A/N: Hope everyone is continuing to stay well and safe during these uncertain times. Thanks to everyone for their support as I update my works here.

Chapter Nine: Cwellan Wambastarda

Early February

Lily laid in her bed, waiting for Beth to leave the bathroom. Lily was trying to fight back her nausea. She refused to throw up in front of anyone else. It would make them ill if she did for one and two, she knew they would probably send her to the Infirmary and she would possibly be given potions that were unsafe for her to consume right now and she did not want to let anyone, even Madam Pomfrey, know that was with child if she didn't have to.

When one of her roommates came out, Lily bolted into the bathroom before anyone else could. In her rush, she forgot to block the sound, and someone opened the door. Lily looked up with a gasp and saw Mary standing there, looking concerned.

"You're sick."

Before Lily could think of something to say, Mary spoke again. "Do you need to see Madam Pomfrey."

"No!" Lily said quickly, almost in a panic. "No, I'm fine-I-" Lily knew it was useless. Mary had just watched her puke and she couldn't tell her why she was sick. Besides, a day off would be nice. She could use one anyway to get some rest. She'd just work on the next chapters in her texts to catch up. "I just feel a little under the weather. It'll pass."

"I'll tell the professors you aren't well then. Do you want anything? Need anything before we go to our classes?"

Lily sighed, still feeling nauseated but willed herself to not vomit in front of Mary again. She shook her head. "I'll be fine. Just take the note in my potions book and give it to Severus. It's important." Lily shut her eyes a moment, trying to stop her waves of nausea. "Go on." Please, she thought, before I barf again.

"Okay." Mary looked confused.

"It's school stuff." Lily lied.

Mary shrugged with that and turned to leave. "I hope you feel better."

When Lily heard Mary leave, she let a sigh of relief.

Lily later left her dorm once she was sure it would be empty and went into the common room. It wasn't long before someone appeared from the portrait. It was Severus. He had gotten her message.

"No one is to know you have the password here." She grinned.

Severus smiled a little. "Mary told me you were sick." He sat down beside her and handed her a cup of something. "It's a tea for calming an upset stomach. Don't worry, it's safe to drink."

Lily took a sip. "It tastes like ginger and peppermint." She said and sighed. "I read that 20-30% of pregnant women don't get morning sickness."

"Oh." He was unaware of that fact.

"Guess what?" She asked calmly.

"What?"

"I'm not one of them." She laid her head against the couch.

He laughed.

"It's not funny." She said. "You aren't the one dealing with this shit. I'm the pregnant one."

"No, it's not funny that you are sick-just what you said-how you said it-was funny. You being ill is not funny."

Lily huffed. "I want to stop feeling sick. I'm tired of throwing up. I'm tired of being tired, but I guess that will never change now. Once the baby gets here, we won't get any sleep again."

Severus gulped. There was nothing he could do to help her feel better. "I'm sorry."

"Why are you apologizing? It's not your fault completely."

"Well, you didn't get yourself pregnant."

Lily gave a little smile and sighed. "I never knew being pregnant was so hard. I just thought it was some sickness and tiredness and you get big and fat and swell some before going through horrifically painful labour."

"You have been sick and tired."

"Yeah, but my breasts also hurt, and no one talked about that and they don't tell you about the cramping in the stomach either."

"Cramping?"

Lily nodded. "My abdomen has been cramping. Like mild menstrual cramps. Apparently, it's because my uterus is growing-making room."

Severus was not aware of that but hated that she was in pain and feeling so sick. Lily huffed and looked at Severus.

"I don't really like that I am pregnant, but we are going to be done with school shortly so we will be okay."

"We will be fine." Severus took her foot and began to massage it. "Your ankle's a little swollen."

Lily was surprised at this gesture, but as he rubbed her foot, she sighed. "That feels nice." She shut her eyes. "You know what?"

"What?"

"I'm glad that if I had to get pregnant, you were the one who got me this way."

Severus was shocked at that. "But you hate what I am doing-my friends and all."

"I hate that you still won't see that that man is dangerous. I don't want you to go that direction-I know you are better than that and can be more than that. I just wish you'd see it." Lily swallowed hard as she looked at him. He didn't answer.

Severus rubbed her foot. He heard her, but she did not understand it. He didn't need to impress her with the Death Eaters, but he still thought it would be impressive to show her the power and influence he could have with them. He also knew she would not want to be with him if he did join.

"I don't want to argue about it, I just wish-I just wish you would see it-that you are not a bad person."

"I don't think I will join them. My friends still expect me too though." Severus sighed quietly. "So, have you had anything to eat today?"

Lily was silent a moment. "Yes. I ate some of those vanilla biscuits you saved from dinner a few nights ago. I need a large canteen of them. They have helped my upset stomach in the morning. I really had to pee this morning though and didn't bother with eating before I got out of bed and someone else was in the bathroom, so I had to wait. I got sick and Mary walked in because I forget to muffle the room. I guess she heard me vomiting and of course thought I had a bug. I couldn't tell her I was pregnant and-and that really feels good." She sighed as she relaxed. "You shouldn't have started that. I will be asking you for foot massages now."

Severus grinned slightly. "Fine by me."

"Can you imagine if it was Sirius or Peter who got me this way?" She shuddered at that.

"Or Potter." He shivered internally at the thought of any of them with her.

Lily looked down at her tea. "At first, right after we-had our potion induced" She paused. "Fun."

"Sex." He let a grin form at his lips, briefly recalling that night.

"No need to be blunt." Lily said, holding back a grin unsuccessfully. "But yes." She sighed through her nose once. "Anyway, I did think it would have been better if it was James since he was my boyfriend at the time, but now-I'm glad it wasn't him. I can't be with a guy who refuses to even listen to my story. I've been consistent and Peter hasn't. It changes a little every time and ends up right back on me. He refuses to accept any responsibility for what he did to us."

"Well, it's not so bad. I may go up and thank him one day-maybe. After all, thanks to him I am not a virgin anymore, got to sleep with one of the most beautiful girls at our school and he helped us become friends again."

Lily blushed heavily at him calling her the most beautiful girl in the school. "I am not the most beautiful girl in this school."

"I think you are." He said softly.

Lily knew her face had gotten even redder. She opened her mouth to say something when she heard something hit the ground. They both turned and saw a wand bouncing at the foot of the stairs up to the boys' dormitory. The wand hit the floor and rolled about a foot before stopping when it hit the carpet. Severus instantly pulled out his wand. Lily's breathing constricted. Someone was in the boys' dorm. Were they listening to their conversation?

"Who's there?" Lily shouted. No one answered and she did not expect them too. "Show yourself!"

She got out her own wand and slowly got to her feet with Severus. The next thing she knew, Severus's wand flew out of his hand and his legs locked together and he fell over. Lily gasped and whipped back around quickly, her wand pointed out, ready to strike back at whoever was in the room. She tried to undo Severus's hex, but was shot at with one in the process. It barely missed her, and she whisked back around. "Show yourself! Don't be a coward!" Lily called out.

"Coward?" A familiar voice called out. "I'm the coward when are hiding out with Snivellus instead of going to class!" From behind another couch, Sirius emerged.

Lily's brow furled up in anger. "Are you spying on us?"

"There isn't a rule against it at this school."

She huffed loudly and her forehead furled. "You were spying on us! You pompous, conniving little rat!"

"Uh, Peter's the rat. I'm a dog, remember?"

She moved closer and put her wand almost against his cheek with a gauff. "A dog indeed. You are loyal to the rat."

"I am loyal to good people. Certainly, better than Snivy here who wants to join up with the Death Eaters."

"I bet if you weren't so determined to rebel against your parents, you would be just like them-those Death Eaters and if you were a Slytherin-I have no qualms you would be ripe and ready to join them. You are certainly not any better in your behaviour as you have proven over and over to us." She turned to Severus and unhexed him before rounding back on Sirius.

"Tsk, tsk, Lily. You really think that poorly of me and choose to trust a wannabe Death Eater over your friends? I think the hat was wrong when it sorted you into Gryffindor."

"The hat was not wrong about me. I do think he was wrong about your pathetic pal Peter."

Sirius ignored her, talking over her to her annoyance. "-maybe if you weren't a muggle-born you'd be joining the ranks of You-Know-Who too and now James knows to stay away from whores like you!" Sirius tapped his wand in his hand as Severus edged to his wand. Lily pretended to not notice Severus inching closer to his wand and pushed her own wand into Sirius's cheek. He flinched but didn't stop talking.

"Besides, why aren't the two of you in class? Saw Snivelly enter our tower as I was leaving for class. He was in our dorm alone with you. Curiosity won me over as to why he, a slimy snake, would enter our dorm. You are down here in your gown alone. He waltzes in and hands you a cup of tea and then sits beside you and begins to rub your feet. You-you are pregnant-you are expecting a child with Snivellus. I heard you." Sirius had a look of pure disgust on his face as he spoke the last sentence.

Severus shot a curse at Sirius just then and Sirius fell over like a board before he could strike back. Lily turned to see Severus getting to his feet.

"Are you okay?" Lily asked.

"I'm fine." He looked over at Sirius. "Come on, let's get out of here. We can go to my dorm. Sirius can't get in there."

Lily did not hesitate to leave, despite still being in her night robes. Lily glanced around as she entered the Slytherin dorms. "You sure you won't get in trouble?" she whispered.

He shook his head but put his finger to his lips as he eyed around the common room. "Everyone should be in class." He looked around the boys' dorms and waved her up to the stairs.

The lake lapped against the window in the dorm and she sighed. "I actually like this dorm. It seems quite relaxing to listen to the lake at night. Your mates are a bit messy though." She pointed to the unmade bed at the other side of the room with clothes scattered around it.

He scoffed, "Yeah, Rosier isn't very tidy. Puts a lot of work on however does the cleaning. Think it's probably house elves." He sat down on his bed that was close to the door. "Sirius is going to tell everyone."

She folded her arms across her chest and shrugged as she looked out the window. "It's his word against mine. I can deny it. There's no evidence. At least not yet that I am pregnant."

Severus sighed. "He will tell everyone it's me. When word gets out-"

"It won't. As said, there's no proof."

"And then when your stomach starts getting larger?"

"I told you I plan to just charm myself, so I don't look it." She took a heavy breath out of her nose. "I know they'll find out I lied when two months after school ends, I suddenly have a baby, but at that point it doesn't matter anyway." She turned to face the window to watch the fish swimming by. "Right now, there's no way I will ever admit to anything other than Pettigrew giving me a potion."

"Well, it's easier for me unless someone does a heritage spell on it." He paused, "But they'll find out anyway when you have the kid and I'm involved."

"I really just wanted a nice, quiet final year. I never would have dreamed this was going to happen. Didn't think my own supposed friend would do this to me. To us. You may have been a mistake on his part, but not me. He meant for this hell to happen to me." She scoffed and shook her head. "Asshole. I mean what if everyone does believe Sirius over me? My entire dorm is going to hate me instead of Peter."

Severus shook his head, "No way they'd hate you and I guarantee some of them would believe you over Black. Besides, if your friends are really your friends, they should have your back."

Just as she started to speak, they heard footsteps approaching. They both gasped and Lily's stomach jumped up into her chest as the door opened. She mentally cursed at the sight of Avery.

"What are you doing here?" Severus asked quickly.

He glanced between them in surprise. "I could ask you the same thing. What are you doing with her instead of in class?"

Severus cleared his throat, "Well, um, we just had a little problem. A Gryffindor problem."

Avery scoffed, "Um, yeah, you do, she's standing right there."

Lily scowled and glared daggers Avery's direction. "Go screw yourself."

His eyes got wide for a moment and then he smirked. "Well that wouldn't do you any good, would it?"

She scoffed, "Only ever in your dreams, Avery."

"Knock it off, Avery." Severus said through gritted teeth, "We just have a little Black and Pettigrew issue we are trying to resolve."

Avery grinned, "What'd they do now? Try and curse your mudblood pal?"

"I asked you not to call her that." He said again through gritted teeth. "No, they are just spreading rumours."

Avery walked by and stood next to Lily. "I just forgot my book for the next class." He put his hand on her chest and nearly touched her breasts. She shoved it off quickly and put her hand to her pocket that held her wand. They glared at each other a moment. "You know you want it. I know your buddy Severus does." He glanced down at her chest. "Can't say I blame him that much."

She glowered at him. "Touch me again," she hissed, "and I will curse you into next week. Don't you think I won't either."

With a final glare, Avery turned to Severus who was scowling at him. "Hey, no one said we can't fuck some hot mudbloods. I know I would." He made a lewd gesture.

Lily rolled her eyes, "That's entirely too long for that inevitable one inch of yours."

Avery scowled at her with a deep huff. "You filthy little-"

"Why don't you just get out of here." Severus snapped and refused to let him finish that sentence. Severus put his hand to his wand pocket and seethed internally.

"Hey, it's my dorm too." Avery turned to Severus. "But I will be leaving. Toodaloo." With a final glower at between Avery and Lily, Avery left the dorm.

"Forget him. He won't say anything, trust me. Sorry he's a right arse at times. He shouldn't talk to you that way. I do think you pissed him off though."

Lily gave a half smile at him. "Thanks, and I hope I pissed the sorry git right off." She sighed. "I guess we really should go prepare for the next class."

"You feeling up for that?"

She shook her head, "No, but it's not going to get better for a few more weeks so may as well push through."

He put his arm around her shoulder and rubbed it. "Come on then. Forget Sirius and Peter and Avery for today and just focus on yourself. The gits aren't worth you stressing yourself out over."

They left the Slytherin dorms before anyone arrived for the break.

Valentine's Day

Lily went to breakfast. She was single this year, but pregnant, which wasn't much fun, especially since the smell of bacon made her nauseous. She sampled some fruit, hoping something in her stomach would make it settle. She wondered how long the puke feeling would last and how much longer she had to deal with it. Lily thought about her mother, whom she was afraid to ask. She had yet to gather up the courage to write to her mother and tell her that she was pregnant for fear of what her mother would say. Regardless of the reasons why or how, she was afraid her mother wouldn't understand because she didn't understand how powerful potions were and how it rendered the person out of control.

She just wanted to not feel like she was going to barf again and get out of school for good so she could have a life again. All she wanted to do anymore was eat, vomit and sleep. She had to pee all the time too and was always tired. She was hungry one minute, puking the next. She was pissed off at nothing one moment and in tears over nothing the next. It was driving her crazy and she wondered if it would get easier once she moved to the next phase of pregnancy. For some reason she doubted it would get easier as she would likely start gaining weight and eventually people would begin to wonder why her robes were getting tighter around her middle.

Lily went to the common room after breakfast to rest before she was forced to go to Hogsmead this afternoon. Someone whistled for attention and she looked up to see Sirius standing on top of a table. Everyone from third year up was in the common room and it was rather crowded.

"Since it's Valentine's Day, I propose a toast to all the lovely couples here today."

Lily rolled her eyes and looked back at her book.

"I've got a lovely girlfriend, but my best mate needs one and he is willing to consider any girl in this room to go with him to Hogsmead today."

She watched several girls raise their hands eagerly. She suppressed the strong urge to roll her eyes and call Sirius out for being a dickhead.

"Lots of takers. You want to know why my friend doesn't have a girlfriend to go with?"

She quickly turned at that, but before she could even shut her book or say anything, he smirked at her and spoke.

"Because Lily Evans, your model head girl, cheated on him."

The whole room gasped into silence, even the younger boys and then she heard some whispering all around. Lily's face grew hot as she tried to think of a response to Sirius that would be nasty and appropriate to the occasion.

"You want to know who she cheated with?"

Lily got out her wand.

"She decided to get drunk and spend the night with-"

Sirius never finished that sentence because Lily had hexed his tongue to the roof of his mouth.

Lily got up with her hand pointed in Sirius's face and her eyes glaring accusingly toward him. "When I unhex your tongue, you will tell everyone exactly what happened with Peter!"

Sirius shook his head.

Lily looked at him, her eyes slits. "Fine." She said coolly. "Then I will do it for you all." She turned to everyone. "Peter over there thought it would be a lovely thing if James and I had a night together and was too stupid to think before he acted and screwed up and mixed up the potion with a lust potion instead and mixed James's bottle with someone else's. Now Sirius and James want to defend him. I won't take the blame for anything that's not my fault."

Before anyone could say anything, she stormed out of the common room. She didn't dare listen to any of the voices whispering and she didn't dare look back.

That afternoon

Lily walked with Severus through Hogsmead. By lunch, the whole school had learned that she had apparently cheated on James and lots of odd rumours were being spread already about who it was with and where and when and how it happened. The biggest one being that she was drunk and had screwed Lionel Milson, head boy of Ravenclaw, in the head girl's shower stall. Sirius kept saying that it was with Severus Snape in her dorm during the break, but many didn't believe that, and she was glad they didn't because Severus stayed out of trouble. Lionel was a rather attractive man and one of the top students of their year in academics, so it seemed more believable to them apparently. Lily had cut Sirius off any time he tried to suggest she was pregnant, so no one had yet to find out.

"You think when it gets to the Professors they'll treat me different? Maybe kick me or both of us out?" She asked.

"No. I doubt it. If they believe it's with Lionel they will let it go. If they discover I was the one who fucked you-then who knows."

"They won't kick me out for being pregnant, will they? If I want to stay. I'm so close-just a little more than four months and it will be all be over, and they can protect their reputation."

Severus touched her back. She sighed. He was the only person she could trust right now and the only person she desired to be around anymore. She knew that as much as she didn't want to believe it, she had strong feelings for him that overwhelmed her at times and made her feel sick to her stomach. Looking at him gave her butterflies. She certainly felt them right now. The situation had made them grow closer because he was the only person who truly understood what she was going through. He couldn't understand physically what her body was going through, but the situation and hostility was something they were both facing.

"It'll be fine, Lily. You have such good rapport with the professors that you will be okay. Just never admit that I am the father of it and things will be dandy for you."

"I can't claim Lionel is the dad when he's not. He's got a girlfriend and that's not fair to either of them."

"I didn't say to claim Lionel, just don't ever say it's me. I suggest neither confirming nor denying anyone."

Lily sighed. "I know-I'm just nervous."

"I know." He wanted to say, 'me too', but didn't.

She took his hand and he tensed up in surprise at her loving gesture.

"You are holding my hand? People are going to think-"

"We are a couple? Is that a problem?" Lily asked with a little smirk.

"No-of course not, but if we want to lay low-"

"I can do what I please and no one is here anyway.

"Couple?" He asked. Was she saying she they were a couple?

"I'd say you'd make a suitable one-boyfriend, that is." She took him toward the shrieking shack and into some trees out of sight.

"What are you doing?"

She smiled and ran her hand through his hair. "I just want to thank you properly."

He looked at her. He didn't know what she was saying, but something told him he was going to like it. "What?"

Before he could say anything else, her lips were over his. He was shocked when she removed them.

She smiled at him and tucked a lock of her hair back, her body dangerously close to his still. "Thanks."

"For what?"

"Everything."

Severus figured she was going to leave him here, but she didn't move and seemed as if she was hesitating on saying something or moving herself away from him. He refused to let her get away so fast, his heart racing and his body pulsating. He placed his lips over hers. She didn't pull away. He heard her moan slightly and that desire he had for her had come back all over again, wanting her body to be so close that he would inside of her. Her hand slid to his back and he put his free hand on her hip.

As his lips pressed on hers, Lily could feel herself melting in her desire. She didn't dare move. She hoped to get more than a kiss from him, her desires for him haunting her since that night. Oh, how she wanted another night like that all over again and an even better night because it wouldn't the first time and they knew ways to satisfy the other now. She moved her hands to his back, tempted to grab his buttocks and stick her hands up his robes. She desired to feel him where it counted and get him hard and horny. At that moment, she had a fantasy of taking him to that old shack and not leaving until tomorrow. No one would miss them anyway.

Severus was tempted very strongly to get her on the ground and make love to her as hard as he could and have her make love back for as long as she wanted. He desired her so strongly, he wondered if he must be under that silly potion again, but he wasn't. He wasn't crazy and he wanted to shag her in a way that was just as strong as before but held back. He dared to move his hand up and touch her breasts. He heard her groan slightly as he did. Her hands started to slide from his buttocks to his legs and he realized she was moving up his robes.

"It's awful cold. You want to go somewhere and warm up-together." She asked as she kissed down his neck.

He grinned. He wondered if he had dosed on the luck potion instead of a love one-maybe both. Lily wanted to sleep with him on Valentine's Day. Did it get any better than that? "Our clothes are a bit damp too-we should go somewhere warm and take them off and find ways to keep warm while they dry."

Lily couldn't believe she was agreeing to this, but she wanted it again so bad, her pelvis ached and throbbed for it. It was Valentine's Day. It was the perfect day to have another lovely shagging without any potion and she would be content to do it for as long as he wanted. It would make what started off as a crappy day into a lovely one. "I know somewhere we can go to-warm each other up. No one will miss us."

Lily took his hand and started to guide him away from the woods, but before they were out, he kissed her lips hard and she fervently kissed his back. They ended up on the ground instead with snow biting their bare legs as their robes rode up in their heated passion, but neither cared. She was enjoying the moment of making out with him and she would get to the old shack in a few moments for the more intimate things she desired to do with him. Having already been so intimate with him before, it was easy to do this all again.

They were so steeped in their affection they were unaware of approaching guests until they heard a twig crack. They were startled apart. She gasped.

"I knew it! I knew it was him you slept with! You were about to shag again too! How long has this been going on?" James spoke with his wand out and his hand shaking with rage. "Were you doing this the entire time we dated?"

"No. I told you already."

Severus gripped his wand through his pocket, waiting for the right moment to strike.

Sirius and Peter came out from behind the trees, but Lupin was not anywhere to be found.

"Likely knew what they were up to and ran off to pretend he wasn't involved-the coward." Severus thought.

James went for the strike and missed just slightly. Severus immediately attempted to get rid of Potter's wand. He'd show the arse. They were quickly engaged in a duel. Lily somehow ended up in the middle of it, trying to fight off Sirius and James's strikes toward them. Others joined the fold and a few people struck at them as well.

"Locomotor mortis!" Lily shouted at Sirius and a curse whipped by her that wasn't from Potter or Black.

Sirius shot something Lily couldn't hear toward Severus and she deflected it back at him, but he ducked just in time and it hit the tree nearby. Something hissed and flew away from the tree, squawking at them. Soon Black was slashed by a spell and Potter was hit with a leg lock, but both quickly regained their composure and struck back.

Severus was trying to fight off James and Sirius and ended up on the ground, choking on soap bubbles. Before Lily could do anything, she heard a strange curse from someone in the crowd.

"Cwellan Wambastarda!"

The curse hit her stomach. She gasped. Sudden sharp pains hit her in the abdomen and brought her to her knees. A light layer of fluffy snow went up her robes and her already raw, bare legs stung at the cold, causing her to cringe and shiver this time.

Severus undid the hex on him and looked over at Lily and gasped. He got to his feet and swore at Black and Potter before hurrying over to Lily. "What's wrong?"

"They hit my stomach."

He could tell she had been injured, but he hoped she only had the wind knocked out of her and nothing serious had happened. "Which one?"

"I don't know. Someone over there." She pointed straight ahead. "Said something weird-cwell wam tarda-bastarda or something."

Severus glared at the crowd, who was laughing and jeering. James and Sirius had rushed over to her as well, but neither were laughing.

"Lily! Are you okay?" James asked.

Severus turned to curse them both out, but he stopped short once he saw how horrified they both looked. Sirius was glancing around with a deep frown with his wand pointed outward as if ready to strike.

James knelt with Severus and Lily as she cried out in pain while clutching her stomach. She stuck her hand under her robes and when she removed it, there was blood on her fingers. Lily stared at it, shaking. Severus and James's eyes both grew wide and both gasped.

"Bastard!" Severus clenched his fists and started to get up with his wand gripped so tight in his hand he could have snapped it. "I'll kill 'em."

James put a hand on Severus's shoulder and looked into Severus's eyes. Severus glared at him, but before he could say anything, James shook his head. "We'll find who did this. We'll get the bastard. You worry about Lily."

Severus started to protest, but the shock in James's eyes stopped him. Severus nodded, "Don't be a hero, Potter Just get revenge. Come on, Lily, let's get out of here. Let's go home."

He held out his hand to her and she nodded and got to her feet. Her stomach still ached from the hit. "What if damaged-what if-"

He kept a straight face. "You want to see Pomfrey?"

She shook her head. "No-yes-I don't know."

They left the area as the others had begun to either scatter or just stand there in shock. James and Sirius had taken off in two different directions on a witch hunt. The crowd quieted as Lily and Severus disappeared into the trees. As they left the village, Lily couldn't take it.

"I have to stop. I don't feel well. I think I'm going to be sick." She walked away from him, trying to stop her terrible nausea. Bile ran up her throat and she couldn't stop it. She threw up.

Severus hurried over. "Are you okay?" He asked, rubbing her upper back.

She shook her head. "No-no, I'm not okay." She clutched her stomach with a grimace.

"Let's get to the castle quickly and see what Madam Pomfrey can do."

She continued to become ill along the walk back-throwing up little more than bile because nothing was in her stomach. It was making him feel sick and he wasn't very squeamish.

She suddenly stopped again with a pained look on her face and she was nearly waddling now.

"Lily, we need to get help. This is bad. Whatever that curse was did damage internally. We can't stop."

Lily was trying to fight back tears. "I can't go any further. I need a bathroom."

"You've already thrown up about six times. Just puke again and let's go."

"No, I really need to use the bathroom. I have to pee-really bad."

"We aren't near a bathroom."

Lily shook her head. "I need one now. I can't make it to the castle."

"Go then. Just hurry."

She didn't like the idea, but she was desperate. "You've got to be joking." She huffed. Screw it, she didn't care. "Fine. Just wait a minute."

He sighed and waited while she went into the trees. "It's not like I haven't seen that side of you, no one's around, just squat. We need to get you to the castle. I'll carry you if I have too."

Lily attempted a smile without retching. "I prefer more privacy."

Severus huffed as he waited for her to answer nature's call. She looked even more pale and more tired than normal when she came back to the road. As they walked on, her legs became shaky and walking grew more and more difficult. Severus figured she was probably a bit dehydrated. He took her around the waist and held her close, ready to catch her if she collapsed. He would carry her if she couldn't walk anymore, but they had to get back.

Lily couldn't take another step. "I can't go any further. I need to sit down." She sat on the ground. He knelt to her. "I'm still bleeding."

Severus saw her eyes fill with tears and her body had begun to shake. She gripped her stomach again and cried out in pain. He knew he didn't have time to waste. She needed help now. "Get on." He said, pointing to his back.

"I can't. I'll get blood all over you." She said in a quiet sob.

"I don't care. It'll wash-just come on."

Lily unsteadily got to her feet with his help, feeling light-headed and got on his back. He carried her the rest of the way to the castle. Neither said much along the way. Neither dared say what they thought was happening.