Don't Let Your Guard Down
chapter 15

this is the 15th chapter...i think you've memorized the disclaimer by now.

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Lily buried her face in James's chest to hide from embarrassment. Remus turned to Sirius. "Looks like they're not killing each other…"

"Unless she's trying to gag him to death with her tongue," Sirius murmured.

"Get out," James said instantly.

"What?" Sirius asked innocently. "Was it something I said?"

"Get out," James repeated, rubbing Lily's back.

"Nah, they just don't want you here," Kacie said. "Mainly because they want to go back to making out."

"Get out," James said, pointing his finger at the exit.

Their friends exchanged glances, smiled evilly, and came over and sat down next to Lily and James. They just all stared at the two, waiting for an answer. Lily picked her head up, saw her friends' evil grins, and darted into her room.

James sighed. "Okay look, I know what you guys must be thinking."

"We need snacks," Sirius said.

James paused. "Okay, maybe I don't know what you guys are thinking."

"Ignore him," Remus said.

"I always do," James teased.

"So…shouldn't someone go after Lily?" Peter asked. Everyone turned to James.

"Oh, me?" James said, jumping up. "Wow…I am so not used to this relationship thing."

"So it's a relationship you two have?" Sirius asked.

James stopped walking and turned to his friend. "I don't know."

"Well are you officially dating?" Remus wondered.

"I don't know."

"Well do you two have feelings for each other?" Kacie jumped in.

"I don't know."

"What do you know?" Gigi asked.

James paused. "She's a good kisser."

"If you based your relationship off whether she can kiss or not you'd be…" Remus trailed off.

"You'd be Sirius," Gigi finished.

"Hey! I resent that!" Sirius said.

"It's true," Gigi noted.

"I know…you just forgot to mention that I base relationships off whether the girls are good in bed also," Sirius said with a grin.

"It's no wonder every girl at this damn school hates you," Gigi muttered.

"Gabrielle sure doesn't," Sirius said with a wink.

"Do me a favor," Gigi said. "Don't ever wink at me again…if you want to be in one piece."

"Okay, back to me!" James exclaimed.

Gigi and Sirius turned to James. "You haven't left yet?"

"Huh?"

"Weren't you going to go find Lily?" Gigi asked.

"Oh yeah...wow, I really stink at this," James said, walking towards Lily's room.

"Go figure out if this is a relationship or not!" Remus cried out. James turned the corner and Remus turned to his friends. "He's screwed."

"Let me try and get this straight," Sirius said. "So you have a so-called 'relationship?'" Sirius made the quotation marks with his fingers.

"There's no need to use quotation marks Padfoot," James said. "It's a relationship."

"So you stay with one girl all the time? No Nancie? Selma? Or Gabrielle? Or Penny? Or any other hot babe? Just one girl?"

"Just Lily."

Sirius paused. "I don't get it," Sirius said.

James hit his head against the side of the couch once again. "Forget it."

"I just don't understand," Sirius said with a shrug.

"Ya know…you can have it too."

"I don't want it," Sirius insisted.

"It's great," James said. "Having someone always there, being able to connect. Don't you see how unsatisfying it is to go from girl to girl and have no bond? Just bimbos and sluts and…" James trailed off as he saw Selma and Gabrielle walk by.

Sirius glanced over at them too. "Oh yeah, real unsatisfying. Now…if you excuse me, I'm going over there."

"You're just going to leave me here?" James asked.

Sirius shrugged. "All I know is that I'm going to get laid tonight…twice."

James watched Sirius walk away and muttered to himself, "Stupid committed relationship."

"Where's Sirius going?" Remus asked, walking into the common room as Sirius was running to catch up to the girls.

"He's Sirius, where do you think he's going?" James asked.

"Damn," Remus muttered. "Can I stay in your common room tonight?"

James laughed and agreed. He turned to Remus. "Do you think I can do it?"

"Do what?"

"Stay true to one girl."

"If you really care about her," Remus said.

"I've just never really tried before," James said, "I mean, the closest I got to a committed relationship was Nancie…and even then, we agreed to see other people whenever we wanted."

"Explain to me the committed part," Remus said.

"I just don't want to let Lily down," James said.

"Yeah…you've already done that plenty of times," Remus said. James glared at him. "I'm out of your common room tonight aren't I?"

"Looks like you're sleeping outside m'friend," James teased.

"So you guys had 'the talk?'" Gigi asked.

Lily looked up from her book and smiled. "I don't know why people dread 'the talk' so much. It was quite nice for us."

"That's because for you guys, 'the talk' consisted mostly of making out," Kacie said.

Lily laughed and shrugged. "That's true…but we both came to an agreement that we're dating, so not much talk was needed."

"I still don't get it," Gigi said. "Why tie yourself down to one guy when there are a million guys out there? I mean, why kiss only one guy? Why have sex with only one guy?"

"Because when you care about someone, no one else matters," Lily said.

"Ooooh," Gigi said. "I've never had that feeling." Kacie and Lily exchanged looks, but didn't say anything. Gigi noticed and commented, "What was that look for? Why are you looking at each other? Why'd you look up? Why can't I stop using the word look?"

Kacie and Lily exchanged another look and Kacie spoke up, "I just think you have had that feeling before…you're just choosing to ignore it."

"Huh?"

"What she means is…" Lily trailed off. "Who wants cake?"

"You cannot change the subject by bringing up cake," Gigi said sternly. "…what type of cake?"

"Chocolate?" Lily suggested.

"Oooh, yum!" Gigi said. "Wait, no, you can't change the subject. What are you guys talking about?"

"Gi, you use guys all the time. They use you," Lily said. "Right?" Gigi agreed. "But there was one guy who used you…you got angry. And still hate him to this day."

It dawned on Gigi and she burst out laughing. "You think I actually liked Black?" Lily and Kacie just shrugged. "How could someone like an arrogant player like that?"

"Okay, so maybe he has some ego problems," Lily said. Gigi raised her eyebrows. "Okay, maybe he has a lot of ego problems. But besides that, he and you are exactly alike."

"How?"Gigi demanded to know.

"You use people for sex, you're not the commitment type," Lily started.

"You're very outgoing and like lots of attention," Kacie added.

"Okay fine, we may be similar. But that doesn't mean I like him. Haven't you heard the phrase, opposites attract?" Gigi asked.

"Yeah, and not one of the guys you've been with has been the opposite of you," Kacie said. "I think you and your opposite would kill each other."

Gigi thought about it. "Okay fine. In this case, opposites disattract."

"Disattract?" Lily asked, raising her eyebrows.

Gigi shrugged. "I couldn't think of the word."

"Repel?" Lily suggested.

"Keep away?" Kacie pointed out.

"Repulse?"

"Alright, alright. Apparently I need a dictionary," Gigi said. "But anyway, I never have and never will like Black. End of story."

"Do you miss the friendship you two had?"

"Not really. Why would I miss a lying jerk who just stabs people in the back? Can we stop talking about it now? End of story."

"But you guys used to be really close friends. You don't miss him at all?"

"Evidently end of story means nothing to you people," Gigi muttered. She sighed and then looked at her friends. "I guess I miss the days when he wasn't an asshole and we got along. I miss being close to a guy and being able to talk to him. But every day I see him and argue with him, I realize that us being friends was a big mistake."

"Okay, but-"

"END…OF…STORY…" Gigi said firmly and slowly.

Lily turned to Kacie. "I think she wants to talk about something else."

"Where'd you get a silly idea like that?" Kacie joked.

"Is anyone else concerned with the fact that I'm turning blue?" Sirius asked as he shivered.

"You're the idiot who decided that coming outside without some form of warm clothing would be fun," Remus noted.

"Can I share your jumper?" Sirius asked, his teeth chattering.

"No way," Remus retorted. "Isn't there some hot girl out here willing to share every piece of clothing she has with you?"

"No, everyone smart is inside," Sirius said.

"Then why the hell are we outside?" James demanded to know.

"Because you wanted to play with the snow," Remus pointed out.

"And because you threatened us," Peter added.

James thought back to it and laughed. "Oh yeah…you guys are idiots for listening to me."

"I learned that within the first five minutes of meeting you," Remus said. "When you said wouldn't it be cool if the Hogwarts train was made of chocolate."

"Hey, that would be cool!" James claimed.

"Chocolate and whipped cream!" Sirius cried out.

"Chocolate, whipped cream, and cookies," James added.

"Chocolate, whipped cream, cookies, and brownies," Sirius said

"Metal," Remus said, rolling his eyes. "The train is made of metal."

James and Sirius glanced at Remus and then looked back at each other. "Chocolate metal!"

"Oooh, what about lollipops also?" Sirius claimed.

"You guys talking about what you wish you were eating?" Kacie asked, hearing Sirius's statement.

"Nope, they're talking about what they wish the Hogwarts train was made out of," Remus said.

Kacie turned to Sirius. "Lollipops?"

"And chocolate, whipped cream, cookies, and brownies," James said. "Oh! And donuts!"

Kacie turned to Remus. "Don't you ever feel like your IQ is going down just by sitting with them?"

"All the time," Remus said, making a snowball out of the snow and throwing it at James.

"HEY!" James cried out.

"You're right…playing with the snow is fun," Remus teased.

James gave an evil grin and threw an entire lump of snow on Remus. Then he turned to Sirius and threw a snowball at him. Peter joined in and just grabbed as much snow as he could with his hands and dumped it on James.

Kacie sat back and smiled. "Boys are so immature."

"Hey Kace! Help us make a snowman!" Lily cried out from across the way.

Kacie turned around and laughed. "And apparently girls aren't any more mature," she said to herself and then got up and ran over to her friends.

"How come his nose is pointing up to the sky?" Kacie wondered.

"We're making it a Sirius snowman…that's the only way I could show that he's stuck up," Gigi said.

Kacie turned to Lily. "Is she kidding?"

Lily nodded and then rolled her eyes at Gigi. "We just aren't very good with this whole snowman thing."

"I can see that…you guys do realize that his arms shouldn't be coming out of his neck, right?"

"Whoa, that's one ugly snowman," James said, walking over to the girls and brushing snow off of him.

"It kind of resembles you," Lily teased, giving James a quickkiss on the lips.

"What exactly are the other guys doing?" Gigi asked, glancing over at them rolling around in the snow.

"I think they're wrestling in the snow…or Sirius is rolling around to get warmer," James said. "I'd go with the former."

"Why is Sirius wearing shorts?" Lily asked.

"That's like asking why Sirius doesn't do homework," James said with a shrug. "There's no answer…he's just Sirius."

"So, aren't you going to help us?" Gigi asked, packing more snow onto the snowman's stomach.

"I would, but I'm not sure what you're making," James said.

"Haven't you ever seen a snowman before?" Gigi asked.

"Yes…and it looks nothing like that," James said. Gigi pouted and threw some snow in James's direction.

Just then, the other three boys wandered over. "Whoa, that's a nice snow..." Sirius trailed off, trying to figure out what it was. "Snowthing."

"Snowman! Snowman! It's a snowMAN!" Gigi cried out.

Sirius paused. "So, what are you going to name your snowthing?"

Gigi threw her hands up in frustration. "I give up."

"I think that's probably a good idea," Lily said with a laugh. "Clearly we aren't artists."

"So, who's up for some hot chocolate?" Remus asked.

"Now there's something I can make," Gigi said, brushing her hands up on her robes and walking towards the entrance of Hogwarts. "Let's just forget about Billie."

Everyone stopped and stared at her. "Billie?" James dared to ask.

"That's what I named our snowman," Gigi said with a shrug and started walking ahead.

"I think we should just leave it alone," Sirius suggested.

"Billie?" James repeated.

"Ooookay, let's get you inside," Lily said, taking his hand in hers and pulling him forward.

"Is anyone else concerned about Gigi? I mean…she just named a goddamn snowman," James joked.

"Snowthing," Sirius corrected.

"Maybe the snowman will be her next boyfriend," Peter joked.

"Snowthing," Sirius repeated. "And I'll be right back," Sirius said, and then he ran back and jumped on the snowman and destroyed it. "Now he's dead."

No one spoke for a few seconds until Kacie spoke up, "Should we give it a funeral?"

"I don't think any of us should be allowed outside until it is sunny and we can wear shorts and t-shirts," James suggested.

"Sirius is wearing shorts," Lily noted.

"Let me correct myself…when its sunny, warm, and we can wear shorts without turning blue," James said.

"Good plan," Remus said, linking arms with Kacie and trudging off to get warm.

Sirius sauntered into the commons room and plopped down on the couch next to Remus.

"So I have a great joke for you," Sirius said. "What did the moron have for breakfast?"

"Well this morning you had toast, bacon, and eggs," Remus said, without looking up.

Sirius pouted. "You totally just ruined the joke."

"Sorry, I just thought that was the answer," Remus said with a grin.

Just then Gigi walked in and sat down across from the two guys.

Sirius turned to Gigi and Remus. "I hear that there's a rumor going around that I'm the hottest guy in all of Hogwarts," Sirius said with a grin.

"Really? Because I hear there's a rumor going around that you're not," Remus said bluntly.

"Yeah I've heard that same rumor," Gigi said to Remus.

"Oh really?" Sirius asked with a twinkle in his eye. "Because apparently the rumor I heard was started by you."

Gigi looked at Sirius and burst out laughing but when she noticed that Sirius wasn't laughing she looked at him. "Oh…you were serious?"

"I'm always Sir-"

"Do not finish that lame joke," Gigi pleaded. "Who told you that I said you were hot?"

"A very reliable source," Sirius said, still grinning. "Kellie Marx told me and she overheard Jannie Gilbert telling Penny and Penelope who heard it from Yatzi Hilton who was told by Isobel Tomas who heard it from Kylie, Ginger, and Andie who overheard you telling Kacie."

"Oh yeah, that's a very reliable source," Gigi said, rolling her eyes. "The day I say you're the hottest guy at Hogwarts is the die."

"Well then roll over in your grave, because Kacie confirmed it," Sirius said, crossing his arms over his chest proudly.

Gigi's jaw dropped, and she tried to find the words to say something. "Are you kidding me?"

Sirius just smirked and Remus couldn't help laughing. "Looks like you're in quite a pickle. You know what my Uncle Kilter would say at a time like this?"

"Why the hell did my parents name me Kilter?" Sirius asked.

Remus rolled his eyes. "No," he said and then turned to Gigi and pointed his finger at her. "He'd say…haha you're screwed."

Gigi threw a pillow at Remus. "Excuse me," Gigi said, getting up from the couch. "There's a certain person I have to kill."

As Gigi exited, Remus looked over at Sirius and burst out laughing. "You look like the happiest person in the world."

Sirius glanced over at Remus, still smirking, and shrugged. "Maybe not all hope is lost. Maybe she doesn't totally hate me."

Gigi came back into the room. "And by the way, I absolutely hate you and want you dead...so no matter what comment you overhear, that will never change."

Sirius's smirk was quickly turned to a frown. "And maybe I'm totally wrong." Sirius sighed, and jumped over the back of the couch, running after Gigi. "Giliba, wait up!"

Gigi groaned, but amazingly stopped and turned around. "What?"

"Obviously you said it for a reason," Sirius said. "Why?"

Gigi just looked at him and laughed in his face. "You think I'm going to stand here and boost your ego?"

"Oh come on, there's obviously a reason you said I was the hottest guy at Hogwarts and the best you've ever had," Sirius said.

Gigi's jaw dropped for the second time that afternoon and her eyes widened in amazement. "Kacie told you!"

"No, I added that last part myself," Sirius said. "But it's true?"

"I didn't say that," Gigi said quickly…a little too quickly.

Sirius tried hard to hide the grin on his face. "So it's true."

"No way," Gigi said and then got angry. "Look, I do not feel like standing here having a conversation with you right now. I have asked you hundreds of times to just leave me alone, so why don't you for once listen to me?"

"You tell me why you hate me so much but you've admitted that you miss being friends with me, you think-"

"Who said I missed being friends with you?" Gigi asked. Sirius just shrugged and Gigi knew that once again, Kacie had said something. "Ugh, I'm gonna kill her!"

"Forget about her, talk to me Giliba. Why the hell are you going around telling people that you miss me, I'm hot, and I'm the best you ever had but you tell me that you hate me and you don't want anything to do with me?"

"Why the hell do you care so much?" Gigi exclaimed. "Like you care that I miss our friendship. Like you care that I was in love with you and that's why it was the best. God Black, don't you think? Maybe it wasn't just about sex for me like everyone else! And as for saying you're hot, you're taking it out of context. Kacie said Remus was the hottest of the group and I said Remus was adorable and cute in an innocent kind of way while you are hott as in let me do every girl in this damn school kind of way. So you happy? Can you leave me alone now?" And Gigi turned on her heels and started to walk off.

"You loved me?" Sirius spoke up, running his hands through his hair anxiously. But Gigi didn't turn around and just kept walking.

"Gi?" Lily asked as Gigi came into her room, plopped down on the bed, and just started bawling.

Lily turned to Kacie who shrugged her shoulders and came over to the bed.

"Gi, what's wrong?" Lily asked.

"I don't hate him," she squeaked, so quiet that Lily and Kacie didn't even hear it.

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