Chapter 3: And It All Falls Apart

For the next few weeks, James did everything he could to avoid Lily, his emotions being very hurt. Lily, other than ignoring James, was acting like the argument had never happened. Although Lily was quick to anger, she was not so quick to forgive. Her reputation for holding grudges was right up there next to the one of her fiery temper. The few times that James did try to make contact with her, Lily acted as if no one was there. It hurt James to see that he had upset Lily so much. All I did was tell her the truth, but she can't handle it. Merlin, she can bash on me and my antics all day long but when it comes to telling her something about herself, well pigs have a better chance of flying than to get away with something like that. Most girls like it when a guy tells them that they love them. Oh shit, she must think I'm just trying to get her in bed with me. Damn it Potter, you idiot. That's what's making her give me glares that could make hell freeze over. I've got to make her talk to me soon…

Much to the dismay of her two best friends, she immersed her time with Hunter. Lily became extremely distant, never staying around for more than 5 minutes or saying more than a few words. Every time any one of her friends saw her, she was walking quickly, never anyone in the eye. The once confident Lily was turning into a timid, scared girl. Emma and Carolina noticed something was wrong with Lily, but they put it off saying she was still upset about her fight with James. They knew how much it must hurt Lily to fight with him the way she was so they didn't push the subject. Ever since James and Lily called a truce to their ongoing war on each other due to a mysterious series of events in their 4th year, the pair had been close. No one, however, knew how close the bonds between James and Lily really were, and how broken their friendship was. Halloween night, after spending a tiresome day in Hogsmeade, Lily found herself in a broom closet with Hunter when he started to take of what little clothing he had left on. He felt Lily hesitate and stopped short.

"What's wrong with you these days, Lily?" he asked panted. Oh, here he goes again. Trying to act like he actually cares about me. Well, I haven't forgotten what he said and did last night, or all the times before that. "What's wrong?" he asked again when Lily didn't respond.

"Hunter, I don't think I can do this," she whispered. Did I just say that?

"Do what?" the angry voice came. Shit, I've pissed him off again. Stupid Lily, stupid Lily.

"You know what I mean," Lily spoke softly, looking for her long lost shirt and bra. Hunter stopped her by grabbing her tightly around her arms. Lily tried to fight back but he hit her across the face. Lily cried out in pain, and just let herself go, too scared to fight back. He just hit me, he just freaking hit me. He's never done this before, he's called me all the names that Merlin could possibly think of, but he's never hit me, well, not really hit. He's pushed me around some, grabbed me on my arms, but nothing like this. What is wrong with me? What have I done to him that is so wrong? Well, I have kissed James, but…she thought, a tear sliding down her cheek.

"What's wrong, baby?" he asked sweetly, as if nothing had just happened.

"I just don't think this is right."

"What's not right?" he yelled. Someone walking down the hall heard the anger in the voice and stopped outside the door, listening.

"This relationship," she responded weakly, looking at the ground. That's Lily, Sirius thought. What is Hunter doing to her?

"Are you breaking up with me?" Hunter asked through gritted teeth. All Lily could bring herself to do was nod her head slowly, wishing he would let go of her arms. What is wrong with him? Ever since the start of term he's been like this, well not like this, he's never hit me, but how he talks to me and shoves me around. Like I'm the scum of the earth. Telling me that nobody but him would dare date a Mudblood like me. The fear of being hurt worse consumed her. A look of anger possessed Hunter's face and he pushed Lily up against the wall with a thud. Lily squeaked in pain as Sirius came bursting through the door.

"Impedimentia!" he shouted, making Hunter fall to the ground. A look of relief crossed Lily's face as she ran up to Sirius, hugging him. Sirius gave her a rather funny look, and then Lily realized that she hadn't put back on her clothes. Lily just looked at him, horrified, and began to cry again.

"It's ok, Lily," Sirius murmured sweetly, turning around. Once Lily had her clothes back on Sirius turned back around. "Are you ok?"

"H-he hit me," she stuttered. "I let him hit me. This is all my fault. I should have listened to y-you and Remus."

"No Lily, you didn't let him hit you," Sirius interjected. "This is not your fault. He's bigger than you, stronger than you. Fighting back could have gotten you hurt worse."

"I should have seen this coming—I feel so stupid…" Lily began, sobbing lightly.

"Don't blame yourself Lily, it's not your fault," Sirius persisted.

"You don't know the way he's been treating to me lately!" Lily shouted. "I should have known…" she trailed off, choking down the tears.

"It's going to be ok," Sirius said, pulling Lily into a hug. He noticed that she was shaking and could barely stand up by herself. He also realized that shuddered as he put her arms around her. If that insolent little fool left any mark on Lily, ohhh…, Sirius thought, vowing to cause permanent damage to Davies if he had put any kind of mark on her.

"Do you need to see Madame Pompfrey?"

"No, but I think he does," she stated, pointing to Hunter.

"Are you sure, Lily? You look a little shook up?" Sirius started, but the look on Lily's face was all the 'no' that he needed. "All right, let's take him to the Hospital Wing and then I'll walk you back to your Common Room," Sirius continued, levitating Hunter. They walked to the Hospital Wing in complete silence; Lily holding on tightly to Sirius out of fear she might fall down. Once they had dropped off Hunter, Sirius turned to Lily, breaking the silence.

"Let me see where he hurt you." Lily pulled off her shirt thinking, well this isn't anything he hasn't already seen. Sirius studied her arms carefully, nothing the large bruises forming and the nail marks dug deep into her shoulders.

"He did this to you?" Sirius shouted. "I'll kill him, mark me, I will."

"Sirius, stop shouting. Calm down," Lily ordered.

"Has he done this before?"

"No—well, not really," she stammered, feeling ashamed of herself. "He's called my names and grabbed me, but it's ok, really," she choked.

"I'm gonna kill him. No girl deserves to be treated like this. I'm going to get James and we're going to the Hospital Wing to give the git what's coming to him."

"No," she pleaded. "Don't tell James, please, please."

"What? Why wouldn't I tell James?" Sirius asked, confused and pacing about like a mad man.

"Because I don't want him to think I can't handle myself anymore than he already does. You know how he is, always trying to protect me. Plus we're kind of in a fight, and this would just cause more problems between us." Sirius stopped pacing and pondered what Lily had just said for a moment.

Looking her straight in the eye he said, "Lily, sometimes people need to be protected. You have to realize that sometimes you need help, that it's ok to need help. You don't have to do everything alone. And what's this fight about?" Wait a minute, am I getting a lecture from Sirius Black?, Lily thought. "Lily…" Sirius ventured when she didn't respond.

"Oh…Sirius, please, just don't tell James—not yet anyways. And don't—don't hurt Hunter, he doesn't deserve your time."

"What's this fight about?" Sirius reiterated.

"Nothing," Lily said in an undertone, rather embarrassed to be talking about her fight with James with Sirius.

"Ok, I won't make you tell me what you're fighting about. But I can't promise you how long I can keep this from James, or how long I can go without hurting the prat." She never said I couldn't tell Emma or Carolina. And what's this fight with James? Is that why he's being such a prat all the time? He's in a fight with his Lily? Well, we'll have to talk about this later, Sirius thought, walking silently with Lily back to the Head's Common Room.