Title: Christmas at Hogwarts - Chapter 10: Confliction

Disclaimer: I own nothing from Harry Potter, alas.

Specific to this chapter: This is a shorter chapter, sort of a bridge to the next part...

Notes: This is a relatively short chapter, and so hard for me to write, so sorry if it's not the best. I, like you, want to get back to the Snape/Lily stuff. Lily - James..bleh. I did INDEED NOT fall off the face of the earth, nor did I stop writing. I've been overworked in school. You can blame Russian class. I promise the next update will be much sooner...hopefully in a week. And thanks for all my loyal readers..YAY!

Shoutouts: Thanks for reviewing Chapter 9: Fedzgurl91, CitizenOfLilliput, Evil Shall Giggle, where-my-heart-resides, agent715, sugur-huny-bun, angelina-fan, Sparrow MoNkEy, paleshadow, Danceroftheshadows, Milo, Bela, Amandinka, Violet Bathory, Shaded, XxSiLvEr ChiLdxX, and Siri's Gurl

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Chapter 10: Confliction

Potter was standing by the doorway as Lily walked in. She glanced at him surreptitiously, trying not to meet his gaze, and walking by just fast enough so that it was obvious that she didn't want to talk to him. Potter didn't take the hint. He seemed to be waiting for her.

He followed after her quickly, "Evans, Evans...why were you out so late? What have you been up to?"

Lily rounded on him, "I don't see as that's any of your business." She was furious. She had forgotten how angry he had made her earlier, and now the feelings were resurfacing.

Potter was taken aback for a moment, "Well, I didn't mean anything by it. I just have been waiting for you is all. Worried."

Lily softened a bit, and sighed, "I'm really not interested in talking right now. I want to go to bed."

"It won't take more than a minute, Lily..."

It was the second time today that Lily's own name had surprised her. Potter always called her Evans. She was annoyed that she couldn't just tell him no. No, leave me alone. She wanted to be mean to him, but couldn't find it in herself. "What?"

"Well," Potter said sheepishly, "I wanted to apologize."

"That doesn't mean anything to me," Lily said in exasperation, "What good does it do going around doing whatever you want, not caring how people feel, then apologizing?"

Potter squirmed, "I was just angry was all."

"So what! Can't you control your emotions? Or do you just have to spout off every daft thing that enters into your head?"

"It's not like that...I just..."

"You know," Lily cut him off, "If you really want to apologize, then why don't you apologize to Severus!"

Potter bristled at that, "I don't see why I should have to apologize to that bloody git."

"You really don't understand. You don't care about what you did. You just don't want me to be mad at you. He happens to be my friend." Lily snapped.

Potter flushed, "Are you going with him to the Ball?"

"Yes, I am."

"You can't!" Potter said, and it was more of a whine than a command.

"Oh, stop it! I have had enough," Lily raised her voice.

"I WON'T LET IT HAPPEN!" This time he said it angrily.

"Don't you bother with him, James Potter!" Lily warned, worrying about Severus.

"I'm not going to let you go to the Yule Ball with him," Potter yelled back.

"I don't think you have much of a say in it," Lily fumed, and she was a little scared, because she did not want him to try anything else with Severus. She looked over and saw that Remus Lupin had just appeared and was standing tentatively in the corridor. Great.

"We'll see," Potter said ominously.

"What does that mean?"

"We'll see," Potter repeated.

Lily looked to Lupin for some support, who glanced back at her awkwardly. Lily guessed that he hadn't know that her and James were down here. He looked unsure if he should continue into the room, or retreat to his bedroom.

Lily didn't like the look in Potter's eyes. She needed to end this obsession and she needed to end it now. She did not want him to make another scene in class, or worse at the Yule Ball. At this point there was a good chance that Black would already have a vendetta, there was no use for Potter to have one, too. If she could just say something that could deflect the blame from Severus to herself, perhaps Potter would leave Severus alone.

Lupin stepped forward tentatively, "Is everything okay, Lily?"

Potter glanced menacingly at Lupin. Now that he realized they were arguing Lupin seemed reluctant to leave. Lily wondered what knowledge Remus might be privy to, that would encourage such a bold move on his part. What rash things had Potter been saying about her? She couldn't help but wonder.

"It's fine," Lily acknowledged.

"Everything's NOT fine," Potter said through gritted teeth, "You are not going to the Yule Ball with that...that..."

Lily cut him off abruptly, "James Potter! You have no say in what I do. I would not go to the Yule Ball with you if you were the last person on earth. I don't like you, not even as a friend. As it stands now, I may never talk to you again. You are selfish and cruel. I...I hate you!"

She quickly turned from him and ran past Lupin towards her room. She hadn't left fast enough to avoid glimpsing James' face crumple. Never had she told anyone that she hated them, and she regretted it before leaving the room. Still, she didn't dare look back at him, her eyes were welling up with tears. She didn't hate him she was just mad at him. She loathed hurting anyone so, even James Potter.

She turned into the dark corridor, and paused. and was about to ascend the stairs to her room, when she heard Lupin's voice.

"You've gone too far, Prongs."

Prongs? Boys have such bizarre nicknames for each other. Lily didn't even want to imagine what that was referring to. She was glad that Lupin was sticking up for her, though.

"I know," came the strained reply.

"I think it's time to let her go. She's going to the Ball with Snape..."

"I know," his voice was pained.

"There's lots of girls..."

"But I like her so much, Moony, you know that? You of all people."

Lily felt instantly bad. She had been so cruel. She felt worthless. How could she brazenly be so hurtful without thinking of the consequences. Even if it was James, even if he had hurt her, it had been unintentional. He sounded so upset.

"I can't bear to see her with...him," James croaked. Was he crying? Certainly not, "Why won't she like me? I've tried everything..."

"I just think that you are coming on a bit too strong."

"I'm bloody useless," James said pitifully.

Lily could stand to hear no more. She ran up to her room. That night she lay on her bed thinking about how harsh she had been. She did not like the kind of person she was becoming. She didn't want to hurt anyone.

-End Chapter 10-