Catch Me If You Can
Chapter Twenty Six ll A Little Hug
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James ducked as a snowball narrowly missed his head. He then got back up again and grinned cockily.
"You're gonna have to do better than that, Evans!" he said joyfully. This time, the snowball hit him sqaure in the face.
"Ouch," James said to himself, wiping the snow off his face. He rolled up a mini snowball and threw it at Lily.
Lily shrieked as the snowball hit her flaming red hair.
"You'll pay for that, Potter!" Lily cried out loud, though she was smiling. She chucked four snowballs at once at James, who yelped and fell over as they hit him.
They were outside, having the traditional snow play. It was all very interesting, building snowmen and throwing snow around.
Lily giggled, "Give up?"
James got up, shaking snow out of his black hair.
"This means war, Inferno," James said savagely, grinning evilly.
"Uh, no," Lily said an annoying stuck-up snob voice.
"Uh, yes," James imitated her.
"Uh, no."
"Uh, yes."
"No."
"Yes."
"Whatever, I'm hungry," Lily said, getting out of the snow and shaking the snow out of her hair. She walked back up to her house, only to feel snow hit the back of her head.
"That was neither nice NOR pleasant!" Lily yelled over her shoulder. She banged open the door and slipped in.
Her parents had dashed out of the house ASAP because one of their friends had had a heart attack. Petunia was God knows where, probably at Vernon's. That whale of man. Lily seriously saw nothing in him.
Anyway, Rose had left sandwiches on the counter for the girls to have for their lunch. But as Petunia was missing, Lily was going to have to eat them all by herself.
All by herself.
She abandoned her scarf and beanie on the counter, and took the plate of sandwiches into the living room, which was alot more warmer.
"Let me innnnnnn, pleaaaaaseee."
There was banging on the front door, and Lily smiled to herself as she imagined James helplessly trying to get into her house. Her pity took the better of her and she went into the foyer to open the door.
"Whoa!" James, unexpectedly leaning against the door, fell right in, attracting alot of snow to came piling in as well.
"Sheesh," Lily rolled her eyes, as she closed the door and shut the cold out, "So thick."
"It's so cold," James said with chattering teeth, "I mean seriously! It's as cold as... snow!"
"I wonder why," Lily said sarcastically.
James stuck his tongue out at her.
"Anything edible around here?" he asked, following Lily into the living room, "Ooooh sandwiches!"
"Hey!" Lily grabbed the hood of James' jumper and pulled him back, "Back off! My food!"
"You're gonna get fat if you eat all of that," James said haughtily. That earned him a kick in the shins.
Ten minutes later, they were both happily (or maybe not so happily) chomping on sandwiches. Talking about... Sirius.
"Sirius is mad," James commented.
"I know he is," Lily murmured.
"No I mean he's sick mad!"
"So did I."
"No, like, really cool mad!"
"Well, I didn't."
This conversation led to nowhere.
Chewing conspicuously on some bread crust, James said, "I like your scarf."
Lily's ears pricked up; her grandma had made her scarf and it was one of her most prized possessions.
"Really? So do I. I love it," Lily said conversationally, obviously enjoying this topic, "Do you like my beanie as well?"
"No," James joked.
Lily pretended to be shocked as she abandoned her bread crust, "Well, that was harsh."
She got up and began walking away.
"Where are you going?" James whined.
"That is a very good question," Lily called back. But there was no answer.
A few seconds later, she returned.
"I need to go to the bathroom," James announced upon her arrival.
"And I really needed to know that," Lily said, rolling her eyes, "You know where it is. Hey, let me ask you something. What are you doing in my house?!"
"That is also a very good question," James said haughtily, leaving to find his expedition of the bathroom. But like Lily, he did not answer it.
Lily had to smile as she watched James' retreating back go up the stairs. He was... cute. In his personality, she meant. No way was he cute... attractive cute...
Biting her lip, she shook her head and focused. Potter. Cute?! As if. There was as much chance of Petunia dying her hair red.
A sudden mental flash of her older sister with red hair made her burst out laughing.
Damn Potter. Why does he have to affect me this way? Lily thought angrily. She heard a crash and yell upstairs in the bathroom.
Lily gasped and raced up the stairs. She ran into the bathroom and watched in horror as blood dripped from James' arm to the tiled floor... Shards of broken glass from the mirror were also lying on the floor.
"OHMYGOD-YOU-BROKE-A-MIRROR-THATS-SEVEN-YEARS-BAD-LUCK!" Lily screamed, throwing open the bathroom cabinet and searching wildly for the first aid kit.
"Rightio..." James said faintly, clutching his arm. It had a huge gash in it, and blood just seeped out, "Uhhh, a little help?"
"Shut up, I'm trying," Lily murmured, rushing to his side and bandaging up his bleeding arm tightly. She felt like she was about to faint.
"I feel a little dizzy," James said lightly. Lily glanced up at him midway through her bandaging and saw that he had grown very pale.
"Damn you, Potter," Lily said frantically, "Are you okay?"
"Perhaps..."
Lily finished the bandaging quickly, and pondered on what to do next. She had to think. Fast.
"Can you stand up?"
"Sure," he stood up, and staggered out of the bathroom uncertainly. Lily ran after him, and helped him down the stairs. The blood stained on his shirt and pants was making her feel light-headed.
"Okay sit, and -- um -- I'll get help," Lily ran into the kitchen and grabbed the phone off it's hook.
James sat on the couch, feeling very sleepy. Lily had done a good job on his cut. She had bandaged very tightly, so no blood was coming out anymore. He... he wondered why she would do something like that. She hated him, didn't she? Well, it was just natural to help someone if they were in pain.
So tired... I wonder if Lily drugged my hot chocolate...?
Lily bit her lip so hard that she could taste a little blood herself. Feeling very sickened, she tried to make up her mind on who to call. Her parents were already at the hospital, and that's where James would probably have to go. The cut was so deep and long.
Lily choked up and raced to the basin where she threw up.
"Lily?" James voice sounded so tiny.
The redhead gasped, put her face under the tap and ran to the living room again. Since when had life became so complicated?
"What's wrong?" she asked breathlessly.
James lifted his arm slowly, and Lily saw that the bandage was not doing it's job properly. The blood was coming through.
"I'm sorry," Lily gasped, staring at the redness with wide eyes, "I just can't take this--"
She swayed and almost fell onto the carpet. James became wide awake and ran up to help her.
"What's wrong?"
"I-- can't -- take the sight of -- of blood."
"Okay," James reasoned, "Just sit down. I'll be fine."
It was partly true. He didn't feel as dizzy, and the cut didn't hurt very much.
Just then, they heard voices.
"... I just can't believe Justine got a heart attack..."
"... Mmm. It's just so horrible and sudden--..."
Lily's eyes shot wide open.
"MUM!" she screamed, "DAD!"
"Lily?! Where are you?"
"Living room!"
Lily's parents flew into the living room. They both gasped as they saw the bloody mess on the couch, where James was slowly dozing off.
"James! Lily, what happened?" Rose cried, rushing over to James.
"He broke the mirror in the bathroom -- and -- he's got the biggest cut--" Lily gasped.
"Will, call the ambulance. This is bad. James dear, where are your parents?" Rose asked gently, as Will ran out to the kitchen.
James frowned as he tried to focus, "They're -- at a friends place. What's -- an -- ambulance?"
Five minutes later, James was shut up in the ambulance van, and it sirened off. Rose had gone with him.
Lily couldn't believe what had happened, had happened. It was all so -- sudden.
Her dad came and rested his hand on her shoulder.
"He'll be alright Lily. Just fine."
Lily blinked away tears, "I know he'll be -- okay. But... I can't believe I was so weak. I tried to help him, I really did. But..."
"You did wonderfully," Will said gently, hugging his daughter, "That bandage you put on him was perfect. I'll say you know your first-aid."
The redhead just nodded, and her father suggested they clean the bathroom and living room.
"How did James smash the mirror?" Will asked, as he walked up the stairs.
"I have no idea. But, him being the ditz he is, probably just tripped and fell too hard against it."
"I see."
"Hey dad, you don't have to clean it up. It'll be much quicker if I did it," Lily reasoned. She felt better now, for some strange reason.
"Why?" Will questioned.
Lily grinned, "Coz I use magic."
"You sneaky little girl. Be careful those nosy neighbours aren't looking in," Will grinned back.
--The Next Day--
"So Potter, that's seventy dollars, or um ... seventy Galleons for a replacement," Lily ordered. She was in his room. His room. She wondered why. Then she remembered that she was visiting.
"What?" James looked horrified, "Excuse me, but I must tell you that my arm was rather bloody. And that, those muggle things used a needle to stop it. It was so scary! They called them 'stitches' or something."
Lily laughed, "Muggle life. Well, it's not as if my parents are about to rush you off to St Mungo's."
"Yeah..." James smiled at the girl that was sitting a metre away from him.
"So," Lily gazed up at James, "How's you arm?"
"Oh," James lifted his arm which had a cast on it (even though no bones were broken or fractured), " 'Tis fine."
Lily stretched out and sighed, "How did you smash the mirror anyway?"
"Well..." James went a bit pink, and he gazed out at the snow-white outside of his window, "There's some awfully interesting stuff in your bathroom cabinet... And as you know, the mirror is the door to the cabinet. Well, I was just looking at the stuff. I mean, what's with the 'Clearasil?!' "
Lily, instead of glaring at him as James had thought she would, actually laughed.
"It's a Muggle skin-care product," she explained briefly, "Someone in my family uses it... I don't know who though."
Glancing quickly at the Quidditch clock hung above James' bed, she gasped.
"Holy -- pearls! I'm supposed to be helping mum with lunch before we go shopping!" she yelled, jumping up and down.
James grinned at her. She was so damn cute when she freaked out.
"Don't smile at me like that Potter!" Lily yelled, trying not to smile herself.
James poked his tongue out at her and said, "Okay, fine; you must go. Leave me. See if I care."
"Okay," Lily jumped up and was about to run out of the room when James called her back.
"Hey, I didn't mean that!" he cried, "Now before you leave, I want you to give me something."
"What? Stitches?" Lily smiled mischeviously.
"No. A hug," he said innocently.
"A WHAT?!"
"You know, a hug," still innocently.
"But -- but," Lily stammered, very kindly aware that she was blushing terribly, "--why?!"
"Coz I want one!"
"But from -- me?!"
"Yeah sure, why not?"
Lily was befuddled. No wait, she was astonished. And scared out of her wits. Why would James Potter want a hug from her?! After almost two years of hating each other! Well not hating exactly, but still... They weren't exactly on the best terms with each other.
"I really think you've lost alot of blood," Lily announced, looking at him uncertainly.
"A simple no would do," James said, sounding annoyed. And he looked... hurt.
"It's not that!" Lily blurted out. She stopped, and mentally slapped herself. What was she saying? That she would hug him? Oh, why not? It was just James.
"I hate you," she murmured, earning another one of those charming smiles from the messy-haired boy.
Cautiously and awkwardly, she leant forward and wrapped her arms around him. The wonderful feeling of James doing the same thing washed over Lily.
"That wasn't so hard, was it?" James asked cheekily, when they had released each other.
"No, but..." Lily got up and walked to the door, "I still hate you."
She smiled and left.
James, reflecting on what had just happened, smiled and relaxed on his bed.
[ I wanna love you forever,
And this is all I'm asking of you,
10,000 lifetimes together.
Is that so much for you to do?
Cos from the moment that I saw your face,
And felt the fire of your sweet embrace,
I swear, I knew.
I wanna love you forever. ]
Title: I Wanna Love You Forever ll Artist: Jessica Simpson
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----> A/N: My friend smashed her arm through a window... BLOOD EVERYWHERE! ((screams and runs around)) --MSQ.