So, yeah. It's 4:16 a.m. This story is based off of a real spider that decided to show up in my dorm room at 1:30 a.m. I had to ask complete strangers to kill it and am feeling rather sorry for myself as I do not have a lovely boyfriend to kill spiders for me. That sounds pathetic... anyway this story did come to mind immidiately and as I am having trouble sleeping I decided to write it then and there, so sorry if it sucks, I am on little sleep. :)

Disclaimer: Not my characters (even the spider isn't made up)

As the Head's common room was currently occupied with all four members of the Marauders, Lily sat in her private room to study. She was quite engrossed in her Charms book when she saw something flittering across the floor in her peripheral vision. Her eyes darted quickly towards the object, back to her book, then lightning fast back to the object. The crawling object. The object with eight legs, large fangs, and a hairy body crawling towards her.

Meanwhile, downstairs, two black haired boys were concentrating hard on a game of exploding snap. Next to them sat two lighter haired boys watching with mild interest. Only James looked up when they heard a certain Head Girl call calmly for her boyfriend, and his eyes quickly reverted back to the game. He must beat Sirius. Then he would see what Lily wanted.

"James."

Her voice, carrying down the stairs, was slightly more insistent this time. He looked up a bit longer before returning to the game at hand.

Lily stared at the spider in front of her. She hated spiders. Especially hairy ones and especially ones that moved. This one was doing just that once more, and in her direction.

"JAMES GET YOUR ARSE UP HERE RIGHT NOW!"

James jumped up like he had been burned and raced up the stairs. The game could wait; he didn't particularly feel like being at the wrong end of Lily's wrath today.

He skidded to a halt just inside of her door.

"What is it Lily?"

"THAT!" Lily exclaimed, pointing to the extremely creepy creature.

"That's it? A spider? It's not even that big!"

Lily gaped at her boyfriend.

"Not that big! James, you can see its bloody fangs from a meter away. That constitutes as big."

James just shook his head bemusedly and asked Lily if she something to kill it with. She took some tissues off her desk all the while keeping her eyes on the spider that was thankfully stationary at the moment. She walked over to her boyfriend when it started crawling towards her again.

"EEEEK!"

She jumped behind James, exclaiming about how the spider was going to kill her. James controlled his facial expression enough to make it seem like he was taking the situation seriously. Inside, he was shaking with laughter. He held his hand out for the tissues and she hastily gave them to him. Inching forward and bending over the spider, he observed it for a small moment before lunging his hand in and squishing it with the tissues.

He straightened and turned around to see Lily standing in the doorway with wide eyes.

"Is it dead?" she asked quietly.

James nodded and, smirking, held the tissue out to her.

"Wanna see?"

"EWWW JAMES!"

She backed up into the hallway, hitting the wall behind her with a look of horror on her face. James laughed and muttered a spell to vanish the tissue paper containing the deceased spider. He walked forward to his girlfriend, placing his hands on her hips and looking into her eyes.

"Don't you smirk at me, James. It's not funny. You know how much I hate spiders."

James let out a breath of a laugh and kissed his girlfriend on the nose. He pulled back, his eyes twinkling.

"I know. It just amazes me that you can instill fear in every male at Hogwarts with just a single look, yet you cower when the smallest spider appears."

"It wasn't small." She said haughtily.

"I'll give you that. It was rather decently sized… though not large."

"Whatever. It was still creepy." She said in a small, slightly embarrassed voice.

"That it was, Lily. That it was." He smiled down at her again before kissing her lightly on the lips. She pulled back after a moment and inquired as to what kept him so long from coming to her rescue.

"Exploding snap." He admitted sheepishly.

"A card game kept you from helping your girlfriend out of a near-death experience?"

"And a decently sized spider counts as a near-death experience?"

"For me it does, and I really don't think I'm completely recovered yet."

James raised an eyebrow, "Oh?"

"No. I think I'm still rather shaken up and in need of some comforting."

"You think so?"

"Mmmhmm. I played the part of damsel in distress, now you have to play the part of knight in shining armor comforting said damsel after the danger has passed."

Lily wrapped her arms around her boyfriends' neck and leaned in for what promised to be the beginning of a rather pleasing snogging session.

"Oy, James! Stop sucking face with your girlfriend and come finish this game!"

James sighed and looked apologetically at Lily, who also sighed.

"Looks like you'll have to be Mr. Knight-in-Shining-Armor next time. Go finish the game with Sirius."

"You sure?"

"Yeah. Though, I think my life may be endangered by another spider later tonight… say around 9?"

"I'll be ready with tissues on hand."

Lily smiled at him. "Thanks, James."

James cupped her face with his left hand, leaving his other hand on her waist. Leaning down, he captured her lips with his in a soft and tantalizing kiss. After nipping her bottom lip lightly, he rested his forehead against hers.

"You're welcome. Love you."

"Love you too."

He kissed her on the forehead before releasing her waist and walking down the stairs to his best mates. Lily sighed and went back into her room to continue her studying, thinking all the while that spiders may not be such a bad thing after all.

So, hopefully not too bad. Tell me what you think, you've no idea what a joy it is to get reviews. Thanks !

- Blue Arrow