Chapter 15

                                    

                                          
DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of these characters, JK Rowling does
                          
She and her friends woke up around noon the next day. Lily had a pounding headache. Sirius handed her a glass of whiskey. She handed it back, "I'm not into the hair of the dog, idea," she told him.
                          
"Suit yourself," He told her and he drank it in one gulp.
                          
"I'll be right back," she said. Lily climbed out of James's arms and he didn't want her to leave she could feel it. "I'll be right back," she promised. She hurried up the staircase and grabbed the Advil that she had brought from the muggle world. She came back down the stairs and got herself a glass of water. She swallowed a pill and then another.
                          
"What's that?" Alice asked, clutching her head.
                          
"Advil," Lily told her. She noted the peculiar look on her friend's face. "It is a muggle medicine, I promise that it is safe." She held out a pill to her.
                          
"Thanks," Alice said appreciatively. 
                          
"No problem," Lily said. She took the pills quickly and Marlene came up to them clutching her head. 
                          
She had drinken more than Alice and Lily. "Give me the Advil," Marlene said. Marlene was a half blood so she knew what medicine was. Lily handed Marlene a couple of pills. Marlene swallowed them dry. "Thanks."
                          
Lily said, "Of course." She walked back over to James who was still in the chair with his eyes scrunched closed.
                          
"Hey," Lily whispered to him. He noticed that he had about as much to drink as Marlene did. 
                          
"Hi," he said a fraction of a bit louder than her whisper. 
                          
"Take this," she told him. She handed him a glass of water and two pills. He didn't even ask any questions, he took the pills. She sat on the floor next to James who was sitting in the chair. When he seemed more alert and less headache-y.
                          
"What was that?" he asked her in a normal tone of voice.
                          
"Poison," she said casually. He sat up straighter and looked at her in alarm. "I'm kidding,'' she assures him. "It's just muggle medicine.
                          
"Well that really works for something muggle made," James told her.
                          
"Hey," Lily said, taking offense to his statement even though she wasn't technically a muggle.
                          
"What you aren't a muggle," James said in his defense. He was leaning over the arm of the chair so that he was close to her.
                          
"I'm muggle made." she told him. He smirked,but Lily continued. "I know some people who would beg to differ," she told him. 
                          
He tilted her chin up to his. "I'm not some people." He kissed her passionately. Lily rose to meet his lips. They broke apart and Lily stood up. 
                          
"You need to eat," she told him. 
                          
"I'm fine," he insisted.
                          
"You haven't had anything to eat in many hours," she told him.
                          
"Neither have you," he told her. 
                          
"I only had about half of the alcohol that you drank," she told him patiently. 
                          
"Let's go," He agreed. He stood up and wobbled a little. She steadied him and he held her hand. "Let's go to breakfast," he said louder. Their friends roused from their seats and they all walked to the Great Hall. They entered and McGonagall gave Sirius a disapproving look. She must be able to tell that he was still drunk.
                          
Lily sat on the bench next to James. He put his left hand on her thigh and ate a lot of breakfast with his right hand. Lily didn't mind; she actually enjoyed it. She was listening to Marlene's recount of kissing Peter. He was blushing. Lily looked away and her gaze lingered over to the Slytherin table. Her eyes fell on Severus and he was staring right at her. She began to feel self conscious about James and his closeness. He gave her a very large scowl and then he stood up and left the Great Hall.
                          
"I'll be back," she said to James, who just nodded.
                          
She walked out and as soon as she left the doors to the Great Hall she ran to catch up with her former friend. She caught him by the arm and he spun around. "What is your problem?" she asked him.
                          
"You had to date Potter?" he said the name with such disgust that Lily almost felt guilty.
                          
"You don't have a say in who I date," she told him, starting to get irritated herself. 
                          
"Then why did you follow me out?" he asked back. His greasy hair fell into his eyes and he pushed it away.
                          
Lily had no words.
                          
"That toerag doesn't know what you are worth," he told her, almost yelling.
                          
"And you do?" Lily felt so angry. She felt every negative emotion that she had ever felt towards him amplified by a thousand. The rage swallowed her.
                          
"I do," he agreed. "I hate that we have fallen out-"
                          
"Fallen out?" Lily asked furiously. "That's what you are calling it? You called me an awful name."
                          
"And Lily, I am so sorry." His eyes looked earnest, but Lily was still furious. "I can protect you,"  he insisted.
                          
"I don't know why I followed you," she told him. "Maybe I wanted to still be friends," Lily said. "But now I know that can't happen." The look on his face was devastating, but Lily couldn't cool down. 
                          
She turned to walk away, but this time he grabbed her by the wrist. "I can protect you," he insisted. "He will come for you, but I can keep you safe, just let go of Potter."
                          
She tried to pull her wrist from is grap, but he had a surprisingly strong grip. She moved close to him, maybe only 6 inches away. Then she kneed him in the crotch. He let go of her immediately and fell onto the ground in pain. 
                          
"I can protect myself," she told him. 
                          
"And she doesn't have to," a male voice came, from behind her. The voice shot a spell that looked like a jelly legs jinx. It made it look especially painful. The turned back to the Great Hall and looked at Sirius. 
                          
"I had it under control," Lily told him with a grateful look.
                          
"I know," he told her. "I watched you handle it. He put his arm sound Lily and they walked into the Great Hall together.
                          
"Why did you come out here?" she inquired.
                          
"I saw Severus leave and then you go after him," he gave her a shrug. "And unlike your oblivious boyfriend, I decided to follow." She stopped in the middle of the Great Hall, which made him stop as well.
                          
"Thank you," she said. She gave him a hug. She could feel other people's eyes on her and Sirius, but she didn't care.
                          
"Anytime Lilypad," he whispered in her ear. They exchanged smiles. She broke away from him and they walked the last few meters to the table in sync. Lily sat back down next to James and Sirius slipped next to Marlene opposite her.
                          
Thank you for the reads and the support. xoxo -Anne