A/n- I know that there wasn't a Yule Ball while James and Lily were at school, but I thought it would make a cute chapter

I flop on to my bed back in the dorm room and push my face into my pillow. James Potter just won't give up.

"Lily? What are you doing?" A voice asks.

I look up to see Marlene and Dorcas standing in the doorway.

"James Potter." I reply simply before shoving my face back into my pillow.

The mattress tilts with the extra weight as they sit down next to me.

"What'd he do this time? I thought you said that you were going to say yes next time he asked you out," Dorcas says as she starts to play with my hair.

I swat her hand away and roll on to my back. "He didn't ask me out. He made a banner to do it for him. There were fireworks and everything."

"So that's what that sound was. Flitwick was starting to get frustrated," Marlene grins down at me. "What did you say?"

"No. I wasn't even thinking about it. I was in so much shock. It just slipped out." I groan.

"Was it for just a normal date? Or was it for something else?" Marlene smirks at Dorcas.

"A normal date. Why? What else would he be asking about?" I sit up when I see their eyebrows rise into their hairlines.

"Surely you've heard about the Yule Ball?" Marlene gapes.

"It's just the most beautiful atmosphere for couples. Alice and Frank are going. Sirius asked Marlene yesterday." Dorcas informs me dreamily.

"Hestia and Dorcas are still holding out hope that someone will ask them." Marlene pats Dorcas' head. "Anyway, we've been expecting James to ask you."

The room is silent for a couple of seconds while I think.

"Just wondering, is it tradition for the boy to ask the girl, like it is with the other balls?" I ask, finally coming up with an idea.

"Yeah. I think so. Why?" Marlene smiles knowingly.

"I think it's time to put an end to that tradition." I grin.

We get to work organising our plan.

~later~

"Hey, Evans." James sits down in the armchair opposite mine.

I'm sitting in the library, waiting for phase one to be complete.

"So, Evans. I was thinking, maybe, you'd like to go on a date with me?" He rests his elbows on his knees and leans in closer.

"Maybe, huh?" I raise an eyebrow and smirk.

His eyes light up hopefully. "Yeah."

"Hm, no thanks."

The hope disappears from his face in a second and my heart tries to jump out of my chest.

"Oh, okay. I'll go then. Bye." He gets up and leaves me alone in my corner.

Hestia and Dorcas appear from behind the stack of books to the right of me.

"Dorcas and Marlene told you about the plan?" I ask Hestia.

She nods and sits where James was. Dorcas leans against the bookshelf and grins.

"Phase one of three is complete."

~

I'm giving my potion a final stir before handing it in when a loud bang from the back of the classroom startles me and the rest of the students. I turn to see Sirius and James' faces covered in soot.

"Mr Black, Mr Potter, you are never to work together again." Professor Slughorn frowns. "Mr Black, go sit with Miss Jones. Mr Potter please join Miss Evans."

I catch winks from Marlene, Hestia, Sirius, and Professor Slughorn, who are all in on the plan.

"Hey, Lily." James greets me awkwardly.

"Are we on a first name basis now?" I smile.

"I guess."

I continue stirring my potion for a couple of minutes, knowing that it's correct.

"Lily, I know for a fact that you've brewed it correctly and that you don't need to stir it for this long. Just get Slughorn to check it so we can go." James groans next to me, his forehead against the desk.

"Professor, I've finished." I call.

Slughorn comes over and drops a leaf into my potion.

"Well done, my girl. This is perfect. Now, please go with Mr Potter to the back of the room and teach him how to correctly brew a potion."

Another groan escapes from James and he throws himself backwards in his seat.

"Be quiet, Mr Potter. Other students are still working."

I stand up and make my way towards the back of the room with James trudging along behind me.

"Listen, James, I wanted to apologise for earlier this week," I say once we're both sitting down again.

"It's fine."

"No, James. I'm sorry. I was being a little twat."

"It's fine, Lily. I forgive you. Just drop it." He growls.

I flinch away from him and search desperately for Hestia or Marlene's eyes, but fail.

James refuses to talk to me and thankfully, the class ends.

James runs off somewhere without Sirius, which is odd. Hestia drags Marlene and Sirius over to me.

"What did he say?" Marlene asks.

"I don't know. He wouldn't say anything." I shake my head.

"So in other words..?" Hestia drifts off.

"Phase two is still incomplete."

~

"Why are you doing this to the poor guy? Can't you just ask him out? Without all of this struggle?" Alice frowns.

"I guess, but that wouldn't be as fun," says Marlene with a grin.

"You are awful human beings. James cares about Lily and you are corrupting her. He doesn't deserve all of this trouble. Lily, please tell me you understand what I'm saying?" Alice's face looks pained and desperate as she says those words.

I look around at my roommates. They don't seem to agree with Alice.

"Maybe we should cut back on the harshness." I suggest

Just as Dorcas is about to reply, Hestia throws a hand over her mouth and shushes us.

"Marauders." She mouths.

We sit in silence listening. Shuffling and quiet voices can be heard from out in the hall.

I pull out my wand but Dorcas and Marlene shake their heads at me. Alice stands up and tip toes towards the door. I don't think we've ever been more thankful that she's small.

She throws open the door and in tumble three of the marauders.

"How did you get up the stairs?" Hestia stands up, followed by Marlene and Dorcas.

Sirius smirks, "We have our ways."

"Why are you here anyway, Sirius? You know about our plan." Marlene rolls her eyes.

"These two didn't know that." He gestures to Remus and Peter.

"What are you doing here?" I repeat Marlene's question.

"James has been heartbroken for the past week and we wanted to know what Lily did this time." Remus explains.

"I only said no! I didn't tell him I'd rather work for the dark lord himself, or anything like that!" I am quick to defend myself.

"He's never been this heartbroken before." Peter looks at me suspiciously.

"Well, from what I've heard, it sounds as if she was getting his hopes up and then crushing him like a bug," says Alice as she glares at us girls.

I feel my face heat up and my roommates look at the ground in embarrassment. Before anyone can say anything else, McGonagall appears in the doorway.

"Miss Evans, Potter has.. What are you three doing in here?" She stares at the boys.

"Uh..."

"We were just..."

"They were..."

Everyone in the room tries to come up with an excuse to get us out of detention.

"Oh shut up, you lot. I'll deal with this later. Miss Evans, follow me."

I exchange nervous glances with everyone and follow McGonagall out of the dorm room.

"Can I ask where we're going, Professor?" I ask while trying to keep up.

"Potter has been sent to the hospital wing."

I panic as my brain starts to think up horrible scenarios. What did that idiot do?

My mind is in such a frenzied state that I don't notice when we walk straight past the hospital wing.

I realise that we're not going to the hospital wing when McGonagall starts to lead me into the courtyard.

"Professor?"

She leads me out on to the grass and steps out of the way, revealing James in dress robes holding a rose.

"Have fun, Miss Evans. Be back in your dorm by curfew." She smiles and pats my shoulder.

I am aware of her leaving, but my eyes are only on James.

"What is this?" I ask, my eyes never leaving James'.

"This is an interference," He explains with a grin. "Sirius told me about your plan after potions yesterday. I thought it was about time to put an end to it."

"So, the others..?" I drift off to let him finish.

"Were distracting you from either coming down here or continuing your evil plan. In fact, if you look up at the tower, you will probably see their heads hanging out of the windows, maybe even Marlene or Sirius on a broom." He confirms as he points towards Gryffindor tower.

I tear my gaze away from James and look up. Sure enough, our friends are all hanging out of various windows around the tower.

I shake my head and laugh. James holds his hand out for me to take. I step towards him and slide my hand into his.

"Will you dance with me?" He smiles gently.

"Of course."

He pulls out his wand and spells something nearby to play some slow music. I follow as he starts to lead a waltz. I step on his toes and he stumbles backwards.

"We're terrible at this." I laugh.

"You're terrible at this." He corrects me.

"Hey! I'm not that bad!" I defend.

"Okay. Sure."

James moves closer and leans his forehead against mine.

Voices echo through the school as students rush back to their dorms before curfew. Light from the castle disturbs the autumn darkness that surrounds us.

"Lily, will you go to the Yule Ball with me?" His eyes meet mine as the words leave his mouth.

"No." I reply quickly.

He steps back and narrows his eyes. "Are you serious? After this? What does it take with you, Lily?"

I laugh and place my hands on his cheeks, stepping closer to him. "I'm kidding. Of course I'll go with you."

"Thank Merlin," he says before kissing me.

Loud cheers sound out from above us. We pull away sheepishly and look up towards the tower.

My friends are still hanging out of windows, they're probably in the common room because now they're lower down the tower. James' friends are sitting on the roof above us. I don't want to even think about how they got there.

"Get it, Prongs!" Sirius whoops loudly while clapping.

I see Remus shove him and say something, but we can't hear from here.

"Moony here says we can sleep in the common room tonight if you and Evans need the space!"Sirius yells again.

"I did not say that!" Remus yells.

"I say we go inside and deal with them sooner rather than later," James whispers in my ear.

I nod and link my hand with his. He hands me the deserted rose that he was holding earlier and leads me inside.

I manage to tear myself away from the marauders, explaining that I'll have to go and talk to my friends eventually. Back in the dorm, they bombard me with questions. I answer, occasionally letting my mind drift back to James.

"So the tradition hasn't been put to an end?" Hestia asks.

"No. But, to be honest, I think this is better." I grin before climbing into my bed and snuggling into my pillow.

"She's eager to dream about James, I bet." Marlene jokes.

"Oh shut it. We've all heard you talking about Sirius in your sleep." I laugh.

"I do not!" Marlene gasps dramatically.

"Yes you do! We've had to move into the common room because of your sleep talking," Dorcas says.

"Hmph." Marlene huffs. "I'm going to bed. Goodnight."

She reaches for the light switch and flicks it off. Dorcas, Hestia, and I exchange giggles in the silence before we all slowly grow tired and fall asleep.