A/N: Nope, I have not dropped off the face of the planet, I'm still here – just buried waist-deep in homework.

For those of you who are confused, all italicized writing is thoughts (and in the case of this chapter, dreams).

XxX

"Someone's coming," Remus and Sirius skidded to a halt as staggering footsteps thudded through the hall ahead of them. Diving behind a suit of armor, the two boys held their breath, half-expecting Filch to jump out at them at any moment.

"They're carrying something, something heavy," Remus muttered, almost to himself. "You can tell by how heavy the steps are, how they thud, and how they stagger. . ."

"Maybe it's a drunken troll." Sirius hissed sarcastically, "In which case, SHUT-UP BEFORE IT HEARS YOU!"

Remus shut his mouth obediently, surprised by his sudden outburst. He had always been the most levelheaded of the marauders, the one who kept his cool by keeping the others out of trouble. But lately he'd been feeling slightly edgy, anxious; perhaps it was because of how his three closest friends seemed to all be on different pages now. They weren't the close-knit group they'd began the year as. Peter was quiet, always disappearing with some forgotten project. Sirius was sullen and easily agitated, though Lily and James' break-up seemed to have rekindled his old attitude. James was so wrapped up in Lily that he barely had time to be himself any more. And Remus . . . what was he exactly? Oneself never seems to change, though he knew he must have. It's just our angsty teen years, Remus tried to convince himself. We're not drifting apart; we're just trying to cope in the end of school our own ways.

Remus was brought back to attention by Sirius' elbow in his side. A figure stepped in front of the suit of armor, repositioning his lad. The man looked strangely familiar with his fly-away hair, square-jaw, handsome profile . . .

"James?" Sirius questioned incredulously, recognizing his friend a split second before Remus.

Startled, James almost dropped Lily, catching her slipping body just before she slid from his arms. "Sirius? Remus? What are you . . .?"

"We could ask you the same question, mate. We wakeup to find you and the map missing, take off to find you, and here you are. Looks like you've accomplished both our tasks." Sirius sighed, nodding at Lily.

"What?"

"He wanted to get you and Lily back together," Remus explained.

"Oh," James looked down at the sleeping girl in his arms. "Oh!"

"You just have to take all the fun out of life, don't you Prongs?" Sirius mock glared.

"Yes, because carrying a hundred some pound seventeen year old is just oh so much fun!" James rolled his eyes, a smile playing on his lips.

Sirius snorted, "It's good to have you back, Jamesie-boy."

Though the nickname usually elicited some sort of ill remark of outrage, James merely grinned. "It's good to be back, Siir."

XxX

The three friends trudged into the common room at half past one, thoroughly agitated after spending a quarter of the hour being interrogated and hassled by a disgruntled Fat Lady.

"I shouldn't even be letting you three in! You're a disgrace to generations of Gryffindors, always troubling the school, sneaking off in that cloak of yours, harassing young girls, sneaking back and waking up respectable patrons of the school, like myself!" Sirius mimicked in a shrill voice, glaring spitefully at the back end of the portrait. "What I wouldn't give to give her a swift kick up her-"

"Padfoot," Remus shook his head wearily.

"I'm serious, Moony." Sirius said, "She's almost as bad as the old hag who calls herself my mum. Speaking of old hags," Sirius rounded on James who was gently setting a sleeping Lily down on the couch. "Care to explain what happened to your girl?"

James shifted uneasily, bouncing on the balls of his feet and stretching his sore arms. "I don't think you really want to know."

"Of course we do! Lily's just as much our friend as yours!"

"I don't think that's what James meant, was it?" Remus said softly.

Sirius' eyes narrowed, "You mean one of my 'beloved family members' did this?"

"Trust me," James said again, his eyes on the floor, "You don't want to-"

"Don't give me that, James! If it was one of my bloody relative I deserve to know! You'd want to know if one of your relatives tried to off my girlfriend, wouldn't you?" Sirius was seething now, eyes full of rage – not for James, but for who ever had attacked Lily. "Out with it James, was it Bellatrix?"

James shook his head, trying to find his voice. "No, Sirius, it – it was Regulus."

Sirius nodded slowly, his face pale, throat so dry that his next words came out as a hoarse croak. "Right," He cleared his throat. "Right, so he's finally turned then, has he? Well, good riddance!"

"Sirius," James placed a hand on his friend's shoulder. "It's not your fault."

"He's right, y'know." Remus joined in. "There's nothing you could have done."

Sirius just sighed, shrugging the two off of him. "I'm going to sleep before I pass out."

Remus turned to James as the watched Sirius walk dejectedly up the stairs. "You coming?"

"Nah, I don't want to leave her alone." He gestured to Lily.

"People will talk," Remus smirked.

"Let them. I can't leave her alone." James began pushing the couch towards the far wall.

"You know, you're really growing up, James." Remus said a hint of pride and admiration in his voice.

"Aw, stop it Moony, I'm blushing." James fanned his face with his hand, fluttering his eyelashes.

Remus just laughed, shoving James before walking up the stairs to his room. "Obviously not that much."

XxX

Darkness pushed around Lily, seeping in to every corner of her mind. She moaned, twisting and turning, trying to claw her way through the thickening void. Suddenly, there was a brilliant flash of white – purer than any color she'd ever seen. It seemed to contain every color of the rainbow and it danced playfully on the edges of the void, slowly absorbing the darkness until there wasn't a single hint of back left. Lily found herself suspended in emptiness and she began to fall. Arms flailing, she reached for something hold, to grasp to, and then she was in his arms, her face buried deep into the chest of James Potter.

Lily woke with a start, eyes rolling wildly, trying to determine where she was. The common room, she realized. Someone had turned a couch towards a wall, shielding her from view as she slept. Yawning slightly, she rolled over to face the wall, all to aware of the sudden ache that spread like fire through her bones. She could vaguely remember the past night's events; the blinding tears, Reggie, ice cream, the pain of being thrown against a wall, James . . .

Lily sat up quickly, instantly cursing herself as pain racked through her body once more. James had saved her last night, after all she'd said he'd still come after her, risked his own life just to keep her safe. Reggie's words came flowing back, haunting her mind. Voldemort was after the Potters, trying to get to jams to get to his parents. Lily had merely been a pawn in his twisted game.

"Hey, you're up," a familiar voice murmured shyly.

Lily slowly turned her head, wincing in pain, to face James. His hair was more tousled than usual, his wrinkled robes suggesting he hadn't bothered changing into night clothes before sleeping. His broad hands were cupped around a steaming porcelain teacup which he promptly handed to Lily who looked at him in question.

"It's hot chocolate, it should make you feel a bit better, take some of the pain away." He scuffed his foot nervously on the carpet.

Lily obediently took a sip, feeling warmth spreading through her body. "Did you do all this?" She gestured towards the couch, noticing for the first time a pile of blankets on the floor beside it.

"Yeah," James took a seat next to her. "I knew I couldn't carry you up to the girls' dorm, so I figured this was the next best thing. I slept on the floor, in case you woke up and didn't know where you were." He blushed, realizing he was rambling.

Lily stared down at her cup, absently turning it in her hands. "Why are you being so nice to me, James? I was so cruel to you," there were tears in her eyes as she whispered. "I don't deserve any of this."

"Hey," James brushed a strand of hair from her face, stroking her cheek with the back of his calloused hand. "Don't you ever say that, Lil. So you got mad at me, who hasn't? That doesn't mean we can't work this out. I love you, Lily. I always have. And try as you might to hide it, I know part of you still loves me as well."

Lily couldn't help it any more, tears were streaming down her face as James held her in a protective embrace, rocking her as she cried. "I was so scared, James, I was so afraid I'd never see you again."

"I'm not going anywhere, Lil, I'm never going to leave you, understand?" He felt her nod against his chest while he combed his fingers through her hair. "No matter what happens in the future we'll always work it out. We'll fight together, Lily. Nothing can ever take you away from me."

"James," Lily pulled away, wanting desperately to believe him but afraid to do so. "He's after you, after your family."

James heaved a heavy sigh, staring past Lily. "I know."

"You do?"

He nodded. "I've always known he would come fore us, it was just a matter of time. But my parents can handle themselves, it's you I'm worried about."

"Me?"

"Yes, you. You've already been targeted once, what's to stop Voldemort from trying again? I don't' want you to get hurt, Lily."

Lily stared up at him adamantly, "Didn't you just say that we'd fight together?"

"I didn't mean-"

"James," she cut him off with a glare. "Even if we did separate, I told Reggie that I love you. Voldemort knows, he knows he can still get to you through me. We're going to fight this together, James."

He smiled at her, eyes alight with love and tenderness. "All right, you win." He bent down, capturing her lips with his. To Lily the kiss was magical in all senses; all the pain and exhaustion drained from her body, leaving her full of love and laughter. James gently eased her to the couch, engrossing himself in the kiss. Lily giggled into his mouth as his fingers brushed her side, tickling her softly.

"Well it's about bloody time."

Lily and James rolled off the couch, startled by the sudden intrusion.

"Sirius," James panted, surveying the small crowd that had assembled behind the couch. "Remus, Maren, Peter, Andy; 'morning."

"Sorry 'bout that, Prongs," Remus smiled apologetically. "But you two are the Head Boy and Girl, and I doubt McGonagall would have been pleased to hear about you two going at it for all the first years to see."

Lily blushed furiously, stealing a glance at James who was grinning sheepishly.

"Not that we aren't' happy you two have worked this out though," Andy smiled.

"But if you two want to make it to class on time," Maren joined in, "You might want to go get ready."

"Right," Lily rose to her feet, smoothing out the wrinkles in her robes. "I guess I'll go shower then."

James made to follow her, but his fellow marauders held him back, letting the girls follow Lily up the stairs.

"Let her go, Prongs, she's coming back."

"Right," James stared longingly up the stairs, then, resigned, he headed back to his own room.

XxX

A/N: Only one or two chapters left!

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