Turning Tables

Chapter 25 - Family

(J&L) (J&L) (J&L) (J&L) (J&L) (J&L) (J&L) (J&L) (J&L) (J&L) (J&L) (J&L) (J&L) (J&L) (J&L) (J&L) (J&L) (J&L) (J&L) (J&L) (J&L) (J&L) (J&L) (J&L) (J&L)

Cold morning light filtered in through the large windows, its piercing intensity stirring Lily from sleep. Her eyelids fluttered automatically, but she kept them closed against the brightness and snuggled her face closer to the skin of James' chest, feeling his arm tighten around her slightly as he responded to her touch even as he slept. She felt the calm rise and fall of his chest under her head, felt the steady beat of his heart against her ear and her lips curved upwards into a smile.

Keeping her eyes closed, she moved her hand up alongside her face so it was resting on his chest, and she used her index and middle fingers to tap along with his heart rate. He shifted alongside her, pressing a kiss into her hair, and she felt his free hand run up her thigh and come to rest on her hip. She tilted her head back and opened her eyes; they immediately found his, sleepy and only half-open, but still sparkling, as they always did when they looked at her.

'Morning.' He whispered groggily, stretching his legs out but maintaining his grip on her.

'Hmmm.' It was about all she could manage in reply, somewhere between a word and a groan, as she closed her eyes again and rolled her body a little to allow her to turn her face further into his upper body. She felt him laugh quietly, felt it rumble through his chest and she swatted him lightly in reproach. Remembering that they were in bed together in Potter Manor she felt a faint stirring of anxiety begin to churn in her stomach, but it wasn't quite able to break through the haze of sleepy contentment she currently found herself in.

'What time is it?' she mumbled sleepily, her face still pressed up close to him, his scent filling her nostrils and fogging up her mind, his skin muffling her words.

'I don't know.' She felt the muscles in his neck tense as he turned his head to look at the clock and then his hand left her hip as he began to grope around for something. 'Where did you chuck my glasses Lil?'

'Bedside table somewhere.' She waved a hand vaguely and then felt her body being pulled with his as he reached for them.

'It's just after nine.' His voice sounded clearer now, his hand beginning to rub gentle strokes up and down her side, and he smiled as she groaned at him.

'Don't, you'll send me back to sleep and I have to get up before someone decides to come in here and finds us.' Lily raised a hand to rub her eyes in an attempt to wake up properly.

'You don't need to get up.' answered James, not pausing for a second in his stroking. She opened her eyes again and moved her head to look at him questioningly, and he smiled at the sight of her, all curled up and sleepy, and he couldn't resist leaning down to kiss her forehead. 'In case you've forgotten, we're in your room. So the problem isn't that you're in bed, it's that I'm in your bed. I'll get up and you can stay here for as long as you like.'

His hand left her side to smooth over her hair, tucking it behind her ears so he could see her face clearly. He kissed down from her temple, across her cheek and along her jaw line and his slight stubble tickled lightly as it ran across her skin and made her giggle. Then he slid himself out of bed and began hunting for his clothes.

Lily managed to open her eyes and watched him sleepily as he gathered his dress robes into a messy bundle. He sat next to her on the bed in just his trousers and bent down to kiss her again.