You guys will LOVE this chapter... I've made this one my new favorite... haha. PLEASE REVIEW! even if you wanna stay anonymous... I know I get about 34 hits, but only six reviews... ---I'm trying to incite you guys...---
Oh well, I am thankful with the six reviews I did get! WG
DISCLAIMER: Nope not JKR. Nope don't own Harry Potter. Nope not wealthy.
After about a weekor twoof guesswork on the reason as to why James and Sirius came back with so many bites and bruises on the night of a fully moon, Lily finally gave up. Instead, she began to get more and more focussed on the upcoming Christmas Ball for Hogwarts.
It so happened, on this particular date that James and her were sitting in the Head's Common Room, discussing it.
'I think that blue and white balloons are too Ravenclaw-ish.' James said, as Lily suggested balloon color.
'So, red and green then?' Lily asked.
'I think this will be the first and last time Gryffindor red and Slytherin green will ever be associated with each other.' James announced, leaning back to stretch. He couldn't help but marvel how pretty Lily was today. It had been great living in the same dorm as her. She was becoming increasingly... warmer towards him each and every day.
'Ha-ha... you're very funny.' Lily said, sarcastically. She herself was beginning to notice James more and more. He was... for lack of a better word in Lily's vast, modest vocabulary... hott. She never really paid attention, but now that she saw him every morning, and every night, she could tell his very light, great smelling cologne, and also his perfectly ruffled looking hair, which surprisingly never sat down, no matter how much he tried. She always thought he did it like that on purpose for the girls. And his complete habit to run it through his hair when he's nervous or thinking hard.
'And, it's for fifth years and up. You're allowed to ask a younger one to the Ball though. We are booking Celestina Warbeck for the music. And you think that turkey will be better than ham... don't worry I think you've covered it all. I mean, we can't stress over the color of balloons.' James listed off.
'This has got to be perfect!' Lily said, getting excited.
Suddenly, James grew red. He tried to look away from Lily, but she caught him. 'What? Why do you look like that?' She questioned him. She wouldn't stop until he answered. That was one thing he soon realized likeness between them; they were both too damn stubborn for their own good.
'Uh... you see, we have to start the dance off first.' James said, giving a nervous chuckle.
Lily suddenly realized why he looked that way. 'Oh.' Was all she said. Now it was too awkward.
'So what will we do?' She asked.
'Huh?' He said dumbly.
'Waltz? Tango? Conga? Hustle?' She said jokingly, trying to erase all the tension.
'Traditional. Waltz.' James said, laughing, glad that she wasn't mad.
That was another thing Lily noticed about James. He did everything in his power to make sure he didn't upset her. He was always so modest with her. Why would he be nervous about having to dance with her... probably because if he said that a year ago, she would've slapped him.
'Yeah, I thought so.' Lily said smiling widely.
'You seem excited.' James said, looking at her face.
'I am!' She said her eyes getting larger, waiting for him to ask why.
'Why?' He said, asking what she was thinking.
'The girls and I went shopping! And... I got my new dress robes... I cannot possibly wait any longer!' Lily said, jumping up and down.
'Oh.' James said, now trying to get the gorgeous image of Lily out of his mind, so as to not seem like a drooling freak.
'Is that all you can say, 'Oh'. Get some life in you James.' Lily said, jumping on the couch.
'Did you and Sirius like switch bodies this morning? Because, you seem excessively hyper. Possibly too much sugar, or extra dose of dancy-ness.' James declared like ahealer diagnosing his patient.
'Ahh. Excessively hyper... I've heard that one before. Dancy-ness isn't a word...' Lily said, chuckling. She sat back down and smiled at his dumbstruck face.
'I think I'm dreaming.' He mumbled to himself.
Lily laughed because she heard him.
'Well, I'm going to go find Mooney and Padfoot. Later Flower.' James said, calling her his nickname he got accustomed to.
'See you around James.' Lily called out. He was surprised; usually Lily yelled at him when he called her Flower. He stared at her for a few seconds, and she didn't look up, though she had a small smile on her face.
If he doesn't ask me to that ball soon, I'm going to scream. Lily thought to herself as he left.
---
'James, I think you should ask Lily to the ball.' Remus said as they all sat down for lunch.
'What? I should? I'm a shoe-in. I'm Head Boy, and she's Head Girl... they always go together.' James said, shrugging.
'Well not necessarily. They only dance together. If you don't hurry up Lily will be swiped away.' Remus said, warning him.
James still seemed unavailed. Of course Lily knew that they would go to the ball together... didn't she?
'So, did you ask Michelle to the dance yet?' James said, redirecting the conversation.
'As a matter of fact, yes I did.' Remus said, looking sheepishly proud.
'Way to go Mooney! Yeah!' Sirius yelled, pumping his arm in the air.
'Who're you going with Paddy?' James asked him.
Sirius answered the predictable, 'Faye.' He said simply.
'Could've figured that one.' James said laughing.
'How're things going with you and Lily?' Remus asked to James.
'She's stopped yelling. And, I think she's actually beginning to enjoy my company. She laughs at me now.' James said thoughtfully. He smiled widely at his accomplishments over the past year.
'Match made in heaven I say.' Michelle said, sitting down at the table with the boys. Faye followed and kissed Sirius on the cheek.
'Agreed.' Faye said. She loved how Lily and James stopped fighting and had their litle flirt fests.
'But, James... you need to ask her to the ball. She definitely wants you to.' Michelle said softly agreeing with Remus.
'She does? Ok. I'll ask her soon.' James said, smiling.
'James patrols tonight.' Lily said as she sat down at the table. Everyone immediately stopped talking about the ball, and they stared intently at James. Even Lily began staring expectantly at him.
'Alright.' Was all he said. He didn't see Lily sigh and roll her eyes at the girls.
'They get really boring after awhile, don't they?' James said, still talking about patrols. In his mind, he was forming a brilliant plan... just a few stops along the way.
'Yeah, it's dull work.' Lily said shrugging.
Not much else was said after that. The boys began talking about the upcoming Quidditch season and how they should practice this afternoon, which they all ended up agreeing to that idea. While, the girls had different plans. They began sketching out how the Great Hall would look during the dance.
'So, you definitely want Potter to ask you?' Faye said smiling, for she knew the answer.
Lily looked as if she was thinking a lot. 'Well he better. I'm not sure though... if I get asked before he does, I think I'm going to say yes.' Lily said, wishing with all her heart that James would be the first, as he ususally was in the past years.
'So Michelle, you and Remy, huh?' Lily said, wickedly moving her eyebrows up and down.
'Shut up Lily Evans... you who swore to never fall in love with James Potter!' Michelle said throwing a pillow at Lily.
'I... uh...' Lily was at a lost for words.
---
Midway the patrols, around 10:30, James decided that now would be a good time to start the beginning of his plan. He pulled out the Marauders Map to make sure no one was hiding in the closets or anything. 'Anyone?' Lily asked as she saw him check.
'Nobody. People aren't stupid enough to skulk around the school. Not in these dark times.' James said. He looked shiftily over at Lily. They had stopped walking and he turned to look her in the face.
'What?' She questioned by the smile on his face. She felt an uneasiness in her stomach that was the result of earlier on in the day.
'No one's there... I want to show you something.' He said smiling widely.
'Another secret?' She said raising her eyebrows.
He nodded and grabbed ahold of her hand. 'Where are we going now?' She asked.
'Shush.' He said, as he broke out in a run, laughing. He watched her hair swing back and forth as they ran together down the corridors. He didn't let go of her hand yet, and she had a small smile playing on her face.
Soon, they were infront of the portrait of a bowl of fruit. They were breathless and Lily was laughing. 'That was fun.' James said laughing too.
'Yes... but we ran all that way just to see a bowl of fruit?' She said, smiling sweetly. He still didn't let go of her hand, and she didn't want him to.
'This isn't just a bowl of fruit.' He whispered quietly, with a sly smile.
'Then what is it?' She said in such a quiet voice, only he could hear. They were getting awful close to each others faces and they were about to...
'Mr. Potter!' Came a elated shout. James inwardly groaned as he turned towards the portrait to see a house-elf named Candy, looking up at him. Candy idolized James. Lily turned an amazing red and tried to forget what they were about to do.
'Hey Candy.' James said weakly, trying to be polite, though the little elf just spoiled one of the best moments of his life.
'James brought a friend?' Said a motherly sounding voice. There was Tessy, Candy's mum.
'Yeah, this is my... friend, Lily.' James said, smiling at Tessy, his favourite of all house-elves in Hogwarts. She helped him out in many tight spots, was an amazing cook, and didn't bow down to the floor or kiss his feet when he saw her. She acted normal.
'It's nice to meet you. James always talks about you.' Tessy said politely smiling at the shy and brightly blushing girl.
'Hi, I'm Lily.' She spoke up, smiling nicely.
'Well come on... you don't want someone to catch you taking off of patrols, now do you?' Tessy said, pulling James in, while Candy was bombarding Lily with questions.
'Do you like treacle fudge? -'
'I can make you treacle fudge-'
'Do you like your red hair... I sure do.'
'Do you like James... I love James...'
'Mr. Potter loves you, you know...'
'Never shuts up about you really...'
'I can make you treacle fudge!' Candy was jumping up and down and smiling excitedly.
'Woah, woah there Candy... you know that thing I told you about saying too much information to newcomers...' James said, not meeting Lily's eyes, and holding onto Candy's mouth, who looked as if she was still talking.
'Candy is the treacle fudge maker of all of Hogwarts... don't mind her. That's her pride and joy.' James said to Lily who was giggling at the house-elf, who was now holding out an enormous plate of treacle fudge.
'Thanks Candy.' Lily said, taking one politely.
'So do you like it?' James asked hopefully, gesturing to the entire kitchens.
'It's brilliant! I always wondered where the kitchens were. Thanks. So now I know where the Marauder's get all those drinks when we have parties...' Lily said honestly.
James looked happy and smiled. This would be the best time to do it. 'Hey... Uh Tessy, can you bring that cake out?' James said to her.
She obliged, and with the help of three other little house-elves, they brought out a tiny looking cake.
Lily looked at it, and felt as if she were dumped in ice-cold water. She stopped smiling when she saw the words iced on the cake 'Will you go to the ball with me?' James realized her reaction and knew something was wrong right away.
'I - I...' Lily stuttered, not knowing how to word it.
'If - If you don't want to go... well we - you don't have to... I mean, it was... I was... it was just a stupid sugg-' James began, looking completely horrified, though trying to not look too upset.
'No... no it's not that... I just - Well, you see this afternoon... I - I accepted Amos Diggory's invitation. I'm really... really sorry, James.' Lily said, and she left the kitchens looking truly apologetic.
Lily decided that tonight was too stressful to stay in the Heads Common Room, so she just went back to the normal Gryffindor one, where she cried her eyes out to Faye and Michelle.
'It's okay James.' Tessy said, giving him a piece of cake. Usually James loved her cakes, but today, it tasted like sand paper.
'I - I know... I shouldn't have waited so long.' James said, banging his head on the table that he was sitting at.
'Here, you go on back to the common room with that cloak of yours and here, take a butter beer. I'm going to send Candy to tell Sirius and Remus to wait for you there.' Tessy said motherly, trying to cheer him up.
'Thanks Tess. I'll see you around.' James said, getting up and taking his butter beer with him.
'Candy, go tell Remus and Sirius to meet James in the Heads Common Room!' Tessy told her daughter.
'Yes Ma'am.' Candy said, feeling important.
Once James got to the Head rooms, he said the password and saw Remus and Sirius sitting on the couches talking in low whispers.
'Hey.' He said tonelessly.
'What's up Prongs.'
'Candy, go get us a huge pack of butter beer please.' Sirius said ot the House-elf.
'Yes sir.' Candy said, looking happy.
Within seconds she was back with handfuls of bottles.
'Thanks.' Remus said, taking one large swig.
'So... she said no?' Sirius said, feeling bad for his brother-like friend.
'Yup.' James responded.
'She wasn't mad or anything was she?' Remus asked.
'Nope. She was fine and having fun. I thought for sure she would say yes. She was having a good time at patrols.' James said, hitting the table with his fist.
'Take it easy Prongs, Evans is hard to get.' Sirius said shaking his head.
'Is that why she said yes to Diggory this afternoon? 'Cause that's why she told me no. She's going with pretty boy. Amazing. Bloody amazing. Why didn't I just ask her sooner. I'm such a prat, damnit.' James said angrily.
Remus felt now would be a bad time to say 'I told you so', and he kept his mouth shut.
'Hey Prongs... go stag... get it... stag?' Sirius said weakly trying to laugh it off. It wasn't working.
'Ha-ha.' He said dully.
'Come on, you still get to dance the first dance with her.' Remus said, trying to sound uplifting.
'Yeah, I'm dancing the first freakin' dance, then I'm outta there.' James said, giving a lifeless chuckle.
'Cheer up James, you can dance with Faye if you want.' Sirius offered.
'Nah, I think I'm good.' James said turning it down.
'Go with that bimbo Hufflepuff you met over summer. What was her name again... Darlene?' Sirius said again.
'Nope.' James said. It was like chocolate, your first taste and you were hooked. He finally got Lily to see the good side of him, and he wouldn't let her go now.
'Is she up in her room right now?' Remus asked, afraid that if she was, she could hear everything they're saying.
'I'll check.' Sirius said. He got up and cautiously looked in her room.
'Nope. Probably with Faye and Mich.' Sirius said.
'Good.' Remus said.
'I'm going to bed. See you all tomorrow. Who knows, maybe Diggory will get injured or something, I've got a week to pray.' James said cracking a smile, which made Remus and Sirius laugh.
'See ya Prongsie. That's my man, chin up.' Sirius said, settling down on one of the couches.
'G'night Prongs.' Remus said, falling asleep almost immediately.
As James fell asleep, he couldn't help but feel somewhat satisfied that Lily was for once, sorry to turn him down.
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That was chapter four. Hope you liked it.
-WG.
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