Chapter 7: Perfection

It was hard to restrain myself when Lily was constantly harassed by all the boys from 3rd year and up. I'm sure she didn't quite see it as being harassed but I could tell that she was overwhelmed at first. Believe me there were more boys asking Lily out than I thought went to the school. We hadn't actually had much time to talk though since our Head duties were separate and I had added Quiditch training. I liked spending time with her, I felt happy whenever I was around her and now I seem to smile whenever she walks into the same room as me. She is no longer repulsed by the sight of me, well from what I can tell and she can stand my friends. Something I never thought could be possible.

I thought we were doing well and I wished that Lily would reject every offer she had. Even though I knew that wasn't possible I didn't think she would agree to go out with the Hogwarts player. Sam Deran would be close to the last choice I would pick for Lily. I would pick Sirius over Deran any day and not because he is my best friend but because even if he was a womaniser he was nowhere near as bad as Sam Deran.

You can imagine my disappointment when he rocks up to Quiditch practise 10 minutes late and rubs it in my face the fact that he is going to Hogsmeade with Lily the week after our first game. Hopefully she would realise what a jerk he was and reconsider taking someone else to Hogsmeade. I had to warn her, she had a right to know. But would she hate me for it? Probably and we had just become friends too. We had two days to the game. I couldn't worry about anything else all that was supposed to be on my mind was the upcoming Quiditch game against Slytherin except I wanted to warn Lily more.

"Prongs even I think that Lily going out with Deran is a bad idea but unless you focus on the Quiditch game no Gryffindor will want to talk to you for a while." Sirius warned me.

"Right well, let's think of some Quiditch plays then." I told him.

So what if we were in ancient ruins Remus was doing most of the work for us and as long as it looked like we were working we wouldn't be noticed. Once again Lily was paired off with Loce and they were discussing their assignment hard. I don't know how they ended up as friends or at least buddies when they had nothing in common. Loce was the Ravenclaw version of Sammie. She had her fair share of boyfriends and she never boasted about them. I had also noticed that she rarely hung around with the girls in her house and was always around the guys in her house. Including her boyfriend. Just how Sammie had her boyfriends and never boasted about any guy she had been with. Sammie would sometimes ditch Lily, Alice and Mary for a few prank filled nights with the marauders. Both Sammie and Loce are completely different to Lily and yet they are friends with her.


I don't know why but I was disappointed that I was only going on a date with Sam. I wanted more than that I actually wanted a boyfriend but I guess he didn't see me as girlfriend material. Alice actually had the perfect idea. She could sneakily hint to one of Sam's friends that I really liked him because well I did. He was smart and good looking. From what I know he didn't have too many detentions and didn't get enjoyment out of pranks. I had also noticed that there hadn't been any pranks this year maybe the Marauders had gotten bored of pranks, maybe this year the sole focus for them was to win the Quiditch cup after the embarrassment of last year. That wasn't Gryffindor's fault; James and Sirius were the only returning players and had to train a whole new team. Hufflepuff just ended up as the better team as they had a team of returning players that had played together for two years.

I saw Sam shot a quick smile at me and watched as he passed his hand through his spiky blonde hair. Today he looked hot in his Quiditch uniform and he looked determined to win today. James also looked determined as he ignored the jeers from all houses as no one believed that they would win today. I glanced once more at the Quiditch team and noticed James pass his hand through his messy black hair nervously as he finished his prep talk to the rest of the team. Most of them looked pumped up and ready to win while James and two other small players looked nervous. I watched as they walked out of the great hall in a group. James and Sirius leading while Sam and Patrick Nicke brought up the rear. I waved at Sam when he passed me. What caught me off guard was the little kiss that he blew me. Alice worked fast.

The girls giggled and we whispered all the way down to the pitch where we took our usual seats next to Remus and Peter in the Gryffindor stand. No one was down on the pitch yet but the stands were starting to fill up as the time drew closer to the start of the match. It was disappointing to see that only half the stands were full when the players were announced onto the pitch. The teacher's box was full, the Slytherin stand was full. Only the Hufflepuff Quiditch team, the Ravenclaw Quiditch team and a majority of the Gryffindor house filled up their respective stands. It was because of this that I hoped Gryffindor won. Especially for James' sake he would never let it down. They went all of last year without winning a game even if James caught the snitch each game they still lost.

I glanced down to see what each player was doing. Sirius looked determined to beat the Slytherin team into obliteration and was sending daggers to his brother and the other opposing players. Sam actually looked cocky and like he believed that they would win, something I expected to see on James' face. Thinking about that I turned to look at James. He had a blank face showing no emotion. His already messy hair was blowing wildly in the wind and his glasses almost looked glued on. His hazel eyes that usually held warmth looked unfocused yet completely focused on what was in front of him. I didn't know if it would help but I wanted to try anyway.

So I shouted out to the pitch over the top as the previous scores were announced. Telling the team that I believed they could do it, it was really only meant for James. I didn't want to scream out his name though when I had a budding romance with Sam. It would probably make James think I liked him and cause problems between, Sam, James and myself.


"Go Gryffindor, I know you will win." I heard someone shout from my left.

I already knew who it was. I knew that voice anywhere but I still had to look and check to make sure. Lily Evans was standing up in her seat and had cupped her hands over her mouth so she would be heard better. It was unlike Lily to do something like that even if it actually made me believe that we could win. It also seemed to make the rest of the team more aggressive and trust that we would win this game. Deran grinned at what Lily said and also looked towards her. I saw Lily smile at him and blow him a kiss. I guess she had no idea of his reputation then. I can't think about that now I have to think about winning. Lily believes we can and so do I. Well that's what I had to tell myself to get the image of Deran and Lily snogging out of my head.

I turned towards Sirius who looked even more pumped up after hearing Lily's statement then he did before if that was possible. "Let's do this." I mouthed to him.


I smiled at James as he turned towards me then noticed that Sam had also turned towards me so I blew him a kiss.

"Lily if it's possible you just gave the Gryffindor team a spark." Mary gushed.

I immediately sat back down feeling incredibly foolish and only just realised how what kind of embarrassing situation I had just put myself in. Everyone was now staring at me. Sammie and Remus came to my aid and started cheering loudly for our team. Soon all the Gryffindor's had joined in and I didn't feel as embarrassed. Although there was something I couldn't shake. I wanted James to know how much I believed that he could win this game.

It's because we are friends nothing more. I told myself coming up with my own solution.

The game wasn't brutal like it was expected and it soon became clear who the better team was. Gryffindor just didn't give Slytherin a chance and absolutely cairned them in the first 10 minutes when the quaffle just kept soaring past the keeper into the hoop. Sirius and Sam directed the bludgers with such force that the Slytherin chasers just keep the quaffle in their hands. Let's just say both the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff team were surprised when they realised how much the Gryffindor team had improved since last time. It was easy to say that both captains watching the match looked worried at what they would have to face later on.

I watched as James circled around the pitch looking for the snitch. I thought he might have seen it when he shot up into the clouds followed by Regulus Black only to see he dive back down again. Soon the game began to get boring and both teams were starting to tire. Gryffindor were shooting the quaffle through hoops after hoops while Slytherin had only scored twice. Finally James caught the snitch making the score 540 – 20 with Gryffindor as the winner.

I couldn't believe how down all the players were before the game thinking they couldn't win and then they proved that they could be pulverising the Slytherins into nothing.

"Come on lets go congratulate them." Sammie excitedly said jumping up and down on the spot.

I agreed and the six of us went to go congratulate the Gryffindor team.

"Lily thanks for the encouragement it really made a difference." Sam thanked me.

We were standing in front of each other awkwardly not knowing what to say next. How were we supposed to act when we hadn't had a date yet?

"Party in the common room." Peter shouted from next to Sirius breaking the awkwardness between Sam and me.

"Well I'll let you get changed then see you in the common room." I told him not knowing what else to say.

"Sure." He replied turning around to follow the rest of the team into the change rooms. "Wait Lily."

I had also started walking in the opposite direction back into the castle when he called out to me. "Yeah Sam."

"Lily well I want to see you before our date in Hogsmeade so will you be my girlfriend?" Sam asked shuffling from foot to foot.

It was so cute how he was nervous when I wanted him to ask me out for the past year or so.

"Sure I would like that." I grinned giving him a kiss on the cheek.


She agreed to be his girlfriend right in front of me. There are two things that cause me great pain. Well there are three but two are not having Lily Evans in my arms and Lily Evans in someone else's arms. The third is when my friends are hurt or in pain.

Why did I have to let everyone know that Lily wasn't mine? I knew I would regret it. I'm sure if she was going out with someone like Eliot Lander I wouldn't be regretting my decision at least there was a guarantee that Lily would be treated right. I had to do something about this. I couldn't let her get hurt by this sleaze. I could tolerate him being on the Quiditch team but knowing that he would have his slimy, sleazy hands over Lily Evans was overboard.

"Prongs, you can't. Not now let them enjoy the party. Let everyone enjoy the party. You know she'll hate you for this. Please let her figure it out herself." Sirius reasoned.

"Padfoot I can't just stand by and watch her get hurt. I can't see that. Anyone would be better them Deran. Even you would be." I told him furious from what I had witnessed moments ago.

"Oh thanks at least I can sleep better at night knowing you think I'm better than Deran." Sirius replied sarcastically. "Seriously though Lily's a big girl she can work this out for herself and besides she isn't yours. Wasn't the whole point of this, for Lily to get a boyfriend?"

"Yes but not in two days and she was suppose to realise how much I've matured, and see that I have realised that she isn't a possession of mine." I sighed Sirius couldn't talk me out of this. "Anyway you've heard the things about him. Lily can't be dragged into that."

"Yeah but Prongs, they're just rumours you know how the rumours spread around here." Sirius tried to rationalise although both of us knew there had to be some truth behind the rumours.

"Padfoot you can't talk me out of this. I'm going to tell her." I told him and stormed up to the tower.

When I got there the party had just started and Lily was sitting very close to Sam on one of the arm chairs while her friends chattered to his friends. Right now wasn't the right time I couldn't just drag her away from her new boyfriend as much as I would like to.

"Please Prongs don't do this. Find a better time or better yet don't." Sirius whispered in my ear handing me a bottle of fire whiskey.

"Fine I'll let them enjoy the party but I'm telling her before her Hogsmeade date." I warned him.

"Whatever, I'm here to party." Sirius shouted and everyone cheered along with him.

Sirius soon had the party into full swing within half an hour that even McGonagall was surprised by the amount of noise so early on in the afternoon. There wouldn't be any Gryffindor in the Great Hall tonight. It may have been a party dedicated to the Gryffindor Quiditch team but I just wasn't in the party mood. I couldn't stop watching Lily laughing at whatever Deran was saying like it was funnier than when I made her laugh. I even caught his hand sliding down to her arse. She didn't even mind.

It took everything plus Remus pulling me back not to go over and give him one. Knock him out completely. I had to remind myself that he was on the Quiditch team; I couldn't physically hurt him too much. Maybe just a black eye. Then again I was Head Boy it would have to be when no one was around.

Then everyone started dancing. Sammie was dancing with Sirius and Remus, Alice was politely talking to Andrea Sass near me. Peter was trying to find some girl to talk to and Lily was dancing with Sam and his friends. I just couldn't take my eyes of that red haired beauty.

"Great game today James." Mary said quietly appearing next to me from nowhere.

"Oh thanks." I replied trying to keep my heart rate down and trying to hide the fact that I may have jumped about three feet in the air.

"You really like her don't you." She spoke again looking at Lily and then back to me.

"Yeah I do, you have no idea. She's just so captivating I could stare at her forever." I replied dreamily.

"Well don't, that's creepy. Just hang in there whatever you are doing now is working. She likes being friends with you. I actually think that you two would be a really cute couple." Mary finished and then walked off.

She was a nice girl but extremely shy. I rarely hear her talk in front of us guys when she isn't in the company of her friends and have never seen her talk to anyone but her friends and her sister. I had heard bits and pieces of her home life from the girl's gossip and from what she has gone through must be hard on both her and her sister. It also explains why they are so close. It's similar to why I'm so close to Sirius. I was there for him when he had family issues. Well he still does but he acts like it doesn't matter.


I think this was the first after party that I had participated in. I wasn't drunk I stuck to the butter beer but I decided that for once I wouldn't be the one breaking up the party or sitting on the stairs giving up. Maybe it was because I had a boyfriend to enjoy it with. This time I was actually part of it and I enjoyed it. I had missed so much keeping up my good girl appearance. Ironic isn't it that I start to loosen up once I become Head Girl. Normally it's the other way around especially in James' case. Becoming Head Boy was the best thing that ever happened to him although I'm sure he doesn't see it like that.

"Hey Lily do you want to dance?" Sam asked standing up.

"Sure, let's go." I replied.

I was looking forward to this moment. It was like a dream come true. Finally dancing with my crush. The boy I liked was now my boyfriend. I was Head Girl, my grades were great. It was like my life was perfect. It was almost like there wasn't a war raging on outside the castle walls.

"You know I've had a crush on you ever since my 5th year." I blurted out calmly while he was spinning me around.

"Really?" He asked in that non-believing tone. "Because I've wanted to ask you out for over a year now. It was only because I was frightened of what James would do to me if I did that I didn't."

"Well I'm glad James finally got off his high horse and realised that I wasn't his to start with. Otherwise I would never get a chance to date the best looking guy in this school." I replied.

"Do you think I'm that good looking, because I know I am but I didn't think I was that good looking?" He replied quizzically.

"Of course. You're not just good looking but you're my type. Athletic, smart and hot, plus you're funny and charming. You don't boast about yourself like most guys do, that's a good trait to have." I told him.

"Well I'm glad I meet you're standards, although I think next week is too far away for our first date. How about we have dinner in the kitchens tomorrow night instead of in the Great Hall like everyone else." He suggested.

"Sure, something to look forward to all day." I grinned and continued to dance. "I also forgot to mention that you're an amazing dancer. Not many guys can dance like you."

"Except me Lily Bean, I think I measure up quite nicely." Sirius piped in from nowhere.

"Sirius do you mind I'm trying to enjoy this day without you annoying me." I teased him slightly although it was true. I didn't need him ruining this moment.

"Suit yourself. Enjoy your dancing." He said bowing like a gentleman.

"I don't know how you stand being in the same classes as Black and Potter sometimes?" Sam asked. "They just come off as too pushy and flirty. Don't you get sick of it?"

A few weeks ago I would have said the same thing but now I was used to it. With Sirius it was just second nature to flirt back although I still hadn't mastered that yet. James was more once you saw past his old arrogant exterior.

"I guess you kind of get used to it after a while and I mean after 7 years." I chuckled even if it wasn't funny.

Sam did so that wasn't too bad and laughed along. He had a gorgeous laugh as well. Was there anything wrong with this boy?


A/N

So who has the right idea about Sam, Lily or James? He seems so sweet and like the perfect boyfriend I can't see him as the guy James and Sirius portray him as. Well I guess we'll see how his character progresses. Who do you want to be right? Next Chapter will be the dates hopefully I can fit both the dinner and the Hogsmeade date in the next chapter. Please continue reading and don't forget to review. I would love to know you're opinion even if it is to simply say 'it's okay' or 'you hate it'. Tell me whatever you like I don't mind.
SpringBabe.