Chapter 3: In Which James Fulfills his Duties as Head Boy

Lily was sitting in the Head Common Room, absentmindedly staring into the fire. And she was doing some serious thinking.

Man, why did he have to be such a good kisser! And it felt… I don't know, right to be in his arms like that. But I hate him! I am sure of that. Even if the reason I keep telling myself I hate him might have all been a misunderstanding. It did make sense what he said about Snape and the Slytherins. I mean, I know he has gone too far sometimes, but he is a teenage boy, he is allowed to do that without me freaking out, right? Oh, I wish this weren't so darn confusing. But that kiss…

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Several days later Lily and James were walking along their nightly patrol. There was an awkward tension in the air, a tension that had been there ever since that passionate kiss in the corridor that both of them refused to talk about. But that kiss was on both of their minds. James had found himself fantasizing about it, fantasizing about a time when Lily would want to kiss him, would never push him away, would be his completely. And very much against her will Lily would find herself dwelling on the few minutes she had spent wrapped up in James' arms, and she would spend hours furiously battling with herself inside her head, trying to figure out exactly what she felt with regards to the Head Boy. Needless to say, these inner battles were making her quite angry with herself and the world, and particularly with James.

Wandering aimlessly through the corridors, the two Heads were only halfheartedly looking for rule breakers. But when they hear a murmur of voices ahead of them, both shook themselves out of trances and proceeded, wands raised, towards the voices. They hesitated before rounding the corridor, listening to the voices. At first it appeared to be just regular rule breakers, but when James recognized the oily voice of Snape accompanied by the voices of several other Slytherins, his blood went cold. From the sound of it there were at least ten of them. There was no way that he and Lily could take on ten Slytherins.

Without thinking, he dragged Lily back down the hall and shoved her into an alcove.

"James! What are you doing?" He has never backed down from a fight! What is he thinking!

"Be quiet!" he hissed at her, stepping closer and striving to cover all of her body with his, as if protecting her. "There were way too many of them for us to take on. I need you to do something for me." He sighed deeply and took a silvery cloak out of his pocket. "This is an invisibility cloak. I need you to wear it for me and leave, as quickly and quietly as you can. You can go find McGonagall or someone, but I need you out of here. I need to know you are safe." She looked at him intently for several moments, trying to understand why he was asking this of her.

Is he really trying to protect me? Why would he do that unless… No, he must just not want me there, probably trying to play the hero by himself. Just like him, arrogantly trying to fight them all himself when there are clearly too many for him to take on all alone.

"James, I am not leaving you." He looked startled, that was the first time she had ever called him James.

"Please, Lily." He had a look of pleading in his eyes. And before she could answer him he had placed a swift kiss on her lips, wrapped the cloak around her, and pushed her down the hall away from the pack of Slytherins.

Maybe he really is trying to protect me. She pressed a hand to her mouth, still able to feel the heat of his lips on hers. It startled her how much that kiss had affected her, how much she suddenly seemed to miss the heat of his mouth on hers. But she brushed it off as having to do with the odd situation and the worry that something was going to happen to him. She momentarily forgot that never before had she ever worried about what would happen to James. Well, I am not going to leave him.

She quickly followed after his retreating form. She watched quietly as he cockily faced all ten Slytherin boys, no fear evident in his eyes.

"Well, boys, it seems as if you lot are out after hours. And as Head Boy it is my duty to inform you that you all need to return to your dorms and that you have all lost ten house points."

"We aren't going to take orders from a filthy blood traitor." Snape answered back. "Where is your faithful Mudblood sidekick?"

"I would advise you not to talk about Ms. Evans in that way." There was a deadly note in his voice.

"What are you going to do about it?" Snape was sneering at him. And Lily, who was watching the exchange silently, hidden underneath James' cloak, could see the anger rising in James' face and the way his hand was clenched around his wand.

"Ten points for insulting the Head students, Snape, and detention." James slowly turned around, anxious to get back and make sure Lily was okay. Little did he know she was standing right next to him. He is actually walking away from a fight! He didn't see Snape bring his wand up, though Lily did.

"Coward." Snape muttered, then he made to curse James' retreating back. But Lily let out a silent spell, which knocked the boy out before he could hurt the Head Boy. Then she deftly turned and knocked out the shocked Slytherins who were staring at their fallen leader.

James, hearing the boys fall behind him, quickly turned around in time to see the last few hit the ground.

"Lily!" He called desperately. "Lily, why didn't you leave! Are you okay? Where are you?" Lily, scared of the note of urgency in his voice, quickly drew the cloak off of herself.

"I couldn't very well let you face them all on your own, now could I?"

"Lily! Why did you come back? I could have dealt with anything they threw at me, but I could never deal with you being hurt."

She stared at him. He really looks sincere. That is odd. But he couldn't expect me to actually leave him. I don't want him dead. I mean, I know I claim that I wouldn't care if he were dead or alive, but he can't think that I really mean that.

"Are you okay?" He was getting closer to her.

"I'm fine." He was only a few inches away now.

"Are you sure?" He slowly took her face in his hands, as if examining every inch to check if she really were okay.

She just nodded mutely. Satisfied, he wrapped his arms around her and gave her a long hug, then wordlessly let go and walked away from her, leaving her with her tumultuous thoughts and wondering why exactly she suddenly felt so cold.

A/N: I hope you liked! Things are going to get interesting soon.