*Not JK Rowling, all charter's belong to her. This came to me while (are you ready?) on the train and I didn't want to bother the person next to me by watching a film, so I wrote this. Enjoy!*
P.S. This is my first so be kind and gentle xxxxxxxxx
Lily Evans wiggled in her seat and tried to control her breathing while reprimanding herself for being this frazzled this early into the day. Her very important day nonetheless. It would not do to show up to her new job as an editor anything less then cool, calm and collected. She was an adult damn it and adults have their shit together. Or at least this is what lily was chanting to herself while taking the train to work. She was going through breathing exercises in order to gain any amount of control her various bouts of emotions. A seemingly impossible task but she tried all the same.
Waves of nerves so consuming she could barely stop trembling were rudely interrupted by excitement so strong it was all she could do to not giggle and clap gleefully like a child presented with their favourite toy. All Lily's hard work and endurance of being told that her English masters would not bring her much had finally come to heed a glorious prize. She was starting a fantastic career at an amazing book editing job and had the sweet satisfaction of gloating "suck it bitches" at her nay say-sers. Alas, lily quickly reprimanded herself to remember that she was an adult and adults don't gloat or stick their tongues out at unsupportive sisters.
While trying to contain and make relative sense of her rapid musings, she entirely missed a dark haired be-speckled man sitting directly across from her at one of the few tables in the carriage. Her ignorance to his arrival didn't give her time to prepare to deal with his gently saying "excuse me miss, but I think your book has fallen beneath the table... Here"
Lily's heart jumped out of her chest as she exclaimed "oh fuck!" In total surprise. This seemed to be the last straw for lily's poor nerves and Pandora's box of curse words was unleashed. Lily strung together varying colourful curse words because adults don't curse just because they have been startled for fucks sake!
While all this is unraveling in rapid succession, the messy haired mans face went from bewilderment to a wild amusement that was barely concealed.
"I'm not sure at what or whom that profanity was directed at but I must say, you could put a sailor that had just stubbed his pinky toe to shame"
Pink-faced and entirely thrown off, lily looked up and began apologising profusely, but the man just shook his head and said, "don't apologise to me, I have rarely been so amused on my train ride into Oxford"
a glint of mischief came into his eye as he continued "However, that family over there looks less than thrilled with the new vocabulary you have provided their children" and as he mentioned this Lily's head whipped round to see a mum and dad looking at her as though she had personally danced on the graves of their ancestors. Upon seeing her panic stricken face, the man began laughing the same laugh that had been threatening since the beginning of their encounter.
"Sorry" lily hastily spluttered as she began the breathing exercises once more.
"It would seem I am at fault here, as I am the one that sent you off on a rant of profanities. Sorry about that" he said while not looking sorry in the slightest.
"My name's James by the way. Not sure why I thought you might need to know that but, hey, now you can know who to blame while recounting this for people later..." He finished lamely while looking slightly red himself as though he felt he was rambling on without the ability to stop the flow of words coming from his mouth.
"Lily. I'm sorry again about all that. I'm not normally 'a match for a sailor' but I'm pretty wired this morning as I have a really important day today and you simply caught me off guard"
Lily wasn't entirely sure why she was telling this stran- 'James' she mentally corrected- her story but she was oddly transfixed with his evident interest in her and his charming boyish amusement in their conversation.
"Pleasure to meet you. What's so important about today?" he asked with that unwavering attention that not only had lily distinctly flustered, but answering him without thought
"I'm starting my job as a children's and young adult book editor"
At this, James looked hard into her face with an incredulous look as though he was waiting for a punch line, and when lily didn't seem to be offering one, he burst into relentless hysterics.
Having been the butt of many "there is no real career in English and books!" Lily immediately felt the beginnings of anger and humiliation at this man laughing at arguably the best day of her life (discovering mug brownies was a close second) but before she could build up the massive rant she was about to bestow upon him, he stuttered between fits of laughter "you... Children's books... With your bloody language!" And he roared so hard people began to stare and mutter.
Lily just looked at him until she too began to laugh aloud at the absurdity of not only her job, but of this train ride in general. When they were able to maintain eye contact without succumbing once more to hysterics, James hiccupped to himself "well they are some lucky bastards to have such a lovely new editor with such an extensive knowledge of charming words"
Lily chuckled and without thinking replied "oh yeah, because I am sure you are so well versed in the art of charm" her tone dripping with sarcasm.
James, instead of being offended, seemed simply delighted that he had found someone willing to relay his banter. He sent lily a dazzling smile and she found herself once more reverting to steady breathing as her mind screamed at her that ADULTS DONT FLIRT AND CURSE WITH RANDOM STRANGERS.
"Why do you keep closing your eyes and breathing like that?" He asked with that unnerving sincerity as though he wanted nothing less than to unravel her secrets.
After taking a second to decide to be brutally honest lily replied "I'm trying to talk myself through being an adult with adult behaviour. Hence the string of curses. You caught me off guard, I cursed, then remembered adults don't curse for no reason and it just spiraled from there..." Lily looked at him uncertainly as she feared that he might think she's crazy.
And then all of a sudden she noticed she DID care if he thought she was crazy. He was funny, good looking, and despite what she told him, charming. He began to respond but lily was too busy looking over him with her new appreciation for him. Before she could respond to his question about where she had attended Uni, lily notice the train slowing as it approached the oxford platform.
With forlorn looks at each other, they began to gather their belongings and with a small pang, lily waved James goodbye and the flutters that had left her while she had been so engrossed with him came back with a vengeance as though they felt they had to make up for lost time.
Lily collected herself, straightened her back, and tried to walk with confidence to her new job when she heard a man yell " wait... Lily... WAIT!" Lily spun around to see James striding toward her with something in his hand. "Here, you nearly left this with me" he said with a smile as he handed her the book that had started this whole thing. She reached out to take the book and their hands briefly touched. Lily's butterflies were now conflicted as they were now accounting nerves and something else entirely. She was so preoccupied with trying to calm her traitorous heartbeat that was racing out her chest she nearly missed James' next statement
"Hey listen, I know you'll do brilliantly today, and so I thought I might buy you a drink tonight? In celebration?" He trailed off hopefully. Lily wanted to say yes but her traitorous mouth said "I'm not sure adults get drinks with strangers they cursed out"
That cheeky smirk that was starting to become a favourites of Lily's came out as James replied "trying to be an adult is what got you into this mess in the first place. I'm not sure it's the best plan of action for you to pursue becoming one."
With this, lily grinned and replied, while, as long as I'm being an irresponsible non-adult I'll see you at 6 in The Crown. I expect to see a very large glass of red wine waiting for me, else I may lapse back into my sailor tongue, and this time it will be directed at you" and with that, lily strode away leaving a very happy James still on the platform.