Evil's Kiss

Chapter Six

His breath caught in his throat as the vision came down the stairs. She was amazing. That was the only way to describe her. Her hair looked like spiraling fire and her robes were the exact color of her eyes. How could he give this beautiful woman to a Slytherin and Tom Riddle at that? He couldn't. It was the simple truth. But inevitably, he had to. Thank God, no one said I have to like it, James thought while he slowly walked toward the staircase and offered Lily his arm.

"Hello Lily, you look breath-taking," James said and smiled.

"Hi James, you look quite handsome yourself," Lily said. But before she could say anything else the rest of the gang coming down distracted her. Sirius had dressed in oriental robes that were colored in red and had a high collar while Octavia matched him with the same oriental style but her robes were dark blue. Peter was dressed in yellow, a color that rather made him look like a Canary, but because no one really felt like mentioning that fact to risk the fact of hurting his feelings, they all kept quiet. Lily wondered where Rosa was, but then she remembered that he had mentioned earlier that he had to meet Rosa at he ball because she was in Hufflepuff. Remus was elegantly dressed in silver robes that complemented Hannah, who happened to look stunning in a cream color. James, however, had on the best color of the group. He was clad in a rich, dark purple, almost black dress robe. For some odd reason, Lily felt a pang of envy at the thought of Poppy being on his arm that night. She at least got to be escorted down to the Great Hall by James. Why am I thinking of being escorted by James when I'm going with Tom, Lily thought disgusted at herself for thinking about James when she was involved with Tom. Well at least Poppy was already at the ball, overseeing the last minute preparations. James would have to meet her there, just like Peter.

"Hey Lily!" Octavia called, yanking Lily out of her thoughts. "You look great! Tom is gonna be knocked over!"

"Thanks! You guys look wonderful too," Lily said enthusiastically. "Should we go down now?"

"Let's," Everyone replied. The seven made their way out of the tower and down into the great hall. While Peter and James went off to find their dates, Sirius, Remus, and their dates grabbed a table. Lily was left alone, scanning the room for Tom. She spotted him in a corner, alone.

What a surprise, Lily thought. He was in his usual "bad boy don't mess with me" stance but looking pretty sexy in his dress robes. Covered in black with silver embroidery on the hem and creases, he looked like the black knight in Sir Arthur's court. Lily put on her most dangerous face and sashayed over to him, copying the "bad boy" walk she had seen him do only hours before. He casually looked over in her direction, looking for no one particular, and did a double take seeing his date looking so...well... dangerous. She walked over to him and said sassily, "Looking for someone, cowboy?"*

"Lily!" Tom said with a note of disbelief in his tone. Where was my naive, innocent Lily? Tom thought. This alien had turned her into...well...not innocent, but I think I like the dangerous Lily better, Tom thought wantonly. His eyes looked like they wanted to devour her as he leaned over and in a softer tone, for her ears only, said, "You're extremely beautiful tonight, Lily." With a flourish he bowed over her extended hand and lightly touched her hand to his lips.

"Why sir, I do believe you're flirting with me!" Lily said with mock disdain, taking on the role of an ignorant debutante of the eighteenth century.

"Milady, I wouldn't dream of it," Tom said and dropped her hand, instead extending his elbow. Lily latched on. They selected a table for two, since the other table that Sirius and Remus had attained was full, and left their personal items on the table. From there, they joined other couples on the dance floor. Tom's hands dropped to her waist, and Lily's hands crossed behind his head, both ignoring the many startled looks and stares. They swayed with the slow tempo of the music.

"I'm so glad I came with you, Tom. This evening has already become so magical, even for a wizard and witch. And alas, we only have begun to dance," Lily said with a smile.

"Lily you're one extraordinary girl, but I'm nothing special," Tom said. His eyes looked into hers and held them. In a flush, she dropped her head.

"Tom! You must know that you're the most handsome, funny guy I know. Your compassionate emotions, such as kindness and the thing most people call love," Lily paused at that word and smiled at Tom who was looking at her like she was speaking Polish, "are emotions that you have a tendency to lock away, but with me you're mostly always that way." Lily said seriously. When she looked up, she saw a roguish smile on Tom's face, and she sensed that something was going to happen.

"Come on, let's get out of here." Tom said, already swinging Lily behind him, heading for the front doors.

"Tom, where are we going? We just got here," Lily said feeling pleasantly surprised, even laughing a bit.

"You will see when we get there." They walked a little ways after exiting the doors, finally coming upon a small Chinese-paper lantern-lit garden. They strolled around it and chose a two seat decorative stone bench to sit down and talk.

Although no one knew it, James had seen the two leaving and got suspicious. Excusing himself from Poppy for a moment, he followed the two outside. I'm going to get to the bottom of this, James thought savagely. He still couldn't believe that Lily hadn't cancelled her date with Tom at the last moment. He was more than ready to break his date with Poppy so he could be the "shoulder to cry on," but she went with him. She actually went with him! So when he saw the two leaving, fifteen minutes in to the dance, he knew it wasn't a good sign. He trailed quietly behind them, careful not to disturb the other discreet "going-ons" that were taking place behind the hedges. Within ten minutes, he finally found them. Sitting on an ordinate stone bench, the two were talking in low tones and just holding hands, seemingly content in each other's presence and from the looks of things, they felt as if they were the only two in the world. It made James sick. To make sure he caught every word possible; he hid behind a tree still within earshot. He had to know what Riddle was up to; he didn't trust the bloke. Just so, the small phrases he caught were enough to make his breath catch in his throat.

"Lily, you know how much I like you, right?" Tom said quietly, absentmindedly massaging Lily's hand with the pad of his thumb.

"Of course, I like you too, Tom," Lily replied.

"Well, I've been wanting to tell you this for a while. I really enjoy having you around me all the time. You are so pretty it makes my eyes hurt and your laughter is so infectious that I always find myself laughing along. I know it might seem sudden, but over the past few days, you've grown on me. I have never felt this way about anyone my entire life, so excuse me if this sounds plain or something like that, but I have to say this. Lily, will you please consider becoming my girlfriend?" Tom questioned hopefully. His dark eyes were serious; his face was set in a kind of a cross between an embarrassed moment and a hopeful one, oh, and added in the fact that his mouth screamed 'kiss me!' how could Lily say no?

James inhaled sharply at Tom's proclamation of affection. Thinking frantically of something to do, James forgot his place and turned to bolt into the castle. Since his robes were a bit voluminous though, when he went to run, the hem of his robe snagged on a bush. That had a dramatic consequence, he tripped and landed with a loud thud. He was heard.

"What was that?" Lily said her voice getting close.

"I don't know, let me check it out," Tom said his voice sounded close too.

"I'm coming with you, wait up," Lily said her voice getting even closer.

James panicked. He couldn't let her find him; because she would never forgive him. He luckily found a bush and crawled behind it just before he saw the two silhouetted by the soft lantern light and moonlight.

"Well that was odd. No one's here," Tom said. Lily looked around for nothing in particular, but what she ended up finding made her heart stop. A small, torn piece of dress robe fabric that she had admired all to well this evening was hanging on a branch of a low shrub. All too suddenly, Lily knew who made that thud, and she was almost positive she knew why.

"Tom, you're right. No one is out here," Lily said looking at another shrub, that just so happen to have James behind it. Her gaze was intent, as if she knew he was there. "About your question. I would love to go out with you," Lily finished loudly, hoping that if that person was in earshot, her would hear her. With one last glance at the shrub she picked up the cloth on the bush, after Tom had turned his back, and headed back, catching up with Tom and going hand in hand into the brightly-lit castle once more. Her dazzling smile covering the rage boiling inside her. She would confront James later tonight. His behavior had been outrageous toward her and Tom and she couldn't tolerate it any longer. Right now though, she was going to have the time of her life with Tom.

Once Lily was out of sight, James got up and went straight to the common room. Sending a message with a first year that he had taken ill and couldn't continue with Poppy at the ball, he went to his dorm. He sat there a long while thinking on how to explain his conduct to Lily. So much for the prank him and Sirius were gonna pull to get back at all of them for not getting in trouble and serving detention with them when the food fight happened a few days ago. Right now, he had a much graver problem to face.

Would Lily ever trust him again?