Hiya,

Thanks so much to my first reviewer it's great to hear from my readers! Here's the next chapter. I know this story is slightly AU but I hope you like it.

Disclaimer: Anything that isn't featured in the Harry Potter Books isn't mine. Everything else belongs to me. Yay! I've also used a line from the film Mean Girls - "Your hair looks sexy pushed back" - just in case anyone want to know. In fact, I've used it twice.

After a peaceful sleep and many sweet dreams of the prince, Lily awoke to a warm day. It appeared to be summer here. A knock at the door called for her attention;

"Come in." Lily called.

The door creaked open and there stood Mrs. Kelly. She was wearing a smile, but her eyes seemed frustrated. Lily asked what was wrong.

"Nothing too bad, but they told me you haven't got any clothes this morning."

"I have got clothes."

"Hallmarkian ones dear. No, no…beautiful dresses or skirts or, or something other than what you have are the only things fit for young ladies like yourself. Anyway, here you are, child, this is what you'll be wearing today."

It wasn't a flowing dress but much more fitted. The dress was a lovely shade of green, emerald to match Lily's eyes, with a white sash and white high heels. There was also a long silver necklace with a diamond heart attached. One smaller, flat heart was over the top of the diamond and two diamond teardrops hung either side of the main attraction of the necklace.

"A sash?"

"Well, you see the little badge clipping it together? That's the Caprice symbol. Only fitting for a duchess such as yourself."

Mrs. Kelly excused herself as Lily began to dress. She hadn't forgotten that she was supposed to be introduced tonight at a ball. I've already met a few people, she thought - blushing as last night's events played through her mind.

After Lily was dressed, she was summoned by another knock at the door. Greg stood there and Lily at once relaxed in his friendly presence.

"Ah, how have you been child? I trust you and the prince acquainted yourselves?" He had a knowing glint in his eye that Lily didn't like but she brushed the feeling aside.

"Yes. He's nice." Lily told him.

"Well, I think he thought you were nice too. The prince has invited you horseback riding after lunch." He waggled an envelope. The wax seal was the Hallmarkian flag - obviously another symbol.

"But I've nothing to wear! Besides, I can't ride! What will he think when I say no?"

"Nothing to wear? What do you think Mrs. Kelly is working on?"

"I'm a terrible duchess, aren't I?"

"No, you're just new."

Lily sighed. This was turning out to be stressful and all she had been given was a letter. Greg sensed trouble and patted her hand comfortably.

"You'll be fine."

"I can't ride!" She whined.

"I think, duchess, that he was rather hoping to teach you himself."

Lily gasped. Of course! Why wouldn't he know about her, if he had known she was the new duchess? It all made sense, he had asked her to do something she didn't know how to and then he could step in and save her from herself.

No freakin' way.

Mrs. Kelly did herself proud on the dress but it was nothing compared to Lily's riding suit. Leg-defining jodhpurs clung to her shapely legs, a brown and baby pink riding top settled neatly on her small frame. Her riding boots were brown as well. It was beautiful on and had several bracelets and things to match.

James waited nervously as he watched one o'clock edge nearer. His tousled his hair time and time again - if she didn't show his friends would torture him with laughter. When the two had heard about his latest romance, they'd chuckled and teased until he had gone to bed.

Lily, true to her word, finally showed up. James tried to his nerves as she came closer. Yet with every step she took away little bricks of confidence. "Good morning, Lily."

"Good afternoon, now."

"Quite."

Two horses had been saddled; one was pure black, the other pure white. Lily's gelding was a good-natured horse that was easy to ride - James really had known that she had no experience. It was called Bales.

James's horse however was a fiery-tempered mare called Arabia that only James could ride. Her nature matched James and together they could make reckless look elegant.

They rode in silence. Lily had taken to riding like a duck to water and was having only a few troubles. James tried to make small talk, but Lily was having a one-way conversation with him. Her answers remained 'oh' and 'that's interesting'.

At two o'clock, James indicated them to stop riding and sit for a while. They had arrived at a small clearing in the middle of a wood. Lily still remained silent.

"Is there a problem?" He questioned.

"No." Lily answered.

"There is. Tell me, Lily. Don't you trust me?"

"I barely even know you."

"Look if it's something I've done or said, please, just say. I can't fix things if you won't talk to me."

"There's nothing to talk about. I'm riding with you, that's what you wanted."

"Yes, your riding with me but you not riding with me are you?"

"I don't know what your talking about."

At this James became angry. His witty replies couldn't come out. Only anger - this girl was supposed to think the world of him. He'd even kissed her! That was enough to make any girl swoon- until now.

" Look, I don't know what's happened. Last night we talked, we even had something in common -"

"I know someone you know. That's it…"

"Let me finish, please," James growled as he moved closer to Lily, "You're infuriating, you know that? I've been nothing but nice to you and you're totally blanking me. Now, would you tell me what is wrong so we can sort this out?"

"I can't believe you actually thought I'd fall for it. I can't ride, you obviously know that -"

"Why do you think I got you Bales?"

"-and then you were going to come in and save me and play the hero and I'd fall into your arms straight away!"

"That wasn't my plan!"

"You mean me ruining your idea wasn't part of the plan?" She shouted sarcastically.

They were shouting now. The horses rubbed at the ground with their hooves and tugged at their ropes. As James and Lily argued - their voices rising - the usually calm Bales began to panic as Arabia twisted and turned around.

Bales's thin ropes wore away and he bolted out of the clearing leaving Arabia still circling. The commotion caused Lily and James to continue fighting on a whole different angle - whose fault it was.

James and Lily stood nose to nose.

"I thought you were a good person - "

"I am! I like you, that's all!"

"-but you're just a fake, I can't believe I actually -"

Her words were muffled as James's lips came crashing onto Lily's, sending them both toppling to the ground. Arabia grew steadily calmer, but Lily was fuming.

His lips and tongue and teeth were the only things on her mind as the kiss deepened. She unwillingly groaned against his mouth and began to kiss back. His hands pulled her hair out from it's neat pony tail and were now flexing in her hair. She ran her nails down his muscular back and he moaned at the feeling.

He came up for air but quickly set his mouth back down onto her pulse point, making Lily moan his name.

After a few more minuets of gradually getting more gentle making out, Lily and James broke apart. They lay panting and sharing disbelieving glances at each other.

"You're gorgeous when you're angry - you know that?"

"Your hair looks sexy pushed back."

"What?"

Lily crept forward as a sense of daring sprung to life in her stomach. Her lips embraced him in a warm but soft kiss.

"What was that for?"

"I told you. Your hair looks sexy pushed back."