A/N Thank you so much for the reviews! Special thanks goes out to Tamsididi and Emrisah for reviewing first! It took a wicked long time to update because I forgot to do it and then my parents went to Maine for a week and took the bloody computer with them! I've been having trouble with the first Marauder spectacle of the story. So if you're wondering when the suspense will end, it will probably be next chapter. Just a heads up, there's a really good story called A Marauder's Girl by Peachy Papayas that's great for all you fans of long chapters and L/J plots. Just some free advertising! Now, on to the story!

Chapter Eight: Romeo Must Die

At about 3:00 A.M. Andromeda woke up and couldn't fall back asleep. So she got up, pulled her black curls into a ponytail, and headed down to the Common Room. She sat in one of the large squishy armchairs in front of the fire and began to ponder.

She and Sirius had been…attached since the beginning of the school year. But never had either tried to make them an official couple. So what did that make them? Friends with privileges? Snogging partners? That just sounds sooo wrong! Maybe I should try to make us official…

Flash Back:

It was a sultry summer night, only a few days before the start of term. Andromeda and her family were staying with the Potters for a couple days. The boys (Sirius and James) were off somewhere eating, so Andromeda decided to take a walk. She found herself down by the little lake as usual, and sat on the sandy bank. She dug her toes into the warm sand and smiled.

Just as she was starting to relax, someone tall, dark, and handsome joined her Well, at least that's how Sirius likes to flatter himself. For a while they just sat in silence, enjoying the dying light. Andromeda wondered why he was here instead of off with James.

"So, what have you been up to? You haven't been around all day." Sirius asked.

"Not much really. I mean I went into Godric's Hollow and did some shopping, and then I don't know. I hid in my room for a while and finished my homework." Andromeda said uncertainly. "What were you up to?"

"Me and James just sat around the house all day. You know, playing Chess, Exploding Snap, making bets…"

"Bets? What kind of bets?"

"I think there were three. The first was 5 galleons to me if James kisses Lily and she slaps him. The second was 10 galleons to James if Hannah dates a Slytherin. And the last was 15 galleons to me," Sirius lowered his voice to a whispered baritone, "if I could get you to kiss me."

Andromeda just looked at him. She had liked Sirius for a long time, but thought that she had hid it well.

What else could she do? Nothing! So she did what any girl in her right mind would do. She leaned over and kissed those wonderful lips that she had looked at for some time.

It took Sirius a minute to figure out his ploy had worked. But once he did he kissed her back. When they broke apart for need of air, Sirius grinned.

"Didn't know I'd win so soon."

"Sirius Black, now don't tell me you only kissed me for the money!" Andromeda said teasingly, positively glowing on the inside.

"Whose idea do think it was to make that bet?" He said in a way that made her shiver.

"I don't know. I thought that it was James' idea." She said batting her eyelashes innocently.

"Don't toy with me."

"Fine I guess that, since you put it that way, I won't."

End Flashback.

Andromeda suddenly came out of her reverie when Jen came sleepily down the stairs.

"What are you doing up at this ungodly hour?" She asked groggily.

"I couldn't sleep. I was just thinking." Andromeda replied.

"What about?"

"On whether or not to make Sirius and I official."

"You should. That way if he ever cheated on you, you would have the right to be mad."

"Thanks Jen. Real assuring."

"I'm to tired for this. You should go to bed too. We have a test in Arithmancy and Transfiguration tomorrow."

"Correction, you have a test in Arithmany and Transfiguration. I only have Transfiguration."

"Whatever." Jen said, and the two girls headed up the stairs.

"James, wait up!" Aden shouted, running to catch up with James.

"What?" He said.

"You're not going to believe what I found out yesterday."

"Well? Are you going to tell me or what?" James said impatiently.

"I was outside yesterday when I heard someone crying. I looked who it was and it was Hannah, sobbing her eyes out!"

"Hannah? She never cries. And I mean never. Not since we were like six."

"I know. I asked her why and she told me that she had gotten into a fight with Snape."

"So? That doesn't seem like a reason to cry. What could he possibly have said?"

"Something about mudbloods and bloodtraitors for friends. But that isn't what made her cry. They're dating!"

"I'll KILL him!" James said furiously. "What was she thinking? That greasy git is going to get it!"

"I was thinking that he's ten times a better person then any of you Marauders." Hannah said in a deathly cold voice from behind. "I didn't know you were such a gossip Aden, I had thought better of you. If you hadn't told anyone I could have quietly broken up with him without anyone ever knowing anything. And if you so much as point your wand at him I'll, I'll, I'll, I'll kill you and become Death Eater!"

"Hannah I think you should come with me." Jen finally spoke up. She'd been looking for Hannah all day and heard the tail end of the conversation.

"No, I don't think I will." Hannah said nastily. She turned on her heels and stalked off.

"Do you think she's still going to break up with him?"

Aden asked.

"Knowing Hannah, yes. Stubborn fool, she'll do something to make you miserable though. Well, maybe." Jen replied shaking her head.

"I guess that's something." James sighed. "Remus, Lily! Where have you two been?"

"Oh. Umm. Lily and I needed to talk…" Remus trailed off.

"What about?" James asked his voice laced with suspicion and jealousy.

"We're not going to tell you Potter, so don't bother asking." Lily said.

"Lily Flower, why won't you for once just say something without glaring at me?" James said anxiously.

"I can, see?" Lily smiled, but James noticed it didn't reach her eyes.

"No. I don't see it." And he walked out to the grounds. Lily was struck. She couldn't understand what she had said to make him show that much hurt.

Quite to every ones surprise she raced after him. James had asked her to do something, that really wasn't unreasonable, he had let himself be vulnerable for the first time that she had known him, and she couldn't do any better then a Slytherin.

Lily found James standing near the edge of the water, staring off into the depths of the lake.

"James! James, I'm sorry!" –James cut her off.

"Sorry for what Evans? What crime did you seemingly commit? I didn't notice you acting any different then you usually do."

Lily couldn't read his eyes; the sun playing off his glasses hid them perfectly. "That's the point. You didn't do anything. I acted without consideration for your feelings."

"Since when have you cared about my feelings? You hate me remember?" James' tone gave away nothing.

"We're supposed to hate each other. That's how it's always been, that's how it's supposed to stay. I was comfortable with that. It's just been a constant since I met you. Why, what made you change that?"

"Maybe, for once I'm starting to grow up faster then you. As much as you infuriate me and hurt me sometimes, I am capable of having feelings other then hate for you." James grabbed her shoulders and tilted his face away from the sun. He looked sad, but only sort of. There was something else there that Lily just couldn't name, but the way he looked at her scared her.

"What other feelings?" Lily asked timidly, she was good deal shorter than James, and he was rather intimidating close up.

"I don't think this is worth my time. You wouldn't believe me anyway." James let go her and gave her a small smile. "See you round Evans."

He tried to walk away, really he did. But Lily didn't want to leave it that.

"James, tell me the truth! I want to know!"

"The truth isn't whether you want to know the truth Lily Love, the question is can you handle the truth?" Lily glared at him.

"I can handle anything you throw at me James Potter!"

"Oh yeah?" He said skeptically.

"Yeah."

"Well then, I guess I'll just have to figure out what would throw you off, and take you up on that later." He smirked.

"I'll be waiting." Lily's voice was challenge in itself. James would have a hard time with this one that's for sure.

"SNAPE!" Hannah shouted into the Slytherin Common Room knowing he'd be the only one there.

"What dear?" He sounded frustrated but calm.

"We need to talk!" Hannah tried at being shrill but his calm voice prevented her from doing so.

"You're breaking it off?" It's amazing how free of emotion his voice was.

"I'm, I'm afraid so…"

"I understand completely. It just wasn't working out for either of us." Hannah didn't know what to say to that. She didn't think that he was going to take it this well. And frankly, it was slightly disturbing.

"I'm glad we agree on that…Look, Severus, I still like you as a person, so could we still be friends?" Hannah gave a timid smile.

"Sure Hannah. But not as close."

"Oh good! I'm sure I'm going to need to talk to a non-Gryffindor friend sometime in the near future."

"Why weren't you a Slytherin?" Snape looked frustrated.

"You would have been so much more successful in this house."

"I'm not sure. I guess I had a few traits that didn't quite fit in at Slytherin." Hannah gave a full smile now. "Goodbye Severus."

"Goodbye…"

After she left Snape got up and went to find Malfoy. He would know what to do with that Gryffindor trash. The whole lot of them.

'I can't stand this! Hannah is going to drive me over the edge someday. Why is nothing simple with her? As if I'm not troubled enough with everything else that's happened!'

Jen was sitting by herself in the Astronomy tower. She had come here to think as she often did when she was troubled.

Jen dug in her pockets until she found what she was looking for. 'Someday I should just burn this.'

Looking at the picture Jen marveled at how happy it was. If only those fools knew what would happen in the next few weeks.

Everyone in the picture smiled and waved and laughed. It was enough to make her sick. It was enough to make her want to jump off the tower. It was enough to make her want to shut out the world forever.

But of course, she couldn't. Jen felt that there were certain things that she should be doing. That had to be done to make sure she wasn't a disappointment.

She stuffed the bloody picture back into her pocket and went to go find Lily.

"Sirius? Are you in here?" Andromeda wrinkled her nose when she stepped into the boy's dorm.

"Yeah. What can I do for you my fair lady?" Sirius came out of the Loo with a bathrobe on and wet hair.

"Oh…umm…Well, for starters I came here to talk about the whole 'my fair lady' thing."

"What about it?"

"Well, I mean, what are we?" She said wringing her hands.

"Think of us as Romeo and Juliet! Our families hate each other, but are forced together by us." Sirius said gallantly.

"But they were engaged! We're not even an official couple! What is that supposed to mean?"

"Would this make you feel any better?" Sirius got down on one knee and pulled a pink sapphire ring out of his pocket. He cleared his voice. "Andromeda Mellacost will you be my girlfriend?"

"Yes!" She gasped as Sirius slid the ring onto her finger.

"This is such a surprise! How did you know?"

"I had actually been meaning to ask you for some time, but never found the right moment. This seemed perfect" He shrugged and grinned.

"Thank you. It's absolutely gorgeous!" Andromeda admired the ring. She gave him a kiss on the cheek and ran from the room, giggling the whole way.

When Jen and Andromeda entered their dorm a flash of light greeted them. Lily appeared holding her diary looking slightly discontented.

"What's up guys?" She asks turning around.

"Oh nothing much. Hannah's dating Snape, Aden is heart-broken, James is swearing revenge…the usual." Jen replied.

"Hannah and Snape—they're—what! Eeww!" Lily looked disgusted. Andromeda burst into hysterical laughter.

"Well I have better news." Andromeda said smugly. "Sirius and I are official!" She held out her hand with the ring on it.

"Oh! I'm so proud of you! When did this happen?" The girls spent the next hour talking about their days. Lily finished her tale about 'mature' Mr. Potter with a sigh. I'm so confused."

"Well, we'll just have to ride this one out to see if he screws up." Jen said. With that they headed down to dinner.

A/N Whew! That was long! I decided to end that one on a happy sort of sappy moment. What can I say, I suck at writing fluffy scenes, but I absolutely love them. Now what did you think of the emotional rollercoaster that was chapter eight? Try to remember as much from this chapter as possible, there were many hints at things to come. I usually write at night because all my emotions from the day are kept up inside me all day. So that no one but me sees them and I can pour them into the story. It's a healthy vent. (Shrugs casually.) Please Review! Any questions you want answered let me know!

Celina K2 :)