Heyyy! I'm back!

I just have to say, that I love this chapter. It is one of my best, I think, so far, and I am way too excited to share it! It took me a while to write, reread and edit, but finally, its done! I just recieved it from my editor by email a few seconds ago, and to prove how exciteed I am to share it, here it is =) Hopefully you like it. It doesn't have much James/Lily, but I wont give anymore away. The next chapter is definitely something you'll want to read also, but I am still working on it.

Soo, anyways, have fun reading and PLEASE review! Your reviews really make my day =)

And thanks to my awesome editor, who should be being payed or something, for what she is doind to contribute to the story.

And now I will shut up and let you read. Hehe.

Disclaimer: I am not JK Rowling, but please enjoy reading!

xoxo

MissJacob


Tonight was one of the Marauders' biggest parties so far. The decorations were as usual: garlands of the house colours strung over the comfy chairs and fireplace. The middle of the common room had been rearranged completely, as usual. All the chairs and sofas were at the sides of the room, creating space for a dance floor. Various students were already dancing, hands in the air, their heads bobbing to the catchy beat. The only difference from their other parties was that tonight, hung above the fireplace, was a huge banner bearing James' face. Lupin had bewitched the face so that the James Potter on the banner would smile at the students passing by, winking at girls and ruffling his hair occasionally. Above the banner was another one that bore the flashing words "Potter rules" and "Potter as Champion". Confetti sprouted out of it, covering the floor with little flakes or red and gold. Everyone was having the time of his or her life.

Lily, perhaps, was the only Gryffindor there who wished she were somewhere else. The music was vexatious, and it was almost as if it were someone screaming blatantly in her ears. Was she the only one who felt it? The room was too crowded- she had no space to stretch her arms out, yet alone move. The stench of alcohol emanating from the students around her was sickening and foul. Where had the marauders' gotten all the fire whisky?

Someone bashed into Lily from the right, almost knocking her over. Lily, recovering herself, turned to see whom it was.

"Sorry…" Aubrey said, scratching his head with the cup of fire whisky he was holding, "Er… Lily, right?."

He sauntered off without even waiting for an answer.

Blinking blankly at Aubrey's head, Lily knew she had to leave, as soon as possible. This party wasn't being held to celebrate "their joined" victory, as Potter had explained to her earlier that day, once they were back in the tents after the first task had finished. No, this was just another occasion for Potter to boast about his own talents.

The marauders' were in the centre of the dance floor, and the centre of everyone's attention. Each marauder seemed busy. Potter, for one, was dancing with Anne, his arm around her waist. She was whispering things in his ear, smiling up at him and tossing her long hair. Sirius was making out with Ashley Darrow, goalkeeper for the Gryffindor Quidditch team. Peter was talking to Shannon, Ashley's best friend. Shannon seemed very disappointed that she had ended up with Peter and not Sirius, and a pout was clearly visible on her face. Remus and Heather, on the other hand, were slow dancing, absorbed in each other's eyes.

Lily scanned the crowd for a way to escape. There seemed to be less people near the left side of the room. Pushing past the students, she manoeuvred her way towards the staircase. She noticed Potter looking her way, his eyes burning her back, but she kept walking. She was leaving. She had placed second, just behind him in the task, and she had gotten no credit for it at all. Not a single congratulations, except from Heather. In fact, people barely remembered who she was. What was this? She was just as smart as him, but she was being ignored.

How could she be second to that arrogant, selfish, immature animal?! The tears of injustice were going to arrive soon, she could feel them welling up inside her eyes. And why couldn't these people move out of her way?

She let out an angry, frustrated sigh, but no one paid attention. "She who is disliked by the marauders', is disliked by almost everyone." Heather had once commented.

She had finally reached the stairs. Taking deep, even breaths, Lily let herself relax. She would just have to deal with it.

"Why are you leaving?" A familiar voice called out from behind her.

Great. What did Potter want now?

"Aren't you going to stay?" He inquired. He seemed to have rushed over once he saw her leaving. Anne, Lily could see, had been left stranded by the dance floor, and was looking for him. He ran his hand through his hair, troubled.

"No," Lily answered.

"Why not? I thought you were having a great time."

"Right," Lily spit, furious, "because I love being ignored by everyone. Because if I don't remember correctly, this was supposed to be "our" victory Potter"

Her voice cracked stupidly at the word "our". She didn't want to appear hurt, so she turned her back on him and walked up the stairs towards her dormitory. Heather wouldn't be up for a while, not with the way she had been dancing with Lupin, so Lily would have lots of time to herself. That was good, she decided.

Potter didn't follow her, but returned to the party, and to an impatiently waiting Anne.

Anne was wearing a little, very tight black dress that looked like if it belonged to her younger sister. James could almost see her underwear. Normally, he would be very turned on by this, but his recent encounter with Lily was messing up his thoughts.

"Where did you go just now?" Anne asked him, tugging on his arm for an answer.

"Nowhere important." James mumbled, ruffling his hair uncertainly, "Now where was I again?"

"I remember," Anne whispered seductively in his right ear, tracing it with her fingertips, "you were going to ask me to come with you to your bedroom."

James frowned.

"No, Anne, we were dancing."

"I guess I was just wishing," Anne sighed dramatically, one hand on her forehead, "but we could go there later, right?"

"Um- I think that the guys will probably mind," James lied instantly, not knowing exactly why.

"They've never minded before," Anne said, smiling flirtatiously, "I know how James Potter likes to please girls in his dormitory."

She traced his chin with her fingertips now, reaching his mouth. She paused there.

"Who told you that?" James asked her, catching her fingers in his fist.

"Oh, spare me." Anne whispered, annoyed now, "Everyone at Hogwarts knows you, Potter. You and Sirius only like girls for one-night stands. And here I am, hottest girl in the school, and you wont even let me fool around with you!"

She was right. Anne was the hottest at the school. Her billowing blonde locks and fair complexion were rated ten out of ten by Sirius. Her dancing blue eyes were so entrancing that most guys never looked away. Not to mention her perfectly sculpted body was another added bonus, too. James was passing over the simplest opportunity he could ever have to get her.

James gestured to her and himself, "So that's all this is to you? Fooling around?"

He couldn't help himself. He had to let that out.

"Yes, James Potter. I won't deny it; I'm a girl who thinks relationships are lame. But let me tell you," Anne leaned closely into him, her eyes meeting his, "you and me are the most attractive in our year. We are meant for each other. Attractive people are inevitably always going to end up together. If you let me walk away now, I know you'll regret it. Maybe not tomorrow, but in a few years, you will."

"What-" James started. This girl was a little over her head.

Anne pulled him close, their lips barely touching.

"And," she whispered, her warm breath on his lips, "If we went out I'm sure your popularity will soar higher than it is already. Everyone will have heard about the gorgeously handsome Quidditch captain and his hot, unavailable girlfriend."

Winking, and without waiting for his approval, she grabbed his chin and kissed him on the lips ferociously, wrapping her arms around his neck.

He heard a few wolf-whistles coming from Sirius and Peter, but James felt nothing. What was this girl to him? But on the other hand, his popularity would increase to an even larger extent…

Anne kissed his neck now, still dancing to the beat.

"She really did like you, I know it. This'll show her," Anne whispered, kissing his lips again.

"What?" James asked, as Anne paused for an uneven breath, and went straight back to kissing every place she could reach.

James pushed her away softly, with his fingertips.

"What did you just say?"

"Nothing, Potter," Anne whispered, "now let's go find somewhere more private."

She enlaced her fingers in his hand, pulling him towards the staircase. As they dodged the crowds of dancing students, many called out his name and clapped him on the back. Many parted out of the way, letting Anne and James get through easier. Sirius had obviously noticed them leaving together and whooped, "Go James! Get to home base!"

James didn't pay attention to them. Once they were out of the common room and out of sight (behind a suit of armour on the stairwell), James pinned Anne against the wall by grabbing her wrists. Assuming the wrong thing, she giggled annoyingly.

"That's hot, James."

"What did you say before?" he asked, roughly.

Anne sighed in frustration now, not getting what she wanted.

"I just meant that this would show Lily." Anne closed her eyes and waited for him to bring his lips to hers. But James didn't.

"Why will this show her?" he asked again.

"Ugh!" Anne protested, "I just meant that all this time she denied liking you, but I know she always did! And I know that she'll be sorry she didn't get you before. Not once I've had you."

Anne intended that last line to come out seductively, but to James, it came out sounding completely different. Who was this girl, giving herself away to a guy who she barely knew? Normally, James was the one like this. Now, it was as if they had switched roles. It was just wrong.

But James was more focused on what Anne had said before that comment. Lily liked him? In a sense, James was pleased. Since he had met her, he had been terribly in love with Lily. Recently, both their furious tempers had gotten in their way. James had believed, after their first serious fight last year, that Lily hated him. Perhaps there was still a little glint of hope left, hope that he had given up a year ago…

"What's with the face?" Anne asked him, looking up at him innocently.

James stared blankly back at her. She scowled slightly.

"This is about Lily, isn't it?"

James did not know how to reply. He wasn't used to hot girls being mad at him. But this might have something to do with the fact that normally, he didn't refuse girls.

"Tell me!" Anne half-yelled, half-growled, lowering her shriek once some students, a girl and a boy, exited the common room party together, heading for the stairs.

They noticed James, waved, and left.

"Maybe we should go somewhere else." He suggested.

"No!"

Anne started unbuttoning his shirt. She didn't hesitate, but kissed him on the lips so he couldn't complain. Holding his Gryffindor tie in one hand, she dragged James into the shadows at the end of the corridor, where no one would notice them.

Once James' shirt was left abandoned on the floor, she moved on to his pants. James didn't want this; he didn't want this girl doing this with him, especially in this location. But with girls, he could never refuse. He would have to try-

"Anne…"

"Shh." She said, her finger at her lips. "This must be quiet. Don't want people hearing…"

Anne kissed his chest, working her way down. She took her own shirt off, kissing his neck with passion. Meanwhile, James was fighting the urge to stay. He knew this was not what he wanted, it was wrong. And finally, once Anne revealed her lace bra, James found the strength he had been looking for. It was there, deep inside him. All he had to do was remember Lily's face before she'd left the party earlier on. Her torn, broken voice, trying to hide the pain…

"Stop." James said, "I don't want this!"

Anne smiled, disbelieving. "Shush, James Potter."

James pushed her, like earlier this evening, but with his muscles from Quidditch Chaser practice. She almost toppled over.

"You're a whore," he whispered, "you've hurt Lily by trying to get me. You'll do anything for what you want."

Anne gasped. Her blue eyes, entrancing just a minute ago, masking themselves into a suspicious glare. Her rage and beauty mixed together made her glare look more than the average menace. She looked livid.

"I knew it!" She shrieked, not caring who heard now. "This was about Lily all along! I can't believe you like that- that unattractive, geeky, boring girl! She has no life!"

Couldn't she keep her voice down? She was attracting unwanted attention, and a few students from the party next door were coming out to see what the commotion was. Many snickered, seeing James in boxer shorts and Anne standing a metre away from him, also half-naked and in expensive, black lingerie.

"I'm sorry, Anne, but I like her. She is at least four times a better person than you are, and she is not boring. She's no whore, (he pronounced this world louder than usual so the watching crowd, which had increased in size, could hear) like you. She has not lost that dignity yet."

Anne stood silenced. She looked annoyingly upset, and grabbed one of his hands.

"We could still make this work-" she pleaded, in a way-too-see-through voice.

James gathered his clothes and put them all back on quickly, the crowd laughing at his quick movements. He was never going to live this public embarrassment down. He heard Sirius woo again and cringed. Now his friends were watching this, too? Great.

"I'm leaving." He told her, grabbing his shoes (which were lying on the ground by her still too-short dress). "I would advise you to do the same. Maybe you should get dressed."

He eyed her clothes, scattered around the staircase and corridor. The crowd whistled and laughed, muttering erupting between them.

"And maybe next time, Anne, you should consider wearing something that is not as tight as that dress you had back there." He winked, now liking the attention he was getting. "It isn't so flattering on you, and honestly, it could have belonged to your nine year old sister."

The watching crowd of Gryffindor Students laughed loudly at his last comment.

And as he left, climbing the staircase to the dormitories, bounding from foot to foot, cheers erupted. Yes, he may have just lived the most embarrassing moment of his whole life at Hogwarts, and yes, he had just turned down the hottest girl imaginable. But as the chants of his name grew louder and louder, we could be sure of one thing: James Potter sure knew how to entertain.

Ahhh! Please review and I will MAKE SURE to finish the next chapter by next weekend! =)

Thanks