A/N: Thanks for sticking with us till now and we will try to update regularly (but no promises because our schedules are a bit packed due to exams) Anyway, we hope you like this chapter!

Disclaimer: *Insert witty remark about how Harry Potter does not belong to me*.

Chapter 14: The Days of Denial

November 30th, 1976.

"Okay, it's Marlene's turn," said Mary, "Truth or dare, Marlene?"

We were all seated around the heater in our dormitory, playing the cliché game of 'Truth or Dare'.

"Dare. Always," Marlene replied, with an air of condescension.

"Okay, but don't forget you asked for it," grinned Alice.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. What's the dare?" asked Marlene.

"You have to sneak up to the boys' dormitory right now—"

"NO!"

"And kiss—"

"NO!"

"Merlin! Marls, let me finish. You have to go there and kiss Peter."

"NO!"

"On the lips," added Alice hastily.

"And you know the punishment, Marls," sang Mary knowingly.

I felt bad for Marlene, she was my best friend, after all. But, at the same time, I realized that this game could be fun when I wasn't the center of attention.

"Come on, Marls, you can do it!" I said.

"Okay, I will—but don't celebrate just yet," Marlene bubbled, "I will complete my dare only after the two of you answer my questions truthfully." She dramatically pointed at Alice and I.

Oh, no. She was going to go off about how Alek and I were flirting the other day, at the party. But, she had had days to talk about it, so why now?

"Fine," we both echoed. How bad could one question be, anyway?

"Great," she nodded. "Alice first; Are you and Frank Longbottom dating?" asked Marlene, her blue eyes wide.

Ah, I always knew Marlene was smart. Alice had been avoiding that question like the plague. She was finally cornered. Ha!

"No - maybe - I don't know," said Alice.

"Alice, I said you have to answer truthfully," sang Marlene.

"I'm telling you - it's complicated!"

"How so?" I said.

"Well, you obviously know that I like him, and I think he likes me too," said Alice blushing.

"I sense a 'but' coming," mused Mary.

"But, he just broke up with his longtime girlfriend like a week ago."

"And?" Marlene rolled her eyes.

"And, he – I – well, we -"

"You kissed, didn't you?" exclaimed Mary.

Alice looked at her incredulously and proceeded to not shyly.

"But, you're still not dating?" I asked, confused. "What happened?"

"Well, at the party, we were talking and stuff, and we were drunk, and I don't know - it just sort of occurred. But then, the next day, it was as if it nothing happened. He seemed to have forgotten about it altogether—not that I mentioned it to him or anything – he just never brought it up. So, we're not together but I feel like I'm just, you know, stuck in the middle."

"Aw, you poor thing," said Marlene with mock sadness and hugged Alice tight.

Alice swatted Marlene away with her hand, "It's an actual problem, if you don't realize."

"Don't worry Alice, I'm pretty sure he likes you," said Mary.

"Yeah, how sure?" asked Marlene.

"As sure as the fact that this is my right hand," said Mary raising her right hand.

"No, Mary, that's your left hand," nagged Marlene, trying to confuse her.

"Oh, is it? Wait," she started to count something, "No, I'm pretty sure this is my right hand," said Mary and we all started laughing.

It had been so long since I sat with the girls to talk that anything was making me laugh. Life seemed to be winding around that crazy tournament.

"Hey Marls, its Lily's turn now," Alice smirked.

"You're right," Marlene said as she turned her beady eyed gaze on me.

"So, Lily, what's up with you and Potter?"

Me and James? What?

"Err, nothing?" I said, extremely puzzled.

"Come on, we're not stupid - you think we don't notice you guys flirting?"

What the fuck?

"We—I do not flirt with James."

"Stop lying! You guys flirt all the time, Lily," Mary chortled.

"We don't!" I shrieked.

"Lily, think about it. What are the basics of flirting?" asked Marlene.

She had taken the pains to teach me the basics of flirting a year or two ago. Thankfully, she thought I wasn't ready for advanced flirting then.

"Umm, maintain eye contact, relate with him, be touchy, laugh at his jokes and compliment him?" I knit my eyebrows, uncertainly.

"Aww, Lil! You remember what I taught you! Anyway, now try to remember if you do all of those things with him."

Umm, okay?

"I guess I maintain eye contact."

Because come on, who doesn't? Have you looked at his hazel eyes? Golden and green and brown and blue all mixed together, hmm. Okay, Lily, you're dwelling.

"You do all of the above Lily," accused Mary.

But I know that I do not.

"Hey, I don't compliment him a lot, nor do I relate with him on things and I am definitely not touchy!" I said.

"Oh my Merlin, you guys are so touchy with all the 'nudging' and the 'playfully hitting' stuff," Mary persisted, "and Lily, I don't know if you know this but you guys look exactly like Alice and Frank do when they're toget—"

"Ow, Lily, don't hit me! I'm just stating the truth!"

Stating the truth, my arse! I do not flirt with James Potter.

"I don't flirt with James and we're just friends. That is my final answer. Now, it's time you complete your dare McKinnon," I said gritting my teeth.

"Alright, alright, no need to get mad, I'll go," Marlene defended.

"Good."

She then left with Mary to finish her dare. Frankly, I had no interest in seeing it, so I stayed back in my room and went to sleep, or at least I tried to sleep as unwanted thoughts of me and James flirting kept swimming in my mind.

December 1st, 1976.

I woke up early this morning, at least by my standards, because of my weird dream – it was based on Aladdin this time. I took a bath, got dressed and noticed that Alice had already left the dorm, probably for breakfast.

As I left my dorm and went down the stairs to the Common Room, I saw James sitting on the couch with his feet propped up on the small coffee table. He held a book in his hands and his face was buried inside it. I went and sat beside him on the couch. He looked at me for a brief second and then back into his book. It was funny how different James looked with a book in his hands, though his hair was the same crazy mess. It didn't suit his 'I'm-too-busy-studying-to-wish-Lily-a-good-morning' look, so I started running my hands through it so that it would stay to one side—and then I caught myself. I was being touchy, bloody hell - Mary was right.

James's POV

I turned to look at her when her hands just stopped moving, even though they were still in my hair, her green eyes wide in realization. To say that I was enjoying her playing with my hair is an understatement. Do you know how long I've waited for us to just be normal again, like we used to be in Fourth Year? And though I do want us to be more than just friends, it's probably not what she wants. I gave her an odd look and she hastily removed her hands from my hair. I decided not to talk about it because then she'd just be embarrassed.

"Morning Lils," I said.

"Yeah, good morning, James. What're you reading?" She asked me, somewhat hastily.

"A Guide to Advanced Transfiguration," I said.

"Oh, that's why you were the only one in class who could conjure those bloody birds," she reflected.

"No, this is just for fun. That was pure talent," I smirked.

Okay, I wasn't being completely honest - I had worked my arse off to get that spell right.

"Whatever," she said, irked. She seemed to be battling something inside her head, the look on her face contemplating. She finally sighed and said, "James, can I ask you something?"

"Yeah, of course," I said softly.

"Why were you glaring at Peter that day?"

Oh Merlin, not that. Anything but that.

"During Transfiguration?" I asked because I decided it would be wise to not deny it - she doesn't like it when people lie.

"No, you were glaring at him the entire day, stupid!" She said swatting me on the head, and then without really thinking about it, I caught her hand before she could take it back and just held it. Merlin, her hands were so soft. No wonder Peter—I stopped thinking when I saw her pointed glare.

"He—I was glaring at him because he's stupid."

Yeah, good reply, nitwit.

"That's hardly a reason, and also, I don't think Pete was apologizing to you for being stupid," she said, but I wasn't paying much attention. I was busy playing with her hand.

"Er, it was a Marauder thing," I babbled, distractedly.

"Really? Are you sure it was? That it had nothing to do with Peter helping me out with the spell?"

"Is that what he was doing?" I looked up, surprised.

"Yeah," her eyebrows were furrowed together in question, or was it worry?

"Well, he could have done that with his own wand. He just wanted to hold your hand," I said glancing back at our hands in my lap.

"So, the glaring was because of that?"

Er, yeah? I mean, what do you want me say, woman? You know how I feel about you! Don't you remember the Robert Hook incident?

"Yes," I said, distraught, and she glared at me.

Oh no, she was mad at me - again.

"You need to stop, James. You don't have to nearly-kill every guy who comes within a one meter radius of me," she mumbled.

"I don't do that!"

"I was hyperbolizing," she sighed, resigned.

"You were what?"

"Exaggerating to get a point across."

Oh, well, she was definitely doing that.

"Well, I can't promise you that I won't do it again," she made a face, "but as consolation, I can help you out with Transfiguration, so that you won't have to ask Pete for help next time and I won't have to glare at him. How does that sound?"

She seemed to be contemplating it. She's so stubborn when it comes to asking me for help. She probably thinks it will make me conceited. Her pride didn't help, either. Come on, Lils, stop fighting it!

"You logic confuses me beyond a point, but the idea sounds good," She said, smiling.

I couldn't believe it. She was actually agreeing with me on something. Maybe she'll agree to go the Yule Ball with me too.

"Now, if you don't mind, I'm heading down for breakfast." She said, removing her hand from mine. Then she looked at me, "Care to join?"

"Sure, come on," I said, dropped my book on the table and left the Common Room with Lily.

Lily's POV

Someone pinch me. Did that happen? Argh! I was supposed to be mad at him, instead I ended up appreciating his stupid logic! What is wrong with me? Bloody hell, I know what it was. His stupid hand! His calloused yet somehow gentle hand! It has to be. I had this whole plan to get mad at him, Merlin knows it gives me a high, but as soon as he caught my hand—I don't know - I just couldn't stay mad at him. He was being so adorable!

No—I did not just say that. You never heard (read?) anything of the sort. These kinds of thoughts are reserved for when I'm alone, swimming in the dark abyss of my lonely, pathetic mind. I could have pushed him away but—but I don't know, okay! I am not going down that lane, especially when I'm sitting right next to the idiot. He's explaining something Transfiguration-related but I can't pay attention because he's crunching on the bloody toast so loudly.

"So, now can you do the spell?" James asked suddenly.

"Er, no," I said, uncertain about his reaction.

"But I've explained it three times now, Lily!"

"I'm telling you James, there is no point in trying to explain Transfiguration to me. I can be distracted by bloody anything."

"Yeah, what distracted you now?" he asked smirking.

"You," I stated plainly.

"Me?" he asked innocently but there was something really suggestive about his tone.

"Yes, you! You were chewing so loudly I had to check if there was amplifying charm on you. Honestly. Don't talk while you're eating."

"Fine—" he started replying but was very rudely interrupted by someone.

"Hello, Lily," said aforementioned someone.

And that someone turned out to be none other Aleksander Dragomir, the Bulgarian hunk/my current crush.

"Hey Alek, what's up?" I replied, trying to look un-phased by his sudden appearance.

"Can I talk to you a little privately? It's important."

"Oh, okay," I said and got up from my seat. Alek started walking towards the Entrance Hall and I followed him, but not before I flashed James an apologetic grin which he didn't return.

Not that I care or anything - do I?

Alek led me out the gate and into the greenery. The weather was so good this morning; the sky was clear and bright and there was a cool breeze blowing. We walked towards the lake in silence and it was getting more awkward by the second.

"So, what was it that you wanted to talk about?" I asked before the awkwardness swallowed me whole.

"What?" he asked.

"What do you mean, what? You told me you wanted to discuss something important. So, what is it?" I asked trying not to get mad.

"Oh, err, sorry that was a puny excuse to talk to you," he said somewhat apologetically.

"What?"

Wait a minute - if it's not important then why the hell are you wasting my breakfast time?

"You can't blame a man for wanting to be with a beautiful lady on such a wonderful day, can you?"

Oh, oh, I mean if you put it that way. Oh Merlin, I'm blushing.

"I suppose I can't. So, where is this beautiful lady you were talking about?" I asked and he started laughing.

"Very funny, you know I was talking about you, Lily."

Yeah, I do. I just wanted to start a conversation so this awkwardness would go away, dumb kid.

"So, have you figured anything out about the second task?"

Ugh, the second task. No, I haven't figured it out cause I've been trying to forget about it completely. But that doesn't sound like a good response.

"No. Besides, even if I did, I wouldn't let it slip to the competition now, would I?"

"Oh, it hurts to see that you don't trust me, Lily," he said feigning disappointment. I smiled at him.

"It takes time to build trust, Alek," I smirked.

"I see. So are you saying that if we spend time together, you will start trusting me?" Did I read that wrong or did he ask me if we could spend time together. He spoke again before I could respond, "Because if that's the case, I have a great idea; what do you think of the Yule ball? Splendid place for trust building exercises don't you think?"

"Hmm, I guess," I said because I liked where this was going.

"So, what do you say, will you be my date to the Yule Ball?"

OH.

MY.

GOD.

YESSSSSSSS!

"Sure, why not?" I said trying not to show my inner levels of excitement in fear of scaring him off. I smiled at him sweetly and he returned it, unlike some people. We talked for another ten minutes before I started missing my breakfast so we started walking back to the Great Hall. As our destination neared my mind started wandering to thoughts about a particular occupant of this place and what he would think of me going to the ball with Alek.

Wait, since when do I care what he thinks? He's my friend now, so he's supposed to accept and respect my choices. I hope that means he won't hex Alek into the next century. I shuddered at the thought. Happy thoughts, happy thoughts.

Oh right, I'm going to the Yule Ball with Alek! Aah, I can't believe it! I can't wait to tell Marls and Mary and Alice. But no, that would mean enduring intense shopping sessions on the next trip to Hogsmeade, which is tomorrow by the way, so I guess telling them can be put off until, I don't know, the next… century? Merlin, I hate shopping. It's such a waste of time. You go to a store, you find 200 things you like, you try each and every one of them on, and then you buy five of those things. What. Is. The. Point?

Meh, who cares, I'll just get Marlene to pick something up for me later. Not even the idea of shopping can bring me down now. Not even the fact that the boy sitting next to me is silently seething. Not even the fact that they do not have bacon this morning. Because, I, LILY ELIZABETH EVANS, AM GOING TO THE YULE BALL WITH THE ONE, THE ONLY, MUSCLEMAN, HOTTIE, DURMSTRANG HUNK – ALEKSANDER DRANGOMIR. EEP!

A/N: Hope you liked it! Reviews are like the end of exams.