Don't Let Your Guard Down
chapter 16

Hey, sorry it's been awhile since I've updated (a week to be exact). I've been really busy (I have midterms this week...eek).

Anyway, to answer some of your questions... you'll just have to wait to see what happens with Sirius and Gigi, Kacie and Remus are just friends (and will probably stay that way throughout the entire story), sorry if I have so many cliffhangers--i feel that it pulls you in more...plus, i like being evil. haha just kidding.

Disclaimer: blah blah i'm not JK Rowling etc etc

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"Somehow I don't believe that," Lily said.

"Oh its true," James said. "It's a proven fact that the more you kiss, the better you do in school."

"Proven by who?" Lily asked.

"Whom," James corrected. "See? You haven't had enough kissing…your grammar is lacking."

"Okay, proven by whom?"

"By us," James said with a grin. "It just hasn't happened yet."

Lily laughed and kissed James. "Why don't you go find Sirius and prove this theory?"

"No way!" James cried out and then paused. "I already tried…he turned me down."

Lily laughed at James joke and snuggled close to him. "We're not getting much graduation planning done."

James shrugged and put his arm around Lily. "I don't mind."

Lily smiled. "Somehow I figured that."

Sirius walked in then and plopped down on the couch right next to Lily. "I'm bored."

"Well James wants you to kiss him…that will preoccupy you for awhile," Lily teased.

"Sorry James, I'm into girls," Sirius said with a shrug and then turned to Lily. "But if you're not doing anything Lily…"

"Sirius…you're hitting on me," Lily said tiredly.

"I'm shocked! I'm outraged!" Sirius exclaimed. "But most importantly…are you interested?"

"Stop hitting on my girlfriend, Si," James said, rolling his eyes. "I'm sure there are plenty of other girls out there who are willing to occupy their time with you."

Sirius shrugged. "I'm running out of girls. And you stole one of the only ones left."

"Sirius, even if I wasn't with James, I would never do anything with you," Lily said.

"You're just saying that because James is sitting right here," Sirius said.

"No, I can safely say that there was a reason you and I never got together. And I will never do anything with you ever," Lily said.

"Okay, I came here so I could be put in a better mood but you're just bumming me out," Sirius pouted. "I don't think this day could get any worse."

"Hey guys," Gigi said, walking into the room.

"I stand corrected," Sirius muttered.

"Having a threesome?" Gigi teased, not daring to look at Sirius.

"No, Lily just made it perfectly clear that she doesn't want anything to do with Sirius," James said.

"Well that makes two of us," Gigi mumbled.

"You already did me," Sirius said with a cheesy grin.

"Biggest mistake of my life," Gigi murmured.

"If you guys are gonna argue, can you do it somewhere else?" Lily asked.

Sirius turned to Gigi. "I don't think she wants us here."

"Oh really? Where'd you get an idea like that?" Gigi snapped.

"We have to work on graduation plans," Lily said. "So if you're gonna get into a big fight, do it somewhere else."

"Graduation plans huh?" Gigi asked.

"I didn't know making out was part of the planning process," Sirius teased. "Damn, now I know why you like being Head Boy so much, James."

"Get out," James said, pointing to the exit.

"You seem to say that a lot," Sirius said.

"Yeah, you'd think that you'd be used to it by now," Lily said. "But nope, you still don't leave. So if you could just let us do our work and not bother us for another hour or so, that'd be wonderful."

"Yeah, I wish you'd listen to us every once in awhile," James said.

"I listen!" Sirius protested.

"Oh yeah? Then, what did we just tell you to do?" Lily asked.

"Something about a monkey and a banana," Sirius said.

Lily, Gigi, and James just stared at him, not having a clue as to what to say.

Lily shook her head disapprovingly and turned to James. "He's your friend."

James turned to Sirius. "You're right. Lily just told you to go find a monkey and feed it a banana."

"I'm allergic to bananas," Sirius said. "If I touch one, I get really red, my throat closes up, and eventually I'll stop breathing."

"Then let's find that banana as soon as possible," Gigi said, pushing Sirius out the door.

"You don't mean that," Sirius said.

"You're right," Gigi said. "Let's just throw you off a cliff instead."

Sirius pouted. "I think you have a problem with me."

Gigi burst out laughing. "And where the hell did you get an idea like that?" she said sarcastically, rolling her eyes.

"Oh you know," Sirius said with a shrug. "You've hinted at it a couple of times. People have mentioned it. Oh, and just yesterday you told me you hated my guts and wished I was never born."

"Damn…what gave it away?" Gigi joked, walking away from Sirius.

"Giliba, the other day you said-" Sirius said.

"What I said the other day isn't relevant," Gigi said. "I didn't mean it."

"Giliba, you said-"

"Forget it!" Gigi cried out. "Let's not talk about it, okay? In fact, let's not talk at all."

"Giliba, you and I haven't gotten along this past year…mostly because it's hard for me to get along with someone who hates me so much. And you claim it's because I just used you but wake up and smell the roses sweet cheeks. Every guy you've been with either you were using or he was using you and neither one of you cared. So why the hell can't you just get over it and stop being such a bitch about it?"

Gigi whirled around. "Do not call me sweet cheeks."

Sirius stood there dumbfounded. "That's all you have to say?"

"Don't call me a bitch either," Gigi growled.

"Anything else you'd like to say?"

"Yeah!" Gigi exclaimed, pushing Sirius against the wall. "The only reason I haven't had a boyfriend and I just use guys and they just use me is because of you. We were friends Black! I know you have a reputation but I didn't think you'd get together with another girl not even twenty-four hours after being with me! And that's when I realized that I didn't want to get fuckin' hurt every time I was with a guy! If I show no emotion and have no feelings, and just use guys, then I won't feel like crap like I did after I was with you! There, you happy? Glad I had more to say?"

Sirius swallowed the lump in his throat. "I won't call you sweet cheeks anymore," he said lamely.

"I know," she snarled. "Because you won't be calling me anything from now on." Gigi started to stomp off until she heard Sirius speak up.

"But I can't believe that you're going to blame your whole failed love life on me," Sirius said nervously.

"Excuse me?" Gigi asked, turning around but not walking back.

"You are being so fuckin' unfair," Sirius said. "Okay, yes, I didn't exactly handle you and I very well." Gigi snorted and took a few angry steps towards Sirius. "Okay, I didn't handle it well at all. But you were a player before me! It wasn't that all of a sudden we slept together and you became a slut! How many guys had you been with before me? It must have been thousands!"

"NONE!" Gigi cried out and then instantly regretted it.

"Wha-what?" Sirius asked.

"Never mind," Gigi said quickly.

"None?" Sirius repeated.

"Forget it," Gigi said quickly.

"None?"

"Yes, none. It's the number of brain cells you have," Gigi retorted.

"You hadn't been with anyone?" Sirius asked carefully.

Gigi sighed. "Okay, yes, I had snogged and done a few other things with a few guys before you but I hadn't…" Gigi trailed off, not actually wanting to say that she hadn't shagged anyone before Sirius.

"Oh," Sirius said, knowing full well what she was meaning to say.

They just looked at each other as the portrait hole swung open and there stood Lily. "Hey guys, when we told you to go argue somewhere else…we didn't mean right outside the room. We were thinking maybe in the Gryffindor commons room…or Ireland."

"Uh huh," Sirius murmured, not taking his eyes off of Gigi who was now looking down at the ground.

"Understand?" Lily asked.

"Uh huh," Sirius said, not listening to Lily.

Lily stared at the two of them. "Aren't you gonna move?" Lily asked.

"Uh huh," Sirius muttered.

"Sirius!" Lily exclaimed. "Are you listening to me?"

"What?" Sirius said, finally looking at Lily. "I mean, yeah, monkeys and bananas. Got it."

Lily rolled her eyes and looked at Gigi standing perfectly still just looking at the ground. "What's going on?"

Sirius glanced over at Gigi who was intently staring at the floor and he shrugged. "She's looking for a bug."

"What's happening out here?" James asked.

"Oh nothing," Lily said with a shrug. "Monkeys, bananas, and bugs."

"I'm just not gonna ask," James said.

"Good idea," Lily said. She glanced at Sirius and Gigi once more, shrugged, and walked back into her commons room with James.

Sirius ran his hands through his hair anxiously trying to think of a way to get rid of the awkward silence. "I didn't know that," Sirius said lamely, referring to what they were talking about before Lily interrupted.

"Look Black," Gigi said frankly. "It happened, it's done with, let's forget it, okay?"

"No, not okay," Sirius said firmly.

"Well that's too damn bad!" Gigi snapped. "The reason I hate you is because of you. The reason we're not friends is because if you."

"You don't hate me," Sirius said. "You said so yourself."

"Like I said before, I didn't mean what I said the other day," Gigi argued.

Sirius stepped forward so he was only inches away from Gigi. "Okay, but the question is," Sirius said, looking dead into Gigi's eyes. "Do you really hate me?"

Gigi tried to tear her eyes away but she couldn't. She just kept staring into Sirius's eyes but didn't say a word. Very slowly, Sirius brought his lips to Gigi's. Instead of pulling away, she deepened the kiss, allowing her tongue to explore his mouth. Eventually, they broke apart and just stared at each other.

"I didn't think so," Sirius whispered.

Gigi swallowed the lump in her throat. "I hafta go," she whispered, and with one last glance at Sirius, she sped down the hallway and out of sight.

"Let me run something past you," Sirius said to his friends. "Gabrielle called me an asshole-"

"So far I agree," Remus teased.

Sirius ignored him, "-because I told her I didn't want to see her anymore and that I was bored with her," Sirius said. "And she got all defenseless and mad. And she told me to go to hell…which seems to be where I'm going, since every girl tells me that." Sirius shrugged it off. "I don't get why she got so mad."

"Maybe because you told her you didn't want to see her anymore and that you were bored with her," Remus said.

"Hmm…and that would make her mad?" Sirius joked. "Gabrielle and I weren't even going out! It was just a casual thing."

"Well of course it was," Remus said. "Because you never have anything more serious than 'casual.'"

Sirius paused. "Are you insulting me?"

"No…I'm merely stating that you don't know what a relationship is," Remus said with a shrug.

"And is that an insult?"

"No…I just think you should figure out that there is more to life than just random hook ups," Remus said.

"Is that an insult?" Sirius asked.

"Okay yes, I am insulting you!" Remus exclaimed, giving up.

"That's not very nice," Sirius said. "…what were you saying about me?"

"Someone else deal with him before I strangle him," Remus said through gritted teeth.

"I don't even understand how you got bored with her all of a sudden," James said.

"Why can't you understand that?"

"Because last week you said you would never get bored with Gabrielle," James said bluntly.

"Oh…than I guess I can see why you don't understand why I got bored all of a sudden," Sirius joked.

"Yeah!" Peter contributed. "You said Gabrielle was the best thing to walk into her your life and she was so wild and spontaneous that you could never get bored with her."

Sirius shrugged. "Things change."

"Apparently," Remus said with a shrug.

"Whoa, who is that pretty thing?" James asked with a low whistle looking at a fifth year.

"I can certainly tell you who she isn't," Lily said coming up from behind him. "Your girlfriend."

"Oh, are you sure? I mean she looks like my girlfriend," James said sheepishly. "Maybe I should wear glasses."

"You do wear glasses," Lily confirmed.

James paused. "So, you look absolutely gorgeous today..."

"Smooth," Sirius whispered under his breath. "So is anyone else getting bored with classes? Does anyone else feel like they get in the way of having fun?" Sirius asked, changing the subject.

"I actually like learning," Remus said.

"And that's why you're single," Sirius noted.

"I like to learn also," Lily said.

"And that's why you're with a loser," Sirius said.

"Hey!" James argued. "I'm sorry, but who is the one that once again got bored with some bimbo and is now all alone?"

"Hey! You dated this bimbo at some point in your life!" Sirius said.

"No I didn't," James argued.

"I know," Sirius pouted. "I was just trying to make myself feel better."

"Because clearly James isn't here to make you feel better," Peter teased.

"Lily, get out while you can," Remus muttered. "Look what you've gotten yourself into."

"I'm starting to think he's not worth it," Lily joked, glancing over at James.

"We can be bored and alone together!" Sirius said excitedly.

James turned to Lily. "Don't ever leave me."

Lily laughed and placed her hand in James's. "Get rid of Sirius and I won't."

"He wouldn't do that Lily. We're best friends, we're pals-" Sirius started.

"See ya Sirius," James said.

"We're nothing," Sirius finished, gaping at James. "Now I really am alone."

"Hey guys," Kacie said, walking up to them. Sirius grinned mischievously at Kacie. Kacie turned to her other friends, pointed her thumb in Sirius's direction and said, "Why is he looking at me like that?"

"He's afraid he's gonna end up alone," James whispered. "And perhaps you and him…" James trailed off.

"He's not getting with me," Kacie said.

Sirius pouted. "I hate my friends."

"You won't end up alone. You won't even end the week alone," Remus said.

"Just go after the next girl who comes around the corner," Peter said. "Isn't that how you usually pick your girls?"

Everyone turned to look at the corner to see who would be coming around it. A few seconds later, Gigi turned the corner.

Everyone looked back at Sirius who said, "Then again, ending up alone doesn't sound so bad."

"Hey Gi!" Lily cried out.

"Gotta go," Sirius mumbled and then he rushed in the opposite direction.

"What was that about?" James asked, watching Sirius zoom out of sight.

"Don't ask me, he's your friend," Lily said.

"He probably saw some girl over there," Peter said with a shrug.

"Where were you just now?" Lily asked Gigi as she walked over.

"Library," Gigi said. Lily gave her a look that clearly said she didn't believe her. "And by library, I mean broom closet."

"Oh, you have some secret desire to become a janitor?" James joked.

"Is that what you do in a broom closet? Find a mop and some dishrags to fulfill your life long dream of becoming a janitor?" Gigi asked, raising her eyebrows.

"Why yes, actually, that's exactly what I do in a broom closet," James teased.

"That's not what we were doing yesterday," Lily murmured.

"Maybe not you, but I was in there looking for the perfect mop," James joked.

"In my mouth?" Lily questioned.

"Whoa, and the innocent Lily just keeps on getting corrupted," Remus said.

"Okay you are ruining this," James pouted to Lily. "Now everyone thinks I'm some kissing maniac who does it all the time."

"Now?" Kacie asked, rolling her eyes. "We've known this for awhile."

James shrugged. "Guess there's no point in fooling you."

"Especially since you're really bad at it," Gigi noted.

"Don't we have some class to get to?" James asked.

"No," everyone else said.

"Oh…where were we going?" James asked.

"Lunch," Remus said.

"FOOD!" James cried out.

"The one thing he likes better than snogging," Remus muttered.

"Put them together…" James said slowly. "Lily covered in chocolate. There's nothing better than that."

"You do know that I'm standing right here…right?" Lily asked.

James looked at her sheepishly. "You're perrrrty," he purred.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Let's get food."

"FOOD!"

"Wrong!" Remus argued.

"Right!" Peter yelled.

"Wrong!" Remus yelled.

Sirius looked up from the couch in the commons room. He turned to James. "What are they fighting about?"

"First it started with which was scarier, Snape with a girlfriend or McGonagall with a boyfriend. When I said it was Snape with a girlfriend, they started arguing over whether I was right or wrong," James said with a shrug.

"At least they're being productive," Sirius said rolling his eyes.

"RIGHT!"

"WRONG!"

James turned his head away from his two friends, rolled his eyes, and placed his attention on Sirius. "So where were you at lunch?"

"I wasn't hungry," Sirius said with a shrug.

"RIG-" Peter started and then Remus and Peter instantly stopped, grew quiet for a few seconds, and turned their heads to look at Sirius. "What?"

"What?" Remus asked.

"What?" James asked.

Sirius looked up from his book. "What?"

"Did you just say you weren't hungry?" James asked and then glanced at the book in Sirius's hands. "And you're reading a book…that has no pictures?"

"Um…yeah?" Sirius asked.

"And you practically ran away when Gigi headed towards us," James said.

Sirius averted his eyes from James and looked back down at the book. "Of course."

"Of course what? Or course you went crazy?" James asked. "Because that seems to be the only explanation I can think of."

"Look, just because I didn't eat lunch with you and I'm reading something doesn't mean I went crazy," Sirius said.

"Right…because that would imply that you aren't already crazy," Remus said.

"Why'd you leave when you saw Gigi coming?" James demanded to know.

"Because she hates me," Sirius said simply, no looking up from his book.

"She's always hated you…you've never run away before," James noted.

Sirius slammed the book shut. "Giliba and I don't get along. Period. End of story. Sorry if I didn't want to stick around to hear her yell at me or tell me I'm a player. I'm getting pretty goddamned tired of her thinking she's better than me so I left. There's no other reason I left when I saw her coming. I just didn't want to deal with her shit." And with that, Sirius got up and sauntered off to his room.

James, Remus, and Peter exchanged. "There so is another reason," James said after a moment of silence as he plopped down on the couch.

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I am very busy this week with studying and getting ready for spring break, but the more you review, the more time I'll find timeto update. :o)