A Fine Line

Remus excused himself and followed Alice into the hallway. "McCoy," he called, his pace quickening when he realized she wasn't stopping. "McCoy, I know you can hear me."

In a very childish display, she stuck her pointer fingers in her ears and shouted, "No, actually, I can't!"

Remus wasn't one to resort to physical violence, especially when the person he was going to use said physical violence against was female, but this was an exception. He caught her robe sleeve and spun her around. When she tried to escape his grasp, he pinned her up against the wall. "Can you hear me now?"

She stuck her tongue out at him and frowned. He sighed. "I'll take that as a yes." He released her shoulders, but didn't back up. "I know what Sirius did was completely uncalled for--"

"Uncalled for!?" Alice screeched, flailing her arms. "He made her cry!"

"As I was saying," Remus continued patiently, "I know it was completely uncalled for, but you can't punish James for Sirius' idiocy."

"And what am I supposed to do?" she asked desperately. "He made her cry. My best friend in the whole world, crying because I set her up. Do you not realize the guilt I'm feeling right now is about to swallow me whole? I was this close-" she held her hands inches apart for emphasis "-to confessing I'd set her up. Of course, I held my tongue when she told me she was actually falling for the prat--"

"So it worked?"

Alice stared at him like he'd grown another head. "Yes, you dolt. She's been falling for him, but I think last night finally did her in."

"So why stop now? Why did you tell us it was over?"

"The guilt!" she exclaimed, pulling at her hair. "The guilt is eating me alive! What if she only likes him because we pushed her into it? They're going to end up getting together and she's going to find out what I was doing behind her back and hate me for the rest of her life and--"

Remus shook her gently. "Calm down, Alice," he said soothingly, stopping her before all her ranting gave him a headache. "The whole point of this was to give James a chance. It may turn out she still hates him with a passion, but at least they had a chance."

She pouted a bit, realizing what he was saying made sense. "It she ends up hating me for the rest of my life, I swear I will murder all four of you in your sleep. And it won't be one of those quick and painless bits. I'll have you wishing--"

Remus smiled and put his hand over her mouth. She could go on all day. "That's not going to happen." They just stared at each other for several moments, and that's when Remus realized just how close they were. While they were arguing, he'd grabbed her shoulders, and through the course of their conversation, his hands slid down to her forearms. Her back was against the wall and there were only inches between them. Remus swallowed hard.

"McCoy, Lupin," a voice called from down the hall. "Get off each other."

Remus jumped back and looked down the hall. Professor Longbottom was standing there with his arms crossed over his chest. Even from where he stood, Remus could tell his neck was flushed. When he looked over at Alice, her face was a matching shade of red. "Sorry," she called, her eyes cast down.

Longbottom marched past them, and Remus could tell he was gritting his teeth. If I didn't know any better, I'd say he had a thing for Alice... When he was out of earshot, Remus spoke. "He looked like he was--"

"About to shit a brick?"

Alice's head snapped up and Remus whirled around. Both were surprised to see Sirius emerge out of the shadows. "I was going to say not very happy," Remus continued, "But I suppose that works too."

"You know, the whole stalking people and coming out of the shadows at tense moments is really starting to get old," Alice snapped.

Sirius threw up his hands. "I just came out here to apologize. I made an ass out of myself, and for that I am truly sorry. If you could guarantee my safety, I am ready to grovel at the feet of your lovely red-headed companion as well." He dropped to his knees and folded his hands. "I'll do anything, Alice."

Alice smiled, in what she hoped was not a 'I-have-very-evil-plans-for-you' kind of way. "Apologize to Lily and then we'll talk."

Sirius grinned and jumped up. "Gladly." He stuck out his hand for her to take.

She took it and her smile grew. Lily is going to die when she hears this.

---

After her lovely conversation with Sirius, Lily quickly made her way to the doors. She thought she heard Alice shouting at someone in the corridor, but she didn't bother to check. She put her hands on her cheeks, surprised at how warm her face felt.

She was pretty far down the hallway before she heard footsteps behind her. She whirled around, expecting to be face to face with Sirius or, maybe if she was lucky, the devil himself. She clapped her hands over her heart. "Professor!" she exclaimed. "You scared me."

Frank's face was bright red and he looked upset. "Sorry, Evans," he said shortly, brushing past her. Lily stayed where she was and leaned up against the wall, watching as he walked away.

Suddenly, he stopped and spun around. "Evans," he asked, starting back towards her. "You wouldn't happen to know-- never mind."

Lily caught up with him. "You know, I remember when you gave us the Prefect speech in Fifth year," she began. He stopped and turned around to face her. "I was so nervous--"

"And the questions just kept pouring out of your mouth," he finished, smiling and crossing his arms over his chest. "I didn't know the answers to most of them."

"But you didn't get flustered," she remarked, leaning up against the cool wall. "You look pretty flustered right now, so something upsetting must've happened."

He laughed gruffly and loosened his collar. "You don't look so calm and collected yourself, you know."

They stood there for awhile, and Lily's nerves calmed. Suddenly, Frank straightened up and cleared his throat. "Best be moving along, Evans." He fixed his collar and started down the hall.

James dropped his bag next to his favorite armchair and fell into it, exhaling loudly as he did. He knew he was technically skipping his next class, but he really didn't care. There was an obnoxious pounding on his left temple, and listening to Binns drone would only make it worse.

He tried to catch Lily in between classes to apologize for whatever Sirius had said, but she always managed to wiggle out of his grasp. He tried passing her a note in Arithmancy, but she dropped it in her bag and wouldn't look at him.

He'd been so close, so close, to getting her. His shoulders sagged as he exhaled again, causing him to sink further into the chair. He'd been so much closer than he'd ever been before, and now, it was all meaningless. Maybe I should just give up, I mean, this could be a sign. He closed his eyes and leaned his head back, the tension in his head easing slightly.

He heard the portrait door open, and if for some strange reason a teacher followed him here, he hoped which ever one it was would just put him out of his misery. "James?"

That was not McGonagall's voice.

"Lily?" He bolted up in his seat and whipped around,

She looked down at her feet. "I noticed you weren't in class. I thought you might be here."

He crossed the common room in three steps. "You missed me?" She chewed on her lower lip, desperately trying to avoid his stare. "Lily--"

She looked up and set her jaw. "Yes."

James fought the urge to pick her up and spin her around. Lily crossed her arms in a huff and sat on the couch. James plopped down next to her, accidentally bumping their knees together. He kept his where it was, and to his surprise, Lily didn't move hers. "What's this supposed to mean?" he asked, looking down at their knees

She shrugged. "Whatever you want it to mean," she replied, looking over at him..

James was fit to burst. "Aww, Lils--"

"Just don't call me that," she snapped, wrinkling her perfectly freckled nose at him. James suddenly felt a compulsive urge to count them all. She turned her head away from him and looked into the fire. "Just promise you won't run around like a chicken with it's head cut off when you go tell everyone."

"Tell them what?" he asked, watching her carefully. "I still don't know what this is supposed to mean."

She looked back at him. "Tell them this." Before he could ask what, she leaned in and kissed him.

She pulled away quickly, her face completely scarlet. "Tell them that," she whispered, jumping off the couch and bounding up the girls' stairs.

James was so shocked he fell off the couch. As he stared up at the ceiling, a large, rather goofy looking grin spread across his face, and he pinched himself to make sure he wasn't dreaming. "Damn," he whispered under his breath, not sure if he was talking about the pinch or the kiss.

---

Alice was strolling down the halls, minding her own business when she was rudely pulled into an empty classroom and shoved against a wall.

Well, in reality, she'd been slinking down the halls hoping to run into a certain Defense teacher when she heard her name, entered an empty classroom and was shaken roughly by her shoulders.

"I kissed him!" her excited, red-faced companion shouted in her face. "I can't believe I actually kissed him!"

Alice wrenched herself free and stared at the very flustered Lily Evans. "You did what?!"

"Are you deaf!?" Lily shouted, motioning wildly with her arms. "I said I kissed him!"

Alice burst into laughter, and it only intensified when Lily slapped her upside the head. "Ouch!" she howled, still unable to contain her laughter. "I can't believe you finally snapped."

"Damn it, Alice, stop relishing in my pain long enough to be supportive!" Lily cried, pulling at her long red hair. Alice tried to stop laughing, and straightened up, ready to lend a sympathetic ear. "I just can't believe that was my first kiss," Lily finished, collapsing into an empty desk. "I mean, I had it all planned out and bam! This... it just... happened."

Alice put a hand on her friend's shoulder. "Sometimes things like that are better unplanned," she told Lily, remembering her own first kiss.

In her fifth year, she and Kingsley Shacklebolt ended up on a moving staircase together, and somehow, in all the turmoil, she ended up right up against him. She still remembered the look on his face as he leaned in, and while nothing besides a brief brush happened, that look still made her giggle. She'd ran away to the girls' loos, hiding in a stall until dinner. She still blushed when she thought about it.

Pulling herself out of her reverie, she focused all her attention on Lily. "Lily, you can't plan a first kiss. It's like, a cosmic rule."

"Screw cosmic rules! I had a plan, and it would of worked if he was so damned..."

"Stupid? Prattish? Cosmic rule-abiding?" Alice interjected.

"Cute!" Lily wailed, burying her face in her hands. "His face, it was just so... so hopeful! I just couldn't control myself!"

Alice blinked stupidly. Lily had it bad. "Did you just call him cute?" Lily's hands muffled her response, but her nod told Alice all she needed to know. "Lily, it's okay to admit you like him. The world won't stop spinning; life as we know it will not end."

Lily peered through her fingers. "I know," she said exasperatedly, her shoulders drooping. "Alice, I like him-" she looked around the empty room, as if she was nervous someone would hear her "-a lot."

Alice took her hand and pulled her up. "I know you do. Now let's go to dinner."

Lily shook her head. "I don't feel like eating. I think I'll just go back to my room. Do you have the notes from History of Magic?" Alice stared at her blankly, and Lily chuckled a bit. "I'm asking the wrong person. I'll see you later, okay?"

Alice watched as she walked out, relief sweeping over her. Their plan had worked, and quite brilliantly, if she did say so herself.

---

James took his usual seat at the table, aware the huge, goofy grin he had after Lily kissed him was still on his face. He loaded his plate full of food and began scarfing it down, avoiding the curious looks he got from his friends.

Remus elbowed him in the ribs. "So? What happened?"

James smiled, and a small bit of mashed potatoes fell out of his mouth and onto his lap. "Wha?" he asked, swallowing his food and wiping his trousers off. "What?" he asked again, replacing his napkin and picking up his fork.

"Tell us what happened, you twit!" Sirius exclaimed, reaching across the table and hitting James upside the head. "What did she say?"

"She didn't say much," James replied, his grin growing, "but she did kiss me."

"She what?!" the three exclaimed in unison, staring blankly at their friend.

"You heard me," he replied, looking down at his lap as he remembered the singular most glorious moment in his life. "I was better than getting my first broom."

"Seriously?" Peter asked, pushing his plate aside and leaning closer. "What was it like?"

"Well," James began, reaching for a roll. He buttered it as he said, "it was really quick, but I remember every glorious second. She leaned in and she kissed me. It was brilliant, I must say." He took a bite of the roll and pushed his plate aside. "Brilliant."

"So are you official now?" Sirius asked, suddenly spotting Alice as she walked through the doors.

He waved her over and she sat next to him. "What are we talking about?" she asked as she spooned some mashed potatoes on her plate.

"I don't know," James replied, his grin fading. "All she said was it was whatever I wanted it to be."

Alice almost choked on the mashed potatoes. "Lily said that?" James nodded. "Wow," was all Alice could manage between coughs.

"Did she say anything to you?" James asked, leaning forward and staring at Alice intently.

Alice shook her head. "Just that she thinks you're cute."

"Nothing else? Nothing at all?" James knew Alice wasn't being completely honest, because she began chewing on her pinky nail. "Alice, you're already up to your ears. Just tell me what she said."

Alice looked down at her plate. "Let's just say if you asked her to Hogsmeade next weekend, she wouldn't say no." She wrapped three rolls in a napkin and stood. "I cannot, in good conscience, stay here and discuss this any further."

She left, and the attention turned back to James. "So are you going to ask her?" Peter asked enthusiastically.

James smiled and tossed his napkin on his plate. "If she's not going to say no, how can I not?"

---

Lily was sitting in front of the couch in front of the fire, finishing her homework. She found that if she threw herself into her studies, thinking about a certain arrogant boy she kissed early didn't happen as often. She signed her name at the top of the paper and pushed her books away, rubbing her eyes before checking her watch. It was just after seven, and she was starving. This will teach me to never skip dinner again.

She reached behind her for her bag and dug through it, hoping to find some Bertie Botts Beans or some Chocolate Frogs. She heard the portrait swing open and she froze, dropping the bag and looking up.

James was standing there with a plate of food, smiling at her. "You skipped dinner," he said simply, putting the plate on the coffee table in front of her. He sat on the couch, and she stood, taking the plate and moving to the other edge. "What? Now you won't even get close to me?" he joked, sliding down until there was only inches between them.

Lily began to eat, hoping he would take the hint. He didn't. "Lily, come on. Talk to me."

Lily sat the plate down and looked over at him. "There's not really anything to talk about."

He chuckled softly. "I think there is."

She glared at him. "I don't."

They stared at each other for a few moments, and as the time wore on, Lily's stomach flipped when she realized he was leaning in. She squeezed her eyes shut and turned her head just as he got really close. His lips touched her cheek and she exhaled loudly, opening her eyes as he pulled back. She turned to him. "James--"

"No, I get it." His face was slowly flushing. "Now excuse me while I go crawl under my bed and die," he told her, standing up and beginning to leave.

She grabbed his sleeve and tugged, pulling him back down onto the couch. She grabbed his chin and turned his face toward her. "Will you go to Hogsmeade with me this weekend?" she gushed, letting go of his chin and taking both his hands. "Please?" He looked down at their hands, up at her, and back down at their hands. "Please," she repeated, her eyes desperately searching his face.

He smiled shyly. "You don't have to beg," he told her. She exhaled loudly and threw her arms around him, knocking him back. "Lily!"

He turned so she was lying on top of him, and she flipped her hair over her shoulder and looked down at him. "Yeah?" she asked quietly, moving so her back was against the back of the couch. She propped herself up on her elbow and smiled.

"Pinch me."

She laughed and leaned over, kissing him softly on the lips while pinching his arm the way Alice showed her in fourth year. He shrieked and jumped, almost falling off the couch. Lily tried to grab him, but all she succeeded in doing was knocking them off.

They fell into the small space between the coffee table and the couch, laughing hysterically when James' back landed with a muffled thump. "That hurt!" he exclaimed, snaking his arms around her waist.

She reached behind her and took his hands, intertwining their fingers as she held his arms at his sides. "So that's a yes?" she asked, straddling his waist and rocking back on her feet.

She pulled him up with her and he groaned. "Only if you promise we end up like that at the end," he replied, wiggling his eyebrows at her.

She leaned into him, following as he stumbled back. "I'm not making any promises," she told him, pulling back and turning around to gather her stuff. When it was all successfully stuffed into her bag, she turned back around and faced him. "Meet me at the front doors at eleven."

He was standing there, one hand ruffling his hair and the other on his waist, and Lily could hardly resist the urge to throw herself at him. "I've only been waiting for this day since third year!" She rolled her eyes, but he continued, "I'll be there."

---

"Lily and James are officially going to Hogsmeade together," Sirius announced as he tromped down the boys' stairs. After crossing the room, he poured everyone sitting around the table a shot of Firewhiskey.

Alice sniffed at her shot and frowned. She wasn't a big fan of alcohol, so she sat it aside and looked at Sirius. "How did you find out so quickly?" she asked, watching as smoke came out of Peter's ears.

Sirius downed his shot and pounded his chest with his fist after he swallowed. "I have my ways."

Alice had no idea why she was sitting with Sirius, Remus and Peter in the common room at midnight on a Wednesday, but here she was, watching as the three boys downed their shots and tried to pretend it didn't have an effect on them. Remus' eyes were watering a bit, Peter was panting and Sirius was trying not to cough. "Aren't you going to take yours?" Remus asked, dabbing as his eyes with a handkerchief.

Alice picked up her shot and sniffed it again. "I don't know if I want to or not."

"It's good for you," Sirius choked out before he cleared his throat for the umpteenth time since his shot. "Very good for you."

"It only burns for a little bit," Peter told her, fanning himself with his hand.

"You don't have to, if you don't want to," Remus told her, blinking wildly.

Alice wrinkled her nose and put the glass to her lips. She threw her head back and after she swallowed the stuff, she leaned down and coughed so hard her head hit the table. "Oh bloody bollocks," she mumbled, holding her forehead and laying back.

Remus was the only one who showed any sympathy towards her plight, as Sirius and Peter were too busy laughing. "You seem to be hitting your head a lot lately," Sirius remarked, pouring himself another shot.

"It's because I am forced to have contact with you," she grumbled, suddenly feeling lightheaded. She wasn't sure if it was the hit or the alcohol that was causing it. "Merlin, that hurt."

An hour later, Peter was passed out on the floor and Remus was dozing in a chair. Alice was sprawled out on the couch, under strict orders not to fall asleep for another hour, so Sirius was amusing her with stories from his childhood. Of course, Alice could tell he was too sloshed to realize that these stories were from a book he'd read last summer. Alice didn't bother to correct him.

He lifted her legs and sat down on the end of the couch, placing her legs across his lap. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she was glad she was wearing her pajama bottoms instead of a nightgown. Sirius continued, and Alice began to tune in as his fingers started stroking her ankles. "Sirius," she giggled, "What are you doing?"

He traced a circle around her ankle bone. "I probably won't remember this tomorrow, because I'm pretty pissed," he told her seriously, "but I want to thank you, for helping James. This wouldn't have happened if you hadn't stepped in. You have really pretty ankles," he told her, giggling like a little school girl as his fingers trailed up her legs. "But your legs are pretty hairy."

Alice rolled onto her back and sat up, pulling her legs towards her. Sirius followed, getting extremely close to her. He was so close she could smell his woodsy cologne mixed with the sharp smell of Firewhiskey. His face was extremely close to hers. "Sirius," she said quietly, "You're drunk."

"I know," he replied, his face inching closer to hers.

She put held his face in her hands, forcing him to look at her. "Sirius, you're really drunk."

She let go of his head, and he leaned forward, ducking his head to her shoulder. "Alice?"

"Yeah?" She tried not to shudder as his breath tickled her neck.

"You smell really nice." He kissed her neck softly, and she sat perfectly still. After a few moments, his breathing evened out, and she was sure he was asleep. She pushed him back gently, leaning over him to lay his head down.

She stood and tiptoed upstairs, almost tripping in the dark. When she got into her dorm, she fell onto her bed and closed her eyes. She knew she wasn't supposed to fall asleep yet, but she was so tired she didn't care. She drifted off to sleep, bottles of Firewhiskey dancing in her head.