Disclaimer: Jo owns it all.
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Chapter Four: Hogsmeade and a few good snogs
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That Saturday was the Hogsmeade weekend. Alice went with Frank, and Corinne went with Jason Willard. Hope also had a date. Lily, Leighna, and Karen went together. These three were having butterbeers in The Three Broomsticks, when the Marauders walked in. They immediately came over to the girls' table, which was a semi-circular booth, and sat down. Sirius went up to the bar to get them butterbeers.
Somehow, James ended up next to Lily. He grinned. "So, where's the Giant Squid?"
Lily laughed. Here we go again, she thought. "He left me for another woman."
James laughed, too. "Really? That's too bad." Lily Evans is smiling at me!
"Yeah. No big deal, though. He can be replaced." Merlin, am I flirting with James Potter?
James smirked, but before he could reply, Remus interrupted. "Do you guys mind if Karen and I go to Honeydukes?" Karen blushed.
Lily smiled to herself. "No, actually, that's fine. I need to go to Scrivenshafts's and get some new quills, anyway."
"I'll go with you, Lily," said Leighna.
"And Prongs and I need to go to Dervish and Banges and get my sneakoscope fixed. It keeps going off whenever Wormy enters the room."
"Yeah, we think he might have a girlfriend he's not telling us about or something."
They all laughed and went their separate ways.
………
"So, flirting with James Potter, are we?" said Leighna slyly when she and Lily were alone inside Scrivenshaft's.
"That was a mistake! I don't know what was up with me."
"You like him, that's what's up with you!"
"No, I don't!"
"Oh, come on, Lily! Just admit it!"
"Listen really closely, Leighna. I. Do. Not. Like. James. Potter. I never have, and I don't plan to anytime soon. Or anytime at all, for that matter. Drop it."
"Yes, ma'am." But Leighna was still grinning slyly.
Lily rolled her eyes and paid for the quills she picked out.
………
"Well, Prongs, I think you're getting somewhere with that girl."
"Yeah, I know! She flirted with me! Did you see how red her face was after she realized that?"
"Yeah, it was priceless!"
"So how am I doing with the not-being-so-arrogant thing?"
"To tell you the truth, Prongs, I can't tell any difference. But it doesn't seem to matter. Maybe she's finally seeing past all that."
"I hope so."
………
Later that night, Lily and Leighna were the only ones in the common room, besides a few first years.
"Where's everyone else?" Lily wondered out loud.
"Corinne is with Jason, undoubtedly snogging, Alice is with Frank, also presumably snogging, and Karen is with Remus, I think."
"At least some people's relationships are going well. All I have is a bunch of friends who think I like the biggest prat Hogwarts has ever seen."
"Lily, why won't you give James a chance?"
"I just don't like him." Leighna opened her mouth to say something, so Lily quickly added, "I know you think I do, but I don't! Seriously!"
"You called, love?" Sirius popped up beside Lily.
Lily rolled her eyes. "Go away, Black. I said seriously, not Siriusly."
"I'll go away in a moment, but I just want to get one thing straight. You claim to not like James?"
"No, I don't!"
"Ah, but I beg to differ. You were flirting with him an awful lot today in Hogsmeade."
"Why does everybody in the world think that I have feelings for James Potter all of a sudden?"
"Er…because you do?"
"And it's completely obvious, love."
Lily sighed and went up to her dormitory to write in her diary.
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February 16, 1977.
Dear Diary,
Now Sirius thinks I like James! Merlin, I just called him James! This is not happening to me! I cannot possibly like Potter! It's just not right!
I admit, I did flirt with him in Hogsmeade today. But that was nothing! I mean, I must have just had too much butterbeer or something.
Alice just walked in. She looks sufficiently guilty and disheveled. I'd better question her.
Love always,
Lily Marie Evans
………
"Have a good snog, Alice?"
"I don't know what you're talking about."
Lily rolled her eyes. "Come on! I've been best friends with you for more than five years! I can tell when you're guilty."
Alice mumbled something indistinctly.
"What Ali?"
"Broom closet across from Filch's office."
Lily burst out laughing. "That doesn't sound very smart!"
"Silencing charm."
"Ah."
………
Karen came back so late that even Corinne was back before her. She slowly opened the door to the dormitory, hoping that everyone else was asleep. But of course, they were all up waiting for her.
Seeing Karen's appearance, Lily smirked. "So, where've you been, Karen?" she asked innocently.
Karen blushed. "Er…you know…doing stuff."
Leighna smiled. "Would 'doing stuff' have anything to do with Remus, by any chance?"
"Er…what would give you that idea?"
Alice rolled her eyes. "Okay, fine. You don't have to admit to it, but just to let you know, two of us were doing the same thing."
"Really? Where were you snogging? I…I mean…" Karen's face got redder if possible.
"Ha! You were snogging with Remus!"
"Broom closet off the Entrance Hall," Karen murmured.
"Broom closet across from Filch's office," Alice replied.
Everyone looked expectantly at Corinne.
"What? Oh…oh, fine. Trophy room. I wouldn't have been back so early, but a couple of fifth-year prefects caught us."
They all laughed. Corinne looked hurt. Finally Lily choked out, "Sorry, but you got caught by fifth-years! And that stopped you?"
"They were really mean fifth years!" Corinne said defensively. Everybody howled louder at this. "Oh, shut up, you guys!"
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Sorry this chapter was so short. Review, please!
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