The rain was lashing down in London, wetting Lily Evans' hair, but for some reason, it didn't bother her much. She was in a good mood after university that day. Being nineteen years old, young and alone didn't bother her very much – she loved her course. It had interested her since her school days back. On her way home from the campus, Lily walked along the streets on the way to her apartment – above a small clothing shop. She loved the city and was sure that the city loved her too, despite her lack of company. The rain only got heavier, and she was sure that she felt hailstones hitting against her scalp. Lily stopped suddenly in the rain, contemplating on whether or not to run straight home, or to hide from the weather inside the coffee shop across the road, and quickly made her decision. A small bell rang as she pushed the door open. There were several people dotted around the shop – couples sitting in couches opposite each other, and several work people sitting by the windows on their laptops. She chose a seat by the wall and sat herself down, ordering a coffee first. It was only then that she had noticed the man, sticking out like a sore thumb with his messy black hair. He was rather hard to miss, sitting there in the corner looking amazing.
James Potter had glanced up at the sound of the bell and let his eyes follow the newcomer across the room. She was soaked to the skin, her cheeks were flushed, and her red hair dark from the rain. She was breath-taking, in short. As she sat down James shook himself and averted his eyes back to his coffee, of which he took a drink. The coffee shop itself was a place he came to often. Still being in university himself and living off campus- a decision he often regretted- he occasionally brought work down here to do with a cup of something warm. The staff knew him and his order, and he was content to watch other customers as they went about their visit. Now, he let his eyes trail back to the red head who'd just entered. His eyebrows raised in surprise when he saw that her gaze, too, was on him. A slight smirk steadily crossed his lips and he gave a little wave of his hand to her.
Lily blushed a little and smiled, looking away to start pulling her soaking wet and clinging coat off of her before dumping it on her chair. She got up and ran a hand threw her dripping hair, heading up to the counter. Lily planned on buying the biggest tea they had to offer her. As she placed her order she chanced a glance back at the boy. He had yet to take his eyes off her.
James had glanced away briefly as she'd ordered, though his gaze moved back to her just as she glanced back to him. He sent her his signature grin- wonderfully lopsided- as a hand moved to rumple his untidy hair. It was a nervous habit- one his friends constantly called him out on- but he couldn't help it. Not really. He hesitated momentarily, before downing his coffee and standing to head over to her.
Again Lily blushed at being caught and looked away from him immediately. She'd been caught staring twice, pull it together for god sake. Your dripping wet and look like a strangled cat. Lily gathered herself as she was given her tea and started to put some milk and sugar in it, taking a stirrer and mixing it. She didn't notice that the dark-haired boy had moved and was now beside her. "You know," James said, as he reached her and leant languidly against the counter, with a slight grin, "my mother always taught me it was rude to stare." He had brought up his cup in an excuse to come up here and requested a refill from the barista with a smile, as he waited for her response.
Lily looked up at the boy now standing beside her. ''And mine taught me to never talk to strangers.'' she replied without missing a beat. She smiled sweetly and the picked up her drink, heading back to her table. He glanced up in surprise and a grin quickly crossed his face. "Well, I can fix that," he called to her, taking his coffee quickly and following her, stopping her half way to her table with a grin. He extended his free hand, "James Potter. Nineteen. Student. And you are?" She had to admit, he seemed very determined. Lily looked back at him then his hand. ''Not interested.'' she replied, not knowing he liked a challenge. She just wanted to warm up with her drink and wait out the rest of the rain. "Fascinating, you know, I love meeting people with uncommon names." James replied, in a tone that almost gave into seriousness, as he looked at her thoughtfully. "So, are you named after Not the Earl? Or the football player?" he joked.
Lily had turned away from him at this point and continued to her table to set her drink down on her table before looking up at him, wow he was tall-focus Lily! She rolled her eyes. ''You think you're so funny, don't you?'' The grin crossed his face again at her words and he gave a shrug, leaning back against the table next to hers. "I think I have my moments." He replied, smoothly, his eyes darting briefly over her face behind his glasses, before they settled back on hers. "Do you disagree?" She shrugged now and sat down. ''It seems more like the kind someone would use when they don't want to give up.'' James' hand went to his hair again and he looked at her in amusement. "I'm intrigued. By you." He looked at her a moment longer, his eyes meeting hers, before he broke the contact to pull up a chair. "I haven't seen you here before-" he sat down- "and no, I don't want to give up, because I'm beginning to think you lied to me about your name." His tone was almost chastening, as if she had done something wrong, but it had a teasing tint to it.
Lily looked away from him and finally took a long sip of her tea, sighing happily and closing her eyes for a minute. She looked back at the boy-James. ''It's not a crime to withhold information from a stranger in a coffee shop.'' she pointed out and eyed him when he grabbed a chair. He wasn't leaving then. "But I'm not a stranger," he argued, taking a sip of his coffee and crossing one leg over the other. "You know who I am."
Lily rolled her eyes, smiling a little. ''A name and an age. If that classes you not as a stranger then I have a hell of a lot of friends by that definition.'' she said and took another sip of her tea, running a hand through her wet hair. "I'm an acquaintance." He argued, again, exaggerating the last word, though didn't press the matter. "The point is, it hardly seems fair to me that you should know my name when I don't know yours, don't you agree?"
''Ah but I never asked to know your name. Maybe life just isn't fair.'' she smiled, looking at him. ''I could be Beth for all you know. Or Chloe. Or even Adele but you won't know.'' she grinned a little now. Encouraged by her grin, he gave one of his own and leant his head on his hand and his elbow on the table. "I don't think any of those suit you quite right." His eyes moved over her face once more, taking in her appearance. The flush in her cheeks had gone down. Her hair hadn't dried a large amount and still hung dark and wet over her shoulders, wetting her t-shirt slightly. Her eyes were large, almond in shape, and a brilliant green, and her lips were pale pink and still smiling slightly. After a moment he spoke again, straightening and drumming his fingers once on the table. "I reckon it's something more-" he broke off and his eyes trailed slowly to her coat. A grin crossed his face as he spotted a name in the label, and his eyes moved back to hers. He looked strangely triumphant, like a child who'd just won a race with a particularly talented competitor. "You know what?" He said, as he stood up. "I'm sorry to have bothered you. Enjoy your tea."
Lily would have been lying if she had said she wasn't a little disappointed at him leaving. She'd been having fun talking to him after a while and it seemed weird he was just giving up now. ''Oh...okay.'' she replied, surprise clear in her tone. ''I didn't think you'd give up so soon. You seemed so determined to find out my name.'' He gave a grin to her disappointment and downed his coffee, setting down the mug on his table. He tipped an imaginary hat to her, with the polite inclination of his head, as he spoke. "Pleasure talking to you. Have a good night." With that, James Potter took one last glance at her, turned, and headed back to his table to retrieve his book. He thanked the barista and moved towards the door, passing her table on the way and leaving a slip of paper with a telephone number next to her mug. "If you change your mind about letting me know your name, gimme a shout, Evans." He grinned at her, winked, and then walked to the door, leaving finally with the tinkling of the bell.
She watched him as he started to gather his thinks, thank the barista for his coffee and made to leave. Her jaw dropped when he said her surname-how'd he find out! She hadn't told him. ''Hey! How'd you know!?'' she called but he was gone. Lily looked down at the piece of paper beside her drink.
He heard her shout after him and a grin crossed his face. He pulled the hood of his rain jacket over his head, looked the street up and down, and then headed in the direction of his apartment. /Lily Evans/, he thought to himself, as he stuffed his hands into the pockets of his coat and let a smile cross his lips, /now that, was a beautiful name for a beautiful face/.
Lily picked up the piece of paper after he left and looked at it. He'd written his name and number on it. Lily spent the rest of the time finishing her tea and pondering her weird experience in the coffee shop before she decided to just head home herself.