Chapter 17

February 17

A week or two passed and not much changed. Sirius and Andi were still just friends and Valentine's day passed. None of them did anything too special they mostly all just hung out. Tia turned back to her normal self and she shot the Marauders dirty looks whenever she was given the opportunity.

On this particular Tuesday classes seemed to drag on at ridiculously slow pace. Every student could barely keep their heads off their desks. When classes finally were over the mood stayed the same. The student body dispersed and went to their separate destinations. James, Lily, Andi, Remi, Remus, Sirius, and Peter decided to head to the common room. When they got there they all plopped down in a couch in front of the fire. Though it was mid-February it was still frigid cold.

"Could this day have been more of a drag?" Remus groaned,

Remus wasn't expecting a reply but Peter being clueless as always answered. "No, it was terrible."

The group looked over at Peter and looked him over as if they just met him. James felt even worse then. He was one of Peter's only friends and he hadn't been much of a great friend in the last few months. As he thought about it he realized he could hardly remember Peter being included in their activities in the past school year. It was too quiet for James to stand as everyone just sat there feeling awkward.

"So Pete, buddy, how's the girlfriend?" James asked almost sneering at his own question. He remembered when he first met his girlfriend, Eva, at the ball and called Lily a mudblood. James lightened up when he thought of how Sirius had tackled her though.

"She's great, we've gotten pretty close and I made friends with her friends." Peter said with a slight smile.

Sirius crossed him arms over his chest and scowled. "Petey I thought I told you I don't want you messing with them. They aren't a good crowd and I don't want any friend of mine associating with them." Sirius said staring hard at Peter.

Peter was furious and he jumped out of his seat and poked his finger at Sirius. "First off I absolutely hate being called Petey. Second who do you think you are telling me who I can and can not hang out with, you're worse then my mother! Third of all you'll never be as a good of a friend as the Slytherins are to me!" Peter finished growing more vicious through his speech.

With that Peter exited the common room. "Wow, over the past few months that kid got some balls." Sirius said amazed.

James got up from his seat then and when Sirius got up too James gave him a hard shove back into his seat and kept walking briskly to the door.

"James, where you going man?" Sirius called to him.

James ignored the question, Sirius had pushed Peter too far this time and that was evident. James made his way down the corridor and it wasn't long until he came across a pacing Peter. He was clenching his fists and mumbling mean things involving Sirius.

"Pete, you alright?" James asked looking Peter over.

Peter stopped his pacing and looked up still obviously angry. His fists loosened and he softened a bit when he saw it was James and only James.

"He never treated me with respect, he always thought he was better than me. He never treated me like he treated you and Remus and he can't even let me be happy with people who do accept me." Peter vented.

James sighed. "I know Pete, none of us have been that great of a friend the past couple of months and I'm sorry about that. Sirius didn't mean the things he was saying, he was just trying to protect you."

Peters face grew angry again. "Don't defend him James! Why is it that you think you have to mend everything going on between us? If Sirius was really just saying that because he cared and because he wanted to protect me then he should tell me himself. Alright? Stay out of this for once James!" Peter shouted stomping off.

James stood there for a little bit soaking it all in. "Sirius was right, he did get some balls." James said to himself as he made his way back to the common room.

Later that downcast day, Andi sat alone in the library trying to get an annoying essay on football for Muggle Studies done. "Oh I don't understand this at all, how can anyone find this entertaining to watch." Andi said aloud to herself.

After some time she felt two large hands cover her eyes and she couldn't help but smile but she tried to remain serious. "Sirius, dear, I told you I needed to get my homework done before I can hang out."

The person removed their hands and moved around so they were sitting next to Andi. "So the rumors are true, huh? You and Sirius are together." He said with a half hearted smile.

"Oh sorry Zack, I uh, thought you were Sirius." Andi said putting down her essay. "We're not really together, actually." She said after a pause.

"So, uh I guess you gave up on us then?" Zack said rather to the point.

Andi just sat back and looked his face over for a bit trying to pick up on his emotion and his motives. He wasn't giving her much to work with. "You do realize we haven't talked for about a month, don't you?" Andi asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes, I do realize that." Zack said with a hint of anger in his voice. "Every time I've gone to talk to you you're off somewhere with Sirius or that dirty, whore of a girl is chasing me around."

"Oh right, you prefer to be the whore of the relationship." Andi said snidely.

Zack was taken aback "What are you insinuating? That I sleep around? Is that what you're saying?" Zack asked in disbelief.

"Yes! That's exactly what I'm saying, don't try to pull off the innocent act!" Andi snapped.

"How is it that you know something about my life that I myself don't know?" Zack asked incredulously. "Maybe you should get the real facts before you go assuming I'm a man whore!"

"I did, Tray told Lily that you go for sweet, little, unsuspecting virgins and I fit that category evidently and that's why you pursued me. You know I'm not the only virgin in this school, go for one of them. Just stay away from me, Remi, and Lily."

The angry fire left Zack's eyes as he sat back in his seat and relaxed. "Unsuspecting virgins, huh? He said that?" Zack asked without emotion.

Andi noticed his change of mood so she too sat back in her seat and relaxed more. "Yeah, he said it's a sixth sense of yours to be able to tell if they're a virgin or not."

"I see." Zack said brushing his chin with his fingertips.

"That's it? That's all you have to say?" Andi asked a bit annoyed.

Zack let out a slight sigh. "Andi, I'm a virgin myself." Zack said looking up to meet her eyes.

Andi looked back and saw the sincerity of his glance, he was telling the truth. "You really are telling the truth aren't you?" Andi asked amazed and Zack gave a slight nod. "Then why would Tray say that?"

"Well, before me and Linda were going out last year she was a virgin. And when we broke up, she well, she wasn't." Zack said glumly.

"Wait that makes no sense you just said that you…" Suddenly it dawned on her. "She slept with someone else?"

Zack nodded. "I never really found out who it was, I just knew it was a seventh year from last year. Quite frankly I don't want to know who it was."

"That still doesn't explain why Tray would say that about you." Andi said confused.

"You never heard?" Zack asked surprised. "She' pregnant. That's why she didn't come back this year. So everyone thinks I'm the father and she's due in two weeks. The real father wants nothing to do with the child so she's going to try to get me to pay for child support by putting me as the child's father on the birth certificate and there's really not much I can do to stop her."

"You're kidding me?" Andi asked stunned. "She breaks your heart by sleeping with someone when you guys had been going out for over a year and now she's trying to get child support from you. That little, little…"

"Yeah I know." Zack said knowing what she wanted to say.

"I'm sorry." Andi said giving Zack's hand a squeeze.

"For what?"

"For assuming what Tray said way true." Andi said quietly.

"Don't worry about it." Zack said. "So you and Sirius will be going out soon I assume."

"Don't assume like that, look what happened when I assumed." Andi said scooping up her homework and giving Zack a wave and a slight smile as she left.

Zack was a bit confused by her last comment but he let the thought drift away as he set to work on his own homework.

As Andi made her way down the corridor towards the Great Hall she too thought of the last comment she had made. Was she giving Zack false hope or did she still have a sort of connection with him. She just brushed it off as she entered the Great Hall for dinner and sat with her friends.

"Get your work done?" Sirius asked.

"Uhh, not really. I'm sure Lily can help me out though, right dear?" Andi asked fluttering her eyelashes.

"Yeah sure." Lily said with a shrug. "I don't see how you didn't get it done with all the time you were in the library. We're you distracted?" Lily asked sending a look to Sirius who in turn just shrugged.

"It wasn't me, me and James were out on the beautiful pitch on this ugly day." Sirius said a bit muffled from the food in his mouth.

The group talked more and after dinner they went back to the common room but James didn't join them. Nor did Peter because he was still ticked with Sirius. James told the others that he had to go to the library but that was just a cover up. He was in search of someone.

James walked towards the library as he waved goodbye to his friends. Once they were out of sight he went in the direction he had seen the person go. After walking up and down corridors for quite a bit of time James finally caught sight of who he was looking for. He was alone.

James grabbed the front of his robes and shoved him into the wall. The person merely smirked. "I suppose you're going to give me a pounding huh, Potter?" Lucius Malfoy said with a smirk. "You know you don't have the guts. Plus if you want to become Head Boy a fight won't look good on your record."

James released him and grew angrier as Malfoy's face was overcome with a bigger smirk. "So, why is it that you want to pound me?"

"You know full well why." James spat.

"Oh, right now I remember, that sign on your girlfriend's back. Oh what did it say? I believe it said something along the line of 'I'm a dirty mudblood, kill me before I reproduce.'" Malfoy said letting out a few low laughs. "How'd she like that one?"

"She didn't see it. I wasn't going to give you the pleasure of putting her down." James said coldly. "Ever heard of the expressing, pick on someone your own size. Why has Lily been the object of your torturing the last two weeks?" James asked coldly.

"It keeps Tia happy and when I keep Tia happy she keeps me happy." Malfoy said with a smirk of delight.

"You trashy bastard." James muttered under his breath. "Leave Lily alone or you'll have to answer to the Marauders." James said poking his finger at him as he went to leave.

"I'm not scared of your lame, prat group Potter." Malfoy called but James kept walking and ignored him.

When James got back to the common room he was annoyed to see most of the Gryffindor house in there but none were his friends. He headed up to his room and found Sirius, Remus, Remi, Andi, and Lily all lounging around his dorm.

"Oh, good you're done. These stupid girls can't think of anything to do, we need some help Prongs." Sirius said as James slipped off his shoes.

"Sorry can't help you, I'm going to hop in the shower." James said disappearing into the bathroom.

"Well looks like we're back to counting how many nails are on the floor boards then." Sirius said averting his eyes back to the floor.

Some time into James's long shower he heard a faint click and the sound of the door quietly opening. James peeked out the curtain and watched as Lily looked from the shed clothes on the floor to James's head and she gave him a grin.

"Lily Evans you bad girl, what are doing in here?" James asked seductively.

Lily laughed softly so the others in the room wouldn't hear since they hadn't even noticed her exit. She put the toilet lid down and sat on it. "You can get back to showering I just wanted to be in your company." Lily said softly.

James had been done for a good bit of time but he just hadn't felt like getting out of the warm comfort the shower gave him so he turned the shower off and Lily furrowed her brow. "Hand me that towel could you?" James asked. Lily tossed him the towel next to her and tried to look the other way as he stepped out of the shower with just a towel around his waist

James laughed at her shyness. "Would you be a dear and hand me my clothes?"

Lily picked up the clothes from the floor and handed them to him and she dared a glance at his bare chest. "I saw that!" James exclaimed grabbing Lily's hand and pulling her into a tight embrace.

The door swung open seconds later revealing four surprised people. James towel came undone and the only thing covered was his front which was held up by Lily's body. Luckily the others only had a side view. James quickly fixed his towel and his cheeks turned a cherry red as did Lily's.

"This is kind of awkward." James said biting at his lips.

"Hey we didn't mean to interrupt anything, we just heard you shouting and we found that rather unusual." Remi said with a smirk at the couple's embarrassment.

"We can leave if you want, you can have the room to yourself to do whatever you want. Just stay out of my bed." Sirius said receiving a punch from both Lily and Andi.

"Bugger off, Sirius." James said as he took Lily's hand and led her out of the bathroom. "I'll be just a second." James said shutting the curtain around his bed and appearing shortly after dressed in muggle clothes.

"Want to tease us some more?" James asked opening the curtains around his bed all the way and laying down.

"I don't understand how Lily got in the bathroom." Andi said with a raised eyebrow.

"I opened the door and walked in, you didn't notice because you were all too busy with the stupid floor boards." Lily said with a laugh.

"Next time you try to shower together don't be so loud." Remus said with a wink.

"Alright, now that you all said something or another about our little escapade can we move on to something else?" James asked annoyed.

The four looked from one another than to Lily and James. "Nah." They said in unison.

Lily and James gave each other a look then sat back and took the beatings.

A/N: Well that took a while I know and it wasn't very long either. I'm sure people who come back to read it get annoyed because they don't remember the beginning because I myself had to read over the whole story again to get back into the story. I'm not going to be offended if you stop reading my story because I take too long to update. I do it for my readers, yes, but I also do it because I enjoy writing. So I may not get another chapter up for a month or maybe I'll have one done next week, it all depends on my schedule. Sorry for the inconvenience my devoted readers. Reviews are still appreciated!

Thanks to My Reviewers

Flame of Desire - That's so cool that you play soccer, it's my favorite sport. My spring season starts this Saturday so I'm back to having a sport but it only takes up three nights of my week. Woo I'm excited!

BurningIce22 - It's true Jenna didn't do much, she just added to the effect, she may be in later chapters though. Thanks for understanding.

Isis360 - Thanks so much! Yeah maybe more people read this story then I think but my reviews seem to be from the same few people. Oh well I love my few reviewers anyways.

Lilly - Thanks!

E.G. Potter - Aww thanks your comment made me smile J