a/n: Happy Christmas!

Chapter Seven

Or

Mamma Mia

Lily wakes up with an arm around her waist, and an embarrassing amount of drool dribbling down her chin.

It takes her less than twenty seconds to remember that the arm around her is attached to James. He fell asleep in her bed rather than returning to his own last night. Which is fine by her. She's never actually gotten to see him asleep before, and the thought makes her heart clench with affection.

She can tell by the way he's breathing deep against the back of her neck that he's still asleep. She wipes the drool off her chin, not wanting that to be the first thing he sees of her if she stirs him with her movement, but she doesn't need to worry it turns out.

He doesn't even move as she rolls towards him.

They're laying face-to-face. His glasses are off, and she registers faintly that they're placed on her nightstand like they belong there. This is another version of James she isn't used to seeing all that much.

James without his glasses is a rare sight. One she thinks she would see more of considering the fact that they are roommates, and she has seen him in various states. Including, she thinks with a blush, that of undress. But still, James is very careful to keep his glasses on around her.

She adores him with them on, but there's something almost intimate about being able to look at a James without glasses. He looks several years younger. Content and like he doesn't have a care in the world.

He probably doesn't, she thinks.

He hardly ever talks about the things that trouble him. She wonders what that's like.

She traces the line of his jaw with a single finger, feeling the beginnings of gruff ticking the pad of her finger as she does. He twitches as this, but still doesn't wake. He sleeps like the dead, apparently.

This is another interesting fact she is allowed to know this morning.

Raising herself up to peer around him towards her clock, she sees that she's got an hour until she's got to be at work. Plenty of time for her to make it. Too short for her to enjoy a lazy morning with James.

How bittersweet.

She doesn't want to wake him when he's looking so comfortable, but she knows that they probably ought to talk more before she has to leave. She knows that she really wants to talk to him more before she has to leave.

"James," she whispers, running her hand through his hair the way she does Conrad. "Wake up."

He groans, leaning into her touch and burying his head further into the pillow. "Don't wanna."

"Come on," she coaxes with half a laugh. "I've got to go to work soon, and I want to see you before I do. Properly see you."

"Just call in," he pleads. "Call in and say you aren't feeling well. Stay here with me instead."

"As tempting as that is," Lily sighs, and oh boy is it ever, "I've still got to talk to Robert. I've got to clear things up with him."

One of James' eyes crack open at this, peering at her as if he doesn't buy this as a good enough excuse to leave her bed. As if he hadn't agreed to her doing so just yesterday.

Morning James takes a bit more persuasion, it seems.

"What are you going to tell him?"

She bites her lip at this. What is she planning on telling him? She isn't exactly sure just yet.

"Some form of the truth," she offers finally. "I don't think telling him that I snogged my roommate will be the exact way to go, but that I got stuck in the lift for hours. That I do like someone else, and probably have for a while now. That I...I want to see where this goes."

This being whatever it is happening between the two of them. She still isn't sure. But she doesn't feel like she can properly ascertain what it is that's happening just yet.

She doesn't have all the pieces to the puzzle, but it's not driving her crazy. Which is so unlike her.

James smiles, lazy and content. His features are thick with sleep and she takes her hand and strokes over them with affection.

"That sounds like a good start," he says. "I hope he's not too disappointed. I do feel bad. Not that it was our fault. Well, the snogging was our fault. Not the lift shutting down."

"We're definitely at fault for the snogging."

"Definitely," James says, grinning. "How long until you have to leave for work again?"

"I've probably got another twenty minutes before I need to start getting ready."

"And you still don't want to —"

"No," Lily says, shaking her head. "Absolutely no more kissing until I sort things out with Robert. We covered this last night, Potter."

James pouts, and it's adorable. "Evans."

Lily laughs, snuggling into James' side, and no matter how badly she wants to lose her resolve, she holds strong.

Lily strolls into work that morning far more confident than a person who had just missed a date with one boy and woken up in bed next to another should be able to.

She's carrying a box of I'm sorry donuts that she's planning on sharing with Robert first before putting the rest in the break room.

Her logic behind this is to get his mouth full enough where he doesn't have enough room to ask very many questions. Get in, apologize, grovel a bit, apologize again, and get out — that is her plan.

The only thing that might flub her plan in the least bit is that she's a babbler when she's nervous, and today she feels the nerves clicking against her heels as she marches into work.

Cuffe isn't in yet. A blessing if Lily has ever received one. He would immediately sniff out the donuts, and she doesn't want to offer Robert a second choice. Considering he already is a second choice, to put it mildly.

Robert, however, is in. The light to his office is on, and Lily can see him writing something on his giant calendar that hangs on his wall. Perhaps he's crossing out their failed day. Her ankle goes weak, and she stumbles a step.

Lily knocks once, mostly for formality, and then opens the door. Robert is looking at her not unkindly, and it helps her find her courage. He looks more surprised to see her than anything.

He's never really been one to get angry in the first place. Lily can't recall a single time she's seen Robert frustrated.

She wonders what that's like.

"Lily!" he greets, eyes wide. "Are you okay? I was so worried about you last night."

"I know, I'm sorry," she says, her guilt returning. "It's a long story, but the short version is I got stuck in a lift for several hours with no cell service."

Robert looks genuinely concerned, his face settling into familiar worry lines that she's used to seeing on him. This serves to deepen her guilt.

"Oh my god. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, really," she assures him. She sets the box of donuts down on his desk, opening them up. "I got these, though, to say I'm sorry."

"You didn't have to do that," Robert says, though he takes one anyway. She mentally high-fives herself when he takes a giant bite.

"I wanted to. I should have gotten in touch with you as soon as I got off the lift, but it was just…"

"You don't have to explain," Robert says with his mouth full. He's offering her an out without even knowing it, and she almost feels bad for how easy he's making this on her.

Almost.

"I can imagine it was a long night."

"You have no idea," Lily says, trying to control her reflex to touch her lips. Her mind wanders to James again. James pushing her against the lift wall, James tilting her head, James sweeping his tongue into her mouth.

James, James, James.

"Maybe we can try again?"

Robert's voice brings her back down into this moment with him, and he looks so hopeful that guilt grips at her traitorous heart.

She has a purpose for being her. She needs to get her mind off of James for at least two minutes.

"Right, well, the thing is…" Come on, Evans. You can do this! "Last night made me stop and think — I'm just not sure I'm in the right place right now to be dating someone I'm working with."

There! It's a start!

Robert's face falls, and Lily tries to keep her heart from falling with it.

"Oh."

"Yeah, it's just….it can get messy. Office relationships."

"Messy," Robert repeats, taking another bite of his donut.

"There's a lot that can go wrong with dating someone you work with, and I just don't want to put us in the position. We get along so well as coworkers. I don't want to ruin that."

Robert sighs, but doesn't argue. Lily never expected him to. It's not in his character.

"I guess I can understand that. I don't want you to feel uncomfortable with anything."

Lily smiles at him, deciding to shut the conversation down now while it's still going semi-well. Before it has a chance to totally derail and take them both down with it.

The bit about liking James would likely just crush him. She'd rather leaving him partially standing after being shot down.

"Thank you. I'm sorry again. Really, I am. You have no clue."

Robert brushes it off with a wave of his hand as if it doesn't bother him. Lily can tell that it does, but she's thankful he isn't the type of guy to take it out on the girl turning him down.

He really is a good guy, and would make a wonderful boyfriend.

Just not for her.

"Lily!" Cuffe's voice booms around the walls of Robert's office. "Your interview is here!"

"I'll see you later, Robert," Lily says, waving as she leaves. She leaves the entire box of donuts with him, figuring that this sort of situation calls for such generosity.

Cuffe is waiting for her in the hallway, and Lily can tell he's disappointed that she left behind the donuts. Oh well. He's not the one who just had his heart crushed by a work crush.

Hopefully not, at least.

The thought of Cuffe having a love life makes her shudder.

"She's early," Lily says, checking her watch. Her interview isn't due to start for another fifteen minutes. "She hasn't been waiting on me long, has she?"

"No, no. You're fine," Cuffe says. Lily has to slow her steps to keep up with his lackluster gate. "Her name is Euphemia. We don't need a whole lot on her. Just the interesting bits, so you can keep it brief."

"The fact that she used to work here, the fact that she donates a lot of money now," Lily says, ticking the things she remembers off on her fingers. "And maybe a few personal things about her."

"Right, like the fact that she married a doctor from here too. People love those sort of stories. She's a chatterbox, though, so you'll probably get more information than you could ever need."

Lily laughs. "That's perfectly fine. It's better than trying to pull stuff out of them. The character pieces don't even have to be that long, but sometimes just a few paragraphs out of some of these donors is like pulling teeth."

"I don't think you'll have this problem from her. She enjoys talking."

Lily turns the corner to find an older woman standing in front of her office, chatting with the receptionist. She can tell by the way their receptionist is beaming that she's a kind woman. That she has the ability to make any person she's talking to feel heard. Important.

Lily is drawn to her like a magnet.

"Oh, Lily is here," the receptionist says, gesturing towards Lily. Her smile is exceptionally bright. "Lily, this is Euphemia. Euphemia, Lily."

"Lily," Euphemia repeats. "I love that! Gorgeous name for a gorgeous girl."

Lily blushes. She wonders if she can store this woman in her pocket and keep her.

"It's very nice to meet you, Euphemia," Lily says, the picture of professionalism. She extends her hand and shakes it twice like her father used to make her practice for meeting people. "I'm sorry to keep you waiting."

"Oh, it's not a problem. I was enjoying talking to Miss Jones here about how much has changed since I worked here years ago."

"If you'd like to step into my office, I'd love to hear all about it too," Lily says, gesturing towards her door and meaning it. This is the type of woman who Lily can tell she'll hang onto every word she says. Who she'd love to hear countless stories from.

She opens her laptop to a blank doc and lets her fingers hover over the keys. This is her favorite part of her job, when she gets to step away from press releases and gala printings, and focus on actual people. The people who make the hospital run.

"So, Euphemia," Lily starts, "tell me a little about yourself. Like when you started working here."

The older woman casts her eyes to the ceiling in thought, and Lily thinks there's something so familiar about them that she nearly forgets to listen when Euphemia starts to speak again.

"Let's see...I probably started working here when I was in my twenties. We don't have to say how long ago that was, do we?"

Lily laughs. "No, we can fudge a few things! And you started off in the coffee shop, right?"

"Yes, back when it was called Java Hut. Such a long time ago now."

"Did you meet your husband here?"

"I did. He was a doctor. He would come down to get a little pick me up in between surgeries. I wrote my number on one of his orders, and he called me that night."

Lily hums, smiling as she types.

"And what's his name?"

"Fleamont," Euphemia says affectionately. "Interesting name, isn't it? I almost thought he was lying when he first gave it to me."

"That is a different name! I don't think it's one I've ever heard before."

"No, I don't think you would have. Unfortunately, he's the only Fleamont I know. He used to get into fights with other kids over it when he was younger. You know how cruel children can be sometimes. We made sure to give our son a more normal sounding first name, even though we gave him Fleamont for a middle name."

"So you have children?" Lily asks, her eyes lighting up. She's typing out probably more information than she needs, but she feels as if she wants to remember this woman's story.

"Just the one," Euphemia says, holding up a single finger. Her eyes are lit up too. Lily can tell she adores motherhood. "He's older though, obviously. Probably around your age, I'd imagine."

Lily tries to imagine the sort of son this woman would have. If he would have her features and her personality. If she would want to listen to him tell stories too.

She can almost envision him perfectly, though that's probably because James actually did read to her last night before she fell asleep.

"James," Euphemia says, as if she pulls the name right out of Lily's thoughts. Lily freezes, her fingers on the keys.

"What?"

"James," Euphemia says again. "That's his name."

James, James, James.

This can't be happening. Surely it isn't the same James. It's such a common name, after all. Surely she isn't interviewing the mother of her roommate that she snogged for hours last night.

"James," Lily repeats, blinking rapidly. She smiles a moment later, knowing it likely looks forced. "I'm sorry...what did you say your last name was? I think I forgot to ask."

"Oh, that would be important, wouldn't it? It's Potter!"

Time stops.

And then picks back up again, dropping Lily back in place to say the most inopportune thing she possibly could in that moment.

"Fuck me."

Euphemia blinks. "What?"

Lily. Is. Mortified.

She is beyond mortified.

And what's worse is that her fingers have seemed to start working again, and she looks down on her screen to see the words fuck me flashing back at her. She quickly hits the backspace key, going a bit too far back in her haste.

"I mean — that is to say," Lily starts, flustered. Her head drops to her hands. "Your son's name is James?"

"That's right."

"And he wouldn't happen to… I don't know, live around here? Maybe?"

"He does. Is something wrong? You've gone a bit pale on me, dear."

Lily doesn't know how to answer that. Yes and no. No, nothing is wrong because Euphemia seems like a lovely woman. Yes, everything is wrong because she had snogged her son, and she desperately wants Euphemia to like her.

What is she even supposed to say now?

Hi, my name is Lily Evans. Not only am I doing your character piece for our website, but I also snogged your son senseless in a lift less than twenty-four hours ago! Would you like to go to lunch with me to celebrate?

"No, nothing's wrong," Lily says, looking back up at Euphemia. "I think — I think I'm flatmates with your son is all."

Euphemia's eyes go wide for a split second, and then she's squealing. Her hands are covering her mouth and she is squealing.

Lily resists the urge to cover her ears so she doesn't appear to be rude.

"Oh! You're that Lily!" Euphemia gushes. She says it as if Lily is a celebrity. As if Lily is someone she's been dying to meet her entire life. "Oh my goodness! I had no clue that when a Lily would be interviewing me, it would be my son's Lily!"

Her son's Lily.

James' Lily.

Lily is James' Lily.

She likes the way that sounds.

"Guilty as charged," Lily says, feeling a bit pleased Euphemia is so happy it's her. "I'm sorry. I had no idea! James only refers to you as mum. I didn't even think to ask your name."

"Oh, don't worry a thing about it! He has told me so much about you! He calls home once a week, and all we talk about is you. If I wouldn't know any better, I'd say he's smitten."

Lily laughs at the word, considering she's used it for herself several times when it comes to James. He's made fun of her for being hopelessly smitten when he himself seems to be just as bad off.

This will be interesting ammunition for later.

Interesting indeed.

"He really helped me out of a tight situation. I don't know what I would have done if he wasn't looking for a roommate the same time I broke up with my boyfriend."

Euphemia beams. "It was fate."

Lily smiles. "That or a poorly worded roommate wanted ad."

Lily calls James on the way home from work. It's such a domestic thing to do that she nearly feels nervous, even though she's called him multiple times before.

But this time is different.

This time is post snog.

This time they are more than just roommates, they're...something she hasn't quite figured out just yet.

She'll do that later.

"Hello?" James answers on the second ring.

"Why didn't you tell me your middle name was Fleamont?"

There is a long silence on the other end of the phone in which Lily knows James is trying to figure out just how she knows about his awful secret.

The panic practically leaks through the phone.

"How did you—"

"Your mother told me," Lily sings. She hits a curb as she does so, hoping James can't hear that as well.

Singing and driving go on her list of things to never do together.

"My what now? When did you meet my mother?"

"She was the person I had to interview for my character piece today! Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't know that's what she was doing today!" James protests. She can tell he's already back at their flat. Sirius is laughing in the background. "I just knew she was coming to town. I assumed it was just to see me. Apparently not."

Lily snorts. "How did you not know that's what she was doing? Don't you call her like once a week?"

"Oh my god. Did she tell you that too?"

"She did. I think it's adorable. I can't believe you didn't know."

"We don't talk about that stuff. We talk about other stuff."

Lily feels radioactive with giddiness. "Like what?"

"Evans."

"Potter."

"You know what."

"Humor me," Lily says. Flirts. God, she can feel herself flirting. "Please."

James groans. She's never heard such a fake sound in her life. "I talk about you, alright. Happy?"

"Ecstatic."

"When are you coming home by the way?"

"I'm nearly there. Why?" Lily teases. "Do you miss me?"

"So much," James admits. He doesn't hold back. Her heart flutters. "So much, you have no idea."

"I'll be there soon," she promises. "Is your mum already there?"

"She is. She's wanting to take us out to dinner, and also she's trying to question me about you. So if you could please come home so she can't have the opportunity to do so…"

"I'm nearly there. Give me ten minutes."

"Did you get things squared away with the bloke from work?"

Lily sighs. "Yeah, he took it hard. But well. I'm free from any ties, so to speak."

There's silence on the other end. It ticks on for so long that Lily wonders if the call has dropped.

She holds the phone away from her just before James starts speaking again.

"Meet you in the parking lot for a quick snog before we have to go to dinner with my mum?"

Lily hits the gas.