"Sorry, sorry, I know I'm late—apparently the magazine can't function when I'm not around," Marlene McKinnon announces as she slides into a seat at a table beside her friends Lily Evans and Dorcas Meadowes. Marlene's blonde hair has mostly escaped the tie she used to hold it back; this along with her flushed face is evidence of her hurry to reach The Coffee Lounge.
"Yes, you're very important, we know," Dorcas replies dryly, handing over the caramel latte she and Lily had taken the liberty of ordering their chronically late friend. Marlene was the assistant editor of a small fashion magazine and was often at the office after-hours pouring over photoshoots and layouts.
"Thank you," Marlene says, taking a sip from the cup. "And thanks for ordering my drink, too," she adds cheekily. "How's temp life?"
Dorcas rolls her eyes. "Boring." She currently held a temporary position at a law firm, which mostly consisted of filing papers and being at the arrogant lawyers' beck and call.
"And if anyone's wondering, people are still reading books," Lily adds. She'd worked the last two years at a used bookstore near her flat.
"Not for long," Marlene declares in a sing-song voice, waving her iPad in demonstration before stowing it in her bag.
Lily frowns at her. "No one will ever replace the feeling of turning actual pages, or the way your favorite book automatically opens to the parts you've read over and over, or the smell of a new book—"
"All right," Marlene interrupts, forestalling what would surely have turned into an impassioned speech. "We know, Lil. You love books."
"I'm just saying it's upsetting that libraries and bookstores might one day become obsolete because not enough people do."
"If it's any comfort, I doubt that's likely to happen in our lifetimes," Dorcas offers, blowing on her cappuccino before taking a drink.
"Maybe not, but I still—" Lily begins.
"Oh my God," Marlene says, cutting her off once again.
"Are you going to let me finish a sentence tonight, Marls?" Lily teases, watching her friend's eyes widen as she stares towards the door of the café.
Marlene grabs her arm and forces her to turn in her seat. "Look," she says in a hushed voice. "Look who it is! Isn't that James Potter?" She looks to Dorcas for support, but Lily doesn't need to hear the other girl's response to recognize the tall, lanky frame, unruly black hair, and square spectacles of the young man in question.
"God, you're right!" Dorcas confirms excitedly, craning her head around Lily's for a better view.
Slightly embarrassed by her friends' obvious gawking, Lily pleads, "Stop staring at him, he'll see you!"
Marlene faces her with a disparaging look. "Heaven forbid," she says dryly.
"I just mean that I doubt he came out tonight planning to be forcefully set upon by some adoring strangers," Lily amends, and Marlene flashes her a devious smile.
"Right, we know how you adore him, Lily. Probably more than books, even."
Dorcas, foreseeing an argument, jumps in quickly. "What's he doing in a dinky little place like this, though, I wonder?"
"He is a person like the rest of us, Dor," Lily points out. "Why shouldn't he be out for coffee on a Friday night?"
"Because he's a person who is a lot cooler than us," Dorcas says.
"Ohmigod, it's the rest of them!" Marlene blurts out, squirming excitedly in her seat and pointing at the door.
"Marlene!" Lily grits out through clenched teeth, yanking her friend's hand down. She can feel her cheeks grow warm when one of the young men who have just entered glances over at their table. All three girls quickly take up their drinks, pretending not to have noticed, though Lily cringes at the thought that their simultaneous reactions probably only make them look more suspicious.
"We're acting like teenagers," she grumbles as she sets her coffee down.
"Hello? It's The Marauders," Marlene says with a wave of her hand. "Don't tell me you haven't fantasized about meeting them ever since Carl introduced you to their music."
Indeed, Marlene's cousin is the reason Lily recognizes the three band members who are now talking animatedly at a table by the window. Though officially they merely have what one might call local fame, they'd recently signed with a record label and were quickly gaining popularity outside the West Midlands. Carl had attended university with the band's drummer, Sirius Black, though the two had been no more than vague acquaintances, a fact about which Carl had had to remind Marlene repeatedly whenever she asked if he could get them backstage after shows.
"I—maybe," Lily admits grudgingly. "But," she quickly adds in response to Marlene's smug smile, "not if it means bothering them when they've clearly come out with the intention of talking to each other and not—"
"Some adoring strangers, I know," Marlene finishes impatiently. "But obviously we're going over there."
"No," Lily says, shaking her head emphatically. "No, we're not."
"Come on, Lily, when will we ever get a chance like this again?" Dorcas says. Marlene smiles in satisfaction that the other girl is on her side.
Giving Dorcas an affronted look, Lily asks, "You're going along with this?"
She shrugs. "It's not like they have any reason to come over here."
"And we don't have one to go over there! It's rude!"
"Don't be so dramatic, Lily—we're just going to say hi, tell them we think their music is brilliant, and be on our merry way," Marlene assures her. "They can't mind that too much."
"We're going to see them play tomorrow at the King's Room," Lily points out in a last attempt to discourage what is sure to be a humiliating venture.
Marlene wiggles her eyebrows, "And if they happen to invite us to go out with them afterwards, well, then it'll be all the more worth it, won't it?"
Lily shoots Dorcas one last desperate look, but her friend just shrugs again. "You don't have to come with us, Lil."
But as the other two stand and start for the boys' table, Lily finds herself reluctantly joining them. She knows Marlene would have made some teasing comment about her to the band otherwise, and as irrational as it may be, her pride can't allow it. However, she makes sure to hang back behind Marlene and Dorcas, hoping she won't be required to actually say anything.
Sirius is the first to spot them as they approach, and he turns to Remus Lupin, the third member of their group, with a grin. "Told you. I knew they were staring when we walked in." Lily feels herself flush again as he adds to them, "How can I help you ladies?"
"Hi, I'm Marlene McKinnon," Marlene says, as confident as ever speaking to people she'd never met before. "This is Dorcas Meadowes and this," she reaches to pull a reluctant Lily up beside her, "is Lily Evans. We just wanted to say we're huge fans."
"Of this coffee shop?" James speaks up from Sirius's other side, feigning ignorance, though there is a little smirk playing at the corners of his mouth. "Yes, we are as well. They make excellent scones." Marlene and Dorcas both laugh at this, and James's grin becomes more apparent. "Oh, of us, you mean? I'm not surprised—we're quite famous."
Though it's evident in his tone that he's joking, Lily can't help the quiet scoff that escapes her. James's eyes immediately shift to her but far from being embarrassed that he'd heard her, Lily returns his gaze coolly. She's not sure why he's set her immediately on edge, but she's certain that she doesn't like it.
Turning back to Marlene, James comments in an amused voice, "I'm not sure your friend quite agrees with you designating her a huge fan. Lily, was it?" he asks, eyes flicking between the two.
"Yes," Lily answers succinctly as Marlene laughs again.
"Oh, she's just uncomfortable coming over here because she's afraid we're bothering you," she says.
"And I'm afraid my friend is a prick," Remus says dryly, jerking his head at James, "so we'll call it even."
James blinks at his mate in exaggerated astonishment. "I'm shocked you would say that, Remus."
"Yes, shut up, Lupin," Sirius commands. "They're not bothering us." He turns back to Marlene with a wink and it's all Lily can do not to roll her eyes.
"Ah, that's right—you lot are only pricks to me," Remus returns. "My mistake."
"Anyway," Marlene says, still speaking to James, "I'm sure the real reason she's embarrassed is because she's fancied you from afar for so long."
Lily sends Marlene a hard glare, while at the same time wishing she could disappear through the floor. It's true she'd mentioned on more than one occasion that she found James quite attractive, but she certainly doesn't fancy him. She's only meeting him for the first time tonight, after all, and he is quickly managing to convince her that his looks are the only good thing about him.
"Interesting," James muses in reply to Marlene, though his gaze shifts to Lily once more. "Not too surprising, though. You're certainly not the first, Evans."
Her fists clench tightly at the casual way he uses her surname as though they've met several times before. Addressing none of the three band members in particular, Lily says, "We've got to be going, actually. Dorcas, your sister's still meeting us for dinner, right?" She widens her eyes significantly at her friend and could have hugged her when Dorcas reacts normally to the lie.
"Oh, that's right," she says, stepping subtly on Marlene's foot when the other girl looks ready to protest. "But we'll be at your show tomorrow night," she adds to James and his mates, immediately reversing any warm feelings Lily briefly held for her.
"Brilliant," Sirius says. "We'll find you afterwards."
Glowing, Marlene and Dorcas both wish the others good evening, but Lily turns her back on their table without another word. She's not sure why she's so upset—she's used to Marlene teasing her, and what her friend had said just now wasn't that horrible. It isn't as though Lily's likely to see James Potter again, as she doubts Sirius will see through on his promise to meet up with them the following night.
With a cringe, Lily acknowledges that her irritation stems from how the members of The Marauders had behaved—it had been so much different from how she'd pictured them, based on their music and the way they acted at shows. But she knows it's immature to be disappointed they hadn't lived up to her imagined expectations, and her frustration with herself only makes Lily angrier.
"I can't believe you convinced me to go over there," she snaps at Marlene once she and Dorcas have caught up.
"Oh, come off it, Lil, you'd never have told James all that on your own," Marlene replies in a way that suggests she believes Lily should be thanking her for her help.
"You made me sound like some silly schoolgirl with a crush," Lily retorts, latching on to the subject which Marlene clearly assumes offended her in an effort to avoid discussing what is really irritating her.
"I think James was flattered, actually," Dorcas puts in, attempting as always to keep the peace between her two friends.
Lily rolls her eyes. "Right. Because he certainly needs reassurance of his own appeal. Did you even notice how every bloody word out of his mouth was simply dripping with arrogance?"
At that, Dorcas allows a small smile. "So, he acted like a bloke, you mean? Because he's 'a person like the rest of us', I believe it was?"
Annoyed that she's managed to turn her own words against her, Lily's only response is to press her lips into a thin, angry line.
Dorcas raises her hands in surrender. "All right, we'll drop it." Gathering her coat and purse, she eyes Marlene sharply. "Won't we?" she adds sternly, more of a statement than a question.
"We'll just see what happens tomorrow," Marlene concedes, though there is a playful smile on her lips that tells Lily she hasn't heard the end of this.
"Come on, we can't just sit back here for the whole thing!" Marlene wheedles as the band takes their place on stage to loud cheers from the small crowd gathered in the space that had been cleared at the front of the pub.
Until the previous night, Lily had been looking forward to this concert. It had been a while since she'd done something fun on a weekend, and even longer since she, Marlene, and Dorcas had all been free to spend the evening together. But now, in light of the coffee shop encounter the day before, she wants nothing more than to spend the length of The Marauders' set lurking at one of the back tables by the bar.
"I am perfectly capable of hearing the music from here," Lily points out. "And that's all I came out to do, anyway."
With a long-suffering sigh, Marlene slumps back in her seat, chewing moodily on the straw of her drink.
Frowning, Lily elbows her in the side. "If you're going to sulk the whole time, though, go up there without me."
"Really?" Marlene perks up, but almost immediately bites her lip in hesitation. "Are you sure? As terrible a friend as I am, I do recall that the point of tonight was to spend it together." She gestures between Dorcas, Lily, and herself.
"I'll be fine, Marls, honestly," Lily assures her. "And I'll see you afterwards."
"Assuming Sirius Black doesn't try to seduce her, you mean," Dorcas says with a roll of her eyes.
"I'll just be sure to point James in your direction if he does," Marlene replies, nodding at Lily. "Wouldn't want you to feel left out, after all."
Lily glares at her. "If you do, we are no longer friends."
"How's everyone doing tonight?" The magnified voice of James Potter booms over the sound system just then, prompting Marlene to jump up, whistling and clapping along with everyone else.
She shoots a last look at Lily, who waves her forward with a smile. "Go on—have fun."
"You're the best, Lil," Marlene says with a quick kiss on her friend's cheek. Moments later, she disappears into the jostling group situated near the stage.
Glancing over at her other friend, Lily watches with some amusement as Dorcas stares after Marlene wistfully. "You don't need my permission to follow her, you know."
Dorcas turns to her with a grimace. "I can't just leave you here alone."
"I'll be fine," Lily repeats firmly. "I promise."
Deliberating briefly, Dorcas says, "All right. Just a few songs, and I'll come back. Okay?"
"Okay," Lily echoes, though she's almost certain that's the last she'll see of her friend until the concert ends.
"We're going to play a few songs for you lot, if that's all right," James is saying as Lily returns her attention to the stage. More riotous cheers, and the lead guitarist grins over at Remus beside him. "Seems all right with them, what d'you say, Lupin?"
"Ready when you are, Maestro," the bass player replies, the final word spoken with heavy sarcasm.
James nods at Sirius over his shoulder; the drummer counts out a beat and the chords of the first song spread through the pub.
As she recognizes the notes from one of her favorite songs, Lily allows a small smile. It's almost as though the band has started their set this way on purpose, if only to remind her that she does love The Marauders' music, despite her unfavorable impression of the members themselves. Sipping on her gin and tonic, Lily bobs her head along with the music, even mouthing the words of the chorus softly to herself:
You're in love with him,
And he's in love with you,
And it's like a goddman tragedy,
Because you look at him and see the stars,
And he looks at you and sees the sun
And you both think the other
Is just looking at the ground
Resolving to not let the previous night's encounter ruin her time at the concert, Lily quickly finds herself relaxing and enjoying the show. As predicted, neither Marlene nor Dorcas make a reappearance, and soon The Marauders are trotting back onstage for their encore.
"Thank you!" James calls into the microphone to quiet the crowd. "You've all been an exceptional audience—incidentally, a very good-looking one, too…" More cheers at this, this time made up of entirely female voices, and Lily can just make out James winking at a few girls in the front row. Though she's always found his banter with the audience amusing before, she can't help sighing with impatience at his actions now.
"We've got time for one more for you all, and I think we're going to dial it back a little to our early days. Now, for those of you who have been dedicated fans from the beginning—" A few yells, and James waves in the general direction of the voices, "Pleased to see all two of you are here tonight—" Several people laugh. "Anyway, you may remember that we had our humble start primarily covering songs by the brilliants gods of music that have come before us. And if it's all right, we'd like to end with one of those tonight."
Wild cheers go up at this, and Lily notes how James's eyebrows quirk up as he shoots his bandmates an amused grin. "Seems as though they like our covers more than our actual music."
"Well, can you blame them?" Remus asks into his mic. "Our music is crap."
Both James and several audience members laugh at this, and with a shake of his head the lead singer announces, "All right, here we go."
Screaming echoes all around Lily as the opening drum beats of My Sharona by The Knack begins to issue from the speakers. James and Remus share a grin at the audience's response before they start to sing.
Oooh my little pretty one, pretty one,
When you gonna give me some time Sharona?
Lily is unable to suppress a laugh as she watches the band's overly energetic rendition of the song. Indeed, they do seem to enjoy playing this song more than any of their own. But perhaps it's the knowledge that it's the final one of the night that fuels their momentum.
Soon afterwards the concert has ended, and Lily scans the crowd attentively as they begin to file for the door or the bar, searching for Marlene and Dorcas. However, the first familiar face she spots is that of James Potter. He smiles when their eyes meet, and though Lily glances away almost immediately, this does nothing to discourage the singer from making his way over and sliding into one of the chairs her friends had vacated earlier.
"So you did come, after all," he says. Lily doesn't respond, hoping that by remaining taciturn she can ensure that this conversation ends quickly. "I saw your mates up by the stage," James continues, clearly unfazed by her silence, "but I s'pose—"
"Great show!" A young woman passing their table leans in briefly to smile at James.
"Thanks very much," he says, nodding at her before returning his attention to Lily.
"I s'pose you kept your distance because you were afraid you might be overwhelmed by your attraction to me?"
Lily rolls her eyes at his teasing smirk. "Yes, that was it," she replies dryly. She tries not to notice how the strands of hair sticking to his forehead and the glasses that have slid partway down his nose somehow enhance his good looks, or the way his sweaty t-shirt clings to him in a manner that outlines the muscles of his chest.
"I was actually hoping to run into you so I could apologize for last night," James says as he straightens his glasses, and this unexpected turn in the conversation robs Lily of words. "I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable, I just—"Another group of fans interrupt him to compliment the band's performance. "Cheers," James throws at them distractedly before going on. "You seemed embarrassed, so I thought if I tried to make a joke…" he winces. "Obviously, I have a poor sense of humor. Although honestly, that sort of thing does—"
"Hey, James Potter!" The yell comes from beside the far wall, where a group of girls are laughing hysterically. "My friend thinks you're sexy!"
James holds up a hand in acknowledgement, facing Lily again with a grimace. "Happen a lot."
"Mmm, yes, must be terrible for you," Lily says sardonically. More sincerely, she adds, "But apology accepted."
For a moment, James says nothing. Then, with a small smile, he asks, "You really don't like me, do you?"
Lily blinks at this bald assertion. "I—don't really know you," she settles on replying.
"Come on, Evans, no one can help falling prey to first impressions." Lily doesn't answer, and James smiles again. "Fair enough," he says, standing. "I'll get out of your way. Have a good night."
And as he walks away, only to be immediately swarmed by fans who have hung back after the show, Lily wonders if perhaps she had overreacted at their first meeting and judged him too harshly. Before she can ponder this much, however, Marlene and Dorcas reappear at last.
"You completely missed out on an amazing show, Lil," Marlene says. "We were so close I could practically smell their sweat."
"Which…is a good thing?" Lily asks, wrinkling her nose. "And I didn't miss out—I could see and hear everything perfectly well from here."
"If you say so," Marlene says, not looking convinced. "Anyway, we got to chatting with a couple of blokes afterwards and they invited us out with them." She raises her eyebrows expectantly at Lily, who sighs inwardly at the prospect of being aggressively chatted up all evening. She'd hoped it would have been just the three of them.
Not wanting to start an argument, however, she merely offers an excuse. "I don't know, I'm feeling a bit tired, actually."
"We could just go to yours instead," Dorcas offers, ignoring the frown Marlene sends her. "Have a girls' night."
"No, it's all right," Lily assures her, feeling a strong sense of déjà vu. "A cup of tea and then sleep sounds wonderful to me right now. We can meet up tomorrow, though—brunch at the Blue Egg Diner?"
"Is there any other way to begin a weekend?" But then Dorcas frowns. "You're sure you're going to be all right getting home?"
"Yes, Mum," Lily says, shaking her head. "Have fun, you two."
"We will."
"Sorry in advance if I'm still drunk at brunch," Marlene adds with a wink, and before Lily can finish warning her that she'd better not be, she's pulled Dorcas out of earshot and towards the door.
With a little sigh, Lily finishes off her drink and pays at the bar. Wrapping her scarf around her neck and shrugging into her coat, she winds her way to the front of the pub and exits into the chilly night air. Shivering slightly, she walks to the edge of the pavement and attempts to hail a cab. However, the first several that pass by already have occupants inside. Fifteen minutes later, Lily is still stuck on the side of the road, growing increasingly frustrated as her efforts are foiled time and again. Just as she's about to walk to a different street to try her luck there, the pub doors open behind her and a familiar voice reaches her ears.
"—for tomorrow night. I thought it went pretty well in there."
Lily faces the street determinedly, hoping James will not recognize her. But she hears him tell his mates he'll meet them in a moment, followed by the sound of footsteps approaching and then his voice again, "Need a ride, Evans?"
Lily feels her cheeks flush as she turns to face him, though she's not sure why she should feel embarrassed that she has yet to secure a cab. "You can just call me 'Lily', you know," she says crisply to hide her discomfort.
James shrugs as he stops beside her, hands in his pockets and a guitar case slung over his shoulder. His hair is now sticking up wildly in all directions, giving the impression that he'd run his hands through it repeatedly since their last encounter. " 'Evans' runs off the tongue so much more easily, don't you think?"
Restraining an eye roll with difficulty, Lily points out, "They're both two syllables. And my first name is nearly a repetition of the same one."
"If you say so, Evans."
Lily narrows her eyes. "Now you're doing it just to annoy me."
"I would never," James declares earnestly.
"I think you would. But you should know that we are not even close to the point where you can get away with something like that and not expect me to get cross."
James quirks an eyebrow at her. "So you're saying we will reach that point eventually."
"Not at the rate you're going."
Crossing his arms, James flashes her a crooked smile. "You're getting quite riled up about such a simple thing as a name."
"And you've turned a straightforward request into a five minute argument," Lily shoots back.
"Fun, isn't it?"
"What is?"
"Flirting."
Heat rushes to Lily's cheeks again and she glances away, unnerved by the way James continues to watch her with that same half-smile, hazel eyes intent on her green ones. "I—I wasn't flirting with you," she says, the words sounding unnecessarily defensive in her flustered state.
"Oh, well, I was flirting with you," James replies easily.
"You've got an odd way of going about it," Lily says, regaining some of her composure.
Ignoring her comment, James says, "You still haven't answered my original question."
"No. No, I don't need a ride." And Lily once again holds out her arm, sighing sharply as yet another cab passes her by.
"It's Saturday night," James points out.
"Yes, I'm aware."
"You're not going to get a cab."
Lily glares at him. "Thank you for that helpful assessment."
James raises his eyebrows. "I'm only suggesting that, if you don't want to freeze to death standing out here all night, I could give you a lift. My car's just around the back." He gestures to the pub behind them. "Or I could ask Rosie—she's one of the bartenders here—if she'd mind driving you home after her shift. I think she's done in about an hour. You know, in case you suspect I'm some mad serial killer or something. Which I'm not, of course."
"That's what a serial killer would say," Lily tells him, though she's smiling slightly. In fact, she's feeling a bit guilty for snapping at him—it's not his fault there doesn't seem to be a single empty cab in the city. "I'm…sorry for shouting before. It'd be great if you could give me a ride, actually."
"It would be my pleasure."
He leads her around the pub to the few parking spaces located in the alley behind it. Lily is somewhat surprised when James gestures her into the small car in the second spot, commenting as he stores his guitar in the backseat, "I thought bands always traveled around in a great big van."
James grins as he slides into the driver's seat and puts the car in gear. "Well, Sirius has one for his drum set—don't ever mention it around him or you'll never hear the end of his complaining. But for now we just use the sound equipment wherever we happen to be performing, so all Remus and I have got to bring are our guitars. But maybe when we're famous," he smirks in a way that suggests he doesn't think this likely, "we'll be picky enough to buy our own amps and things."
"I thought you were already 'quite famous'," Lily says, sarcastically quoting his words from the other night. "And you can take a right at the next light, by the way."
The corner of his mouth lifts slightly. "Right." He's quiet for a moment, before letting out a sigh that makes Lily look at him with curiosity. "Don't get me wrong, it would be brilliant to 'hit it big', as they say. But…I dunno, notoriety is also a bit…crap, don't you think? Strangers coming up to you all the time and knowing personal details about your life…" He laughs. "Sorry. I know it must seem absurd that I'm reluctant about success."
"It does," Lily agrees, privately noting that only hours before she would have agreed because she believed him to be exceedingly arrogant and therefore incapable of expressing any self-doubt. Grimacing at the realization, she goes on, "But it also makes perfect sense. I think yours is a natural and healthy reaction to your situation."
"Christ, you sound like a therapist," James jokes, hastily adding when Lily turns away with an indignant scoff, "But I appreciate it. I only meant that I'm in trouble if I already need therapy."
Lily's expression softens slightly at this. "You don't. I'm sure Remus and Sirius are having some of the same feelings." Distantly, she acknowledges how bizarre it feels to be casually discussing people whom she'd idolized from a distance for so long. And it's odder still that she's sitting in James Potter's car, giving him advice on dealing with his escalating popularity. For now, she pushes this away with a shake of her head. "Talking to them will help more than any therapist could."
She notices the surprise in James's expression as he glances at her, but he doesn't reply. They pass several minutes in silence, with Lily briefly interjecting directions to her flat.
At last, James breaks the quiet. "So, speaking of mates, where have yours run off to?"
Lily waves a hand. "Some pub or other with some blokes."
Her companion raises an eyebrow. "Is this a common occurrence?" Lily shrugs, and James frowns. "Well, you're welcome to come out with me and my mates, if you'd like."
Almost laughing at the idea of what Marlene would say if she took him up on this offer, Lily says, "Oh, no—it's fine. I'm just not up for staying out all night. Marlene and Dorcas didn't purposely leave without me, if that's what you're thinking."
"Good."
They reach her street a few minutes later, and Lily instructs James to pull up in front of her building. "Thank you for the ride," she tells him as she unbuckles her seatbelt. "And…" she hesitates only briefly before going on, "I thought you'd like to know that my second impression of you was much better than my first."
James grins. "Glad to hear it. Although I started off so horribly I suppose a vast improvement could mean you still dislike me."
"No, I think I could tolerate you, now," Lily assures him seriously.
"Hmm. Enough to form a third impression sometime, do you think? Maybe tomorrow, after our show?"
She teeters on the verge of saying no, but something pushes her to nod instead. "Okay."
With another grin, James reaches into his glove compartment for a pen and an old napkin. Tearing off a clean corner of the latter, he scribbles on it for a moment before handing it to her. "My number. If you're still serious about this by tomorrow night, text me."
Once again he has surprised her. Letting her decide whether he saw her again seems at odds with his forward personality. But it's this gesture that makes Lily certain she's going to be using the number he gave her. "All right. Good night, then."
James responds with a wave as she shuts the door. Lily watches until he's disappeared around the corner and then turns for her flat, a slight smile on her face.
"Is he there yet?" Marlene asks excitedly down the line.
Lily rolls her eyes. "Do you think I would have been rude and answered your call if he were?" She'd caught Marlene and Dorcas up on the events of the previous night at brunch that morning, and the former had been texting or calling her for updates ever since.
"It wouldn't be rude, I'm your best mate."
Affecting a confused tone, Lily says, "Funny, you don't sound like Dorcas…" She smirks at the sound of her friend's loud sigh.
"Your hilarious, Lil. Now, let's get down to the important things. What are you wearing tonight? It had better be something sexy."
Feigning indignation, "Do I not look good in everything?"
"Obviously. But blokes are stupid—you've got to spell everything out for them."
"And what exactly am I supposed to be spelling out? I'm not going to sleep with him, Marls," Lily says sternly.
"Obviously," her friend repeats. "But there'd be no harm in a good snog, would there?"
"It's surreal enough that James Potter is going to be in my flat—let's not get too ahead of ourselves."
"Hmm," Marlene says slyly, "I noticed you didn't deny wanting to snog him."
Lily bites back a smile. "Goodbye, Marlene."
"You'd better give me a full report after he leaves," she replies threateningly.
Assuring her that she will, Lily replaces her phone in her pocket, taking a deep breath as she marvels at herself for actually considering Marlene's suggestion. Perhaps it is the feeling that she probably won't see James after tonight—they don't exactly run in the same circles, after all—that makes her less cautious than she normally would be about inviting a man she barely knows to her place. A small part of her mind points out that there's no reason she couldn't see him after tonight, if she wanted, but she pushes the thought away, knowing that overthinking things will only send her into a panic. Feeling odd dressing up when she knows they aren't going out anywhere, she decides to keep on the v-neck jumper and jeans she'd worn to brunch.
Sniffing at leftovers from dinner on Thursday, she deems them still fit for consumption and sticks the food in the microwave. Settling on the couch, she eats directly from the container as she watches some singing competition on the telly, trying not to glance at her phone more often than she normally would. There's no point in it yet, anyway, since James had told her that morning when she'd texted to invite him over that his show wouldn't be over until at least ten.
Still not sure if she's excited or nervous, or whether she should be feeling either of these emotions in particular, Lily jumps when her phone buzzes a couple hours later. Swiping it to unlock the screen, she reads a text from James.
I'm yours to command for the evening.
Grinning, she types back, You're sure you want to give me that sort of power?
His reply comes seconds later. I've quickly discovered that I'm not sure about anything when it comes to you. But I like that.
Lily's heart races when she realizes he's flirting with her again. Ordering herself not to be ridiculous, she takes a steadying breath before making her reply. Come over whenever you like. Just buzz the door when you get here and I'll let you in.
Much sooner than she expected, the insistent chime from the front door sounds through her flat. Holding down the button that will unlock the door for a few seconds, Lily opens her own door as well, sticking her head into the hall as she hears James's footsteps approach. "Hello," she says when he appears on her floor, stepping aside to let him into the flat. "How was it tonight?" she asks as she locks her door again.
"Infinitely worse, since you weren't there," James replies with a charming smile, hanging his jacket on one of the hooks by the door.
Lily raises her eyes to the ceiling briefly. "Does that line actually work on anyone?"
"No," James says, sighing loudly with exaggerated despondence. "That's what they don't tell you—being a musician doesn't make you any more likely to get a bird to like you, despite how they make it look in the movies. They also fail to make clear how bloody hot it gets up on stage," he adds with an apologetic wince. "I gave it my best effort by changing shirts, but…" He shrugs.
"I'll be sure to keep my distance, then," Lily says with a teasing smirk.
"Well that's unacceptable. I'll have to use your shower and clean up properly."
Lily narrows her eyes. "Absolutely not. I pay for water, you know. How about I just tell you if the smell becomes too much to bear?"
"Fine, then," James agrees.
A short silence descends, and Lily shifts awkwardly, unsure what is expected of her as hostess. Finally, unable to stand the quiet, she gestures over a shoulder with her thumb. "Music? Unless you're tired of it, seeing as it's sort of your job."
"I don't think I could have gotten into the business without a love of music," James assures her. He follows her to the other side of the main room, exclaiming as she lifts the lid on her antique stereo, "Wow, this is seriously cool." He runs an appreciative hand over the dark wood.
"Thanks. It was my grandmother's." Lily selects a Beatles record and slides it carefully from its cover. Placing it on the turntable, she turns on the stereo, ensuring that the needle moves correctly into place before shutting the lid halfway again. "Do you want something to drink?" she offers.
"Please," James says. "Normally we get unlimited free drinks from wherever we're performing, but I left right after our set was over to come here." Again, he grins winningly at her, and again Lily rolls her eyes.
"What a noble sacrifice," she deadpans. In a more normal tone, she adds, "I suppose that means you're looking for something with alcohol, then?"
"See, you do know me, Evans," James says cheerfully as they move to the small kitchen area.
Lily smiles to herself at his use of her surname. She's swiftly discovering she likes the way it sounds coming from his lips. "Unfortunately, I have yet to learn your wine preference, however. Red or white?" She pulls down two glasses as she waits for his answer.
"Wine, hmm? How romantic," James comments before answering her question. "Red."
Biting back another smile, Lily eyes him shrewdly as she gets an opener from the drawer by the sink. "You're not giving up easily, are you?"
"On what?"
"The whole…flirting thing," Lily explains, popping the cork and pouring some into each glass.
"Do you want me to stop?" James asks. He taps the glass she hands him lightly against hers before taking a sip.
To give herself time to deliberate her answer, Lily takes a swallow of wine as well. "That seems like a loaded question," she says at last.
James grins. "Well last night you seemed fairly opposed to the idea, so I'll take your ambivalence now as progress."
Still finding it unbelievable that he'd want to flirt with her, Lily doesn't respond to this. Instead, she moves back to the couch she'd occupied earlier, gesturing for James to join her. She doesn't miss the way he sits far enough from her that another person could easily have fit between them. And again, she notes how this seems to contradict the rest of his behavior towards her, just as when he'd offered her his number rather than asking for hers. It's as though he's waiting to see whether she'll meet him halfway, or keep her distance as she'd jokingly threatened to do earlier. The problem is, Lily can't quite say herself which it is going to be.
Drawing her feet up beneath her, Lily half-turns to face James, cradling her wine glass in one palm. "So, what do you lot get up to during the week when you're not doing shows?"
"Live like we're still in university, but without the classes, mostly," James says. He wrinkles his nose. "It's not glamorous, let me tell you. And may perhaps border on pathetic, but I try not to think about that too much." He smirks.
"So you make enough money from performances that you can take the rest of the time off?" Lily asks. "That must be nice."
Suddenly looking uncomfortable, James runs a hand through his hair, attempting to brush it off his forehead. It's a fruitless effort, as it immediately flops back over. "Er, well…" he clears his throat. "My family's got quite a bit of money—Sirius's too—so we've…I mean, I've held a few odd jobs over the years." Lily has the sense that he's trying to muster up some sort of defense for his lifestyle. "But mostly…" he trails off, taking a large gulp of wine and glancing away from her.
Normally, this would have set Lily on edge. She'd come across plenty of wealthy students at university who didn't understand the concept of working for a living. But James is so clearly self-conscious about the subject that she lets it drop. "What do your parents think about all of it? The band and everything, I mean," she clarifies when James flushes.
Face clearing with relief, he shrugs, fiddling with the frames of his glasses. "Mum's all right with it, I think. At least, she's supportive, though I suspect she privately fears I'm going to end up an alcoholic drug addict," he grins. "That's her idea of the music scene, anyway."
"And your dad?" Lily prompts when he falls silent, belatedly realizing that perhaps he'd done so on purpose.
"I'm sure he'd have loved the idea," James says. "But he died when I was a kid, so I can't say for sure."
Lily feels her stomach drop and her face fill with color. "I'm…I'm sorry," she says, cringing at the inadequacy of those words in these sorts of situations. "I shouldn't have pressed you to say—"
But James interrupts. "It's all right, Evans. How could you have known? I'm not famous enough yet for the details of my life to be common knowledge, remember." Her expression must still look guilty, for he goes on more seriously, "Besides, I've had nearly twenty years to get used to the idea, and several therapists to help me do it. I'm perfectly well-adjusted, at least where that is concerned."
Suddenly, his crack about therapy the night before makes infinitely greater sense. "I don't think that's something anyone could get used to," she says, and immediately her eyes widen in horror. "I'm sorry! I don't know what's wrong with me, to make me say something like that."
She's grateful that James merely chuckles at her reaction. "It's fine. I've heard much worse, and from people much less attractive than you."
"There you go again," Lily says, waving her wine glass at him. "And good looks do not excuse bad behavior, anyway."
"Which applies to me as well, I suppose," James says with a wicked grin, hazel eyes sparkling.
Lily opens her mouth to reply, and shuts it almost as quickly, causing James's grin to grow wider. He's forced her to either admit none of his actions up to this point have annoyed her, or to confess that she finds him attractive. And though Marlene has already taken care of the latter for her, knowing that he trapped her so easily makes her cross her arms and fix him with an aloof stare.
"More wine?" James asks, standing. He's eyeing her triumphantly, and as Lily offers her glass up to him wordlessly, another soft chuckle escapes James's lips. "So," he calls from the kitchen as he refills their glasses, "what's your family like? Do they live around here?"
Lily nods as he returns with her wine. "My parents still live in the house where I grew up, just a few miles outside of town. Mum's a nurse, and Dad works as a mechanic. My sister's in London."
"Doing what?"
Wrinkling her nose, Lily replies, "Being a wife."
"Ah," James says. "You two don't get on, then?"
"We were close as kids, but…" she shrugs. "We just don't really see eye to eye on…many things, anymore."
James nods. "I can understand what that's like. Not personally—I'm an only child—but Sirius hasn't seen his brother in about five years."
"Sometimes I wonder if it wouldn't be better if my sister and I just decided to stay apart for good. But it would kill my parents. So," she smiles humorlessly, again waving her glass vaguely. "But you're an only child?" she adds, sipping her wine. "That explains so much."
James looks at her suspiciously. "Like what?"
Shifting so that she's sitting cross-legged, Lily says with a superior smile, "Like your…your pretentious self-assurance."
Raising his eyebrows, James says, "That's a rather harsh pronouncement, Evans. I s'pose this is your idea of flirting?"
"No," Lily says. "I'm not a fourteen-year-old schoolboy who insults people I have a crush on. If I wanted to flirt with you, I'd—"
"Yes?" James prompts when Lily breaks off suddenly.
"Well, I'm not sure I want to flirt with you."
"Mmm. That's a shame, because it's really quite—"
"Fun? Yes, you've said."
James's lips twitch as he sets his glass on the coffee table. He scoots almost imperceptibly closer to her, draping his elbow over the back of the couch. "You know something? I like you, Lily Evans."
She doesn't mean to ask the question, but it bursts from her before she can make a conscious decision to stop it. "Why?"
"Because you don't let me get away with anything. And that's good for me—I know," he rushes on as Lily looks about to protest. "But I'm not finished, so just hang on before you say anything." He waits a beat to ensure that Lily would comply with this request. "I like that you're bloody hilarious, but don't even seem to realize it. I like that you know exactly what you want, and you're not afraid to let anyone know it. And I especially like that you treat me like any other bloke, and not some…some music god. Which I am, of course." He allows a quick smirk. "But I have a feeling that a lack of reverence is something I'd better take while I can get it, because once—if—I cross that line, there'll be no going back."
Lily's heart pounds in the silence that follows James's speech. Distantly, she notices that the album she put on earlier has ended, its music replaced by the quiet whirr of the still-spinning record. But her attention is drawn inescapably back to James. She's never heard someone speak the way he just has—boldly stating exactly what he thinks of her, but with no expectations of anything in return. She can tell by the way he's looking at her that every word he just spoke was the truth, that he has no intention of trying to say only what he thinks she wants to hear, or manipulating her feelings with false compliments. In fact, she'd be willing to bet that the thought has not even crossed his mind.
Suddenly self-conscious about how long she has remained silent, Lily takes in a long breath, breaking eye contact with James at last. "How could you possibly know all that after two days?" she asks, her voice slightly shaky. She senses James shift away from her again and feels simultaneously relieved and regretful.
"Well, I've known I'm a music god for nearly my entire life," he replies, clearly making an effort to lighten the tension that has arisen between them. Lily fails to gather her thoughts into a coherent sentence to reply, and she hears James sigh softly. "Sorry—I didn't mean to scare you with all that. I didn't mean anything in particular by it, just…well, you asked, and…I s'pose it did sound a bit intense, though."
Lily shakes her head, finding her voice again at last. "No—no, it was nice." She sees James's eyebrows shoot up briefly, as though 'nice' isn't what he'd hoped to hear. "I appreciate that you answered me honestly," she tries again, sighing in frustration when James's expression doesn't change. "I'm not making you feel any better about it, am I?"
At that, a smile returns to James's face. "Now you are."
Lily frowns. "What?"
"The fact that you're irritated with yourself about not being able to express yourself properly shows me that you meant what you were saying."
Blinking, Lily lets out a short laugh. "You seem to have me all figured out, and yet I still have no idea what to think about you."
Though James's smile doesn't falter, Lily discerns disappointment in the way his gaze moves slightly away from hers.
"Do you work in the morning?" he asks before she can work out what she'd said wrong.
"Yes, at nine," she replies.
Nodding, James stands. "I should be going, then—don't want to give you any excuses to be cross with me tomorrow."
Unable to shake the feeling that she'd somehow spoiled things, Lily jumps up to follow him to the door. "James," she starts as he reaches for his jacket. "I'm…I didn't mean to…offend you, or—or whatever it is that I did. I just meant that I don't know you all that well yet—and look where I got us when I made a snap decision about you right after meeting you, so I think I'm better off if—"
"Lily," James interrupts, and when she looks up at him, Lily finds herself inexplicably thinking how it's the closest she's been to him all evening. "You want to know something else I've discovered about you?" He smiles slightly. "You think too much."
"Yes," Lily agrees. "And don't say that's another thing you like about me, because there's no possible—"
"I wasn't going to," James says, stopping her again. "I was going to ask you something, in fact."
He takes a small step closer, so that Lily has to tilt her head back to keep looking at him. Her heartbeat quickens at the spark in his eyes. "What were you going to ask me?"
"If I could kiss you."
Again, there is a ringing silence, only now it is charged with something much different than before. Sure her heart is going to beat straight out of her chest, and not trusting her voice, Lily merely nods.
Almost before she's completed the movement, James's hands are cupping her face, his lips meeting with hers. Seconds later, Lily feels her back press against the door frame, and James's body flush against hers. Her hands have somehow wound themselves into his hair, and she pulls him still closer as his tongue parts her lips. Time seems to stop as he's kissing her; all other sensations melt away save the softness of his mouth and the warmth of his hands.
Bloody hell, Lily thinks as James releases her at last, dizzy from the fervor of their kiss, and it's only when he chuckles that she realizes she's spoken these words aloud.
"Thank you," he says as her cheeks turn as red as her hair. "You weren't half-bad yourself."
Lily glares up at him. "Weren't you leaving?" she grumbles, reaching around to unlock the door.
"Yes," James says, but he makes no move towards it.
They remain there for several long seconds, Lily finding herself unable to look away from his eyes, and then his mouth… "Dammit," she mutters at last, and as James's laughter rings out again, she pulls his lips to hers once more.