James and Lily potter: Fourth Year

Chapter 8: fourth year

She smiled and snuggled closer to him, forgetting for a moment that she still didn't like him very well. "Thanks, James. I suppose I did get a little emotional, but it angers me to see people not taking things seriously."

James secretly enjoyed Lily hugging him, and had a whiff of her subtle perfume. She smelled of peaches and strawberries, and he buried his face into her hair.

"James!" Lily pushed back, her temper getting the better of her again. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Oh—er—sorry," he bumbled, scrambling to his feet. "I was just—er—" However, James was saved just in time by Sirius, who ran right into him, since he was in such a hurry.

"Sirius—geroff!" mumbled James from the bottom, as Sirius continued to squash him.

"Oh, sorry Jamie-boy." He directed his attention to Lily. "You all right, Flower? Did ickle Jamsie make you mad?"

"Oh, it's nothing, Sirius," said Lily quickly, not looking at James. "I'm all right now."

"Good. Because if I hear you do anything to Lily"—Sirius waved an accusing finger at James—"you'll be sorry, Jamie."

James rolled his eyes and stood up. "Yeah, whatever, Sirius. C'mon, let's get inside before Filch and his stupid cat comes and accuses us again."

Sirius followed his best friend through the portrait hole, but Lily lingered behind, smiling slightly.

Maybe James isn't so bad after all.

"And Gryffindor wins!" cried the commentator, who was a fifth year Gryffindor. "The score is one hundred fifty to twenty. Ooh, tough luck there, Slytherin."

Slytherins were heard jeering, while the rest of the school was cheering loudly, especially at James Potter. All the girls, except for the Slytherins, were swooning and fluttering their eyelashes as James flashed his famous "Potter smile" at everyone.

Lily, however, wasn't impressed. "Look at Potter," she sneered, "grinning like the idiot he is. I swear, he's even more self-centered than—than—"

"Sirius Black?" suggested Arabella, frowning. She was now hesitant friends with the Marauders, though she still loathed the said Sirius.

Lily shook her head. "Nah. Sirius is cool. Potter, though"—she shook her head darkly—"he's too egotistical than...let's say, Gilderoy Lockhart."

"Gil's nice," argued Bella. "Sirius is not. He's so deceiving, I swear."

"You're just mad because he snogged Lori Paterson a while back. You know, Bella, I do think it's time for you two to kiss and make up."

Arabella frowned darkly. "Lily, you know we've done that twice already. He's not getting a third chance."

"But—"

"NO!"

"Oh, fine. You needn't be so fierce, Bella."

"Huh! I should be fierce. What about you and James, Lily Evans? Or should I say, Lily Potter?"

"Arabella Black..."

"Lily Potter..."

Remus chuckled as the two best friends continued to bicker with each other, his arm swung casually over Jennifer's shoulders.

His girlfriend grinned. "You thinking what I'm thinking, Remie, honey?"

"Hmm...Lily Potter and Arabella Black sound good?"

"Well, you're on the same track. We should get together Lily and James and Arabella and Sirius, so everyone will live happily ever after."

He laughed. "Oh, Jenny, that's almost impossible. We may as well let fate decide those four stubborn idiots' futures."

Jennifer smiled and kissed Remus fully on the lips. "Remus, I know we've always wanted that in the past. But I think it's time to do a little matchmaking ourselves, without the help of Lily and James."

Remus glanced questioningly at her, his face furrowing in confusion.

She grinned. "Well, usually, Lily and James are matchmaking other couples, right? Well, now we're going to do them a favour and bring together two couples. How does that sound?"

Her boyfriend sighed. "Oh, Jen, that's a fine idea, all right, but don't you think they should work this out themselves? I mean, we're not going to always be there for them when they get into a fight."

"I suppose you're right...like always."

"Of course I am." And he tackled Jennifer to the ground, both of them kissing passionately.

Arabella spotted her friend in a full snog-and-make-out session, and sighed. "There goes an obsessive couple all right."

Lily craned her neck to see Remus kissing Jennifer with love and passion. "Aww...they look so adorable."

"Disgusting is more like it, Lils. Look at them! They're literally eating each other."

"Bella, don't you remember how it was when you and Sirius were still together? You guys would snog and do—er—other stuff on the couches in the common room, in front of everyone."

"Don't mention him, Lily."

"Oh, get over it, Bella! It's time you two make up. I'm so sick of this stupid grudge you guys are forming against each other! Whenever I used to see you guys snog, I could see love in those eyes, Bella. You guys were head-over-heels with each other, and you still are. Why won't you admit it?"

"Because..." Arabella shook her head. "I know it's true, Lils. I'm just scared."

"Scared? Of what, Bella?"

"Of how vulnerable I'd be if I started dating Sirius again. I mean, you know he takes advantage of me. He snogs me, his girlfriend, and then he snogs another girl out of nowhere, right in front of my face! What kind of boyfriend is he? No, Lily, I'll never date him again, just to protect myself."

"Bella, I suppose you are right. But when Sirius realises that you're the only girl for him, you'll be ready too, to make up with each other. In the mean time, you can enjoy snogging with Amos Diggory." Lily visibly cringed.

Arabella sighed. "I know you dislike Amos, Lily, but he's a nice guy, and he respects me. He even told me he loved me yesterday." She smiled dreamily.

Lily rolled her eyes. "I'm sorry, Bells, but I can't believe the fact that Diggory is a 'nice' guy and 'respectful'. Besides, how can you get together with him so quickly when you were angry with him two months ago?"

"Oh, he said he's been waiting for me all this time. Isn't he such a romantic? Arabella Diggory...it sounds so right, doesn't it?"

Lily had to snort at that comment. Arabella Diggory was the worst possible name she had ever heard before, but Arabella Black sounded nice in her ears.

Suddenly, a stream of scarlet-clothed figures sweeping into the Quidditch field and congratulating the team members interrupted them. Girls were blushing furiously as they kissed Sirius and James' cheeks boldly, while boys thumped them on their back for congratulations.