•stay-jily fanfic•

Chapter 48- Thank You

Lily POV

"Bella?" I ask, stepping out into the covered porch. I pull the door shut behind me. "What are you doing here?" She looks frazzled, scared. She runs a hand through her hair. "I just couldn't do it anymore and you said that I could come here if I needed too, and-" I cut her off and give her a hug. She relaxes in my arms, and her shoulders start shaking. "I'm really sorry." She stutters, leaning back and wiping her eyes. "If I could just stay here tonight, I'll be on my way in the morning, I just need a place to sleep-" "You are welcome here as long as you need." I say, smiling warmly. "Come on, get those wet clothes off. You're going to freeze out here." Wrapping my arms around myself, I open the door and step inside.

"Mum? We have a situation!" I call, slipping off my shoes. I can hear my mom sigh, and I can imagine her wiping her hands on the dish towel.  "Lily, dear, not now-" She looks out into the hallway and sees Bella. She freezes. Slowly, she walks into the hallway and looks at us. I smile at Bella. "Mum, this is Bella. She's one of my friends from school, and she's in need of a place to stay." Mum smiles at her. "Hello, dear. You can call me Wendy, alright? Now, let's get you warmed up." She says kindly, and Bella looks surprised. "Are you sure it's no trouble ma'm?" She asks. Mum smiles at her. "It's Wendy, hun. No trouble at all. Any friend of Lily is a friend of ours." She takes Bella under her arm and ushers her out. I run upstairs and make the trundle bed in my room. I then jog into the kitchen and make Bella a warm plate of food, setting it on the table with a glass of water. Mum walks in. "She's in the bathroom. Could you lend her some clothes?" I nod, grabbing some clothes from my room. I nod quietly on the door. "Bells? I've got some clean clothes for you." She grabs them from my hands and quickly shuts the door again. I frown. "Bella? Are you alright?" I hear her exhale. I turn the doorknob and gasp.

Her back is full of gashes and cuts. There are bruises and she looks TERRIBLE. She quickly slips on a shirt over her bra and turns around. "Hey Lily." She says, too cheerfully. I frown. "Bella, what happened to your back?" She shifts her weight and winces. "Nothing." I roll my eyes and grab some bandaging from the cabinet and she reluctantly rolls up her shirt. Slowly, but surely, we wrap up her back.  I press the last bandage on and step back. "That feel better?" I ask. She sighs. "A million times better." I grin. "Good."

***********

"MUM!" I holler, lugging my trunk down the last of the stairs. Bella stands at the door with hers. "We're going to James's!" Mum hurries out of the kitchen. She clasps her hands together. "Come here, you two." She gives us a hug. "I'll miss you two. Bella, you are coming back for summer holidays, right?" She says sternly. Bella spent a long time talking with Mum about her family last night. Me, I'm still oblivious. Obviously she knows something, though. Bella smiles. "Yes, Wendy. I can never thank you enough." She says gratefully. Mum waves a hand. "No trouble, no trouble at all." We walk outside and I side apparate with Bella. She's already turned 17. She freezes on the porch. "What if they don't want me here?" She whispers. I roll my eyes. 

"Either they take both of us, or none of us." 

James whips the door open, Sirius close behind. Sirius visibly relaxes when he sees Bella. "BELLA!" He yells, grabbing her in a hug. "I was so worried! You never replied to my letters." He says worriedly. She cocks a brow at him. "What letters?" He rolls his eyes and hugs her again. James turns from watching him and we lock eyes.  "Lily." He breathes, scooping me up in a hug. I laugh, kissing his cheek. "James, we've been apart for 24 hours." He looks at me, brushing a piece of hair out of my face. "It's still too long." He whispers, making chills go down my spine. Sirius wraps an arm loosely around Bella's waist, and she leans into him. "Happy Christmas Eve, people!" He yells, pumping an arm into the air. We all laugh and I see Mr. and Mrs. Potter come around the corner. "Lily!" Mrs. Potter says. I smile, and give her a hug. "Thank you for letting us stay here, Mrs. Potter." She waves a hand. "It's Euphemia, darling. Or Mia, to make it shorter. It's no trouble, no trouble at all." She winks at me.  "The more people that keep James out of my hair, the better." I laugh, and she turns to Bella. "You must be the famous Bella!" She cries. She blushes and laughs. "That would be me." Mia wraps her up in a hug. "You are always welcome here, my darling." She whispers. "Thank you, Mia." Mia smiles. "See! You're already getting the hang of it." James's eyes twinkle. "Let's have a snowball fight." I look at Bella.