A/N: Wow- it's about time- huh? Those of you who read my stories a long time ago, I was pretty good about updating then. Granted, I have more stories now and much less time. Lol, I think what I'm trying to say is- Forgive me! I'll be better about it from now on, trust me!

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            "I can't believe it's almost Christmas!" Lily announced to the mirror, or rather, Mary's reflection in the mirror. She turned around and ran a hand through her auburn hair.

            Mary looked up from her long strip of parchment lying on countless books, ink and quills scattered across her bed; and she sat in the middle of it all. Lily smiled. Her friend scowled. "Oh, shut up. Just because you finished all of your work early doesn't mean that you can look all smug about it!"

            Lily sighed playfully and sat on the edge of her friend's bed. "I'm not being smug about it." She paused. "I was about to offer you help. But I guess you don't want it." She went on airily, shrugging.

            "But-"

An owl flew through the air before she could continue, and landed on Lily's arm. "What's this?" the redhead pulled the letter from the owl's talons and patted it thanks. She opened it slowly, thoughts running through her head a little too quickly, for she knew who it was from.

Dear Lily,

Although we are disappointed in you still, we of course want you home for Christmas. The party, remember? Patrick will be there and I know you two will have fun together, you just don't know it yet. Petunia's fiancé, Vernon, will also be attending. I would like you to meet him; he's such a nice and respectable young man. Either way, dear, we love you and I will be at King's Cross to pick you up.

Love,

Mum

"Shit."

            Mary looked up. "Tsk tsk. What requires such language?" she briefly scanned the room. "That's weird," she tapped her chin. "James isn't here."

            Lily grunted and hit her friend on the arm while she laughed. "That wasn't funny. I'm talking about this." She held up the letter. "You know- I told you about the Christmas party…"

            "I forgot about that!" Mary screwed the top on her ink. "Oh no- what're you going to do?"

            Lily gave her a hard look. "I was hoping, considering you're my best friend, my only friend, you would help me out with that minor detail."

            "Oh, right. I said that, didn't I?" she received another light whack from Lily. "Alright, alright! We'll come up with something." She paused. "But couldn't you, well, help me for a few minutes first? Maybe?"

            Lily sighed and nodded.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            "You're no fun anymore James!" James Potter suddenly found himself surrounded, no, engulfed, by his three friends. It wasn't very pleasing.

            "You need to stop this."

"You've always been moody, Prongs, but ever since you fell in love with Lily-"

            "WAIT RIGHT THERE!" James roared, his dark eyes annoyed and angry.

"What?" Peter asked quietly.

            "I never loved her!"

"Oh, come on Prongs. Be a man. Of course you did."

            "Fine. Did. Not do. There's a difference."

"Yeah, right." Remus added. "Now- the problem is- ever since your breakup with Lily, you haven't been so up for pranks anymore, and we're sick of it. That's why we've decided-"

            "-to set you and Lily up again!" Sirius finished for him.

"What?"

            "Yep." Peter joined in. "Tonight, since we're all leaving tomorrow."

"You have got to be kidding me." James' eyes were wide. He suddenly chuckled. "Like you're going to get us in the same room together." He continued to laugh, but his friends only smirked.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            Mary had been wearing that 'I know something you don't know' look all day, and Lily didn't like it. She would have to keep an eye on her. And the fact that she'd been talking to Sirius lately really didn't make her feel any better.

            "What's going on?" Lily asked slowly.

 "Nothing. I don't know what you're talking about." Mary replied hopelessly. "I did, however, think that we could go for a nighttime stroll around the castle."

            "Are you crazy? We'll get caught. And what's more, I'm already dressed for bed."

Mary smirked, and Lily shifted uncomfortably, but her friend only replied, "Like it matters."

She sighed and agreed, so Mary grabbed her arm and dragged her down the stairs and out the portrait hole without a backwards glance. Outside the common room, she pulled her arm away. "Just what is this about?" she made a face. "Just look at what I'm wearing!"

            "What? It's perfect." She glanced at Lily's clingy nightgown.

Lily's expression suddenly became disturbed. "You're starting to sound like a lesbian."

            "I'm not, I've got a boyfriend, remember?" she smiled suddenly, and they stopped walking, directly in front of a classroom that was always empty. "And neither is James." She added, cackling and looking towards the doorway.           

Lily felt herself being shoved in and heard the door close behind her, and click. "Locked?! What the hell?" The room was completely dark. "Mary? Mary!" She heard snickering from the other side of the door, from at least two people; Mary and what could only be Sirius. She groaned.

The light flickered on suddenly and she spun around, suddenly realizing that James was right next to her, his hand resting on the light switch. He looked down at her and blushed, realizing her attire.

"Er…" she trailed off and took a couple of steps back, before clumsily running into a desk. "Ow." She said quietly, rubbing her side.

James watched her indifferently. Then he said, "Obviously, our friends want us back together."

Lily scowled. "And?"

James sighed. "And neither of us want to be back together."

            For some reason, disappointment scattered itself through Lily's thoughts at that moment. "Uh-huh." She replied, less strong.

            "So what now?"

"Well- there's really no solution." She shrugged. "If we get back together then- well never mind- that'll never happen." It came out even harsher than she had planned. "But if we don't, they'll be all over us about it."

            James nodded, then made a face at her. "I still can't believe you."
"What?" she inquired, suddenly angry. Her eyes drilled into his.

            "I can't believe you lied to me like that. You never were interested in me, were you?"

"James- it's- it's an arranged marriage. I don't want to. How many times must I tell you that?"

            "I don't care! As your boyfriend, you should have told me!"

"Ex-boyfriend." She corrected.

            He made a noise of annoyance, and they were silent. Minutes passed.

"You know they aren't going to let us out until we resolve this." She whispered.

            "Why are you whispering?" he asked loudly.

"They're most likely listening, you idiot! Do you want to get out of here, or not?" she muttered irritably.

            They continued in quiet voices. "Is it even possible?"

She ignored him. "The only way they'll let us is if we appear to be back together."

            "But-" he interrupted crossly.

"Appear, I said. We aren't actually going to be."

            "Oh."

"Now don't be such an ass and just listen." He raised a hand to protest, but she grabbed it and put it back down in an annoyed fashion. He grunted. "Now- we're gonna have to pretend."

            James rolled his eyes. "And I suppose you have some sort of ingenious idea."

"You're so annoying! Can't you just let me talk? For once?" she raised her voice, and heard scuffling outside the classroom.

            They both looked towards the door and took deep breaths.

"Fine." He mumbled.

            "So, what? Hand-holding?"
"Yes. And sitting together."

            He pulled a face. "With you?"

"No. With Santa Claus." He looked confused. "Yes, with me!" she added in exasperation.

            "Fine." He gave it up and nodded.

"And maybe a light kiss, if it's absolutely necessary." She said quietly.

            "Yeah, whatever." He waved it off.

"Alright." She grabbed his hand roughly. "Look happy." She whispered and pulled him to the door.

            "Alright! We've made up."

Sirius and Mary laughed and flung the door open. Lily and James suddenly sprouted smiles and clung to each other's hands.

            "Really?" Mary asked skeptically.

"Of course. You think I'd be holding his hand if we weren't?" Lily asked nonchalantly.

            "No, I don't suppose so…" she trailed off, grinning.

"Back to the common room then!" Sirius announced. "By the way Lily," he added, "you look sexy in that outfit."

            Lily's cheeks colored when she remembered that she was dressed for bed, and she could have sworn that James stumbled a bit.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            "Have a wonderful Christmas, but don't forget to study!" Dumbledore winked as they all boarded the Hogwarts Express, headed for London.

            James and Lily, wearing fake and somewhat pained smiles, boarded first and picked out a compartment. Mary, Sirius, Remus, and Peter came behind them. Lily and James sat together next to the window and clasped hands. Sirius and Mary, who seemed to have become good friends, sat just opposite them, with smiles of their own.

            After they felt the train jerk and were on their way, Remus said, "You know, I'm glad we let that Daniel guy into the Order of the Phoenix. He seems like he could help."

            James pulled a face, but Mary was smiling. They had had a meeting a couple days before, and it had been the first one he had attended. There had been some…tension, between Daniel and James.

            "Yes, I agree." Mary said, staring out the window quietly.

Sirius watched her with a grin. "I dare say you'll be happy to see him again when we get back."

            "Yeah, too bad he had to stay there alone."

"He isn't alone." James mumbled. "I'm sure he has some friends there."

            Mary gave James a look, and then Lily a glance that said, 'you had better do something about your boyfriend here.' Lily just sighed and kicked James lightly, with a forced smile.

            Sirius watched them skeptically. "You know, I don't think you really are back together." He crossed his arms.

            Mary nodded. "I agree. You just don't act like you did before."
Remus shrugged and Peter wasn't paying any attention at all.

            James grunted, while Lily was saying, "Fine, we'll prove it then." She lifted a hand and pulled James' face towards hers. They stared at each other for a moment before she leaned in and kissed him lightly.

            "Nope." Sirius said, still discouraged, from the background.

But Lily was no longer paying attention. She felt James scoot her closer, and his other hand tangled itself in her long hair. What am I doing? She thought to herself, starting to pull away. But he suddenly applied enough pressure that she couldn't. She could feel everything, in that kiss. She wondered, vaguely, whether he knew her thoughts as well, now. Lily let out a small moan when she felt him try to pull away, and grabbed his shirt to pull him back. Her hands raised to his back, then his neck, and neither of them seemed to have any desire to end it. They had to, however, because breathing was necessary.

            "Not bad." Sirius said in a considering tone, looking at his watch.

Mary grinned. "Okay, you've got us."

            Lily and James simply stared at each other. They said nothing, until Lily glanced at Mary, who shrugged.

            "We knew all along that you weren't really back together."

Lily gaped. "Are we that bad at acting?"

            "No. We heard you." Sirius replied.

"But-"

            "You underestimate me." Sirius said proudly. "I know more spells than you think." He mumbled something with his wand in hand. Suddenly, they could hear the compartment next door. Not voices, but…

             "Well, that's embarrassing." Sirius said, disabling the charm with a grin.

Lily and James found themselves laughing along with the rest. "So- you played along with us? But why?"

            Mary shrugged again. "Because it was all too amusing."

"And," Sirius gestured towards them, "it turned out better this way."

            "I suppose." Lily mumbled, averting her eyes to the floor. But she did feel James' arm curl around her shoulder comfortingly, for the first time in a long time.

*

Lily felt the train come to a stop, and lifted her head from James' shoulder sleepily. She yawned. "How long have I been asleep?"

            "Long enough to be back home." Mary replied and gave her a sideways smile.

James stretched and pulled her up.

            "But I don't want to go." Lily whined helplessly, in good humor. She might be joking, but her chest felt heavy. She and Mary hadn't really come up with anything that would help her handle this party…She managed a weak smile at James, who looked about to question her.

            He shrugged and pulled her out of the compartment. They began to search for their bags, Mary and James' friends right behind them.

            "Lily," he began to say, "we- we have a lot to resolve here, if we can ever be together."

            She squeezed his hand to shush him. "I know." She replied simply.

"But you're getting married!" he said, a little too loud. A few people around them looked up. She gave Mary a light hug and waved to the Marauders, then grabbed James by the arm and pulled him off to the side.

            "Now we can talk." She gave him another hard look. "I wish you wouldn't mention the fact that I'm engaged when we're in large crowds."

            He had a funny look on his face. "But you are. The doubts are coming back, Lily, I-"

She pulled his head down until he was only an inch or so away. "Just trust me." She mumbled. "I will take care of it all, as I can." Lily dragged his mouth to his. Although, the kiss didn't last very long, before-

            "Lily Evans!" A loud voice screeched. Lily and James parted and glanced over to see Lily's mother standing there, appearing to be infuriated. James, however, didn't drop his arm from around Lily.

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A/N: Hehe, never a good sign. Not the best way to end a chapter either, especially when you're all probably annoyed with me anyway. But I promise, I'll get the next chapter up much sooner! Thanks again for the reviews for last chapter, I love you guys! ;) So what did you think, honestly?

Coming up next chapter: Reactions and the party!