An Unexpected Occurrence

Lily and James sat opposite each other at breakfast, sneaking glances at one another as often as possible. This didn't go unnoticed by their friends.

"You two are really cute as a couple," Sarah commented between mouthfuls of cornflakes. Carmen nodded in agreement. Both girls were beaming happily. Lily blushed, as did James.

"Yes, well, as cute as you are, you better not keep going off together all the time, and leaving us lot in the lurch. It wouldn't be right," Sirius insisted. Remus laughed.

Sarah laughed mockingly. Sirius shot her an evil look.

"I'll try not to keep James all to myself," Lily replied, smiling. James grinned in response.

"I know it will be hard," he added. Lily slapped him playfully.

As soon as breakfast was finished, and James and Lily had left the Great Hall, James pulled her into a deserted corridor.

"There's a Hogsmead visit this weekend, and I was wondering if you wanted to come with me," James mumbled quickly, looking down at the floor. Lily smiled at his sudden shyness.

"I'd love to go with you." James looked up, and grinned sheepishly. He leaned forward and gave her a tender, chaste kiss on the lips. Lily gazed at him coyly.

"Great! I really need to go to class now, but I'll meet up with you after lessons," James said hurriedly. He kissed her sweetly on the nose, and left to go to class. Lily sighed to herself, and leaned against the wall. She couldn't stop smiling.

Carmen walked out of the Transfiguration classroom with Sarah and Lily, and together, they walked to lunch. Sarah was complaining.

"I know he can't help having a big head, but it's right there, in the way, all the time!" she moaned. Lily giggled.

They turned a corner, and bumped straight into a tall, seventh year boy, with longish, brown hair.

"Oh, sorry!" Lily and Sarah apologised hurriedly, walked on, and began muttering again. He made a quick apology, smiled briefly, and walked away. Carmen couldn't help gaping at him as he left.

Wow, I think I've melted. That was the most beautiful smile ever. Did he smile at me?

No, it must have been at Lily or Sarah.

It could have been me though…

She snapped herself out of her momentary trance, and caught up with her friends.

Later that night, the girls and the marauders were hanging out in the festively decorated common room, by the blazing fire; Lily curled up comfortably in James' lap.

"So, who are the rest of you going to Hogsmead with, then?" Lily asked, leaning her head back against James' shoulder.

"I happen to be going with Bridget Coleman, that good looking sixth year," Sirius said, yawning.

"Hey, weren't you going out with that other sixth year, what was her name? Oh yeah, Katy Downs," James comment, confused.

"Hello? Where have you been? I ended that last night."

James grinned at his best friend. Remus rolled his eyes. Peter laughed nervously.

"Right…What about you two?" James nodded to Carmen and Sarah.

"No one," they said, somewhat melancholy. Remus raised his eyebrows questioningly.

"Why not?"

Carmen shrugged, acting as though she didn't care, but Sarah wasn't as good at pretending, and looked away from everyone's gazes, saying nothing. Lily's eyes widened slightly as she caught on.

"Hey, haven't we got to do that, erm, that erm thing, yeah? Let's go to the dorm, night guys," Lily lied quickly, kissing James briefly, and pulling Sarah and Carmen by their arms up to the girls' dormitory, leaving the boys staring, utterly baffled.

"What the hell was that?" Remus asked.

"Dunno," Peter replied.

James and Sirius shrugged.

"I swear, girls come from some crazy planet," James commented. His fellow marauders nodded in agreement.

Up in the girls' dormitory, the girls had plonked themselves on Sarah's messy, un-made, bed.

"Why the hell did you do that?" Sarah asked, looking almost as confused as the marauders.

"Because I know that you're hiding something, now spill," Lily said, getting under the covers.

"Hey, don't get too comfy, this is my bed –"Sarah started, but a menacing look from Lily cut her off. Carmen gestured for her to fire away. She sighed.

"Well, I - I - Ikindalikeyourbrother," she mumbled hurriedly.

"Huh?"

Sarah took a deep breath, and began again.

"I kind of like your brother."

Carmen stared, her mouth dropped open.

"Really?"

"Yes."

Lily watched Carmen anxiously, she was obviously thinking hard about what Sarah had told them.

"Wow, well I really wasn't expecting that. Whoa, okay then. Well I guess it doesn't really matter who you fancy, it was just a shock, that's all," Carmen finally said. Sarah let out a sigh of relief.

"Thanks for being so supportive, Carmen" Sarah smiled, and gave her a friendly hug.

"Hey, I'm supportive as well!" Lily wined. Sarah and Carmen laughed, and pulled her into a hug.

It was getting late, and most of the Hogwarts students were in bed. It was a chilly winter night, and Sarah was freezing, as she had left her blanket down in the Gryffindor common room. She traipsed down the cold, stone steps, and went into the common room. It was warm, and the flicker of the flames gave the room a cosy feeling. As she leaned over the sofa to get her blanket, she noticed that someone was sitting there. Catching her by surprise, she gasped, jumping backwards and falling over the chair behind her. The person stood up to look at her. It was Dominic, Carmen's twin brother.

Oh no, It's Dom, what am I going to do? I have made a complete idiot of myself!

Yep.

What am I supposed to do?

Stay and wait for the world to end, I guess.

"Sarah, are you okay?" Dom asked worriedly, gently pulling her to her feet. She smiled gratefully.

"Yes, thank you," she said, feeling stupid.

Dom patted her shoulder, and glanced at his watch.

"Whoa, it's getting late, I should go."

He was about to leave, when he looked up shortly. He stood still, looked back down at Sarah, and grinned sheepishly, pointing towards the ceiling. Sarah switched her gaze to what he was pointing at, and blushed. It was mistletoe. She bravely looked him in the eye, and without giving her time to think, Dom swiftly pressed his lips against her own. A spark of electricity swam through them, causing both to jump slightly. He moved closer, they kissed deeply for what seemed like forever, and then broke apart, gasping. Dom looked at Sarah, as though seeing her in a new light, while Sarah put her hand to her mouth, in disbelief at what she had just done. They stood in an agonizing silence, before some footsteps caused them to look round.

"Hey, I thought I heard some noise, what's up?" Remus wondered aloud, running his hand through his brown, mussed up hair.

"Um, I erm, I came to get my blanket, night Remus, Dom," Sarah stuttered, grabbing her blanket, and practically running from the room. Dom stared after her longingly.

"I'd erm better be getting to bed too, erm night," Dom muttered, and walked away, putting his hand to his mouth, remembering the kiss that he and Sarah had just shared. Remus looked confused, again.

"What just happened?" he asked the void.

Oh, if the common room could answer…