A/N: This just came to me, and I wrote it in about 30 minutes, so it probably isn't my best work. Anyway, enjoy. And review- especially with constructive criticism. Thanks!

Disclaimer: Don't own Harry Potter or Coldplay

Lily Evans took a deep breath and walked through the door, shivering as the wind howled and the snow fell furiously around her. The Leaky Cauldron grew smaller behind her as she walked down Charing Cross Road toward Leicester Square, the nearest tube stop. It was two days before Christmas of her 7th year at Hogwarts, and Lily and her best friend Mary had both chosen to spend the holidays with their families. Lily thought of the photo album in her bag of the two girls and smiled- they had just exchanged gifts, and Lily had absolutely adored her present this year.

She wrapped her coat tighter around herself, shivering. Oh, how she wished she could Apparate! Only a month and a half before she would turn 17, and then she wouldn't have to bother with the bloody train from London back to her house.

Bom. Bom. Bom. Footsteps. Lily turned around quickly, pulling out her wand. Nothing. She was certainly jumpy this year. And she should have accepted Mary's offer to walk her to the station. Mary's birthday was in October, and she had Apparated straight home. Lily thought about what James would say if he knew she was on the streets of London completely alone, especially with the recent increase of Death Eater attacks. The infamous couple had finally become friends when they had been appointed Head Boy and Girl- although James was still rather overprotective of her. Well, Lily decided, he didn't have to know about her lapse of common sense.

Bom. Bom. Bom. There they were again. She quickened her pace. Only two blocks to go. She could hear the swish of a cloak now as whoever was following her moved faster to catch up. Oh, bloody hell. Stay calm. Stay calm, she thought. It didn't work. She broke into a panicked run, hoping fervently that her imaginative mind was just overreacting.

"Incarcerous," she heard a voice whisper. She stumbled and fell, thanks to the thick ropes that were binding her hands and feet. And worst of all, her wand had fallen on the ground. A figure stepped out of the shadows, filling her with terror. Lucius Malfoy. The former Slytherin had been a seventh year when Lily had just started at Hogwarts, but she had heard many horror stories about what he had been up to since then. And her being a Muggleborn certainly wasn't going to help.

Malfoy moved closer and leaned over the terrified redhead. "Hello, Mudblood," he grinned maliciously.

"Let me go, Malfoy," she practically spit his name.

"What, before I've even had any fun?"

Lily tried frantically to scoot away, but the Death Eater stopped her with just one word. "Crucio."

She screamed. The burning pain was too much, like thousands of knives stabbing her all over, and it wasn't going away, just getting worse, it was all she could think about, just make it stop, stop, please- she fell back to the ground, gasping, so relieved it was over.

"Now, little Gryffindor, how would you like to try again? You don't seem very brave to me," he smirked.

"No," she breathed. Lily thought Accio over and over in her mind as hard as she could. If she could just get that wand… Ha! Studying that wandless spell for hours had finally paid off. "Evancesco," she murmured, immediately Vanishing her bonds. Lily took a deep breath- she had to live up to the courageous standard expected of her. She knew she wouldn't last long against the fully-trained Death Eater, but there was no way she was going down without a fight. Especially since the whole situation was her fault. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

She stood up straight and faced Malfoy. At once, he shot red light at her wordlessly, which she blocked with a Shield Charm. They circled each other for what seemed like forever, until the Slytherin grew fed up with the game. Lily knew what was coming…

"Cruc-"

"STUPEFY!" A voice called out from behind Malfoy. Startled, he crumpled, unconscious, to the ground.

A tall young man with messy black hair and gorgeous hazel eyes hidden behind glasses ran over to Lily. She breathed a sigh of relief. James. He rushed over to her.

"Lily, are you okay?"

"Thanks to you," she said, trying to smile.

"Come on, we can't stay out here. It's not safe." He put an arm around her protectively and led her inside to a nearby Muggle pub, away from Malfoy's still unmoving body on the ground.

"Yeah, I think I figured that out, James. And… thank you," she whispered.

He simply squeezed her tighter as they walked to a table that was somewhat separated from the noise of the rest of the pub.

"Well, now that I know you're okay… what the bloody hell were you doing alone in London when there are bloody Death Eater attacks almost nightly?!?" he looked furious.

Lily looked down at her still gloved hands resting in her lap.

"You were tortured, almost killed for Merlin's sake- Lucius Malfoy is not someone to be taken lightly! I don't even want to imagine what he would have done to you if I hadn't come along! He's one of Voldemort's top supporters- he wouldn't have stopped, he would have ki-" James stopped, unable to continue, unable to imagine how he would live if he lost her. He looked at Lily. Tears were forming in her eyes. "God, Lils, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"No, James, it's okay. And trust me- I know how stupid I was. Can you- can you take me home now?"

He nodded silently, still feeling incredibly guilty. "Come on," he said, trying to make her feel better, "we can Floo to my house and my mum can Side-Along Apparate you home. It'll be a lot faster."

She smiled gratefully. The Evans home couldn't be hooked up to the Floo network because it was a Muggle household. The two friends headed back to the Leaky Cauldron.

Minutes later, they were in the Potters' entrance hall. Lily was amazed. She had been to the Potters' before, but she never got over seeing the beautiful mansion.

"Lily, would you like some tea?" James asked, rather awkwardly.

She laughed lightly. "Always the gracious host. And yes, I would, thank you."

Lily followed him into the kitchen and sat behind the counter, watching him as he put the teakettle on the stove. His black, eternally messy hair was- as much as she hated to admit it- extremely sexy. She wanted to run her hands through it and-

He grinned at her, amused. He always enjoyed catching her watching him.

"James- I just wanted to say thank you again for saving me," she blushed, embarrassed by her staring.

"You're welcome. And I'm really sorry I yelled at you." He walked closer to her, taking her hands in his. "I was just so worried- Lils, I don't know what I would do without you."

"How did you know?"

He took a deep breath. "I was picking up something in Diagon Alley for Mum, and as I walked through the Leaky Cauldron, a few of Malfoy's Death Eater mates were bragging about what he-" he broke off, his eyes flashing dangerously. Lily tightened her grip on his hands. "What he was going to do to you. And I left right away, running after where they said you had gone, and- Lily-" She hugged him tightly.

When she pulled back, their eyes met, green and hazel. Lily felt like she was on fire. She had suspected she might have a crush on him, but he had never made her feel like this before. This was- wow. She leaned in slightly.

And suddenly, his lips were on hers, and she gasped, enjoying the tingle that ran from her toes through the rest of her body. She pulled him closer, and his arms went around her waist. They both pulled back, breathing hard.

"Lily," James said in a ragged voice. "I really do love you."

And although for six years, James had said this constantly, Lily knew now that it true.

"James," she smiled. "I love you, too." She laid her head on his shoulder, content just to be with him. She knew she could count on him to always be there to fix her.

A/N: Thanks for reading! and review please:)