Chapter 2

Savior

Lily's eyes flickered open. She felt tired and weak. Her vision was blurred, but she could make out two figures near the door. One she recognized as madam Pomfrey, the other she did not recognize at first. Her brilliant green eyes could only make out dark, untidy hair, and glasses. But then she knew.

Oh no, not Potter, anyone but Potter, please not Potter.

"Hey, she's awake!" Lily turned her head and saw Hannah, Taylor, Olivia, and another of her friends, Kelsey.

"She's awake, she's awake, she's awake!" Kelsey said cheerfully. Kelsey came to school by Floo powder because her parents were paranoid about You-Know-Who.

"Hey guys," Lily said wearily. They all smiled and whispered: "Hey, don't talk too loud or madam Pomfrey will have our heads."

"Girl, you are so lucky that Potter was on the train," whispered Olivia, glancing at James, who was still talking to madam Pomfrey.

"Uh, why?" asked Lily, wondering why her friends were actually saying things like that.

"Potter conjured the Patronus that saved you," said Taylor, "We saw him pick you up and put you in the prefect's compartment, and he did this thing where it made you warm, and then he left, sent a letter to the school, and stayed with you the rest of the ride."

"Eww, Potter touched me?" said Lily, half disgusted, half impressed that Potter could do such advanced magic of conjuring a full corporeal patronus. She took another glance to where she saw James, but he was already gone.

Lily was released the next day, and she went up to Dumbledore's office with James for their instructions.

"Now, the two of you will be sharing the Head's common room. The entrance is behind the painting of the eagle on the sixth floor. You will patrol the corridors from seven pm to ten pm. You are allowed to give detentions, but please do not get carried away," said Dumbledore, seeing the look of joy on James' face. Lily knew who he would use this privilege on. Severus Snape, and Lucius Malfoy were Potter's worst enemies, and he would probably give them detention until they were hanging by their toes in Filch's office, even though Lily herself wouldn't mind giving Bellatrix Lestrange a taste.

As they were going up to the sixth floor, neither tried to make conversation. James felt awkward for saving Lily, and Lily felt awkward having being saved by James Potter. No one spoke until they reached the eagle. From its branch, it said: "Please choose a password."

"Um, whatever you want," said James, staring at his feet. Lily heaved a sigh. This was the one time in the entire year that she was going to be remotely nice to James Potter.

"How about Silver Stag?" that was the hardest thing in the world to do.

James had never felt so embarrassed in his life. Lily Evans was actually being nice to him. "You saw that?"

"Uh, ya," said Lily, clearly embarrassed by her own kindness.

"Okay, so Silver Stag?" the eagle nodded its bold head and the portrait opened. As they entered the common room, James felt his mouth fall open. The room was covered in red and gold, and it already had carpets, and furniture. To his left he saw a door. He opened it, and found a huge four poster bed with a JP carved into the wood. He could tell Lily had found hers because he heard her gasp.

He walked back into the common room and sat down in a squashy old armchair by the fire and closed his eyes. He felt at home.

"You couldn't possibly help could you?" asked Lily, who was trying to lift her trunk into the top part of her closet.

"You couldn't possibly ask nicely?" said James sarcastically, keeping his eyes shut.

James heard a loud thump and could tell that Lily had dropped her trunk to the floor. "You always have to be an arrogant prat don't you?" James turned around and looked at her. She had her hands oh her hips and her auburn hair was in her eyes.

"You know, most people would have said thank you,"

"Just because you helped me, doesn't mean I have to like you," her voice was rising.

"First of all, I didn't say you had to like me, and second, I didn't help you, I saved you," said James, his temper flaring up.

"YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO!"

"YOU WOULD'VE DIED IF I DIDN'T!"

"WHY DO YOU EVEN CARE? YOU ONLY CARE ABOUT YOURSELF JAMES POTTER!" and with that, Lily marched out of the room and out the portrait hole, leaving James hurt and alone.

James didn't feel like relaxing any more. He walked out the portrait hole and followed the familiar path down to Gryffindor Tower. "Fanged Frisbee," he said; being head boy, he knew the password.

"Hey, if it isn't our famous Head Boy," said Sirius from his couch. James saw that Hannah was sitting surprisingly close to him. Remus was by the fire, reading, with Taylor stealing nervous glances over at him. Peter was alone in the other armchair, trying to make his quill do a cartwheel, and Olivia and Kelsey were sitting on the other couch reviewing Transfiguration. James also noticed Olivia stealing jealous looks over at Hannah and Sirius.

As soon as Sirius spoke, Kelsey's head jolted up so fast, her face was blurred. Kelsey had always tried to help him out with Lily, but her plans never really worked.

"Hey Potter, what's wrong?" she asked when she saw his face. James started to explain, but he thought that Lily might be there, so he didn't.

"Uh, is Evans here?" he asked cautiously.

"Nah, she went to the library about five minutes ago. Why?" said Taylor, finally taking her eyes off Remus.

"Um, no reason, but could you guys excuse us for a bit?" he said, indicating the four girls. Surprisingly, they didn't complain, but just got up and left. Lily had probably told them already.

So James started telling the story. "And then she just ran out!" he said about ten minutes later. "I mean, I saved her! She should bow down and call me savior!"

"Um, I wouldn't go that far James," said Remus.

"Fine, but she could've at least said thank you,"

"Very true," said Sirius.

How did you like the second chapter? Pretty intense huh? The next chapter has some other couple relationships in it as well, so R&R please!