Emerald and Hazel

Chapter 24 - A Series of Unexpected Events

Lily's P.O.V

The trip back to Hogwarts was a bore, and by bore I mean completely and utterly awkward. It was freezing and even the warmth that my gloves had absorbed from the fire in The Three Broomsticks left, leaving my whole body shaking violently. It was no different for Mary, Alice and Marlene - luckily for Marlene she had a willing boyfriend to cuddle up to. Remus had no objection to comforting Mary - take that Jennifer - and Alice also had Frank but he was shaking almost just as much as her.

Meanwhile through all the shivering all the girls and I were exchanging glances as though we had something to hide, not that we did, but it's not something we could exactly talk about in front on the boys.

Ten minutes pass and I've never been more relieved to get back to my dormitory. I think by now the girls have spent too much time in the Heads dorms to call it 'The Heads dorms' anymore.

The boys are walking through the portrait hole so we sprint for my bedroom door, yank it open and slam it shut.

'Oh my Merlin! That was the—'

'Coldest?'

'Weirdest?'

'Best day ever?'

'Awkwardest carriage ride ever.' Marlene finishes.

'They knew we were hiding something.' I say.

'But we have nothing to hide.' Mary says in a hushed voice.

'Erm, yes we do.' Marlene objects

'We do?' Alice asks.

'Yes! We literally spent an hour in The Three Broomsticks talking about Lily and James' dynamic love story,' Marlene exclaims, I nod in understanding 'Your conflicted emotions about Remus,' Mary averts her eyes, 'and Alice's... well about Alice and Frank.'

'Yeah, but it's not as if it was anything bad.' Mary says.

'Yes, but still top secret girl talk.' Marlene adds.

We all nod our heads in agreement.

'OK, can we please talk about something else now?' I ask.

'Yes, Lilian, we can.' Marlene says mischievously.

'My names not—' I start to say for the hundredth time but I'm cut off by Marlene.

'The Yule Ball!'

'Which I'm taking an incredibly attractive young witch to.' Sirius voice creeps from behind the door.

'Sirius get out this is my room.' I demand.

He ignores me, as usual. James is behind him looking embarrassed and mouths to me 'I'm sorry' throwing his hands up as he'd obviously tried to talk Sirius out of this, with no success.

Now that Sirius had come from behind the door I quickly averted my eyes as he was wearing nothing but his boxers and school robe.

OK, that's as much as I wanted to see if Sirius in this lifetime. I got a quick look at Marlene's facial expression and she didn't seem to mind at all.

'Go big or go home, but to be honest I wouldn't mind going to James' house right now, it always smells of lavender, but they besides the point. The point is... well... erm... Marlene McKinnon, would you please give me the honour of escorting you to the Yule Ball?'

There's an awkward pause where Marlene is frozen and a flicker of doubt crosses Sirius' face but a second later Marlene smiles and frantically starts nodding yes and jumps into his arms. Sirius looks stunned but does not hesitate in returning the affection and he buries his face in her blonde hair. His breath is shaky so you can tell no matter how sure he may have seemed he was nervous.

They break apart and he immediately kisses her. I make eye contact with James and give him a smile, longingly. I want that with James.

I don't even know why I can't have it.

He hurt you too badly right?
What?
That's what you said wasn't it? You can't go there again
I was scared and upset, James is a good person though
No he's not, he immature and horrible and a bully and you'll never like him
No he's not, he's changed and I do like him James is one of my closest friends
No, he's not, you're fooling your friends and yourself. James Potter will never be anything more than an arrogant, toe-rag!
Shut up! Just shut up! You don't know anything about him! He's a good person with a kind heart and he's never intentionally hurt me. Even if he has, so what? It's in the past keep it that way. Anyway, you're in my head and you'll do what I say, so for no you can throw an invisibility cloak over yourself and disappear for all I care!
Listen to yourself then! You're so reluctant to just be with him but yet you won't have a bad word against him.

The voice was gone again. That stupid voice. It was right though, so am I so stubborn when I comes to being with James?

Fear. After everything I've been a coward, Jennifer, Lisa, Remus turning into a werewolf, my parents, the kiss. Everything I've been afraid. But I'm a Gryffindor, and Gryffindors are brave, it's time I start living up to that.

I stand up, I'm not sure why but it feels like the right thing to do.

'James?' I say hopefully

'Yes?' James says will a crooked smile and I could see the hopefulness in his eyes as well.

'Go to the Yule Ball with me?' I say with unwavering hope.

James' P.O.V

Oh my God.

Sirius' P.O.V

Oh my Lord.

Remus' P.O.V

Oh my goodness.

Marlene's P.O.V

Oh my Merlin.

Mary's P.O.V

Oh my word.

Alice's P.O.V

Swoon.

James' P.O.V

I smile speechless for a moment and seriously question whether or not I'm hallucinating.

But a second later Lily is still staring at me, smiling wistfully.

'Go out with me?' I say instead of answering.

She smiles and tilts her head as though she's thinking about it.

'Come on!' I say walking over to her.

Instead of answering she just pulls me towards her and kisses me.

My mind goes blank and I can't think of anything else to do but kiss her back. Obviously I want to but I have no idea how to act now or what to do. With other girls it was always easy, I was always trying to make Lily jealous by trying to show her what she could have with me but now I've forgotten everything.

So I just keep my hands entangled in her red hair. My heart and soul feel like they're on fire and if this is what it feels like to be with Lily, I'd stay that way for all of eternity. Today truly is the day of unexpected events, great, but unexpected.

End of Part Five

A/N I'm sorry. I know I'm a terrible person, I haven't updated in like 2 months! That's the longest I've ever gone without updating! I'm sorry, I've just had some stuff going on and I just didn't have to time. I got into some bad stuff but I'm great now and I'll be updating regularly again. Thanks so much for being so patient with me and thankyou to everyone always commenting and voting and telling me what they think because I do need some constructive criticism as well to help me write something good for you to read. I'm doing my best and I promise the next chapter will be longer and better. Again I'm really sorry for keeping you lot hanging and taking so long but I'm back now. Soooo, vote, comment and tell me what you think. Thankyou xxxx