Chapter XII: Repairing Reputations
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Don't push me cause I'll fall in love
with whatever you just said
don't push me cause I'll fall in love
with the way you wear your head
-"The way you wear your head" by Nada Surf
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Monday
Week III
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"I hate you Potter," Lily grumbled as she took a seat by James at the breakfast table.
"Why do you hate him this time?" Remus asked with an amused by how disoriented she was that particular morning.
"Because the hangover potion hasn't kicked in yet, and since he's the one that goaded me into partaking in the drinking fest last night it's all his stupid fault," she whined.
"Lily got drunk? Since when are you such a bad girl?" Sirius asked her with a wink.
"I'm not a bad girl!"
"It's all right love, it's hot anyway," he assured her.
"It's bloody amazing though, she can drink more than the three of us combined, it's scary mate," James smirked at the anticipation of her response to what he had said.
"You- shush," Lily ordered him. "I'm still mad at you."
"You're just looking for a scapegoat, you love drinking and you know it."
"Well of course, I'm not about to take the blame for my actions, that'd be stupid."
"Because that wouldn't make any sense at all," Remus said sarcastically.
"Well yeah, it wouldn't," Sirius said, confused as to why Remus was being so derisive.
"Oh whatever, the point is that because I was in such a state of hangover-ness I walked into three walls this morning. I can handle one, not three; I can only take the loss of so many brain cells!" Lily cried.
"Hangover-ness?" Remus asked.
"She has a thing for making up words," James told him.
"Weird."
"Ugh, I promised Rachel that I'd have breakfast with her today. Off to hell, see you later," Lily groaned as she got up and left.
"She has got to be the oddest girl that I've ever met," Remus commented once she was out of earshot.
"I think she's hot," Sirius announced.
"We know that, who doesn't think she is," James said.
"Does she like quidditch?" Sirius asked.
"Yeah, loves it, why?"
"Because as of now she is officially the hottest girl ever, I mean she's got a great body, smart, able to hold her liquor-- a bit odd and quirky at times, but she loves quidditch so that makes up for it."
"Yeah I guess she is," James said.
"You have a thing for her, don't you?" Remus asked James.
"I do not! I just think that she's hot, but so does the entire male population, so you can't very well call that a thing."
"So that's it, it's totally physical?" Remus asked him doubtfully.
"Well no-"
"So I was right!"
"But it's me and it's her, we just wouldn't work. Besides she's head over heels for the wanker, I mean she even forgave him for cheating, I wouldn't make the mistake of falling for a girl that's in that position."
"Why's she so into him anyway?" Sirius asked.
"I don't really get it either," James told him. "Everyone's told her that she could do better, deserves better, but none of it means anything to her, she loves him."
"Poor girl."
"Since when are you so sympathetic?"
"I like her, she's really cool. We have a lot in common as far as our families are concerned, so I get it, how much worse it is when the only other people in your life that you think can rely on betray you as well."
"That's uncharacteristically sweet of you to say," Remus commented.
"I'm just saying that I get it, she wants something to believe in, it may be the wrong thing, but it doesn't mean she has much control over it, she just can't stand t have another person leave her."
"Very philosophical... kind of scary how in touch with your emotions you are actually," James laughed.
"What can I say; the ladies just love me for it."
--
She said I feel stranded
And I can't tell anymore
If we coming or I'm going
It's not how I planed it
I've got the key to the door
But it just won't open
-"just feel better" by Santana ft. Steven Tyler
--
"Well it's about time you separated yourself from James and spent some time with me," Rachel exclaimed as Lily took a seat by her.
"What's the story with you two anyway?" Melissa, one of Rachel's friends, asked Lily.
"We're friends."
"Oh what I'd give to have another go at him," Melissa groaned in pleasure as she closed her eyes, obviously imagining the aforementioned "go at him."
"You dated him?" Lily asked her.
"Only for a few days, but what a shag!"
""I did hear that he was amazing," Rachel commented.
"None of it is lies I tell you, now that we know that he's available you should totally go for it Rach."
"Would, but can't, kind of seeing someone right now."
"Yeah, but that's casual," Melissa said, obviously catching onto what she was alluding to.
"Won't be for long," she told her with a wink.
It took everything Lily had not to rip out her hair right then and there, but she restrained herself, constantly replaying the string of insults that would come from Alice should she give in to temptation. "So who is this mystery man of yours? I feel so out of the loop, I mean Mel here obviously knows who he is," she asked, plastering a fake smile on her face.
"Um-well," Rachel stuttered.
"I don't know him per say, I just know of him," Melissa interrupted.
"Well you shouldn't be keeping him all to yourself like this, tell me- us about him."
"Um- well- you know me and how I am-"
Yeah you're a backstabbing bitch, Lily thought to herself as she listened to Rachel ramble on about some bull shit story about how she'd met the suppose "love of her life."
--
We're made out of blood and rust
Looking for someone to trust
Without
A fight
I think that you came too soon
You're the honey and the moon
That lights
Up my night
But right now
Everything you want is wrong,
And right now
All your dreams are waking up,
And right now
I wish that I could follow you
To the shores
Of freedom
Where no one lives
-"honey and the moon" by Joseph Arthur
--
"You look angry," a deep voice said from behind her, pulling her out of her reverie.
"Take a seat," she said as she patted the rock that she was sitting on, all the while staring blankly at the lake.
"What's wrong Lils? What happened?"
"Who would have thought that in just three short weeks you'd become one of my best mates," she smiled.
"And that is exactly the reason why you're going to spill your heart out to me rather than avoid the problem."
She laughed so genuinely that she took him by surprise for he hadn't expected the reaction given how miserable she was. "she kept on talking about this mystery guy she was seeing, it was obviously Benjy, but she just went on and on, some parts were made up, like stories on how they met, but-she just wouldn't shut up about how well it was going and how soon it's become a monogamous relationship."
"Sorry."
"You have nothing to apologize for."
They sat in a comfortable silence, James holding her in his arms, rubbing her arms on a comforting fashion, both just looking at the lake.
"Do you blame him at all?" he asked, finally interrupting it as he had wanted to do for so long.
"I do, and I hate him for cheating. Sometimes I just want to-beat him with a stick or something," she said with a slight smile. "But I also love how he can make me feel… I'm insecure as hell James but Benjy-he makes me feel like I'm actually worth something."
"He doesn't deserve you."
"Considering that he's the one doing the cheating and not I, I highly doubt that."
"Lily-"
"Oy, Evans!" they heard a voice yell.
"Very graceful entrance Alice," Lily teased her.
"Actually I was just hoping that I'd startle you."
"Well you failed."
Elle laughed, "You owe me five galleons."
"Damn."
"So why are you two here?" Lily asked.
"We have a party to plan."
"Ooh I meant to tell you, you should throw it in the Room of Requirement, it'll make it all easier," James advised them.
"Great idea!" Alice said.
"I thought you said that we shouldn't," Elle commented.
"For Rachel's party, why would I waste such a great space on her?" Alice pointed out.
"Whatever, what's the first step in `operation repair Lily's party rep?'"
"I'll get you the alcohol," James offered.
"Thanks, that'd be great," Lily said.
"Okay, now that I've done my part I'm off," he announced as he got up to leave.
"And done like a true jackass," Alice teased.
Lily laughed, "How I do love your sarcastic and rude sense of humor my dear."
"It's all part of my charm love."
"Or lack of," Elle quipped.
"Shut up!"
"Oh, don't look, but Fen-Prick at eleven o'clock," Elle told Lily.
"Oh God, you've joined the Fen-Prick fan wagon as well?" Lily cried.
"Sorry."
"Don't say that!" Alice reprimanded Elle. "It's catchy, if anything the better question is why wouldn't we call him that."
"Hey love," Benjy greeted her with a kiss on the cheek, sitting behind her with his legs around hers and hugging her to his chest. "How are you girls?"
"Fine, just planning a party," Elle immediately answered, stopping Alice from saying something bitchy and spiteful to him.
"Oh yeah, heard about that, Saturday, right?"
"Yep, and you better be there," Lily told him.
"Can't wait."
"We should get going, we have more stuff to work out," Elle announced as she grabbed Alice's hand and literally pulled her back towards the castle.
"As you can see my mates are very subtle people."
"Well I can't deny the fact that I like the idea of us being left alone," he told her, nuzzling her neck.
"Can't say I have any complaints," she said as she turned herself around so that they were sitting facing one another.
"How about you and I go out tonight?"
"Sounds fun."
"Pick you up at eight?"
She smiled at him, "you're on lover boy, bye," she said as she got up, leaving him dumbfounded by her abrupt exit.
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