The Last Laugh

Prompt: "So you're the one my mother has been raving about." + Celebrity Crush

Setting: Muggle AU

865 Words

It all began with Lily eating lunch in the breakroom and idly leafing through one of the several publishers' catalogues of autumn's upcoming book releases.

She turned a page and found her attention commandeered by an author photograph – that wild dark hair and crooked grin were oddly compelling and there was something familiar about him…

It wasn't until the words "James Potter" and "Who Has the Last Laugh" jumped out at her from the same page that it clicked.

Last Laugh had been all the rage for the past year, a new comedy panel show because God knew they didn't already have enough of those.

Still, Lily had to admit it was a fun show, based on the couple of episodes she'd manage to catch.

It had become one of Lily's mother's favourite shows and James Potter, comedian and one of the regular panellists on the show, had become someone her mother raved endlessly about.

And if Jame Potter had a book coming out, Lily's mother would want to know.

So Lily grabbed her phone, snapped a picture of the publisher's catalogue and texted her mum.

If Lily happened to catch Last Laugh episodes on a more regular basis after that, paying particular attention to James Potter and his wildly gesticulating excitement and quick-witted quips and laugh-out-loud stories told of old pranks pulled, well… That was just so she could better keep up with the small talk with friends and family and colleagues when the topic turned to TV shows.

After all, Last Laugh had become a household name.

Then, in August, coming to work Lily heard the news. James Potter was going on tour to promote his book. And their bookstore was one of the locations he'd chosen to do a reading and signing session in.

Lily wasn't sure how to feel about it all. On the one hand, it was exciting and such an event would be really good for the bookstore. And on the other hand, Lily could vividly picture her adoring mother making a fool of herself in front of the young man half her age she happened to idolise.

Lily still hadn't sorted out her feelings and made up her mind when the day of the event dawned. Her mother, predictably, would be attending. She'd called Lily last night so full of excitement that Lily had found her endearing – even though it was highly embarrassing to see her own mother go full fangirl.

She guessed it was the embarrassment that made her shove her foot in the mouth that evening, when shortly before the event she unexpectedly found herself alone with the comedian.

Lily had been tasked to check up on him, so she poked her head in the back office that had been lent to his use.

He seemed different in real life than he did on the TV screen. Younger. And the easy confidence Lily had come to associate with him was absent at the moment. He was pacing a little in the backroom, and kept mussing up his hair.

"All right, Mr Potter?" she asked, wondering if she was intruding.

"Not really but that can't be helped," he replied. Then he stopped. Pulled at his hair. Took a deep breath.

"Sorry," he said, shooting Lily a sheepish smile. "I'm getting nervous 'cause I'm not that great with public speaking."

Lily stared at him, incredulous. "You… You're on the telly on a weekly basis."

"That's different. It's taped and I'm not alone in the spotlight," he explained.

But Lily didn't swallow that explanation. She'd seen the youtube videos of some of his skits that her friends had linked to her. "But you used to do stand-up."

"I did," he admitted, "and I was always a nervous wreck before I got up on the stage."

"Well for the record, it never showed. So I'm sure you'll do great. Anything I can help you with? Can I get you tea? Water?"

"Thanks, love, but I'm good. Just need to get it over with." The grin he offered her was a little feeble at the edges.

"It'll be over sooner than you think," Lily said, trying to be reassuring. "And no matter how you feel about public speaking, the people out there will be hanging on to your every word."

"You can't know that."

"Yes, I can. My mum is out in that crowd, you know – and in advance, I'm sorry for whatever she might say to you. She spent forty minutes last night on the phone with me telling how excited she was for this event and raving about you so…"

"Your mum, eh?" James Potter said, and this time the grin seemed more of his usual affair. "She sounds great."

"She is, so go do her proud."

That earned her a laugh – something which Lily was ridiculously pleased about.

"Well, I guess I have no other option then. Thanks, Lily. For everything."

He brushed past her, heading out of the door. And briefly let his hand rest on her shoulder.

Even several minutes later, when Lily was standing at the back of the bookstore watching James Potter absolutely crush the reading, she could still imagine that warm weight there.