Don't Go To Four Star Restaurants - a guide by 'play-on-a-graveyard'
Rating: T
Genre: Humor/ Romance
Pairing: Lily Evans and James Potter
Summary: Lily knew she shouldn't listen to her crazed TV like mother. But she didn't think that going to one dinner could cause this much trouble. Join the unfortunate Stevie Nicks impersonating, spy obsessed, and Transfiguration lacking witch for the time (or hell) of her life.
"Lily!" Mum reprimanded shrilly. "That language is not appropriate! Please apologise!"
Unfortunately for her I was stuck in a state of shock. "What the hell are you doing here Potter?" I growled, glaring at him.
"What do you know each other?" Mr Potter asked.
"As a matter of fact yes. I have the pleasure of attending the same school as darling Lily." Potter smiled dashingly at my mother, momentarily stunning her.
"Oh you're . . . witches then as well?" Dear Mother asked, her voice lowered conspiringly(In other words I was sure if people paying attention half way across the restaurant would hear).
"What, George you are?" Mr Potter asked, looking at Dad, shocked.
"No, no. Our Lily is." Mum smiled proudly.
Mrs Potter and my Mum then proceeded to talk about me (in typical factions of acting like I wasn't there) and my Dad motioned for me to sit across from Potter, before Potter Senior started talking about Wizarding politics in a hushed voice.
As I proceeded to sit down, a strange look must of crossed my face as Potter looked at me funnily before asking me, "What's wrong?"
I shot him a glare. "Why do you care?"
"Evans." The cocky bastard rolled his eyes. "You're stuck here for hours anyway. What's the harm in telling me?"
"The harm is you will twist my words around and cause me complete and utter humiliation." I hissed as the waiter dropped a menu in front of me. I nodded my thanks as Potter let out a chuckle.
"Come on Evans. Surely I'm not that bad." He rolled his eyes, although I could of sworn I saw a bit of something flash in his eyes.
"Umm yeah, you actually are." I scoffed.
"Lily play nice." Mum said from my side, like I was five and puling on his hair in the sandpit.
"Yes Mum." I muttered.
"Evans, there's no harm in just telling me." Potter said once Mum had returned to her conversation and I had opened my menu.
"Fine." I sighed, before giving him a hard glare (I couldn't let him have it too easy). "I haven't exactly told my parents about You-Know-Who. About the prejudice Muggleborns face." I shrugged, trying not to show how much I worried.
"So you're scared about the fact that people are dying all the time and you haven't told the people who have been your legal guardians for seventeen years?" Potter raised an eyebrow and for a moment I swore that the rest of his 'Marauder' friends would march through the door. "Doesn't sound like the Lily Evans I know."
"I'm not being irresponsible." I glared at him. "I just . . . don't want to worry them. They would do something stupid like take me out f Hogwarts, without realising it's the safest place for me to be."
"So you're lying to them?" Potter pulled his eyebrow down, but I could of sworn it was accompanying the grin that was pulling at his mouth.
"I'm not lying!" I gasped, outraged. Mum and Mrs Potter, who were nearest, threw us curious looks before I lowered my voice. "I just omitted information."
After a few secounds of him staring at me with his smug smile I gasped as I came to a realisation. "You were setting me up!"
"Honestly Evans. It's like you expect me to be a saint." Potter let out a laugh, ruffling his hair up.
I threw him the look that Emmy had labelled the 'does-it-look-like-I-want-you-to-talk', as the waiter approached again.
"What would you like mademoiselle?" He asked in a fake French accent that even I wasn't fooled by.
"She'll have the trout. Like me." Potter gave a smarmy smile, before the waiter moved on to talk to the rest of the table.
"What in Merlin?" I hissed at his audacity. "How dare you order for me? I don't even like fish!"
Potter rolled his eyes. "Don't lie. You love fish."
"No . . . no I don't." I stuttered. Did I mention I was a habitual liar?
"Yes you do." He gave a smirk. "You're just annoyed that it was me that saved your arse."
Did I mention that he was a massive jerk?
The rest of the night continued in silence (well for Potter and myself). Our mothers were getting along spectacularly (talking about both Muggle and Wizarding fashions and how they should go on a shopping trip together) as well as our fathers (who moved from talk of Wizarding and British politics to discussions about conversion rates).
Potter flicked me laughs every now and then and threw me a grin throughout the entire meal.
Finally my Dad and Mr Potter split the bill before Mum suggested we go for a walk (and check out the cafe that had just opened and her friends at the 'New Circle of Curtains' had recommended).
Normally it would be a bad idea to go walking around London at night, but it was early, one of the better parts of the city and it was a Wednesday. Meaning no drunks/ muggers. And we happened to have four wands in our group. We were plenty safe.
We walked out the door, to the street with our parents in front of us while Potter and I hung back. In other words we were banished by our mothers.
"So you excited for going back?" Potter asked me, slumping with his hands in his trouser pockets.
"Sure. I'm excited. I mean Hogwarts is my home and I get to see everyone. But it'll be scary. Scarier. It'll seem much more real." I tried to avoid wincing as I felt my shoes cut off circulation. "What about you? Excited to go live with your band of brothers?"
"My home is the Marauder summer den." Potter shrugged. "Besides, even I get sick of them."
"Oh treason!" I teased. "What would people say if I let this slip?"
"Shh!" He looked around conspiringly, putting his hand over my mouth. "Don't let anyone hear you!"
Rolling my eyes I him off me, a smile tugging at my lips. "Always one for dramatics weren't you?"
"Oh it's part of the charm Evans." Potter grinned, as we approached the cafe which was alight, with a cloud of a blend of fine English tea and imported coffee wafting out.
Mrs Potter gave a loud ooh over the sight of the cafe and turned to my mother, saying that it was a very wise choice.
I walked in after my parents and the Potters, taking in the crowded state of the cafe. "James, Lily dear would you order us somethings?" Mrs Potter asked, holding out a couple of bills to me. (I inwardly chuckled at how I was the one given money, a stranger she had known for a couple of hours, over her son, James Potter, who she had raised).
Hiding my chuckle (which Mum frequently reminded me was unladylike), we walked over to the queue which was formed down the whole store. Potter followed me, leaning against one of the few uninhabited tables, as our parents took one to the left of the front of the cafe.
"You gonna have some tea as well?" He gave me a grin. I knew he was teasing me. Emmy and Gem took every opportunity possible to remind me of what a disgrace I was to the English nation.
"Haha. Very funny." I rolled my eyes, but a little grin tugged at my cheeks.
"Oh you love it deep down." Potter teased.
I rocked my left foot back and forth, trying to stop my ankle from twinging. "Yeah, like I love the idea of the Civil War."
"Hey the Americans are fine. Their economy isn't that bad." Potter dug his hands further into his pockets, looking at me with his cocky eyebrow raised.
"Ooh politics!" I said sarcastically, excited. "Aren't you just an exciting chap!"
"Chap Evans?" Potter let out a chuckle. "Merlin you sound like my grandmother."
"Thanks Potter. Make a girl feel welcome." I rolled my eyes as we approached the counter. "Hello. Could we have a pot of Earl grey? And a black grande coffee?"
"Make that two." Potter nodded at the flustered waitress, whose sweaty hair had fallen into her eyes. She nodded, opening the till with a ting and holding her hand out for money as she scribbled our order down on a piece of paper. I handed the money over, receiving a couple of pennies in return as Potter got the table order.
And just as I thought things were going to be actually half way decent, it all came crashing down. Literally.
I managed o fall down and half trip, causing my ankle to band under me and roll. Potter bent down, to help or to tease me (I didn't know which was more likely at this rate), only to trip over me and end up on the ground. And knock over a chair next to me and cause a domino effect, which meant that I was doused in a curtain of light brown, the British liked to call tea.
I let out a shriek as I was left in a shivering cold state. "Potter!" I let out, feeling my dress (actually Petunia's) become ruined. "What the hell?"
"Oh Merlin!" He got up quickly, offering a hand out to me, as he pushed his equally drenched hair back. "I'm so sorry Lily, I didn't mean to."
I glared at him, seething. "You imbecile! How did you ever become an athlete you clumsy fool?" I hissed, before I got up and walked over to my parents, dripping.
"Oh Lily dear," Mum failed to hide her smile. "What ever happened?"
"I don't want to talk about it." I looked at her, angry as ever.
After a few minutes of discussion my parents decided that it would be best to go home ('well, you might catch a cold' my mother failed to realise the concept of summer in her attempt to be domestic and matronly). I barely managed a stiff smile of goodbye to Mr and Mrs Potter before throwing a glare at their son.
After Mum and Dad made promises to catch up with the Potters, we left (me still hobbling) and my mind definitely aware of a fact I already knew - don't listen to your parents.
Okay I love James' characterization in this chapter. He's kinda awkward? Anyway thanks to everyone who reviewed/ followed! I'd love to hear what you think!
x louisa
