James pulled the handle of his broom back slightly, making himself rise slightly to get a better vantage point of the Quidditch pitch. He looked around for the snitch and noticed that Sarah Fuorgets was closely watching him at the same time as watching the pitch for bludgers. Spotting a tiny glint of gold James zoomed closer to get a better look.

'Yes! That's it!" he pulled his broom handle down and dove stretching his arm out for the snitch. The roaring of the crowd pounded in his ears, and he blocked out all other movement except the movements of the tiny gold snitch. His hand closed over the snitch and he pulled his broom straight so that he was hovering 20 feet in the air. He pumped his fist triumphantly and grinned charmingly at the crowd.

"Yeah. Alright James."

"Good going mate."

He looked around and saw that Sirius and Remus were flying towards him on their own brooms. He was pounced on by his friends and the rest of his team mates and he felt the gravity pulling him back to the earth. When he landed he stepped up and cheered along with the rest of the Gryffindor house that had run screaming onto the pitch. He was enveloped in a swirling, squealing mass of fans and admirers. He felt himself being lifted onto someone's shoulders and he allowed himself to be carried to the changing rooms. He jumped down, handed the snitch to Madam Hooch and walked into the changing rooms. He stripped off and stepped into the showers. He wrapped a towel around his lean waist and ran his hands through his hair to shake the water out. He carefully dried himself off and then shrugged back into his robes. It was just before lunchtime, so as he walked back up towards the castle, to stop off and grab something to eat. He pushed open the heavy doors to the great hall and walked quickly over to the Gryffindor table smiling at the whistles and cheers from all houses except Slytherin, who they had just beaten. James sat down next to a friend of his in fifth year and reached for a cold sausage. Hearing a commotion at the doors of the great hall he looked up and what he saw took his mind off everything happening around him.

'She's back.' He smiled at Lily Evans. She was walking closer to him and he couldn't help himself when she came right behind him on the way to her seat in the middle of the table.

"Hey Evans."

"Hey Potter. I heard about your game. Good catch."

"Thanks Evans. Listen tell me if it isn't my place but is your mum alright?"

"My mum?"

"Carrie told me."

"Yeah. She's alright. She came out of it three days ago. The doctors said she should be alright."

"That's good. It's great to see you again Evans."

"Yeah? Surprisingly it's great to see you again too Potter." Lily smiled and patted him fondly on the head, then continued on the walk to her seat. James glanced up when Sirius, Remus and Peter sat down next to him clapping him on the back and congratulating him.

"Keep this up James and the girls will be after you more then me. I don't like the thought of that."

"Yeah right Sirius. Even if they did come after me, I'm not really interested in dating anyone at the moment."

"Yeah? Why not?" Remus leaned forward crossing his forearms and resting them on the table.

"Got a girlfriend you aint telling us about James?" Sirius asked mimicking Remus.

"No. I just don't feel like dating anyone."

"What if Lily asked you out?" Remus asked raising one eyebrow grinning slyly at James.

"Then? I don't know maybe I would then, but no one else."

"Aww isn't that sweet Potter has a thing for Evans." James turned around and saw Severus Snape standing behind him. He snarled, raising one side of his lips to reveal his teeth.

"Bugger off Snivellus."

"Why should I Potter. It's a free castle."

"You wont be in this castle much longer if you don't go away now Snivellus." Sirius spoke, dangerously quiet and menacing.

"You're girlfriends watching Potter." Snape tossed his head in Lily's direction. James looked over and locked eyes with hers. Hazel meeting emerald green.

"Silly mudblood doesn't know what she's getting herself into in this world."

"Shut up Snape." James rose to his feet and went to stand toe to toe with Snape; glaring hatefully into his eyes.

"POTTER! SNAPE! Sit down right now!" Professor McGonagall shouted out pulling them apart. James settled for throwing a goblet in Snapes face and then sat down.

"Potter." Professor McGonagall stood over him. He looked up at her with years of perfected innocence shining in his eyes. She stared at him for a long time then looked away.

"15 points from Gryffindor."

She walked back to the Head's table and sat down staring down at her plate.

"Good one James. But I would've punched him." Sirius said gnawing on a chicken leg.

"Good for you Sirius." James rested his head on his hands and stared down at the table.

"James? Are you alright?" Peter asked anxiously.

"Yeah I'm fine. I just feel a little bit sick."

"Okay. Well there's a party after this okay? Sirius planned it already."

"Yeah. I don't think I'll stay long though."

"But… you're the man of the hour."

"Yeah mate, the party's in your honour." Sirius sounded hurt and James looked up at him.

Okay well I'm done eating. Do you want to start early?"

"Yeah. Wooooo. PARTY!" Sirius pumped a fist in the air and ran screaming out of the great hall. Remus, Peter and James followed more slowly.

Lily walked into the common room, looking around at the place she hadn't been for five months. She walked around trying to familiarise herself with the room while trying not to get stepped on or crashed into by the partiers that filled the Gryffindor common room. She grabbed a butter beer off a table near the fireplace and sipped. Nursing it she walked over to join her friends. They were gathered around a small table in the corner whispering about something.

"Hey guys what youse doing?" she smiled when they quickly turned around and covered up the parchment they had been perusing.

"Lily! Oh this is just… nothing." Anna stuffed the parchment into her robe pocket and grabbed the butter beer out of Lily's hand.

"Hey!"

"There's more. Could you get me another one?"

"Me too."

"Me too."

"Me too."

"I'll help you Lily." Henriette offered threading her arm through Lily's.

"So Lily. Tell me how was life."

"Pretty crappy considering. Especially since I had to stay at home with Petunia. She got herself a boyfriend. He is the ugliest, biggest guy I have ever seen."

"Biggest. Are we talking height or width?"

"Width." Lily looked up at her friend and broke into laughter. "Oh my God it was so gross. He didn't simply eat food, he inhaled it. It made me lose my appetite."

"I thought you looked skinnier." A voice said over her shoulder. She turned slightly and saw James standing there smiling down at her.

"I don't know if that's an insult or a compliment Potter." She said gathering three butter beers in her hands.

"A compliment, well it was supposed to be. I think. I don't know. You aren't going to drink all of those are you Evans?" he asked gesturing to the butter beers with his own bottle.

"No Potter, I'm not. These are my friends. By the way where are your's?"

"Around." He gestured vaguely. Lily raised an eyebrow at him and patted him on the shoulder as she made to pass him. He followed her over to her friends. Seeing her friend's looks she turned around and found that she was toe to toe with James Potter.

"Can I help you Potter?" she asked politely, but her friends and James noticed the steel in her tone.

"You would help me if you would dance with me. Just once before I go to bed. Please?"

"Alright Potter. Just once." Lily turned and handed her drink to Henriette. She took James offered hand and allowed herself to be led to the makeshift dance floor in the middle of the common room. The beat of the song changed and Lily suspected James, or one of his friends had something to do with it. The song playing was a soft one that had the rest of the couples on the dance floor move closer into each others arms. James wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her softly towards him. She put her arms around his neck and rested her head genially on his chest.

"I know you planned this Potter." She said quietly.

"Planned what?" he asked to her hair as her face was still resting sideways on his chest.

"The music. The dance. The song. You asked me for a dance and you know I expected a fast one, but you somehow made the music change as soon as we stepped on the dance floor."

"What would happen if I admit that I did have something to do with it?"

"absolutely nothing. I don't mind dancing a slow song with you Potter." Lily looked up and for the second time that day they locked eyes. Lily angled her head and narrowed her eyes slightly. "Something's changed about you Potter."

"Oh?"

"Yes. Something I cant quite put my finger on."

"Then don't try. Just dance with me." James pulled Lily even closer and rested his head on hers. Lily closed her eyes and snuggled deeper into his chest. James sighed. The song ended and James and Lily reluctantly let each other go.

"Thanks for the dance James."

"You're welcome Lily."

Lily grasped his hand for a short time smiling up at him then let go and made her way over to her friends. James sighed and walked away. He was standing near the stairs when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned and saw Sirius and Remus standing there grinning at him.

"So James. Did you like your dance?" Sirius asked wriggling his eyebrows at James.

"Very much. And now I wanna go to bed."

"And dream about your dance?" Remus asked shooting another sly look at James.

"No Remus to dream about Lily."

"Should've known." Remus nodded. "You two make a cute couple." He wandered away when a girl called his name.

"I'm going to bed."

"Jamesssssssss…." Sirius whined trying to tug James back into the centre of the action.

"No Sirius. Night."

"Alright. Alright. Goodnight. Boring." James watched Sirius walk away and looked over at Lily again. She was laughing at something her friend had said and she pushed a strand of hair behind her ear and sipped her drink. James walked upstairs to his dorm and got dressed for bed. He slipped into the sheets. Performed a silencing spell around his bed just in case Sirius and Remus decided to bring girls upstairs and rested his head on his pillow. He thought about Lily. And then he fell asleep still dreaming about Lily.