A/N: Sorry i didn't update alll weekend, but I went out of town with my dad to my grandparents for fathers day. I brought a disc to update my files on...but my dad accidentally broke their computer. So sorry. Please review!

Chapter Eleven: Alcoholic Conversations and Hogsmeade Woes

It was going against every intuition her body held, but Lily supposed it was her compassion that allowed James to usher an obviously drunk and shattered Sirius back to their Heads Quarters. At least that is what she kept telling herself.

James laid a babbling Sirius on the couch.

"She said no, Jamesie. No…" Sirius continued to babble. "Tis 'mazing."

James just shook his head and went to find a potions book that would tell him how to create a hangover potion.

"Don't do that!" exclaimed Lily as Sirius stuck a finger in his mouth and attempted to rub the blood off one of his drier cuts. Sirius looked at her as if he just realized her.

Lily waited until James returned with a cauldron and potion making supplies that she went to her room.

James obviously hadn't expected her to return, as he had a surprised expression across his face when she returned with a box of her own.

"What's that?" he asked.

Lily knelt down across from Sirius and opened the box. "It's Muggle, but it's the only way I know how to treat cuts. And you can't just let him lick his wounds like some sort of dog."

For some unapparent reason, Sirius laughed hard at Lily's last statement. "Like a dog, Prongsss did you hear her? I'm a dog! I ammm a dog!"

"Shut up, Padfoot." replied James casually.

"Ooo--kay, o---kay, o---kay." continued Sirius. He immediately became sullen and disheartened once again.

"Well at least he's quiet now." whispered James, so that only Lily could hear. "Poor guy."

James began throwing ingredients together. "Bully I wasn't ever that great at potions. Sirius is excellent at it though."

"Sirius is intoxicated." replied Lily as she opened a bottle of peroxide. "Now, Sirius, this is going to sting a bit."

Sirius acknowledged her with an array of words Lily couldn't make out.

Lily started on the cuts on his right hand by pulling out a few shreds of broken glass and dabbing peroxide soaked cotton balls on his wounds.

"Bloody fucking hell, woman!" shouted Sirius as he pulled back his hand. He looked at Lily. "Ow!"

Lily pursed her lips together. "Now Sirius, I told you it would sting. Stop being such a baby." She reached for his hand again but Sirius pulled back.

"Padfoot." James looked at Sirius threateningly, and then laughed. "Quit."

Sirius pouted indignantly and gave Lily his hand reproachfully. He was quiet as Lily worked now, but he bit his bottom lip as Lily dabbed more peroxide and started on his other hand.

James watched Lily in admiration; she truly was amazing. She could do anything, anywhere, anytime. How many other Head Girls would help an incompetent Head Boy's drunken friend with cuts he had obtained by throwing bottles of firewhiskey and then continue after he swore colorfully? Not many.

"Try talking to him." Lily said as she worked and James waited for his potion to simmer. "It will take his mind off the pain." James nodded in agreement and pulled a chair up beside the couch.

"Padfoot, what happened?" tried James. Sirius let out a breath and turned towards James.

"She said no. Grace said no." he pouted.

James nodded, completely understanding, Lily was still baffled, but she didn't want to appear nosy, or interested in anything to do with Sirius and James, so she stayed quiet.

"Well you were bound to get rejected sometime, Padfoot." James gave him a sympathetic smile. "It happens to the best of us."

"Just because Lily won't snog you senseless doesn't mean I need to be rejected once in a while."

"Ow, Christ's sake, woman!" Sirius swore. James was blushing as they turned to look at Lily, who was back to work.

"Sorry." she stated. "But you could at least talk like I'm here."

"Sorry." mumbled Sirius. "Besides, it wasn't the fact that she… didn't want to Hogsmeade with me. It wasss her reasoning."

James raised an eyebrow. This should be interesting.

"Who wouldn't want to go to Hogsmeade with me? I'm devilishly handsome and I'm a great date." Sirius continued before hiccoughing.

Lily erupted in laughter and James had to try his hardest to suppress a chuckle.

Sirius narrowed his eyes at Lily. "What?"

Lily shook her head as she pulled out a roll of white bandages. "Well Sirius, I can see why Grace said no. Grace Melbourne, right?"

Sirius and James nodded, and Lily felt the need to continue. "Well she's not exactly the type you go for, Sirius. And I mean that in the best possible way."

"What do you mean, she's bloody gorgeous!" argued Sirius.

"Grace is the seventh year prefect for Ravenclaw. She has brains, she has sense, and obviously those things are keeping her from giving you a chance."

"Ouch. My ego is listening, Lily." muttered Sirius, who appeared to be sobering up quickly, James always knew he had a high alcohol tolerance.

"Well maybe that's not it." tried Lily, feeling somewhat guilty. "What exactly did she say?"

Sirius let out a sigh, and belched magnificently. "That I was an egotistical jackass that only wanted her for one thing and that what was the point? I would just get bored and move on after I got what I wanted."

Lily and James exchanged a look. So it was her sense that kept her from dating Sirius.

"Well, Sirius. Obviously she doesn't trust you or feel comfortable with you. And she is right, you know. You go from girl to girl so fast that it would scare anyone away." explained Lily as she started to bandage one of Sirius hands.

"But I really like her and bloody hell I have a headache." Sirius complained. "I do want her to go out with me."

"She's not going to want to until she knows that she actually means something to you, and that you aren't going to just…love and leave."

Sirus let out a groan. "Dammit. That's hard."

"Love is hard. You have to work at it." answered Lily.

James who had been quiet as Lily talked got up and poured the ready potion into a glass and handed it to Sirius, who promptly swallowed it.

"I think you're right, Lily. But if you're so good at understanding love, why is that you're not dating James? He lovesss you."

Lily blushed a bold shade of magenta.

James took the cup from Sirius. "You're drunk Padfoot."

Before Sirius or Lily could respond, Sirius passed out promptly.

To avoid the awkwardness of the present situation. Lily gathered her things as quickly as she could.

"I'm going to bed." she stated. "Good night."

James nodded. "Thanks for helping me, Lily. I don't know what I would have done with out you. Where did you learn to bandage like that?"

Lily smiled nervously. "My father is a doctor. A Muggle form of a healer."

James nodded. "Good night, oh, and Lily. We'll have to tour some other time."

Lily bobbed her head in agreement. "Good night, James."

The next morning, James woke up bright and early, ready for a run to clear his mind. The entire night James had spent his dreams baffled. What was going on between him and Lily, if anything? A part of him told him there wasn't anything, nothing had happened, she hadn't professed her undying love for him. But the hopeful, dreaming part of him said that she was feeling something, the way she looked at him, the way she moved around him—like she was always thinking her actions and words towards him over so that she didn't give away what she was thinking—or feeling. James liked to let himself think that that was it, but the years of failing to win her over were raw, vivid reminders in the back of his mind that told him to think this over sensibly. He needed to run.

He got dressed and pulled his bright blue trainers on before heading out to the common room. An unbelievable noise was coming from the common room—a noise he knew all too well. Sirius was snoring.

He glanced at his now sober best friend, whose black hair was an array of bed head, his legs were slung over the couch in an uncomfortable manner, and he clutched a blanket, one with the initials LCE embroidered in a fancy script.

Lily must have thrown a blanket on him last night, thought James.

Deciding that Sirius could be on his own for half an hour, James left for his run.

Approximately twenty minutes after James left, Lily woke, tired, but feeling the need to get up anyways. Her clock told her that it was only a little after six.

Remembering that Sirius and James were likely to be in the common room, Lily grabbed her red velvet robe to cover her somewhat revealing white night gown, she tied it and tip toed out of her room into the common room, to see Sirius tangled in the blanket her grandmother had made her on the sofa by the fire.

Deciding that she might as well get a shower, as James was probably still in bed, and Sirius looked like a train had hit him, Lily hurried to the bathroom and started a hot shower—she would have time to clear her head before her day started. It had plagued her all night, trying to organize her feelings…for James. Lately they had formed a great friendship, and she enjoyed working with him…she had a good time. But she couldn't help but feel as if she was holding back or protecting herself from feeling something more.

Twenty minutes later, Lily emerged from the bathroom, feeling clean and refreshed, but nonetheless clearer on anything she was feeling. She decided that it was just her getting used to being friends with James, even though something else kept eating at her.

Lily, lost in her train of thought walked through the common room, wasn't aware of the fact that she was in the presence of an awake Sirius and James. She jumped when she realized she was being watched.

"James, Sirius." she yelped, very aware of the fact that her robe was in the bathroom, and although her nightgown wasn't indecent, she felt horribly exposed and self-conscious.

"Morning." mumbled Sirius rubbing his head.

James, sensing Lily's uncomfort, spoke up. "I'm going to go walk Sirius back to his dorm."

He stood up, waiting for Sirius to follow him. Sirius held up a finger to James and stretched groggily. "Wait, I want to thank Evans."

He stood up, however sleepily, and walked over to Lily, oblivious to her awkwardness. Without warning, he leaned in close and gave her a giant bear hug. Lily not knowing what exactly to do, just wrapped her arms lightly around Sirius and patted him awkwardly.

"I just wanted to thank you for taking care of me, and apologize for anything I may have said or done. I know I can be a real arse when intoxicated."

Lily stood back, completely confused at this Sirius—caring, apologetic, non-arrogant Sirius…serious, sincere Sirius. "It's nothing, Sirius, I was happy to help, good luck with Grace."

Sirius gave her a genuine smile, one that could melt the heart of any foolish girl, and followed James out the portrait hole.

Lily sat at the lunch table, sitting between Allison and Ellie, who were talking about their plans for Hogsmeade on Saturday. Lily took a sip of her pumpkin juice, she knew their conversation would only last till the boys arrived, but it made her feel out of place anyways.

"Have Remus take you to Madam Puddifoot's!" suggested Allison.

"Ew, no. Remus isn't mushy, and either am I." replied Ellie, disgusted at the thoughts of floating hearts and cupids.

"It's not mushy, it's romantic--" argued Allison. Her tirade was cut short as the boys approached.

"Hi, Lily." waved Sirius, who sat down across from Lily and beside James. Remus took a chance and seated himself by Ellie, leaving Peter to sit on the other side of Sirius and away from conversation.

"Hey, Sirius." greeted Lily with a smile. "And James and Peter and Remus."

The boys grinned at her as they began to pile food on their plates at a rapid pace.

Towards the end of her meal, Lily felt a familiar tap on her shoulder. She turned around to see Emerson smiling broadly at her. He had insisted on talking to her between classes and sending her notes in class. Lily was starting to find it irritating, but just when she thought she'd tell him off, he'd give her that bright white smile and run a hand through his hair.

"Hullo." he smiled.

Before Lily could exchange a greeting, he started talking again.

"I was wondering if I could have a word with you?" he asked pleasantly, casting a quick glance at Sirius. "If you don't mind."

Lily took her napkin from her lap and placed it on the table. "Of course not."

As she followed Emerson, Allison and Ellie exchanged a look.

Sirius watched them walk away. "Five galleons says Lily comes back with a date."

James shot Sirius a look of detest and hit him in the arm.

Ellie and Allison sighed. "We're rooting for you, James…but I think Lily's lost."

James nodded emotionless. If she had a date he didn't know what he'd do. He'd have to start all over again, he'd be crushed.

Lily returned, her appearance giving nothing away, and she avoided everyone's eyes as she took her seat back, offering nothing.

Sirius waited about five seconds before taking control of the situation.

"What did Burton want?" he asked gruffly.

Lily looked at Sirius for a moment before spearing left over broccoli stem with her fork. James noticed that she always left the stem, no matter how delicately she cut the head from the stem, she always tried to make sure no one saw her being so picky over a vegetable. James smiled as she speared it again and pushed it into the mustard she always had on the side of her plate when eating broccoli.

"It's really none of your business." replied Lily curtly. She dropped her fork and let it clank on her plate before she got up. "I'm going to class."

It took approximately five seconds for Ellie and Allison to expectantly follow after her.

Sirius shook his head. "And to think, I was going to make her an honorary Marauder."

James took a gulp of his pumpkin juice depressingly.

"He asked her to Hogsmeade. I just know it." he stated.

"I wonder what she said?" questioned Peter.

Remus glanced toward the Hufflepuff table, Burton wasn't looking particularly depressed or elated.

"What did he ask you?" interrogated Allison as she and Ellie caught up with Lily.

Lily continued to walk away from her friends.

"Lily Christine Evans, you will answer me!" shouted Allison.

Lily turned abruptly at the sound of her whole name. "He asked me to go to Hogsmeade with him."

Ellie muttered under her breath, "I knew it."

Allison ignored Ellie. "What did you say?"

"I told him I didn't know. That'd I'd think about it!" she replied, her temper rising. "And I don't know why. I don't know why I couldn't have just said no…or yes. It would make things so much easier!" her voice cracked and she broke into tears.

Allison immediately took control and pulled Lily into a comforting hug, while Ellie stood back for a second, shocked. She then ran to her friend's aid and hugged her as well.

"Lily don't freak out about this—I mean, even if you do say yes, it's just a date. Not a life time commitment." Ellie tried soothing Lily, this caused her to sob even more.

Lily wiped away the tears that began running down her cheeks as her mascara came down with them. "That's not it, and yet—yet it is, at the same time."

thanks to all reviewers, I would mention you personally, but it's late and I'm tired and I'm trying to get three chapters up. So please, excuse me this once.