- Chapter Seventy -
"Mark the day, 31st October 1976."

"PADS, IS THIS GONNA COME OFF?"

"It won't if you don't stop squirming." Sirius Black chastised James Potter with a mighty firm tone, his hand on the boy's shoulder forcing him to sit still as he drew a star around his right eye with a stick of bold and dramatic eyeliner. They had been at this for nearly an hour since Sirius couldn't seem to draw a simple star correctly, leading the others to mill around the dorm hopelessly.

"Besides, if it doesn't work with water, just borrow one of your girlfriend's makeup wipes." Peter offered from where he was slumped on his mattress, one hand on his stomach and the other playing with his own blonde hair whilst he boredly stared at the ceiling. Remus hummed in agreement from his own bed, nose stuck in a book as they waited.

"She's not my girlfriend yet." James mentioned, sniffing a little and receiving a glare from the boy in front of him because of his scrunching nose. Sirius looked more threatening than usual with his Demon makeup on his face whilst he held a sharp stick a little bit too near James' eye; it made the boy in the chair take a deep breath at the look he was being given.

"You haven't asked her?" Remus looked up from his book, revealing the shapes around his eyes filled in with silver makeup whilst he raised his eyebrows at James who met his eyes through the mirror by his side.

"Well, you know, I...we've been...I guess that-" James tried to figure out a way to communicate the fact that he hadn't had a chance, they'd barely been alone together and he certainly hadn't had any time to put together a romantic gesture that Sherry deserved. "No. No I haven't."

He watched the mirror to gauge his friends reaction; Remus nodded slowly and tried to control the widen of his eyes at this news. Peter glanced up from his bed, confused at the topic whilst Sirius didn't bother to chip in as he held the lid of the eyeliner in his mouth and delicately drew on James' face to complete their costumes.

"I thought you were already together. Haven't you kissed?" The boy on the bed asked, James couldn't even take him seriously with the whiskers painted on his face in the form of the rockstar he was dressed as.

"Well I mean I'd like to think that that makes us kind of official. As in I hope she's not been with anyone else." James mumbled, looking like that thought had only just crossed his mind as he frowned a little. "But it doesn't mean she's my girlfriend, for that you need to ask. You can't just assume, and the pleasure of hearing Sherry say 'yes, James, I will be your girlfriend' will be just heavenly. So yes I need to ask."

"Plus, it's not like it'll have any repercussions. Worst case scenario she says she already thought they were dating, tiny bit of embarrassment for Prongs, over and done with." Remus offered and James gestured over to him in agreement but refrained from nodding his head in fear of Sirius yelling at him. "But, if James assumes they are dating but she doesn't think they are then things will take a much worse turn. He won't ask, she won't feel appreciated, next thing you know James is getting beaten up by the next boy that falls in love with Sher."

"Sher?" Sirius raised a dark eyebrow, looking over at Remus who had no abandoned his book and was admitting his Space Man makeup in the mirror James had been meeting his eyes through. "Since when did you call her that?"

"Since she became my weird adoptive sister thing...stuff is complicated, guys." He shrugged, retreating back to the comfortable mattress and wishing that Sirius would hurry up with James' makeup. After all, they could already hear the music booming through the floorboards, but Sirius had insisted on being fashionably late to make an entrance.

But as soon as Oliver González came walking into the Gryffindor Common Room with his red shorts and lack of any other clothing, Remus was sure that nobody would be paying any attention to any newcomers. Rumour has it that despite the reputation the boy had for his humour, he had an excellent pack of abs. Surely nearly every girl in the room would be gawking as he strut around with it on perfect view. No one knew what Sherry was coming as though, she could have every jaw dropped too and that would rile Sirius up to no end.

"Okay..." Sirius dragged out, his tongue sticking out between his lips as he pulled back from James, putting the lid back on the eyeliner whilst the boy in the chair opposite him blinked multiple times. "Done."

James praised the founders under his breath as he pushed himself off of his chair and stared at his reflection in the mirror, a black bold star painted around his right eye that matched the black waistcoat around his torso. It showed off his biceps perfectly and he flexed them a little, quite content at the fact that Sherry would be seeing him like this. Though looking at Peter, he surveyed that the boy had the same outfit on, just with a different makeup look.

Whereas Sirius had an extravagant black and silver shirt on his body, having gone all out with his costume to perfectly encapsulate the visage of the Demon. Remus simply wore a long-sleeve shirt with a silver upside down triangle painted on the black, obviously along with the makeup. Sirius stood with an exhilarated mood, grinning around at all of the tired boys.

"Who's ready to partyyyy?"

At first, it was just Sirius. But then once Peter had rolled out of his bed and hit the floor, pushing himself up whilst Remus groaned and stood up straight from the confines of his covers, they were all ready to go. Sirius had planned to have KISS playing whilst they walked in, but no one would be able to play it for them without them showing their costumes so they decided to just make a ruckus as they appeared. Well, Sirius decided, James was just concentrated on trying to find Sherry as soon as he got there.

And when they got there, they did draw attention thanks to Sirius' crazed yelling as they ran in. Everybody chuckled at their entrance, their makeup and their outfits as the four boys trudged through the party, taking their places at varying spots around the room. Peter walked straight to the drinks table, finding a butterbeer to sip at whilst Remus found Lily at the side and greeted her with a friendly smile. James crossed the room as fast as he could, searching for the head of blonde hair he wished to see before him.

"James!" A voice from the boy's left side took him away from his course cross the room. James attempted to ignore it but it wasn't long until Stephen Parker had put a strong hand on his arm to draw him out of his daze.

"Hey Stephen." He replied, eye flitting around the room at large; he spotted a shirtless Oliver flirting with Mary Macdonald who was dressed as a cat, Louis and Amber were conversing beside the drinks table soon to be joined by Peter but Sherry was nowhere to be seen.

"I was starting to think you wouldn't show." Stephen said, seemingly not noticing James' desperation to escape the conversation because he had his eyes trained on Flora Upton stood on the other side of the room.

"Sirius was late doing my makeup." He explained shortly, finally giving up a little on his search for a moment whilst he turned and looked Stephen up and down. "And what are you supposed to be?"

"A sunflower." The boy smiled innocently, gesturing to the spiky yellow petals around his head and the green shirt and pants that acted as his stem. James smirked and looked past his shoulder at Flora Upton who stood dressed as a tulip, smiling to herself whilst she waited for Stephen to return. "She wanted to be flowers."

"Oh!" James nodded slowly, still smirking as he shoved his hands in the back pockets of his leather pants and glanced between the two flowers across the room. "So how long has that been going on?"

"We met up in the summer." Stephen said sheepishly, pushing a yellow petal out of the way of his eyes as James crossed his arms and nodded with an even bigger smirk. "I'm telling you, she's all I've ever dreamed of. Got your eyes on anyone?"

He had asked the question with such hesitation that James knew he knew the answer; everybody who was anybody had noticed the switch in demeanour between Sherry Opal and James Potter. Both seemed happier, there hadn't been any drunken scenes made, no pranks, no fights, no nothing. For the first time since Sherry had come to Hogwarts, the castle had been as calm and quiet as usual. James looked at Stephen, deciphering the deeper meaning behind the boy's eyes as he smiled a little.

"Yes, actually." He smiled, feeling great pleasure talking about his infatuation with Sherry outwardly like it wasn't out of the ordinary for him to be fawning over her. "I'm looking for Sherry, have you seen her?"

A mighty grin grew on Stephen's face and the Beater slapped a hand on  James' shoulder, pulling him in for a side bro hug before slapping his back with his strong hand three times. James jerked as he did so, but was laughing with him nonetheless. "She's over by the portrait hole."

"Thanks..." James trailed off, still in his friends hold but his eyes had darted somewhere else. The rhythm of the song booming throughout the common room became a simple hum to him  as he sought out Sherry. He found her at once - immediately obvious by her bob of bright blonde hair. "Oh my God."

"Is her costume great or what?" Stephen laughed, hitting James on the back once more before waltzing off back towards Flora who dancing with Pandora Lestrange  in an odd mix of movements.

Sherry's costume was...momentous. James' jaw dropped stuck between a laugh and a wide grin because of what she was wearing, what she had remembered from all of their endless teasing and pranking back in fifth year. His eyes trailed across every inch of the red that clung to her body, the accessory in her hair, the nude tights that shimmered under a light in the room and the black wedges that ironically, she only wore for Quidditch.

Stood there, across the room from him, Sherry Opal wore the authentic and real James Potter Quidditch Jersey. It was so big that it almost drowned her, which is why Remus had been so worried about her wearing it once he had stole it for her. A golden 7 was embedded on the back of the top, the block capitals of POTTER above it along with the golden trim along the collar. Sat atop of her blonde hair she had James' goggles, tightened so they'd fit around her head, and James was dumbstruck by the costume choice.

So dumbstruck that he didn't know what to do except freeze in place and watch as Sherry conversed with Lily Evans, dressed as a cat; Marlene McKinnon, dressed as a dog; Amber González, dressed in a makeshift version of Maid Marian; Mary Macdonald, dressed as snow white but her eyes trained on Oliver across the room and finally Louis Simmons who had traded Peter Pan to look more like Robin Hood so he could match Amber more.

"I think James has noticed your costume." Louis cleared his throat before he took a little sip of his water, eyes flicking back to the middle of the crowd where James stood.

Sherry smiled a little but didn't dare to glance back and see him. They still hadn't classified what the hell they were and she was waiting for him to make things official, waiting to hear that question leave his lips so she could say yes and seal the deal with yet another kiss. But it had been nearly 2 weeks, and he hadn't spoken a word about their relationship at all...at this point if he serenaded her in the Great Hall and made an embarrassing mockery she'd at least be grateful.

"What's going on with you guys?" Marlene asked, leaning back against the wall and tilting her head as Sherry glanced up from the floor and at her fellow blonde. "Like I know you kissed but has anything else happened? Are you official? Are you fuck buddies?"

"All no." Sherry admitted, grimacing into a frown. "He hasn't asked me to be his girlfriend yet and we haven't slept together once, and it seems like he's practically avoiding any relationship talk at all. And oh my god I hate sounding like this over a stupid boy but...I love him so much. It's disgusting."

"Why don't you just ask him?"

Sherry almost choked on her drink as she looked up at Marlene with wide eyes and furrowed brows. The girl just shrugged in return of the disbelieving expression. Sherry had never once imagined herself being the one to ask someone out, she was the princess and her future partner would be the prince. The gentleman. Her fairytale ending started with the prince asking the princess to be his girlfriend, not the other way around...from the age of 5 she had been obsessed with the idea of finding her prince. Now that she had an opportunity it didn't seem right to disrupt the prospect of her fairytale.

"Oh, come on." Lily scoffed at Sherry's expression too, having a very similar look to Marlene beside her. Amber and Louis were just smirking and Mary had seemed to finally clock back into the conversation. "Since when have you, Sherry Opal, been shocked about the idea of a woman taking the traditional role of a man?"

"Since I was young and wanted someone to love me like Prince Charming loves Cinderella." Sherry said, shrugging her shoulders at the mere notion and Amber frowned a little at the girl in front of her who drained the last of the drink from her cup.

"Sherry, I think you should ask him." Louis mentioned offhandedly and this time she couldn't stop herself from turning around to see him, but now he was on the other side of the room talking to Remus. "What are you waiting for?"

"I can't just-"

Can't stay at home, can't stay in school
Old folks say, "You poor little fool"

"Oh my God!" Amber exclaimed excitedly, eyes gleaming as the opening lines to Sherry's favourite song started playing across the room. The one that makes her feel confident, badass, like she could do anything. With a clenched jaw, Sherry looked at Amber who leapt forward and grasped Sherry's forearms. "It's a sign! This is your song!"

Down the streets I'm the girl next door
I'm the fox you've been waiting for

"The universe wants you to go ask him!" Lily joined in, shoving Sherry's shoulder a little and the girl glanced nervously back towards James again. "Go!"

Hello, daddy, hello, mom
I'm your ch-ch-ch-cherry bomb

Sherry looked to her friends, one by one, searching their eyes for any doubt but all five of them before her only had encouragement within their eyes. It made Sherry want to curl up into a ball and run away but she couldn't deny the adrenaline rush that this song gave her and had always given her. Even Amber was nodding, the girl who was all for men being the dominant ones and being all gentleman-like.

Hello world I'm your wild girl
I'm your ch-ch-ch-cherry bomb

Sherry's hand darted forward and she took Marlene's cup from her hand, she was the only one who had indulged into the alcohol this early in the night. At first she went to protest, but Sherry just tipped the drink into her mouth, shoved it back into her hands and turned to march through all the dancing people in the room. Remus' head was high above everybody else so she could very clearly pinpoint where he was.

Stone Age love and strange sounds too

For good measure, Sherry 'accidentally' elbowed Anna from their dorm out of the way on her way to get to James. It wasn't that big of a feat as she thought it would be, people seemed to part for her pretty easily; she walked with purpose and assumed that that was why.

Come on, baby, let me get to you

The last of the crowd parted and she spot his wonderful head of hair immediately, conversing with Remus with his back to her. Remus glanced over James' shoulders and raised his eyebrows at the sight of Sherry marching over to them. At the look of Remus' face, James turned around too and became almost alarmed at the sight of Sherry as she came and stopped in front of him.

"Do you want to be my boyfriend?"

Bad nights causing teenage blues

"What?" James' mind blanked for a second and then rebooted itself whilst Sherry stood still before him, she had slightly wet lips from where she had drunk the last of Marlene's drink but if anything it made her look even more attractive.

Get down ladies, you've got nothin' to lose

Sherry put her hands on either side of James's face and pulled him down into a kiss, their lips pressing against each other again and like always, setting off that loud set of fireworks that erupted every time they connected. It wasn't as slow as the first time but it wasn't as quick as a passionate make out, it was a kiss as if they'd kissed a thousand times and this felt like second nature. It was a kiss that had James weak in the knees as he placed his cup down beside him and grasped Sherry's waist.

Hello, daddy, hello, mom
I'm your ch-ch-ch-cherry bomb

One of Sherry's hands ran back through his curls, feeling the softness of them and using it to somehow get herself closer to him. James pulled her in, as much as he could, and returned with just as much love and passion as she was putting into it herself. Some people gasped, some people's whistles, some laughed, mainly Remus who stood beside the two of them.

Hello world I'm your wild girl
I'm your ch-ch-ch-cherry bomb

Nearing the end, the kiss began to slow into the speed of their first one, lips moving softly and savouring every moment that they had against each other. Sherry's hands moved back to his face and his travelled around to her lower back so they were circled around her waist, she was trapped with him and she wouldn't rather be anywhere else than in his grasp. Slowly, they pulled away from each other as the music continued in its fast beat but to them, it was pure silence.

"Yes. I will." James mumbled only to her, and although the kiss has imploded his brain more than the question, he would always be able to give her a straight answer.

Sherry grinned, hands still on the side of his face and she leant up again to place a light kiss onto his lips. When she leant back, she gazed at the star on his right eye and giggled a little, playing with the hairs on the bottom of his neck. James just leant his head forward, forehead resting against hers as they looked at one another with pure admiration.

"I like your costume." She said, a soft whisper.

"I love your costume." James said, pulling his head away as he gave her another once over and Sherry took a hand away from him to flip her hair a little. "Who are you dressed as? Are they hot?"

"They're fairly attractive." She nodded slowly and James joined her in nodding, humming a little as she pretended to think. "He's also supremely big-headed, arrogant, selfish-"

"Ah, I know someone like that." James said, giving her a look and she hit him on the shoulder whilst they laughed together and stayed very close as the song comes to an end. "You know, you ruined my plans."

"Oh, you had plans?" Sherry asked in disbelief and he rolled his eyes good-naturedly as the beginning chords of a Bowie song started to play in and Sherry began to sway.

"I was planning to ask you at some point." James rephrased and that eased Sherry quite a lot, but in a way she felt kind of accomplished for doing what she had and asking him. Now she could hold that over him forever. "But mark the day, 31st October 1976."

"Best day ever." Sherry claimed, James beginning to sway to the song with her as the rest of the sound in the room came flooding back in. Remus had moved away to give them privacy, in the dance floor with Marlene who had moved in. All of their friends were now taking up the dance floor and Sherry took James' hand, bringing him to the rest of them.

His hand felt so right in hers, fitting together perfectly and so so soft and so so right. James could hold her hand forever, he never wanted to let go in fear that she would slip away forever. He had fucked up so many times, so had she, and he'd be damned if he let himself do it again. Sherry felt the same as she daintily took him to the centre of the room where slow swaying was taking place.

"And it was cold and it rained, so I felt like an actor," Peter Pettigrew was the main source of attraction, singing loudly and a little bit tipsy as he threw a hand around Sirius. Sirius laughed as his friend did so and began to sing with him. "And I thought of Ma and I wanted to get back there..."

"Your face, your race, the way that you talk!" Remus joined, grabbing Sherry as she arrived and pulling her in, away from James who at first was shaken by the loss of contact but quickly became sucked into the chaos by Marlene who grabbed him.

"I kiss you, you're beautiful, I want you to walk!" Sherry sang into the fake microphone Remus was holding out to her, Amber's raucous laughter echoing around them all which made them all erupt into their own laughter.

James took his chance to grasp onto Sherry's hand again, pulling her back to him until they were in a makeshift dance position, his hand on her waist and hers on his shoulder. And he started swaying with her again, spinning her once and it was surely a spectacle for everyone in the room that night. The infamous Marauders and the infamous Ravenclaw group dancing all together under the dim lights of the common room.

James stopped Sherry after a spin and held her close again, securing her with his hand spread on her back. "We've got five years, stuck on my eyes. Five years, what a surprise."

"We've got five years, my brain hurts a lot!" They all sang together, their focus only on the present, not at all on the future. What it held for any of them. Sherry put her head on James' shoulder, laughing as they swayed; Amber, Louis and Oliver had their arms around each other; Lily and Remus were singing loudly and all of them had smiles. "Five Years,"

"That's all we've got."

•*•*•*•*•

A/N: you guys see what i did there?