I wasn't planning on updating so often because idk if I'll be able to keep up but I want to keep y'all interested and we gotta get to the fun stuff. Thanks for reviewing.

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"How was your first day, Hermione?" Lily asked over her potatoes. Hermione was squished between Remus and Marlene. Sirius and James were across from her having a contest as to who could put the most carrots in their mouths at once.

"Great," Hermione answered and she truly meant it. "The library is amazing." She caught Remus's grin out of the corner of her eye and dodged the carrot flying out of Sirius's mouth at his scoff.

"And you destroyed Williams in defense," Marlene said matter-of-factly. Lily's eyes went wide and so did Peter's.

"You did?" Lily's eyebrows were in her hairline.

"Sure did," James garbled. Lily turned to him with a look of total disgust. He had gravy running down his face and cheeks stuffed with carrots. He looked absolutely ridiculous.

"Well, I'm glad someone did," she said. "Maybe now he'll stop making people actually fight each other in class. It's barbaric." Her response surprised Hermione. If she remembered correctly, Lily was one of the Order's best duelers.

"It's necessary." Hermione's mouth moved before she could stop it. Everyone looked at her, remembering her cover story. Instead of elaborating or inviting questions to took a bite of her dinner. They were soon interrupted by Professor McGonagall who stopped behind them on her way out the door.

"I will see you three for detention in my office in ten minutes. Potter, Black, fix yourselves." The boys had moved onto dessert, pulling the marshmallows off of everyone's plates. They nodded and Sirius spit all of his out so that they were like bullets hitting the side of Peter's face.

"You're so gross," Peter whined, wiping his face off. Sirius made sure to pat his head as he stood up.

"Minnie calls. Are you ready deerly beloved over there." Remus choked on his chocolate cake and Peter actually spit out his pumpkin juice. James sent him a dark look. Hermione had to hide her smile because she wasn't supposed to understand any of Sirius's undoubtedly terrible deer jokes.

"Bite me, Sirius," Lily told him.

"When and where, Lilykins."

"Never and nowhere," James seethed, pulling Sirius away by the collar. "And watch your mouth."

"I don't need you to defend me Potter."

"It is my honor to defend your honor, Lily flower."

"I hate you." They continued to argue all the way out of the Great Hall much to Hermione's amusement. If there was one thing that she didn't want to interfere in, it was that particular relationship but honestly it looked doomed.

After detention, when they got back to the common room it didn't look like they had made much progress. Hermione was at a table with Marlene and Alice, working on some of their homework when the trio made their way through the portrait hole.

"I swear to Merlin, Potter, I will hex you six ways from Sunday."

"Did she just say she will sex you in six different ways, James?" Sirius asked with a smirk. Hermione wanted to fling something at him.

"That's what I heard Pads but er, I also could be wrong." James looked torn between keeping up the joke with his friend and being scared to death of Lily. Lily looked so angry she could cry.

"You are just, ugh! I can't believe you! Why can't you just stop?" She was so upset that she didn't look anywhere else before storming up to the dormitory. The rest of the common room went back to doing what they were doing, accepting the fact that there wasn't going to be a show.

James was running his hand through his hair. He couldn't figure out what he was doing wrong. Usually jokes and charm was all that he needed. Without any grace at all, he collapsed onto the couch next to Peter who barely looked up at him and threw his forearm over his eyes.

"What am I going to do?" he groaned. Peter shrugged, tongue out and he contemplated his next move. Remus's queen had him in check.

"Maybe try being nice?" Remus suggested. James squinted his eyes.

"I'm always nice to her?" Hermione had to hide her laugh and pretend that she was still reading.

"No, you are annoying. Stop making jokes about getting her in bed, stop asking her out three times a day. You could maybe just ask her how her day is or something." James seemed to think this over. Sirius looked horrified.

"That's so much work. Why do that when they come to you?" Hermione had to turn her scoff into a cough. Remus heard it though and grinned.

"You are a dog Padfoot."

"Woof, woof," he answered with a wink.

Hermione could not believe what she was hearing. Harry and Ron were idiots when it came to women but this was an entirely new level. Poor Harry was just oblivious and Ron … who even knows.

"I'm going to go check on Lily," Alice said, closing her book. Hermione had finished the essay in the library and was just taking notes at that point.

"I'll go with you," Hermione told her. Alice looked surprised but happy. Hermione wondered what parts of Neville she would find within her.

The sixth year dormitory was different than the one Hermione had left at home. There was the same amount of beds but the state of disarray was astounding. In her time, most of the girls were at least somewhat neat, this time though it looked at though a bomb went off. There were no boundaries at all it seemed. One just picked up something off the floor no matter whose it was and went for it.

Alice and Hermione looked at each other in surprise when they heard sniffling coming from Lily's bed. She had her curtains drawn but one of her legs was sticking out. Alice approached first, stepping over someone's forgotten jeans.

"Lils," she started gently. "What happened?"

"Nothing." Alice slid the curtain open and they found Lily face down on her pillow, crying quietly.

"Oh honey, what's wrong?" Alice sat next to her and rubbed circles on her back. Hermione felt a little bit like she was intruding but she sat on her own bed nevertheless to offer whatever support she could give her.

"They are so annoying," she muttered into her pillow. Alice sent Hermione a look and pursed her lips.

"Lily, I love you but I don't believe you. James Potter and Sirius Black are not the reason that you are crying right now." Lily sighed and sat up. Her red rimmed eyes hurt Hermione's heart. She had seen eyes that looked just like that. She had comforted Harry when he cried. She had seen every single emotion that he had. She had seen him at his most alive, she had seen him dead.

Before the thought could paralyze her Lily leaned over and pulled a piece of parchment out of her desk drawer, handing it to Alice. Alice's eyes skimmed it quickly and her face softened considerably. Obviously, whatever it said was enough to make Alice understand Lily's mood.

"She doesn't even want me there."

"Of course she does, Lily. She's your sister. How could she not want you at her wedding?" Alice asked, mostly for Hermione's benefit she thought.

"She thinks I'm a freak." She sat up and leaned against Alice, wiping her eyes on her sleeve. "When we were little, we used to talk about being the Maids of Honor at each other's weddings. Now she says that I'm only allowed to show up because our parents are making her. What kind of sister does that?"

If Hermione hated Petunia before this, she loathed her now.

"A selfish one," Alice said, pulling Lily tighter against her. It was obvious Alice was the "mom" friend among them. "But you will have Hermione with you this summer," she said throwing her a grateful look. Hermione looked surprised but smiled at Lily who returned a watery one. "And I can come if you want."

"Thank you guys," Lily sniffed. "I just wish things with us were like before." Alice nodded.

"I know honey but we just have to find a new normal."

Hermione knew what that was like.

"For both of you," Alice said gently, reaching out for Hermione's hand. Hermione made her way over to the bed and sat on it. Alice pulled her against her other side and she could have cried. There was Neville's heart right there.