Lily woke up to find the common room alive with people. Every girl was
dressed in red and white, with red ribbons in their hair, or red streaks or
something. Everyone had a tribute to the occasion on them somewhere. The
common room still glittered, and the memory of last night flittered back
into Lily's brain, causing her to smile peacefully.
She got up and went to the dormitory. The little phoenix was still on her shoulder, refusing to leave her until it found its new home, in her room. The other girls oohed and aahed over the phoenix, and it took a liking to them. But it was very protective of Lily, and if anyone so much as even insulted her jokingly, it would sing a fierce tune and glare.
Lily was in heaven. But she was also very worried. What would happen if the person she was supposed to be going to the ball with was a horrible person? Or a loser? Or someone in the first year? Or someone she hated? Or.worse yet.what if they never showed up?
She could have scared herself silly with all the things she was thinking up, but she'd promised the girls a day in the snow, so out they went.
The day passed quickly, and before they knew it, there was only three hours til the ball started. They had to get ready, so they went back up to the castle.
Two and a half hours later, they were all ready. Samantha looked incredible in her dress, she'd put a few blue streaks in her hair to make it match the dress, and she was wearing silver jewellery. Erin was simply accessorized; only a small gold necklace adorned her neck.
Lily was the most beautiful person at the ball by far. She was wearing the dress, her hair was sleek and pulled up into a fancy pile of curls which looked so sweet on her, and she was wearing a little crown of tiny roses that Samantha had conjured. The necklace was around her neck, with the pendant sitting perfectly above the low neckline. She looked stunning.
She walked her friends to the Entrance hall, where they could see everyone staring at Lily. Samantha ran up to James and Sirius, and Samantha took James's arm. Lily stopped in shock. Samantha and James? Since when? She felt a pit opening in her stomach. Sirius had his arm around Erin and led her into the ball. Samantha looked back and waved.
Lily carried on to the lake. She had to admit that a part of her had been hoping that James was her secret admirer, but after seeing him with her best friend, she knew he could not be. She was crushed now. She wondered who on earth could like her enough to buy her all this.
She heard a rustle, and turned to see who it was. It was the phoenix. It had sensed she was upset and had come to comfort her. It sang to her, and for a while she was content to just sit there and listen. But after ten minutes the cold of the snow was starting to really get to her. She was shivering. The phoenix song warmed her insides a bit, but nowhere near enough.
Then, all of a sudden, the phoenix took off. She called out after it, but could not see where it had gone as dark had now fallen. There was more rustling and the crunching of snow being trod on.
Then she realized.
This must be her secret admirer; the phoenix went to him because it recognized him. She stood up straighter.
But she could not see anything. She heard noises of snow underfoot, and realized they must be standing somewhere very close to her. Then she heard a voice coming from behind her.
"Hello, Lily."
She whirled around to see.
"James?" she whispered. "But.I thought you were going to the ball with Samantha?"
He threw back his head and laughed. "Oh, no. That was a decoy to make you think I wasn't the admirer. The two came to see who was in the owlery the night I sent that dress to you. They found out it was me. They agreed to help."
"You sent me this? And the phoenix? And the roses, the teddy, the chocolates.the necklace?" Lily thought she was going to faint.
"All of it," James said, moving a step closer to Lily.
"Why?" Lily asked, breathless with bewilderment.
James laughed softly. "You don't know? Lily, I have loved you almost since I met you. You were the most beautiful girl I ever met. I made a study of your habits and your personality, and then I figured out a way to show you that I truly do love you, and a way to find out if you secretly loved me."
Lily just stood there open mouthed. He had pretended to be over her, so she would realize she liked him.
He took a step closer to Lily and put one arm around her waist, the other gently touched her face.
"Lily, you know that I love you. I've always loved you. But.I don't know if you even like me," he looked into her eyes pleadingly. "Now would be the time to tell me."
She said nothing but fell into his arms, holding him tightly. He lifted her face gently and kissed her lips softly and sweetly.
Lily could have stayed there all night, but they knew they should get back to the castle. So arm in arm, they went to the ball, where Lily was the envy of every girl for her looks and her boyfriend, and James was the envy of all the guys.
Lily suddenly realized that she need never be jealous of Petunia again. She had the best boyfriend in the world, and Petunia could go to hell. As James kissed her again, she felt like the luckiest girl in the world.
She got up and went to the dormitory. The little phoenix was still on her shoulder, refusing to leave her until it found its new home, in her room. The other girls oohed and aahed over the phoenix, and it took a liking to them. But it was very protective of Lily, and if anyone so much as even insulted her jokingly, it would sing a fierce tune and glare.
Lily was in heaven. But she was also very worried. What would happen if the person she was supposed to be going to the ball with was a horrible person? Or a loser? Or someone in the first year? Or someone she hated? Or.worse yet.what if they never showed up?
She could have scared herself silly with all the things she was thinking up, but she'd promised the girls a day in the snow, so out they went.
The day passed quickly, and before they knew it, there was only three hours til the ball started. They had to get ready, so they went back up to the castle.
Two and a half hours later, they were all ready. Samantha looked incredible in her dress, she'd put a few blue streaks in her hair to make it match the dress, and she was wearing silver jewellery. Erin was simply accessorized; only a small gold necklace adorned her neck.
Lily was the most beautiful person at the ball by far. She was wearing the dress, her hair was sleek and pulled up into a fancy pile of curls which looked so sweet on her, and she was wearing a little crown of tiny roses that Samantha had conjured. The necklace was around her neck, with the pendant sitting perfectly above the low neckline. She looked stunning.
She walked her friends to the Entrance hall, where they could see everyone staring at Lily. Samantha ran up to James and Sirius, and Samantha took James's arm. Lily stopped in shock. Samantha and James? Since when? She felt a pit opening in her stomach. Sirius had his arm around Erin and led her into the ball. Samantha looked back and waved.
Lily carried on to the lake. She had to admit that a part of her had been hoping that James was her secret admirer, but after seeing him with her best friend, she knew he could not be. She was crushed now. She wondered who on earth could like her enough to buy her all this.
She heard a rustle, and turned to see who it was. It was the phoenix. It had sensed she was upset and had come to comfort her. It sang to her, and for a while she was content to just sit there and listen. But after ten minutes the cold of the snow was starting to really get to her. She was shivering. The phoenix song warmed her insides a bit, but nowhere near enough.
Then, all of a sudden, the phoenix took off. She called out after it, but could not see where it had gone as dark had now fallen. There was more rustling and the crunching of snow being trod on.
Then she realized.
This must be her secret admirer; the phoenix went to him because it recognized him. She stood up straighter.
But she could not see anything. She heard noises of snow underfoot, and realized they must be standing somewhere very close to her. Then she heard a voice coming from behind her.
"Hello, Lily."
She whirled around to see.
"James?" she whispered. "But.I thought you were going to the ball with Samantha?"
He threw back his head and laughed. "Oh, no. That was a decoy to make you think I wasn't the admirer. The two came to see who was in the owlery the night I sent that dress to you. They found out it was me. They agreed to help."
"You sent me this? And the phoenix? And the roses, the teddy, the chocolates.the necklace?" Lily thought she was going to faint.
"All of it," James said, moving a step closer to Lily.
"Why?" Lily asked, breathless with bewilderment.
James laughed softly. "You don't know? Lily, I have loved you almost since I met you. You were the most beautiful girl I ever met. I made a study of your habits and your personality, and then I figured out a way to show you that I truly do love you, and a way to find out if you secretly loved me."
Lily just stood there open mouthed. He had pretended to be over her, so she would realize she liked him.
He took a step closer to Lily and put one arm around her waist, the other gently touched her face.
"Lily, you know that I love you. I've always loved you. But.I don't know if you even like me," he looked into her eyes pleadingly. "Now would be the time to tell me."
She said nothing but fell into his arms, holding him tightly. He lifted her face gently and kissed her lips softly and sweetly.
Lily could have stayed there all night, but they knew they should get back to the castle. So arm in arm, they went to the ball, where Lily was the envy of every girl for her looks and her boyfriend, and James was the envy of all the guys.
Lily suddenly realized that she need never be jealous of Petunia again. She had the best boyfriend in the world, and Petunia could go to hell. As James kissed her again, she felt like the luckiest girl in the world.