A/N: So remember a few chapters ago when I told you there was a chapter coming up that I was really excited about? Well here it is! It came out a little differently than I was expecting, but I actually still really like it. I hope you have as much fun reading it as I did writing it! Please review and let me know your thoughts!

Disclaimer: Okay, if you guys honestly haven't figured out that I'm not J.K. Rowling yet, you have a problem.

Chapter 15

Lily woke the next morning to two very curious smirks. Alice and Mary stared down at her with two suggestive expressions. Lily was puzzled for a moment, but as she took in her surroundings—namely, the sleeping boy in her lap—she knew exactly what it must have looked like.

"Oh, no," Lily assured them quietly, careful not to wake James. "It's not what you think." She proceeded to explain to her friends the events of the previous day, including the extent of James' injuries and her attempt to heal them. She left out the details of their conversation, however. Those were private words, and she valued James' trust too much to break it. It simply wasn't hers to tell. Mary and Alice listened to Lily with knowing smiles, and frankly, they were beginning to irritate her.

"Okay, why do you guys keep staring at me like that?" she snapped.

Alice giggled.

"You liiiiiiike him," Mary teased in a sing-song voice.

Lily was startled. Sure, she considered him as a close friend, but how could anyone ever think she actually liked James Potter?

"What? No. No way! James and I are just friends. That's it, and nothing more. He got hurt yesterday. I had the ability to help, so I did. Anyone would have done the same thing."

"Hmm," Alice replied. "Then isn't it strange that you were the only one to rush to his side?"

Lily glared at her best friend. Alice was being ridiculous. Watching James drop that far so suddenly had somewhat traumatized her. She didn't think before she ran, because her body reacted before her mind could even process what had happened. She had acted on pure instinct, nothing more, and she told Alice as much.

"Yes, perhaps that's true," Alice reasoned. "But that doesn't explain why your instincts reacted that way. Mary and I were all just as scared as you were, but we didn't lash out irrationally. So why did you?"

Lily felt cornered. Her friends were making a big deal out of nothing. Her relationship with James was purely platonic, and it would never be anything other than that.

"This is absurd," Lily fumed. "I'm not going to discuss this. James and I are friends, and that's all. So just drop it, would you?"

Mary gave her a sad smile and sighed.

"We're sorry, Lily," she said. "We just want to make sure you don't miss out on something that could be great, simply because you're too stubborn to see it."

Lily's anger softened.

"I know you guys are just looking out for me, but it really isn't necessary," she said. "I can figure things out myself. I'm just fine with where I am in life. Really, I'm happy."

Alice smiled.

"Good," she said. "Just make sure you'll keep an open mind."

"I will," Lily promised. "What time is it?"

"A little after nine. We're going down to breakfast. Are you coming?"

Lily's stomach grumbled, but as she glanced down at James' sleeping face, she couldn't bring herself to wake him.

"No," she told them, "you go without me. I'll go grab something from the kitchens later."

They nodded in agreement, and exited the common room. Lily gazed down at James once again, and couldn't help but notice how peaceful he looked when he slept. His glasses were slightly crooked from sleep, and he lacked his usual mischievous aura. She began to take note of things she'd never had cause to examine before: the curve of his dark eyebrows, the straight line of his nose, his strong jawline. His hair, always so unruly, looked remarkably soft. She gently ran her fingers through it, careful not to wake him, and was surprised to feel the smoothness it possessed.

Okay, she thought with a chuckle, I can understand why he messes with his hair so much.

She traced her finger along the edge of the stubble that had appeared overnight. He began to stir under her fingertips, and she quickly pulled away, tearing her eyes from his face. She didn't want to be caught staring.

But James didn't wake. He merely shifted slightly and released a soft sigh. At that moment, Lily heard footsteps on the stairwell to the boys' dormitories.

"Lily?"

Remus, Sirius, and Peter appeared in the Common Room on their way to breakfast. They took in the scene with bemused stares.

"What are you two still doing down here?" Sirius asked, waggling his eyebrows suggestively.

"Oh, shut up," she laughed. "I finished healing him last night, and he fell asleep before we could go to bed."

"Well, yeah, I could understand it last night," Peter said, "but it's after nine. Why is he still asleep?"

"He had a rough night last night," she explained. Lily grimaced at the memory of the previous evening. "Combine that with the match he played yesterday, and I know he has to be exhausted. I just couldn't bring myself to wake him up until he gets some more sleep."

Remus gave her a small smile.

"We're going down to breakfast. Do you need anything before we do?"

Lily eyed the bookshelf in the corner of the room.

"Actually, would you mind grabbing me one of those books?" she requested. "I don't care which one, I just need something to keep me entertained for a while." Her eyes flickered once again to James. "I don't think this lug is going to be up for a while."

When James awoke, it took him longer than usual to process his surroundings.

"Good afternoon, sleepyhead."

His eyes snapped up to see the owner of the voice. Lily Evans was above him, eyeing him around a book with a small smile. At last, the memories of last night came back to him.

"What time is it?" he asked, rubbing his eyes beneath his glasses sleepily.

"Almost two," she said, her eyes returning to the pages.

"How long have you been here?"

She laughed softly. James suddenly became very aware of the fact that he was lying across her lap.

"Oh, Merlin," he groaned. He shot up quickly, wincing at the soreness that still ached in his ribs. "Have you been here all day?" She nodded. "I'm so sorry, Lily, you must be bored stiff."

She grinned and shook her head.

"James, really, it's okay," she said, placing her hand on his shoulder to calm him. "I didn't mind. I just knew you had to be tired, and I didn't want to wake you up."

"Thanks," he said, running his hand through his hair and smiling. His eyes widened as a realization dawned on him. "Damn, that means you haven't eaten all day. You must be hungry."

As if on cue, her stomach growled loudly. He chuckled sadly.

"You want to go down to the kitchens? I'm sure you're itching to stretch your legs."

Lily returned to her dorm room that night in high spirits. James' injuries seemed to be healing well, Alice and Mary were finally off her case, and she had just finished her potions project with James. Though it was only early November, they had worked diligently, Lily reminding James that if they finished early, they would have a free period for the rest of the semester.

It was just after midnight when she finally crawled into her sheets. She relished the soft, warm bed that waited for her. Though her bed at home was nice, she always looked forward to returning to Hogwarts so she could sleep in her bed. She stretched her back and shoulders, and as she did so, her hand brushed across something rough and stiff.

She grabbed the unidentified object, reaching for her wand on her nightstand.

"Lumos," she whispered, glancing over at her sleeping friends warily, taking care not to wake them.

Her hands began to shake as she read the words on the parchment:

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

People get hurt.

Lily could feel her whole body begin to tremble as she processed the meaning of the note. Someone had knocked James off his broom because of her. She was the reason he got hurt. He had been lucky to only receive the injuries he did; that fall easily could have killed him.

What if it had? she thought. What if James had died because of me?

Lily felt her stomach churn at the thought. Whoever had written this letter had been in her room. They had touched her bed. This idea only strengthened Lily's resolve. She would not allow someone to terrorize her in her own territory. No, she would continue about her life as usual, and she would not let some bully scare her into a state of solitude. She'd just have to be extra careful about watching out for James and her other friends.

Lily slid out of bed and crept across the room to her dresser, sliding open her sock drawer and sticking this note in with the previous one. Alice stirred as she shut the drawer.

"Lily?" she grumbled sleepily. "What are you doing up?"

"Just grabbing some extra socks," she lied. She forced a smile on her face as she walked back to her bed.

Sleep did not come easily to her that night. She tossed and turned violently until, at last, sleep found her.

"Ah, brave ones we have here, I see," a steely voice hissed.

Lily stared up at the face above her and gasped. The man standing in front of her didn't appear to be human. With red eyes and slits for a nose, Lily had never seen a more terrifying sight. She knew in an instant that she was staring straight into the eyes of Voldemort.

"Such a pretty thing," he said, placing his bony fingers under her chin and forcing her to look him in the eye. "And strong, too. Yes, you would be of great use to me."

He released her, and slowly traipsed to the figure next to her.

"And James Potter," he said with a leer. "Alas, your family name does not exaggerate your courage. Join me, and you could be great."

"I'd die before I'd ever join you," James seethed.

"Hmm, pity," Voldemort muttered. He let out a laugh that held no trace of humor. "However, I think that can be arranged."

"No! Don't hurt him!" Lily cried, thrashing as she tried to escape the ropes that bound her.

Voldemort gazed at the two of them curiously. His face was one of concentration, as though he was trying to solve a puzzle that continued to allude him.

"What's this?" he crooned. "Does the little Mudblood actually care for the boy?" He eyed her inquisitively. "Interesting, very interesting."

He glided towards James once again while keeping his eyes on Lily. He never broke her gaze as he pulled out his wand and pointed it at the boy.

"Crucio!"

James let out a scream immediately, his body writhing in agony.

"No!" she shrieked. "Please! Stop! You'll kill him!"

But Voldemort did not oblige. He continued the curse, leaving James shouting and trembling in pain. Lily could do nothing but scream unanswered please as she continued to jerk against her bindings. She watched helplessly as she watched her friend slowly die before her eyes.

"NO!"

Lily shot up from her bed, gasping to catch her breath. Her whole body shook with fear, and she was covered in a sheen of cold sweat. As Lily relived the dream, a sob erupted from within her. Tears silently streamed down her cheeks as she tried to collect herself. Eventually, her tears slowed, though Lily knew it would be a while before they left completely.

Knowing that sleep would evade her for a long time, she left the room quietly and traipsed down the staircase. She entered the Gryffindor Common Room, and curled up at the end of the couch. She gazed at the fire silently, trying to forget the memories of the nightmare that was still fresh in her mind.

"Hey."

Lily jumped. She knew that voice; she must not have seen him when she entered the room. She wiped the tears from her cheeks as discreetly as possible, hoping he wouldn't notice.

"Oh. Hey, James."

At two in the morning, James was not asleep. After sleeping all day, he still felt wired and full of energy. After dinner, he'd gone for a run, hoping to tire himself out, but to no avail. He'd checked in with Lily before she went to bed. Though they were still slightly sore, she'd said his ribs were healing well, and he should be able to play Quidditch by early next week. After the rest of the Marauders had gone to bed, he'd figured he'd be alone for hours, with no entertainment but a Transfiguration essay.

So imagine his surprise when a certain redhead snuck into the Common Room so late at night.

"Hey," he greeted.

He saw her wipe something from her cheek and inhale deeply.

"Oh," she said. "Hey, James."

Her voice sounded thick, and he immediately knew she'd been crying. He stood up from the table and crossed the room, planting himself on the cushion next to her. He placed his hand on her back and leaned closer to see her face.

"What's wrong?"

She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and took a shuddering breath. She sat up straighter and finally looked at him. Her eyes were red, and he could see dark circles beneath them from lack of sleep.

"Nothing," she answered with a smile that didn't quite meet her eyes. "Just a bad dream, that's all."

"You want to talk about it? That always helps me."

She shook her head.

"I honestly doubt you'd really be that interested."

James shrugged and gave her a sad smile.

"I'm always willing to listen to a friend that needs to talk."

Lily hesitated for a moment, and for a moment James was struck once again by how pretty she was. Even with her eyes red from tears and hair that was mussed from sleep, she still had an elegance about her that he couldn't quite place. She cleared her throat softly.

"Well, you were there," she began, "and so was Voldemort. He was...he was torturing you, and you were dying—" Her voice cut out as fresh tears spilled down her cheeks.

James felt his heart ache at the sight of her suffering in front of him. Without thinking, he pulled her to his chest and wrapped his arms tightly around her. She buried her face and he felt her shoulders shake with sobs. James said nothing; he merely held her.

After a few moments, Lily's tears subsided, though she stayed where she was.

"He—he made me watch, James," she croaked. "There was nothing I could do... I just had to sit there and watch you—"

"Shhhh," he calmed her, stroking her hair gently. "It's okay now. I'm fine, see? Nothing's going to happen to me. Or you, for that matter."

Lily pulled back from his arms and stared up at him vulnerably, meeting his eyes with an intense gaze.

"How can you say that?" she whispered. "We're in a war, James. Who knows? I'm Muggleborn, I could be dead tomorrow—"

"Don't say that."

James' heart nearly broke just from the thought of it. Surely there could not be a world without Lily Evans.

"It's true! People are dying every day. We can't ignore that. Do you know what I wouldn't give to wake up one morning and not have to worry about whether my family was still alive? Or whether this is going to be the last day I ever have to spend with my friends?"

"I know," he said. "Believe me, I know. But right now we can't do anything about it. It's our job to stay here and focus on our studies, so that when we do have an opportunity to help, we can do the best job possible."

Lily took a shaky breath and nodded. She looked so frightened and vulnerable. All James wanted to do was tell her that everything was going to be okay, though he knew that he couldn't promise that. An idea popped into his mind at that moment, and he grinned.

If he couldn't reassure her, he could at least distract her.

Lily had never been more embarrassed in her life. Not only had she just told James about her dream—which made it almost sound as though she had feelings for her—but she had also spent several minutes sobbing into his shirt. She began to collect herself, feeling heat rush to her cheeks.

"Hey," James said, leaning towards her slightly to meet her eye. "Wait here. I want to show you something."

Before she could reply, he was darting up the boys' staircase. He returned a few moments later with a bundle of fabric in his hands. Lily recognized the thin, silvery material immediately. She examined the familiar object with wonder as James carefully unfolded it.

"Is that...is that what I think it is?" she questioned, her voice hushed with awe.

James gave her a small smile and nodded. Lily couldn't help herself, she approached James slowly, her eyes never leaving the cloak. She ran her fingers gently over the silky cloth, a million thoughts buzzing in her head.

"An invisibility cloak, hmm?" she finally said with a smirk. "So that's how you lot have been sneaking around without getting caught all these years?" She let out a chuckle and raised an eyebrow at him. "And here I was all this time thinking that you were just very clever."

James let out an exaggerated gasp, covering his heart with mock hurt.

"I take offense to that, Evans," he said with a wry grin. He began to pull the cloak over their heads, and Lily questioned him again.

"Wait, this isn't the 'something' you wanted to show me?"

James laughed softly.

"Oh, no," he replied. "This is just the 'something' I had to show you in order to get to the 'something' I wanted to show you."

"Two 'somethings' in one," Lily laughed, playing along. "What a bargain I'm getting! I guess I should sneak into the Common Room in the middle of the night more often."

James grinned and placed a hand on the small of her back, giving her a gentle push to guide her to the portrait hole. They left silently, their footsteps soft in the deserted corridors. He led her down several long hallways, and up multiple flights of stairs. On more than one occasion, they came across a teacher patrolling the halls. Each time, Lily's breath would catch in fear, and James would smile at her in amusement of her nerves. At last, they rounded a corner that brought them to a staircase Lily had never seen before. James nodded his head toward it, guiding her up the steps. When they reached the top landing, James pulled the cloak from their heads and gestured toward the door. She opened it slowly, trying to make as little noise as possible, and stepped through the threshold.

Lily's eyes widened as she took in the sight of the small balcony. It was about four feet wide, with about the area of a picnic table. A roof extended over the terrace, and a stone railing blocked the wind, preventing the chilly November air from permeating its walls.

"What is this place?" she whispered.

"Just some place I found back in third year," he said, closing the door behind him. He walked to the railing and leaned his elbows on it. "I come up here sometimes when I just need to think."

Lily followed him to the railing and did the same. The view was breathtaking. All of the Hogwarts grounds were visible. The Forbidden Forest loomed in the distance, and the Black Lake glistened in the moonlight. She could see smoke rising from the chimney of Hagrid's cabin.

"It's beautiful up here," she said after a few moments. "Who else knows about this place?"

"I've never seen anyone else up here. And I never told anyone about it before...not even Sirius."

Lily felt heat rise to her cheeks as she took in the sentiment of that statement. She felt honored that James chose to show this place to her, especially considering how much the place seemed to mean to him.

"Well...thank you," she said, looking over at him with a smile. "For bringing me, I mean. This is exactly what I needed."

James beamed at her.

"Glad to hear it."

They sat in a comfortable silence for quite a while. Lily began thinking about how far their relationship had progressed in the past few months. She used to think of James as an arrogant guy that was used to getting what he wanted. Lately, however, she had come to realize that he was so much more than that. What she considered haughtiness had actually turned out to be pride for who he was and what he had accomplished. And Lily couldn't help but think that he had earned the right to that pride. He was exactly what everyone thought he was: extremely intelligent, a marvelous Quidditch player, and good looking. But Lily had the chance to see how much was underneath the surface of that. He was also fiercely loyal to his friends and family. He was far more than intelligent; his intellect could certainly be considered that of a genius'. He was extremely dedicated to his Quidditch team, and he valued them almost as much as he did his family. And James' relationship with his family was absolutely something to be admired.

Lily thought again about her conversation the previous night with James.

"I hope one day I can love someone like that, you know?"

"James?" she asked, breaking the long silence.

"Yeah?"

"Do you believe in true love?" The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them.

James' brow furrowed at the question. He was silent for a minute, and for a moment, Lily realized the stupidity of her question. Heat returned to her cheeks again.

"Yeah, I do," he said, interrupting her chagrin. He did not meet her gaze, staring at the lake intensely. "I grew up around it."

Lily nodded, smiling at the thought. Her parents loved each other, but it was the kind of love that was more for convenience than passion. It was reassuring to think that there really were people in the world that felt that kind of joy.

"Do you?" he asked, finally turning to look at her.

Lily sighed.

"I think so. I think there are loads of people in the world you could be happy with, but the romantic in me believes that there's one person better suited for you than all of them." Lily laughed to herself as she remembered something her father had told her when she was younger. "My dad was always really into Greek mythology—"

"What's that?"

"It's like a religion...beliefs that people had a really long time ago to explain how the world worked. It has a bunch of gods and heroes and monsters. Things like that. Dad used to tell me this one story called 'The Red String of Fate.' Apparently the gods tie an invisible red string around the pinky fingers of two people that are destined to be together." Lily smiled at the story. "He said that the string could get knotted or tangled, but it could never be broken...that way they can always find their way back to each other."

James grinned as he listened to her, and she found herself grinning back. It was a pleasant thought, to think that you could never lose the person you were meant to be with.

"Do you believe in gods like that?" James asked.

Lily pursed her lips together and stared out at the grounds as she considered the question.

"I dunno," she said honestly. "Maybe not gods like that, but I find it hard to believe that we're all just...walking around randomly, you know? There has to be some kind of reason behind it all...some kind of purpose or plan. At least I hope there is. So, yeah, I guess I do." She looked at him to gauge his reaction. "What about you?"

James let out a sad sigh.

"I want to," he said softly. "I want to believe so badly that there's someone up there directing everything...that there's someone watching out for us. But then I see everything that's going on with the world. I just have a hard time believing that if someone could control it, that they'd just continue to let it happen."

Lily nodded. She understood exactly what he meant. So many awful things were happening everywhere, and it seemed like it would never end.

"I get it," she said after a few moments of silence. "Really, I do. And maybe my faith doesn't make any sense...but I just...I need to believe that one day, everything's going to work out."

James nodded in comprehension, and they resumed their comfortable hush. After all, no words were really needed. Lily found that she truly enjoyed talking with James Potter. He seemed to just get how she thought, and he was always voicing the same things that were on her mind. They had a type of understanding that's difficult to find, Lily and James. Though they had only been friends for a few months, Lily felt as close to him as she did to her friends of several years.

She didn't know how long they sat out there, saying nothing and just being with each other. Though the sky was cloudy, Lily eventually saw light shine through the trees at the edge of the grounds. She roused James, and he pulled the invisibility cloak around them. They trekked back to the Common Room, sneaking in as quietly as they could. James pulled the cloak off of them.

"Thanks again for tonight, James," Lily said, giving him a smile. "It was...exactly what I needed."

James grinned at her and nodded.

Lily walked towards the girls' staircase, turning to him once again before she ascended them.

"Goodnight, James."

He smiled and looked out the window where the sun was rising, letting out a chuckle.

"Good morning, Lily."

Well, there it is! Hope you all liked it. PLEASE REVIEW, and let me know what you guys think!