"It was me James!" I cried loudly.
I couldn't take it any more. I had to tell him, come what may.
"What?" he asked, confused.
"I was the mystery girl at the ball!" I said, grinning and throwing my arms around him.
"Wow," he said. "I can't believe it!"
"James!" an unfamiliar voice called. We both turned to see a faceless girl making her way over here.
"Coming!" he called back. "I have to go Lily," he said.
"B-but…" I stuttered, my heart falling.
"I just don't love you like I love her," he said with a shrug, as if he hadn't just ripped her heart out.
"No!" she called, as he walked away with her. "No, come back!"
"Lily!" someone called.
"Don't leave me!"
"Lily wake up!" Alice yelled, shaking me awake.
"W-what?" I asked, dazed.
"You were having a nightmare," she explained.
"Oh…" I said. "So it wasn't real?" I asked.
"Obviously not," she said, rolling her eyes. She looked over at Andromeda. "I swear, that girl can sleep through anything," she muttered. I laughed weakly.
"I'm sorry I woke you," I said.
"It's alright!" she said quickly. "You need someone to talk to," she added, decisively.
"No, I'm really-"
"Yes," she said firmly. "Now spill."
I sighed. "I really like him," I said quietly, looking at her helplessly. "I don't know what happened to hating him, but I just can't anymore. I suppose I never really looked in his eyes before. They're so deep. You can see right into his soul. He has an amazing soul."
"Wow," Alice said. "You've fallen fast and hard."
I nodded. "But I can't act on my feelings," I said miserably.
"Because of the other girl," she finished for me, her voice dripping with sympathy.
I nodded, tears forming in my eyes. We sat like that for about five minutes before I heard a soft snore, and realized Alice had fallen asleep on my bed.
Quietly, so as not to wake anyone, I walked slowly down the stairs to the common room.
It was empty, so I sat in the best seat, a spot on the couch nearest the fireplace.
*****
"Lily?" I asked uncomfortably.
"Yes?" she replied, smiling sweetly at me.
"Will you…will you go to Hogsmeade with me this weekend?"
She grinned. "I'd love to!" she exclaimed. Happily surprised, I stood there grinning like an idiot for a moment.
Suddenly, Lily's voice said, "James?" But it wasn't Lily speaking. It was mystery girl. For some reason, they were speaking in the same voice.
"Hello," I said.
"Why are you going to Hogsmeade with her?" she asked sadly.
"I…" but I trailed off, unsure of what to say.
"Because he loves me," Lily said gloatingly.
"But he loves me too," Mystery Girl said.
"He loves me more!" Lily cried. "Right James!?"
"I-"
"See!" she cried.
"No, I didn't say that!" I cried.
Lily started crying.
"No, don't cry!" I begged.
"So you do like her better!" Mystery Girl cried.
"I never said that!" I argued. "I didn't-I don't-stop yelling…"
"Prongsie!" Sirius yelled, shaking me awake. "You're having a nightmare."
"I was?" I asked doubtfully. "It wasn't real?"
He shook his head. "Now Go back to bed." (AN: Hahahahahaha! I can rhyme! Coolio!)
And I tried. I tried for ten minutes before I decided to go down to the common room.
But from the back of the couch, I saw that a certain red headed beauty was already there.
"Hello Lily," I said, sitting next to her.
She looked at me, surprised. "Oh, James," she said. Then she smiled weakly. "Hi."
"What's wrong?" I asked.
She shook her head. "Nothing," she said.
"Yes, there's something wrong," I told her. "I can see tear stains under your eyes."
She shook her head again.
"You can tell me you know," I said. "I know we haven't exactly been the best of friends. But I've changed." I said the last part pleadingly, begging her to believe it.
"I can't," she argued. "I just can't. It's…" but she trailed off.
"Should I beat the pulp out of anyone?" I asked, my eyebrows raised.
She laughed. "That's sweet," she said, though I think she said it more to herself.
"I'm a sweet person," I said with mock seriousness. She laughed again.
"I have changed," I told her again, looking into her eyes.
She leaned forward, and before she could change her mind, I did also, and our lips met.