"WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM? What do you want with me? Just tell me what you want, Potter, and LEAVE ME ALONE!" I yelled at Potter, who was standing in front of my secret getaway. I smiled wryly. Not so secret anymore, I guess. He looked nervous, but he didn't turn and go.
"What's up, Evans?" He asked, actual sympathy on his face. I gulped and tried to look away, but he wouldn't let me, catching my chin in his hands. "Lily?" He asked again. I stared at the floor, refusing to meet his eyes, and refusing to let the tears that were threatening fall.
"Nothing to do with you, Potter. Leave me alone!" I replied harshly. He flinched, and turned as if to walk away, letting go of my chin. I sank to the floor, pushing backwards into a little alcove. He turned back, going to say something I guess, but when he turned, he couldn't see me. He looked around a little, then pulled out a piece of parchment.
He whispered something to it, and suddenly there was a map of the castle on it, with little feet that moved, and names next to them. He looked around it, finding himself, then looking around himself to find me. When he did, he sighed and crouched down right next to me.
"Sweetheart, come on." He said, then saw me curled into a little ball, tears streaming down my face. Without a second look, he pulled me onto his lap and wrapped his arms around me. I tried to lift my head, but I was far too tired, and even if I'd managed to, I was far too comfortable to hex him.
So instead I sat there, on his lap, crying my eyes out onto his shirt. And he just sat there, rocking me, holding me 'til I calmed down somewhat. When my tears stopped, which didn't take very long as I don't like crying, especially not in front of people, I lifted my head and smiled sadly at him.
"Thanks, James." I whispered, and tried to get up off his lap, but he didn't let me. I looked at him, and he looked at me. "James?" I whispered nervously. He shook himself, and smiled down at me gently.
"Better now?" He asked quietly. I nodded. He nodded back, and stood, still holding on to me.
"James, what-" I started, but he shushed me.
"Come on, let's go back to our common room, then you can explain to me why you were hiding in the middle of nowhere in the castle, ok? And I'm not gonna let you go until you tell me." He stated firmly. I nodded and sat in his arms, burying my head in his chest. He chuckled at me, and I suddenly realised – this is James Potter I'm being carried by. James Potter. James Potter! Then I shrugged. He found me, cheered me up, and we were becoming friends that year.
"Blimey, Red, you weigh next to nothing!" He cried. "When did you last eat?" I blushed.
"Umm... yesterday morning?" He sighed into my hair.
"Idiot, Red. We all know you're upset, but that doesn't mean you should stop eating!" I flinched.
"I know, but I haven't been hungry." I whispered into his shirt. He nodded.
"Once you've told me what's up, I'm gonna go and get you some food from the house-elves in the kitchen. And you are going to eat it!" He stopped talking to me for a moment, and said something to someone else. He then stepped back, then stepped forwards again. I looked up. We had gotten back to the common room.
He walked over to the couches, and placed me on the seat next to him, making sure we were facing each other. He studied my face and my eyes.
"So, Red, what's happened?" He asked seriously. I sighed, and pulled a tear-stained letter written in green ink out of my pocket. I handed it to him, and looked away. He read it through quickly. "Oh, Lily, I'm so sorry!" He said, and wrapped me back up in his arms. I hugged him back for a second, then stopped and pushed him away. He looked surprised and hurt, and tried to cover it, but he wasn't quick enough.
"If I hug you now I'll start crying again, and I really don't want to start crying again." I explained. He nodded.
"Right then, you stay here and I'll go to the kitchens and ask the house-elves if they can make you something. Any requests?" I shook my head.
"I don't mind. They can choose. Or you can, if you want." I smiled sadly at him. I really wasn't hungry, but I knew he threw the best midnight feasts in the whole of the castle. He studied me for one long moment, then nodded to himself, as if satisfied with something.
"Don't move, okay?" He told me, and he looked as though he thought that I actually might. I laughed a little, and he smiled in relief.
"I won't." I promised him. He grinned and winked at me.
"Be right back!" He called to me as he disappeared through the Portrait Hole. I smiled and snuggled down into the blanket that had appeared around my shoulders, as if by magic.
As if by magic.
James pulled open the Portrait Hole to find Lily fast asleep on the sofa where he'd left her, snuggled deep into the blanket he'd pulled around her shoulders earlier. He smiled, and placed the warm dish he'd asked the House Elves to make for her on the small table in front of the couch. He sat at the very end, where her feet were, and sat forward to lean on his knees. Lily muttered sleepily and shifted, almost rolling off of the sofa completely. He caught her, glad of his Quidditch training, and pulled her around, so her head was in his lap. Then he sat back and sighed, content. Lily was safe, and in his arms, and everything else today had gone smoothly... as if by magic.
As if by magic.