-Just a little warning: Nothing really happens in this chapter so I'm sorry to disappoint you-

By the way thank you all for the reviews. It's the last week of the holidays so I promise I will update again soon

P.S. I dislike writing ball scenes as you can probably tell by the shortness and overall lameness of the one in this chapter.

P.P.S. I like writing P.S.

Chapter 7

"No matter what, we've still go each other, right?' Lily said as they prepared to enter the common room.

"Of course. I'll never leave you." He smiled gently and took her hand.

"Let's go." She squeezed his hand and said the password. "Rhubarb."

They sighed and walked in. Their friends stood before them. Each with a different look. Sirius wore a look of pride and concern. Remus had a look of anger and relief. Peter supported a look of admiration and nervousness. Abby had a look of worry and fright.

"WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING?" Remus burst out. "WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?"

"Well…it seemed like fun at the time." James offered timidly.

"FUN!" Remus cried outraged. "YOU COULD HAVE DIED!"

"We know." Lily looked down.

"YOU KNOW! GREAT! NOW WE KNOW IF YOU HAD DIED WE COULD HAVE PUT 'THEY KNEW THEY WERE GOING TO DIE BUT DID IT ANYWAY' ON YOUR GRAVE STONE OR PERHAPS THAT'S WHY YOU DID IT! ARE YOU SUICIDAL!" He cried furiously.

"No." they said together. Remus pulled them both into a three way hug.

"Never do that again." He said quietly. The others joined their hug and finally they broke apart.

"What would have happened if we'd lost you?" Abby asked. Lily and James looked at each other.

"What's your punishment?" Sirius asked as they sat down.

"Don't know." They said in union.

"What were you doing with McGonagall then?"

"Nothing."

"You realise if you ever try that again, we'll kill you ourselves."

"I'd like to see you try." Lily smiled.

"Don't make me do it any time soon. I'd still like my date for the ball to be breathing." Sirius smiled looking James.

James sighed, sitting on the couch. He leaned back trying to push the last sentence out of his head and be unaffected.

"I'm tired." Lily said with a yawn. She leaned against James and he looked down.

"What am I, your pillow?"

"Yes." She smiled. "You're a bit lumpy though."

"Are you calling me fat?" He said quietly. He closed his eyes sleepily.

"Yes." She said sighing.

"I'll kick you arse." He said without any effort in it.

"You won't touch my arse." She smiled.

"Like I would want to." He yawned and opened his eyes. Their friends were watching them smiling. He shrugged and looked at Lily.

"You know you love me." She smiled and tilted her head to look James in the eye. He looked at her silently. Her eyes really were beautiful and that wasn't a cheesy pick up line. James felt dazed. Lily blinked and broke his concentration.

"Good night James." She smiled and nuzzled into him to get comfortable.

"You're not sleeping there." He objected, not really caring, but he felt he should at least protest.

"Yes I am." She said almost asleep.

"Fine." He muttered and closed his eyes. After two minutes he was sound asleep as well.

"That was so sweet." Abby sighed.

"And they say they don't like each other. Am I blind or did you see the mini-stare off? It was full of affection." Sirius said wisely.

"Affection? Padfoot you sound like a girl." Remus snorted.

"Hey! I'm wise!" Remus snorted again.

"I bet it takes them until next year to figure out they like each other. They're not very bright when it comes to emotions."

"Probably. They're blind as bats. It'll probably take until the end of the year." Remus said yawning.

"It'll be one interesting year, won't it?" Abby asked leaning on Sirius' shoulder.

"You bet." Sirius said falling asleep.

"They aren't the only ones in denial." Remus said to Peter when Abby was asleep.

"It's pretty obvious, isn't it?" Peter asked.

"Every one is blind around here, except you and me Wormtail."

SCENE CHANGE

It was the night of the ball and the students of Gryffindor tower were in a frenzy. Girls were donning dresses and makeup. Boys were fixing their hair and sniggering at each others attire.

"You look wonderful Lily." Sirius said as Abby and Lily came down the stairs. James was refraining from letting his eyes pop out of his head when he saw Lily. Sure he had seen her in the dress before but she looked even better now. He couldn't find words to describe it. He blushed a little knowing he was looking at Lily instead of his date and quickly grabbed Abby's arm and walked out.

The hall was decorated beautifully and the food was simply perfect. Abby immediately dragged James to a table with the other Marauders and their dates, not that James minded.

"May I have this dance?" Sirius asked Lily as he took her onto the dance floor. James watched them and pulled Abby out of hers seat and did the same.

"You're an excellent dancer James." Abby said smiling. He had been watching Lily and Sirius dance the whole night over her shoulder.

"Thanks." He said distractedly.

"You know…I bet Sirius wouldn't mind if you danced with her."

"What?" James said coming down to earth. "Who are you talking about?" He said trying to sound innocent.

"I think you know."

"No, I assure you I don't." He faked remembrance. "Oh, you mean Lily. Sirius took her to the dance, right? Why would I want to dance with her?" Abby held in her laughter at the bad acting on James' part.

"Well…I wanted to dance with Sirius and I was wondering if you wouldn't mind taking Lily off his hands for a few moments."

"Well…" He said as if thinking, causing Abby to roll her eyes. "I suppose so. Let's go." He dragged her through the couples to the other side of the room. "May I cut in?" He asked Sirius suavely after tapping his shoulder.

"Be my guest."

"May I have this dance, Lady Lillian?" James asked holding out his hand.

"Of course." She smiled and took the offered hand. He pulled her in close and they started dancing. After a few minutes silence in which James was simply taking in her scent Lily spoke.

"They look pretty happy dancing. Do you think the plan is working?" James turned and saw the two dancing warmly.

"I think it might be." He grinned at her. "We're just excellent secret agents."

"I agree, Jamsie. I knew it would work all along."

"I have an idea. Let's do our dance to the next song." He smiled with a mischievous glint in his eye.

"Sure. Let's hit it up a notch and exaggerate a bit. Don't stop even if you have to bump into people. Safety isn't important."

"You bet. Ready?" He asked looking her in the eye as the music started.

"Ready." She nodded.

He exaggerated a bow and she did the same for her curtsey. He took her hand again and pulled her close to him. In a second he spun her out as far as their arms would reach. A few people were hit along the way and let out cries. Their friends sighed as they knew what was happening. They got off the dance floor fast because they knew they would get hit. James pulled Lily in a gain and they made their way around they hall doing a mix between the tango and the salsa. Immediately people went to the sides so there was almost no one dancing around them. They then started on the waltz and mixed in over exaggerated dips. Then the salsa started up again and they made it extra saucy. They looked each other in the eye the whole time. Then James twirled Lily again and again, as though she were a spinning top. When he stopped spinning her she stepped closer and they tangoed up and down the hall. He dipped her lavishly and they wound the dance up. When they were finished they took their seats as though nothing had happened. Their friends were shaking their heads at the two and they just smiled back. After a few more dances Lily was approached.

"May I have this dance?" A male voice asked. She turned to look at a 6th year Ravenclaw by the name of Daniel Selnium.

"That was wonderful." Lily breathed after she had finished dancing with Daniel. "He is so great." James narrowed his eyes. "He asked me to meet him tomorrow. Were going for a walk around the lake. I really like this guy." James glared across the room at Daniel. He didn't trust that guy. He seemed awfully suspicious. James figured he'd do something to hurt Lily. He didn't want Lily to get hurt. Lily was his friend.

$$$$$#SCENE CHANGE#$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

"Bye Daniel." Lily kissed Daniel on the cheek as he left their compartment. They were on their way home and Daniel said he had promised to sit with his friends. He and Lily had been going out for 5 days, much to the disappointment of their friends. James' fan club, however, were ecstatic and didn't mind showing it. They were glad Lily was out of the way and now James couldn't like fall for her, they were only friends. James still didn't like Daniel, he didn't trust him. He had had him checked out and he couldn't prove there was anything wrong with him so he had to let it slide.

"Well…it's the train ride home. You know what that means?" Lily grinned.

"STORIES!" Sirius said happily. "STORIES! STORIES! STORIES!"

"Right." Lily grinned. She loved stories. On the train ride home they always told stories and locked the door so they couldn't be disturbed by Poptarts and admirers. Usually they were fairytales because no matter how much they grew up, they couldn't get too old for them. The Purebloods of the group found them fascinating.

"I'll tell you the story of Cinderella." Lily smiled as they all came in close to her. "Once upon a time…"

She started the story with the group watching silently, except the occasional out burst from Sirius and James of…"How can they be so cruel?" or "She goes right?" and "I bet she was hot." Even "I bet that mother would be a Slytherin."

Lily rolled her eyes at the remarks and was giving Sirius a weird look because he was on the verge of tears when Cinderella was locked away by her step mother.

"How could she do that?" He sniffed. "She gets out right? She gets out and the prince and her meet don't they?" He said urgently.

"Padfoot are you crying?" Remus asked looking at him weirdly.

"No! I have dust in my eye." He said wiping his eyes furiously.

"Sure."

"It's just…I know what it's like to have an evil mother…Cinderella better end up happily. Finish the story."

"Alright, well, where were we? Oh yes, so the step sisters tried on the shoe but-"

KNOCK. KNOCK. KNOCK.

"GO AWAY!" Sirius yelled.

KNOCK. KNOCK.

"GO AWAY!"

"Lily, are you there?" It was Daniel.

"I'm sorry guys. I promised I'd go and see him for a bit of the ride. Abby will finish the story, I told her it once before."

"NO!" Sirius and James protested.

"Abby can't tell stories like you." Sirius said grabbing her leg.

"I have to go. I promised." She said as she unlocked the door and slipped out.

"I told you he was evil." James grumbled, folding his arms like a stubborn kid and sulking.

"What?"

"He's evil. He KNEW we were in the middle of the story, he KNEW! I don't know how but he KNEW. Sneaky, evil boy." Remus and Abby started laughing at him and Sirius was still upset that the story hadn't been finished.

Just before the ride ended Lily came back and sat with them. James was eyeing her suspiciously and Sirius was begging she finish the story, as Abby wouldn't. Suddenly the train stopped and they realised they were at Kings cross.

"Bye Everyone." Lily said warmly as she hugged them in turn.

"Come on, Lily." James said tugging her sleeve. He pulled her away and they walked through the barrier.

"Lily!" Her mother screamed. "James!" She screamed again and hugged him tight.

"Hello Mrs Evans." He said into her shoulder. She let him go and looked him up and down.

"My, you have grown James Potter. I bet you're fending off the ladies." Lily snickered as James blushed a little.

"Not as much as Lily is fighting of the lads." He decided if he was embarrassed she would be too. Lily's mother turned on her and Lily shot James a glare.

"What's this?"

"Nothing." Lily said quickly.

"James?" Her mother persisted.

"Lily was the talk of the ball Mrs Evans. She looked great in that lovely dress you brought her, you have excellent taste." Lily snorted at James for being such a suck up. "Also, she got herself a boyfriend." Lily glared at him again. Damn him! I'll never hear the end of this.

"Really?" Mrs Evans said happily. "What's he like?" She smiled.

"Probably a freak, that's the only kind she can attract." A female voice from behind spoke.

"Petunia, I didn't see you there." James said bowing. Petunia glared at him and James grinned. "My, you and Lily looked terribly alike when you do that." Lily and Petunia looked murderous and James just grinned.

"Petunia, that wasn't nice." Mrs Evans scolded.

"Hello, Pet-Pet, I didn't know you were coming to welcome you lovely baby sister home." Lily said smiling.

"As if. Mum made me."

"That's not very nice." James said shaking his head. "I thought you had outgrown this silly sibling rivalry."

"Shut up, Pot plant." She snapped and looked proud as though it were the greatest insult in the world. Lily and James laughed knowing it probably took her all year to think of that.

"Now, in the car children."

"Frontsies!" Lily called.

"No way! You were in the front of my car!" James immediately argued.

"I'm a lady!"

"I'm the guest!"

They sprinted to the car with their things and started fighting over the front seat.

"Petunia will be in the front." Mrs Evans said as they reached the car and saw the two fighting.

"Fine." Lily huffed. Petunia smirked and sat in the front and Lily got and idea.

"So…James," she started once they were driving. "We're both 17 soon. You know what that means?" She said loudly making sure Petunia was listening. James immediately caught on and spoke just as loud.

"Yes, I believe I do! We can do magic out of school!" He said happily. They saw Petunia pale in the front.

"Wow! That means we can practice some pranks these holidays! We just need a test subject. Who will it be?" Lily said innocently as Petunia wore a face of pure fright.

"Hmm…well, someone who lives close, or even in the same house as one of us. It can't be our parents. I would suggest my brother or sister but I have none so that means…" He trailed of as Petunia screamed.

"MUM! They're going to use magic on me!"

"No they won't! They're just teasing."

Lily and James were laughing in the back.

"Mum, can Vernon come over tonight?" Petunia said sweetly.

"Who is Vernon?" Lily said immediately.

"My boyfriend."

Lily and James laughed even harder at that statement. They were laughing until they reached their houses. James watched Lily unpack the car and felt his insides flutter. It was going to be a long summer.

#SCENE CHANGE#

The summer had ended and James had finally come to admit that he liked Lily. Not a lot but he fancied her just a little. She was still going out with that Daniel guy so he decided he would just wait for his feelings to go away. James still saw her every day and he soon figured it wasn't only attraction. He would be rid of it soon though, he was sure. James had made head boy, though he didn't want to tell any one. He wanted it to be a surprise. He had told his parents but he made them swear not to tell Lily or any one. Great minds think alike, Lily had decided to do the same thing and wanted to surprise everyone on the train.

"Ouch." Lily said quietly as she hit her head once again on James' window frame. She was still in her pyjamas and she spied James sleeping soundly. She smirked. Every single year. She quietly walked over to his bed and knelt beside him. She noted he looked cute when he was sleeping but pushed the thought from her mind. She bent close to his ear and let out a whistle.

"September first." James said opening his eyes. He put on his glasses. "September first," he repeated as he sat up.

"WAKE UP! WAKE UP! WAKE UP!" Lily yelled. She was jumping on his bed as she did every year. "WAKE UP!"

"I'm up." He said. He grinned, He saw her pyjamas and he like what he saw. He knew he shouldn't be checking her out but he was a guy after all. "Must you do that?"

"Tis tradition, my dear boy. If I did not uphold tradition I would be shot." She recited with her hand over her heart.

"Tradition." He smiled. "Tradition." He smirked. "Well…" He said slowly as leapt up from his bed and grabbed her.

"NO!" She shrieked louder than ever. Mr and Mrs Potter woke up.

"September first." Mr Potter said groggily. "9.14 again."

"As always, you owe me another 5 galleons."

"She's like an alarm clock."

"I better start cooking."

"No Jamsie. Stop, we're not doing that this year. NO!"

"Resistance is futile." James smirked.

"You say that every year."

"And every year it is." He smiled.

"I'll do your home work for a week if we skip this part."

"Nah!" He said lifting her up and holding her. He grinned, she was terribly cute when she pleaded and felt nice in his arms.

"Please?"

"Nope."

"Please, with cherries?"

"Nuh uh." She grabbed the door frame as usual.

"NO! You can't do this to me!"

"Every year." James muttered. He turned her on his side and made his way down the stairs while she was kicking and screaming.

"I'll flash you! You don't want that!" She said. I wish.

"You say that every year and you have yet to do so."

"Only because it would scar your brain." James shrugged wishing she would actually do that.

His parents were downstairs watching the two and grinning at the show.

"Jamsie! James! You wouldn't do this to your neighbour would you?"

"Looks like it." He went out the door and headed out the back.

"James you used to run around my house naked. Remember that? You don't want that to get out do you?" She said frantically.

"Every one knows! You told every one already. Even my fan club know and they STILL stalk me." He pushed through the gate. There it was. The pool.

"That's not my fault. You don't want me to get wet do you?"

"Yes."

"NO!" She kicked frantically. "NO!"

"Too late." He dropped her and she hit the water with a splash.

"Damn you." She said as she got out.

"Now, now. Tis tradition, if I did not uphold tradition I would be shot." He said solemnly.

"I don't care. It's cold." He looked her up and down. He saw her pyjamas were clinging to her and he couldn't help but gape at her figure.

"AHHHH!" He screamed. While he was imagining some scenes that shouldn't be spoken of including Lily and himself, she charged at him and he plunged into the pool.

"I got you, James Potter!" She smirked and helped him out.

"You just wait." He grinned.

He watched her as her wet pyjamas clung nicely to her curves. She walked away and he felt himself stir. He quickly ran inside before anyone saw him.

#SCENE CHANGE#

Their eating contest was tied this year and Lily was grinning at the outcome.

"FRONTSIES! SHOTGUN!" She cried.

"You were in the front last year! And the year before! And the year before!"

"Well…Tis' tradition."

"NO IT'S NOT!"

"So! I called it last year!"

"No Mum helped you!"

"So! I'm the guest."

"Not if you come every year."

"Yes I am. It's not my family car, I'm the guest." She took off.

"CHEATER!"

"It wasn't a race."

"Was in my mind." He pushed her away from the door.

"Get out." She said shoving him.

"No!" He pulled open the door.

"Yes." She sat in the seat.

"NO!" He pulled her out and she fell to the ground.

"YES!" She pulled his leg and he fell on top of her. He was breathing rapidly as he looked down on her.

"No." He said quietly.

"Yes." She chocked out and managed to roll him over. "HA HA! I win."

"No you don't."

"Yes! I'm on top therefore I could get the front seat any time I want."

"I could get you off." Not that I want to.

Mrs Potter looked out the window and saw Lily straddling her son. She looked a little confused but it all made sense when she saw the front seat door open. She decided she'd let them have this little moment, it was sweet.

"You couldn't get me off."

"YES!"

"No."

"You're right."

"See."

"You're too fat." She gasped.

"I am not fat!" Lily declared.

"Are too."

"Are not, times infinity." She stuck out her tongue.

"Are too, times infinity squared."

"I'm not fat! You're fat!"

"You are!"

"You're fatter."

"You are!" James rolled over so he was on top.

"You're fatter!" Lily cried rolling over. They kept rolling until they realised they couldn't stop. They started rolling down the street, which was on a hill.

"Uh oh." They said together and Mrs Potter gasped. She ran inside to get her wand. James held onto Lily as they toppled down the hill at a fast pace. She hugged him back and closed her eyes. She really hoped they didn't get too hurt. She swore never to fight on the road again. They were getting small cuts and scrapes from the stones they rolled over and suddenly came to a stop when they hit the post of a stop sign. They both groaned as Lily rolled off James and they lay on the ground in pain.

"I'm never doing that again." Lily said quietly.

"Me neither."

"That bloody hurt."

"I'll say. All those stones left permanent scars in my back." James said not moving.

"You hit me with your hard skull. Now my forehead will have a bump."

"You're lucky my glasses didn't break, you could be blind."

"I suppose-"

"LILY! JAMES! Are you ok?" Mrs Potter cried. She raced down the hill with her wand and camera in hand.

"You took a picture?" James asked.

"It was needed. I got one of you rolling down and one just now, so you remember not to fight on roads. Also so I can send it to you at school. Sirius might like a copy."

"NO! Please!" James begged. His mother grinned.

She levitated them to the car and they both lay sprawled in the back. She could have healed them, but it was funnier this way.

They reached Kings cross and Lily realised they could use magic anyway and quickly healed them. She put her wand in her trolley because she wasn't wearing her robes.

"I can't believe we only just realised we could fix it ourselves."

"Don't you mean I realised."

"Same thing."

"I'll go through the barrier first." Lily said as they almost reached the barrier.

"No, that's ok, I'll go first."

"No need. I will." She lightly pushed him.

"No, no. I will go first." He pushed her a little harder.

"No, I will." She pushed him really hard and he slammed into another train. She took off running with her trolley, though she was much slower as she still hurt a little.

"Damn." He tore off, still hurting as well. They got to the barrier and started a little fight. A few muggles were watching them but they still fought loudly.

"NO I WILL!"

"LADIES FIRST!"

"BUT-" Suddenly they were both pushed through. They fell through the barrier and lay on the ground in pain.

CRASH! Their trolleys came through and ran them over.

"MERLIN!" They both screamed. They lay there in pain as a person ran through the barrier and trampled them. They cried out in agony.

"OH MY! I'm SO SORRY!" They person shrieked. She levitated them so they weren't hit and put them against a wall. They were just out of sight but they could see every one. That way they wouldn't be hurt.

"What is it, hurt Lily and James day?" Lily grumbled.

"I believe so." They sat for at least 10 minutes because they couldn't move. They couldn't even reach for their wands. The girl had gone and they decided to close their eyes and hope the pain left.