So What Am I so Afraid Of?

Chapter 5: Compromise

Lily and James weren't speaking. Actually, they were more than not speaking. They were going

out of their to avoid each other. James had taken to skipping lessons more often, only going if

absolutely necessary. Lily submerged herself in work, going to meals extremely early or late, never

during the rush.

One morning at breakfast, Quinn said exactly what everyone else had been thinking. "You are

going to have to talk to him eventually you know."

"Not actually," Lily declared sounding like she had been considering the issue at length.

"Technically we could just divide up all the Heads' duties and never speak again."

"Oh come on, Lil, this isn't even the worst fight you two have had," Bree said, barely pausing to

look up from where she was copying Lily's transfiguration questions.

"No, but I think it was the first time James dissapointed her when she was actually counting on

him," Quinn sighed knowledgably.

"No, no, I wasn't...I'm not...couting on him," Lily trailed off as her eyes shifted toward the

entrance to the Great Hall.

"496...497. 497 steps from the Common Room to the Hall," Sirius announced victoriously.

Lily locked eyes briefly with James before she quickly turned away, carefully avoiding his gaze

the rest of the meal. He, in turn, slipped into a seat at the far end of the table.

"You were looking at her," Sirius declared.

"Way to be tackful, Padfoot," Remus said, shaking his head slightly. To James he added,

"When are you going to confront her?"

James glanced down at her hastily. Refocusing on Remus, "I don't intend to. Obviously,

Stubborn Lily believes she was perfectly right to yell at me. I'm not going to be the one who fixs

this."

"But, James.." Sirius started, but he was cut off quickly by Remus shaking his head at him.

Lily was buried under a mountain of textbooks and parchment, but she wasn't distracted. She

hadn't written a word; she was, instead, drafting a conversation with James in her head. If she was

going to tell him she was wrong and sorry, she would have to know exactly what to say.

She soon found, however, that, being unable to predict his responses, she was getting nowhere.

So, in defeat, she resorted to the last possible option.

James- (She wrote)

I'm really sorry about the way things have been happening this past week. I realize now that it is in

large part my fault.

So, I'm willing to take the blame if you agree to show up to the Prefect's Meeting Thursday.

I miss you,

L.E.

PS- Meetings once a month. Truce?

James watched one of the school barn owls swoop towards him at breakfast. He had no idea

who would be writing him.

"Who's that from?" Sirius asked, leaning over his full plate to examine James' note.

James glanced down at the signiture and quickly snatched the page out of Sirius' view. "No

one." He then added, "Ready for Charms today?"

The day passed unnaturally slowly for James. All he could think about was getting to the

Prefect's meeting that evening. He beat Lily to the Transfiguration classroom by 10 minutes that

evening. Slowly, the Prefects began to trickle in until finally all were present.

"Thank you all for being here tonight. This is our first official Prefect's meeting of many," Lily

said, calling the meeting to order.

"We will have Prefect's meetings every third week," Here James passed, glancing at Lily. This

was his peace offering, a compromise. "For those of you who can't count, we'll send around

reminders as the time nears."

"First Hogsmeade weekend will be on October 11th," Lily continued.

After the metting, James hung back, hoping to walk with Lily to the common room. He watched

her from the doorway as she stacked papers and folders. Finally, she looked up.

"Can I walk you back?" James asked, offering his arm.

She took it and they began walking. "I really want to thank you for what you did today," Lily

said quietly. "You didn't have to change it to every 3 weeks."

"I know," James said lightly, "but I wanted to."

They spent the rest of the walk back talking about the Prefects. Some they found annoying,

other's made them laugh. Finally, they arrived at the bottom of the stair case.

"So," James said, sounding slightly awkward. "Maybe we could have breakfast together

tomorrow or something."

"We'll see," Lily said. Then she laughed. "I might be too busy having breakfast with Sirius or

somebody." Then she wrinkled her nose at the thought.

(AN: Hey! It's only been about, idk, six years since I've updated. But, I've renewed my interest in this story, and intend to start it back up again. This is not the best chapter I know, but it will at least get me out of that lull I worked myself into. More to come! Love, CaliREVIEW!)