Chapter 6: Pretending

After Mimi sobbed into Lily's thigh for about an hour she decided she was going to pretend nothing was wrong. She would go about her day to day business: hanging with the Marauders and the girls, playing pranks, and dating Amos. Yes, she would continue dating Amos. She wouldn't let anyone know much it hurt.

"Mimi!" James ran over to her as she walked into the common room.

"Hey James," she grinned broadly and James seemed to relax a bit.

"Are you okay?"

"Yea of course why wouldn't I be?"

"Well, because of you and Sirius." Mimi let out a loud laugh that sounded fake to her

own ears.

"We were drunk James. It means nothing." He let out a sigh of relief and then smiled again.

"I think Lily is start to like me," he told her proudly and Mimi looked up at him in disbelief.

"James…"

"No really, we danced for ever last night! It was great, she was so nice." Just as he spoke Lily came downstairs. She glanced between James and Mimi awkwardly.

"Hey Lily," James smiled.

"What?" She snapped and Mimi sighed as James hopes were dashed.

"I was just saying hi."

"Oh sure, you never just say hi!" Lily exclaimed and stomped off. Mimi grew slightly frustrated again, James was falling at Lily's feet and she didn't realize how lucky she was.

"I guess not," James muttered his eyes on the floor. Mimi looked at him and then threw her arms around him. He started, but then wrapped his arms around her too.

"Don't worry James," Mimi whispered. She felt him nod and then backed away. He still looked very upset so she grinned.

"I have a great idea for a prank," she said and instantly his eyes lit up.

"Really? Can we do it now?" He asked.

"Let's go." She grabbed his hand and led him out of the portrait hall. They walked over to a bunch of third years who were conversing about girls and Mimi stopped and smiled at them, a mischievous glint in her eye.

"Hey guys," she cooed. The boys looked up from the conversation they were having.

"Hi?" They said.

"I couldn't help but overhearing you were talking about girls, and I have this little trick to ensure a girl knows just how much you like them," Mimi told them with a sly smile. The boys looked up excitedly and James joined in, "It really works! How do you think I got my fan club?" The boys exchanged looks and then they grinned.

"Will you show us how it works?" Mimi and James nodded.

"Sure just come here," Mimi said with a half smile. The boys stepped forward and Mimi pointed her wand at their ankles. Triplarvoso, she muttered and a jet of yellow light flew out of her wand.

"Wow, thanks!" The boys grinned and began walking away when all of sudden they all fell simultaneously. They brushed themselves off looking sheepish but then fell again. Mimi and James were cracking up.

"You tricked us!" One of the boys exclaimed.

"No, now they'll definitely know you like them, you're falling at her feet," Mimi said still laughing hysterically. The boys glared and tripped off.

"Wh-when did you come with that?" James said laughing to hard to speak clearly. Mimi just shook her head still in fits over it all. That was until, Sirius walked around the corner.

"Hey, guys. What's so funny?" He asked. Mimi looked up hearing his voice and for a second their eyes met.

"You missed a great prank. We put a tripping charm on some th- Mimi where are you going?" he asked confused as Mimi began walking off.

"I have to go," Mimi said quickly and ran off.

She ran all the way to the Room of Requirement and walked back and forth three times "I

need a place to be alone." She chanted and before long a door handle appeared. Mimi turned and it and walked into the Room. It was small and cozy with a fluffy sky blue carpet and couch, a white quilt and a large collection of Honeydukes sweets. Mimi collapsed on the couch and instantly a box of tissues appeared beside her. She knew that her pretending plan was going to be very hard.

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"Alright, Padfoot, talk to me," James said still somewhat surprised from Mimi's exit. He and Sirius were sitting in the kitchen chowing their way through an enormous pile of brownies.

"Eggs and bacon, cheese and rice, ice cream and porridge," Sirius said to him.

"What?" James as confusedly.

"You said talk to me so I did."

"I meant talk to me about Mimi, not talk to me about your favorite foods!"

"Oh."

"What happened mate?"

"We talked about it. We decided it shouldn't mean anything and then I snogged Clark," Sirius mumbled and swallowed a brownie whole.

"That's it?" James pressed on.

"I guess," Sirius shrugged

"I think theirs more," James stated.

"So do I," Sirius said.

"So that's it then? You and her are just going to pretend like nothing has happened?"

"I guess so." With that Sirius got up and left.

-----

Mimi walked up into the dormitory that night, she had stayed in the Room of Requirement for an hour, before she finally decided to do some homework. Now, she returned to her dormitory after a bad day in bad mood. Arabella and Sarah weren't there but Lilly was doing her homework on her bed.

"I hope you know just how much it hurts him every time you say no," Mimi said suddenly and Lily looked up in surprise.

"Excuse me?"

"Every time you say no to James you crush him. I know you think he's arrogant, self-centered, and rude with no real feelings, and sure sometimes he is but when it comes to you Lily he's different. And every time you say no you crush him," Mimi told her and Lily gaped at her.

"Did he set you up?" Lily asked.

"No! I am just sick of watching, as his friend, you stomp all over his heart!" Mimi yelled and stormed off to take a shower leaving a very hurt and confused Lily behind.

Fifteen minutes later Mimi emerged from the bathroom and went over to Lily.

"I'm sorry. Really, that was awful of me I know he bothers you and I am sorry to have yelled," she told Lily. Lily let out a long sigh.

"I know I should be really mad at you right now, but I am not. So I accept your apology." Mimi smiled in relief, one crisis averted. Mimi walked back to her closet and pulled on some pajama pants and a white t-shirt before lying down on her bed. She reluctantly pulled out her Potions essay and got to work.

-----

On Sunday it took all of Mimi's strength to get up out of bed and dressed for her date with Amos. If it wasn't for Lily, Sarah, and Arabella's help and coaxing she wouldn't have. The pretending that everything was okay act was getting harder and harder. Sarah, Lily, and Arabella dressed her up in black corduroys and a white polo shirt, with a light blue headband in her finally combed hair. They had done her make up, but she still didn't look as stunning as she normally did. Something was missing, and that thing Lily knew, was Sirius Black. Mimi thanked the girls and then walked out of the common room to meet Amos.

"Hey," Amos said when he saw her a big smile on his face.

"Hi," she said with the biggest smile she could muster as she slipped her hand into his.

"How's it going?" Amos asked and Mimi inwardly laughed at the irony of that question.

"It's okay, so what would you like to do?" She asked.

"We could go for a walk by the lake," he suggested.

"That sounds perfect," she told him, 'as long as we don't pass the Quidditch Pitch where James and Sirius are practicing,' she added inwardly to herself. Then quickly shook her head, she was on a date with Amos and she wasn't going to let thoughts of Sirius Black ruin it.

Overall, Mimi enjoyed her date with Amos. They had a very nice walk down by the lake and he was funny and nice, and a good kisser. But as hard as she tried, she couldn't get Sirius out of her head, sure Amos was funny but Sirius was funnier, sure Amos was a good kisser but Sirius was better.

"Hey Remus," Mimi said walking back into the common room from her date with Amos.

"Hi Mimi," he said as he threw books in his bag.

"Where are you going?" She asked.

"The library," he responded.

"Wait, can I come with you? I just have to grab my bag!" Remus gave her an odd look but nodded. Mimi ran upstairs, she figured the library was the absolute last place she would ever see Sirius, and besides she liked being with Remus he calmed her.

"Ready?" He asked when she returned.

"Yup, let's go." Together they made their way out of the portrait hall and down to the library. Remus looked down at Mimi while they walked, she kept shaking her head and she looked desperately sad. Remus slid his arm around Mimi's shoulders and hugged her close. She smiled up at him, he was so understanding and she loved that.

----

Mimi barely ever left Remus's side for the next few weeks, she needed his understanding and compassion. One night, in the common room while Remus was reading and Mimi was napping her head rested on his thigh. Mimi stirred, and opened an eye. She looked up at Remus and whispered,

"Remus, can I tell you something?"

"Sure Mimi," he said closing his book.

"It's about Sirius," she said slowly and Remus was all ears.

"I thought I liked him. I mean since the summer, I thought this but I wasn't sure so I let it be. But, after we- after the party I thought he wanted it too. I was so stupid! I saw him kiss Eleanora right after, he just wanted sex he was drunk. But, I still like him Remus, I still like him! It's making me miserable too, because as much as I want to hate him I just can't," Mimi said tears threatening her cheeks.

"Oh Mimi," was all Remus said as she brushed her eyes.

"How did I get so stupid?" she asked.

"You're not stupid," Remus soothed her and stroked her hair.

"I just wish it all never happened," she whispered and then she closed her eyes again. Remus sighed as she fell back to sleep. They needed to fix this, she liked Sirius and Sirius liked her, not to mention it was killing her inside. She was pretending in front of everyone that it was all okay and it wasn't.

-----

Sirius was sitting in the kitchens by himself, doing something rare for him. Thinking. He had been out with Eleanora, even if he didn't want to be, and all he could think about was Mimi. Seriously, as they were in the Room of Requirement on the small bed the Room produced, he could only think of Mimi in his bed that night. He saw Mimi in the hall and whenever she stuck around long enough for him to get a good look at her, she was always smiling. Well, at least her lips were but those sparkling hazel eyes were crying.

"What have I done?" He yelled kicking the table. The house-elves started at his outburst.

"Sorry," he mumbled to them and ate another spoonful of ice cream. Not only were Mimi's eyes crying whenever he saw Mimi, but she was also glued to Remus's hip. Sure, she always spent time with him but she had gone overboard with it. She never left, and he didn't mind. Sirius brow furrowed as he thought about this, was Mimi using Remus to get over him? He then decided against that thought, she had Amos. He knew they were still together, Remus told him. He paused again, was Remus with Mimi on the side? Did she like him now and just didn't know how to end it with Amos? Sirius began to get angry as the thought evolved in his mind and he left the kitchen with one thought in mind: find Remus.

A/N: I hope you're liking it so far. This chapter was hard to write and I am still not happy with it but PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW!!!