I wasn't in contact with anyone for a week. After a few days I had quit trying to find Neil, because he obviously didn't want anything to do with me anymore. The idea of being alone didn't bother me anymore; no one liked me, so why should I pretend they did?

Scorpius and Rose's relationship was going very well, and I won't lie- I wasn't very pleased about it. My cousin never wasted the opportunity to rub it in my face in the most unpleasant manners; kissing him in front of me... holding his hand when I walked around the corner... It annoyed me to no end, but what was I to do? Scorpius didn't even try to talk to me anymore, and I was getting over him.

My main trouble was that McGonagle had not returned my notebook that contained my novel. I missed it terribly, and most of all, I was nervous as to what she would say about it. Had I won the contest? What if she just read one page before throwing it back into her drawer, thinking it wasn't worthy of being in this contest? My mind swirled as I thought up more and more disasters that could happen.

My troubled thoughts were cut up abruptly as I fell onto the ground, hitting my chin on the cold stone. In blinding pain, I attempted to look around and see what I had tripped on. I had tripped on a boy, who was sprawled out on the ground, reading a book.

With much pain, I got up, supporting my now-bleeding chin. He got up quickly as well, and he looked at me with shocked eyes. "Are you okay?" Neil asked, looking at my chin.

"I'm fine," I gasped, removing my hand from my injury. It was full of blood, and a drop fell down onto the stone, staining it red. "I just need to go to the Hospital Wing.."

Neil stuffed a hand into his pocket, and retrieved a bandage. "Here- let me help a little... you don't want it to get infected." I didn't have the strength to fight back, and he dabbed at my chin gingerly, making it sting.

We began walking towards the end of the hall, where the hospital wing was. My chin throbbed, and I was developing a horrible headache. The bandage that Neil had put on my injury had helped a little... at first. It was small, so the blood soaked through, dripping onto my shirt, ruining it. I felt a tear burning on my chin, as I supported my arm to my chest. It had been injured as well during the fall, and I hoped it wasn't broken.

Neil silently walked at my side, looking straight ahead. I didn't dare try to strike up conversation; he was probably still disappointed that I liked Scorpius. Silently I shook my head. But who do I like? Definitely not Scorpius, that's for sure.

We walked for awhile, as the hospital wing was very far away from where I had fallen. I cried silently, feeling like a useless coward. He didn't notice my tears, and if he did, he probably wouldn't care.

Then suddenly, Neil stopped walking, and I bumped into him accidently. Quickly I took a step away, feeling embarrassment at my lack of ordination. "Sorry," I muttered.

He glanced over at me. "Lily, I wanted to talk to you..." He began, his cheeks flushing a slight red color. "Look, you remember last week, when we saw Scorpius and Rose...?"

I nodded, feeling pain in my chin as it continued to drip slowly and thickly. "Yes," I whispered. "What about it?"

He hesitated again. "Look- I didn't mean it as it came out- I mean..." His voice trailed off. "It probably seemed like... you know, like I liked you..." I blushed slightly, but he didn't see.

He refused to meet my gaze, much to my relief. I didn't want him to see me in the shape I was. "I was just- shocked- you know? I don't really like you..." He seemed as if he was trying to convince himself of this.

Why did I feel so disappointed? My heart sank. Why? "Oh... I know that, Neil, don't worry about it..."

He nodded curtly, and looked over at me, seeing how bloody my chin was. "That looks bad," he said, his voice full of sympathy. "C'mon, lets go." He began to walk again, and I followed, keeping next to him.

Why, why did I ever imagine that I actually had a chance with him? He didn't think of me like that.

Nobody would want anything to do with someone as anti-social as I. The truth hit me like a blow.

Madam Pomfrey fixed my chin up quickly, clucking silently to herself. "How did this happen?" she asked sternly, gazing down at me, her eyes focusing on my bloody chin.

"I... I fell," I replied softly, glancing over at Neil, who was hovering a few inches away, his eyes wide. Why did he bother staying? "You can leave, Neil... Thanks for bringing me here."

Neil shook his head. "I'll stay," he said, smiling slightly. "That's what friends are for, isn't it?"

Friends. The word gave me hope. He thought of me as a friend? I smiled weakly again. "Thanks."

The healer bustled around, mumbling to herself about this and that, while preparing a paste of some kind to put onto my wound. Neil watched her with interest, and I wondered for a moment why this interested him that much. Madam Pomfrey returned, and dabbed at my chin lightly at my chin, making it sting, then feel very cold. I touched it gingerly after she had pointed her wand at it, making the skin grow back. "Anything else?" she asked, crossing her arms, twiddling her wand in her hand as she watched us.

I opened my mouth to reply, but Neil beat me to it. "I think she hurt her arm, too," he piped up, pointing. I nodded. "Yes," I agreed. "It hurts a lot...." I had experienced broken bones before, but this wasn't the same experience. Perhaps it's just strained, I thought absentmindedly to myself.

She held out her hand, slowly moving my arm away from my chest, where I had it tightly pressed against. I flinched, biting my lip in pain. The pain was excruciating.

She studied it for a moment, asking me to move my fingers, which I obliged to.

"I think it's just badly bruised," Neil said suddenly, studying my arm too. I glanced over at him, surprised. How did he know what was wrong?

Madam Pomfrey was surprised as well. "I think that you're right, boy..." she muttered, going back to her desk, pulling out a bottle of anti-bruise potion. "How did you know?"

Neil shrugged. "I have a slight interest in healing as a career path.... My dad's a doctor, except he doesn't have the same treatments as you..." His voice trailed off. "They're muggles." He glanced over at me. "You would have gotten stitches in that cut," he said, smiling wryly as he pointed at his own chin.

I was confused. "Stitches?" I repeated. It was a new word to me, as they did not use them in the wizarding world.

He nodded. "It's when they sew the wound up..."

Madam Pomfrey poured out a bit of the potion into a goblet, listening with interest. She handed it to me, and I took it with the other hand gingerly. "Shall I drink it?" I asked quietly. The smell wafting from it wasn't very appetizing. In fact, it smelled like a barn...

She nodded curtly. "Of course, silly girl!" she snapped, crossing her arms again. "And mind do it quickly, before the effect wears off."

I blinked, then put the goblet to my lips, draining it in a few seconds. Coughing slightly, I handed it back to her, and she accept it, muttering under her breath.

My arm was feeling slightly better; less painful. "Thanks," I said, smiling at her. "Can I go?"

She nodded. "I don't see why not.." Her voice trailed off. "Just don't go running around and injure it again," she warned.

"I won't," I promised, getting up from my chair. Neil smiled.

"Feel better?" he asked brightly. I nodded. "Yes."

The healer went back to her desk, pulling out a folder and reading it. We took this as a cue to get out, and we left quickly, not wanting to dawdle.

As we walked down the corridors, I glanced over at him. "I didn't know your father was a doctor," I mused.

He shrugged, and smiled slightly. "Yeah... when I was a kid, a similar thing happened to me that happened to you just now."

I blinked. "Did you have to get... stitches?" I hoped I had said the word correctly.

He nodded, and grimaced slightly. "They hurt a lot." He shook his head sadly. "My dad gave them to me, and I got very angry with him...Didn't talk to him for weeks." He laughed at the memory. "But I forgave him after he explained that they had been for my own good."

I laughed. "How old were you when that happened?"

Neil looked thoughtful. "I believe I was six," he said slowly. "That was way before I figured out I was a wizard." He glanced around, scratching the back of his head. "Hey, I was wondering... next week is Hogsmeade.." His voice trailed off. "Want to come with me and my friends? It'd be fun!"

I hesitated. "Would your friends mind?" I asked curiously.

He shook his head solemnly. "Not at all- in fact, I think that they'd love to have another person with us."

I thought it carefully over. Was it wise to go? "I...." My voice trailed off. "Sure." I felt surprised myself that I had accepted, but now that my choice was made, I would stick with it.

His eyes lit up. "Really? Great!" He grinned. "You won't regret- I promise. We'll have great fun."

My insides squirmed; I felt nervous. Going with a group of people to Hogsmeade? I swallowed. "I'm sure we will." I was full of a mixture of excitement and nerves at the thought of it.

I apologize sincerely for the long wait. :P I've been quite busy, and I was very discouraged at some mean reviews I received on the last chapter.

Now that I am writing an author's note, I would like to state my opinion about those negative reviews I receive. My character Lily, is weak. She IS weak now, and I would like to ask all of you who hate her to stop reading this fic. If you do not like her as a character, do not EVER review this fic again. I apologize if that sounds rude, but I am getting fed up with people who hate this fic because of how I portrayed the characters. She is my character, and by saying that you don't like her, that is just stating your opinion. If you see her in a different way, that's fine. Write your own fic, and make her how YOU want her to be.

The reviews I receive just discourage me, and if you took the trouble to review the fic, you probably want new chapters.

So I ask myself... if they like the fic enough to review it, why make it a bad review? It just makes ME not want to write the fic.

To those who write positive reviews, I'd like to say thank-you. Thank you so much for your support, and I hope you enjoyed this chapter.

~Cloudsong