I have a tumblr now, I'm wowsmart (you can follow me if you want, ok no more self promo now) and to those of you wondering, I have not died, I am just working on something right now. Ok great.
Lily was absolutely miserable.
Firstly she was wearing wellies to her sister's wedding. She hadn't meant for it to happen, but nonetheless her heels had fallen into a puddle and all she was left with was her pair of bright red rain boots. Now her distant relatives were pressuring her to get married as well. Can't they harass me after I've had a glass or two of wine?
"Oh, sweetie, when are you going to be up at the altar?"
Hopefully when you're dead. "I haven't met the right guy yet Aunt Meredith." What's your excuse?
That was how Lily's night had been going so far. The highlight of her night would probably be when the bar opened. Or when she finally got to escape. Whichever came first.
Even worse, her sister Petunia, the bride, had been giving her choice of footwear dirty looks for the past hour and Lily was very tempted to take them off only to throw them at Petunia.
"You may now kiss the bride." And Lily felt sick to her stomach at the scene of the whale of a man, who was now her brother in law (shudder), snogging the daylights out of her sister. But then she remembered that this meant that she would be able to go to the open bar sooner.
Hurrah, she thought after her sister finally separated from her new husband and was only slightly ashamed to admit that she was the first out of the chapel.
Then she proceeded to sprint to the hall where the remainder of the wedding would take. Well, she wanted to do this, but instead her mother grabbed her by the arm.
"Lily, at least pretend that you're happy for your sister."
"But, mum..."
"Say congratulations or I'll have you seated next to Aunt Meredith."
Lily shot her mother a betrayed look. "Fine, but I'll have you know that you're not receiving a birthday gift for this."
Her mother nodded solemnly. "I can live with that."
Lily then proceeded to drag her feet towards Petunia and Vernon. They were talking quietly and Lily tried to feel happy for them. She found that this was impossible.
"You look lovely, Tuney." She said, causing her sister to jerk her blonde head up. "Congratulations to you both."
Petunia sent her a half smile. "Thank you, Lily." But she knew that her sister didn't really mean it. After Lily turned eleven she began to throw herself into her studies, her sister had driven a wedge between them and began calling Lily nasty names.
"It was a beautiful ceremony." Lily said as a closing before walking away. Now I really need a drink.
"Can I have ale?" Lily asked the bartender a total of ten seconds after she entered the room. Then she proceeded to hand him a twenty pound note.
It took her nearly a full minute to notice that her drink was not being made and that this bloke was staring at her from over the rim of his glasses and that her twenty pounds was still sitting on the bar in front of her.
"You know you can take that, right?"
Then he laughed hard for a moment and Lily realized that he looked quite nice when he laughed, his messy black hair fell into his eyes and his smile was rather pleasant. "And did you know that you don't have to pay for drinks at a wedding and besides, in what world would ale cost twenty pounds?"
"You know, you could have just taken my money and saved me the embarrassment." Lily commented. "Not that my night can get much worse anyway."
"If you're talking about the fact that you're wearing wellies at a wedding then you are entirely correct."
"Hey! This is not by choice!" But she was laughing and so was he and she noticed that he would look up at her every few seconds, as if to make sure that she had not stopped.
He winked at her. "One ale coming up." She didn't say anything, only looked over her shoulder to make sure that Petunia was not glaring at her again. "I didn't catch your name."
"Huh? Oh! I'm Lily."
"I'm James." And then James went back to making her drink.
"Here," James said sliding the drink across the bar.
"I'll take that when you take the twenty."
James raised his brows. "Really? Threatening? Is that your game Lily? Because I work here and I have all night and you came here in dire straits, practically begging for a drink."
"True, but I have something you don't."
"And what is that?"
"Charm."
He grinned. "Are you doubting my charms?"
"No, I'm only stating that mine are infinitely better. And you will take that money."
"We'll see about that."
"-And Sirius bailed out at the last minute and that is why I'm making drinks at a wedding, secretly hoping no one orders anything more complicated than a water."
"Ah, great story, but you have yet to take my money."
"Fine, Lily, I'll take your money on one condition."
She grinned. Finally. "And what is that?"
"Let me take you out."
She stared at him, wondering if he was serious. He seemed slightly nervous, his calm demeanor slipping away to reveal a lip biting, fingers through hair, version of James that she had not yet seen. "Yeah, sure."
"Marvelous." He grabbed the money and began to write something on a piece of paper when her mum came.
"Petunia has been shooting daggers at you half the night, you've been here drinking alone for the past two hours."
Lily blushed crimson. "I was planning a toast?"
"Oh, you're hilarious Lily, now come on before Petunia starts to yell at you."
"Here." James said quickly, handing her a paper that seemed to be folded about a million times.
"I'll call you." Lily said with a grin, following her mum. Then she dropped the note into her purse.
It was only the next day that she had a chance to open the slip of paper.
I'm a man of my word and I accepted your twenty pounds, now let me return the favour with one of my own.
But really, Lily, call me, yeah? I still have to take you out. Like I said, I'm a man of my word.
P.S- Try not to wear the wellies
A twenty pound note fell to the ground. "Figures." She grinned, reaching for her phone.