A/N: Another chapter! Jumps up and down in excitement this has taken much such an unbelievably long time to write! I am so so sorry! It was delayed firstly by my moving out (I'm at university now!) and then because I was determined to make the chapters longer but didn't know how much to write in each! And it took me weeks to think how best to end this chapter!

Thank you loads for the reviews on the last chapter; please review again and don't crucify me for taking so long to update! Please read this chapter – it's my favourite so far :-)

6: The Potter Residence

Lily felt her feet touch solid ground and blinked several times to bring her surroundings into focus and waken her sleepy body. It had just occurred to her that she had never apparated for so many times in such a short space of time and the experience was really making her weary, not to mention the fact that it was now the small hours of the morning and she had had only a small amount of sleep in the hospital.

James, however, seemed to be wide awake and alert beside her, something that she was finding increasingly impossible to master. She swayed slightly, overcome with tiredness and James placed his hand so gently that she could barely feel it, on her elbow and guided her forward into the darkness. She vaguely registered him muttering lumus and directing the pool of light from his wand to the ground in front of them so that they could see where they were putting their feet.

A short while later James stopped walking, and Lily, a pace behind him, nearly walked into him but stopped herself just in time.

"Here we are." He stated quietly, as if afraid talking to loudly might awaken the surrounding trees or perhaps he was just taken in by the utter silence that surrounded them.

Lily glanced up and realised that they were standing in the shadow of an enormous house, which with no interior lights on looked scarily menacing. Lily suppressed a shiver and told herself sternly that she only felt apprehensive because of the still night that surrounded them and the sheer size of the house that lay in front of her. Lily started again, James was already walking towards the house and she hadn't noticed. Stumbling slightly over her feet she quickly gained on him and stood slightly behind him as he lifted his wand and muttered some charms on the door that seemed to grant him access as the next second he had opened it and ushered Lily inside.

James lifted his wand again and with some sweeping movements, lit candles around the hall that they were now stood in. Lily stared around, taking in the grandness of the entrance hall of James's house which could probably fit the whole of Lily's house in it. Realising her mouth was slightly open she hastily shut it and marvelled to herself why James had never mentioned his rich background before. She looked back at him and got a shock when his eyes met hers directly, she hadn't realised he had been staring at her. Lily found herself feeling suddenly nervous under his piercing gaze and hastened to break their eye contact.

"Won't we wake your parents?" She found herself whispering.

"Nah." Said James in a perfectly normal tone while shrugging his shoulders, "Can't you see the size of this place?" He stuffed his hands in his pockets before continuing, "anyway, follow me and I'll show you to somewhere you can sleep."

He set off before she could say anything and began ascending the winding stair at the back of the hall, Lily scrambling up behind him. As they walked James lit candles in their way and put the ones out behind them with flicks of his wand.

"I don't know how I managed without magic at home before I turned seventeen." James chuckled slightly.

"I'm not seventeen yet and I manage just fine." Lily found herself replying and was surprised to find a slightly harsh and defensive tone to her voice, something she always used around James but hadn't for several hours.

Up in front of her James apparently chose not to reply and instead carried on leading the way down a long hallway before once again stopping suddenly meaning that Lily almost walked into him for the second time that night.

"Here you go," Said James, pushing open the door to his left and flicking the candles on inside with his wand, "there's your bed and that door there leads to your bathroom. Make yourself at home."

Lily stepped into the room and James handed her the holdall that he had carried for her, Lily had completely forgotten he had it.

"Thank you." She whispered two words that she never would have believed to come out of her own mouth directed towards James Potter.

He smiled slightly, "You're welcome. I'll see you in the morning. Goodnight, Lily."

"Goodnight, James."

Lily awoke the next morning as bright sunshine danced across her bed through the thin gap in the curtain. She blinked slightly to bring her surroundings into focus before groaning quietly and rubbing her hands across her eyes. She took her hands off her eyes and opened them again confirming that was in fact, in James Potter's house and that she wasn't dreaming.

'If I'm in James's house', she thought, 'that means that my parents…' "Oh crap!" She swore aloud before sitting upright in the bed, throwing the covers off herself, suddenly panicking about her parents being in the hospital alone. She jumped out of bed and practically attacked her bag to find something to wear. She suddenly paused in the act of throwing a pair of jeans over her shoulder, 'wait a minute' she thought, 'did I just call Potter, James?!'

She flopped down on the floor and began banging her head on her bag, 'when on earth did I start calling him 'James'?!' She raised her head when she realised that it must have been last night then immediately resumed her banging when she decided she must have been completely out of her mind to agree to stay with him.

Just when she was beginning to despair about the situation, there came a gentle knocking on the door. Lily lifted up her head in shock just in time to hear James's voice drifting through the wood, gently calling her name.

Oh God, oh God, oh God, thought Lily, "Just a minute!" She called as she jumped to her feet in a flap, turning around in a full circle twice before realising her clothes lay discarded on the floor. She grabbed the first things she could see and threw them on. Taking a deep breath to calm herself she turned towards the door, dragging her long hair into a high ponytail just before she pulled the door open.

There was the ever smiling James Potter stood in front of her.

"Morning." He said.

"Hi," Lily replied, in a slightly quieter voice than she had intended. Mentally berating herself she felt colour rising in her cheeks to her horror. 'What is wrong with me?!' She thought desperately.

"Did you sleep okay?"

"Yeah, yeah I did." Lily responded, unable to believe she had managed to sleep when she had been so worried.

"Good. Want to come and get some breakfast?"

"No, I mean yes, I mean no… I need to go and see my parents." She stuttered.

"I know," Said James, a sympathetic smile now on his face.

'What is wrong with this boy?!' Lily thought, 'why is he being so…normal…'

"…but you should come and grab some breakfast first, it won't do you any good if you don't eat."

'There he goes again!' Lily scrunched up her face and James cocked an eyebrow at her.

"Lily? You in there?"

"Er, yeah…" She responded, "Yeah. Breakfast, okay."

James gave her a swift look but then decided it was time to head down to breakfast and lead the way back down the winding staircase they had walked up the previous night. Lily walked behind him, hitting herself in the head silently.

As they stepped into the grand entrance hall, Lily looked around properly and was amazed at how much bigger it all looked in the daylight. She was busy staring at some very life size portraits of what could only be James's relatives when she realised James himself had already crossed the hall and was reaching out to turn the handle of a door in the opposite corner. Mentally kicking herself again, she hurried after him and reached him just as he began walking through into what could only be the kitchen.

Following him in, she froze in the doorway at the sight of two people, highly likely to be James's parents, already sat at the table.

James looked at Lily briefly then back at his parents.

"Mum, dad, this is Lily…" James offered, "Lily, these are my parents."

James's parents stood up and beamed at Lily, shaking her hand in turn.

"Hello, Lily, it's so good to meet you, James has told us so much about you." James's mother gushed before ushering her into a chair.

Lily glanced at James, who avoided her eyes; he had been talking about her to his parents?

"James, dear, do sit down." Implored his mother. James immediately slid himself into the seat opposite Lily, smiling at her as he did so.

"Help yourself, Lily," Said James, gesturing to the food laid out on the table before he began piling a bit of everything onto his plate.

"I'm not really that hungry…" Mumbled Lily and took an almost tentative sip of her orange juice.

Nonsense, dear, everybody needs a good breakfast," Said James's mother briskly – why don't you try some of these eggs?"

"No, it's okay… I'll erm just have some toast."

Lily picked at her toast, breaking off small bits and chewing slowly while James's parents bickered good naturedly with each other about an article in the Daily Prophet, which was spread out on the table. James looked up from his food and caught Lily's eye. She must have looked uncomfortable because he quietly asked her if she wanted to go, she nodded in response and James stood up in response.

"I'm going to take Lily to the hospital," he announced, "won't be long."

With that he swept Lily from the room and out of the house, who followed him as if she were in a dream. James had shut the door behind them before Lily found her voice.

"You don't have to escort me, James, I'll be fine."

James raised his eyebrows, "Do you even know where to go?"

"Erm…" Lily paused, "Well not exactly…"

James chuckled slightly, "I'll just show you how to get to the hospital from here then leave you alone, okay?"

"Sure…"

Lily sighed as she watched her mother's chest rise and fall, rise and fall slowly but steadily, her eyes never opening once. She stretched her arms above her head and let out a huge yawn, hastily muffled by her hand, and checked her watch. Her eyes widened – it was gone six and James said he would be waiting for her downstairs at half past. She stroked a strand of hair away from her mother's face gently and kissed her on the forehead.

"I'll come back tomorrow, mum." She whispered before moving to her father's bedside and repeating the process.

She grabbed her bag off the chair and stifled another yawn; it had been a very long day. Lily had sat at her parents' bedside from the minute she had arrived at the hospital and refused to leave them for a moment, instead choosing to watch their unconscious figures and hoping and against hope that they would wake up. The Healers had been most unhelpful, simply informing the worried Lily that there was nothing more they could do at the present moment except wait for a change in their conditions. Lily closed the ward door behind her with a soft click and headed back down the corridor, her stomach suddenly letting out a loud rumble and she realised that the only thing she had had to eat all day was that piece of toast for breakfast.

As she descended the stairs her eyes scanned the foyer of the hospital and rested on James who was leaning casually against a pillar with his hands stuck in his pockets. She stepped onto the level ground and froze, her eyes still glued on James who hadn't yet noticed her. His eyes were roaming, watching the people pass by, he just looked so much at ease, so relaxed and Lily felt a sudden flash of envy course through her. Before she had a chance to do anything else James's roaming eyes had spotted her and he smiled, walking towards her.

"Hey, Lily." He greeted as he reached her, "how are they?"

Lily released a breath she hadn't realised she'd been holding before replying, "No change."

James frowned slightly, "Well I'm sure everything will work out fine." He said, the words coming out with a note of false cheerfulness.

It was Lily's turn to frown, "You know that do you? When did you perfect divination?" Her voice had a layer of frost and sarcasm and James instantly looked regretful.

"I'm sorry, Lily, I didn't… I mean… I was just trying to, to help."

He looked so put out that Lily found herself softening and shook her head, "I know. It doesn't matter."

"But, I really…"

"It doesn't matter," She repeated firmly, "honestly. Shall we go?"

James nodded and the pair left the hospital, walking briskly along the path they had taken that morning that led directly back to James's house.

"Were you hungry?"

Lily looked up to see James grinning at her and indicating her almost sparkling clean plate. She blushed slightly and hurriedly wiped her mouth with a napkin to stop him from seeing.

"Sorry… I haven't eaten much today."

James waved his hand, "No need to apologise, I've just never seen you eat that fast before."

He leaned back in his chair and stretched, his eyes sparkling. Lily put the napkin down and narrowed her eyes at him.

"Don't tell me you've been watching me eat now?" She asked scornfully but there was a slight playful edge to her voice.

"There's nothing that fascinates me more, Lily." James replied his tone serious but the laughter in his eyes giving him away.

"Oh shut up, James." Said Lily, letting slight giggle escape her as she threw her scrunched up napkin at him.

With perfect reflexes James caught it inches in front of his face before dropping it on his plate.

"No reason to throw things at me." He laughed at her.

"James Potter there is always a reason to throw things at you."

"Hey!" James put a look of hurt on his face, "That's not fair."

"Yes it is." Lily replied, smiling properly now and almost laughing out loud at the expression on James's face.

James shook his head, still smiling and got to his feet, "Come on, I want to show you something."

"What?"

"Come with me, I want to show you something." James repeated before holding his hand out to her, "hurry up!"

Lily frowned slightly but put her hand in James's allowing him to pull her to her feet. She quickly dropped her hand once she realised what she'd done and stood awkwardly next to him. James however, didn't seem uncomfortable in the slightest and simply lead the way out of the kitchen, humming as he went.

Lily caught up to him, "Where are we going?" She asked curiously.

"You'll see." He answered mysteriously.

She didn't bother to reply, her attention caught by the grandeur of the rooms they were passing through. She slowed to a stop as they passed through what could only be a ball room, captivated by the intricately beautiful carvings adorning the high ceiling.

"Lily." Called James from the other side of the ballroom where he was standing next to a set of double doors overlooking the garden.

Lily started and scurried over to him, "Sorry." She said breathlessly.

"That's alright." He said, looking mildly amused, "Now come on." He opened the doors and stepped outside.

"Outside?"

"Yes, outside." He paused, "It's not cold, Lily." He teased.

Lily made a huffing noise and followed him out, "Where are we going?"

"Just over here…" He muttered, leading her across the sprawling lawn to a gap in the trees where there was a quaint little gate.

"James, it's starting to go dark, I can't see where I'm going," moaned Lily as she followed him through the gate, "And…"

She trailed off as she stopped next to James in front of a huge lake and gazed at the setting sun as it sank slowly lower over the willows framing the lake, decorating the still water with dancing red and orange rays.

She seemed speechless for several moments before finally whispering, "It's beautiful."

"I thought you'd like it." Replied James in an equally hushed tone, it was as if they thought the setting sun deserved a sort of reverence.

"I do… thank you for showing this to me."

"No problem." Said James, stuffing his hands deep into his pockets as he stared across the lake.

Lily shuffled her feet awkwardly; she almost didn't like this new James Potter she was dealing with. The way was around her made her nervous; she didn't know how to act around him. It was much easier when he was all cocky and full of himself, she could just act coolly indifferent and ignore him. But now, now things seemed to have changed. She carefully let out a silent sigh so as not to attract his attention and suddenly felt the urge to say something, anything to break the silence.

"James?"

"Mmm?" He replied, keeping his eyes on the lake.

Lily hesitated, "Listen, I just wanted to say that… that I appreciate everything you're doing for me …" James turned to look at her and she hesitated again before continuing, "because I really need a friend right now."

James didn't say anything but simply smiled at her and grasped her hand giving it a small squeeze as they both turned to watch the setting sun sink down below the trees.