A.N. I didn't do much spell and grammar check. So…anyway…hope you enjoy it. I dedicate this chapter to my crush, my James.
Disclaimer: No, it isn't mine. The characters, I mean…
Lily brushed her dark red hair again. It was now very smooth and shone. Her emerald eyes sparkled because of the excitement of James, taking her out to the ball. She had put on some Muggle lip-gloss and put on her best emerald dress robes. It clung to her slender figure nicely. She also wore her emerald earrings.
Naomi was dressed up also. Naomi was slightly pudgy, but still fair. Naomi looked at Lily in a critical way, but could find no fault. "You look great, Lily," said Naomi.
"You too," said Lily, blushing.
Lily sat on her bed as she watched Naomi leave the room eagerly to join her Remus. Lily hoped that James liked the smell of her shampoo. She did not know much wizard's shampoo. Taking out her mirror, she applied a light layer of lipstick on her lips. Her watch beeped, signaling that it was time for her to go down and meet James.
Lily wasn't used to wearing high-heels, but she managed to get down to the common room without falling down the stairs. James was nowhere in sight. Couples in brightly colored robes were roaming around. Some of them headed out the portrait hole. Where is James? She spotted Kristina, with her dirty blonde hair up in an ugly bun, talking with Sirius and Peter and flirting. Naomi and Remus were apart from them. Deborah was leaning on Peter, trying to learn how to flirt like Kristina. Suddenly, a few girls aahed and Lily spotted James, looking handsome in sky blue robes, coming down from the boys' dormitory.
Towards her.
Lily felt her heart stop as he stopped in front of her. Stiffly, he said, "You look very nice, Lilac."
"Lily…call me Lily…" gasped Lily.
James extended his right hand and Lily took it tentatively. "You look nice too," she said finally.
"Thank you," said James. Lily felt as if she were with the Minister of Magic, speaking so formally, but she made no comment as she followed James out the portrait hole.
"Jimmy, wait!" cried a voice behind them.
Lily pretended not to hear. "We should get to the Great Hall sooner," she suggested, "so we get good seats." She paused. "And you can save some for Sirius, Remus, and Peter."
James didn't answer, but he gave a slight nod.
The Great Hall looked magnificent. Enchanted snowmen were there, singing Christmas carols with Christmas trees. Fairies fluttered around. The wallpaper showed different pictures of Father Christmas. Beams of different colored lights illuminated the Hall. In the middle of the Hall, there was a golden, sparkling stadium.
"The Circle of Circe is playing, a very famous group on the WWN," said James.
Pretending she understood though she was too academic to follow music, Lily nodded. "I…um…think it's cool too," she stammered.
Instead of the four House tables, small tables were positioned around the room, with vases of flowers upon it. James led her to an especially big one and sat her down. Narcissuses were the flowers there. Lily frowned, because a table with lilacs was right next to it. Somewhere in her mind, she'd heard someone say, "Narcissus is my favorite flower!" but she couldn't finger who. It couldn't be Kristina, could it?
When everybody arrived, Professor Dumbledore stood up and raised a crystal goblet. Crystal goblets started appearing in front of every student too, and they raised it also. Lily listened as Dumbledore said, "This Christmas Ball is in honor of our first few victories against the forces of Lord Voldemort!"
There was applause, but Lily noticed that some Slytherins, like Snape, did not clap or even seemed to be listening. "Let the Christmas Ball symbolize that we will never bow down to the darkness of evil!"
He gulped down the contents of the goblet. Everybody followed suit. Then, they sat down.
A group of beautiful witches suddenly appeared on the podium. "They couldn't have Apparated," said Lily thoughtfully, having read Hogwarts, A History two million times.
"It's special effects, people who actually listens to the WWN knows that," said James.
Embarrassed, Lily watched as the witches struck out a mournful tone on their instruments, whatever those are, when food appeared on their plates and menus beside the appetizers. James wolfed down his food while Lily tried to eat like a lady. Her heart started to pound again. Will he ask me to dance?
As if on cue, James said, "Lily, would you like to dance with me?"
"Sure, why not?" said Lily after some chewing, which she hoped looked thoughtful.
Lily caught Naomi's eye as she went up to the dance floor, by the podium, and Naomi gave her a thumb-up. James put her hand on his shoulder and put his hand on her waist and they started revolving around. James closed his eyes to enjoy the music, or is it me? Lily laid her head on his shoulder and he didn't object.
I am actually dancing! I am actually dancing!
They danced four times. Lily couldn't have been happier. She couldn't have asked for more than this. James kissed her on the cheek as they left the dance floor that almost made Lily collapse with joyfulness. James took her back to the table and left abruptly.
Lily got some sundae and ate, wondering how everything could be more perfect.
She watched around for James, and spotted him near Sirius and Kristina. Kristina nodded something as James got four Galleons. Sirius slapped James' hand and Kristina linked her arm through James'. James led Kristina to the dance floor then.
Oh well. I know he likes me better! Lily tried to convince herself, but something wasn't quite right.
James and Kristina danced for a long time. Kristina kept on flirting with James even when dancing. Naomi suddenly came over, her face livid. "Oh my god, Lily, you won't believe this!"
"What?" asked Lily, scared. "Are you okay?"
Breathing steam, Naomi said, "That Kristina! She made a bet with both Remus and James! If they take either one of us out, for every dance they dance with us, they get a Galleon."
Lily opened her mouth in shock.
"What's more," continued Naomi. "She's told like about every girl in the whole school!"
Lily felt her head burst. Before Naomi could say anything more, she pushed herself out of the crowd and into the girls' bathroom. There, she sobbed for a long time, till she ran out of tears.
Sitting against the bathroom wall and hugging her legs to her chest, she tried not to think about this. Her head felt sore for some reason. Her heart pounded…oh, the thought of James…
No, Lily!
Lily could not bring herself to hate James even after what he did. Finally, she got up and left the bathroom, somehow finding her way back to her dormitory. It was very dark. She couldn't help but feeling lucky that Filch didn't catch her and Peeves wasn't doing his usual routine of trying to find wandering students. Nice Christmas presents…she thought bitterly. She went to her bedside.
Pinned to her pillow was an envelope. On the envelope was scrawled Kristina. She threw a disdainful look at the sleeping Kristina on the bed. She would deal with Kristina later….
She took off the dress and the necklace and the earrings she had so excitedly put on, so full of hopes and happiness…of joy that her Prince Charming knew her…seemed to…if only she knew. She stared at them, as if they were part of the past she did not want to relive. Laying down on her bed, everything that had happened today overwhelmed her again. She gave dry sobs, because she had run out of tears.