A Fine Line

Sirius watched as James took his seat at the back library table. It was tradition that the back table only be used as Headquarters for all their troublemaking plans, so by telling James to meet him here, Sirius had known James would show up.

He emerged from the shadows of the bookcases. "Prongs."

James leaned back in the chair and grinned stupidly. "Padfoot. To what do I owe this pleasure?"

Sirius crossed his arms and leaned against the table. "Wipe that stupid grin off your face. It's annoying me."

The stupid grin widened. "I can't help it. Evans is this close to falling for me-" he held his thumb and pointer finger millimeters from each other to demonstrate his point "-She's so close I can almost taste victory. Of all people, you should be happy. Just think," he added, looking wistfully past his friend, "no more mooning over her in the common room. No more wondering who she's going to Hogsmeade with. No more-"

Sirius hit him upside the head. "I get it."

James looked offended as he rubbed the side of his head. "Why the violence? If you get it, why do I get the feeling you don't want this to happen?"

Sirius hung his head. To be perfectly honest, he wasn't sure why he was so against this plan. Before James actually had a chance, Sirius wished Evans would just wake up and shag the little wanker, but now... things were different. "I just don't want you to screw this up, okay?"

"What makes you think I'm going to screw this up?" When Sirius only stared at him, James huffed. "You'd think, as my best mate, you could be a little more supportive. Especially since you know how badly I want this."

"Look, I know you want this, but--"

James cut him off. "Look, I have to meet Lily in ten minutes to plan the next Prefect meeting. Why did you want to meet me here?"

Sirius sighed and shook his head. "Go see Evans. We can talk later."

James rolled his eyes. "Fine. See you later, then."

He brushed past Sirius, and when he was out of earshot, Sirius punched the table as hard as he could. It made a hollow thump, but it didn't shake. Sirius rubbed his now red knuckles gently, regretting what he'd just done. Merlin, that hurt... He walked towards the library doors, still cradling his slightly swollen hand. His mind was racing, and the one thought that stood out more than the others was: What's wrong with me?

He reached the Gryffindor common room more confused than he had been when he left. When he entered the room, the first thing he saw was Peter, hunched over his Potions essay. Remus was sprawled out in the chair opposite him, reading 100 Charms for the Advanced Student, which made Sirius roll his eyes.

Peter looked up from his essay. "Sirius! Thank Merlin you're here. What's another use for Billywig parts?"

Remus peered at him over top of his rather large book. "Where's James?"

Sirius shrugged. "Planning the next Prefect meeting with Evans." He spit out her name like it was poison.

Remus closed his book and leaned forward. "I sense some hostility. Is somebody jealous of somebody else?"

Sirius laughed. "There's no way I'm jealous of Prongs. He's too skinny, he chews his food weird, he's madly in love with Evans, for Christ's sake, who happens to be the anti-Christ; he's a terrible dancer, he couldn't hold his liquor if his life depended on it--"

"Not to mention he still needs a night-light to sleep," Peter chimed in, pushing his essay aside.

Sirius continued, "He snores, he wouldn't know good taste if it bit him in the arse, and he's terribly simple-minded. In fact, if it wasn't for me, the poor boy would still be--"

Remus threw up his hands and cut him off. "I didn't mean you were jealous of James."

Sirius narrowed his eyes. "Are you saying I'm jealous of Evans?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying."

Sirius was shocked. "What the hell are you on about now? I don't want to be a girl!"

"That's not what I meant and you know it. What I meant was, you're jealous of all the time and attention he spends on her. You aren't used to being second best, and now that he actually has a chance with her, you're scared that's going to put you in second place for good." Remus paused and looked at his friend sympathetically. "Admit it, Sirius. You're very competitive, and now that it looks like you're going to come in second, you're getting jealous."

"Evans could never replace me," Sirius spat defensively.

Remus rubbed his temple and sighed. "I didn't say that. All I'm saying is now you have to compete for James' attention, and you don't like competition. And don't fight me on this, because you know I'm right."

"I think Prongs is into verbal abuse. I mean, maybe that's why he likes her. She is, after all, the only girl to tell him 'no' sixteen times in one day," Peter pointed out, twirling his quill between his fingers.

Remus looked from Peter to Sirius. "Maybe Peter is on to something," he mused, closing his book without bothering to mark his page. "You know as well as I do that James likes a challenge. Maybe he's just after Evans because she's a challenge. For all you know, this could blow over and things could go back to the way they were."

Sirius mulled it over. James did like a challenge, but Sirius knew deep down that James' thing for Lily was the real deal. "I don't think that's going to happen. I just don't want him to get in over his head."

"None of us do. I really don't think McCoy would be leading us into this if she though Lily was going to hurt him."

Sirius stood and rolled his neck. "I'll see you two tomorrow; I think I'm going to go to bed."

"Why so early?" Peter asked, beginning to roll up his essay. He ignored the disapproving look he received from Remus. "It's only nine; shouldn't we be planning something to do to the Slytherins or something?"

"Maybe tomorrow, Wormy. I'll sleep on it and later we can come up with something truly horrible."

He heard them talking as he walked up the stairs, but he really wasn't paying attention. McCoy better be right about this...

---

"Hey, Alice?" Lily called from the seventh year girls' bathroom, as she stuck her head through the doorway. "Do you have anything for chapped lips?"

Alice rolled on her back and sat up. "I think so," she replied, leaning over the end of her bed and digging though her trunk. She pulled out a hideously pink tube and threw it to Lily.

Lily read the label. Madame Lucille's Lip Luster in Princess Pink. "Don't you have anything else? I remember using this in second year."

Alice shrugged and picked up her Potions book. "That's all I have. Take it or leave it."

Lily grumbled to herself as she slunk back into the bathroom. Of the things Lily hated most in life, chapped lips and the color pink rated very highly on that list. She carefully applied the smelly pink goo to her lips and cringed when she realized the color had darkened with age. She'd borrowed the same tube of lip balm from Alice in their second year, and then the color had been an almost sheer, light pink gloss. Now, five years later, it had darkened to a solid, hot pink paste with sparkles. However, her lips did feel slightly better.

She walked out of the bathroom and tossed the tube on Alice's stomach. The other girl dropped her book and looked up, before breaking into bouts of hysterical laughter. "That has got to be the ugliest color ever!"

Lily picked up a shoe and threw it at her friend before wiping at the stain with the back of her hand. The goo smeared rather unattractively. "I hate you."

"Those are fighting words," Alice stated, grabbing a tissue and attempting to toss it to Lily. It floated to the ground in front of her, and Lily frowned. Alice scooped the tissue up and handed it to her friend.

Lily snatched it and scrubbed violently at the back of her hand. It wouldn't come off. "What do they put in this?" she howled, balling up the tissue and throwing it on the ground. She whipped out her wand and pointed it at her hand. "I'll just hex it off."

---

James pinched the bridge of his nose. He'd been sitting in the Head's common room since eight, waiting for Lily so they could plan the next Prefects' meeting. It was eleven now, and he was getting tired.

Every time he got in a fight with Sirius, he became mentally exhausted. They'd been in two fights before; the first time being after Sirius told Snape where he could find Moony on the night of his transformation, and the second time was right after Sirius had been disowned. Even if James was right, he always felt horribly guilty afterwards.

James placed his glasses on the coffee table and sighed. He spread out on the couch and put his arms behind his head, wondering what Lily was up to. She was always so punctual. I wonder if she wonders what I'm doing when I'm late.

His eyes were drifting shut and he rubbed them viciously. He had to stay awake. If Lily showed up and he was asleep, she'd probably castrate him. He moved his head from side to side and put his arms back under his head. His eyelids were still heavy, and as they drifted closed, he wondered what was taking Lily so long.

---

Lily stumbled into the common room, practically dead on her feet. After her attempt to hex the stain off her hand, she'd landed in the Hospital Wing. After Alice convinced Madame Pomfrey she had not attempted to kill herself, and that she had been attempting to hex off a stain, Madame Pomfrey let her go.

And to make matters worse, her lips were still chapped.

She pulled out the pink tube of horror and smeared some on her lips. It was hard, considering her hand was bandaged. There wasn't even anything wrong with it; it was just a bit red and swollen. She had wanted to take the bandage off when she finally left the Hospital Wing, but Alice told her not to.

Lily walked Alice back to the Gryffindor common room before retiring to her own. She stumbled through the portrait and tossed her things in the corner, and when she turned around, she clapped her hands over her mouth.

James was asleep on the couch, his arm dangling off the couch. We were supposed to plan the next Prefect meeting! Lily smacked her forehead and dragged her hands down her face. She'd completely forgotten. He waited up for me; I can't believe I forgot!

She sat on the edge of the coffee table in front of the couch and sighed, letting her shoulders droop. She hadn't forgotten anything this important before. She stared at James' face and bit her lower lip, watching as he slept peacefully.

His hair was a mess and his glasses were crooked, and Lily tried to fight back the feelings bubbling in her stomach. She had to admit he looked adorable, despite the slight snores emitting from his mouth. She picked up the quill he'd dropped, pulled her wand out of her pocket and conjured up a blanket. She spread it over him and tucked it around him, careful not to wake him. Before she could stop herself, she leaned down and kissed his forehead lightly. He stirred a little, and she froze, her face inches from his.

"Lily?" he mumbled, his eyes fluttering.

"Yes?" she whispered, freezing in place.

He didn't say anything else, and after a few moments, she was sure he'd fallen back asleep. She inhaled deeply, straightened up and grabbed her things. When she made it to her room and locked the door, she bit the knuckle of her pointer finger and closed her eyes. What in Merlin's name is has gotten into me?

---

James rolled over on his stomach and fell off the couch, tangling himself up in a blanket. Moaning, he sat up and rubbed the back of his neck before feeling around for his glasses. He'd been having a spectacular dream involving his favorite redhead, but now that he was awake and almost fully conscious, he couldn't remember a single thing about it. He untangled himself and sighed, still in futile pursuit of his glasses.

He found his glasses and slipped them on before hauling himself up and heading towards the stairs. He was still dead tired, he realized as he pushed his glasses up and rubbed his eyes. He had no idea what time it was, but he was pretty sure it was still dark outside.

He climbed the stairs slowly, rubbing the back of his neck and closing his eyes. He stumbled more than once, but each time he steadied himself by grabbing the rail and stopping. When he finally made it to the portrait that guarded his room, he mumbled the password sleepily and stepped through.

The room was dark, and as he weaved his way to the bed, he tripped over the various objects strewn on the floor. He collapsed onto his bed, almost jumping out of his skin when he collided with an object much too large to be his Stardust 400.

"Bloody hell!"

The thing in his bed sat up and groaned. "Damn it, James, you hit me in the face." The lights in the room flickered on, illuminating the slightly red face of Sirius Black. "You need to be more careful."

James was slightly relieved. "Padfoot, what are you doing here?"

Sirius leaned back on the pillows and sighed. "I've come to let you grovel for my forgiveness, and after that, things can go back to normal and the guilt in the pit of my stomach will go away." He waved his hand dismissively. "Go on, grovel."

James crossed his arms over his chest and glared at his friend. "If I remember correctly," he paused, taking off his glasses and cleaning them with the bottom of his shirt, "it is you who owes me and apology."

Sirius sat up and scooted to the edge of the bed. "Don't make me say it," he mumbled, suddenly becoming fascinated with his hands.

James stuck a finger in his ear, pretending to clear out the wax. "What was that? I couldn't hear the words coming out of your mouth."

"I'm sorry I told you that you had no hope with Evans," Sirius said quickly, his words sounding like incoherent babbling. He sighed after he said it, like a huge weight had been lifted off his shoulders.

James smiled, knowing full well what Sirius had said. "I'm sorry, could you repeat that--" He was quickly silenced by a pillow smashing into his face. He clutched his eye, his fingers brushing something sticky on his forehead. "What the--?"

He examined his fingers closely, horrified to find a sticky, pink stain on the tips. "What's that?" Sirius asked, grabbing his friend's hand and wrinkling his nose. "It smells funny too." Sirius reached up and brushed James' fringe off his forehead and laughed.

James jumped up and stood in front of the mirror, holding his fringe back with his non-sticky hand. "Ew, what is that?"

"That," Sirius announced smugly, strolling over to his panicking friend, "would be a lipstick stain, dear Prongsie. Looks like someone stole your first kiss in your sleep." He popped his knuckles and laughed at the horrified expression on James' face. "Jamesie-poo is growing up."

---

Sirius watched as a very self-conscious looking Lily Evans slunk into the Great Hall. She had a high collared, long sleeved shirt on like she was trying to hide a lovebite, her sleeves over her hands and her hands over her mouth. He smiled. She was right where he wanted her.

She was coming closer, and as she passed James, he called out, "So, Evans, how are you and Potter doing?"

He could imagine her jaw dropping, but her hand prevented him from seeing it. She mumbled something, but her hand also prevented him from hearing it. He leaned in, cupping his hand around his ear. "What was that? You only like kissing boys when they're asleep and vulnerable?"

Her face put the house colors to shame. He stood and walked over to her, stopping when he was inches from her. "Evans," he said softly, his hand finding hers. He pulled it down, revealing her stained bright pink lips. "Wipe the lipstick off next time."

The color in her face intensified, and he could practically feel the heat radiating off her. Her slightly swollen hot pink lips were parted slightly, and she was breathing hard. "Okay," she whispered breathlessly, her eyes wide with humiliation. She looked on the verge of tears.

He took out his wand and uttered a spell that cleared the stain off her lips, and it must have stung a bit because she gasped and touched her lips softly. "Don't worry," he whispered, letting go of her hand. "It can be our little secret."

She swallowed hard and nodded. "Thank you," she murmured, her face fading into a lighter shade of pink. She scrambled off, collapsing in the seat next to Alice and burying her face in her arms.

Sirius smiled to himself. Sure, he felt a little bad about embarrassing her, but if she was going to kiss his best friend while he was otherwise incapacitated, she deserved it. Besides, he thought as he reclaimed his seat at the table, she needs to be initiated if she's going to hang around for longer than a month.

"What was that about?" James asked suspiciously, clenching his fork so hard his knuckles were turning white.

Sirius grinned at his friend and clapped him on the back. "The protection of your virtue and innocence."

Remus looked a bit skeptical. "For some reason I don't think that was all you were up to. Evans looked like she was about to be sick."

Peter swallowed his bite of toast and grinned. "Her face matched the tapestry."

Sirius shrugged nonchalantly and leaned back, forgetting the benches didn't have backs. As he started to fall, James caught his shirt collar and pulled him up. "I just have that effect on girls," Sirius told them, grinning devilishly.

James ran his hands through his hair and pulled at the ends. "I swear to Merlin, Padfoot, if you said anything to her that makes her hate me by association, I will murder you painfully."

At that moment, Alice walked up and tapped Sirius on the shoulder. James' stomach hit the floor. "Sirius," Alice hissed, yanking his tie and pulling him towards her so that they were eye level. "You made her cry." Sirius' smile faltered. "It's off," she snapped, letting go of his tie and storming off.

James looked shell-shocked. Sirius looked from his friend to Alice's retreating form and stood, but Remus reached across the table and tugged on his robe sleeve. "Let me talk to her."

Sirius sat back down and watched as Remus excused himself and followed Alice out of the Great Hall.