Seventh Year: The Defining Moment

Where We Last Left Off

James' mind was racing. 'I've got to beat him!!!' He lifted both hands off his broom. To his disappointment Harrison did the same. The Seekers were reaching for the Snitch with one hand while trying to knock their opponent off course with the other. Both Seekers fell off their brooms about a foot off the ground and the Snitch was...

5

James Finally Does Something Right (Gasp!)

...hovering about two feet above them. Both Seekers lunged at the Snitch but it evaded them both. Meanwhile, Jessi was going wild with the commentary. It seemed that everyone had forgotten about the rest of the match and were watching the Seekers struggling on the ground below.

"Did the Seekers just fall off their brooms?! Who has the Snitch? OH MY GOSH!!! Neither of them does!!!!!!! That Snitch is doing a pretty good job at evading the Seekers who clearly need to work on their aim!!! Come on James- uh sorry Professor- The Snitch just flew out of the Seekers' reach! Potter recovers his senses first and gets back on his broom ages before Craft. I don't think the Ravenclaw Seeker is going to be able to catch up! Potter races after the Snitch while Craft follows!"

The crowd was now holding its breath as James reached out and at long last, clutched the struggling Snitch in his hand.

.:*:.

The whole Gryffindor house partied hard that night. They only had to win one more match to get into the finals. James was happier than he'd been in a long time. Harrison had told him he'd talk to Lily the next day, so if everything worked out right, he'd have Lily as his date for the Ball in two or three days. The party didn't end until about one o'clock in the morning, and only because McGonagall came in and made them stop.

"I expected better behavior from a Head Boy and Girl, Miss. Evans and Mr. Potter!" she snapped right before she stormed off through the portrait hole.

James slept peacefully that night. He dreamed about Lily and the Yule Ball. The next morning in the Great Hall, while he was eating breakfast, James saw Harrison walk over to Lily. They whispered quietly among themselves for a moment or two, then Harrison went back to the Ravenclaw table while Lily frowned at her oatmeal.

The next day, Harrison did the same thing but when they were through whispering Lily's mouth dropped. She then got up and stormed out of the Great Hall. Harrison went over to James and replied, "Yesterday she said she'd go along with the bet."

James smile was practically bigger than his face as he ecstatically said, "Harry, if you ever need something, just ask!"

As James got up Harrison stopped him, saying, "Just try not to be an 'arrogant big head' as she puts it. She's rather... upset." James nodded and rushed off to the Gryffindor common room.

.:*:.

When he arrived, and saw that the common room was empty, he walked over to the girls' dorm and shouted at the door, "Is Lily there?! Oh, come out, come out!!!"

An angry voice answered him, "Lily's not here!!!"

"Lily I know that's you!" When he received no reply, he started climbing the spiral staircase to the dorm. He was at the sixth step when the staircase turned into a slide. James had expected it though, due to previous experience (don't ask- you do not want to know), so he had managed to grab a hold of the railing and used it to pull himself to the top. When he got through the door, he walked down the hallway till he got to the door marked Seventh Years. He went in and walked over to the only bed that had the hangings pulled shut. He opened them up to find Lily lying face down, with a pillow over her head.

She sat up and said hotly, "Is there anyplace I can get away from you?"

"No," James remarked shortly as he sat down on the bed beside her. "I just wanted to have a civil conversation with you and try not to be an 'arrogant big head'."

Lily frowned and replied, "What was that bet you and Harrison made anyway?"

"Whoever's house won the Quidditch match would win."

"Oh, so y'all decided to be fair and not tell me about it until afterward so it wouldn't affect my playing."

"Exactly."

"Oh. That was nice."

"So you're going with me to the Ball or what?"

"I guess I don't have a choice."

"I'm not going to force you or anything; I just didn't have anything to lose... except you."

Lily looked at James in surprise. 'He actually wouldn't make me if I said no?'

"I don't exactly know what made me agree to the bet," Lily replied. "And what surprises me more is that we've actually lasted a minute without me getting mad at you and that you're not milking this for all it's worth."

James smiled and said, "Hey, I can be nice when I want to."

"Yeah, when you want to..."

"Lily if you really don't want to go with me, then don't. I only want you to be happy, and if it means letting you go then I'm prepared to make that sacrifice." James said this with a rather pained look on his face, but he said it none the less. This was a side of James Lily had never seen before... and she liked it. He was still James, but he seemed more... kind. A James that had lost all his arrogance. James' hazel eyes met Lily's emerald ones.

"Even if you don't like me the way I like you," he continued. "Can I at least be your friend?" Lily nodded slowly and James replied, "Thank you."

James got up and started to leave but Lily stopped him and whispered, "I'll go with you to the Ball." James smiled warmly at this and left.

.:*:.

Lily was quite breathless. 'Am I falling in love with, with him? But a moment ago I hated him! Or did I? I am so confused.' Lily collapsed back onto her bed and stayed that way until about an hour later when Mara and Jessi entered the room.

"Guess who I'm going to the Ball with?!" Jessi exclaimed. "Remus!!!" Lily smiled at her and sat up.

"I'm not going with Harrison anymore," she announced.

"WHO THEN?!" the other two girls shouted at their friend.

"James," Lily answered simply as Jessi burst into a fit of giggles and Mara put her hands over her mouth.

.:*:.

"Lily's going to the Ball with me!" James shouted to a thoroughly confused Sirius, Remus, and Peter, who had just entered the common room. Without further explanation, James ran up to the boys' dorm.

"James has lost it," Sirius replied as Remus and Peter nodded their agreement.