Lily lay on the sofa in the Head's common room. She really didn't feel too good. All day she'd had both a stomach and head ache. Now she couldn't move without feeling a great pain pretty much all over, and she was shivering.
"Are you ok Evans? You don't look too good." James appeared in front of her. She hadn't heard him come in, probably because she was so drowsy.
"I don't feel well." Lily replied, shocked at the effort it had taken to speak.
"So I can see." James felt her head. Normally Lily would slap him for daring to touch her, but right now she couldn't care less. They had been Head Boy and Girl for two months now, but she still couldn't stand him. In all fairness, she had been avoiding him whenever possible, and for once he had let her. He seemed to have grown up to understand she wasn't interested, but she doubted he'd changed at all.
"You're boiling!" James exclaimed, bringing Lily back to the present. "I think you should go down to the hospital wing."
"No I don't want to." Lily sounded like a child, but she really hated going to the doctors from the muggle world, and doubted that a magical doctor would be any better.
"Lily, you have a fever, you're burning up. You need to go to the hospital wing." She could hear the concern in his voice, and squinted up at him.
"I'm freezing." She managed. He took of his jacket and gently laid it over her. She pulled it close.
"Ok, I'm going to get Madame Pomfrey. Are you going to be ok here on your own?"
"No."
"Ok, well, erm, I don't think you can get yourself down there. How about I carry you?"
"No."
"Well how can I get you there then? Levitate you?" James laughed, playing along with the childish game she seemed to be playing.
"I don't want to go."
"But-"
"No"
"But-"
"No!" Lily tried to shout this time. What a mistake that was. Now her throat hurt as well, and her voice became croaky.
"Seriously Evans, you're not well. I'm taking you to the hospital wing whether you like it or not."
"I don't like it. I want to go home." Lily seemed unable to control what came out of her mouth. She was saying exactly what popped into her head. But at the same time, she was vaguely aware of how silly and childish she was sounding. She would worry about that later though. Right now, she needed to get to the bathroom before she threw up on Potter.
She obviously looked unwell, because James seemed to sense she needed a bucket, and conjured one just in time. To save her embarrassment, he turned away, and walked into his bedroom.
After a few minutes, Lily looked towards his door, and realised she's scared him away. If she'd felt better she would have laughed. She should have thrown up in front of him years ago! She lay back on the sofa and closed her eyes, only to snap them open again as she heard James' bedroom door creak open.
As he walked into the room, James waved his wand and vanished the bucket and its contents, and stepped over to the sofa on which Lily lay. He was holding a bundle of blankets and pillows.
"Sorry I took so long" He whispered, "I was trying to find more blankets for you." He smiled fondly at Lily. "Ready to go see Madam Pomfrey yet?"
Slowly, Lily shook her head. She'd have to be really bad to want to see a doctor. Shivering, she pulled James' jacket around her. James looked at her thoughtfully.
"Tell you what," He exclaimed, "I'll let you keep my jacket until you feel better, if you let me take you down to the hospital wing."
Lily thought for a moment. It was very sweet of him to say that, but she really didn't like doctors. She decided to prove she didn't need to go by sitting up. What a mistake that was! Her head felt all light, the room started spinning, and she felt like she was falling.
"Whoa!" She heard James cry, as his arms wrapped around her the moment before she reached the floor. "Good job I have quick reflexes!"
Lily felt herself being lifted into the air, but had no energy to protest. Instead she leaned against James' chest, and rested her head on his shoulder. It was actually rather comfy.
"Where are we going?" She whispered, as her eyes became heavy and she snuggled further into the crook of James' neck.
"Just go to sleep." He whispered back to her, pulling her closer to him so she wouldn't fall.
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Lily moved her head slightly, burrowing further into the fluffy pillow. She'd woken up, but her eyes remain closed. Automatically, she curled her legs into a more comfortable position and made to pull her arms towards her face, but one of her hands seemed to be attached to something.
Starting, Lily sprang into a sitting position. She moved too quickly and her head spun slightly. Blinking against the light, she saw a figure sitting at the side of her bed. It was James.
By the look of it, he'd been asleep as well, and Lily jumping up had caused him to jump too. For a moment they looked at each other, both seeming a little confused.
"You're awake" Announced James, his voice raspy from sleep. Lily simply looked at him, a bemused expression across her face. What was he doing in her room?
Looking around, Lily became more aware of her surroundings, and it slowly sunk in exactly what was going on. She was in the hospital wing. And James seemed to have slept on the chair by her bed.
"You stayed here all night?" Lily asked, shocked that he would stay with her.
"You wouldn't let me go" Smiled James, nodding towards Lily's hand. It seems that it was attached to James' hand. That's what had frightened her awake.
Lily couldn't speak. She vaguely remembered James comforting her before drinking an awful potion. She didn't remember anything after that. Sighing, she looked towards James for answers.
"You don't like doctors and hospitals do you?" He asked. Lily shook her head. James continued. "You put up a bit of a fuss. Didn't want Madam Pomfrey anywhere near you. Grabbed my hand and wouldn't let go. You started crying."
"Oh no!" Lily exclaimed, embarrassed that she'd been such a child in front of James.
"It's ok, the potion you were given makes people emotional apparently."
"I'm so sorry. I guess I'm more scared of doctors than I like to think." Lily said in nothing more than a whisper.
"It's ok" James repeated, smiling warmly at her. "Once I'd given you a cuddle and promised to stay, you calmed down. I stroked your hair until you fell asleep. It seemed to relax you more. You said your mum used to do it when you were little."
"Yeah she did." Croaked Lily, shocked at her behaviour, and worried about what else she may have said to him. How could she have let James Potter cuddle her?
He smiled at her, and she realised that she was still holding his hand, but she still didn't let go. Even if it was James Potter, she'd prefer to have company if she was stuck in the hospital.
At that moment, Madam Pomfrey marched over, a stern look on her face. "Your awake I see." After taking a frightened Lily's temperature, she concluded, "I suppose you could go back to your room, providing you stay in bed. But you need to drink this first." She thrust a beaker into Lily's hand, and marched back to her office. She had obviously taken offence at Lily's attitude.
"It tastes horrible!" Lily cried, as she tried to drink the potion as fast as possible. She climbed out of bed, and blushed at James. She was still wearing his jacket. James stayed at her side as she walked to the door.
"Make sure you hang on to your boyfriend. He was very good to you last night, knew just how to make you happy." Madam Pomfrey's bitter voice called from inside her office.
Lily was about to correct her when James called out first. "I'm not her boyfriend."
Madam Pomfrey stepped out of her office. Know for her need to gossip, she asked "Then what exactly are you?" whilst raising one eyebrow.
James looked at Lily. He seemed unsure of what to say, so she answered for him. "He's a friend." She smiled at him. He grinned back as he walked her to the Head's common room. They seemed to have reached a new step in their complicated relationship.
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Let me know what you think! I'm thinking of adding another chapter, so let me know if you think I should! xx