One Last Try [HP Jamione fanfic]

36. Epiphany

A/N: Hope people are still liking this! We're getting closer and closer to the end of Hogwarts omggg!

1st July 1977

The train compartment was packed, the Gryffindors squished into the one compartment for the train journey home as the new couples in the group couldn't bear being split up.

Alice was perched on Frank's lap and they were squished against the window, hands tangled together in Alice's lap. Peter, Dorcas, and Remus took up the rest of the bench. Lily and Sirius, Sirius' arm wrapped around his new girlfriend's shoulder, were sitting close together opposite Remus and Dorcas. Hermione was next to Lily, who looked giddy with the attention Sirius was paying her, pressed between her and James. James' warm, muscled arm pressed against her side had been distracting Hermione for most of the journey so far. She wanted to press closer, but also get away, the two wants warring in her. His hand was so close. She could reach out and take it so easily.

As packed as their compartment was, no one was annoyed or miserable about it. They were all in surprisingly good cheer; the horrifying news that filled the Prophet nearly daily not enough to ruin the celebratory mood that summer had brought on.

"What are your plans for summer, Hermione?" Dorcas asked her while everyone else was caught up in other conversations.

Hermione blinked, drawn from her thoughts, "It's all a little vague actually." She laughed, "I think I'm going to the Potter's with Lily? Then she's coming back to mine when you and Alice come and join."

Lily looked up from where Sirius was playing with her fingers and muttering something in her ear that caused a bright blush to light the apples of her normally pale cheeks. "What's that?"

"Dorcas was asking about my plans for the summer."

"Oh." Lily flushed further when Sirius muttered something else that Hermione pretended she wasn't able to hear with her superior Animagus hearing. Remus wasn't so courteous and sent Sirius a glare that he met with an unrepentant grin.

"Yea, Lily's coming straight back to Potter Manor with me and Pads, and Hermione's joining in a couple weeks." James joined the conversation, shifting on the bench so the full length of his arm pressed distractingly against Hermione's, only the fabric of their Muggle clothes separating their skin. He appeared oblivious to both Hermione's inner turmoil over his touch and his best friend's shenanigans happening the other end of the compartment.

"You're going back to the Potter's with these two delinquents by yourself, Lils?" Dorcas had a grin on her face, painted-red lips stretched wide. She wiggled her eyebrows outrageously at Lily, who blushed further.

"Well, I didn't want to go home and spend any more time than needed with Petunia and her awful fiance." Lily groused. Hermione grimaced, in complete agreement with Lily's assessment of Vernon. For the few minutes she had met him, he had been just as horrible as she'd always heard from Harry. "He's staying with my parents all of July, so I've made sure I'm elsewhere for the month." Lily laughed lightly, covering her upset at being ousted from her home.

"Hopefully they won't drive you mad." Remus said with a laugh, easily dodging the retaliating swat Sirius aimed at him across the compartment.

"We're delightful, Moony. Lily's gonna love being there with me." Sirius tossed his hair back, then winced when Lily sent her elbow into his side.

"Stop being arrogant." She scolded, ignoring his resulting pout and sending Hermione a secretive smirk. Hermione laughed at the look on Sirius' face. He needed someone to pull his arrogance down a peg, as did James, and Lily was the perfect person to do that for him.