"Hey, Remus."
"Hey, Lily."
"Mind if I sit down?"
"It's the common room, Lily. Of course."
"What I meant was…we're friends, Remus."
"Yes, we are."
"So…can I ask you a friendly question?"
"You aren't going to ask me out, are you? You're my friend, but I don't think I could ever…and James…"
"Oh! No. Don't worry. I've spent seven years training James, and I am not getting rid of him after all the time I've invested."
"Oh. Then, go ahead."
"I was wondering…what's wrong with you?"
"Um…Lily…you know about my…er…furry little problem."
"Not that. Sorry. I told James we should have phrased it more delicately."
"What was that? Sorry, I didn't catch the last bit."
"Never mind! Sorry. I should have asked that different. Um…it's just…you've been acting strangely latterly. I was wondering what was wrong."
"Nothing, really. Well, Sirius ran out of volumizing shampoo, so we have to listen to him complain until our Hogsmeade trip this weekend, but that's it."
"You'd like he was female, the way he goes on about his hair."
"James used to be just as bad until he accepted that there was no hope for his hair."
"And you?"
"My chocolate addiction makes me seem female enough. I don't need any more trouble."
"Like when Sirius gave you CPR last week when you almost choked on his expanding chocolate ball?"
"He seemed to miss the fact that I had already spit out the chocolate, and that even if it was still in my mouth, the Heimlich maneuver would have been appropriate for the problem. Instead, I got a mouthful of saliva."
"But he was concerned."
"Yes, but Sirius's concern usually lands people in the hospital wing."
"Well, you were fine…that time. Okay. Point taken. But it was still sweet."
"If incorrectly trying to save your choking mate, who isn't actually choking, is sweet, then I suppose it is."
"I think it is."
"Lily, I think the more apt question that should be asked now is what's wrong with you? As I can remember, you take most occasions to call Sirius a cocky prat."
"Well, he isn't that bad…"
"You're gritting your teeth."
"I'm making an effort! Get off it!"
"Sorry, sorry."
"No, I'm sorry. Redhead temper, and all."
"Don't worry, Lily. I'm used to you by now."
"Which means that you're used to me poking my nose where it doesn't belong?"
"It isn't one of your most desirable attributes, but I've dealt with your poking."
"Good. Because I've got a particularly big stick to poke you with today."
"What have I/Sirius/James/anyone done today?"
"It's not really about you—and it's about you—doing something."
"What did I not do, then?"
"You didn't not do anything, either. It's more…of a feeling. Your feelings. For a person."
"My feelings…for a person…"
"Romantic feelings."
"Lily, I thought you—"
"Not for me! For someone else!"
"I really don't know what you're talking about, Lily."
"Bloody boys."
"What?"
"Never mind. But, come on, Remus! You know you can tell me."
"Lily, I'd rather not—"
"Yes, you would. You've been worrying yourself with this, and you haven't been able to concentrate. I saw you look up from your book at least six times earlier today. You never do that."
"The book was boring—"
"No, it wasn't. You were distracted by your crush. Or, should I say, the person you're madly in love with?"
"Lily, I don't have a crush on anyone, much less am I madly in love with anyone."
"Yes, you do. Admit it, Remus. I'm your friend. I can keep a secret."
"Um…er…Violet Kingston. Yes. The pretty sixth year."
"Remus, that is the worst cover-up crush that I've ever heard. You could have at least picked someone that right gender."
"That was the right—wait. What did you…?"
"Oooh, sorry. Not the best way to break the news that I know that you're gay, is it?"
"Not exactly."
"Sorry."
"So…um…how long have you known?"
"A few months."
"And you're just saying something now?"
"I figured that if you wanted people to know, you would have told. I was going to wait until you came out…but then it just started to drive me crazy."
"That I'm gay?"
"No. That you're madly in love with someone and won't do anything about it."
"I told you, I'm not—"
"Remus, I do have eyes. Don't try to deny it."
"But I don't—"
"Just tell. You know that when I found out about your…eh…furry little problem, I didn't tell anyone."
"I know. Thank you."
"Of course. And that is why you can trust me with this."
"Lily, why do you keep pressing?"
"It's for your own good, Remus. I want you to be happy, and you're obviously not happy right now. I know how hard it can be. Having the man that you love be right there in front of you, but not being able to admit how head-over-heels you are for him. It hurts sometimes, and it's stressful. It took me about three years to get over my stubbornness and snog James in the middle of the common room. I don't want you to have to wait that long."
"Thanks, Lily."
"So…?"
"I'm still not madly in love with anyone."
"UGH!"
"Lily, really—"
"DENIAL! You're in DENIAL!"
"Lily, calm down. You're scaring me. I'm not in—"
"You spend all of your free time staring at him, you always smile at him, and you find any chance to make physical contact! You two are always talking and touching! You look at him, and then look away. Then he looks at you, and then looks away. And it's killing me how two clever people like you can't figure it out! I'm sick of watching it! It's driving me mad! So just walk up to him and TELL SIRIUS BLACK YOU'RE BLOODY IN LOVE WITH HIM!"
"…"
"…"
"Lily…did you have to say it that loud?"
"See? You are in love with him!"
"I never said—"
"REMUS LUPIN IS IN LOVE WITH—"
"Okay, okay! I love him! Happy?"
"Immensely."
"Everyone's staring at us."
"It's okay. They already knew."
"They KNEW?"
"Of course. You two are so obvious, it's hard to miss it."
"So the whole school knows that I'm in love with my best friend?"
"Well, a couple of Slytherins don't know, but most of them are clued in. And I don't think that Slughorn has figured it out yet…"
"Sweet Merlin."
"That wasn't the best thing to say either, was it?"
"Not really."
"Hold on. Does that mean HE knows?"
"Remus—"
"Did you tell him?"
"N—"
"Who told him? He's going to hate me!"
"He—"
"He'll never want to see me again! This is awful!"
"It—"
"I can't believe—"
"HE DOESN'T KNOW!"
"Oh."
"Sorry for the outburst. But you kept rambling."
"Oh. Sorry."
"It's okay."
"So…he doesn't know."
"No. Well, not yet, anyways."
"Not YET?"
"Yes. Don't worry, though. It won't be much longer. James is in the dorm with him right now telling him."
"JAMES is telling SIRIUS that I'm in LOVE with HIM?"
"Yes."
"Oh, Merlin."