Chapter Six: Invitations
It had been a couple days since Lily had fought with James over Lucius and she really hadn't spoken much with him since then. Serves him right, she thought ruefully. Lily had done her best to just avoid him and concentrate on her school work. She really did not want to fight with him, and she had a sneaking suspicion that that is what they would do if she talked to him again.
Lily sighed and looked down at her Transfiguration homework. James knew so much about Transfiguration…
"Lily, flower. What are you doing in this stuffy library?" Lily heard Lucius drawl behind her. She slowly turned around, a grin spreading across her face.
"I'm doing homework, Lucius. Which you should probably be doing as well."
"Well, that's what pretty little flowers are for." Lucius sat in the chair next to her and pulled out his Transfiguration book, having noticed that was what she was working on.
Lily blushed and looked down at her notes. "What do you mean?"
"I mean," Lucius leaned in tucked a strand of loose hair behind her ear, "that we can help each other."
Lily sighed dreamily, shyly looking up at him. He was so nice and courteous. He never yelled at her. Not like James. James… "Alright. Let's get started then, shall we?"
Lily became all business and grabbed his homework to check where he was. She nodded curtly and began writing stuff down. "We shall." Lucius murmured to himself watching her.
Sirius yawned and sprawled across the couch, stretching his feet over Remus who just looked up at him with thin lips. "Padfoot, what are you doing?"
"I'm getting comfortable, Moony. Geeze. Can I help it if you make a good footrest?" Sirius grinned at Remus.
"No, I suppose not." Remus felt a smile tugging at his lips but tried to hide it by looking down at his homework and sighing. "Have you done this?" Remus gestured to his Transfiguration homework. It was quite the popular subject this evening, it seemed.
"Of course not, Moony. I'll do it tomorrow before class."
"You're impossible." Remus threw up his hands and gave up on Sirius, again.
"And that's why you love me." Sirius smirked. "Oh, speaking of love…" He trailed off and glanced at Remus.
Remus looked up sharply, startled. "What?" He choked out.
Sirius appeared not to notice Remus' odd behavior. "What are we going to do about James? He's gone a little bit psycho."
That was the understatement of the year if there ever was one. James was positively out of his mind. All he ever talked about was Lily. He had even begun to stalk her. "Well, Sirius, you know this is your fault. Can you imagine what's going to happen if they ever get their memory back?"
Sirius shuddered. "They'll both murder me?"
"More than likely." Remus chuckled. "And it'll serve you right! I honestly still don't know why you thought it would work."
Sirius began mumbling to himself about uptight righteous werewolves. Remus grinned and slapped him on the knee. "At least you recognize the error of your ways. Maybe they'll only mangle you into a bloody pulp and leave you for the vultures to kill."
"Ah, shut it, Moony." Sirius swung himself off the couch and gave Remus a reproachful look. "At least Lily is here and not at some French school. You know it would have killed James if she never came back." Sirius saw Remus nod before he left for the boys dormitories.
James sat in the back of the library underneath his invisibility cloak watching Lily and Lucius. He ground his teeth watching the way that smarmy bastard took far too many liberties with his girlfriend. She's not your girlfriend. So?
James saw Lucius wrap his arm around Lily's shoulders pulling her close to him. He whispered something in his ear and Lily giggled looking up at him and nodded her head. James wondered what exactly had gone on between the two. They were supposed to be doing their homework for goodness sake! It certainly didn't look like they were accomplishing much homework to James.
While Lily laughed at something Lucius said James decided he couldn't handle it anymore and quietly got up to leave the library. As James approached the couple from behind he couldn't help it. He pulled the invisibility cloak off of him and marched up to Lily and Lucius.
James set his hand on Lily's shoulder, effectively brushing off Lucius' arm. "Lily, will you go to Hogsmeade with me this weekend?" He grit out, glaring at Lucius.
Lily looked up at James, shock written across her face. "James, where did you come from?" She looked around as if trying to ascertain where he had been.
"That doesn't matter, will you go to Hogsmeade with me?" He repeated, his eyes pleading with hers.
"Oh James." Lily bit her lip and looked up at him, tears forming in her eyes. "I can't."
"What?" James bellowed, receiving a sharp glare from Madame Pince.
"I.." Lily faltered before looking up at him weakly. "Lucius just asked me and I've accepted his invitation."
"Yes, Potter. I'm afraid your presence won't be needed around her anymore. Please, remove yourself from my flower's presence so we can continue with our homework. You are upsetting her." Lucius smirked evilly at James while he wrapped his arm around Lily again.
James looked down at Lily who had her head on the desk and appeared to be shaking. "I'm sorry, Lily. For whatever I did. I'm sorry." James strode out of the library before Lucius could comment. He paused at the door to turn back around and see Lily looking at him with unshed tears shining in her eyes. James smiled weakly and left her there. With Lucius.
Lily lay in her bed that night sobbing. She didn't quite know why. There was just something in James Potter's eyes that made her want to cry. She couldn't place the feeling, but she knew something was wrong with her being with Lucius. It wasn't right. But she couldn't back out now. She'd told him she would go to Hogsmeade with him. Why, oh why, did I say yes?
"If I can't be with Lily, then I won't be with anyone." James declared to his dorm mates.
Sirius and Remus exchanged a glance. "Prongs, aren't you overreacting just a little bit?"
"No, Padfoot! I am not. Lily and I are destined to be together. I just know it."
"It's true." Remus whispered audibly.
Sirius snapped his head around and looked at him. "What are you talking about?"
Remus shook his head. "Give up, Sirius. This plan of yours isn't working. Just restore James so we can fix this thing with Lily. He needs to know."
"Know what?" James looked confused at his two best friends.
"Yeah, know what?" Peter piped up looking just as confused.
"Shut it, Wormtail. Moony, you have no idea what you're talking about." Sirius growled menacingly.
"Yes I do." Remus stood up and looked over at James. "There are some things you should know about you and Lily. You two did get together."
"What?" James blinked. "You've gone nuts, Moony. I would definitely remember if I had ever been with Lily Evans."
"But you do remember, James. Everything about your actions speaks of your remembrance." Moony looked significantly at Sirius. "Just do it, Padfoot. You know it's for the best."
Sirius hung his head. "You're too damn smart, Remus."
Remus preened. "I know."
"Will you two please explain what's going on?" James was annoyed, to say the least.
"I'm so sorry, Prongs." Sirius looked at James sadly.
"For what?"
Sirius didn't reply, he merely pointed his wand at James. But James couldn't make out his words because the world was turning black.
Lily sat next to Lucius in a booth at the Three Broomsticks. They were sitting across from Severus Snape and a dull looking Slytherin girl. She didn't appear to be too keen on being there. Lily smiled at her sympathetically and rested her head on Lucius' shoulder. She was very tired from lack of sleep the night before. She had been crying again.
Lucius smiled down at her and wrapped his arm tightly around her waist. "Everything okay, flower?"
Lily looked up at him for a moment before closing her eyes. "Yes, everything's fine. I'm just tired is all."
Snape smirked over at her. "Something keeping you up at night, Evans?"
Lily blushed profusely while Lucius chuckled. "Now now, Severus. That is none of your business." Lucius winked at him. Let him think what he wanted.
Lily sighed and left the conversation drift over her. She was feeling extremely sleepy and lightheaded. She could feel herself drifting off to sleep.
Lucius could feel that Lily had fallen asleep next to him and smirked at Severus, letting him know she was asleep. "I have such a way with the ladies."
"Malfoy, you must tell me your secret." Severus grinned wickedly.
The girl next to him just rolled your eyes. "You boys are so dense. If you can't see that she doesn't really want to be here, then you must be blind." She crossed her arms and glared at the table in front of her. Snape was most likely bribing her to go with him today.
Lucius narrowed his eyes and looked at the girl. "What do you mean?"
"Can't you tell that she's been crying? I would bet ten galleons that it isn't over you, Malfoy."
"You watch your tongue!" Lucius nearly roared but he had felt Lily stirring next to him and had lowered his voice.
Lily opened her eyes. "Oh." She tried to blink the sleep out of her eyes. "I'm sorry, I must have fallen asleep."
Lucius sent a glare at the girl next to Snape before turning to comfort her. "It's perfectly alright, my flower. Would you like to get up and go somewhere more private?"
Lily nodded her head. "Sure, that sounds fine with me."
James heart wrenched as he watched Lily walk out of the Three Broomsticks. Where was that bastard taking her? He excused himself from his friends claiming the need to use the restroom. They had been watching him like a hawk since last night.
James exited the pub from the back and followed Lily and Lucius.
Lucius had guided Lily towards a small park inside of Hogsmeade. They sat together on a bench watching the water flow out of a fountain in front of them. Lily sighed contentedly as Lucius grabbed her hand.
"This is nice." Lily blushed. "The park, I mean. It's pretty."
"Yes. Beautiful." Lily looked up at see Lucius gazing down at her and immediately looked away blushing.
"Stop it, Lucius." Lily's voice held a hint of a giggle in it.
"I can't help myself, Lily. I just want to kiss you."
Lily whipped her head around and stared at him. "What?"
"Shh, flower. It's okay." Lucius leaned forward and before she knew it his lips were on hers. It was an odd sensation to Lily. She really didn't know how to describe it. Lucius wasn't a bad kisser, but she just didn't feel anything from it.
Lily pulled back and looked at him. "Lucius, I don't think that…"
Lucius put a finger to her lips to silence her. He shook his head and smiled knowingly at her before leaning in for another kiss. When Lily felt his tongue at the edge of her lips she gasped involuntarily, and opening her mouth up to him. Something felt very wrong to her and she pulled away again. "Lucius, stop."
Lucius' gaze turned dark. "You don't mean that, Lily." He tried to advance on her again.
"Yes I do." Lily jumped off of the bench and backed away from him. "I'm sorry, Lucius. I just can't… not with you."
Lucius sneered. "Then with who? You'll never find anyone better than me, Evans, and you know it!" Lily stared at him wide-eyed and turned to run away. "Wait, Lily, my flower, come back! We can work things out."
Lucius' words were lost on Lily as she ran away, careening headlong into something very solid.
James had been held back in the streets of Hogsmeade by one of his fellow Quidditch team members. He had wanted to discuss strategy for the upcoming game. James' gaze had frantically followed Lily to the park where Lucius had took her. He had tried his best to brush off his teammate but had been unsuccessful for the most part.
Finally James sighed, "Listen, mate. I'll talk to you about this at practice. Right now I have some business to attend to."
The other boy grinned. "Sure James. I'll see you around later, alright?"
"Yeah." James responded absentmindedly. He started walking towards the park, determined not to let anything else distract him. However, he wasn't so fortunate as something ran straight into him.
"Oof!" The person on top of James strangled out. "What?" Definitely a female voice, James decided as he opened his eyes. Lily was staring right back at him.
"Lily?" James' voice sounded small. She looked very distraught.
"James?" Lily looked up at him. "Oh, James." She flung her arms around his neck and buried her face in his shoulder as she started to cry.
James pulled them into a sitting position on the ground and wrapped his arms around her, rubbing her back. "Shh, Lily, it's okay. Tell me what's wrong."
Lily sniffed and looked up at him. "Everything, James. Everything is wrong. I'm so confused and I don't know what to do." She buried her face in his shoulder again, sobs wracking her small frame.
James carefully picked her up and began walking back to Hogwarts. "It's okay, Lily. I'm here now."
"Thank you, James. You're the best friend a girl could ask for." Lily closed her eyes and leaned against him, just letting him carry her.
"Oh, Lily." I love you.
A/N: Thanks for the reviews, you guys! I seriously appreciate them more than anything! I'm sorry some of you kind of got confused switching from the third chapter to the fourth. That was kind of the point... Hehe. So, to clear up some confusion: Sirius didn't want Lily to go away because he knew it would kill his best friend so he kind of wiped their memories. He knew James a lot better than he did Lily, so she kind of didn't remember anything about the people at Hogwarts, which is why things seemed so new to her... and hence the whole Lucius situation. Hmm. What else.
Oh yes! I'm taking a poll. If you want Sirius and Remus to get together let me know. I think the way I've written it it could go either way. They do make a cute couple sometimes... I don't really get into slash all that much... but you guys wanted a side couple I could do it. I would do anything for my sexy Sirius and Remus.
Let me know how you think it's going and if you have any pointers. I seriously wasn't going to give James his memory back so soon, but it just kind of happened... I wasn't going to have Lucius rape Lily either... which he really wasn't trying to do. He just wanted to make out. This is an absurdly long authors note.. lol. Anyways, thanks for reading, and please review! Seriously your reviews make me sit here and churn out a whole chapter in a matter of an hour...