"There is just something about Lily"

***

"I'm sure this will work" chuckled James to himself as he jogged faster to keep up with the pace of his friends. The Maruaders were strolling around the streets of Hogsmeade. "What is it now, Prongs?" laughed Remus.

"You'd think he'd given up by now..." said Sirius as he entered Zonko's.

The bell above the shop door tinkled as the others followed Sirius in. "Seriously, James, I think Lily has made it pretty clear that she isn't interested." Said Peter as he picked up a bag of dungbombs, carefully examining it's contents.

"I'm going to win her over even if it kills me. There's just something about her..."

"Omigod. Here we go again" Sirius said, rolling his eyes.

Remus and Peter sighed as they continued roving around the shop.

+++++++++++++++

"I can't believe that this is our last Hogsmeade visit" sighed Lily. "I know......" Answered Arabella, dazed at the idea of freedom only weeks away. "You know, we should have a party." Suggested Lily, squeezing Arabella's arm.

"Like a graduation ball, maybe?"

"Exactly. I'll suggest it at the next meeting."

"Why don't you just, maybe, implement it? You're Head Girl anyway."

"It's not that easy you know."

"You and your rules. You know one day, they are going to kill you."

"Very funny, Bella."

The two friends sat on a bench and pulled out their bags of candy. "You know what?" Lily mused

"what?"

"This is what I'm going to miss. Just us eating candy and questioning whether we are going to pass Divination or not."

"I'm sure you're going to pass Divination, you're a nerd."

"True. But I'm a nerd who hates learning that what we are doing down here is being determined by balls of gas up there."

Lily smiled as she closed her eyes, letting her face get warmed by the sun.

"Also true. This is the good life."

Arabella popped a malt ball into her mouth. With a faraway look in her eyes, she mused on life's present simplicity. But the short-lived peace that the two girls shared was disrupted by a sight that made Arabella spit out her malt ball and say "Darn it, here comes trouble."

Lily's eyes flew open. "Not again." She sighed.