Romance in the Wrong

Lily could hardly contain herself any more. She was sure James had sent them. It was only 2 more days till Halloween and the dance. She had tried on numerous amounts of dresses, each with the thought of impressing James. In the end she selected a stunning red dress that was, as her friends quoted, enough to knock any guys socks off. She blushed at the thought.

***

Sirius was sitting across from her at Dinner in the Great Hall. She seemed to be deep in though all the time now, always with a silly smile on her face and blushing bright red. What Sirius would give to have a look inside her head, find out what she was thinking and what the note's she received said. The notes had stopped coming now, and Sirius thought that James had given up. He probed him with questions, but always, James avoided the answer. He stared intently at Lily, hoping she would notice him, talk to him, look at him, anything.

But she didn't through the whole meal.

***

James was getting nervous. He didn't know what to do. He sat there in a panic down the table, away from Lily and Sirius. All day he had stared at her, thinking. Should he ask her? He looked back down at his food and stirred up the mess on his plate. He felt nervous about seeing Lily Halloween night, the thought made him jumpy. He suddenly looked up, feeling eyes on him. Remus stared at him from across the table.

James made an annoyed face, as if to say 'what are you looking at.'

Remus only shrugged and nodded down the table, toward Lily and Sirius.

James saw her staring up at the ceiling, her cheeks a rosy red as Sirius stared at her intently. James looked away. He felt sick. He had to win Lily back.

He had to win Lily back…

***

Halloween night finally came, and Lily sat in front of her mirror thinking, hands on her chin, staring off into space.

"Lily? Lily? Hello?" Lily blinked, her eyes became focused, "Earth to Lily?"

"What," she said airily, her thoughts still on her James.

"Come on! Are you ready?"

Lily looked down her herself, make up half on, one shoe off, her hair a mess.

"Do I look like him ready?" she sighed, and started fixing herself.

Her friend, Lauren retreated back to her other friend, June and started whispering. Lily couldn't hear what they were saying, but she knew it was about her.

***

"She's been like that ever since those love notes started coming," whispered Lauren.

"But they stopped coming, at least, during the middle of class. Do you think they stopped coming?"

"Of course not. Who ever sent them has got it bad,"

"And so does she, I mean, look at her." June looked over at her. Lily had wondered again, and now she had a fourth of her make up done and all her shoes on.

"Lily!"

"What!" she snapped out of it, turning toward her friends.

"Er- how's the make up coming along…" she half smiled half grimaced, but Lily busy thinking to notice the difference.

"Good, good," she said, wondering again.

"You know, the sooner we get there-"

"Yeah, yeah, I know. Sorry guys," she continued to do herself up. When she was finally done she looked at herself in the mirror. No smile came to her face as she revolved around, making sure everything was good.

"Okay, let's go,"

***

"Ohmigod, is that Lexa?" Lauren pointed over to a skinny blonde girl in a long blue dress, they were all crowded together, straining their necks to see the Ravenclaw girl.

"She looks beautiful!" June cooed.

"Yeah," Lily managed. Her mind was wondering again. Would she see James tonight? Would he ask her to dance with him? She stared off into space and Sirius came up behind her.

"Boo," he said, his breath tickling her ear.

"Hey, Sir'," she said, she turned around in his embrace to look at him.

"Would you care to dance?"

"I'd love to," He led her onto the dance floor, a nice, romantic, slow song playing. She held him close as they danced. She inhaled his heavy scent, and closed her eyes. She felt so safe in his arms.

I'm meeting him tonight… she thought, she wished she hadn't, she gave an involuntary tremble of excitement.

"Lily? Are you cold?" Sirius had mistaken it for her being cold.

"Yeah," she replied, playing along with the cover up he had unknowingly gave her, "Just a little,"

A ways away James watched her, his eyes hardly leaving her. Should he ask her for a dance? What would she say? Would she be mad? He stood up, mustering up his courage, but then suddenly sat back down again. He couldn't do it.

Maybe later tonight he thought to himself.

***

A bell tolled in the Great Hall, symbolizing the one minute it was midnight on Halloween. Ghosts floated into the crowd, people shivered as ghosts past through them, stealing their warmth. And then the bell tolled again and the dance was over. People started moving and streaming toward the doors, a murmur of excitement in it. Lily managed to lose herself in the crowd and sneaked out discreetly.

It was a warm night, and moonbeams lay softly on the grass and threw everything into a wash of breathtaking fadedness. Lily gathered up her dress in her hands and walked on the grass barefoot, the grass tickling her feet. She loosened her hair, done up tightly in an intricate bun. She moved swiftly across the grass, not wanting to be seen out in the open by wandering eyes, glancing outside to get a glimpse of the white moon. She carefully stepped into the shade of the trees and silently made her way to the other edge of the lake. She looked for any signs of her rendezvous. And then she heard it playing, softly. Music, sweet, soft music. She wandered toward it, holding her breath.

And then she saw him, illuminated by the silvery light reflecting off the calm blue water, twirling a soft white lily in his hands.

"Lily…"

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