Chapter Twenty Eight: "I don't know."

I gulped as I approached Potter. Belle and Cass had followed me to make sure I did my dare.

Tapping him on the shoulder, I breathed deeply. He swung around and his hand went straight to his hair. I rolled my eyes.

'Sorry, reflex' I mouthed at my two best friends, who were scowling at me.

"Hey Evans." He said, his voice deeper and more mature.

"Pot… I mean James," I glared at my friends. How could they? "James… would you consider…" I was rudely interrupted by Emma-Louise Jenson. Hogwarts' resident slut.

"Hello Jamesie!" She chirped. Her violet-blue eyes twinkled. She flipped her disgustingly bright blonde hair (I bet it's from a bottle) and looked me straight in the eye. "What do you want?" Her voice was snappish, distinctly different to her honeyed voice from before.

I saw the fire in her eyes. It screamed fight but I gracefully backed down. "Nothing." I replied. I smiled sweetly at her and Potter, turned on my heel and sauntered back over to the lakeside. I picked up my open shoulder strap bag and headed inside.

Footsteps pounded after me. I smirked and spun around, making my hair fly around my face like a halo.

"Lily!" He called.

I smiled secretively at him, then turned and carried on walking. He was getting closer by the second.

"Yes Sirius?" I asked as we both reached the Portrait hole. (A/N: you weren't expecting THAT!)

"Lily, why do you hate James?" His breathing was irregular and his chest rose and fell dramatically with each breath.

"Because he's an arrogant, chauvinistic, egotistical pig whose head is so swollen, it's a wonder that he can get through doors. That do you?" I replied coldly.

"But what if he deflated his head and started being really nice to everyone and stuff?" Sirius persisted.

"Then maybe I would be his friend. Maybe." I whispered the password and climbed through the Portrait hole, leaving Sirius looking thoughtful. This was an achievement, as Sirius rarely looked thoughtful. Hell, I didn't even know he did think!

I settled myself in a squashy armchair and waited for my friends to return. I summoned my favourite book of all time. 'Harriet' by Jilly Cooper. I had read about 1/4 of it by the time Bella and Cassie appeared, looking very smug.

I narrowed my eyes suspiciously. "What did you do?" I accused in a deathly quiet whisper.

They both shivered from being under my intensive gaze.

"We… we, um, we set you up with Potter." Bella replied meekly.

"You did what?" I asked, my voice still low.

"You're going to Hogsmeade with him next weekend." Cassie gulped as my eyes widened.

"WHAT?????" My voice reverberated around the common room, making many students look up and shiver.

"We… we did your dare for you!" Bella said as if they had done me an immense favour. I glared at them both, channelling all my anger into that one look.

"I'm not going." I replied flatly.

"But you have to." Cassie said, annoyance evident in her gentle voice.

"I am not and will not go out with James Potter!" I exploded, my eyes flashing dangerously.

"Well you have to!" Cassie retorted angrily. "Grow up and get over him!"

My eyes widened and I opened my mouth to retort. Then I thought better of it. I rose to my feet and fled up to our dorm. I flung open the door. Anne-Marie, Nadine and Karly were sat on the floor, gossiping quietly. We were on good terms with each other and when they saw my red eyes, they all gasped.

"Lily! What's up?" Nadine asked, tissues in her outstretched palm.

"Nothing. I just wanna be alone for abit. Thanks though. You're great people." I smiled weakly and collapsed on my bed. I dragged the scarlet hangings around my bed and created a barrier.

Karly peeked her head in and wordlessly handed my two boxes of tissues. She smiled encouragingly at me and retreated. I smiled my thanks and immediately began to use them.

The dorm door opened soon after. Three pairs of feet trouped out silently and two pairs trouped in. The door closed with a snap and my hangings were flung open. Cassie stood before me, tears in her eyes.

"Why? Why can't you just forget him?" She cried, hugging me tightly.

My bottom lip trembled and I hugged her back.

My reply was barely audible. "I don't know."