Mentions of character death and alcohol.


"Everything is gone. Everything we worked so hard for is just rubble and dust…"

James crumpled to his knees. Lily stood beside him, looking at the smoldering ruins of their home, grief rolling over her in waves, but James needed her more. She had to be strong.

"My parents, Lily, they're just…gone. Gone. I'm so weak. I couldn't protect them."

"You're not weak," Lily said fiercely. "You're one of the strongest people I know."

"Then how could I let my parents die?"

"It's not your fault," she said. "The aliens came in droves. They tried to fight but were overwhelmed."

"I know, but…"

"But nothing. There's nothing you could do."

James slumped, falling into the snow. Lily drew her coat tightly around her as the bitter winter air bit into her skin. She had not had time to wear gloves, so her hands were raw. She stuck them into her coat's pockets.

"James, we need to get out of here," she said. "If we stand out here any longer, they'll pick up our scent. We need to go somewhere safer. Perhaps Remus's?"

"No, it's not safe there." James struggled to his feet, his face red with both blood and cold. "We'd be better off at Sirius's. He's got a better protection system in place."

Lily didn't argue.


There was a rickety old tavern below Sirius's flat, so they ventured inside to grab a drink before they headed up — James needed something to calm his nerves before he told Sirius the news.

They sat at the empty bar, alone except for a seedy-looking man who was making eyes at Lily — instinctively she drew closer to James, who didn't notice.

"I'll have a rum and coke," he said and glanced at Lily. "And…"

"I'll have a strawberry daiquiri," she said quickly.

The bartender moved away to make their drinks. Lily was still aware of the man leering at her.

"I've got to take a piss," James said, getting up, and Lily almost called him back — she didn't like the way the man was looking at her. But he didn't look particularly inclined to approach her, so she kept her gaze on the bar.

At least, until someone breathed down her neck. The breath was hot and putrid, billowing around her, and she almost gagged.

"That your boyfriend?"

She didn't dare turn around. "Excuse me?"

"I said, was that your boyfriend?"

James, hurry up…

"What's it to you?" she said curtly.

"Well, a pretty thing like you should have a boyfriend," the man murmured. "If the position isn't filled…"

Lily opened her mouth to either scream or deliver a cutting reply before a familiar voice intervened.

"That position is filled. By me. So I'd appreciate it if you moved away from my girlfriend."

She almost cried with relief as the man backed away. Her heart pounded in her ears until James slid in next to her.

"Thanks for the save," she said, her voice oddly steady.

"It wasn't a problem." He winked. "Consider me the guy who will chase off all the perverts and weirdos from my lovely fake girlfriend."

Lily felt her cheeks warm. "...Thanks," she said quietly.


She hated sharing a bed with anyone — but Sirius only had one extra bed and James refused to let Lily sleep on the floor. Likewise, Lily refused to let him sleep on the floor. So here they were, sharing a bed and it was so, so awkward.

It shouldn't be. They were friends. But it was more of the fact that it was a boy and girl sharing a bed and the implications of that that scared her.

But everything would be okay, right? They were on opposite sides and nothing was going to happen.

They were just friends...right?


631 words

1000 - 246. "You're not weak. You're one of the strongest people I know."

Sci-Fi September Day 15 - Dialogue: "Everything is gone. Everything we worked so hard for is just rubble and dust…"

Pick a Wick - 13. Gingerbread

Build a Better Breakfast - 30. Spinach

365 - 29. Bitter

Shades of Oz - Galinda the Good Witch (Lily Evans Potter)

Heartbreak Weather - Arms of a Stranger (sharing a bed) / bonus: James/Lily