the_debt_of_time

they had done earlier that week when they had celebrated his actual birthday in the prefect's
bathroom.
When they broke apart, Mia heard someone clearing their throat behind her and
turned to look at Sirius, who was smirking at her.
"Hello, lady on my left."
Mia rolled her eyes, motioning with her hand to silently tell him to get it over with.
Sirius leant in close to Mia, closing his eyes.
However, before their lips could connect, James blurted out the question, "Why
don't you like me?" whilst looking directly at Lily.
No one had taken their drinks yet, so the table fell silent. Sirius groaned, and Mia
echoed him, knowing that this could get ugly now that James had taken a fun game and
made it personal. While looking at her brother and Lily, Mia felt Sirius kiss her on the cheek
to fulfil his part of the dare.
"Ask a different question, mate," Remus suggested.
"No," James insisted, his eyes a little glazed from drinking so much already. He
gestured to Lily's glass. "Drink up, Evans."
With narrowed eyes and her lips pressed together, Lily snatched her shot of
firewhisky off the table and slammed it back, wincing at the burn before turning to James.
"I don't like you because you think you're better than everyone else. You never talk
about anything but yourself unless you're embarrassing me. And while you are talented at
many things, you lack any form of humility. You're spoilt, you refuse to take no for an
answer, and you're mean to my friends!"
The room fell silent as Remus, Peter, and Alice drank their shots and all whispered
something along the lines of, "I actually like you, James."
"All right, someone else go and lighten this shitty mood. It's Remus's birthday for
crying out loud!" Sirius snapped.
"I'll go," Mary offered.
They all watched as Lily furiously turned away from James, folding her arms tightly
across her chest. With his lips still parted in shock, James was silent as he processed Lily's
words. Mia frowned at her brother, knowing that Lily spoke the truth, but with the amount
he was drinking, she worried that James would not remember enough in the morning to
make the necessary changes to his attitude and actions.