She'd been into Wizarding America, once, when he father had come to visit her. She'd hated it; so different from wizarding Britain, but exactly the same in all the ways that counted.

She didn't belong there, either.

She knew how to get there, too. Through that fountain in the square – or through the fifth painting on the second corridor on the fourth floor of the National Museum. Not that the knowledge was any use to her. You needed a wand to do either, and she didn't have one of those.

She barely spared the fountain a glance as she strode past, her high-heels clicking importantly. There was something about the sound high-heels she just loved; they screamed "Look at me!" and s being looked at was the best feeling in the world. All around her bustled the other city inhabitants and she glided through them like she was a queen and they were her people. This place, muggle New York, was where she belonged.

Her phone buzzed in her pocket and she flipped it open with relish. She didn't need magic, not when muggle technology was so much better. "Lily," she chirped out, winding her way around a fat man eating a cheap pie. Honestly, some people! He should have moved out of her way.

"I've got a job for you tonight," the other person replied, without even giving their name. They didn't have to, though; Lily knew it was Brenda.

"A regular?" she asked.

"No, some new person. Said he wanted a red-head, and Alyssa can't do it."

"So I get Alyssa's leftovers now, do I?" she asked, annoyed.

"You do if you want the money," Brenda replied snappishly. "Take it or leave it. I can always find someone else."

"Another red-head?" Lily asked. "You know they prefer them natural, and you've only got me and Alyssa."

"Colour from a bottle will suffice if it has to," Brenda says. "And we can even cut the fee for the inconvenience. There are plenty of girls who won't have a problem with that."

"Yeah, well I'm not them, am I?" Lily replied shortly. She paused for a moment. "Fine, I'll do it, but you only get ten per cent."

"No way, you're not cutting my fee!" Brenda literally squawked down the phone.

"Take it or leave it," Lily said, quoting her. She felt no mercy at halving Brenda's usual fee; she knew that if she gave her half the chance, her agent wouldn't hesitate to fuck her in the ass. And the only people that were allowed to that were the people who paid for it.

"Fifteen per cent and you've got a deal," Brenda said finally.

"Done." Lily's reply was instantaneous; she was surprised Brenda had agreed to cut it at all. Besides, if he fucks her properly she can always claim that she only gave him a blowjob. That was the main reason why agents had their rates so steep; they knew their girls lied to them about how much they'd earned.

"He'll be at the Clearview Hotel at seven thirty tonight. He's paid for the room in advance."

"What's the name?" Lily asked.

"Tom Fairgood."

"I'll be there."

And the conversation was over. She glanced down at her watch; five hours. Just long enough to do some decent shopping before she had to get ready.

She arrived at the hotel early, like she always did. That way she could be sure she was comfortable by the time her client arrived – and also so she could hide the phone she'd use to call her agent if things went wrong. They never had yet, but there was always a first time, and the advantage of moving to a different continent by herself at sixteen was that she had a distinct sense of self preservation. She might enjoy being a prostitute, but knew her trade wasn't all roses. There were dangers, and she was prepared for them.

With five minutes to go, she spread herself out on the bed, ready to snap into a more seductive pose as soon as she heard the door creak open. She tried out a few – secretive, bashful, legs spread wide open – before deciding she'd pretend to have been pleasuring herself while he waited. She was usually more prepared for what her client liked, but she didn't know this one. Besides, most men found the sight of her rubbing her cunt arousing enough.

If only her mother could see her now, she thought bitterly. Expelled from Hogwarts at the age of fifteen for her sheer (and incessant) disobedience, she'd moved out of home as soon as she was old enough – sixteen, in the muggle world. Her wand had been snapped, her choices obvious; she'd have to make it as a muggle.

So off to America she'd flown, before her parents could stop her. They'd come after her, of course, but eventually relented when they saw her mind was not about to be changed. Her mother had wanted to move to America too, to keep an eye on her, but her father had put his foot down. Instead, Lily had been left with a small amount of money and the promise that she could come home whenever she wanted.

And now she was a high-class whore, fucking men for (a substantial amount of) money. She wasn't the most expensive out there, but she could afford an apartment, the latest muggle fashions and gadgets, and even had a few savings. Life was going well.

The sound of a key in the door startled her from her reverie, and she quickly slipped her hand down to her lacy lingerie, rubbing her palm over it lightly and slowly. The door began to push open and a man in a coat stepped through.

"Hello there," she began to purr, but she didn't get the whole sentence out before the words died in her throat. The face of the man was far, far too familiar. She pulled her hand away and shut her legs with a snap, all too aware of how little she was wearing. Even though she was wearing more fabric than she usually would be, it was the first time in a long time that she'd felt truly naked.

A hundred questions rushed through her mind. Why was he here? How had he known what she did? How had he found her?

She sensed that they'd probably be answered over the course of the night.

"Lily." Teddy's voice was grave, and the lack of surprise on his face told her that it wasn't a coincidence that, of all the prostitutes in America, he'd gotten her. "We need to talk."

"How did you find me?" she asked. She was sitting on the bed, wrapped in his coat which he'd thrown at her to cover herself up with. She hadn't missed the disgust in his actions.

"Word of mouth," Teddy said, pulling a diet coke from the mini bar. "You want one?"

Lily shook her head. "How?" she asked. "No one at home knows what I do."

"You were followed by a wizarding reporter," Teddy replied. "He wanted to do a feature article on your life as a muggle. He got far more information than what he'd bargained for."

Lily felt sick. "It's in the papers?" she asked.

"No. Instead of publishing it, the reporter attempted to blackmail your parents. He wanted money in return for keeping it quiet."

The news made her feel a little better, but not by much. "So Mum and Dad know?"

Teddy shook his head. "You were fortunate. He couldn't get hold of your parents." That made sense, Lily knew. They were both very high profile people; they didn't have a lot of time for one-on-one conversations with reporters.

"So he came to you?" she asked.

"No," Teddy replied, pausing to take a sip. "He went to your Aunt Hermione." That made sense too. Hermione was running for Minister for Magic. It was her job to be available for reporters.

It was better than her parents knowing, at least, Lily thought. Unless….

As though he'd read her thoughts, Teddy added, "She didn't tell your parents. She was going to, but she discussed it with Albus first. He convinced her to wait a while, and then came to me. He said I might be able to get through to you in a way that he wouldn't."

"He was wrong," Lily says. "You won't get through to me. I like what I do. I'm not going to stop."

"You will," Teddy said. His voice, always so warm when she was a child, was now colder than Antarctica. "Or your parents will find out."

"You wouldn't," Lily challenged.

"No," Teddy said. "I wouldn't. Hermione, however, has decided that if you don't come home, she'll tell your parents."

And like that, Lily knew she was defeated. She shrugged the coat off, ignoring how Teddy's eyes flitted away from her exposed body. She crossed to the corner where her clothes were lying and went to pull on her jeans. As she put one foot in the leg, she looked up. "Don't suppose you still want to go at it, do you?" she asked. "You have paid for the room after all."

He looked shocked at her suggestion. "I'm joking, I'm joking!" she assured him, rolling her eyes. "Chill out. You used to have a sense of humour."

"You used to have morals," Teddy shot back.

"I still do," Lily replied. "It's just that they don't include notselling my body." She finished dressing and handed him back his coat. "I'll consider what you've said," she told Teddy, although she already knew what her answer would have to be. "And I'll let you know tomorrow."

She went to leave, but turned back. "By the way, what happened to the reporter?" she asked.

"Obliviated," Teddy said simply.

"I should have guessed," Lily said, before shutting the door behind her.

I should have known it would be that easy for Aunt Hermione to get what she wants, she thought to herself as she left the hotel. Fucking wizards.

THE END.