DISCLAIMER: I am not now, nor have I ever been JK Rowling, and therefore, any and every character, place, object, or spell you may recognize does not belong to me. I have no money (actually today I do have money from Christmas, but I'm going shopping today anyways...) so don't bother suing me! ON WITH THE STORY!

Chapter 10: The "Such" Part of Yuletide Balls

Lily was shocked. In those past few weeks since she had sent the letter, she could grudgingly admit that Cupidon had not been the most prominent person on her mind. That, unfortunately had been James.

Unfortunately; because of the large-scale rivalry between them. The TriWizard Tournament had been insane, filled with numerous pranks from both of them, with James usually starting the "prank wars", but with Cupidon definitely retaliating in full. And so, this is why she thought it was very unfortunate, that Cupidon De'Lacure had walked into the Hogwarts Great Hall, to see Lily, his supposed date, hugging the aforementioned rival. It was not as if, Cupidon had not expected her to date after they broke up, in fact, he had been the one confidant in all of her romantic problems; but the fact that James Potter could be one of her new interests--which she wasn't saying he was!--seemed to bother him intensely.

But Lily couldn't really blame him, as she had asked him to come with her to this Ball, as a favour. And he had gotten all spiffed up for the occasion, she had to admit. His brunette hair was just as long and smooth as it had been when she had seen him last, and his bright blue eyes were still as magical. But now, he was looking at James as if he was a spot of dung on his shoe. That was what James Potter was to Cupidon De'Lacure, a dungbomb waiting to go off.

He approached the two, who had since separated quite shamefacedly, and put his arm around Lily's waist protectively. Lily almost thought it was a sweet gesture; until he spoke in a sickly, sugar-filled voice, and glared daggers at James with his sprightly eyes.

"Lis mon cher! Comment avez-vous été ? Did you by any chance forget that you and I had a date tonight?" he asked with the same sickly sweet voice, looking at her with one eye, the other still trained on James. James, in fact, was taking this whole exchange quite well, as he didn't have his wand out yet, and he wasn't throwing any of the dungbombs that (Cupidon felt) described his personality. Lily, for another matter, was blushing brightly, and all she could do was stand there, hoping to Merlin and Agrippa that nothing got much worse than this. But of course, nothing can just go somewhat terribly. Fate has a funny way of going whole-hog on whatever it takes upon itself.

And so, of course, this was the night it all went to hell.

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"I've got headaches and bad luck but they couldn't touch you, no"

--Fall Out Boy, Of All the Gin Joints in all the World

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Hell, utter hell. Shouldn't it be a lot warmer? James sighed, trying to swallow his pride and walk away from this Frenchy buffoon. That was who James was now, he was the better man. And nothing that had happened in fourth year could change that.

Ack. But that Frenchy buffoon had said something that hit him like the Knight Bus on a good day. I wonder when they are going to replace that crazy driver, he's getting up in years isn't he... James thought distractedly. But what bothered him so much, was that he had said that Lily had a date with him that night. A date. As in they were back together.

So that was what Lily had been doing in the Owlery that night. Now, it was almost painful for James to think of that night, when it had been one of his greatest memories only moments before. Now, that French idiot was standing there, eyeing him up, challenging him, with his arm draped "oh-so-casually" around Lily's waist. Now, James was angry. Furious even. He could feel the smoke coming out of his ears, almost as if he had swallowed one of Madam Pomfrey's Pepper Up Potions. Because now, that French fool was speaking to Lily, laughing with her; and Lily didn't look to comfortable. She looked almost nervous, which was the last straw in James' opinion. Anyone who made Lily upset, was definitely on his "Hex List".

"So Frenchy--Oh, yes, I mean De'Lacure, is it? We have all really missed you the past two years. We haven't heard anything about you, even from dear Lily here. Wonder why she hasn't mentioned you, after all, I do talk to her all the time." James said, through gritted teeth, fists clenching at his side. Lily rolled her eyes at the both of them, and struggled to stifle the imminent duel.

"Yes, yes Cupidon. Its so great to see you again. I see you have remembered James Potter, or at least he has remembered you." she said with a condescending half-smile at the two of them, who were trying--yet not succeeding--to act civil toward each other, and mask their hatred. " I can't believe you made it, though I must admitt I had not expected that you would come, as I never got a letter confirming that you were in fact coming at all." she finished, with a soft look toward Cupidon.

"Bien ... it is good to see you again mon cher Lis. Although I am surprised at the company you have kept in my absence. It seems that your taste in men has décliné beaucoup since I have last seen you, even Prewett seems like a better choice à mon opinion. Alas, I cannot make your decisions for you. Although I am slightly disappointed that you have made another date for tonight." he said, with a distasteful glance at James. James smiled in return. De'Lacure thinks Lily is my date! he thought, almost doing a victory dance right there. But it would have been short-lived, as Lily spoke quickly after Cupidon had finished.

"Oh no Cupidon! James and I... er... we aren't... you know... here on a date! I was just giving him a hug when you walked in, we're just friends, really!" Lily sputtered, her face flushing an even darker shade of pink. Cupidon, tightened his hold around her waist at this, with a disgustingly obnoxious look on his face. James gagged.

"Okay Lily, I'll go now. I see that you want to spend time with your date now, but when you're tired of him, you know where to find me." he said, turning away from her, with a small smile. Inside he knew that Lily was starting to be one of his greatest friends, and that she did like him in a way now; but seeing Cupidon with his arm around her waist so casually, just reminded him of everything he couldn't have with her. And it hurt.

He had tried, hadn't he? He had been good, he had been sweet, he had been funny, and he had been her friend most of all. It was as if, whenever he wanted something terribly, it was the one thing he couldn't have. Bad luck seemed to follow him. And tonight was no exception. And now, he was getting mad again. The smoke was returning around his ears, he could feel it. And it took all of the strength and courage he had, to not spin right back around and hex that French buffoon right back to where he had come from.

It was supposed to be his and Lily's night. He had planned what he would say to her and everything. He was even going to tell her how he felt. And for a sixteen-year-old guy, this is a very big deal. And requires much of the Gryffindor courage that James strove to show at all times. But sometimes, as in matters of such importance, courage was one thing that was hard to find. And now the courage that he had saved up for the occasion would have to wait. Ah well. The best laid plans of mice and men...

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Lily was having a night to rival James'. Although Cupidon had dropped the French-prat act, she was really worried about James. He looked about ready to kill someone when he had stalked off before. And they had been getting on so well lately. This was the last thing they needed, she supposed.

Lily tried to laugh, and dance, and smile throughout the night. She really did, and valiantly as well. But acting was not one of her many talents. So of course, an hour into the Ball, Cupidon led her toward a table and began to speak to her in a somewhat serious tone, his eyes heavy.

"Lis, mon cher, I know that I am not the one you wish to be with tonight. I only wish that you had spoken to me before... I do not blame you, and as surprising as it is, I do not blame him. I, may know better than most, that love is a strange creature. And maybe that Prewett fellow wasn't so wrong about your feelings about that boy. Maybe he was who you wanted all along. And I am in the way now. Lis, I love you and you know this, but I will not stand in the way of what you want and need. Hopefully you understand, why I am leaving this Ball now. Good night Lis, and do what you must." he said gently, kissing her softly on her slightly flushed cheeks, and standing to leave. He turned, gave her a short wave, and walked out of the Great Hall doors. And all Lily could do, was stare at his retreating back and try to process what he had said.

Who was the "he" that he had spoken of? The way he spoke of him, it was as if Lily was in love with him. And Lily wasn't in love with anyone to be sure... She looked toward the snowy scene portrayed on the ceiling. And for the second time that season, she actually found the snow beautiful. Gorgeous and pure in fact.

So that was the reason she gave herself, for standing up right then, and walking out of Hogwarts into the snow. That was the reason she gave herself, for swirling and dancing out in the fat snowflakes. That was the reason she gave herself, for lying down on the ground and making a snow angel right there in her cream-coloured gown and elbow-length gloves.

But why did she feel she needed a reason?

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So this was the way James Potter found Lily ten minutes later, after looking for her for that amount of time. Laughing at seemingly nothing, moving her arms and legs back and forth, making snow angels in the two foot snow drifts. And though it might have seemed insane to anyone who wasn't in love with her, James happened in fact, to be in love with her. So it seemed the simplest thing in the world, even logical. So that was the reason he gave himself, for lying right down with her in the two foot snow drifts, moving his arms and legs back and forth, and making snow angels. So that was the reason he gave himself, for laughing at nothing in the world, with the girl he loved in the freezing cold.

And nearly an hour later, that was still the reason he gave himself, for waltzing up through the corridors of Hogwarts, to Gryffindor Tower with the frozen girl he loved. And it was, of course, the reason he gave himself, for kissing her cheek softly, before he waltzed up to his dormitory with a short wave.

Someday, maybe the reason Lily had for doing anything, would be the same as his...

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A/N: Hope you liked it. I wasn't really sure about it, but something had to happen, and so it did.

Enjoy and review!