James stood at the Evanses' doorway, giving himself one last checkup before he made his presence known.
Mischievously disheveled hair—check.
Muggle-looking attire—check.
Irresistible scent—check, check, check.
He was quite certain that he looked dashing—a tousled hairdo he had spent an entire hour on, clothes that were especially bought for the occasion and a debonair look on his face that could rival James Bond's.
He rang the doorbell once and then rang it another time, just to be sure. Somewhere in the back of his mind, James knew that he was more nervous than he wanted to admit.
"Yes, yes. Wait!" said a familiar voice from inside, and, as always, something inside him tingled. A little radar within started beeping at dangerous levels, while the hopeless romantic tried to keep a cool disposition. Lily Evans: Approaching.
Lily- no his girlfriend (and James felt a rush of delight when he said it in his mind) – grinned at him. She was dressed in what he supposed was her usual attire when she wasn't at Hogwarts—jeans and a pretty looking shirt. Part of her hair had been pulled back while the rest of it curled over her shoulders. She looked wonderful and relatively Lily-ish, save for a slight tinge of pink on her cheeks which James realized he liked a lot. It suited her. Then again, everything suited Lily.
"Well, well, well," she said in a teasing tone. "I honestly didn't expect you to make it this far—Bloody hell!"
A sudden grunt overcame Lily, and she doubled over, wrapping her arms around her stomach. James initially hoped it was because of his good looks, but realized that it couldn't be. She was laughing!
Lily tried to compose herself but failed miserably, and ended up collapsing on the couch altogether. It was a good five minutes before she was able to talk again.
"That is not Muggle attire, James."
He looked at Lily, stunned. How on earth wasn't what he was wearing Muggle attire? He and Sirius had worked their arses off the other day to find—what was it called—a tuxedo? They'd called up their Muggle Studies Professor in the middle of the night to ask how one could acquire Muggle money; even going so far as to bribe the teacher into helping them look for the ideal tux—one that attracted just the right amount of attention.
"It… isn't?" he asked stupidly.
Lily inspected him, barely able to suppress another round of giggles as she covered her mouth with her hands. "James, have you ever seen a Muggle?"
"Of course I have!" he said defensively. "Once or twice…"
"Where did you get the idea that they wear tuxes casually?" She let out an unsteady breath, looking as though she wanted to laugh some more, but stopped herself for James's sake.
"Sirius told me that-"
"Taking advice from a Pureblood." She was almost hysterical at that point. "Why didn't you ask me?"
James half-shrugged, not wanting to admit that he had wanted to impress her. "Didn't occur to me, I guess."
"I'm sorry," Lily said, not looking sorry at all. "This is just… too amusing. I'll lend you my dad's clothes." She examined him again. "The pants… the pants can stay, but the shirt and suit have to go."
At that, James seized the opportunity to say something clever. He had to redeem himself in some way. His mouth twisted to form a lopsided grin. "Are you sure you'd want that, Lily, or do you want me to go shirtless altogether?" He winked at her.
Lily's cheeks did seem to flush, but it was hard to tell. The make-up hid her cheek complexion well.
"Shut up, Potter. I'll go get a shirt," was all she said before hurrying out of the living room and into what he supposed was the master bedroom.
He sat on the sofa, taking off his coat and unbuttoning the plain white shirt he wore. James took out his wand (which he had placed in the inner pocket of the tuxedo), and put it beside him for the meantime. A wizard must never be anywhere without his wand. In his other pocket was the Invisibility Cloak, which he had brought for emergencies.
James looked around, admiring the organized way the things in were arranged, and the overall atmosphere of the house. The place had that sort of scent he thought everyone and everything related to Lily ought to wear.
He heard a squeak from behind- the sound of a door being opened.
"Just because mum and dad aren't around, you think you can bring … your lot here, don't you?" said an unfamiliar voice coolly, and the way she said your lot gave James the impression that she didn't like magic very much.
"Mum and dad would've loved to meet my lot, Petunia. I'm sorry I can't say the same about you," replied Lily with just as much loathing.
Petunia… James remembered Lily mentioning her several times when she talked about her home. He knew that they weren't particularly fond of each other, but didn't expect to see a fight brew up this soon.
"Dad, especially, will be plenty disappointed when he finds out that his favourite daughter had been sneaking around with a bloke when he wasn't around." There was a trace of bitterness in her tone.
"It doesn't count as sneaking around when they've given their permission. Then again, you can always mention it to our parents and we'll have a pleasant little chat about that. Don't think that I don't know about your late-night escapades with Dursley."
A few seconds passed before Petunia answered. "Whatever, Freak show."
Then, Lily's sister slammed the door.
James looked at Lily, who approached him with a frown on her face. He wanted very much to comfort her. "That was…" he began awkwardly, not sure of what to say.
"Petunia," she said. "The sister I've told you about."
"I didn't think it was that bad."
"Don't worry about it," Lily said. "You know what they say about Evans women. We're fiery like that."
"If it helps, you're the only Evans woman for me."
James expected Lily to roll her eyes at the declaration (she usually did), but she smiled slightly. "Thanks. That's sweet of you."
She threw the shirt at him and took the space beside him while he changed. James had the slight impression that she was averting her eyes from his now half-naked figure.
"Do your parents—do they know about us?" he asked almost reluctantly.
Lily laughed. "Of course they do. I've told them that you are the school's caretaker who blackmailed me into going out with you."
"Good… wait, what?" James turned around so that he faced her. Lily's father's shirt fit him rather well.
She grinned at him enigmatically. "You finished? Off we go, then."
"Don't tell me you really did tell them that."
Her grin only got wider. "You will never know."
Lily opened the front door, and led James out of the residence. The restaurant wasn't that far from the house—only a ten-minute walk away, according to Lily.
"Is this what Muggles do? Take ten-minute walks to restaurants?" he asked, amused as he strolled beside her.
"In that sense, yes."
"We could have Apparated, you know."
"Yes, we could have, but that wouldn't have been any fun," she said. "I wanted to do this the Muggle way."
"But it's tiring. We would have been there already."
"Just enjoy the exercise, James. Stop whining," Lily said good naturedly; then, adding in an undertone, "No wonder wizards are so fat."
"Fine." A bright idea suddenly popped into his head. "And I'm not fat."
"You have Quidditch to thank for that."
James tried to act casual as he moved closer to Lily and wrapped his arm around her waist. Try as he might, he couldn't stop the grin from showing. "What was it you were saying, Lily?"
She eyed him skeptically, raising an eyebrow and slowly removing the hand from her waist.
James looked at Lily with a naughty gleam in his eyes. "Playing hard to get, are we, Evans?" He ran his fingers through his hair. The truth was, he really wanted to put his arm around her again.
She smacked him on the head. "Say that again and 'I'll lie about the route and make you walk even further."
He sighed, resigned, but maintained the close proximity between them.
"Lily..."
"Yes, James?"
"If Padfoot found out I was walking to dinner, he'd laugh his arse off."
"Better not rob Sirius of his arse, then. I won't announce it."
Nobody talked for a couple of seconds. Then, James couldn't take the silence. "Please Lily, can't we Apparate?"
"I told you-"
"But all this walking and waiting is driving me insane."
"I'm getting dangerously close to calling off this date, you know."
That sent him into panic. "What? Oh no. I won't complain anymore. Please don't. I'm sorry."
Lily frowned. "I'm sorry, too. I shouldn't have said that. If it helps, I never meant it." She paused awkwardly. Then, in a slightly embarrassed tone, "Um... you can put your arm around me if you want."
James's face lit up. "Really?"
"I… yeah. I guess it wouldn't hurt."
James beamed. He was willing to walk for an entire hour if this was what he got from it. "Lily, you seem to be enjoying this as much as I am."
She smiled coyly. "Don't test me, Potter."
They walked for a few more minutes, chatting about various topics until the restaurant finally came into view.
"There it is!" exclaimed Lily, pointing to a small one-story building in front of them. It was made out of red bricks and had a ridiculous sign that read 'Joe's Old Bar: For The Real Cheese Lovers Out There'. She stepped forwards and swung open the door, releasing herself from James's grasp. They went to a two-seat table in the corner and sat down.
"This is my favorite spot," Lily said, placing her elbows on the table and leaning forwards. "The best thing about it is that it's always empty."
He chuckled. "I should have known. How many times have you been here?"
"Lots," she answered brightly. "I've been a customer since I was kid—before I even found out about magic and Hogwarts."
"I didn't know you had such a deep connection with this table."
A waiter approached them, requesting their orders, and James, deciding that he did not like to take any chances with the way the bloke looked at his girlfriend, reached out to hold Lily's hand. She abruptly looked at their now connected hands, surprised, but did not object. James took it as a good sign.
Lily did the ordering, claiming that this restaurant was of her field of expertise and she knew the best dishes by heart.
"So that will be one 'Double House Spaghetti', two 'Cheese Fondue', and two Cokes, am I right?"
"Yes," she confirmed, smiling.
With one fleeting glance at his name tag, James added, "Bye… Jeffery."
As soon as the waiter left, Lily removed her hand from James's.
"Why'd you do that?" he asked.
"Because Jeffery is gone. That's why you held my hand in the first place, right?" Lily said matter-of-factly, wearing the familiar grin she wore when she thought she had figured something out.
"That might have been the original intention… but really, I'm always up for touching you. You're a very touchable person."
Lily blushed. James thought that she was going to place her hand on top of his. Then, with a slight shake in the head, "Nah. I'm not a hand-holder."
No, he agreed. Lily Evans was never the sweet, hugging type. That he had known for a long time.
James looked around, surveying the entire place. "You know, with all the time I spent daydreaming about our first date, I'd never have thought it'd be in a Muggle restaurant. I expected something more…"
"Puddifoots?" Lily said. "If we ever make it to a second date, don't you ever take me to that horrible place."
"No, not Puddifoots. I know enough of your long, awful history with it. I was thinking of something more… Hog's Head." At that, he grinned mischievously.
A few seconds passed before she caught on. "For a first date? You wish, Potter."
"A man can dream, can't he?"
"You are scaring me, James. I am starting to fear what goes on in your mind whenever you have those me fantasies. And considering your wild imagination…"
"You would not want to know," he said, shaking his head. "I usually tell Sirius some of them— the ones that don't involve Firewhiskey and…" He shook his head again, grinning. "You really, really don't want to know."
Lily made a face. "I'm changing the topic. We must never speak of this ever again. Not until I bring it up, at least. Speaking of Sirius, how are the lads? Do you still see each other?"
He was thankful for the drop on the subject. He wouldn't have wanted her to hear about their little naked escapades, either. "Sirius is staying over, and Remus and Peter visit so often that it doesn't feel like they don't live at home at all. The house is a wreck every day- not that mum minds—but yeah. It's been fun…" He looked around; making sure that the Marauders hadn't followed him to his first date with Lily.
"That sounds wonderful."
"It is. Remus and Peter borrow my spare broomsticks, and we play Quidditch in the backyard."
"That is so unfair. I wish that I'd been born in a Wizarding community. Couldn't I have been Sirius's cousin?" Lily said.
James looked at her, puzzled. Sirius's cousin? "Who are you and what have you done to Lily Evans?"
"It must be really cool," she continued without any indication of having heard James. "Playing Quidditch and doing all that… All I do in my place is listen to Petunia's griping about how much of a freak I am, what with mum and dad away. I wish I could stay at your home..."
"Of course you can stay." James was stunned. Where did Lily get the impression that she wasn't permitted to stay at his house? Merlin, he would have offered it to her long ago if he knew that she didn't think it was ridiculous.
Lily's head shot up, her green eyes surprised. It was as if she had just woken up. "What? Did I just say that out loud?"
He nodded. Her eyes widened. "Wow… I am an idiot… Why did I suggest that? Why did I even think of it? Lily Evans, you twit, why, why, why must you-"
"Lily?" James interrupted.
She looked at him. "Please forget I ever said anything. This is embarrassing… we're barely two days together, and for me to suggest staying over—meeting your parents?" She banged her head on the table. "Why? Why? Why? You insolent fool! You-"
"Lily Evans!" James quickly stood up and grabbed hold of her shoulders before she caused permanent damage to her head. "You're thinking too hard. It would be amazing for you to stay at home."
"What?" A disbelieving expression crossed her face. "Wouldn't you feel… awkward? Inconvenienced?"
And, at that point, it was his turn to look at her skeptically. "Why would I feel inconvenienced? I'd be thrilled!"
"We just got together. This is our first date! I'm sure you have nice parents, James, but they wouldn't be particularly happy to have your girlfriend of two days and a half come over so soon."
'Girlfriend of two days and a half'… No. They had been together long before that.
"You and I, Lily Evans, are seven years in the making, whether you believe it or not. Thanks to Sirius and my stupid thirteen-year-old self, my parents have known all about you and how I've been chasing you since Third Year. Anyway, what I'm saying is, they've heard so much about you, and staying over would be doing me a favour, because dad and mum have been begging me to introduce you to them since last year."
Lily looked like genuinely astonished, and a bit dubious. "Really? They like me?"
"They adore you is more like it."
"Thank Merlin!" she said, looking relieved.
James watched his girlfriend, amused. "Are you scared of my parents, Lily?"
"You're a Pureblood. Your parents are influential people, not to mention you came from one of the oldest Wizarding family lines. What was I supposed to think?" Lily took a lock of her hair and twirled it around her fingers uneasily. "What if they didn't think that a Muggleborn like me was enough for-"
He didn't let her complete the sentence. "That," James said in a low, disgusted tone, "is utter rubbish. You're the most brilliant witch I have ever met, including my mother. And that's saying something, because I love mum a lot."
The line of thinking—Lily's line of thinking—struck a nerve within him. The notion that someone was better than her just because of their birth was absurd. He couldn't—wouldn't allow her to believe herself to be anything less than she was.
Lily continued fiddling with her hair, not looking very convinced. "But-"
"You listen to me, Lily. You are a witch, a full-blown witch, and a damn good one. You don't have to prove anything to anyone. You're a wonderful person, and that's what counts. I wouldn't have wasted four long years chasing you, enduring the rejections, and plucking up the courage to ask you out just to be shot down again if you weren't as wonderful, amazing and brilliant as you are. So don't you but-but me and-" he stopped, mid-sentence.
Was it too much? Was what he said too harsh?
Lily released the lock of hair and met his gaze. Then, to James's surprise and delight, a warm smile spread across her face, creating small dimples in her cheeks.. It was the smile that made him fall in love with her in the first place—the smile that could have settled the entire feud over blood purity had she exposed it more often.
"Thanks," she whispered.
She reached out to place her hand on his, and a pleasant warmth passed between them. In that moment, James wanted time to stop. He wanted to stay that way forever- with Lily smiling at him that way and their hands interlaced.
Then, he saw Jeffery the waiter approaching the table.
The git! Jeffery smiled at them innocently, as if he had no idea of the intimate moment he was ruining.
"Your food," he announced with a slight motion in the hand.
"Oh. Thanks!" Lily quickly removed her hand from James's and made space for the food. Something had to interrupt them, one way or another, hadn't it?
James tried to show his frustration by picking on his food.
"You don't seem to be enjoying the meal," Lily noticed.
"I am. It's delicious!"
"Says the guy who hasn't eaten anything yet."
James cracked his knuckles. "The bloody waiter's fault... Couldn't give us fifteen minutes of peace."
"Don't be mad at Jeff. He's just doing his job."
"Course he is," he mumbled, too low for her to hear.
Lily raised an eyebrow at him. "Just eat your food, James. Complaining gets you nowhere."
"Fine, but this restaurant isn't getting any tips from-"
James never got to complete the sentence. He was interrupted a sudden explosion.
Popping. All kinds of popping.
It was like magic in his mouth.
"What is this?" he asked, astounded. James had never tasted anything like it.
"That, love, is soda," said Lily, grinning.
"I like it." He took out the straw and drained the drink in one gulp. "I need more of this."
"Don't worry. I ordered the refillable ones."
"Wait 'till Sirius tries this. He'll go nuts!" It wasn't Firewhiskey; it was better. James hadn't thought anything could be better than Firewhiskey.
Pop, pop, pop.
Lily raised her hand, motioning to a waitress to bring them a pitcher of the highly addictive stuff.
"Don't drink too much, though," she warned when she saw how fast he was consuming both of their drinks. "There might not be enough space in your stomach to contain the real food, and I wouldn't want to force myself to eat them all." But Lily was smiling while she said it, and it gave him the impression that she was enjoying herself rather well.
By the time the meal was over, James had emptied five glasses of soda, and Lily two. He held two bottles in his hands—one for him, and one for Sirius.
James insisted on paying, taking away all the tips they left on the table when Lily wasn't looking.
"Did you have to use such drastic measures?" she asked as they exited the restaurant, referring to the now-invisible bottles he had bewitched to float and follow them around.
James took a sip. "Yes. Sirius is counting on me to bring him the heavenly drink."
Lily's lips curved slightly upward. "Heavenly drink?"
"Yes. This was such a good idea."
"Well, I am a woman of good ideas."
"That, you are. And I am a man of endless charm and gentlemanly smoothness," he said, putting his arm around her shoulders offhandedly.
"Sure, James."
"Sometimes, I really think the entire world would become so much better if everybody just turned into pasta, you know?"
Lily raised an eyebrow. "Are you alright?"
"It's just," he said, "Everything is so much better in French, isn't it?"
"Pasta was invented in Italy."
James hung his head back and tightened his hold around Lily. "Je t'aime, my dear."
She grinned. "That must be the the only French phrase you know."
"Uhm... Si?"
"James, why are you so… tipsy?"
"The soda… it gives you powers you can only imagine."
Lily chuckled. "You're not… drunk, are you?"
They reached the end of the wide road, giving way to a curve that would eventually lead to narrow streets. James noticed how familiar the area was. He could remember them passing by those exact street lamps on their way to the restaurant a while ago. That only meant one thing: Lily's house was near. Their date was about to be over.
Was it?
He didn't feel like it was. He didn't want it to be.
James took a sip from one of his invisible soda bottles and observed Lily.
"What?" She asked. "Why are you looking at me funny?"
"Lily, when you walk like that, you remind me a bit of a duck. A very sexy duck, but... a duck."
Her eyes narrowed. "And what, I suppose, do you have against ducks?"
James held up his hands. "Nothing. Nothing. Ducks are fine... it's just the way they walk that disturb me, and the thick mouths... not to mention the annoying sounds they make..."
Lily whacked him in the head. "I- think- you've gone mental!"
"Ow- ow! I didn't mean you were a duck!"
"Of course I'm not a duck." She crossed her arms and walked behind him. "You're crazy."
James cracked a grin. Crazy, was he? Crazy enough to do this.
And because he was especially tipsy today, James decided that this day, their first date, wasn't complete. He stopped walking, turned around, and looked determinedly at Lily, who in the manner of surprise, bumped into the wall behind her.
She shot him a sharp look. "What are you playing at?"
He didn't reply, and instead lowered his head swiftly; stopping only when their heads were inches apart. He could feel her even breathing. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale.
He smirked; then, realization crossed Lily's features.
"James…" she was glaring at him sternly now, but he sensed a trace of suppression in her voice. It gave him confidence, hope.
They stood, eyes locked on each other as the dawdling seconds passed. James felt a bead of sweat trickle through his neck.
Then, with a resigned groan, Lily's self-restraint left her, and James knew that he had won. "You prat."
She grabbed him by the collar, and pulled him towards her. James hastily took out his invisibility cloak, managing to cover them both with it at the exact time their lips came crashing together.
Sweet, sweet victory.