Well here's a lovely Lily and James scene ;) Just wanted to update you and to tell you the impending 'getting together' of Lily and James is but a chapter or two away, bare with me because I've got something special planned. The reason they're not together yet is because I don't want to rush it. Also wanted to mention, sorry if anyone's upset about the lack of Marauders as a group in this story, I just love James' and Sirius' unbreakable bond so much :)

Nightmares

James jolted awake at the sound of a heart-wrenching, familiar, scream.

Lily.

He scrambled out of his bed and flew across the hall, hand hesitating on the handle for a millisecond before throwing it open, his wand drawn. But he found Lily alone, squirming in her bed, her beautiful features twisted into terror. She was having a nightmare that much was obvious, but it was only when she sobbed, "Please not James, no!" that he realised she was crying.

James treaded slowly to her side, not wishing to wake her but he couldn't bear the anguish in her features for another second. He bent down so that his breath tickled her cheek and murmured into her ear, "Lily wake up, it's just a dream." When she didn't respond, letting only a small cry pass through her rosy lips, James shook her shoulders gently.

Her eyes ripped open and blinked, confused, until they landed on James. She stared at him in wonder for a couple of seconds, tears still running down her face, until she seemed to realise that it was a dream. Lily bolted upright and flew into his arms, clutching him tightly. "Oh James! You're not dead, oh God James!" Lily cried into his chest and James' arms encircled her small frame, despite the painful pang of his heart as he did it.

"Shush, Lily it's alright love, you're fine, it was just a dream." James soothed, his heart pitter-pattering strongly against his chest and he stroked her hair and held her tightly to him. James couldn't bear holding her like this knowing it didn't mean anything to her, but he couldn't seem to let the crying girl go either.

"But I saw you and you where-you where lying there, and the blood, everyone I cared about was dead. And he stood there laughing and I-" Lily babbled wildly, "Alice! I've got to see if Alice is ok! And Marlene!" Lily babbled, the terror still reflecting in her startled eyes.

"Lily who?" James injected, prying her off his chest so he could stare into her pained orbs. James tucked a wet strand of hair behind her ear and let his finger follow the curve down her face and cup her chin so she was forced to look up at him. "Who Lily?"

Lily's lip trembled but from the fire in her eyes James could tell it was not from fear of him, "Lord Voldemort."

James heart plummeted and he felt a wave of pure hatred for the man who made his love cry. He tugged her back into his arms, forgetting the pain it was causing him, and pressed a delicate kiss into her hair. "Lily I swear to you I will never let him hurt you. He will have to kill me first."James vowed seriously, his eyes steeled in a determined manner.

"Don't you see," Lily whispered brokenly, blinking up into James anguished face, "That's what I'm most scared about."

James sighed deeply; she wasn't making this easy on him. "What brought on this dream?" He sat them down on her bed but Lily would not let go of him, choosing instead to sit on his lap. He had trouble regulating his breathing as Lily's bare legs dangled down, touching his. She played with the hem of his shirt and seemed fascinated by it, which James thanked Merlin he had decided to wear to bed that night, before opening her mouth to explain.

"I've been reading the prophet and there are all these deaths. And they're all Muggleborns and people who associate with Muggleborns. I just," Lily took a deep breath and searched James' beautiful hazel orbs, "I can't help thinking it could be me next; my family; my friends who are getting murdered."

Lily looked so vulnerable that James took her in his arms and used every ounce of self restraint he had to stop himself from trying to kiss it all better. Lily slid her arms around his back, feeling his taut muscles through the thin material of his shirt and letting her hands rest on his powerful shoulder blades. She couldn't help but think about how safe she felt in James arms, she felt like nothing would hurt her.

"I'll protect you Lil," James whispered into her ear, missing the shiver that shot down her spine as his lips came into breath contact with her skin. All Lily could think about was the fact he called her Lil; he hadn't called her that in weeks, not since he started acting all weird. A small smile spread across her face as they just sat in their embrace.

Eventually James worked up the willpower to move. Much to Lily's surprise, he lifted them both up before gently placing her underneath her ruffled covers. Before Lily could protest he spoke softly, "Goodnight Lily."

"Please don't go," Lily whispered, catching his hand as he turned to leave. She gripped his warm palm tightly and pulled him back towards her, having to use her entire body weight to pull his unwilling torso to her.

James sighed and avoided her eyes as he faced her, "I don't think that-"

"Please James," Lily begged, her watery green eyes were big and doleful as they pleaded with him, "Please don't leave me,"

"Lily, I can't." James croaked, his throat constricting at the hurt and pain on her beautiful face as he walked out the door.

"I'm scared," Lily whispered and James froze in the doorway. Lily could see his resolve visibly weakening as his shoulders slumped and he closed her heavy oak door behind him.

James awkwardly slid into her bed, making sure there was considerable distance between him and Lily. However Lily inched closer until their bare arms touched each other and so they were staring each other straight in the face. James's breath hitched in his throat as her warm skin touched his and he suddenly became hyper-aware of how close she was to him. Lily reached over, brushing the rough skin on his face and making him shiver, to slide off his glasses, placing them on the table beside her.

"Night James," Lily whispered with a small smile as she extinguished the lights, leaving them in a darkness that James was grateful for, so she couldn't see the expression of love on his face.

Lily stretched gently as she opened her eyes to blinding sunlight. She was surprised to find her legs were intertwined; with another pair of legs. Lily's sleepy brain slowly started to take in the surroundings and she realised, after the initial panic, that it was James in her bed. Lily back was pressed closely against James' chest and one of his arms was draped over her protectively. Lily smiled as she realised she was holding James' arm in place but when she released it his arm didn't fall away as she thought it would, instead his grip tightened on her. Lily could feel his face nuzzled into her shoulder, his lips resting innocently on her bare skin, making it tingle.

Lily snuggled closer to James, resisting the urge to twist around so she could stare into his sleeping face. She was slightly alarmed to find that she was quite content to not move from this position for the rest of the morning; she felt safe in James arms. James sighed peacefully in his sleep and she felt a rush of affection for him. How could she have taken so long to realize just how truly wonderful he was?

Too soon a sleepy grunt was heard, waking Lily from the light sleep she had been in. "Lily?" A husky, gravelly voice murmured into her ear.

"Mmm?" Lily answered, really not wishing to face reality. James released Lily reluctantly as she turned around so she could see him, not expecting his face to be so close to hers, they were barely centimetres apart. "Yes?" Lily whispered, trying not to let her gaze yet drawn down to his suddenly very soft looking lips.

"I've got to go," James murmured back hoarsely, searching her eyes for something unknown as he slowly untangled his legs from hers and moved apart, a slight blush scattering across his cheeks as he realised the intimate position they had been in.

"Ok," Lily muttered, ducking her head so he could not see the blush lighting up her cheeks also. "See you later," She gave him a half hearted wave and James felt his heart sink once again as he walked out the door.

"Wait James!" Lily called and James' head popped back round the door, a questioning look on his sleepy face. "Thank you, for last night, it meant a lot to me." James just smiled tenderly and disappeared back around the door without another word.

"You shared a bed with her," Remus winced and put down his book, sharing a concerned look with Sirius as James grunted into a pillow and nodded.

"I don't get it!" Peter moaned, his forehead crinkling with confusion. Suddenly he was annoyed he was left out of all the conversations about girls, just because he had only had one girlfriend.

Sirius rolled his eyes and chucked a pillow at his head, missing him by an inch. "You're so slow Wormy! James wants to jump her bones because he's in love with her, but if he does that then she won't love him back…He can either tell her and probably lose her or he can not tell her and live the rest of his life pretending he is over her when it's so plainly obvious he loves her more than the air he breaths."

The Marauders stared at him in awe-struck silence, "What?" Sirius snapped, "I know some stuff about love."

James gave him a weak smile as he lifted his tortured head, "When we woke up, she was wrapped around me and snuggled against my chest and…It just felt so right, like she was meant to be there." James sighed dejectedly and stared out into the crying sky.

"Maybe she does feel something," Remus offered optimistically, "Why else would she ask you to share a bed with her?"

"She was scared and I was the only one there." James said shortly, not bothering to hide his heart-broken tone. Remus shot him a pitying look despite how much he knew he hated them and chucked him a chocolate frog in the hope it would make him smile.

"Maybe it's time to just accept that she's never going to love you man," Sirius said gently despite the pain it caused him to see his brothers face while he said those words. Sirius moved over to where James was sitting and clasped his brother into a tight hug, "If she can't see that you would be the greatest thing that ever happened to her then she doesn't deserve you Prongs," Sirius said earnestly, still allowing his brother to clutch him tightly in a hug without making any remarks about him being gay.

"You're wrong," James whispered, trying to steady his breaking voice, "It's me who doesn't deserve her, it's always been me. And that's why I'll never have her."

"Prongs it's not true!" Sirius spoke fiercely, his grey orbs alit with fire and passion, "You are the bravest person I know; the kindest person; the smartest. You took me in and made me family when no one else wanted me and you've saved me so many times…If Lily cannot see the amazing person you are, that you love her so much and would do anything for her, then that's her loss. But you, you're my brother and I will always love you." Sirius stared fiercely into James eyes, ready to challenge any demeaning thought he had, not even noticing the other two Marauders had left the room.

"Thank you. For everything Padfoot."

I've been getting a serious lack of reviews lately but a ton of favourite stories and alerts so please just leave me a couple of words, it's much appreciated :)

Also I have a question do you think I should end this story when they get together, or at the end of 7th year. I'm not sure yet. Well let me know what you think ;) xx