Lily
"Sirius, are you sure about this?"
Tearing my gaze away from the mirror in which I had been worriedly contemplating my reflection for the last fifteen minutes, I threw a harried glance in my companion's direction. Sirius, however, looked irritatingly unfazed, and (as much as I would die before admitting it aloud) roguishly handsome as always, black hair falling into piercing grey eyes as he paused from straightening the cuffs of his dress robes to look up at me. The illusion was ruined, however, when he let out a low whistle.
"Damn, Evans, if I had any doubts before now -"
"Finish that sentence and I will hex you so far into Oblivion you won't live to fail your NEWTs," I growled, and tried to keep my hand from shaking as I applied my dark red lipstick. The shimmery green formfitting dress I wore was a find, I could admit that. From the front, it looked fairly innocuous, a lighter green lace forming a strict yet sweet neckline, the bottom spinning out into tulle beneath my quaking knees. But aside from the few tendrils of lace which reached over my shoulders, the back was sheer to the small of my spine, made of fabric that was transparent but for a slight shimmer. My hair was held back with an emerald pin and curled 40's style - I'd always had a flair for the vintage. But I couldn't help wondering if it was way too much for the Valentine's Day Dance. For the hundredth time that day, I lost faith in Sirius' plan, and would have said as much had he not beat me to it.
"Seriously, Lils, don't worry about it," he said, the teasing tone fading from his voice. "I've got everything under control."
And, like an utter fool, I chose to believe him.
James
I couldn't believe I was going stag to the Valentine's Day Dance. Hell, I couldn't even believe I even attending the dance at all, let alone by myself. But I figured I'd rather be "that poor sod without a date" than "that poor sod who sat alone in the Common Room by himself all night pretending to do homework."
To make matters worse, Sirius had mysteriously disappeared around five that evening, muttering about needing to "take care of something." If that wasn't bloody suspicious then I don't know what was.
I walked to the Great Hall with Remus and Peter, and it didn't escape my notice the way that Moony kept running his hand distractedly through his hair and staring broodingly off into the distance as if there was somewhere he'd much rather be. I'd seen the way he'd looked at Alice as she met her date at the entrance to the Common Room, but I pretended I hadn't. I knew he'd never ask her out due to his conviction that his condition would necessarily make him a terrible boyfriend for anyone, let alone someone he cared about as much as Alice. (Actually, I think "unfitting suitor" was the phrase he used, and you better believe I took the mickey out of him for that one.)
I avoided eye contact with the swarms of tittering girls that were gathering outside the entrance to the Great Hall and hurried in, barely pausing to notice the decorations in my beeline for the punch table. It looked nice, I suppose. Everything was very tasteful and refined, with candles providing most of the light at each of the small tables and enough roses to be romantic but not cloying. Little sparkling lights filled the air, and with a jolt I realized they were actually enchanted fireflies. The milky way stretched above us, the magical ceiling serene. I definitely recognized the hand of a certain girl I didn't want to name in the designs, and the very thought made my stomach twist uncomfortably. I took a drink of punch only to realize that it had been spiked, and not delicately. I deliberated reaching for a bottled butterbeer instead, but in the end, my less-than-practical side won. I just wanted this night to be over, and anything that helped to speed that process along was fine by me.
Lily
Sirius and I attracted no small amount of staring as we swept into the Great Hall, me praying that I wouldn't trip and trying to keep my head held high and ignore the whispers and giggles that followed us wherever he went. I wanted to bolt, and I could tell Sirius knew it from the iron grip he maintained on my arm as he steered me onto the dance floor. Naturally, the fast song had faded away as soon as we arrived, and Sirius wasted no time in pulling me close. I resisted, trying to keep a cautious no-contact space between our bodies, but it made me clumsy. After the third time I tripped over his feet, I finally acquiesced with a sigh, moving closer so that his mouth was by my ear. The feel of his break so close to my neck made me uneasy, and I was glad when he finally spoke.
"Lord, Lily," he chuckled, "you'd think I'm the Loch Ness monster the way you keep trying to get away from me."
"As opposed to what, Britain's most eligible bachelor?" I shot back. I could feel him smiling. "Just because I'm not an initiated member of the Sirius Black Fan Club-"
"As if I'd let you join-"
"Oh, you're a member, that one I believe. Party of one, is it?" He pulled away from me slightly, and the roguish grin slipped away, replaced by a sparkle in his silvery eyes. Then he leaned in close to murmur softly in my ear, "Lily, I could have pretty much any girl in this room besides maybe McGonagall and you know it. I'm not sure why you're not equally susceptible to my charms. Maybe you're defective?"
"Defective!" I nearly shrieked, pulling away from him. "God, are you really that delusional? Did you ever stop to think that maybe you're just not my type?"
Sirius just chuckled in that infuriating way of his, and I would have left him standing there like an idiot had it not been for the several heads that were now inclined our way, eyes bright with curiosity. Hating myself for caring, for agreeing to whatever this was, for not having the strength to walk away, I let Sirius take my waist again. I could hardly believe his audacity when he had the daring to whisper in my ear.
"Did you ever stop to think that maybe you're just not mine?"
I let my eyes narrow. "I wasn't aware that you had a type other than 'breasts'".
Again with that grating laugh. "Harsh, Lily. Seriously, will you give it a rest? Believe it or not, I'm trying to help you. It's a bit difficult to explain right now, and I'm not the best with this sort of thing, but…I don't like seeing my friends in pain. And I'd be honored if one day that description could include you."
Shocked by his suddenly fierce and reverent tone, I couldn't help but mutter, "Don't hold your breath." He just smiled, and against all reason, I let my head rest on his shoulder for a brief moment before the music shifted again. I felt Sirius stiffen against me and I lifted my head to look him in the eyes, confused.
"Sirius, what's wrong?"
All of his prior self-assurance was gone, replaced by something that looked like a strange mixture of panic and determination. His jaw had gone hard, and his hair was in his eyes again, although he didn't seem to notice. "Lily," he began, grasping my shoulders firmly, "do you trust me?"
James
I couldn't believe it when I first saw them together. To say that I did a doubletake was the understatement of the century. Then, all of the pieces began to click into place. Sirius' odd distance from me for the past couple of days, his strange excuse this afternoon. As I watched them swaying lightly from side to side, his hand gripping the small of her back, his mouth at her ear, the confusion began to melt away, to become something darker. But nothing could have prepared me for what happened next.
The moment the music switched to something with a more up-tempo beat, Sirius literally swept Lily away. I knew he'd had dance lessons, but this, this was something else. One moment his hands were expertly twirling her, the next they were at her waist, the next they were supporting her as he spun her in the air. Lily, helpless and laughing, could barely keep up. And all that, I could have withstood, though it did turn my insides to ice when he placed the rose between her teeth. Giddy, she placed along, shimmying those exquisite shoulders back and forth, and if it was a dagger to my heart when he plucked the rose from her perfect mouth and tucked it into his vest, the finale is what finished me. Suddenly, his lips were on hers as he dipped her low so that her white neck was extended, only breaking the kiss when he set her gently back on her feet.
A/N: Oh hey, it's been like six months! Sorry about that, crazy year. I think I had a feeling I wanted to come back to this story sometime, though, and I hope you feel the same.
