Chapter 13:
The next two months, Lily concentrated on two things: keeping up with her students, and avoiding Jason at all costs. He tried to talk to her a few times after the year began, but after Remus confronted him about it, he merely stared, silently, whenever he saw her around the castle. James and Lily kept in touch with letters, and he had visited her once, but it had been awkward, as if it were an old flame, and they were not actually still in a relationship. After that, the letters became less frequent, and shorter, but he still wrote them, and she always replied.
At the beginning of November, Lily wrote to James reminding him that they had a short, week-long break that month, and asking if she could come home to see him for it. She received the simple reply that he would be away for most of that week, and the rest he would be working. Lily got the hint, and wrote back that it was fine, but that night she went to bed early and cried herself to sleep.
"Pass the bacon, please," Remus asked. Lily didn't move; she was staring off into space, holding her coffee cup suspended in the air, halfway to her mouth.
"Lily? Liiillyyy..." Remus tried waving his hand in front of her face. He rolled his eyes and shook her shoulder slightly. Lily blinked and turned, glassy-eyed to look at him.
"Mhm?"
"What is wrong with you lately?" Remus asked, reaching over her to grab the bacon himself.
Lily closed her eyes and shook her head. "Oh, um, nothing...I'm fine!"
She took a sip of her coffee and forced a smile.
"You sure? You've been acting weird, and you don't look so good," Remus pressed, watching her carefully.
"Yeah, sure...I'm good...just tired, is all," Lily finished off her coffee and stood up. "Gotta go prepare my class."
"Bye," Remus waved.
Lily turned back. "Hey, Remus?"
He looked up. "Yeah?"
"What are you doing for the break?" Lily asked him.
Remus shrugged. "Just going back to London, I guess, why?" he replied.
"Can I maybe stay with you?" Lily asked.
He smiled and took her hand. "Anytime, Lils."
"Thanks."
"No problem," he said, standing up. He kissed her on the forehead. "Now get to class, young lady!"
Lily giggled slightly and smiled, before turning and walking swiftly through the Great Hall.
"Are you ready?" Remus asked, as he walked through Lily's open door.
"Well, that all depends; ready to rumble, or just ready to go? Because see, I'm done with my packing, but I might need a few more minutes stretching before I'll be ready to kick your scrawny little-"
"Ok, ok...I get the hint," Remus stopped her as he walked over to the bed. "You're funny" he added in an undertone that sounded remarkably similar to that of the classic Beavis and Butthead characters.
Lily took a little bow for the empty room. "Thank-you, thank-you, everyone. Yes, I'd like to thank the academy, and all the little people; yes, hello little people!" she waved to the space where the floor met the wall and winked before turning back to her duffle.
"Har har," Remus fake laughed. "Now hurry up!" He added, hitting her lightly on the shoulder before dropping his own bag to the floor and falling back onto Lily's bed.
"No need; I'm ready!" Lily said in a very high-pitched voice as she zipped her bag up.
"Ohhh, but I was just getting comfortable! What a soft bedspread you have, Miss Evans," Remus joked, pretending to stroke the comforter with his hand and looking supremely happy.
"Yes it is, isn't it? Now get up!" Lily said, smacking his thigh.
"Owww! You hit my fat again, Lily - you know how self-conscious I am about my thunder thighs," he whispered the last two words behind his hand and faked that he was upset.
"Right, right...almost as touchy a subject as your big squishy butt!" Lily asked him, pretending to be sincere.
"Oh no you did-int!" he cried, sitting up and grabbing Lily around the waist.
"Ahhh!" she cried. "Remus, let go, let go of me, I said-" but her words were cut off my loud round of giggles as he began to tickle her all over.
Both Lily and Remus fell back onto the bed; he stopped tickling her and lay back.
Lily sighed. "Remus?"
"Mhm?"
"Tell me we're going to have fun this week," Lily said, rolling onto her side to look at him.
He smiled at her. "I promise."
"Good," she announced, laying back down. "I need some fun," she added, a little sadness in her voice.
"What do you say - five more minutes?" Remus asked.
Lily closed her eyes and before replying. "Five more minutes."
The car pulled up to Remus' house that night, and Lily couldn't wait to get inside. The ride had been longer than usual and she had a lot of pent up energy to let loose.
The driver came around and opened Lily's door, and she hopped out excitedly.
"Thank-you!" she told him with a bright smile.
The driver nodded to her, "You're welcome, Miss Evans." He shook his head and smiled as she bounded towards the house.
Remus sighed and let himself out of the car; he went around to help the driver with the luggage.
"Looks like you have your hands full with that one," the driver joked to Remus, nodding his head at Lily, who was hopping up and down in front of the house, waiting for Remus to unlock the door.
"Wha- er, I mean, no. As in she's not mine - um..." Remus took a breath before trying again. "I mean, we're not dating. She has a boyfriend, we're just...friends." He told the driver, who raised his eyebrows.
"Ok, I believe you..."
"Reeeeemmussss!" Lily called to him and they both looked over.
"What?" he yelled back.
"Hurry up with the luggage and let me in!" she ordered, setting her feet down and crossing her arms. Remus just shook is head at her and her whole charade fell apart as the giggle fit began.
"Ahem - you better go attend to your not-girlfriend-just-friend, mate," the driver told Remus; he winked.
Remus sighed. "Alright..." and he sauntered off towards the house, the driver chuckling behind him.
The doorbell rang and Lily was out of her room and down the stairs like a shot. She had suggested that they order some Chinese food and watch a movie (she had sent Remus out to find a video store with some muggle money and a few titles scribbled onto a piece of parchment.)
"IIII'll get it!" she yelled, joyfully as the delivery boy rang again.
"No way, Lily," Remus said as he joined her from the kitchen. "You already paid for the mooov-thingys (movies) and you are, in fact, my guest - I will not let a guest treat the host."
"Ah," she replied, a cunning look on her face as she reached into her pocket. "But I am the guest with the muggle money! Ha! I'm paying, now excuse me!" she said as she opened the door.
"At least let me pay you back in wizard money, Lils," Remus offered.
"Nope," Lily replied, smacking some sauce off of her finger as she opened up the Chinese food.
"Please?" he tried again.
"No way, mister."
"Lillllyyyy!" Remus was full-on whining now.
She stopped opening containers and turned to him. "Ok, you wanna pay me back?" she asked.
Remus sighed happily and reached into his pocket.
"No, no...that's not what I meant," Lily cut him off and he scowled at her.
"What then?"
She grinned mischievously. "Got any wine?"
Remus rolled his eyes at her. "You are too easy to please, Lily Evans."
A/N:
Hotkat114:
wellll, you'll just have to read on and see what happens. I will say that there is definite dram in the upcoming chapters! but you didn't hear it from me! lol
Tahirisolo90:
same as above...the net chapter or so may have y'all freakin' out a bit - but we all know how it ends...or do we? evil laugh lol - i love having the power. :)
thanks for reading!