Chapter 8
"This is so embarrassing!" Lily whined, putting on a different night shirt, she finished and pushed James. With James not paying attention, because he covered his eyes he fell to the ground.

"Lils, what did you do that for?!" James said from the floor, when Lily had pushed him he'd fallen to the ground.

"You were being perverted and you watched me in nothing but my bra!"

"No, I wasn't! I was drying my hair on the bath towel, and how was I suppose to know that you were changing clothes?! Last night you changed clothes in your bathroom, how was I suppose to know."

"Whatever James," Lily said, she didn't feel like fighting. "I'm going to bed." Lily said crawling in her bed and tucking her cat and herself inside her bed.

"Are you mad at me?" James asked kneeling down beside her bed.

Lily sighed; he always had to know what was going on. "No, James. I've just had a really long day and I'm really tired. Can we go to bed, please?"

"Yeah," James said smiling; she was even cute when she was impatient. He leaned down and kissed her forehead, got into his bed and clapped his hands twice, the lights went off. James looked her way one more time, and sighed deeply as he rolled over and fell asleep.

Lily looked up at the ceiling and was petting her cat. She couldn't sleep, she was too afraid of how vulnerable she'd be last night. Lily didn't like people getting to close to her, because they always came around and hurt her.

Her parents never hurt or Grandma Rose…but now she didn't have her Grandma Rose. Cassidy had never hurt her either, but Cassidy was her best friend…more like a sister. Petunia and Lily had been like that before Lily had gotten her letter from Hogwarts. Petunia turned her back on her, and Petunia now hated Lily. Lily and walked in to an empty classroom last year and found Stoyan and Narcissa snogging, just when Lily started trusting him, and then Lily told herself she would never trust a guy…ever. Gabriella and Alice were good friends, but they weren't as close to her as Cassidy and Lily were. They were like two sets of best friends who hung out with one another. Lily was always been a smart kid and since she knew the answers a lot of kids were jealous and called her a know-it-all.

Because Lily didn't like to get to close to people, so no one got close to her, except Cassidy, Gabriella, and Alice. The girls were like her family at Hogwarts and if it wasn't for them she'd probably killed herself of depression.

Lily was walking down long hallway, she passes a mirror…and she's in an all white dress from the Medieval Ages. She looks amazing, long red hair all curled and perfectly fixed on the top of her head, just enough makeup to look all right, and stunning white shoes. Lily kept walking down this hallway only light were little torches here and there, but there was a door ahead of her calling her to enter. Lily kept walking toward the door; she raised her hand up and picked up an all white masquerade mask, very elegant looking and beautiful. All the white looked wonderfully against her fiery-red hair. Lily knocked on the door, and two guys who looked like knights pulled the doors open from her from the inside. She walked inside, and many guys dressed like they were also from the Medieval Ages and their own masks were goggling at Lily. They'd bow before her, and she'd curtsey. Lily kept walking by, they'd bow and she'd curtsey. It was really beginning to get old and she was really starting to get bored. She kept walking and finally a young man stepped in front of her bowed, in which she curtseyed, and then he offered his hand out to her. Finally, a young man that would dance with her.

He was very graceful dancer, he knew how to lead…and it was very impressive to Lily, because many guys didn't know how.

"You know you're a wonderful dancer," the guy said to her in her ear, from behind his mask.

"Why thank you, your not so bad yourself," she told him back from behind her mask.

"Oh really?"

"Yes," Lily said back blushing from behind her mask. "Your very good dancer."

Everyone in the ballroom began to dance, and the orchestra started up and the party started to get really well. One, two, three, four, and five dances later Lily was smiling and glad that this young man had asked her to dance and no one else. Out of nowhere a single long-stemmed white rose fell at her foot. Lily bent down to pick it up, it was very lovely…not as good as Lily flowers, but it still was beautiful. Lily picked it up and turned back to the young man, she could tell he was smiling. She raised it up to her nose to smell, and it smelled wonderful. Lily pricked her finger on the rose, and it really hurt. Her forefinger started to bleed a little bit, and the orchestra completely died down, everyone turned around and stared at her as if she had a disease. Lily had an instant pain in her stomach and she grabbed it…she felt something wet…she looked down and it was blood. Lily gasped and held her stomach harder…everything began to be blurry and she started to feel faint. She started falling and the young man caught her, his mask still on. She heard him weeping and clutching her as close as he could to himself, his beautiful blue Medieval outfit soaked in her red blood. She felt tears touching her face, and she could feel him kissing her face. He was able to do this because his mask was only to his nose.

"Don't leave me, God please don't let her leave me," he whispered to where only Lily could hear. "Some one get some help, she's dying!" The man yelled out, some scattered to get help…but the rest stood there staring.

He bent down to her again and stroked her face with his cupped hand, "You can't leave me, you hear me? I love you so very much, please don't leave me." Lily saw the room getting darker and darker, and the single white rose that was now red because of her blood fell on to the ground…

Meanwhile…

James had heard Lily screaming and if her parents heard her and saw them in the same room…even though they were across the room from each other, he'd probably be dead. James ran to Lily's bed and woke her up in cold sweat. She clinked on to James as much as he clinked on to her. Lily was crying into his shoulder, he knew how hard these few days had been for her…but this nightmare must have been horrible. The cat had been on the floor sleeping in her bag, "Shh, Shh. It'll be okay Lily, I swear. What's wrong, Lils! Lils you have to be quiet." James kept saying over and over again trying to wake her up. Lily's limp body was sitting up because of James…she wasn't screaming anymore she was just muttering and crying really bad. "Lils, come on. Wake up, please wake up." About five more minutes of pulling her close and trying to wake her up, her eyes just opened up they were wide eyed, she looked around. Complete terror was haunting her eyes and she saw James and cuddled into his arms. He always made her feel safe and warm, he clutched her as close as he could to himself. "What's wrong Lily? What happened?" She just shook her head no, she couldn't talk she just needed to think. She began to crawl back into her blankets and sheet; James being respectable got up and began to walk across the room back to his bed, but a frail little arm grabbed his. He turned around to still see fear in her eyes.

"Stay with me, please," she whispered tears filled up in her eyes. James nodded and sat on the bed and twisted her long beautiful locks around his finger.

"James, please cuddle with me." Her eyes were pleading and he couldn't just say no. He loved more than life it's self and any time that Lily was in trouble or hurt he had to be there for her. He got in the bed with her, she turned to face him and he surrounded his arms around her. He felt her quiver and looked down and she was silently crying.

"Lily, I can't help you if you don't tell me what's going on. What was so bad about your dream? Please tell me, if you don't you won't be able to sleep because you'll be too scared; and I won't be able to sleep because I'll be worrying about you."

He felt Lily nod against his chest, "You want to know the whole thing?" She whispered just enough for him to barely hear her.

"Yes please," James said.

She tried to get closer to him, so he rolled on his back so she could lay her head on his chest and tell him from there. "I was walking down this hallway, and had light from torches like up like Hogwarts."

"Maybe it was at Hogwarts…" James intervened.

"I don't think so; everyone was dressed up like it was the Medieval Ages and had masks on…"

"Lily, it could have been a Masquerade Party."

"Yeah, I guess you're right." She sighed. "I guess I'll go back to sleep now."

"Do you think you can," James said running his hands between her hair she turned her head to look up at him and she nodded her head. He leaned down and kissed the top of her head. "I guess I ought to be going to my bed then." James said starting to remove the covers.

"Please stay." Lily said her eyes quivering. "I can't be alone right now." How could James not say yes to this beautiful face, he couldn't let her be alone when she was so scared?

"Yes, I'll stay." He said squeezing her closer to him, she kissed his nose and rested her head on his chest and they fell asleep that way.

The next morning came to fast for Lily, she heard a familiar alarm clock go off, but she didn't turn it off. She wasn't fully awake, until she felt the warm, soft body that had been her pillow that night get up and leave her side. Lily groaned he was so comfortable and so nice to go to sleep with.

"Come on Lils," James said walking over to his bag to get his clothes out. "We have to get ready. We have to leave for your Grandmother's funeral in an hour and a half."

Lily nodded, she had been avoiding this all week…and wasn't ready for it. Lily grabbed her black dress that she'd picked out for the funeral, black stockings, and the same black shoes from yesterday. She walked in the bathroom and began to change; James did the same in the bedroom. After Lily was finished she began to put on her make-up, thank goodness the eyeliner and mascara were waterproof. There was a knock on the door and Lily told them they could enter. James looked as if he had almost put on the same clothes, except his shirt was black today instead of white. Everything he was wearing was black, except those silver rimmed glasses that sat so perfectly to bring her eyes to his hazel ones.

"Can you help me with my hair again?" Lily nodded. "But no spikes this time." Lily giggled this time.

"Yes I can help you, and agreed I won't give you spikes again."

He nodded and sat down on the toilet. Lily reached for the gel, and the bedroom door opened. "Hello?" It was Blake Evans.

"In here Dad," Lily hollered so he could hear her.

Blake made his way through the room that James was staying in and found the two in the bathroom again. James on the toilet seat top and Lily running gel through his hair so it would try to stay down. Blake chuckled and the two teenagers turned around to see what was so funny. "Do they not have gel in the Wizarding World?" Both teenagers shook their heads no. "Oh," Blake said standing there. "So what do you do?"

"Well, Mr. Evans." James said sitting down and not looking at him because if James moved his head one more time, Lily would probably rip it off. "You can always put a charm or spell on it."

"Well, what if your on Summer Holiday and you can't?"

"Then you just go shaggy."

Blake made a face as if he didn't agree with the shaggy look, "That's what James always wears around school, Daddy." Lily piped up and James felt as if he could kill her. He didn't want her parents to think ill of him.

"Oh, really James?" Blake asked surveying this boy closely. "And why do you usually wear it shaggy?"

"Because his hair is so hard to do anything with, dad. I've been messing with his hair for almost twenty minutes and it won't do a thing." Blake and Lily laughed, but James didn't find it funny…but he'd let Lily get by as he knew what today would bring.

"Alright, Lily when your done with his hair meet us all down stairs. Your mother has made breakfast," Blake said walking out of the room and closing the bedroom door behind him.

"There," Lily said. "That's all I can manage to do."

James stood up, it wasn't bad…but no matter what his hair would always be unruly.

"You know James," Lily added. "Your hair doesn't look bad when you wake up, but when you purposely mess it up really is stupid." She said going back to the mirror to finish up her make-up.

"You know Lily Evans, you look beautiful with out all that goop on your face."

"You don't like it?"

"No, it's okay. But I prefer the natural look, your beautiful either way."

Lily put down her lip gloss, that was it…she was ready to. Well not physically. The usual smile that was on Lily's face had disappeared to a sad look, and James wrapped his arms around her. "Don't worry, I'm here for you. Anytime." Lily nodded, he was such a good friend.

The church was filled up, Lily didn't know so many people knew her grandmother. James had given Lily his handkerchief at the beginning of the service when he saw her first tear. His arm was around her and she was as close to him as she could be in Church. The service was getting ready to end, and Lily was really starting to cry. It was really hitting her now, she'd never see her grandmother ever again…until she met her up in the Great Beyond, at the Great Pearly White Gates.

James could feel her frail body shaking and he couldn't help, but kiss the top of her head. He glanced to the side of him, Petunia didn't look effected at all. Vernon and her were sitting there as if they were bored. Lily was right, her sister obviously had no heart what so ever.

People from the back of the church began to walk up to go and see Rosalyn Marie (O'Hare) Fitzgerald. The rows one by one began to get up and leave to go see their last look at Lily's Grandma Rose.

Finally it was Lily and James turn to go get their last look at Lily's grand, sweet grandmother. They reached the casket and Lily was crying so hard her body was shaking. James put a protective arm around her waist. She leaned down and kissed her Grandmother's forehead. Lily had a single red rose in her hand the whole time of the funeral and Lily laid it between her Grandmother's two hands. Lily's tears were falling off of her face. "I love you so much Grandma Rose," Lily's sobs were getting deeper and deeper. "I miss you so much, and I can't wait to see you and join you in Heaven." Lily touched her Grandmother's hand one more time and then touched the end of the casket. She was shaking so badly that James was getting really worried, "Until next time," she sobbed and James turned her into his shoulder and began to walk outside with him. She was falling apart and he had to protect her and let her grieve.

They got outside and James could feel his shirt sticking to his body from where she had been crying. James kept one protective arm still around her waist, and the other arm soothing her.

When they went to the burial spot was even worse. She was crying silently and people kept coming up to Lily and saying, "I'm sorry for your loss," or "You know she's in a better place." She knew what they were saying was right, but she didn't want them to be right, she wanted her Grandma Rose and that was all. They said the last words and everyone was excused. Lily had wanted to see them lower her Grandma Rose into the ground, but she knew she couldn't watch them throw dirt in her face without freaking out.

When they got home Lily ran up to the room that she'd been sharing with James, and James went to follow her…but Blake's hand stopped him. "Boy, can we talk?" James nodded, even though he wanted to make sure she was okay first, but he followed Lily's father into his study. Blake sat behind his desk and told James to take a seat across from him. Blake took out a cigar and began smoking it, "Want one?" James shook his head no.

" James, I can tell you care for my daughter a lot, right?"

"Yes, sir." James replied thinking he was about to be shot.

"I know she cares about you too, you can see it in her eyes and the way she turns to you for comfort and help."

"But, doesn't she do the same to yourself and Mrs. Evans?"

Blake shook his head no, "You see James, Lily never trusted men in the first place, and then there was something really bad that happened to Lily last year at Christmas Holidays…well it didn't fully happen, but it almost did and it has haunted Lily ever since. She doesn't trust guys at all, and when I see her look at you it scares me."

"I swear Mr. Evans I will never hurt Lily. I care for her a lot."

"James, I know you'll never hurt her. But, what I see in your eyes for her really scares me. You love her don't you?"

James gulped, he kind of wanted to tell Lily this before her father ever found out, but James had to answer. "Yes sir I do."

"I'm just warning you now James, it takes a lot to crack that shell of hers. She keeps as far away from guys as possible. If you hurt her Potter, I swear I'll kill you." Blake Evans said cracking his knuckles and James gulped, yes he was going to die tonight…he just knew it. "But, you see Potter…the way you look at her with such love, and respect I know you won't. Go on now, and go comfort her…I know you want to and I know she wants you to, also."

James nodded and got out of that study as soon as he could.

When James had arrived in the kitchen there was a guy about a year older than the two of them in the kitchen. "Hey dude, do you know where Lily is?" James looked at this character, there was something about him he didn't like.

"Yes, I do…what do you want with her?" James snarled.

"Lily and I have had something going on and off for a few years," this idiot grinned. "Oh by the way my name is Mitchell Dwayne Clemmons."

"James Harry Potter," James said holding out his hand to be Gentleman like. "What do you want with my girlfriend, Lily?"

"Your Lily's man now? Hmm…"

There were feet pitter-pattering down the stairs it was Lily, in pajama pants and a big shirt. She saw the two downstairs and she froze. "James," she said her eyes as big as saucers. "What are you doing down here with…him?" She spat the 'him' part.

"He introduced himself to me, so I was being a Gentlemen…."

"You don't have to be a Gentlemen to him James."

"Aww, Lily come on." Mitchell spoke up.

"You loathsome piece of trash," she hissed at him and James turned and looked at him. There was hate in her eyes for Mitchell, James had never experienced this look from the lovely Lily.

James turned to Mitchell, "What did you do to her?"

"Nothing, we were just having some fun and she made a big deal about it."

"Didn't my father tell you to stay away from me? You won't listen to the restraining order? Do I have to call the police?"

"There you go again Lily," Mitchell said laughing. "Being melodramatic."

"YOU LIAR," she screamed. Tears were streaming down her face.

James walked to Lily, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, she's just a little tease." Mitchell spat at her.

"LIKE HELL, YOU BASTARD! YOU TRIED TO RAPE ME ON CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS LAST YEAR! I HOPE YOU FUCKING ROT IN HELL!" Lily screamed and footprints came down the stairs.

James had ran to this guy, threw him against the wall and started chocking him.

"James!" Blake Evans yelled, while Abigail went to the phone to call the police. "James get off of him!" Blake said trying to get James back.

"No!" James yelled, "He hurt Lily…"

"James, please," Lily said coming up behind him. "He's not worth it, just let it go." James let go and kicked Mitchell's ass out of the door. "Just please come upstairs with me and comfort me." James nodded and went upstairs to comfort his precious Lily…