Looong chapter. I probably didn't need to write about Lily dressing up for the ball, but it was fun. Bite me.

Lily

I guess you could say I wasn't very "enthusiastic" getting ready for the ball. I mean, who would be after just being taunted like that? But, like always, Cin came in to save the day.

"Lil, I've had it up to here with you," Cin sighed, stepping into the room and looking me over. "Get off that bed and stop moping around. Tonight is the Graduate Ball! So you don't have a date. Neither do I! Boys aren't all that great anyways, you and I both know that. How bout we be each other's date?" She flashed me her famous "you know you want to" grin. I groaned and turned over. There's no way I'm going to the ball. How could I possibly enjoy myself?

"Well, I know I'm not Prince Charming or anything, but you could at least say something," she said, sitting down beside me.

"I'm sorry Cin," I said, facing her. "I've just had a rough day."

That could be considered the understatement of the year.

"Well snap out of it girl!" Cin exclaimed.

I sighed and sat up. I really didn't want to go to the ball, but I didn't really have a choice. I had to open it with James (the thought of him sent my stomach flopping), and speak to our year. But, I suddenly thought, Dumbledore never said I had to stay after I'd completed those things...

I don't think I'd be able to bear staying, watching James with his girlfriend. Just the thought made me tear up.

"No more tears, you're gonna shrivel up if you keep leaking water," she smiled, wiping them away. I smiled a little. Cin really was my best friend. "Now c'mon, get up. Time to get dressed! I'll even do your hair for you. Can't beat that."

I smiled and hugged Cin. "Thanks."

"No problem hun," she winked, getting up and walking over to her wardrobe. I stood up and yawned, stretching my arms. I'll just have to grin and bare it until the dance and speech are over, then I can come back up here, away from James and his girlfriend, away from my feelings, away from it all.

Suddenly I stopped. What good will that do? Being alone up here, depressed as hell, crying my eyes out. All that will accomplish is me getting a massive headache and feeling sorry for myself. I took a deep breath. I can get over James. I will get over James. Even if it's only for one night. I can do this.

I walked over to my wardrobe and pulled open the doors. There was my dress robe, hanging right in the front. I smiled slightly as I remembered picking them out with mum in Diagon Alley. It was love at first sight. Emerald green, flowing sleeves, and even a tiny bit of a trail. I loved the neck though, an elegant v-cut. I didn't exactly have the biggest chest, but I had filled out this year and the robes looked just right. I pulled them off their hanger, shed my cami and pajama pants, and carefully slipped them on. Perfect fit. I stepped in front of the mirror and looked myself over. I even did a little spin, like I would when I was little in my holiday dress. At least one thing would be right tonight.

"Wow Lil, those are great!" Cin grinned, coming out of the bathroom. "The color really brings out your eyes."

"Wow, look at you!" I exclaimed. "You're gorgeous!"

Cin had on midnight blue robes, trimmed with lace and glitter. Something I definately wouldn't be bold enough to wear, but Cin could pull off anything. I absolutely loved her hair though. Normally it was straight, long, and blonde, but tonight she had it in beautiful curls cascading down her back.

"Shut up," she said. "You're only saying that because you're my date."

"Yeah, but you do look nice," I grinned.

"So, now zat you're zressed, it iz time for ze 'air," Cin said in her French accent, plopping me down into a chair. "I wooz zinking a boon, maybe?"

"Whatever you say," I replied, not really understanding what she was saying. But I trusted her; Cin was good at being pretty, and I was good at books and work.

She took out her wand and waved it this way and that, conducting each strand of my hair and putting it in its perfect place on my head. After about ten minutes she turned me around so I could face the mirror. I let out a gasp.

Cin had put my hair in an absolutely beautiful braided sort of bun, with elegant curls framing my face. It looked like something you'd see in a movie. And she even did my make-up.

"Cin!" I shrieked, hugging her. "You're the best!"

"I know, I know," she smiled, hugging back. She turned her head and looked over at the clock on her bed side table. "Almost ball time. You ready?"

"Ready," I said. I can do this.

Cin and I joined the crowd gathering in the entrance hall, waiting to be let in to the Great Hall. After only a couple of minutes wait the doors opened, and we stepped inside.

The normal house tables were gone. The very center of the hall had been transformed into a dance floor, with little tables circling a bit away from the edge. There was a stage in the front and in front of the stage was a long table, where the teachers and Professor Dumbledore sat. There were all sorts of silver and gold decorations strung across the hall, and the banners bering the mascot of each house floated above the teachers' table.

"Wow," Cin said.

"Ditto."

Everyone gathered at the tables, no one quite sure what to do. As the minutes passed by students kept filing in, and finally it had appeared everyone was here. I tried my best not to look for James, but it was too hard. The first chance I had my eyes traveled from face to face, couple to couple, frantically searching. Finally I spotted him, standing with his arms crossed on the other side of the hall. I let out a gasp of air. He was so perfect. After I had got over the initial shock of how handsome he looked, I noticed something odd. Instead of standing with his girlfriend, he was with Remus, Sirius and Peter. Eyebrow raised, I moved my gaze from James and scanned the crowd, looking for her. There she was, on my side of the hall, in the corner.

With another boy.

Did that mean...?

My heart flipped.

Could it be...?

"Welcome everyone, to you Graduate Ball."

Professor Dumbledore's voice rang across the hall, effortlessly ending any conversations. He had risen from his seat and his eyes were twinkling, like always.

"It saddens me to think that in less than a month, all of you will no longer be students at Hogwarts. Every single one of you holds a special place in my heart, not only because you were, in my opinion, the best generation that Hogwarts has ever produced, but you are my first graduating year, and I will forever remember you. It has been nothing short of a blessing to be able to oversee your education, to be a part of your lives. I watched you as first years, scared and unsure what the future would bring. I watched you as second years, developing friendships and at the same time developing your selves. In third year, I watched as you experienced Hogwasmeade for the first time and started 'getting the hang' of things. I then watched you as fourth years, more confident and adventurous than ever. Before I knew it you were in your fifth year, and I glowed with pride as you exceeded my expectations as well as your own, I'm sure, on your O.W.L.S.. Sixth year came, and you began to mature into the lovely young adults I see before me this very moment. Now, it is your seventh and final year, and I can only hope that your time spent at Hogwarts have meant as much to you as they have to me."

It sounded as if a thunderstorm entered the Great Hall. Every single person was clapping as hard as they could, and even then some. Silent tears rolled down my cheeks, but I wasn't alone. I watched as Professor Dumbledore smiled upon us, wiping his own tears away. How incredibly lucky we were to have someone like him watching over us, protecting us.

"Okay!" Professor Dumbledore exclaimed, clapping his hands together. "Enough with the that, there will be plenty of time for speech making later. At this time, I would like to ask our Head Boy and Girl to make their way to the dance floor for the opening dance."

I could feel my palms getting warm as the words came out of Professor Dumbledore's mouth. I swallowed hard, trying to stop my stomach from feeling as if it were a tornado and my heart from beating right out of my chest. Somehow I managed to get my legs to work, and I slowly walked out to the dance floor. It was if I was in another world. The sound of clapping and the hoots and hollers seemed so far away. I felt numb, not really sure of what I was doing but doing it anyways.

And then I saw him. All of my thoughts of abandoning my feelings for James vanished.

He was a vision of perfection, and he was heading straight for me. Dressed in plain but nice dark dress robes, the same jet black as his untidy hair, he took my breath away. His hypnotizing hazel eyes bore into mine as he bowed, and I was so caught up in them I almost forgot to curtsy. The music began but I hardly noticed; I was too caught up in him, us, as he wrapped one arm around my waist, pulling me close, and taking my other hand in his, his fingers fitting perfectly in between mine. Somehow, someway, I was able to move my other arm around his neck, and he began to lead. The whole time we danced my eyes were locked to his, and his were locked to mine. I thought I was going to die as fast as my heart was pounding. Slowly other couples started to waltz along with us, but my attention was fixed on James. It felt like a dream, a wonderful, spectacular dream. I was on Cloud Nine. My stomach fluttered and I couldn't help smiling the entire time. It was the most extroadanary feeling in the world and I grasped onto every second of it. I couldn't believe this was happening. It was too perfect. Way too soon the song ended, and everyone stopped and applauded the band. James and I stopped dancing, but we continued to hold each other, not breaking eye contact. The band struck a fast tune and couples around us danced away, but we stayed the same, as if frozen in time. And then he did the most wonderful thing.

Slowly, he moved his face to mine and I felt the softness of his lips against mine, the wish I had been wanting for so long coming true. It didn't last long, but it was all I needed. My knees started to shake and I felt weak all over. If he hadn't been holding me in his arms, I might've fainted.

And if that wasn't enough, he did something even better than I could imagine.

He brought his mouth to my ear, his warm, minty breath tickling my skin, and whispered the best words I've ever heard into my ear.

"I love you."