Remember the compliments you receive, forget the insults;

"I'm so angry! I could just ARGH!"

James was jolted awake from his nap by a very vocal entrance from Lily Evans. He watched with bleary eyes as she slammed the portrait shut, harder than necessary in his humble opinion but he wisely kept this to himself, threw her bag across the room with a growl and began to pace back and forth. Her arms were shaking and her hair was coming loose from the normally tight bun she pulled it into. James sat up slowly from his horizontal position on the couch, careful not to move too fast for fear that Lily's rage be turned on him.

"Lily?"

She whirled to face him and he was slightly alarmed to see tears shining brightly in her eyes.

"James. I-I didn't know you were here."

The Head Girl sucked in a deep, shaky breath and averted her gaze from his.

"Are you okay?" He asked gently, frowning with concern as her whole body seemed to suddenly sag with exhaustion. He rose quickly from the couch as she shook her head to indicate non-verbally that no, she was not okay. He had barely moved an inch when she suddenly flung herself into his open, waiting arms without warning. "Hey, hey." He stroked her hair tenderly as she savoured the feeling of his arms around her. "What's happened?"

"You'll think it's stupid." She conceded after a moment of silence. Her response was muffled against his shoulder as she buried her face in his shirt. He was sure she could feel the pounding of his heart and cursed his body for reacting to their closeness when she was obviously distressed about something.

"I'll decide if I think it's stupid or not. Come on, spill." James said as he pinched her lightly in the middle of her back. She sighed and ended up mumbling against his chest.

"It was just Malfoy and some of his cronies. They caught up to me in the hallway and they just wound me up." She felt him stiffen and the hold on her tightened. "It's silly. I should be used to it by now, right?" She forced a weak laugh and tried to disentangle herself from his embrace. He allowed her to move away slightly but still had his arms wrapped around her. The look he was giving her was unnerving.

"You must definitely should not be used to it." James said sternly as he looked at her with worry.

"No. It's ... it was just the usual, you know. Un-inventive stuff; go home mudblood and things...it's fine. And true I suppose so-"

"Don't!" He barked somewhat sharply at her. "Don't finish that sentence." He cupped her face in his hands, and spoke very slowly so that she would understand he was being deadly serious. "It's not true. You deserve to be here just as much as anyone else." Her snort angered him irrationally. "You do! You're the smartest witch in our year and you're beautiful and special and you should never let anyone make you think you know what makes you even better than them? That you would never sink to their level. You are such a good, good person Lily Evans and don't you ever forget that. Ignore all their gripes and insults and jealousy and just remember all the amazing things people have ever said to you." All the things I want to say to you.

She smiled at him, it was a tired smile, but a smile nonetheless. She returned to his embrace.

"Thank you, James. You're a good friend."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The next day, when Lily asked why he had detention from McGonagall, he failed to mention that it was because he had punched Malfoy in the face and ended up fighting with him in a deserted corridor. And, later that evening, after scrubbing Transfiguration desks for 2 hours, McGonagall released him with a frustrated sigh.

"As Head Boy, Potter, you should know better than to get in petty fights with other students."

He rubbed his sore knuckles and quirked a half smile.

"Eh. It was totally worth it."

If you succeed in doing this, tell me how.

~*~