Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.

"Are you sniffing like that just to annoy me?" Lily looked up from the Potions homework she was helping fellow head student, James Potter, with. He sniffed loudly again.

"No," he said. He rubbed at his nose with the sleeve of his robes and gave another sniff. "I can't seem to help it."

"Here" Lily handed him a handkerchief. "Use that before Madam Pince throws you out."

"Thanks," he muttered, burying his nose in the cloth. He inhaled deeply with his eyes closed, taking in the smell of roses, the aroma that was so exquisitely Lily. He wondered what it would be like to have that scent invade his senses when he had one hand buried in her hair, the other around her waist, pressed up against a wall, his lips on hers -

Lily looked at James with concern. "Are you feeling well? You've gone rather red."

James hid behind the handkerchief, inadvertently breathing in more of Lily's scent and blushing even more. "I'm fine," he said quickly. "It must just be too dusty in here, some fresh air in Quidditch practice should set me right."

"Are you sure you have to practice in this rain? You really do look very flushed. If you're falling ill, the weather's not going to help," Lily said.

"The match is tomorrow!" James said indignantly. "Of course we have to practice. I'm sure it's just the dust in here. Some of these books don't seem to have been used in years. Look, I'll be fine. I'll meet you in the Head's Tower later; I'll be late for practice."

She didn't look very convinced but she let him go. As she watched him walk out of the library, she couldn't help thinking of their unlikely friendship. Who would've thought that Lily Evans, who had made no secret of her dislike of James and had issued daily death threats for five years, would now be concerned about his health? But so much had changed over the past year. With the war raging, James and Lily had both grown up. James had become responsible and asked for a chance to be friends, to forget all that had happened between them. Lily had matured, swallowed her pride, and agreed.

Over the last year, she had come to know the Marauders better, especially James and had developed strong friendships with all of them. She had come to see the bravery, the loyalty, all their finer qualities and not just the flippant, arrogant characters she had originally thought them to be. In turn, they too had grown to like her. They had found a mutual respect and fondness for each other. But Lily had also found something more for James. Once she had really gotten to know him, she had realised that she wanted to be more than just friends. The impossible (or so she had claimed in their third year) had happened – Lily Evans had fallen for James Potter.

Now, a little over a month into their seventh year, there had been plenty of hugs, awkward moments and near kisses between them. She wondered if he was still interested in her. It seemed that way, but could she be sure? She felt she would explode if she didn't work up the courage to tell him how she felt soon. Little did she know that James also felt the same way.

Lily sat in her room, reading over her homework before dinner. James had returned from practice half an hour ago, soaked through and sniffing even worse but he had waved away her concern insisting he was fine. She had heard a few loud sneezes coming from his room next door and was considering checking on him when a crash and loud swearing reached her ears. She jumped up and rushed out, knocking quickly on James' door.

"Doh, doh, doh! This caddod be habbedig!"

"James, are you alright?" she asked, slightly alarmed now.

The door was flung open. "Lily! I'b sick!" wailed James. Lily looked at him, trying not to laugh at the comically pathetic, despairing expression on his face. He definitely was sick. His cheeks were flushed and his eyes were watery. His nose was red and when she touched his forehead, he was much too warm.

"You're beginning a fever," she said, concerned now. "You need to go to the Hospital wing."

"I can't do that," he sniffed. "If I go, Madam Pobfrey will bake be stay doborrow and I can'd miss the match," he protested. "Achoo!"

"Bless you. Are you serious? Is a Quidditch match more important than your health?" she demanded.

"I'm not Sirius, I'm James." He gave her a watery grin. "Of course it is!"

She sighed. "If you can make that joke, you're obviously more ill than I thought. You have to go down, you need medicine."

"Can't you make me a potion?" He looked at Lily with big, pleading (red, watery) eyes. "I'll stay in bed and rest and do everything you say. Please, please, can't you brew me something that will get me better by tomorrow?" He grabbed her hand. "Please Lily?"

Lily doubted anyone could resist that look, least of all someone who was already head over heels for the boy. "Finem" she said resignedly, trying to ignore the disappointment when he let go of her hand. "It's nearly dinnertime. I'll bring you something to eat. Change into your pyjamas or something comfortable, get in bed and pull your covers all the way up," she ordered. He nodded miserably, looking like a little child as he went off to change out of his robes.

Lily went back to her room and returned in a few minutes armed with a hot water bottle. "Here, keep yourself warm."

James studied the pink rubber object with a smile as he looked at the decorations. "Unicorns and rainbows, Evans? Really? Achoo!"

"I've had that since I was six," she said defensively. "Haven't you ever had your own hot water bottle?"

James shook his head, still looking slightly amused. "Achoo! Excuse me. Mum used to tuck herself in with me. I didn't get sick all that often. Would you like to tuck yourself in too? You'd be warmer than a rubber bottle." His eyes twinkled as he pulled back his covers and made room for her.

Yes. "No!" Lily stammered, blushing slightly. She was saved from replying further when James sneezed thrice, violently. "You'll get a letter," said Lily.

"From whom?" he asked, bemused.

She shrugged. "It's a Muggle superstition. 'Sneeze thrice, get a letter.'"

He looked interested but she looked at her watch. "I'll send you something to eat while I brew some Pepper Up Potion. It shouldn't take long, I'll be back within the hour."

James had barely begun wondering what other superstitions there were about colds as he sniffled and sneezed when the door to his room opened again.

"Of all days, did you have to be ill right before the first Quidditch match of the season?"

"Nice to see you too, Padfoot. I'm feeling better, thanks for asking," James grumbled as Sirius and Remus entered.

"Don't worry, Lily will have you up and about by the morning," said Remus.

"You are really ill, aren't you?" Sirius asked skeptically, feeling his friend's forehead. "You're not just trying to get Evans to be your nurse?"

"Why would I fake illness before a Quidditch match? Besides, Lily already made sure I am really sick. I hate being sick," James complained.

"This should cheer you up," said Peter, entering the room. "Here's your dinner."

James eyed the food on the tray. "That is the most tasteless assortment of food I've ever seen." He tried the soup and looked mournfully at the rest of the meagre meal. "No dessert?"

"No. This is a Lily-certified meal for patients," grinned Sirius.

"Bless you," said Remus as James sneezed about five times again.

"You're sneezing a lot," said Peter.

"Really? I hadn't noticed," said James, rolling his eyes. "You know what's weird though? I haven't sneezed twice. It's always been one, or too many. I thought everyone sneezed only twice or thrice at the most. Achoo, achoo, ACHOOOO!"

Sirius stood up quickly. "I'm leaving before I catch a cold too."

"You're a great friend, Sirius. Thanks for being there," grumbled James.

Sirius winked. "Anytime, Prongs. We all know you'd much rather spend the evening with your beautiful nurse. Maybe you'll even get lucky tonight."

James went red. "This box of tissues has more chance of getting lucky," he snorted. "I'll – achoo – be lucky – sniff – if she even wants to be – sniff – around me – achoo – after giving me potions – achoo!"

"Sounds like it's getting worse." The Marauders turned around as Lily came in with a bag of vials. "Get out now, you three. I don't want to be nursing any more of you lot tonight."

"Have fun, Evans." Sirius winked at her as the three boys left, smirking at James who blew his nose at them in response.

Lily pulled up a chair beside James' bed as he snuggled up to his hot water bottle. "This thing is really comfortable," he sighed. He sneezed again.

" 'Sneeze once, make a wish'," Lily recited.

I wish you'd fall in love with me. "will it come true?"

She smiled at him. "I believe that if you wish for anything hard enough, it will come true eventually."

"I've been wishing for something for a very long time now. Six years, in fact," he said quietly.

She met his eyes. "Maybe you gave up on the way."

"Never."

She looked away, avoiding his intense gaze, her cheeks red as she rummaged around in her bag. She poured out a grey, steaming potion. "Some Pepper Up Potion should make you feel better by the morning. Drink up."

"I hate that stuff," he muttered, sitting up. Their fingers grazed as she handed him the cup and he couldn't help noticing how her fingers lingered on his for just a moment longer than necessary. He downed the potion in one go and shuddered as smoke poured out of his ears. Lily burst out laughing at the sight.

"It's not funny," he complained. "You'd look like your head was on fire if you were drinking this."

"Sorry," Lily giggled. "But wait, the worst is yet to come," she added ominously. She poured out a measure of another potion. "This will ease your throat and get rid of the fever. You should be almost perfectly fine tomorrow."

James looked at the potion and screwed up his nose in disgust. "I'm not drinking that, it looks like troll bogies." He took a cautious sniff. "And it smells worse."

"Do you want to play tomorrow or not?"

"I'm sure I'll be fine. There's no way I'm drinking that," he argued.

"No way?" Lily's eyes narrowed dangerously.

"Absolutely no way," James announced firmly.

Before he knew what had happened, Lily had lunged at him. She used one arm to pin both his arms to his chest and the forced the potion down his throat with the other. He coughed at the taste, nearly spitting out half the potion.

"Why Evans," he smirked, once he recovered, "if you wanted to get physical, you could have just asked."

Lily looked rather stunned by her own boldness. "I wasn't – that's not – I just had to make you drink the potion!" she stuttered, flustered.

He looked slightly hopeful at this reaction. He had been hoping that she might really like him after all the moments they'd shared that last month, but now, she seemed to possibly fancy him.

"You have some potion on your face," she blurted out, her ears still red.

James reached for a tissue and rubbed at his face. "That's the most ghastly thing I've ever tasted and I've even drunk all of mum's attempts to make health drinks. It was even worse than Sirius' cooking!" he complained.

"Medicine never tastes good," Lily said and then reconsidered this. "Actually, nothing that's really good for you ever tastes good. You're rubbing in the wrong place, by the way." She picked up a tissue herself and dabbed at the corner of his lips. They both froze as her fingers brushed his cheek lightly.

"You look beautiful," he whispered suddenly.

"I think that's the potion talking. Pepper Up Potion does make you feel a little drunk," she replied, blushing.

His hand came up to rest over her fingers on his cheek. His heartbeat quickened though he didn't know if it was because he was ill or because of the spark that seemed to jump between their hands. "I think that's just me talking," he said quietly.

They were frozen in time, eyes locked, faces so close that Lily could feel his warm breath. His hand was burning on hers. Was it the fever or was he feeling the same electrifying emotions she was?

"Do you know what I wished for?" he said softly, looking deep into her eyes.

She shook her head, transfixed by his gaze.

"I –" His nose wiggled and he inhaled sharply. Lily's eyes widened and she jumped away just in time as he let out a huge sneeze. She burst into laughter again at the confused, embarrassed, annoyed and at the same time, endearing expression on James' face.

"You should take that sneeze as a compliment," she said, trying to make him feel better though she was dying to know what he'd been about to say. "Another superstition says that people who sneeze can't be idiots."

"I should have sneezed around you much earlier then! You called me an idiot so many times." He sneezed again and again and looked slightly winded at the end of the fit. "What does seven sneezes in a row mean?"

"That the potions are working. That's the weird thing about Pepper Up Potion, the more you sneeze, the faster you get better. And possibly seven sneezes might mean good luck," she grinned.

"Any more sneeze superstitions I should know about?" he asked.

Lily hesitated and then shook her head. She went to the door and put out the lamps. "Good night, James."

"Good night, Lily. Thank you for taking care of me. Achoo, achoo!" James sniffed and waited to hear his door click shut.

But instead, a curtain of hair suddenly tickled his face, a small warm hand touched his cheek, the perfume of roses invaded his nose and a pair of soft lips brushed his briefly. "'Sneeze twice for a kiss,'" Lily murmured in his ear. His eyes shot open as he felt her move away and he grabbed her hand, pulling her to him as he kissed her again slowly. The light from the hallway was enough to illuminate both their goofy grins as she quickly hurried out, her cheeks pink.

James was still smiling as he snuggled up with the hot water bottle. Being sick didn't seem so bad now.

And maybe seven sneezes were lucky after all.

Hope you liked it :) Please do review and let me know what you thought!

This story is for a-trip-to-honeydukes' Magic Number Competition on the HPFC forum. It's going to have seven chapters, each featuring a different Quidditch player. This chapter used the prompt "hot water bottle".