Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters in this story, except for Jasmine Newt. All other characters are the property of JK Rowling's brilliant mind.

"Lily! Wake up! Lily! I have the best news." Jasmine Newt couldn't believe her best friend was STILL asleep! "Lily! Get up, sleepy head. Your going to love this news!"

Lily groaned inwardly, turned over and let out a loud, fake, snore. But there was no fooling Jasmine, who jumped on her friend with a squeal.

"A formal, Lils! A formal! A formal dance, where we can invite partners, the whole school is talking about it. Dumbledore announced it at breakfast!" She jumped off Lily and wrenched the curtains of the dormitory open, allowing the sunlight to spread into the whole room. "But of course there's soooo much to organise," she continued, with a sudden worried tone, "dresses, partners, hey Lils, do you reckon the guys will as us or do we have to ask them? LILY, GET UP!"

This news hadn't shocked Lily very much, nor was she very excited. Oh hooray, a ball. Another chance for James Potter to ask her out. She was definitely not looking forward to this. However, she should get into she mood, and not discourage her friend. She could tell that Jasmine was very excited for this occasion, and best not to burst her bubble.

"Wow, Jasmine! That's great news," Lily said, flashing an artificial smile.

"Oh, it is isn't it?" Jasmine said with a twirl "So Lily, you didn't answer my question, "do we have to ask the boys?"

"I expect not."

"Oh, excellent. All we have to do now is wait. But what if nobody picks us? What if we get there and we don't have partners?"

"Oh don't worry, Jaz. You don't have to worry about not being asked. I can already tell that there'll be THAT group of boys waiting in the common room to ambush us. Stupid gits, they're SO predictable! I can hear them laughing from up here. Better go down and face the music," Lily sighed, "reject them earlier and hopefully they'll not ask again." She pulled on her jeans and a woollen jumper. She was about to walk out the dormitory door when she noticed that Jasmine had not moved from the place she had been standing. "Come on Jaz, lets go."

"Who says I'll say no?"

"What?" Lily said, not understanding.

"Why should I say no if one of them asks me to the ball?"

"Wait- What…OH!" Lily suddenly realised that Jasmine was talking about the Marauders. "Well, theyre all gits, why would you say yes?"

"Just coz you don't like them Lily—"

"Jasmine, are you suggesting that I have no reason to hate their stinking guts?"

"Yeah, maybe I am." Jasmine said confidently, "I don't really understand, Lily, what James Potter ever did to you in the first place." She turned to the mirror, performing another twirl, "and in any case, Sirius and the others are perfectly lovely."

"Ahh, whatever," Lily could tell that this was a lost cause, "I just don't like James Potter, because he is an arrogant stuck up loser, and because he never leaves me alone. I've tried to be civil, but he just doesn't get the point."

"Mmmm…" Jasmine's mind was elsewhere. "does this frock make my hips look too big?"

Both girls hesitated, and then burst into a fit of the giggles. Laughing at their unnecessary argument, they linked arms and exited the dormitory, still laughing at their own immaturity.

Severus Snape sat in the slowly-emptying Great Hall, alone at the Slytherin table. Most of the excited students had rushed of to relish in the "wonderful" news of the Hogwarts Formal, but not Severus. It all seemed rather stupid, he thought. Giggling girls in flowing dresses, arm in arm with boys in uncomfortable suits. Dress robes were to be worn, Dumbledore had said. Vomit. And would the girl he wanted to ask even accept? Why did things have to be so complicated? School sucks, he thought to himself. Snape checked his watch. He supposed he'd better get to classes. He had transfiguration first; his heart gave an excited jolt, double transfiguration, with Gryffindor. He should get there early to save a seat for Lily. Yes, that's what he would do, and then casually bring up the topic of the formal. Asking if she had a partner yet…yeah…that was the way to do it. Picking up his bag, he made his way out of the Great Hall.
"G'day Evans, lovely morning!" James Potter messed up his hair with his left hand, while extending his left arm to Lily.

"Out of my way please, Potter." Lily said impatiently, "I don't feel like being harassed this morning. I wish to get some breakfast in peace."

"Haven't heard the news yet then, Evans?"

"As a matter of fact I have, and I know what your about to ask me, Potter, and the answer's no." Lily turned on her heel and began to make her way toward the portrait hole. James let out a laugh, and ran after her.

"C'mon Evans, that's not your final answer!"

"I think you'll find it is."

James pouted, adopting an expression of mock-sadness.

"Just one quick kiss?"

Lily smirked to herself, she'd show the arrogant git.

"Okay, Potter," Lily turned, with a fake flirtatious smile, pulling James's face towards her, she saw the sudden look of happy surprise on his face, as he lowered his own mouth eagerly. She allowed his lips to get so close that they were only a millimetre apart, before raising her knee and kicking him hard in the groin. He let out a gasp of pain and doubled over, screaming in agony.

"That," Lily said, smirking, "was to remind you of my final answer, Potter. Don't you DARE…question me again. Now leave me alone, ALL of you," she added, looking around the room at James's three friends, "C'mon, Jaz, lets get out of here."

Jasmine followed obediently, a look of surprise on her face. Sirius Black was roaring with laughter, while Remus Lupin watched from an armchair, hiding his grin with the book he was holding. Peter Pettigrew ran immediately to James's aid.

"Gerrofme, Wormy," James shook Peter off him, embarrassed, "Im fine, stupid girls outta control. He watched Lily and Jasmine exiting the portrait hole, Lily's waist-length red hair bouncing down her back. "She'll come round. I'll ask her later, when she's cooled off."

"I wouldn't risk it, mate, to tell you the truth," Sirius Black said, clapping James over the shoulder. "She seemed pretty confident in her answer."

"Rubbish," James shook his head, "she cant resist me, no girl can. I know I'll have her. You just wait, Padfoot."

"Don't say we didn't warn you, Prongs." Remus said, his eyes on his book again.

Ok so quite a long chapter, please review, there's definitely more coming in this one. So sit tight, hope your enjoying so far :)

Sorry that there's no "action" yet, but that comes in a couple of chapters. PLEASE REVIEW! Thankyou my pretties.