A/N: Thanks so much to all the reviewers. I want to thank Kat who has been very supportive throughout this story. So this (again) is dedicated to her.

Chapter 8 - The Preperation.

'Give me some time, Sirius. I know you love me. I love you too, but you could have told me, I wouldn't have minded so much.'

'Alright,' he said.

'You should have seen the way he was looking at you when she came in and you were asleep,' said Isy in the girl's dorm later that night.

'And then when he stood up for you when Natalie called you a slut,' continued Hannah.

'Have you decided what you're going to do yet?' asked Lily.

'What do you think she'll say?' asked James.

'I'm being optimistic, so I'll say yes,' said Sirius.

'She'll forgive you,' said Remus. 'I talked to Hannah, she's distraught, but she'll forgive you.'

'Thanks Moony.'

Two days later Emma was sitting in the Common Room with Sirius and James, trying to explain how Mercury shows on Monday they won't be run over by a Hippogriff but they will be late for Transfiguration.

'Well who cares?' yawned James. 'I'm going to bed, either way I'll be missing part of Transfiguration.'

Sirius watched, as James, instead of going to bed, went over to chat up some girl by the window.

'The ball is tomorrow,' said Emma, scribbling something down about Venus.

'Mmm . . . are we . . . you know . . . going?' muttered Sirius, who was trying to look involved in 'Palm Reading and Crystal Gazing.'

Emma laughed as she looked up at him.

'What?' he said completely confused.

She pointed at his book, it was upside down. 'Do you read all your books upside down?'

'No I just –'

'Just what?'

'Nothing,' he said, getting back to him homework.

'Sirius,' she said quietly.

'Yes?' he said, looking in her eyes.

'This isn't my fault we're like this. If you hadn't met that preppy girl Natalie we would be happy and I wouldn't be so confused and –'

'Emma,' said Sirius, very quietly, still looking in her eyes.

'Yes?' she said, looking hopeful. She moved closer to him to find him do the same.

'I don't love Natalie, I love you.'

'I love you too,' she said, a tear running down her cheek.

Lily, Isy and Hannah looked around and saw them, their face lit up and they smiled at each other.

Isy sat alone early the next morning trying to do last minute homework.

'Early riser,' said a voice. Isy turned around to see her boyfriend standing behind her.

'Hey Steven, what's up?'

'Got you something,' he said and handed her a bunch of red roses.

'Oh my goodness. They're beautiful, why?'

'Because I thought with the ball coming up you would like to receive some roses.'

'That's so sweet,' she said and kissed him.

'So was that,' he said.

She giggled and kissed him again.

A few hours later Hannah sat down with Chloe discussing the ball.

'Remus is taking me,' Hannah told her.

'I don't have anyone. I'm going alone,' said Chloe sadly.

'Guess who?' someone said putting their hands across Hannah's face.

'It's Remus Lupin,' she said confidently.

'Oh, how did you know?' he said, sitting down next to her.

'I always know when it's you,' she said in a sickly sweet voice.

'You guys are making me sick,' said Chloe.

James overheard this conversation and added quietly, 'if that makes you sick then don't go near Emma and Sirius.'

Chloe laughed, 'who are you going with?'

'No one. I haven't asked anyone, or said yes to anyone.'

'James,' said Emma, who had stopped snogging Sirius long enough to hear his last comment said, 'you've said yes to about ten girls and that was only this morning.'

James looked stunned, 'was Lily one of them?' he asked, but Emma had turned around back to Sirius.

Chloe laughed, 'no James, Lily is going with Frank.'

'Well who should I go with then?'

'Don't ask me, I don't have anyone to go with. I'm not a very romantic type.'

'Do you want to go with me then, just as friends and if we meet someone we can go off?'

'Sure, thanks James, you made my day.'

'Now I have to tell these girls that I'm going with you and not them.'

Isy walked into the common room wearing a white dress. Her hair was curled naturally and she had thick mascara on with black shoes.

Emma was wearing a knee length black dress, her hair was in a loose bun and she had light make up on.

Hannah was wearing a red ankle length dress with silver heels and her short, curly, brown hair was done up in a loose pony tail.

Lily was wearing an emerald green dress that was backless with black heels. The dress matched her eyes nicely and went well with her hair that was out.

'Ready,' asked Sirius.

'We have to wait for Chloe,' Isy pointed out.

'Oh yeah,' said Emma.

Chloe came rushing down the stairs yelling, 'wait for me!' She was wearing a floral print dress and white heels.

'We weren't going to leave without you,' said Isy.

'You weren't' laughed Emma, and they all walked down to the Great Hall.

A/N: If you liked this then read The Story of Love, it's funny!