Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs to JKR.
This is from a group of four oneshots themed on the ideas of love and perfection, (they're all on different pairings and can be read separately).
My favourite part of this story is the ending :)
How about you? You can always tell me in a review if you want :P
Enjoy!

Authors Note: If you're wondering who the Pranksters are, you'll see later on don't worry:)

Events Leading To A Masquerade :Love and Perfection:

Lily sat miserably on her bed in the Head Dorms. She had been perfectly happy in denial, thank you very much, and then James Potter had to go and change, didn't he? He had stopped hexing Snivell- uhh, Snape. He had stopped hexing Snape at every single chance he got. According to Remus he had stopped helping so much with the pranks, (Lily had discovered that the Marauders were the Pranksters, but had promised not to tell anyone their secret.), and he had stopped ruffling his hair around her altogether! As if that wasn't enough, he had decided to throw Lily into complete confusion and had stopped pestering her to go out with him, only speaking to her when absolutely necessary during Head meetings. When he did speak to her it was always in a tone of icy indifference which never failed to leave her downcast for the rest of the day.

She felt so horrible – she had realised that really, she didn't want James to change. She had only turned him down because she was scared that he would laugh and reject her if she ever did say yes, that's what the airheads in James' fanclub had told her he would do. Every time he asked her out they'd corner her later and taunt her spitefully about how he didn't really like her, who on earth would he like someone like her? At least, that's what they had done until one day Lily had finally lost patience and hexed the lot of them all the way to the Hospital Wing. They had been there for a month after, and had kept to hostile glares since then, but the damage had been done. The seed of doubt had been planted and it all grew from there.

Lily sighed, she missed him teasing her playfully. She missed waking up in the mornings to find roses covering her bed, a single lily on her pillow. (She put a preserving charm on the lilies and kept them in a vase by her bed. She never told anyone where she got them.) She missed the pranks – they were always harmless and even made her laugh. She missed coming down in the mornings to find that all the Slytherins were in red tutus with gold hair, a banner floating above the Slytherin table reading,

"Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs would like to wish the Slytherin Quidditch team good luck in today's match…

We feel they are going to need it."

And to be fair, James only hexed Snape when he had insulted his friends or had taunted James first. She missed the old, happy James, who laughed and joked with his friends, who put a smile on everyone's face. Of course, he still did…it was just around her that he was cold and distant. Damn it, she even missed him asking her out! She gave a mirthless laugh. God help her, if he asked again she knew she wouldn't be able to say no. Not that he would anyway. Trust him to give up on the girl he had chased for six and a half years just as she realises she's always loved him.

She flopped backwards on the bed. Her stomach grumbled loudly in protest at not having been filled in the last two days. She had been in the Head Girl's room all weekend to avoid seeing him, she hated it so much when he looked at her with guarded eyes, showing no emotion and without their usual mischievous twinkle.

Another hollow rumble.

'All right, all right I'm going!' she muttered. She rolled off the bed and pulled on a fitted green t-shirt and some jeans. Glancing in the mirror she hurriedly cast a quick charm to fix her hair and make up. She walked out of her dormitory and through the Heads' Common Room, but as she opened the portrait door she came face to face with the Head Boy himself.

'Potter,' she greeted him softly, without the venom she would have injected into his name a few months ago.

'Evans.' His voice betrayed no emotion. He stood back to let her out, looking somewhere over her shoulder, not making eye contact. The icy layer Lily had built up around her heart to protect herself from getting hurt had shattered when she realised she had fallen in love with James. Now every time he ignored her, or replied with pointed coolness, the shards pressed in painfully. She blinked back the tears threatening to spill over.

'Thank you.' She whispered as James held open the portrait for her, before she turned and hurried off down the corridor so that he wouldn't see her tears. She thought she heard a sigh and a breathed,

'No problem…Lily,' but that could only have been her wishful thinking. She continued dejectedly towards the kitchen. If she had dared look back she would have seen James' shoulders slump as soon as she was out of sight. He ran a single hand halfway through his hair before realising, and shoving it in his pocket. He was fighting an inward struggle – he wanted to go after her, she had looked so sad, but she had made it clear that she hated him and he had decided to leave her alone as she wanted, no matter how much pain it caused him. But she had looked so upset…He thought a moment longer, then came to a decision. The portrait door slammed shut.

'Lily!' She jumped in surprise and brushed away any traces of tears. She turned back towards the corner she had just walked around. Surely that was James' voice? But he hadn't called her anything but Evans in months. She turned just as James came sprinting round the corner. They fell to the ground with a thump. Lily landed on her back and winced, but when she looked up she found herself looking into the chocolate eyes of James Potter, and decided she didn't mind being pinned to the floor in the least. He had started to get up when their eyes locked and he froze, both realising the position they had landed in. One of James' legs was between Lily's and his arms were either side of her head. His sleeves were rolled back and the top few buttons of his casual shirt were undone, giving her a very nice view of his Quidditch-toned body. His sexily messed up hair was hanging over his eyes. Lily had a sudden urge to reach up, brush it away, and run her ringers through his hair like he used to do so often.

James looked at Lily, her startled emerald eyes looking up at him, her vibrant red hair spread out on the floor. Suddenly, during that moment, he wanted nothing more than to just kiss her.

She could feel his warm breath on her lips. Her skin was on fire at every point it touched his. He leaned down to her almost imperceptibly then stopped, and then Lily could take it no more. Possessed by a sudden recklessness she put her hand on the back of his neck and pulled his lips down to meet hers in a fiery kiss, rolling him over so she was sitting on his hips.

They eventually broke apart, both looking for answers in the others' eyes.

'I don't want you to change James.' Lily whispered, suddenly afraid again, wondering why he had kissed her back. 'I know you must hate me, but I miss the old James. The James that made everyone laugh with his pranks, the James that looked so bloody gorgeous when he ruffled his hair or played so damn effortlessly with that snitch. The James that all the girls fell in love with. The James I think I fell in love with.' She said the last sentence so quietly James wouldn't have heard it if he hadn't been so close to her. A look of incredulity spread across his face,

'Lily…?' Lily started at the use of her first name and nodded before adding hastily,

'Don't worry I know you've moved on I mean no wonder I was a complete bitch to you but I was so scared because of your stupid fanclub and I didn't want to get rejected like they said I would because I know everybody thinks I'm a complete stick-in-the-mud who's never had fun in her life and I hear people saying that and they think it doesn't hurt but it does and I'm so stupid because now I've spoiled everything and oh god you must hate me so much,' she babbled all in one breath. James was silent for a moment as he deciphered everything she had just said. He would deal with the bitchy fangirls later, (he had always wondered why Lily had single-handedly sent half his fanclub to the hospital wing…). At the moment he had to try just this one last time to show Lily that he truly did love her.

'Hate you Lils?' he said in amazement, 'I couldn't hate you if I tried.' Lily furrowed her brow in confusion.

'But…you've been avoiding me for months…'

'I thought you wanted me to.'

'I did too at first, but I was wrong, and as soon as I figured that out you finally moved on,' finished Lily sadly.

'I never moved on Lily. I decided that if you'd be happy if I left you alone, then I'd do that for you. I love you Lily.'

'I…I love you too James.' James' jaw dropped,

'Really, Lils?' She nodded, smiling at the ecstatic expression on James' face.

'But don't change James. I was wrong to try and change you.'

James grinned and ran his hand through his hair. Lily blushed, her smile widening. Realising she was still sitting on him she stood up, holding out her hand to help up James. As they walked off down the corridor, neither let go of the other's hand.

Lily twisted in her seat in the Great Hall and kissed James on the cheek. It was the leaving supper for the current seventh year, the last time they would all sit together as Hogwarts students. The students of Hogwarts had never been in such a state of shock and excitement before the previous hours revelations.
'Didn't I always say you were in love with me?' grinned James cockily. Lily rolled her eyes and smirked,
'I'm only pretending to be in love with you because I felt sorry for you,' she whispered teasingly in his ear. James chuckled, putting one hand on her lower back and one on the back of her neck, and dipping her backwards off the bench. Leaning down to her he asked in a low voice,
'Are you sure about that?' Lily shivered as his warm breath tickled her neck, and her skin tingled where his hands held her. She looked up at him and memories of the past few months with James flashed through her mind.

Lily left the Head's dormitories and walked down to the Common Room, to see her friends. She joined them in the comfy armchairs by the fire. At that moment the portrait door swung open and Remus, Sirius and James came in, laughing and joking, having left Peter in the kitchens. Lily raised a mischievous questioning eyebrow that only the Marauders noticed, and they nodded back in confirmation.

'Hey Siri, Rem, there's Lily!' he exclaimed. The braver occupants of Gryffindor Tower turned to watch the spectacle that always followed when James Potter and Lily Evans were in the same room. The less courageous, and perhaps the more sensible, ran for cover under chairs and tables.
'Lee!' shouted Sirius gleefully. Lily pretended to roll her eyes in exasperation as she looked up from her book.
'What now Black? Can't you go find someone else to irritate?'
'But I want to talk to you Lee,' he insisted, dragging another armchair over to her, dragging Remus along with his other hand.
'Hey Lilyflower,' grinned James, slinging an arm over her shoulders and dropping to sit next to her on the sofa. The spectators shrank back.
'Potter,' Lily replied coldly, 'Your arm is touching my shoulders.' James pretended to contemplate this for a moment.
'So it is...' At this the quick-learners amongst the first years sprinted from the Common Room. The older students murmured hasty 'protegos'.
'Are you going to remove it?' spoke Lily through gritted teeth. Some of the braver students even started to back away, Lily was far too calm than was safe at this point, she had nearly always snapped at James by now, more often than not accompanied by a couple of hexes.
'D'you know, Lilyflower, I don't think I am.' There were sharp intakes of breath around the room.
'Oh really? And why would that be Potter?'
'Because,' he began, grinning cockily, 'you're my Lilyflower, so I'm allowed to, don't you think?' The tension in the room was so thick it could have been cut with a knife. Everyone waited for Lily to start shouting insults and hexes at James to show just how much she was not 'his Lilyflower'. There was silence in the few seconds everyone awaited Lily's response - you could have heard a wand drop.
'Fair enough,' she replied, and James grinned cheekily before kissing her. She wound her fingers through his hair and kissed him back. There were multiple thumps as people fainted and hit the floor, everyone else freezing mid-action, with the exception of Sirius and Remus, who had been unable to contain themselves any longer, and were now on the floor clutching their stomachs as they howled with laughter.

James sat with Lily and the other Marauders under the huge beech tree by the lake. Since Lily and James got together she had hung out constantly with the Marauders, and Lily had become more relaxed about showing her real self to other people. She didn't stick to the rules so much and proved herself to be just as clever and funny as the rest of the Marauders. She had also secretly helped them think up some brilliant pranks which they were going to carry out over the next few weeks. She got along so well with Remus and Sirius they felt as if they had always been friends, and Lily was accepted into the Marauders without hesitation. They were all laughing and chatting happily together, in hushed tones, about their latest prank. The school knew Lily had become one of the Marauders and had a new respect for her, not just anyone could be a Marauder. (However no one except the Marauders and Lily knew the true identities of Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs, 'The Pranksters'). James reached into his pocket and pulled out a tiny struggling golden ball. It fluttered around before darting off. James caught it with ease before releasing it again. Lily caught his eye and grinned, James grinning cheekily back.

A cluster of girls giggled and swooned when he and Sirius took off their shirts. Lily frowned and began to reach for her wand, before changing her mind and turning to James. She pushed him backwards onto the grass and kissed him furiously. Sirius wolf-whistled at them and Remus chuckled. The expressions on the girls' faces were priceless. Peter was asleep to one side, missing the whole spectacle.
'Lils, I think they've got the message.' smiled Remus. Lily looked at the group of no-longer-giggling girls and rolled off James, deciding Remus was right. James sat up grinning slightly dazedly, running his fingers through his windswept fringe. Lily snatched the snitch from where it hovered by his ear and passed it to him, grinning mischievously.

'Hey Potter, is there something wrong with you? Are the only friends you can get blood-traitors, people who practically live in the damn library, and tag-alongs? I didn't think even you would sink that low.' sneered Snape, 'And your mudblood girlfriend,' he spat. He was leering at Lily, but there was an odd expression in his eyes. She kept eye contact, her gaze unwavering. He only had himself to blame, and she knew that he knew it. Disdain was obvious in her eyes and Snape turned to face James, unable to hold Lily's penetrating stare. James walked slowly and purposefully over to Snape and his Slytherin cronies, the Marauders protectively behind him.

'No Snivellus, they're better friends than you'll ever have,' he said in a dangerously calm voice.

'And Remus is more intelligent than you could ever hope to be,' said Sirius, with pride obvious in his voice. 'Remember when we hexed you and made you ballet dance on the Slytherin table last week?' he taunted,

'Remus cast it. Some of the professors can't manage that spell.' ended Peter, backing them up.

'Sirius went against his entire family to do what was right. Would any of you have the courage to do that?' asked Remus, knowing full well they didn't.

'And don't call Lily a mudblood.' finished James. Before the Slytherins had time to blink they had five wands pointed at them, four of which belonged to the most intelligent and powerful students in the whole school. A second later they were sprawled painfully on the floor in a tangle of limbs, faces covered in boils and sprouting tentacles. James turned from the unconscious Slytherins to the Marauders.

'Nice hexes.' The Marauders smirked. James smirked back and raised an eyebrow at Lily, who quickly replaced the smirk on her face with a look of wide-eyed innocence.

'What?...'

Lily, Sirius and Remus crept out of the kitchens under the invisibility cloak. They reached the Gryffindor Common Room where James sat waiting with Peter who had, as usual, fallen asleep. They threw James the cloak.

'Done?' he asked quietly, folding away a piece of parchment with a plan of the Great Hall and the kitchens on it. They nodded, identical grins failing to mask their excitement. They crept up to bed, shoving Peter off the chair to wake him up as they passed.

The next morning everyone was chattering in nervous anticipation of the upcoming Gryffindor versus Slytherin final match. Without warning the Slytherins simultaneously burst out singing a 'Go, Go Gryffindor!' chant. The Great Hall erupted into laughter (with the exception of the Slytherins – who were still singing.) When everyone had finally stopped laughing, they all looked up, waiting for the floating banner which always accompanied Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs' incredible pranks. Unfurling above the House Tables it read,

The Slytherin choir wish to express their well wishes to the Gryffindor Quidditch team in today's upcoming final match.
- Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Mr. & Mrs. Prongs.'

Everyone chuckled until they read the last sentence. Immediately the laughter was replaced with a stunned silence. Excited whisperings suddenly filled the hall,
'A Mrs. Prongs?!'
'Who?!'
'Who's managed to catch themselves one of The Pranksters?!'
Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs were as popular as the Marauders, even though no one knew who they actually were. It was known that they were in their final year, as after one particularly memorable prank (involving Lucius Malfoy, a wig, and opera singing…), the banner had promised they would reveal their identities before they left the school.
'Who's got together recently?' was the question being asked all around the Hall as everyone tried to figure out who they were. The pranksters exchanged unnoticed knowing smiles as Peter watched them confusedly.
'Who's Mrs. Prongs?' Sirius, Remus, Lily and James rolled their eyes and left for the Quidditch Stadium, leaving Peter to work it out, or give up and continue eating.

'So in conclusion, Congratulations!' ended Dumbledore, with everyone cheering happily. Everyone was happy school was finished, but were sad to be leaving. The starry sky shone brightly, as if sending the seventh years off with a night to remember. The whole school was also nervously but excitedly awaiting the final display from Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs, the best pranksters Hogwarts had yet seen, and eagerly awaiting the unveiling of who they were. No one knew what had been planned, only that it would not be a prank but more of a parting present.
'And now I think we should have a speech from our two wonderful Heads, who have done brilliantly in leading and helping you this year. That is, once they had…worked out their differences…' Blue eyes twinkling, Dumbledore moved aside for Lily and James.
'Well, there's not really much to say that hasn't already been said, so once more, well done everyone!' smiled Lily.
James stood beside her with his arm round her waist.
'But what we are all waiting for, I think, is for some final answers before we go,' continued James, looking for all the world as though he was just as oblivious as to the pranksters' identities as everyone else.

Even as he finished his sentence, fireworks burst out from every possible place – from under chairs, out from between the branches of surrounding trees, from behind the professors, even out from beneath hats. Flashes of colour surrounded everyone, flames harmlessly tickling faces and tugging playfully at hair before spiralling upwards, high into the air. They collided in a huge explosion directly above the amazed pupils. The sparks hung suspended, fizzing and melting into four shining spheres, each sphere made up of the colours of one of the four houses. The young witches and wizards gazed up in awe at this astonishing display of magic, but more was still to come. The globes of light started to spin, the colours retracting into the centre, twisting and morphing into a shape hidden by the almost blinding white aura surrounding them. A cry of delighted surprise came from the students as the white orbs flew apart and drifted delicately to the ground, revealing four gigantic replicas of the four house mascots. A glorious lion roared and shook its mane. It looked superciliously to its left where a green and silver serpent lifted its diamond head from its coils, hissing words in its mysterious language. A splendid raven serenely surveyed the crowd below through piercing blue eyes, and the badger seemed to smile calmly. The students cheered wildly at the fantastic spectacle, but a hush descended as music began to play softly. Some of the sparkling flecks of white had come to rest on the ground, making it glow, and the rest floated around in an ethereal mist which reflected the light of the impressive creatures above, beneath which a large banner was unfurling. As the mass of people watched, words appeared in a bold, ornate script, as if an invisible hand was writing them.
'Congratulations!' it declared, 'and welcome to the Pranksters' Masquerade!'

Without warning everyone was lifted up slightly as they span round across the floor. When the spinning stopped, people looked around, shaking off the dizziness. All the boys stood on one side of the floor wearing dress robes and ornate masks, and all the girls were on the other side of the floor wearing beautiful dresses and their own delicately decorated masks. People grinned happily, they had been given a last chance to find the person they liked, or loved, and confess to them. The people who truly knew each other would see the other behind their masks. Looking back at the banner expectantly the words continued to flow,

'Mr. Wormtail would like to ask everyone to enjoy themselves, to watch out for the trick chairs, and to leave him some of the pumpkin pasties, which the house elves have informed him are particularly delectable today.' Some laughter was heard at this.

'Mr. Moony would like interrupt briefly before we begin, however, and enquire as to whether or not you are waiting for some answers?' The excitement mounted.

Four boys and one girl stepped from the crowd and walked to the centre of the floor. Shrouded by the mist their identities were, for the moment, hidden.

'Mr. Padfoot would first like to extend his gratitude to everyone for their continued support, professors included. Had they discovered and stopped us, we wouldn't have had nearly half as much fun.'

The crowd shouted their approval and the professors laughed.

'Mr. Prongs hopes we have brought some light and laughter to these dark times.'

The mood grew sombre for a moment as everyone thought of the approaching war.'

'Mrs. Prongs would like to rebuke Mr. Prongs for spoiling the mood.'

'Mr. Prongs apologizes profusely.'

'Mrs. Prongs accepts apology.'

At this everyone laughed and the previous mood of happiness and excited anticipation was restored.

'Mr. Wormtail would like to remind Mr. and Mrs. Prongs they are keeping everybody waiting.'

'Mr. Prongs would like to remind Mr. Wormtail of the hex Mrs. Prongs taught Messrs Moony, Padfoot and Prongs yesterday, which Mr.Wormtail failed to master.'

'Mr. Wormtail shuts up.'

'Mr. Moony, though greatly amused by Mr. Wormtail's discomfort, would like to get back to the point and make a request of Professor Dumbledore. He would like to request that once their identities are revealed…' he paused, '…they be spared detention or the loss of house points on the grounds that they were merely attempting to lift spirits.'

'Mr. Padfoot would like to add that he also implores Professor McGonagall not to hex them.'

'Mr. Prongs seconds that.'

'Mrs. Prongs agrees, and would like to state that she will protest her innocence and blame it on Mr. Prongs' influence.'

'Mr. Prongs laughs at Mrs. Prongs' use of the word 'innocence'.'

'Mrs. Prongs concedes defeat.'

Professor Dumbledore chuckled and said,
'I will not give detentions or take points as I believe you have done a wonderful job. However I think you may have to plead your case to Professor McGonagall…'

'Messrs Padfoot and Prongs plead that last year's mishap with the pink hair dye was intended for Professor Slughorn, so he would match the Slytherin Quidditch team's robes in the final, only Mr. Wormtail got the goblets mixed up.'

Professor McGonagall could keep a straight face no longer at the memory of watching the Gryffindors win the house cup after thrashing the fluorescent pink clad Slytherins.

'All right. No hexes.' She said finally.

'Mr. Padfoot inquires as to whether that extends to other spells as well?'

'Yes, 'Mr. Padfoot' now get on with it.' She pretended to snap. The students grinned.

'Mr. Moony wonders whether the Hogwarts students want us to reveal ourselves?'

Lively shouts of 'Yes!!' were heard from everyone.

'Mrs. Prongs doesn't think they sound very enthusiastic.' The level of noise increased dramatically.

'Mrs. Prongs takes it back.'

'Mr. Prongs believes we should thin the mist.'

'Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Mrs. Prongs are only too happy to oblige.'

The thicker fog in the middle of the floor dissipated a little. Five silhouettes could now be made out, each holding their masks in their hands.

'Mr. Prongs is unfortunately obliged to present Mr. Wormtail.' There was a half-hearted round of applause as Peter stepped from the mist, stumbling over his untied laces. As people stopped clapping, he walked straight over to the table of food.

'Mrs. Prongs happily presents Mr. Moony!' Remus took his turn to step forward, blushing slightly at the loud applause. He caught sight of a girl in a silk blue dress, with white elbow-length gloves and a white mask showing her periwinkle blue eyes and long blonde hair. He recognised her at once, she was Lily's friend Alicia, who he had had a heavy crush on since second year. Well, they decided on a Masked Ball for a reason. Summoning up his courage he bowed in her direction. 'Alicia,' he asked, offering her his hand, 'would you do me the honour of becoming my girlfriend?' She flushed prettily and smiled. She walked over to him and took his hand, and curtseying she replied,
'I would love to, Remus.' There were 'Ahh's' from around the floor as the couple shared a chaste kiss, although Alica was getting death stares from the girls who could see their chances of becoming one of The Marauders and one of The Pranksters girlfriends disappearing before their eyes.

'Mr. Prongs happily presents Mr.Padfoot.'

Sirius stepped confidently forward, with the grin that made girls swoon, so as not to show his nervousness. 'Moony did it, I can too,' he told himself. He bowed courteously and offered his hand to Lily and Alicia's friend Mya. 'Would you do me the same honour Mya? She smiled nervously and took his hand, curtseying equally elegantly, silvery grey dress rustling.
'Of course Sirius.'

'Messrs. Moony and Padfoot present Mr. & Mrs. Prongs!'

Lily and James stepped forwards, Lily resplendent in a white and gold dress, with her hair twisted elegantly up into a french knot, James as handsome as ever with his hair looking as though he had just got off a broom. The applause was deafening as The Marauders bowed or curtseyed. Everyone was shocked that The Marauders were The Pranksters, how could they have missed it? The volume of the music increased, and the three couples on the floor began to dance. One by one other couples joined in until the whole of Hogwarts was dancing.

'No, I'm not sure…' Lily finally replied, 'You could probably…persuade me otherwise…'
James grinned and took the hint, leaning down the rest of the way to kiss Lily slowly. Thinking over the last few months Lily came to a decision.

James Potter certainly wasn't perfect, but she wouldn't have him any other way.