Chapter Four: The Yule Ball
By Natali K. A.
"Josette!" James called out, hailing a seventeen year old girl from Beauxbatons. News of the dance had finally spread and all the giggling girls were getting just bloody annoying. She was the single one who hadn't totally disgusted him.
The black-haired beauty turned around with a smile and walked towards him, insisting her friends continue on their way to dinner.
"Oui, James?" she asked. "'Ow can I `elp you?"
"As I'm sure you've heard, champions require a date for the Ball," he said flatly, though she didn't seem to notice. Lily had just passed behind her, glancing over her shoulder to look at the two of them. Had she heard him calling Josette over? Was she jealous?
"Oui," Josette giggled. "'Oo are you taking?"
"I was going to ask you, actually."
"Vy, I vood love to go vith you. I shall meet you by zee door on that night. Bon?"
"Bon," he agreed, bowing a little. "I'll take you in to dinner."
"Merci."
After dropping her off at her table, James went to join Sirius and Remus, who had already gone through an entire hen on their own.
"Got a date then?" Remus asked.
"I have."
"Hmm." But Remus did not elaborate on what that was supposed to mean. James couldn't work up the enthusiasm to ask.
But Sirius knew exactly what Remus had meant by that "hmm". He knew that James was unsatisfied with his date and would much rather have gone with another.
*~*
Finally, after much waiting, it was Christmas night and everyone turned out in their dress robes. James picked Josette up by the door and had to admit she did look quite attractive in white, flowing robes that really brought out her coloring. She looked like one of heaven's angel and he told her so.
"James!" she blushed. "No vonder all zee girls are all over you and so jealous. You are such a flatter."
He took that to mean that he was a flatterer, and did not see the need to correct her. There was an abrupt wave of murmurs in the hall.
"Look, isn't she just lovely? I vonder `oo she is," Josette mused. James followed her eyes to the vision entering the hall. "I `ave `eard many of zee boys talking about `er."
And by God, she was lovely. She had taken a risk by wearing dress robes of a deep orange and red that on any other would have clashed horribly. Only Lily could have pulled that off. It seemed to have been designed in the Oriental style and James made a mental note to find out who made it so he could send them a Christmas gift.
His throat tightened with anger-at himself. How could he have waited so long and in doing so let her get away? He should have sought her out immediately after finding out about the Yule Ball and ordered her to accompany him. But now because he'd been such an utter fool, he would have to watch her be in the arms of another man tonight. And sure enough, there was Horace in this ridiculous getup of fur and tassels and all sorts of shit. He was wearing more jewelry than most of the girls there!
Suddenly, he didn't want to be there at all. He would wait for that dance she had promised him and then he'd proceed to cry off with a blinding headache. A girly excuse, but a worthy one.
"Come! Vee start zee dance," Josette said, dragging him forward. "They call us."
*~*
About an hour and a half into the dance, Lily excused herself from Horace and made her way determinedly to the Head Boy. And the Head Boy was being Head Arse at the moment, speaking to absolutely no one or if he had to, in a very rude tone.
She couldn't imagine what had gotten his wand in such a knot that he'd even dared to talk back to Dumbledore, who'd seemed to understand James was not himself and hadn't been offended.
"James," Lily said softly, coming up to stand next to him. "You promised me a dance."
He looked at her, staring deep into her eyes. But they didn't tell him what he had wanted to see-that she wished she'd had the foresight to come with him. It was a pity dance.
Fine. That was just dandy with him. He wanted it. He wanted that pity.
The tune on was a lively one, but it soon changed to one of the slowest, most romantic songs of the age: a mix between a waltz and a tango. Somewhat hard to imagine, but beautiful and very sensual to do.
He took her into his arms brusquely without words and walked briskly to the floor. He knew he was not being very gentlemanly or at all nice, but his mood was so dark and so utterly bitter that he couldn't bother amending it.
It was a quiet, awkward, stiff few first minutes until Lily broke the silence.
"You're being just terrible. Poor Josette ran off crying nearly ten minutes ago and you haven't gone to see what's the matter. How could you ignore her like that?"
"I'm sorry it offends you so. You're probably grateful that you didn't have to come with me then," he snapped.
"James, don't be foolish."
"Your opinion of me must be very low if I'm a fool now as well."
She looked away from him, her anger radiating off of her. He wanted to tell her he didn't really mean it, that he was just upset that he hadn't asked her first.
"He's a perfectly nice guy-"
"Lily, I hope you'll forgive me if I really don't want to listen to you rave about some other bloke," he interrupted.
She glared at him, dropping her hand from his and stepping away. "If you'd let me finish, you would have known that though he was perfectly nice, he is not nearly as attractive to me as you are, though I don't mind telling you that you're not my favorite person at the moment."
She stalked off before he could say a word. After a few seconds, what she'd said sunk in and he ran after her. It was quite a sight to behold and there were many whispers around the hall.
"Lily, you'll catch your death if you go out in that weather without a shawl or anything!" he yelled after her, running. God willing, the tent would be clear of people and they could hold a genuine private conversation.
She shrugged, ignoring his comment and stomping out of the fortress with clear intent. He groaned, following her.
Even in her heels and dress robes, she was making wonderful time and it took him about a minute to catch up (he'd fallen down the stairs when he'd slipped on a chip of ice). Without a word, he threw off his outer jacket and put it on her shoulders.
She stopped walked-which was utter insanity to him, but he refrained from mentioning it.
"James, you'll die of pneumonia. Put it back on."
"Keep it." His teeth were chattering. "Though I do insist we get to somewhere warm now."
They walked on in silence-Lily because she was angry and had nothing to say, James because his teeth were chattering far too much for his words to be understood. Once inside, James hurried to the fire and warmed himself up.
"Thanks," Lily said bitterly, draping the coat on his shoulders. "I'm going to bed now."
"What about Horace?"
"He'll be fine. I told him I might leave because I didn't feel well."
"I'm sorry I was such a prat."
She whirled around to face him. "Yes, you were quite a prat. I felt like hitting you. I still do. I suggest you stay on that side of the room as I've never in my life exhibited much self-control."
He didn't say anything for a moment. "Tomorrow I'll go apologize to Josette. I was just angry at myself."
"For what? What on earth could have made you so damn crabby that you ruined her night?" Lily snapped, stepping closer to him despite her warning to him to keep away. "There might never be another dance and you've wrecked this one for her. She'll look back on tonight with pain and bitterness and she will hate you, James."
She took a deep breath.
"It's no less than I deserve," he said softly, turning his face away from her. "But I've never claimed to be perfect. What I can't understand is why, after you saw what the boggart turned into, you still accepted Horace's proposition."
She seemed surprised at the question, but then her face cleared. "I should think that should be obvious."
"I suppose not, eh?"
Her eyes narrowed at him. "Don't get snippy with me. He'd told me that you'd known for days. You hadn't asked me. I didn't think you were going to. Maybe next time you won't procrastinate and leave it for the last moment? Or didn't you think anyone would ask me?"
He closed the distance between them, about eight feet, and stood toe to toe with her.
"You know I think that about as much as I think that it's hot outside," he said slowly, in a dangerously low voice.
Lily shook slightly and her breathing increased. "I don't know what that little thing at the first task was about, James, but you're being utterly ridiculous. It's always been a joke, your `asking me out' so don't make it into a big drama."
He raised an eyebrow, fighting to maintain his cool. He was not joking in the least. "I promise you that I'm not trying to."
"It was alright, that you had wanted to ask me to the Ball. But it stops here, Potter," Lily said sternly. "It goes no further."
"What doesn't?" he asked, his voice trembling with suppressed rage. "There's nothing here, or I would definitely be in a much better mood."
"No, you're perfectly right," she said in a falsely light voice. "There isn't anything between us. I'm glad you see it that way." She turned on her heel and strode for her room.
"Remember, Evans. One part of prediction has come true. How long will it take you to give in to the second?"
Lily ignored him, deciding that the question did not merit a response and she wouldn't waste her breath.
Or had she simply nothing to say?
*~*
It was soon thereafter that the students of Hogwarts as well as the other schools began to notice that the Head Boy and Girl were very upset with each other. Not that they didn't talk, but their tones were so chilly and formal that they might as well have tried to hex each other.
Indeed, there was a rumor flying about that Lily had found her dress robes from the Ball all torn up under her bed. (Her friends knew this was not true, that Lily had torn up the robes herself after her discussion with James that night, incensed and crying wildly.)
December left, and January came and went along with it. It was the first week of February when James received his clue for the second task, to take place on February the twenty-seventh.
It would be the second task that would bring the two back into each other's good graces, when James went humbly to Lily to ask her for help.
Only there were a couple problems and their names were Horace and Josette. After James had apologized, she'd been quite forgiving and had accepted him with open arms and they had been seeing each other on and off since without any obligations to each other of any kind.
The relationship between Horace and Lily was a little more complicated. Horace wanted very much for Lily to be his girlfriend and to commit, but she didn't see the need to give up her solitary freedom that she had in requiring no permission to talk to this boy or that or to go out on a date with someone else. It had been the topic of several arguments, but each time Horace gave in. He figured it was better to have some of her than none at all.
Somehow, it came as no surprise what transpired in one of the empty classrooms in the beautiful fortress of Beauxbatons. No one knew the hard facts but many speculated-most times correctly.
But before that, James first had to swallow his pride and ask Lily-who still held his heart and was still the only person he really wanted to be with-to help him.
It came to happen on the third morning that he had his clue, which shall be brought up later. By some miracle of God, he had found her alone-Horaceless and mateless. For once.
"Evans," he said, striding up to her. (They had taken to calling each other by their last names again as if to erect a wall.) "Could I have a word?"
She looked up from the letter she was writing. "Yes, of course. Does Dumbledore want us for something? Is he back from Hogwarts yet?"
"Er, not last time I checked. Actually, this is for a personal favor. As you probably know, the champions received their clues on Monday."
Her face clouded. "Yes, I do know," she said tersely, and he wondered if he should ask. Though, he couldn't understand why the mention of the clue had changed her mood so much.
"I know that… that Horace and you are-"
"We are not anything," she interrupted with a shrill voice.
He blinked, startled. What had happened that she'd said that with such vehemence? "Sorry. Um… I realize that I put you in a difficult position asking you to help me, but I don't know who else to ask."
"Ask what?"
"I need your help to develop a potion. I know how good you are at it, and… Well, it's quite a complex potion." He straightened, averting his eyes. "But if you're helping Horace, then I'll understand."
"Get one thing straight, Potter. My loyalty lies to Hogwarts and its champion-you. I don't care that other people seem to be under the impression that Horace and I are a couple. When the second task rolls around, I will be in the Hogwarts stand, cheering you on and no one else."
He let his face break into a grin. "I am extremely happy to hear that."
"And as for your question, yes. I'll help you." She stood up off the stone bench and dusted off her skirt. "Only remember that you'll be in my debt."
"Very well."
"I'll have to leave you. I have to get ready for dinner."
"Dinner's not for hours."
She looked at him, her face expressionless. "I'm going out for dinner, to the village in the valley to the east of here. We're eating early."
His heart sank. "You and Horace?"
"Yes, me and Horace."
She walked off toward the giant Hogwarts tent, currently surrounded by many of its students hanging around with some of those of Durmstrang.
Durmstrang. Huh. James would rather have done without it. Maybe then he and Lily wouldn't have grown even further apart and they would be together now.
Somehow, James had this niggling idea that if he had been in Horace's position-dating Lily or whatever it was they were doing-she would be much more enamored of the idea of being exclusive.
That thought comforted him.
*~*
A/N: Who's an idiot? Ah, yes, I am! I do realize now, afterward, after nearly every reviewer reminded me it was "riddikulus" and not "expecto patronum" and whoops, guess who's decided she needs to reread all the books because she is just plain dumb?
So, allow me to name some of those (I tried to save most) who reminded me: Holly Muse, KaiserDragon (who so sweetly told me I'd fail the DADA OWLS. Incidentally, I agree with you! Lol), loonymoony8, nlovewithHP77, Chelle-Lynn, zomgprongs (glaring canon errors, I know. So like me to screw up the big things and yes, James is quite sexy, isn't he? Then again, he always is!), Tappeh (who has thoroughly chastised me).
There were others, and I'm so sorry that I deleted your review before I thought to thank all my vigilant readers. But you know who you are and I did read each and every one and roll my eyes at myself and just want to kick myself… So no worries. Hopefully, I'll be able to go through just a single chapter without one major mistake? We can hope.
I had this written a week ago, lol. Well, a couple scenes from the Ball, anyway. I very much like it and think this is definitely my favorite chapter so far. So read and review my lovelies-and notice that I didn't put any named spells in this chapter! Lol.
Much love,
Natali K. A.
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