DISCLAIMER: I don't own Harry Potter.

Note: I'm starting this chapter when I'm really sleepy, but I'll try to get it out ASAP. Sorry it took so long. And, thank you to all my lovely reviewers. There's actually only like… four or five of you, but I love you all, anyways. :D

That evening, Lily sat in the common room, staring at her blank parchment. She was trying to write her charms paper, but the words wouldn't come. It's not like Charms was her worst subject—on the contrary. She loved Charms. But for some reason, she just couldn't concentrate. Eleanor and Potter had obviously decided that there was no more need for secrecy. They had spent the better part of the evening sitting on one of the cushy armchairs in the corner—snogging each other's faces off. At one point, Potter had surfaced and left. Eleanor was now reading her Arithmancy book, and Lily was waiting for Potter to come back. They had rounds that evening.

When Potter didn't show up, Lily packed up her bag and decided to leave on rounds. She thought of leaving a message for Potter with Black or Lupin, but neither was to be seen. So, Lily left the message with Eleanor and headed out the portrait hole.

Lily wasn't sure what had happened, but she ended up in the entry hall. The door was unlocked. Someone must have gone outside. Lily opened the great wooden doors and crept out. If it was a student, she'd better find out who it was. They would be in serious trouble.

The night sky was a dark, velvety blue. The sun lingered on the horizon. The air was cold and nipped at Lily's skin through her robes. She had not worn a coat. The grass was brown and stiff, but it waved in the wind nonetheless. The trees lashed about in the wind, sporadically. The stars were pinpricks in the sky, dimmed by the round, cold orb of the moon. It must be full tonight or tomorrow.

Lily's eyes swiveled left and right, taking all this in. She wondered where Potter was—had he gotten her message with Eleanor? Would he be able to find her out here? Not that she'd mind if he didn't. It was just that the night was sort of scary. Lily had rarely seen the grounds at night, and then, it had mostly been from the top of the astronomy tower. Company would be nice, even such bad company as Potter's.

Who could be outside at night? Normally, she would suspect Potter and his friends, but Lupin was sick, Potter was Head Boy, and Black and Pettigrew wouldn't go without Potter. Potter and Black were definitely the ringleaders of the gang. And what a gang! Lily would swear that she had spent at least half of her time for past two years chasing after them with Lupin. Lupin, he was another weight on Lily's mind. It wasn't because he was sick. He was always sick. He missed about one fourth of his classes, yet he always stayed on top of things. In front, more like.

No. What was bothering Lily was why Lupin had not been made Head Boy? He had been a prefect, after all. Usually, Prefects became the next Head Boy and Girl.

Lily was half way to the Groundskeeper's hut. His name was Hagrid. No one knew how he got to be so tall. Some more vicious persons claimed that he was part giant. Others mused about engorgement spells and skele-grow. Lily had wondered, too but tried not to come to conclusions.

The wind howled, ice-cold. The Full moon disappeared behind a cloud, making the grounds fade from eerily pale to a ghostly dark.

It started to snow. Lily shivered and hugged herself, but trudged on, looking left and right. She thought she hear a rustle from behind a big tree. Was this the culprit?

Wand close at hand, Lily crept forward toward the tree. It was large and odd-shaped, unrecognizable in the gloomy night. Where was she? She daren't light her wand for fear of alerting her prey.

Lily diverted her thoughts from that creepy line of thought. Prey? Was she a cat, or a hunter? No. She was just the Head Girl of the school, making sure all her charges were safe.

There was a wooden creak behind her, Lily froze, and slowly turned. It was a branch. Coming right at her!

Lilly screamed and ducked. Now she knew what tree this was! It was the Whomping Willow! The Branch barely missed her head, but another was coming right at her. Not having time to think, Lily just stood there, when strong hands grabbed her, and someone tackled her, pulling her down.

But they fell farther than they should have, into a sort of hole. Lily screamed.

"Are-you-mad?" James Potter Panted, His already crooked glasses askew, and a cut on his face.

Strange howling noises were coming from behind him, at the end of the packed-dirt tunnel.

"What's that?" Lily asked, shaking.

"We've got to get you out of here. Hurry! I'll go first." Potter climbed over her and crawled to the mouth of the tunnel.

The tree above them creaked, and went still.

"Come on! Hurry!"

A grubby hand was offered to her, and she took it, clamering out of the hole and out of the tree's reach.

"What are you doing here?" Lily demanded.

"What are you doing here?" James retorted, polishing his glasses on his jacket—he had thought to bring one, oddly.

With a flick of her wand, Lily repaired the glasses and cleaned them.

"Thanks." James put his glasses back on.

"The Great Door was unlocked. I thought maybe a student had snuck out…" Lily trailed off, shivering, "Did Eleanor give you my message?"

He blinked, then said, "Ye-yeah. She did."

"Good. Thanks for catching up I hope you're prompt for rounds in the future."

"Yeah. Sorry about that." Potter scuffed the ground with his trainer.

"You should probably wear your robes and badge, too." I examined him with a critical eye. He was wearing muggle clothes, which didn't seem too bad right now. Robes can be a little breezy if you know what I mean.

"Sure, Lily. Whatever you say." Potter shifted. "I'm sure the teachers will deal with whatever student's out here. We'd best get back inside. And leave the door open."

"Fine" I rubbed my goose-pimply arms and turned towards the castle.

Potter took off his coat and offered it to me, but I almost refused.

"I've got layers." He insisted, and draped the coat around my shoulders.

I wasn't about to arguer further, as I was loosing all feeling in vital parts of my body. I accepted the coat. "Thanks."

When we got back into the castle, the first person we met was Peeves.

"Ooooh. Potty and Evans! Out of bed! On the grounds! Trouble for Peevsie!"

"Stuff it, Peeves. We're Head Boy and Girl!" Potter took his coat back from me and shut the great wooden door.

"Head Boy and Girl out on the grounds together! Kissy Kissy Trouble Trouble!" Peeves blew a raspberry at us.

"Don't make me tell the Baron on you!" I threatened, hands on hips.

"Baron's not here." Peeves taunted.

"But he can be summoned." A curt voice came from behind Peeves.

"Professor McGonagall." Potter sounded nervous, understandably.

"You wouldn't." Peeves's eyes darted from side to side.

"I would. Now, run along and let me talk to the Head Boy and Girl."

Peeves swooped off, clanging into suits of armor as he went.

"Now. What's this all about?" Demanded McGonagall.

"I was—late for Rounds, Professor." Potter confessed.

McGonagall nodded, understanding some meaning in his words, and he continued.

" Evans here went without me."

"I came down here, and found that the Doors were unlocked. It was silly of me—I decided to make sure there were no students out on the grounds at night." I put in.

"I see. And are there?" McGonagall raised an eyebrow, coolly.

"Not that we found, Professor. See, It was dark and I had a mishap with the Whomping Willow. Potter came in just then."

"The Whomping Willow? Really? Is everything quite alright?"

"We're just shaken, Professor." Potter put in.

"I see. Well, Evans you may return to your house. Potter, I'd like a word with you."

"Yes, Professor." We said, and I left, feeling disgraced.

Note: He he he. That was close. I thought it was pretty original… Hope you liked!