April 29, 1978

"Where's Lily?"

Shuffling and low murmurs.

"Where is she?" Louder and more insistent.

"James, calm down."

"Where is she?!" Almost yelling.

"James…" Lily tried to croak. She couldn't see, couldn't breathe. Where was she? Where was James.

"Lily." James breathed. He was there, but she couldn't see him. She was in blackness.

Lily tried to open her eyes, but it hurt. The light in the room was so bright.

"Where am I?" She whispered.

"Hospital wing, Lily, you're hurt."

And then she felt it. Her bruised throat, her broken ribs, her sore shoulder and arm, and her headache. It all hurt so badly, it felt like a bunch of bowling balls rolling around over her.

"Oww…" She shifted and instantly searing pain shot out from everywhere. "Uhhh.." Her eyes watered, it hurt.

"Lily, shh, don't move. Madam Pomfrey said she gave you a potion to heal your ribs, but you can't move."

"James…" The hospital wing was so bright, he looked like an angel in heaven.

"I'm here Lily, I won't leave you."

Lily closed her eyes and felt James grab her hand and give it a gentle reassuring squeeze. She faded into sleep.

o0o

The high cold laughing was back, it hurt her ears, ringing around her head. Then she saw his face, that scared and faded face. His eyes were bloodshot and his skin glistened despite the darkness. He looked like he had once been very handsome, but the years had not been kind to him and whatever he had done had made him a new more horrible man. Though he wasn't quite a man anymore.

He was laughing, and his taloned hands were grasping her throat squeezing it tightly and tossing her around.

Lily pulled at the hands, but it was no use her arms fell limply at her sides and lifeblood left her system, she was dead

o0o

Lily cried out her eyes flying open.

"Shhh, Lily, shhh. It was only a dream." James' comforting hands were on her arm, he was brushing her sweat soaked hair from her face.

Tears stained her face and she sobbed quietly.

"He's still out there James, lurking, waiting, he's spreading fear and distrust. What are we going to do?"

"Right now, you're going to heal and get better. Then we can talk about taking down Voldemort."

It was darker in the hospital wing now, the sun was setting behind her head and Lily knew that meant that she would be alone in the dark.

Madam Pomfrey came into view.

"James, you need to leave. Lily needs to rest and you need to go back to your dorm."

"Sorry Poppy, can't leave." James replied not looking away from Lily.

"And why is that?" She raised an eyebrow and folded her arms across her chest.

"I'm staying with Lily."

"You can't sleep here, you're not a patient."

"I've had trauma." He said bluntly.

"James, I have checked you, you are fine. You need to go back to your dorm."

"So you're saying that only injured people can spend the night in the hospital wing?" He said standing and looking at her.

"Yes, that is what this place is for."

"Alright, I'll just go and injure myself then." He started away.

"Stop." Madam Pomfrey said sticking her arm out to stop him.

"I'll do it." James said quietly.

"I know, James." She contemplated. "Fine, but you've got to stay in the chair."

"Thank you, Poppy!" James said giving her a big hug before settling into the chair next to Lily's bed.

o0o

It was dark when Lily woke again in a cold sweat crying and wheezing. Her ribs were knitting back together and it hurt like hell.

James was there in an instant soothing her, and whispering "I love you." and "You're safe now."

He was still in the chair and Lily felt the distance. She pulled on James' hand, pulling him closer. She scooted over and he lay down next to her and wrapped his arm around her.

"I'm here Lils, I'm here. It's okay." He whispered, rubbing her arm consolingly.

"I just keep seeing him, and feeling that pain."

"It's okay Lils, he's not here."

"I know, I know…"

They lay silent in the dark for a moment.

"James… what am I going to do when I'm discharged?"

"How do you mean?"

"I mean, if I keep waking up in the night from nightmares, and I can't calm down without you there, how am I going to sleep in my dorm?"

"Well… you could sleep with me." Lily widened her eyes, she hadn't considered that option. Instead of saying something to the effect she knew he meant, she elbowed him.

"Hey! I didn't mean like that. I meant that if I help you sleep, or at least calm down from nightmares, then maybe it would help if we were next to each other while we slept." Lily stared at him. He was blushing and looking at the ceiling.

"Oh." She couldn't think of anything better to say.

"Well, you won't be discharged for a couple of days so there's no need to worry about it now. And I'll stay here until you are."

"No, you have to go to classes."

"But they're not you."

"No, but you still need to go."

"Fine."

They lay quietly in the dark and Lily drifted back into sleep, comforted by James's arms wrapped around her.