Chapter 3

After about 9 O'clock the party began to take a turn towards couples only so James decided it was time to make his move. He tousled his hair, flattened his shirt and began to weave his way through the crowd of swaying students. Just as he reached Lily, so did Sirius. A very drunk Sirius.

"Lily!" he exclaimed with a slight slur. He threw out his arms in apparent surprise that she was there. "Ahhh, Jame-hic-s! You wouldn't want to dance, would you?"

James shook his head and sighed to himself. "Sirius, how many firewhiskeys have you had?" he asked.

Sirius was quiet for a minute as he appeared to be deep in concentration counting on his fingers.

"One," he declared finally. James raised his eyebrows at him. Sirius giggled a little and leaned closer to James. "Plus five," he said in what he clearly thought was a whisper.

"Sirius-"

"No, I'm-hic-fine. I just- woaaaahh," he held his arms out to steady himself. Then his eyes drooped shut and his frame went limp. James caught him before he hit the floor.

"Ok, let's get you upstairs. Lily, I'll be-" he looked around. "Lily?" He spotted a head of red locks leave through the portrait hole. "LILY!" he called after her instinctively. The music was so loud that nobody even looked up when he shouted. He scanned the crowd and found Moony dancing with a 6th year he recognized. He dragged Sirius over and cut in.

"Moony, take him upstairs. I'll be back! Thanks!" he said quickly, dumping the unconscious Sirius into Remus's hands. Then he ran towards the portrait hole and sprinted down the hall.

Lily had her arms crossed over her chest as she made her way out of the castle. She passed couples giggling madly in the bushes and fought back tears. She broke out into a run and didn't stop until she was at the lake's edge. Then she dropped down, pulled her knees to her chest and let the salty crystals fall from her eyes and roll down her cheeks.

James was out of breath when he finally spotted Lily down by the lake. He took a second to slow down as he watched her. Her head was bent and her shoulders were rocking. James's heart fell when he realized she was crying. He cautiously began to make his way over to her. As he came up behind her, James could hear the sobs as tears splashed down onto her shirt.

"Lily?" he said quietly, trying not to startle her. She lifted her head to see who was addressing her and James saw her puffy, tear-stained face.

"God, please don't look at me," she said, turning quickly away from him. He paused and then tentatively sat down beside her on the bank of the lake.

"Lily," he repeated, very softly this time. Without thinking he reached his hand out and rested it on hers. She pulled away quickly.

"What are you doing here?" she asked doing her best not to look at him and still come off as unconcerned with his response. James didn't answer for a second.

"Why are you crying?" he asked instead. She muttered something he couldn't hear.

He moved closer to her. "What?" She shook her head in reply.

"Lily?" she winced at being addressed by her first name.

"Don't call me that, Potter," she snapped automatically as she rubbed tears from her cheeks. James took no notice of the sudden mood swing. "Why are you crying?" he repeated. She looked down. He tilted her chin back up. "Why-"

"I don't know," she replied, cutting him off. "Just everything." He let go of her chin and she looked away.

"Ok," he said. She looked at him questioningly.

"Ok? That's it? You're just going to drop it?" she sniffled.

"Yeah," he replied. Without warning she dropped her head onto his lap. He entwined his fingers with hers and this time she didn't pull away. James looked at the moon and sighed.

"I love you," he said. But she was already asleep.

The next morning James awoke and looked around. He and Lily had fallen asleep next to the lake. Her head was resting on his chest and their fingers were still laced together. He smiled. James wanted to stay like this forever but his watch told him it was almost seven and he knew the teachers would be up soon. He put his arms under Lily and lifted her easily. She made a noise but didn't wake up. He carried her back through the castle and used a shortcut to the girl's dormitory to omit the use of the stairs. He opened the 7th year girl's door as quietly as possible and ducked inside. The other three girls didn't wake up. James laid Lily down on her bed and pulled the covers up to her chin. He watched her for a second before turning away. As he reached for the doorknob he heard a noise behind him.

"James…"Lily whispered. Then she rolled over and continued to sleep. James smiled and left to go to his own dormitory to take a shower and get ready for the questions that were sure to be asked.

James made his way back to his own dormitory with a spring in his step and a whistle on his lips. He hit a particularly high note as he reached for the doorknob. As his hand touched the metal he felt it turn without his will. The door swung open, someone grabbed him and pulled him inside.
"Ahh, Remus. Sirius, Peter," he said, lightly, nodding to them. "So nice to see my best friends on this glorious morning," he said as he was pushed onto his bed. Remus looked at him oddly but James just flashed him a grin and began to whistle again. Peter through his hands over his ears, Sirius jammed a pillow over his head and Remus covered James's mouth with his hand. James attempted to continue his melody through the interruption but all that happened was Remus pulling away a saliva covered hand.
"Yuck!" he exclaimed, wiping the spit on James's robes.
"Oh, c'mon, it's just a little spit...anyway, how long you known me? We're practically brothers which means that my spit shouldn't freak you out that much." James said as he nonchalantly fell backward on the bed and sighed, grinning from ear to ear.
"Yeah but God knows where your mouth was last night," retorted Remus.
"Right, right. So how is the hangover coming on, Sirius old boy?" James asked cheerily as he turned to his other friend. Sirus didn't lift his head from under the pillow; he just stuck up his thumb and then groaned loudly.
Peter finally spoke up. "So, what happened, you know...with…with Lily?" he tried to say suggestively but it came off more like a farm animal headed off to the slaughter house. James just laughed.
"Seriously, did you two get together or what?" prodded Remus.
Sirius deigned to lift his head up to say, "Yeah, did you finally attain the unattainable?" Then he winced and let his head fall back onto the bed.
"How come no one gave him something for that hangover?" James asked, suddenly putting on his fake mothering voice.
"Don't change the subject, James" Remus said.
"You know what?" James replied. Everyone looked at him, waiting for what he was going to say. "I gotta take a shower. Breakfast in 20?" he said, smiling. They all groaned in unison as he left the room with his towel.
As he opened the bathroom door James heard Sirius shout, "This is why I hate you sometimes!" James just chuckled and stepped into the shower stall.

15 minutes later, James walked back into the room to find the other boys sitting ready and waiting for him.
"God, what took so long? Looks like Miss Evans rubbed off on you more than we thought," Sirius said.
James ignored the comment. "I see someone gave you something for that awful headache of yours. You really should learn your limit, Sirius; you looked a right prat last night," he replied.
"Shut up," said Sirius, punching James in the arm.

As they entered the Great Hall, James surveyed the room for Lily. Nowhere in sight.
"Bad luck, mate. Maybe she's too afraid you'll crush her heart to come out of her room. Maybe you should ask one of her mates where she is," Sirius pointed to a group of Gryffindors and Ravenclaws getting up and exiting the Hall together.
"Don't be stupid," James replied. But before he knew it his legs were taking him over to the group of girls. He stopped in front of them. They stopped too and looked at him.
"Good morning ladies," he said, giving them a wink. Two of the girls giggled madly.
"Elizabeth," he said, looking at the girl in the center of group.
"Hey James, what do you need?" she replied, obviously not fazed by his charm like the others. The two girls stopped giggling and instead began shooting daggers at Elizabeth with their eyes.
"Well, someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning," he flashed them another smile. "Anyway, I was wondering if you might tell me where Lily Evans is, seeing as she's is clearly not here," he asked as nonchalantly as possible.
"She was complaining of a stomach ache when I saw her. I think she went back to sleep."
"Terrific. Thank you very much, have a nice day Ladies," he threw them one last wink and sat down at the Gryffindor table.

Ok now I feel really bad because this chapter has been finished for a while but I thought I already put it up. Then I tried to put it up and my computer was being a butt! Forigve me!

Coorection: OH My God! the site wouldn't let me upload for the longest time I am so sorry...there is a another chapter or two..whatever else I have I am adding right now...hope you haven't abondoned the fic!

Jes

p.s. just started a new fic which I am also putting up..if you have me on author alert you'll know but otherwise it's called 'The Sting of a Broken Man' its the H/D I've been rpmising forever! I'll put up a link when it up. also, if you read stuff from i just put up my first story there, called 'anonymous love' so you can check that out too!