A/N: Wow… ten chapters!! I can't believe you guys have let me write TEN CHAPTERS. I didn't think I'd even get five! O.o

Anyways, thanks so much to all my faithful reviewers!! However, I would love some new names… I know that there are more than six or seven people who read this, so PLEASE, even if you hate it, let me know what you think! Can I have five reviews for this chapter? That's how many I got last time... please? (I'll update anyways, though, even if I don't get five.)

And now, on with the show.

Disclaimer: We all know it isn't mine.

And Then Came the Rain

Chapter Ten

Coming to Terms and Running with Moony

Lily

Someone was shaking me. It was very annoying. "Five more minutes!" I pleaded.

"Not possible, Lily. Sorry."

I jolted straight upwards, knocking into James's head. He shot back, clutching his nose, and I yelped, clutching my head, blushing furiously. "James!" I cried, totally shocked.

He grinned at me. "Forgotten the events of last night so quickly, Lily?" he asked, grinning roguishly.

I shook my head, still holding it. "No. I don't think that last night is something you forget easily."

His face became troubled, but only for a moment, and he was back to his cheery self quickly. "Well, I have uniforms for us, if you're well enough to go to class."

"Yeah, I'm fi-"

"LILY!"

"JAMES!"

We whirled around, me grabbing for my wand, James dropping into a defensive position in front of me, his face fierce, relaxing his pose and grinning when Sirius, Peter, Alice, and Colleen threw themselves on us.

But even as I hugged my friends, I couldn't help but think of his determined face, his quickness to jump in front of me, to protect me.

And I knew that I had to admit it to myself. I couldn't deny it any longer. I closed my eyes.

I… am in love with James Potter.

I opened my eyes and let out a deep breath I didn't know I had been holding. Alice and Colleen were demanding to know what had happened the night before. I told them, Sirius, and Peter (Remus had been sent home to visit his sick aunt… after all, the full moon was tomorrow), all of whom listened intently.

When I finished, all of their faces were grave, Sirius's most of all. I touched his shoulder as he gazed off into space. "Sirius? What's wrong? Aside from the obvious."

He looked down at me. "Lily… Rodolphus Lestrange is my cousin Bellatrix's husband."

My eyes widened slightly, but I didn't say anything. I knew how much Sirius hated his family, and I knew that to have said family attack his best friend must be painful.

We left for class a few minutes later. All day, until we were hoarse, James and I answered the questions of students fending off frantic letters from their parents, prefects terrified to go on duty, and teachers who had not been totally informed as to what had happened.

By the time we were at our last class, Defense, I was barely able to stand upright. James helped me to the Defense classroom, his arm wrapped around my waist, while Alice carried my bag. I collapsed into a seat next to James in the classroom and put my head on my desk.

When he sat down, I looked up at him and asked as forcefully as I could (which wasn't very), "How are you not exhausted?"

He smiled fondly at me, and my heart flipped in my chest. "I didn't take an Unforgivable twice, Lily."

I stuck my tongue out at him and put my head on my desk again as Dumbledore came into the classroom. He moved to where the two of us were sitting.

"Ms. Evans, Mr. Potter, how are you holding up?" he asked, his face concerned.

"I'm fine, Professor," James answered courteously.

"I'm all right," I said. James shot me a skeptical look and I glared at him. "Really."

Dumbledore sighed. "Very well. Today's class will be strictly focused on producing Patronuses, so if you begin to feel fatigued, please stop."

I nodded and stood up, putting out my hand to help James. As soon as he stood, I pulled my hand from his and stepped back.

"Would you like to go first?" he asked.

"Uh, sure," I answered, feeling warm from even that innocent contact. "Expecto Patronum!"

Nothing, as usual. I sighed.

"What memory?" James asked.

"Hm… visiting Muggle Paris with Alice and Colleen last summer."

He nodded and then smiled, "My turn." He lifted his wand and cried, "Expecto Patronum!"

Suddenly, out of his wand bloomed a silver stag. It trotted towards me and I smiled, laughing delightedly. I stretched out my hand and gently petted the silver creature, who butted my hand with its head.

I looked up at James, beaming. He smiled back, saying, "Good, eh?"

I laughed. "Yeah! Nice job!"

He smiled and the stag disappeared under my hand. A second later, the rest of the class cheered and came to congratulate him on his accomplishment. He laughed, glowing as he accepted Dumbledore's compliments. I watched, smiling and trying to ignore the butterflies that I got from his infectious grin.

Class ended early so that Dumbledore could attend a teachers' meeting to decide what to do about the attack of the night before. I stumbled up to the Head Tower with James, who was finally starting to show some signs of fatigue.

When we reached the Head Tower, we clambered into the Common Room and collapsed next to each other on the couch. James sighed and flung his arms on the back of the sofa. I closed my eyes and, without meaning to, fell asleep.

James

A few minutes after we reached the Head Tower, I sighed and said, "Lily?" When I got no response, I glanced over at her, and smiled. She was asleep. She shifted, so that her head rested uncomfortably on her shoulder. I gently repositioned her so that she was resting on my chest.

An hour later, she finally stirred and woke. I looked at her, smiling. "Hey."

She blinked sleepily, and then shot off me like I was burning. "James!"

I chuckled. "That's the second time today you've woken up and said that, you know."

Lily glared at me, but before she could retort, Sirius burst into the portrait hole. "Hey, Prongs!"

"Hey," I answered, standing up. "What's wrong?"

"Full moon tomorrow," he answered. "I wanted to know if you were coming."

I stared at him in shock. "What the hell do you mean, if I'm coming? Of course I'm coming!"

Sirius put up his hands, backing up a step. "You took a Cruciatus, mate. Just wanted to make sure."

I relaxed and sank back onto the couch, my head spinning slightly. Damn Death Eaters.

Lily stood when I sat, staggering before quickly righting herself. I watched as she tiredly Summoned a teapot and three cups, as well as tea bags. She put them on a table and, using her wand, filled the pot with water and boiled it. Sirius watched, his mouth hanging open. I remarked, "You look like a first year seeing magic for the first time."

Sirius murmured, "Lily Evans is voluntarily making tea for James Potter and Sirius Black… I think I need to commemorate this moment." He pulled something small, black and squarish from his robes. I squinted and grinned. It was a magical camera I had given him for his fifteenth birthday. Some of our most important Marauder moments had been captured on that thing.

Lily looked up and, seeing the lens pointed at her, shrieked, hiding her face in her arms. I laughed and moved from the couch to pull her to her feet.

She resisted me, still hiding her face, pleading, "No, James, don't! I don't want a picture!"

"Yeah, but Sirius won't leave until he gets one," I answered, aware that Sirius was clicking away the whole time, catching our debate in silent motion.

Finally, I bent and hauled her to her feet. I positioned her in front of me and wrapped my arms around her waist and elbows, trapping her arms by her sides. She was panting, biting her lip furiously. I whispered in her ear, "Smile, Lily. He's going to take it anyways, you may as well smile."

She huffed, but, finally, smiled, and Sirius clicked the shutter (for maybe the hundredth time.)

I released Lily and she glared at me before collapsing to the couch. "I hate you, James," she growled.

I laughed as I sat down next to Sirius, tapping the camera with my wand. The pictures bloomed into the air in little thumbnail shots, and I tapped one. It blew up to show me and Lily, me tugging repeatedly on Lily's arm, Lily shaking her head and pulling away from me. The next one was much the same. Lily's mouth dropped open.

"And now, I hate you a lot more."

She never saw the final picture, of us standing together, my arms around her waist, both of us smiling at the camera.

))((

The next night, Lily sat worriedly in the window of the Head common room, as the sun slowly set. Sirius, Peter, and I were all getting ready for our night with Moony. In the morning, before classes, Lily would visit Remus in the Hospital Wing and give him some of an experimental potion she had been making and gradually perfecting since our fifth year. It seemed to help Remus recover and Madame Pomfrey seemed to appreciate Lily's help, not to mention the fact that Remus felt better when she was there.

Finally, at seven, Sirius patted Lily on the back, Peter waved, and I handed her my mirror, murmuring, "We'll contact you when we get back." She nodded, and the portrait closed on her worried face.

I pulled the Cloak on over us and peered at the Map. Sirius's breathing was tight. These nights, I knew, were painful for him. Just as he and I had a special bond, he and Remus had a special bond. The only time I had ever seen Sirius cry was after he told Snape Remus's secret and when transforming or running as a werewolf caused Remus pain.

Together, moving slowly so Peter wouldn't trip, we made it to the huge doors of the school without incident. Sirius and I pushed them open, and we slipped down to the willow.

A moment later, its branches stood still, and Sirius and I followed Wormy into the Shrieking Shack. After making sure Remus was situated, his clothes off so he wouldn't rip them transforming, his shaking body covered in a blanket, I slipped out of the Shack to cover the way into town, transforming as I went.

Twenty minutes later, the moon rose. My stag form's ears twitched. The wolf's sound would be coming soon…

Suddenly, a heartrending cry ripped through the air. "PADFOOT-" It trailed off into a howl, and my stag form (Prongs) snorted, the only way I could voice my terror for my werewolf friend.

After a few moments, Prongs sniffed the wind. Dog, wolf, rat. All were moving away from the town. Good. I trotted towards them, joining them in the Forest. Moony greeted me with a friendly growl, and I snorted happily, nudging my nose against his flank. As always, Padfoot stood right by the wolf, never straying more than a few feet from him.

Wormy clambered on my back, and then we ran, as we always did. We raced, fast and furious, Moony shooting ahead. Full moons were the only time when Remus could outstrip me and Sirius.

The wind whistled past us, trees flashing by, their leaves fluttering and whirring in the breeze our passing caused. Far away, Prongs's sensitive ears picked up the sound of centaurs murmuring to each other and even farther off, the sound of a monstrous spider's mandibles clashing.

Finally, Padfoot urged the werewolf back towards the Shack. Prongs nudged Moony in farewell and galloped away to block the road towards the town.

Slowly, the sun rose, and when the moon had disappeared, I shrank, my front hooves pulling up from in front of me to become my arms, resting at my sides, my tail disappearing, my antlers receding into my hair, which turned black and sprouted out of my head. Within seconds I was sprinting for the Shack.

Once there, I snuck around the back entrance and raced up the stairs to the old bedroom where Remus transformed.

And there he was, curled up, his clothes folded beside him where he had taken them off hours previously, covered in a thin blanket. Beside him, his face watchful, tear tracks on his cheeks (as usual) was Sirius. On the floor, not bothering to become human because we needed him to stop the willow, was Peter. I squatted next to Sirius.

"Was it bad?" I asked in an undertone.

"Not the worst it's been, but yeah," he murmured.

I patted Sirius's shoulder and then moved to the chair where I had slung my rucksack. I pulled out the mirror and whispered, "Lily. Lily Evans."

A moment later, Lily's tired face appeared. "Is he okay?"

"As much as can be expected," I sighed. "We'll be coming over soon."

"All right. I'll meet you in the Hospital Wing." Suddenly, Lily's hand appeared in the glass, gently touching the spot where I could faintly see my left eye being reflected. "You're bruised… I'll bring something for that, too. See you soon, James." And she was gone.

If Remus had not required my immediate attention, I would have stared at the mirror for a good hour. As it was, Sirius and I had to levitate him, cover the three of us in the Cloak, and maneuver our way back into the castle. Then, with Peter in my pocket, we hurried to the Hospital Wing. Removing the Cloak, Sirius and I brought Remus inside, leaving Peter at the door. He changed back and a moment later joined us.

Lily was already by Remus's bedside, pouring something grey and bitter smelling into his mouth. Remus coughed, lurching on the bed. Sirius stiffened next to me, and I put a hand on his shoulder. Remus's eyes slowly opened.

Lily smiled at him as Madame Pomfrey came up behind her. "Hello, Remus."

He smiled at her, his golden eyes tired. "Hey."

Madame Pomfrey smiled fondly at him. "All right, dears, you can go to bed now. I'll bandage your friend and send him up in a moment."

I nodded and gently clapped Remus's shoulder, Sirius bent and hugged him softly, and Peter patted his hand. Lily kissed his forehead, and then the four of us trooped out with heavy hearts.

The way was clear to Gryffindor and the Head towers, so we didn't bother with the Cloak. Lily and I spilt from Sirius and Peter and moved to the Head Tower.

Once there, I sank down on the couch. Lily, about to go upstairs, looked at me. "James?"

I smiled. "I keep forgetting you didn't live with me and the others in our dorm room last year. Every full moon, Padfoot, Wormtail, and I don't sleep. Moony told us once by accident that on nights after he transforms, a lot of times he's in too much pain to sleep. So we don't, either."

Lily came over and sat down next to me, her eyes slightly glassy. "That's… that's so sweet," she murmured.

I gave a little chuckle, trying not to show how elated her words made me. "It's nothing. Sirius, Peter and I look at it as more of a necessity." I sighed, leaning my head back.

She gasped, "Oh!" and I looked up. "Hmm?"

"I forgot about your bruise. One minute." She raced upstairs and was back a moment later with some gunk in a glass. "Tip your head back again," she instructed.

I did so, and gently, with the tips of her index and middle fingers, she rubbed the gunk onto my bruised eye. "How did you get this?" she asked.

"Not from Moony, if that's what you're wondering… I really don't know. When I get injuries as Prongs from trees and stuff, it isn't very clear, or something I can remember really well." I had to focus to keep breathing normally as her soft fingers massaged my bruise.

A moment later she pulled back and said, "There."

I lifted my head and searched for a mirror. She handed me the mirror from my rucksack, and I looked at myself, smiling.

The area that had once been black and blue and tender under my eye had now turned back to its normal color and felt fine to touch. I grinned at Lily. "You're incredible," I said. "You should really think about going into healing or something."

Lily blushed. "I'm not that good."

I sighed. "I'm not going to argue with you, but you are, you know." I put my head back again, the mirror resting in my lap.

For the remaining three or four hours of the night, Lily and I stayed awake, talking some, but mostly sitting in silence, thinking.

At seven, Lily and I got up, showered in our respective bathrooms, and met by the portrait hole. Together we sprinted to the Hospital Wing, arriving at the same time as Sirius and Peter. We moved into the Hospital Wing to find Remus looking much better. All of us sat around him.

"Hey," he smiled, his voice only slightly cracked.

"Hey, Moony," Peter answered.

"How are you feeling?" asked Lily briskly, taking out her notebook. "What did the potion do?"

"Eased the sore throat, helped me relax, but I still couldn't sleep, and healed the cuts in twenty minutes," Remus recited.

Lily nodded. "Good, that's five minute faster than last time… the relaxing is new, I knew that herb would help… Muggle remedies sometimes work…" She trailed off, muttering to herself, already planning the things she would change for next month's formula.

Remus looked up at us. "How was I?" he asked, softly.

Sirius growled. "In pain."

"Not answering my question, Pads," Remus murmured.

"Fine," I answered. "No one was hurt."

Our friend sighed in relief, his body visibly relaxing as his lids closed over golden eyes. "Good."

So we wouldn't be late for class, Peter, Sirius, Lily, and I left as soon as Remus had fallen into a comfortable sleep.

We got to Transfiguration on time, and McGonagall looked worriedly at us. I gave a tiny nod, and a smile of relief nearly broke out on her face. McGonagall worried about Remus almost as much as we did.

When everyone had arrived, McGonagall stood and said, "Before I begin this lesson, I would like to remind you all that Hogsmede weekend is coming up. Please do not forget to register your signed parent/guardian notes with me. Now, our lesson today is…"

My eyes widened. Hogsmede weekend. Lily. My history of asking her out…

I had a decision to make. Would I ask her out, or let her make the first move? What if there was no first move?

I would have failed class that day, had Lily not, in a moment of generosity, allowed me to copy off of her notes.

A/N: Just one small thing- for any reader wondering if there is going to be a slash Remus/Sirius pairing in this story, there isn't. Sirius and Remus's bond in this story is strictly as the closest of friends, nothing romantic.

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