Muggle!AU

The office was quiet. Everyone was home for the holidays and Lily wished she was home too. She couldn't be at home, she had to work. It wasn't hard work, it wasn't painful or exhausting. She wasn't even late on her work; she just needed the extra hours. With her roommate currently out of a job, she was paying full rent. Therefore, she needed more money. The job doesn't pay as much as I hoped it would anyway, she thought.

She needed more cash, another income. She wanted her holidays without the worry of being homeless because of it.

Lily looked back at her stack of work and sighed. Best get back to it.

James fiddled with his walkie talkie. He loved his job. The fresh air and laughing families were constantly surrounding him, and, even on the rainy days, there was always someone around.

Too bad it doesn't pay well, he thought.

Being a park ranger was great but he could barely afford the one bedroom flat he had. He was often seen at his parent's house for dinner purely because he didn't have enough money to buy food for his home. It helps that Mum's cooking is the best.

He didn't want to rely on his parents all his life, though. He needed to find another source of money. Something without set hours so he could still do the work he loved.

But what?

Lily glared at the cocky arsehole sitting across from her. He was trying to play footsies with her again, and wouldn't take the hint that she didn't want to. Seriously, how many times does someone need to be kicked for them to understand?

"She was homeless; eating out of the bins behind restaurants and everything. I swear she was almost ready to give up, but someone gave her a notebook and she started to write her story. Now, she's famous."

Lily rolled her eyes. Sirius just didn't seem to understand this woman's story was a one in a million. She saw Alice next to her copy her movements.

"It's unlikely all writers are as lucky, more likely than now, their books go unnoticed and forgotten. They probably don't earn much money at all," Alice said.

Lily nodded while Alice was speaking, but Remus looked thoughtful.

"That may be true, but writing a book could earn someone a few buck. For someone living on the streets, a few bucks could mean decent food to eat and somewhere warm to sleep."

The others continued to discuss, but Lily wasn't listening. She could write a book. Obviously it's not as simple as it sounds, but if she managed it she could have a holiday, a proper one. It was genius.

James stared at his friend. He couldn't believe the genius behind his words. Write a book, it was so simple. He could write when he arrived home from work and before he left. Weekends could be dedicated to writing. Well, one day anyway. I do still want to have a life.

Write a book, perfect. How hard could writing be anyway?

Lily stared at her computer. She knew there was such thing as writers block, and she knew that most writers experienced in eventually, but she wasn't too impressed with herself. She was already stuck.

She didn't even have a title yet.

She was screwed.

James wanted to throw his computer out the window, into a stream, then down a hill. How hard could it be? His words were coming back to bite him. He continued to glare at the compute screen, the page before him blank.

It was official.

Writing sucked.

Lily screamed, pulling out red strands of hair. How did people do this for a living? Jessica wasn't doesn't what she wanted. The girl was meant to kiss Kieran and run away because she's shy. She is not meant to throw herself at him. And he is not meant to push her away.

You are my creation, you will listen to me!

"Sorry Sirius, I'm busy."

"With what?"

Well, James thought, Fiona wasn't being sexy and seducing Eric at all, so Eric was still dating Gina and that just will not work.

"I'm just busy," James knew what Sirius would say if he told the truth. He wasn't insane.

The pillow was wet under her head. Her tears were yet to stop. The computer screen glowed in the background, the only light in the room. Next to it was a manuscript spred on the desk. It was covered in red pen.

"It'll never be good enough," Lily cried into her pillow.

James stared at the ground outside. His shift at the park just ended and all he wanted was to go back to work again. He looked at the computer and then outside again. He did not want to be inside. It was a lovely day, but he was stuck inside.

"I don't want to." His voice echoed in the empty room. It was dark inside, gloomy and depressive.

James was really glad for his job. Withoutit there would be no joy.

Lily's smile was bright and wide. "You'll really do it?" she asked for the third time.

"Yes, I will." She sounded exasperated.

Lily wished the desk wasn't in between her and the woman that was helping her dreams come true. She wanted to hug her. The woman seemed to recognise the look because she gripped the table and looked suspicious.

Lily settled for shaking the woman's hand. "Thank you so much for this opportunity, and you're happy if I write under a pen name?"

"You have a good story, a sexy, and powerful. If you have to go by a pen name, so be it."

Lily left the office in a daze. It was all worth it. The pain, the tears, the frustration; it was all worth it.

"It's a lovely romance. It's slow, deep and meaningful. I'm impressed."

"Does that mean?"

The publisher looked down at the manuscript in front of her. She tapped her chin and flicked her eyes up to the hopeful man in front of her.

"Yes," she said after much thought.

James wanted to jump for joy but he waited. There was one condition that the woman had to comply to. "I want to use a pen name."

"Are you sure?" The publisher looked surprised.

"Very."

"Okay, I'm happy with that."

With the publishers words James cave into his desires. He leapt into the air, and threw his hands high. "Thank you," he said his voice breathless. "Thank you."

James left the office with a wide smile. He'd done it.

Lily was so glad to be able to go out to dinner. Since starting writing she'd missed more dinners with her friends than she went to. Now that the book was finished she could enjoy a night out, even if James Potter was there as well.

"Have you guys read that new romance novel?" Alice asked when one of Peter's comments silenced the group.

Lily jolted; surely they didn't mean her book.

"Which one?" Mary asked. "Two pretty amazing romance stories have come out recently." Mary was practically jumping in her seat. "I've read them both."

Alice sniffed and turned away. She'd never liked Mary all that much, found her too peppy. "I meant Entice by Liz Tanner. The lead in the story is crazy sexy, I would do her."

Lily laughed at her friend even as her pride swelled. That was her sexy character Alice was talking about.

"I haven't got to that one yet. I've read the other popular one at the moment. Jonas Picket is such a deep man. The powerful emotions that develop in his story are spectacular." Marlene sighed with a dreamy look in her eyes.

Alice scoffed and shrugged. "His writing is good but he's a guy writing from the woman's perspective, it's rude and cocky."

Lily noticed James' sudden stiffness but dismissed it. He probably just didn't like the topic of discussion. None of the other boys seemed all that interested, though Peter was paying close attention and Remus seemed reluctantly curious. Sirius was glaring at the table. Typical.

"Don't say that, he's spectacular. The emotions in that book. . ." Marlene trailed off.

Mary pulled herself forward to lean over her dinner. "They are both amazing, despite Jonas being a man, he writes almost flawlessly, and Eric is such a dream boat."

"What's wrong with a guy writing from the woman's perspective?"

Lily was surprised by James' input. He didn't sound smug, cocky or condescending; he sounded curious. It was odd. "It's hard for guys to understand woman well enough to date them let alone getting into their minds. To write from a woman's perspective as a male is very brave," she said.

James nodded and didn't say any more. Lily frowned but brushed it off. She turned back to the conversation which was now on recent movies. She let all thoughts of her novel and all other romance novels fall away, and she let herself enjoy the night.

It was on. James listened to the girls discuss the two recent romance novels hitting the shelves, one which was his fabulous piece, and a realisation came to him. This Liz Tanner, whoever she was, was his rival. They both published a romance story around the same time and they were both rising in popularity as the days moved forward.

If she was his rival, he would need to read her book. He made a note to buy it tomorrow. He would prove all the girls wrong, he would prove that a man can write from a woman's perspective successfully. To do that he would need to beat Liz, no matter what.

Lily looked down at the book in her hands. She couldn't believe she bought it. He is the competition, she thought. She looked down again. Wilted Rose by Jonas Picket. She placed it on her desk. Was she really going to read it just to learn about the competition?

Yes, yes she was.

James put down the book and closed his eyes. Damn, she was good. James could still feel his blood pumping through his veins. Despite the late hour, having stayed up just to finish the book, James couldn't fall asleep. There was something familiar about the book.

But what?

Lily stared at the seemingly innocent book. She was a mess. Her eyes were red and her nose was running. Her hair was a mess thanks to her fingers running through it. Her emotions were frayed and she wasn't sure what to do with herself now. No matter what she thought before, that Jonas could write.

I think I just fell in love.

The girls were discussing the two romance books again. Sirius rolled his eyes next to James who frowned at his friend's actions.

"You'd think they'd have enough by now, I mean, they're just books."

Remus sighed next to Sirius. "They're good books, so I've heard."

"They are," James said, nodding. His friends looked at him like he just grew a second head.

"You;ve read them?" Both of Sirius' eyebrows were raised.

James blushed and lowered his head to hide it. "No," he scoffed, "course not, it's just what I've heard."

Sirius raised an eyebrow, not believing him for a second. Remus was staring at him with piercing eyes and Peter was smothering giggles.

"You're cheeks are pretty red there, Jamie-boy."

James' cheeks flamed darker and he shoved Sirius. "Okay, okay, I read them." Wrote one. "They were pretty good, Liz' story reminded me of someone, though I don't know who."

Sirius was outright laughing and Peter was joining him. Remus stared at James. "How? One of the characters?"

"No, no, just something about the writing."

The girls voices drifted over to James as Sirius and Peter laughed and Remus tried to calm them down.

"I loved the soft romance, it was beautiful." Marlene was smiling softly.

My book, then.

"I don't know," Lily said. "I prefer some danger in my reading material. You know, something to get your blood pumping." The girls continued to discuss but James wasn't listening.

He just realised why the book seemed so familiar.

"What's Lily been up to lately?" James tried to keep his voice casual, but Alice was giving him a flat look, reading him like a book.

"Usual stuff," she answered.

"So, no unusual activities? In the last few months, I mean."

Alice' eyes narrowed but she didn't ask the obvious question. "Not lately, though there was a period where she would lock herself at home for days on end, only coming out for work. It was a little odd and the girls and I were thinking of calling a doctor." Alice shrugged. "Whatever happened, about a month ago she came out of hiding smiling like she'd caught the canary."

"Thanks," James said, thinking hard.

"Why do you want to know, anyway?" Alice asked, but James' attention was elsewhere.

"Don't matter," he called to her as he walked away. Hmm.

Lily sat at the table alone. The group was going out to dinner again. Mary and Marlene wouldn't be here this time, neither would Peter. Alice and Frank would be leaving early, something to go with Franks' mother, and Sirius was going to arrive late. James and Remus were the only people, other than her, who had no complications.

"Lily, you look lovely."

Lily blushed. There had been a change in James these past months. He'd matured, grown up, she couldn't exactly explain it. He was still his cocky, arrogant self, but there was something more. Almost like he learned a lesson recently, but Lily just couldn't understand what that might be.

"Thank you, as do you," she said. She might as well try to be nice if James was.

"Are we the first ones?"

Lily smirked and looked around the table with exaggerated wide eyes. "What gave you that idea?"

"Oh, ha ha." James glared at Lily but there was a small smile at the edge of his lips.

Lily smiled and watched James as he settled into a chair next to her. They sat in silence for a while and Lily became aware of the looks she was receiving from James. They were different from the usual looks she received. He almost seemed suspicious.

"What?" she said when she became sick of receiving the looks.

James turned his head to the table top. "Nothing," he said.

Lily gave him a flat stare. "That's hard to believe, you've been staring at me for ages."

James moved his eyes from the white tablecloth to Lily. "Maybe that's because there is something beautiful to look at."

Lily blushed and turned away. She hated how he had that effect over her. The silence stretched on, she couldn't think of anything to say. Just when it was becoming unbearable, James started to speak, though the words he said only made the tension in the room expand.

"Are you Liz Tanner?"

Lily's whole body tensed and she stared at James with wide, shocked eyes.

"I'll take that as a yes."

"How on earth. . ." Lily trailed off, she could barely speak those three words.

"I'm smart."

Lily narrowed her eyes. He was acting odd. He kept shifting and glancing to the door like he hoped someone would arrive to save him. He was acting like he had a secret.

"How did you find out."

James shrugged. "From the clues." At Lily's blank look he elaborated. "You sound like you in your writing, you spent months locked up at home only to appear one day ecstatic and with some extra cash. It all made sense to me."

He was right, it made sense, but only because she was a writer. She understood the struggle and the pain. She understood the need to stay up all night just to finish this last chapter. It was something all writers knew and recognised, but others wouldn't. Alice, Marlene, Remus and all the others, they didn't notice because they aren't writers. Then why did James notice.

Lily's eyes widened. "You're a writer."

James suddenly seemed very pale and unsure. "Yeah," he said. He started fiddling with his fork, looking down again.

"It's the only way you would have recognise the signs and, now that I think about it, you've been missing from many dinners recently as well. It was around the same time I. . ." Lily trailed off. She knew which book he wrote.

"You're Jonas." It wasn't phrased as a question because Lily knew she was right.

James answered anyway, nodding his head and looking at her.

"That's amazing," she said. "The skill you have with words is spectacular."

James blushed. He actually blushed. Lily was so surprised she almost fell from the dinning chair.

"Thank you," James said. "You're pretty amazing too."

"You've read my book." She realised he'd implied he had before, but now it was confirmed.

"Of course I have. I needed to know the competition. Who knew the competition was so close.

Lily laughed, and then she spotted Remus. He was heading their way with an exhausted smile. Lily turned to James at the same time he looked to her.

"You can't tell anyone," they spoke in infusion.

James laughed and brought a hand up. "I won't if you won't?"

Lily smiled. "Deal."

Remus arrived then and smiled. "Sorry I'm late, guys. Traffic."

"It's fine, James and I were just talking."

Remus roved his eyes up and down James' body before an amused James raised an eyebrow. "No injuried, I'm impressed."

James laughed with Lily at his friend. The night was turning out better than expected.

After dinner, James and Lily were the only ones left waiting for sobs. Lily was wearing a small cardigan and was shivering slightly. James pulled his overcoat off his shoulders and threw it on her.

"Thanks," she said.

"No problem."

They stood in comfortable silence until a cab rolled up.

"Well, see you next dinner." Lily opened the cab door and almost stepped in when James grabbed her arm.

"Wait," he said. "Could we see each other for coffee? Maybe tomorrow? We could talk more about our books."

There was a pause where James shuffled his feet in nerves. Finally, she decided.

"Yes, I would love to." She leaned towards him and gently kissed his check.

James blushed brightly as he watched Lily climb into the car and drive off. She said yes, finally. She said yes. James skipped over to the bouncer who he shared the good news with. The bouncer didn't speak, not that it deterred James.

Who knew that to score a date with Lily Evans, all you needed was to write a book.

(w.c 3,143)

WolfWinks –xx-