To Be Young Again

Chapter 26: Attempts

            "Lily," the seventh-year boy was saying, "will you go to the Ball with me?"

Lily barely heard him.  "Sorry," she told him quickly, still scanning the crowd for James Potter.  When she saw him, she left the poor seventh-year and dashed toward James. 

Then she noticed all the girls that were surrounding him: blond-haired, blue-eyed beauties.  I could never measure up to them, she thought miserably, and ditched her last attempt to ask James Potter to the Yule Ball.

-

James noticed flaming red hair he could not mistake for anyone else but the owner.  He attempted to move through the crowd in an effort to reach her, but failed.  His heart sank as she ran toward the stairs.  She'd never want to be with me.

-

Lily was making her way back to her dormitories after Astronomy with Professor Sinistra.  She loved to stargaze, did it often actually, but making charts and writing names and identifying constellations was a bore.  She was about to turn the corner when she ran into someone.

            "Oof!" she exclaimed aloud, as they both crumpled to the floor.  She watched as the tall figure stood up, brushed itself off, and extended a hand toward Lily.  She took it.  As she stood up, she recognized the boy's face.

            "Chris?" she asked incredulously.  Lily had had an obsessive crush on Chris Birkham since her third year, and couldn't believe he was actually holding her hand (though it was not intentional).

            "Oh, hey Lily," Chris said in a deep voice.  "Just the person I was looking for."

Lily's heart fluttered.  Chris had been looking for her!  He had actually wanted to talk to her!

            "Um…" was all she could manage.  "Hey, Chris."

Chris smiled in the dark.  "So, did you hear about the Yule Ball coming up at Christmas?"

If it had been anyone else, Lily would have shot them a duh-look, and then clearly stated that she was Head Girl and of course she knew these things.  With Chris, though, Lily seemed to have lost her sarcasm and her ability to think.

            "Um," she repeated.  "Yeah."

            "Well, I was wondering if you'd like to go with me."

Lily was beyond belief.  Chris Birkham, the hottest guy in the seventh year besides James Potter and Sirius Black, was asking her out!  To the Ball!

Then Lily thought fleetingly of James.  She pushed the thought to the back of her mind quickly and replaced it with, He'll find another girl.  He wouldn't want me anyway.  And I don't want him.

            "Y-yes," Lily stammered.  "I'd love to go with you."

Chris flashed his killer smile.  "Great.  I'll see you then."

Lily floated up to her dormitory.

-

            "Chris Birkham?  No way!"  Jane exclaimed when Lily was back in the Ravenclaw girls' dormitory. 

            "Yup," Lily grinned proudly.

            "What about James?" Arabella asked quietly.

            "What about him?" Lily looked surprised. 

            "I thought you two were going to go together," Arabella confessed sheepishly.

Lily looked incredulous.  "What?  How could you think that I would go with that pig?"

Amanda cut in.  "Well, since it's obvious from the way that you two look at each other, I would go with Arabella's prediction myself."

Lily shot her a look and stated, "I'm going with Chris Birkham, and that's that.  I have absolutely no feelings for James and I don't want you three making it out like I did or have."  She pulled the covers around her and shut her eyes, pretending to fall asleep.

But Amanda knew better.  Lily had confided in her, and she knew that Lily's heart still had eyes for James, although her brain didn't know it yet.

-

Okay, Potter.  It's now or never.  James approached Lily, bustling to her morning classes.  At his touch, Lily dropped all her books.

            "Oh, uh, hi, James," she said distractedly.

            "Lily, d'you… er, wanna go to the Yule Ball with me?"

Lily dropped the books she had picked up.

            "W-what?" she stammered.

            "I know you think this is kinda weird," James said quickly.  "But I was wondering if you'd like to go with me to the Ball on Christmas night."

            "Oh, I'm really sorry, James.  I'm already going with someone."  Lily gathered her books in her arms and walked hastily away.

You fool!  James berated himself.  She's never shown any interest in you!  How could you ever imagine she'd say yes?

-

Nikki Gryfan sidled up to James Potter.  She flipped her hair, batted her eyelashes, and put on her best flirtatious smile.

            "Jamesie," she cooed, "there's a Yule Ball coming up and I'm not going with anyone…"

James was about to cut her off when he spotted Lily hanging on Chris Birkham's arm.  His heart drooped but his mind was angry and defiant.  I don't need her…

            "Gry—Nikki--, first of all, never call me Jamesie again in your life or you will regret it.  Two, yes, I will take you to the Ball."

Nikki squealed, then gained her composure, and walked slowly off to tell her friends about her dream date.

James sighed and ran his hand through his hair.

-

Arabella, Amanda, and Caitlin watched Lily marvel over many dresses at the shop in Hogsmeade.  They watched as she tried on short and long dresses, silk and sating dresses, green and blue and white dresses, not saying a word.  They all felt that Lily was going to the Ball with the wrong man.

Lily finally emerged in an emerald green dress that matched her eyes perfectly.  She looked truly stunning as she spun around and her friends enthusiastically seconded it.  Lily checked out the expensive dress (paid for by Arabella, Amanda, Jane and Caitlin as a Christmas gift).

They stopped in a small quills, etc. shop on their way back to the castle because Amanda's quill had been turned into a pillow and had not been successful in the attempt of Transfiguring it back.  Lily spotted something in the window that caught her eye.

It was an almost-ordinary silver inkwell, and had a lion emblazoned upon it.  The lion's jaw was wide as if it was roaring and ready to attack at any moment, but the artist had captured it so magnificently that it looked like it also had something to hide.  Something dark, deep inside that was a secret vulnerability.  Lily noticed that there was also a bird on it, though she couldn't tell what, a dove or a raven or something of the like.  There was also a serpent on the lower portion of it, reared and ready to strike.  Lily couldn't take her eyes off it.  It seemed to have entranced her.

She slipped into the store quietly and avoided her friends.  She picked up the silver inkwell and took it to the counter.  The old wizard there was looking like he was about to fall asleep, so Lily had to ring the bell quite a few times to get his attention.

            "Excuse me," she whispered, trying not to let her friends overhear, "but how much is this?"

            "Thirty-seven sickles, my dear," the wizard replied.  "But why are we whispering?"

            "I…er… have a bad cold… wait!  Did you say thirty-seven sickles?"

            "I'm afraid so, dear," the old man replied.  "It's one of a kind."

Grumbling, Lily dug up the money—the last of the amount she had—and handed it to the shopkeeper.  He grinned and Lily noticed he had quite a few teeth missing.

            "Merry Christmas, my dear," he wheezed.  Lily smiled quickly, tucked her purchase into her bag which held the dress, and walked outside into the snow.

-

A/N:  I know it's pretty short, people, but I've been working hard on it… hope you like it!

Coming up in the next chapter:

- James' POV and experiences

- Lily & Chris

- Possibly Sirius and Caitlin, if I can fit it

And then the Yule Ball!  Twists and turns are headed your way!

Don't forget to review!

OutofAzkaban