A/N

I know it's been really long, but I'm not going to have a set update schedule (as you can see XD). Junior year is way too busy, and I guess I'll just have to update whenever I can (and want). Thanks for the support guys!

Disclaimer applies. Enjoy!


Aerophobia is the fear of drafts, air swallowing, or airborne noxious substances.


"Let's go, let's go, we're going to miss it!" Mary exclaimed frantically, scourging her drawer for mittens.

"Relax," Marlene replied, rolling her eyes, "we still have fifteen minutes left."

"No! People will have begun lining up in front of Honeydukes by now—we're not going to make it in time!"

"What's the big deal anyways?" Marlene interjected, "They're releasing a new kind of chocolate—so what?"

"So what? So what? So me and Remus have been waiting for these forever, that's what!"

("Ohh, Remus. That explains it.")

"Cheering Chocolates?"

"Yes, Cheering Chocolates—it's like chocolates and ten times the happiness, how amazing is that? We're going to miss it at this rate!"

"Merlin, you need to calm down—we're going to be right on time."

Lily watched the scene unfold from her forlorn position on her four-poster. She had been looking forward to this Hogsmeade visit for quite some time, but at the last minute, a dreadful cold had attacked her, and she now had to decline.

"You're sure you're staying behind?" Mary asked slowly and thoughtfully, although her tapping foot betrayed her impatience.

Lily's nose twitched and she gave an earth-shattering sneeze.

"Well, there's your answer," Marlene said, recoiling at the snot that had splattered everywhere.

"We'll bring you back some chocolate," Alice said. The three of them departed, leaving Lily alone.

What a dreadful way to spend your November afternoon, she thought. If only she had some Pepper-Up Potion—maybe she'd have enough energy to stand.

A knock broke the peaceful silence she had already become accustomed to, and she sat up.

That knock, oddly enough, had nt come from the door. It had come—

Tap. Tap. Tap.

—from the window, for a second time, now more urgent and rapid.

Lily turned her head and saw a black blob bouncing outside her window. As the figure rose, Lily gave an audible gasp.

James Potter was outside Gryffindor Tower, and in her haste to let him in, Lily had left up from her bed, her sickness forgotten. The movement was too quick for her weakened body, and her knees almost gave way as she doubled over in a coughing fit. Still, she made her way to the glass and pushed it out into the open air.

"Heard you were too sick to make it to Hogshead today," he said, before a gust of wind swooshed into the room and sent shivers down her spine.

In response, Lily wheezed.

He gave a light chuckle and unconsciously rubbed the back of his neck. Part of Lily was still immensely confused; someone must have misheard her prayer—she had asked for Pepper-Up, not Potter-Up, as in Potter-Up-Here-With-Me-In-The-Girls'-Dormitory.

"I brought you some Pepper-Up Potion," (Oh, there it is.) he said, shutting the window as he took in Lily's frail figure.

He handed her the glass bottle, and she gratefully downed it in one go.

"Thanks," she said, looking up into his eyes and feeling the warmth spread immediately through her stomach. She blinked rapidly as the room swam and her face began to heat up. This dosage must be really strong.

"I brought you some chocolate too—Cheering ones, actually."

"They came out today, didn't they? Mary was going on and on about it earlier."

He laughed, "Remus too. Those two were made for each other, I swear."

She turned and picked up another tissue to clear her nasal passage.

"I should go, I left Remus and Sirius at the Three Broomsticks."

"Thanks for all this, by the way," Lily said, gesturing to the bag of chocolates and the empty potion bottle, "You didn't have to."

He grinned and opened up the window, "Of course I did. Want to come for a fly?"

Lily rolled her eyes but nudged him in the shoulder. "Don't be ridiculous."

He hopped out the windowsill and landed on his floating Nimbus, "What, scared of a little open air?"

"Yeah, I'm still not sure what poisonous gas you've released," she deadpanned.

"Never pegged you as the type to be put off by noxious substances."

"Potter, it's November, I've got a stuffy nose and a cough, and I just had a raging fever, but I will still knock you off your broom if I have to."

"I wouldn't have it any other way," He gave another ear-to-ear grin and leaned forwards. "I'll take you flying one day, Lily-flower." Then he shot off into the distance, sending Lily's hair into a frenzy as the wind whooshed by her face.

His scent lingered in the autumn breeze, but she closed the window and crawled back under the covers.

I wouldn't have it any other way, he'd said.

One day.

When would that be?


The door banged open and Lily started.

"They ran out!" Mary screamed, rushing into the room and yanking at the ends of her scarf, "I knew it, I knew we were going to be late! Now I have to wait another month for our next trip. Who can possibly wait that long?"

Lily sat up, "They ran out?"

Alice nodded, "Absolutely none—the place was packed. You should've seen it. I guess it really was a big—oof!" She huffed as she crashed into Mary, who had halted in her steps, a calculating look on her face.

"I smell chocolate. No—not just chocolate, I smell Cheering Chocolates."

Marlene entered the room with her usual cool demeanor, "How'd you even know what they smell like? You've never had them."

"Tint of raspberry. Light Mint. Please, it was all in the description." Her eyes wandered frantically until it landed on the black bag on Lily's bedside table. "Aha!"

She rushed forward and grabbed the bag, "What! How did you—"

"Potter stopped by and dropped some off," Lily answered nonchalantly.

The reaction was instantaneous. "Potter? James Potter?"

"What other Potter do we know?"

"How on earth did he get up here?"

"Flew outside the window."

"The window?"

"Yeah, on his broom."

"He was in here?"

"With you?"

"Alone?" The three of them rattled off their questions in quick, short bursts, and Lily could feel herself becoming trapped. Her cheeks must be so red.

Mary was staring at her with a face that was both filled with awe and confusion, and, to truly display the intensity of the situation, she threw the bag aside, "Forget the chocolates, missy. You've got some explaining to do."


A/N

I did this in the dead of night, so please let me know if there are any mistakes. Oh, and happy new year!

Love you guys,

TheEvilPinkCupcake