Mary did not tell anyone about the scene in the Hospital Wing. She needed time time to process what had been revealed as she was still shocked and confused. Mary also didn't want to dampen the excited atmosphere created by the prospect of the upcoming Hallowe'en celebrations. Lily and James had been working non-stop for the past week, transforming the castle. Students could no longer walk down the corridors without a suit of armour stepping forward and offering them some cauldron cakes, or getting tangled up in some orange ribbon Peeves had somehow managed to steal from the Prefects adorning the walls. Marlene's secret could wait till after the feast.

Three days before Hallowe'en, Lily and Mary were curled up by the fire in the Common Room and the Marauders were somewhere about the Tower. Alice burst through the portrait hole, quite obviously dying to tell them something.

"You'll never guess what!" She exclaimed, giggling.

Lily rolled her eyes. "I suppose you want us to ask what?"

"Well," Alice began, not waiting for further invitation. "I went to visit Marlene in the Hospital Wing -"

Mary slammed her book shut and stalked off to the girls' dormitories without explanation.

"Mary! Oh well. I thought they'd settled their differences. I mean, didn't Mary stay with Marlene all of the first day she was in the Hospital Wing?" Alice said, her puzzlement clear in her tone.

"Oh you know what they can be like. Anyway, go on; I'm intruiged."

"So, yeah, Marlene said she heard Dumbledore talking to Madam Pomfrey – apparently he's booked the Groaning Gnomes for the Hallowe'en feast!" Lily stared at her friend, their expressions the opposite of the other's: Alice's eyes were shining and eager, a wide grin spread across her face, Lily's face had fallen and she scowled. The Groaning Gnomes were a band and music meant dancing. Lily scowled harder.

"Oh, come on Lily! It'll be so much fun! I have to go find Frank – do you know where he is?"

"Quidditch practice," Lily mumbled, but at that moment the entire Gryffindor team, save Marlene, tumbled into the Common Room.

"Why the long face Lily?" James asked taking the seat opposite her. Frank joined them too, squeezing into the same armchair as Alice.

"She's just grumpy because the Groaning Gnomes are playing at the Hallowe'en feast," Alice explained, deciding she would be more comfortable on Frank's lap.

"Sounds like fun – what's the problem Lily? Don't want to dance?" James said, running his hand through his hair.

"Something like that," she muttered. The other three shook their heads in exasperation. Lily twisted her hands in her lap.

"Exploding snap anyone?" Alice asked eventually, moving on from the subject. Remus and Peter emerged from the boys' dormitories at that moment and a rowdy game began at the table. Lily stood up, still feeling awkward.

"I think I'll go and check that Peeves hasn't tied up another student with the ribbon again."

"I'll come with you," James said, hurriedly.

"We've done a good job with the decorating," James remarked, as they walked through the Entrance Hall. "Can't remember last time Hogwarts looked so festive."

"Hmmm, I think we need a few more floating pumpkins in the Great Hall, I'll have to ask Hagrid."

"And we'd better talk to Dumbledore about the Groaning Gnomes. Are you really not looking forward to them coming?"

Lily hesitated, then sighed. "I don't know...I just don't want to go through all that fuss."

"Fuss?"

"Oh you know, the usual. Happens whenever there's even the mention of a dance ..or..or a -"

"You're worried about finding a partner?" James laughed, jokingly.

Lily went quiet and fidgeted with the hem of her sleeve. James looked at her.

"You..you are?" he asked, incredulously. Lily blushed and became extremely interested in her feet but didn't reply.

James was surprised, to say the least. He looked over to her as they walked in an awkward silence.

"Lily, any boy would jump at the chance to go with you, you...you know." He nervously adjusted his glasses.

Lily glanced at him out of the corner of her eye and blushed even more.

James instantly regretted what he had said. It was true, of course, but James hated the thought of Lily going with "any boy". Jealousy burned inside him at just the thought of Lily dancing with some faceless, nameless stranger. Thinking about how her eyes would shine as she danced with someone else and...and how she'd blush and-

"Will you go with me?" James blurted, before he could stop himself. Lily stopped dead in her tracks and looked across at James, who seemed to be having second thoughts about what he had just said, running a hand through his hair. "I mean-if you want...sorry, I know-"

"No," Lily cut him off. James was momentarily stunned.

"Is that...n-no to the question...or..or..."

Lily looked apologetically at him and a tinge of red appeared on his cheeks as James stuck his hands in his pockets and shuffled his feet. Lily turned to face him. "It's just after all that's happened...I really thought you were so different this year, except that one incident. James, it just-just really confused me."

James furrowed his brow. "What 'one incident'?"

"The prank, James! Don't tell me you've forgotten. I mean- I know that afterwards when everything with Remus -but I was...I was angry, James and-"

"Lily!" James shook his head in exasperation and part relief. "I wasn't in on the prank, it was the other three. If I'd known – Look, even they wouldn't have done it if they knew it was you. I would have explained and they would have apologised, but everyone forgot after...well, the other incident."

"Oh," Lily said softly. There didn't seem to be anything else she could say. "But why – why weren't you in on the prank in the first place? Isn't it a Marauder tradition?"

"I told them I wasn't messing around this year. No pranks, no getting into trouble." James shrugged. Lily blushed again. "I'm sorry, Lily" James continued. "I-I really am. I...I just-"

"James, it's okay," Lily interrupted. "I forgive you."

She gave him a small smile and they walked back to the Common Room in a companionable silence. The fact that James hadn't returned to the topic of dancing did not go unnoticed by Lily and she found herself almost wishing that he had.

Author's Note: Hope you enjoyed this short chapter (sorry!). We'll be updating soon:)