CHAPTER EIGHT!

At last! I'm able to update this story.

There's so much work to do in school, I think I'm going crazy.

Anyway, I'm going to make this introduction short cause my brother's going to use the computer.

So, as always, thanks to those who submitted a review.

I hope you enjoy this chapter just as you did that past ones. Happy reading!

and when we're face to face... the world just fades away... so take me to that place... where it's just you and i... every single night... -- nikki hassman, "any lucky penny"

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CHAPTER EIGHT: Stars

As usual, the Great Hall was buzzing because of the students starting to gather that night for dinner. The excitement about Dumbledore's official announcement of the Yule Ball added to the lively atmosphere of the room.

In their usual sitting place – the front end of the Gryffindor table – Peter, Remus, and James all flashed looks of puzzlement when Sirius neared them with a face like he just sucked a sour lemon.

"What happened to you?" Remus asked him as he sat down beside James.

Before saying anything, Sirius gulped down the glass of pumpkin juice in front of him. He swallowed the liquid quite reluctantly like ingesting it would kill him. Then, he looked at his friends, knitted brows, and said, "Narcissa just kissed me," in a tone like it was a closely guarded secret.

They didn't exactly know how to react that his friends took a couple of seconds to absorb what he just said.

As always, James was the first in line to make fun of his friend as he laughed like it was almost pathetic. "What?!" he exclaimed. His voice was too loud for his best friend that Sirius had to elbow him lightly. He paused and closed his mouth to stop himself. But his eyes still showed that he was trying to stifle a laugh. He managed to keep his opinion to himself for about a fraction of a second as he started to engage himself in a boisterous mirth again. "Narcissa?" he managed to say in between laughs. "Wha – what ha – hap – happened?" He looked at Sirius who rolled his eyes at him. "You're a cuddly little heartthrob, are you?" he teased. "You seem to be attracting girls to just kiss you out of nowhere."

"It's not – it's not funny!" Sirius cried, annoyed.

"Even a Slytherin named Narcissa," Peter joined in.

James nodded in agreement. "Uh-huh."

"It's disgusting," Sirius concluded as he took the glass of pumpkin juice resting in front of James.

"Hey," James complained as he watched his friend drink the glass of pumpkin juice. "That's distasteful! You're mouth has touched her mouth and now yours is touching my glass?"

Sirius put down the glass, wiping his mouth. "I dunno," he shrugged. He was apparently still in a state of shock as he ignored what his friend just told him and continued saying out loud what he was thinking. "I've never seen her so aggressive. I think she even pulled out strands of my hair."

With that, James laughed even harder that he had to lean on Sirius for support. And as if he hadn't said enough, he whispered, only loud enough for the four of them to hear, "Imagine her in bed."

"God! I am not doing that!" Sirius exclaimed in extreme repulsed disagreement, the moment the last word escaped his friend's mouth. It was as if he suddenly woke up in reality. He looked at James in revolt. "You're the most perverted person ever placed on the face of the earth," he said, shaking his head.

"What was that about anyway?" Remus had to ask, couldn't be able to bear the puzzle.

"I have no idea," Sirius replied. He reached for Remus' glass this time and began drinking.

"Hey!" Remus protested.

Sirius put the empty glass down on the table. "Doesn't work," he declared, sticking his tongue out. "I'm gargling," he said as he stood up and then made his way out of the hall.

* * * * *

"Hey, Lily," Sirius greeted her. He was back from the bathroom – after an intense mouth washing – and bumped into her while getting into the Great Hall.

Lily smiled at him and nodded. "Hey." She had just been released from the hospital wing – much to her delight as the soup that Madam Prenny served her didn't exactly taste like food. And instead of going back to the tower, she went straight to the Great Hall, craving for some tasty dinner. Besides, Dumbledore would be announcing the Yule Ball and along with it, he would name her – and, fine, James – as the persons in charge of the event.

She went ahead of Sirius and walked to her friends, who were talking animatedly with each other – well, at least Kiara and Toni. They were probably talking about some schmaltzy girly thing that was why Vince was staying out of the conversation by busying himself with the appetizers laid down on the table.

When they saw her approach them, she couldn't help but notice the incessant smile that her two girl friends were wearing. It was most especially Toni who couldn't wipe off that beaming face that she knew something was gong on.

"You seem happy." Lily said the words slowly, with an intrigued look on her face, as she sat down across the table from Toni, who was beside Vince.

Toni shrugged. "Nothing so special."

Kiara couldn't keep herself from excitement. "I would've told you about it earlier…" she said, trailing for a while. "But a certain Lucius Malfoy was keeping you busy this morning," she said, her voice hinting the tone of teasing.

Lily rolled her eyes. "He was just visiting," she insisted but a smile was forming across her face.

Toni and Kiara exchanged meaningful glances.

"What?" Lily asked innocently.

"Aah…" Toni started. "Lucius… Slytherin… house tower so far away from ours… has concerns that mostly have nothing to do with that of Gryffindor's…" she paused her deducing enumeration then started again. "Just happened to drop by the hospital wing? Just visiting?"

Lily bowed down her head as if trying to hide her face. But her friends knew that she was probably blushing red that time. "He dropped off some lessons I've missed today," she said, believing that she was truthful up to the literal sense anyway. When her friends still looked at her inquisitively, she shrugged. "He said Professor Spinter asked him to," she finished with much resolution in her voice.

Kiara raised her eyebrows saying, "Yeah," hinting that she knew more than that. "Just so you know, if you haven't figured it out yet, he offered Professor Spinter to drop off your parchment."

At the said of that, Lily flashed her friends a pair of unbelieving eyes. When Kiara and Toni both displayed the same 'believe me, it's the truth' expressions, she turned to Vince and looked at him like the answers were lying inside him.

Vince felt Lily's eyes burning with curiosity on him. He straightened in his seat and raised in hands in defense looking back at her. "Don't look at me. I'm just trying to get by until they serve dinner," he said, avoiding Lily's perplexed expression. "Why in the world is it taking so long to serve dinner?" he added, relentlessly trying to change the subject.

Lily was about to say something but as if on cue, just as Vince said his conclusive remarks, Dumbledore stood up. He clapped his hands to call the attention of the whole crowd in the Great Hall.

The whole room silenced anticipating what the Headmaster was going to say. "First of all," Dumbledore started. "I would like to greet you all a good evening," he said, nodding at the students who were all looking intently at him. "Second, we all know that Christmas is slowly approaching and students who are planning to stay in school for the holidays should start signing up the form situated in your respective houses," he paused, looking around as if to make sure that everyone in the room had absorbed what he just said. "Third, and I know this is what you've been waiting for, especially the fourth years and up. Christmas is coming soon, and you know that fourth years and up are going to have the yearly Yule Ball before the Christmas break," he paused again, waiting for the students to settle down, as they had began buzzing about the Ball. "In two weeks, the Yule Ball will take place. As usual, it will be a formal affair. Everyone who is allowed to go should attend wearing his or her best formal robes. And in case you have any questions or suggestions about the ball, don't hesitate to approach your Head Boy or Head Girl," he said, pointing to James and then to Lily. "They are in charge of the preparation for this special occasion." He paused again. This time the students were all too eager for him to end his speech so that they could talk about the ball. "Alright. With that said, let's enjoy our dinner," he concluded before sitting back down.

"So," Lily began talking to Vince, trying to pick up where they left off. "Who are you taking to the dance?"

Vince looked up and at the expecting faces of his friends. These are the days when having girls for your best friends are not advisable, he thought to himself. "Someone," he said with a shrug, in a tone that was so casual like it was no big deal.

"Someone?" Kiara asked suspiciously.

"Yeah," Vince answered in a nod. "Someone," he repeated the word in the same nonchalant tone.

* * * * *

"Sarah Cramer."

Sirius looked at James. He could not believe the name of the girl his best friend just planned to go to the Yule Ball with. "Cramer?" he repeated, trying to make sure that he heard James right.

Apparently, it was not only Sirius who was a bit surprised by James' revelation. "You're taking her to the dance?" Peter asked disbelievingly.

"Yes. What's wrong with that?" James said, shrugging, having the nerve to flash a look of utter innocence.

Because James seemed to not realize what confusion and complication he just got himself into, Remus had to ask what the others were also thinking. "What happened with Emma Creton?"

James looked up at his friends and tried to remain a blank expression, hesitating to answer Remus' question.

But being his best friend, Sirius knew what that 'dumb' expression, that he was making, meant.

"Lemme guess," Sirius said in a serious tone. "You haven't broken up with Emma yet."

Suddenly, James became defensive. "Well, I'm sorry, Mr. Romantic," he uttered the words like Sirius was the grave sinner and deserved to be sent down to hell. "But it's really difficult getting her to stop talking and listen."

Sirius sighed audibly, making apparent his disappointment on the way his friend just behaved. "Just an obvious advice from an honest friend," he started looking James straight in the eye as if to knock some sense in him. "James, at least break it up with Creton before you start fantasizing about other women."

James rolled his eyes as if Sirius just said the most incredulous nonsense words in the world. Then he turned to Remus and Peter for some support. To his dismay, the two of them agreed with Sirius.

"I'm with Sirius," Peter said.

"Me too," Remus added.

Helpless and out of people to back him up, James only groaned and looked at his friend. "Fine."

* * * * *

After dinner, Sirius told his friends to go on without him, saying that he had something to deal with. He was standing just outside the Great Hall, apparently waiting, as he watched every student coming out of the doors attentively, not intending to miss the person he was waiting for.

There was a moment when the swarm of students appeared to be overflowing out of the hall that he started to look desperately through the crowd.

His heart skipped a beat.

He just spotted the reason why he was standing outside the hall waiting for the students to come out.

He ran to her.

"Toni!"

And Toni froze. She just recognized Sirius' voice. And from how she heard it, he was probably standing a couple of feet just behind her. Nervously, she turned around and found herself looking straight into his eyes.

"H-h-hi," Sirius greeted, smiling at her.

* * * * *

Lily was still looking around the girls' dormitory in awe of the amount of daisies that were in several vases around the room.

Kiara had to transfigure some things inside the room into vases just to be able to accommodate all the flowers that Toni's secret admirer scattered everywhere. She was telling Lily about them and how the flowers found their way into their dormitory – because of Sirius, with her help of course – when Toni came into the room.

She was looking quite flustered and shocked. She closed the door and stood still in the middle of the room looking at her friends.

"What's wrong with you?" Lily asked her.

"Sirius—" Toni had to swallow before continuing. "Uh, well, he just, uh, asked me, asked me to the dance?" she said the words like she wasn't sure herself.

Even before the last syllable escaped Toni's mouth, Kiara shrieked with delight and jumped to hug her friend. "You said yes, right?" she asked excitedly, dancing with joy.

"Yeah," Toni replied, as grin slowly widening across her face.

"So, Sirius was really the one who filled the room with flowers?" Lily uttered, half-believingly.

"Yeah," Toni replied. "Lily, I know he's best friends with like, uh, James Potter," she said his name using 'James' like an adjective of himself at the same time. "But James kept me out practicing Quidditch all day yesterday so Sirius could set up the room. So I guess he could have that soft side of him."

Lily's mouth fell open as her widely smiling friends looked at her. "Can we please not talk about him?"

"Fine," came Toni's voice.

"Fine," Kiara said in second. Then she turned to Toni. "So, I was right. You do like Sirius," she declared. "I always thought there was that glint of jealousy in your eyes every time he and I were talking privately."

Toni snorted. "Huh! I wasn't…"

"Yeah right," Kiara said, raising an eyebrow. "Like asking me how he kissed when I did your dare was not jealousy—"

"I wasn—"

"I saw that frown you were trying to conceal," Kiara concluded mockingly looking at Toni straight in the eyes.

Toni opened her mouth to say something but no words came out. So, she turned away from Kiara's gaze instead. "You know what?" she finally said. "I'm going to bed," she declared walking to her bed.

"It's only eight," Kiara retaliated.

"Well," Toni said as she was tucking herself in her bed. "I'm tired," she concluded the conversation as she covered her whole body with her blanket.

* * * * *

The next morning, Lily decided to go into the Head Prefects Room to get some things she left before she ended up in the hospital wing.

Opening the door was like opening a very big box full of surprises because sure as it was, she was amazed the moment she pushed the door open. Usually, dust particles would be very apparently visible as the sunlight from the window touched them. But on that day, the place was totally clean.

More than that, Christmas decorations adorned the room. Near the fireplace was a glittering-decorated Christmas tree. She neared the hearth and ran her hands softly on the trimmings that were lining the edges of the fireplace. She chuckled to herself the moment she saw two Christmas socks hanging by the fireplace. One with James' name and the other with hers.

She stepped back, adoring the angels hanging from the tree when the door swung open. She turned and saw James close the door and look at her expectantly.

Lily crossed her arms but a smile flashed across her face.

"Well…?" James asked, not really knowing what to say next.

"You did all these?" Lily said.

James smiled widely – and quite proudly. "Yeah." Then, he waved his wand at the windows and the curtains closed. The room was left dark with only the fire burning in the hearth. Lily watched him walk to the couch and lie down, looking up at the ceiling. Lily got curious and also looked up to see what James was up to.

"I even decorated the ceiling with stars," James declared. There was something endearing with the way he said that but it was evident that he was holding back a laugh.

Lily started to giggle herself realizing what ridiculous ideas could still be contained in that head of his. He did really detail the ceiling with glowing little spheres, positioning them just like the night sky. She would've not known his intentions until he spoke again.

"Look," James said, pointing up at the ceiling. "You can see the Big Dipper from this angle," he finished, pursing his lips mockingly.

Finally, Lily realized what James was driving at. She picked up a pillow from the couch and threw it hard to his face. "You are such a mean person," she said, her tone was playful rather than annoyed. "I'm not even going to ask where'd you get that idea."

James stood up, chuckling. He waved his wand at the window and the curtains opened up letting the bit of sunlight, which managed to pierce through the clouds, in. "What? It's a nice gesture if I must say."

Lily shook her head at his foolishness. "I must say, Potter, you have an uncanny ability in outdoing yourself."

James pursed his lips and flashed his eyes, trying to look like a lost puppy. "Are we still on the last name basis?"

"Alright…" Lily sighed audibly. "James," she said like it was the magic word that he was waiting for.

James smiled widely, realizing that Lily had just forgiven him. But before he could say anything else, she went in first.

"Let's just get one thing clear," Lily interrupted. "Don't meddle with my private life again."

"Fine," James replied quickly.

"Good," Lily nodded approvingly.

However, James still had that look of curiosity flashed on his face. He looked like he wanted to say something but was trying to hold it back.

"What…" Lily said, noticing his expression. "Do you wanna say something?"

"But what about Vince?" James finally let out, like trying to hold it inside of him would eventually kill him.

"What about Vince?" Lily replied, not really getting his point.

"How about Remus?" James further asked, like the questions just overflowed in his head.

"James, what is going on with you?"

"Nothing," came his immediate reply.

"Alright…" Lily contented herself as she remembered that she had a lot to do. She picked up the book, which she came for, from the table and then headed for the door.

"Where are you going?"

"Kitchen. I'm showing some of the house elves how to make some of the Muggle food for the ball."

"You cook?" James asked, quite amazed.

"Yes," came Lily's casual reply.

"Hmmm."

Lily took one last puzzled look at him before she pulled the door open. She was about to close the door when she caught one last look of James who seemed to stand uneasy – looking back at her. She rolled her eyes and said, "Would you like to come?" she offered, reading his body language.

"Yes. Glad you asked," James answered so quickly that Lily had no time to reply. He took a couple of strides to the door and closed it behind him.

He didn't know why but his gladness surpassed the way he contented himself every time he managed to get her to forgive him. Usually, he would go back to his friends to mess around and everything was just normal. But that day, he wasn't sure, maybe it was because of her cheerfulness those past couple of weeks, but he wanted to spend more time with her just so he could make her laugh.

He shrugged at the thought. She's just a fun target especially now that she seems to have that incessant smile on her face, he reassured himself before he completely chucked the thought out of his head.

~*~*~*~

and all i am is grateful for the stars which are you when they shine in my sky... -- hungry young poets, "stars"

So, how'd you like it? I know there's not much James/Lily interaction here. The truth is this is actually the first part of one chapter that I had to cut because it's really, really, reaaaaaaaaaaaaally long. The rest of the story is on the way anyhow. So, just watch for it.

'Til then… don't forget to submit a review!