Just Friends, Right? -- 5

Author: Cattie

Rating: PG

Genre: Books Harry Potter - - - - Romance

A/N: Fifth Chapter! I've got a new beta reader now, everyone, claps and kisses to Queen of the World!

And ::sniff:: thank you all, so much ::sob:: I have 75 reviews on this story, and I know it isn't alot, especially compared to some of the big fics with hundreds, but it's the most I've ever gotten! I'm so proud!

Now, if you could all just push the hundred barrier, you might make me so happy that i just have to beg my friend to let me use her scanner, so I can upload some of mine and possibly one of my friends HP art, some of which is done especially for this story. So, c'mon, don't you want to see my drawings? (don't answer that one!)

REVIEW LIST!: Sorry, I just can't continue with this, it's just too much! besides, you'd all rather have me work extra hard on the story, than put a list of names up here, right? Oh well, thank you to all my reviewers, especially all my 'serial' and 'rabid' reviewers, such as StarChildHlermione. Everyone, follow her wonderful example and REVIEW! PLEASE!

Disclaimer (Ooohhh!): Everything you recognize belongs to JK, Catalina and Kitz belong to me, Mary belongs to my wonderful new beta reader, Queen of the World!

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"OOOOOOOOOOH!"

A chorus of 'oooh's' came from the other occupants of my dorm.

"He kissed you? Wow!" That was Mary, from her seated position on her bed. She was a nice girl, all in all, very outgoing, with a habit of being slightly noisy.

Catalina was just gaping at me, from her seat on the end of my bed, her mouth hanging open, and her eyes glazed over.

Kitz seemed to be the only one taking the news calmly, simply continuing to get ready, flicking her wand at her long black hair, and fussing in her drawers.

"Kitz?" I asked, after realising that Mary was in a dream state, and Catalina was in shock, so I would be getting no answer from them for a while.

"Hmmm?" was her dreamy answer, and then I noticed that she was wearing make-up. Something she never did, because it always ran when she was practicing for Quidditch.

"Kitz, where are you going?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at her.

"Oh, no-where important, just off to the Three Broomsticks" she muttered, then clapped a hand over her mouth.

"Oops"

"Oops is right. Who're you going with, cause James, Sirius, Remus and Peter are the only one's who can get there at this time." I countered, bouncing off my bed, fairly pleased to have the attention taken away from me.

She turned bright red at the list of names, and then muttered quietly, turning back to the mirror; "Sirius"

Before I could get a word in, though, she dashed for the door.

"Well, I'm going to be late if I don't hurry up. See you all later!" and then she was gone.

I stared blankly at the door, still confused, until Mary sat up with a start.

"Have I missed something? Oh well, aaaah! I'm late! Oh no, I was meant to meet Chris at half past! Oh no! See ya Lil, 'Lina!" and she was gone too, raking a hand quickly through her short blonde hair as she left.

"Looks like it's just you and me, 'Lina." I said, then realised she was still in her shocked state.

"Snap out of it!" I yelled, shaking her shoulders, "Even I wasn't that shocked!"

She blinked, and then glanced at her watch. I knew what was coming.

"Oh no, I-" she started, then I cut her off.

"Am late for my date with Remus, I know, I know." I said bitterly, and she just looked at me.

"Actually, Lil, it's just a study session. I need to catch up in DADA if I want to skip a year before the end of this year. Are you sure you're okay though? I could get James to come up, if yo-"

"NO!" I screamed, and dived for my pillows.

"Oh well, I need to talk to him anyway. My transfiguration could be better, but it isn't as bad as my DADA, I'm worse than Peter in that!" she moaned, and then slammed the door behind her.

A just sat there; my face buried in my pillow, and for some inexplicable reason, started to cry.

I had been sobbing silently into my pillows for a few minutes, when the door to the dormitory creaked open, and I heard a familiar voice.

"Lils? 'Lina said you weren't feeling too goo- Oh god, Lil! What's wrong?" and then his arms were around me, and I was crying into his shoulder.

"Lil, I'm sorry about earlier, I'm sorry, just please, tell me what's wrong!" his voice was rising in panic, and I could just imagine how his brown eyes would be wide behind his black glasses.

"Nothing" I sobbed into his shoulder, before trying to control my tears, and lifting my head, to look into his wide brown eyes with my teary green ones.

My heart gave a funny little jolt when I looked into his eyes, brown with amazing little flecks of gold.

And then it hit me. I was head over heels in love with James Potter.

And at this very moment, I didn't care who saw us.

But before I could kiss him, as I so wanted to, he blinked and turned his head away.

"Sorry, Lils. Are you okay now?" he asked.

But his hand was stroking the small of my back, and his lips and eyes so close to mine. There was no way I could answer.

I nodded slightly, and dropped my gaze, suddenly very interested in the imaginary bits of dust on my blanket.

James shifted slightly; moving so his back rested against my sideboard, then pulled me onto his lap.

I gave a little 'eep' of surprise, and then settled into his arms.

His hand moved again to the small of my back, and started tracing along my spine, eliciting a shiver from me. I kept my gaze on my hands, which I was twisting uncomfortably in my lap, then ventured a gaze upwards, at his face.

A small smile was on his face, looking serene and content, and an emotion I very rarely saw from him was shining in his eyes.

I slid my arms upwards, and around his neck, a he lifted his other hand from his side, and wiped my cheeks.

"Tears" was what he simply said, and I almost burst into fresh sobs.

Instead I settled for burying my face in his robes, and having him hold me tighter to himself, his face buried in my hair.

We sat there, in silence, for ages, until I ventured to raise my head, after his breathing had become slow and relaxed.

One look at his face, and I was sure he was asleep.

His eyes were shut, and a content little smile was playing on his lips.

I settled back into his arms, and eventually fell into a nightmarish sleep, where voices screamed at me, and images played over in my head.

'Lily, take Harry and go! It's him! Go! Run! I'll hold him off – ' James. James was shouting, but why?

'Not Harry, not Harry, please not Harry!' my voice, but… different…

'Stand aside, you silly girl … stand aside, now …' an evil, rasping voice…

Not Harry, please no, take me, kill me instead-' my voice, again, so panicked…

'Not Harry! Please … have mercy … have mercy…' me again, oh god, what's happening? Who's Harry?

A green flash.

'I COMFORTED THE MURDERIN' TRAITOR!' that was Hagrid, he seemed angry, and … sad?

'EXPECTO PATRONUM!' that voice … it was like James', but not…

'But I wont deny that I'm a werewolf.' Remus. Who was he telling? It's a big secret…

'Believe me. I never betrayed James and Lily. I would have died before I betrayed them.' Sirius. But what was he going on about? No one said he'd betrayed us. Besides, he never would, right? …

'Harry … Harry … you look just like your father … just like him…' Peter… why? …

'Prongs rode again last night.' Dumbledore… but James was Prongs... he rode again?

Another green flash, a scream, my own.

I woke up, still in James' arms, in a cold sweat. I extracted myself from his grip, and walked to the mirror.

It was the middle of the night, at least. Mary was asleep in her bed, curtains drawn, and I could hear various mutterings issuing from it. But she was asleep, I'm sure.

The other beds had their curtains drawn tightly around them, except Kitz's and mine. James was still asleep on my bed, his features so calm, and sweet, they reminded me of a slumbering baby. Kitz's bed was empty, presumably she was sleeping either in the common room or boys room tonight.

My face was pale, as if I'd seen a ghost, my lips blood red, from biting them, which I continued to do out of sheer worry, and my eyes were flashing, panic riding deep in their depths.

I started away from the mirror, and looked out the window. The stars were glittering brightly in the velvet sky, and the waning moon shone out on the grounds, with a small sliver of moonlight slipping onto my face, when the clouds shifted from across it.

"What can I do?"

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