A Aardvark and Apples

"Evans," I whispered. I couldn't take my eyes off her. She was lying at my feet, blood running down her pale face. "Oh, god," I said and reached down and picked her up. Her eyes were closed. I think she was unconscious. I carried her over to the closest couch and laid her down on it. I looked around for something to wipe the blood off her face with, but there was nothing I could see so I pulled off my t-shirt and gently wiped the blood off. It was coming from a cut on her forehead. It wasn't deep but it was long. I didn't know what to do so I ripped a strip out of my shirt and tied it around Evans's head to stop the bleeding.

Then, I picked her up and ran out of the common room with her in my arms. I had to get her to the hospital wing. I just had to! We were on the fifth floor when Evans woke up. Her eyes fluttered open and she just stared at me for a moment.

"Put me down, Potter," she said weakly. I shook my head and kept walking. She started to squirm and said, "Put me down this instant!" I shrugged my shoulders and put her down. What else could I have done? She kept a tight hold on my arm. The second she let go of me, her knees buckled and she fell to the ground.

"Evans!" I grabbed her under the arms and pulled her back to her feet. "Maybe I should help you?" I said. She shook her head.

"Common Room," she said. "Take me back to the Common Room." I sighed.

"No can do, Evans," I said and swept her off the floor and into my arms. I couldn't let her walk all the way back. She struggled for a minute then stopped. "I'm taking you to the hospital wing whether you like it or not," I said. She glared at me but didn't argue. I guess she was too tired because then she leaned her head against mine and let me take her wherever I wanted.

I knocked on the infirmary door several minutes later. Nobody answered so I pushed the door open and carried Evans inside. I laid her down on the first bed a I came to and said, "Stay here. I'm gonna go get Madam Pomfrey." I turned around but she grabbed my arm and pulled me back down.

"Thanks, James," she said and kissed my cheek. I was shocked. Lily Evans just called me by my first name AND she kissed me! Okay, so it was only on the cheek, but it's a start! Now I felt dizzy. I went and got Madam Pomfrey. She checked Evans and gave her some medicine for the pain. Then she cleaned her cut with some purple liquid. It must of hurt because Evans screamed really loud. It made me jump out of my seat. Then Madam Pomfrey poked Lily's cut with her wand and returned it back to normal.

"There," said Madam Pomfrey. "All done. You can go now. You might feel a bit dizzy but that's normal." Then she turned to me. "Make sure she doesn't collapse. Take her all the way to bed, got that?" I nodded. I took Evans arm and helped her stand up. She was very dizzy so a draped her arm around my neck and practically dragged her back to the Common Room.

In the Common Room, I sat Evans down on a couch and plopped down next to her.

"D'you want to go to bed?" I asked. Evans shook her head then winced. I guess her head still hurt. "Does it hurt?" I asked quietly.

"Yes," whispered Evans. I reached over and pushed her bangs out of her face. I could see a faint line where the cut was. I ran my finger softly over it. I felt her shiver.

"Why do you hate me," I asked abruptly. Evans was taken aback. She didn't answer right away.

"I don't hate you," she said finally. I rolled my eyes.

"Of course you don't. You love me!" I said sarcastically. Now Evans rolled her eyes.

"I just don't like some of your characteristics," she said carefully.

"Like what?"

"Like your arrogance - "

"I am not arrogant!" I'm not arrogant, am I? Evans sighed. "Okay, I am a little arrogant. But not as much as I was before. I've gotten better! I swear!" Evans laughed.

"I noticed. That's why I'm civil with you," she said. "But do me a favor, okay?"

"Anything."

"Call me Lily." I nodded. I could do that. Lily, Lily, Lily! See? I'm doing it!

"I'd love to. And you can call me James. No more Potter. Agreed?"

"Agreed!" We shook hands on it.

"So..." I said slowly. "Now we can call each other friends, right?" Evans - I mean Lily smiled.

"Yes," she said. Now I smiled. We sat quietly for a couple of minutes just staring into the fire.

"Lily," I said.

"Hmm?" she answered.

"Um - did you notice that - er - I didn't ask you out this year?" I said. Lily burst out laughing.

"Yes, I did," she said. "Thanks for that." I smiled. I wasn't going to ask her yet. It might spoil everything. I was getting sleepy. I think Lily was too judging by how wide her mouth opened when she yawned.

"C'mon," I said. "Let's get you upstairs to bed." Lily frowned at me.

"How are you going to get into the girls' dormitory?" she asked.

"Oh yeah," I said. "I can't. But Madam Pomfrey said to get you into bed. What if you collapse?"

"I feel fine. I can go by myself."

"No! I can't risk you getting hurt again. You can sleep in my bed," I said.

"Uh... I don't think I really want to sleep with you. I mean, I just got over hating you, if you know what I mean?" Lily said. I burst out laughing.

"Not with me! I'll sleep down here. I don't mind," I said.

"What?! No way! That's not fair! I can't let you do that!" Lily said. I tried to talk her into it but she wouldn't agree.

"Fine," I said, giving up. "You sleep in my bed and I'll sleep in Peter's."

"What about Peter?"

"Oh, don't worry about him. He falls out of bed 'round midnight. He'll be on the floor so his bed's empty," I said, waving my hand. Lily giggled.

"Okay, then," she agreed. "Let's go." I stood up and helped Lily up even though she said she was fine. I helped her up the stairs and into our dormitory. She crawled into my bed and I put the covers on her. I wanted to be nice now that we were friends. I knew Lily liked it because she was smiling slightly. I closed the curtains around my bed and walked over to Peter's bed and fell onto it. I was exhausted and fell asleep in like half a minute with one of my legs hanging over the edge of the bed so that my foot was dangling over Peter's face. I think he liked the smell. Maybe it reminded him of cheese. He likes cheese.