Okay new chapie! R&E! (read and enjoy)

Ch.5, The Ball and the Kiss.

Len skipped up to the Griffindor common room. She had a date, with Remus Lupin! As she went up to the dorms, she found Lily and Melissa playing Exploding Snap. Lily had obviously got exploded on a few times.

"Guys, you need to put that down and come here. I got something really important to tell you!" Len said excitedly.

"Can't it wait? I am about to beat Lily again…"

"Fine I'll tell you but you'll be exploded from surprise…"

Lily put the cards down and came over. "I've had enough of that game anyways." She said as she charmed her hair not to be full of ash.

"Okay, what is it?" Melissa said as she came over.

"I don't like the way you said that Mel. I don't think I will tell you now…" Len played.

"Come on, please?" Lily made the infamous puppy-dog face. Len laughed.

"Alright, alright. Anyway, guess what? I have a date for the ball!"

"What!" both girls shouted.

"I have a date for the ball!"

They both hugged her. Then, Melissa asked, "so, who's the lucky guy?"

"You're probably not going to believe me, but its Remus Lupin!"

"What?"

"Seriously, its Remus! He asked me on my way out from the owlery. I am so happy!"

"And were happy for you! This calls for a celebration. Who's up for a GN?" Lily asked.

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Remus stared at the spot that Len had occupied a few moments ago. She had said yes. He ran that phrase through his mind a few times, and finaly believed it. He jogged back to the Griffindor common room, completely forgetting about his letter.

As he reached the common room, he saw Sirius and James playing chess. Sirius practically murdered James at it.

"Guys, you're not going to believe this." He said quietly.

"Not believe what Moony?" James asked distractedly.

"I have a date for the ball." Remus replied.

Sirius nearly dropped a squirming pawn. "So you finally got over Len?" he asked.

"Nope."

"But then how…" Sirius began to ask but Remus cut him off.

"I am going to the ball with her." He said happily as he sat down.

Now Sirius did drop the pawn, which scurried back to James's side to be welcomed by the remaining pawns. However, James was not paying attention, as he was staring at Remus.

"What? You asked her? When?"

"Just as she was leaving the owlery. I am supposed to pick her up at 7:45."

Sirius clapped Remus on the back. "This calls for a celebration. Lets get a bunch of food from the kitchens and then we can eat it outside while teasing the Giant Squid."

Remus shook his head in defeat. All of Sirius's celebrations always had something to do with food. He joined his friends (minus Peter. I have decided to take him out of the general story, but he might be mentioned from time to time. All because I don't like him.) in going to the kitchens. There, they got a whole ton of sweets, and levitated it outside. They teased the Giant Squid with crumbs. Soon, they realized that it was getting late, so they headed up to the castle, with Sirius sugar high. They deposited him in the dorm, and went down to the common room. James pulled Remus to the side, as Lily, Len and Melissa came down the girls stairs. They were laughing about something. Then, to James's surprise, they headed out the portrait hole.

"Probably another GN." Remus whispered.

"Let's follow them!" James said excitedly.

"I don't know…"

"They can't be doing rounds. I checked the roster and they have them tomorrow." James hissed.

"Oh alright, but we keep our distance, OK?" Remus asked.

"Sure thing."

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Melissa had the strangest idea that they were being followed. She expressed her concerns to her friends and they quickened their pace to North Tower.

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James and Remus thought that they had followed close behind the girls. But when they came to a large landing, there was no sign of them. After the Marauder's map showed that they were no longer in North Tower, they decided that they must have tricked them somehow and they left. They didn't notice the three birds playing outside.

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The next morning, when the girls came down, Remus got up to greet them. He noticed dark circles around their eyes, as if they had stayed up most of the night. He dismissed the idea and replaced it with a GN. They walked down to breakfast together, and the post arrived. The girls had just finished eating, when a large package was dropped onto Len's plate. She smiled, took it and left with the girls. But Remus shouted after her "What's that Len?"

She turned around and smiled. "This is my dress for the ball."

Remus smiled too. He had forgotten that it was appropriate for Muggle formal wear aswel. He then realized that he didn't really know what she looked like. The school robes weren't exactly the most showing of clothes.

On his way to his next class, James and Sirius strangely quiet, he got more and more excited about the ball.

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Later on in Herbology, Len's and Remus's plant was doing very well. Len was just copying down what the different colours meant, when Remus turned to her.

"Hey Len?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for going to the ball with me."

She smiled. "I like you Remus. I was really hoping that you'd ask me."

But then their small talk was cut short, as Professor Green came over to see how they were doing. Of course, Remus was already mentally jumping for joy.

Of course, by dinner, everyone in Hogwarts knew who had asked who. Then, after they were done, everyone headed to their dorms for a good night's sleep.

The last days before the ball flew by very quickly. Girls went frantic, boys wondered why bother, and Remus was sad to learn that Len planned on going home for Christmas. But he cheered up at the prospect of the ball tomorrow. There were even dance lessons in the Great Hall the day before. Remus laughed to see the girls there, and Len justified that she couldn't dance to save her life. Of course they had giggled at him to learn why he was here.

But that was yesterday, and today was the ball. Classes had been canceled due to teachers giving up trying to get their attention. The boys were just coming down into the common room in their dress robes when several laughs were heard. It would seem that someone had enchanted a sprig of mistletoe to follow around potential couples. But then the seventh year girls came down and captured everyone's attention.

Lily came down wearing a form-fitting green sleeveless dress, but it matched her eyes and complimented her hair perfectly. She had on light make-up, and wore white elbow-length gloves. She had pinned he Head Girl badge to her front. She had matching earrings.

Melissa wore a spagetii strap dress that was a deep blue. It reached her ankles, and was rather low-cut. She had blue wrist-length gloves on. She also had 3 inch high heels, that it was very unlikely that she would be able to dance in. She also had earrings. She had put her hair up with several dark blue barrettes.

But the third girl drew many people's eyes. Mainly because she had let her very long brown hair out of its braid, and used her bangs to frame her face.. She wore a bright yellow dress, that had puffy sleeves. It was a little low-cut, but not as much as Melissa's. It flowed down to her ankles, and she wore white 1 inch heels. She had wrist-length yellow gloves, and her Prefects badge was on her front. The dress was form-fitting, and the bodice was covered in lace. The silky dress part didn't have any lace, it was very simple.

Remus stared. She was beautiful. Her dress hugged every curve, as did Lily's and Melissa's. He walked up to her, and offered his arm. With a happy "Shall we?"

Len giggled and put her arm in his. "Yes, we shall."

But they didn't get a chance to move, because everyone in the room 'ooohed' and pointed to above their heads. The mistletoe was on top of them.

Remus froze. Len looked up. When she saw that he was frozen, she frowned and rose on tiptoe and kissed him on the cheek. The crowd 'booed' but she could care less. Lily and Melissa stared at her. They had never seen her take the initiative when it came to men. But Lily's attention was turned away from her as someone came up to her side.

"Er… Lily… I know we aren't the best of friends, but if you don't have a date, would you go with me to the ball?"

Lily thought for a moment. Then, to everyone's great surprise, she said "Sure, James."

"Really?" he asked hopefully.

"Yep. Lets go."

Melissa stared at her friends. They were changing before her eyes! Len has a date before they do, and Lily is going to a dance with James! What was next? Would she go with Sirius Black? No way. He had a date. So she was alone, after they left, and she went to the ball alone.

The Hall was magnificent. Red and Green streamers decorated the walls, and large Christmas trees were in every corner. Everyone sat down at a table, with James and Lily up with the Heads. Then, after the food, Dumbldore rose to make a speech.

"Would the Head Boy and Girl please join the Prefects in the first dance of the night."

As the music started up, Remus offered his hand to Len. She took it and the two began dancing.

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Everyone was heading back to the common room after the dance. All had a wonderful time. Remus and Len were the first to retire to the Griffindor common room, at about 11:00 at night. He was just about to say goodnight, when she took a sharp intake of breath.

"What is it?" he asked as he looked up. Then he saw what it was. It was the mistletoe from before. It even looked as if it was chuckling. He remembered the disappointed look that she had when he didn't take the initiative before, so he turned to look at her. She looked at him. Their eyes locked, and Remus bent down, and let his lips fall onto hers. It was a light kiss, but both had never felt so good.

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Len felt her knees weaken as he kissed her. But she held strong. When they separated, they kept staring in each other's eyes. Remus was bending down to kiss her again, but stopped when the protrait hole opened to reveal most of the Griffindor house. Then a very happy James came from the crowd and said "I hope were not interrupting?"

Both people blushed. The crowd roared with laughter, and it was quite obvious that some men had had to much to drink. Lily and Melissa came from the crowd and pulled Len upstairs. She was pulled away with a quick "bye Remus" and he looked very disappointed.

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"Well?" Lily demanded as they tossed Len onto a chair. Melissa even shone a lamp over her as if she were some sort of criminal being interrogated.

"Well what?" Len replied, knowing full what they meant.

"Well, what were you two doing when everybody came in?" Lily repeated.

Len blushed a brilliant shade of pink. "Nothing." She said a little too quickly.

"Yeah, and I'm the minister of magic. You two were staring so intensely at each other, I would have sworn that he either kissed you or was about to." Melissa added sarcastically.

When Len didn't answer, and turned pinker, both girls shrieked.