Authors note: Hey everyone! I know, I know. It's been forever. Not that it's an excuse, but I've kinda been sick all week, and still going to school... not fun!

Anyway, thank you guys soooooo much for all your wonderful reviews!!! I had no idea so many people would like it. You guys make me feel warm and fuzziful!

So, here's what you've been waiting for... the next chapter... enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything, it belongs to J K... though I wish I owned James. Sigh. A girl can dream.

Chapter 4: The stuff of dreams

I plopped down in one of the squashy armchairs by the crackling fire, staring down into the flames.

"Hey lils," Malory said, flopping down beside me.

"Hey." I responded, not looking up. Silence rang for a moment between the two of us. The red embers and glowing coals seemed to draw me in, and I wished I could lose today in them. Well, not all of today exactly. I'd seen a side of James Potter that I didn't know existed. It was actually, kind of cute... No! Lily, no! You don't like James Potter. Maybe you can be friends... maybe. But anything more than that...

"Lily?"

"Yeah?"

"Is something wrong?" I sighed. I didn't want to talk about it. I wanted to forget.

"No," I said hesitantly. "Nothing..." A twinge of guilt overcame me just then. How could I have told James Potter, and not her, Malory Parker, my best friend. She glanced at me sceptically, and I sighed again, speaking slowly. "My parents... are getting... a divorce."

"Oh my god, Lils," Malory was up in an instant, her arms flung around me in a much needed hug. "I'm so sorry. When did you find out?"

"At kings cross. Just before we got on the train."

"Oh, lils, you must be so confused."

"Yeah," I said. "And that's not even the half of it." I launched into a detailed explanation of exactly what had happened. With my parents, and with James. By the time I'd finished, most of the crowd had dissipated from the gryffindor common room.

"LIIIIIIIIIIIILY!!!!" Malory squealed.

"What?" I asked, in a bewildered tone. How could she do our traditional happy squeal at a time like this? She giggled, but at my expression seemed to know what I was thinking. "It was sweet, James, I mean. He was sweet."

"Yeah," I admitted slowly."He was."

"Do you think maybe you might...?" She was not thinking what I thought she was thinking... was she? "Like him?" Why did I know she would say that?

"No," I said quietly. "No!" The confidence in my speech was increasing now. "MALS, I don't. Not like you think, anyway."

"right," her eyes were shining, but she said no more on the subject. "It's getting late." Malory commented. "I'm going up to bed, you coming?"

"You go," I answered.

"You sure?"

"Yeah, I'll be there in a bit." And she was gone. And I was alone, darkness surrounding me. I returned my gaze to the fire still blazing in the hearth. I wondered in those stolen moments of silence, what exactly it was about fire that fascinated us so. Yes, it's strong, beautiful even. But you can never really get too close, because if you do, you get burnt. When the flames dance and sparkle like they do, everybody thinks they're pretty. Until they gets a chance to touch them, the facade unravels and they see that they're just hot, harsh, destructive, not beautiful. Maybe that's what I was to James. A flame. I knew, if he got too close, he'd soon wonder what had attracted him in the first place. And besides, what could be said for love anyway? I mean, just look at Mum and Dad, I thought their love was stronger than anything I knew. And I see where that's gotten them. It was better, I mused, to stay at a distance, where the fire was close enough to admire, but not close enough to hurt.

A single tear rolled down my cheek, and I brushed it away none too gently. But it did no good. Once the dam broke, there was nothing stopping the stream of angry tears that followed the first. I swiped at them angrily, but for every tear I trounced, there were ten to take its place.

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His arms encircled me. I felt strong, secure, like this was where I was always meant to be. My head was resting on his strong chest, god, quidditch had been good to him. He ran a hand through his messy black hair, then set it on top of mine. His calloused fingers traced my skin, and I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding. I leant further into him, his eyes sparkled with something I'd never seen before, and I nearly lost my breath. My heartbeat quickened as his arms drew me closer to him. I noticed that his lips were just inches from my own. "James," my voice was barely above a whisper. "Lily." His voice was fading as it echoed through my head.

"Lily, lily, Lily." The distant echo seemed to be gaining clarity. "lily, Lily. Liiiiiily."

"Mmm." I groaned. "Five more minutes." Wait, what was he doing here? My eyes flew open, to see James Potter kneeling on the floor beside me. I was curled up in an armchair in the dark gryffindor common room.

"Hey," James said softly, brushing a few strands of hair from my tear stained face. I jerked into a sitting position, and James sighed, standing up, and repositioning himself in the armchair Malory had vacated hours ago.

"What time is it?" I asked sleepily.

"It's three in the morning, lily. You should probably get to bed."

"Yeah, I guess."

"You okay lils?"

"Sure," I lied. He gave me the same look Malory had given me earlier... maybe it was something in the armchair, but I doubted it. "I am. I just... had a weird dream, that's all." It wasn't a total lie, just a partial truth. The dream was at the forefront, but there were other things in the back of my mind. I knew that, but James didn't have too, did he? Even though he looked like he already had a pretty good idea. I stood, feeling like I carried the weight of the world on my shoulders. "I'm going to get some sleep." I looked pointedly at James. "You probably should too."

"Yes mam," James said, soluting me. I laughed softly. "It's good to see you smiling." James commented. I'm sure that, even in the darkness, James noticed the flush of color that crept into my cheeks.

"Thanks," I said a little awkwardly. "Well, goodnight then."

"Goodnight Lily," James said, standing up as well. We made our way to our prospective staircases. It wasn't until I reached the second step that I realized there was something I had to do.

"James wait!" I said, hopping to the carpetted floor from the second step.

"Yes?" James asked, walking toward me.

"I just wanted to say... er... thanks." James looked as if he had done nothing worthy of being thanked. For someone so arrogant, he certainly could be modest. Damn contradictions. "For today I mean..." I clarified. "For everything." Then he was coming closer, closer, much too close. What was he doing? Was he going to snogg me or something? After everything that went on today, I thought we'd gotten past that. But I was surprised when he pulled me into a gentle embrace, and even more surprised to find myself hugging him back.

"No problem, my Lily Flower." James whispered into my hair. I threw him an exasperated look, he knows I hate that pet name, and he grinned, as we went our separate ways.

When I reached my dormitory, all was silent. The other girls were all asleep. So I changed into my warm, fuzzy pajamas, and crawled into my comfy four poster bed. Ah, I missed this bed. Come to think of it, I missed everything about this castle. And, mulling over the events of today, and thoughts of the dream, and what it could, and couldn't mean, I fell into a much needed slumber.

Authors mote: So? What do you think? Good, bad, indifferent? Let me know! Push that marvolous little button, and submit a review. Come on, you know you want too! Anywan, thank you all sooooo much for reading and reviewing, and I hope you enjoyed this chapter.

Much love:

Annie