Author's Note:

So, what do you think? I figure I should get a good start on this story before I go back to my other one. If I balance the two I should keep everyone happy. Now I have to ask. Would you all rather I wrote several chapters and then posted them about once a week or if I just post whatever I write as soon as I write it? I don't really care one way or the other, but I don't know what you would rather. Please review everybody.

Ch. 2 Working for a Living

Lily awoke to an obnoxious tapping sound at her window. "Ari," she sighed, letting the owl in. Ari gave Lily a letter and then she swooped over to Cerci's cage to rest a bit. Lily tore open the letter excitedly. It was from her best friend from Hogwarts, Serena. Lily missed her friend desperately and couldn't wait to see her in September.

Hey Lils,

Happy Belated Birthday! I would have sent Ari sooner but there was a thunderstorm and I didn't want her to get hurt.

How's your summer going? Have you had any luck getting your hands on a job? I wish I could spend the summer with you. We'd get a job together in some hopping bar and be the hottest and best advise givers ever. Unfortunately I'm being forced into this heinous frilly pink dress for Jack's wedding that makes me fat. France is lovely, but I miss you and I'd rather go stark naked in England then that dress here in Paris. Ew, I have to go to another dress fitting, but write back real soon to tell me how you're holding up.

Love You Honey,

Serena

Lily smiled to herself. Serena Fletcher hated dresses, and she hated pink even more. Her brother Jack's fiancé was determined to have pink frilly everything at her French wedding. Lily doubted anything would make Serena look fat. She was beautiful with waist length dark brown hair and expressive gray eyes. Lily got out of bed and put the letter on her nightstand, stretching out. She walked over to the old fashioned mirror against her wall and studied her face.

Lily had bright green almond shaped eyes from her mother and glowing red hair. Lily braided her hair to get it out of her eyes. The air was humid and it promised to be another sweltering day. Pulling on shorts and a light t-shirt Lily walked down stairs to start breakfast.

"Morning, Papa," she said when she saw her grandfather sitting at the kitchen table reading the muggle newspaper.

"Morning, Lily," he answered as she kissed his cheek. "You have a letter. I went to the post office this morning," he pointed to the counter.

Lily walked over to the counter and opened the letter distractedly. "Did Petunia go with you?" she asked.

"Lily," her grandfather lowered his newspaper to look at her, "I may be old but I can still walk half a mile to get a few letters."

"I know," Lily amended. Her grandfather didn't seem to realize that he might forget where he was at any point in time. She had no idea what she would do if he just disappeared. He was almost all she had left.

Lily read the letter, "Hey, I got a job!" she told her Papa, "at Bath's Old Style Grotto. They want me to go in today at noon. I'll fix you some breakfast then I'll leave. Will you be alright for the day?"

"Lily," her grandfather raised his eyebrows at the smiling girl in front of him, "I will be fine."

Two hours later Lily pulled into the alley next to Bath's Old Style Grotto. She had managed to convince Petunia to let her use the car again. Walking in the back door she fixed her makeup and tucked a flyaway hair behind her ear. "Hi," she said cheerfully to the boy she had seen a week earlier.

"Miss Evans," he smiled back at her, "apparently my good word had some effect."

"Lily, please, we'll be working together from now on," Lily liked this boy already.

"Chris," he said, taking her hand I his firm grip. "I think you're going to be working with Julie today. She'll show you the ropes. Hey, Julie, this is Lily."

A shapely bleach blonde walked over and took Lily's hand. "Nice to meet you. Welcome to the crew," Julie flashed a row of perfectly straight white teeth. "This is Danny, he works in the kitchen with Chris, there's Jean, she's our hostess. That's Melissa, Heather, and Danielle, team one, and you're on team two with me and Delia."

Lily tried her best to remember who was who, "Hey everyone." She smiled but felt that her smile couldn't compare to Julie's.

Julie continued, "Team one is in charge of tables one through eight. We have nine to seventeen. There are always at least two waitresses from each team and one cook working. We have another hostess when Jean isn't here, Laura. She'll be here tomorrow. You'll be following and helping me out for most of today, then, towards the end of the day, we set you lose. Got it all?"

"I think so," Lily said, mentally memorizing the information.

"Alright then, let's go."

Lily didn't realize how much fun she could have working. Danny and Chris were two of the best cooks you could imagine. Their hands seemed to fly as the lunchtime crowd entered in a torrent. Julie gave her tips throughout the day, "The cook is always right and the customer is always right. It's the only way to keep the peace," she joked. Delia was one of the most hilarious people she had even met. They were instantly friends. She wished Serena could have been there so that she could make friends with everyone too.

At four Julie said Lily was ready to serve on her own. She gave her an old French couple sitting outside at table twelve. "Hello, I'm Lily, I'll be your server for tonight. It's my first day on the job, but I'll do my best. What can I get you to drink?" Lily handed them each a menu and smiled her toothy smile.

"Well aren't you sweet," the woman said, smiling dotingly. "Can we get a bottle of the House Red?" she asked.

"Coming right up," Lily didn't bother to write it down, "can I get you an appetizer?"

"Hmmm," the man scanned the menu, "Can I get a garden salad?"

"Of course, and you Ma'am?" Lily asked, liking the couple already.

"Make that two salads, and please, call me Marie," the lady smiled sweetly again and Lily went to get the salads and wine.

"They are so sweet," she commented to Delia as the light began to fade and Julie lit some candles. "She asked me to call her Marie."

"That's adorable!" Delia agreed, "Better then me. I have table fifteen, over there." Lily looked where Delia pointed to an over weight forty year old man with two young children. "He keeps hitting on me, and his wife's in the bathroom!" Lily was unable to suppress a little giggle, then she and Delia were leaning against the wall laughing uncontrollably.

The rest of the night went surprisingly well. Lily got fifteen pounds from the old couple and ten from a man with his wife and rather spoiled daughter. At the end of the night everyone was leaving but Lily stuck around because Chris was promised to whip her up a sandwich. She'd only had a small salad for lunch.

"So, how was your first day?" He asked neutrally, chopping up some tomatoes.

"Pretty good," Lily answered, pouring herself a glass of water. "You and Danny are amazing cooks!"

"Thanks, but that's an exaggeration," Chris grinned crookedly. "Danny does all the particularly hard stuff. Wait till you meet Trisha tomorrow. She's the manager and head cook. She was on vacation, but she's getting back tonight."

"Is she really good?" Lily asked as Chris handed her a turkey sandwich.

"The best," Chris watched her for a moment, "Do you like it?" he asked. Lily nodded furiously but her moth was too full to answer. "You have really pretty eyes, you know," Chris smiled at Lily again and her heart flip-flopped in he chest. She swore he was able to hear it beating against her ribcage.

Lily swallowed then smiled, unsure; she had broken up with her Hogwarts boyfriend of two years, Terry. Being with him had become habit, there hadn't been any more spark to their relationship. "Thanks," Lily's voice sounded frail. Chris leaned in towards her—

"Hey, Lily," a voice called as the door slammed. Lily and Chris jumped apart. Lily grabbed her sandwich and took a bite just as Delia walked into the kitchen. "Whoa, talk about an elephant in the room," she commented, hitting the nail on the head. "Ummm, would you mind giving me a ride home? My car broke down a block away from here and my mum's not answering her phone."

Lily felt a bit of sweat gathering on her temples. "Of course, ummm, just hold on a sec" Lily turned and wrapped up her sandwich and slammed down the rest of her water. "Thanks for the sandwich," Lily gave Chris a week smile and left, blushing furiously, with Delia.

"Hey there, chica," Delia started laughing as soon as they were in the car, "Your first day and you've already snagged the hottie of the joint. Way to go, so what happened?"

"We were just talking and then he almost kissed me and then you walked in and it was so awkward and I just, I, and, wow," Lily trailed off, amazed at how the day had gone.

"Talk about cute," Delia commented, "oh turn right here. So what are you gonna do?"

"I don't know, I guess I'll go out with him at some point," Lily shrugged her shoulders as she pulled up outside Delia's house. "We'll just have to wait and see."

"Night hun," Delia started laughing again as she got out of the car. Lily shook her head as she drove away, glad for once that she was working and not whiling away her summer sitting around the house.

When Lily got back to the Evans farmhouse she wrote Serena one of the longest letters ever written, all about her job and the people.

A/N: What do you think? I know, I need to get James in here, but I need to get it just right before I add him to the mix. Don't you worry your pretty head; it'll all work out, eventually (evil laugh). Till then, what do you guys think about Chris? I really want to know what your opinions are about him and Lily… and of course I want to know what you think about everyone else too. So, encourage me to post again soon, REVIEW! I really appreciate it! Love you guys.