Disclaimer: I don't own anything but my original characters.


I ran my figure along the spine of the books looking for a charm book that might have a spell to cover up the bruise on my cheek.

I had successfully made it to the Library without any encounters. Well considering I left early and it was now the beginning of DADA I wasn't really surprised that no one saw me.

Finally I took one or two books off the self and sat at a table in the back were the Librarian wouldn't see me. I flipped through the pages of the first book.

I love Libraries.

The smell of the books and the sound of the old pages turning so they can tell you more about the secrets of the world and sometimes stories that were beyond imagination.

I sighed then began reading one of the books I had taken off the shelf.

After a while I found a spell that would cover up my bruise, and was going to put the books back on the shelf, but then another charm caught my eye and then another and another.

Sometimes I can be a really big bookworm, but very rarely will something really get my attention. So I continued reading the book thinking to myself that I still have a while before DADA is over so I flipped the next page.

I was in there a while before I heard someone pull a chair across the carpet to the other side of the table I was sitting at and sat down. I was going to look up but then I remember I didn't cast the charm to cover my bruise so I kept my head down where my hair covered that side of my face. Feeling the person's eyes stare at me, it took all my control to yell at them.

"I never thought you were the type to skip class, love?" Ah shit.

Lily's Pov.

When I woke up this morning Vanessa had already left. Which I found very unusual because we always go together, but I shrugged it off and went into the shower thinking she went down with Jade.

As I was getting dressed I thought of James. I sighed at myself.

Most of my thoughts were around him.

His hair that is always anything but tame, hazel eyes that are perfectly framed by glasses, and- Merlin I really need to stop my thoughts there. But as always he will always slip into my mind. When I'm reading, in the middle of class, eating, studying, sleeping…breathing. I mentally smacked myself. What is happing to me?

I use to hate his guts and use to yell and scream at him. He'd been just flat out annoying with asking me out like every hour and minute of the day. Then something changed this year.

He started maturing, and started deflating his big head and ego. He didn't ask me out, well not as much as he used to, and I couldn't help but wonder what changed at first.

Then the other day he fell off his broom during the latest Qudditch match. I can still remember my heart shattering as he landed and didn't get back up with that usual smile on his face.

Then when I was at his bedside helping Madam Pomfrey; I was planning on becoming a Healer when I graduate and I took a class as being an apprentice to Madam Pomfrey.

It was late and Madam went to see Professor Slughorn about some kind of herb, leaving me all alone in the Hospital Wing with James.

I couldn't help but then notice that the whole time I've known him I thought of him as nothing but a jerk and a bully, but I didn't notice the other things like his loyalty to his friends, his cleverness in school, his humor, and his kindness to a anyone (unless their Slytherins). I had chosen to ignore those qualities and focused on the horrid ones.

Then it hit me I only focused on the bad ones so I kept my distance from him. Then came the thoughts of why.

I was scared.

I was afraid of the thought that I was his charity case or him just wanting to be with me so he said he did or to make me fall for him hard and then just laugh in my face saying how could he ever love a mudblood?

I realize that all those thoughts were foolish and stupid. James wasn't like that. He was one of the few Purebloods that didn't think Muggleborns weren't scum and didn't deserve magic.

Then I started to cry, right there in the Hospital Wing in the chair next to his bed.

I sobbed that I was sorry for being stupid, and then a hand grasped mine and squeezed. I had looked up in surprise and saw that he was still lying in his bed eyes closed, but his hand held mine tightly, and he muttered, "You don't have to apologize Lily-flower, I forgave you a longtime ago."

His words ringed in my ears I brushed my wet hair into a pony-tail. My bangs were still in my face but I could deal with that. Thinking that I have no clue what I was going to do when he gets out of the Hospital Wing, I brushed them out of the way with my hand and looked at my watch.

My almonds shaped green eyes widened at what time it was. I grabbed my school bag, slipped on my flats and ran out of the dormitory.

I pasted a few second years and bumped into one as I went. "Sorry." I yelled over my shoulder and continued down the stone stairs to the Great Hall.

I burst through the doors and everyone turned to look at me.

Feeling my cheeks go a brighter red than my hair, I hurried over to the Gryffindor table and sat down across from Jade dropping my bag on the floor. I then banged my head on the table in embarrassment.

"That was some entrance, flower." I looked up quickly expecting to see James but it was only Sirius. Feeling disappointment fill my chest, I glared at him.

"Don't call me that." I said, and started to fill my plate with food. He ignored me like usual and asked, "Have you seen the Daily Prophet today?"

I shook my head. He hand it to me, his smile looking a little grim. I scanned the headline, Village of Muggles Destroyed, and I frowned.

"Death Eater attacks are getting more frequent…there were no saviors." Jade said her tone sad.

I swallowed a lump growing in my throat.

Death Eaters were the flowers of a dark wizard that calls himself, Lord Voldemort. He thinks that all witches and wizards should be purebloods, and that Muggleborns like me should be wiped out of existence along with half-bloods and Muggles. He had a lot of witches and wizards that agreed with him, and there were even rumors that some Hogwarts students are Death Eaters also, and are his eyes and ears in the castle.

I sucked in a deep breath and handed the Prophet back to him and started to pour me something to drink. My throat is dry suddenly.

"Where's Vanessa?" Sirius asked as he turned back to me and put back on his signature crooked smile.

Of course he asks for her. I have a gut feeling that Sirius likes her and Nessa likes him back, but Vanessa has some issues with trust and emotions that she doesn't know how to handle. So it may take time for her to let Sirius in, and-wait did he just ask where she was?

I looked up from pouring me some orange juice and scanned the table, no Vanessa. I turned to Jade.

"Didn't she come down with you?" I questioned my breath slowing a bit.

She shook her head. "I thought she was with you." I put the pitcher of orange juice back on the table.

Sirius's crooked smile fell off his face.

Aww see he's worried about her, stop it Lily focus about where she could be at the moment.

"Well she might be visiting James in the Hospital Wing." Jade offered.

Sirius shook his head.

"No she hasn't been there since Dorea and Charlus left. I asked James this morning when I brought Remus in." He stated and in his eyes you could see the wheels turning in his head.

"Remus is in the Hospital Wing?!" Jade exclaimed. Sirius and I ignored her. Jade and Remus both had a thing for each other everyone knew it, but them two.

"Where would she go? I mean DADA is her favorite class and she told me that she wouldn't skip classes at this school." I said and thought about the time when she told me how she used to skip her classes at Beauxbatons because of the other girls at the school.

Then I remembered she mentioned that the new girl Carrie Montgomery was from her old school, and how Vanessa's voice was covered in venom when she said Carrie's name. I leaned back and craned my neck to look for Carrie at the table.

I saw her get up from the table followed by what Vanessa liked to call her minions and walked towards the doors. I straighten up as she stopped in front of us.

The girl was tall, curvy where it matters, had perfect straight platinum blonde hair and these pale green eyes that looked a little cat like in my opinion. Her white shirt was also opened to show a lot of cleavage and it did. I'd bet my life that she knows Sirius is a serious player at this school and is just trying to get with him, but this year he hasn't dated anyone or from my knowledge sleep with anyone either. I guess Pale Eyes is trying to change that.

She leaned over Vanessa's empty seat with her hands planted on the table show off her cleavage in front of Sirius.

If Vanessa was here she'd probably want to claw Carrie's pale eyes out, but Ness most likely wanted to do that on a regular basis.

"Where's Grace? Was she too afraid to show her face this morning?" She asked and put on a smile that I could tell was bitter under her innocent mask. Her minions laughed like they were sharing some inside secret.

Sirius to my amazement didn't even look at her cleavage and only looked at her face, and put on his sarcastic smile.

"You wouldn't happen to know anything about her not being her?" He questioned. Carrie put on an innocent pout that was probably supposed to look cute, but only made her stupid in my eyes.

"Me? I haven't seen her since yesterday in the Common Room." She batted her pale eyelashes at him. Sirius looked like he didn't believe her.

That's it. I stood up and put my hands on my hips.

"Look here Pale Eyes, Vanessa might not be here at the second, but I doubt she'd have a problem if I ripped your hair out for her." I snapped at her glaring. She turned her head to look at me. She straightened and looked me over with her eyes.

"You could try Carrot Head." She raised an eyebrow at me and smirked.

I felt like steam was going to come out of my ears and I lunged across the table at her. Then hands grasped my shoulders and I felt sparks go down my shoulders.

"You have a short fused temper don't you Lily-flower?" An all too familiar voice asked from behind me. I turned to look at him and sure enough James Potter was standing behind me with a charming smile on his handsome face. He winked at me then went to stand next to were Sirius was sitting.

"Do we have a problem here, Padfoot?" He asked.

Sirius smiled at his best friend and turned back to Carrie and said, "Nah Prongs just a case of desperation." Jade burst out laughing and I smiled a little, but my heart was doing nervous flips that James was here.

"I think your right, Padfoot, and in this case the desperation seems painful." A new voice joined and Remus Lupin sat down on the other side of Jade, which caused her to smile widely and giggle at what he said.

Now three of the Marauders were here and Carrie could probably sense the danger zone she was in. Carrie frowned and flipped her hair then walked away with her minions scurrying after her.

As I watched her leave I saw James pass Sirius something, but before I could tell what it was Sirius put it in his pocket.

"There goes the Wicked Witch of the West." Jade muttered and Remus and I laughed, but James and Sirius looked confused. I keep forgetting their Purebloods.

"It's a character from a Muggle movie." I stated. Sirius nodded and James smiled at me. My heart started to beat faster than normal. I noticed that the tables were pretty much empty, and I felt like my eyes were going to bug out of my head.

"We need to get to class or we're going late." I said and bent over to grab my bag, "Let's hope that Vanessa will be in DADA but if she's not in there…"

I couldn't finish the sentence. I'm sure she's fine but I couldn't help but worry about what she does. I've been feeling lately that she's a ticking time bomb that could explode at any second.

"I'll look for her. Cutting class is one of the things I do best." Sirius smiled at me and winked.

I nodded and we all walked to class.

Vanessa's Pov.

It's just my luck that he was the one to find me. I reframed the urge to bang my head against the table I was sitting at.

"How come when or where ever I am you always find me? I don't know to be flattered you like being around me so much or to be freaked out." I replied. It's best to distract him till I find a way out of this one.

He laughed and I could almost feel his smile. I wanted to look at his smile and wanted it to give me the weird feeling I feel whenever he smiles at me. It's always a smile that seems to be smiled just for me. Warmth filled me at the thought.

"I'll let you figure that out for yourself. Where you've been? You worried Tiger-Lily, and you worried me." He replied, seeming kind of hesitate at the end.

I bit my lip again, and closed the book I was reading. I know the spell, now I just have to cast it without him knowing. Either that or I need to get out of here fast. That's what my mind was thinking but my heart was locked on the thought that he was worried about me.

"If Lily was here she'd murder you for calling her that and I'm sorry, I didn't mean to worry you." I said then I quickly stood up and turned my back to him. I heard him get up also and follow me as I put the books away. Quit following me.

"You still haven't answered why you were in here all morning." I bit my lip harder and pulled down my shirt sleeves.

I still remember how close I was to…well I remember how close I was to dong it, and I felt the fear of it happening rush over me. Not because I was scared of him kissing me, it was that I'm scared that I want him to. I want him to kiss me so bad it hurts, but it hurts worse pretending that I don't care at all.

I closed my eyes and sighed inwardly. I open them and refuse to look at him.

"I just wanted the peace and quiet of the Library." I lied. My heart suddenly stings from lying to him.

"Why won't you look at me, love?" Great the question I really want to avoid. I shrugged and bit my lip.

How in the world did I think it was smart to put those books away and great trapped by shelves and Sirius? I felt like kicking myself. He put a hand on my shoulder and I felt the sparks and tingly feeling I get every time he does, and instantly I wondered what it would feel like to have lips touch mine, and run my fingers through his hair.

"Look at me, please." He whispered and my heart melted then and there. I didn't fight back as he turned me around to look at him.

My hair covered the bruise as I looked at him as he let go of me now that I was facing him.

His hair was messy as usual, he was wearing the white shirt rolled up at his elbows, his house was tie wrung loose around his neck, and the black pants like every other guy in the school. His gray eyes locked on mine then his eyes moved to the bruise on my right cheek.

I watched his gray eyes grow cold and he raised his hand brushing the hair from my face. I stopped myself from shivering at his touch.

"What happened?" He demanded. I didn't answer I just took a step away from him and headed to the exit and he of course followed me.

I only got out of the Library and into the stone hallway before he caught up with me.

He grabbed my arm and I cried out in pain. It wasn't because he gripped me hard; it was because I had another bruise on that arm.

Sirius immediately let go of my arm, and I leaned against the stone wall clutching my arm against my chest.

"There's more than one?" He questioned. His voice was less demanding this time but was still commanding me to answer.

I bit my lip and nodded.

He then kicked a suit of armor and it collapsed to the floor banging as it went. That was sure to cause attention.

I estimated we only had less than five minutes till a Professor or Flinch comes to see what happened.

Sirius gentle grabbed my other arm and pulled me around the corner.

Great I'll either be tortured by Sirius's questions or get more detention to added on to the ones I already have.

Fantastic.