Lily in the Shadows

Chapter 14

Sitting in the great hall Lily watches as owls of all colors and sizes fly through the room, dropping different packages and mail to the students. Not expecting anything Lily pays them little mind, she is shocked when one of the school owls lands in front of her, a package encased in its claws. She takes the package with her name, reading the letter on top.

Lily folds the letter back up and opens her package, two small pies sit there. She looks around, the only people sitting near her are Draco and Pansy. She offers some to them but they both decline.

"There isn't much and they were made for you, so you should eat them. But your offer is very appreciated." Draco says, placing a hand on her arm. She enjoys them for her lunch before going back to class.

Another wonderful day of lessons comes to an end as Lily reads over her notes for History of Magic, finally done she rolls over, going to sleep.

(Draco's POV)

Draco straightens his tie, his hair done, shoes polished. He looks sharp. Grabbing his books he walks down to the common room, ever so the pureblood Prince. As he leaves for breakfast with his friends Ari and Astoria run down the stairs and stop him. Panting, they tell him that Lily is sick. Throwing his books to the side he runs upstairs to her dorm.

With a sense of deja vu, he bursts into her bathroom, holding her hair back as she throws up, crying. Once things seem to settle, Draco scoops Lily up, rushing to the hospital wing.

Setting her on a bed Madame Pomfrey begins testing her for all sorts of illness. As they wait Draco runs a hand through the hair at the base of her skull. Her usually vibrant, happy demeanor faded into a pale shadow of itself. She felt as if her insides were waging a war against her, each cramp and pang a reminder of her body's betrayal. Nausea washed over her in relentless waves, threatening to engulf her in a sea of misery. Seeing all tests show negative, Poppy asks Lily about her symptoms and when they began to appear. After finding nothing helpful Madame Pomfrey asks for a play-by-play of her day, the day before.

Hearing about the pies, Poppy diagnoses her condition as food poisoning due to the perished pies. "I will write a letter for you to send to your aunt, it's lovely that she would like to share her creation with you but I must advise against it. It is just not sanitary."

Lily nods, face ashen. Draco, seeing the exhaustion etched on her delicate features. Her normally sparkling eyes were dull with discomfort, and the color drained from her cheeks, leaving her looking as fragile as a wilted flower. He longed to ease her pain, to chase away the discomfort that had taken hold of her. In a feeble attempt to ease her suffering and a tender gesture of support, Draco pulls Lily into his arms, enveloping her in a cocoon of warmth and reassurance. Despite the turmoil within her, Lily found solace in the gentle embrace, feeling a sense of comfort and safety wash over her. It was as if Draco's presence acted as a balm to her weary soul, offering a brief respite from the relentless assault on her body.

Poppy left them to write her letter, knowing the children were trustworthy and wouldn't be going anywhere. As they lay together, Lily felt a flicker of gratitude amidst the discomfort, knowing that she wasn't facing this ordeal alone. In Draco's arms, she found the strength to endure, the promise of tomorrow's relief whispering hope into the darkness. And though the road ahead might be fraught with challenges, she knew that with Draco by her side, she could weather any storm.

(Poppy's POV)

Poppy comes back into the room, letter sealed in hand. Opening a window she blows a whistle around her neck, though the children hear nothing, less than a minute later a beautiful barn owl lands on the windowsill. Poppy straps the letter to its leg and sends it on its way. Walking back to the two she pauses, seeing them snuggled together. A distant memory fills her head, a long time ago another red-headed girl was feeling ill in the arms of a dark-haired boy. Shaking herself from her daze she meets the same green eyes from her memory. She grabs a pain potion before sending the children on their way. Re-entering her office, Poppy sits down, she looks up at the different pictures and letters sent to her over the years. With a sigh, she turns to a locked drawer in her office, opening it, she pulls out a box. Looking inside she looks through the pictures, postcards, letters, and trinkets sent to her by her favorite student. Stopping at a moving photo, Poppy admires how happy Lily and James look, admiring their newborn daughter, as their young son holds the baby.

(Normal POV)

Arriving at breakfast Draco sits at the Slytherin table, not blinking as Lily curls up in his lap, arms around his neck. He tries to get her to eat but she just won't, saying that the smell of the food hurts her stomach and makes her nauseous. She lays her head on his shoulder as he eats, thoroughly miserable. Draco brings water to her cracked lips and she sips it, ignoring the stinging. Draco tries his best to comfort the ill girl but he is at such a loss, he is but a 13-year-old boy, what change possibly do?

Looking up from his seat at the staff table, Severus takes notice of their odd position and can't figure out what is going on. Before he can move Poppy leans past Lupin and grasps his arm, turning to her Severus listens as she tells him that she has food poisoning. Nodding Severus rises and walks to the Slytherin table. Draco looks at him, lost. Bending to their level, Severus pulls Lily from his grasp, curling her against his chest. Lily wraps around him, face burrowing into his shoulder. He can feel her shiver and wraps his cloak around her comfortably. At Draco's facial expression, he sets a hand on his head, telling him to finish his breakfast.

Walking back to the staff table he shares a nod with Dumbledor and McGonagall. Sitting back in his seat he pulls Lily-Kathryn around, curling her in his lap with his cloak comfortably around her. She grabs his waistcoat, looking away from the nauseating food.

Remus Lupin watches this whole situation and becomes very confused, he cannot see what their relationship could be as it seems to be a bit more than the average teacher-student relationship. Almost even paternal.

He leans forward to inquire about her health when he receives a shock at the sight before him. Harry James Potter, a known enemy of Severus Snape, walks up to the table, kneeling beside them to look at his sister. Remus cannot hear what they are saying but he watches in shock as they slowly get her to eat a piece of toast, it isn't the getting her to eat that is the shocking part, but the dynamic that is being displayed. Watching them, it is almost like he is watching a loving family.