A/N: I really have no excuse for not posting…I'm sorry though. So, so sorry :( *hugs all around* But here's a chapter! Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter…still…*sigh*
-FWW-
Lily seemed different. The past few weeks went without James being flirty with her, and it was oddly comforting to the red head. To the others, however, it was unheard of.
"Is he sick?" Peter asked one day when it was just him, Remus, Sirius, and Hermione in the common room. James and Lily were no where to be found.
"Yeah, love sick." Sirius smirked, picking up a cup of hot chocolate and sipping it. He immediately dropped it and howled in pain. "HOT!"
The others laughed, and with a flick of Remus' wand the mess was gone. "It's called hot chocolate, Padfoot. What did you expect?"
Hermione smirked at Sirius as he scowled at Remus. "I expected it to be luke warm, at least!"
"Well then what's the point of hot chocolate, when it's only warm?" Hermione asked. Sirius scowled at her too and looked at the fire.
"Come off it, mate. We're only joking." Remus said. Sirius seemed to growl as he sat on the floor. Making sure no one was around, he changed into his Animagus form and curled up by the fire. Peter rolled his eyes.
"Such a drama queen."
The dog Sirius growled.
Hermione sat on the ground with him and stroked his head. "Hmm...I think we should name our dog, don't you think guys?"
Sirius gave her an Are-You-Crazy? look, which she promptly ignored. The other two agreed, and Sirius huffed.
"Fluffy?" Peter suggested, and received yet another growl.
"Padfoot?" Remus said, and Hermione shook her head.
"Too obvious, everyone knows your nicknames."
"Oh, right. Uh, how about Gary?" He got a growl also.
"Stop being so picky, Sirius." Remus muttered, and the dog made a sound that could've been a snicker.
"You'll be called Snuffles." Hermione said, and Sirius shifted back into his human form, her hand still on his head.
"Snuffles? Really?" he asked.
"Sure, why not?"
"Yeah Snuffles, why not?" Peter said, holding back a laugh. Hermione rolled her eyes.
"Ok, maybe not Snuffles. We'll think of something though."
"Yeah. As for right now, though, I'm taking a nap." Sirius turned back into a dog and closed his eyes. Hermione leaned against him and closed her eyes. The group stayed that way for a while, with Remus and Peter talking about the next full moon quietly, and Hermione fell asleep.
-FWW-
Several hours passed before she woke up again, and was surprised to find herself in the girl's dormitory. How had she gotten in here? She remembered sleeping by the fire, her head against Sirius the Dog...'He must have carried me up here,' she thought, and a smile came to her lips. 'I should go thank him.'
Hermione bound down the steps to the common room quickly, but stopped just as fast when she saw two figures talking. Her eyes widened slightly when she realized it was James and Lily, for once not arguing about anything. She felt a tap on her shoulder, and saw Sirius holding what looked like nothing in his hand.
"Bet James passed this down to your Harry, didn't he?" he whispered, and she nodded. She had a lot of experience with the Cloak of Invisibility. They had used it countless times in their seven years of schooling. Sirius draped the cloak over the two, and they walked closer to hear what James and Lily were talking about.
"...of course I love the fact you aren't constantly asking me out, James. It's just..." Lily trailed off, looking lost. James took a breath.
"Then why don't you want to at least be friends with me?" he asked in an almost whisper. Lily bit her lip.
"It's better this way, trust me."
"How is it better? Lily...please." James got onto his knees and grabbed her hands. "Please give me a chance, if not dating then as friends."
Lily knelt down next to him. "I can't be friends with you, James."
A heartbroken expression came onto his face, and he looked away from her, letting go of her hands. Hermione and Sirius were dead silent, shocked at what they were seeing.
"I understand."
"James, I-"
"Don't, Lily. I get it." He stood up and started walking toward the boy's dormitory, his hands clenched tightly in a ball. Lily scrambled up to her feet and walked after him.
"James, I can't because I want more than just friendship."
He stopped in his tracks and turned around. "What?"
Lily took a breath. "I never said I didn't want to date you directly. I only rejected you because this had been going on for years now. I thought it was some sort of game you wanted to play. But we're friends now, aren't we? We always have been." She paused, and a sort of electricity was in the air. "I've loved you since fifth year, when that centaur came at me from the Forbidden Forest. You remember that, don't you? You saved me from being trampled over."
He nodded. "I remember."
She smiled softly. "I love you James. I'd love to go out with you...if you still want to."
James strode over to her in three long steps and took her hands. "I thought you'd never say yes."
The two grinned at each other for a moment longer, then their lips met and they were kissing. Sirius and Hermione backed out of the common room slowly, so they wouldn't be noticed, and stood outside the Fat Lady portrait silently. Sirius took the cloak off of them and grinned at Hermione, then looked down. She followed his gaze and saw their hands entwined with each other. Her heart pounded, and she looked up at him. Their eyes met, and a silent conversation seemed to take place. With a nod, the two walked hand-in-hand to Hermione's library.