The Love of Patronus | JILY

Evans

          Lily froze as she registered the scene in front of her. A group of Slytherins were dragging something down the hall. Something big. Staring around at the group huddled together and moving gradually closer she registered who they were. Mulciber, Avery, and... Severus. Lily tugged James by the sleeve of his robe beneath the cloak and inched over to the wall in order to get a view. A small, maybe second year Gryffindor boy, was unconscious on the floor and was being dragged by his arms by Mulciber and Severus while Avery scouted up and down the hallway.

          "We need to find a way to get him into the Gryffindor common room so nothing can be traced back to us," hissed Avery, flashing a nervous look up and down the corridor. His eyes flew over Lily and James twice, unseeing.

          James body was rigid, and when Lily peeked at him she saw fury burning in his eyes. His right arm twitched towards his wand. 

          "No, James. We're outnumbered. It's not safe, we just have to report it." Lily whispered, barely moving her lips as she spoke. 

          James closed his eyes for several moments, breathing deeply in and out through his mouth -- his jaw tightly clenched. Then he turned, and as he did, he hit a torch bracket which clanged loudly. Lily jumped and the cloak fell off of both of them.

          Mulciber and Severus dropped the boy in shock, and Avery whipped out his wand aiming it at Lily.

          "Stupefy!" He shouted. James roared and dived pulling Lily out of the way as the flash of red light shot over her head. He drew his wand from the floor and shouted, "Expelliarmus!"

          Avery blocked his disarming charm and it deflected into the ceiling which echoed loudly around the hall.

          "No!" It was Severus who shouted, grabbing towards Avery's wand as he aimed at Lily again. Lily stared at him in shock, but was quickly sidetracked as Mulciber raised his wand and pointed it at James.

          "Crucio!" James howled as the curse hit him, and Lily screamed with fury. As James flailed on the floor, howling, Lily struggled to her feet shaking. 

          "How DARE you?" She screamed as James twisted and howled on the floor. "Stupefy!" 

          Mulciber collapsed, unconscious as James lay on the floor struggling to stand again, panting hard.

          Avery shouted, "Diffindo!" over Severus' outstretched arm and Lily felt warm blood run down her leg as a long slash appeared on it.

          "No!" Severus screamed again, but Lily wasn't paying attention. James had gotten to his feet and was leaning heavily against the wall lifting his wand towards Severus.

          "Petrificus Totalis!" It was Remus who shouted it, having dashed around the corner. Avery's limbs snapped together as Severus ducked to avoid it.

          The blood was gushing more heavily now, Lily's left thigh was practically drenched in it, but she was ignoring it. Severus had sprinted down the hall away from the scene: Avery frozen, Mulciber unconscious, and the small boy still lying on the floor.

          "James," Lily whispered, shaking slightly from shock. "James, are you alright?"

          James leaned up from the wall -- very pale -- grabbing Lily by her arms. Her vision was starting to fuzz slightly and she swayed.

          "Lily, we have to go to the Hospital Wing. Lily stay with me- Remus help me!" He almost shouted it even though Remus was mere feet away. As Remus grabbed her under the arms, Lily fainted.

***

          Lily blinked her eyes open very slowly, her head pounding. She was in a soft, warm bed with dim lights around her. As things came into focus, she realized she was in the Hospital Wing. She looked around and noticed James dozing with his head on his chest.

          "James." Her voice was rough, and her head was spinning. "James."

          He jerked awake the second time, and leapt to his feet. "Madam Pomfrey! She's awake!" He yelled. The sound made her feel as though her skull was going to explode, and she cowered as he did it.

          "Shit, I'm sorry Lily. I'm so sorry." He reached forward and put his arm around her. "I had to, she's been waiting for you to wake up. 

          Madam Pomfrey approached quickly. "Ms. Evans, I need you to drink this. It's a blood replenishing potion, I was able to restore enough without it to bring you to consciousness but unfortunately it is required to be drunk for the full effects."

          Lily quickly took the potion and downed it in one. Immediately her headache died away and her vision steadied and her arms -- which she hadn't even realized were shaking -- settled on her lap.

          "You lost a lot of blood to the gash on your leg." The matron continued. "I don't ask questions, but whatever you were doing I advise you not to continue. You're free to go as soon as you feel ready."

          As the matron turned away, returning to her office, Lily lifted the bed covers and got slowly to her feet. The sky outside was lightening which meant the Lily had been unconscious for several hours. 

          James yawned as he helped her out of bed. Once she had maintained balance she turned to him.

          "James, are you alright? I can't believe Mulciber would dare use an unforgivable curse. We have to tell someone-"

          "No we don't. It would be worth it to have caught them in the act of whatever they were doing with that boy, but reporting it will only throw you and Remus under the bus for dueling as well."

          "But the Cruciatus-"

          "Lily, if we could've gotten them in whatever they were doing it would be worth it but we can't prove anything. Remus said that all the bodies were cleared when he went to try and help the young boy. Snivellus must have gone back for his mates." He spat the words with disgust.

          They walked in silence together until they reached the Head dorm. After muttering the password, James walked straight to his room. Lily trailed behind him but followed him in nonetheless.

          "James," she said to his back as he removed his shoes and socks. "Can I stay with you tonight?"

          He stood up and turned to her, bringing her close to him. "You can stay with me anytime."

          He kissed her slowly, cradling her head in his hands. She pulled him even closer, arms around his broad back. His kiss deepened, running his hands through her hair and her heart rate began to pick up. She slipped her hands underneath his shirt, smiling against his mouth. He growled as her nailes slid across his skin, and he dipped her mouth to her neck nipping as he travelled down. Suddenly he was lifting her into his arms and laying her down on his bed, pulling off his shirt as he  kneeled over her.

          She looked hungrily down his body, reaching out to run her hands down his chest, lower... and lower.

          James closed his eyes as she reached her goal. She unbuttoned his pants quickly and pulled him down to her. His breathing changed as she slipped her hand inside. It became more ragged and shallow, and he kissed her fiercely pinning her down with his body. Suddenly he was flipping her over so she was on top of him. She continued sliding her hand gently back and forth as she leaned down over him, her long red hair surrounding them.

          He slipped his hand beneath her skirt, beneath her underwear -- in which he sighed slightly feeling the lacey pattern that he found there. James groaned as his fingers were suddenly moist, and she kissed him again, slowly and purposefully as she pushed his pants and boxers lower down his legs.

          And then, slowly (and while holding herself up with her arms on James' shoulders, she positioned herself and lowered herself onto him. James gasped.