchen humming a happy tune. He poured two glasses of butterbeer and left the kitchen in a flash.
"Is he always that dense?" Lily asked James, amazed.
"Usually," James replied as he rolled his eyes and climbed out from underneath the table. Helping Lily to her feet.
Then once again, they silently crept towards the door and leaned in to try and hear more of the conversation. There was silence in the room.
"You don't think?" Lily questioned with a look of disgust on her face.
"I hope not," James answered with the same look of fear.
At this point Lily and James had forgotten their quest. Their eyes locked and the world seemed to dissolve around them. As they were leaning in closer James rested his hand on the kitchen door, which promptly swung open causing him and Lily to go crashing to the floor, or their own accord.
"What is going on?!" Sirius yelled jumping up from the sofa and looking down on James and Lily.
The woman, who Sirius had brought home got up also, and once she saw who was laying on the floor, smiled a large knowing smile.
"Jamsie, what were you doing in the kitchen?" Sirius asked as he looked down on his two friends.
"Not what was going on out here," James said as he clamped his eyes trying to wish himself out of the situation.
"Bella and I were drinking butterbeer, that rules out so many possibilities," Sirius said rolling his eyes.
Lily and James' eyes shot open and they both sat up banging their heads, "Bella?!"
Arabella laughed at their faces as Lily turned towards James and said, "You owe me three sickles!"
James rolled his eyes but dropped the coins into Lily's outstretched hand as they stood up, "Sirius, so it than that pink article of clothing I found over the lamp this morning was Bella's?"
Arabella's eyes widened as she hid her face from everyone's view, causing Lily and James to burst into laughter.
"You guys won't be laughing when we find Lily's—" Arabella began.
"I don't think that will be happening," James said in a sing-song voice as he looked back at Lily who had stopped laughing at Arabella.
"Maybe we should bet on it," Arabella said with a wink.
James rolled his eyes at Arabella and said, "Maybe not."
"It won't happen," Lily said as she shook her head to emphasize her statement.
"Yes it will," Arabella insisted with a charming smile
Sirius nodded his head in agreement as Lily and James tried to avoid one another once again.
~*~
"James Potter!" Mary yelled through the fireplace. Her legs were already cramping from waiting and yelling into his apartment for so long, she was just about to leave when James walked sleepily into the room.
"Mary, why are you calling this early?" James asked as he tried to stifle a yawn and plopped down into a chair facing the fireplace.
"It's ten," Mary said in a deadpan voice as she rolled her eyes at her brother, who was only wearing his boxers and looking as if he had just been awoken from the dead.
"I was asleep!" James replied vigorously.
"What were you doing up so late?" Mary asked with a small smile appearing on her face.
"I couldn't sleep," James replied quickly, completely catching Mary's implied statement.
Only a few seconds after James had uttered that statement, the door to the kitchen opened and Lily poked her head out of it and said, "James, you're finally awake! Would you like some coffee?"
James' eyes widened at the sight of Lily in his apartment and Mary tried to hide her laughter at James' startled expression, and Lily's clueless one.
"Lily, I didn't expect to see you here in James apartment so early in the morning," Mary announced with her eyes twinkling.
"You admit that it's early!" James shouted as he smirked at his sister.
Lily blushed as she finally noticed what Mary was hinting at. Her eyes traveled over towards James and she quickly tore them away and said, "I came with Bella. Her and Sirius wanted to talk."
James snorted at that comment and Mary said, "James, I need you to babysit Joey."
James turned white at the mentioning of Joey around Lily and he slowly nodded his head.
"Since your friends seem to be preoccupied, Lily should come," Mary added with a wink at James.
"Okay," Lily blurted out trying to keep her blushing under control.
"Oh and James, put some clothes on please," Mary added right as she disappeared from the fireplace.
~*~
Around an hour later, Lily and James were standing quite uncomfortably next to each other at the doorstep of Mary's house, waiting for Joey to come out of the bathroom.
"Ready Little J?" James asked once Joey emerged from the room. A smile grew on his face as he noted Lily and James together.
"Yes, Uncle J," Joey replied lightly as he skipped towards the doorway and held it open for his uncle and Lily.
As they approached the playground, Joey ran off, leaving James and Lily walking awkwardly next to each other without anything to say. The wind rustled the leaves in the trees that lined the playground, also ruffling Lily's hair as James noted.
"Your hair is getting as messy as mine," James commented as he finally built up enough courage to open his mouth.
"That will never happen," Lily answered in response as she automatically began flattening down her hair with her hands.
"I doubt that," James grinned as he reached up and ruffled up Lily's hair, not removing his hand until Lily's hair was sticking up in odder angles than James' was.
Lily then proceeded to chase James around the playground as Joey suddenly stopped swinging and began to watch them with interest.
James' eyes widened as he felt many grains of sand slip down the back of his shirt, "Evans!"
Lily just smiled sweetly before darting away from James' grasp and running towards the playground equipment, "You can't catch me!"
"Uncle J, aren't you nineteen?" Joey asked with wonder woven in every breath.
"Yes," James replied as he stopped chasing Lily and turned towards his nephew.
"Isn't that a little old to be playing tag?" Joey asked through a face of confusion.
James didn't have time to respond because at that moment he felt a wave of coldness wash down the back of his shirt.
"What was that for?!" James yelled as Lily ran off giggling tossing the water bottle she had been holding to the side.
James chased after Lily towards the trees that were lined up on the outer ledge of the playground. Joey rolled his eyes and trudged along after James and Lily.
Lily turned around as a pinecone hit her in the back of her head. She slowly advanced towards James just as he began advancing towards her.
"You threw a pinecone at me!" James and Lily exclaimed in unison. They blinked at each other as they both turned to face Joey who was standing behind them, quickly trying to drop another pinecone he was holding in his hand.
"What are you doing?" James asked with exasperation.
"Trying to knock some sense into you," Joey responded as he tossed the pinecone behind him, "I can tell now that it won't do much good, Dad would say you were as stubborn as a mlude."
Lily giggled slightly as she corrected Joey, "Stubborn as a mule."
Joey didn't seem to take notice of her correction as he announced, "I'm going to go get a drink of water, Uncle J."
Before James or Lily could respond, Joey had raced out of the forest, leaving James and Lily to ponder what Joey had just told them.
"You have a pinecone stuck in your hair," James blurted out as he instinctively took a step closer to Lily to pull it out for her. Her hands flew up to her hair to try and remove it and as their hands met with a jolt they began leaning forward.
"See it's not that hard," Joey announced as he came back to find James and Lily leaning towards each other expectantly.
"Why do we keep getting interrupted?!" James shouted up towards the trees. After he had uttered that sentence he clasped his hand over his mouth, his eyes wide with the shock of what he had just said.
Lily turned scarlet, as did James after this sentence had been spoken. The awkward silence that was almost positive to follow wasn't allowed to because of the other company in the forest.
"Maybe you two should go somewhere more private," Joey answered innocently as he looked at his uncle with a grin.
"Look at the time," Lily cut into the conversation, trying to stop Joey from talking any longer but not succeeding.
"Uncle J, you have an apartment!" Joey burst out.
"I think it's time to go!" Lily shouted above Joey's shrieks.
"Lily's right. We need to go," James told Joey as he tried to push him out of the small forest near the park.
"Am I leaving so you can go to your apartment Uncle J?" Joey asked impassively as he was continued to be pushed out of the forest.
"Your mum is home," Lily told Joey quickly as James took his hand and they left the park without another word on the matter that had been at hand.
~*~
"Did you have a nice time at the playground?" Arabella asked Lily with a smirk as she and James walked into the apartment silently.
"Yes," Lily replied simply, and without emotion, as she and James just stood in the middle of the room quietly.
'I cannot believe that I said that.' James thought. 'Now Lily knows that I want to kiss her. She knows how I feel. I wish I could just disappear from the face of the earth right now so I wouldn't have to bear with everyone's reactions.'
"Did anything interesting happen?" Sirius asked as he tried to hold back a smile that was beginning to appear.
"What is that supposed to mean?" James snapped at Sirius as he automatically took a step away from Lily.
"Joey could have beat up a Slytherin, since we're going along those lines you could've been beaten up by some large muggle, or maybe something could've happened that caused you and Lily to become as red as you are," Sirius explained.
"I don't think that Joey beating up a Slytherin would cause Lily and James to blush like that. Do you Sirius?" Arabella announced as she got up from her chair and came over towards the sofa to sit next to Sirius and help him interrogate their friends.
"No, unless they missed it because they were busy doing something else," Sirius explained to Arabella.
"That is a possibility," Arabella announced as she glanced at Lily and James' reactions to their conversation.
"I think we've got them wound up," Sirius said as he too noticed Lily and James begin fidgeting and becoming highly uncomfortable with each other.
"Joey didn't beat up a Slytherin," James managed to choke out in an attempt to drop the conversation.
"That's a shame," Sirius responded, determined not to let the conversation drop and Lily and James get away from what they were hiding.
"We were so close," Arabella added with a wink in Sirius' direction.
"Jamsie, that brings us to the next question," Sirius announced happily, he was bouncing up and down on the sofa with the anticipation of finding out the truth behind what happened at the playground.
"What is it?" James asked through his hands, which were now covering his bright red face.
"Did you get beat up by an extra large muggle?" Sirius asked desperately trying not to burst out laughing.
Even Lily giggled at the question as she watched James gasp for words, clearly startled by the question.
"What?" James finally managed to say.
"Sirius, why would Lily and James be blushing at that?" Arabella laughed out, unable to contain her giggles.
"For many reasons, James could have gotten beaten up trying to be brave and defend Lily, or perhaps Lily took care of him afterwards," Sirius asked watching James and Lily both squirm at these comments.
"I didn't get beat up by a muggle," James sighed out, annoyed by his friends' actions.
"Pity," Arabella said shortly.
"What?!" Lily asked clearly surprised, "Why is it a pity that James didn't get beat up? Do you two want him to be hurt?"
"You sure are protective of him," Sirius said quickly.
That caused Lily to turn an even deeper crimson as she quickly turned her head away from her friends and muttered something inaudible.
"What was that?" Arabella beamed, hoping to get a confession out of Lily.
"Nothing," Lily mumbled a little louder as she turned her head away from the group once again.
"That leaves only one more possibility," Sirius said with a huge grin on his face.
"What?" James asked, having already forgotten the list that Sirius had read off earlier.
"Something happened between you and Lily!" Arabella smiled.
"What?!" James and Lily shouted in unison. They both looked at each other and then backed off again.
'I just want to shrink away and disappear. Can I do that?' Lily thought. 'I just want to forget that I'm in the same room as Sirius and Arabella and especially James Potter because he is the sole cause of all my embarrassment.'
"Why would you think that?" Lily suddenly asked.
"Lady Lily it may surprise you to find that everyone thinks that something has already happened between you two. We are just out to find the truth," Sirius explained lightly, as if he were explaining the situation to a small child.
"Like who?!" Lily demanded furiously.
"Well, Arabella and me first off," Sirius began as he tried to think of other people who he could name.
"That isn't nearly everyone," James pointed out angrily.
"From what I've heard I think so too," someone said from behind James and Lily. Both of them whipped around to face Remus Lupin grinning at them.
"Moony!" James exclaimed half with excitement and half with anger at the fact that his friend was going against him.
"Hey Prongs, Lily," Remus smiled as he went over to sit next to Sirius and Arabella on the sofa.
"So Arabella, Remus, and I all agree that you two have something going on that you aren't telling us," Sirius announced forcefully as if to try and make his point more plausible.
"Moony can't count!" James shouted at Sirius as he clenched his fists.
"Why not?" Remus asked calmly as he watched Lily and James' behavior during this conversation.
"All he really needs to see is they way you two blush whenever I make a suggestion, or imply that something happened between you two," Sirius added.
"That doesn't mean anything," James brushed off Sirius' proof quickly as if not to draw attention to himself.
"If I were to suggest to Lily that she and Remus were snogging last night, she wouldn't act any differently," Sirius laughed out.
Lily just rolled her eyes as she responded; "I haven't seen Remus since graduation."
"That doesn't mean anything! Why would Lily and Remus be snogging?!" James asked his voice rising towards the end of his question.
"You're right, she was probably out snogging you," Sirius laughed out as he watched James and Lily turn cherry red.
"We weren't!" James frantically said as he looked towards Lily to try and notice her reaction to what was going on.
"I was not snogging James!" Lily yelled trying to prove the point that nothing was going on between her and James.
"But you admit that you wanted to snog James," Sirius winked at Lily as Remus and Arabella began to laugh at the sight of Lily's confused face.
"When did I say that?" Lily asked.
"Damn," Sirius muttered underneath his breath causing Remus and Arabella to laugh harder at the conversation that was occurring.
"I don't think anything has happened...yet," Arabella told Sirius and Remus as she held out her hand expectantly.
"I can't believe you two! You were supposed to say something happened!" Sirius yelled as he reached into his robe and pulled out a few coins and dropped them into Arabella's hand.
"You bet on us?!" Lily asked.
"You bet on us!" Arabella responded as Remus dropped a few coins into her outstretched hand also.
This caused Lily and James to shut up as they once again stood in the middle of the room embarrassed beyond belief.
~*~
"That's it we're leaving," Lily said as she turned around and began to head out of the door of the small coffee shop.
"Lily, you're overreacting," Arabella sighed as she grabbed her friend by her coat and kept her inside the coffee shop.
"Bella, I have no intention of going in there when James Potter, Sirius Black, and Remus Lupin are sitting down having coffee," Lily breathed out angrily as she glared at her friend.
"You didn't have a problem with James a few weeks ago when you were attached by his side," Arabella rolled her eyes and watched Lily's face match her hair.
"I was never attached to his side," Lily whispered out angrily, "If you weren't so busy snogging Sirius, you might've noticed that we were forced into those positions and we didn't go into them of our own free will."
"Well, then you shouldn't have a problem being forced into this one," Arabella said as she tried to pull Lily towards the table where the men were sitting.
"No!" Lily said angrily and resisting Arabella's pull on her arm.
"Lily, we haven't seen James, Sirius, and Remus in over a week! We should at least go and say hello," Arabella tried to reason with Lily.
Before Lily had a chance to respond, Sirius looked up from his coffee and a grin grew on his face as he saw Arabella and Lily standing near the door, he waved them over and Lily had no choice but to follow Arabella towards their table.
Arabella quickly grabbed the empty chair in-between Remus and Sirius, leaving Lily to trudge over and sit next to James and Sirius. James also looked uncomfortable at the arrangements and the two of them muttered a small hello to each other before trying to keep their eyes and bodies as far away from each other as possible.
"How are you two lovely ladies today?" Sirius asked after he finished watching Lily and James squirm with embarrassment of seeing each other again after the last conversation they had participated in.
"I'm doing fine," Arabella began with a coy smile, "Although Lily seems to be a little squirmy right now."
Remus tried not to laugh at Arabella and Sirius' antics at getting James and Lily to realize their feelings for each other.
"You know, that's funny. James seems to be getting very squirmy right now also!" Sirius exclaimed with mock excitement as he watched Lily and James become deep crimson.
"Where's Peter?" Lily asked in order to change the conversation away from the embarrassing direction it was headed in.
"He was called into work," Sirius answered thoughtfully.
"What does he do?" Lily asked, relieved that the conversation was not focused on her and James any longer.
"We don't know what it is this week," Remus answered with a small laugh as he watched Lily and James relax.
"Lily, you better be careful. You don't want to talk about other guys in front of Jamsie he might get jealous," Sirius said with a smile.
Lily sighed. 'Is it impossible for the conversation to not be centered around James and me for more than two seconds?'
"I'm not getting jealous," James managed to choke out through his blushing.
"You're getting red," Remus pointed out.
"That could mean many things. You could either be very embarrassed, very jealous, or very angry," Sirius laughed out.
"I think he's embarrassed," Arabella announced as she watched James and Lily squirm under the accusation.
"True, we did mention something about him being in love with Lily and we know how much that embarrasses them," Sirius said, carefully watching James and Lily become even more flustered at that comment.
"Then again, he might just be jealous that Lily would rather hear about Peter's life than his undying love for her," Remus suggested to Arabella and Sirius.
"That is a possibility," Arabella agreed nodding her head, having forgotten that Lily and James were sitting at the table across from them, becoming more and more uncomfortable with each word that was spoken between their friends.
"Then again, he just might be angry at us for causing him to become embarrassed and jealous," Sirius added as he watched James clench his fists and his knuckles turn white.
"He's clenching his jaw like he does when he's angry," Remus pointed out as all eyes, except Lily's turned towards James to note how he was holding his jaw.
"What do you think Lily?" Arabella asked Lily, who was staring at her hands that were placed neatly on the table trying to stay out of the conversation.
"I think that we should drop this conversation," Lily blurted out angrily as she glanced cautiously over at James who looked very uncomfortable at the happenings.
"Lils," Arabella began.
"No, Bella, I'm sick of the way you guys are teasing me all the time and I'm sure that James is sick of it too. Why can't you guys just accept the fact that nothing is going on between us? We aren't snogging every evening. Whenever I'm not in the house I'm not automatically with James, and whenever I'm thinking about something that does not mean I am thinking about him!" Lily shouted as she got up from the table muttering, "I'm going home."
James followed afterwards muttering, "I'm going home also, to my apartment."
~*~
Author's Note: Hey everyone it's me once again! I have to take the time as I do at the end of every chapter to thank my betas who help me to make this story what is it! So thank you to Brenda, Nat, and Manda you guys are the best!
Now I also always take the time to thank those who reviewed and to encourage them to review again because I love hearing your comments about the story! I can't wait!
Midnight-Shadow: I'm so glad that my chapters can make you laugh for so long! Laughing is good for your soul! Lol If I make you choke again don't worry I know the Heimlich Maneuver and I am very honored that I caused you to choke...I think...Lol
Kanariya: Thank you! ::grins:: Lol Joey has a very big mouth and he shows us more of it in this chapter...kids always have the habits of not even thinking before they say anything. I hope that this update was soon enough...I was on vacation and I've only been back a few days...I typed as fast as possible!
LENAk: Lol thank you for shouting at them...but I don't know how much good it did. They get shouted at enough for it in this chapter. I shout at them too in-between writing the chapters. Thank you...and I will continue with this fic until it is finished!
Smile28: Thank you for the compliment about Joey. I love him! Lol kids are usually the most honest people because they can't keep their mouth shut about what they want to say the way adults do!
Inluvwithjames: Thank you! I think Joey is hilarious also he's my favorite little creation! He is a very smart six year old! Six year olds are smarter than we give them credit for though! Oh! Thank you so much for that idea! I loved it so much that I used it in this chapter I hope you enjoyed that scene! I altered it just for you!
I o u a name: Lol thank you! James is very clueless as most men are. They can be very very dense when they find the need to be...or they just don't know that they are. Lol their thoughts are very alike...I think it's creepy too it gives me the creeps just writing them! Lol
izzybell4life: Thank you for the compliments on my title and my story! I love them a lot too! Lol I'm glad that my story made you laugh! I'm glad that I have enough power to do that to people! It's a good feeling! I'm also glad you are a fan of Joey! He's gained many fans!
Oobergoober: Lol it is annoying that little kids can do that isn't it? It's also really funny that adults are so caught up in other things that they can't see what is right in front of them. I liked the story about your boyfriend's brother that's so cute! If I had a brother I'd beat him too if he made my kid run in the woods...Thanks!!
Chewy: Thank you for all the compliments in that review! I'm glad that you like how I portray my characters!! I hope that this update was soon enough...it was definitely as soon as I could get it out!
Bell: Thank you! And I'm glad that Joey gained yet another fan! I love him so much! Lol I love giving you shout outs! And I also love that you keep reviewing...so as long as you review I will give you a shout out...fair?
MeLisSa: Lol I'm sorry for apologizing...haha there I go again. I always say I'm sorry about everything it's the most annoying habit I have and everyone always yells at me for it because 'it's not my fault' haha I'm glad you will keep reading until there is Lily and James action and I hope that you will keep reading after there is action too. Thank you for liking Joey! And I hope I updated soon!
The Stek: Thank you! I'm glad that you like Joey!! I'm glad that you agree about children never thinking before they speak...it's so true! I'm sorry about the wait on this chapter but I was on vacation and things are always hectic when you come back and I updated just as quickly as I could I've only been back for 3 days that's pretty good!
Geets: Thank you for reviewing! I'm so honored that you reviewed my fic!! I hope you keep reading and reviewing I'd love to hear what you think about the story from you!! Thank you!!!
NiNaPoP: Thank you! And I'm glad that you and everyone else seems to like Joey! I love him too!!
Mimi: Thank you so much! I'm glad that you like Joey!! I hope I kept up the good work for you!
Princess19: Here is more for you! And I am very sorry to hear about Holly... that's horrible. Thank you for reviewing!
Sajal: Thank you so so so much! You always leave such nice reviews! I'm sorry about the long posting date...as I explained I just started school...and during the summer I get distracted easily by my friends! I'm sorry! Thank you so much for that offer! I will remember you if I ever need help!
Lilyclio: I'm glad that my story entertained you enough to read that long! I'm sorry about the wait and the interruptions but they have to be done for comedy reasons!
ElegyStar: Yay! I'm glad you reviewed. Thank you!!