~*~Just Another Love Story- Chapter 1: The Invites~*~



The seventeen-year-old auburn-haired Lily Evans was getting a bit more than slightly annoyed. No, it wasn't difficult History of Magic homework, nor was it evil teachers. It was none other than the self-conceited, big headed prat James Potter.



Well...it wasn't him in person, but it was his party fliers everywhere. They were everywhere. Everywhere! In the halls, in the library, in the common rooms, and somehow...in the girls lavatories. I wonder who the lucky prig was who was voted to put up the signs in there, she thought disgustedly. Apparently he wanted this party to be huge.



The fliers were getting on her last nerve. Being Head Girl, she should have torn down the multi-colored paper and reported the ones responsible, but her friends had begged her not to, for the sake of the party. Now, Lily knew it was a bad quality for a Head Girl to easily be influenced by her friends, but she ignored it. This was the first, last, and only time her friends would talk her out of her duties. So the professors could just sod it.



"Hey Evans," James said, walking up next to her as she was going from Transfiguration to Ancient Runes. His jet black hair was messed up and uncombed as usual. Tacky goon.



"What do you want, Potter?" Lily asked, a bit tetchy, seeing as he had called her a goody-goody-two-shoes in Transfiguration, only minutes prior to now. "And make it quick, I've got Ancient Runes, unlike some of us who like to skive off frequently."



"Temper, Evans, temper," James said, pushing her buttons. She threw him a glare with her almond-shaped emerald green eyes as he messed up his jet black hair even more than it was now, a sign of flirting. "Just wanted to let you know about the party me and Sirius are throwing tonight. Have you heard about it?"



Lily rolled her eyes. "No Potter, I haven't heard of it." she said sarcastically. "Why do you ask?"



"I was just wondering if you would like to grace us with your ever lovely presence," James said, handing her a flier. "It's going to be huge. But then again, what do you expect from something thrown by Padfoot and myself?" he said, obviously trying to impress her. "It's a casual party...So nothing fancy," he said, running off.



"Potter!" Lily called after him, but he was already gone. She sighed heavily. She didn't want to go to a party, but what choice did she have? There was no way she would be able to study with all the noisy racket, and the party would be all her friends would be talking about for the next week. She guessed she had no choice but to go. Damn.



As she walked into Ancient Runes, her last class of the day, she dreaded the thought of going to a party hosted by James Potter and Sirius Black, the two biggest dolts in all of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

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During class, after she had completed the assignment, Lily found herself doodling, a hobby of hers. She had decided to draw a pair of eyes. But these eyes were different. These were a pair of shimmering brown-hazel eyes. The most breathtaking eyes Lily had ever seen.



Where did this inspiration come from? she asked herself as she marveled at the eyes. She was sure she had seen these before. She was one hundred percent positive. She sighed as she rested her chin on her hand, staring at the pair of gorgeous orbs. She had decided to draw a face to go with them. She closed her eyes, envisioning the face she was going to draw, and began sketching.



Many minutes later, as she was about to draw the hair and the finishing touches of the mouth, she felt her heart stop. She recognized those eyes. Now that she had drawn almost the entire face, she recognized it. James Potter.



She quickly ripped the page out of her notebook and crumpled it up. As she did so, she received glances from the students around her. She ignored them and buried her head in her arms.

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The bell rang, signaling the end of classes for the day. Great, now she had nothing to get her mind off of that stupid party, and James Potter. They had received no homework at all; a rare occurrence.



"Of course," she muttered angrily, as she packed up her books and quills, "The one day I want and need homework, they don't hand it out!" The teachers must be sorting some sort of conspiracy, she thought, grinning at how insane it sounded, even to her own self.



As she stumbled out of Ancient Runes, a couple of her friends, who had obviously seen the fliers, ran up to her. The three girls all had giant grins plastered onto there faces.



"Lily! Are you going to James and Sirius' party tonight?" Katie asked her. Katie, you're typical blonde haired, blue eyed beauty, was in seventh year and was one of Lily's closest friends. On the outside, she was calm and collected, but Lily knew that she was flooding with excitement on the inside.



"Yes, I'm going," she sighed, her books getting a little heavy. Bloody teachers and their huge texts, she thought visciously, adjusting her arms around the load. No doubt her friends, especially Katie, would tell every soul in Hogwarts about the party. There were probably going to be about one hundred and fifty extra people there after her friends were through spreading the news around.



"Yay! Us too! See ya there," her friends squealed, rushing ahead, whispering excitedly about what they were going to wear.



Lily rolled her eyes at her friends behavior as she rounded a corner. As she did this, somebody bumped into her as they ran ahead, trying to catch up with someone named Harold. Her books were sent flying every which way.



"Great," Lily muttered, getting down on her knees trying to pick up her books, which were being kicked along the hallway. "Just bloody brilliant."



"Hey! Hey Evans!" James Potter said, running along the hallway to where she was kneeling.



She groaned. "Why? Why does God hate me?" she murmured to herself as she gathered her books. She pretended not to notice that James was coming towards her, and continued picking up her books. She had no success in ignoring him.



"So, are you coming to the party?" James asked, bending down to help her pick up her books. He gave her a big smile. "Please," he added.



"Yes, I suppose," she sighed, brushing a piece of auburn hair out of her green eyes and behind her ear "Along with one hundred other people, courtesy of Katie."



"Great! The more the merrier! This party's gonna be huge," he said, grinning. "So I'll see you then," James said, handing Lily her books and straightening up. "Oh, and Padfoot and I found some interesting Muggle games to play. See ya!" he said, running down the hallway.



"Oh great," Lily frowned, standing up and slowly walking to the Gryffindor Common Room, not at all looking forward to the games that were planned, or how many people would be there, thanks to Katie.



Bugger.

~*~Just Another Love Story- Ch. 2: Let's Get This Party Started!~*~

Lily looked at herself in the mirror. She was wearing cute pink dangle-heart earrings, some dainty pink sandals, a long-sleeve pink blouse and a blue jean skirt. Her hair was re-combed and down. She sighed, why was she trying to look nice for a party thrown by James Potter?

She shrugged the thought off as she walked down into the common room. There were a circle of girls surrounding James and Sirius, most of whom were Lily's friends. She edged her way around the circle of her friends and past the group of guys standing in the corner, sitting herself on an overstuffed armchair.

James poked his head above the crowd, looking at Lily. He smiled broadly. "Evans is here! Let's get this party started!" he shouted to everyone.

The next thing Lily knew, there was music, food, and drinks. She went over to a group of her friends, all of whom were swooning over James. "Did you see him the last Quidditch match?"

"Yes, he totally winked at me!" "Yeah, well he smiled at me!" "Oh, what ever, he was smiling at me!"

Lily rolled her eyes and walked away, taking a risk and grabbing a cup of Firewhisky as she did so. If she knew what she was about to get into, she would have preferred being tormented by her friends.

"Hey! Hey Evans!" James shouted at her. He waved her over to a group consisting of him, Sirius, Remus, Peter, and three other girls.

"No, I don't really feel like playing any games right now," she said, turning and walking in the opposite direction.

"Come one Evans! Don't be a spoiled sport!" James taunted her. "We need another person!"

Lily spun around on her heal, crossing her arms and taking care not to spill her drink. "First of all, I'm not a spoiled sport, and second of all, why don't you ask someone else to join?" Why do you think Lily, this whole party is just an excuse to get me to snog Potter, she told herself.

"Because you're the life of the party, Evans!" James told her. "Own it!" He laughed.

Lily hesitated. She looked back at her friends, who had now changed to the subject of Sirius. As much as she hated being around them when they were like this, she preferred them over the games James had planned. Before she could decline the offer, James and Sirius had grabbed her by the arms and forced her over to the group.

There she sat, surrounded by two of the most arrogant people she had ever met. On her left, James Potter, and on her right, Sirius Black. She sighed.

"What's wrong Evans? Not having fun?" James asked her, giving her a half-smirk, half-smile. "Maybe this will brighten your mood." He pulled out three pieces of paper. "What game shall we play first? Truth or Dare, Spin the Bottle, or Seven Minutes in Heaven?" he asked the crowd.

Everyone looked at one another, as they had never heard of these games.

"How about Truth or Dare first," Sirius suggested, as if on cue. "Then Spin the Bottle, and save Seven Minutes in Heaven for last," he said.

"Truth or Dare it is! Good line up Padfoot," James said, clapping him on the back. "So this is how it works: I'll start out and ask someone truth or dare. You have to pick one. Truth is a given of what it is. Someone will ask you a question, and you have to answer truthfully. If you choose dare, you will be told to do something and you will have to do it." James explained. "Any questions?" he asked.

Everyone shook their heads no in response.

"Ok! Umm...Remus, Truth or Dare?" James began, choosing one of his friends as the first victim.

"Er...Truth?" Remus said, a bit uncertainly. His eyes shifted around the circle uncomfortably.

"Hmmm...Truth...Truth...Ah, yes," James said, looking at Remus. "Is it true that you fancy Miss Hannah Lee here?" he asked, gesturing to the dark-headed girl sitting next to Remus.

Remus turned red, "I'm not going to answer that!" he shouted to his friends in outrage and embarassment.

Sirius smirked. "Ah, but you picked truth, therefore you have to."

Remus turned redder than a cherry tomato, looked at his hands and muttered something that sounded like, "I might."

Next to him, Hannah turned red, though Lily could've sworn she saw a slight smile crawl on her lips.

"Well then!" James said, grinning, as if he was happy he had just humiliated his friend. "I do believe it's your turn Remus."

Remus, who's face was still a bit red, raised his face and scanned the other 6 people, too embarrassed to look at Hannah. "Shannon," he said, naming the girl sitting next to Sirius with pale skin and curly brown hair. "Truth or Dare?"

Shannon looked around. "Dare," she said, obviously not wanting what happened to Remus happen to her.

Remus looked to Sirius and James, not really sure what to dare her to do. They, in return, gave him a thumbs up. "Um...Shannon, I dare you to go over to Jacob Wood and tell him that you fancy him," Remus said.

Shannon's face immediately went paler than it naturally was. "That's crazy! I'm not going to do that!" she said.

"Hence the joy of the game. You have to do it," James said, smirking as if he were all that.

Shannon looked around, hoping someone would deem this dare cruel and unusual, but no such luck. Reluctantly, she stood up and walked over to where Jacob Wood and his pals were hanging out. She threw one pleading look back at the group before tapping Jacob on the shoulder.

"Yeah?" he said, spinning around. "Oh, hey Shannon," he said.

Shannon turned pale. "Er, um...I, erm, I-I kind of, well...fancy you..." she said, her face turning as crimson as the Gryffindor Crest.

Jacob turned a deep shade of maroon and said something about having too much Butterbeer before running off.

Shannon returned to the group, absolutely mortified. "Erm...I'll be right back, I'm not feeling so good," she said, running off to the girl's lavatory.

"Ok...um...Peter, you ask someone," James said, appointing the shortest member of the group to take Shannon's spot.

"Ok...er...Sirius, Truth or Dare?" Peter asked his friend meekly.

"Dare," Sirius said boldly, his head up high, his curtain of black hair falling back and making Lily's friends, who must have been looking, squeal. He showed no fear, partially because he knew what was coming.

"I dare you to..." Peter paused for dramatic effect, looking around the circle. "Kiss Lily."

~*~Just Another Love Story- Ch. 3: Minor Kissing Games and Major Confusion~*~

Lily's eyes widened. She gave Sirius a look of loathing. "Me? Kiss him?" Lily asked in disbelief and disgust.

Remus leaned back, smirking, "No, he has to kiss you," he said, obviously over his embarrassment. "It's basic math Lillian."

For some reason she did not know of, Lily took a quick glance at James, that is, after throwing a glare over Remus' way. James seemed completely unsurprised and undisturbed by this dare. She didn't know why, but this angered her a tad bit.

Turning her head back to the rest of the circle, Lily was greeted with a very wet kiss from none other than Sirius. Oh the Joy.

Sirius looked around at the circle, as if nothing had happened. "Hmmmm....Alese; Truth or Dare?" he asked, hoping that she'd pick truth.

Alese looked around the group. She was a shy, brunette, girl and had a reputation as a smart little twit who never broke the rules. What she was doing here in this circle of unmade up hell, she did not know. "Umm...Truth," she said, as it was clear to her that truth was the safer choice.

Sirius grinned and looked at James. Apparently, they had planned a devilishly good question for her.

"Alese, is it true that you often sneak out of the Common Room and meet a certain Mr. Joshton in a deserted corridor three times every week?"

Alese's eyes widened and her face drained of all color. She avoided everyone's eyes. "Maybe," she said, looking down. Any one who knew her knew that if she said 'maybe' in that tone, it was a definite yes. "So, um...James; Truth or Dare?"

"Dare," James said coolly. He had arrange practically all the questions, so there was no threat to him.

"Hmm...I dare you to...kiss someone in the circle," Alese decided, thinking it was a satisfactory dare for James.

'Oh God, don't let it be me, don't let it be me,' Lily thought to herself.

James looked around the circle, his eyes lingering on Lily for a few seconds. He then turned his attention to Shannon, who was coming back to the circle. He stood up, walked over, and gave her a long peck on the lips, making her run to the lavatory out of embarrassment.

"So...that leaves only one person left..." he said, turning to Lily. "Evans; Truth or Dare?" he asked her.

Lily had to think about it. Everyone thought the dares were worse, but they were wrong. The truths were absolutely humiliating. "Dare," she said, as if challenging him.

"I dare you to," James paused to think about it, "Shout to the room that you're in love with a Slytherin," he said, smirking. Yes, it was a stupid dare, but it was all part of his plan. He raised his eyebrows as he waited.

Lily looked at him, an odd expression on her face. "Is that really the best you can come up with? Potter, you're losing your touch," she said to him, a bit of humor in her voice. Without waiting for a response, Lily sighed as she stood up, this could get her beat to a bloody pulp. But then again...anything was better than kissing Potter. "I'M IN LOVE WITH A SLYTHERIN!" she yelled. The whole room quieted down and looked at her strangely. After a couple of seconds, they went back to what they were doing.

"So...what next?" Lily asked, looking around the group, most of whom were amazed she just screamed that.

"I believe it is Spin the Bottle," James announced. "Here's how it works. You have an empty bottle, and place it in the center of the circle. You spin it, like so. And who ever it lands on, if the opposite gender, you give them a peck on the lips. We will spin 5 times." he said.

He placed the bottle in the center and spun it. Hannah. As James leaned into kiss her, Remus pointedly stared at a clock on the wall. The kiss was a second, and then it was Hannah's turn.

Hannah spun the bottle. It landed on Lily. She spun it again, and it landed on Remus. Both of turning extremely red, they leaned in and kissed. Remus took the bottle, a small smile on his face. He spun it. Lily.

Lily, even though this was only her second time to kiss someone tonight, was getting a little annoyed. She leaned in and they kissed for a brief second. Lily took the bottle and spun it, praying it didn't land on James. Peter. Great.

Lily leaned in to kiss him. It was a quick kiss, thank her lucky stars. She held back a look of nausea.

Shannon, returning once more, sat down at the circle as Peter took the bottle and spun it. James. Making a cringed face that proved how immature he was, he spun it again. Shannon. He leaned in and kissed her. Shannon, who was not in the circle when the directions were explained, slapped Peter with a look of horror and revulsion on her face.

James laughed a little and explained to Shannon. "Sorry," She apologized to Peter.

"Okay, that's five spins," James said. "Time for the last game. Seven Minutes in Heaven. This is how you play; We will randomly pick names out of these two cups. One girl, and one boy. They will then go in this closet," he said, making a closet appear, "for seven minutes. The point is, you're supposed to snog, but some of the wimps just stand there and talk."

Everybody looked around, hesitantly, not quite sure if they wanted to play this game.

"Okay...first up is, Hannah," James announced. After Hannah went into the closet, he smirked, "and Remus."

Remus turned a shade of red as he followed Hannah into the closet, both of them feeling intimidated by people's cheers.
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Seven minutes later, they opened the door to the closet to find Hannah and Remus in a passionate lip-lock. They broke apart, both very embarrassed to be caught in that situation. Both of them hurried out of the closet.

"Next is Evans," James called, drawing the sticks.

As much as it killed her to do so, Lily walked into the closet, praying to God that she didn't get James. But he hasn't made a move on you all night, she told herself. Maybe this wasn't a huge plan to get her to snog him.

"And what do ya know? Me," James said, grinning to his friends.

~*~Just Another Love Story- Ch. 4: Snogging Arrogant Prats~*~

Lily looked around the cramped closet. How was she supposed to stay in here for seven minutes with someone else? The door opened and someone came in. Who it was, she could not see.

"Well, lookie here," A familiar, arrogant voice said. "Evans, what a surprise!"

Lily's heart filled with dread. Not Potter. She could not be stuck in a cramped little closet with James Potter. This wasn't an innocent party, this was torture in party form.

"Evans? You there?" James asked, laughingly, as there was no question to it. The closet was so small that there bodies were almost touching.

"This was your plan, wasn't it?" Lily asked hoarsely. "Throw a party, make me think it wasn't a scheme to get me to snog you, then flip it around."

James was silent-a first for as long as he could remember. Hate was so apparent in Lily's voice that it left him speechless, wondering if this was such a good idea after all.

"I'm right, aren't I?" Lily said to him. She shook her head. "And just when I was starting to think you weren't such an arrogant prat, you turn around and do something like this. Silly me for trying to see the good in you."

It had been two minutes since they had entered the closet. Five torturous minutes left to go.

"Are you going to say anything?" Lily asked him, her arms folded. "Or are you too ashamed to talk?"

"Evans, what's you're problem?" James asked her, his temper getting the best of him.

"MY problem?" Lily asked, laughing bitterly. "My problem? I don't have a problem, James Potter, it's you with the problem!"

"Me?" James asked, disbelievingly. Lily nodded. "Me? How do I have a problem?"

"Oh, let me see," Lily said, exasperated. "You constantly act like an arrogant prat, you have this 'I'm the big guy on campus' attitude, you constantly try to get me to date you, you-"

"Okay! Okay! I get it, jeez!" James said, rolling his eyes. "'Didn't know I got on your nerves that much!" Lily gave him a skeptical look. "Okay, okay, I might have," James said, laughing a little bit at the look on Lily's face.

"What are you laughing at?" Lily asked, getting more annoyed by the second that James wasn't taking her seriously.

"Nothing, it's just," James started, calming down. "The look on your face a second ago, it was funny," he told her hoping he wouldn't get punched in the jaw.

Lily rolled her eyes. "How many more minutes?" she asked him, hoping it was only one.

"Four," James answered, smirking at the look of desperation on her face.

"It's getting hot in here," Lily said, wishing she would have worn her hair up instead of leaving it down. She picked up her hair, holding it off of her neck. Just her luck, her earring was tangled in with her hair. She tried to untangle it, but, of course, only made it worse. "Shit," she cursed under her breath.

"What?" James asked, hearing her.

"Nothing, don't worry about it," Lily replied, not wanting to start something.

"Come on, tell me, I can help," he said, knowing that he was annoying her, but really wanting to help with whatever it was.

"Nothing, my earring's just stuck in my hair is all," Lily said, trying to pull it out of her hair. "Dammit," she muttered.

"Here, lemme help," James said, coming closer, his hands reaching out and helping Lily's untangle her earring.

"No, it's fine," Lily said, backing away to where she was against the wall, still messing with her earring.

"No, really let me help," James said, moving towards Lily again, filling the space that was between them. He reached out to help Lily again, only to find he accidentally grabbed her hands.

Both of them stopped what they were doing. James could hear Lily's heaving breathing, feel his heart pounding in his chest.

Just do it, a small voice inside his head told him.

So he did. Taking advantage of the moment, James leaned in towards Lily, his soft lips meeting her's. He expected to get slapped across the cheek but was welcomed by a surprise.

Lily was kissing him back. She had abandoned trying to get her earring untangled and had place her arms around James' neck.

James slipped his arms around her hips, not even questioning why she was kissing him back. Since she wasn't yelling at him, he decided to deepen the kiss a little.

Lily accepted the deepening and kissed him back with as much passion as he was. Not a thought of who she was kissing crossed her mind, all that she was thinking of was how much passion he had in his kiss. Before she knew it, she moved one of her hands from his neck to his cheek, and was stroking it gently with her fingertips as she melted into his arms.
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Outside the closet, where the party was, people had gathered around the closet, wondering what a closet was doing in the middle of the common room.

"It's a game," Sirius explained to them. He had a feeling that something like this would happen, and he was very pleased that he was right. The amount of girls surrounding him was enormous.

"And if I'm correct, James' time is up....now!" he said as the timer dinged.

He walked over to the closet and opened the door to find none other than Lily Evans and James Potter, snogging.

Everybody who was watching the closet gasped in shock. Well, that is, except Sirius, who issued a, "Yeah! 'Knew you'd get her eventually, Prongs!"

Lily broke away and looked at all the girls glaring at her. Why would they be glaring at her? It wasn't like she was kissing...

The reality of what who she had been kissing settled in. James Potter. She couldn't have just made-out with James Potter, could she? No, absolutely not. She looked to her right and felt the bottom of her stomach drop out.

Jet-black hair. Brown eyes. Glasses. That smirk. She had snogged James Potter in a closet.

Lily quickly walked out of the closet and across the Common Rooms to where the drinks were, feeling the eyes of angry girls boring into her. She filled a red plastic cup half-way up with butterbeer. No more Firewhisky for her. How could you snog Potter, Evans? she asked herself angrily.

Maybe because somewhere deep down inside of you, you like him, a part of her said.

That's impossible, I do not like James Potter, and plus, I was under the influence, the angry part of her argued. He's arrogant, stubborn, full of himself, and...and...

A good kisser, the other part finished.

Well, whatever her thoughts of James Potter were, she had to dismiss them, for he was coming towards her.

"What do you want Potter?" she asked, disdain in her voice as she looked at the man who had taken advantage of her.

"Listen, Lily, I'm sorry. But, you didn't do anything to stop me," James said.

"Potter!" Lily told him, venom in her voice, "I had just drank a full glass of Firewhisky! What did you expect? Me to be thinking clearly?"

They both paused and looked to the closet as a wave of "Oooos," erupted as Sirius and Shannon entered the closet.

"Alright, you got me there," James told her, turning to face her again, looking genuinely sorry. "I didn't mean to hurt you. I mean, it's just a game," he said.

Lily looked at James. The look in his eyes was a mixture of things she thought James Potter was not capable of feeling: compassion, concern, and...could it be?

Love.

Snap out of it Evans! she yelled at herself. The more she looked into his eyes, the more she realized that she wasn't mad at him. She was mad at herself. She didn't stop him, but kissed him back, and liked it. She couldn't let him know that.

She turned her back to him and drained her cup of butterbeer. He was not the only one who could be stubborn.

"Lily, I-" he began, his voice low and pleading.

Lily spun around, throwing her empty cup on the ground. "And another thing. Don't call me-" she was cut off by an unwanted, yet pleasant, kiss from James.

As he pulled away, he searched her emerald eyes. He could see that she enjoyed it, but didn't want to admit it. He stood there, waiting for her to say something.

"Lily," she finished her sentence, her voice barely a whisper.

As James and Lily stood there, looking into each other's eyes, a wave of laughter and startled gasped came from the large crowd by the closet as Sirius and Shannon were found snogging as well.

~*~Just Another Love Story- Ch. 5: Sorting Things Out~*~

Lily and James traveled over to the couch as Peter and a very unhappy-looking Alese made their way into the closet.

They were forced to sit very close together, seeing how Remus and Hannah were occupying one third of the couch as they enjoyed a nice little snog session.

Lily sighed. Why is this happening to me? she asked herself. Why couldn't I have a regular romance? Why do I have to have this screwed up, confusing love life?It's just not fair.

James placed a hand on Lily's. He could not think of anything to say either.

Lily pulled her hand out from underneath his. As if speaking Lily's thoughts, Alese shouted from the closet, "TOUCH ME AGAIN AND I'LL KICK YOUR ASS!"

As amusing as this was, neither her nor James laughed, though Lily thought she saw a small smile play on those full lips of his. Wait... why was she looking at his lips? God Lily, stop it! she reprimanded herself.

She rested her head on her hand as she put her elbow on the arm of the crimson couch. What did she want? Did she want Potter as a boyfriend? Or did she just want to go back to hating him? God, life was too confusing.

Next to her, James cleared his throat. Obviously, she wasn't the only one uncomfortable here.

Lily looked next to her to find James looking back into her mesmerizing emerald green eyes. He leaned in to kiss her for the third time in twenty minutes. Lily held her hand up in front of his face. "No. We have to sort things out," she told him.

"Li- Evans," James corrected himself, seeing Lily's glare. "What's there to talk about? I like you, and as much as you may hate to admit it, you like me too."

Lily winced.be. Was this true? It might ..Wait! No! It's not true! You are not falling for James Potter! "That's where you're wrong." Lily put in, trying to convince, not only him, but herself as well. "I do not like you, so get that thought out of your thick head!"

"Lily," James said, using her first name, "You're only fooling yourself. I can tell you're lying. And I don't care if you turn away from me. I'll wait for you." Why am I acting so romantic? he asked himself. Because you love her.

"Then keep waiting, because I will never feel the same way about you that you feel about me," Lily told him, wondering if what she was true or not.

"Never may be sooner than you think," James said, getting up and walking over to where Alese and a very scared looking Peter were walking out of the closet.

Lily watched him walk away and sighed. She closed her eyes and threw her head back. What did she want? she asked herself again. She didn't have much time to think it over, because her squealing friends soon migrated over to where she was.

"I can't believe you made out with James Potter!" Katie said, excited. "I hate you! And plus, you said you didn't like him!"

"I didn't...I mean I don't....I mean...I don't know what I mean," Lily confessed to her friend.

"'Good kisser?" Katie asked solemnly, nodding her head in understanding. "Happens to the best of us. You don't even like a guy, and then he kisses you, and you get lost..." she said.

Lily nodded. "Tell me about it," she said, casting a glance in James' direction.
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"So, what's the deal with you and Evans?" Sirius asked, his arm around Shannon's waist.

"I dunno. She denies that she likes me, but I say different. You don't know how she kissed me Padfoot." James said, depression hidden in his voice.

"Well, what can ya do? Cheer up Prongs, you got tons of girls that would love to go out with you." Sirius said, clapping his shoulder. "For example, Katie, Christina, Amanda, Jenie, Violet-"

James cut his mate off, looking at him a bit angrily. "How many times do I have to tell you? I don't want them. I want...Lily," James told his friend, his voice sofenting as he said her name.

Shannon looked at the two of them. When Sirius didn't say anything, Shannon took a risk.

"Maybe you should write her a poem or something," she suggested meekly.

James looked at her, then at Sirius. "You got a smart one here, Padfoot," he complemented. "Keep her," he added as he pushed his way through the crowds of people and up to the Boys' Dormitories.
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About an hour later, the party was still on, and Lily was still in the Common Room, talking to her friends.

They were talking about random things, from what kind of dress robes they would love to have, to what muggle songs they loved, anything to keep Lily's mind off of James.

But sadly, it was not working, for even though she was talking about the best fashions, she was still thinking about her situation with James.

Just give him a chance, her heart kept on saying. But the thing is, her mind was fighting back. You've known him for 7 years. You know he's a self-conceited, know-it-all prat.

"Lily? Are you sure you're alright?" Christina asked, being the only one to notice her friends' lack of speech. Lily was never one to stay silent unless something was wrong.

She sighed. "I'm fine," she said, giving a weak smile to her friends. "Sorry, guys, I'm not really in the mood to talk right now," she said, walking over and sitting in an armchair, seeing as the couch was filled with three couples snogging. One of them appeared ot be Remus and Hannah, another, Sirius and Shannon, and the third pair, she didn't know.

She soon found herself looking for James. She hadn't seen him since their talk about an hour ago. She almost found herself asking Sirius where he went, but then thought better of it.

C'mon Lils, she told herself, why do you care where he went?

She sighed and propped her elbow up, resting her head on her hand. She closed her eyes, wishing for peace and quiet to think.

She opened her eyes, smiling as she thought of a place where she could go and sit in solitude. She stood up and headed for the portrait hole.

"Hey Lily! Where ya goin'?" Katie asked her, seeing her friend leaving.

"The lake," Lily replied, closing the portrait hole behind her.

~*~Just Another Love Story- Ch. 6: The Poem~*~

Lily sat by the lake, a breeze blowing the cool November air through her hair. She looked out at the calm waters that were only disturbed by the slight breeze. This is just the kind of atmosphere she needed to clear her mind of all thoughts. She looked out at the lake and took a deep breath, closing her eyes. She loved the way the salty smell of the lake cleared her thoughts.

She propped herself up with one hand, staring into the depths of the lake. Solitude is just what the doctor ordered. As much as she tried to push it from her mind, she knew she would have to think things over about James sooner or later. Hopefully later, if possible.

As she listened to the sound of the water hitting the sand, she was tempted to dive in. Not wanting to ruin her outfit, or change into a swimsuit, she took off her shoes and waded into the water, going only knee-deep. She smiled as she watched the water envelope her ankles. Only this silent time by the lake, could clear her mind.

When the breeze started to pick up, Lily slowly backed out of the water. She picked up her shoes and walked back to the rock where she had been sitting. She sat down once more, looking around at the grounds. It was so quiet, with no busy people running about. She sighed as she looked into the forest. Sometimes she wished she could just run away into there, not having to worry about school, Head Girl duties, love...

Lily turned her head to the giant castle as she heard the great oak doors close. She could see a figure walking towards her. Please don't let it be a teacher, she prayed. Yes, in the school, she could lie about her Head Girl duties, but it might not work on the grounds. As the figure came closer, she could tell that it wasn't a teacher, but a teenager, walking in her direction...

As realization struck her, she felt like jumping into the lake. Some friends had ratted her out to James Potter. He was the one coming towards her. He was the one who was about to interrupt her thinking time. He was the one she couldn't get to flee from her mind.

She turned her back to him, facing the lake. She was trying to get in a few more moments of tranquility left before it was shattered. She took a deep breath. "What do you want Potter?" she asked as he approached.

James stopped. He wasn't aware that she knew he was this close. He reached in his robe pocket to make sure it was still there. Yep, it was. "Lily," he began. "Yes, I called you Lily, deal with it," he chimed in before she could say something. He closed his eyes. "Lily, I really want to make things up to you."

Lily rolled her eyes. "Really? How are you going to do that? Disappear?" she folded her arms and turned around to face him, her emerald eyes glaring into his brown ones.

"No," he answered, still staring into those seducing, emerald eyes of hers; the feature of hers that he admired most, besides her personality. He reached in his pocket. "Just...read this, okay?" James said as he handed the slip of parchment to her. God, he hoped she liked it, to him, it seemed very stupid and romantically clichéd, but, it was how he really felt.

Lily looked at him, unsure. She took the parchment from James, wondering what was so important. "Okay?" she said, not quite sure of what she'd see in the note.

James stood up without another word. He gave a gentle smile to Lily, turned around, and began his trek back to the Gryffindor Common Room. As the wind rushed through his messy, jet black hair, all he could hope was that Lily felt the same way about him, even if she didn't want to admit it.
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Meanwhile, there Lily sat, watching James leave, a note from him in her hand. After losing sight of James, she looked at the parchment in her hands. Should she open it? She honestly was a little afraid to. What if it was something really sweet that made her fall for him even more.

She sighed and looked out over the lake, wishing something would just come and relieve her of all thoughts and emotions. Life is too damn confusing, she told herself. She sighed and began to unfold the note. It was blank.

She looked around her. James was out of sight. Great way to win someone over, she thought, give them a blank piece of parchment. I've got a real Romeo on my hands, she added. She turned her attention back to the small parchment in her hands and gasped.

There, in James' handwriting, words were writing themselves across the page to form one of the most beautiful things Lily had ever read.

Tell my heart to stop beating.
Tell my mind to stop thinking.
Throw a stone in the ocean then tell it to stop sinking.
Tell the sky not to be so blue.
Well, its like telling me not to be in love with you.

Lily put a hand on her chest. This was the sweetest thing she had ever read. She could not believe that James Potter had written this. For her. She sighed. The least I could do is give him a chance, she thought. But she already knew what he was like.

It looks like he's changed, another part of her said. Just give him a chance, it seems like he cares a lot about you. Give the poor boy a chance. For God's sake, did you not see that poem he wrote you?

But what if he goes back to being an arrogant prat? she asked herself. What would I do then? I don't want to be caught in that situation.

Ditch him. That was the answer that came into her mind. Simple, quick, and understandable. It was the perfect solution.

Yet heart-breaking fo him, she thought as she got off the rock and laid down in the soft green grass. She looked up at the stars. Why did she have to plan her life? Why couldn't she just take risks like normal people? Should she try it? Just throw caution to the winds?

That was her best bet in this head-vs.-heart battle called love.

Lily stood up, her mind still wondering what she was going to do. With her heart beating fast in her chest, she returned to the great castle, refusing to believe that she was actually falling for James Potter.

~*~Just Another Love Story- Ch. 7: Revenge is Sweet~*~

Lily walked through the oak doors leading into the Great Hall. Her emerald green eyes scanned the Gryffindor table as she searched for her friends. Seeing the blonde hair of Katie, which prevailed over the rest of the girls around her because of her height, she walked over to her. "Hey Katie," she said brightly, sitting down next to the girl.

"Hey Lil," Katie replied, taking a bite of her sandwich. After she washed it down with a gulp of pumpkin juice, she spoke the question everyone wanted to know: "So, has James asked you to the ball yet?"

The subtlety of the question made Lily pause in the making of her salad. Had she forgotten to mention to her friends that she hadn't spoken to James since the party? As she continued to make her salad, she pondered what she was going to say to her friends. Not only had she not talked to James, she had hardly seen him in the three days since the party. Putting the dressing on her salad, she told them that he didn't ask her. Maybe they wouldn't press on. How foolish she was being.

Katie, as usual, was the first one to say something. "Are you serious? Lily! The ball is tomorrow night! We've known about it for how long?"

Lily rolled her eyes and answered in the answer Katie was expecting from her. "A week," she answered, talking a bite of salad.

"A week," Katie echoed. "Now, I know for a fact that he was turning down girls before the party, no doubt waiting for you to come around, but you're really cutting it close. Girls' will be throwing themselves at him today."

Lily sighed and looked into her salad. She knew Katie was right, as she usually was about all things concerning boys. Lily felt her heart drop as she realized James usually constantly asked her to balls, but he hadn't asked her once this time.

"Well, now that you're starting to come around, maybe he's waiting for you to say something about the ball. I mean, yeah, he usually goes with some other girl to the ball, but I hear he agrees to go with them on the day of the ball, no doubt 'cause he asks you up until then. But I mean, after the other night, I'm sure he's going to ask you." Katie said to Lily, trying to bring her hopes up.

"Katie's right," Rebecca chimed in. Rebecca, a girl of average height, had black hair, tan skin, and chocolate brown eyes. "I mean, for Merlin's sake the boy's in love with you! He's probably going to ask you today."

"Thanks guys," Lily said, taking a bite of salad afterwards. Lily, Katie, and Rebecca looked at their fourth friend, Christina, expecting for her to say something reassuring.

Christina, a girl with a type of hazel colored eyes and light brown hair, shifted uncomfortably in her seat, avoiding her friends' gazes.

"What do you know that we don't?" Katie asked, her voice harsh. Katie was normally the first one to know everything around the school.

Christina looked apologetically at Lily before she began talking. She took a deep breath. "Well, I heard that James asked the new girl, Lexy to the ball."

Rebecca and Katie looked at each other, feeling so stupid and sorry for reassuring Lily without any information whatsoever. Silence befell the four friends as they ate.

"I'm really sorry Lily," Christina said, gathering courage to say something. "But on the bright side, tons of guys would love to go with you, you could easily make him jealous."

"Yes, I suppose you have a point," Lily said, stabbing her salad with much force before she took a bite.

Taking a sip of pumpkin juice, she stood up. "I have to go finish my Potions essay for Professor Slughorn," she said to her friends. She turned around and walked out the oak doors.
--------------------------

Instead of walking up the stairs to the common room, Lily turned left and headed for the bathroom.

After checking to make sure all the stalls were empty in case she cried or screamed, Lily ran into one of the stalls, slamming the door shut. She leaned against the wall of it as she put her head in her hands. There were so many thoughts, running through her head.

Love. Hate. Anger. Sadness. Relief.

Anger was the emotion that won over.

How dare he play with my emotions! Lily thought furiously. That... that... that self-absorbed jerk! For seven years he's been trying to get me to fall for him, and when I finally do, he throws me aside! He tells me he loves me and then just pretends I don't exist? Who does he think he is? No one treats me like this! Lily Anne Evans is no one's fool!

She sat there for a couple of minutes, trying to think of a way to get even. Suddenly, Christina's idea came to mind. Make him jealous. But who could she ask who would annoy James?

A smirk came to her lips as a name entered her auburn head. As she walked out of the restroom, towards the Gryffindor Common Room, only one name was on her mind: Sirius Black.
-----------------------------------

Sirius and James were sitting on the couch, loving the attention they were getting after there party.

"Our party was three days agro, and people are still talking about it!" James boasted to his friend.

"Well, why wouldn't they? It was an awesome party, if I do say so myself," Sirius replied. "So, did she say yes?" he asked.

"Did who say yes?" James asked quizzically, looking at his friend.

"Lily! Did she say yes when you asked her to the ball?" Sirius replied, his tone suggesting that it was obvious.

"Oh, um, about that-" James began. He was interrupted, however, because at that moment, Lily came through the portrait hole, a smile on her face. And more surprisingly, she was heading in his direction! Even though he didn't find Lily as they type of girl who would ask a guy, could she be coming to ask him to the ball?

Lily approached him and Sirius. "Hi guys," she said, smiling at them. "So, um...there's that ball tomorrow night..." she said, trailing off. Yes, make him squirm, she thought in her head.

'Yes...' James thought, getting a little excited.

"And...I was wondering..."

'Yes...' he thought again. Here we go! She's going to ask you old Prongsy! Seven years of waiting and she's finally gonna get together with you!

"If you wanted to go to the ball with me. Do you have a date yet?" Lily finished, smiling.

James opened his mouth to answer, but quickly closed it as he realized she was talking to Sirius. Wait a minute-Sirius?! What the Hell? He looked at his friend, sending, an invisible death ray, if you please.

Sirius looked at James out of the corner of his eye. "Um, well, you see..."

He was going to say no. Lily panicked. This had to work. She HAD to get back at James. "Great! Meet me in the Entrance Hall at seven o'clock tomorrow before the ball, Mmkay?" she said, walking away, smiling.

She was gone before Sirius could object. He looked at James.

"What the Hell, man?!" James said, his face red with anger. "You betrayed me! You're going to be sorry," he threatened, his eyes narrow.

"I'm going to start running now," Sirius said, standing up and briskly walking out of the portrait hole.
----------------------

That night, as Lily lied awake in her bed. She looked up at the ceiling, thinking of tomorrow with a smirk on her face. That will teach him not to mess with my emotions, she thought.

~*~Just Another Love Story- Ch. 8: Almost Perfect~*~

This is it! Lily thought excitedly as she surveyed herself in the mirror. Today's the day James Potter will be sorry he messed with me. She looked at the clock that was next to her bed. It was one minute until seven. She secured the back of her earring and left the dormitory.

She walked down the stairs leading into the Common Room. She looked around. Remus was going with Hannah Lee; Katie, Christina, and Rebecca were going as a group, no doubt hoping some boys will ask them to dance; she saw Shannon sulking in the corner, dressed in a black floor length dress. That's right you idiot, Lily said to herself, Shannon and Sirius are going out...I think, she thought. Wow...she probably hated Lily for this. As she continued to scan the room, her stomach seemed to drop.

There sat none other than Lexy Julana. Her long, silky black hair was down and hanging to the small of her back. She was wearing a deep red silk dress that went magnificently with her black hair and ice blue eyes. She looked around, no doubt wondering where James was.

Lily gasped and rushed out of the Common Room as she saw James enter from the boy's dormitory. As she walked down to the Entrance hall, she couldn't help but think that he looked rather charming in his silver dress robes.

She was woken up out of her thoughts once she reached the Entrance Hall. There was a buzz of voices as people searched around for their dates. Lily, herself, looked around through the giant mass of people. She spotted him.

Sirius was dressed in deep maroon robes, similar to the color of Gryffindor House. They were very dashing, but compared to James', they were...dull. As she walked over to him, she asked herself again why she was doing this. Because that poor excuse for a human being played with your emotions, so now you're playing with his.

She began to cross the room to him. "Sirius," she called to him. She really didn't want to be here with him, but a part of her did. The part that wanted revenge.

Sirius heard someone call his name. He looked over and that direction, his jaw dropped. Lily was walking towards him. Only...this Lily was different.

She was adorned in a emerald green silk dress that hugged her exquisite form. Her normally wavy auburn hair was worn down and curled to perfection. She was wearing silver and emerald earrings that fell almost to her shoulders. Her shoes were emerald high-heels that matched perfectly with her dress. She looked...beautiful.

Snap out of it Padfoot, he said to himself. James would kill you if you ever went after Lily. And what about Shannon? She is a nice girl...extremely good looking. Sirius thought about her. At least a three-week relationship right there, he said to himself. "Hey," he said, striding over to Lily.

"Hello Sirius," she said as politely as possible. "You look," -she brought herself to say this after struggling a bit- "dashing."

"Thanks, and you look absolutely gorgeous," he said, not lying at all. "Shall we enter?" he asked her, gesturing to the Great Hall.

"Oh, um, sure," Lily said, walking in through the giant oak doors in front of Sirius. She looked around the Great Hall. It was completely transformed. There were about 100 small little tables close to the wall, a refreshment stand, and a dance floor. The hall was draped in Slytherin green in honor of Professor Slughorn's retirement.

As she looked around, Katie called her over. "Lily!" she shouted, motioning for her to come over. She turned to Sirius. "You don't mind, do you? I'll be right back, I swear," she said, looking at him, tucking a piece of auburn hair behind her ear.

"Yeah, go ahead," Sirius said. "I'll be right here," he told her, leaning up against the wall.

"Thanks," Lily said, running over to Katie, Christina, and Rebecca. "Hey guys, what's up?" she asked.

Her three friends squealed. "Oh you are good girl!" Rebecca said to her.

"I know! I mean, yeah, I said make him jealous, but going to the ball with his best friend, you thought outside the box!!" Christina said, pushing her slightly on the shoulder.

Lily couldn't help but smile. That smile turned to a smirk as she said, "That's prat will learn not to mess with my emotions, 'cause this girl fights back." she said. "And you should have seen the look on James face! Oh! I will remember that for the rest of my life," she laughed.

"Well, remember, when you see James, pretend to be really into Sirius, ok?" Katie told her, wanting everything to go perfect.

"I'll remember that!" Lily called over he shoulder as she walked back to Sirius.

"Remember what?" He asked, being nosy. Well, he wascurious as to why Lily's friends called her over.

"Oh," Lily said, obviously not foreseeing this. She made something up. "They were reminding me that these shoes aren't easy to move in and that I should be careful," she said. Wow, that was lame.

"I see," Sirius said, raising a suspicious eyebrow and not believing her for a second. "Well, would you care to dance?" he asked, offering his hand.

"Sure," Lily said, taking it as he led her to the dance floor. As they danced the first dance- a waltz - she saw James come in...along with Lexy. The two of them looked so...so...chummy together. It annoyed Lily. James whispered something in her ear that made her laugh. Lily rolled her eyes. She couldn't take her gaze off of them. James looked up, his eyes meeting with Lily's for a brief second. Lily looked away and smiled at Sirius. Katie's words rang in her ears. Pretend to be really into Sirius.

"So," Lily said, getting a bit closer to Sirius, smiling up at him, her teeth perfectly straightened.

Sirius was a bit uncomfortable, I mean, this was his best friend's girl. What am I doing here with her anyways? he asked himself. "Lily," he said, taking her hand and leading her off the dance floor.

"What is it?" Lily asked, her heart beating wildly. She was caught, she knew it, this had been a bad idea.

"Lily, you're a nice girl, really, you are, but...James is in love with you, I just don't feel comfortable being here with you." Sirius said told her.

Lily looked out onto the dance floor and saw James looking in their direction. She quickly turned to Sirius and gave him a flirty smile. "Listen, Sirius, just pretend you like me and let's go dance, I'll explain it all to you then," she said through her teeth. Lily stood up and grabbed his hand, leading him to the dance floor.

"Explain it first," Sirius said to her as they began dancing.

"Alright, honestly, I thought you probably figured it out already, but hey, who was I kidding?" she began. "Ok, the truth was, I asked you to make James jealous, I heard her asked Lexy to the dance and, to be honest, I was kind of hurt. Four days ago he told me he loved me, and now he takes some other girl to the dance?" she shrugged. "And I have no idea why I'm telling you this because you're probably going to go and tell James," she sighed.

Sirius thought about it. He shook his head. "No. I'm not. I have an idea that will surely get James over here, and also add some excitement to the ball," he said, a glint in his eye.

Lily shrugged, "Count me in," she said.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Five minutes later, Sirius and Lily were dancing on the dance floor to a slow waltz. As they began to drift closer to Lexy and James, Lily moved closer to Sirius and rested her head lightly on his shoulder, closing her eyes and smiling.

James couldn't help but let his eyes stray from his date to his best friend and Lily. He felt a beast come to life in his chest. Sirius was supposed to be his best mate! How could he come to the ball with Lily? And now he was getting all cozy with her! He returned his eyes on Lexy, trying to forget about both of the traitors.

Lily whispered to Sirius curiously, "Is is working?" There was anxiousness apparent in her voice. She hoped this worked.

Sirius casually glanced over towards James, who was happily chatting with Lexy. "Doesn't look like it," he said. "Sorry Lily," he said.

Lily sighed, a bit depressed. As the song ended, and the next one began, she had an idea. It was an upbeat song with a Spanish vibe, almost like a tango. Perfect, she thought, her lips curving into a smile. "Sirius, follow my lead," she said, lifting her head from his shoulder and beginning to dance. Very close to him.

Sirius looked a bit surprised, but went along with it none the less. "So what's the plan?" he asked, looking down at her. His hands were on her waist, and her's were on his shoulders.

Lily shook her head, her curls bouncing. "It's not really a plan, it's more of a guess. Just, dance. Dance like you would to this song, just make it a bit provocative. James is bound to come over here."

Sure enough, James' eyes once again wondered away from the heavily-powdered face of his date to Sirius and Lily. He merely switched his eyes towards Lexy, smiling. Well, on the outside. On the inside, he was screaming in frustration and rage. His best mate and Lily!!!

The song ended. Still no James' interruption. Lily, who was still pressed up against Sirius, looked up at him. "He didn't come," she said, disappointed.

Sirius rubbed her arm. "He'll come around, trust me," he said reassuringly. "It just may not be tonight."

Lily put her head on his shoulder as another slow song came on. A few seconds later, she lifted her head up quickly, smirking at Sirius. This was her last idea. It had to work.

~*~Just Another Love Story- Ch. 9: Thinking Brings Lovers Together, but Tears Others Apart~*~

Sirius looked at Lily curiously as her head shot up. He didn't say anything, just slowly danced closer to James and Lexy, as did Lily. He could tell she had a plan.

Lily moved closer to Sirius as she danced. She put her arms around his neck and rested her head on his chest. The timing has to be perfect, she thought to herself, planning everything in her head. They danced a few more seconds before Lily saw James glance in their direction. No time to waste, she thought.

She stepped back, looked up at Sirius, grabbed a handful of the front of Sirius' robes and pulled him down to where they're lips met. A few seconds later, Lily pulled back and grinned devilishly up at him. Lily stood up on her toes and cupped her hands around his ears as she whispered, "Play along, it's working, James is looking over here. Now when I step back and look at you, nod and follow me into the hall. James will follow, I'm sure."

She stepped back and looked up at him, her devilish smile returning to her lips. Please let this work, she prayed silently. Yes, she cheered in success as Sirius nodded, returning her grin with a seductive smile. Nice touch, she thought as she turned and began to walk towards the doors, taking Sirius' hand as she did so.

James had to struggle to keep his jaw from dropping. That was it. That was the last straw. Where the bloody Hell could they be going to? Knowing Sirius, James knew that that place would be somewhere where he had to make sure Sirius and Lily didn't go.

"James? Are you alright?" Lexy asked, tilting her head to the side, confused.

"What? Oh . . . yeah. I just think I might need a bit of air," she said, awakening out of his thoughts.

"Oh, alright," Lexy said. "I'm going to go get some punch while you do that, alright?" she said.

Without answering, James practically sprinted towards the great wooden doors.
---------------------------

Out in the hall, Lily was up against the wall, Sirius' hands on either side of her.

"You know what to do," Lily said, looking at him. "Whenever one of us sees James, tell the other, alright?"

"Alright," Sirius said, looking around. He saw the two oak doors open, followed by a be speckled boy in silver robes. "Get ready, here he is," he said, turning back to Lily. He leaned in and kissed her.

Lily kissed him back, putting her arms around his neck. This has to get James to come. If this didn't work, then she would give up. There was no way in Hell that she would go to the next step. She closed her eyes as she continued to snog Sirius. Ew, ew, ew, she thought. She opened her eyes a bit, open enough to see, but still covered enough to look like they were closed. She could see James standing there, looking dumbstruck at the sight of them. She grinned as she and Sirius continued to kiss.

James snapped out of his trance-like shock. "WHAT THE BLOODY HELL IS GOING ON HERE?" he yelled as he walked towards them.

Lily and Sirius broke a part, looking at him. "That's none of your business," Lily said, folding her arms.

"Oh, yeah, it's not my business what my best mate is doing with his date, which just happens to be you!" James said sarcastically, his voice rising.

"As a matter of fact, it isn't any of your business," Lily spat at him, her voice rising to meet his as she pushed herself off the wall and walked towards him, her arms crossed. "Do you see Sirius asking what's going on with you and Lexy?" James opened his mouth to say something, but was cut off. "No. Therefore, it is none of your business what Sirius does with me." Lily just thought of how absolutely horrid that last sentence sounded, but shook it off.

"Come on Sirius," she said, turning to face him. She took his hand once more. "Let's go somewhere a little more," she glared at James, "private."

Sirius grinned sexily at her. "Alright," he said, following her as she pulled him along.

James stood there, watching them as they turned a corner. "What the Hell?" James asked himself. Why was he just letting his best friend and the girl of his dreams go off to who-knows-where?

Because she doesn't love you, he thought. But I love her, he argued. Then go get her. It was the last thought that caused him to sprint around the corner just in time to see maroon robes disappearing and the door of an empty classroom closing.

"Lily," he said under his breath. He knew his friend. He never knew how far Sirius went with girls, but he was not intending to take a chance with Lily. He ran towards the door, hoping that they had not gotten around to locking it yet.
----------------------------------------------------------

In the room, Lily wiped away a tear that was rolling down her cheek. "It didn't work," she said, managing a chuckle. She smiled sadly.

Sirius walked to her and brought her into a strong embrace. He wasn't much of a sensitive guy, but he felt bad for her. "It's alright Lily," he said, stroking her hair.

Lily wrapped her arms around his neck, putting her head on his chest. Right now, all she needed was a shoulder - or in this case, chest - to cry on. But as she heard the door open, she knew now was not the time. She looked up at Sirius who nodded. He had seen a gleam of silver. James.

Lily stood on her toes once more and kissed Sirius, moving one of her hands to the back of his head. She had to make this look convincing. She smiled and laughed a bit, just wanting to get James mad.

Sirius, too, was acting along with it. He wrapped his arms around her waist, kissing her back. He pulled her closer to him.

Lily was happy that Sirius was playing along, but was just a bit uneasy. He was playing along too well.

"Why is it everywhere I go I find you two snogging?" James asked, annoyance in his voice.

"Why is it everywhere we go, you follow?" Lily asked as she broke away from Sirius, placing her hands on her hips.

"Did the possibility that I'm not following cross your mind? Or are you to busy getting your brains snogged out?" James asked her, his temper rising a bit more.

"What's it to you?" Lily asked him, glaring. "What's it to you who I snog? Why do you care?" she asked, her voice rising as she walked towards him slowly.

"I don't," James lied, raising his voice to match her's. "I just don't like being accused of things I didn't do," he said to her, also walking closer.

"How do I know you didn't do them?" Lily asked, her voice now lowered to a whisper.

"How do you know I did?" James asked, his tone also lowered, his face inches from her's.

Lily's eyes bore into his. She shook her head gently. "It's a hunch," she said softly.

James smiled. "That's what I thought," he said, his voice matching hers. He leaned in slowly and kissed her.

Lily kissed him back, her arms slowly wrapping around his neck. Her eyes closed as she smiled. I knew this would work, she thought joyfully. She tilted her head up and slightly parted her lips.

James smiled as he kissed the girl of his dreams. One of his arms slid around her waist, pulling her closer to him until the was no more space between them. The hand of the other one gently resting underneath her chin, giving it slight support to stay up.

Sirius stood there, feeling a bit awkward. "I'm gonna go now," he said, heading towards the doors, "leave you two lovebirds alone." As he turned the doorknob, he spun around. "Would you two like me to put a 'Do Not Disturb' sign up?" he asked. James and Lily continued what they were doing, completely ignoring Sirius. "I'll take that as a yes," Sirius said, stepping through the threshold.

As he stepped out of the room and closed the door, he pulled his wand out of the pocket of his maroon robes. He tapped the doorknob gently, conjuring a white sign with green letters reading 'Do Not Disturb' around the doorknob.

As Sirius turned around and began walking back to the ball, he subconsciously touched his lips, thinking of the moments he and Lily had shared tonight, no matter how planned they were...

.::.~*Fin*~.::.