Okay so in this one I kind of switch from Lily's point of view to James's. But I did it ever so gracefully. Enjoy and please Review!
CHAPTER 9: Weekend.
Lily woke up Saturday morning still on the couch with James's arms wrapped around her. She sighed wondering what she'd gotten herself into. She didn't want to wake James, but she didn't want to move even if she could.
She could hear his soft snore in her ear. Lily rolled a bit so she could see him. He looked so peaceful. Although admittedly he looked a bit strange without his glasses. She could really see the scar by his eye now, the little one that was maybe a centimeter long. He was wearing a t-shirt rather than the school uniform so she could clearly see his well defined muscles.
Something on his upper arm caught her eye. She carefully propped herself on her elbow. She lifted his sleeve so it revealed a muggle tattoo. It was a black and white snitch that spread across his bicep, the wings spread wide. It didn't go all the way around, so she could see the whole thing.
James stirred his eyes opened a little before closing again.
"Good morning." He said in a raspy morning voice.
"Morning." Lily replied, she couldn't help but smile again as he yawned stretching his arms over his head.
"How did you sleep?" He asked his mouth still wide from the yawn.
"Alright, you?"
"Good." He answered resting his arm over her side. But of course he slept well.
"Um," She began.
"Hmm?" he asked his eyes closed.
"I should go." Lily said sitting up.
"Are you going to tell your friends?" he asked reaching above his head for his glasses.
"About the letter?" she asked, "Yeah. I'm going to have to."
"How about breakfast first?" James suggested, his hazel eyes showing from behind his spectacles. Lily was about to say, 'I don't think so,' when she remembered that he had given her a place to stay for the night when she wasn't ready to tell her friends about her father and he had reassured her and let her cry on his shoulder. Literally.
"Okay. Sure." Lily agreed. He raised his eyebrow like he didn't believe her. "But can we go up to the common room first? I want to get dressed." Lily asked.
"What ever you want." He maneuvered around Lily to get his bag. Once he had it he grabbed the map.
"Looks like everyone's still in bed." He told her. "So you won't have to worry about running into people. You know, to avoid gossip. And if you want we can take some of my shortcuts."
"Okay." Lily agreed. She was having a hard time remembering why she had hated him before.
They got to the common room and changed, meeting again for breakfast by the portrait of the fat lady. Lily wore regular muggle clothes since it was the weekend. She had brushed her hair and actually struggled to pick out an outfit. So it wasn't much of a surprise that James was already outside the Dormitory waiting for her.
"So what are you going to tell your friends?" James asked.
"Just that my dad had a heart attack and that I should be getting another letter today telling me whether he's still alive or not."
"What about us?"
"What about us?"
"What are you going to them about the other night? I mean nothing really happened except you cried a lot. But are you going to tell them?" James asked. This was the hard part for Lily. Because he had shown a side of him that Lily wasn't sure they, her friends, would understand. She wanted to tell them what he'd done and how sweet he'd been. But again they wouldn't understand. They'd accuse her of liking him. And maybe she did. But the timing wasn't right.
"Yes. I'm going to them." Lily said. Eventually she would at least. "But not right away. Promise you won't say anything?"
"Why don't you want them to know?"
"I don't know really. It's just they'd take it the wrong way, and…James, I really, really appreciate what you did last night for me. But the timing is just weird. You know. I was having a melt down and you helped me. So thanks. But my friends will get bent out of shape about it and start asking if we're dating and if anything happened and…"
"Breath," James instructed. "Take a deep breath," Lily did. "Now, are we dating?"
"No." Lily mumbled.
"Did anything happen last night?"
"I cried."
"So nothing they're expecting. So just tell them that."
"But,"
"No buts. Just tell them the truth. If they're really your friends they'll understand." James said cutting her off.
"When did you get so sensitive?"
"I've always been sensitive!" Lily smiled at this. "See you just think too much."
"Or maybe you don't think enough." She suggested jokingly.
"Yeah maybe." He agreed rolling his eyes. Lily laughed lightly and James nudged her shoulder.
They got to the Great Hall where James only had two waffles and some bacon. He was claiming to be cutting back. Plus there was quidditch practice that afternoon so he would have to be able to walk. And ride a broom.
McGonagall came up to Lily. "Get your things you'll be going home." Lily took in a breath knowing what this meant. "Potter, help her bring her things to Dumbledore's office.
"Yes. Ma'am." James agreed. He waited for McGonagall to be at the teacher's table again, before turning to Lily. "Are you okay?"
"It's not like I didn't expect it."
"You should eat something." James said watching as she stabbed at her food.
"I'm not hungry." She told him.
"Do you want to just get your things then?" Lily nodded in response.
"Okay," James took a huge bite of his waffle. He stood up shoving more into his mouth.
They walked up to the dorm in silence. Mostly this was due to the fact that James's mouth was so full. Lily went up to the girl's dorm leaving James at the bottom, since boys couldn't come up.
"Lily?" Ivy asked lacing up her shoes. The other girls were still sleeping.
"Hey." Lily said grabbing the few items on her night stand and organizing them into her trunk.
"Are you leaving?"
"Yeah."
"Are you coming back?"
"Yeah."
"What happened?"
"I'll explain it when I get back." Lily promised.
"When will you be back?"
"I don't know."
"Is everything okay?" Lily looked at Ivy.
"No." she said latching her trunk closed. She dragged it down the staircase.
"Lily!" Ivy called after her. "What's going on?" She followed her down the steps. James silently took her trunk.
"I told you I'll tell you and the others when I come back." Lily said turning to Ivy. She brushed her dark red hair out of her face. "I'll see you later." Lily hugged Ivy. "Can you tell the others that I went home and I'll explain when I get back?" Ivy nodded.
"Thank you." Lily tried to smile at her before turning to follow James to the headmaster's office.
Dumbledore was standing outside his office waiting for her to arrive.
"Hello Evans." He said.
"Hello Professor." She replied.
"Your mother is expecting you," He told her. It made her wonder if her mom was just on the other side of his office door. "And thank you Potter for helping her with her luggage."
"No problem." James said.
"Well I'll take it then. Meet me up there." Dumbledore said. He waved his wand and her trunk vanished. Then Dumbledore went up the staircase to his office leaving Lily to follow him.
"So, um," Lily began. "Thanks again. For everything. And I'll see you when I get back."
"Yeah. Have fun. Or," he stopped, "That's the wrong send off, so er. Yeah see you when you get back." Lily laughed. And for the first time ever she hugged him. At first James didn't know what to think, but he hugged her back.
"Bye." She said pulling away. James watched as she disappeared up the headmaster's staircase. To her father's funeral.
James went back to the Great Hall to finish eating with his friends then walk down to the pitch with Sirius. Only he bumped into Lily's friends around the corner.
"You know something." Jamie accused.
"I'd like to think I know more than one thing." James said to her pushing through.
"James," Mary said. "Do you know where Lily went?" James stopped turning to her.
"She'll tell you when she gets back." He said.
"But do you know where she went?" Mary asked again. James shook his head.
"No." he lied. He turned back going on his own way.