The Stag and the Doe

Chapter 38

Lily awoke the next morning, confused to why she was in the hospital wing, but very quickly the previous nights events began to play back in her head. Before she could get up from bed Madam Pomfrey was at her bedside, forcing her back.

"But I need breakfast and to get ready from classes." Lily protested.

"Mr. Potter is already getting you breakfast, and Professor Dumbledoor has excused you from all classes today." Madam Pomfrey said. Lily thought about protesting more, but knew it was useless to do so with Madam Pomfrey, so she laid back down to wait for James, her head filled with the images from last night.

"Morning beautiful." James said, a smile on his face. Lily forced a smile, knowing James was trying to cheer her up.

"Is everyone ok?" She asked, remembering she didn't see anyone else go to the hospital wing last night.

"Yeah, everyone somehow managed to escape without a scratch." James said, sitting down next to Lily. "I have a surprise for you back in our dorm, by the way."

"What is it?" Lily asked.

"It wouldn't be a surprise if I told you." James replied, unable to keep himself from laughing. They ate together, James doing his best to keep Lily's mind off of last night. After they finished Madam Pomfrey gave Lily one final check up, then she allowed them leave.

Lily was amazed at how empty the hallways were, but had to remind herself that classes were going on.

"Quidditch." James said and they watched their portrait open. James had barely stepped through the portrait when a small girl with black hair came flying into him.

"Jamesie!!" The little girl yelled with joy. "And Lily!!!" The little girl detached herself from James and hugged Lily, a huge smile on her face.

"Hi Rose." Lily said, unable to stop herself from smiling.

"I've missed you so much." Rose said. "I'm really sorry about your parents."

"Thank you Rose." Lily said, then it hit her. "What are you doing here at Hogwarts, by the way?"

"Uncle F wanted to do some work here, so he took me with him." The little girl said, beaming with excitement. "He said that you two could show me around if you had time and felt up to it."

"We definitely can." Lily said.

"I can go make the rounds with all of our teachers to drop off or pick up our work." James offered.

"Are you sure?" Lily asked.

"Yeah, Rose will be fine with you." James replied, leaving after giving Lily a kiss on the top of the head.

"When did you know it?" Rose asked after James left.

"That you loved him." Rose asked, catching Lily completely off guard.

"I, uhhhh, I don't know really." Lily said. "I think I started to fall for him last year, just didn't believe it, or want to. James was mean to a friend of mine for years, until I stopped being that person's friend because he had shown his true colors."

"Snape?" Rose asked.

"Yes." Lily answered, surprised that Rose knew of Severus. "I was still upset about loosing Severus as he was my first connection to the wizarding world, so I ignored James more than I normally did the rest of the year."

"Then Sirius moved in." Rose said.

"Yes, and James began to mature, which I tried my best to ignore, but it became increasingly harder and harder to do." Lily said, thinking back to her previous year of school. "He still did his stupid things, but I still tried to hold those moments against him, even as those moments became less and less. By the end of the year I knew he changed, and I think I had fallen for him, but I just didn't want to believe it."