She Said What?

Chapter 55: I Commence Operation MIUTJFFHB

A/N: Coming up this chapter...

Fluff.
Amusement.
Fluff.
Embarrassment.
Fluff.
Guilt.
Fluff.
Sirius.

And then some more fluff. Fluff, fluff, fluff. You're going to have fluff pouring out of your ears by the time this one's over. Have you booked that dentist's appointment yet? You're going to need it.

This chapter, you should listen to: She's Got You High, by Mumm-Ra; Sweet Disposition, by the Temper Trap; Stolen, by Dashboard Confessional; First Time and Spin, both by Lifehouse.

Enjoy.

March 27

10:00 AM
Status: Horrified

I would like to take this opportunity, on this fine Monday morning, to say that I am a dolt – completely, utterly, and truly.

Honestly. I deserve to be struck by lightning, turned into a Lily-stick (an alternate form of fish-sticks) and fed to hungry crocodiles. Or sharks. Some water-dwelling animal with enormous teeth and the ability to put me in a lot of pain, anyway.

Why?

Because today is James Potter's eighteenth birthday...

...and I forgot!

Merlin's beard, I forgot. Can you believe me?

Of course, I mean, it's not like I was maliciously lazing about, eating grapes and admiring my own reflection. I've been really busy with another wash of homework – and with Livvy's steady silent treatment (now running into its second week), I've been the slightest bit lonely, tired.

I am fully aware that there are other people who care about me enough to stick by me, but it's still horrible, seeing someone who's supposed to be your friend pretend like you're someone else, another stranger, when you know you're everything but. It takes a surprising amount out of you, having this whole dilemma hanging over your poor head, which has too much else to deal with already.

Of course, I know this is absolutely no excuse. I mean, James and I are like boyfriend-girlfriend now. How can his new girlfriend forget his birthday, of all things? Even if she does happen to be busy? Everyone's busy, but they haven't forgotten his birthday. Only I have.

I figured it out during first period today. I walked in with Alice after breakfast as usual, chattering about something or another, when I saw the Marauders laughing particularly loudly in the back corner of the classroom. Peter was hugging James and Sirius was grinning widely, resting his arm on Remus's shoulder.

I was about to ask what was going on when Sirius answered my question indirectly, presenting his friend with an enormous, brightly-colored party hat – complete with baubles, small exploding crackers, and a huge magenta flower – and loudly said, "Happy birthday, mate!"

At this, I immediately froze. Birthday. Birthday. I searched my memory bank, and indeed, it came up with James's birthday on the twenty-seventh of March. Which is the date today.

Bollocks. My strike-me-with-lightning-and-feed-me-to-oceanic-creatures thoughts were thus born and guilt bubbled in my stomach like a potion gone horribly wrong.

I mean, not only am I his girlfriend, but he had made such a huge hullabaloo for my birthday, back in January, when we weren't even dating. And now, to reciprocate, I had completely forgotten his special day. I hadn't even gotten him a present.

Fuck.

As the boys hugged it out and James aw-shucked all their well-wishes with a wave of his hand, I sat in my seat and squirmed, thinking fast and wondering what the hell I was supposed to do. I had to get him something, but the Hogsmeade weekend just passed and I don't know how to get in without getting caught. That rules out buying him a present – and it'd feel weird if I gave him something of mine, because it would become heavily obvious that I couldn't be bothered to get him something worth having.