The Toe-Rag and the Lily ✔ (COMPLETED)

Chapter 7

James POV

"You know, I wouldn't mind a shoulder to lean on right now," she joked.

"Go for it," I said with all seriousness. She looked up at me to see if I was joking. But I wasn't. I was not prepared for what was going to happen next. She moved closer, putting her head on my shoulder, wrapping her arms around my torso. I was momentarily stunned, but then realised there was no time like the present. I then wrapped my arms her waist, and we remained still until my eyes began to droop.

"Ev-Lily..." I began.

"Going to bed, James?"

"Yeah, you?"

"Might as well."

We untangled ourselves, then headed for the stairs. I reached the first step, then went back down, looking back at Lily, and smiled. To my stupefaction, she returned it.

"Night, Lils."

"You can't call me that, Potter."

"Night, Lils."

"Night, James," she said.

I swear I practically floated up the stairs, to my bed. I moved effortlessly, silently with purpose. She was warming up to me. I knew it. I could crack her by next year. Which, I noticed, was approaching quickly. I found myself wondering, instead of sleeping, who would get head boy and girl, and even if I would be removed as Quidditch captain. I doubted the last bit, though, because my skills were unmatchable. That wasn't exactly meant to sound like I was boasting, but my skills were unmatched. My father had me up on a toy broomstick at one year old, (AN: see what I did there), and therefore, I've had years to work up the skill. Although I was quite a trouble maker, and that was definitely my dad's fault. My mother had always said, and I quote 'If we had raised you my way, you'd be a lot more disciplined.' Now, I respect my mother a lot, but I like my life the way it is. In fact, the only the she hasn't taught me right it how to get a girl.

*

I slept in, missing breakfast, meaning I was late for Potions, because my unreliable friends didn't wake me up. I mean, Remus tried, but it's hard to get me up in the morning. So I ran down to the dungeons, taking secret passages and short cuts, slipping into the spare seat next to Mary.

"You sleep in, James?"

"Yeah, didn't get much sleep."

"What were you doing this time."

"Um..."

"Don't worry, Lily's giving into you. I know she is, you just have to be patient James."

"I hope so, coz I'm not giving up on her."

"You, my friend, are a love-sick puppy."

"I have been for many years, and it's only taken that long to figure it out."

"Haha."

"Ok students," Professor Slughorn began, "exams are coming up, and I want you all to be committed to these, as they are practice NEWTs, which you'll find will happen with most of your exams this year and probably most of your general tests next year. This is the pointy end of school, where you have to be committed to the exams so you can get a decent job."

"By decent, you mean?" Lucius Malfoy asked.

"Not a Death Eater."

The class let out a collected gasp. It was understandable. Professor Slughorn had just stated a controversial comment. And with so many Slytherin's in the room, too. It was my guess that he would be a target of Lord Voldy-face soon. We picked our partners, and began working on the Elixir to Induce Euphoria.

Lily POV

Alice and I started the steps to the potion. I filled it with boiling water, then started adding Shrivelfig. Usually you add 13 of them, but my steps were add them until the potion turns turquoise. Plus I used Snape's old trick, adding peppermint at the very start to counteract any side-effects such as singing and nose-tweaking. Alice and I continued like this for the next nine steps:

3. Stir until it turns blue.

4.Allow the potion to simmer till it turns yellow.

5. Add porcupine quills till the potion turns blue.

6. Allow the potion to simmer till it turns purple.

7. Add seven castor beans.

8. Allow the potion to simmer till it turns brown.

9. Add shrivelfig till the potion turns pink.

10. Allow the potion to simmer till it turns orange.

11. Add wormwood till the potion turns yellow.

And then we called Professor Slughorn over to check our potions. It was emitting rainbow colour smoke, which I found rather fascinating, so I sat there with my head on my hand, leaning on the bench admiring the smoke. It smelled delicious, but I wasn't going to have any, because I would be happy for ages, and who knows what I would do under the influence of that thing. James could ask me out and I would probably say yes, and this is only my subconscious talking. The fact is... I could do anything and I don't trust myself enough to take a potion in case I do something as stupid as accepting Potter. Which I felt like I was already doing without a potion. Last night was a risk. And I wasn't going to do it again.

*

Later that night I had patrols down near the library, and I found myself wandering in to collect my bag and school books Madam Turner said I could leave in the library to collect after patrols finished. I went to the corner that I studied in, near a small fireplace with some tables and comfortable chairs, with windows over-looking the Forbidden Forest and Hagrid's hut. (AN: I was on Skype with my friend and I was reading out what I was writing, and then she started laughing, because I realised it had said Hagrid's but instead of hut hahahahaha. Honest mistake.) I looked at the Whomping Willow, which was slightly closer to the school and noticed that it was dead silent, unmoving. That was interesting, it never stopped moving. I grabbed my cloak and moved at a quick pace down towards the tree, where I noticed a small tunnel that was wide open.

"Lumos," I muttered.

My wand emitted a bright-ish sort of light, and I held it out in front of me, following the tunnel that led to creaky old stairs. I made my way up and followed the stairs investigating each room as I went. I entered the last one slowly, and looked around, only to feel hot breath on my neck. I spun round. A werewolf, in the Shrieking Shack. Just fabulous. Then I remembered that they kill. A stag came hurtling in and knocked it off it's feet, along with a black and a rat. Interesting. The stag whipped me off my feet, and we began back down the tunnel towards the school and were back at the oak doors in no time at all. The stag suddenly changed form, and standing in front of me, with a huge gash on his back, was James.

"James! What happened to your back?"

"Remus," he shrugged.

"No... let me have a look."

"Ok."

He took off his shirt, when I noticed the fine-toned muscles all over his chest. I turned him around and saw a large gash with blood slowly leaking from it. I ran my hands gently over it turned him around.

"You saved me," I said in a small voice.

"Yeah, I couldn't let you get hurt," he said in a whisper, tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear.

I almost pulled it back out, because I didn't like my hair tucked behind my ears, but thought against it. I wrapped my arms around his torso again, and closed my eyes.

"Thank you."

"Just doing my job."

"Haha," I laughed softly.

"It's ok," he said, wrapping his arms around me. I snuggled into his chest and held him close, knowing that he held a deep secret for this long.

AN: Sorry for the late update, it's just I've been pretty busy today, who knew?! Anyway I don't have much to say except that I've got school tomorrow so no updates for the rest of the week. Also I now have frigging 172 reads on this story. The Chooper out!