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Chapter 19: Telling

James and Lily sat on a step in the Grand Staircase. They were out on Head Duties, using the opportunity to hang out. It was Friday and they hadn't had classes, because all the students were packing to go home for the holidays. Lily had spent the day packing with Mary and Ivy while Jamie was stuck in detention for back talking. Mary wanted to stay at the school over break with Sirius, but her parents said family time was more important so she was being forced to go home.

Lily was still trying to figure out how to ask James to visit her over break and she only had hours left. He was determined, however to cheer her up because she wasn't thrilled with the idea of spending two weeks with her sister. His way of doing this involved thumb-wars.

"So what did you get me?" Lily asked for the billionth time as James' thumb wiggled around hers desperately.

"I told you, you'll have to see." He said his thumb almost overtaking Lily's.

"But I'm not going to be here," she said her thumb loosing. "You cheated."

"I did not!"

"Yes you did."

"There is no cheating at a thumb-war."

"Rematch."

"So competitive." he mumbled but said, "Go." anyway.

"Anyway, if I'm not here, how will you get it to me on time?" Lily asked stretching her thumb back so it was out of his reach.

"Owl post."

"So it's small?"

"No."

"So it's big?"

"Again no." He frowned trying to figure out how to reach her thumb.

"It has to be one or the other." Lily said making a dive at his thumb.

"Or it could be sentimental."

"That just means it means something." Lily told him loosing again. "That time you cheated."

"I told you there's no cheating at thumb-wars. And sentimental means it means something, so it could be nothing."

"Your going to get me something by getting me nothing at all?" Lily asked.

"See now you're just over complicating things." James said shaking out his hand. The map was lying open on his lap so while he took a break he looked down at it. Still no one.

"Then just tell me what it is."

"Not a chance."

"If I win?" James grinned.

"That hasn't happened yet."

"That's so egotistic of you."

"Alright, if you win this one, then I'll tell you what I got you." James agreed. Lily scrutinized his face.

"Really?"

"Scouts honor." he promised throwing in a salute.

"Okay. Go." they began their thumb-war. Lily had him, her thumb was dominating his. But then, suddenly he kissed her. Her thumb went limp and he won.

"Cheater." Lily said pointing at his chest.

"I couldn't let you win." Lily couldn't find it in her to get mad at him. So as he smiled at her she could only smile back, but try not to.

"You suck." Lily told him. He shrugged knowing she didn't mean it.

"I'll get over it."

"I don't think you will."

"Thumb-war says I will."

"But you are a proven cheater. Winning through thumb-wars is no longer a liable way of negotiating things." Lily said. He sat there for a moment.

"Thumb-war says it is." James disagreed holding out his hand. Lily smiled shaking her head. She leaned back on her palms. "Come on please?" James begged. "It's the only way I get to win arguments."

"That is so not true."

"Yeah it is. You always win."

"If I always win then wouldn't I know what you got me?" She challenged.

"touche." he said. "But really. You win most of our arguments. You'll probably even win this one."

"We are not arguing."

"Okay. But just know that you won this one."

"It's not an argument. I can't have won it."

"See if I keep agreeing, then you keep winning. But if I actually disagree with you, then you get mad. Do you see how this is a loose-loose situation for me?" Lily turned her head the other way. "See. Now you're mad at me."

"This is ridiculous." Lily told James.

"You started it."

"I did not."

"Okay."

"Stop that!"

"I'm not doing anything!"

"Yes you are!"

"What am I doing?" James demanded.

"Agreeing with me!" He raised his eyebrows at her.

"I think we are the only couple to argue about agreeing." He said.

"Potter. Evans." they both swiveled around to see Professor McGonagall coming down the stairs toward them.

"McGonagall." they both said, James quickly shoving the map into his pocket.

"What are you doing down here?"

"Patrolling." James answered.

"Patrolling ended almost an hour ago." she told them.

"We, er." James began.

"I tripped." Lily offered.

"An hour ago?"

"Well, uh."

"We, er."

"We were on our way up there." Lily began.

"Only she, uh..."

"Went unconscious." Lily blurted out.

"Yeah. She just woke up." James said. Clearly he didn't have his lie planned out and was experiencing a brain cramp.

"Uh huh."

"I'm going to pretend that none of this has happened." McGonagall told them. "Although I do suggest you get up to your dormitory."

"Yes Professor."

"Sorry." they scurried up to the Gryffindor tower.

"You're a horrible liar." Lily said.

"No, I'm a horrible on the spot liar." James corrected. Lily never got the chance to ask him to visit her over the holidays.

The next morning Lily and James met down in the common room, ready to tell their friends that they'd been secretly dating for the last month then go to breakfast. Lily had the feeling that it was going to go horribly wrong.

"This isn't going to go well." Lily said.

"It'll be fine." James assured her.

"Five knuts says it won't."

"I don't gamble."

"Yes you do."

"I don't gamble money. I do it with pranks. And I don't bet against my girlfriend."

"Because you know I'll win."

"Not this again." James begged. "Please. I beg of you."

"I'm not even bringing that up. I'm just saying."

"Yeah. Okay." They both stopped talking as they heard a door close upstairs. It could have been a younger year, or Mary or Lupin who already knew. But this theory was quickly proven wrong as Ivy's voice bounced down the stairs and Jamie's heavy footsteps sounded.

"I told you! I didn't know!"

"Yes you did!" Jamie growled back.

"Maybe nows not the time." Lily said jumping for the door.

"No. It has to be today." James said grabbing her wrist. Lily whimpered as he draped his arm around her shoulders.

"Horribly wrong." She whispered.

"What the hell is going on?" Jamie demanded seeing them. Lily bit her lip, chewing on the words, 'nothing. Let's go eat.' Ivy stopped on the bottom step. Another door closed.

"It's too early." It was Sirius.

"You're just a big baby. It's nearly nine." this time it was Lupin's voice.

"Too damn early." Sirius corrected. Lily could feel James get squirmy now. But when she looked up at him he nodded. Determined to say it.

Sirius nearly crashed into Jamie and Ivy while Remus tried to see around the build up of seventh years. He fought his way through, then seeing it was James and Lily ready to tell he ran back up the stairs.

"What's going on?" Sirius asked pushing the two girls into the room.

"James?" Lily asked.

"You can start." he told her.

"Good morning." she said. "You're turn."

"We have something to tell you." James began. He nudged Lily urging her to take it away.

"Please no." Jamie said. But Ivy's face lit up. Sirius looked confused, furious, and sleepy.

"So," Lily paused. "We, um. Are short of,"

"We're dating." James finished.

"Shit." Jamie muttered sinking into a chair. Ivy squealed clapping her hands.

"It's about time!" she ran up hugging Lily knocking James out of her way. "You two are just perfect together."

"Dating?" Sirius asked.

"Yeah." James said.

"My dating or your dating?"

"Mine."

"How long?"

"A month." Sirius scowled. Torn between anger and joy. Somewhere in there Lily was sure the I-told-you-so dance was about ready to start.

"You kept it from me for a month?"

"Yeah. Sorry mate." Sirius scratched his chin.

"Okay." He sighed. "WHY WOULDN'T YOU TELL ME?!" James took a step back. "I HAD TO LISTEN TO YOU GO ON AND ON ABOUT THE GIRL OF YOUR FRICKING DESIRE FOR YEARS! THEN YOU FINALLY GET TOGETHER AND YOU DON'T TELL ME! YOU JUST FAKE POUTING AROUND!"

"Sorry." James repeated unsure. Sirius stood there for a long time glaring at James. James, for some weird reason, decided to glare back. Five minutes could have passed, but no one moved. Mary went through the room, hardly noticed. Finally:

"Alright. Good for you." Sirius said. He walked by patting James on the shoulder. Lily was totally lost. He yelled, then just as quickly was congratulating James. They gave each other nuggies and punched each other playfully. Jamie on the other hand decided on a passive aggressive approach. She silently went downstairs.

Peter came down as James and Sirius goofed off. He looked around the room trying to figure out what had happened.

"Don't worry she'll come around." Ivy assured Lily.

"I hope so."

"She just has to get over herself."

"What's going on?" Peter asked.

"Prongs here has got himself a girlfriend." Sirius told him with James' head stuck under his arm.

"Who?"

"Who do you think? Wormy?" Sirius asked.

"Lily?"

"Someone give this boy a round of applause." Sirius said rubbing James' head.

"Stop that." James said pushing Sirius away. He ran his hand through his hair.

"I'll meet you love birds down at breakfast. I've got to go tell Moony."

"He already knows."

"Was I the last to know?" Sirius demanded.

"No. Peter was." James told him.

"Well than!" Sirius exclaimed dramatically. He ran up the stairs singing, "OH! MOOOOONY!"

"I have no idea how our friendship has survived." James said to Lily.

"You were young when you met. Now you can't get rid of him."

"I wouldn't want to." James smiled. "You don't meet many people like Padfoot."

"Thank heavens." Ivy said. "Could you imagine a bunch of him running around Diagon Alley?"

"Yeah," James laughed. "Maybe it's best that there's only of one of him." there was a clatter as Sirius ran back down the stairs.

"Okay. I'm ready. Let's eat!" Sirius declared with Remus right behind him. They all walked down to the Great Hall together where the Christmas trees were decorated and Garland hung.

"Can you believe this is our last Christmas at Hogwarts?" Ivy asked suddenly sentimental.

"No. It's crazy. Next year who knows what we'll be doing for Christmas." Lily agreed. They sat down next to Mary, who'd saved them a spot.

"You'll probably be spending it with James while we, you're best friends, only get cards." Ivy said.

"Don't worry. I'll send a picture too." Ivy laughed elbowing her.

"Thanks."

"So you know now." Mary said.

"Yep. How long did you know?"

"About two weeks."

"How did you find out?"

"I pay attention." Mary answered. "I figured it out."

"Well la-di-da." Ivy joked. Lily looked down the table looking for Jamie. She was down at the end talking to Ambre.

"I'll be right back." Lily said to everyone standing up.

"Where are you going?" James asked.

"I'll be back." She repeated.

"Relax Prongs." Sirius said. Lily walked down to Jamie.

"Mind if I sit here?" Lily asked her.

"Nope." Jamie said scrapping at her eggs.

"You're not mad are you?" Lily asked taking a seat.

"Can you just answer me this?" Jamie asked. "Why him? Why Potter? I mean, you hated him, remember? He's an arrogant Toerag, as you put it."

"I know. But he's grown up. He makes me happy." Jamie rolled her eyes.

"He pushed me in a pond." Jamie told her. "When we were little."

"I know. Mary told me." Jamie nodded at this.

"He also cut my hair."

"I'm sorry."

"No. I know I sound like a petulant child. But you understand right? It's just a deep rooted hate, you know? And I've tried to forgive him, but then he pulls some new prank and it makes me remember all the reasons I hate him."

"Can you try again? I don't want to loose you."

"You won't loose me. I just don't want to see him hurt you. Actually I'd rather not have to see him at all. But I will try. For your sake."

"Thank you." Lily said hugging her.

"But I swear if I have to listen to you go on about how cute he is, I will hex you." She warned. Lily laughed.

"Done."

"Okay. Also if he cuts my hair again..."

"He won't." Lily promised. "Besides, if he does you can hex him."

"Well see now I want him to." Jamie teased.

"Come on!" Lily said pulling her to her feet.

"Lily," Jamie said stopping her just out of ear shot of the group.

"Yeah?"

"Thanks. For not letting me just ditch you guys."

"Any time."

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