The morning of the Gryffindor versus Slytherin Quidditch match dawned bright and clear.

Lily's internal clock had woken her up at five just as it had done for months now, reminding her to get up for training. This morning however, James had to get up for the match so there was no exercise scheduled. She had gone back to sleep with a relieved groan, snuggling deep into her blankets.

When she had finally managed to drag herself out of bed, Lily descended the stairs into the common room only to be greeted by a mass of excited, energetic, extremely high spirited teenagers—all dressed brightly in their house colours.

The noise and energy in the room was overwhelming and it would probably only get worse, so Lily took a moment to prepare herself. If they won today, not only would there be the usual excitement of a win, but there was also the promise of a winners party that evening and a Hogsmeade trip the next day.

The Gryffindors would probably become riotous in their revelry and by the end of the weekend, poor James would probably be so tired he wouldn't know what to do with himself. Lily stopped mid- step at that thought and shook herself; she'd been noticing that more and more often that her thoughts were constantly redirected towards James, no matter what she was doing. It was starting to become very frustrating.

Deciding to worry about it later, Lily left the room in search of her boyfriend.

She found him in the Great Hall surrounded by his friends and with a continuous line of people walking past him, all taking the opportunity to either slap his back or whisper a threat to him, depending on that student's particular house allegiance.

Lily watched him from the door for a few seconds and was surprised at how nervous he appeared to her. She'd never seen him like this before and so she looked around at the Marauders for signs that they had noticed his unusual behaviour as well.

There was no such indication, and Lily realised it was probably because he was always like this before a match and it was her who had never noticed before now.

James had always been relatively quiet the mornings before a match. She'd never really taken the time to realise any bravado he did give wasn't because he was feeling confident, but was for the benefit of his team, his house, and often his own nerves.

Suddenly feeling awful for the many years of abuse she'd given him before matches, Lily was quick to take the empty seat next to him. He didn't immediately notice her presence because he was distracted by a pompous Hufflepuff who was spouting his opinions on what James could do to improve his flying.

Lily spent the time he was caught in conversation giving the breakfast table an extensive search, looking for a muffin. Just as she realised there were none left, James turned towards her angrily, looking as if he were going to shout, but he caught himself before the first syllable had left his mouth.

"Oh, Lily, it's you," he sighed with obvious relief. "I've been trying to save you that seat all morning, but people I don't know keep sitting there and trying to tell me how I can improve my game—it's a bloody joke, half of them don't even know how to hold a broom and they're giving me advice!" he said aggravated, finally slumping into her and resting his forehead on her shoulder wearily.

She could feel the strain coming off him in waves. "Don't worry, I'm here now, and I don't know if you've ever noticed, but I can scare away just about anyone if I'm angry enough," she confided conspiratorially, patting his head consolingly.

He lifted his head and chuckled. "I may have noticed that trait once or twice, actually."

Lily rolled her eyes at his cheeky grin and asked, "Have you eaten?"

"No, but I don't normally manage much before a match, partly because people won't leave me alone long enough to take a bite, and partly because I'm a little nervous." He admitted sheepishly "So basically I've had nothing, regardless of having been here for half an hour."

While he'd been talking, Lily had buttered a soft roll and folded it into a bacon sandwich, placing it in front of him without a word.

He stared at it and Lily looked at him anxiously. "What's the matter?"

"You made me a bacon sandwich?" he asked, staring at the item in question strangely.

"Yeah, did you want sauce on it? Sorry, normally you leave it plain."

"You made me a bacon sandwich." he repeated. "…Why?"

She blushed a little, but confidently answered, "Bacon sandwiches are your favourite thing to have for breakfast, so I figured if you'd eat anything, you'd eat that."

"How do you even know that?" he asked with quiet incredulity. "I normally just have cereal."

"I know, but you like to treat yourself sometimes."

He stared at her blankly and Lily began to fidget, feeling embarrassment rising within her the longer he stared. "Come on, James, we've been having breakfast together for months now, how could I possibly not have noticed?" she finally said in a quiet voice.

"I guess," he mumbled, a strange and almost affectionate look overtaking his face as he watched her, finally reaching out and pushing her hair over her shoulder, his hand gently brushing her cheek. He hoped his small display of affection would tell her what his mouth couldn't seem to say, that he was touched by the notice she'd given him.

She replied to his action by smiling timidly before taking a bite out of her own sandwich.

He opened his mouth to say something, but was interrupted. "Come on mate, time to get down to the pitch, can't win without our captain!"

Aggravated, James turned and acknowledged his team mate and made to leave, but not before leaning down and placing a gentle kiss on Lily's cheek. "Thanks, Lily," he whispered in her ear.

"What for?" she questioned a little breathlessly, trying to ignore the tingling feeling on her cheek where he'd kissed her.

"Well, normally before a match I sit here second guessing plays and worrying about weather conditions," he smiled, his hand still on her face holding her close. "But today you managed to distract me."

"Oh well, glad I could be of some use," she said, trying to lighten the atmosphere that seemed to have descended over them, but not once trying to pull away, even covering his hand with her own.

He smiled before he tenderly pulled his hand away, turned and began to walk away, and as he did Lily looked down at her plate, noticing that a muffin had materialised out of seemingly nowhere.

She called out to him questioningly, holding up the muffin. "James?"

He turned his head and seeing her holding the muffin, shrugged. "I know how much you like them, and when I got here there was only one left so… I saved it for you. You know… just in case."

She watched as he started to walk away again. "James?

"Yeah, Evans?" he sighed in mock aggravation at being stopped again, this time choosing not to stop completely, just continuing to walk away backwards so that he was facing her, a large smile now on his face.

Lily didn't answer with words, she merely took off her jacket and turned around, giving him a clear and spectacular view of the back of the Gryffindor jersey she was wearing, sporting the name POTTER written in big bold black letters right across her back.

James's step faltered and he stopped. Lily turned back around and met his scorching gaze unflinchingly, and watched mesmerised as a soft smile touched the corners of his mouth.

"It suits you," he said quietly, his voice somehow managing to carry over the din.

---

"You bloody idiot!" A voice bellowed, echoing loudly around the sterile and normally silent room, the large wooden door slamming against the wall increasing the noise level to epic proportions.

"How could you be so stupid?! Do you have any idea what it felt like to see you fall off your broom like that?!" Lily railed, as she stormed in to the Hospital Wing sending terrified students and team members scattering out of her way.

"Lils," James sighed, relieved.

That only angered Lily further, he shouldn't be relieved, he should be terrified. "Don't you Lils me, you arse! I thought you were supposed to be able to fly, I thought you were supposed to be some kind of superstar on a broom –"

"Lily—"

"NO!" she said, finally reaching him and pointing a finger accusingly in his face. "You can't fly, you're not talented – you're just an idiot with a death wish floating around on a stick a hundred feet in the air!"

"Lily!"

"I thought my heart had stopped! Do you have any idea what that feels like, because let me tell you it is not pleasant!" She continued to rail at him, throwing her hands in the air.

"LILY!" James said loudly, finally managing to cut her off.

She was still glaring at him so he tried to ease her obvious worry, secretly pleased that she cared enough about his well-being to be angry. "I'm fine, see?" he said gesturing to his relatively unharmed form. "And we won!"

Lily stared at him incredulously, looking poignantly towards his bandaged ribs and then his swelling cheek, but she couldn't help but calm a little seeing that he was obviously feeling well enough to be so excited.

The feeling was fleeting though, because after a second he added, "It was just a few broken ribs."

"Broken ribs!! You… you!" she stuttered, outraged. "You bloody idiot!" she cried, punching him on the arm as hard as she could.

"Hey, Evans!"

Sirius intervened appearing from seemingly nowhere, standing in front of James protectively. "He may be fine, but he's still sore, you can't punch him like that!"

"The hell I can't!" she said glaring at the Marauder, trying to make him realise that she was more than willing to direct some of her anger at him if he didn't get out of the way.

Sirius, however, remained unimpressed. "Who do you think you're talking to, Evans? I'm not James so I don't have to take any of your crap. And I'm not about to let you come storming in here bellowing at him like that—"

Noticing the rising tension, James interrupted the standoff. "It's okay, guys" he said in a calm voice, reaching up and placing a hand on Sirius's shoulder, encouraging him to back down. "Sirius, if Lily wants to hit me for being an idiot she can, after all what I did was pretty stupid, and you yourself spent ten minutes shouting at me once you knew I was alright. And Lily, I realise you were worried about me, but it really was a freak accident and I'm still a bit sore, so if you could just wait until tomorrow to hit me again I would be very grateful."

After glaring at Lily for another moment, Sirius finally backed down. "Fine," he said stiffly. "I'll just leave you two to it then, shall I?" Sirius asked, throwing a quick questioning look at James.

"That would be great, thanks mate," James sighed, relieved as Sirius collected his stuff and started to leave. "Save me a drink, yeah?"

Sirius waved a hand over his shoulder to show that he'd heard and exited the room leaving a very awkward silence in his wake.

Lily stared James down angrily, but suddenly buried her head in her hands, groaning as she sat on the side of his bed.

"What's the matter?" James asked cautiously, swinging his legs over the edge of the bed so he was sitting next to her.

"I'm so sorry I came in here screaming at you and hitting you," she mumbled through her fingers. "I don't know what possessed me, of course you're sore. Sirius had every right to stop me!"

"It's okay," he chuckled, rubbing her back tentatively.

"No, it's not – Oh!" she groaned again.

"What's the matter?"

"Well, I came charging in here like an angry hippogriff and I made your best friend feel like he had to leave…. I'm such an idiot, I'm so sorry…I'll go get him back for you," she said, starting to stand up so she could do just that.

His arm wrapping around her waist stopped her though.

"Lily." he whispered into her hair as he pulled her body back against his. "Please sit down. I want to see you, love."

"Are you sure? After all, Sirius—he's your best mate. He's always here for this stuff… and I'm not… even really your… girlfriend—" Lily said, having trouble getting the sentence out.

"I don't want Sirius, I want you, Lily," he said firmly, tightening his hold on her significantly, and they both paused as the impact of that statement really hit them both.

The awkwardness was back, but it was James who broke it this time. "I'm really sorry you were worried," he whispered, his head pressed to the back of hers, "but I really do feel fine, a little tender, yes, but I'm definitely still in one piece. I've had worse."

Lily's head nodded slightly, indicating she'd heard, and was appeased

James sighed, his breath ruffling her hair, "I don't think we'll be able to go to Hogsmeade tomorrow. I can leave the Hospital Wing, but I can't do anything too strenuous for a couple of days."

"That's okay." She waved him off, covering his arm with her own and settling back against him comfortably. "It's not like I've never been there before."

"True, but you've never been there with me," he said, unwilling to let go of her just yet.

"Don't worry about that," she smiled. "We'll do something else."

When he still seemed disappointed she said, "We can go next time."

"Really?" he asked, picking up a lock of her hair and wrapping it around one of his fingers.

"Sure."

"How about that party, though?" he questioned hopefully, as she finally turned in his arms.

"Let's just see how you feel," Lily said, shaking her head at his happy attitude despite what he'd just been through, before disentangling herself from his grasp and wandering off to find the nurse.

---

AN

Just in case I don't post again before the Holidays: Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Sorry for the slightly longer wait but I should hopefully have some time over the next couple of weeks to write

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