Always and Forever

chapter 8

Lily's pov-
I lay on the floor, almost unconscious. The pain was becoming unbearable as Black twisted my arm behind me. I tried to cry out but it was no use. She slowly bent back each of my fingers pulling until she heard a satisfying crack. She was straddling my back, her weight crushing into my spine. She dropped my hand, proud of the damage she had caused. It fell back limply as she grabbed a section of my hair and pulled my head up. My eyes burned and my chest stung. I looked up and saw a body. Unconscious but not dead. I had a spurt of adrenaline and so I rolled her off of me and rushed to the persons side. It was a boy, jet black hair and loving hazel eyes. It was James.

"James! JAMES! James no, hang on, we'll get out of this just hang on" I pulled his body onto my lap, rocking him back and forth, whispering his name, telling him how much he was loved.

A hooded figure walked towards us and I glared up at him dangerously.

"Out of my way mudblood" he spat as he flung me against the wall with a flick of his wand. I screamed for James, telling him everything would be okay, I was here and I would help him. The hooded figure looked at me, and I shot daggers into his pale red eyes. He didn't break eye contact as he whispered "Avada kedavra". A shot of green and a flash of light and I knew he was gone. I sobbed and screamed his name, begging him to come back to me. My whole body was shaking. I couldn't take it anymore.

James' pov-
I woke up to someone screaming my name. I flung myself out of bed, shoving on jogging bottoms and not bothering with a shirt. I sprinted down the short corridor and burst into Lilys room. She was thrashing about on her bed, screaming my name over and over again. She was telling me that it would be okay and then she began sobbing, whispering "James, my James" over and over again. I hurried to her side and took her into my arms. I shook her gently, trying to wake her, she woke eventually and instantly pulled her tear stained face away. She looked up and registered who was sat on her bed with her and she fell back into my arms, wrapping her arms around my neck.

"I thought you were dead James, I thought you were gone, that you'd left me. I watched you die James and I couldn't do anything about it," she sobbed into my chest and I rocked her gently, stroking her hair and telling her that she was safe and that I was safe. We sat like this for a while after before she pulled away gently.

"I'm so sorry for waking you, you can go back to bed. Don't worry-" she began to explain but I placed my index finger over her lips tenderly.

"Hey hey, I'm not leaving you. I'm right here. I've got you" she nuzzled her face into my neck and put her head on my shoulder. We fell back into the mattress together and she fell asleep shortly after, wrapped around me like a koala.

That was how we woke up, her legs wrapped around my torso and her arms around my neck. Her face breathing steadily into my bare chest. I had my arms around her waist and I pulled her closer to me, breathing in her scent.

"James?" She whispered as she stirred.

"Yeah Lils, only me. I've got you" she visibly relaxed and she untwined her arms from my neck. She left her legs around my middle, but traced one of her hands into my hair. The other sliding down my front, where her head had just left. Her small fingers tracing circles along my collarbone. She laid back into the pillows, so i propped myself up to look at her. One of her hands was still on my hair, but the other had dropped to her stomach.

"This sleeping arrangement is starting to become a regular occurrence, hmm?" I smirked at her and she rolled her eyes.

"I suppose it is" she admitted. She slowly moved her hand back down to my chest and pushed me away lightly. I rolled back over and she stood up, out of bed.

"It's Saturday, Lils, we don't have to get up"

"Exactly James, it's Saturday. Quidditch tryouts, as captain I think you better get up" I bolted up and out of the door, having only just being reminded of the day. I could hear her laughing softly behind me, I smiled before turning left into my room.
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We walked down to the great hall together, making our way to breakfast. We hadn't spoke about last night, but I got the feeling she didn't want to and I wasn't about to push her. I was just happy that she had managed to get some sleep, even if that did mean breaking my heart as I slept alongside the girl I loved but couldn't have. I wasn't too bothered if she didn't tell me about the dreams because I could tell it was difficult for her, but I wanted to talk to her about the game of truth or dare.

I rammed a piece of dry toast down my throat, followed by some scrambled eggs and a sausage. I watched as Lily spent five minutes carefully buttering a piece of toast, only to nibble at the edges delicately. I nudged her gently and she sighed and said;

"Not hungry". I didn't push her, I'm sure Marlene would make her eat. Instead I nodded and smiled at her, she didn't return it but she also didn't seem to notice. I glanced at my watch and sprung up.

"Sirius, Marlene. We have quidditch to tend to!" I announced before grabbing both their wrists and pulling them behind me to the field. The pitch was covered in people of all different ages and skills-not all of them gryffindor.
"Right!" I roared above the noise of the crowd, "I want seekers to the left, beaters in the middle, chasers to the right and keepers to mount. Anyone who isn't gryffindor or will not be available for practice on Thursdays and Tuesdays should leave now". A few people trudged away but the rest gathered into small groups. "I'll take the keepers and the chasers first. Get into groups of three and we'll begin".

The tryouts went on for another hour, people began to get fidgety and cold. Eventually, the last player had finished and everyone was back down on the ground. I told everyone that they had played well and explained that the team would be announced in the common room on Monday. Gradually people dispersed and me and Sirius made our way to the changing rooms. I could hear Sirius talking to me, but I wasn't focused on what he was saying.

I needed to talk to Lily.