Author's Note: This chapter will be a bit longer, thank goodness. I didn't realize the last chapter was so short!
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.
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It had been three days since Lily was in the hospital wing. She was walking to Charms with her friend, Alsie, and was lost in thought about one thing: James Potter. "You know, Lily," Alsie said slowly and carefully. "I heard, from a VERY reliable source, that James doesn't like you anymore." Lily sighed. "You heard this from Kia, didn't you?" Kia was known for her ridiculous gossip. Alsie blushed. "That's not the point! Does he like you or does he not?" Lily was startled by her ferocity,but didn't want to show her feelings to even Alsie, so she said calmly, "No, he doesn't. Kia got something right for once." At this her friend beamed. "He wouldn't let anyone date him before, so does that mean he's up for grabs?" Lily wasn't stupid. She knew what her friend had wanted ever since she had laid eyes on James. "I guess," she muttered. All she wanted to do was tell her that James was hers. But Alsie WAS a friend and all...Lily had known her far longer than she had known James or the rest of the Marauders.
"Lily, do you think he'll ask me out? Do you? I think I saw him looking at me during History if Magic! He was staring at me! I swear!"
Lily rolled her eyes. "Alright, alright. I believe you."
Alsie stuck her tongue out. "Your just jealous!" she said teasingly. To Alsie's surprise, and to Lily's horror, Lily blushed. "Oh hey," Lily said nervously, "There's the classroom! We better get a move on! Eheh heh heh heh..."
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Christmas Season
"James Potter is going out with that weird girl, Alsie what-ever-her-last-name-is!"
"No way! I thought he liked that one girl with red hair!"
"Apparently he's over her. Hard to believe, isn't it? I can't believe I didn't make a move faster! Oh well, Sirius is not taken yet...for now. I wonder when he'll get his new girlfriend of the week?"
"Actually, Sirius is going out with the girl that was the only one to beat you in Defense Against the Dark Arts class. I think her name is Didi, or Dotti or something."
Whispers like that and many others flew through the corridors of Hogwarts. It didn't take long for Lily to find out her best friend had hooked up with the guy she liked, and that Dini was going out with Sirius. Especially since every person in all of seventh year had the kindness to bombard her with questions concerning James, and talk to her about Dini.
She had just escaped the mob when James strode up to her. "Are you really-" James cut her question short. "Yes. Alsie and I are going out." Lily laughed a bit. "How many times do you think people have asked you if it was true?"
James chuckled. "How many different questions did you get asked about me?" They laughed. "You know," he said, "this is one of the first conversations we've had without me asking you out and you slapping me and rejecting me in a loud voice." Lily realized she missed those days. He frowned. "Those slaps really hurt, too." Lily said in a mock solemn voice, "I am the grand master in the art of slapping. Train with me, young one, and learn the art that has been mastered through the ages." James said skeptically, "Three years is 'through the ages' now, huh?"
They laughed as Alsie came running up. She looked at them, her best friend laughing with her new boyfriend. 'Lily doesn't usually get that happy...' She walked straight up to them and said warmly, "Hello James!" Then her tone was one of pure ice. "And greetings to you too, Lily." Lily was taken aback. "Jamesie (here both Lily and James rolled their eyes)," Alsie continued in a sweet voice, "have you heard of the dance that Dumbledore is preparing for the holiday season? It's gonna be wonderful! Of course you and I are going together! We are gonna be the lovliest couple!" Lily winced. She knew that she was considered the prettiest girl in school. 'James and I would make a much more lovely couple.' She resisted the urge to hit herself, which would bring attention to her. 'What am I saying? Shouldn't I be happy for them?'
"Yeah, Alsie. It's gonna be great... Just don't ever call me 'Jamesie' again. Ever." James grinned at Alsie, and patted down her smooth brown hair. Alsie sqealed with joy. Then turning to Lily, she was Ice Alsie again. "Too bad you don't have a date," she said too sweetly. James looked uncomfortable. "Hey, see you around Lily." He turned and headed toward History of Magic with Lily's supposed best friend. Lily sank to her knees and sighed.
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Gryffindor Common Room (Lily and her friends are alone)
Lily settled down into the plush red armchair by the fire once again, and Sylvie and Dini took their places next to it, on the identical blue and green ones. Sylivie on blue, Dini on green. "Do you have a date for the ball yet, guys?" Dini asked happily. She and Sirius had been divising pranks. He had told her she was a genius at it, but not better than James. Dini had scowled at him. Sylvie blushed bright red, and Lily stared at the ceiling wistfully. Dini gasped, and said, "Sylvie!", which got Lily's attention right away. Sylvie blushed even more, if possible. Lily fully grasped the situation at hand, and gasped together with Dini. "The same Sylvie that's been scared of guys for years, has a date?" Dini asked. "Who is it? You can tell us," Lily said in what she hoped was a comforting voice, but she couldn't hide her excitement. She and Dini had been trying to hook her up with various boys over years, but all attempts ended in failure. Sylvie was just too shy. But here she was, with a date of her own.
"I-it's..i-it's," Sylvie started uncertainly. "Yes?" Lily and Dini leaned forward eagerly. "It's Remus!" Sylvie almost fainted. Her friends grinned widely. "How did it happen?" asked Lily. "We're not going out or anything," Sylivie answered, getting bolder by the second. "We were walking to charms, and you were going to Potions, and Dini was going to Divintation, so we struck up a conversation, and at the end he asked me to the ball."
"Awesome! How about you, Lily?" Lily's smile faded, and she told them what happened in the hospital wing, something she had hidden from her friends for awhile. "But," Dini said, confused, "don't you hate him? Shouldn't you be happy?" Lily covered her face with her hands. "Well, just before he said that, I realized I liked him. And now-"
"And now he's going out with Alsie," Sylvie finished softly. Both of their faces showed vivid concern for Lily, and Lily felt a surge of gratitude for towards fate for allowing her to meet such wonderful friends.
"Don't worry, I'll just go there by myself." She said confindently.
There was the sound of people getting through to the common room, and something told Lily to shout, "Hide!" and that's what they did. Under each of their special chairs.
In came Alsie and James, holding on to each other fondly. "I love you, James." Alsie said. And they kissed. Right in front of Lily's eyes. Tears were welling up in her eyes, but she forced them back, as she watched the guy she loved kiss the girl she had grown up with and trusted most of all.
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Lily's Dorm
It was night, and Lily cried herself to sleep.
When she woke up, she remembered the strangest dream. Her and James were married, and James was murdered at the hands of Voldemort. 'I sacrificed myself for our...child?' She dismissed the dream from her mind, and got ready for her first class.
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I don't know how this will look on the screen, but hey, at least it's longer than the first! I'm sure you'll agree.
Woo-hoo! Reviews! (Note: If your reading this story, can you please review? It sort of bothers me that i have 40 times more hits than reviews. Maybe no one likes it. Oh well.)
To DSK: I sure hope it becomes very interesting.
To webling-girl05: It's ok! I'll try to update when I have free time...(which I have too much of...)