Slipping Away

James woke up four days later to find a gaunt and harried-looking Lily sitting at his bedside. "Lily?" he whispered, his voice hoarse from days of it not being used.

"James! Merlin's elbow, James, you're up!" Lily exclaimed, jumping up and getting down on her knees so she could look him in the eye.

"How long have I been out for?" James asked Lily, rubbing his eyes and running a hand across the bandages around his torso. He winced. "What am I doing here?"

"James, don't you remember the Three Broomsticks?" Lily said, her voice cracking. "Don't you remember any of it?"

"Yes, I remember parts of it. But why am I in the hospital wing? Why do I have bandages around me?" James's hoarse voice had a note of panic in it.

Lily's lower lip quivered. "Malfoy did this thing…I'm not quite sure what it was, it was dark magic, I'm sure. He did this slashing motion, and purple stuff shot out of his wand and hit you, and then you collapsed. Dumbledore saved you." Lily let out a sob as a lone tear slid down her cheek. "Oh, James, if we would have been two seconds later then you'd be dead!"

"Lily," James said, wiping away her tear with him thumb, "it's okay. I'm here. You don't need to worry about what could have been. I'm going to be fine, I promise you. Lily, why are you so thin?"

"I stayed here with you. I couldn't eat, I was too worried!" Lily pulled her hair to one side and twisted it around her fingers.

"How long was I out for?" James asked.

"Four days," Lily said, her voice shaking. "The Professors say you won't have to make up any work."

"That's one less thing I have to worry about," James said with a weak chuckle. "I guess I've got to make up that Hogsmeade trip to you. I'll take you as soon as these bandages come off."

"No, you won't," Lily said, looking away from him to stare out the window uncomfortably.

"But Lily, why not?"

"James, it's my fault you're like this, lying alone in a hospital bed!"

James looked at the back of Lily's head in horror. "Lily, don't say that, it's not your—"

"James, don't interrupt me," Lily said sternly, looking back at him. Her eyes were filling with tears. "I love you," she said softly.

"Lily, I love you, too," James said, looking confused. "What's going on, Lily? Don't cry…Please, don't cry. There's nothing wrong now. Everything's going to be okay."

"No, it's not," Lily said firmly. "It can't be okay. It can't."

"Why not?" James asked, taking her hand.

Lily pulled her hand away quickly. "I can't be with you, James." She tried to remain calm; she tried to show no emotions, but her voice revealed the pain she was inflicting upon herself.

"What?" James asked, sitting up abruptly and wincing. "What are you doing, Lily?"

"It's my fault you're like this. I can't be with you. The Death Eaters want me, not you. They're only hurting you because you're so intent on protecting me. Please, James, don't make this harder than it already is." Lily stood up and started pacing around the room. It was dark; the sky outside was a stormy gray and thunder rolled in from the distant mountains.

"Lily, this is ridiculous!" James exclaimed; his voice was no longer hoarse.

"James, please, listen," Lily began, but James cut her off.

"I've already heard enough!" he yelled. "You're not only hurting me, Lily, but you're hurting yourself! And for what good? I don't care that the Death Eaters are after you, Lily! I would gladly give my life away just so that you could have yours! And even if you do break up with me, even if the Death Eaters stop chasing me because of it, you will still have lost me anyway because of it!"

"James, I'm sorry." Lily turned to leave. "It has to be done."

"LILY! LILY, WAIT!" James shouted after her.

Lily turned around and looked at him, with tears in her eyes. "James, please, this already hurts enough. I have to go." She didn't move, though, but stood where she was, stock-still.

"Why?" James said, looking at Lily with an unreadable expression on his face. "Lily, I don't understand. Why are you doing this to me? To yourself?"

"James, the Death Eaters are after me," Lily said. "I don't want you to get hurt because of it."

"I don't—do you really think I—why would—IT'S NOT YOUR FAULT!" James couldn't think straight; he couldn't fit two words together to form a sentence. He was breathing hard. His hands gripped the sides of his blankets tightly, and all he wanted to do was shake Lily and knock some sense into her.

"James, I—I'm sorry," Lily said, her voice so quiet that he could barely hear it.

"SORRY? THAT'S ALL YOU CAN SAY, 'I'M SORRY'?" James shouted, but it was no use. She had already turned and walked away, her footsteps echoing throughout the empty hospital wing. "Bloody bandages," he hissed, and flopped back down on his bed. She was perfect; she was everything he wanted, and he let her slip away.

A/N: Hello. Um, yes, this chapter is utterly depressing. Sorry if I made you upset. This isn't the end of them, believe me. It…it just fits in with the plot, as does everything I write. Trust me on this one, guys! So, um, thanks to people who reviewed this story and also the Worlds Collide one. That one's more light-hearted and random. Next one is Phantom of the Opera (it's gonna be posted on SilverwingsJP). Oh, and by the by, go read this story, too: Love Will Be Our Destiny by StacyFergieBEP. It's by my Fergie-crazed friend Michelle. Read that, its decent…and so is that other one that I mentioned in all the other author's notes. Well, um, REVIEW!!