I'M HERE AGAIN!

Okay, so I update every weekends. So, it may be Saturdays or Sundays, depending on the time I have to write.

I know the last chapter seemed to be too short. Actually, I realized that the second chapter was too long for fanficition, that is; but honestly, not for me so I decided to redo the coverage of my chapters – which resulted in a twenty-five-chapter story. Anyway, I'm thinking of elaborating some events in the future so it might turn out to be actually longer than originally planned… why am I saying this anyhow?

Err…

Anyways, thanks for the reviews. As for the pronouns, I've rechecked my work and if there are still errors… hey, feel free to tell me.

By the way, I changed one thing in chapter three. Instead of a game on Friday, I changed it to Saturday. Makes sense to me now, because I realized Quidditch matches lasted as long as it could take until the elusive Snitch had been caught.

Hmmm… what else? Oh yeah, JK Rowling owns them.

I, saj aneri, am a fan and I own the stuffs you don't recognize. :)

i don't want to dissect everything today... i don't mean to pick you apart you see... but i can't help it... -- alanis morissette, "all i really want"

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CHAPTER FOUR: Then Who Do You Like?

Lily made herself comfortable in one of the chairs by the headmaster's desk. From the library… to the hallways… to the stairs up Dumbledore's office, James was following just behind her. However, when they finally entered the office, he got too preoccupied with interest with the things inside the room to even acknowledge the way she was looking at him with eyes saying 'sit down, for the love of god.' She watched him as he walked around the room, tinkering with the little displays that were on the shelves.

The headmaster's office had walls covered with portraits of the past headmasters even before when Dumbledore was in the position. Lily could have enjoyed looking at them, even if they all seemed to be sleeping, if only James would stop fiddling with every little thing that he saw inside the office. He was now looking through some fragile ceramics that were apparently for not-to-be-played-and-thrown-around-with.

"James, why won't you sit down and stop touching Dumbledore's things?" she finally blurted out.

James looked at her at the said of that. But knowing him, she knew that look was the look of a mischievous mind busy at work. "Why?" he said as he walked slowly to her, carrying a figurine with him. "Afraid that something might go missing?"

"Uh – no," Lily replied as a matter of fact, her eyes traveling from what he was holding, then up to his eyes and then back to the delicate piece of ornament that he was clutching in his hand. "Afraid that everything you touch might go breaking."

"What?"

"Or exploding," Lily added, her tone almost begging for him to sit down and behave himself.

And just as if she had read the future, James did something that made her heart almost skip out of her chest. He threw the breakable figurine, that he was holding, up in the air to frighten the ever-so-prudent Lily.

"James!" Lily exclaimed; her voice was high-pitched and full of apprehension.

James caught the fragile display firmly with his hands as he took pleasure in watching Lily's shocked and nervous expression. "Lily," he began, shaking his head in mock disappointment, as he put the figurine back in its place. "You are such a nervous wreck sometimes."

Lily took a deep breath. James was starting to get into her nerves again. "You don't throw fragile things in the air—"

"But I caught—"

"Even if you intend to catch it," she finished, ignoring what he wanted to say. Anyway, she was sure that it would just be another one of those nonsense things that he used to say to get himself out of trouble.

James looked at her, wondering if she ever had any fun in her life. He actually barely remembered any event when she would just forget the rules and see how things would go. "You know—" he was about to say what was in his mind when he suddenly stopped and remembered what a huge (and expensive at that) fight they just had. He was not about to get Lily upset with him again… well, not in that very short interlude of time. Besides, there was that eyebrow raised way high up again.

"What?" Lily waited for him to continue.

"We need to sit down and wait for Dumbledore," James said instead, as he sat on the chair across her.

Lily rolled her eyes. She concluded that James could really have a thick head where things just didn't sink in fast enough. "That's what I've been trying to make you do, Mr-Can't-Sit-Still."

Just a moment later, Dumbledore came in from a door behind the office. "Oh, glad to see you here," he greeted them, as he walked in. He sat behind his desk and apologized, "Sorry for my delay."

"That's alright, Professor," Lily said cheerily, smiling.

James smiled too. But his smile was not for Dumbledore. He was flashing a naughty smile for Lily, who seemed to be acting way more goody-goody compared to her normal paranoia in keeping things in order.

Lily noticed his impish gaze and narrowed her eyes at him. When his smile would not fade, she stomped hard on his left foot. To her satisfaction, James' smile transformed into an expression of suppressed anguish.

"Well, I'm sure you know why I called for you," Dumbledore continued, pretending to not notice what just happened between the two students sitting across his desk.

"Uh-huh," Lily answered with a nod… and a wide smile.

Dumbledore turned to James, also expecting some sort of reply from him. However, James could barely say anything because of what Lily just did. She might be petite—'vertically challenged,' if James would say it—but she seemed to have that uncanny ability to concentrate all her strength in order to give him one hell of an aching foot.

James nodded in agreement with what Lily said, his face still hinted like he was having some sort of constipation.

"It's about the Christmas dance," Lily continued.

"Ah, yes. The Yule Ball," Dumbledore began. "The Yule Ball will be taking place in a month. And I'm sure you, as Head Boy and Head Girl, would want to be given a fairly long time for the preparation."

James finally recovered from the pain and sat up straight. "Yeah. Yes. Yes," he said, making his presence apparent at last. He narrowed his eyes on Lily and all she did was flash an annoying, satisfied smile.

"Both of you will be in charge of the decorations of the Great Hall during the dance," Dumbledore continued. "You may ask Professor Flitwick for his help as he is willing to assist you in setting up the decorations."

Lily busily scribbled the information that Dumbledore was telling them. On the other hand, all James did was to look at her and let her 'remember' the details that he might forget – which could be… almost everything.

"You will also be in charge of the different foods to serve during the ball. You could list them down and hand them in to the house elves in the kitchen whenever you've finished with them." Then, after a pause, Dumbledore leaned over closer to them like he was telling a secret. "The elves make great desserts. They've always been my favorite if I do say so myself," he said, smiling. He looked at them to ensure if they were getting what he was saying. Lily and James nodded.

"Well then." Dumbledore sat back up in his seat. "I think that's it for now," he concluded. "If you need to know about something else, feel free to ask me."

"Alright, Professor," Lily replied, her face still flashing an expression of interest and cheerfulness. "We'll be going now."

* * * * *

Out in the hallways, Lily started to schedule the task that was just recently given to them. It had only been about three minutes after Dumbledore had talked to them and, yet, she was already scribbling – using a Muggle pen – incessantly in her notebook.

James looked at her and rolled his eyes. One day, he thought to himself, he would teach this girl to break some school regulations, or maybe… do something really stupid, for a start.

"So," Lily started, tapping her pen on the notebook. "We are going to split the work in half…" she trailed, writing down something she had forgotten to. She was not even looking at James to see his reaction.

"Uh… Lily?"

She looked up at him. He did not even need to say a word to get across the message that he wanted to say. Sometimes, she felt like she could read his mind. A very frightening thought of course. "I'm not saying you do it tonight, James. I know you have a date with Emma Creton tonight," she said. Then she thought, maybe the reason why she seemed to know what he was thinking was because most of the time, he was thinking of—what else—women. "The whole school knows about it. It's like the coming of Merlin or something."

"Oh," James muttered quite proudly.

"Yeah." Lily rolled her eyes. "She practically announced it to everyone she met in the hallways these past couple of days." She looked at him, who was smiling not-so-humbly with what she was telling him. Then, as if to get her point across and straight into his thick skull, "It's annoying," she said as a matter of universal fact.

Instead, James' smile grew even wider, his eyes almost disappearing. "Annoying?" he said, moving his eyebrows up and down, teasing her. "For all I know, you want a turn, too."

Lily's mouth fell open and for a split second, it seemed like her brain had left her. "What?!" she exclaimed, flashing a pair of wide green eyes. James was not only the most annoying person in the whole of human race; he could even be the epitome of the self-opinionated, conceited, full of himself… jerk! "James, if ever, for some dark curses, I ever go out with you, I'd probably be so embarrassed I'm never emerging from under a cloak again!" Her tone was so firm and final, James did not even try to retaliate whatever she said.

"Uh—" Now he was the one lost for words. He walked with her silently for a few seconds, apparently thinking of something to say. Why was it that his charm never ever worked on her? Not that he wanted to, he did not even want to imagine it… although at times like these, he just wondered. "Alright," he finally said, after un-cluttering his apparently-clouded-up-mentality, as Lily thought. "Lily Evans, then who do you like?" he asked quite casually.

Lily glanced at him annoyingly. She thought he would shut up all the way until they reached the common room. Evidently, she was mistaken. She sighed audibly and decided to answer his question. "Cunning… Intelligent…"

"Well, I could be—"

"Confident…" Lily interrupted. James looked at her, and before he could even start, "not over confident," she said, her eyes mockingly staring straight into his eyes. "And sweet," she concluded with a shrug.

"Ah!" James exclaimed. "I gave you candies and—"

"Flowers?" Lily finished for him. "You did that because I was about to bury you alive, James," she said, chuckling. "I've never heard a girl whirl crazy with sweetness after going out with you. All I hear is that 'Oh, James is such a good kisser,'" she mocked a flirty voice.

"They say that?"

Lily rolled her eyes. Great, he's even proud of it, she thought. She smirked at his proud smile and finally said, "And honestly speaking, I think the candies and flowers weren't even your idea." By that, it was her turn to flash the ever so wide smile before she went ahead and left him dumbfounded… again.

* * * * *

That night, very few Gryffindors were in the Common Room and they were all quietly going about their homework. Of course, it was because the leader of the 'band' – yes, James – was out on a date that was why the room was tranquil.

Lily was sitting in one corner of the couch near the fireplace while reading the book she checked out from the library that afternoon. She was deeply engrossed with the book, holding it straight up across her face, when someone slowly pulled it down, revealing Remus sitting on the table in front of her, smiling.

"Don't you think you're in a little of a hurry with that?" he said, his voice kind – unlike the always animated voice of his friends.

Lily smiled back. "I just wanted to finish this assignment early."

"Can't you take a little break? For just a while?" Remus shrugged. Lily's face flashed an expression of curiosity and he said, "I want to show you something."

"What?"

Remus stood up and took her hand. When she did not hesitate he said, "C'mon," as he led her out of the Common Room.

* * * * *

It was nowhere special in particular. Actually, Remus led Lily by the lake, which was starting to freeze. They were leaning against a tree beside it while looking up into the sky. Some time in their conversation, Lily shared that she could not even point out the Big Dipper. It was weird, she knew, however, Remus was being nice on helping her site it out.

"There it is," he said, pointing to the night sky.

Lily narrowed her eyes up at the sky, trying to focus on something that she could not even figure out. "Uh, I don't see it," she complained, shaking her head.

With this, Remus moved closer to her and placed his head beside her to direct her line of vision. Again, he pointed to the sky.

This time, Lily smiled in delight, locating the constellation. "Yeah, I see it."

* * * * *

Meanwhile, back at the other side of the castle, James and Emma were on their date. If you could call talking nonstop about school rumors a date.

Emma was talking continuously about gossip while James was pretending, with all his patience, to listen intently to whatever she was saying – he could not actually understand – although deep inside he wanted to petrify her just to stop her. But then again, that would mean that he would not be able to kiss her – so he, instead, sat there, looking absent-mindedly at her.

Like a hunter, he waited for her to pause. And at last, when she paused to ask him if he was listening, he leaned over and kissed her before she could even begin talking again.

Of course, Emma could not complain because, like some kind of public knowledge (as Lily stated), James was indeed a good kisser. That was probably the only thing that he was especially good at, aside from Quidditch and Transfiguration (even if he hardly paid attention) that is.

* * * * *

Lily was laughing at a joke that Remus just told her. Meanwhile, he smiled at the sight of her laughing.

When they finally settled, the mood changed.

"So, do you come here every night?" Lily asked, back to gazing up at the sky.

"Not really," Remus replied. "But I like watching the sky at night." He paused. "It's kind of ironic actually."

"Ironic?"

At that moment, he thought of what Sirius said to him back in Hogsmeade – telling her about his secret if he was serious about her. "Well, yeah. You see I—uh—well…" he trailed off. He looked at her, who was still staring up at the sky. He backed out at the last minute. Something told him… too many maybe's and too many what if's. Whatever they all were, he felt that the truth needed not come out that night… maybe… needed not come out at all…

"Sometimes I feel like hiding in a far away place where no one and nothing could see me," he said, instead. It was the truth but it wasn't the truth.

"I know how that feels. Sometimes, I just wanna get out of this place, too." Then, for the first time that night, Lily turned and looked at him straight in the eyes. "But… have you ever felt you wanna stay but then, you just have to go because other people might get hurt?"

This time, it was Remus who looked away. He avoided her gaze and looked straight up ahead. "Often," he replied weakly, his voice hinted with a tone of sadness.

* * * * *

It was getting pretty late in the night and close to curfew so everyone who decided to take a stroll out in the grounds were back in the castle.

Remus and Lily were walking back to the Gryffindor Tower, back to telling each other jokes. They were about to turn around the hall to the tower when James appeared with Emma.

"Hey. Hi, Remus. Lily," Emma greeted, with a wave and a friendly smile.

Remus waved back and Lily said, "Hey," smiling.

This was the only time that James realized that Remus and Lily were together. He looked at them curiously. The four of them were standing where the halls toward the Gryffindor tower and Emma's house tower met.

"So," Emma called James' attention. "This is it. I'll see tomorrow?" she uttered quite flirty-ly.

"Uh—yeah," James replied. And before she left, he kissed her goodnight.

Lily and Remus, not really planning to stand there and watch them go at each other, went ahead.

When James—finally—said goodbye to Emma, he followed his friend and the girl who was not so quite fond of him. Instead of joining them, he decided to walk a couple of meters behind. He watched them – especially Lily. Then he wondered why she never laughed like that with him – genuine, complete with twinkling eyes… and no walkouts.

* * * * *

"'Night, Remus," Lily said after she gathered her things that she left in the common room before Remus led her to the lake. "James," she decided to acknowledge him too.

James nodded and Remus said, "'Night." After which, Lily finally went up the stairs to her dormitory.

When he was sure that Lily could not hear them, James teased Remus. "What, no goodnight kiss?"

Remus glanced at James, then went for the stairs to the boys' dormitories. "It wasn't a date, James," he declared.

But James, stubborn as he was, gave his friend a pat on the shoulder and said, "Yeah. Whatever you say."

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you and the moon are a beautiful sight to me... -- sixpence none the richer, "easy to ignore"

Alright, judgment time… what do you think? Tell me!