Halloween was finally here. The school was decorated in orange and black, and the great hall was filled with jack-o-lanterns and pumpkins. All the girls were getting ready, some as early as 10 in the morning. The dance started at 8, and ended at 11. Ruth was dressed as a fairy, her sister Jia was dressed as a muggle witch (the ones with the pointy hats and pointy noses) and Lily dressed as Titiania, her favorite character in her favorite book.

Lily's costume was green, which brought out her eyes, with gold trim. She finnished it off with a pearl necklace, and left her long flowy hair down. Kate Browning, Sirius's date, was in Ruth and Lily's room, so the three got ready together along with Jia.

"Must be exciting, going to the ball with James Potter." Kate said to Lily.

"I'm not going with James Potter." Lily said, wondering why Kate would assume she was going with him.

"Oh I'm sorry, I just thought..."

"No it's ok. I'm going with Zachary Rowley. He's in Ravenclaw." Lily said to her.

"Oh..." Kate said quietly.

"What's wrong?" Lily noticed Kate's face fell.

"We used to date, last year." Kate said.

"I didn't know that." Lily said.

"Of course you wouldn't. He ignored me a lot when we were dating. Never even said 'hello' to me in the hallways when he was with his friends. He was quite ignorant of my feelings, and always looked at other girls. Please don't mind me for saying this, but he's a real jerk. Big headed snob." Kate looked very sincere.

"I don't mind." Lily said, and kept on brushing her hair. 'Why would Kate say he's a jerk. Hes never done anything wrong. Maybe he's changed. People change. After all, if James Potter can stop being a jerk, anyone can.' She ignored what Kate said, and the four went downstairs to meet their dates.

"Ruth." Remus was happy to see her, and gave her a little hug.

"You look lovely Kate." Said Sirius to his date.

Peter didn't say anything to Jia, he only smiled. The only reason that Jia agreed to be his date was because she didn't have enough time to find anyone else.

"Lily, you look...stunning." James said, even though he wasn't her date.

"Thank you." She replied. "And you're suppose to be..."

"A prince, prince charming." He replied.

"Why aren't you dressed like a pirate like the rest of the marauders are?" She asked him.

"Because he was too modest for a joke like this. We're marauders, get it? Pirates..." Sirius answered for him. Everyone laughed except for James and Lily.

"Where are you meeting Zach?" asked Ruth?

"In the great hall." Lily replied, and the eight of them left for the ball together.

When they got down to the ball, most people had already started dancing. To her surprise, Zach already had a drink in his hand and was talking to another girl. Lily went over to him to say 'hi', but started to remember what Kate had told her earlier.

"So what are you suppose to be?" Lily asked him.

"I'm a muggle. Can't you tell?" Zach was wearing a ridiculous outfit with baggy shorts, a golf shirt, and an overly large polka dotted tie. "These muggles are hilarious creatures."

Lily was hurt by his attitude towards muggles. "I'm muggle born you know!" She screamed at him.

"You are? No...someone as good looking as you?" Zach laughed. "Muggles are all stupid and ugly."

"No they're not. I can't believe you! That's it, we are no longer going out!" Lily picked up a glass of punch and splashed it in his face.

"Fine! We're OVER!" He yelled as she ran out of the great hall.

Kate was the first to run after her, since she was watching the two of them. "Are you alright?" She asked.

"Yes I'm fine." Lily said, sniffling a little. "You were right, he is a jerk."

"Well it won't take you long to get over him." Kate smiled. "Trust me. It only took me three seconds before I realized what I was definatly NOT missing."

"Thanks Kate. You're a good friend."

"Why don't we go back in. I'm sure there's someone who would dance with you."

When they got back in, Lily sat down next to James.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

"Yes, I'm fine. At least I will be." She replied.

"I'm really sorry about him."

"No it's okay. You were right. I mean, you did warn me...sort of." She laughed.

"Lily...um..."

"Yes?"

"Would you like...to dance...with...me?" He hesitated.

Lily thought for a while and said "I would love to."

They got onto the dance floor as a slow song came on. She put her hands on his shoulders, and he put his hands on her back.

"You don't know how to slow dance do you?" She said, laughing a little.

"No I'm afraid I dont."

"It's ok I'll teach you. All you have to do is relax, it'll come naturally."

"Like this?" He tried.

"Yes. Now your hands, they're too high." She said

He slowly lowered them so it was right on her waist.

"That's right." She smiled.

They danced and danced the rest of the night. It was the first time she could just relax and be herself. It was like he carried her away to some faraway land where she could just be free. She knew it then that she had fallen in love.

When the dance ended, they found that they had danced the whole way through.

"I have to go." Lily said, remembering that she had to meet a secret admirer soon.

"Me too." He said and they both went their seperate ways.

Going out of the great hall, Lily said to Ruth. "I don't think I can do it."

"Go ahead." Ruth said.

"But...I don't think I can even talk to anyone else right now." Lily said, knowing the only person she wanted to see under the tree was James.

"I don't think you're going to be disappointed to see who you're meeting." Ruth said.

"What..why do you..."

"Just go." Ruth cut her off. Lily hurried down to the lake, and saw that her admirer had not arrived yet, so she sat and started reading her book. After all, what better way to pass the time then to read about the dispute between Oberone and Titania.

Oberone and Titiania are two characters from William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. References to the play does NOT belong to me. I have no ownership of anything out of the play. I'm just using it in the plot of my fan fic.