1 *Together Again

"James!" Lily ran outside and hugged her friend. James returned her hug and blushed furiously. "How great to see you!"

"You too Tiger Lily."

"Let's get in the car before Petunia comes out."

"Sounds great. Need help carrying anything?"

"No thanks. I don't really pack that much." Lily smiled sweetly at James. She put her trunk in the back of his car. Then she got in the car.

"Hello Mrs. Potter."

"Hi Lily. How has your summer been?" James' mother politely asked.

"There's been a few bumps along the way, but I'm sure everything will go smoothly now." Mrs. Potter didn't reply but Lily saw her mouth into the rear-view mirror ,"smooth, with James?" Lily smiled back at her. That was why she liked Mrs. Potter so much, she was so easy to get along with. Just like James.

"Now where did you say Sirius lived?"

"Right around the corner." Lily said.

"Thanks dear." Mrs. Potter pulled into Sirius' driveway. He was already waiting. Sirius put his stuff in the back of the Potters' car. Then he got into the car next to James who was next to Lily.

"Geese Sirius. You brought more luggage than Lily!" James teased.

"I had to bring a few more, erm, accessories." Lily knew these accessories were really something like dungbombs, but didn't say anything.

"So Lily, I hear you spent some time at the hospital this summer."

"Unfortunately, yes."

"You're OK now though, right?" Sirius asked.

"Of course." Lily said. She wasn't directly looking James or Sirius in the eye though. Mrs. Potter decide to join in on their conversation.

"Have you ever been in a muggle hospital Sirius?"

"Oh yes, loads of times when I was little."

"Was it horrible?" Mrs. Potter asked.

"Not to bad. Some of the nurses can be a little.."

James didn't hear what else Sirius said. He was overwhelmed by a beautiful smell. He realized it was Lily. James just realized how close Lily was sitting to him. He also noticed a few others things such as the wonderful way she felt, and smelt, and.

"James? Are you OK?" His thoughts were interrupted by his mother. "You looked like you were going to pass out for a minute."

"Fine mom. Thanks."

"We're going to be home in an hour or two, so if you want to take a nap or something, feel free." Mrs. Potter told the kids.

"Actually, " Lily yawned, "that sounds good. Petunia woke me up really early this morning. Do you want to switch places with me James? That way, you and Sirius can still talk to each other without leaning over me."

"Thanks Lily. Sounds like a good idea." Lily stood up in the car and slid over. James slid underneath her and Lily sat down on the other side of him. James couldn't help but steal an innocent glimpse of Lily's butt.

"Night guys." Lily said before leaning against the door. Sirius and James began talking about nothing in particular for awhile. They were interrupted when Mrs. Potter made a sharp turn. Lily drifted out of her sleep for a few seconds, but only to switch positions.

"Sorry guys. Some one tried to cut me off. By the way, we'll be home in about 20 minutes." Lily's new position was with her head on James shoulder. She got comfortable and fell back asleep. James and Sirius kept talking, but James kept looking at Lily. He noticed she slept like an angel.

"My shoulder's getting uncomfortable." James said to Sirius. He put his arm around Lily's slender shoulders. Her head slumped down on James' firm chest a little. "Much better." James smiled.

"Sure." Sirius rolled his eyes. Then the letter Kate had ripped in half came back to him. Could James like Lily? He had been talking about her an awful lot lately. Come to think of it, he kept looking at her and than smiling. Wow! His best friend liked his other best friend! Freaky.

"We're home!" Mrs. Potter announced. "James will show you guys where you are sleeping. Oh, poor dear, she's still sleeping?"

"Yeah, she is." Sirius said.

"What should we do? I really don't want to wake her." James said sweetly.

"Do you think you can carry her up to her room?" James thought about it for a minute.

"I think so. She's always been pretty light." James also thought Lily had lost even more weight over the summer. He wasn't going to say this in front of his mother though. Then she would start to fuss over Lily and watch her to make sure she ate enough. James placed one arm under Lily's knees, and the other around her shoulders. He slowly picked her up out of the car. Lily stayed asleep. Sirius opened all the doors for James while James told him where to go in his house. Two flights of stairs later, they reached Lily's room. James gently laid Lily down on her bed. Him and Sirus placed a blanket over her slender frame and quietly left the room. Sirius quietly closed the door behind him.

"Your room is across the hall from Lily's, mine is right next door to hers." James told Sirius. Sirius nodded his head.

"Let's go get my stuff out of the car so I can unpack." Sirius suggested. He followed James back down the stairs to the car. James opened the trunk and grabbed Sirius' and Lily's trunks. Sirius took his trunk from James and James took Lily's. They walked back up to their rooms.

"I'll bring Lily's stuff into her room. Meet me in my room in a few minutes." James said to Sirius. Then he walked cautiously into Lily's room. When James put her trunk on the floor, it landed with a thud. Lily stirred and began to wake up.

"James?" She said groggily.

"Hi Lily. Sleep well?" Lily looked so beautiful to him right then. Her bright green eyes were open just a little bit. She was laid out on her bed with her hands behind her head. This caused her shirt to come up right below her rib cage revealing her well toned abs. James stared at Lily. She stared back, blinking back sleep every few minutes.

"Night James." She finally whispered.

"Poor thing. She must be dead on her feet to be that tired." James looked at Lily and got the strongest urge to kiss her. James walked to Lily's bed and placed a light kiss on her forehead.

"That's nice James." She said sweetly. James was taken back, he thought she was asleep. Lily didn't do anything else though. James decided not to risk anymore and tiptoed out of her room. Sirius appeared to have just walked past Lily's room and was heading for James'. Little did James know, Sirius had seen the whole thing. He wasn't going to tease his friend about this, not yet anyway.