Well…that was a marvelous chapter wasn't it? Yes…yes it was. Well…umm…this chapter will be dedicated to…umm…Frank the Llama…may be rest in peace.

RECAP:

"Damn it! What have I done! I've lost her for good this time. WHY THE HELL CAN'T I EVER DO ANYTHING RIGHT?" He shouted.

"You can." Came a voice from behind him.

Chapter Three

Budding Romances

"Lily?" James asked, looking up.

"No, sorry. Just me." Replied the voice.

"Oh. Hello, Madison." James replied sullenly.

"Well jeez…try not to be too excited to see me. What happened?" She asked.

"Lily has been leading me on. One minute we are friends and on a first name basis. Then, she is cold and mean and calling me by my surname again. Hey! How did you get in here!" James asked, suddenly realizing that she shouldn't have known the password.

"Lily told me the password and told me I could come by any time. But I didn't come here to talk to her. I came to talk to you." Madison explained.

"What did you want to talk to me about?"

"Two things, actually. First, when is Quidditch starting? I'm aching to play again." Madison answered. She, Cara, and James were the Chasers. Sirius was a Beater. The position of Seeker, Keeper, and the other Beater were open this year.

"Soon, don't worry. I'll make an announcement next week." He replied. "What was the second thing?"

"Does Remus fancy me?"

"What! Uh…it's…complicated." James responded hastily.

"Complicated my arse. How is it bloody 'complicated'?" Madison asked.

"He's different than most guys. He doesn't need just any girl to snog him. He needs someone who likes him for him, no matter what happens. If a girl breaks his heart, it could kill him. I mean that literally." James said sincerely.

"Does he fancy me or not, Potter?" She asked firmly.

"Yes. He does. But if you hurt him, not only will I seek revenge for him, buy you will have your own Marauder Prankfest Month!" James said coldly, yet sincerely.

"Don't worry. I won't break his heart. I just have to work up the nerve to tell him." She said as she turned to leave. "And James, you can do plenty of things right. You are an amazing friend. If Lily can't see that, then she is blind. Help her to see that, James. Make her see you." Madison said before turning and leaving the Head Dorm completely. James sat on the floor for a few more seconds before he decided that sitting on the floor was completely pointless. He finally got up off the floor and knocked on Lily's door.

"Lily, we need to talk. Please open the door." He said gently. Silence. "Alright. I am going to my room. You know where to find me." James finished as he turned to head back to his dorm. Before he managed to take three steps, he heard a soft click.

"James?" Said a soft voice from behind him. James slowly turned around. When he did, he felt a knife stab his chest, right in his heart. Well, not a literal knife, but it sure as hell hurt like one. Lily's eyes were read and puffy, her cheeks were tear-stained, and she looked miserable.

"Lily. I am so sorry. I just…it is so hard for me. I really do like you and I thought maybe, just maybe, you were warming up to me. But apparently I was wrong. I am no apologizing for what I said. I am apologizing for how I said it. I should not have shouted but Merlin, Lily! Can't we either be friends or hate each other. I can't be in the gray area. I can handle black or white. Please Lily, hate me or befriend me." He finished.

"I don't hate you, James. I'm just…it's just so confusing. I thought that this year was the year I could escape from you. Only, when I saw you on the train, I didn't want to escape. I choose white; let us try to be friends." Lily said kindly, holding out her hand to shake. James did not shake her hand. Instead, he held her hand up to his face and kissed it gently.

"Go to bed, Lily. It's late." He said softly.

"Okay, James. Good night." She whispered as she turned and went back to her room and had a peaceful nights sleep.

The Month of September zoomed by. Homework piled up, the temperature dropped, Quidditch began and soon it was time for the first Hogsmeade weekend. Madison and Cara were sitting in the Common Room the night before Hogsmeade. Remus came down from the boys' dormitory and approached the two girls.

"Hey, Remus." Cara said as she noticed him approaching them. Madison's face lit up as she turned to face him.

"Hello, Remus." She said.

"Hey, Cara. Madison, could I talk to you for a moment?" Remus asked, nervously.

"Sure, Remus." Madison said as she got up and followed him out to the corridor. Remus was shifting his weight on the balls of his feet as though he was nervous.

"You wanted to ask me something?" Madison said, coyly.

"Uh…yeah. Tomorrow is the Hogsmeade weekend and I was wondering if you were…going with anyone." Remus began, his voice was obviously nervous.

"No, I am not going with anyone. No one worth going with has asked me." Madison replied, simply.

"Oh, well…I was just wondering…would you like to go to Hogsmeade with me tomorrow?" Remus said, very quickly. Madison just looked at him in silence for a few moments. He began to shift even more and she could tell he was really nervous about asking her our.

"I'd love to, Remus." Madison said, finally.

"Really? Wicked. Okay, I'll meet you in the Great Hall at breakfast? Usual time?" He asked.

"Sure. That sound's great." She turned to leave, but turned at the last second and kissed him on the cheek before hurriedly running back into the tower and up to her room.

In the Head's Dorm, James and Lily were sitting around the fire working on their homework in comfortable silence.

"Hey, Lily?" James asked setting his Potions book down.

"Yes?" Lily answered, not looking up from her parchment and her own Potions book.

"Would you like to go to Hogsmeade with me tomorrow? As friends of course." He added as he saw the look on her face.

"Sure, why not. As friends, only though." She replied.

"Okay, I understand. I won't…wait…did you say yes!" James asked as realization hit him.

"Yes, James. I will go to Hogsmeade with you…as friends." Lily said as she closed her book and headed to her room. "Good night, James."

"Good night, Lily." James replied in a half-daze.

"Hey, Cara." Sirius said as he approached Cara and as Madison was following Remus out into the corridor.

"Hey, Sirius. What is going on?" She asked pleasantly.

"Well, it just came to my attention that there is a trip to the delightful little village of Hogsmeade tomorrow and I am in need of company. I thought, who better than my dear friend, Cara."

"Well, Black, glad to know you remembered me. But, I don't know if I will even go. And, I am not ready to go on a date with you." Cara replied.

"A date? Of course not. We shall go as friends." Sirius answered cheerfully.

"Alright, why not? It won't be a date." She reminded him as she made her way up to the staircase.

"Of course not. See you in the morning." Sirius said as he watched her leave.

The next morning, Cara was rudely awakened by Madison. Madison claimed that Cara needed to get her lazy arse out of bed and help her pick out an outfit for Remus. Madison finally decided on a long sleeved, blue and red striped shirt, and blue jeans. Cara wore a green sweater and jeans.

They went down for breakfast and met up with Lily. Soon the boys came down and the group made their way into the quaint little village of Hogsmeade. Cara, Sirius, Lily, and James went to the Three Broomsticks, seeing as they were all going under the same pretense. However, Madison and Remus decided to enjoy the weather and take a walk around Hogsmeade.

"Thank you for coming to Hogsmeade with me." Remus said, breaking the silence.

"Think nothing of it. I wanted to come." She replied, glancing up at him. They were walking side by side. Madison's hands were just hanging at her sides; Remus's hands were in his pockets. 'Bloody Hell, how many hints do I have to give this boy!' She thought as she reached over and gently pulled Remus's hand out of his pocket and held it in hers. He gulped a bit too loudly. She walked him over to an empty bench and sat down. "Remus, do you fancy me?" Madison asked bluntly.

"Ex…excuse me?" Remus stammered.

"Do you like me or not? It's quite simple. Do you just like me and are too afraid to tell me or…" Madison was cut off as Remus pressed his lips against hers, giving her a soft kiss.

"Does that answer your question?" He asked before capturing her lips again. After about two minutes of kissing, a cold gust of wind blew through the street. Madison pulled away from the kiss and moved closer to Remus as she shivered.

"It got cold, eh?" She said, laughing and moving closer still to Remus.

"Come on. Let's go inside." Remus said as he got up and wrapped his arm around Madison's shoulders, holding her close. He led her into the Three Broomsticks expecting to see the Marauders but they weren't in there. In fact, Cara and Sirius were in Zonko's and James and Lily were in the bookstore. Madison sat down at a table as Remus went to buy the drinks.

"Here you go." He said as he handed her a Butterbeer.

"Thanks." She said as she took a sip of her drink.

"If I may ask, how long have you liked me?" Remus asked bluntly.

"Quite a while actually. Since the end of last year, in fact." She said.

"So that other bloke…that was me?" Remus asked incredulously.

"I was wondering when you would catch on." She said smirking. "Just to be sure, you and I are…"

"A couple, but only if you want to be." Remus said. Madison leaned over and kissed him.

"Does that answer your question?"

Meanwhile/Flashback:

After Madison and Remus separated themselves from the group, the other four went to the Three Broomsticks. The boys ended up paying for the drinks, no matter how much the girls protested. When they were done, James took Lily to the bookstore. Cara and Sirius decided to go to Zonko's.

Lily was amazed that she could actually get along with James Potter. He hadn't asked her to be his girlfriend, or even try to kiss her. She never knew James could be a gentleman, or even a friend.

Cara was having a blast with Sirius. He was a fun guy. He was someone who could make her laugh. Also, he was someone who would protect her from harm and defend her honor. This scared her. This scared the shit out of her. She was terrified that she might just be falling for Sirius Black.

Later that night, they were all sitting in the Head's Common Room just laughing and being friends. They were oblivious to the outside world. It was a scary, dangerous world where people were dying. Innocent people were being killed for being different. It was a gruesome world, but for these six teenagers, it didn't exist at the moment.

Love me darlings, I got this up much faster than was expected. So love me like the goddess I am…or…you know…you can just review.