Disclaimer: Everything belongs to J.K. Rowling, the greatest writer EVER.

A/N: This is the chapter before the dance... May be a little confusing, but if you just hang with me, I'm sure you'll understand it by the next chapter.

The Rivalry of James and Lily

Year 3 - Chapter 4

Popping the Question

June was rapidly approaching and all of Hogwarts's students were overcome with anxiety. It seemed no one could wait for the dance, which was scheduled for June 25th, the day before the end of term. Even though the dance was only a month away, most people still did not have dates. One day, in DADA with their teacher of that year, Professor Babilon, James and Lily were having a very interesting conversation, which Lily noticed, Kate and Sirius were trying desperately to inconspicuously overhear.

"So Lily, who do you want to go to the dance with?" James asked.

"Oh, no one in particular," she said, although she felt a few butterflies flutter in her stomach when he asked. But why?

She's got gorgeous eyes, James thought. Man, when did she get so pretty?

"Erm, hello James? James? EARTH TO JAMES!" Lily bellowed into his ear.

"Huh? Oh sorry." He turned away so she couldn't see him blush. Had he really just been staring absentmindedly at Lily?

*****

That night at quidditch practice, Kate and Sirius stayed after to talk to Anna and Rosie, the quidditch captains.

"Hey Anna and Rosie, Kate and I need some help," Sirius started. "See, we really want to get James and Lily to go to this dance, but we can't think of anything. And we thought, hey, you guys are good at coming up with strategies on the quidditch pitch, so maybe you would be able to help us think of something."

"Heck yeah! We just set up one of roommates with Clinton Miller. Let's keep the roll going," replied Anna.

Rosie furrowed her brow. "Hmmm... I don't know Lily like I do James. What do they have in common?" asked Rosie.

Kate and Sirius stood there stumped for some time until Kate started to list the few things she could think of. "Well, they're smart, like pranks, and uhh... their friends with us."

Anna and Rosie's eyes both widened at this last statement.

"Oh! That's it! This is going to be soooo good!" Anna squealed, high-fiving Rosie. The two sixth years, sat there congratulating each other for some time until Sirius interrupted them.

"Would you mind filling us in?" said Sirius rather impatiently.

"Oh sorry! Well, Kate, you ask James, and Sirius, you ask Lily!" said Rose, excitedly.

Both third years stared at the sixth years, bewildered.

"Oh don't you get it? You end up going to the dance with them, but at the dance you each ditch them, and then they conveniently are stuck with each other," she said as if she thought this was obvious.

"And how exactly do we ditch them?" asked Kate.

"I know you two are clever enough to think of something. I don't know exactly how you should do it. Maybe you could hurt yourselves, tell them you fell for each other... anything. Just as long as they get stuck with each other," replied Anna.

"You know that might actually work," said Sirius.

"Thanks girls," Kate smiled, and then she and Sirius walked back to the castle.

***

There were three weeks until the dance, and Lily and James had both been asked a handful of times, both refusing all proposals. This made Kate and Sirius slightly uneasy.

"Hey Sirius, what if they turn us down?" asked Kate, nervously.

"They won't say no to us," replied Sirius confidently, although he really was just as worried as Kate.

***Meanwhile***

"I wonder what they're constantly talking about. I keep bugging Sirius but he won't fill me in about anything. He won't even gush about Kate anymore like he used to, and I'm positive he still likes her. You have any ideas?" James questioned Lily.

Since Kate's birthday, Lily and James had been very civil to each other, although they still woke up with a different hair of color regularly, and were able to easily connect it to the other's evil-doing. At that precise moment, Lily was quite frustrated with a potions essay and rather rudely responded to James.

"How am I supposed to know what they're up to?"

Before James could snap back, Sirius had come up to Lily.

"Hey Lily, can I talk to you?"

And then Kate asked James the same thing.

Sirius led Lily over to the corner of the room. Lily noticed immediately he looked extremely nervous. Before she could question him of anything, he popped a question she wasn't expecting.

"Will you go to the dance with me?"

"What? Sorry, I mean, yea, of course! But I thought you liked Kate?" she questioned.

"We're just friends," he said quickly. Too quickly, Lily noticed. And he also wasn't looking her in the eyes and was blushing furiously.

"So you'll go with me?" he asked, still staring at the floor.

"Oh course, Sirius," she replied, but she couldn't help feeling disappointed, and she didn't exactly know why. After all, he was one of her best friends.

"Well, I've got to jet to the library." And he pulled Kate away from the very awkward-looking conversation she was having with James.

Lily turned to James, who was standing with his mouth open looking like a very confused fish out of water.

"That was... interesting," he finally said.

"Don't tell me. Kate asked you to the dance, huh?" Lily questioned.

"Yea... how'd you know?" he asked back raising his eyebrow.

"I could feel the presence of.. of.. Well, I could just See it," she said mystically, mocking Sybill.

James chuckled. "No really, how did you know?"

"Ahh, you don't believe in my ability to see into the future?" she said, smiling. But then she answered James's question. "Sirius just asked me, so I figured Kate asked you."

"What?! Sirius asked you? Did you say yes?" James sounded almost panicked.

"Well... of course. I can't turn down one of my best friends. You said yes to Kate, right?" she replied.

"Wha- oh yeah," he mumbled.

"Well, James, I better go. This potions essay isn't going to finish itself. I'll see you around."

"Bye."

***

A week before the dance the Gryffindors were in a very interesting DADA class. Well at least Lily thought it was interesting. But she was the only one listening. Actually, no, it looked like James was listening too. Lily supposed he was so quiet because Kate and Sirius were absorbed in conversation, Alex and Remus, who were going to the dance together, were passing notes to each other, and Peter and Sybill hadn't shown up to class completely, which was quite unusual, so James didn't have anyone to talk to. Lily reverted her attention away from James and back to Professor Babilon.

"Death is one thing that is nearly impossible for magic to overcome. There is only one countercurse that can overcome death. And that is love to its fullest extent. If you love something with your full heart, you can save it from the most harmful curses, even Avada Kedavra. It rarely works, however. It has to be so pure and true that it is nearly impossible for a single soul to feel this for another human being.

"The human mind is made to have at least a shred of distrust towards every other person. However," he added, almost as though it was an afterthought, "I have some of the qualities of a Seer. I think that one of you may use your love to say another soul in the future." His eyes flicked to Lily.

After the lesson, Lily was lost in thought. Does anyone love her enough to save her from death?

"Pretty awesome lesson, huh, Evans?" said James, who had walked out of the classroom behind her.

"Yeah. I didn't realize love could be so powerful. Anyways, excited for the dance?"

"Yeah, I guess," he replied.

"You don't sound too enthusiastic," Lily pointed out.

"I dunno. I just don't think that Kate wants to go with me at all. I bet she'll end up ditching me for Sirius. No offense or anything. I know Sirius is your date, but they just are together so much..." he trailed off.

"I know what you mean," she replied. "I wouldn't be surprised if they were planning to ditch us from the start as some sort of joke."

James laughed a little at this. "If they're up to anything of the sort, we'll get them back good." He flashed Lily a half-smile and walked away with Remus.

Lily stood rooted to that spot for a moment.

"Miss Evans, can I help you?" asked Professor Babilon, who had stepped out of his classroom.

"Oh no, I'm fine," she replied embarrassed, and hurried off to the Gryffindor common room.

A/N: Ok, that's it for this chapter! I'm almost done writing the next chapter now, too. It's going to be VERY dramatic. Well, hopefully. I'm going to the bsb concert tomorrow night so I gotta go to bed now. Later days. PLEASE REVIEW!!