Hagrid's happy little hut sat in the shadow of the Forbidden Forest. Many steered clear of the entire area, but those who visited Hagrid knew that his home was warm and inviting. This was one thing that James Potter was grateful for. He sat sipping tea chatting with Hagrid.
"What in the world is wrong with me?" he asked befuddled. "I'm smart, funny, good looking, charming-"
"Not ter mention humble" interjected Hagrid with a grin
"Argh" James exclaimed obviously frustrated. "There I go again!" He put his head in his hands fed up with the situation. Hagrid, sitting across from him placed an enormous hand on his shoulder.
"Yer beating yerself up o'er Lily again" Hagrid said knowingly. "Just leav 'er alone and she'll come 'round"
"I've left her alone for three weeks!" moaned James. "I've even stopped pranking! For her!"
"You stopped prankin'?" a shocked Hagrid looked at James with concern. "You like her a lot doncha?"
"And she won't even look at me!" James cried waving his arms so wildly that he knocked over his cup.
"I'll see if I can talk ter her" Hagrid said pouring more tea. James whipped his head up.
"She comes down here? Often?" James asked hopefully.
"She tries when she can." Hagrid admitted. "She's Head Girl you know" Hagrid said proudly.
"Yup. I'm Head Boy. We share an entire suite to ourselves and she still won't talk to me." James said now gloomy.
"Blimey, I fergot" said Hagrid. "Yer a gentleman aren't ya?" He said sternly
"Of course Hagrid." said the offended James. "I've been nothing but gentlemanly since the start of term."
"Ok then. If you really want I'll say somethin'." Hagrid said.
It was one of those fall days that had started cool and damp letting you think that summer had gone for good. But, it had warmed up beautifully by the afternoon drying the grounds and proving that summer was still prevailing. Lily Evans decided to take a walk on the grounds and soak up as much sun as possible. She had opted not to invite her best friend Alice Prewett, leaving her to spend the day with her boyfriend Frank Longbottom.
Lily wandered down to the lake enjoying the feel of the sun on her face. She reached the edge and contemplated taking her shoes off and dangling her feet in the water. Her decision was made for her when she saw Sirius Black lounging beneath a tree not too far away. Wherever Black was, Potter wasn't far. Not wanting to have her beautiful day ruined, she turned and set off in the other direction. But she had been spotted.
"Oi Evans!" Regretfully she turned and yelled back
"What do you want Black?"
"Whatcha doin'?" She racked her brains for something, anything that would let her leave this conversation.
"I'm going to Hagrid's for tea." She called, silently congratulating herself on the excuse. "I'm going to be late so, later!"
She headed to the small hut and knocked on the door. "Um, Hagrid, it's Lily" she called desperately hoping that he was in. The door swung open .
"Lily!" Hagrid said wrapping he in a nearly bone-crushing hug. "It's great ter see you! How ya been?"
"Excellent" she said swinging the door closed. "I just dropped in to say hi." Hagrid poured tea for the both of them and sat down at the table. Lily likewise sat down.
"You made Head Girl" Hagrid said "congratulations."
"Thanks I was surprised when I opened the letter."
"Not as surprised as when you found out Potter was Head Boy?" Hagrid asked
"Everybody was surprised when they heard that announcement" giggled Lily. "Although I suppose he has changed."
"He's stopped prankin'" Hagrid announced. "Did it fer you."
"Don't be daft Hagrid." scoffed Lily. "He hasn't stopped pranking."
"When's the last time he did it huh?" he asked her.
Lily thought hard. When was the last time he pulled a prank? Aha! "Just the other day he turned all of the Slytherins' robes crimson."
"Lily that was Black and you know it." Hagrid chided.
"Well then how about that time that he replaced all of the teacups with those Zonko's ones; the kind that bite your nose." Lily said pleased that she had found another. She didn't know what she would do if she found out James Potter had matured.
"That was last year" Hagrid reminded her. "He hasn't pulled a prank since the beginnin' o'term. He's really grown that one. He likes you y'know. Give 'em a chance."
"You want me to go on a date with Potter?" She asked incredulous. "No."
"Not a date per say." He answered. "Just start by calling 'em James instead of Potter. You do live with 'em now."
She grinned up at him. "For you Hagrid, I'll try."
They talked for the better part of an hour before Lily had to go back up to the castle to finish a charms essay.
"Couldya take this to James?" Hagrid asked giving her a sweater. "He left it down 'ere."
In an effort to be nicer to Po- James she took it and set off for the castle. While she had been talking to Hagrid thick clouds had rolled over the grounds threatening rain. She was halfway to the castle when the heavens opened up on her. She started running, but by the time she reached the castle she was soaked to the bone. Wanting nothing but warm clothes she hurried to the Head's dorm.
She turned a corridor and nearly ran into Severus Snape. Her ex-friend. Who happened to be with his current Slytherin friends, Mulciber and Avery.
"Lily." He said softly. It's nice to see you.
"Yeah great." She said forgetting about her wet clothes. "But not with them."
"They're just friends" he said defensively. "I don't see the problem."
"Sev," Lily stepped closer, "I heard they're Death Eaters. Just, be safe."
"Ooooh" The two other boys had noticed them. Lily took a few steps back and drew her wand. "What is the mudblood up to now?" sneered Avery
"Careful Snape" Mulciber chimed in. "Don't touch it you might get a disease. It obviously has no sense of hygiene." Lily held back a retort about Avery's unkempt hair.
"Let's go guys." Severus spoke quietly. "She's Head Girl." Lily's heart rose a little. Was she really going to escape this unscathed?
"How'd that happen?" Mulciber sneered again. "Dumbledore must have gone soft in his old age."
"It doesn't matter what it is." sighed Avery ever so slightly exasperated. "It's a mudblood." Lily almost cried; she wasn't an 'it'.
"C'mon, let's go." Severus said a little louder.
"But we haven't had our fun yet." pouted Mulciber. Fear crept into Lily. The combination of that and her dripping clothes made her limbs grow numb.
"What is she your girlfriend?" Asked Avery with distaste.
"Of course not." exploded Severus. Lily wimpered and Severus looked at her apologetically.
"Then call her a mudblood." dared Mulciber. "Or we'll get you along with her."
"Let's just go." Lily could hear the fear in Severus' voice. Mulciber raised his wand threateningly. "I said; let's leave the mudblood and go." This time it was forceful. Lily felt something inside of her break. She started to shake, fearing what would come next, but satisfied, the boys left.
Unaware that a soft keening was coming from her throat, Lily ran to the nearest door and yanked it open. It was a broom closet, but her mind didn't really register this. She clambered in, shut the door, and stared to sob.
She started to shake and realized that she was still sopping. She waved her wand attempting to dry her clothes. "S-s-s-icc-cusio" she sobbed. A few sparks flew out of her wand landed on her wet robes and went out. This devastation only caused her to sob harder. She curled up into a ball and cried her heart out.
After what seemed like days, Lily sat up completely waterlogged. She was still too cold and upset to perform decent magic and she certainly didn't want to leave her cupboard. Lily, her teeth now chattering, spotted James' sweater that Hagrid had given her. She picked it up; it had remained surprisingly dry despite the downpour of rain and tears. Not really quite aware of what she was doing, she began to strip.
She was down to her underwear and bra when she slipped the sweater on. It was huge. The sweater hung down mid thigh and the sleeves completely covered her hands. It was warm and smelled delicious. She brought the hem up to her nose and took in a few deep lungfuls. It smelled like leaves, sunshine and mist. If anybody could smell like spring, Lily scoffed, it would be James. The scent comforted her. She still wasn't ready to leave the safety of the broom cupboard, but she felt better. Lily sat back down, pulled her knees under her chin, closed her eyes, and thought.
James was sitting in his and Lily's shared common room wondering where she was. They had rounds together tonight and it was most certainly not like her to be late. Come to think of it, he hadn't seen her at dinner. What had happened?
Worried he pulled out the map. "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." he said tapping the parchment. His eyes quickly scanned the pages looking for the tiny dot marked 'Lily Evans'. There she was! His face broke out in a grin of relief. He looked closer. She was in a broom closet, alone. Instantly worried again, he set off.
At the cupboard, he deactivated the map and stuffed it into a pocket. He wrenched open the door to find Lily asleep with her clothes strewn around her. Fortunately, she was covered with what looked like a warm woolen blanket.
He hesitated, climb in, wake her up, or carry her out. She looked so peaceful, he didn't want to disturb her, and so in it was.
Lily awoke uncomfortable and sore. She opened her eyes and the encounter with Severus came flooding back. Her tears spilled once more burning tracks onto her raw cheeks. Preoccupied with her despairs she didn't notice that she had company until a throat cleared.
"Ahem." She jumped. James was sitting across from her. Why was he here? And she wasn't wearing anything! Panic rose in her throat, and its combination with the tears threatened to choke her. "You didn't show up for rounds." He continued. "So naturally I went looking." Lily only nodded. "And then well you looked lonely in here so I thought I'd join you." Lily continued crying.
He got up and moved to sit next to her. This only made her cry harder. She put her hands over her face and sobbed. James put a comforting arm around her and pulled her into his chest. She wailed.
"Shhhhh" he crooned. "It's ok; you're going to be ok."
"Why are you nice?" Lily sobbed stopping only to breathe.
"Because I am." James simply replied; tightening his arms around her. And Lily sobbed some more.
After crying herself out, they sat in silence. Lily had her face pressed into James' shirt which smelled even better than his sweater. For the second time, the scent calmed her down. She pulled away from James and looked at him properly.
"Thanks for that." She said a blush creeping into her cheeks.
"It's what I'm here for." He grinned down at her and noticed the sweater. "Isn't that mine?" he blurted out. Lily blushed even harder.
"Yes, Hagrid gave it to me to give to you."
"So why are you wearing it?" He was grinning, but curious. He also didn't mind the sight of Lily's bare legs stretched in front of her.
She told him of her encounter with the Slytherin boys. He growled. "Please don't do anything." She begged. "It'll just make it worse." James settled for holding Lily tightly.
They sat like that for several more moments before Lily spoke up. "I suppose we should be getting back now." The reluctance was obvious in her voice.
"I suppose so." James replied softly. He helped he rout of the broom cupboard and they walked back to their suite carrying Lily's still damp clothes. Rounds for that evening had been forgotten. James walked Lily right to her bedroom.
Lily kissed James on the cheek. "Thanks again." She whispered into his ear. With that, she closed her bedroom door
James considered knocking. He had raised his fist to the door, but then thought better of it. He turned and headed off towards his room, already missing the sight of Lily's bare legs.