Written by: Quill

Sarah Connelly sat on her bed, thinking hard about what had happened to her friends, Lily Evans, and James Potter. For three years, since fourth year, they had been the ‘perfect’ couple. Both Lily and James were the top students, Head Boy and Girl, very popular, talented, nice, funny, and well…the best looking people around. Lily, with her long, curly red hair, sparkling green eyes, white, straight teeth, clear skin… Sarah had always thought that she looked like an hourglass, as far as shapes go.

And then there was James. Captain of Quidditch, twinkling brown eyes that made most girls melt at the knees, messy, black hair, and round glasses, but that just made him more ‘cute’. He was tall, and because of all of his Quidditch training, his muscles made some girls want to faint. They both had charm, and wit, and charisma to burn. Sarah thought it was pretty corny, how everything for the two had worked out, but supported Lily in everything, and was glad she had found someone she liked as much as Lily liked James. Sarah thought about it all, and came to the final conclusion: Lily and James belonged together.

But of course, she had forgotten the most important part: They weren’t together anymore. Lily and James had broken it off a few weeks before, and had started seeing, ‘other people’.

Sarah and Sirius Black, James’ best friend, had tried many times to get them back together. Sarah was glad she was dating Sirius. He was helping to get her friends together again, and he was a good boyfriend. Sarah’s other best friend, Michelle, was dating Remus Lupin, James’s other best friend. Sarah talked to Lily about it every night.

"Lily, c’mon, you like him…"

Lily would sigh and say, "of course I like him. Why wouldn’t I?"

Michelle tried also, but with no luck.

Sirius, and Remus also tried with James. He always said, "I broke up with her for a reason you know! Not just so that I could go back out with her again."

"James, what was the reason?" Remus asked that particular night. Something nobody had bothered to do. James looked thoughtful for a moment as he pulled his shirt over his head. He sat down on his bed. He wasn’t going to say anything. He knew why. He had just been too confused. Would he propose, like he wanted too? Would she say yes? He only broke up with her to think it all over, then ask. But, it had backfired. But, James wasn’t a coward, never had been, never would be. He was just confused.

Remus burst out laughing, and Sirius laughed while brushing his teeth in the bathroom.

"What?" James asked.

Sirius came out of the bathroom. "Well, at least she’s a bit optimistic. Unlike your current date, what’s her name. Who is a total gothic."

James smiled.

"Her name is Sam." Remus smiled too, but ‘defended’ James.

"Yeah, Sirius, get with the program. Sam is optimistic, she gave me two more weeks to live than last time."

Sirius and Remus laughed, but James went to bed.

"Maybe Lily is the one…" James thought as he drifted off to sleep.

The next day was exactly two weeks before graduation. Professor Dumbledore declared at breakfast that there would be a dance the Thursday before the last day of school, which was the following Friday. The Head students and their partners would open the dance. Sirius raised his hand and asked a question.

"Yes, Mr. Black?"

"Well, Professor, you said that the Head students and their partners will dance to open the dance… But, what if they go together?"

Lily dropped her fork, and James almost spit out his milk.

"SIRIUS!" They yelled together. He looked at them, with his "what did I do?" look.

Professor Dumbledore smiled and answered, "if they go together, they dance together."

James and Lily jumped out of their seats, Lily’s skirt trailing behind her, and James’ fists clenched. Sirius could guess what would happen when the two most powerful students in school beat up on ‘lowly little’ him and ran. Lily stopped and crossed her arms; James put his hands on his hips.

"How long should we give him?" He asked, both of them perfectly relaxed.

"How about, until he end of the great hall?" Lily reasoned.

"Okay. How about the double time triple pain max embarrassment spell?" He spoke from the interestingly named ‘code of spells’ that they made up in first year.

Lily nodded. "Sure."

Sirius, who was quite fast, didn’t know they weren’t following him. But, the whole school was watching, not sure what Lily and James would do. Sirius reached the door. Lily and James both raised their wands at the same time, and brought them swooshing down. They muttered three small words, and Sirius stopped, rose in the air, and spun around very fast over the two Gryffindors controlling him. They then flew Sirius over the table so that he was above the desserts and dropped him in a massive bowl of chocolate pudding. They whole hall laughed, especially Sirius. This sort of thing happened a lot to him.

He stuck a finger in his mouth that was covered in chocolate. "Hey, Professor Dumbledore?"

"Yes Mr. Black?" The Professor called back.

"I think you should tell the house elves to add more sugar to this pudding." The hall laughed again. Sirius threw fistfuls of chocolate at certain people, including...well, everyone.

It was all good fun, until that night. Lily was reading a book by the fire; she did that when she was studying, or very upset. James came down and saw her like that. Her red hair and green eyes shone in the firelight. James’ strong face softened at seeing her, and his eyes flashed. He knew she was upset the moment he saw her.

"Hey, you okay?"

Lily smiled at him. His messy hair fell in his eyes. He was so much taller then her, but she always thought that when she was sad, he sank down from above, to comfort her.

"Yes, thanks, James, I’m fine. Now, it’s midnight, do you really think that the Head Boy should be sitting down here?"

"Do you really think he cares what Head Boys should do? Lily something is wrong. I’ve known you for a very long time. Seven years. Please, tell me what’s wrong."

Lily shook her head.

"You know what James, this can’t work... I can’t just be friends with you, you know this isn’t working. Goodbye James." She ran off to bed.

James felt more like crap the anything. So did Lily. The night of the ball approached. Lily had nothing to wear, nothing to do, nobody to go with. She thought that was her own fault, she had tuned down twenty perfectly good dates because she was thinking of James. She helped her friends get ready.

"Aren’t you going, Lily?" Michelle asked.

Lily shook her head. She told them everything, and started to cry. All she could think about was James.

"Even if I do go now, it’s too late, I’d have nobody to dance with opening dance, and I’d look like a fool because I have nothing to wear. No, I can’t go."

"Well, that’s too bad, because this is your birthday present. And, I talked to Remus, he’ll open the dance with you," Sarah said, pointing to a large box. The card read "From Michelle and Sarah, to Lily." Inside, was a beautiful green gown that sparkled, like Lily’s eyes, and swished around her comfortably. It had sleeves that fell down her shoulders. It was perfect. Lily smiled happily. Her birthday wasn’t for months, but she was thankful. They did her hair and makeup. She looked like a princess.

They walked down to the common room together. Sarah met Sirius, and Michelle met Remus. But James wasn’t there. Lily waked down alone. She entered the hall a little bit later than the rest because she was talking to Professor McGonagall about a job offer in America.

She walked in because the dancing was supposed to start, and the great doors opened. Everyone stared. James turned around to see her. Remus and Sirius almost dropped their punch. James handed his to the server, and was ready to open the dance. He, like Lily, had turned down every offer, and didn’t ask anyone else, so he was to dance with Michelle for the opening dance. Lily took Remus’ hand smiling, and Michelle took James’. The dance started.

"Hello, Remus." Lily said, smiling.

"Hey, Lily! You look wonderful."

"Thanks. Thanks for doing this, really."

Remus said it was no problem. He was a very good dancer. She wasn’t bad herself either.

When the dance was not even half over, Remus maneuvered Lily over near James and Michelle. Without stopping dancing, he said to James, "may I cut in?" and took Michelle by the hand, forcing Lily to dance with James. They secretly were happy, but still upset with each other. They didn’t speak until the first dance was over. Lily got James up on the disc jockey’s stage, and told him.

"James... Professor McGonagall told me about a job in America, and everyone I’ve told thinks that I should take it, unless I have a very good reason not to." By that time, it had spread around like wildfire. James looked crestfallen for about ten seconds, before he pulled himself together.

"Well, I wish you the best of luck then." He walked off the stage. Lily followed angrily into the middle of the dance floor.

"James Potter, stop, right this instant." He stopped, and turned around. "I don’t have my wand, but as Sirius will tell you, I have ways of making people listen to me." Sirius laughed, and nodded at James, wanting to tell him about the time she had used karate.

"That is obvious." James retorted.

"What’s that supposed to—no, forget it, I don’t need this from you, of all people, right now." The whole school was listening now. "James, I told you before, I have a choice, stay in the country or go to America—"

"If you want my opinion, I can give it to you! I don’t care! Fine! Leave! Nothing is holding you here!" Tears shone in her eyes.

"James, shut up and listen to me! You are! I don’t know how you really feel, why you broke it off, why you suddenly couldn’t care less! Tomorrow I’m leaving, I’m getting on that train, and going to straight to the airport. But before I go, god, James, why? Please, just tell me why!" James took a breath, and held up his hands.

"I don’t know." He didn’t know what to say. How could he tell the person that meant most to him on earth, the love of his life, that he loved her without acting like a fool? The same old question came to mind. What if she said no?

"Oh, honestly, James! You’re smarter then that. Or, at least, most of the time. Why? I’ll take a few guesses then! Is it because… I’m your biggest rival? Is it because we’re leaving? Is it because I’m just a stupid Mudblood off the streets of London? Tell me!" She shouted sarcastically. James did answer.

"Lily, you and I both know that that is not true." James finally tried, shaking his head.

"It might as well be! If it isn’t, what is?"

Nobody knew what to do. They were frozen, hoping something would happen for the best. James tried to calm lily down a bit. He just didn’t know what to say.

"Li—Lily, I—I’m sorry, but I—I just don’t know. Please, don’t do this."

"James, you can’t even tell me how you feel!" She turned and got to the door before James ran after her and gently held her arm.

"Lily!"

She turned, eyes shining with tears.

He took a breath. "I love you, and… I hope this is a good enough reason not to go, to America..." he said, taking out of his pocket a little velvet box. "I made a promise today, to love you forever, and that’s what I’ll do, all I can say, is I hope you will love, me, as I’ve always loved you." He recited the first poem he ever gave her. She smiled. "Will you marry me?" He asked, as he opened the box. She covered her mouth lightly, shocked. The ring was gold, and had a tear shaped diamond.

"Yes…Yes, James, I’ll marry you." She cried happily. He took the ring out of the case, and slipped it on her finger easily. Perfect fit. He brushed her tears away, and they kissed passionately, while the crowd, those who knew they would end up together and those who didn’t, cheered, and a few people cried because they were helpless romantics.

But then, Lily and James left the hall, arms around each other, with congratulations on all sides. Lily and James left to be alone…to dance under the stars. And they did.

THE END