A/N: Hey guys. I know, I know. It's been way too long, and honestly, I've really missed writing. I have no excuse other than school just got in the way. I am now on summer vacation, however, and should have much more free time to write! Yay! And, if it makes you feel better, this is the longest chapter I've posted yet. I actually really enjoyed writing this chapter, and I hope you all love it as much as I do.

Recap (because it's been so long): Lily was mad at James for getting Severus attacked by Remus. Sirius told Lily that it wasn't actually James' fault; it was his. Lily went to talk to James and ended up checking him out. They're on good terms again. Yay. Confused? Go re-read the last 13 chapters.

Disclaimer: This fic bears no intentional resemblance to any persons living or dead. If I'm doing my job right, it should bear a very great resemblance to persons made up and not owned by me.

James smiled as the redhead retreated from the tent. The weight that had sat on his shoulders for the last few weeks had finally been lifted.

"Oi, Prongs!" Sirius called, rushing from around the corner. "The match is getting ready to start! What the hell are you still doing in here?"

James wheeled around with a smile on his face at the sight of his best mate.

"Thank you," he said softly.

Sirius stared at him in confusion. James chuckled.

"Lily just came to see me. She told me what you did," he explained. "You didn't need to do that...but thank you for doing it anyway."

Sirius' puzzled expression quickly morphed into a smirk.

"Hey, what kind of bloke would I be if I let my best mate lose his girlfriend because of me?"

James rolled his eyes.

"She's not my girlfriend, Padfoot."

"Sure, sure," Sirius teased. "Yet. Now come on, then. We have a match to win."

Six hours later, Lily still sat in the Gryffindor stands watching the match that seemed to have no end. She was tired, she was hungry, and her patience with the Gryffindor Seeker was wearing thin.

"For the love of Merlin," Alice groaned. "How much longer is this going to go on? We've been out here for hours. Honestly, how hard can it be to catch a little gold ball?"

Remus chuckled from Lily's other side.

"Greene, have you ever actually tried to catch a Snitch?"

"Well, no, but—"

"They're wicked fast and damn near impossible to see," Lily interrupted. "Not to mention it has to be caught with one hand as the other Seeker tries to do the same thing right next to you. And all of this on a tiny wooden broomstick going nearly 100 kilometers per hour."

Alice huffed in annoyance.

"Yeah, well, that's all well and good, but can't they do it a little faster?"

The Gryffindors laughed tiredly.

"I guarantee you James is livid," Peter said, shaking his head.

Remus nodded grimly.

"Not to mention exhausted. You know Prongs. He puts 110% into Quidditch, regardless of how long a victory takes."

Lily grimaced at the thought. She recalled how drained he had appeared that night before trouts she knew that the aftermath of this match would be about a dozen times worse. A wave of pity washed over her, and she made a mental note to do something to make him feel better again later.

"I mean, he has to wear out at some point, right?" Mary sighed.

Peter snickered.

"I wouldn't count on it. We once played a match that lasted fourteen hours. It was two-on-two, and we'd tag each other out when we got tired. But James refused to quit. He played the entire match."

"Yeah," Remus interjected, "and then he slept for two days straight."

Lily rolled her eyes.

It's official, she thought. James Potter is a moron.

To say James was exhausted would have been the understatement of the century. Though Quidditch training kept him in shape, his muscles shook with just the small exertion of keeping himself upright on his broom. It was taking about ten times the usual effort just to keep control. He remembered the rough landing from a few months back. This was like that, but much worse. Something was desperately wrong.

James was never out of control on a broomstick; he'd been flying for as long as he could remember , and the task had become as easy as breathing. But today was different. It was as though his broom was determined to throw him to the ground, and it was all James could do to fight it.

Suck it up, Potter, he told himself. Focus on the game.

He gritted his teeth and heaved his broom to the left with as much strength as his weary body could muster. He watched as Collins blocked another shot from a Ravenclaw Chaser. James gripped his broom as tightly as he could with one hand and signalled for Collins to pass him the Quaffle. He caught it smoothly, and tucked it into his ribs. Saying a silent prayer for his safety, he sped toward the Ravenclaw goalposts.

He sent a shaky pass to McKinnon, earning an anxious glance from Sirius. Everyone knew that passes were second nature to James, especially his best friend. As McKinnon sent a shot that soared through the goalposts, James glanced down at the redhead below him.

And that was all it took to break the weak grasp he had on his broomstick.

"Something's wrong."

Everyone looked at Lily with a curious expression.

"What do you mean?" Peter asked. "We're winning. All Frank has to do is catch the Snitch, and it'll be over."

She shook her head.

"No, that's not what I meant," she said, rubbing her temple absentmindedly. She watched James above her as he caught the Quaffle and flew across the field. "I can't explain it. I just—I know that something isn't right."

They watched as James sent a rocky pass to the other Gryffindor Chaser.

"No, Lily's right," Remus agreed. "James doesn't miss a pass. Ever."

The crowd roared as Gryffindor scored, and Lily made eye contact with James. The next few seconds seemed to happen in slow motion. She saw a jerk rip through his broomstick. She saw his fingers come unglued from the handle. She saw the broom wrench out from under him. She saw his hands desperately grab for anything he could reach. She saw him drop nearly fifty feet to the hard earth below. And she saw him hit the ground with a sickening thud.

Alice screamed as Lily shot up from her seat.

"JAMES!" she exclaimed.

Remus grabbed her shoulders with trembling hands and tried to hold her back.

"Lily, stop! You can't—"

"LET GO OF ME!"

She yanked her arm from Remus' grasp and shot towards the pitch. She jumped over the railing of the stands and sprinted across the grass to James. His eyes were closed, a grimace plastered across his face.

"James!" Lily cried, cupping his cheek with her hand. "James, look at me!"

His eyes fluttered open in surprise, and his brows furrowed in confusion.

"Lily? What are you—" He let out a gasp of pain as he tried to sit up, and fell back to the ground.

Lily felt as though a knife was ripping through her stomach as she watched him in pain. Before she could think, her instincts kicked in, and a calm, efficient way took over her.

"Where does it hurt?" she asked quickly, as she tested the flexibility in his shoulders and elbows. He groaned as she put a hand to his side.

"There," he muttered with a weak chuckle.

Lily pulled up his Quidditch jumper to get a better look; her heart sank at the large purple bruise that was already forming across his ribcage.

"Looks like some broken ribs," she concluded. "Five, maybe six?"

A grumble rose up from around her. Lily looked around. She hadn't noticed the entire Gryffindor team gather around them. She saw Madame Pomfrey and Professor Dumbledore making their way across the pitch.

She sighed. She didn't know what made her think of it, but she knew that James would want anything but being pulled out of the match. Especially when his team needed him.

"James," she began in a hushed voice, "I'm going to make you an offer, and based on the rate Pomfrey is walking, I'd say you have about thirty seconds to make your choice. If she sees this, she will take you out of the match, and you will go to the Hospital Wing." His eyes widened in panic. Before he could reply, she continued, "Or, I could do a quick fix now. Judging by the bruising, the fractures aren't clean enough for them to heal permanently, but it should get you through the game. But if you choose the second option, you won't be able to go to the Hospital Wing later. I'll do what I can to heal them more after the match, but frankly, I don't know that I have the experience or skill to heal them completely on my own."

He didn't hesitate.

"Do it. I trust you."

Lily gave him a small smile and quickly pulled out her wand, pointing it at his chest as gently as possible.

"Episkey."

James' eyes narrowed in surprise. He attempted to sit up after a few seconds, and Lily quickly slipped an arm around him to help. A smirk appeared on his face as he stood up.

"Well?" Sirius asked nervously. "How do you feel?"

James beamed.

"Brilliant."

"Mr. Potter!" Madame Pomfrey called from behind them. She surveyed the scene, and eyed him in surprise. "Oh, dear. I would have thought from that fall that you'd be injured for sure."

James shot a small smile to Lily, and Dumbledore didn't miss it. He looked from Lily to James for a moment.

"It appears that everything here is in order," the headmaster said. "Play on."

Lily could have sworn she saw Dumbledore wink at her as he turned away. She helped James up, and turned to head back to her seat.

"Wait, Lily," James called. She turned to face him. "Thanks."

She gave a small smile and nod, and went back to her seat.

James was still slightly sore as he trudged up to Gryffindor tower that night, but his spirits could not have been higher. Frank had managed to catch the Snitch just minutes after play resumed, and Gryffindor had won by a landslide.

As he entered the portrait hole, a wave of students descended upon him and.

"What happened up there?"

"Are you okay?"

The swarm of students continued towards him, forcing him to back away.

"We thought you were dead!"

"I would have sworn Gryffindor was done for!"

James backed into a sofa and sat down warily.

"How did you manage it?"

"What was up with your broom?"

James was feeling very overwhelmed.

"Alright, alright, that's enough," a voice boomed from behind the wall of Gryffindors. A petite redhead shoved her way through the crowd and stood in front of James. "Give the man some space; he's had quite the day. Off to bed, all of you."

The crowd let out an irritated groan, but retreated up the stairs. Lily turned to look at James.

"Thanks," he said. "Again."

She laughed.

"Not a problem. How are you feeling?"

"Oh, I'm alri—OW!" He yelped has he attempted to adjust his position on the couch.

Lily winced sympathetically.

"I had a feeling that spell would be wearing off by about this time," she said. "I've got just the thing upstairs."

James snorted (much to the protest of his ribs).

"Well it's not like I can really go anywhere," he replied as she hurried up the staircase to the girls' dormitories.

A few minutes later, she returned with an armful of bandages, an icepack, and a towel. His brows furrowed in confusion.

"Where did you get all that?" he questioned.

Her cheeks flushed.

"Well, er, I may or may not have had to knick it from the Hospital Wing before everyone came back from the match."

James flinched as he let out a surprised laugh.

"I never thought I'd see the day when the Lily Evans broke a rule."

"I had a good reason for it!" she defended. She snorted good-naturedly. "And to think I'd be breaking the rules for James Potter, no less."

He grinned at her.

"We've come a long way, haven't we?" he reflected.

She gave him a warm smile.

"That, we have."

James eyed the medical supplies again apprehensively.

"So, what's first, boss?" he asked.

"Arms up," she instructed.

James did as he was told. Lily reached down lower than expected, grabbing the bottom of his Quidditch jumper and pulling it over his head. A shiver ran down his back. He swallowed.

"Now what?"

"Now," she continued with an apologetic smile, "we're going to have to get you in a horizontal position."

James groaned. He thought of the pain that came with just fidgeting slightly and imagined attempting to lie down. He wasn't too thrilled to try it. He gritted his teeth and waved Lily off when she tried to help him. He turned his body with an excruciating yelp, and lowered himself down flat onto the couch.

"No, wait, James—" Lily cried. It was too late.

Lily looked remorsefully at James as he tried to catch his breath.

"Erm—what I was going to say is that I needed you to lie the other way," she finished. She sighed. "Now your bad ribs are against the couch, where I can't really reach them."

James looked at her with distressed eyes. Lily couldn't help but notice how dismayed he looked. He was still panting from the exertion of moving, and sweat gleamed on his brow. He was doing everything he could not to show weakness, but it was clear that he was in a lot of pain. He was like a lost puppy, helpless and afraid. Lily chewed lightly on her lip as she tried to think of another way to help without moving him. He started to sit up again with an agonized moan.

"No, stop," she said, placing her hand on his shoulder and gently pushing him back down. "I can make this work. Just—er—lift your head a bit."

James did as he was asked as Lily placed the supplies on the end table next to the couch. She carefully sat down, sliding her legs beneath his head so that it rested on her lap.

"Good?" he asked hoarsely.

"Good. Are you comfortable?"

He nodded feebly.

"The first thing we need to do is get the inflammation down," she told him, grabbing an icepack from the table.

"Why ice? Can't you just use a potion or something?"

"Well, I was pretty limited on what I could get from Pomfrey's office," she said regretfully. James jumped as she pressed the ice to his bare skin. "And besides, I've learned that muggle methods work better for swelling than magic does."

"How do you know all of this?" he asked, grimacing at the cold.

"I want to be a Healer." She shrugged. "In my free time, I research different magical methods. It's fascinating to compare them to the muggle world."

"What's it like?"

"What do you mean?" she asked, confused.

"To see magic after growing up in the muggle world," he explained. "I'm still amazed at some of it, and I've been around it my whole life. I can't imagine what it must be like for you."

Lily smiled as she thought of the first time she saw Hogwarts.

"It...is indescribable," she told him. "Sometimes, it feels like a dream. As if I'll wake up soon, and the last six years haven't really happened." She looked down at his head in her lap. His hazel eyes were staring up at her in awe, and he looked slightly more comfortable. "But I couldn't be more happy that they have."

He smiled and said softly, "Me, too."

"What about you?" she asked. "What was it like growing up in the wizarding world?"

"It was...different. I never actually went to primary school," he said. "My mum home-schooled me until I was old enough to go to Hogwarts."

"Wait," Lily interjected. "So you've never been to an actual school before? Merlin, how do pureblood children make friends?"

"Well, most pureblood lines are pretty connected," he told her. "They typically come from big families, so they have cousins or siblings to play with."

Lily noticed his hesitation.

"What about you?" Lily asked.

He reached up to ruffle his hair lightly. For the first time she could remember, Lily realized that the habit that she once considered repulsive no longer bothered her.

"My parents had me pretty late in life, and then I guess I was kind of a handful." Lily chuckled lightly. "They never had any more kids, so siblings weren't an option for me. In addition, the Potter line has kind of—er—died out, I guess you could say, in recent years. I'm the last of the family."

Lily raised her eyebrows in shock.

"You mean you never had any family or friends to play with before you came to Hogwarts?" she asked.

He shook his head.

"No, not really. I guess that's why I'm so close to my mum and dad."

She was surprised. Lily had always pegged James for a very social person—one that had been around friends his entire life. It was almost surreal to hear otherwise.

"What are they like?" she asked softly. "Your mum and dad, I mean."

He gave a small smile at the thought of them.

"Well, my dad..." he trailed off, as though he was trying to find the right words. "He works a lot. He's second in command in the Auror Office at the Ministry. He's very good at what he does, but he manages to find time for his family, too. I've always admired him for that. I respect my dad, because...well, he was one of the only ones that never treated me like I was just some stupid kid. If I asked him about something, I could always rely on getting an honest answer, without any sugar-coating.

"My mum is the same way. She used to work for the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, but she retired when she had me. Mum just...she cares so much. About everyone and everything. She reminds me a lot of you, actually." Lily blushed as she adjusted the icepack. "She always puts everyone before herself. She's always had this special way of just...understanding people. It's like when she meets someone, she instantly sees straight into their heart and soul.

"And...they both just love each other so much. They've been together for forty-eight years, and yet they still act like lovesick teenagers, or something. If something ever happened to one of them, I can almost guarantee it would kill them both. I don't think they could survive without each other. I just...I hope one day I can love someone like that, you know?"

Lily nodded and smiled. She couldn't help but notice the affectionate way James talked about his family. She knew in that instant that there was nothing he wouldn't do for them. It was clear that they had a rare kind of bond—sacred and unbreakable.

"They sound lovely," she replied. "You're lucky to have them."

He smiled.

"Yeah, I am. So what about your family? What are they like?"

"My dad is an editor for a newspaper in Spinner's End—"

"Where's that?" he asked curiously.

"It's a little town near Bristol. It's where I grew up. I love having him work for a paper, because he can work from home most of the time...unless there's some breaking story that can't wait to be told. He's one of those people that can make you laugh, no matter what's going on in your life. He always used to tell me, 'If you can't dazzle them with brilliance, Lily Flower, baffle them with bullshit.' He knew more about that than anyone."

James let out a chortle and winced at the jolt it brought.

"What about your mum?" he asked.

"My mum is a kindergarten teacher—that's a class that muggle children go to before primary school. She loves being around people." Lily was silent for a moment, thinking about her mother. "She is the best cook you will ever meet. Name anything you want, and she can make it to perfection."

"Are you close to them?"

Lily averted her eyes from James', giving the icepack more attention than necessary.

"My dad? Yes. My mum? No, not really," she said. "Petunia was always the favorite in her eyes."

"Petunia?"

"My older sister," she elaborated. James looked at her with an interested gaze. "She and I were best friends when we were little."

"What changed?" he persisted.

Lily sighed sadly.

"Everything. I got my Hogwarts letter. She didn't. I was seen as a 'freak' in her eyes because I could do things she couldn't."

James gave her a sympathetic frown.

"I'm so sorry," he said. "That must have been hard."

"It's okay," she shrugged. She swallowed the lump that had appeared in her throat and lifted the icepack. His skin was red from the cold, but the swelling had decreased slightly. "I think the inflammation went down some."

"Is that good?"

Lily chuckled.

"Yes, James, that's very good," she said with a sad smile. "But unfortunately, that leads us to the not-so-fun part."

James looked at her anxiously, the lost puppy look returning to his eyes once again.

"You mean the lying down part wasn't the worst?" he asked quietly.

Lily shook her head guiltily.

"Now we have to actually mend the bones," she told him. "And that's not exactly pleasant."

James glanced back at the table of supplies.

"What's the towel for?" he asked.

Lily grimaced.

"Well...er...just in case you need something to...bite down on."

His eyes widened in alarm as she pulled out her wand.

"I'm not going to lie to you, James. This will be very painful. It shouldn't take longer than a few minutes, but they will not be fun. I may not even heal them all the way; I don't know if I've had enough practice."

James shut his eyes and let out a deep sigh. When he opened his eyes again, a determination filled them that she had only seen on rare occasions.

"I told you earlier: I trust you, Lily," he said, meeting her gaze with an unguarded one of his own. "You can do this. I know you can."

Lily took a deep breath, grabbing the towel from the table and offering it to James. He shook his head and waved her off.

"You're sure?" she asked.

He nodded and extended a hand to her.

"This is all I need," he assured her.

Lily took his hand in her grasp and gave it an encouraging squeeze.

"Ready?" He nodded as she gripped her wand tighter and pointed the tip at his chest. "On the count of three. One...Two...Three. Ferula."

If Lily had thought the pained sounds James had made earlier were unsettling, they were nothing compared to the agonized cry that came from his mouth now. His hand gripped hers like vice. Lily had never seen him in this much pain, even when they were attacked by the werewolf. Lily could feel her heart breaking as she watched her friend go through such excruciating pain.

"James," she whispered, running her hand across his face to comfort him. "James, I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry, James, just a few more minutes, and then it's over. I promise. I'm so sorry, James..."

The minutes stretched on for what felt like hours. He continued to grit his teeth with a groan, crying out every few seconds as a new wave of anguish hit him. Lily could do nothing but hold his hand, stroke his cheek comfortingly, and run her hand through his hair softly. She continued to apologize profusely, promising that it would all be over soon. Lily could practically feel his agony with every yelp, his voice cutting through the air like a knife. Her stomach twisted into knots at the sound, and compassion for his pain radiated from her. Tears sprang to her eyes as she watched powerlessly.

At last, the cries subsided, leaving James panting and exhausted. His face was coated in a sheen of sweat, and his muscles trembled with fatigue. Lily grabbed the towel from the table and dabbed gently at his skin.

"Well...you said...that wouldn't...be fun," he said between shuddering gasps. His voice was raspy from exertion. "You...you were right."

Lily chuckled sadly, and a tear fell down her cheek.

"Oh, Lily...don't...don't cry," he wheezed. "I'm...I'm okay...thanks to you."

Lily examined his ribcage once again. The bruise was still there, and probably would be for a few weeks, but the swelling was completely gone.

"I think they all healed properly," she said nervously. She tensed as she gently probed his side, but relaxed when no sign of pain was given. "How do you feel?"

"Better," he said, finally catching his breath. "You did brilliantly, Lily."

She gave him a small smile. After a moment of silence, she asked him a question she'd been meaning to ask all night.

"What happened out there today, James?"

He shook his head and rubbed the back of his neck in uncertainty.

"I don't know. It was like my broom was determined to throw me off. It was all I could do to hang on for as long as I did. Damn near wore me out."

"You're lucky you weren't killed," she said fretfully. "Do you think you can sit up for just a moment?"

He nodded, and she slipped an arm around his waist to help him into a sitting position. She grabbed the bandage from the table and began to wrap the long, tan strip around his chest.

"This is a compression bandage," she explained. "You'll still be pretty sore for a few days, but this should help some. No Quidditch for at least a week, and I want to check in with me nightly so that I can see how they're healing."

James gave her a weak salute.

"I guess I'll head off to bed, then," he said, swinging his legs slowly to the edge of the couch.

"Easy," she warned. "You don't have to hurry off. You had a rough night. Lie down and rest for a few minutes."

James looked at her skeptically, but eventually followed instructions. He laid his head back on her lap. She wasn't surprised to hear him snoring within just a few minutes; she knew he had to be ready to drop. She grabbed the blanket from the back of the sofa and spread it across his body. Lily stroked his hair softly as she stared pensively at the fire. It wasn't long before she, too, drifted off.

Little did she know about the note that waited for her under her pillow that read:

See what happens when Mudbloods associate with people they shouldn't?

People get hurt.