Safety From a Distance

"...and students, be aware that this is only from fourth year up. The years that are younger may be invited only by an elder student. Cheers! As for you young lot, that night of the Halloween Ball, I’ll have a designated trip to Hogsmeade, especially for you."

I noticed that my younger peers were cheering, but were slightly put-out. I guess they were wondering why they couldn’t attend the ball. I glanced at Sirius, who was smiling smugly at all of the girls looking our way. Remus and Peter were talking together about something or another. I--on the other hand--was just now joining everyone. I dazed out at the beginning of Professor Dumbledore’s speech.

"So, Jamesie-boy, who do you propose you are taking to the ball?"

I turned to look at Sirius. He was ogling some Ravenclaw. I grinned at him, and then I turned around. I stared at Peter, who was grinning at me. I groaned immediately, and he said rather quietly, so only that I could hear him,

"I know who you want to take, Prongs!"

"Don’t remind me. I know that you do. It’s sad, I was hoping on keeping that one to myself."

Peter laughed at my unfortunate problem, but he patted me on the back.

"Well, why don’t you just get a good-looking broad to get your mind off of distractions. We wouldn’t want our lovely, ickle, Jamesie to get side-tracked, now would we?"

Peter fluttered his eyelashes at me, and I swatted him off.

"Oh sod off, Wormtail," I said laughingly. He laughed as well as he poked a tongue at me.

The food appeared on our plates, and we decided that talk of the ball should be for after dinner. We were too hungry to think of anything else. I piled my golden plate with everything I could think of, and I was delighted that my pumpkin juice was very much chilled.

After we had finished eating, Dumbledore made an announcement that we could stay in the Great Hall for a few "magic minutes" he had said. I was hoping that was true. I smiled as I saw Peter stand up and start walking off from the Gryffindor table. I knew what Peter had in mind.

I watched him walk over to the Hufflepuff table, and looked at a fifth year. I laughed, as I watched him wriggle his eyebrows suggestively. He then offered his arm to this strawberry blonde, and she giggled and took his arm. I laughed once more as he stood her up, and brought her over to us.

"Guys, this is my date. Isabelle Watkins. Isabelle, have you met these disgustingly charming, young men?"

I grinned at her as she giggled, "I’m afraid not. Well, except Sirius there. Sirius and I went to Hogsmeade once."

I watched as Peter frowned in Sirius’ general direction. Padfoot looked a bit sheepish, so I intervened before a fight could erupt.

"Why, you went to Hogsmeade with Sirius when you could’ve went with Peter? My, you must feel mortified. I’m sure Peter will make it up, he’s quite charming. You’ll just have to mind his feet. They’re both left, they are!"

She giggled at me, before Peter threw a roll at me. He must be better at charms that I thought. I glanced meaningfully at the redhead down at the other end of the table, and I sighed. At least no one asked her yet, well hopefully no one asked her yet. I might do that. I’m in Gryffindor! I’m brave.

"Well, lads, I’m afraid that Miss Isabelle deserves to be with better company. So I’m off to escort her all the way across the hall, to the Hufflepuff table."

I nudged Peter before he left, and I winked. He winked back, as I turned around. I noticed Remus was talking to a seventh year Ravenclaw.

I came and sat by him, and he glared at me. I grinned cheekily as I sat down anyhow.

"Well, how do?"

"Pardon?" the girl asked me, her eyes sparkling, reflecting the ceiling of the Great Hall.

"James, you’ve met Shana Parker, have you not?" Remus asked me, showing his perfect teeth. I guess that must be because of his ailment that helps him with that. Lucky bloke. Well, for the teeth bit.

"No, I’ve not. Hello, Shana Parker. I’m James Potter. The famously handsome, Gryffindor Chaser. Also the captain."

"Hello, as Remus introduced me, I’m Shana Parker, and yes, Mr. James Potter, the something handsome, Chaser, I knew all of that."

"That’s famously handsome, Gryffindor Chaser. And you’ve forgotten that I’m captain."

"That’s too bad, she’ll have to remember next time, Prongs, buddy. I’ll see you."

"Oh, Remmy, trying to get a little romancing action on are you? Here, let me help. Start out all suave and smooth. Tell her that she’s gorgeous..."

"James?"

"Yes?"

"Shut up."

"Oh, well sure. Anyhow, nice meeting you Shana Parker. I think Remmy here wants to ask you to the ball. So I’ll let you get to it, then."

I left, a glare on my back. I heard giggling though, so I knew that everything was okay. I decided that this was the time I should be the brave Gryffindor that I am. I made my way down to the end of the table, and there she was. Sitting primly, and she was chatting with a few of her girlfriends. I made my way to sit by her.

"Well, hello, Lily Evans. How do today?"

"Why, good evening, James Potter. Tres bien, merci. Et toi?"

I stared at her, and she chortled at me. She pursed her lips as she stared into my eyes. I don’t know if I’ve ever stated this, but Lily Evans has wonderful eyes. I’m afraid they are bright and sparkly, and they should not be unleashed to the world. Not when I’m hoping they could belong to me.

"It means, 'Very good, thank you. And you?' It’s beginners French, James," she told me dryly.

She chuckled as realization dawned on my face. French! Of course. Well, that’s Remmy’s expertise, not mine.

"Well, fairest Lily, I’ve a favour to ask you. Would you do me the honour of--"

"Why, James! Are you asking me to marry you?!" She interjected. She and her friends were laughing at my expense. My ears turned red, but I adjusted my glasses and grinned with her.

"If you want, I can ask you to marry me! What do you say? I personally can’t wait for the wedding night and then the honeymoon." I wink suggestively at her, and her mouth opened in mock repulsion, but I could see the smile threatening to break out upon her face.

"James Potter!"

"Hey, I told you I had to have the redhead. As you’re the only one."

I laughed as she rolled her eyes at me. She knew she couldn’t get out of this one, she did start it.

"What was your original intention, James? Before you had to get sidetracked."

"Ah, but you, darling, had sidetracked me; therefore, tricking me into sidetracking, and getting onto a whole another topic all together!"

I grinned throughout my incoherent babble. She seemingly understood me, or was pretending to, because she was looking at me. With those eyes that made me feel giddy, and that stare as if I was the important one. Not her.

"Okay. My original intention was that I’d love for you to do me the honour of escorting me to the ball. I’d have the loveliest head of red hair there!"

She glanced at me, and I saw her eyes soften. But, they were more in pity. So I said and tried to save myself before she could get a word out, "Oh, but if thy fairest is already escorting another to the ball, because they saw how wonderful your red hair was, than I’ll understand. But, as a forewarning, you were the first to reject me!"

I mock sniffled, and I turned around, to bury myself in my sobs. Fake, mind you, they were fake.

"No, I’m afraid no one has spotted her beautiful, red hair but you, James. You’re the first to ask her."

I turn around to look at her friend, Illianna, who was grinning. She had black hair, and was known to colour her hair often. Magically, of course.

"Why thank you, dearest Illianna. Now, if Lily rejects me, it’s purely because of her distaste for me. I’d understand."

"James, I’m not sure," Lily said to me, biting her bottom lip. I felt something inside of me crumble, and not just because you were biting your lip.

"Then I have a proposition for you. We go as friends. I understand, you think that we do not have a friendship, but I protest! If we don’t have one, I want to start one. If we are already friends, then we are going as good friends. And, besides, we’ll have to dance with one another anyhow."

She risked a small smile towards me, and my triumphant grin was making its way onto my face. I was making her see reason! Not something that I could normally do, not even with myself. I must really like this Lily Evans if I’m doing this, then.

"You have a point, James. I suppose we could go as friends. Then this’ll just continue our friendship. You should know that we are friends. Whatever made you doubt it?"

I swear, my heart is doing flips in my chest. Lily Evans asked me whatever would make me doubt her! This is the beginning of a beautiful relationship, you just wait and see, Lily Evans.

"Well, the way you’d always tell me, "James, you’re nothing more than a man-whore!" I’m aghast, Lily Evans said the word ‘whore!’."

She narrowed her eyes at me as her friends tittered around her. I grinned my grin at her, the one that made everyone--besides Lily--melt and see my way at the sight of it.

"James," she started off dryly, "do you sleep around?"

"Yes. I sleep on my bed, and on the couch, and every once in a while, I might take to sleeping on the floor. See? I sleep around everywhere!"

She pursed her lips at me, and then she smiled.

"Like I said before, if you keep being such a smart-ass I might actually like you."

I grinned cheekily, and I nudged her in her side.

"Ooh. That’ll make my life much more interesting! The most beautiful redhead liking the lowly James Potter. I’d be in heaven!"

"James, this isn’t funny!"

"I happen to think it’s funny, but maybe just a smidge, but, I’d like to know why you think I’m a man-whore."

I stare at her, as much as the words were said in jest, they hurt. I’m appalled she’d say the sort, but I guess I take things to heart much more seriously than intended.

"No, no, silly! I don’t mean that, you know I was joking. You’re just--afraid of commitment. I wouldn’t want to be caught in your spell, Mr. Potter, and have you run off and leave me. What about the children, James? What about the children?" She started laughing after she said this. I chortled and decided I might as well respond.

"Lily, I didn’t know we had kids! When did this happen? No artificial insemination, I hope. I don’t remember being a donor."

Her friends--who weren’t Muggle-born--stared at me in shock. I wanted to laugh, but instead I just smiled.

"James, how on earth would you know about artificial insemination?" Lily asked me, tilting her head to the side slightly.

"What IS artificial insemination?" That question being thrown in by some of her friends.

I watched as Lily laughed, and said to them, "It’s donating a sperm, and letting a woman who doesn’t want to get married and/or is trying to help with a scientific study while getting inseminated. That means, they’ll take the sperm from the donor--not knowing who it is--and end up getting pregnant by it."

Her friends had drool coming out of the corner of their mouths. They didn’t care. Lily, on the other hand, stared at me with green eyes.

"Again, James, how did you know?"

"I take Muggle Studies, of course!" I grin that grin at her, and she giggles. I stare at her, and I ask her on a more serious note.

"Lily, are we going to the ball together?" I must’ve asked with such hopeful eyes, that her owned softened in response.

"I’d love to go with you, James. Just promise me one thing?"

"What’s that?"

"That you won’t break my heart."

I stare at her. Was she being earnest? I look in her eyes, and I can see that she is being fairly straight with me. Perhaps Lily Evans was a terribly good actress, and I was playing the fool. But, I’d never break your heart, Lily Evans. Never. Hopefully not unintentionally and never intentionally.

"Why, do you fancy me?"

"Always."

Always, she said. Always. Maybe I do have a standing chance after all.

"James?"

"Yes?"

"I’m just joking."

"Oh."

Well, dammit. Never mind then. She doesn’t mean that, but she grinned anyhow, and pulled me up from my seat. She started walking with me out of the Great Hall, and she did something I wouldn’t’ have thought that Lily Evans would do.

"Sorry, ladies!" she yelled at the entrance. People turned to stare at her, and she winked at me.

"This chap is taken, and what a wonderful chap he is! James Potter, for those of you who can’t see, is going to the ball with me, Lily Evans! Good night!"

And we headed out. I’m sure flies were going in and out of my trap. But, I actually did hear a few choruses of ‘good nights’ from our fellow students, and I was quite happy to hear a few groans as well!

"Now it’s official! We’re going to the ball. So you best not dump me, James. Because I know where you sleep."

"I know where you sleep."

"And you best not end up there, either."

"Damn!"

I swore half-heartedly. She slapped me lightly on the arm. I grinned, this had to be the best day of my life. Lily Evans, the--albeit semi-popular, but wonderful!--Gryffindor Prefect just told the Great Hall that she was going with me! What a day it is. Well, I mean, she's just not as well known as I am. Quidditch and all. Why, oh why do I keep trying to justify what I'm saying? Sirius may have gotten a Fwooper bird to sing to me one night. Damn him.

"James?"

"Yes?"

"I’m glad you’re going with me as a friend. I hope that we can become better friends with this experience."

I stare at her, her being almost eye-level with me now. I was six feet two inches, and she was five feet ten inches.

"Me too." That’s the only thing I can say. So, to the best day of my life, cheers to you. To Lily Evans, cheers to you. To the Powers That Be, I bow to you. You’ve just made a dream come true. I’m going to a ball with Lily Evans.