A/N: One-Shot I came up with as I was looking through HP fanart on deviantart. The picture that inspired this was by burdge-bug, called Rainy Monday. The link won't work when I put it on here for some reason, so if you want to check it out, look the artist up on deviantart! She's phenomenal!

Happy reading!

Rainy Monday

Sixth Year

Lily Evans was walking towards the castle from Hagrid's on a Monday, her books in her hand and her eyes watching the path ahead of her contentedly. That is, until they turned to the sky in dread – it thundered. Dark storm clouds seemed to come out of nowhere, and Lily groaned, tucking her bag closer to her and flipping up her hood to try and keep some part of her dry. If she'd known it was going to rain, she would've left earlier –

And then the rain started to pour, much to hard and fast than Lily was prepared for, and she contemplated running the rest of the way. No, she was too dejected to run. She'd gotten herself into this. So, instead she trudged along, accepting her situation rather than looking like an idiot trying to fight it. . . .

XXX

James Potter had been practicing some Quidditch moves in the pitch by himself when he heard the first roll of thunder. He scowled. He'd just gotten here! He sighed in defeat and his gaze flew over the grounds and he saw a figure walking. He hovered a bit closer, though he would know that figure anywhere – it was Lily Evans, the love of his life of course. He grinned.

"Perfect opportunity." He murmured, his good mood returning.

James knew that, for whatever reason, they had an umbrella in the dressing rooms. Was it romantic to sweep down and save her with an umbrella? Or was it just another thing that would make her slap him?

Ah, guess he'd find out.

He flew over to the dressing rooms, hopping off his broom in midflight, and jogged into the room. There was the flappy red umbrella, shoved in the corner. He snatched it and jumped back onto his broom, zipping out into the now-pouring rain. He flew above to look over the grounds and caught sight of her. She still had half the way to go.

He grinned.

XXX

Lily swept some of her soaking hair out of her face and glared at nothing in particular. This was just her bloody luck. Just her bloody luck to be caught in a storm without her bloody wand to dry her, which she'd left in her dormitory. She paused and shook off her shoe, which was now covered in mud and grimaced.

Suddenly, the rain wasn't pouring down on her anymore and she frowned down at her shoe before turning her head to the sky. But there was a sky there anymore – it was a red . . . thing. She squinted and realized it was an – umbrella. And then she saw the hand, and she followed the arm to the body and then to the face and saw –

James Potter. Of course. He always seemed to pop up when she was in the worst of moods.

But she couldn't help the smile that crept onto her face. Of course he would jump at any moment to make a grand romantic gesture. He grinned at her from atop his broom and she shook her head, chuckling.

"Potter, the knight in shining armor." She said mockingly, smirking.

He shrugged. "More like the guy that happens to have an umbrella and that happens to be willing to share."

The rain started to pour harder and the thunder boomed again. She made a face and he smiled, nodding backwards to the back of the broom.

"Need a lift from your 'knight in shining armor', Evans?" he asked. She hesitated. He gave her a teasing look. "Don't act like you don't want to ride Lola."

She stared. "Is that your broom's name? You named your broom?" she asked, but let him help her onto 'Lola' anyway.

"Hey, don't make fun of her, Evans. She's my baby." He complained, and she shook her head. She held the umbrella over both of them with one hand and wrapped the other around James' waist.

"Hang on, Evans." He warned, then zoomed toward the castle. Lily tightened her grip on him, her hood flying off and her hair flying back. She couldn't help the laugh that escaped her lips, and though she was soaking wet and was holding the boy she was determined to hate (though she was doing a rather lousy job), she found she was a little giddy.

She sighed and let herself except it as she rode with James over the grounds. Her cheek fell onto his shoulder and she smiled – and although she couldn't see, James certainly was as well.