"Petunia! Get away from my shirt, it's new!" Lily said loudly.
"I don't see why you're making such a fuss, it's just a shirt." Petunia replied moodily before retreating to her bedroom.
Lily slipped the new shirt over her head and feeling very protective of it, went to bed.
It was late the same night when James came knocking on her door. The rain was pounding and the wind was howling. She had just went downstairs to get a cup of water when she heard a knock on her door.
"Why are you here?" She asked, bleary eyed at three in the morning.
"I just- can I stay for a bit?" He asked, looking close to tears. "I didn't know where else to go..."
She had never seen him like this, so vulnerable. He was shaking from head to toe and she had the sudden urge to hold and protect him.
"I'll go make you a tea." Lily found herself saying as she stepped aside to let him inside. He sat down and watched her bring the water to a boil, not having seen someone do such a muggle task.
"James, what's wrong?" She had never taken much interest in his life, it had usually been the other way around. He didn't seem to hear her so she placed a hand on his shoulder. "James-"
"Nothing's wrong, Lily." He said harshly. "I can leave if you want."
She didn't dare ask him again. The kettle whistled like some sort of off-putting melody. Lily was quick to shut it off, not wanting to wake her sleeping family. She quickly prepared the cup of tea and handed it to James wordlessly.
He appeared in no mood to talk, but Lily was alright with that. He needed someone and if he didn't want that someone to be one of his friends, well, that was his business.
James drank the tea so swiftly, Lily was concerned he would scald is tongue, but she did not say a word.
"You can stay as long as you like." She told him, though these words would have never passed her lips had it been any other situation. "Really, no questions asked."
He slammed his teacup down and Lily winced. "How can you do things like that? Be so lovely to someone under any circumstances!" James ruffled his hair. "I could be upset because I did something horrible, but you're too good to even question that!"
"You would never hurt someone purposely." Lily told him, her green eyes widening.
"But what if I did?" He held his head in his hands. "My parents are dead, Lily." She sucked in a breath. "There was an auror mission tonight and they offered to stay home but..." He trailed off for a moment. "I was angry at them, they wouldn't get me a new broomstick and I was such a prat to them! Then I just let them go on that mission and they were killed." Now he was crying.
"It'll be alright." She told him.
"Will it?"
"It will if you let it be." Then she held him and didn't complain even as his tears wet her new shirt.