Title: Perfect
Rating: T
Summary: Sirius and Remus have no partners for the Newt Ball. But Lily has the perfect solution. Slightly slashy. Complete.
Disclaimer: I don't own the Harry Potter world or its characters. J. K. Rowling does.
James Potter danced into the Gryffindor common room, feeling as if he walked on air. He floated over to where Sirius, Remus and Peter were sitting, and embraced each of them in turn.
"Rejoice with me, brothers," he exclaimed theatrically, "for my life is fulfilled, my happiness is complete. The incomparable Lily, flower of Hogwarts, love of my life, has consented to accompany me to the Newt Ball!"
The three gazed open-mouthed at him. Remus was the first to recover.
"Congratulations, James. I'm really happy for you," he said.
"Yes, it's great news," Peter added.
Sirius hit himself on the forehead. "Has she gone mad? Madder than before, I mean?"
The Newt Ball had been devised by Dumbledore in one of his more benevolent, twinkly moods. In some years he would decide that the seventh year students deserved a break from the rigours of Newt studying, and then he would organise a dance to take place just before the school broke up for the Christmas holidays. It so happened that the Marauders' seventh was such a year.
"On the contrary, my friend," said James. "She's come to her senses at last." He turned to Peter. "You'll be going with Mel?"
"She's deciding what to wear right now," Peter answered.
"That leaves you two. Not got your partners sorted yet?" James asked.
"Nope," replied Sirius.
"You're not going to go together, are you? Like those two sidekicks of Lucius Malfoy's did, five years ago?" asked Peter.
"Six," murmured Remus.
"Of course not," said Sirius. "We're going singly, two handsome eligible bachelors on the prowl."
"No need for that." Lily had just come into the room. "I've got two lovely girls, friends of mine, who'll be perfect for you. Valda's a beautiful pureblood from a very good family, and Selma's a Muggleborn bookworm with a special interest in Ancient Runes. You see, perfect."
"All right then, I bags Selma," Sirius groaned. Valda's name had come up the previous year when his parents had been discussing possible wives for him, and he wanted nothing to do with her.
Lily raised her eyebrows and looked at Remus, but if she had been expecting him to fight Sirius for Selma she was disappointed, because Remus simply shrugged his shoulders and muttered "Whatever."
x0x0x
Lily had not been exaggerating. Valda was indeed beautiful. She was tall and slim, and her blonde hair was cut short and combed out to form a pale gold halo around her head. Her eyes were cool grey, her skin very fair, and her exquisitely-shaped nose bore a scattering of the tiniest, palest freckles, as piquantly incongruous as the white trainer shoes that appeared under her elegant Slytherin-green robes. Selma was of stockier build, with a mass of black curly hair, rosy complexion, and bright, lively brown eyes. Remus and Sirius were the envy of most of the young men at the Ball.
This did not, of course, include James, who was enjoying what was undoubtedly the high spot of his life so far. He had had two hours of Lily's undivided attention; she had danced with him, listened to him, and had not once insulted or contradicted him. He was in heaven. She had, however, temporarily deserted him. Glancing around the Hall, he noticed Peter and Mel dancing near the bandstand. He ambled over to the table where Sirius and Remus were sitting alone.
"Where are the girls?" he asked.
"Gone to powder their noses," Sirius replied.
"Powder their……what are you talking about?"
"It's a euphemism," Remus explained. "It means they've gone to the bog. Don't know much about girls, do you?"
"They've gone to talk about us," said Sirius. "I wish I could be a fly on the wall."
James looked thoughtful. "Lily's there too," he said. "Catch you later." And he got up and walked away.
He had been thinking it rather a nuisance that he had carelessly left his invisibility cloak in the pocket of his dress robes, but now he went gleefully to the boys' toilet, put on the cloak, and made his way to the girls' room.
The outer door was half open, so he could slip inside without moving it. Lily was nowhere to be seen; she must be inside one of the cubicles, James thought, and was grateful that girls did everything behind closed doors. His spying mission would have been impossibly embarrassing otherwise.
Valda and Selma were standing at the wide mirror, giving their hair an occasional unnecessary flick. Valda said "What's yours like?"
"Could be worse. Talks a lot. Yours?"
"The same. I not only know more than I ever wanted to about the goblin rebellions, but I have learned that goblins are really nice people, when you take the trouble to get to know them."
Selma giggled. "It's probably because they're nervous, poor lambs. Rather sweet really."
Valda said "I wouldn't mind him boring my ears off so much, but he will keep dancing with me. I've had every dance with him, and he's hopeless. He can't seem to follow the music, and his feet are all over the place."
"Now there they differ. Mine's a great dancer. You should have had him. You'd be fantastic together, you could win competitions."
"What do you mean, competitions?"
"A Muggle thing. Couples dance and judges assess them on their footwork, and there's a prize for the winners. I like watching it on television in the holidays, because the women wear lovely sparkly dresses and look gorgeous."
"Not more gorgeous than me, I hope."
"Of course not. You're stunning in those robes. But not as stunning as you'll look tonight when you take them off."
"Come here, you sexy thing."
Selma was only a couple of inches shorter than Valda, so they fitted neatly together, breast to breast and lip to lip. James got rather hot and bothered seeing Selma's arms slide around Valda's neck, and Valda's long slender hands squeeze Selma's buttocks. When one of those hands moved up to the breast area, and began to rub Selma's nipple through the silky fabric, James felt as if his eyes were out on stalks.
Selma sighed. "Mmmm, that's nice. But stop it now, we have to get back to the boys."
"Oh, bugger the boys," said Valda.
"I think they can manage that very well for themselves – what's that?" said Selma.
"That" was a strangled snort involuntarily emitted by James, before he made his invisible way out through the still half-open door.
"Besides, someone might come," Selma added.
"Yes, you might, if I keep on doing this," said Valda.
"Behave!" said Selma, disengaging herself from Valda's embrace. "Let's go, back to the dancing queen and the goblin fancier."
They went out giggling. James waited until they had turned the corner before taking off his cloak and leaning shakily against the wall.
"You see, James Potter," Lily whispered in his ear. "What did I tell you. Perfect."