Chapter 10

Lily was half-way to the Gryffindor Common Room when she stopped. Turning around, she headed to the library. This wasn't right: James shouldn't be mad at Sirius. Sirius didn't deserve that. With Summer and everything, he shouldn't have to endure James' wrath as well. She was ready to give James a piece of her mind for acting that way towards Sirius, but then something reminded her that James didn't know the whole story. She, too, had been ticked when she thought Sirius had allowed Summer to sleep with him in the dorm.

Reaching the library, Lily opened the heavy doors as quietly as possible. A few people glanced up at the newcomer before going back to their work. She spotted James and Remus sitting at a semi-secluded table. Remus was the first to notice Lily approaching; he moved his books over to make room for her.

"Thanks, Remus," Lily said, getting James' attention. "But I'm not here to study. I was hoping I could talk to you, James."

"Sure." He closed his books and rolled up his parchment. "I'll just meet you at the dorm later, okay, Remus?"

"All right," Remus said. "I have more work I need to finish here."

Lily waited as James gathered his books, checking out a few, before following him out of the Library.

"So, what did you want to talk about?" James asked, walking quite awkwardly as he pressed the three books and parchment against his thigh, desperately trying not to drop them.

"It's about Sirius," Lily explained, watching his struggle with amusement. "Do you want me to take some of those?"

"Huh?" His eyes drifted down to the haphazardly balanced library books. "Oh, no, I've got it."

Lily shook her head, ever the macho man, he was. "James, you're going to drop them."

A thick volume slipping from James' grip emphasized her point. Luckily, his reflexes from Quidditch kicked in just in time for him to catch astray item with ease.

"Just let me take some," Lily insisted, reaching out. She sighed dramatically when James turned from her--which was about the only efficient thing he could do. "Having a girl help you with your books doesn't make you any less of a man. Not to mention you're walking as if you have a…"

The unfinished statement immediately caused a distraction from their argument. Apparently, Lily's blurting out of words had returned.

"A what?" James studied her as she reddened while a smile crept upon his own face. The redhead bit her lip, avoiding his eyes. "What does it look like I have, Lily?" he persisted, enjoying his little banter entirely too much.

"Just let me take a bloody book or two!" Lily snapped, fighting the urge to smile while also vowing never to speak again. Her harsh tone immediately wiped the smirk from James' face.

James frowned at her but sighed, nonetheless. "Okay, fine."

When Lily reached over, James held out a book, the smallest, of course. Lily took the offered item and snatched a second from his hands. She smiled triumphantly at him as he dropped the remaining materials back to his side.

"I don't see why guys carry their stuff like that," Lily commented. Quickly adding, "Like your books and parchment," when James gave her an amused grin accompanied by raised eyebrows. "This way is much more practical." Demonstrating as she held the books to her chest.

"Guys are more laid back. You girls look so vulnerable when you walk around with your stuff'--he put an emphasis on the word with a smile--"pressed close as if someone's going to attack you." Noticing the glare Lily was giving him, he now put on a reassuring, somewhat condescending, smile. "But it's a cute kind of vulnerable."

"And of course you big macho men can't help but assist us?" It was more of a statement than a question, said with a sharp tongue.

James feared that he had seriously offended her. That is, until her lips curled into a smile as she shook her head. James didn't know how to respond, so he didn't say anything. Lily broke the silence a few seconds later.

"Don't you think you're being a bit hard on Sirius?" Lily chewed on her bottom lip, preparing herself for James' reaction, whatever it might be.

James stared at her as if she had grown another head. "Lily, he let Summer sleep with him in the dorm. Not only could he get in trouble, but if anyone found out, you and I would be in hot water."

"But what if nothing happened," Lily suggested quietly, knowing James would think she'd gone nutters. "What if they didn't do anything?"

James scoffed at the notion. "It's like Kevin said, this is Sirius we're talking about. Do you honestly expect me to believe that he had a girl in his bed--a girl he'd already slept with, no less--and nothing happened between them? No offense, but Sirius is my best mate; I think I know him a bit more than you."

Lily wanted so badly to explain. How, when everything came out about Summer, Sirius had stepped up.

Nevertheless, she couldn't do that to Summer or Sirius, so instead she said, "Sirius told me nothing happened. He said that Summer had a bad day and she snuck upstairs because she was upset. He was going to send her back to her own dorm, but he couldn't. She was in need of a friend. He let her lie with him and they fell asleep."

Lily was amazed at how easily the lie came to her. At first, she felt bad but told herself it was the only way she could make sure that no one was hurt further. It was this thought that helped Lily maintain her stance when James studied her for a few moments as if to discern her honesty. Finally, after a few seconds he spoke.

"If that's what happened, why didn't he just tell me?"

"Would you have believed him?" Lily asked, giving him a knowing look.

Again, James didn't respond, a look of guilt crossing over his features instead. The silence serving as his answer, Lily spoke.

"He feels horrible about the whole situation, and he'll take the blame if anyone finds out," she assured James. "But you can't stay mad at him, he's got enough on his shoulders right now and he could really use his best mate."

A small nod followed James' sigh as he dug his free hand into his pocket. "I wasn't really upset about him having a girl in his room, or even what the consequences would be for me. It was more the fact that he risked your position. I mean, you deserve to be Head Girl more than anyone else, and I was so mad that he would compromise that for his own selfish needs. You've been working towards this since First Year, and I just…I don't know--I guess I was pretty quick to blame him."

"James, nobody thinks badly of you for that. I mean, your whole dorm believes that Sirius and Summer--But in this case, everyone was wrong. We all make mistakes."

"The thing that gets me is he didn't even try to defend himself. He didn't even say that nothing happened. He just sat there when I was yelling at him." Lily watched as guilt crossed his face once again. "Bloody hell, I yelled at him when he didn't do anything wrong. I didn't even give him a chance to explain."

Lily placed a comforting hand on his arm. "James, you can't blame yourself," she insisted warmly. "You assumed the same as everyone else. I think Sirius will understand."

"Where is he anyway?" James glanced around as if his best friend would appear in the halls.

"He went up to the dorm," Lily answered a second before a student in a hurry to reach their destination knocked into James.

He muttered a harsh word as the materials flew out of his hand. Lily couldn't suppress her giggle but did manage to maturely resist the urge to say, "I told you so." Kneeling, she helped James gather the books and parchment strewn across the floor.

"Wait, there's another piece of parchment."

For the life of her, Lily had no idea why she didn't just point to aforementioned and let James get it. That would have been the smart thing to do, instead of reaching across him to retrieve it herself. Then, she wouldn't have been lying on top of James, wishing she had thought before she acted. To make things worse, an amused voice floated down the hall.

"Tsk, tsk, Lily and James, is that any way to set an example for the younger students?"

Lily quickly pushed herself up from the luxury--she did not just think that--of James' chest. Well, to be honest, he was warm and he did have a somewhat soft, comfortable feel to him. They shared a small, embarrassed smile before glancing up to see Carmen and Kevin strolling towards them. Lily could feel her cheeks flushing.

"I can totally understand that need for it right then and there, but in the middle of the hall? You couldn't find a broom closet?"

"Nothing happened," Lily said, hastily shoving the parchment to James and tentatively taking the hand he offered to help pull her up. His skin was warm, and clammy? James was as nervous as she was. "I was helping him pick up his books--"

"And then passion took over, so you pounced on him," Carmen finished with a smile.

Lily glared at her roommate, praying that no one walked by. James, however, was examining Kevin.

"A broom closet, huh?" he asked, smirking.

Lily was about to twist towards James in disbelief when the other couple shared a sheepish grin. She suddenly registered their disheveled clothing and the fact that their hands were in each other's back pockets.

"Carmen," Lily chastised in a defeated voice.

"It stopped at kissing," the girl quickly defended herself before smiling. "We were heading up to the dorm, actually." Her grin turned into something mischievous that Lily didn't trust. "But if you lot need-"

Lily gritted her teeth, clearly fed up, and James stepped in front of her, preventing what could have been an unpleasant confrontation.

"That won't be necessary, it's all yours," he said softly.

Ten minutes later, Lily and James were sitting in the crowded Gryffindor Common Room. The frigid air outside meant most students opted for keeping warm in the common rooms. Various, blended conversations swirled around like leaves in the wind. One could catch bits about boys, schoolwork, and teachers.

As Head Girl, it was Lily's duty to make sure all was well. She glanced around the room, watching two third years playing Wizard's Chest, a group of girls gossiping in the corner, and a student in the corner attempting to study. Next, she zeroed in on a couple getting a bit too comfortable in one of the chairs. She made to stand up and march over to them, but before she was even off the couch, an arm pushed her back down.

Lily turned to James with a scowl. Her annoyance only heightened when she saw that he hadn't even glanced up from his work.

"Leave it be," he told her sternly. "They're just cuddling."

"You didn't even see them." Lily pouted, crossing her arms. However, she settled back in her seat.

"I did too," answered James, still not lifting his eyes from his book. "In the chair by the fireplace, she's got her legs over the arm of the chair, and they're talking closely."

"Lucky guess," Lily mumbled, sticking out her tongue.

"I saw that." James finally looked over at her, smiling. His smile faltering a little as something else caught his attention. "Oi, Padfoot, over here."

Sirius shifted awkwardly where he stood. He glanced at the portrait hole, then at James, and back again. Noticing Lily, he decided it was safe and walked over, readying himself for James' anger.

Noticing that his friend was tense, James assured him that all was okay. "Lily explained everything."

Sirius shot the redhead a look, wondering what she had told James.

"About how Summer came upstairs and you two fell asleep," Lily offered as a matter-of-factly, hoping James didn't catch her small smile or Sirius' discrete relaxation.

"Yeah, and I'm sorry, mate," James apologized, standing from the couch. "I shouldn't have accused you like that. Do you forgive me?"

"Of course," Sirius said immediately. "You have nothing to be sorry for. I'm sure it looked bad."

Lily watched as the friends shared a man hug, and merely gave a small nod when Sirius mouth, "Thank you," over James' shoulder. When they pulled away, Sirius smirked at something to his right.

"At least someone's having fun."

Lily and James both glanced at the couple in the chair. They were now more…enthusiastic about their affection. Once again, she intended on approaching them, and a second time, James pulled her back. Lily glared at the hand on her upper arm with extreme dislike.

"James, they aren't cuddling anymore," she stated decisively. He tightened his grip when Lily attempted to continue her stride towards them. Finally, she stopped fighting and glowered at him. "There are younger students--"

"Nobody's even paying any attention to them." James was correct; everyone else in the room seemed oblivious to the couple.

Lily gave an aggravated sigh of defeat and James released his hold on her arm.

"James is right," Sirius chimed in. Lily and James jerked towards him, both having forgotten he was there. "They could be imitating Carmen and Kevin."

At first, the statement confused Lily, and then she remembered that Sirius was already upstairs when the couple headed up there.