Everything to Me

20.

"Next Hogsmeade trip, you and me." Juli couldn't believe those words had left her mouth. She rued them the second they did but backing out was not an option. She saw Peter smile and left without another word.

Dashing to her dorm, she absent mindedly changed and laid on her bed with a huge sigh. She felt her bed dip as Lily came and sat there. She moved aside so that Lily could lay down beside her. The two girls laid in silence with their heads touching. Lily turned to look at her. She looked miserable and confused.

"What did you do now?" Lily asked.

"Why do you assume that I have done something? It can be someone else, too."

"Because that is your I-have-done-something-stupid-and-I-know-it face."

"That is called regret, Lils." She turned and burried her face into the pillow.

"That's what I meant. Now tell me what did you do?"

Juli paused for a second and faced Lily. "I told Peter that I would go to Hogsmeade with him."

"You were going to do that, I know."

"In front of Sirius." She could see Sirius' face flash before her eyes. How he looked like his heart broke. But he had other girls to take care of that, didn't he?

"What do you mean? How does it matter?" Lily asked, not getting the point.

"During summer, when you left us alone to talk, we didn't only talk," she inhaled deeply, "We had also kissed."

"You what?" Lily shouted and stood up abruptly.

"Shhhhh" Juli pulled her down to bed. She sat up and looked away from her. "Lils, I don't think I have seen myself act this way for anyone. Today, when he left to meet Emma or Emily or whatever her name is, I wanted to show that I have guys, too and Peter had just asked me out, and I don't know what happened." She looked sorry for herself.

Lily wrapped her arms around her, "I am so sorry, Juli"

"I still have 2 months to mentally prepare myself for it." She sighed.

The next few days were exhausting. The fifth years were buried under piles of homework and James was working hard for the Quidditch team.

The last interaction Juli had with Sirius was in their dorm on the first night. They had been ignoring each other's presence, not that James noticed but Lily and Remus did.
Juli saw Sirius coming back to the common with improper clothes and messed up hair quite a lot.

To avoid all of this, she would often spend her free hours sitting by the lake reading or just staring at the mountains.

That day, too, after an exhausting Potions' class, she handed her bag to Lily and marched towards the lake. She was surprised to see Regulas sketching there.

Juli wondered if they could ever be friends. He was a good guy even though he believed in blood supermacy. She went and sat down next to him, looking at the lake dreamily. "Hey."

"Potter." He acknowledged.

"I thought we were on first name basis." She laughed.

"We were?" He asked.

"Mhm"

"Okay then, to what do I owe this pleasure, Juliette?" He chuckled.

"Such a gentleman you are." She looked at him in awe.

"Am I?" He asked and looking into her eyes, kissed her hand.

She laughed and her cheeks turned red.

"What is going on here?" Someone shouted.

Juli turned around and saw James with his wand out. She felt Regulas stood up beside her. He had his wand in his hand, too.

"James!" She cried. "Put it down. He is my friend."

"Why are you friends with a Slytherin? Especially him! He believes in pureblood ideas and what not!" He shouted.

A sad expression formed on Regulas' face. Juli was quick to notice and darting forward, she pushed James' wand down. "You know he is not like the others. Being in Slytherin does not make him a bad person! He is Sirius' brother and he loves him."

James looked at the fire in her eyes and loosened the grip on his wand. He mumbled something like 'fine' and walked away.

Juli turned to look at him and saw him stare at the ground where James was standing. "I am sorry. It was awful of James to say that."

Regulas responded after a few seconds, "Is it true?" He asked. "That Sirius loves me?"

She walked towards him. "Of course he does. He is always so worried about you but has never found the courage to talk to you in school."

Regulas nodded. "Did you really mean that we are friends? You don't mind that I am in Slytherin?" He asked nervously.

Juli smiled, "Yes. You being in Slytherin won't make me think less of you." She hugged him. It took Regulas by surprise but he hugged her back and smiled to himself.

* * * * *

The Gryffindor v/s Hufflepuff match was going great. Both the teams had been practicing and it was visible but Gryffindor was in the lead by 80-70.

Juli, Lily, Peter and Remus were clad in red and screaming their throats hoarse. James had scored twice consecutively with the help of Sirius who kept the bludgers away from him.

"James and Sirius make an amazing duo." Peter said to Juli.

Juli froze for a second hearing his name before responding, "Sure do."

"Alexander Johnwood catches the snitch and Gryffindor wins!" The commentator bellowed.

The Gryffindor stand went crazy with cheers before Remus' eyes widened and he shouted, "Oh my God!"

Juli looked towards the pitch and saw James off his broom hit the ground from a height of 750 feet.

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