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Disclaimer: As always, I own nothing but an undying love for everything Harry Potter related.

Chapter Fourteen

James found himself smiling before he'd even woken up that morning, and he couldn't quite figure out why. He rolled over and sighed as he heard his dorm mates stirring. He lay facing the ceiling and imagined Remus wrestling Sirius to be the first to the bathroom for the third day running.

"I know you're awake Prongs" Sirius' voice floated through the curtains on his four poster bed. "I can hear you breathing."

James sighed and pulled his curtain back to face Sirius, "I really wish you wouldn't do that."

"You shouldn't have let him live with you, Prongs" Peter said, who was sitting on Sirius' bed and squashing his legs. "He doesn't understand boundaries."

"This coming from the boy who is definitely invading my personal space" Sirius commented.

"That's a good point, Wormtail" James said, now sitting up in his bed to get a proper look at the two of them. "What are you doing?"

"Remus wanted to use the bathroom first" Peter said, shrugging as he hopped of Sirius' legs.

"Heaven forbid Sirius should have a hair out of place for when we go to class" James said, rolling his eyes as he climbed out of bed and dug through his trunk for his uniform.

"At least my admirers appreciate my fabulous hair" Sirius exclaimed, jumping up on the bed and rumpling the back of his hair. "Do you think Evans has noticed how fabulously wind swept my hair looks" he said in a ridiculously high pitched voice.

James grinned and shook his head as he stood up, slicking his hair back. "Well Felicity might be in the Great Hall, so I can't have a hair out of place" he said, his voice pinched.

Peter doubled over with laughter and fell back onto his bed as Remus entered the room, freshly showered and fully dressed in his uniform.

"What are you idiots doing now?" he asked mildly, scooping up his school bag.

"Idiots?" Sirius said, clutching his heart as though he was deeply wounded. "I am offended, Mr Moony."

"Good" he said, shaking his head. "I'm going down to breakfast."

"Hold on" James said, tripping over his robes in his haste to follow Remus out of the door.

"Relax, James" Remus grinned, shaking his head. "I have to give Marlene her Transfiguration notes back."

"Yeah, he wouldn't dream of cosying up to Evans without you there" Sirius snorted, making his way to the bathroom.

"No, wait!" James started again, "I need to tell you all something."

"Oh, this sounds serious" Sirius said, moving back to the bed as he grinned away to himself. "My favourite topic of conversation."

James rolled his eyes.

"Is everything okay, James?" Remus asked, taking a seat beside Sirius.

"No one's died" James sighed, rolling his eyes as he pulled Peter over to where they were all now gathered. "Although Sirius might kill me when he finds out."

"Better get on with it, Prongs" Sirius said, his eyes narrowing.

James took a deep breath, "I'm not going home for Christmas" he said all in one breath.

They all looked at him like he'd grown a second head.

"And?" Sirius asked.

"I thought you had something serious to tell us" Peter said, shaking his head almost like a dog trying to get water out of its ears.

Remus laughed at the appalled look on James' face, "You didn't really think we didn't already know that?"

"But I sent a letter to my mum-" James stuttered.

"And you didn't want Evans to be alone" Sirius crooned, rolling his eyes as he stood and made his way to the bathroom for the second time that morning. "As if we hadn't already thought of that too."

"You're not exactly the most secretive person, Prongs" Remus said, snorting. "Are you coming down to breakfast or not?"

James didn't answer, just grabbed his tie and followed Remus out of the room.

He let his thoughts wander as he looped his tie around his neck, deflating slightly after his big surprise turned out to be a big flop. Of course he should be happy that his friends had taken the news so well, but after preparing himself for a riot he felt almost robbed of a chance to defend himself.

"So you're okay with me staying here for Christmas?" he clarified as they reached the bottom of the stairs.

"I thought that was obvious, Prongs" Remus replied, rolling his eyes.

"Well I just wanted to check" James defended as they ducked through the Portrait Hole together. "If anyone has a right to complain it's you, you're going to stuck babysitting Padfoot all holiday."

"Why, are you planning on being joined to Lily by the hip all Christmas?" His friend asked, an amused twinkle playing in his eyes.

"Well no" James replied slowly, "But as my house is out of the question, he'll probably want to come to yours for Christmas now." He pondered this silently for a moment before continuing, "Of course I'm sure my mum would still love to have him without me" he chattered on, completely unaware he'd lost his audience. "I just never thought to ask her."

Remus had stopped still in the corridor and turned to look at him as though he had recently taken a blow to the head, "You are slow sometimes, Prongs" he sighed, shaking his head. "We're staying with you."

"What?" James demanded, chasing Remus down the corridor as he had continued his march towards the Great Hall. "Why?"

"You're not the only one that wants to be there for Lily" Remus pointed out, "Plus the full moon is only a week after and I'm better off here that at home."

"Sirius and Peter don't have to stay" James huffed.

"Oh, Peter isn't" Remus continued conversationally, "His parent's want him home, but Sirius has said he wants to stay for Lily too."

"Well, Evans will be happy" James mumbled as they reached the entrance to the Great Hall.

"Isn't that the idea?" Remus smiled over at him in a knowing way as they wound their way over to the table together

Initially yes, making Lily happy had been his motive for sending a letter to his mother informing her that he wouldn't be coming home for Christmas. He wouldn't say she was exactly happy about it, Christmas would be lonely for her without his dad around, but they always had huge parties with dozens of relatives so she wouldn't be alone.

His second motive had been the idea of spending Christmas alone with Lily Evans.

He had fantasied about evenings spent in front of the crackling fire of the empty common room, of sneaking down to the kitchens together to snaffle hot chocolate and gingerbread men and maybe even stealing a kiss under the mistletoe.

Now all that was ruined, as his best friend's didn't seem to understand the meaning of four is a crowd.

He tried not to look too surly as he and Remus claimed the bench across from Lily, Mary and Marlene.

The girls were already chattering happily, but looked up and smiled when they arrived.

"Good morning" Mary greeted.

"Is Sirius not gracing us with his presence?" Marlene asked, glancing up the table to see if the elusive Gryffindor had taken a seat somewhere else.

"He's still doing his hair" Remus said mildly, passing Marlene back her notes and smiling in thanks.

"Give it up, Mar" Lily laughed as she shook her head. "When it comes to women, Sirius Black is a cad."

"Albeit a good looking one, you have to admit" Mary agreed.

"I need a date for the last Hogsmeade visit" Marlene complained. "As you're taken, I was sure Black would say yes this time."

"Ask Benjy again" Lily suggested.

"After he asked you?" Marlene snorted, wrinkling her nose. "No thanks."

"We could all go as a group" Remus suggested.

James was just about to jump in and agree with that idea when they were interrupted. All three girls were gazing up over the top of their heads as someone behind them cleared their throat.

"Good morning, James" Daisy Hookham greeted him looking very nervous with her hair braided down one side of her face.

"Hello Daisy" he smiled, wondered what exactly she was doing at their table.

"I've come to take you up on your offer of breakfast."

James didn't remember ever offering to have breakfast with her, but he wasn't about to hurt her feelings either. He shoved Remus who immediately moved over to make space between them.

"Have a seat" James said, smiling as she settled herself between himself and Remus.

"Thanks" she sighed, looking more than a little relived. "It's a bit manic at our table this morning."

"Why?" Marlene asked, glaring at Daisy with a look of upmost disgust.

"Haven't you heard?" Daisy asked, her eyebrows rose in surprise. "A second year Sally Dearborn was attacked before breakfast this morning; she's in the hospital wing."

"What happened to her?" Lily wanted to know.

"Well no one knows, and Madame Pomphrey won't let anyone see her" Daisy shook her head sadly, "But Gemma told me this morning there was a snake drawn on the wall next to where they found her."

James glanced over to the Slytherin table, as though he was hoping to spot the guilty party sitting and confessing to their crime. Nothing appeared out of the ordinary however, and his eyes shifted involuntarily over to Severus Snape who was picking at his porridge with a spoon before he turned his attention back to the girls in front of him.

"It'll be those people in masks again" said Mary, looking oddly pale.

James was sure she was remembering her own attack, and wondering how anyone could do something similar to an innocent twelve year old.

"I'm guessing Sally was a muggleborn" Marlene was saying to Daisy.

"Well, yes" Daisy cleared her throat awkwardly as her eyes glanced over to where Lily was sitting, now staring at her empty plate with dead eyes.

"So what are you doing over here?" Marlene continued, her blue eyes narrowed viciously in Daisy's direction. "I heard you and your mates think muggleborns deserve what they get."

"I-" Daisy stuttered.

"Marlene!" Remus chastised.

"Come on, McKinnon" James sighed, "That's not fair."

"How can you stick up for a muggle hater" Marlene continued loudly, drawing attention to their spot on the table. "After all those things she said about Lily!"

"It wasn't her Mar, she didn't say anything" Lily's voice was quiet and she didn't look up at them. "I have to go" she said quickly, standing up and disappearing out of the hall before any of them could stop her.

"Now look what you've done!" James rounded on Marlene angrily.

"Me!?" Marlene screeched.

"Stop it, both of you" Mary cut in between them, "This has nothing to do with either of you."

"Damn right" Marlene agreed, still glaring at Daisy.

Mary rolled her eyes, "It's Sally Dearborn" she continued before she could be interrupted again, "Lily tutors her in Charms."

James opened his mouth to contradict her, after all Lily had never mentioned helping any second years with Charms. Then all of a sudden he remembered watching her across a corridor as she complimented a little blonde girl on her wobbly braids.

"I should go after her" James said, standing up quickly and making to follow the same track Lily had made. "If Flitwick asks where I am, just tell him I'm sick" he called, completely forgetting about the redhead he'd left sitting on the bench, staring after him with hurt brown eyes.

"He won't believe that again!" Remus called after him, but James didn't even turn to acknowledge him.

His brain had so suddenly and completely filled with Lily Evans, he couldn't concentrate on anything else. He wasn't sure he knew exactly where she'd be, but he had a pretty good idea of where to start.

James found her in what he had affectionately christened, Lily's spot. She was curled up on the windowsill outside the library, sitting cross legged and facing the window. She had left her cloak down in the Great Hall and the only thing separating the chill in the air from her thin shirt was a red and gold Gryffindor scarf wrapped around her neck.

"Alright Evans" James said quietly as he took a step close behind her.

She didn't startle, almost as though she had been expecting him to come. She didn't even look round to face him, just continued to stare out of the frosted window as though the snow covered grounds might provide some answers.

"Are you okay?" he asked softly, moving to take a seat beside her. She still didn't look over at him but he could see the dry tear tracks marring her soft face. "You took off so fast and we got worried-"

"She's twelve years old, James" Lily finally spoke, her voice cracked and James couldn't tell if it was because she hadn't spoken in so long or because she'd been crying.

"Lily-"

"How could someone do that to an twelve year old?" she questioned the window. "How?"

"Don't try and understand their twisted minds, Lil" he said, reaching out to place his hand on her shoulder.

"Don't touch me!" she cried out, flinching back up against the stone wall and staring at him with frightened eyes.

"Lily, it's okay" he reached for her again but she pressed her back into the cold stone wall in an attempt to evade his fingers.

"No it isn't James!" she said, fresh tears leaking down her cheeks. "Don't you see that?"

"All I see is you" he said, reaching out to take hold of her face in his hands.

"They'll hurt you, James" she cried, closing her eyes as more tears leaked out. "They'll hurt you because of me."

"Then we'll have to hurt them back" he said, as if it was the most simple thing in the world.

Lily opened her beautiful green eyes and stared at him as more tears leaked out, "I'm scared, James" she whispered. "I don't know where I belong anymore."

He swept the tears out from under her eyes, "You belong with me Lil, don't you know that yet?"

Lily let out a watery laugh.

"And I'd like to point out you've called me James three times in this entire conversation" he started again.

"Shove it, Potter" she choked on another laugh.

"I'm just sitting here trying to tell you how we so clearly belong together, the least you could do is listen."

"You are not seriously hitting on me, Potter" Lily said, trying to pull her head out of his hands.

"Just stop and listen to me, woman" he said, shaking his head at her stubbornness. It was like one step forward and two steps with her. "I wanted to tell you, that I don't want you to be alone this Christmas."

Lily laughed, "I don't have a lot of choice, Potter" she said simply, pulling her face out from between his hands so she could wipe the remaining tears from her face. "Petunia hasn't answered any of my letters."

"Well, glossing over your charming sister for a moment" James said, rubbing his fingers through his hair suddenly self-conscious. "I just wanted to tell you that I'm staying in Hogwarts for Christmas."

"You're w-what?"

"Not just me!" he said, backpedalling immediately. "The boys are all staying too, Remus is obviously worried about his furry little problem and Sirius just follows me around so-"

James was cut off as Lily's warm body tackled him from the side and she wrapped her arms around his neck. He had to rebalance himself slightly to stop the two of them from rolling onto the floor together, but he took it in his stride as he wrapped his arms around her too.

Lily Evans was voluntarily hugging him, he wasn't about to waste the moment.

"You're kind of my hero, you know that?" she mumbled into his chest.

"I'll rescue you whenever you like, Evans" he said quietly into her hair.

Suddenly she seemed to realise the weight of the moment and softly detangled herself from his arms, a soft pink blush painting her cheeks. "We should get to class" she said quietly, avoiding looking at him directly in the eye.

"We could skive" James suggested, "We are already late."

"I don't know Potter…" she started.

"We could sneak down to the kitchens" he tried again, "You didn't eat much at breakfast."

"I'm not really hungry" she said, shaking her head but her eyes lit up as though she had suddenly had an idea. "Could we go and see Sally?"

"Of course we can!" James agreed easily without missing a beat. "Flitwick can hardly complain about you visiting the best second year in his class."

"How do you know she's the best in his class?" Lily asked, her eyes narrowing suspiciously.

"You're her tutor, Evans" James laughed, shaking his head as he took hold of her hand to lead her down the corridor.

Lily didn't say anything, she just smiled up at him in that Lily Evans way that let him know she thought he was completely ridiculous.

Which of course, was completely fine by him.