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ix. a risky acceptance

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Lily walked down the corridors tiredly. It had been a long day from breakfast to Charms. The Marauders just wouldn't give up on her, but she too didn't give up. It would take a lot more than what they were doing to make her say yes... not that she planned on saying yes.

It amazed Marlene to see how strong she was, but that was Lily for you. Strong-headed and stubborn. She walked past Professor McGonagall and Filch, greeting them quietly as they seemed to be arguing about something.

"Who will clean this up?" Professor McGonagall said to Filch while pointing at the wall where there was graffiti that could not be erased by magic. "The Minister of Magic is coming tomorrow."

"I got Mumblemumps, Miss." Filch showed her his arms.

"Fine, go. Make sure you find someone." Professor McGonagall sighed in exhaustion.

As Lily turned the corner, her eyes widened to see Alexandra, Sirius, Remus and Peter there. Oh, they just couldn't give up. Before she could go back, Peter already spotted her and grinned excitedly. "Hey, there she is."

"These guys just don't stop." Lily muttered and started turning around to go back the path she went through.

"Go, run after her!" The four of them started chasing after Lily who started running as fast as she could to get away from whatever they were planning. Lily ran back down the corridor, and Alexandra saw that Professor McGonagall was just a few meters ahead of Lily, a grin coming onto her face with an idea. She took something from her bag and threw a book at the Professor's head.

Professor McGonagall turned around at that, her cheeks flushing due to anger. She was about to ask who did it, but Alexandra, Sirius, Remus and Peter all pointed to Lily to accuse her. When Professor McGonagall looked at her, Lily turned back around and saw their fingers pointed at her.

"It wasn't me, Professor." Lily said immediately, trying to defend herself.

Professor McGonagall wasn't stupid. She knew not to trust the Marauders after everything they pulled off. But still, she turned to the two Hufflepuffs who were in front of her. They were the best people to ask. "Who was it?"

The two Hufflepuffs looked at the Marauders who were glaring at them menacingly, their fingers still pointed at Lily. They knew better than to go against the Marauders.

"It was Lily, Professor." The two badgers said.

Professor McGonagall glared at Lily who was dumbfounded at the turn of events. "I expected more from you, Miss Evans, a Prefect." 

Lily just let out a sigh and glared at the smirking Marauders and the Hufflepuffs who quickly ran away. Life could be easier if they weren't there. She was really starting to regret her choices, especially about making Alexandra wait. If only she knew how much of a nuisance the Marauders were going to be in her life.

As her detention, Lily was punished to scrub off the wall without magic, only by hand, and the wall was just too big so she had to do it all night. Her friends were concerned and asked her why she couldn't give the four of them detentions when she was a Prefect. It was because they already had detentions with the other Gryffindor Prefect, Remus Lupin, for the rest of the year.

While she was cleaning, the Marauders came up from behind Lily, making Lily glare at them. Alexandra smiled at her. "What?" 

But Lily just ignored her and went back to scrubbing the wall. It was better to just ignore them.

"Aww, she's still not saying yes, Mudfur." Sirius chuckled as he, Remus and Peter made their way to the wall. "You're still refusing? Here's a present from us then." 

They made even more graffiti on the part of the wall that Lily had not cleaned up yet. She could only roll her eyes at them. They may seem like arses and they may make her life much harder, but they still had a little consideration in them. At least they didn't make grafitti on the parts she didn't clean.

"Say yes already, Lily." Peter shook his head as they finished spraying. "There's a lot more to scrub."

Lily looked at them in disbelief before turning to Alexandra who was already staring at her. "I still don't want to." She turned back to the wall and scrubbed it harshly, letting her feelings for Alexandra and the Marauders go. "There's no way I'd say yes. Rather than courting me and asking me nicely, you bully me instead. You're so selfish. That's probably why your girlfriend broke up with you. You only think of yourself."

Because she was so consumed in her thoughts, Lily continued speaking, not seeing that the Marauders weren't there anymore. "You want it your way all the time."

Marlene came from the corridor, her eyes widening to see her best friend, looking like an idiot as she spoke to herself. She rushed to her right away to stop her. It would be bad if someone saw her.

"But what about I want? What about me?" Lily said angrily. "I'm not easy to get, I'm not giving up to you. If you're going to be like that, no girl will be able to stand you. You damn gangster, watch me - "

"You look crazy." Marlene's voice cut her off. "Who are you arguing with?" Lily looked at her in confusion before looking around her and finally seeing the Marauders weren't there anymore. She clenched her fists in anger, they were just making a fool out of her. Those damn gangsters...

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It had been more than a month since Alexandra started her conquest to make Lily say yes to her, and Lily was proud that she was still staying strong until now. She wasn't giving in, not to that gangster or any of the Marauders. Her friends tried talking to the Marauders, but those four just wouldn't listen and they continued their tricks. They were still set on making Lily say yes and making her life a hell. It was now December and winter had come. In just a few days, they would be coming home for the holidays.

"It's a miracle." Marlene chuckled as they were on their way to Charms. "No one's bothering you today."

"Maybe they got my point already." Lily smiled victoriously.

"With your harsh words and threats, anyone would back out." Marlene laughed again. The two of them stopped walking when they saw Alexandra, and their laughter died down. "Except her."

"It doesn't matter. It's still a no." Lily shook her head, making their way to their classroom. "No, no, no. A big, bloody no."

"Hey, this is our classroom. Where are you going?" Marlene asked her when Lily walked past the Charms classroom. 

Lily glanced at Alexandra before turning back around and walking to their classroom. She looked back at Alexandra, wondering why she was in front of the other classroom. As they exchanged glances, Lily and Marlene went inside the classroom and peeked at her from the entrance to try and see what was happening.

Students started making their way out of the classroom, and Alexandra pushed herself up from where she was leaning against the wall. Lily Ria Elton came out of the classroom. Alexandra offered a white lily to Ria, who simply looked at it before walking past her with her friends. Lily's heart broke a little for her again, just like how it did when Alexandra was being beaten up when she was waiting for Ria. If there was one thing she admired and hated about Alexandra, it was this. Her persistence. She didn't know how to give up, especially when it came to Ria Elton.

"Oh, she was waiting for the other Lily." Marlene let out a sigh. 

Alexandra watched Ria and her friend go before she dropped the white lily and picked up her broom and her bag, walking away from the classrooms. She finally let her facade fall as she went away. In the end, her hopes and heart were crushed again. But it didn't mean she would give up. It was just enough for now, but giving up? That was not an option for her. That was why she was doing everything to make Lily Evans say yes.

"I feel sorry for her." Marlene frowned as she and Lily watched Alexandra go, and Lily, even if she wouldn't admit it, felt sorry too. Alexandra may have been a gangster in her eyes, but when she loved? She loved and gave her all.

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"Lily, hurry. You need to see this." Marlene said frantically to Lily. It was pouring hard one December day, and Lily wondered why Marlene was running around in the rain. Lily was planning on having some hot chocolate to warm herself up, but it seemed like there was a problem so she'd have to take a rain check on that.

"What happened?" Lily asked with concern in her tone. 

"Just come with me, you have to see this." Marlene responded and started pulling her out of the castle and across the courtyard. The two of them were getting drenched in the rain as they ran.

"What is it? We're getting soaked." Lily covered herself with one of her books, still not understand what was happening.

"You have to see this." Marlene stopped running and they arrived near the Astronomy tower where a crowd was forming despite the rain. Lily saw a distant figure standing on the roof of the tower. She squinted her eyes to see that person better, and she had to stop the gasp from escaping her mouth when she saw it was Alexandra. The devil herself.

"Hey, that's Alexandra." Someone said, running past them.

"Lily, we've been trying to stop Mudfur, but she just won't listen." Peter said worriedly as he went towards Lily and Marlene. 

Sirius and Remus were in the tower, trying to talk to Alexandra who had a sign hung around her neck. The sign read, "Lily, if you don't say yes, I'll jump." Lily didn't let it show, but she was worried. She thought Alexandra was taking things to the extremes just to make her say yes.

"Ms. Malfoy, get down from there!" Professor McGonagall yelled, running into the courtyard. The Marauders were the main reason her hairs greyed much faster than they were supposed to.

"Don't believe her." Lily scoffed though she was a little worried. "She's bluffing."

"Lily, just say yes to her." Marlene frowned at her.

"Hey, Alexandra!" Lily yelled to the Marauder who was still on the rooftop. "Get down from there! You won't die from that height. You'll just break your leg! And maybe an arm!"

"Lily, don't you have a heart?" Peter asked her incredulously. "If I were to do that, Mary would have already said yes. Right?" Mary glared at him and smacked him on the arm, but the blush on her cheeks was the answer that said she would.

"Lily, come on." Marlene pleaded with her. Though the Marauder was an arse to Lily, she was pleasant to everyone else. She was Lily's friend, and she supported her in her choice not to say yes to Alexandra. But she didn't want Alexandra to die.

"Lily, please! She's really going to do it." Remus shouted from the tower.

"Can your conscience take that?" Peter asked her.

"Lily, this isn't a joke!" Sirius yelled. He and Remus exchanged worried glances. They knew Alexandra. She was more impulsive and enigmatic than... James. She would do what she said she'd do. Even if it meant dying.

"Just say yes, Lily." Mary begged the Prefect who was conflicted at what she should do.

Suddenly, two people came running in. They were Ria and James, looking up at Alexandra with worry. They may not be talking to her anymore, but they still cared for her. They knew Alexandra. If she said she'd do something, she would do it. Lily noticed the two Gryffindors and glanced up at Alexandra with worry... What if she really decided to jump because she saw the two of them?

"Mudfur, get down, please." Remus said pleadingly. Alexandra stayed in her position, seeing Ria and James together, her fists clenching. Impulsive as she may be to risk her life just to make Lily say yes, but she was running out of time. This was the only way she knew that could make Lily say yes to her. Yes, she was an arse. She knew that, but she was an arse in love. She'd do anything and everything for love.

"Miss Malfoy!" Professor McGonagall shouted again. "If you don't come down, we'll call Professor Dumbledore."

"You still don't want to?" Alexandra shouted to Lily.

"Lily!"

"She's serious, she's going to do it!"

"One!" Alexandra started counting down. She inched her right foot towards the edge. Whether she was afraid or not, no one knew because she did not show any emotion but determination on her face. 

"Lily!" "No!" "MISS MALFOY!" Shouts came from the crowd, all of them were afraid that Alexandra might actually do it.

"Two!" She moved her other foot and started wavering in her position, making everyone more anxious at what might happen if she took the next step.

"No! Lily, please!" Marlene gripped her arm tight. Ria and James suddenly turned around and their eyes were focused on Lily, who stared back at them. In their eyes, she could see pleading. Pleading for her to save Alexandra. They couldn't save her, only Lily could. 

Lily didn't know what to do. She tried so hard to convince herself Alexandra was just joking, but she couldn't deny she was worried Alexandra would actually do it. She hated Alexandra but didn't want her to die. However, she didn't want to be Alexandra's girlfriend either. Oh, Merlin, Godric Gryffindor, she could only ask for help because she didn't know what she would do.

"Last chance, Lily!" Alexandra warned her. She hoped Lily would say yes now, but if she didn't... Alexandra was a woman of her word. She would still do what she said she'd do.

"Lily, say yes!"

"Hey, come on!"

Alexandra breathed heavily, looking at Lily who stared up at her, still undecided. But then Lily saw a look in Alexandra's eyes. It was brief, but she saw it. Under that stubborn and determined gaze, there was hope. Hope she would be saved? Hope Ria would love her back? Lily had no idea what that hope was for, but it was enough for her heart to soften and for Lily to finally make a decision.

"Three!" As Alexandra prepared to jump, they all screamed in terror.

"Stop!" Lily finally shouted, closing her eyes. Either way, whatever decision she made, she would be in hell for it. Being with the devil was a better choice than killing the devil. She made the right choice, right? But from the mischievous smile on Alexandra Malfoy's face, she started regretting her decision.

That gangster was going to be the death of her.

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