Hello! So… This has been sitting in my laptop for years and I just never got the nerve to post it because Potterhead as I am, I'm not too confident writing HP fanfics. This is my first so apologies if it isn't good.

But I love the Marauder Era so here goes! Set in seventh year when James and Lily are Head Boy and Girl.

Disclaimer: The closest I am to owning anything is a Slytherin hoodie.

Hungry. Lily Evans was starving, in fact. She'd not eaten much dinner having rushed out a long letter to her parents telling them to have a good trip in the States. They'd decided to take a second honeymoon and so this Christmas break, she would stay in Hogwarts while her parents became lovestruck teenagers all over again.

She huffed at herself in the mirror, studying her sharp green eyes. Aren't I supposed to be the lovestruck teenager instead of my mum and dad? Look at you, Lily, seventeen and alone for Christmas. Her gaze turned into a glare as she took a deep breath and tried not to wallow in the self pity she'd finally managed to get out of since George Medley had broken up with her the week before. Truth be told, she wasn't that upset about losing George, it was more the blow her self esteem had taken when George told her she was "cold" and "distant". She couldn't help it if Head Girl duties were far more important than snogging in the broom closet.

Or that Potter has become more tolerable even though she had expected living so near him to have driven her mad by now. In fact, they spent so much time together planning things and simply co-existing in the same room sometimes, it was no wonder that George had gotten all pissy and jealous and thought that Lily was leading him on.

Lily was surprised as well; having Potter next door wasn't as bad as she had anticipated and she thought (maybe hoped), that they had reached some sort of understanding. Since the year had begun, he hadn't once tried to ask her out and he began to seem almost... normal.

"AAACHOOOO!" Lily jumped and then turned towards the source of the explosive sneeze. Potter? Not even possible, he doesn't fall ill. Never has he fallen ill in the past seven years, has he? She shook her head and dismissed the thought. Nah, probably inhaled Floo powder knowing his idiot br-

"AACHOOO!" Lily jumped again and this time, headed to the door that led to their common room, strode straight into the Head Boy's room and froze. She'd been there before and James Potter's room was usually as neat as his hair was untidy but now the sheets were on the floor, there were tissues lying around and there he was, clad in only a pair of pyjama pants and shivering on the bed.

Spinning around so quickly she nearly tripped over her own feet, Lily tiptoed out of the room in a state of shock and disbelief. How could Potter be sick? She continued walking back to her room. Potter can take care of himself. He'll be fine, she told herself, His health has nothing to do with me. But halted outside her door and sighed, but he was shivering.

Why was the numbskull only wearing pants? Did he think that girls would creep up on him at night and go into tizzies over his muscled chest and fantastic abs? Wait, did I just say that Potter has a nice body? Okay, Lils, think, if you don't help him get well, you'll be stuck planning the next term's duties alone and that won't be fair, would it? That Potter needs to get better so that he can do his fair share of work. That's why you need to go see if he's okay. Purely professional, Lils, that's all. She nodded firmly and stalked back in to James' room.

"Potter, are you alright?" she ventured, inching closer to the vibrating form. She drew a sharp breath as she got closer; he was pale and sweating and though his eyes were shut, his lips moved occasionally. Her defences went down immediately; he looks a lot younger than when he's trying to be cool and stupid. Her hand involuntarily reached out and pressed itself against his forehead, with a gasp she withdrew it as his eyes popped open and blinked twice before focusing on her. A lazy grin spread across his face as blue met green.

"Lily."

Taken by surprise, she blurted out the first thing that popped into her head, "Potter, you're burning!" His lips curved into a weak simulacrum of his usual smirk, "My, my, Lilypad, it took you long enough to realise how I feel about you." With cheeks that matched the colour of her hair, Lily glared at him and busied herself finding a shirt for him. She couldn't possibly nurse him back to health with him in such a state of undress. It would be awkward and distracting. What? What nonsense, of course I'm not distracted. Focus, Lily! She scolded herself. Good Lord, where did he keep his shirts? She briefly panicked when she found his underwear drawer instead and breathed a small sigh of relief as she found his shirts. Hmm... Boxers, eh? Shut up. Argh, just stop thinking.

Tentatively, she perched on the side of his bed and held the white tee shirt out to him, "Potter? Here, put this on." As he looked at her uncomprehendingly, she repeated herself slowly and he nodded trying to prop himself up... And failed. Did he eat dinner? She wouldn't know, not having been in the dining hall herself.

She found his hand and gave it a gentle tug to try and help him up. His hand practically swallowed hers as he yanked her down in the effort to pull himself up and Lily let out a squeal as her cheek collided with shoulder followed by a whoosh of air as he leaned his entire weight on her, forcing the air out from her lungs.

His bare skin burned through her top and her own skin felt as though it had little flames dancing along them, ignited the moment he'd collapsed against her. "Um, Potter, you need to, ah, sit up properly." She poked his side and he grunted something that sounded like, "Pumpkin juice eats Peter." What? He must be delirious already. She adjusted herself to face him and found herself buried in a raven bed head. Smells good, like wood and some spice. Okay, right, tee shirt. "Unf," his arms were so heavy; she found herself in the awkward position of one arm thrown around his waist and the other holding the hand she'd just pulled into a sleeve.

James had long since fallen asleep on her, though how he had fallen asleep with her constantly nudging and pushing him into his shirt was beyond her. His warm forehead rested on her shoulder as she gently lowered him back into a lying position and she found herself inches from his face wondering what it would be like to kiss James Potter. Evidently, the hunger had driven her mad since James Potter would be the last man on earth she would like to kiss.

Yet, hovering just above his sleeping form, studying the relaxed face of James Potter, Lily felt an undeniable urge to press her lips to those soft-looking, red ones. Just then, he started to toss a little and mutter things in his sleep. His brows creased and she gazed at a face that had grown more drawn and strained as the term had gone by. She'd heard about the passing of the Potters and James hadn't come to school for a week. When he did return, he was quieter, he brooded more now and had acquired a certain gravitas.

Lily! What on earth are you doing? Come on now, be a good nurse. Heaving herself up and to the bathroom, she splashed some cold water on her face to shock some sense into herself. She had no idea what was happening right now. Sure, Potter was becoming a friend perhaps, but being attracted to him? Must've been too long since she got laid. That's probably it, she mused.

After filling a basin with water and fetching a small towel, she began to dab at James' face tenderly. He stirred but didn't wake and Lily continued sponging until she felt his body temperature drop. Satisfied, she set the basin and towel aside and covered him with the blanket, tucking him in the way her mum did for her when she was little.

"Alright then, James," she murmured, looking at the clock, "it's past your bedtime so you should sleep through til morning. It's past my bedtime too, so I'll come back and check on you tomorrow morning. Or-" She squinted at the clock, "Later this morning." She turned to leave and gasped when a hand shot out from under the covers to grasp her wrist.

She turned to stare at James, surprise written all over her face, and found his eyes still closed as he muttered something.

"Sorry, what did you say?" lowering her head to his mouth as he breathed, "Don't go." She withdrew immediately and gave her wrist a tug, "I have to go sleep, James, it's late..." Looking doubtfully at his prone form, she wondered if he was talking to her or simply sleep talking.

"Lily, please. Don't leave." The words were barely a whisper but Lily heard them loud and clear and she wanted to stay. Because this boy, vulnerable and so different from the one she thought she knew, was turning out to be more human than she originally thought. Fine, it's just one night and he's sick. Allowing herself to be drawn to him, she gingerly stretched out next to him and stiffened when James swung an arm over her and pulled her nearer to him.

Lily glanced over to check if he was trying to make a move on her, her fists clenched and ready to deliver a blow to Potter, sick or not, and then sighed and relaxed. He was deep in sleep and so she allowed herself one little luxury: Turning to face him, she wriggled a little closer and breathed in his scent. Before she knew it, she'd fallen asleep in James' embrace.

And in his sleep, James smiled.

Well? Did you like it? Or any feedback, I would love to hear what you think so do review!

Reviews are life and I'm open to prompts and ideas too!

AND MERRY CHRISTMAS, EVERYONE! In advance heh.

-Redrose