Cowers- I know, I know. I'm awful. But my life is insane, and that sounds like an excuse and maybe it is, but it's also true. So don't hate on me. Please. Por favor. Sil vous plait. That's the extent of my tri-linguality.

So here comes the next long-awaited (or at least I'd like to think) chapter.

Disclaimer: IT'S NOT MINE! I PROMISE!

Chapter 5

James opened the door for Lily as they entered the Potter household. The drive home from the funeral had been uncomfortable. James thought of it as about twenty awkward silences put together.

As they walked into the kitchen and Lily set her car keys on the counter, however, the tension between them started to ease, like one of those things that checks your blood pressure finally letting up.

Lily sat down on a kitchen stool, put her head on her arms, and sighed, exhausted but relieved it was all over. James just stood on the other side of the counter and looked at her. They stayed like this for a few minutes, just letting memories of the day wash over them, then finally wash away.

When Lily looked up, James was behind her, and his hands were on her shoulder. For once, most likely because she was so tired, she didn't reprimand him. She put her head back down as he started to rub her shoulders.

While he did this, not only did the pressure in her back leave, but the pressure between the two of them left. James was sure that Lily knew the same thing he did- they were at a truce. It may not have been altogether correct to call them friends, for what did that term really mean?

James kept on kneading Lily's back in almost a rhythmic way. It felt so good that Lily almost forgot that she hadn't eaten anything all day. But only almost.

Breaking through the silence of the kitchen Lily's stomach took a stand.

Grrroooooowwwwlllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

Lily sat up, and James stopped rubbing her back. Then, all of a sudden, James' stomach joined in.

Grrroooooowwwwlllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

James started laughing. "That's a pretty sound," he said jokingly.

"Oh, yes. I think we should make a new band," Lily said, playing along.

"We could call it 'The Growlers'. It would be the hit of WWN!" James exclaimed.

They joked in this manner for a while, but after a few moments, their hunger took precedence.

"Okay, I really need to eat something," Lily said desperately.

Without saying a word, James stood up and walked toward the refrigerator. He started pulling out an odd combination of things: yogurt, bananas, milk, and strawberries. Then, he pulled some chocolate powder out of a cabinet, and finally, a blender.

In what seemed a "trying this for the first time" way, James took all of his ingredients and started to throw them pell-mell into the blender. Lily giggled as he started fighting with the blender.

"Bloody thing…." He turned to Lily. "My mum used to make me smoothies all the time. The only problem is, she never showed me how to use this God-forsaken blender, and now I can't show off for you by being 'Mr. Good-Cooker.'"

Lily smiled and walked over to James and the blender.

"Now, I'm sure that all of this pent-up anger is not healthy, and it is really not healthy to take it out on the poor blender," Lily said in her "mediator" voice. "The question is, what caused all this anger?" She tried to keep a straight, 'thoughtful' face, but soon broke into a silly grin. In what seemed like .03 seconds, she had fixed the blender, and all of the ingredients were mixing together like…well, like magic.

"Well that was a blow to my ego," James said with a slight frown.

"I think you need one every now and then," Lily retorted. "Oh- I think the smoothies are done!" she exclaimed with childish delight.

James found two tall glasses from a cabinet and filled them up with the pinkish drink.

The two of them sat down at bar stools in companionable silence, just slurping away at their smoothies.

Maybe "friends" wasn't the word to describe what they were, James thought, but making smoothies together gives you a certain bond that never goes away.

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Yes, I know. It was short, and it was a filler, and it came many, many months late. Please don't hate me. I have joined Inconsistent Updaters Anonymous, and their twelve-step program seems to be doing wonders for me. As always, me want reviews. So please don't leave me reviewless! I always appreciate ideas/suggestions/criticism(?). So say whatever you want in your reviews (tell me your favorite 90's boy band if you want)…as long as you review! Love love love, capslock