Thank you for reading! I don't own any of Harry Potter! Please let me know if you enjoy! Updates every Saturday!

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"Don't worry, Evans." James reassured Lily while he gazed at her as she on his bed. "I can break the coercion. Maybe that's just an illusion, anyway." James said, nodding to Lily's abdomen. "Whoever's done this to you wants you to believe that-"

"-James, please!" Lily begged, placing a hand on her belly, "I'm not being coerced in any way! I chose this! It's too much to explain and it's really none of your business, but if you must know, I'm facing some health issues! The doctors gave me an ultimatum! I had to…..utilize my…….well…. it had to be sooner rather than later. I had some help in the matter."

James looked at Lily in disbelief for a long moment.

Even after he considered Lily's words though, a deep frown darkened James's face.

"I know that's not true." James scowled, swallowing thickly. "If it were, why wouldn't you have come to me?"

James would have happily gotten Lily pregnant if she would have asked him to.

James's mind raced.

…...Why hadn't she?!?!

……..Who had she asked instead?!

"You and I are finished, remember?" Lily quietly reminded James.

"We don't have to be." James whispered.

James reached out to touch Lily's face but Lily turned away from him, closing her eyes as a surge of pain shot through her head.

"But we are, James, we are." Lily insisted.

Lily reached into her pocket and her heart lurched when she realized that her wand was missing…….

Lily silently forced herself to stay calm.

"If you'd kindly return me now, James, I'd very much appreciate it." Lily said, breaking the awkward silence that hung between them. "I seem to have dropped my wand."

"I'll return you as soon as I've broken the enchantment." James huffed. "Give me a few minutes and I'll have a potion made up."

"James!" Lily begged, not wanting to drink any strange concoction in her condition. "I'm not enchanted!"

James laughed cruelly for a second and he looked at Lily, narrowing his eyes.

"Alright, fine then…….suppose you're not enchanted……Who then, Evans, if not me? Who did you choose?" James asked bitterly.

Lily frowned, seeing the broken heart that James was carefully protecting behind his wall of anger.

"Who was it?!" James barked.

Lily felt sympathy for James, but she was growing irritated with him.

As the pain in her head subsided, Lily looked James in the eye and revealed, "Sev-"

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Severus could see it.

There, a large room with rich furnishings and luxurious details.

Lily was there, on the bed.

Holding onto the mental image of that place, Severus moved his wand every so slightly and with a pop, he appeared right in James Potter's bedroom, next to Lily just as she finished speaking his name to James, "-erus."

Severus looked at James and his black eyes widened for just a moment before he snarled in rage.

"Potter!" Severus growled at James.

Potter had taken his darling Lily!

Severus hurriedly scanned over Lily.

If James had laid one finger on-

James blinked at Severus, then he looked back at Lily, aghast, as he cried, "Snivelly?!?! Oh, surely you must be joking, Evans!"

"Severus and I are in love, James." Lily said firmly as Severus kept a watch on his enemy but stepped over to Lily, murmuring softly to her as he inspected her more closely, looking for any signs of injury.

"Lily, are you alright?" Severus whispered.

"I'm fine, Sev. I just want to go home, please." Lily nodded, smiling to disguise the fact that her skull still throbbed from the headache she had a few moments ago.

It was hard for Lily to fool Severus.

Severus knew Lily very well and he saw the hint of pain in her eyes.

That frightened Severus…,.

Lily was hiding something.

"Well, if I didn't believe it before, I certainly don't now!" James cried, holding up his wand and pointing it threateningly at Severus. "Come on, Snivelly~. I don't know what sort of pathetic scheme you've cooked up, but Evans would never let you touch her like that!"

"You don't know what she'd do!" Severus roared, raising his own wand at James, "You don't know anything about her! Strutting around so sure of yourself during that fleeting time when she and I didn't speak! Tell me, how did you fare with her, Potter? Judging by the fact that your wedding was cancelled, I'd say not very well!"

Lily was going to intervene to mediate and calm Severus and James down, but blood pounded through her veins as pain tore through her head again, causing her to raise a hand to her temple.

Severus and James were so focused on each other that neither of them noticed……….

"Give it up, Snivelly~." James glowered dangerously as he took a step towards Severus. "I'm three times the man you'll ever be, what kind of a future would Evans have with someone like you?"

Severus took a step back.

Severus intended to reach out and grab Lily's arm so they could apparate away.

Severus was not keen on hurling curses around while his pregnant lover sat inches away, vulnerable and exposed.

As much as Severus would have loved to duel James, and win, Severus was going to walk away from the situation for Lily's sake.

James however, was more reckless than Severus.

James was nearly driven mad by envy.

Part of James still believed that Lily's pregnancy was just an illusion, a safe guard put into place by his nemesis that would stop her from receiving any male attention so Severus could keep her all to himself.

The pain in Lily's head slowly ebbed away again and though she was a little dizzy, she stood to her feet from the bed.

At first Lily was desperate to get to Severus so they could leave, but then, when Lily saw James raise his wand and open his mouth, Lily was desperate to get to Severus so she could protect him from James's attack.

James was going to take great pleasure in it, hurting Severus.

James had been practicing for the day he met Severus Snape again.

Intending to mock his enemy by using Severus's own weapon against him, James proudly called out, "Sectumsempra!"

By the time James realized what he had done, it was too late to rescind his cry.

"Sev!" Lily cried.

"Lily, no!" Severus shouted, his eyes wide as Lily jumped in front of him.

Severus tried to push Lily out of the way in time, but the vicious curse still hit her, slicing through her side.

Lily cried out and fell to the floor as James's eyes widened.

Severus yelled in anguish and collapsed onto his knees as he bent next to Lily.

Lily was breathing hard and she looked as if she were in shock, her hands trembling and her eyes wide as she gazed up at Severus while she bled all over the fine wood of James Potter's bedroom floor.

Startled and terrified, Severus quickly clamped his hands against Lily's side to stem the bleeding while he looked up at James and shouted, gnashing his teeth, "What have you done, you idiot?!? What have you done?!?!"

"I was trying to hit you!" James exclaimed, visibly upset.

James reeled with guilt after he saw from the parts of Lily's skin that were exposed from the gash she had received that she wasn't lying……

Lily really was pregnant.

James forgot his quarrel and rivalry with Severus for a moment as his rage melted into fear for Lily.

"H-Here, q-quickly, we should get her to the hospital." James stammered as he stepped forward.

"There's no time for that! Stay back, Potter!" Severus shouted, making a slicing motion with his arm to shoo James away.

Severus was right, Lily would bleed out before they managed to get her anywhere if he didn't work quickly.

Holding his wand out, Severus passed it over Lily's gash while he murmured the proper, melodic countercurse in his low, soothing voice.

James sighed in relief when Lily's bleeding stopped and her wound closed.

However, James's concern was reinvigorated when Lily's eyes slowly rolled back in her head.

"What's wrong? Did you mess it up, Snivelly? What's wrong with her?!" James shouted at Severus.

"I didn't mess anything up, you insufferable swine!" Severus shouted, trying to gently raise Lily's head and shoulders, "She's not well, Potter!"

For a moment, James watched Severus struggle to lift Lily in a way that wouldn't jostle her too severely.

James once again stepped forward to help when he saw that Severus's task was close to impossible.

"I don't think I can apparate with her like this, she's lost too much blood. This was the last thing she needed, considering all of her other problems." Severus said grimly.

"Problems? What kind of problems?" James asked, very concerned.

"Health problems, you dunderhead! Now, look what you've done! Look what you've done to her!" Severus hissed.

The next thing that James knew, Severus stuck the tip of his wand against James's throat, nearly piercing the skin, "Do you think you know all my spells, Potter?"

James was unsettled by the uncharacteristically wild look in Severus's eyes.

"Look," James said, holding his hands up to signal his surrender to Severus, "I didn't mean-"

"-Because there is one spell I've used before that I'm certain a goody-goody Gryffindor like you would never utter." Severus threatened, "I don't care for that one…..honestly…..but rest assured, if you've done anything irreversible today, I….will...not….hesitate."

James bravely stared Severus down but Severus just kept staring right back.

Severus meant what he said.

James was well aware of the sincerity of Severus's murderous intentions.

Really though, James felt that if he did end up accidentally killing Lily or her child, then he would rather Severus go ahead and murder him than have to live with his guilt for the rest of his days.

"Do you have another way to get her to a hospital?" Severus asked, removing his wand from James's throat.

"Yeah, come on, I can get you both there very quickly." James nodded.

Losing Lily was Severus Snape's greatest fear.

Besides, Severus had been telling the truth when he said he did not enjoy using the killing curse.

As satisfying for Severus as it would have been to blast James Potter off the planet once and for all, Severus hoped that he wouldn't have to honor his threat……..

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James safely escorted Lily and Severus to St. Mungo's, using a method only wealthy families like the Potters could access.

Overcome with shame, James waited the next hour in the emergency department lobby, pestering the nurses at the desk about Lily's condition every few minutes.

Finally, James received approval to go back and see Lily.

After he followed a nurse down the hall and into Lily's room, James felt relief wash over him when he saw that she was awake and seemingly alright.

Severus was sitting right beside of Lily and he held his tongue in front of her, but that didn't stop him from scowling at James.

"Lily, I'm so sorry…..about all of this! I should have believed you!" James said, speaking to Lily in a very apologetic tone.

"I don't know why you didn't….." Lily said weakly, managing a small chuckle.

"Yeah, I….." James looked over at Severus and Severus's scowl deepened, but like Severus, James kept the peace for Lily, "I should have taken your word. I know it doesn't look like it, but I really was trying to help! I thought you were in danger!"

Severus clenched his jaw.

Potter didn't think he was endangering Lily when he engaged in a duel with her in the way?!?!

"It's fine, James." Lily said, shifting around in the bed, "Really, it's fine. I'm tired, alright?"

"Alright, alright." James nodded, "But I….I do want to help, especially after today, let me do something for you! Something really useful!"

Severus blinked at James incredulously.

"Like what?" Lily asked.

"I don't know…...what do you need?" James asked.

"Nothing." Lily replied, glancing over at her lover, "I have Severus."

A delicious smirk of satisfaction spread across Severus's face as James threw him a scorching scowl of pure envy.

James sniffed, "Very well, I'm sure something will come up at one time or another. When it does, call me, Evans…..I'll be there."

"Thank you, James." Lily said quietly before James turned and stomped out of the hospital.

"Severus…..?" Lily asked as her eyelids grew heavy again.

"I'm here, my love, I'm here." Severus said quickly, gripping Lily's hand as he leaned in close.

Lily whispered quietly, "I'm going to…..go back to sleep now…….but I'm alright…...I don't want you to worry….."

"Of course." Severus nodded.

Severus leaned over and kissed Lily's forehead just as her eyelids closed and she drifted off to nap.

Severus sat back down and kissed Lily's hand while she slept.

This was the second time that Severus had to endure seeing Lily in a hospital bed.

And the baby hadn't even arrived yet………

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Severus Snape was through taking chances.

Severus was determined that Lily wouldn't see the inside of a hospital again until their little one arrived.

Lily was held overnight for observation but discharged the following day with some iron pills and instructions to get plenty of rest.

Though Lily felt weak and exhausted, Severus had cared for her very well.

Lily had no scar from the gash.

Lily and the baby were alright, the doctor even prided Severus on his efforts to assist Lily, stating her blood pressure had been just slightly over normal.

But Severus was paranoid and distrustful by nature.

It wasn't Lily that he was suspicious of, it was the rest of the world.

Severus returned to Hogwarts over the next couple of weeks just to give exams and as soon as his proctoring duties concluded each day, he returned to Lily's side, stating he couldn't linger due to…...medical reasons.

That wasn't completely a lie.

Severus never stated that those medical reasons concerned him.

At Severus's insistence and her body's growing demands, Lily took a temporary leave of absence from her apprenticeship at the apothecary.

The first June morning on which Lily and Severus were both free to spend the day together, they cuddled against each other once they woke.

Lily looked up at Severus and Severus glanced down at Lily, leaning in to kiss her lips gently.

Lily sighed softly as Severus pulled away and she laid her head on his chest.

A gentle rush of motion moved across the curve of Lily's abdomen, brushing right against Severus's hip.

Under the covers, Severus slid a hand down and placed it atop the mound of Lily's belly, which seemed to grow every day.

Severus leaned his head over and breathed in the sweet scent of Lily's red hair that still smelled of her lavender shampoo.

Severus was certain that particular summer would be the best one of his life…….