~Lily POV~
"Come on, Lils," Alice says, slipping her feet into her jet black flats. "You look amazing. Stop worrying."
"But everyone in our year is going to be here," I say, frowning.
"Not the Slytherins."
"Well, of course James wouldn't invite the Slytherins, but everyone else will be. The Hufflepuffs and the Ravenclaws."
"Yes, but even though the Hufflepuffs and the Ravenclaws will be there, there isn't going to be a difference. Everyone here loves you. And you know what?"
"What?"
"Dorcas is coming."
"Oh, really? I didn't even think about that." Dorcas used to be one of my bestfriends along with Marlene and Alice. But ever since fifth year, we haven't been able to get together as much anymore. In fifth year, we had to get serious - no pun intended - for our OWLs, and by then, we had already grown apart and stopped hanging out. And of course, this this with our NEWTS and everything.
"Yup. Now, come on. I'm sure Marlene is wondering where we are."
"No, she's probably off in some closet with Sirius, snogging the night away." Alice giggles and nods, saying, "Yeah, true, true." We walk down the staircase, through a hallway, and into the kitchen. Earlier today, we came here to James's house to get ready for the Christmas party.
Marlene sits at the counter, looking into a small mirror as she puts on some more lipstick.
"Hey, Marls," Alice says.
"Hey." Marlene says, not looking away from her mirror.
"Where's James?" I ask. Alice gives me a funny look. "And Sirius and Remus?" I say after quickly. I can feel my face getting red, but try to ignore it. There is a few seconds of silence before someone speaks again.
"Their all up in James's room getting ready." Marlene says.
"Alright."
"We'll make sure your under the mistletoe with James, Lils. Don't you worry." Marlene says, closing her mirror. I blush a deep red.
"I - I never said that I wanted to be under the mistletoe with James -"
"Talking about me?" I hear someone say behind me. Sirius.
"Were you eavesdropping?" Alice asks.
"Maybe I was, maybe I wasn't." Sirius smirks at me, and I know he heard us. I blush, if possible, even a deeper red. I sit down at the counter next to Marlene, and Alice sits of Marlene's other side.
• • •
"Hey Lily," Someone whispers from behind me. I jump up and close my book quickly, turning around to find James standing behind me. I smile.
"Hey James," I whisper back. "What are you doing? Isn't everyone supposed to be here soon? And why are we whispering?"
"Come with me." James took my hand, and led me up the stairs and into a room with only a ladder and a small trap door.
"James, what are we do-"
"Just wait." James pulls a rope, and one end of the ladder falls to the ground and dust comes up from where the ladder had fallen. He motions for me to go up, and I start to climb the ladder. When I reach the top, I can see that I'm on the roof. I put my foot on the edge of the roof, and pulled myself up. James climbed up behind me.
"It's beautiful up here," I say, looking up at the sky. "Do you come up here often?"
"Yeah. I come up here as much as possible. To think."
"What do you think about?"
"A lot of things. I think of what I'll do after Hogwarts. What will happen. I think of you most of the time."
"Your sweet." I say, leaning my head on his shoulder.
"It's true. I'm almost always thinking of you." We sit there in silence for a while. I don't know for how long, but it isn't an awkward silence. After a bit, I hear the doorbell ring.
"Want to go?" He asks me. I nod, and he climbs down the ladder, and I climb after him.
• • •
"Dorcas!" I squeal, wrapping my arms around her.
"Lily!" She says. "Oh, it's been too long." I look at her, and I can see that so many things have changed. Instead of her long, brown hair, its short and shoulder-length with bright blue streaks. Before, you would have never caught her wearing makeup. Now,
"It has. How are you?"
"I've been good! You look amazing."
"So do you!"
"Where's Alice and Marlene?"
"Their in the kitchen." We walk into the kitchen, and Alice and Marlene greet Dorcas with squeals and giggles.
"Alright, alright. So, Lils, why are you here? I thought you hated James."
"No, Lils in love!" Marlene says.
"No I'm not-" I start, but Alice interrupts me.
"Lils, don't even try to deny it. We all know you love him, if not love, like a lot. Everyone knows it- well, everyone but James."
"Wow. Exciting," Dorcas said, smirking. She raised her eye brows at me, and I shrugged and shook my head. "Well, lets go party then!"
"Goodbye, Dorcas, it was awesome to see you again!" I said, hugging Dorcas.
"Same here, Lils," Dorcas said. I pulled away. "We need to go to the Three Broomsticks together again, like old times!"
"Yeah," Dorcas waved, and walked out of the front door at James's house. After about 30 seconds, she disapparated. I turned as I shout the door, and ran right into someone.
"Hey Lily," James said.
"Hey James," I said, blushing. I looked up at him, and our eyes locked. For a second, I thought I would kiss him, but that didn't happen. We stared at each other for a while. I guess I didn't notice Sirius walk into the room, sit at the bottom of the staircase.
"Just kiss already!" Sirius yelled. We broke eye contact, both looking at Sirius. He shrugged. "Come on, we're all thinking about it." I can tell that I'm blushing.
"Um - I - I'm going to go into the kitchen and - see Alice and Marls." I quickly walked away.
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Sincerely,
Paris_Potterhead