Chapter 7

A week into their suspension Lily was lounging on a love seat near the fire reading while Sirius and James were playing a game of exploding snaps near her. Remus and Evy were close to the three and looked up and laughed every time a card exploded. Just as Sirius was putting a last card on the top Professor McGonagall walked in. Sirius yelped and dropped the card, causing the entire deck to explode, leaving both of the boy's eyebrows singed, their faces charred, and Lily covered in an ash like film. The professor took hardly any notice as she tacked up a new announcement on the bulletin board. As she stalked out barely glancing at them, Evy got up to read the piece of parchment.

As Lily grumpily complained and cleaned her face Evy read out loud: " 'Formal winter ball. To be held on the last day before Christmas break, on the 20th of December. All students in or above year four will be allowed to attend. Dress robes or muggle dresses are required.' I can't wait for the ball… that's only two weeks away! Lily, have you already gotten your outfit?" Evy sat down beside Remus again to look across at Lily. She glanced up from her book and nodded to Evy's question. "Okay, good then, now you can help me get something… we'll go next Hogsmeade visit…"

"Erm… Evy? Hate to rain on your lovely parade but… we're not allowed to go on any Hogsmeade visits for three months… I dunno how you're going to get a dress." Lily turned back to her book as Evy pouted.

"We can take James' Cloak and the Map and go…" Lily raised an eyebrow towards her friend.

"We're already in enough trouble Evy…"

"But Lily! Please! We won't get caught! I promise!" Evy pouted again with the puppy dog eye affect. Lily rolled her eyes and finally nodded.

"Fine, but if we get caught, I'll swear you were using the Imperious Curse on me and making me do it! I'll swear to it!" Evy squealed and pounced on Lily, smothering her with a hug. "Oh! Lily! Thank-you so, so, so much! We'll go tonight! Yay! I get a new dress! I love you Lily!" She happily pranced up the stairs humming along the way. Lily sighed and rolled her eyes again, going, determinedly back to her book.

Lily looked back up at Evy slowly and blinked. "Ev…" she started with a cocked eyebrow, "Where the hell are you going to buy a dress… in the middle of the night?" Evy looked thoughtful as she considered Lily's point.

It was midnight when Lily was awoken to a hiss in her left ear. Lily's eyes narrowed as she glared silently at Evy. As she crawled out of her toasty bed to put her bare feet on the cold flagstone floor Evy held out a pair of khakis out. Lily took them and quickly shoved her legs through them. As she finished pulling her head through a long black sleeveless top the dorm door quietly inched open, a line of light shone across the room to alight upon Lily's lean form. She looked up to see James quietly sneaking into the room.

Evy looked up from her spot on the bed and waved him over. He handed her something and bent down to her level to whisper something in her ear. Evy listened carefully and nodded. James glanced briefly at Lily and exited the room. Lily swiftly made her way to the bathroom to dash on a little make up and curl her hair into loose loopy curls. As she walked out Evy handed Lily her purse, jacket, and boots. When they finally made it to the common room Lily slid on her black leather coat and wrapped the scarf she grabbed around her neck.

She raised an eyebrow at the Marauders as she silently slid on her black stiletto heeled boots. James cleared his throat and answered her unspoken question. "We decided that since you obviously can't buy a dress at any given hour of the late night that we might take you girls out for a drink instead," Lily nodded.

"Sounds fine with me… as long as you're the one buying the drinks," she smiled coyly. James grinned and in response offered his arm, which she gracefully took. The group exited the Portrait Hole and quickly but quietly made their way through the halls under the invisibility cloak until they reached a large mirror in the middle of the corridor. James pulled it out from the wall. The mirror swung open on hinges like a door to reveal a secret passageway. They stepped through and allowed the mirror to close behind them.

The group stepped into a dark tunnel and began to make their way to Hogsmeade. Soon the dirt ground started to tilt up making the trek even harder in boots. Lily sighed and paused. She bent over to catch her breath and started again. Luckily for Lily's feet they reached the opening into a dark alleyway deep in Hogsmeade. The group stepped out into the crisp cool air. Lily turned just in time to watch as a slab of wall rumbled over the entrance they had just exited.

James grinned as Rhea and Drhea stepped out of the shadows and joined the others. Lily laughed and shook her head. Rhea came up and looped her arm through Lily's while Drhea came up behind her and yanked her hip huggers down a little farther to show more curves. "Much better Lily! Now… let's go dance! Woo!" Lily's other arm was captured in Drhea's and she was suddenly being drug across the cobblestone street. The rest of the company followed behind laughing.

After passing the security, everyone walked into a large, loud, bar. Everyone it seemed was dancing to the fast paced music. The bass pulsed through Lily's blood, making her hips gently sway to the beat. As James and Sirius went to get drinks the girls went out onto the dance floor. Evy pulled Remus to her and they began dancing together. Remus looked awkward at first, then he began to enjoy the new closeness with Evy's body. Lily laughed and threw her head back. Her long red hair cascaded around her as she arched her back and danced to the music.

Dhrea looked at Rhea and she winked. Suddenly they were surrounding Lily. All three moved in unison, hips and bodies swaying together. Lily felt a small hand go on her waist and she grinned, knowing all attention was on the three girls. Soon, after long minutes of intense dancing, wolf whistles and cat calls could be heard through out the club. Lily laughed and she felt James come up beside her. She opened her eyes and saw the drink he had bought her in his hand. She eagerly broke away from the duo and made her way over to James. She took her martini from James and started to slink back away from him.

James, however, had other plans. He moved closer to Lily, making her laugh. She took another dancing step back and he advanced once more. Lily shook her head at his silly game and decided to let him win, it was more fun that way.

After what felt like hours of dancing and drinks the group stumbled their way back to school. Finally in the Common Room Lily smiled softly to her drunken self as she watched her friends walk up to their respectful dormitories. She turned to find James standing in the shadows staring intently at her. She blinked slowly, trying, and failing miserably to sober up a little.

"What is so interesting?"

"You."

"Me?"

"Yeah…"

"Why me?"

"Because you are gorgeous." Lily snorted.

"What kind of crack are you smoking babe?"

"None… but for some reason every time I look at you I keep getting a high off of your beauty." Lily blushed at this and looked away. "Lily…" James stepped closer to her. "Do you have any idea how wonderful you are?" Lily refused to look at him. James took another step closer. "You are so sweet… and kind… and smart and funny and beautiful… and everything I want. Just being around you makes me happier then any prank or good grade could." James trailed a line down her cheek with his index finger. "Lily?" When she still refused to look at him he put his finger under her chin and lift her face to his. "Do you understand Lily? I want to be with you so bad it hurts." He inched closer to her and closed his eyes. Just as he was about to brush her lips with his she turned her head and quietly retreated up to her dorm.

She lay in bed for the rest of the night finally sober turning the nights events over in her head. A silent tear streaked down her face. She wanted James, she really did. What she didn't want was to get hurt, or to hurt him. To her it seemed the only fair way to prevent either was to curb her own emotions of love and lust for James and stop things before they happened. She could do that couldn't she? Finally in the early hours of the morning she drifted off into a fitful sleep, full of nightmares, waiting to consume her and tear at her emotions, making her whimper his name, hoping he would come to her rescue.

A/N: Holy friggin' crap! Look! I finished chapter seven! I am so impressed haha! Now let's see how many of you stuck with me through my year long writer's block? blush I know this wasn't as good but please don't hate me and please send me many reviews about how much you love me! Hehe… it would make me feel better! ) It seems that I am entirely too tired to do thank you's, all I want to do is go to bed… but I guess I'll do them, just as any good writer would, you know you love me!

Seren Lunar Echo, FARIES, cherryblossomsakura2111, gothicshe-devil, mz-duCkiee, mmn673, LJstagflower4e, Crystal Zelda, Jaizar Black, truffletruffle01

Just to answer some questions: Lily is the smart good one, but if someone did that to you wouldn't you want a little revenge as well? I know I sure would! No, Lily and Sirius are not having an affair, and he does not have any feelings, so far, for our fair, dearest Lilykins. Although, that would make a darling plot twist wouldn't it? Haha… And the reason McGonagall suspected Lily was because, truthfully, would any of the others be so wonderful as to create such a spell? Plus, she was right in the middle of our favorite prankers, and she knew payback was coming, just not so sly and low haha. Plus, it was fun to make her evil! Hehe! You know you love me!