Um, do I own anything? Let me check my pockets………Ok, I've got: 35 cents, and old note from my friend, the plot of this story, and a few characters. That's all.

Chapter 10

Happy Valentines Day

Lily stood in the hall, early one February morning. Her growing stomach wasn't evident to anyone but her, thanks to the wonderful potions of Madam Glencoe.

She looked down at her abdomen lazily. "What are you doing in there, little boy?" The nurse had told her in January the sex of the child, and ever since then, Lily and her friends were compiling a list of possible names which included: George, Kyle, Travis, Anthony, Brett, Harry, Robert and Scott. Those were all that Lily had approved of, anyway.

Over the last month, or so, everyone had learned not to upset Lily because, due to her hormonal state, the smallest comment would send her into tears.

At one time, Kari had asked her to help her choose an outfit for the next day to which Lily had burst out sobbing, "Why are you being so mean?! I know I'm fat, ok?!"

They had learned after that.

Lily looked away from her stomach, only to see Alisa running down the hall towards her.

Lily! Lily, guess what! They are going to let us have a Valentine's Day Ball! Won't that be great?" She squealed.

Lily smiled happily. "Wow, they're letting us have a ball?"

"Yeah, for fifth years and up. But, well, that works for us though!" Alisa waved her hand impatiently. "Let's go to Hogsmeade tomorrow, it's a Saturday, and we can have a girl's day out."

Lily nodded her agreement and followed her friend to the Gryffindor common room. As soon as she sat beside the fire, a tall boy with light brown hair, blue eyes, and an enchanting smile approached her nervously.

"Um………Lily? Uh, hi! My name is err, Benji. I was wondering if you wanted to go the dance with me, maybe? If, you aren't already going with someone, that is." He asked, looking at his feet.

Lily bit her lip and smiled happily, she hadn't expected being asked by anyone. "Uh, sure. I'll meet you in the Great Hall at 7:00 next week, ok?

^^^^

The next day, Lily and Alisa made their way to the small town next to Hogwarts.

"Let's go to that new shop, uh, I think it's called Enchanted Fashions, or something. Anyway, it is supposed to be the best place to buy dress robes." Alisa said thoughtfully.

They quickly found the shop. A bell twinkled as they opened he door. Then, the two girls split up, each agreeing to meet again at the Three Broomsticks when they had bought their outfits.

Lily headed for the section that held white, blue, green and purple robes. Scanning through, she noticed that no two dresses were quite alike. After 10 minutes, Lily had chosen three robes; one white, one blue, and one green.

In the lush dressing room, she tried on each dress one by one. The potion that Madam Glencoe had given her made her appear even in mirrors as slim as always. Pulling on the green on, she found that it brought out her eyes, but failed to compliment anything else, then the blue outfit, ugh, that one was just ugly.

Finally, she slipped on the white one. Made of white satin, it was covered with an angelic, barely blue lace. The bottom cascaded softly to the floor and in the back a small train followed everywhere. Loose sleeves fell almost to her fingernails, the lace falling even further. It clung where it should and Lily's hair against it looked like red wine spilled on white silk, a beautiful contrast.

"Oh………" Lily breathed softly. "This is it."

Her very skin glowed against it. Regretfully, she undressed and stepped into her regular clothes. And then, she carried the gown carefully to the cash register.

The attendant, an oily man with slicked black hair and a thin mustache, grinned evilly, seeing a girl who obviously loved the dress. "How may I help you, young lady?"

"Just this robe, please." She answered, handing it to him.

The employee looked at the price tag: 100 Galleons (A/N: spelling?) and 24 Sickles. "Ok, that will be 230 Galleons."

Lily's face contorted. "What? That wasn't the amount on the price tag."

The worker sighed and frowned. "Oh, I see. I must have made a mistake." He said in mock surprise.

Lily glared. "Of course you did."

After she paid the correct price, Lily marched out of the store and into the Three Broomsticks. Looking around the room she quickly saw Alisa sitting in the back with James, Sirius, and Kari, in front of them a large pitcher of butterbeer.

"Oh! There you are Lily! Can I see the dress you picked out?" Alisa shrieked, reaching toward the large, plastic bag.

Lily grabbed her hand. "No way! You have to wait until the dance!"

"Fine, you can't see mine either." Alisa replied huffily.

Lily laughed, shrugging and sat down. "So, you guys got dates?" She asked the other three.

Sirius and James nodded, each mentioning there dates. (James: a girl named Isabella; and Sirius: with his girlfriend, Alisa, of course.) But Kari shook her head. "I don't think that I am going to go." She said somewhat dejectedly.

Everyone murmured their unhappiness. The rest of the evening was quiet, James, Sirius, Lily, Alisa, and Kari, all in their private thoughts

^^^^

The rest of the time before the dance flew by and before they knew it, the girls were in their room getting ready.

"Where is my wand? I need to fix my make-up!" Someone yelled.

From the closet, another person shouted, "Has anyone seen my shoes? They're blue? Anyone?"

Everyone was in chaos, everyone except for Lily, that is. She was standing calmly in front of the mirror, already dressed, with a spell book open to a make-up and hair page

"Ok," She said quietly, "One………two………three, cosmotogious!"

Suddenly, light, expert make-up appeared on Lily's face, and her red ringlets were straightened and put into a half ponytail which fell half-way down her back.

With the beautiful white robes on, she looked like a fallen angel.

In the background the clock was striking 7:00. "Oh my gosh! I'm late!" Lily cried. Running into the dormitory, she saw Alisa lazily pulling on her shoes. "Alisa! It's seven, we're going to be tardy!"

"What? Oh! Come on, let's go!" Alisa answered, looking at her clock.

They hurried out of the room and down to the Great Hall where Sirius and Benji were standing nervously next to each other.

Sirius took Alisa's hand and, handing her a red rose sparkling with glitter, told her she was gorgeous. And Alisa was, in a wonderful red dress that clung to her chest before flowing gracefully down to her ankles like a ballerina's dress. Adorning her feet were red, silk flats.

Lily smiled, expecting her date to give her the same treatment. Instead, when she approached him, he handed her a white carnation, and looked over her shoulder expectantly.

Leaning back on his heels, Benji stuffed his hands into his pockets and asked casually, "so, is your friend Kari coming tonight?"

Lily folded her arms and glared. "No, she is not." Her voice cut through the air.

Sirius turned away, whistling in disbelief.

Benji's face turned red. "Ok, then, want to head onto the dance floor?"

Fire was dancing in Lily's eyes now. "You only asked me………to get to Kari, am I right?" Alisa turned away, the hormones were taking over.

He stammered awkwardly. "Uh, well, no, I mean, it was just that, well, um……

Lily's eyes were barely slits now. Without warning, she slammed the carnation to the floor and turning on her heel, stormed back to the Gryffindor common room.

She managed not to cry the entire way there, but as soon as she reached the portrait, the tears overflowed.

She had gone through all that trouble for someone she had thought might actually like her, someone who would take her as she was. For the first time in months, she had been happy. Happy! What a joke, God didn't have happiness in plan for her life.

Sobbing as hard as she was, she didn't notice the portrait opening behind her.

"Lily………" A small voice whispered.

One last sob caught in Lily's throat as she turned quickly around. "Kari."

"Lily, what's wrong?" She asked soothingly. "What happened?"

"Benji, ugh, Benji, only wanted to go to the dance with me to………to get with you. He never liked me, never wanted to be at that, that damn dance with me. He only wanted you to be his girlfriend."

Kari furrowed her eyebrows. "Why did he do that? Why didn't he just ask me?"

"Ugh, I think everyone is just out to hurt me. I don't know what to do, Kari. I'm tired of everything."

Lily's friend hugged her. "Come on, girl, let's go inside, sit by the fire, chill, have some hot cocoa."

^^^^

'Ello! How are you all doing? That was the most I've ever written! 20 BORING windows pages. I haven't decided quite yet, but the story might become a bit angsty, soon. And have no fear, this will become a J/L fic as soon as she has the baby. Tee hee hee.

So, remember if you have any ideas, leave me a review or e-mail me at SoulPunk27@teenagedirtbag.com.

Oh, and hint, hint. I will probably post quicker if my reviews increase a bit more………*Cough, cough* *Wink, wink*

Love

Doodles