I'm so sorry I've taken so long to update! Really, I am. Computers truly suck, and mine is no different. Now, with a completely new hard drive, I can semi-usually connect to the internet. And I have no microsoft word. Actually I have no writing capabilities whatsoever except for some sort of notepad thing, so I'm going to have to get used to writing with a pen again. So, I can't really promise when the next chapter will be uploaded.
Anyway, enough whining, I hope you enjoy this chapter. And I hope for lots and lots of reviews!
Disclaimer: Please don't sue - gas prices have reduced me to a pauper, and nothing you recognize is mine anyway.
"James," Lily whispered directly into his ear. His dark hair was tickling her nose as she spoke. "What were they talking about back there? I mean, you had to have noticed if they were fighting enough for Sirius to have to apologize like that."
Lily damned herself for her curiosity.
"Yeah, I know what happened, but it doesn't have anything to do with their supposed relationship. So, just leave it alone–alright?"
"I didn't mean anything by it, James. I was just wondering."
"Curiosity killed the bloody cat."
"Look, what has gotten into you? I was just interested in what called for such an ardent apology. Besides, I thought it was rather romantic."
"Romantic!" James all but squawked, "You think screwing up badly enough to reduce Sirius Black to tears is romantic! Can you even begin to imagine all of the heartache and weeping and despair that came before your oh-so-romantic apology?
"And do you know who was there to comfort both of them? Me.
"I was the one holding them as they broke apart. Because both of them are idiots sometimes, but Remus is especially and can't admit when he is suffering. And Sirius can't stop feeling guilty because everything is his fault even though it isn't. Well, not entirely anyway. So, yeah, I think I have the right to be in a bit of a mood when two of my best friends in the whole bloody world are just going to break each other again."
Lily knew she was gaping. Honestly, she did, but what are you supposed to do when a flushed and glassy eyed James Potter is standing before you after babbling about broken hearts and best friends? He ran his hands through his hair one more time and seemed to deflate as he exhaled. "Sorry, Lily," he mumbled.
"Don't be," she answered before she could help herself. She flushed brilliantly and James's mouth quirked.
As they continued to talk, they stepped closer together than before.
Mere steps from the Fat Lady, Lily stopped and turned to James again. "You know, I only thought it was romantic because the Great and Heartless Sirius Black is only that way because he's given his own away."
James's eyes seemed darker than they should have been. Lily knew he was far too close for comfort. At least, she was pretty sure she should not be happy with the way his breath was sliding across her cheek or the way his fingers were brushing against her elbows.
"So, it's romantic when Sirius demonstrates his love, but when I do, it's just annoying."
"I-I umm," she stuttered. James smirked. He tentatively slid his foot between hers. Lily had to tilt her head back to keep looking into his eyes. He had her transfixed.
As he watched her throat work frantically, he said, "It's alright to give your heart away then, even if it breaks others in the process, but not if it inconveniences you. You see, Lily, I think I'm figuring you out. You just want to watch and appreciate. You're a dreamer."
He watched as her eyes darkened as he dipped his head closer to her ear. Her breaths were ragged. His own heart was skipping–or doing the hula; he had yet to decide.
"I admire that, but are you a Gryffindor or not?" he grinned wolfishly at her.
Lily could hear a ringing in her ears. Actually, that was almost all she could hear above her head screaming at her that oh my God James Potter's going to kiss me! His lips were getting closer and closer to hers, and wait, when did she start wanting him to kiss her? She was supposed to be screaming like a banshee by now. No, she was not supposed to be leaning closer, and why the hell was she standing on her toes!
Then, out of the whirlwind that was her thoughts, she heard, "are you a Gryffindor or not?"
Yes, she thought distantly. Yes, I am. Then her fingers were curling in his robes, and she watched as his eyes widened. Standing on her toes, she dragged him down and crashed his lips against hers.
"Well," she panted smugly, "am I a Gryffindor or not, then?"
"Y-yes. Ah, I'd say you are," James said with his voice cracking. She was fairly sure his eyes would fall out if they opened any farther. He brushed his hands through his hair and suddenly composed himself. Smarmy grin and all, James Potter leaned forward again lips barely brushing hers and whispered, "But you might want to prove it again, you know, make it a case study or something. Just so we all know for sure."
Lily smiled up at him. She felt warm all over, and she was sure she had never been quite this happy. Not even the time she got her Hogwarts letter or when she accidently turned Petunia's hair green could compare to the way she felt right now at this exact moment. She was convinced she had swallowed balloons.
"Well," she giggled, actually giggled, "a case study would require more trials than just two. Maybe a third or even a fourth would be needed."
"I suppose we could make that work," he drawled before catching her face in his hands and firmly proving that, yes, Lily Evans was most definitely a Gryffindor.
Morning. Sirius truly, unequivocally hated morning. Groaning, he attempted to shield his eyes from the cruel, cruel sunlight that was trying to melt his eyeballs.
"Sirius–Sirius!" came an insistent whisper near his ear. Swatting at the irritation, Sirius rolled over onto his other side, which just so happened to connect solidly with Remus Lupin.
"For fuck's sake, Moony, it's too damned early in the bloody morning."
"Do you always curse this much in the morning? Never mind; I don't want to know. We have bigger problems.
"James and Peter have already gone down to breakfast. Apparently last night was the night for Lily and James–"
"The bloody wankers."
"Yes, Sirius, thank you," Remus sighed pinching the bridge of his nose as Sirius yawned widely.
"Look, James came in so late we didn't get the chance to warn him, and he's already left. It's too late for damage control."
Sirius blinked confusedly for all of three seconds before he remembered last night. "Oh, fuck," he breathed. "What's the plan?"
Remus had progressed to massaging his temples. His shoulders were tense and he felt like hitting something. "Pray," he groaned.
Trudging down to the Great Hall for breakfast had never been so difficult, and that was saying something. Sirius's feet were lead, and Remus had some creative theories that called for his feet to be on backward. Unfortunately, despite a rather timely incident involving the vanishing step and Remus's foot, they both arrived at breakfast at the usual time. The entire hall was teeming with students in various stages of consciousness, and the whole room roared with their conversations. Remus felt like he was going to vomit.
Then, Sirius's hand was on his back and shoving him through the doors. Conversation boomed even louder as students stopped talking to bellow out their greetings and good mornings to Lupin and Black, one half of the Marauders. Sirius grinned and winked at Remus. There were only two options after all; either everyone knew and could care less, or no one knew at all. And really, they both knew which was more likely.
Lily watched absently as Black and Lupin swaggered to their customary seats. Sure, it was hard to pay attention to details less trivial than the perfect bow of James's bottom lip, but it was habit to watch the two of them. She could hardly help it, but she saw the way they shared a secret smile and wink. She was hardly blind; she was perfectly aware of Black's hand on Lupin's back.
"What's this, James? You finally bagged the bird?" Sirius crowed as he reached over the table and ruffled both James's and Lily's hair.
"Watch it, Black," she snapped irritably. Remus was grinning wildly over his eggs and bacon. Peter tossed him the pepper, and Remus sneezed. Suddenly, Sirius was pounding his back and calling, "Easy there, mate. Don't want to lose you to Pernicious Pepper."
"I thought it was Persnickety Pepper and Pernicious Plums," James interjected with an idiotic grin.
"Ah, well, you know how pernicious those plums are," Lupin sniffled. Really, Lily wondered how the four of them functioned. Rolling her eyes, she returned to absently watching the way James rubbed his jaw with the back of his knuckles as he yawned and the way Black's fingers brushed Lupin's as he reached for the jam.
Licking the last traces of butter and jam from her fingers, Lily turned and smiled at James who was absentmindedly rubbing her knuckles with his thumb. "I think I'm going to go on up to class," she said.
"But, Lily," he pleaded, "there's still a good ten minutes at least left to breakfast!"
"Oh, don't sound so appalled," she giggled and pecked his slightly sticky lips. Honestly, she needed to get this giggling thing sorted. Gathering her books with one last prying look at Black and Lupin and a special lingering look for James, she disappeared through the doors.
Once Lily was definitely gone, Remus kicked James under the table as Sirius hissed, "Jamesie-boy, we've got a problem with this whole plot of yours."
"Oh, no worries, boys. That's all sorted now, you see. Lily's my girlfriend and I can just tell her I've found convincing proof she's wrong. She'll pout, we'll snog, and all will be forgotten," James waved off their concerns without looking away from where Lily had left.
"Well, that's just brilliant. Really it is," Remus drawled.
"Yeah, except the little fact that our fake love note is floating around the school somewhere," Sirius snarled with a particularly emphatic kick to James's kneecap.
"What?" James was stunned. How could things have backfired so badly when everything had been working perfectly?
"My thoughts exactly," quipped Remus.
"Somehow, your girl managed to completely ruin another one of our perfectly planned plots. The only thing is this time, she's managed to let loose hard evidence that we are gay!"
The Great Hall was almost completely silent. James thought he heard crickets chirping. Remus moaned pathetically and dropped his head into his hands, and Sirius was wildly looking at all the stunned faces surrounding them. James was fairly sure Peter was chuckling to himself and not crying, but at the moment, it was anyone's guess.
"Everyone heard that, didn't they?" Sirius asked after another painfully silent moment.
"Yes. Yes, they did, Padfoot," Remus answered.
Again, I'm terribly sorry for the wait. Hopefully, the next chapter won't take as long.