Chapter 7

So, We Meet Again

November faded into December, and still Lily was furious at James for the stunt he had pulled in the common room. But, she had to put her hatred on hold for a while as she and James, along with the prefects, had to plan the annual Christmas Ball. Since they had such a great time during the Halloween Ball, they decided again on a masked ball, only this time, instead of costumes, formal Muggle attire was required. They made the necessary preparations, such as calling the wizarding clothing store at Hogsmeade to stock up on Muggle formal wear for the occasion. As expected, Lily was not happy since she had to be partnered with James. But, unknown to her, her Prince Charming had decided to come yet again.

..------..

It was finally the night before Christmas, and Lily was in her room, thinking about what might happen the next morning when suddenly, a knock was heard at her door. Knowing who it was, she groaned and opened the door.

"What do you want this time, Potter? It's bad enough that you have to be my partner tomorrow, do you also have to see me before I sleep?" Lily snapped at James.

Looking slightly hurt but calm, James ran his hand through his hair and said, "Oh yeah, about that. I'm really sorry but I can't go with you tomorrow. You see, my parents just owled me. My grandmother from Rome just arrived, and I need to be home for a few days. I've talked it over with Dumbledore, and he's fine with it. Again, I'm sorry. You must be really sad. I know you were looking forward to me being your partner. I mean, what girl wouldn't?" (I know, he's laying it on a little thick. Is it me, or is James a really conceited prat?)

Lily put on a gasp of surprise and sadness and said sarcastically, putting her hand over her heart for a dramatic effect, "Really? You're right, my heart is crumbling into pieces". Then, she turned serious. "Actually, the girl who will always refuse to go out with you is me and I am very glad that you won't be my partner during the Christmas Ball. Goodnight". And with that, she closed the door right in his face.

"This should be an interesting Christmas," James thought before going to bed.

..------..

Everyone woke up the next day to a white Christmas. There was a great deal of an exchange of gifts and greetings. Lily was particularly chipper.

"Hello, everyone. Merry Christmas" said Lily to her friends when she arrived at the Gryffindor Table.

"Merry Christmas to you too, Lily. Too bad James isn't here," said Sirius.

Lily's face clouded over immediately. "Everyone, please do me a favor and do not mention or talk about Potter. The mere mention of his name ruins my Christmas, and I had so hoped that, since he isn't here, I would have a peaceful Christmas for once".

"Fine, fine" said Stacie. While they ate, the owls dropped by. Suddenly, Casey, Lily's female tawny owl, dropped by with a note. When Lily read it, her face broke into a grin for it read:

Dearest Lily,

I just found out that James isn't going to be your partner for this evening. Don't ask me how I found out, I have my sources. So, I would like to ask you to be my partner. I'll come to you around 10 in a dark navy blue suit. I have to tell you something.

♥Till then♥

"Lily who is that from?" Sirius asked, trying to see what was written.

Lily hid it out of sight and said, "None of your business".

"Hmmm…..is that a note from your Prince Charming?" questioned Alyssa. Lily nodded gleefully and her friends smiled.

But, to add to James's plan, Remus said wit a frown, "Tsk, tsk, tsk. Be thankful Lily that James isn't here because if he was, we'd be sure to hear another argument. You know, James told us to find out who he was so we could 'jinx him into oblivion', as he put it. But since I know that if that happens, you're going to kill us, so we won't tell James anything. Promise".

Sirius, catching on to what Remus was doing, smacked Remus on the back of the head and said in a mock scolding manner, "Way to go Moony. James told us not to say anything to anyone else, especially not Lily, and here you go blabbing to her. What kind of a friend are you, anyway?"

Remus rubbed the spot where Sirius had hit him and, sending him a death glare, muttered discreetly, "Sirius, I realize that you were helping me with James's plan, but did you really have to hit me?"

"Just for the effect," Sirius muttered back before turning back to their friends. They found Lily frowning as she shook her head repeatedly.

"That insufferable jerk!" Lily exclaimed. " I can't believe that, after all the hell he's put me through, and after how much I warned him, he still had the audacity to request his friends to hate, investigate, and jinx whoever he was! Honestly, he acts as if he owns me-----"

"Uh, Lils, if I remember correctly, in sixth year he placed a spell on you to have the words Property of James Potter on your forehead" Sirius interrupted.

"---And he's asked me out for eighty- two times---"

"Eighty-seven, actually" Sirius interrupted once more.

"—and worst of all, he only chases after me because he looks at me as some kind of prize that he hasn't won yet but so desperately wants to get! Why does he even bother when he has about 55 girls who're willing to throw themselves at him, and----"

"Actually Lily, James has 60 girls who're willing to throw themselves at him" Sirius interrupted once again.

Lily sent him a death glare and Stacie smacked him on the head, saying, "Can't you see that Lily's getting annoyed at your constant interruptions? Honestly Sirius, you are such an idiot".

"I know but you love me for it, right?" Sirius said as kissed Stacie on the lips. A few minutes later a slow make-out scene was happening.

"Um, hello, in case you're wondering, we're still here you know" Remus interrupted, abruptly ending the kissing scene that was unfolding in front of them. Sirius and Stacie pulled away from each other, Stacie blushing a bit.

"Sorry. But still, Lily, I was correct with what I said, right?" said Sirius.

"Sirius, do you really want the rest of the school to know that you still sleep with a teddy bear? Because I assure you, the Gryffindors already know, it's only a matter of time before the rest of the school finds out as well" Lily threatened, a spark of mischief in her emerald eyes. She had gotten tired of Sirius's remarks since his annoying nature reminded her of James.

"WHAT! How did the Gryffindors find out? Oh man, I am so ruined. My reputation is in smithereens because of—Wait, who told them?" Sirius said, whacking himself repeatedly on the head.

"Blame your idiot best friend for that. Speaking of which, answer me something," Lily said.

"Anything to keep you from blabbing, although that doesn't have much help",

"Okay. Why does Potter like me so much? I mean, I hate him with every fiber of my being and besides, we are so different. Why, I ask you. Why me?" Lily asked.

"As they say, opposites attract," Sirius replied, a touch of cheerfulness in his voice..

"Sirius, say one more stupid thing and I swear I will tell everyone" Lily said, her eyes narrowing. It was not the answer she had wanted to hear

"What? You asked me a question, I answered it. Where's the wrong in that?" Sirius asked, a puzzled look on his face.

Their friends shook their heads. Stacie looked at him disbelievingly, wondering why on earth her boyfriend was acting so stupid. Lily shot him a glare; due to Sirius's annoyingness, she was so close to getting very pissed off.

"Sirius, I'm warning you…." Lily said threateningly. It took a minute for him to understand what she was threatening. Sirius immediately shut up.

When they went out, they started a snowball fight where Lily seemed intent on hitting Sirius the most. When asked why, she would say, "Because, one, he's been saying stupid things all morning, and two, since he is Potter's best friend, I am imagining that the snowballs I throw at you are actually being thrown at that prat".

..------..

It was finally time for the Christmas Ball to begin as everyone made their way to the Great Hall. Lily and the rest had agreed to go down together. When they did go down the steps to the Great Hall, everyone turned to look a Lily and they gaped. And trust me, they had good reason to.

Lily looked absolutely dazzling in a beige dress whose straps rested on her mid-shoulder. Her beautiful red hair, so dark red that it was more of an auburn color, was piled on top of her head in a mass of curls, held by a diamond hairpiece. Her smile and her pretty features were shining in the light of the Great Hall. In short, she was drop- dead gorgeous. Her friends looked good as well. A few minutes later, professor Dumbledore officially opened the ball.

..------..

It was a quarter to ten and Lily had excused herself from her friends and sat down. Taking deep breaths, she silently tried to calm her nervousness; the prospect of seeing her Prince Charming again was both exciting and nerve-racking. Five minutes to ten, her eyes roamed the area, hoping to see a certain someone in a dark navy blue suit.

Suddenly, a voice who said, "Lily, good evening and Merry Christmas", broke her train of thought. She turned to face the speaker and she grinned. It was James! (Of course, she doesn't really know who he was, but, whatever).

"Hi. Merry Christmas to you too. Can you do me a favor and give me a name to call you by? It's quite strange to have a date you don't know the name of," replied Lily.

After thinking about it, James replied, "Michael. Call me Michael", (Author's note: Just to tell you, I'm using the name Michael for James's middle name, but Lily doesn't know his middle name that's why she didn't get suspicious).

"Alright, Michael" Lily replied, a smile playing on her lips.

"Come with me. There's something I have to tell you" James said. Taking Lily's hand in his, he led her away from the people, the bright lights, and the music. He took her to the garden were they had first danced last Halloween. Lily gasped. It was even more beautiful than before.

The walkway was littered with different colored flower petals. The gazebo's entrance was lined with a mix of wild orchids and roses, and countless stars shimmered down on them like diamonds being reflected in the sun. The moon, which was in a crescent, was surrounded by wisps of silvery night clouds, giving it a mysterious yet intriguing feel. But the best part of all were the hundred live fairies, shining on them an illuminating light.

Lily sighed dreamily. It was so beautiful and magical, not to mention romantic, which were the things Lily loved. She felt surprised that he knew exactly what she wanted. She wondered for a fleeting moment if he was really…."No, it couldn't be" Lily thought. She shook her head and smiled at James, who grinned back.

As they stepped up to the gazebo, an invisible orchestra began to play one of Lily's favorite romantic ballads. "May I have this dance?" James asked, offering his hand.

"Of course," replied Lily, taking it. They slowly waltzed around the spot, both wishing that it wouldn't end too soon. Oh, if only Lily knew that she was falling for the one person whom she'd sworn to hate all her life.

They stopped dancing, and James reached into his pocket and pulled out a small black box. He opened it to reveal a solid gold ring with a very real and very expensive-looking turquoise gem in the middle. "Lily, would you wear this? It's not an engagement ring or a trick ring, it's just a little something I thought would be nice to give you".

Lily's eyes lit up and she smiled. "It's…beautiful. Of course I'll wear it". James smiled and slipped the ring on Lily's finger. Then Lily asked, "So, what were you going to tell me?"

James took a deep breath before replying, "I...I just wanted to say that….you are the most wonderful person I have met in my entire life. You're kind, intelligent, friendly, beautiful, confident, and so much more. Really, anyone would be crazy not to like you,"

"Oh," Lily said. Whatever she was expecting, it wasn't that. A few seconds later, however, she began to smile; it sounded so nice, so sweet to hear that compliment coming from her secret admirer. The clock suddenly began to chime. James faced Lily and said, "Good bye. Don't forget what I said and we'll see each other soon, I promise". And with that, he kissed Lily on the cheek and left.

It was correct to say that that night, Lily Evans and James Potter were probably the happiest people alive.

Thanks to all the people who reviewed my story. So, what do you think of this chapter? Love it? Hate it? Please let me know!