Chapter 1: A Mouth

The apartment next to his is empty. A joyous occasion. Something to celebrate. Sirius is popping champagne and Remus is lecturing him to be careful because they just bought a new couch and Peter is long done, passed out under the table a few hours ago.

Sirius is suggesting a wide range of skip the dishes, and while Remus is trying to get Sirius to pick one place, nothing can be done to talk Sirius out of ordering from as many restaurants as humanly possible.

Ms. Prince was an old, angry lady who took way more pleasure in complaining about her two young neighbors and their two friends than was strictly necessary. Sirius like to compare her to a witch, Remus insists she was just lonely, and the last time Peter ran into her he pissed himself right there in the hallway.

Her complaints ranged from their Christmas lights were to festive, their music too loud, Sirius' long showers apparently "drained all the hot water in the building, how am I supposed to relax with no hot water!" after the image of Ms. Prince in the shower was ingrained in all their minds Sirius started to run the water even when he was showering, despite Remus' concerns for the environment.

But none of that mattered now, because she was gone, they were free from her dirty glares, horrendous perfume, and lectures about sex, something he will never unhear. The doorbell rang and Sirius ran to see what driver had arrived first and suddenly there was a shout of despair and a crash. He looked at Remus exhaustedly, wondering what on earth would Sirius be making a big deal about now. He jogged to the front door "Sirius I swear if you dropped the wings…" but the threat went unfinished because he says what Sirius was staring in horror at.

Behind the very confused Skip delivery man was a big red sold sign across his neighbor's door.

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His beautiful world had come crashing down with that sold sign. Every day for the next week he waited to get a peek of his new neighbor. His new neighbor who probably hated pizza complained about health care, enjoyed opera early in the morning, stealing newspapers, and gobbled up children in their spare time.

Remus said he was being dramatic, but he didn't know the horror of having horrible neighbors. He didn't know the pain of having to walk up five flights of stairs just to avoid the elevator or having to sneak girls out quietly in the morning because if Ms. Prince saw them leaving a lecture about whorish millennials was sure to follow. The pure agony of sitting there with a pizza box, physically watching your supper get cold, while Ms. Prince lectured on how no one appreciated a good home cooked meals anymore. He was not being dramatic.

And then one Friday afternoon he sees their neighbors door open and she is nothing like he imagined.

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He runs into her in a hallway. She is clutching a box to her chest and her face is pink, and what a beautiful face it was. Pale skin flushed bright pink, almond-shaped green eyes, and a mass of red curls that he wants to tug and see if they bounce back. She smells like flowers and her shocked expression brings attention to her mouth. A mouth that is pink and looks soft, a mouth that he is sure says the most wonderful things. A mouth that he is ashamed to say he thinks about kissing that mouth, a mouth he is sure does wonders pressed against his mouth, and he would go to the grave before admitting this, he thinks about that mouth wrapped around other things. A mouth that would look amazing sighing, or open in pleasure, a mouth he imagines moaning his name. That mouth that opens to reveal a voice like an angel.

"Lord, I am so sorry!" She is out of breath and after they both settled themselves from their run in he offers her an easy smile.

"No problem" he blurts it out like a fool because god this woman is magnificent and he feels his ears burning up, but he can't take his eyes off of her because surely she will disappear. His eyes shoot to the box, a box that probably bigger than her and he stutters out "Help?"

She looks at him like he has lost his mind and raises one curious if not amused, eyebrow at him and he feels like a right idiot but continues on anyway "I mean did you want help? It's a pretty big box and…" he trails off but not because of embarrassment, okay a little embarrassment, but because a bright smile has overtaken her face and she gave him a relieved nod.

The box is, as he assumed, incredibly heavy but he pays little attention to it because she, this red-headed angel of a woman, is speaking in an all to musical voice "My names Lily by the way."

A pretty name for a pretty girl, he thinks and it isn't until her eyes widen and her smile grows that he realizes he has said this out loud. Suddenly all he can think about is shoving his foot into his mouth and walking back into his apartment in shame, trying to drown himself in cheap beer, and calling his mother to explain that despite her insistent pleas for grandchildren she will not be getting any because he is an idiot and made a fool of himself in front of the most beautiful women he has ever met.

Just as he was mapping out how that inevitable argument with his mother might go, he is very sure she will threaten to disown him because Euphemia Potter does not tolerate messing about with her potential to be a grandmother, Lily speaks. Her cheeks are flushed, but there is a chance he thinks that this is not because of the heavy box, and says "Is there something I can call you?"

And if it were humanly possible he would shove both feet into his mouth he would. He tries to salvage what is left of this meeting, taking a deep breath, "James, James Potter. It's really nice to meet you Lily, I take it your my new neighbor?" He sets the box down as she nods, confirming his assumption, dear lord he gets to live by this beautiful women and while today might have not been his day he is sure he can fix this at some point. He offers her a newly freed hand and when her soft, pale, small hand is firmly clasped in his he finally calms down.

That beautiful mouth of hers opens again, and he is so ready to hear her musical voice again when they are interrupted by someone pushing on his legs. A baby, just old enough to toddle looks like, is his pushing in between them and soon those to chubby baby arms are around Lily's legs and the small, black-haired boy is screeching "Mama!"

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Authors Note:

Thanks to everyone for reading! I'm really excited to work on my first multichapter. Feel free to review, I'd be more than happy to answer questions and discuss your theories about this story if you drop by on my Tumblr to ask (pleasenotausername).

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