Limericks and Balls

Summary: It's Lily and James' fifth year of Hogwarts and the school is hosting a Halloween ball. James of course asks Lily, but at what price? Probably a bruise on his head for trying.

"So Alice, who are you taking to the ball?" Marlene asked. Lily sighed. She'd been trying to avoid this topic as much as she could. Balls were really not her thing. Especially because James Potter chased away any guy that might potentially ask her out. Prat.

Alice blushed a bright crimson. "Franklongbottom," she mumbled under her breath.

"Who?" Marlene asked. "Speak a little louder, dear."

"Frank Longbottom," Alice said, her voice still barely above a whisper.

"What was that?" Marlene asked putting her hand to her ear. "What did you say?"

"FRANK LONGBOTTOM!" Alice finally screamed in frustration. Everyone turned to look at her. If possible, Alice blushed even more, a color bright enough to rival Lily's hair.

Marlene smirked. "Well now that you've announced that to the entire school," Alice winced, "Lily who are you taking?"

Lily shrugged nonchalantly. "Dunno," she said. "What about you, Marlene? Who are you taking to the ball?"

"Sirius Black," Marlene said, not at all abashed. "But don't try to change the subject. We need to find you a bloke and we need to find him fast, before all the good ones run out. I mean Alice has Frank," Alice flushed, "I have practically every boy in this school," Lily rolled her eyes, "but you Lily, dear. You have yet to find yourself a decent guy."

Lily sighed, as she did every time this conversation came up. What didn't her friends understand about happy and single? "I'm fine, Marlene," Lily said exasperatedly. "Honestly, I don't want any guy."

Marlene pretended not to hear her, as her eyes skimmed the hallway. Her eyes landed on Amos Diggory, a seventh year Hufflepuff. "Hm… how about Diggory?"

Lily choked. "What?"

"Hey, he's pretty good looking." Marlene said, completely indifferent to Lily's reaction. "And I heard he's a good snog too," she wiggled her eyebrows, suggestively.

Lily felt her face redden. "I did not need to know that," she said hotly.

But before Marlene could retort, the three heard a voice approach them from behind. A very familiar voice. "Hey Evans! Wait up, will you?" Of course. It was James Potter. Lily pretended not to hear as she started walking faster, hoping he'd go away. But of course…

"Evans, c'mon! I have something for you!" he yelled, trying to match the infuriatingly long strides she was taking.

Lily sighed, realizing it was no use. Alice grinned as Marlene smirked. "See you at lunch, Lily." Alice said in a sing-song voice.

"There's a broom cupboard right there," Marlene added, and the two walked away in a fit of giggles.

"So what do you want Potter?" Lily asked, turning to him. "And hurry up, I don't have all day."

If James was hurt, he didn't show it. Instead he shot Lily a triumphant grin and pulled out a rumpled piece of paper out of his pocket, clearing his throat. Lily tapped her foot impatiently, waiting for him to continue.

"Well remember how the other day you said you like Muggle literature?" James asked. Lily nodded, vaguely remembering something of that sort.

"Well, I was reading up on that stuff and I discovered something called a," he paused for dramatic effect, "limerick."

Lily nodded again, wondering where this was going. "So?"

"So I wrote you one!" James said, struggling to keep his excitement at bay. Lily almost smiled at his child-like innocence. Almost.

"Well hurry up," she said, trying to sound irritated.

"I love cookies and everything sweet,

Sitting with Evans on a loveseat,

I love playing with quaffles and the snitch,

Being chaser in a game of Quidditch,

But for now, let's eat!"

James smiled, a self-satisfied smile, as he ruffled his jet black hair. He seemed to do that a lot around Lily.

"Er.." Lily seemed lost for words. "That was…"

James, mistaking her silence, smirked. "Left you speechless didn't I?"

Lily glared at him with those wonderful emerald green eyes of hers. "No, that was the most awful limerick I've ever heard!"

James shrugged, not at all affected by her insult. "Well lucky for you then, 'cause I wrote another one!" And with that he pulled out Parchment #2 from his robe pocket, his hazel eyes twinkling with mischief. "Ahem." Lily groaned as he started to recite:

"I am hardworking like a bee,

A good snog is a guarantee,

When they see me they drop dead,

Because I'm so good in bed,

So will you go to the ball with me?"

James Potter claimed that his head hurts from the book Lily Evans threw at him that day.

Yes? No? Maybe so? Er that was lame but hey... I tried. Anyway, what's the lamest poem you've ever read?