'Oh my God, have you heard?' asked Amelia, handing Lily her drink.

Lily shook her head. 'Heard what?'

'What everyone's been saying Sirius said?'

Again, Lily shook her head. 'No.'

'They said he said he's gay!'

Lily sighed. 'Name one time you've heard a rumour as juicy as that that's been true.'

'He told Manen himself! And you know what else he said?'

Lily rolled her eyes. 'What?'

'You'll never guess!'

'No, I probably won't.'

'Awwww, come on, Lily, you're no fun.' whined Amelia. Lily shrugged, and sipped her drink, but her nose got the better of her.

'What else did he say?'

Amelia grinned. 'Knew you'd come round.'

'Well?'

'They said he's in love with Remus Lupin!'

Lily couldn't help her mouth falling open. 'Remus? He likes Remus?'

'Uh huh. That's why he's not dancing with anyone, cos he's holding out for Remus. Manen said he started going into details about his sexual fantasies with him...Manen said she was disgusted, but come on...Lupin and Black? How hot is that!'

Lily stared at her friend. 'Excuse me?'

'Aw, don't tell me I have a homophobic on my hands!'

Lily shook her head emphatically. 'No, they can do whatever they want in private-'

'Just a bit prude, then, are we?'

Lily pursed her lips, and then a small smile tugged at the corners of her mouth as a thought crossed her mind.

'Wonder what James is thinking.' she murmured. Amelia snorted.

'Probably having a party in his pants.' smirked Amelia. Lily stared at her friend. She has gotten used to her crude remarks, and tactlessness, but it all seemed to be piling on Lily rather too much. Then her eyes widened.

'You think James is gay?'

Amelia shrugged. 'Probably. I mean, if what you said was true...him running off in the middle of kissing you...must be, mustn't he?'

Lily's eyes flung wide, and then she frowned.

'I never told you about me and James!' she cried out.

Amelia smirked again, an expression that seemed to be very in fashion for her face to wear at that moment.

'I know. I just know these things.' Then, she gave a theatrical sigh. 'Well, you know what they say...guys are like parking spaces. All the good ones are taken, and the only ones left are handicapped. Or gay.' she added, frowning.

'I don't think James is gay.' Lily reiterated.

Amelia shrugged. 'I didn't think you thought about James.' she teased.

Lily sighed, and then felt a smirk of her own spread across her face. 'Good ones?' she teased back, hoping to embarrass her friend.

'Hell yeah!' cried Amelia, far from embarrassed. Lily shook her head.

'Since when did James become universally acknowledged as a "good one"?'

'Since he started looking like that.' Amelia said quietly, gesturing to James, who was rapidly closing in on them. Lily felt her breath catch in her throat, and her heart double it's beating speed, which was a completely ridiculous thing to be happening to her around someone she was supposed to hate, she told herself sternly. Then she shook herself. She hadn't thought about hating James for months now. Why did it suddenly pop back into her head then?

'Hello, ladies.' said James, quite seriously. He seemed not to have adopted the swaggering, horny, flirtatious manner many of the other male students in the hall had.

'Well, hello, Potter.' said Amelia, in a flirtatious voice, batting her eyelids. 'How are you this lovely night? Other than gorgeously handsome, that is.' she said, placing her hand on James's chest. Lily looked away in distaste. Amelia never had been one for subtlety.

'I was actually wondering if I could have a dance with Evans.' said James, his eyes jumping hastily around Lily's face. Lily swallowed, then jutted out her chin a little.

'What for, Potter?' she said, adopting a very formal tone.

'Well, mainly because I assumed that was what one was supposed to do at an occasion such as this.' he said, smiling. Amelia seemed taken aback.

'So long as you're not going to use her as a punch bag to let out your emotion over Lupin and Black.' said Amelia, teasingly, but with a malicious edge Lily didn't like.

James frowned. 'Lupin and Black....? What about them?'

Amelia clapped her hands together. 'Oh, haven't you heard?' she cried, gleefully.

'Heard what?' James asked, looking very confused.

'They're lovers!' Amelia cried. Lily snorted. It had gone from a mere whisper of Sirius having more than friendly feelings toward one of his friends, to a fact that him and Lupin were full on homosexual lovers.

James shook his head, brushing her off, disbelieving her instantly. 'Come on.' he urged.

'No, I'm serious!' laughed Amelia. James continued to ignore her.

'Just one little dance, it can't do any harm.' he said. Lily sighed. What, were they just going to forget that night? Apparently so. Or maybe he wanted to talk about it?

'Alright, then.' she said, and let James lead her to the dance floor. The song, as bloody luck would have it, changed into a slow, sensual classic, (Lily could swear) the moment they stepped onto the dance floor. Lily fumbled around uncomfortably, but James shushed her, and slid his hands onto her hips. Lily slowly lifted her arms up and put them around James's neck. She told herself to take deep breaths. Her heart was beating like crazy.

James leaned his face into Lily's and she was about to retaliate when she noticed he kept on going, until his lips were beside her ear.

'I just wanted to say,' he whispered, a hot breath on her neck that sent shivers down her spine, 'That I'm sorry about that night.'

Lily inhaled deeply, but then clenched her teeth. 'So that's all it's going to be? An apology, and we're fine? What was that night, anyway?' she tried to ask evenly.

'How should I know? One minute you hate my guts and the next I'm kissing you and I have no idea if it's real or if it's a joke or if you're under a spell-'

'That's the thing about people like you! You always think they're as bad as you are! Why would I pull a prank on you, James?' she hissed, pulling her arms down. A few people were starting to look at them.

'I don't know! I've never been able to fathom the way your mind works!'

Lily sighed angrily. 'My world is much more simple that you may think, Potter!' Back to Potter, again. 'I like you, and you were kissing me, and I was kissing you...and then you pulled away, and ran off! You know what that usually means? Well, I got the implications pretty well!'

James mouthed soundlessly. 'You...you like me?'

Lily clicked her tongue. 'Well, you know, I thought I did, but now I'm not quite sure. Your world is too full of so many "problems" and "dilemmas"-' Lily knew she was treading on thin ice, here, but she was too angry to care, 'That are, as far as the rest of the world can see, black and white nothings!'

'Don't you DARE presume to know what goes on in my life!' James roared. 'People like you will NEVER open your eyes wide enough to see the whole world! Riding up on your high horse, while the rest of us wither on the ground, cursing each time you trample on us, but clinging onto every touch we can get!'

'High horse? High horse? If I'm on a high horse, think about this, Potter! Who shields you all from the shit? Me. Who soaks up all the rain? Me! Who's the one who the vulture's claws sink into first? ME! Don't YOU dare to presume YOU know what goes on in MY life!'

By now, nearly the whole hall was watching this scene. Lily looked away angrily, and became very acutely aware of all the eyes on her. Much to her annoyance, she felt her cheeks redden. She shook her head, and stormed out, praying for all she was worth James Potter would not follow.