Chapter Three: Continued Complications

Lily struggled through the door of the mostly deserted common room, burdened by the weight of a large stack of books. She sat down in an armchair, fighting a few tears that threatened to fall down her cheeks. She hadn't talked to Severus for a week since their last conversation in potions, and Lily missed him more every day.

"You ok Evans?" A voice said behind her. She turned her head to find herself staring at James. When she gave him an unconvincing nod, he kneeled down next her chair.

"What's wrong Lil?" She flinched at the sound of Severus' preferred nickname for her.

"It's Sev," she sighed. "He doesn't understand why I'm with Sirius. I um, haven't talked to him for a week."

James made a face, "you're crying about Snivellus?" When she frowned at the name, he said, "sorry it's just, I never understood your friendship with him."

She sighed, "you and everyone else. He's my oldest friend, James."

He moved to sit next to her on the chair. Lily couldn't help but notice the amount of his body that was touching hers. "If I'm being perfectly honest," he said, "I'm in the same boat as Snape."

She looked up into his honey-colored eyes, surprised. "How so?"

"I don't understand why you're with Sirius either." She bit her lip, her heart pounding. "I never really saw you with someone like that," he said.

"Who did you see me with?" She asked.

"I don't know, someone a bit more reliable than Sirius. You know he's absolutely rubbish at committing to things. He can't even decide what jumper to wear in the morning. I don't know," James said, running his hand through his hair. "I mean, he's my mate, but I just feel like you deserve better. You deserve someone who can commit to his jumpers."

Lily laughed, although slightly disturbed by the similarity of this conversation to the one she had with Severus earlier that week.

"Well you'll have to let me know the next time there's a jumper committer available," she said.

James smiled slightly awkwardly. "I'll do my best." He stood up and began to collect his things.

"He's gotten better at picking his jumpers, you know."

"I've noticed." he said, with a sad smile. "You— you've been good for him, Evans," James said before starting his retreat to the boy's dormitory. "Oh, and about Snape," he said, turning to catch a glimpse of her one last item. "He'll come round."

Lily smiled, "I hope so, James." And in that moment, James couldn't help but notice how much of an angel Lily looked in the firelight.

…

"Oi, Evans," Sirius said, running up to her in the hallway on the way to the common room. "Merlin, you walk fast."

She laughed, "we must stop meeting like this Sirius, darling."

He grinned and slung his arm over her shoulder, "I don't really mind chasing a girl for once. It's refreshing really."

Lily groaned, "do you have to mention that you could get loads of girls in every conversation?"

"Yes, it's what made you fall for me, dearest," Sirius said cheekily. "Anyhow, I wanted to talk to you because you know the big quidditch game against Slytherin is coming up right?"

"Only because you refuse to stop talking about it."

"Young lady, I'm trying to ask you something," Sirius said.

"You sound just like my mother."

"That is weird on so many levels, but I'm just going to brush past it," Sirius said, laughing. "But anyway, will you wear my quidditch jacket to the game? It's kind of a thing the players' girlfriends/boyfriends tend to do."

"Yeah of course," she said smiling.

They walked into the common room and settled on the couch next to Remus.

"Hey Moony," Sirius said to his friend.

Remus smiled at them, "Hey Padfoot what's up?"

"Well I was just asking Evans here to wear my jacket to the quidditch game." Lily couldn't help but notice James and Sarah sitting in the corner of the room. James' ears seemed to perk up at this conversation, but Lily couldn't tell if she'd imagined it.

"And what was her response?"

"Well after some snarky remarks and some horrifying parallels drawn between me and her mother I eventually wrangled her into it."

"Ah, yes that is the best way to get your girlfriend to do something," Remus said with a grin.

Lily rolled her eyes, "I would like to point out if Sirius would stop calling me 'young lady' the comparisons would not be necessary."

Remus laughed, "well as riveting as this conversation is, I must get back to my potions essay."

"Oh no!" Lily exclaimed, "I completely forgot about that." She immediately stood up and ran upstairs to retrieve her notes.

"I'm surprised, Lily, you're usually done with your work weeks early," Remus said once she returned.

"Well I would have been if someone hadn't been distracting me," Lily said, giving Sirius a pointed look.

"Don't blame me," Sirius said, holding his hands up defensively. "It's not my fault that I'm so charming you had to sneak into the kitchens with me."

"You went into the kitchens?" Remus and James said at the same time, one with a reproaching tone, the other with a hint of respect in his voice.

"I might have," Lily admitted, "but only because Sirius practically begged me to go with him."

"Excuse me, woman, Blacks don't beg."

She rolled her eyes, "good thing I was the only one around then or your reputation might have taken a serious blow." Before Sirius could form a comeback, she said, "now stop distracting me I have a whole paper to write!"

"But distracting you is my favorite hobby, Lils," he said, planting a kiss on her cheek. James averted his eyes.

"Don't worry, you'll have plenty of time to distract me when I'm done," she said, laughing.

A/N: hope you like this chapter! I have a few more written that just need editing, so hopefully they'll be up soon. Let me know what you think of the story so far :)