Thicker than Water (Marauders Era)

26 January, 1978 - Flirt

As the conversation in the Room of Requirement wound down, Lily pulled Selwyn aside. She'd spent much of the evening paying close attention to the blonde girl who sat with such ease next to Sirius, trying to make sense of the new information this night had provided. On the one hand, it was ridiculous that a girl like Lavinia Selwyn could become friends with boys like the Marauders. And on the other hand, Sirius was sitting far closer to her than was necessary and she'd made no move to pull away. It simply didn't make sense. That said, it was undeniable that the girl in this room was far different from the person Lily had thought she'd made sense of years ago and the things she'd said in the hallway had struck a chord with Lily.

So, ignoring the Slytherin's raised eyebrows and glance over her shoulder, Lily steered her into a corner of the room, hoping for some privacy so they could speak candidly.

"I wanted to apologise," Lily started,trying to ignore how awkward this was, especially since Sirius was casting glances over at her every few seconds. "I mean, properly apologise," she clarified, ignoring Sirius. "For what I said today and for judging you so quickly."

Selwyn just shrugged. "I deserved it," she said simply.

Lily frowned at her, rather surprised by the utter certainty in the other girl's tone. "Regardless, I'm sorry," she insisted, realizing suddenly that she was doing more to soothe her own conscience than to assuage any grievance she had caused Selwyn. "You were right that I forgave James for being a real arsehole. But, I think it's worth mentioning that it took a long time for him to show me he deserved it. And, before you get super defensive, you've never shown any signs of changing."

Lily watched as Selwyn merely surveyed her, seemingly startled by the honesty Lily spoke with. "I know," she said finally. "It was unfair of me to expect you to have any idea who I am when I'm always someone else." She shook her head and gave a tense smile that hinted at deeper hurts that Lily thought she could ever guess at. "I was caught off guard," she admitted. "And I responded badly."

Lily sighed slightly, smiling in silent acceptance of the admission and realizing it was as close as Selwyn would probably ever get to outright accepting her apology. "Peter saw it coming," she said, changing the topic. "And we didn't listen. Well," she amended. "Sirius might have had a few reservations too, but he didn't say anything."

Selwyn looked past Lily to the group of boys and a soft expression flitted over her face for a brief moment. "Peter," she asserted finally, with a calm vehemence that rather startled Lily, "Is more intelligent than anyone gives him credit for."

Lily hummed contemplatively, following Selwyn's gaze towards the boys. "He's a good kid," she said finally, neither agreeing nor denying the claim. In her personal opinion Peter, though sweet in his own way, wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed. But she didn't want to argue with Selwyn when they'd only just reached this rather tenuous peace, "Anyway," she added, looking back to the other girl. "I just wanted to apologize and say that you don't have to like me, and I frankly, am not about to start loving you just because James says you're decent, but I hope we can be civil with each other."

Selwyn met Lily's eyes for a moment, before inclining her head, the same expression of mild surprise and admiration on her face as she'd had at Lily's honesty before. It made the Gryffindor girl wonder just how used to lying she was that something as simple as a blunt truth threw her off.

Now satisfied that she'd at least made an effort to apologise, Lily shrugged and made to go join the boys again, but Selwyn spoke before she'd gotten more than a foot or so. "Evans," she said, heading the other girl off. Lily turned, raising her eyebrows as she looked back at the Slytherin. "Don't hurt him," she said simply.

Lily gave a tiny smile, understanding that she meant James. "I don't intend to," she assured Selwyn before she left and sat down next to James, tucking her feet up next to her on the couch and leaning against her boyfriend while he and Sirius debated some Quidditch tactic she'd never heard of.