Chapter 11: A Very Long Night

November passed Hogwarts quite quickly, the cold was still with them but the students didn't seem to notice. For one, holidays were starting in a week, and it was announced by the Head Boy and Girl that there would be a Christmas Ball before they went off on their holidays for years four and up.

"Lily you're coming home with me," Britney said as she entered the dormitory.

"What? I was going to stay here for Christmas," Lily said from her bed, putting her book down.

"Yeah, well I have to go home, and I don't want to be alone while they're having that Christmas party," Britney grumbled falling onto the end of Lily's bed. Lily frowned. "You would have been the only one here anyways," Britney said.

Lily sighed. "I was avoiding Petunia, but do I have to go to your house?" Lily asked.

"What's wrong with my house?" Britney asked sitting up properly.

"Nothing, it's just, I have to read this book," Lily said holding up the book to show Britney. "And if I go to your house I won't finish it."

"You don't have to finish the book, do you?" Britney asked.

"I do, I haven't had the time to finish it, I've been trying to read it since September, but I always get interrupted, like I am right now," Lily said.

"It's a big book," Britney remarked looking at the large book. "Why read it then, if you can't read it?"

"I can read it, I want to read it, it's just – forget it, fine I'll come!" Lily concluded hopelessly.

"Great!" Britney beamed.

"I guess my new goal is to finish this book before I graduate," Lily muttered picking up the book and looking at it disappointed, Britney gave Lily a big hug and squeezed her tightly.

"You're too good a friend," Britney said smiling. Lily rolled her eyes.

"Let go of me," Lily said, trying to release herself from Britney. Britney smiled and let go. "Where's Alice, Tess and Daisy?" Lily asked.

"Alice is helping Daisy with her homework, and Tess is whoring around somewhere," Britney said.

"You two really should be nicer to each other, you're so cold around Tess," Lily said.

Britney ignoredLily in a very obvious way by picking up Lily's thick book and pretending to be interested in the summary at the back.

"These balls get worse every year," Daisy said looking at herself in the mirror one last time. She was wearing a long lavender dress that had sleeves that went to the elbows.

Lily nodded as she was leaning against one of the four posts of her bed. She was wearing a white dress that stopped just above her knees and was sleeveless. Her hair was done in curls that fell just after her shoulders. Lily promised to wait for Daisy before they went down for the ball.

"You ready?" Daisy asked, turning to Lily and walking towards the door.

Lily sighed. "I guess," she said. Lily really wasn't looking to forward to this, she had a date, yes, so it shouldn't be that bad. Her date was the same one that was supposed to be there for her on the Hogsmede trip at Halloween, Brandon.

The two girls went down the stairs to the Gryffindor Common Room, where all the students that were left were the third years and down. The ball had started about fifteen minutes ago so they quickened their pace through the Gryffindor common room and out the portrait hole.

They headed down the many corridors and the many stair cases to get to the Great Hall where the ball was being held. Lily, being a prefect, knew how the hall looked already, after decorating it early that day. Tomorrow all the student would be going home. Lily was glad that the holidays had started, whether she'd be able to finish her book or not, had already been decided when Britney told Lily she'd be going to her house.

Lily quickly smiled when she saw Brandon waiting in a sort of impatient wayfor Lily at the Entrance Hall. Daisy and Britney had gone to find Brandon, and tell him that he'd be going to the ball with Lily. The whole reason why Brandon never showed up in Hogsmede that day was revealed when Britney had asked. The reason: he was involved in a Marauders prank and was effectively in the hospital wing for a day. Lily understood.

Brandon wasn't bad looking either. He had short black hair and was in dark blue dress robes. The whole theme for the ball was to where dress robes or muggle clothing, most of the girls (besides the Slytherin girls) decided to where muggle clothing for the ball since it looked nicer.

Brandon held out his arm for Lily to take as they entered the Great Hall. The four house tables had been taken out and instead were replaced by small round tables, that could sit about twelve people. The tables were placed near the walls so there would be more room to dance. In the center of the hall was a large dance floor where many students were of course, dancing. A famous wizarding band was playing at the front of the hall, for everyone to hear. The lead singer was the only female in the group and she began to sing a fast upbeat tune.

"Want something to drink?" Brandon asked Lily.

"Sure," Lily said smiling. "I'll go get us a seat," Lily turned around and rolled her eyes. Something about Brandon, caused her to dislike him. She hadn't even actually talked to him and she already judged him. It wasn't fair to Brandon, but Lily didn't like him. She hadn't a date so took Brandon's forced offer.

She found an empty table and sat there she started to think. She was done with having her friends choosing guys for her, they always chose guys she didn't like. Lily found Rob on her own, she could find a new boy on her own. Not Brandon. No more boys like Brandon. Lily sighed and leant back in her chair crossing her arms.

"There you are!" came Alice's voice, she came over and walked over with her date. Who was Frank Longbottom. Alice was wearing a long light blue dress with short sleeves, and Frank wore dark green dress robes.

"Frank?" Lily asked. "You two are going together?" Lily said shocked.

Alice nodded smiling.

"Well, good," Lily said in satisfaction smirking.

Frank looked at Alice confused, who just shook her head. They took a seat at the table and started chatting.

"Where's your date Lily?" Britney asked sitting beside Lily. Britney was wearing a similar dress as Lily except it was in a pale yellow, and was slightly different.

"My date went go get a drink for me ten minutes ago," Lily said in an irritated voice. "He's left me again," she said putting her hands to her side in defeat. "Now I don't have a date."

"He couldn't of left you," Britney said pouting and looking around for Brandon, but didn't find him. "Well he's stupid. He's just intimidated, that's all. Not everyone can put up with you," Britney said, which caused a glare from Lily.

"What's that suppose to mean? I'm a nice girl!" she defended herself.

"I'm not saying you are. You're an intimidating beautiful girl." Britney said, Dom came over with a drink for himself and Britney. "Dom, isn't Lily beautiful?" Britney asked Dom.

Dom froze his expressionemotionless thinkingand sat down beside Britney, handing her drink to her. What would be the right thing to say? He seemed to be biting the inside of his cheek. Lily sat there patiently waiting for him. Britney was sitting down tapping her foot hurriedly.

"Dom?" Britney asked giving him a hard long stare.

"Yes, you're beautiful," Dom said uneasily.

Britney grinned. "See?"

Lily smiled weakly. She knew very well that Dom was intimidated by Britney himself. Of course, everyone was.

Britney took a sip of her drink. "Brandon is just stupid, Dom will find him for you," Britney said, looking at Dom.

Dom scowled. "What am I supposed to be doing now?" Dom asked quickly. Since they'd gotten back together, Dom was doing everything Britney would say, and wasn't even fighting back like he would do normally.

"You're going to be looking for Lily's date, he's seemed to have left," Britney said. Dom didn't say anything. Britney looked at him, as if to tell him to say something.

"What a bastard!" Dom said in mock shock, as he got up in search for Lily's date.

Britney grinned.

"Britney, I don't want to see Brandon," Lily said, though she knew it was no use. "If he can't stand being with me than, good ridance."

"Look if you stay here alone long enough, then James will come over," Britney said. "I'm doing you a favour."

"I don't even like Brandon, in fact, I can't stand him," Lily said trying to convince Britney.

"That's fine, it's just one night of dullness," Britney shrugged.

"Once you have your mind on something, there's no changing it," Lily said frowning.

Dom came back with Brandon closely behind him. Lily rolled her eyes in embarrassment.

"Sorry about that, my friend was holding me up," Brandon said smiling sitting beside Lily.

"No problem," Lily said quietly.

"Great! I'll see you later, Lily," Britney said smiling and leaving with Dom.

Yes, this would be a long night for Lily.

"Then I bought this really ugly green sweater and my friend was like 'why did you buy that, it's ugly?' Then I said, 'I'm going to use it for painting!' My friend looked at me so oddly, but then we went out for ice cream, and I spilt my ice cream all over my sweater, and the only sweater I did have was the ugly green one. So I had to wear it back home! It was a nightmare!" James' date Amber said really quickly.

James looked at her slowly dazed. "It sounds like a nightmare!" James said unenthusiastically, but Amber didn't seem to notice.

"I know, right? I have to go to the loo, be right back," she said smiling and she gave James a kiss on the cheek and hurried off.

James sighed and looked to his left side where Sirius was a snogging his date. They couldn't seem to detach their mouths from one another. James rolled his eyes and took a drink of the punch that was spiked by him and Sirius as soon as they had gotten in the great hall.

James looked across the hall where Lily was sitting looking quite bored with her date who was talking to her. Lily then picked up her drink and seemed to down it. James could tell she knew it was spiked, but that didn't stop her from drinking it fast. James winced slightly.

Amber returned quickly after. "While I was on the toilet, I just remember a hilarious story!" she started.

James cut her off. "Do you want to dance?" James asked as a slow song came on.

She grinned and opened her mouth.

"Without talking," James said holding a hand to her mouth.

It's a good thing he chose a pretty girl for a date, or else this whole situation wouldend upsmashing his drink to his head and let the glass cut his forehead. Maybe he would be able to have peace and quiet in the hospital wing. Amber was actually quite tall and a bit too slim. She had short dark brown hair and was pretty. Downside to the whole Amber thing, which was quite obvious, she didn't know how to shut up.

James led her to the middle of the dance floor, where there were so many students dancing that no one could actually watch him dancing. He didn't mind it when people watched him prank Snivellus or him breaking up with a girlfriend, or hell even fighting with Evans, but everyone watching him dancing didn't work for him. Sure, he could dance, but he hated people watching him, he hated dancing, period. But, when you have a date like Amber, you have to improvise with the music, and dance. Dancing could require no talking and that seemed to be the only thing that would keep her quiet. Well, that's not entirely true, he could snog her, but he wasn't in the mood at that exact moment. Her talking non-stop was turning him off. He didn't mind talking with a girl, but when he couldn't get her away from her, or not able to get a word in, he hated that. This whole thing with Amber had to be put in her head that he didn't want to be her boyfriend.

He twirled Amber around and brought her back into his arms. Surprisingly she wasn't talking, thank Merlin! And he thought Britney was bad. Britney did shut up, James would give her that,and she would let people get a word in, and she didn't talk non stop. Britney was more intimidating then anything.

James looked around at the couples dancing slowly. He saw Remus with his pretty date, who he was having polite and quiet conversation. Neither of them seemed to have any problems with one of them talking too much. Lucky.

He saw Britney with Dom, boring. He then saw Frank with Alice, interesting. Peter was with a girl who seemed to be slightly nervous, as well as Peter.

He looked around more as him and Amber was slowly turning to the music. Lily and her date, Brandon. She seemed extremely bored and helpless, like James felt. Well at least Lily was miserable, everything was good then.

The song had finally stopped and a fast one started.

"Thank Merlin! Now that funny story I was going totell you about -"

Yes, this would be a long night for James.

A/N: Ok, the reason i haven't updated in a while was because I had a little incident that caused me in the hospital for a week and I've been having homecare so, sorry for not updating. I'm still in pain and I still have homecare. So, updating might be a little bit slow for a while. Thank you for the reviews!

R/R!