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: Silly rabbits, I don't own a thing!
Author's Note: As of right now I haven't even posted chapter seven and I'm on to Chapter 8 already. Of course by the time you all read this chapter seven will be posted and I'm sure you'll have had a wait for this chapter. Which is to allow me time to get reviews. Which are always fun. The faster you review. The faster I post the next chapters. Well that's if I already have them done. I hope you enjoy this chapter and laugh because that's what this story is really about. Well then...have fun reading!
MidnightGoddess1
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Excuse Me Miss Evans
Chapter Eight: Well, You know
By: Midnight Goddess
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"Lily Evans!" a man shouted out through the crowd in the small coffee house. Lily immediately raised her head and pushed her red hair behind her ears. She set her eyes on a tall man who was coming over towards the table. The ripples of sunlight danced throughout the coffee shop as she glanced across the tables in attempt to keep her eyes away from the man approaching, and more importantly, the man sitting in the chair next to her.
'I would have never expected him to walk up to me of all people. What am I supposed to do with James sitting right next to me? I mean; the man follows me around at work. He must have some reason for doing that. What if he hits on me? What if James sees? What if he decides that there is no future for us because of this annoying man?' Lily worried as she tried to shake the cold blood that began flowing through her veins instantly.
"Hello Edward," Lily sighed out as she once again looked down at her coffee mug. Whispers of steam were rising up and tickling her nose causing a small smile to appear on her face. Edward smiled back thinking that the smile was addressed to him. At this James looked up and watched the unlikely exchange between the two with saddened eyes.
'Who is this man? What if Lily is dating someone and I never knew about it? Why wouldn't she have told me something like that? I understand that we were never good friends and that even now we aren't best friends. I would assume though that something as large as this would have come out eventually in one of our conversations.' James thought as he quickly looked down and tried not to stare in the man's direction any longer.
"How are you this lovely morning?" Edward asked as he pulled up a chair from another table and squeezed himself in right between Lily and James. Lily raised her eyes from her coffee and looked at James apologetically quickly darting her eyes in Arabella's direction. Arabella covered a giggle that was threatening to escape her mouth as she turned to hide her head from Edward's point of view.
"I'm fine and you?" Lily asked politely as she glanced nervously back at Sirius and Arabella who were glaring at Edward. Edward just nodded his head in their direction and glanced over at James, whom Lily was desperately trying to make eye contact. Lily looked up at the ceiling as if she were praying to God to make the young man leave their table.
"I'm doing wonderfully," Edward replied as he gave Lily a toothy grin. Lily coughed into her coffee as she rolled her eyes so that Edward could not see her. She lifted her head in time to catch Edward staring at all of her friends as if he were trying to analyze everyone's relationship with Lily. At this, she became flustered with the anger that flooded her veins easily.
"Are you planning on introducing us to your friend?" Sirius asked in a deadpan voice that suggested no teasing but merely unexplained anger. Lily glanced at James who was just staring at the scratches in the table as if he were trying to forget that he were part of the unfolding conversation.
"This is Edward," Lily tried to force a smile as she uttered those words but she found it hard when Edward grinned at her, showing off his sparkling white teeth. She sighed lightly as she glanced around at her friends' expressionless faces.
"How did you two happen to meet?" Arabella asked in a sugary sweet voice that suggested that she didn't really care but was merely trying to find out the fact so that she could use them against Lily later. Lily pleaded silently with Arabella as she widened her eyes in disgust.
"We work in the hospital together," Edward explained happily as he glanced over at his co-worker with a slightly hungry look, causing James to clench his fists lightly. Lily noticed this change in attitude and she sent a warning glance in James' direction.
"The two across from you are Sirius and Arabella," Lily mentioned as she gestured across the table to her friends. Sirius nodded his head and Arabella murmured a hello. Lily turned back to Edward as she watched him narrow his eyes at Sirius. Arabella tried to hide a giggle at this action as she nudged Sirius in the ribs, who in turn raised his eyebrows at Lily.
"Sirius and Arabella went to school with me," Lily explained as she tried to change Edwards attention back to her two friends instead of glaring at them. She coughed loudly which caused him to turn his attention back to what Lily was trying to say.
"Were you all good friends there?" Edward asked as he glanced over at James, who was sitting in the corner, now staring at the rings made by the coffee mugs with a great interest that was hard to believe. Lily quickly turned the conversation back to Arabella and Sirius as she tried to draw as much attention away from James as possible in her attempt to remain normal and composed.
"That's funny," Sirius laughed out hollowly as he turned to see James' reaction to the fiasco that was occurring right in front of their eyes. James still had his head turned to the table as if he were trying to avoid eye contact with everyone in the café.
"What does he mean by that?" Edward leaned over to whisper in Lily's ear. His warm breath tickled her ear and she slightly scooted her chair over to move away from him.
"James, Sirius, and I were not very close during our years at Hogwarts," Lily explained from a wider distance as she scooted further away from Edward, who was attempting to move his hand closer to Lily's.
"That's an understatement," Arabella stated as she watched James finally lift his head up from the table and turn to watch the conversation quietly from his corner. His hazel eyes finally found their way to Lily and connected with hers for a split second. It seemed as if understanding came between the two of them before they were torn away back into reality.
"We hated each other," Lily corrected herself as she gave James a small smile and finally turned her attention back to the conversation leaving a smiling James off in his own world in the corner.
"Everything has changed now," Arabella admitted as she laughed out as she shot glances between Lily and James who both turned a slight pink at being referred to indirectly.
"Really," Edward commented as he became slightly flustered and began to give Sirius warning glances. Sirius caught Lily's eye as they shared a secret laugh at what Edward was actually suggesting.
"Not that much," Arabella finally blurted out as she watched Edward become slightly calmer although he had not taken his eyes off of Sirius. She placed her hand protectively over Sirius' as if she expected Lily to replace hers over his at any given second.
"Sirius and Arabella have put their differences aside and they're a couple now," Lily laughed out as she watched Edward lower his eyes with a slight nod of his head for an apology. He then turned his attention to James, who was now staring at Lily openly.
"I don't think you introduced us," Edward announced to Lily as he pointed at James, whose eyes widened at being referred to, as if he had forgotten that he was in the room. Lily also widened her eyes as if she were afraid to speak of James because she might possibly give away even a fraction of her feelings.
"That's my friend James," Lily explained with a warm smile as she felt a pair of hazel eyes lock onto her. Her face began to slightly heat up as she turned her head away from where Edward and James were both watching her.
"Your friend," Edward repeated lightly as he looked back and forth between Lily and James, who were desperately trying to avoid eye contact of any kind, he finally let out a small sigh of happiness as he settled back in his chair.
At this comment Arabella and Sirius smiled widely and coughed into their hands lightly as if they were merely trying to clear their throats. Lily turned to glare at them as James just continued to stare at the cracks in the table and try to wish himself away from the entire situation.
"I assumed you were dating," Edward smiled to himself as if he were the luckiest man in the world as he made that comment. Lily sighed as she dropped her head into her hands and James just watched her with amusement dancing in his eyes.
"It's a common assumption," Lily admitted as she lifted her head from her hands and quickly darted her eyes away from their resting spot on James. She looked up at Edward who had directed his cool blue eyes to Lily.
"Is there a reason for that?" Edward asked as his eyes pried into Lily's uncomfortably. She quickly glanced over to Arabella and Sirius for help on the topic. She once again looked back at Edward and shrugged her shoulders shakily.
"They're just close friends," Arabella jumped to help defend Lily and James. They both looked at her with thankful eyes before quickly returning back to the conversation. Lily let out a short laugh as she considered the circumstances.
"My shift begins in twenty minutes," Edward announced to the table as he stood to get up from the table. He glanced around the table and his eyes finally rested on Lily before he pushed his chair in. Lily let out the breath she had been holding in the entire conversation.
"Just her friends," Edward muttered barely audible as he glanced at Sirius and James one last time before taking a step backwards only to take another step forward towards the table.
"Then Lily," Edward began, "You wouldn't mind having dinner with me?"
Lily was startled as she stared at Edward. He was looking at her expectantly. She glanced across the table to where Sirius was trying to hold his composure and not break out laughing uncontrollably. Arabella was darting her eyes back and forth towards James as if trying to tell Lily a message. Lily narrowed her eyes at Arabella as she finally turned to James. James had removed his eyes from the wood polishing on the table and had decided to look up and watch the conversation. His hazel eyes seemed duller than usual and he appeared to be nervous or worried. Lily's heart ached as she finally looked back into Edward's plain blue eyes.
"Well, you know," Lily began as she watched Edward's eyes light up with expectancy.
~*~
"What the hell was that?" Arabella shouted as soon as the group had left the crowded café and began walking down the street, in a different direction than Edward. Lily turned her head, her red hair catching the sunlight, and watched as Edward skipped away from her, his light humming blew with the wind past Lily's ear as she sighed heavily and turned back to her friends who were watching her intently.
"He just assumed! You all know that I don't want to go with him!" Lily explained as she began to become frustrated with herself and flung her hands up dramatically into the air, knocking James' glasses off his face.
"You know, things like that wouldn't happen if you didn't stand on top of her," Sirius blurted out with a slick smile on his face as he turned his head quickly in order to dodge James' glare, somewhat in his direction, since he had lost his glasses.
"Are you okay?" Lily asked as she turned to James and tried to ignore Sirius and Arabella who were just trying to unleash her temper. She tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear and checked James' face for any scratches.
"I'm fine, I just dropped my glasses," James replied shakily as he took a step back to avoid Lily's intense gaze. A cracking sound filled the air as James rolled his eyes and bent down to pick up his glasses. Lily had already taken out her wand and repaired them as soon as James held them out to see the damage.
"Thanks," James mumbled as he placed his glasses back on the bridge of his nose and backed away from Lily, who looked slightly hurt.
"You could've set him straight," Arabella explained as she broke the awkward silence that fills the air so often when James and Lily were together, and in close contact. She smiled as Lily's eyes darkened.
"You know very well that I tried," Lily began as she trailed off, remembering what had just occurred moments earlier in the cozy café.
"Then Lily, you wouldn't mind having dinner with me?" Edward asked expectantly, his eyes pouring hopefully, and almost defensively into Lily's.
"Well, you know," Lily began as she stumbled over her words. Not wanting to give away anything of her relationship with James and not wanting to upset him either.
"Yes," Edward urged her on with his hope and security growing more with each silent second.
"You see," Lily tried to explain as she lost her eyes in James' hair, which he was ruffling uncontrollably.
"I'll pick you up at seven," Edward finished for her as he grinned at her once again, he turned around without giving Lily a final say and locked eyes with James quickly, who tore his eyes away and walked out of the café quickly; letting the door close on a very pregnant woman and a three-year-old boy.
"What just happened?" Lily asked as she turned to face her friends who were all staring at her with their mouths hanging open.
"You didn't say anything," Sirius commented as he glanced over at James, who was starting to walk away from them. He quickly grabbed the back of James' robe and pulled him back into their circle.
"I talked and you know I did!" Lily exclaimed as she became more and more excited with what was happening. She was turning a deep red as she realized what had just happened, and what she had just done in front of James.
'James saw everything. He has to know that I don't like Edward. I could care less about what happens to Edward. Of course, James is so dense. He won't ever notice how I feel and I'm sure he doesn't notice how embarrassed I am because of this. He probably thinks I'm thrilled about this date. I probably just blew all of my chances with him.'
"You really didn't say anything, you just let him assume," James mumbled from behind Sirius and Arabella. They both turned to him with startled looks on their faces, as if they had forgotten that he was part of this conversation. At once they moved apart, knowing that if James and Lily were talking about this they were sure to start a world war.
"I said nothing that would make him assume that I wanted to go out to dinner with him!" Lily shrieked as she became angrier with James. Her face matched the red awning of the café, and her fists were clenched, hanging down by her sides, threatening to swing up violently at the trigger.
"Exactly you said nothing," James pointed out as he too became angrier with Lily's stubborn behavior, and the fact that she played with his heart right in front of his eyes.
"Nothing does not imply by any means that I want to have dinner with someone," Lily forced back towards James as her eyes began to water. She quickly turned her head down to try and avoid James seeing her eyes.
"He was probably already nervous enough as it was," James said changing the conversation to a different road. Sirius and Arabella exchanged a look that showed they knew exactly where this conversation was going to end.
"Well, he has no reason to be nervous around me. He should just keep more control over himself," Lily shouted back, after mentally slapping herself for allowing those words to escape her mouth.
"Well, at least he can talk to you," James snapped at Lily angrily as they slowly advanced towards each other.
"Oh that's such an improvement," Lily replied sarcastically, forgetting that this was James she was fighting with and that she should think about what she should say instead of blurting out what was truly on her mind.
"It's just like during Hogwarts," Arabella whispered to Sirius as he nodded his head with enlightenment.
"You know Lily, you seemed pretty nervous too," James teased, lividly, as he raised his eyebrows in suggestion. Arabella and Sirius watched the conversation like a tennis match, one second thinking they were fighting about their own relationship, the next denying that they had even considered the possibility, and right back again.
"Don't use my name," Lily growled out.
"Oh, so now you've sunk to changing the conversation, good plan Evans," James rolled his eyes obviously in Lily's direction, riling her up even more.
"I do not get nervous around Edward, you of all people should know!" Lily exclaimed before her eyes bulged out and she closed her mouth immediately. James, however, took no notice of this comment and just continued on with the conversation.
"I don't pay attention," James dismissed the comment quickly and shoved it aside to the back of his brain to analyze later.
"If anyone else were to ask you out, you know you wouldn't respond," James shouted.
"You shouldn't be talking," Lily laughed out lightly as she remembered all the times James asked her out during Hogwarts.
"You aren't catching on quickly, Evans, that's amazing considering you were Head Girl," James replied as he lowered his head to prepare himself for what he was about to bring up.
"What are you talking about?" Lily asked, her anger simmering in her slight moment of confusion.
"You always told me no," James mumbled out as he turned away and began to walk down the street. Lily's eyes widened as he brought up those particular memories. She opened her mouth as if to speak but was cut off.
"Don't you think you've done enough damage for one day?" Sirius asked as he watched Lily underneath heavy eyes.
"I didn't think—" Lily began.
"We can all tell," Sirius replied as he took off down the street after James, who was quickening his pace to try and get away from Lily as fast as possible.
"He did have a point," Arabella tried to calm Lily down; of course her choice of words was not the best.
"Do you think that I don't know that?!" Lily shrieked as she turned around to face Arabella with her eyes bloodshot and tear stains from the crying she had been through in the past few minutes of their conversation.
"I know that you know now," Arabella began, before just deciding to quit the path that she was treading and move to a more secure conversation.
"Just don't say anything," Lily tried to convince Arabella.
"I just want to know why you couldn't say anything," Arabella questioned as she lowered her voice and her eyes to avoid Lily's crying ones; not wanting to see what a wreak her friend had become over one fight.
"James was there," Lily responded simply as she sunk down into a bench in front of the café.
"You talk in front of him all the time. You talk to him all the time. I'm assuming when you two are alone you're talking since you deny doing anything else," Arabella coughed out with a small smile.
"Don't even start," Lily warned.
"Then please explain," Arabella insisted.
"I couldn't say no. What if Edward asked why I couldn't go out with him? We'd already established the fact that James and I weren't dating and that you and Sirius were dating. If I'd have said no what would I have said. No I can't go because I lo—" Lily cut herself off before to gave off too much.
"No need to stop. I already know what you were going to say," Arabella laughed out as she watched Lily's face turn into a tomato.
"Is that what you'd do if James asked you out to dinner? You know that he'd assume that you meant no," Arabella suddenly asked seriously.
"He shouldn't think that after our last conversation," Lily sighed out.
"He's dense, he won't even consider that fact," Arabella assured Lily.
"That is not helping," Lily rolled her eyes as she stood up.
"You know, James and you are very violent. Don't ever update me on your love life, when it actually happens," Arabella laughed out as Lily rolled her eyes and stalked off.
~*~
"You look ravishing tonight Lily," Edward announced the next evening as he appeared at Lily's front door at seven o'clock sharp. Lily glanced him up and down, noticing his black, silk dress robes and his large wizard's watch on his left arm. She tried to smile as his ice blue eyes pried into her own dull green ones.
"Thank you," Lily replied lightly as she glanced over Edward once again, wishing with all her heart that it was someone else standing on her doorstep, holding out a white lily instead of a blood red rose, "You look nice as well."
Edward held his head up high as he placed his arm out for Lily to take, "Shall we go?"
"Okay," Lily replied a little hesitantly as she closed the door securely behind her quite loud so that Arabella was sure to hear it.
'I can't believe I got myself into this damn mess. I'm forced to go out when it's freezing cold outside with a man that I absolutely hate. The man stalks me for God's sake! I can't breathe at work, he's always on my back, and now I don't even get this evening free. Why can't I just admit my feelings for James? Maybe everything would be different...' Lily complained in her mind as she was forced into taking Edward's arm.
"You're very quiet," Edward commented, without much concern, but more for the sake of conversation. His eyes once again prowled over Lily's body, making her quite uncomfortable.
"I have a lot on my mind," Lily replied lightly, trying to drop the conversation quickly and escape back into her own thoughts where she was safe from speaking or looking directly at Edward.
"I thought we could go get a quick night cap at the Three Broomsticks and then head over to watch this film. I've heard it is amazing," Edward announced as Lily nodded her head in agreement not wanting to let her real thoughts of this whole evening out.
"Sounds nice," Lily replied finally after a few moments of silence, which actually calmed her nerves.
The door jingled as they entered into the Three Broomsticks and sat themselves down at an isolated table in the corner that Edward picked out himself. He pulled out the chair for Lily and pulled his around closer to her, causing her to squirm uncontrollably.
"I'll go order us some drinks," Edward told Lily as he stood up and left, but not before squeezing her shoulder causing painful shivers to go down Lily's spine. She was left to her own thoughts at the lonely table.
'Once again, here I am thinking about how bad I've screwed things up. If I wasn't such a wimp and could face my own feelings, then maybe I wouldn't be here right now miserable, and it's so close to Christmas.' Lily was startled out of her thoughts as her eyes caught on a red sweater across the room. She smiled lightly to herself, forgetting to be angry as she caught sight of the green and black cloaks occupying other two seats at the table.
"Here we go," Edward replied as he flopped down in his chair, after gracefully placing two butterbeers on the table in front of them. Lily quickly jerked her eyes away from where she was staring and back to the table for more of the hell she was living.
"What are your plans for Christmas?" Edward asked Lily, trying to break the silence that they were breathing at the moment. Lily, who had been quite comfortable with the lack of conversation, appeared slightly annoyed to be drawn back into their conversation. She smiled lightly, however, when she thought of what she had just seen.
"I'll be spending it with my family," Lily replied quickly making sure that she had final plans and couldn't spend any time with Edward.
"My family has a large family dinner and I would be honored if I could bring you as my date," Edward announced as he covered Lily's small, pale hand with his own larger, rough one.
'I have to remember how I used to tell James no. I have to remember that I can't get myself into this mess again. I have to be strong and I have to do it for myself. I have to do it for James. I have to do it for the two of us. For the possibility of a two of us.' Lily gave herself an internal pep talk before sneaking her hand from underneath Edward's.
"I'll have to think about it," Lily replied as she quickly converted her eyes to a dirty napkin on the floor underneath the table.
"Just get back to me soon," Edward replied with another one of his smiles that Lily had grown to know so well. She winced lightly at the sight of another one as she tried to look over towards the table that interested her so much. She smiled as she realized that the table was still occupied by the brilliant colors and turned her head back to Edward who was studying her face intently.
"You're a very beautiful woman," Edward began as he once again reached for Lily's hand. Lily quickly grabbed her butterbeer mug and began to chug the drink down her throat. Her insides warmed instantly, causing her to feel a little better, but not keeping her guilty conscious in the darkest corner.
"What time is the film?" Lily asked, finally after she lifted her head from the now empty, foamy mug. She looked around the room, praying to God that the film was playing soon so that they could leave the Three Broomsticks and go somewhere without any need for a consistent conversation.
"Oh! It's starting soon! We have to leave now!" Edward exclaimed as he jumped up from his chair and grabbled Lily's arm pulling her out of the Three Broomsticks before she could leave a word at the table, which had occupied her thoughts so often during her very unsuccessful date. She did manage, however, to catch a pair of warm eyes and send a very warm smile in the general direction of the table before being pulled out into the freezing cold air leaving the only thing that brought her complete warmth inside.
As Edward and Lily quickly made their way through the dark narrow isle to two empty seats in the middle of an isolated row, Lily glanced around nervously and smiled as she found once again that shining red sweater in the back of the theater. She sank down in her seat next to Edward with a small sigh and quickly leaned away from him, trying to get as far away from his as possible.
"I think that the theater is very cozy," Edward whispered to Lily as he placed his arm around her shoulder and pulled her closely to his body. He slid his hand down her arm as her eyes widened in fear. The sound came to life as the previews appeared on the screen.
"I have to go use the restroom," Lily blurted out as she stood up quickly, shaking Edward's arm off of her body, she quickly bolted her way out of the theater and into the bathroom where she quickly calmed herself down and splashed water onto her flushed face.
'I need to keep my composure. I got myself into this and I will get myself through this alive or get myself out of it. I deserve this punishment for what I did. It is only fair. Everything will work out okay in the end, somehow it always seems to, no matter how bad the future looks, when I actually arrive there I find that there is some sun peaking around the clouds.' Lily thought with final smile before she slowly pulled the door open and returned to the darkened theater where the film was just about to begin.
"I missed you," Edward murmured into Lily's ear as she felt him begin to kiss down her neck. For a moment she froze until she remembered the promise she made to herself in the bathroom.
"Edward stop," Lily whispered, in order to not disturb the other people in the theater, but still forcefully enough to get him to lift his head from her neck slowly and settle himself into his own seat stiffly.
After a while had passed and the movie was becoming very dull, Edward leaned over once again and tried once again to get Lily to respond to him. Lily quickly pulled away and this time she stood up quickly before sitting back down.
"I told you to stop," Lily whispered very harshly this time as her eyes glared daggers into Edward's.
But he didn't. The pattern continued throughout the movie until the film ended. Lily quickly stood up and they made their way into the lobby, she could feel Edward walking very closely behind her and she was becoming angrier by the second.
Finally, Lily couldn't stand it anymore. Edward reached for her hand and the final thread that she had been clinging onto snapped. She turned around and faced Edward and yelled, "I told you to stop. I don't want to be touched. I don't want you to put moves on me. I should think that a grown man like you would know what stop means. If you can't figure that out, then I don't think that this is going to work."
Edward's eyes widened as he replied quickly, "I'm stopping I've stopped. My hands aren't on you. You said you'd come to my Christmas dinner."
"I never said I would come! You just assumed. I said I would think about it that does not mean yes I will go with you. You assumed that, just like you assumed I would go on this date with you!" Lily screamed causing the group of colorful cloaks to watch her with smiles on their faces.
"Come on you're just tired. We'll talk about this tomorrow," Edward began as he motioned for Lily to come.
"No. I'm serious. I just told you that this won't work and I mean it. Period that's the end; it's final. We are finished," Lily breathed out angrily as she turned and stalked out of the doors leaving a stunned Edward in the lobby of the theater with many people staring at him strangely.
"I have to say that what you just did was WONDERFUL!" Arabella exclaimed to Lily as she popped up behind her. The red sweater she was wearing clashed with Lily's red face. James and Sirius soon appeared behind her with smiles on their faces as they all looked back at Edward, who was still standing there in the middle of the lobby wondering what had just happened.
"I would've never thought," James laughed out lightly as he nervously turned his eyes away from Lily's and to Arabella who just rolled her eyes at the two of them and shook her head.
"What are you talking about? You two have fought for years you know what her temper is like," Sirius teased James lightly as they headed home.
"What about we go back to our house for some hot chocolate?" Arabella suggested as she shivered in the cold air.
"Sounds great!" Lily exclaimed, finally relieved that her biggest problem was solved and that she was free.
~*~
"She's going to kill us if she sees us," Sirius shivered out as he pulled his black cloak over his shoulders to keep out the freezing cold wind and quickly opened the door of the Three Broomsticks and slipped in silently.
"She won't kill us," James rolled his eyes as he entered behind Sirius. His hair was messier than usual; the wind seemed to have scuffled with the strands, causing them to stand straight.
"You mean she won't kill you," Arabella added as she walked in the door behind James, quickly smoothing her wild hair. She brushed off her red sweater as the three of them made their way to a table, that could not be seen from Edward's view point, but that Lily was sure to spot.
"Just drop it," James commanded, as he slumped down in a chair, clearly not wanting to be where he was with the company he was with. He brought a hand up to ruffle his hair and then quickly brought it down to his side.
"You know Prongs—" Sirius began before he was cut off by Arabella's glare in his direction. James lifted his head to watch the two of them for a brief second and then turned to watch Lily.
"He's certainly moving quickly," Arabella announced as she watched Edward snake his arm around Lily, pulling her closer. She then turned her eyes to James, who looked defeated, but yet at the time, angrier than she had ever seen him look before in his life.
"Watch her eyes," Arabella whispered in James' direction so that Sirius, who was currently chugging his butterbeer, couldn't hear a word.
James just nodded and turned back to Lily who looked extremely uncomfortable. 'She doesn't look happy. She really doesn't. I know now that she really meant it when she said that she didn't like the man. You can defiantly see it reflecting in her eyes. It's there by the way she squirms and by the way she looks helplessly around the room. If only I could read her when I'm around her, but I can't.'
"He's going to go get Butterbeers!" Arabella announced excitedly. James and Sirius just turned to her with confused expressions on their faces as if they were asking why she was so excited about that.
"Now we can get her attention," Arabella added on with a smirk.
"It's not going to work, look at her, she's thinking," James replied, a little pensively, as he were trying to figure out what she was thinking about.
"I'm getting cramped from sitting at this small table. I think I'm going to stand up and stretch," Arabella announced to her friends as she stood up from the table and reached her arms up as high above her head as they could go.
"She's staring at you," Sirius said simply, at that moment Arabella shot back down into her seat and looked over to Lily with a wink and a smile. Lily smiled warmly back until she was jerked away by Edward reappearing at the table.
"I told you she wasn't going to kill us," James replied, without the emotion that normally would have backed up an argument.
"Of course she's not," Arabella replied as she gave Sirius a look that told him to keep quiet.
"What do you think is going on?" Arabella finally asked James, who had been watching their entire conversation with narrowed eyes, as if he didn't trust Edward to be left alone with Lily, or perhaps, he didn't trust Lily to be left alone with Edward.
"I think he's asking her out again," James replied quietly.
"Why do you say that?" Sirius asked as he sat up straighter to pay more attention to what was happening.
"She has that same lost look on her face as she did last time he asked her out," James answered.
"You know, I'm just going to trust you on that," Sirius replied as he rolled his eyes and sank back down into his chair.
"Maybe she told him no," Arabella said softly.
"She doesn't know how," James replied.
"He doesn't look happy," Arabella pointed out, "and Lily, she looks very out of place. As if something awkward just happened. Turning someone down in the middle of a date would do that."
James just looked at Arabella and then turned his eyes back to Lily and Edward and sighed as he rubbed his head thoughtfully, "Why did you make me come?"
"Jamsie, you needed to see that she didn't want to go out with this man so that you stop crying," Sirius replied sarcastically as he continued to watch the drama that was unfolding over at Lily's table.
"I think that Lily and I had that discussion already," James mumbled as he quickly shifted his head downward to hide his blushing cheeks and turned to watch Lily, just in time to see Edward cover her hand with his.
"James," Arabella warned as she saw James begin to tense up.
"You know it's harder to stay calm when she says she doesn't want to go out with this man, but yet she lets him touch her and ask her out again," James whispered, quietly so that no one else would hear but the message that he was angry got across.
"You know she's trying her hardest to avoid him," Sirius stated as he continued to drink his butterbeer.
"They're leaving," Arabella whispered as she quickly turned her head from the table and looked down in order to avoid Lily and Edward who were making their way towards the door.
James looked up at the moment that Lily and Edward were passing the table managing to catch Lily's eyes. She smiled warmly as she was being pulled out the door. 'Maybe I was wrong. Maybe she really doesn't want to go out with Edward. One thing for sure is that she isn't mad at all that we are here spying on her. If anything, she's happy; happy that Arabella, Sirius, and I are here.' James thought.
Arabella, James, and Sirius entered the theater. Sirius and James looked around in awe of what muggles had accomplished without magic. They both glanced up and down the many rows in the theaters and looked at each other questioningly.
"Where should we sit?" James asked Sirius.
"Wherever you want. Just pick somewhere. What does it matter?" Sirius asked as rolled his eyes at James and pushed him into a row towards the middle of the theater.
"You should've just said you'd pick since that's what you did anyway," James laughed out as Sirius smacked him on his head. They were startled out of their argument as Arabella approached.
"I think we should sit in the last row," Arabella announced.
"I think that right here is fine," Sirius suggested as he pulled Arabella's hand so that she fell into a seat.
"No, what if they sit behind us? Then we won't be able to see them. If we sit in the last row we can be sure that we'll be able to see Lily and Edward wherever they are sitting," Arabella reasoned.
"Good idea," Sirius breathed out as he bolted out of the row and to the back, not wanting to hear what James had to say about his earlier comment.
"Sirius picked the row," James told Arabella as he followed Sirius to the last row in the theater. They picked their seats and sat down only moments before Lily and Edward entered the theater. Lily followed Edward to a row somewhat towards the middle and they sat down next to each other silently.
"Lily looks happy," Arabella commented sarcastically to make sure that James noticed that Lily looked very uncomfortable and stiff sitting in the chair next to Edward. She had her body visibly tilted away from him and she was trying her best to avoid any conversation.
"Edward doesn't seem to care," Sirius added as he watched Edward pull his arm around Lily's shoulders and squeeze her to his body tightly. They watched as Lily's spine stiffened and she seemed to almost shiver uncomfortably underneath his touch. As he slid his hands up and down her arm James grew angrier by the second.
"She doesn't act that way around you," Sirius reasoned with James as he watched him clutched his hand around his chair tightly.
"You mean she doesn't let me touch her?" James asked angrily as he felt the people in front of him stir as if they wanted him to stop talking so loudly. Arabella motioned for him to keep his voice down.
"What he means is that she doesn't edge away from you or look stiff when she's with you. She leans into you as if she wants you to touch her," Arabella comforted James as she smiled at him lightly.
'I wonder if what Arabella and Sirius are telling me is true. Does she really act differently around me when I touch her? Maybe I'm just too dense to notice the difference. I wish I could watch the way she acts with me like I can watch the way she acts with Edward. It would make everything easier.' James thought.
"Where is she going?!" Sirius exclaimed as Lily quickly stood up in her chair and ran up the isle as quickly as she could without a glance in their direction. They heard the door to the theater close as James caught Arabella's eye.
"Should we follow her?" James asked Arabella.
"No, we'll just wait for her to come back," Arabella answered as she sank back into her chair. Her eyes darted back and forth between Edward and the door as she waited for Lily to enter into the theater.
"She's taking forever!" Sirius complained.
"She's probably trying to avoid Edward for as long as she can. She most likely went to the bathroom," Arabella rolled her eyes as if Sirius were the most clueless person in the world.
"Oh," James replied as Arabella motioned for James and Sirius to be quiet once again. They shared a look and quickly turned back to watch Edward. Then, Lily entered the theater slowly, approached Edward's row, and hesitantly sat down.
'You know it's strange that I care this much. Just by watching Lily I can tell how much she hates being here with him. At least Lily and I have a friendship and if she hates being with me she doesn't show it as obviously as she does with Edward. Still, I can't help being jealous. Here he is out on a real date with her. He's able to touch her and to hold her, something that I don't have at the moment. Even though I shouldn't be jealous, these emotions just jump out at times like these.' James thought as his eyes widened as he realized what Edward had just started doing.
"What does he think he's doing?!" James exclaimed, too loudly, because the people in the row in front of him turned around and gave the three of them warning glares. The three of them just smiled sweetly back and quickly lowered their voices.
"By the looks of it, I think that he's trying to kiss her," Sirius teased James causing his eyes to darken considerably.
"I know that," James whispered harshly.
"She's pushing him away," Arabella commentated as James and Sirius stopped arguing and watched Edward move back to his own seat stiffly. He glanced back at Lily, who was staring straight ahead and not glancing back at Edward. Edward leaned over once again and the process repeated.
"You think that he'd get a clue. Lily keeps telling him to stop obviously. He should just realize that she doesn't want anything to do with him and leave her alone," Sirius told Arabella and James.
"Doesn't that sound a bit familiar to you?" James asked angrily as his eyes pried into Sirius' defensively.
"It's always been different with you James," Arabella said.
"Tell me one difference between Edward and me because I can't think of a single one," James commanded.
"You're right there isn't one," Arabella replied just as forcefully.
'You know I would've expected them to at least try and come up with one reason. Would it have hurt them to try? I didn't even consider the fact that they would've just given up like that. Some friends I have.' James thought.
"Somewhere along the way, Lily developed feelings for you and not for Edward," Arabella said with a warm smile to James.
James didn't respond but turned to watch Lily and Edward, who continued the cycle for the rest of the movie. Sirius and Arabella were highly amused with how dense the man was as James continued comparing himself to Edward and realizing how dense he used to be.
Finally, the movie ended and the three of them bolted out of their seats and into the lobby where they kept themselves away from the sight of Lily and Edward. Sure enough Lily exited the theater into the lobby with Edward hot on her heels.
"I told you to stop. I don't want to be touched. I don't want you to put moves on me. I should think that a grown man like you would know what stop means. If you can't figure that out then I don't think that this is going to work," Lily shouted at Edward as Arabella, James, and Sirius watched with smiles growing on their faces.
"I'm stopping I've stopped. My hands aren't on you. You said you'd come to my Christmas dinner," Edward pleaded with Lily as James turned to Arabella with an angry look on his face.
"I never said I would come! You just assumed. I said I would think about it that does not mean yes I will go with you. You assumed that, just like you assumed I would go on this date with you!" Lily screamed, causing Arabella, James, and Sirius to smile wider.
"So that's what he was asking her in the Three Broomsticks," Arabella winked at James, "I told you that she'd say no."
"Come on, you're just tired. We'll talk about this tomorrow," Edward announced as he tried to pull Lily out the door with him. James began to move towards Edward as his eyes darkened but Sirius and Arabella caught the back of his cloak and held him back.
"No. I'm serious. I just told you that this won't work and I mean it. Period, that's the end; it's final. We are finished," Lily breathed out angrily. She quickly ran out of the doors leaving Edward in the lobby. Arabella, Sirius, and James just stood there stunned.
"Now would be the time to follow her," Arabella told James who was just standing in the middle of the room with a stunned look on his face. Then the three of them quickly followed Lily out of the lobby.
"I have to say that what you just did was WONDERFUL!" Arabella exclaimed to Lily as she popped up behind her. James and Sirius also came up with Arabella as they smiled at Lily.
"I would've never thought," James laughed out lightly as he nervously turned his eyes away from Lily's and to Arabella who just rolled her eyes at the two of them and shook her head. He glared back at Arabella and turned back to Lily and smiled again.
"What are you talking about? You two have fought for years you know what her temper is like," Sirius teased James lightly as they headed home. Once again James smacked Sirius on his head, this time he was followed by Lily.
"What about we go back to our house for some hot chocolate?" Arabella suggested as she shivered in the cold air.
"Sounds great!" Lily exclaimed, finally relieved that her biggest problem was solved and that she was free. James smiled at Lily once again and she caught his eyes and smiled back as they all apparated back to Arabella and Lily's apartment.
~*~
"I'll go make the hot chocolate," Lily announced as she appeared in the apartment next to Arabella, Sirius, and James, "James, will you give me a hand?"
"Of course," James replied as he followed Lily into the kitchen, ignoring the looks that Sirius and Arabella were sending his way.
"I can't believe you guys followed me!" Lily exclaimed as soon as she and James were in the safety net of the kitchen. She quickly put a pot of water on the stove to boil.
"It was Arabella's idea!" James shot back as he tried to save himself from Lily's infamous temper.
"Don't try and pretend like you couldn't get out of it you know that you very well could," Lily replied.
"You know that we just wanted to make sure that you were okay," James said softer.
"So now I can't take care of myself?" Lily questioned angrily as she advanced on James.
"I never said that," James tried to edge out of the corner he had gotten himself trapped into.
"You implied it," Lily whispered as she suddenly realized how close that she and James were. Her facade quickly dropped as she looked deeply into James' eyes. At that very moment the buzzer for the water went off and Lily and James broke apart.
"I'm sorry," James mumbled as Lily backed away.
"Thank you," Lily smiled at James as she brought the hot chocolate out of the kitchen to Sirius and Arabella who were watching them with interest.
~*~
Author's Note: Well there you are. Chapter 8 is finished. I'd just like to thank my spectacular betas they are awesome! I love you all...Brenda, Nat, and Manda!
Oh I have one more thing I have to say. Does anyone want e-mail notifications of when I update since I take so long I figured it would be a nice thing to offer. Plus I've had people review and ask for updates so I figured I might as well offer it to everyone. Either leave a note and tell me or e-mail me. Thanks!
I also love all of my reviewers. I just can't get enough of your comments so please leave them good or bad they help me with each chapter!!
Loraliant Angelisa Snape: Hey thanks for leaving that note to replace the ::ahem you know what you did:: You're such a great person always helping me out! Everyone go read her fics cause she's the greatest!
Rachel: Thank you for reviewing!! I'll never stop writing this story I love it to death and I think I have an idea for a sequel but shhh it's not final and I don't want to make promises. Only if people ask nicely! Oh and Sirius and Arabella drive me nuts too but I can't change them that's their purpose! Oh and I know what you mean about being teased I get it ALL THE TIME! Review again please I love hearing from you!!
carameLisSa: Yes I'm alive! I'm just busy! And now I'm a basketball star! Haha maybe not but I am on the team which makes me smile. Lily and James will kiss eventually I swear! Just not now. Don't be sad be happy cause you know it'll happen! Hopefully I updated soon enough and that the wait wasn't too painful.
Ruth3: Thank you so much! I always love hearing from people who love reading my stories it makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside. I'm glad that you can imagine what I'm writing that's always a good sign for an author. I just updated Four White Walls and I will be eventually again so I hope that the updates were soon enough for your liking (even though I know the answer is no!) Review again!!
Lily Natalia Evans: Always play along it takes the fun out of things. Or just ignore them that takes the fun out of it also. Such stupid ideas that work. Gee it's strange to figure out that our parents were right when they told us those stupid things. I have enough problems thinking of my own ideas but if you still need help and you have a plot I'd be glad to help you just e-mail me please otherwise I swear to god I'll forget again like I did this time. Thanks for betaing though you're awesome!
pokie4389: Thank you so much for the review! I'm glad to hear you'd wait so long for an update it's comforting that not everyone would abandon me if I got super busy. Not that I'm not super busy right now but even more...which is totally possible. Behind Locked Doors will probably be coming to you next. So be looking out for it! You're so nice to me...lol thanks for reviewing once again!
willow23: I wish that was in my outline but trust me snogging was not part of this and I'm sticking to my outline cause I love it! You're just gonna have to wait and I'll dedicate the chapter when it finally happens to you. I love Chicago too...but I have had longer reviews than that. Trust me I've had some pretty damn long ones. Try again! I love reading such long reviews!
Anne-Janet: Thank you for reviewing! I'm so glad that my review made you happy! It made me happy that it made you happy! (Nice to know my scenes are liked) Arabella has her reasons...mostly cause she wasn't in the order in the book...I try to stick to the book with random facts like those. I only change the ones needed for my plot...
izzybell4life: Thank you so much for that nice review! I hope that your heart is fixed by now and that I didn't cause too much damage! Haha. If I could remember my outline I'd tell you if I was writing more about the Order but I'm pretty sure that it's in there somewhere.
angelbud2233: Thank you so much I'm honored by your review! Im so glad that you liked Joey also I love him he has to be my favorite! I updated finally...and yes it usually does take me a while because I'm juggling breathing, sleeping, going to school, guitar, eating, basketball, dance, and five other fanfictions at the same time. Ugh but I always manage to get it done. Hopefully you've slept okay I'm sorry if you haven't! I'll make it up somehow someday. Ahh I wrote I wrote and I'm gonna go write more soon so I'll stop leaving you a note now!
lilblondie2182: Thank you for the review! It's nice to hear that you can relate to Sirius and Arabella, it's always good to have characters who are lifelike. I'm also very thrilled that this is one of your favorite stories! I love to hear that!
littlekat: Thank you so much! I've been getting so many nice reviews for the last chapter so now I feel really happy about this story! I can't wait to go write now! Haha Hope you enjoy this chapter!
smile28: Thank you so much!! I'm so glad that you like my James and my story! Hopefully I updated quickly...but I know it wasn't very fast.
elvencherry07: Ahh! I'm so sorry about the wait I know I always take a long time but hopefully I'm better with this one and if not I'll try to be with the next one. Anyways thanks for reviewing it was such a nice one!
NiNaPoP: Wow I hope you jumped up and down again that was certainly exciting to hear! I'm sure that if you wrote a fic it would be wonderful! If I ever get the chance and you actually write one I'll come read and review it! Don't be jealous of me I'm sure that you can write just as well or maybe better! Hopefully you had fun waiting for this chapter and hopefully you'll enjoy it!
i o u a name: So sorry about the long wait. I tend to make people wait a long time I just get way too busy! At least it's good to always hear that it was worth the wait from you! Makes me glad that I can take a while and still get nice reviews! Lily and James are very similar and very clumsy that's just how they are! Haha interestingly enough.
chewy1: What are you talking about? I have to finish the chapter somewhere! Lol sorry about ending it there. Hopefully this was at a more...erm appropriate place. Sorry about the wait for the update also...I just get caught up with things. Mostly finals but I updated so be proud of me!
elegystar: Yay! I always look forward to hearing from you! I love reading your reviews! Whenever you review you get another chapter. Better remember that this time! Thanks for reviewing!
kelliethehottie: You're just going to have to wait and see they'll get together eventually. Hopefully you aren't too crazy to read this chapter and review again! Thanks for the review!
ShadowFox991: Thank you so much for the review! I hope that I didn't make you wait too long for this chapter but I know I take a while...but go ahead and tell me.
Donzabobo: Thanks for the review and the compliments! Glad that you enjoyed the mix I was a little unsure of if I should allow the story to take that turn but it will be more and more in the upcoming chapters. The way I see it, it's necessary for Lily and James' relationship. Hopefully it was soon enough to get more hugs!!! haha
Lisa Meunier: Thank you so much for the review! They'll get together eventually. The only question is when? Haha hopefully you don't give up on me!
aurora_borealis: The chapter was almost 16 pages! This one is about halfway through page 17 so it's a little longer for you. I can't let it get too long. I'm so glad that you love the story! I love your review...so thanks!
Christy13: Thank you so much! I love hearing things like that from people it makes me happy! Eventually they will get their feelings sorted out and get their act together but maybe just a little longer...lol you'll just have to see. Hopefully I updated soon enough.
tom girl: Thanks for the review! I love your view on the story it's really nice to know that someone feels that way about my writing! I'm flattered! You're so great!! And just so you all know Nat really is awesome!!! Yay!
Jessy E: Thank you so much for the review! Wow I'm glad that one person likes how they aren't together already! That's so great you have to be the first reviewer to actually say that to me ::applauds:: James is just too shy and too afraid of rejection to say anything to Lily that comes out a little bit more in this chapter on why. Lily and James' thoughts are generally pretty similar so I tend to stick to just one of them although you do hear quite a few of them in this chapter as you get to see one scene through both of their eyes. Lily's reasons will come out more later on...in the next few chapters and James seem to be pretty much set by now...as I'm hoping everyone understands. Tell me if I need to expand and I will. I'm glad that I'm on your favorites! I'm honored!
LENAk: Thank you so much for the review! Lol cider-crazy you're great!
Realmer06: Thanks for the review! It frightened me at first until I realized it was a good thing that you were angry with me. Haha. But won't you be sad when I finish this story and there's nothing left for you to read?
James Potters Girl69: Don't worry about taking a long time to review you have to wait for me to update so it's only fair I wait for a few reviews! Thanks so much for reviewing though! What fun would it be if they snogged now? Seriously! You'd be wishing that it hadn't happened!
Apex: Thank you for the review! I'm happy you liked Joey I love him! You're just going to have to wait with everyone until they kiss that's the whole point of this story!!
Windowseat Wonderer: Thanks for the reviews! This story is my personal favorite as well. I'm glad that you enjoy my long chapters...some people don't and that surprises me...but whatever everyone has different opinions. Arabella is indeed a squib in canon world of Harry Potter, I started this story before we found that out so Arabella is magical here!