January slowly became February. The weather didn't get any warmer, but Lily didn't dislike it: it was the season of thick woolly jumpers, of steaming hot chocolate for breakfast, and frost on the windows of the castle.

This was also the month of St. Valentine's, which so happened to coincide with a trip to Hogsmeade. For the 6th years (and indeed for most of the other students), it seemed like an important occasion.

Avril, especially, realized the consequences of a St. Valentine's/Hogsmead trip. On a cold afternoon, only a week before the trip, she arrived at the Common Room, and slammed her books down on the table, causing a couple of alarmed 1st years to stare in her direction.

"What are you all gawping at?" she snapped. They looked away hurriedly.

"Bit harsh, wasn't it?" Lily asked her. She was sitting at the table where Avril had just slammed her books onto, and was looking quite concerned.

"It's true, they're always staring at everyone!" she excused herself, sitting down. "But I guess I overreacted... I just got asked out on the trip again," she explained.

"Again?" Dorcas asked from the other end of the table.

"Yeah... I'm getting well sick of it..."

"Sick of it? You should be flattered, loads of people want to go out with you," said Dorcas. "Unlike me... No one's asked me yet..."

"Well, why don't you ask someone?" Lily said. She found it a bit daft that it was usually the guy who asked the girl out, and not the other way around.

"There's no one I really want to go with..."

"Then quit complaining," Robyn said pleasantly. She was sitting on Lily's other side. "No one's asked me yet, either, and look how much I care."

"Yeah, but you don't give a damn about boys. Hey, we could go together," Dorcas suggested. "I mean, who cares if it coincides with St. Valentine's? We can go as just a group of friends. You want to come too, Lils?"

Lily blushed. "Um... Well, sorry, Dorcas, but someone already asked me out..."

"Really? Who?" her friends asked her curiously.

"Yeah, and how come you haven't told us up till now?" Avril demanded.

"He only asked me this morning... And I was going to tell you, but I had studying to do, and..."

"Who is it, though?"

"Promise you won't laugh?"

"Of course not..." they sighed impatiently.

"Aaron Jones."

They were quiet for a second, then started speaking all at once.

"Are you kidding me?"

"The Quidditch player?"

"Why would we have laughed at you for that? He's-"

"But you barely know him!"

"-extremely fit," Avril finished. "How did this even happen?"

"Well, he's been to a few of Slughorn's parties recently, and we started talking, and he seems kind of nice. Really kind, you know."

"And fit," added Avril.

"So he asked me this morning. He was really shy," Lily smiled, "all nervous. And I said yes."

"Blimey..." Dorcas whistled under her breath. "That was unexpected. But you're right, he's really nice. A good team-mate, too."

"But we're going as just friends, you do realize that?"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Avril laughed. "It always starts as "just friends""

"No, really. Just friends."

"I doubt he sees it that way..." Robyn muttered.

"Do you think?" Lily wondered. "I hope not... I mean, he's nice and all, but I don't really want to date him..."

"Why ever not?" Dorcas raised an eyebrow sceptically. "He's nice, he's funny, and he's one of the hottest boys around."

"I don't fancy him, though..." Lily explained to her.

"Well, you go on the date and have fun, yeah?" said Avril. She was about to add something else when James arrived at the table.

"Hey, how are my gorgeous girls going?" he smiled around.

"Transfiguration is getting more and more boring by the minute," said Dorcas.

James laughed, and then looked at Lily hopefully. "Um, Lily...? Do you mind if we talk for a second?"

By that, Lily guessed he meant in private, so she got up and walked over to the fire, where thankfully there was no one sitting. James followed, and bit his lip nervously, not saying anything.

"Well?" Lily wondered what he wanted.

"I... um, I was wondering... Do you want to come on the Hogsmeade trip with me?"

Lily's surprise must have shown on her face, because he quickly added, "As friends, of course. Just friends."

"It's not that... I'm kind of going with someone else."

"What? Who?" he looked shocked. Too shocked to be disappointed, even.

"Aaron Jones."

Disappointment did show in his eyes, then. "Oh, right... Well, um, have a nice time with him then."

"I'm not dating him or anything," she said quickly. "We're going as just friends." She didn't know where that need to justify herself had come from.

James attempted to smile. "In any case, enjoy it. Aaron's a good guy, it'll be fun." As he turned around, leaving Lily next to the fire in a state of confusion, he thought about what he had just said. Aaron Jones was a nice guy, and he also realized he was kind of attractive, if you liked tall and muscled types. The thought of Lily on a date (or whatever) with him was quite depressing.

He suddenly realized how stupid he was being: hadn't Lily said they were going as "just friends"? And in any case, she was free to go out with whoever she wanted. If only he had asked her out yesterday, though...