"Would you like some fruit punch?"

The second time he asked her, she was there for her date, who kept requesting refills.

She walked over to the punch table, her mouth turned down in scowl. It was not her responsibility to make sure Diggory was well hydrated, no matter how much fun he was having with Fabian and Gideon. James would never make her get his drinks for him, she was sure of that much.

She sighed as she caught sight of his rolled up sleeves and well-toned fore arms pouring himself another drink at the table.

Like a real man, she thought sourly.

"So we meet at the juice table again," Potter said, grinning at her as she came to stand beside him. "Would you like some fruit punch?"

"I wouldn't, but Amos would," she replied, glancing suspiciously at her date, who was growing increasingly rowdy with every glass he drank.

As Potter ladled the fruit punch into her cup, she noticed that his hair seemed even messier than before, whether from his own hand or a girl's, she couldn't be sure. All she was sure of was the jealousy that suddenly erupted inside her at the thought of a girl (that would've been her if she hadn't agreed to come with Diggory) running her fingers sensually through Potter's permanently windblown hair.

As Potter finished ladling, she took a sip and almost gagged from the taste. The punch was definitely spiked with Firewhiskey or something of the sort. No wonder Amos was so thirsty.

She spit the punch back into the cup, making a face at the taste, and Potter let out a barking laugh. "That's for Diggory, yeah?"

"Yes," Lily said, wondering how he knew who she was here with. They both looked over at the corner where he was now belching loudly with the Prewetts.

"He seems like a charmer," Potter said sarcastically, and she ignored his comment, because if they got into a debate over if Diggory was a good date or not, Lily would be against him too, and Potter didn't need to know what a dreadful time she was having.

"So...did you find a date?" she asked, in what she hoped was a casual voice.

He nodded. "Yes, I did actually."

Of course he did.

She tried not to let this bother her too much. Of course she wouldn't have been his only option.

"So, who'd you come with?"

Almost as soon as the words left her mouth, the tall, blonde, giggly Emmeline Vance stumbled over to James.

"Hey, is that my punch? Thank you so much, doll," she gushed, slurring every other word, her fingers raking through his hair as she took a large gulp of the juice.

Lily's stomach jolted and she raised her eyebrows. So they were both getting punch for their dates…at least Amos wasn't dressed like a harlot. James' face reddened as Emmeline continued to cling onto him and drink punch, talking in sentences that didn't make sense. As Emmeline curled his messy locks around her fingers again, the jealousy Lily had felt an echo of earlier exploded inside her, clawing at her insides. She swallowed heavily, trying to contain the anger that was slowly building. Who did she think she was, touching Potter's hair and hanging onto him for dear life? If Lily hadn't have said no to James, then Emmeline wouldn't even be here in the first place! She had no right to...to throw herself at him like that! As James' hand snaked around Emmeline's waist, helping to hold her upright, Lily seriously reconsidered her decision not to drink.

James' hazel eyes locked onto hers, filled with an emotion Lily did not try and decode as she cleared her throat.

"Your date seems like a charmer too, Potter," Lily said in a strangled voice, turning and walking away before she could say or do anything she was sure to regret.