"Come on James, the ball starts in twenty minutes and I said I'd meet Cheryl-Ann out front before it started."

"Sirius, how do I look?" James asked coming into the Head's common room in his outfit. He was wearing a white tuxedo; his shirt was pale green and highlighted the green in his hazel eyes. His usually unruly hair was covered with a little bit of grease to give it a slicked back and edgy look. He was supposed to be James Bond. He had seen that movie once when he was younger with his late uncle and had liked the idea of a devilishly charming spy who always got the ladies. Sirius was wearing what appeared to be a bed sheet, tied over his shoulder, the gaps in the sheet allowed glimpses of his sculpted body and he wore a crown of twisted gold on his head.

"Let me guess Caesar right?" James asked

"No. That Homer guy from the Simpsons."

"Right whatever. Are you ready to go?"

"Yep. I was waiting for you to fix yourself up so that you look perfect for lovely Lily."

"No Sirius, we're just friends."

"Right. So you got a date for tonight Prongs?" Sirius looked over at James and saw the flash of anxiousness in his eyes.

"None of your business Padfoot. Where's Moony meeting us?"

"Near the refreshment table. His words not mine, I would have just said meet near the food and alcohol."

"There is no alcohol Padfoot."

"Not that you know of anyway."

"Sirius." James cautioned though he wasn't all that upset at the thought of washing down his misery of not being able to be Lily's date with something alcoholic and numbing. But he valued their friendship too much to have asked her to go with him. James walked down the stairs chatting companionably to Sirius. He and Lily had agreed to meet in the downstairs common room. So James waited near the foot of the girls' dormitory for her. Sirius was staring around checking out some fourth years who weren't allowed to go. Henriette came down the stairs first. She was wearing a tight black, leather cat suit. James looked at Sirius for his reaction and laughed at his friends' wide eyes and open mouth.

"Don't drool now Sirius. She already has a date." James reminded his friend who clamped his mouth shut and watched as Henriette went to stand next to a tall sixth year boy who was on the Quidditch team with him and James. Anna came down next dressed in a green floaty gown that stopped just below the knees and was slit everywhere so she could move. Next came Carrie and Samantha together. They were dressed identically and claimed that they were twins from an ancient eighties television show that only the muggle borns would know. Lily's friends all found their dates and were standing around waiting for Lily to come down. James stood and stared as she descended. She had her long red hair curled and her gown was a pale gold colour that suited her skin tone and her eyes. The neckline was square and cut just above her cleavage, showing off her long neck and pale skin. The dress was cut close to her body at the torso then splayed out from the waist to form a wide arch around her feet. She was wearing a strand of creamy black sea pearls. It took his breath away. Lily came down the last few steps and laughed to herself at the stunned expression on his face. She curtsied enjoying herself. James bowed and she looked him over.

"Let me guess…" she started taking in his tuxedo, his slicked back hair and his cocky smile. "James Bond?"

"Right. Are you a princess?"

"Ariel." She replied spinning around.

"Ariel?" he asked. His vision was filled with her and no matter how hard he tried he couldn't take his eyes off her smiling face.

"The Little Mermaid."

"Don't mermaids usually have tails?"

"I'll tell you the story on the way down. Are you ready to go?" She asked hooking an arm through his and leading him towards the portrait hole. Looking over her shoulder she saw Sirius watching Henriette closely. Lily and James led the way down to the Great Hall.

"So she wanted to meet Eric, but knew that she couldn't as a mermaid so she made a deal with Ursula, this cruel half octopus-half woman who was after her fathers trident. So she got changed to a human and this whole drama followed. But she and the prince got together in the end so it all worked out for the best." She finished just as they stepped into the great hall. She let go of his arm and spun in a circle to capture the room from every angle.

"This is so pretty."

"You're pretty." James couldn't stop himself from blurting out. She slowly turned towards him and smiled prettily.

"Thank you. But no more of that talk. We talked about it. We're just friends."

"Yeah I know. Excuse me would you; I have to go and have a chat with Sirius and Remus. He shoved his hands in his pockets and slowly made his way over to his friends. Remus and Sirius were both with their dates. Remus had asked a short brunette with stunningly deep blue eye and Sirius had asked a tall blue eyed blonde with lots of curves. James admired both their choices but decided that Lily was the most beautiful girl at the ball. Sirius and Remus managed to disentangle themselves from their dates when James stepped in front of them.

"How goes it Prongs?" Remus asked craning his neck to get a better look at the back of his date.

"Not that good."

"Hey at least you're here with her." Sirius said; copying Remus' movements.

"Technically I only escorted her."

"Whatever. Have you tried these mini sausage rolls? They're delicious."

"You think all food is delicious Sirius." James laughed, grabbing a Butter beer from the table.

"Too true."

James looked up and locked eyes with Lily who was watching him intently. He felt his anger spark when Lucius came over to her and sneered in her face. James saw Lily's' face harden and her hand shoot out. She stalked away, leaving Lucius clutching his cheek. James watched as she stalked out of the main doors.

He quickly set down his drink and walked after Lily. He found her on a bench in the courtyard near Greenhouse 1. Without saying a word he slipped out of his jacket and slipped it around her shoulders. He then sat down next to her and stared out at the darkened lake.

"Why did you follow me James?" she asked her voice strained.

"Why shouldn't I have? We're friends aren't we?"

"Yes James we're friends."

"What happened Lily?" he asked moving closer and wrapping an arm around her shoulder. She struggled. "Friends hug." He heard her sigh and knew that he had been successful.

"Malfoy is such a conceited a…"

"G-rated Lily." Remus popped out a window and shouted down to them. James turned around and flicked him off.

"Don't mind him. Keep ranting it'll make you feel better."

"He said it would serve me right if I went home for the Christmas holidays and found my family gone. So I slapped him. He deserved. I should have kicked him in the b…"

"G-rated."

"Shut up Remus." Lily and James shouted in unison.

"So do you wanna go back in now?" he asked softly.

"No. I think I want to stay out here a bit longer. You can go in if you want too."

"Now would James Bond desert a damsel in distress?"

"No I guess not." Lily replied laughing for the first time.

"Agreed. So why didn't you kick him. It would have livened up the evening."

"And I would have gotten a detention."

"But then I would have gotten one so we could do time together." Lily laughed at his serious tone.

They sat like that for a long time, his jacket and his arm around her and her head leaning on his shoulder.

After the students had been dismissed James and Lily went inside. Lily removed James' jacket and held it out to him. He took it and shrugged back into it.

"Thanks for everything James." Lily started feeling embarrassed.

"No problem Lils. What are friends for?"

"Aww isn't this a sweet Evans and Potter moment. Who has a camera?"

"Bugger off Black." Lily gritted her teeth and tried to ignore the derisive remark from Sirius' cousin.

"I don't have to Evans. Tsk Tsk Potter I thought you'd have better taste then a mudblood like Evans. You being pureblood and all. You could have made something of yourself."

"I like where I am right now Bellatrix and I don't want that title on me. I may be a pureblood but that doesn't matter to me or to Sirius, everyone here is a witch or wizard and that's the only thing that counts."

"No. Muggle borns have no place inside these walls and one day none will have the chance to learn magic." Bellatrix curled her lip and walked out of the great hall.

"Sorry about that Lily."

"It doesn't bother me James. It isn't the first time I've been called that and I'm sure it won't be the last."

"It would be the last time if I could help it."

"But you can't James. It's sweet that you want to but you can't change people's thoughts and views." She grabbed his hand and they walked out of the great hall and upstairs to the Gryffindor common room. When they got to their own private common room Lily leaned up to give James a peck on the cheek.

"Night James."

"Night Lily." She turned around and was starting to walk away when James grabbed her arm and pulled her back. He stared down into her eyes.

"Lily. I really want to kiss you goodnight. Not like friends. I'm asking your permission, but believe me you don't know how hard it's been these past few months trying to get over my feelings for you. So I'm asking you for a favour, just once." Lily looked up and saw the pain in James' eyes and nodded slowly. She watched as the pain lifted, clearing his hazel eyes and watched intently as they changed and deepened to a dark brown colour. He bent his head and softly, gently brushed his lips over hers. She grabbed a hold of his arm for balance as he deepened the kiss. The kiss seemed to last forever and when James pulled away he was short of breath. He looked down at Lily and saw regret in her eyes.

"Happy now James?" she asked softly.

"Nope. Worse. Much worse." He sighed and mussed up his hair, gave her a friendly hug and ran up the stairs to his room. Lily walked up to her own room and quietly got ready for bed. She was standing in front of the mirror studying her reflection carefully. She slowly ran a fingertip over her lips; still warm and slightly bruised from the kiss. She saw a sparkle in her eyes. She went to her bed and lay down crossways on it staring up at the ceiling not really seeing it. In her mind she ran over all the kind words and sweet gestures James had shown her since sixth year. Standing up quickly before she could change her mind she grabbed her robe and put it on. She quickly walked through the meeting room that joined their rooms together and knocked softly. A few seconds later James pulled open the door. He stood there surprise on his face.

"Lily are you okay. What's wrong?" he asked concern displayed on his face now, replacing surprise. Before she could stop herself she had leant up on her tiptoes and had placed one hand on James' cheek. The next thing she knew she was passionately kissing him. She felt him freeze for an instant then his arms came around her waist and she was being drawn inside his room. She felt the bed move under her but was so involved in the kissing she didn't think anything of it. Their tongues tangled together, tasting each other. James' hand cupped the back of her neck, bringing her closer to him. She pulled away for an instant for breath, but was just as quickly brought back to him. This time it was him who pulled away.

"Lily. Why are you doing this?"

"Because James Potter I have liked you ever since you asked me what was so wrong about dating four girls in one week. Then you almost kissed me. I couldn't tell you any of what I felt. It would have made me feel stupid. But I do want to be with you James."

"So you're lifting your hiatus?" he asked hopefully.

She laughed at the expression on his face and nodded.

"I guess you could say that. But just so you know where we stand James. Nothing. Absolutely nothing is going to happen between us in that kind of way. Understand?" she asked eying him seriously. He nodded. Then pulled her back to him for another passionate snogging session.