NINETEEN

"IT'S LATE," Remus said, stifling a yawn behind his palm. "I reckon I'm going to head to bed."

He stood slowly from the couch, his limbs extending as he placed his empty pint glass on the table. Long fingers brushed floppy hair away from his tired eyes, and Lennon watched as he headed towards his room.

"I'll join you, love," Sirius began, trundling after Remus towards their bedroom. "You staying, Pete? You'll have to take the couch though, 'cause the spare room is Len's." 

"I'll just finish my pint and be off, lads. You gonna keep me company, Len?" Peter asked, his grin almost too friendly as he leered at her. She didn't seem to mind all too much, instead floating in her own little world of inebriated haziness.

"Mmm," she agreed, leaning her head against his shoulder as Sirius watched on in disapproval, uncomfortable at Peter's grotesque approaches on the brunette.

Peter sipped at his drink leisurely, as if to waste time as he contemplated the best approach towards Lennon. Reluctantly, Sirius disappeared into the bedroom, leaving the door open ever so slightly just in case Peter got a little too handsy.

"So, Len, when's the last time you kissed a boy?" Peter questioned, lacking any form of subtlety, and yet the younger girl was too far gone to even notice.

"Probably a few months ago. What about you?" she informed him obliviously, sipping quietly on her drink as her head lolled against his shoulder.

"I don't kiss boys, silly. Just pretty girls, like you." 

Peter was undeniably smooth, Lennon thought, as a faint blush crept upon her cheeks. Any thoughts of Lily had been banished from her mind as she considered the idea of letting Peter kiss her.

She glanced up at him out of curiosity. His lips were smooth and plump and Lennon almost felt the sudden urge to leap forward and kiss him, hoping for a spark. Perhaps Peter was what she had been waiting for, a cure to the bizarre crush she'd formed on her life long best friend. Maybe her emotions were misplacing jealousy for lust, and indulging Peter would be the solution.

Before she could consider it further, Peter had leant down to kiss her, his left hand cradling her cheek comfortingly. Without a moment of hesitation, she responded, sinking into his embrace. Her lips moved in sync with his, but disappointingly, she was certain she couldn't feel that jolt of electricity she had longed for.

Adamant for some romantic connection, she pulled him closer, draping her arms loosely around his neck which only encouraged the older boy. His lips fell to her neck, clumsily grazing his mouth across her skin until he was certain he'd left a mark. She grew more uncomfortable by the minute, feeling attacked than aroused.

"Peter, let's stop," she mumbled softly to him, hoping to disengage from him gracefully, yet her words seemed lost to him as he powered on, dipping lower to connect his lips to exposed collarbone.

"Peter. C'mon. I'm tired," she insisted, sliding her arms away from his neck and standing, doing her best to make distance between them.

"Aw, c'mon, Lennon. Let's have some fun," he said, attempting desperately to coax her back into his arms.

He rose from the couch, towering over her shorter frame by a fair few inches. Instantly, she felt her stomach drop, and considered yelling on Sirius and Remus for help.

Instantly, her heart fell into the depths of her stomach, and she considered yelling for Sirius and Remus. She had no clue of Peter's true intentions, and she began to wonder just how far he was willing to go to get what he desired.

"We shouldn't. I think I'd better go to sleep," she said softly, smiling politely in hopes that she would not anger him into something he might live to regret. 

It was too late. His hands fell to her hips faster than she could move away, digging into her sides, and then upwards, past her waist and towards her chest. She felt him grope her uncomfortably, and feeling sick to her stomach, she prayed desperately that Sirius would be awake to help her.

"Sirius!" she yelped before she could stop herself, and within seconds, he was through his doorway, as if he had been waiting impatiently for her call.

Peter stepped away, as if trying to mask his unwanted approach with distance, but all three of them knew what had happened. Lennon let out a choked sob as Sirius rushed over, wrapping his arms around her protectively. Peter face was ashen, and he stared at Sirius much like an obedient dog might towards their owner, awaiting command.

"I think you ought to go," Sirius spoke quietly, trying his hardest to conceal his rage. Peter nodded, grabbing his coat - which was conveniently draped over the nearest chair - and heading immediately towards the exit.

"I'll see you all later, then?" he asked, but didn't wait for an answer. He was out of the door within seconds, disappearing into the night. 

LENNON'S SHOES scraped across the grass as she trudged through the park, thinking over the previous night's events. Peter's advances, despite being unwanted, had only served one main purpose in Lennon's mind. She didn't even feel violated, not really, because he had only helped to prove her feelings. It was blatant confirmation that she liked girls, and more specifically, Lily.

The sight of Lily was in fact what snapped her away from her thoughts. The ginger was racing across the park in her direction, smiling brightly as she approached. They had agreed to meet there a few days prior, and despite Lennon's initial excitement, Lily being late by thirty minutes had put a slight dampener on her mood.

"Took your time," she teased as her best friend reached her, breathing heavy in her throat from the rush.

"Sorry! I was with- " 

"Let me guess. James?" Lennon mocked her, observing as Lily's expression wilted. 

"What's so wrong with spending time with my boyfriend, Len?" Lily huffed, crossing her arms over her small chest defensively as they trailed amidst the dying leaves that crunched underfoot.

"Nothing, until you stop saving time to spend with your best friend," Lennon said shortly, her eyes trained to her burgundy Mary-Janes, which soon began to blend in with the Autumn leaves.

"I'm sorry, Len. I just get carried away, you know what I'm like," Lily sighed, smoothing her checked skirt with her hand before sliding it into Lennon's comfortingly.

Lennon felt her breath hitch in her throat as her own fingers intertwined so perfectly with her friend's. A smile slipping onto her lips, Lennon made an effort to make the conversation a little more joyful as they walked in circles around the park.

They spoke for hours, watching as the sun settled lowly amidst the clouds and then disappeared, replaced by a blanket of inky darkness. Lennon felt happier than she had been in weeks, and suddenly, it felt like it had always been before they'd met the boys, no trivialities or awkwardness between them. Although for the most part, the discussion of boys had been avoided, when they did appear, Lennon couldn't even feel disheartened, as the unwanted absence of communication with her best friend had been amended.

Lennon could feel her heart swelling as they chatted, and what used to be general chatter felt intimate and secret to her now. She knew she was being naïve, a silly school girl around her first crush, but she couldn't quite contain her feeling of joy and absolute endearment towards her friend.

By the end of the afternoon, as the sky began to darken, Lily was adamant to go home, much to Lennon's dismay. The brunette was certain she should walk her friend home, as she claimed to have been hit by a wave of nausea that could only be solved by throwing up and resting, something she'd been experiencing for a few weeks now.

As dinner time approached, though, Lily was adamant in going home, much to Lennon's disappointment. Her insistence came from a bout of nausea that she was certain could only be solved by vomiting and resting, something she'd experienced for a few weeks now. Although Lennon would ideally have suggested a visit to the doctor, she sufficed with walking Lily home instead.

Lennon dropped her off by the front door step, and without so much as a goodbye, Lily raced upstairs towards the bathroom without even closing the front door. Brushing her concern aside momentarily, Lennon closed it herself and began the long trek back towards the boys' house, where she had been staying there lately and telling her mother she was at Lily's.

It had been weeks since she'd spent any time alone with Lily, and now that she had, she was certain her feelings had only intensified. Lennon played back the events of the day on repeat, Lily invading her mind like a mysterious fog that there was absolutely no getting rid of. Lennon's feelings were trapped there, and there was nothing she could do about it.