Hey guys, sorry I haven't update for a while but its exam season and GCSE's tend to take over your life ;) So this chapter is only one scene but I hope you like it because it's almost completely focused on Lily and James. And don't worry, to those of you who have asked, Lily and James will be getting together vaguely soon ;)

Hope you all are well and good luck with any of you with exams x

Disclaimer-have we been over this before? I don't own anything!

Quidditch

It was mid-afternoon and despite the black storm clouds that were hovering just above their heads, the Gryffindor Quidditch team was hard at practice. James had had them running drills for what seem like hours and now they were tired, hungry and, in Sirius' case, mud splattered from where he had been tackled to the ground by their captain himself in a playful wrestle.

They were in the middle of practising the Wronski Frient when Sirius swooped over to his best friend, "Prongs look," Sirius nudged James and gestured towards the stands where a familiar red head was sitting, appearing to be reading a book despite the torrent of rain that was falling all around her. She looked beautiful; the cheeks were tinted rogue from the cold and her wet red locks lifted stuck to her face, contrasting deeply with paleness of her skin. James moaned loudly, and Sirius gave him an unusually sympathetic look knowing that James had yet to figure out what he was going to do about Lily.

"5 times around the pitch, I'll be back in two minutes." James ordered quickly, causing his miserable team to moan in protest. "Do you want me to make it ten?" He asked sharply, having to play the part of a tough captain even though he disliked it at times. The team shook their heads in unison and took off around the pitch while James slowly floated to the Gryffindor stands. He swung his leg over the metal railing and landed a couple of rows below Lily.

"Err hi." James muttered as he splashed his way up to Lily, his hand automatically jumping to his soaking hair.

"Hi," Lily answered with a small smile as she closed her book and observed him.

"What are you doing here?" James demanded, wincing at the harshness of his tone and Lily's taken aback look.

"I was, um, I wanted to talk to you." Lily bit her lip and gazed up at him front underneath rain drenched eyelashes.

"I'm running a practice. I don't have time to talk." James said shortly, not meaning to be rude but by the affronted look that clouded Lily's pale features James could tell he was not succeeding. Still it was better to be rude than to tell her what he was really feeling.

"I know that. I was going to wait." Lily snapped defensively, a blush heating her already pink cheeks.

"Are you crazy? It's torrential rain out here Lily! You need to get back into the castle before you get sick."

Lily gritted her teeth, her temper flaring as James implied that she was a weak, fragile girl. "I already told you I needed to talk to you."

Now James was beginning to lose his temper as he viewed the angry red head in front of him. "Lily get inside,"

"You can't order me around." Lily growled her hands on her hips and an intimidating expression on her face. Her hand even inched towards her wand but she knew that was too childish.

"For Merlin's sake stop being so stubborn and go inside!" James near shouted, attracting the attention of him team who were flying above them. He waved them away though, ignoring the concerned look his best friend sent his way.

"I said I was staying here." Lily spat back at him, a familiar feeling of anger bubbling inside her and waiting for a way to explode.

James gritted his teeth, "Fine I'll take you inside." With a quick look over his shoulder to check his team was still flying, he frogmarched Lily down the stands and up towards the castle, refusing to look at her the entire way. Lily squirmed frantically and made it perfectly clear she was not happy with this arrangement but James' grip on her remained as hard as steel.

"Let-me-go!" Lily struggled, "I'm not some fragile girl that you need to protect. I don't need you!"

James let go off her like she was burning, badly disguised hurt clouding his face, and Lily's glare softened immediately, "I didn't mean it like that, James I-"

"I've got to get back to practice." James muttered quickly, he threw his leg over his broom and took off into the dark sky, ignoring Lily's calls after him.

"Prong she's still there," Sirius murmured into James' ear, his stormy orbs gliding over the small figure stood dejectedly at the bottom of the stands. James gritted his teeth and attempting to ignore her for the next couple of minutes, throwing himself wholeheartedly into the team drills. However his eyes had different ideas and were drawn like magnets to Lily's small form.

"For Merlin's sake just go!" Kristina yelled at James from her side of the pitch, sick of him staring at Lily throughout the whole drills. She smirked when James looked at her, surprised, and shrugged a 'what are you going to do about it' shrug.

James zoomed to a graceful stop next to Lily and swung his leg over his broom, dropping to the ground. Lily had an apology on the tip of her tongue but James injected what he had to say before she could, and reminded her of the anger that had transpired. "Lily! I told you to go inside!"

"No I need to talk to you!" Lily replied obstinately, matching his frustrated tone perfectly; they were now standing head to chest and engaging in a full on glaring war.

"Lily," James warned, his tone deadly until she shivered and his heart swelled. He could not bear to see her stand in front of him, dripping, blue lipped and shivering. James sighed deeply at the lack of control he had and nodded his head at Sirius, whom Lily was astounded to see called the team together and they descended like a pack. She did not understand how Sirius knew what James wanted without saying a word.

"Wait here," James said gruffly before striding over to his team. Lily watched as a grin slid onto his face when Sirius ruffled his hair and made him laugh. She stared at him as his hazel eyes glided over each team member, clearly addressing them all individually and giving them tips combined with wild gestures. A smile curved onto her face as she saw the admiration on the faces of his team as he talked to them.

"Great practice guys, sorry about the rain. Friday, 6am don't forget!" James grinned ruefully and the team dispersed groaning loudly and cursing their captain, while trying to get up to the castle as fast as possible. "I'll be up in a bit Pad, take a look at the plans I left on my desk, they're almost finished. I was thinking our friends in Slytherin have got a little bit too comfortable," Sirius and James shared identically smirks at the thought of the evening ahead and the likeness between them was uncanny.

Sirius gripped James' shoulder, a serious look adorning his delicate features. "You'll be alright." It wasn't a question and James was eternally grateful for his brother's support.

Sirius jogged away, catching up with the rest of the team while James turned his back on Lily and put away the beaters bats, quaffels, bludgers and fluttering snitch. His muscles rippled as he lifted the heavy box and gestured with his eyes for Lily to follow him.

"Let me just change," James murmured while strolling over to, what Lily presumed, was his locker. He took out a bundle of clothes and disappeared into a cubicle. Lily barely had time to blink become a shirtless James had appeared, causing her breath to catch in her throat. James did not allow his eyes to wander towards Lily and she was grateful as she could not tear her eyes away from the sight of his perfectly chiselled chest, a product of seven years of quidditch.

James tugged a random shirt over his head, messing up his hair even more than usual, before searching through his locker for a particular item of clothing. Lily watched, enrapt, for no conceivable reason, as he pulled out a jumper and tossed it at her. Lily stared wordlessly at it, unable to phantom why he had given her this item of clothing, until James gave her an odd look.

"I thought you might want to change since you're soaking wet," James said, pointing to her clothes which were clinging to her body like a second skin. Lily mouth opened in a silent 'oh' and she thanked him quietly. James, being the gentlemen he was, turned around to allow her privacy as she stripped herself off her wet shirt and robe and pulled the baggy jumper over her head.

It smelt delicious; it carried James' personal scent and she couldn't resist taking a deep sniff. It was too big for her slight frame, almost coming down to her knees but it was very warm and Lily was thankful. She raised her eyes to James' back and observed him fidgeting for a couple of seconds and silently laughed.

"You can turn around now," Lily informed him and James turned around with a pinkish tint to his cheeks. He stuffed his hands in his pocket and rocked backwards and forwards on his heels while his eyes darted around the changing rooms looking and everything and anything, but her.

"Why won't you look at me?" Lily demanded softly, taking a faltering step towards that made James' breathing rate quicken ever so slightly.

There was a small silence, where James' mouth hung open slightly. "What are you talking about?" James finally questioned, raising his eyes shakily to hers and managing to hold them there for a couple of seconds before dropping them to his shoes which scuffing the floor gently.

"Have I done something? Did I upset you? Because-" Lily asked, desperation lacing her tone for a reason unknown to her.

"Lily stop! Stop! " James exclaimed exasperated; he rubbed his face tiredly and dropped his face into his hands. "You've done nothing wrong," He murmured into his hands.

"Then why…" Lily trailed off, slowly sitting down beside James, trying not to scare him off. James stiffened as his heart pounded, knowing she was so close to him. He was trying to ignore her presence but his attempts were futile; he couldn't see her but he her unique vanilla like scent filled his nostrils as he took struggling breaths and his body felt hot and on alert just from her proximity.

James lifted his head out of his arms and his eyes connected with Lily's; hazelnut brown with golden flecks meeting deep green orbs that reminded him of the ocean. "I-" James faltered and Lily's heart sunk. "I can't tell you," James answered miserably.

"Don't you trust me?" Lily asked vulnerably and James looked alarmed, his eyes widening behind his glasses.

"Of course! Lily-I just-I…I can't I'm sorry." He trailed off pitifully, hating himself for making her doubt their friendship.

"Ok," She whispered, her eyes filled with sadness, "I've umm got to go. I'll see you later?" James nodded and Lily walked out without another word. James' heart plummeted and his head dropped into his heart. He was hurting her by not telling her, but he would hurt them both even more if he did tell her the truth. But the thing that scared James the most was all he wanted to do was take Lily into his arms until everything else was better; nothing seemed worth the price of the sadness reflecting in her emerald orbs; he didn't know if he would be able to live without her this time.