Disclamer: Nope. I own nothing HP.

He looked up at me and stared right into my eyes. "I feel so guilty," He said to me, and his eyes showed it. "I keep telling myself that if I don't think about it, then maybe I'll just wake up. Maybe James's will be standing over me with a smile on his face. I'll get up and see Remus across the room. Hell, maybe I'd even be glad to see Peter. I just keep telling myself that it's not really happening."

At this, Sirius stopped walking. I didn't know what to say to him, and I could hear the students in the Great Hall filing out, they would reach us in a matter of moments. I knew he didn't need anymore attention that night. "Come on.." I said, taking his hand and leading him into a nearby classroom.

He followed me quietly into the dark room. I used my wand and lit a torch near the door. Sirius walked slowly over to one of the desks near the back and slumped in a chair. I turned and went over to him, and pulled up a chair next to him. I put my hand on his shoulder, signaling that he could continue. He just stared ahead of him, and I saw a smile play on his lips.

"What are you thinking about?" I asked uncertainly, not wanting to interrupt his thoughts, but wanting him to explain.

"I can see why James has such a thing for you Lily," he said, "Your really not that bad when your not busy being angry at me and throwing stuff." He smirked at me.

I slapped him on the arm for his last remark, "Aw, thanks, I'm flattered."

His face grew kinder, "I really mean it," he said, looking into my eyes, "You're a really good listener, like….Remus." he said his friends name quieter than he had previously been speaking. I smiled at him, which seemed to help him get over saying Remus's name. "What I mean to say is, thank you. I don't know what I would do if you hadn't been here for me, that's all."

As we stood up to leave, I gave him a hug. We walked back to the hospital wing in a comfortable silence, thinking about our newfound friendship.

After Sirius and I had returned from the Great Hall, (or our encounter with the outside world as Sirius put it) we returned to the hospital wing for the rest of the night. Sirius sat by Remus for a while, and I sat behind James's curtain reading a book. I kept trying to concentrate on the story, but my eyes always ended up on James.

He looked so pale and helpless lying there. Madam Pomfrey was constantly giving them nourishing potions. They were sustaining enough, but they needed real food soon, they looked like he would blow away. I brushed the hair away from his frail face, and looked at his closed eyes. I was so scared for him. It was then that I first felt anything but hatred toward James Potter, it was the first time that I'd felt love.

At that moment, I scared myself with my own thoughts. I stood up quickly, too quickly. I knocked over my chair, disrupting the quiet Hospital Wing. I tried to catch it, but to no avail. Sirius came rushing in moments later.

"What's happened?" he asked frantically, "Has he woken up?" he added hopefully. But as he glanced sadly over at his friends bed, sadness once again overtook his eyes. I was too stunned to even talk to him, I was still confused about what I had just thought to myself. I tried desperately to push it out of my mind, but it kept coming back, I cared about what happened to James Potter. Ignoring Sirius's question, I backed out of the curtain, and to another bed in the far corner of the room. I lay down with my back to everyone. I heard Sirius come out of the curtain, but he didn't attempt to come over to me. As I gazed at the stone wall, and felt myself drift into an uneasy sleep.

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry: Hospital Ward
(Four days before Christmas Eve)

I woke up in the same bed that I had retreated to the night before. I groaned and turned over on my other side. My muscles ached from sleeping in an uncomfortable position all night.

I rubbed my eyes and looked around the room to look for Sirius. The only movement I could see was Madam Pomfrey quietly giving Remus another potion. I couldn't see Sirius either. My guess was that he was either behind James's curtain, or getting food. I was leaning toward the former, considering what had happened last time we went to the Great Hall. I silently got out of my bed and went over to James's curtain.

"Sirius?" no answer, "James?" I added as an afterthought. Still no answer.

I slipped into the makeshift room and looked around, Sirius was not there. Only James, in the same place he'd been all week. I sighed and sat down next to him. He looked a little better than he had yesterday. His face was regaining some of its color, and as I gently touched his hand, I noticed that his skin was not as clammy as it was last night.

I felt a little apprehensive about being alone with James again, even if he couldn't hear me or talk to me. It was the things I was beginning to feel. I didn't even know why I was feeling them. When he was awake and around me, he always got on my nerves. But I think it was the way Sirius talked about him. The James he talked about sounded so nice, so likeable. I didn't know anything about him, I didn't even know his middle name. All I knew was that he looked so peaceful. I reached out and touched his face gently. It was so warm.

As soon as I realized what I was doing, I quickly recoiled my hand. Though this time, I didn't leave the room. I continued to stare at him, longing to touch his face again. I slowly reached out my hand, but stopped, leaving it hovering just above his cheek. I so wanted to touch his cheek, to feel his warmth, but deep inside myself, I knew I couldn't do it. Just then, Sirius came into the curtain, saving me from having to make that decision. I realized that my hand was still next to his face, and I quickly pulled it back again, and looked at the floor, embarrassed.

"Lily-" He started, but he was quickly interrupted by the Headmaster who came bursting in.

"Mr. Black! Ms. Evans! I must request that you exit the hospital wing immediately-" The Headmaster was the next to be interrupted, this time by Madam Pomfrey who came in and pushed right by Dumbledore and began collecting various potion bottles that were scattered around the makeshift room. Dumbledore went to assist her, and they quickly exited the curtain. Sirius and I followed right behind them.

Dumbledore and Madam Pomfrey went strait to Remus's bedside. Madam Pomfrey shouted at us again to leave the room. We both started toward the doorway, but Sirius kept looking back. As we both turned outside the room, I started to close the big doors. I took one last glance at Remus, and I took in a sharp breath. Just as the doors clicked together, I saw his face, and his eyes, staring back at mine. He was awake.