Chapter Two: A Series of Complications

"What the hell?" James said, standing up from the armchair he'd been sitting in as soon as Sirius entered the room.

"What's up, mate?" Sirius asked, nonchalantly.

James glowered at him. "You know what, Sirius. Why the bloody hell were you kissing Evans in the hallway today?"

"Oh that," Sirius said, fake blushing. "We're um, we're going out. Sorry, I know I should have come to you first about this."

James looked like all the wind had been knocked out of him. "You… and… Evans? You two are going out?" He wheezed. "There's no way, there's just no way." He paced back and forth around the room, running his hands through his hair.

"Mate, I would normally take offense at a comment like that. I do have quite a few love letters to prove that I have, indeed, wooed many a young lass. Evans is no different."

James glared at Sirius, not in the mood for his usual banter.

"How did this happen?" He asked.

"What can I say? Most women find me irresistible, Prongs, there's not much I can do about it. Moony and Wormtail, due to their abysmal success with women, are hardly suitable buffers."

James rolled his eyes, "be serious."

Sirius shrugged, "In all honesty, we've just been spending a lot of time together, and I always kind of had a thing for her."

"You did?" James said, shocked. "Why didn't you say anything to me?"

"James, what was I supposed to say: 'look mate, I know you're half in love with this girl but I fancy her too so back off?' There was no way I would ever do that."

"But—" James sat down on the couch, dumbfounded. "After all the stupid ways I asked her out, and flirted with her, I mean didn't it bother you?"

Sirius shrugged, "kind of, but I knew she would just point out your stupidity, which was always hilarious to watch. She's quite bright that Evans," he said fondly.

Lily had come partially down the stairs, but had stopped when she overheard the conversation. Merlin, was Sirius a good actor. If Lily didn't feel so guilty, she would have been stunned by how believable it was that Sirius fancied her. When he said it, it seemed that there was no way it couldn't be true.

"I know she is," James said, still shaking his head in shock. "You should have heard her comebacks to my pointless attempts last year" he said, laughing.

"Look mate," Sirius said, "I never would have done anything about it, but I thought you were over her, I mean you're with Watson now."

"Right, Sarah," James said, as if reminding himself of the fact.

"Are you ok with this?" Sirius asked?

"Yeah, mate it's fine," James said with a sigh. "It's just weird, you know?" Sirius nodded.

Lily could hear him slowly walk upstairs to the boys dormitory before she finally came down to find Sirius alone in the common room, staring into the fire.

"How did it go?" She asked as she sat next to him.

"Well, quite possible more in love with you than before, so it's a start" Sirius said, shoving her playfully when she blushed.

"You're not rethinking this are you?" Lily said.

"Miss Evans, you astound me. Although I tend not to associate with the majority of my unpleasant and, frankly, despicable relatives, I have learned one lesson over the years of going to bed without supper as a result of my many escapades (a highlight of which was nearly poisoning the cat, a ruddy awful beast who despised me) and that is one simple and salient thing: Blacks do not rethink," Sirius said.

"You're full of it," she said, laughing.

"You insult me woman, and I get enough of that from my mother thank you very much," he said, grinning and putting his arm around her shoulders.

…

"Are you ready for this?" Sirius asked. He and Lily were standing outside the Great Hall for breakfast.

Lily sighed, "I suppose."

Sirius wrapped his arm around her waist and together they walked into the hall. Prior to this moment, Sirius and Lily had refrained from informing the rest of the school of their relationship, as the main goal was to incite a certain messy-haired Gryffindor to pronounce his love for Lily. However, they deemed it too suspicious to not have their relationship public, and thus, they entered the Great Hall together, Sirius carrying Lily's overflowing book bag, arm securely around her waist. Their entrance was unnoticed at first amidst the hubbub of breakfast and friendly greetings. But when the approached the long tables, students began to take note. A quiet atmosphere of whispers and stares slowly took over the room. Girls at every table gave Lily a look of jealousy, and seemed to be sizing her up. The Slytherin girls in particular seemed bitter that a muggleborn had ensnared the handsome Black heir. Most of the Gryffindors were unsurprised, having seen them together in the common room. However, Peter, who was quite often confused, stared at them, his mouth shaped in an o. Remus, well aware of the plan and he had labeled it the worst idea in the history of wizarding kind, looked wary and disapproving. James seemed forlorn and didn't look at them as they sat down at the Gryffindor table. Lily and Sirius chatted as if it were any normal day, attempting to deter attention from their relationship. Alice and Mary (known Gryffindor gossips) put their heads together and immediately began discussing their relationship in depth.

From that moment on, the entire school was terribly curious as to how it happened, especially since James Potter, Sirius Black's best mate had confessed his love to Lily Evans fifty-seven odd times the year before. There was also the matter that Sirius Black did not have girlfriends. Many girls had tried, and failed, to make an honest man out of Sirius. Every girl in the school was wondering the same thing: what made Lily Evans so special?

Lily, however, was completely oblivious to the gossip surrounding her fake relationship, and began to settle in to the routine of dating Sirius. He was actually a half-decent fake boyfriend, if she was being honest. He would pull out her chair, slip her notes in class, and kiss her on the cheek in parting. Lily's main concern was a certain friend with a bat-like walk, as Remus put it, who she had been avoiding like the plague since the start of her relationship with Sirius. He had looked positively mutinous when she had walked into the Great Hall. He had also once caught them snogging in the hall (a ploy they had hoped James who see, but alas he was off with Sarah) and had almost sprinted away from them in disgust. But, in potions, as they sat next to each other, he couldn't be avoided.

Lily walked up to the potions room, nervously. "Allow me to get the door for you, Lillykins," Sirius said, coming up behind her. Lily jumped, "Merlin, Sirius, you scared me," she said laughing. The rest of the Marauders stood behind him, and she couldn't help but glance at James who gave her a slight nod before saying, "Lilykins? Really Sirius, I'm not sure I like you in relationships. You've gone sappy on me."

Sirius rolled his eyes as the group walked through the door. "I'm no worse than you and Watson. You should hear them Lily, they're one step away from saying 'sweet 'ums and angel pie.' It's absolutely insufferable."

Lily just laughed before taking a seat next to Severus who was giving her an odd look. Before she could address it, Sirius said, "you're not going to sit next to me? You wound me to my core, Evans."

Lily laughed, "I think you can handle it for one period, Sirius. Besides, you probably just wanted to copy off me anyway."

"Another blow, I'm not sure I can take it" Sirius said, dramatically clutching his chest. "And madame I would never stoop so low as to copy off someone as lovely as you."

Lily started to say another retort before Slughorn cleared his throat and brought the class to attention. She couldn't help but notice James and Severus giving her strange looks after her playful exchange with Sirius.

Severus and Lily set to work on their potion. Thus far, Severus had said nothing to her.

"Sev, can you pass me the unicorn hair?" Lily asked, and was met with no response. She bit her lip, but said nothing, opting to reach for it herself. At the end of the period in which all of Lily's conversation attempts had been met with stony silence, she waved the Marauders off as they attempted to take her with them to lunch and hung back to confront her friend.

"Sev, please talk to me," Lily said when everyone had left the room.

Severus didn't look at her, and silently packed up his things.

"Severus, please," she said and put her hand on his. He withdrew it instantly, as if he'd been burned.

"Lily I can't do this right now," he said, still averting his eyes.

"What can't you do? I just want you to talk to me."

He sighed, "what do you want me to say? Huh? Congratulations, I'm so bloody happy that you're shagging a royal prick who's tortured me for years? I hope you'll be ridiculously happy together?"

"Sev…" She trailed off, unsure of what to say. "It's not like you think."

He shook his head, "now you're going to tell me that he's good to you, and he's a kind person at heart, and he didn't mean all those things he said before. And we can all be best mates and pal around with fairies and teddy bears."

"Well I'm not sure about the fairies and teddy bears part," Lily said, trying for a joke.

Severus didn't smile. "He doesn't deserve you, Lily," he said, turning to leave.

"Wait," she said, grabbing his hand for a second time. This time he didn't pull away, but turned to look at her.

"I really need someone to talk to about this. Sev, I need you." Snape looked into her pleading green eyes.

"I don't know Lily. I don't know if I can do this again."

Lily scrunched up her eyebrows, confused. "Do what again?" She whispered.

He looked at her with a softened expression before lifting his hand to her cheek. She was biting her lip again, and it drove him absolutely mad. He sighed, "give me some time, Lil," before turning and exiting the room.

A/N: hope you like this update! let me know what you think of the story so far :)