A/N A little Jily Coffee Shop AU for you all. I think this will maybe be three/four chapters. So first multi-chapter for me! Let me know what you think. I hope these pair of cuties amuse you.

Lily steamed the milk whilst checking out the lad in the front of the queue. She felt her cheeks blush when he caught her looking and busied herself with the next coffee order.

"Caught you looking,"

"Sorry what?"

"I said, I caught you looking, is it my hair? Or my face?" The lad ran his hand through his hair, purposely mussing it up and then flashed a grin in her direction.

Lily blushed again and smiled to herself,

"Neither actually, your fly is open on your trousers," she said with a smirk. "Your coffee," she put the cup down with a little more force than necessary.

Lily gave a soft chuckle as he scrambled to fix his trousers.

This time he blushed, "thanks, I'd probably go around like that all day," he ran his hand through that messy black mop atop his head again, then grabbed his coffee. Lily smiled as he raised the cup towards her, "James," he said, smiling broadly.

"Lily," she replied.

—-

Lily got home to her flat after her shift that day and threw her keys on the side. She kicked her shoes off, adding them to the pile and moved toward the sound of voices in the kitchen. She hurried through the small flat and leant against the door smiling to herself at the girls in the kitchen.

"Lily! You are finally home," Marlene cackled with glee and reached to pull her into the kitchen, thrusting a glass of wine in her hands. Lily smiled at her obvious joy. Mary and Dorcas waved their glasses at her too, carrying on their conversation lounging against the side units.

"I need to change, and shower Marls, I had such a busy day today,"

"How was work?" Mary called over to her,

"Yeah fine thanks Mary, busy as per, Christmas shoppers are out in force," she gave a wry smile and put her glass to one side. "What time are we going out?"

"Soon as you are ready, so hurry the fuck up Lils, we are meeting the lads out too, so I don't want to be late," Marlene gave her a shove towards the door and Lily paused.

"The lads?" She questioned.

Dorcas smiled this time, "Marley has got herself an invite from that lad in her English Lit class, Sirius,"

Lily laughed, "Oh you've been pining after him for ages,"

"Have not," Marlene protested. "But he is fit as, and so are his mates. I think it'll be a bit of fun!" She pushed Lily gently towards the door, removing the wine glass. This time Lily protested.

"You just gave me this!"

"And now I'm taking it back until you are ready to go out," Marlene nudged her again and Lily folded. "Fine, fine, I'm going, I'll be quick," and she turned and headed towards her room.

Lily finished curling the ends of her hair and turned to look in the mirror. Pleased with her skirt and top combo she hurried downstairs to meet the rest of the girls, grabbing a pair of heels on her way out of her room. The girls were finishing up in the kitchen and had ordered a taxi.

"Lily! You are ready, yes I like this top," Marlene reached over and pulled a curl over Lily's shoulder, then handing her a shot, "Drink up, taxi is here,"

Lily rolled her eyes, downed the drink and let Marlene pull her hand out the door. They piled into the taxi, all giggles and limbs as they settled in. Marlene yelled over to the driver, "The Phoenix bar please,"

As they arrived Lily groaned, "Marls, I cannot be bothered with that queue! Look at it, it's so long!"

Marlene ignored her, pulling her along quickly. "It's fine Lily, Sirius said to come to the side door. He has some connection here or something so we made guest list," she winked and sidled up to the bouncer.

Lily turned to Dorcas and Mary who were just behind and linked arms with them, "She's landed on her feet with this lad girls, no queueing is my favourite perk of Marlene chatting up her classmates!" Dorcas and Mary laughed and the three girls headed in after Marlene.

As they approached the bar Lily gave a start, "No way," she murmured to herself, slowing her walk as they approached the group of four boys. "You alright Lily?" Dorcas asked her, concerned as she touched her on the arm lightly.

"Yeah, just I met that boy today, he was flirting at the shop, so full of himself," she laughed and rolled her eyes.

"Which one?"

"The super fit one," Lily whispered and then blushed.

Dorcas grinned, giving her a light shove, "Let's go say hello then!"

"I don't date customers Dorcas, it gets so awkward," Lily hissed back at her. Their conversation paused as they approached the group and Lily smiled. Marlene laughed as Sirius swept her up off her feet and spun her in a circle. She settled into his side as he flung an arm around her shoulder. "Drinks!" He cried and leant over towards the bar.

The others smiled at the girls and a flurry of introductions went around the group when they reached Lily James stiffened and then smiled awkwardly. Lily returned the smile and then gestured at the booth behind them all. She sat down opposite James and Remus beside Dorcas, who already seemed to have gained drinks passed around by Sirius.

A while later Lily leant against the high back plush of the booth, her hands slid against the crushed velvet of the seat and she sighed, digging her fingers in helped to ground her slightly spinning head. She observed her friends through her lashes. Marlene and Sirius were in the centre of the dancefloor, so close she struggled to see where one ended and the other began. She smiled then, Marls needed somebody who was passionate about her she thought. Dorcas and Mary were chatting animatedly with Peter and Remus across the way from her, laughing in uproar at something Remus had said.

She jumped then as James slid in next to her. "Hi," she smiled up at him.

"Hi yourself," he grinned easily back at her. "Listen, ummmmm I was a prat this morning, coffee went to my head," he gestured wildly with his hand and his drink slopped out the top, narrowly missing her.

"You hadn't actually drunk the coffee yet," she quipped back dryly.

"When?" he asked with a startled look.

"When you were being a prat," she said primly, raising her glass to her lips slowly. He grinned at her and she felt the full effect of his boyish charm. Lily steeled herself, she did not need an overly confident, over exuberant prat in her life she thought as she watched another load of his drink slid over the side of his glass. She nevertheless returned the smile again and ignored the thrumming of her heart as he responded by leaning in closer to her.

"Dance with me," he asked, that grin remained playful across his lips. She waited a beat before she leant back again.

"No," and watched with satisfaction as his face fell. He recovered himself quickly though and laughed.

"Right, I get it, I'm a prat," he laughed and scrubbed a hand through his hair, ruffling it and then straightening his glasses. Lily huffed at herself, cross that she couldn't help but like him. He turned away, watching the dance floor and she took a moment to sneak a peek at him. She admired the slope of his neck down to his shoulders. Lilly reached out and touched him on the arm and he turned back, his whole self seemed to light up.

"It's not that, it's just I don't date customers, it gets in a mess," she smiled at him, her hand lingering on his taut, tanned forearm. She squeezed her fingers gently and he grabbed her hand. He pulled her close, laughing gently in her ear.

"It's not a date Lily, it's a dance!" Before she quite knew what was happening, she was on her feet and in his arms. He spun her out and pulled her back in again and Lily couldn't help herself, she giggled. An actual girly giggle. She blushed as she ran her hands up his chest and round his neck. He settled his hands around her hips swayed to the beat with her. Lily closed her eyes and enjoyed the sensation of his arms around her. I could allow this, she thought, I could get used to this.

The press of bodies seemed to be closer her as they moved further into the dancefloor. Lily thought she could feel the beat pulsing through her blood, it made her body sing and she pressed herself closer.

To soon she felt the song ended and James led her back to the table, "I'll get us more drinks," Lily nodded and sat back, fanning herself slightly. Marlene barrelled in next to her, she was warm and drunk. "Lils! Do not let me go home with him," she exclaimed, excitedly grabbing her hands. "I like him, I do not want to fuck this up," Marlene collapsed against her and Lily laughed as she steadied her.

"Sure Marley, we can go home now if you like?"

"Home?" Lily looked up at James' disappointed voice.

"Yeah, I'm going to take Marley home, she's drunk." Lily smiled and stood, pulling Marlene along with her. Sirius joined James' side, his face split into a crooked grin at the sight of Marlene. "Too much fun Marley?" His eyebrows raised as she lurched into him. He laughed, propping her up and giving her a swift kiss on the lips. Lily made to step forward and was surprised when he gently spun her around and dropped Marlene into her arms.

"Take care of her, she is something special," he gave a roguish wink and pulled James to the bar. James raised a forlorn hand in farewell and Lily nodded at him, giving him a small secret smile. Marlene started singing to herself and Lily pulled her along, collecting Mary and Dorcas along the way. The four of them spilt out onto the street, hailed a taxi and bundled in heading for home. Lily felt a wee flame kindle in her chest and held onto it.

Lily rose early for her shift the next day, her step was light as she made her way to the shower, mulling over the events of the previous night. She switched on the shower, and steam filled the bathroom, she pulled her hair down from her tie and stepped into the cubicle. She washed her hair through and scrubbed her face until it was tinged pink. Her thoughts strayed to James and she felt a thrill run over her body. Stepping out of the shower she wrapped a towel around her and plaited her thick hair, swinging it over her shoulder. She made her way to the kitchen, flicked on the kettle and then went to get dressed.

On her return to the kitchen Marlene was sitting at the table, head in hands.

"Good morning, babe?" Lily asked with a note of amusement.

"urgh," groaned Marlene in reply. Lily laughed and poured two coffees, shoving one under Marlene's nose.

"This will cheer you up, my love," Lily stood back against the counter, sipping her coffee and watched in amusement as Marlene slowly came to life. "Better?" she asked,

"Better," Marlene agreed. She stretched like a cat, her toes propped on the seat opposite her. "So James?" She smiled coyly up at Lily, clutching the cup to her chest.

Lily laughed, "Even when drunk you don't miss a trick do you?" She gathered her thoughts for a moment and shrugged. "He's nice," she risked a glance at Marlene who had her eyebrows raised.

"He's nice?" she scoffed, "Lily, the boy is banging hot, he's not my type of course, but he's definitely yours, he's gorgeous and clever. He's top of English Lit with Sirus, he's funny, he's kind and he is totally in to you!"

Lily rolled her eyes back at her, "Thank you for your assessment but I don't have time, and I don't date customers. I have a stack of work to keep on top of for labs, and I work three days a week, I do not have time for a boyfriend,"

Marlene huffed this time, "Boyfriend, or could just be a friend with certain benefits," Marlene wiggled her hips suggestively and Lily laughed. "No time for that either," she said wryly.

"Oh come on, you could use a good shag,"

"Could we not have this conversation right now? I'm heading to work, and you should shower." Lily placed her cup in the sink and turned back to Marlene. "Anyway, he's too nice, too nice for that sort of..." she gestured in the air and Marlene laughed, "He's nice Marley, he's not just a shag," Lily blushed.

"See! You do like him, I can tell!" Marlene crowed in satisfaction as Lily blushed a deeper shade of red.

"Anyway, we shouldn't be talking about me! We should be talking about you, Sirius seems in to you,"

"He is, and I'm going to make him wait, I like him. See some of us can be mature with our feelings Lily," Lily laughed at that and made her way out of the room.

"Bye Marlene," she called heading to the door as she grabbed her keys and coat, "I'll be back at six." Lily slammed the door behind her and took a deep breath, Marlene's cackle still ringing in her ears. She touched her fingers briefly to her lips, shook her head and started the walk to work.