A/N: Thank you for all the reviews, keep 'em coming, yeaaaaaah?

Chapter 21
Or,
Of Lipstick, Work and Bubble Wrap.

Lily wondered how time could possibly fly as fast as it currently was. It was February already, yet it still felt like December; Lily didn't feel like her parents had been dead for nearly 2 months, it didn't seem right. It wasn't right.

She'd also been dating James Potter since December, and that didn't seem right either. Lily had been thinking about her relationship with James, while she was studying- or trying to study- in the library earlier that day. Once she sat down in the library, Lily was on a roll; she managed to get her potions essay drafted, perfected, and re written within two hours. However, her productive ways didn't continue into the afternoon, because James had dropped by before Quidditch practice, ultimately distracting her for the entire day.

James didn't purposefully distract Lily from what was supposed to be a highly productive day of studying, it was just an accident. But Lily Evans wasn't the type of person who appreciated being checked up on.

Yes, James was her boyfriend, and he only wanted to make sure she was alright, but Lily was independent and stubborn; so, naturally, she hated the whole idea of him checking upon her.

Lily was roused from her daydream by a windswept Marlene. "Lily!" She cried a bit too loudly, because Madam Pince shot her daggers, "You do realise you just missed James' Quidditch game? He sent me with a message for you."

Lily did realise this and she watched Marlene drop an envelope to the table, "Yeah, I've been studying."

"You've wrote a potions essays, Lils." Marlene replied, eying the small pile of parchment.

"Yes, but I had to find the suitable information before I could actually write the essay, we can't all sleep with Ravenclaws to get the work done for us." She pointed out.

Marlene rolled her eyes, "Eh, shut up. I just came by to tell you, James is looking for you."

"When is he not…" Lily muttered, flicking the page of her book a little too sharply.

Marlene slammed Lily's book shut, "Trouble in paradise?"

"No…" Lily started, before noticing Marlene's 'Don't bullshit me' look, "Fine. Maybe there is. I don't know. I'm just sick of being treated like I'm weak and totally incapable of handling myself."

Marlene's perfectly shaped eyebrows furrowed, "What do you mean?"

"James is always there beside me. He's always checking up on me; I don't even know how he always knows where I am, but he always does. I feel like he's wrapping me up in bubble wrap so I don't get hurt." She sighed with irritation and quickly shoved her books in her bag; there was no way Lily was getting anymore work done.

"Are you saying James is needy?"

"I don't know…" She hesitated.

Was James needy? Was that the correct term for it? Lily didn't know. All she knew was she didn't like being treated like a child. She liked James, she really cared for him, and she knew he cared the same- if not more- about her; but that didn't give him any right to be there by her side all day every day. And, to Lily, that's what it felt like. She felt constantly surrounded by him. He'd always be there, draping a hand around her waist or shoulders, slipping his hand into hers, constantly asking her if she was okay, if she was coping, and it was starting to irk her.

"He's just…" Lily stopped again, but this time it was because Marlene had kicked her roughly under the table, "Fuck, Marls!"

"Only if I have to." A familiar, smug voice chimed in from behind a bookshelf.

"Sirius!" Lily turned and glared, "What the bloody hell are you doing in the library?"

Sirius gestured around him, "Research, Lily-Pad, research!"

"Sirius Black doesn't do research." Lily scoffed and rose from her seat, "Anyway, I have a prefects meeting, I'll see you later Marlene. And, only if I'm unlucky, I'll see you later, Black."

"See you, Ginger." He grinned and plonked himself down on Marlene's lap, "Wait, did she say, if she was unlucky, she'd see me later?"

Marlene rolled her eyes, "Yes, she did." She gave Sirius a shove, "Get off me, you great lump!"

"If by that you mean, great lump of awesomeness…" He said, hopping off her lap and onto the table, swinging his legs backwards and forwards.

"Get off the table, Sirius."

"Why?" He whined.

"I'm working here."

He snorted, "You don't do work."

She winked, a smirk tugging at her lips, "I never said it was school work."

Sirius' eyes twinkled with delight and he leaned forward to peer into the book she had in her lap, but Marlene only slapped his head and shut the book with her other hand.

"Not a chance, Black." She grinned.

"But Marlsy…" Sirius whined.

"But Siri…" She mimicked.

"I thought you loved me." He pouted his grey eyes boring into her shining blue ones.

She subconsciously licked her lips, smudging a tiny bit of her usually perfect red lipstick, "You think everybody loves you, Black."

"Correction: Everybody does love me." He smirked, swinging his legs around so they were on each side of her, "Now, McKinnon, whatcha working on?"

"Why would I tell you?" She reclined in her chair, not fazed by his attempt to woo her; Marlene McKinnon would not be swayed by the seduction skills of Sirius Black.

"Because I'm hot?"

She touched his arm, "You don't feel it."

"Ha ha." He rolled his eyes and stared down at her; this is what Sirius loved, being able to flirt with a girl, no real emotions or intentions other than getting into her knickers. Sirius loved it because you wouldn't get hurt (well, not emotionally, anyway) and it made him in control.

Marlene took his silence as him giving in; she stood up and pushed her chair backwards, getting ready to leave; but she was stopped by Sirius' legs clamping around her.

He smirked, "You're not going anywhere until I find out what you're researching, McKinnon."

She smirked back, "Then I guess I'm not going anywhere, then."

"Definitely not." Sirius tensed his legs tightly around the backs of Marlene's thighs; she wasn't that small in height, but she definitely wasn't as tall as Sirius, which gave him this advantage.

"May I sit back down?" She said sweetly.

"I prefer you standing."

"And who made you in charge?" She challenged. Determined not to succumb to his seductive skills, Marlene leaned forward and put her hands on the table, either side of Sirius.

Sirius swallowed. Normally, they'd be weak at the knees by now, but Marlene was not your typical girl, and they most certainly wouldn't have this effect on Sirius just yet, but Sirius couldn't help but notice the short distance between their faces.

"I'm always in charge, McKinnon." He managed to retort, a smile on his face.

Now, Marlene had been adamant she was not going to succumb to Sirius' seduction skills, but she had Sirius Black with his legs clamped around hers, and she was in the driving seat.

She grinned, "Not today."

Sirius didn't have time to process what Marlene had replied because her lips had pressed down on his firmly before he could retort with another sarcastic response. Sirius growled, low in the back of his throat, and he eagerly responded to Marlene's firm lips.

Their kiss quickly turned into a fierce, heated battle, where each of them was demanding and desperate for control. And it wasn't long before Marlene and Sirius had to separate due to lack of oxygen.

"We're in the middle of the library…" Marlene panted out, finally taking her surroundings into account.

"So? You started this battle, McKinnon, and I'm sure as hell going to finish it." He smirked as he tugged her closer with a simple jerk of his legs. Marlene nearly lost balance and she placed her hands roughly on Sirius' thighs, while his hands snaked around her waist, and yet another fierce kiss began.

James walked into the library later than evening, and seeing Marlene pressed against Sirius, was not the thing he expected. Now he knew why Lily hadn't received his message and why he hadn't seen her all day.

Sauntering behind the snogging pair, James cleared his throat, "Save it for the bedroom, kiddies."

The pair jumped apart and Sirius gaped at James, "Prongs."

He smirked, "Padfoot."

Sirius gestured wildly to Marlene, himself and the space around him, "We were a little busy."

"A little?" James scoffed, "I came by to see why Lily hadn't received my message." His hazel gaze landed on Marlene and he scowled; "Now I know why she didn't meet me by the lake, like I asked."

"I'm not an owl." She said with a small shrug, buttoning up her shirt and applying a fresh coat of lipstick, before she walked briskly from the library after picking up her bag and books.

"Alright." James said as he perched on the end of the desk Lily had been working at previously, "Care to explain why you and Marls were in that position in the library?"

"I'm hot." He smirked, putting his tie back on.

"Marlene McKinnon is not a common fangirl, Sirius."

He shrugged, "No reason, really. We didn't plan it, it just happened."

James rolled his eyes and then looked around the room, "Bit of a random place for it to happen, I guess."

"And so rude of you, Prongise, to interrupt it." Sirius grinned and ruffled James' already messed up hair, before sauntering from the library, winking at a giggling Hufflepuff, causing her to flush bright red. As Sirius strolled out of the library and toward the common room, he wasn't even sure why he'd been feeling a little off anymore. Any feelings toward possibly falling in love had vanished as quickly as they arose, and Sirius was back to being the Casanova of Hogwarts, that made girls weak at the knee's.

Except, Marlene McKinnon. Marlene McKinnon had not yet made that list of girls who stumbled at his feel; but Sirius was determined to change that and show her who exactly had the control.

For some odd reason, unknown to man, the prefects meeting had lasted a ridiculous amount of time. Lily had drifted off to sleep at some point, only to be woken up by a very sleeping looking Remus. The Head Boy and Head Girl had droned on for so long, the prefects only had 10 minutes left until they started their duties.

"What did I miss?" Lily yawned as she trudged up to the Common Room alongside Remus.

"Nothing much. The usual stuff about not abusing our status…" Remus yawned himself and as soon as they walked into the common room, he dived on the couch, and slouched down, "Oh, and you got paired with Josh for rounds over the next couple of months." He added lightly.

Lily groaned, "Aw, no fucking way."

"Sorry!"

"Not your fault. Eh, I'm taking the Astronomy Tower tonight, maybe I can push him off." She grinned and summoned herself a cardigan and scarf as the rounds got cold, and maybe she could strangle Josh with her scarf.

Lily walked from the Common Room once again and she met Josh near the Astronomy Tower. It was awkward and the tension would have been able of been sliced with a knife.

"Er, hi.." Lily muttered as she approached him.

"Look, Lily. This is just going to be awkward and it's unnecessary, well it's not, I know what I did wrong, and you haven't forgiven me, but still; we have a job to do." He ruffled his hair nervously, "Why don't we split up? It's not like we need to tail each other, we're capable of doing this on our own."

Lily nodded, "Sure, good idea. It'll be quicker."

He offered Lily a small smile and turned on his heel, starting his patrols. After a few seconds, Lily did the same, already yawning and wishing she was in bed.

Lily loved being a prefect, it showed that she was trustworthy and capable of doing things by herself, and that people always knew she was there for them and any of their school related problems, and Lily normally hated the quiet patrols where she couldn't exercise her control, but tonight, Lily loved it.

As she turned the corner of the fifth floor corridor, Lily let out a relaxed sigh and mentally thanked Josh for allowed her this route, especially alone. This gave Lily a time to think about everything she'd been feeling the past week, and Lily needed to think.

Had she been allowing James to interfere and get involved too much? She'd spent the time at his house after her parents had died, but why? Yes, James was her boyfriend, yes he cared about her and he cared a lot, but surely she'd have been better off- and more comfortable- with Alice, or Isabelle or Marlene? And why had she allowed James to come to her parents funeral?(all of who had actually offered her a place) And she hadn't been back to her home, nor had she seen her sister- unless you count the funeral, where the older girl practically ignored her.

"Morning. Do come in." The stiff voice of Vernon Dursley greeted Lily when she arrived at his house in a Muggle street known as Privet Drive. Lily didn't offer Vernon a second glance; she just slipped past him and hurried into the kitchen where she knew Petunia to be.

James, who had demanded her accompany Lily to the funeral, had been left at the door.

"And who are you, boy?" Vernon demanded with a gruff, snotty voice.

James rolled his eyes, "James Potter. I'm here with Lily."

"Very well then. Come in, but first-"Vernon stopped James from entering with a fat arm, "What do your parents do?"

"My mother is a doctor. My dad is a lawyer." James replied without a second's hesitation, and he braced himself for Vernon's obnoxious questioning that was sure to follow.

Petunia's hysteric voice filled the kitchen, "I can't believe you allowed another FREAK to attend mother and father's funeral."

"He's only coming to support me, Tuney." Lily muttered.

"The people who caused this are exactly like you. FREAK. Yet you dare to show up at the funeral of our parents who your people killed?"

"The people that killed our parents are nothing like me." Lily spat, "The people who did that are racist bastards, and I am nothing like that. I'm nothing but a target for their torturous ways, but don't forget, Tuney; I saved your life. You could have some decency, at least on the day of us burying our parents, and be pleasant to me!"

Without another word, Lily had spun on her heel and stormed away from her sister, leaving her gobsmacked. She had returned to James' side, where he wrapped an arm around her waist, and rubbed small circles on her back to calm her down.

Lily snapped out of the daydream and wiped away the tears that had fallen from her eyes. "Get it together, Evans." She muttered to herself as she wandered down another corridor, completely oblivious to everything around her.

As she did her rounds, there was one thing Lily was certain of. She'd allowed James Potter in too much. There was one thing to have a boyfriend and for him to help you and be there for you, but it was another thing entirely for him to be constantly there, constantly around you and not allowing you to get on with things yourself.

She hadn't had time to grieve properly. She'd been thrown back into school and been comforted and wrapped up too much; she wasn't allowed to tear up without a hand resting on hers, and she needed to grieve her parents.

Lily wanted to say she was strong, and tough, and in control, but she wasn't. As she turned yet another corner in the corridor, Lily found herself smacking into something, resulting in her flying to the floor. A yelp escaped her lips as she collided roughly with the floor, and tears rolled down her cheeks.

"Filthy Mudblood." The person who she'd walked into spat, glaring at her viciously as he pulled out his wand.

Lily's head snapped up and she found herself frozen to the spot. Here she was again, alone in a dark corridor, with a murderous Slytherin towering over her. She opened her mouth to speak, or scream, but no sound came out.

"Let's just see if you escape this time." The Slytherin drawled, walking slowly but purposefully toward her.

Just get yourself off the ground, Evans. She thought and she quickly scrambled to her feet, stepping backwards a few paces, putting a bit more space between her and the attacker.

Right. Your wand. Get it. She told herself and fumbled for her wand.

"Your wand won't save you, Ginger." The boy laughed and stopped abruptly, raising his wand, "What makes you think you can beat me?"

"I have right on my side." She heard herself saying.

"You have right on your side?"

Whenever you're faced with an attacker, put distance between them and you, and keep them talking; distraction is key, Lily. That was what her father would always say. And she was going to take his advice, because Mr Evans would never have lied to his daughter.

"You think you're better than me, and you might be better at me in duelling and killing innocent people, but I wouldn't want to be good at that. But you're not a better person."

"At least I'm not a filthy Mudblood." He spat.

Lily scoffed, "Not even purebloods are safe. The only way you're safe is if you follow that Voldemort lunatic, and I'd rather rot in hell that ever support a racist bastard like him."

A sudden curse knocked Lily off her feet and into the wall. Gasping, she forced her eyes open and glared at her attacker as his face loomed over hers.

"No Mudblood bitch like you should ever speak about the Dark Lord like that." He whispered harshly, his warm breath making Lily feel sick. Lily found herself speechless again and frozen to the spot. She could feel blood trickling down the back of her neck and she was sure she'd cracked or broken a few ribs, but that didn't bother her much.

What bothered her was the fact she was on the ground beneath a racist pureblood Slytherin, where they all thought she belonged, and if he was going to hurt her anymore, she wanted to be standing level with him. Not on the ground like a wounded puppy.

She forced herself up, using the wall for support and she spat at the Slytherin, "I'll speak about Voldemort however I wish, now hurry the fuck up and do whatever you've got to do to me."

The Slytherin looked surprised, "What makes you think I'm going to do anything to you?"

Lily's answer was drowned by another, familiar voice. "You're not."

The Slytherin only had time to swivel around, before he was knocked out by a spell sent from the new arrivals wand. And the 'saviour' punched him just for good measure, too.