How the Moon Fell In Love With a Star

Chapter 7

Word Count: 1,875

A week later, the boys and I were sitting around the fireplace working on homework. Sirius had just dropped his books on the table next to me when James said, "Come on, Sirius." James stood and stretched. "We've got Quidditch practice."

"Already?" asked Sirius. "Bloody hell, I just sat down!"

I shook my head at the two of them. Sirius ruffled my hair as he passed. James leaned down, put a hand on my cheek, and pressed a quick kiss to my lips. When he pulled away, his eyes shot towards Lily, who was sitting at a table in the corner. He smiled at me, patted Remus on the shoulder, then led Sirius out of the common room. Sirius' scowl didn't go unnoticed by me.

"Since the two of them are gone," Remus said, turning to me. "Will you finally tell me what's been going on?"

I shrugged. "James asked me out, I said yes, we've been dating ever since-"

"Lillie, you know that's not what I really meant," Remus interrupted.

I sighed, then glanced around the room to make sure no one was listening in. "You know me better than anyone, Remus. What do you think?"

Remus thought for a moment before stating, "I think it's killing you a little on the inside."

"Well then, you would be right," I mumbled. Remus nodded sadly.

Surprisingly, my brother was the first person to figure out that I loved Sirius. As more than a friend at least. I didn't really tell him, simply gave little signs that only my twin would have picked up on. James figured out soon enough after, and the teasing carried from third year all the way through fifth when I finally had enough of it and returned the favor by teasing James about Lily. In front of her, though, because that boy had no shame.

"You know," Remus drew my attention back to him, "you could always break it off with James and ask Sirius to the ball."

"Don't be ridiculous, Remus. Do you think I'd ever have the nerve to do that?"

Remus shrugged. "Anything's possible if you've got enough nerve."

----

Christmas at Hogwarts brought that happy sort of feeling. You know, where everything is right in the world.

Except everything was not right in the world. News of James's and my relationship had spread like wildfire and it seemed to be all the school could talk about. Going between classes, I always caught snippets of conversations between girls about how James was only dating me because I was his best friend and needed someone to go to the ball with. Others said I had asked James out and he only said yes out of pity. Still others hit closer to the mark: James was using me to get Lily's attention. Those weren't completely correct but not completely inaccurate either.

What bugged me the most was Sirius' reaction to it all. In the beginning of this whole mess, his annoyed face made it all worth it. However, the closer it got to Christmas, the less I saw that face. Instead, he let his face wash into an amused smirk whenever James and I did something remotely romantic. Now, I doubted if any of this was even worth it.

My brother was convinced James and I were driving Sirius up a wall and that he would snap soon. Peter tried to stay out of the mess. Like always, he didn't like confrontation. James insisted we should keep the charade up a little longer. I didn't really know how I felt about it. And I had absolutely no idea how Sirius felt.

James's plan had always been to make Sirius crack and admit his feelings, and James was convinced that the only way to do that was to go to the ball together.