"So how bout next Sundays Hogsmeade trip?" James asked Lily.
"Potter, you're actually going to have to work for this." Lily replied, packing up her transfiguration homework from the Gryffindor common room. The Gryffindors had just had a particularly hard Transfiguration workload dumped upon them unscrupulously by Professor McGonagall. Apparently they all needed to work harder, in preparation for exams.
"I didn't make Snape do anything horrible at Dumbledore's birthday surprise. Surely that counts for something." he grinned at the memory.
"I guess. For that I'll sit with you at dinner tonight if you want." This came tumbling out of Lily's mouth before she could really consider it. Did she really mind though? Not in the least. her mind told her. If dinner went as well as the last, well the first date they had been on, Lily found herself thinking that the deal she had made with Potter wasn't going to be so bad at all.
He grinned lopsidedly, running a hand through his messy hair. Such a gesture would normally irritate her to no end, but strangely enough, Lily found the action tolerable. James Potter was beginning to have the strangest of effects on her, and for some unknown reason, she found herself enjoying it. Quite peculiar indeed, she thought to herself, grabbing up her only remaining quill, making a quick exit up to the Girls Dorm. A faint "Meet you there at seven!" could be heard as she closed the door to her chambers.
"You're sitting with him?" questioned Alice.
"What happened to the whole, 'I'm going to make him work for it' junk?" asked Bella.
"He said he didn't do anything to Snape when he very well could've at the celebration for Dumbledore." remarked Lily, brushing her hair with a comb. "Plus who said I don't enjoy it." she added.
"Hey!" she said, "Why don't you guys sit with me too?"
Both girls made non-committal sounds, and Lily looked up at them through the vanity mirror.
"We cant, I'm so sorry Lil's." said Bella.
"You can't or you won't?"
"Cant. Frank asked Alice to sit with him, and um," here she coughed. "Amos Diggory asked me." there was a pause where Bella gauged Lily's reaction. The red head didn't seem upset or angry so she took this as a positive sign. "You don't mind do you?" she asked dubiously.
Lily laughed, "Amos Diggory? Him and I were soooooo fourth year. You can go out with him!"
Bella sighed gratefully. "Thanks Lil's."
"No problem. Can I borrow your earrings tonight? The blue ones?" she held up a pair of earrings in the mirror. "Sure. Now Alice, how are we going to do your hair?"
The girls continued chatting and doing hair until dinner.
"Where is she?" muttered James for the umpteenth time that night.
"Dunno Prongs." was all the reply he got from Sirius who had a mouthful of chicken.
"Mate, you might as well start eating." was Peter's input.
Resigning himself, James picked up the scoop for the peas, dishing up some of the greens onto his plate. The scoop soon clattered to the table as Lily took her seat next to him.
"Thanks for waiting." she smiled over at him. "Peter, Remus, Sirius." she greeted the other three boys in turn. "So where are your friends?" asked James conversationally, "I meant to ask you to invite them along too." he winked at her, pouring them both a pumpkin juice.
"Oh. Well Alice is over with Frank Longbottom in Ravenclaw, and Arabella is sitting with Amos Diggory, also in Ravenclaw. So I guess it's just the five of us."
"Diggory eh?" questioned Sirius, scanning the room for him. Sure enough there was Bella, talking animatedly to Amos, smiling and pointing at random things, one of them happening to be Lily and James. Amos winked at Lily, which made James' blood boil slightly.
"So Miss Evans, who should we thank for your presence at our end of the table tonight?" Remus enquired.
"Potter's good behaviour." she grinned back at him. Remus nodded.
"Well hopefully we can see more of you in the future?" hinted Peter. Lily smiled.
"Hopefully." James took this as a good sign.
"Are you quite alright Remus?" she suddenly questioned, taking in his clammy form. His skin seemed paler than usual, eyes more dull. Was he unwell?"
"Just ah, had a bit too much butterbeer last night at the ah, celebration." was his response.
"Oh. I have some pep me up potion in my trunk if you would like?"
"That's very kind of you," he smiled in a wishy-washy way, raking a hand through his hair that seemed a bit matted.
"Padfoot, if you wouldn't mind?" asked James, thrusting the same Polaroid camera at Sirius.
"No probs mate." said Sirius, lifting it to his eyes.
James Pulled Lily closer, smiling for the camera. The flash was brilliant, half the hall turned, making Lily blush.
Dessert arrived pretty quickly after that, and the five of them tucked into custard, treacle tarts, ice cream and various other sweet fillings. All too soon dinner was over, and it was time to write her two words.