Say You'll Go Out With Me?
Synopsis: The Yule Ball is coming, and with it the usual terror of finding a date. The girls are teasing each other, the boys are scheming, and Lily's just praying she'll go with someone fun and semi-normal. That someone is not James. But James isn't stupid, and he's definitely going with her...
It was early December, but no one was planning to go home for Christmas. Rather, the often empty halls of Hogwarts were abuzz with life, the excited chatter making for a far more festive atmosphere than usual. Typically, Lily Evans would be on the train now, on her way home to her mum, her dad, and Tuney, her big sister. Her grandparents would be visiting as they did every year, but for the first time, Lily wouldn't be there to see them. She wasn't sure how she felt about that, but holidays were less jolly than they used to be, now that Tuney spent the weeks avoiding her. And really, she was looking forward to Christmas Eve here. This year, Hogwarts was hosting the Triwizard Tournament, and Christmas Eve was the Yule Ball.
Yes, she was excited. It would be fun to get out and dance, dress up a bit, see Hogwarts in all its ornamental glory, and listen to the musical group "The Broomstick Boys," but she couldn't help but feel that some aspects were overhyped. Unlike other girls, who were constantly primping and gossiping about who they wanted to ask them out, Lily would have been more than content to leave dating out of it and go by herself. But by Monday morning, she could already tell that that was out of the question.
"Roses are red, so is your hair, come with me to the Yule Ball, because you are fair," read Marlene Mckinnon, slamming down the pink paper with a snort. "Real charmer, isn't he, Lil'? So, you gonna go with- " she picked up the paper and pretended to consult it. "Damian Dogbreath?"
Lily half laughed, half groaned from her bed in the Gryffindor dormitories and face-planted into a pillow. "Why do I have to attract all the weirdos? What, is it pick on the gingers day?"
Next to Marlene, Alice Crowley stifled a giggle. "Looks like you'd better add Dogbreath to your list, Lil'. Hey, it could be worse, right? At least you haven't been asked by Potter yet."
Lily buried her face farther and moaned. "Msjgksod."
"What?" Marlene laughed. Exchanging a look with Alice, the two girls dragged Lily out from under her covers. Grumbling, Lily glared at them before leaning down and extracting a piece of parchment from beneath her mattress. She took a quill and her inkwell from her bag and jotted "Damian Flemmings" beneath a list of about seven names. Yes, she actually had a list of those who had asked her to the dance. It helped her remember who she should try to avoid.
"Ah, Potter's not so bad," Alice said, ever the positive one. "Most of the girls are enamored with him, even the Beauxbaton girls. Just yesterday I heard a few of them talk of dosing him with a love potion."
At this, Marlene put her hand to her forehead dramatically and feigned a swoon. "Oh, James, James, where art thou?" she squeaked in a high-pitched voice.
"Romeo and Juliet? Really?" Lily gagged.
"No, I was doing an impersonation of you, actually." Marlene said cheekily, batting her eyelashes.
Lily opened her mouth in protest, but before she could get a word out, Marlene stuck a hand over her mouth and turned to Alice.
"She's a killer, that one. Willing to break a bloke's heart and all, just because he's fool enough to be infatuated with her- "
"He is not!" Lily snapped, wrenching free. "Infatuated! Honestly!" She got to her feet, fuming. Alice reached to take her hand in an attempt to calm her down, but Lily whirled on her.
"If you're so in love with that prat, you can go with him to the dance! And besides, he won't be asking, what with his ridiculous entourage."
"Whoa, cool it, Lil'. We didn't mean anything by it," Marlene said pleasantly. Alice regarded her amusedly, but Lily went completely red.
"Um, yeah. Sorry about that. I just, well…" Lily trailed off, now subdued and extremely embarrassed. She knew she was being a prat, but at any mention of James, she had a tendency to fly off the handle. James was a right git, and she was pretty sure he hated her, despite what the other girls said. Why else would he irritate her night and day? Whatever the case, something about him always irked her. Thankfully, her friends seemed to know that and had apparently been anticipating her response. Marlene pulled her onto the edge of the bed again, and Alice altered the topic.
"Actually, I've already said yes to Frank Longbottom," Alice said, flushing.
"Oh, Alice!" Lily exclaimed happily.
Marlene poked her in the ribs before putting in her two-cents.
"Fine. Trust you to get the only non-Marauder our year," she teased. "I can't believe you didn't tell us!"
"I did, though. Just now. Oh, and he told me a secret, you know," Alice whispered conspiratorially.
"Oh, yeah?"
"He says Sirius Black is thinking of asking you."
"Nah uh. You're jesting, you are," Marlene laughed, disbelievingly. She caught Alice's expression, and lifted an eyebrow, seeming to realize she wasn't kidding.
"I should play him up a bit, shall I? See if I can hook that one after all?" she said slowly. Lily burst into a fit of giggles. It was no secret among the girls that Marlene Mckinnon had had a thing for Sirius since the beginning of first year, and it was no secret to anyone that Sirius Black was as fickle as they came.
"By all means, Marlene. He might ask you out yet!"
Marlene's lips twitched. "Wait, let me check my schedule…"
XXX
"Why do girls get it so easy, eh? All they have to do is say bloody yes," James grumbled from his seat in the Gryffindor common room. On his left was a trash bin, heaped with crumpled pieces of parchment scribbled with a hundred failed ideas. Sirius put down his quill and looked at James curiously for a moment before a grin grew on his face.
"I don't know, mate. I was just thinking how funny it is that we've used more parchment on this than on the year's worth of homework."
James snorted, but before he could respond, there was a voice behind him.
"Finally starting that Herbology essay, Prongs, Padfoot?"
The voice belonged to Remus, and his timing had been perfect. Both James and Sirius exploded into laughter, the latter falling on the floor when he saw the confusion on Lupin's face.
"When have we ever, Moony? This is of far more importance than that. We're on a mission of sorts, you see," Sirius said, holding up his parchment on which was drawn a perfect likeness of Professor Mcgonagall.
"Hey, I thought we were plotting!" said James, snatching the portrait from him. A speech bubble coming from Mcgonagall's mouth read, "I'll not have my house besmirching Godric Gryffindor's good-for-nothing name."
"I think it was 'good name,' Padfoot. 'Gryffindor's good name,'" said Remus, taking it from James. "What do you mean by 'plotting,' anyway?"
"Prongs and I wanted a head start on getting dates for the Yule Ball," Sirius said. "You know, before the good ones are gone. Besides, some of those Beauxbaton girls are getting a bit clingy. James doesn't get so much attention, he's completely outshone by me, but I simply can't take any more of this- "
"Oi! You're a bloody liar, you are! That Delaney McClaire couldn't take her bloody eyes off- "
"You are daft, James. She was clearly looking at me- "
"Both of you, is this really necessary?" Remus said, shutting them both up. "Who are you asking, then?"
"Marlene," said Sirius.
"Lily," said James.
"Ah, I see," said Remus. "Best of luck to you both." With that, he went to walk up the stairs.
"Oi, hold it, Moony? Who're you asking?"
"Who knows?" he shrugged listlessly, and with that, he was gone.
"Gi'mme that," said Sirius, reclaiming his artwork. James sighed, then tucked back into his 'plotting.'
XXX
Lily had always thought Remus Lupin very nice, but she hadn't thought he liked her much. It was for that reason that she was surprised when he pulled her over in the hallway about a week before Christmas. A box was clutched tightly in his hands and a nervous expression was on his face. He kept glancing over his shoulder for some reason as he lead her to an alcove with a window overlooking the frozen grounds.
"What's up, Remus? You look anxious."
"Oh, yeah?" he said absently. She watched him expectantly. "Uh, right. So, uh, do you have a date for the dance yet?"
"Oh, no, not yet," she said, shaking her head. Without knowing why she said it, she admitted, "but it's getting harder and harder to say no."
Remus tilted his head curiously. "Why is that, exactly? Are you waiting on someone?"
Lily bit her lip as she had a habit of doing. "No, not really, I'd just hoped Severus would ask so I wouldn't have to behave myself." Her eyes widened at her own honesty, and Remus seemed to relax a bit. He chuckled.
"I know what you mean. I never knew teenagers could be so vicious."
Lily smiled, still curious as to where this was going, but not so uptight about it. "So, what'd you want to ask me?"
Remus sighed, gathering his courage, and said quickly, "I'll understand if you'd rather go with Severus, but would you go to the ball with me?"
Lily startled. "Um, yes."
"Wait, what? Really?"
She thought about it for a second. "Yes. Yes, I will. At this point, I'd probably be going alone, and you aren't like those other boys. Of course I'll go with you."
Remus smiled. Something about his mannerisms told her he felt the same way about her as she did about him- both were friendly enough and it wouldn't be awkward. In fact, she thought brightly, going with Remus might be really fun.
She only had one real question.
"Why did you ask me?"
"Uh, yeah, don't hate me, but I wanted to save you from James," he said, looking stressed again.
"How does that work, exactly?"
"Well, his ideas for asking you are only getting more humiliating, and I just assumed you didn't want to go with him. You don't, do you?"
Lily shuddered, then smiled at him gratefully. "No, I really don't. Thank you, I mean it."
Remus grimaced for some unknown reason, but quickly recovered.
"So, meet me in the Entrance Hall? Six on the twenty-fourth?"
"I'll be there."
Remus handed her the box, waved, and walked away. She opened it.
Inside was a golden snitch with the initials "J.P." inscribed on the side. Confused, she looked at it for a moment before removing a small envelope. The words on the letter said:
"This belongs to James Potter. Keep it safe for me, will you? -Remus"
Lily tucked the snitch into her robes and grinned. She honestly couldn't wait for the Yule Ball.
XXX
It was on the night before Christmas Eve that things began to go down hill. At eight o'clock, Peter Pettigrew came running into the common room squealing and a few minutes later, he was met by Potter and Black on the stairs.
"It's Remus, Remus," he kept repeating, his nose twitching and eyes watering. He glanced nervously at Lily. After some urging and yes, threatening, on the part of James and Sirius, he found enough voice to explain what had happened. Apparently, Remus had come down with some serious illness and he'd had to go to the hospital wing. Without drawing too much attention to herself, Lily sneaked out to visit him.
As she walked, Lily thought about the week's events. Both she and Remus had agreed it wasn't wise to let slip who she was going with to James, but she'd been sure to talk loudly about her 'date' one evening in the common room so that James couldn't help but hear her. He'd been snappy all the next day, but when she'd 'innocently' questioned him, he'd just brushed her off. It'd been refreshing, actually.
Severus hadn't ever gotten around to asking her, or maybe he'd never intended to. He was growing more distant these days, and it made her sad, but there wasn't much she could do about it. Still, she was more than happy to go with Remus. That is, she had been, she thought when she finally arrived at the hospital wing.
At the door, Madame Pomfrey told her that that was no longer an option. Remus was far too ill to be attending any balls. For some reason, Pomphrey seemed surprised that Lupin had asked her at all, but Lily chalked that up to the boy's sometimes antisocial behavior. Thanking Madame Pomfrey and asking the healer to send her well-wishes to Remus, Lily left.
She studied her feet all the way back to the common room, and didn't bother to respond when James called out to her: "What's wrong, Evans?" She locked herself up in the girls' dormitory for the rest of the night to avoid the Marauders. That way, she couldn't give anything away. But she'd be lying if she said she wasn't also disappointed.
At four the next day, Alice and Marlene dragged her to the showers and bolted her in until she'd cleaned up and donned her green satin dress- simple, but flattering in the way it fell to the floor and set off her emerald eyes. In honor of Remus, who was rumored to be in dreadful condition, she tucked the snitch into her bodice. The other girls were already dressed and ready by then, and so all three of them took turns doing each other's hair and makeup. Lily didn't know why she bothered, but the others insisted. It was required to attend, anyway.
"Oh, lighten up, Lily. You look beautiful."
"Thanks, Alice. Even if you're completely barmy."
"Did you really just insult her after she complimented you?" Marlene said sternly.
"Sorry, Alice. You're very sweet."
By six o'clock, they all headed down to the entrance hall, ooing and ahing over the sparkling tinsel and twinkling lights that adorned every inch of the castle. All around them, beautiful goddesses in bright silks and satins, and dashing gentlemen in fine woven robes bustled around in place of the school boys and girls in their everyday uniforms. Lily couldn't stop herself from staring around with bright eyes, suddenly glad for her insistent friends, even if she didn't have a date. She barely registered the words that informed her that Alice's date Frank had arrived to whisk her away, and she just had time to smile back before Marlene disappeared, beaming on the arm of an intensely handsome Sirius Black. Riding the wave into the Great Hall, Lily gasped at the unrecognizability of the place.
Not even the professors were seated. Everyone was on their feet and dancing as "The Broomstick Boys" took up a merry beat. Lily tapped her toes and waved her arms, singing as friends and foes alike greeted her through the crowd. For an indefinite amount of time, Lily was lost to the noise and the color and the euphoria surging through her veins, when suddenly-
"Some party, eh, Lil'?"
The voice was right in her ear, and she jumped, smacking the speaker in the face with her head as she whirled on him. An utter stranger stood before her, his dark hair tousled yet sleek, his hazel eyes glittering with mirth and moonlight behind his spectacles, his smile white as winter on his face.
"James?" she gasped, wide-eyed. He laughed, and it was the first time she'd ever noticed his dimples.
"Sorry, didn't mean to scare you," he said, rubbing his cheek where her head had collided. She was inexplicably angry now that the shock had worn off, so she folded her arms, swiveled on her heel, and tried to squeeze her way between the revelers. Before she could be lost to the crowd, though, James grabbed her hand. She rounded on him, her glare burning him like deadly green acid.
Somehow, James was unfazed.
"I thought you'd be in a better mood tonight," he joked, nodding disinterestedly at a gorgeous sixth year Ravenclaw who winked as she flitted past.
"I was," Lily retorted, looking at anything but him.
Becoming exasperated when he failed to capture her attention, James burst out, "Why do you hate me so much? Fine, go. Have a nice life," he snapped, releasing her. She almost did it, but something about his tone, his words, hurt. Maybe she deserved it, she thought, studying him with an odd look on her face. Maybe she was too harsh on him. She sighed finally.
"Look, I'm sorry. I don't know, you just…. set me off sometimes." He raised his eyebrows at her. "Well, all the time. The point is, I don't hate you. The truth is… I thought you hated me."
The last part was whispered so quietly, she was surprised he'd even heard her over the music, but his expression softened as he whispered back.
"How could you think that? When all I ever do is… because I…" His words seemed to have caught in his throat, and Lily cursed the tingling that raced down her spine. She could literally feel the change in atmosphere when he suddenly coughed.
"So, Evans. Now that that's cleared up, what do say to a dance, eh?" he said, his flushed cheeks returning to normal. "I promise I won't step on your feet as long as you promise not to kill me for asking."
Lily laughed, her mood lightening against her will- a result of the holiday spirit, maybe?- and took his proffered arm.
"Why not?" she said, surprising herself. "Except… Wait. Where's your date? Potter, don't tell me you've ditched her! I swear I'll hurt you," she chided. James snickered.
"Hehe, about that. I don't really have one."
"What?!"
"I never asked anyone and decided I'd rather go by myself."
"How'd you manage that, what with all the hussies lining up to date the all-too-desirable James Potter?"
"You mean that, Lil'? Tell me you're jealous."
"I'm not the one saying it. Just- rumors, you know," she stiffened, going pink. James chuckled and took her arm again, leading her to a less condensed spot and placing one of her hands on his shoulder and taking the other in his own. Lily was embarrassed to admit he was a better dancer than she was, but as the melody took a soothing turn, she began to relax. They glid around the room, and once again Lily was lost, to the lights, the music, and this time to the gentle embrace of James freaking Potter.
Most of the staff and students were either resting or eating by the time Lily snapped from her haze and looked up at James. Incredibly, she was nestled so tightly into him that she had to step away to see his face. A thought had suddenly occurred to her, jolting her from the moment and distracting her from being embarrassed. She eyed him suspiciously.
"You never asked me where my date was," she said, remembering the careful precautions she had taken.
"Oh, Remus couldn't make it," he said dreamily.
"What?!" At this she stepped away decidedly, her hand on her wand in an instant. "I never told you who I was coming with, and I know Lupin didn't, either."
James opened and closed his maw like a fish, then a wave of panic washed over him.
"Uh, yeah, no I- hehe- I just didn't care if you had a date or not," he said hastily, his guilty grin begging her to buy it. Lily's eyes narrowed.
"You. Complete. Arse. James Potter!" she said, smacking his arms with each word. "Of all the dirty, low things to do! What did you do to Remus?"
"Nothing, nothing, I swear! I wouldn't do something like that!" he pleaded.
Lily dropped her arm, still glaring, then put her hands on her hips. Only his sincerity could have stopped her assault, but she still expected an explanation. "I'm waiting." She pursed her lips.
James blew out a puff of air and ran a hand through his hair, clasping his arms behind his head.
"Yeah, about that…"
"Mhm."
"It's my fault Remus even asked you," he said, watching Lily's puzzlement. "You see… I knew you'd never go if I asked you, and I already knew Remus wouldn't be able to make it because- well, the reason's not important- but I figured, what the heck? All those other girls, begging to go with me and trying to sneak love notes into my bookbag-"
Lily snorted.
"It's true!" he said defensively, nevertheless rolling his eyes. "Anyway, I didn't want to go with them, so I asked Remus if he would do me a favor, and well… here we are," he finished.
Lily didn't know what to say. It was so absurd, so incredibly stupid, that it just might be true. She couldn't believe her ears.
"I mean, don't blame Lupin, I'm sure he would have loved to go with you, and he didn't want to do it, at first, but you know me. I'm bloody stubborn when I want to be, and I couldn't imagine going with anyone but you-"
Lily blinked at him.
"Merlin, Lil', just say something! I thought you'd at least have the decency to be furious at me-"
But before he could say another word, Lily reached up and kissed him. Hard. Hands caressing his cheeks and right on the mouth with the ferocity of a lion. Which, if you thought about it, she sort of was.
"I loathe you, James Potter," she said, wiping off a spot of lip gloss. She brushed the hair out of his eyes, flushed deeply, and with a flip if her fiery mane, she turned and disappeared.
"Wait, Lil'!" He exclaimed, coming to his senses a full thirty seconds too late. Failing to notice the venomous stares and whispers of a few nearby "hussies," James chuckled, his cheeks dusted a vivid shade of crimson. Knowing she couldn't hear him, he echoed, "I loathe you, too."
XXX
The announcement that the Yule Ball would be ending soon rang out just before James found her again, sitting out in the garden with her chin in her hands. Her face and arms were flushed from the bitter cold, but she didn't seem in any hurry to leave as she stared out on the frostbitten grounds, bathed blue by the Christmas lights.
"Hey," he said, settling beside her.
"Hey," she said, casually linking arms.
"So, I was wondering, do you still have the snitch Remus gave you?" James asked. Lily grinned.
"You knew about that?"
"Of course. Do you have it?"
"It so happens I do," she admitted, slipping it onto her palm.
"Open it."
"How?"
"Oh, yeah, I forgot they worked this way. May I?"
He took the snitch and as soon as it touched his fingertips, it began to open. Lily watched, wonderingly, as he tipped it over and a small pendant fell out. James looked at it for a moment, then placed it in Lily's palm, closing her fist around it. She held it up to the light and could just make out the Gryffindor crest etched on the front. Flipping it over, she read the words of a short message inscribed on the back:
"So you don't forget tonight when you remember to hate me. Happy Christmas! Love, James."
"I really do loathe you, James Potter," she whispered, securely fastening it around her neck as midnight tolled.
"I loathe you, too," he smiled, just as Marlene and Sirius strolled up, laughing and kissing, behind them.
More, though neither realized it, than life itself.
A/N: Hello, me again! Thanks for reading and sorry it took so long! I actually had this written awhile back, but I wanted to hold off on the kissing and write another one in between, but... *shrugs.* Originals always get in the way. You know how it is. :) I figured you'd waited long enough, so hope you enjoyed it! Feedback would be soooo welcomed, but either way, thank you for reading! You are all the best and I hope you have a lovely 10/10! (How cool is that? I dunno, it just is.) Bye and have a fantastic week!
