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angry

-padfoot-

After Herbology before lunch, doubled with the Ravenclaw sixth years, James told me that he wanted to do something special for Lily for Valentine's Day. "It'll be a Hogsmeade weekend just after Valentine's Day," he said, "and I'm not exactly sure if we're officially going out or not, but... I want to have a real date with her, and make sure it's something she'll like. I know you'll have detention then, but if you can help me plan something..."

"'Course," I replied. I've been irritated that he spends all his time with Lily over the last month, but with James and me, it doesn't matter. We never hold grudges.

Every spare moment when Lily isn't around we've spent planning something for Valentine's Day and the following Hogsmeade weekend. There's always a Hogsmeade weekend around Valentine's Day, and even if they don't fall on the same day, traditionally Hogwarts students going on dates for the holiday wait for the weekend, at least for any big plans. I don't want to plan something completely traditional for James, or Lily won't be surprised—and she's more likely to enjoy a surprise, as long as it's a pleasant one.

We're in the library 'working on our homework' together. Lily didn't seem worried or put up any sort of fight when James told her we wanted to work alone for a while, and I think it made James a little concerned, but I don't think he has any reason to worry. Lily's a good girl. She likes spending time with him, but she doesn't insist on ruling his schedule like some girlfriends do.

"So, no flowers or anything," James says, and he puts up a valiant effort not to look disappointed as he scribbles something almost illegible on his piece of parchment.

I shake my head. "No, big displays of flowers are obvious. You'll probably embarrass her, even though she'd appreciate them."

"Well, I want to give her something on Valentine's Day, even if most of whatever we plan is for the Hogsmeade trip," he mumbles, twirling his quill between finger and thumb.

I start to jot something down on my parchment, but my elbow bumps his, and I roll my eyes. "Switch sides with me, Prongs. We always do this." Being left-handed can be irritating when you're sharing a table with right-handed friends or classmates. We get up, switching seats, and then I get back to the business of deciding what he should do for Lily on Valentine's Day. "Something she'll think is sweet, but not too embarrassing. It'd be much easier if we could get into the girl's dorms, then you could put something on her bed..."

"I could get one of the other girls in her dormitory to put something there for her," James suggests.

"Not as good," I reply, shaking my head. "Then someone besides us will know before she does." I frown for a moment in thought, then brighten. "Just slip something in her bag that morning at breakfast. Something small, but... I don't know, romantic. And put a note on it to ask her to the date at Hogsmeade."

He nods, approving, and breaks into a beaming grin. "Only question is, what should I give her?"

I think for a little bit, running through things I might give girls and abandoning them. This is James—it needs to be something especially from him. So I think about the things that make him James... and what sticks out is the Snitch he bought from a Quidditch supply shop toward the beginning of fifth year that he still likes to show off with every once in a while. It's especially poignant because he's a House Chaser, not the Seeker. "Do you still have that Golden Snitch?" I ask.

"That? It's stuffed in the bottom of my trunk somewhere, I haven't pulled it out in ages... but yeah, I have it," he says a bit off-handedly. "Why, what d'you think?"

"You can use it. Do something special to it for her, and sneak it in her bag. I'm not sure what, but it's probably better if you think of it anyway." I pause for a second, then add, "You can probably get her something else, too—less mobile so a note will stick to it better. She's Muggle-born, right? Maybe one of those Muggle stuffed animals."