A/N: I'm back!

Many thanks to: Monkey, littlecutie007, Elisabeth, Bon Bear, Etar, Nao, lurv2boogie, SerenityRose016, I think i'm drowning, lurv2boogie, pipperrock13, SnowflakeGinny, allie kat5, l8uppl, jiame, marauder-chick101, mollymo, Roonil, and secretdaydreamer, for boosting my self-esteem.

I'm sorry that the updates are slowing down, but I'm back at school and things are kind of crazy, especially since exams are next week. But since I really, really, don't want to study for my Biology exam, I decided that I might as well update. Plus, I was originally planning on having something happen, but it wasn't working. So I scrapped that and came up with a completely new idea for this chapter.

Enjoy!

Scarett sat next to Lily at the Gryffindor table, absentmindedly eating a piece of toast and scanning the Daily Prophet.

"Hey, look! There's an article about your brother!" exclaimed Lily, who was reading over her shoulder, pointing to a miniscule article buried in the back pages. Scarlett read the headline aloud.

"'Lundgren Discovers Link Between Kneazle Flu and Dragon Pox.' Well, that'll please him, Adam hasn't owled me about anything else for months."

"Your brother is pathetic," said an unpleasant voice from behind them. Regulus Black, a scraggly and malicious Slytherin 5th year, was sneering at them.

"No one asked your opinion, Black," said Scarlett irritably.

"Your entire family is full of Mudblood-lovers too, " Black continued, eyeing Lily.

"What did you just say?" Scarlett exclaimed, drawing her wand. She was about to curse Regulus into oblivion, but someone else got there first. He crumpled into a heap on the floor, greenish tentacles sprouting from his face.

"That's a good look for you, Reg," said Sirius Black, kicking his brother's limp body. Scarlett stared at him, her mouth hanging open.

"Why—why did you—?" She was having trouble forming a coherent sentence. Sirius obviously thought he was going to get punched again. He flinched and backed away from her.

"He insulted you," he said, "Plus, he's a git. I should know, I've lived with him for 15 years." He looked at Scarlett and took another step backward.

"Thanks," she said dazedly, and turned back to her toast.

Lily was not speaking to James. In fact, she was going out of her way to avoid him. Every time he entered a room, she promptly exited it, and when it came to lessons, she sat on the opposite side of the room and refused to look at him. It was three days after the disastrous Hogsmeade visit, but the entire school had heard about Remus Lupin and James Potter fighting over Lily Evans by Dinner the night it had happened. Of course, the details had been altered a bit in the many retellings of the story, and she swore she heard a group of 3rd years gossiping excitedly about how James Potter had beaten Lupin's face in and then transfigured him into a carrot.

Lily rolled her eyes. If they knew what had happened between her and Potter after she had dragged him outside, their primitive brains might explode from the excitement. She tried to block out the memory of that incident. The things that had transpired during the confrontation had made everything much more complicated. For one thing, she had to think about the kiss, and she couldn't deny the fact that she hadn't really minded that James had kissed her. In fact, a small voice in the back of her mind was feebly suggesting that maybe she had even enjoyed it.

Also, the memories brought up the fact that Remus was a werewolf. Lily was ashamed to admit it, but she had been avoiding Remus too. The news shouldn't have surprised her so much; after all, it was obvious that there was something wrong with him. Lily had always just assumed that he had a weak immune system or something.

"Lily!" a familiar voice shouted from behind her. Too late, she thought. She had been spotted, and there was no running now.

"Hi, Remus," she said, facing him. He looked awful, she noted. Although there was no evidence of the fight left on his face, he was extremely pale, and even thinner than usual.

"Lily," he repeated, looking around. "Can we go somewhere private?" The 3rd years whispered eagerly, probably in anticipation of more gossip to share with their friends.

"Erm…sure," she said, allowing him to lead her into an empty classroom.

"I know what you know," he said, closing the door behind them.

"Oh, Remus, I'm so sorry," Lily said, and truly meant it. "I know you think I've been avoiding you because of it, but it's not true. This whole situation is just so….awkward."

"Lily, I can't go out with you anymore," Lupin said bluntly. Lily gaped at him. This was not the reaction she had expected.

"W-What?" she spluttered.

"I'm worried about hurting you," he continued. "I don't know how I thought that things could work out between us, what with my, um…problem, and all. But the reality is that by being together, I'm putting you in danger." Lily stared at him.

"Remus…" she started, and then realized that she had no idea what to say. He shook his head, and smiled sadly.

"Friends?" he asked, extending his hand. Lily took it, and returned the sad smile.

"Friends," she replied. Remus walked out of the classroom, leaving her alone. Lily stood there for a moment while her mind attempted to sort out her jumbled emotions, but then the bell rang.

"Damn," she swore loudly, and ran to her next class.

James was furious with himself. Although he still wasn't speaking to Lupin, he felt a wave of remorse whenever he thought about punching him. He had attacked one of his best friends and made a complete prat out of himself in the process. Everywhere he went, whispers followed him, and everywhere he went, Lily made herself scarce. Did I really kiss her? he thought in horror. What was I thinking? He closed his eyes and remembered his first (and probably last) kiss with Lily Evans. He might have been imagining it, but he had sworn that she had kissed him back. Before she slapped him, of course. A small hint of hope appeared in James' mind. Maybe he did still have a chance…

"I think you're just going mad, mate," he said, and then realized he was talking to himself.

"I think I'm going insane," Scarlett told Lily that night in their dormitory. "For one moment at breakfast this morning, I felt like kissing Black, instead of maiming him." Freja and Sophie let out an excited "Ooooo" in unison. She glared at them, and continued.

"Well, he did jinx his own brother, just because he insulted us," Lily pointed out as she climbed into bed. Scarlett looked skeptical.

"Look, if Adam was anything like Regulus Black, I would jinx him at every opportunity," she said, pulling back the curtains of her own four-poster. She paused for a moment, then asked, "Do you think Sirius could change?"

"I think you should give him a chance," Lily replied after a moment's thought. "But the moment he breaks your heart I will personally make sure that he is never considered good-looking again." Scarlett smiled.

"Are you going to give James Potter a chance?" she asked playfully.

"Not on your life," Lily answered, but in her mind she wasn't so sure.

"Hey, Evans."

Lily sighed. She had made absolutely sure that James was not in the Common Room before sitting down in her favorite armchair to work on her Arithmancy homework, and yet there he was, sitting on the chair's arm and grinning at her.

She tried to say "Go away, Potter, didn't you get the message when I slapped you?" but what came out of her mouth sounded more like,

"Ermmmph." James raised an eyebrow. He started to say "What language are you speaking now, Evans? Orangutan?" but then remembered the pact that he had made with himself. It expressly forbade making fun of Lily. He ended up saying something that sounded much more like,

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrllg." Lily and James stared at each other, and then burst out laughing.

"Evans, d'you want to go out with me?" James suddenly found himself saying. Nooooooo, he thought, you prat, you just ruined everything. Lily abruptly stopped laughing.

"No."

"In what situation would you go out with me?" James' mouth said. He realized with horror that his brain had severed all ties with it.

"Maybe if you tap danced on the Gryffindor table in your underwear while singing me love songs," Lily retorted, and slammed her heavy textbook closed. "Now if you don't mind, I'm going to try and find someplace where I can work in peace!"

Remus sat alone by the dying fire in the Common Room. The rest of the students had gone up to bed hours ago, but he found that he couldn't sleep. He gazed into the embers, wondering what Lily was dreaming about. Probably James, he thought miserably. Breaking up with her had probably been the hardest thing he had ever had to deal with, even harder than transforming at every full moon. As much as he didn't want to admit it, he was still as in love with Lily as he had been at the start. It's for the good of both of us, he thought with a sigh. I just hope she ends up with a guy that will make her happy.

Remus started at the sound of footsteps behind him. It was James.

"I noticed you weren't upstairs, so I thought I would come to make sure you were all right," he said awkwardly. Lupin nodded mutely. James turned to go back to the dormitory, but paused, his foot on the first step.

"I'm sorry, Moony," he said after a long pause, and went upstairs without another word.

Lily awoke groggily. She hadn't slept very well; her dreams had been full of images of Remus as a wolf. Unfortunately, she only had 20 minutes for breakfast, however tired she might be. Lily fumbled blindly for her uniform, her eyes still half shut. She managed to get all of the appropriate garments on their corresponding body parts and slumped downstairs, her hair uncombed and sticking out in all directions. As she neared the Great Hall, she noticed that something strange was happening. Instead of the usual buzz that emanated from the room, there was absolute silence. As she entered the hall, she became horribly aware that there was only one person speaking. Or rather, there was only one person singing, in an off-key tenor voice. She looked up, afraid of what she might see.

James Potter was standing on the Gryffindor table amid the plates of toast and pitchers of pumpkin juice, wearing nothing but a pair of dark-blue boxers. He was doing an odd sort of jig, and singing something that sounded an awful lot like a ballad. Lily managed to catch the words "green eyes" and "one that I adore." Then it hit her…she had said that she would go out with him if he tap danced on the Gryffindor table in his underwear while singing her love songs. She didn't know whether to laugh, cry, or run screaming from the room.

Lily managed to make it to the table while maintaining a straight face. She sat down next to Scarlett, who was staring at James with a worried expression on her face.

"It's finally happened, Lily. You've driven him completely and utterly insane," she whispered. James tapped his way over to where she was sitting.

"Now will you go out with me, Evans?" he crooned. Lily felt her face turn bright red. What was he doing? Why couldn't he take no for an answer?

"Stop it, you're embarrassing the both of us," she whispered furiously. "Have you gone insane?"

"You make me craaaazy!" warbled James in reply. Lily cradled her head in her hands. She was aware that everyone in the Great Hall was staring at the two of them. Several of the teachers had paused mid-chew, and were gaping at James with their mouths open. Potter, if they don't take you to St. Mungo's after this incident, I will kill you, she thought.

But watching him make a fool of himself in front of the entire school was starting to weaken her resolve. No! her mind screamed. He's James Potter! You despise him! You want him to burn in the deepest circle of hell! A small voice piped up in the back of her head. You should give him a chance, it said. He's dancing on a table in his underwear for you, and displaying his very nice 6-pack. He's madly in love with you, Lily Evans, even though you've done nothing but be nasty to him.

"Merlin, Potter, I'll do anything to get you to stop singing," she found herself saying. Did I just say yes? she wondered in bewilderment. Oh, Lord…what is wrong with me?

"I'll take that as a yes," he replied, and, for the second time that week, kissed her.

A/N: I rewrote the ending, I decided that it didn't really fit the first time. It's less abrupt now, although I'm still not entirely happy with it. Oh, well. Many thanks to Etar, though, for making me realize that the ending sucked and I should never try to write at 1:00 in the morning again!

Please remember to REVIEW!