CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

HOGSMEADE

"So you don't mind then? Truly?" Rikki asks me. Again.

"No, Rikki. For the millionth time I do not mind that you're going to Hogsmeade with James. Sure it's disgusting because it's ... James, but I don't actually mind. And as for you abandoning me, I guess I'll just ... go visit Uncle George or something." I tell her as I scorf down my breakfast.

"Oh you won't be alone. You can hang out with Caleb." She teases. I roll my eyes and shake my head.

"Nah. He'll probably be hanging out with Al. I miss him." I sigh.

"You saw him yesterday." She laughs and I blush wildly.

"So? That doesn't mean I don't miss him. Whatever, let's go or we'll be late." I say and we get up and leave the hall.

The second we get to Hogsmeade Rikki rushes off to meet James somewhere but Mel sticks around. Turns out that she hasn't to meet Louis for another 20 minutes. So we wander around aimlessly for a while. She doesn't want to go for a butterbeer because that's what her and Louis are going to do and when I ask if we can go visit my Uncle George and she won't do that either.

"But if I go in now and don't say anything and then go in with Louis and tell him we are going out then he'll think I lied."

"Mel he already knows. After that newspaper article Uncle Bill and Aunt Fleur were told and I'm sure they've told everyone by now. But if you're going with Louis then I suppose there's no point in going now."

"Thanks Lily. So you think all your family know? Do you think they'll like me? What if they think I'm wrong for him or too stupid or-"

"Mel, they will love you. Don't worry about it. Besides, it's only Uncle George it's not like you'll be meeting everyone."

"Not yet, but soon. Over the holidays." She informs me.

"The holidays?" I ask. She nods.

"Yeah. Louis said I should come over and meet everyone. And I thought I might be visiting you anyway so while I'm there ..."

"Oh yeah, yeah. That makes sense, I just wasn't expecting it that's all. So it's pretty serious then?" I wonder aloud.

"I ... I think I love him. I know it's soon but ... it's like everything revolves around him. Every thought I have, everything I do. Tests and Lessons and Meals - it's all just something to do in between seeing him. And it's the strangest feeling, like I have no control over my heart - it's all him. He has the power to break it. Am I making any sense?" The whole time she was talking, her eyes shining, I was thinking of Caleb.

"Perfect sense." I smile. And she nods. Suddenly her expressions changes.

"Crap. I think I'm late for meeting Louis. I've got to go, will you be O.k alone?"

"Of course. Now I can go see Uncle G." I laugh as she walks away. Then I start to walk the short distance to WWW. Before I can reach the door however, a hald is clamped over my mouth and I am pulled backwards into a dark space between 2 shops. I am just about to start kicking my kidnapper when I hear his voice.

"Shhhh Brown-eyes, it's me." He laughs and takes his hand off of my mouth. I kick him anyway but not too hard.

"Shit Caleb, you scared the hell out of me. You're such an arse!" I moan.

"Tut Tut, Lily. What a dirty mouth you have. I'm shocked." He mocks and then pulls me in for a kiss. Of course his comment about my "dirty mouth" reminds my stupid body about that dream I had last night. I feel my cheeks heat up and, without thinking about it, kiss Caleb with a lot more force than usual. Normally it's him that leads our kisses. He's so surprised by this that he pulls back to look at me. He takes one look at my bright red face and grins.

"Brown-eyes, you're blushing."

"Shut up, I am not." I say and blush more.

"Why are you blushing Lily?" He teases me and I shake my head, embarassed.

"I'm not blushing. I'm just ... cold." I lie badly.

"Really? Cold? You are a really bad liar Lily. But whatever, you can tell me later. I have something I wanted to talk to you about."

"What is it?" I ask him.

"I was just in the Three Broomsticks and I saw that friend of yours with James."

"Rikki?"

"Yeah. Did you know they were going out today?"

"Yeah. So?"

"Well, they seemed pretty ... close when I saw them. And I was thinking she's your friend and he's your sibling and they're going out. Seeing any similarities?"

"Caleb what-"

"It's like us and Al! And if you are fine with James going out with your friend then maybe he would be on our side. And if James is fine with it then Al will be alright."

"But James would never be on our side. He believes that any boyfriend I have is only after one thing. Never mind the fact that you are a year older than me and we hid it for so long."

"Lily, I want to tell them. I've been thinking about it since the party. They already know you have a boyfriend so best just get it all out in one go, right? I want ... I don't know ... I just want to stop having to sneak around." He tells me. And my heart pounds in my chest.

"I ... don't know what to say." His face falls.

"Don't you want to tell everyone? Stop lying."

"Of course I do but ... I'm scared. I don't want them judging us and stuff. You don't know my family like I do. They will threaten you and tell my parents and be horrible. I like our little world ... I don't want it to have to end. For a while I thought, if it came down to it, I would break up with you if I had to. But I don't think I could do that now. I can't ... I just don't want my family to hate me."

"They won't hate you. They might hate me but what does that matter?" He sees the reluctant look on my face and it's like he's looking into my soul. He's sees things I didn't even know I was thinking, "You care don't you? You care what they think of me. You want their approval. Don't you see, Lily. It doesn't matter what they think, it's what we think. It's none of their business."

"Caleb, in my family, it's everyone's business." I state. He looks so ... I don't know- angry? Upset? Disappointed?

"Whatever." He says flatly, "It's up to you. I just thought..." He doesn't finish his sentence but shakes his head and walks away. The feeling that he's mad at me is enough to make me want to cry but I don't. I'm ashamed at how often I've been crying recently. So I take a deep, shakey breath and walk a few shops down until I reach WWW.

I duck the second I walk through the door, knowing that something will come flying at me. Sure enough a plastic bird comes swooping down at where my head was seconds ago but, thankfully, misses me completely.

"Uncle George?" I shout. His head pops up from behind the desk, as if he'd been hiding down there. Knowing him he was probably looking for another trap or trick to set up.

"Lily-kins. How are you?" He laughs and walks around the desk to give me a hug.

"Don't call me that." I laugh and hug him tightly, "And how am I? I was almost killed by a plastic owl. That's a health and saftey hazzard, you know."

"Yeah, almost poked the last customers eye out. Cut his eyebrow." He laughs.

"Yeah and Mum's going to kill you when I tell her!" Shouts the voice of Fred from Uncle George's office.

"You'll do know such thing. I covered for you when McGonagal sent a letter to the house last month. Mostly because I think that prank was genius." He shouts back. I hear Fred chuckling from the office.

"Is Roxie here?" I ask for the sake of making conversation. Uncle George looks concerned, which is a strange look for his normally smiling face.

"No. I guess you haven't seen her. I'm worried, usually she comes here straight away on Hogsmeade days. Ah well, I'm sure she'll pop by soon."

"Yeah of course. And you'll be getting a visit from Louis and his girlfriend, Mel. She's a good friend of mine so, please, be nice."

"Ah yes, the famous girlfriend. The one who made him change his player ways. When is their wedding again?" He jokes, referencing that stupid article.

"Don't bring that up. Please Uncle G, she's dead nervous about meeting you." I groan, worried that he will tease Mel terribly. He means well, but she's really nervous.

"Don't worry, Lily-kins, I'll be as good as gold. So what about you, got a boyfriend?" He asks. I gulp and look at the ground.

"No." I lie. He laughs.

"You always were an awful liar, kid. And I know your lying, Freddie told me all about your secret romance."

"FREDDIE!" I shout, angrily.

"What? You know I can't lie to my Dad. Besides James has already sent a letter to your parents anyway, so what does it matter?" He yells back.

"He's what?!" I scream. I have to find James. And kill him. Slowly. Painfully.

"By Uncle George, see you at Christmas." I mutter and march out of the shop and towards the Three Broomsticks.