Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter and all signs tell me that I never will.

Meaghan was as busy as ever, after all it was a Saturday night in London. Meg had already told Daisy that she was going to have to leave at seven for a date. Daisy was very excited for her, and tried to pretend that losing a server wouldn't make a huge difference that night, but Meg knew that without her, there was a lot of slack for the rest of the small staff to pick up.

That's the reason Meg was found at five of seven, not primping in front of a mirror, checking to make sure her hair looked all right, but instead distractedly whisking a stray lock of her hair behind her ear while trying to take the orders of three disgruntled, hard-of-hearing (a.k.a nearly deaf) old men.

While she was standing there, waiting for the decision of the last one of the trio, she saw him. James Potter was fiercely debating with Sirius Black right outside of the restaurant. She didn't know if she should be flattered that he apparently was not over Lily yet, six months later, or insulted that he did not want to go out with Meaghan.

Meaghan was not allowed to deliberate over this fact, because just at that moment, the crotchety man who would not allow her to go serve other customers while he took his time deciding what he wanted to eat, got her attention and then subsequently, ordered his meal.

Meaghan checked over near the entrance, James was not there. All at once her heart sunk much farther than she wanted it to go. With a disappointed face, she trudged into the kitchen, to give the chefs the next order.

When she stepped out of the kitchen, Meg did a double-take and saw that James was in fact, standing in the restaurant. It looked like Sirius had won out after all. In this moment of renewed happiness, Meaghan nearly dropped the drinks she was carrying. Luckily, Daisy was right near-by, close enough to stabilize the faltering serving tray.

Daisy smiled as she saw how stunned her little cousin was; she took the tray out of Meaghan's hands and pushed her gently to where James was standing.

Meaghan reacted quickly enough once she got a little push in the right direction. She walked up to James, who still seemed to tower at least seven inches over her, and said, "James, right?"

"Yeah, I'm James," he said.

"Can you wait for like two seconds, while I just go quickly to change? I've been working, as you can see," she gestured to her clothes.

"Sure," he said noncommittally.

She quickly sped off towards the back of the restaurant.

James sat down in one of the chairs near the podium and said lowly, "I swear Padfoot, if she's one of those girls who take an hour to get ready, I'm leaving."

A voice came from what appeared to be an empty chair, "Fine, she takes more than twenty minutes and you are as free as a hippogriff."

"I'm not sitting here for twenty minutes waiting for a girl you set me up with," protested James. "That's just pathetic."

"Face it Prongs," said Sirius. "Your life is pathetic. For Merlin's sakes, I had to come with you here to be sure you didn't stand the poor girl up."

"I don't want to go out with her," James whined.

"It's her or it's Candice Denton," Sirius' voice warned.

James shuddered. "Anyone is better than her; she's such a leech. She gives me the creeps."

"Yeah, she is kind of scary," mused Sirius. "But that's just how desperate the situation is right now."

"Fine, I'll go out with this one," muttered James.

Sirius smiled, though James couldn't see that, and said, "You'd think I was handing you over to death eaters by the way you're acting, not getting you a date with a hot chick."

James opened his mouth, seemingly to protest, but Sirius cut him off. "Don't even try to deny that she isn't gorgeous because I will feed you to Candice."

James wasn't able to comment any further because just then Meaghan walked up to him.

Her brown hair was simply pulled back in a ponytail, and she was only wearing jeans and a blue top, but as Sirius had so eloquently put it, she looked very attractive.

James was slightly impressed; he glanced at his watch subtly and noticed that Meaghan had only taken three minutes to get ready.

"You ready?" he asked, not unkindly.

"Yeah," said Meaghan. Then she waved over her shoulder where she knew Daisy was watching. Then she grabbed her jacket, scarf and gloves off of a hook by the front door and the two left.

James and his lovely date made their way out of the restaurant in silence. Finally, when it became very obvious that he was not going to say anything, Meaghan spoke up, "Where do you want to go?"

"I don't care, whatever," said James dully, thinking that she was going to lead him to some frilly tea shop or a girly muggle movie that all of his previous muggle-born dates had dragged him to.

So James was once more pleasantly surprised when Meaghan led him by the hand through the crowded London streets and they arrived at a simple café.

"Where are we?" asked James as they stepped out of the frosty December weather.

Meaghan smiled and said, "This is my favorite coffee shop. I come here after work every once in a while to treat myself. They have the best scones here."

"Really?"

"Yeah," said Meaghan as she wove her way around the tables in the cramped coffee shop with James trailing behind her.

Eventually she reached the counter and the young man behind the register, seeming to recognize her said, "Hey Meg, it's not Wednesday yet is it?"

Meaghan laughed, a laugh which James noticed was very familiar, and said, "No Ned, it's not."

"Good! I thought I was losing my marbles!"

"The few you have left," joked Lily.

"Yeah, so what can I get you? The usual?"

"Hmmm, actually I think I'll spice it up a bit; you pick!"

Then Meaghan turned to James and said, "What do you want?"

He quietly placed his order and said something about grabbing a table. Meg replied that she would wait for their order and meet him at a table.

As Meg was waiting, Ned said to her, "Who's the guy?"

"I dunno really," said Meg bluntly. "But from what I've been told he's in a bit of a depression; his girlfriend died a few months ago."

"So what are you doing with him?"

"Just helping out."

"Ah, playing rebound girl."

"Yeah, I guess that sums it up."

"Hey Meg," said an older man, probably in his late fifties as he come out of the small kitchen. "Ashley says you brought an outsider in, a very cute outsider," he said with a wink.

"I never said he was cute!" yelled Ashley from the kitchen, where she was apparently hiding.

Lily, Ned and the other man laughed.

Then the girl called Ashley, who looked to be no more than sixteen, came back to the counter carrying a plate with two scones on it and said, "Dad, stop putting words in my mouth! Here you go Meg, two scones, hot out of the oven."

"Thanks Ash, my compliments to the baker," she complimented as she smelled the fresh scones.

After paying and juggling the two cups and the plate expertly, Meg reached the table right next to the window where James was sitting. She placed the food onto the small table and took a seat across from her companion.

When James, once again, made no effort to start up a conversation, Meg jumped in, "Who was she?"

"Who was who?"

"Your girlfriend, what was she like?" This was killing Lily inside, but if she was going to help James get over, well her, and be happy once more than she would do it.

"Who told you about her?" asked James rather viciously.

"Your friend, umm, Sean? No, uhhh, Seamus? Ummm…" said Meaghan, expertly playing dumb. "Your friend with the long black hair, a bit taller than you I think…"

"His name is Sirius," said James blandly.

"Yes! That's it, Sirius. I can't believe I couldn't remember it; it's such an odd name, you would think I would remember. I can't imagine what his parents were thinking."

"His whole family is pretty odd," said James. Then once more turning rather angry, he demanded, "What did he tell you?"

"Not much," said Meaghan, almost scared of the angry tone James was using. "Just that you hadn't quite gotten over her and he wanted me to see if I could help."

"I'm outta here," said James as he rose sharply. "I don't need this. I don't want to forget her, and I don't want to move on!"

"She must have been pretty outstanding," said Meaghan softly as James passed her as he was walking out.

He stopped in his tracks, "What?"

Meaghan turned around in her seat to look at him. "How old are you James?"

"Eighteen," he replied subconsciously.

"You are the only eighteen year old guy I have ever met that has pined after his girlfriend this much," Meaghan made one last attempt at getting James to move on in as few words as possible. "Shouldn't you have moved on already? But no, you are still mourning her; she must've really been something. I think I would have liked to have met her, the woman that stole your heart and refuses to give it back."

During Meg's little monologue, James walked back to his chair and slowly sank into it.

"She was, she was, amazing, I guess is one way to describe her, though it really doesn't do her justice. Brilliant is a better term I think, maybe spectacular."

"What was her name?" asked Meg when James stopped talking.

"Lily, Lily Meaghan Evans, though she was anything but a helpless, defenseless flower like her namesake. If anything she was a rose, with thorns the size of the Thames," James smiled as he gazed out of the window at the street, basking in his memories.

"She was a tough one?" asked Meaghan, eager to keep James talking. She thought that if James got all of his feelings out, then he could walk out of that café and she would never see him again; he would find some beautiful blonde and settle down and marry her instead of carrying a torch for someone who wouldn't ever come back, who couldn't come back, Meaghan mentally reminded herself.

"Was she ever; she had the temper of a red-head, which she was. She didn't take crap from anyone; you knocked her down, she would push you down, pull you up and push you down again."

"Sounds like she perfected her methods," commented Meaghan.

James was still staring out at the not-so-busy London street. Then he turned to Meg, who was innocently sipping her mint tea, playing her role well. "She had to deal with a lot of shit, probably more than she ever let on; she was tough that way too. People at school didn't like her because of her, well, her family and background. They got pretty nasty about it too; so she had to 'roll with the punches' as she put it. And roll she did, she basically had to do somersaults every day."

"So did you play her macho knight-in-shining armor?"

"Once, just once."

"What happened?"

"She told me not to ever do it again in no uncertain terms. Basically, she yelled at me for a good five minutes straight, and after that…"

"You snogged her senseless?" offered Meaghan.

"How did you know?" asked James with a curious grin.

"You had that look on your face. The one that clearly said, 'I just realized that I was about to discuss snogging a very attractive woman in front of someone I hardly know and who could never compare.'"

"I never knew that my face could provide such a long emotion; that was probably the most complex look it has ever boasted," said James flirtatiously.

Meaghan, startled that he was kind of flirting with her, turned the conversation back to a comfortable topic that just so happened to boost her ego and reminded her of who she once was.

"Did you love her?"

"More than anything, still do in fact."

"But, she's gone."

James looked Meaghan straight in the eye, and for a minute she thought he could see right through her.

"That doesn't mean I have to stop loving her. I think I'll love her until the day I die."

"That seems like a long time to love someone who doesn't love you back," Meaghan said.

James eyebrows shot up, "What do you mean she doesn't love me?" The angry tone was back.

Meaghan tried to compose herself, she didn't want James to think that Lily didn't love him anymore, just that she thought he should move on. "Well, I'm sure that she still loves you no matter where she is, but it's just that, you can't feel it anymore. You can't hold her or kiss her or even talk to her anymore."

"Believe me, I know that! And it hurts, it really does, but I have to have faith that one day she'll come back, and when she does I don't want to be caught up with some other girl."

"Your friend said you had this problem."

"What problem?"

"Admitting she died."

James started fiddling with his napkin on the table and quietly said, "That's because I don't think she died. In the fire that killed her parents and destroyed her house, her body was never found."

"Were her parents'?"

"What was left," said James sadly. "I had only met them once. Her dad didn't really like me, her mom wasn't too fond of me either, and her sister hated me."

"Off night, Sir Charms-a-lot?"

"I could save face and say yes, but it's not like I have much of my pride to save with you. Here I am on a date blurting out all this stuff about my missing girlfriend; I'm surprised you haven't left yet."

"Were you trying to get rid of me?"

"No," said James as hazel eyes met the gaze of chocolate brown ones. For a second he thought he saw green ones sparkling before him, but it was only a flash in time before the brown ones were back.

"That's why I haven't left yet," said Meg kindly. Then she continued, "I figure that your friends are probably tired of hearing you mope around and I guess you need someone to talk to, so, feel free to talk to me."

James then began to chuckle and chuckle until it turned into a full blown hardy laugh. Eventually he calmed himself down, not before taking a look at Meaghan's confused and embarrassed face. "I haven't laughed that hard in a long time."

"I fail to see the funny side of all this," said Meaghan stiffly.

"It's just that you're so on the mark it's amazing," said James trying to consol her. "I hadn't noticed it before, but now I realize that they are tired of me and my moaning. I just find it funny that I'm spilling my soul to you and I didn't even have the courage to ask you out myself."

Meaghan shrugged, unsure of what to say next.

James grinned at her, a smile that Lily noticed was only a quarter of the self-confident grin that she had grown to love. "I feel that I owe you something," he said at last and then when Meg started to protest, he shook his head and said, "No, let me get this off of my chest too. I didn't want to go out with you. My best mate followed me all the way to the restaurant to make sure I actually went. I haven't wanted to spend any time with women since Lily disappeared, but I found tonight that I actually enjoyed myself. I'm sorry if I've been a kill joy, but you must understand, I love Lily with all my being and somewhere in my being I feel like I'm betraying her."

"I think," said Meaghan slowly. "That we should just be friends. But, not because I think you are disrespecting your M.I.A. girlfriend; I think just as unprepared for a relationship as you are, I'm worse."

James looked at her questioningly.

She shrugged in response.

"Come on, you've been privy to so many of my secrets," said James teasingly. "I think you deserve to let off a little steam to a near stranger as well. I would recommend it; its highly therapeutic."

Meg smiled wanly. "It's a long story and it's getting late. Come on, let's go for a walk."

Meaghan and James gathered and donned their winter apparel and made for the door.

As she left, Meg called over her should, "See you Wednesday everybody!"

The trio behind the counter said their good-byes in between serving the few customers that had wandered in to get something hot to combat the cold of the streets.

James dug his hands into his pockets as he numbly followed behind Meaghan as she walked the no longer extremely crowded streets confidently. He searched the depths of his mind for something to start a conversation with; so far he had not instituted a single successful conversation. Now he started to feel a little guilty, never had he treated one of his dates, even if she had bluntly said they were just friends, this poorly; he was sure that if his mother could see him now, she would be appalled.

Finally James ventured, "So, you know all about Lily, but know nothing about me and I know nothing about you."

"What do you propose to remedy the situation?" asked Meg as she glanced over her shoulder to look at James.

James quickened his stride and once he was standing right next to Meg, said, "Well, how about you ask me a question and I'll answer it and then we can switch."

Both parties were scared about the questions that could be asked, but neither was willing to show that they held such dark secrets.

"I'll go first," said James as Meg nodded in her head in assent. "How old are you?"

"Eighteen," answered Meaghan. Then she searched to find a question that would not betray her identity. "Do you have any siblings?"

"Nope, I'm an only child. Though my best friend Sirius is like a brother to me. When he ran away from home a few years ago, he came to live at my house. My parents nearly adopted him at that point. What about you? Any brothers or sisters?"

Meaghan didn't know what to say exactly. In a split second, she decided upon telling him a version of the truth. "I have one older sister; her name is Ann. She's two years older than I am and we don't get along very well."

"Why not?"

"Hey," joked Meaghan. "Isn't it my turn to ask a question?"

"Yes, and now it's my turn! You just wasted your question. Why don't you and your sister get along?"

Meaghan sighed. "We just took different paths I guess. We wanted different things and eventually we just stopped trying to walk in the other's shoes. Are you at a university?"

Meaghan knew this question was going to throw James for a loop, but she also knew that he was a capable liar and would be able to maintain his cover. She also knew that it would maintain her cover as an innocent, unassuming muggle.

True to his nature, James only stumbled for a moment until he found the words to spin his web, "Sort of, I'm in an academy to train to be a police officer. What about you? Are you in school?"

"No," said Meaghan a little bitterly. It had been a few months since she had shed tears for her lost dream, but it still stung. "What did you want to be when you grew up when you were little?"

"A police officer," said James. "Like my dad. Why aren't you in school?"

"I don't have enough money," said Meaghan. It was partially true. Because of her deceased status, Lily didn't get any inheritance money from her parents, and what little money Daisy got from her aunt and uncle was used to buy Lily some clothes. Daisy had no other money to spare her, not that Lily would have been able to go to either a magical or a muggle school. In the magical world she would quickly be discovered and she hadn't taken any classes in the muggle world since she was ten.

"That's a shame," said James with as much sympathy as an extremely wealthy person could have for someone with a lack of money. "What would you have gone to school for if you could have?"

"Strangely enough, I would have been a police officer," said Meaghan in a code that only she understood completely. "What is your favorite type of candy?"

"Chocolate frogs," replied James without thinking.

Meaghan, ever on her guard laughed and said skeptically, "Chocolate frogs? Where would you get those? You'll have to get me one sometime."

"One of my friend's parents is a candy store owner and her favorite animal as a kid was a frog, so for her birthday one year he made her a special batch of her favorite chocolate in a frog mold. It was a huge hit at her party, so he started to sell them in his store. They're really good."

"Again, you'll have to get me one some time, I've never had a frog-shaped chocolate before. I think the closest I've ever gotten was the box of Christmas chocolates that my parents used to buy me every year. On the square chocolates there were Christmas characters engraved."

"What's your favorite kind of chocolate?"

"White chocolate," said Meaghan smile.

"I'm a dark chocolate kind of guy myself, the darker the better in my opinion."

"It's better for you, lots of antioxidants and stuff."

"Huh?"

"In dark chocolate, it's actually kind of healthy for you; there's a lot of antioxidants in it."

"What about white chocolate?"

"It's horrible for you; it's technically not even real chocolate."

"How do you know this much about chocolate?" asked James as he realized, as every good auror should, that this was not the same path he had taken before.

"My ex-boyfriend was something of a geek; he knew stuff like that."

"Is that why you broke up with him?" asked James as his guard relaxed; how could he even think that Meaghan was a death eater?

"No, he broke up with me."

"I can't imagine why," said James as took a side-glance at Meaghan.

Meaghan took a shuddering breath, "He was a soldier. Four months ago, he was sent overseas. Two and a half months ago, I received a letter. It told me that he was cheating on me."

"Who ratted him out?"

"He did. He wrote it himself."

James stopped walking and Meaghan stopped with him. "You mean to tell me that some guy wrote a letter to you telling you that he was cheating on you, something you would have never found out about?"

"The girl was pregnant," said Meaghan coolly. "He married her. He wrote that in the letter too."

"You're still not over him," James stated.

Meaghan, ever the actress, responded, "No more than you are over Lily."

"We make quite a pair then," said James as he comfortably slid his arm around Lily's shoulders. "I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship."

"I could use an extra friend," said Meaghan thoughtfully.

"We all need extra friends; sometimes they seem to be in short supply," he said darkly, thinking of how many people had been taken away by the awful war that was devastating the wizarding world.

"Yeah like when your boyfriend decides to cheat on you," said Meaghan.

"Or your girlfriend disappears without a trace," added James.

Meaghan laughed. James was once more struck with an odd sense of familiarity, but dismissed it at once. He would have remembered meeting someone like Meaghan; she seemed unforgettable… just like Lily.

A/N. Would you look at that?! I actually wrote a chapter in under five months! Amazing! And I owe it all to you guys, my reviewers! Seriously, if I didn't get such a great response to the last chapter, I probably would've waited another couple of months to write this, but you guys came through, so here it is! The moral of the story- you keep reviewing and I'll keep giving you something to review!