A/N: Down with the plot bunnies!! I don't have time to be doing this…but I thought maybe if I did, these darn ideas would leave me alone…or in any case I suppose I'll find out if they're any good or not. Now, if you guys like this I'll continue, of course, but if you don't- well, then hopefully the bunnies will hop away!

"Somewhere In Between"      

By: Snoopy511 -Emily-

(Embly51188@aol.com)

Summary: It's the summer before 7th year and James and Lily are both on Haitin Island for the vacation- but for different reasons. After a rather incriminating encounter with Lily's parents and fiancé, James is forced to go into hiding- with Lily uneasily taking care of him.

Disclaimer: None of this is mine…except perhaps the plot ;)

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Chapter One- Embarrassment, Insults, and Sympathy

              James directed a sigh at his shoes. They were fairly new...well, for him, that is. But already they were showing wear and tear. They'll just have to last me, James thought, I haven't the money to buy a new pair, in any case. He wasn't one to complain; this just wasn't a good day so far.

He grunted, dropping the stack of sales records in the musty storage room, dust flying up and invading his eyes. Blinking furiously, he turned to see his father standing in the doorway.

"Dad? Can't we close this store and start another business?"

"No, James." The balding man sighed. "Your grandmother specifically asked me to keep the family store open. I promised her, and I won't go against that. Now I need you to take over the cash register, I'm going out for some errands."

Before he could reply, his father had disappeared. She may have asked you to take over Dad, but she was old and out of her mind anyway. He grinned, picturing his father's face, had he replied with that.

Reluctantly, he made his way to the abandoned counter and straightened as he approached. The store was filled with all sorts of robes and accessories- but all for women. He cringed inside, thinking of when he had been little and thought these clothes were his. Thank God Sirius had told him better.

Every summer he was forced to return to this store. To Haitin Island. It was where the rich came for vacation, and where the poor worked. He obviously was among the latter. But he didn't suppose it was that bad…only a couple months a year…and there were lots of girls on the beaches in the evenings.

Suddenly, he heard female voices from the side of the store, coming closer. A dark red-haired girl was holding a large selection of the most expensive attire they carried, and her tall friend was telling her something that had caused both of them to burst out laughing.

"Erm- may I help you?" James asked in what he thought to be his professional voice.

The fiery haired girl looked up at him with surprisingly bright emerald eyes. "Yeah. I'll take all of it." She casually dropped the pile of clothing on the counter and turned back to her friend, giggling again.

James went through the whole pile methodically. Near the end he noticed with a sense of deep dread that she was purchasing not only new robes, but…undergarments as well. He gulped, and picked up the bra. A pale rose-colored one. Struggling to find the price tag, he was forced to run his hands over the whole thing, all but finding himself caught in it. He felt the sting of embarrassment covering his cheeks and spreading all over his face. The girls must have noticed, because they were exchanging highly amused glances. He refused to acknowledge this.

After what seemed like an extremely humiliating eternity, he found the tag and rang up the order without looking up at them. He handed the girl her purchases and muttered an embarrassed, "Have a great day." They just laughed and ambled out of the store. I'm such a dork. I might be a ladies' man, but I'm certainly not a ladies' underclothing man.

He sighed as the door banged open again. And then let his breath out. No, not another embarrassing situation. It was Sirius.

His best friend was grinning while he walked over. "James, you know how you're always telling me that you want a different job? Well I've found you one." He paused. "The Evans are looking for a new person to work as their waiter or something...you know, the mayor and his family. In any case, I told them you would do it."

"What?!" James exclaimed. "You didn't think to ask me first?"


"Well, I thought it would be a surprise. Didn't think you would mind, once you saw their younger daughter Lily. Now she's worth looking at. The red hair, green eyes…"

James froze. Oh no. There aren't very many red-heads on this island… "Well, let's hope she has a poor memory." Sirius gave him a strange look.

"Oh look- here comes your father! Let's go talk to those girls over there." Before James could reply, Sirius had grabbed his shirt and was pulling him out the door. He winked at two girls standing off to the side of the street and they giggled madly. 

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          Lily sipped her sweet tea and set down her book. The wind whipped her dark red hair back from her face, causing it to stream behind her in waves. She sighed, looking out across the ocean from her balcony.

They were having another party tonight. She had already tried whining about it, but for some reason it hadn't worked this time. At least Rick was coming. Her parents may have set up the marriage, but Lily had learned to love him. He was rather sweet. Not to mention as rich as she was; she would be able to buy twice the clothes. Laughing silently, she turned away from the water, curling her hair in one hand to keep it from obstructing her view.

She walked into her house, looking like a princess. In almost all respects, she was. Her door banged open and Petunia walked in scowling.

"I suggest you brush your hair out. Dinner's almost ready and mother wants you downstairs now." The tall, too-skinny girl slammed the door as she left. Lily sighed and did as she was told, only because she had no other choice.

She entered the large room that they reserved for parties and saw that many guests had already arrived. It was like a restaurant, with all of the tables and people and waiters running around with orders. She found her family at a table in the center. Her mother and father, Petunia, and Rick with an open seat next to him.

Smiling sweetly, Lily took her seat. She felt Rick grab her hand underneath the table and squeeze it. Her father proceeded to crack his over-used, not funny jokes, but Lily wasn't paying attention. She was too busy exchanging smiles with Rick and whispering around her water glass.

Their waiter approached- a boy with messy black hair and awfully bright aqua eyes. He looked to be her age…and very familiar. He seemed to be purposely not glancing in her direction.

"Oh, Rick." Her mother smiled from across the table. "You know my daughter is fond of you."

"Ma'am, I would have to be slow to have not already figured that one out." He smiled. Lily saw the waiter roll his eyes and grunt. Rick turned around. "What did you just say?"

"Sir?" The boy asked, unmoved. "I don't believe I said anything."

"You had better be showing us some respect." Lily's father announced.

"What respect do you deserve that I don't?" He replied thoughtfully. She could see him grinning to himself, proud to defy the people who obviously held control.

                   

Rick laughed. "Well, just look at yourself. Poorly dressed, dirty. You scream the word worthless." Everyone at the table laughed.

Lily joined in, as they publicly humiliated this boy. She laughed with them, even though something in her heart told her that it wasn't the right thing to do.

Finally, she could see him breaking down. He raised his voice and everyone in the room heard what he said next. "If anyone is worthless, it's you rich people." He paused to catch his breath. "Without me, without people like me, you are nothing! Don't try to tell me who's inferior!" He threw his order pad and pen down at the table, knocking over a water glass into Mr. Evan's lap. But he barely noticed this before rushing out of the room.

Lily was in a fog. This wasn't her life…it was a dream that she was observing, not included in. She listened as the people around her became considerably angrier. But for some reason, she felt bad. God knows why. He's just a troublemaker.

"Well, I'll send some men after him. Then we can decide how he should be punished…" She heard her father conclude.

"I don't feel so well." Lily mentioned. "I'm going to step outside."


She took care to make sure that the door she left from was the same door that the boy had a few minutes earlier. A rush of warm night air brushed her face as the door clicked shut behind her. She glanced around.

And there he was, standing a few yards off staring into the full moon. His expression was angry, annoyed. She sighed and walked up in front of him. His messy hair fell into his eyes, and she felt the compulsion to reach up and brush it back, but resisted.

"Look- I don't know your name, but I feel bad for what happened in there. I can hide you until it blows over."

He sneered. "Hide me?" He opened his mouth wider to make something else clear, but she interrupted him.

"Yes, hide you. Don't you realize that my father is the mayor of this island? He takes insults to his status seriously, and he'll lock you up for it. I'm not joking. I've watched him put people in jail for this before." He said nothing, but stared at her. "What? You don't want the help? You want to miss your seventh year at Hogwarts then?" She placed her hands on her hips, realizing that she was being too loud. Realizing that they would be coming to look for this boy any moment now.

"How…How did you know that I go to Hogwarts?"

Lily looked annoyed. But in truth, she had only just recognized him at all. "We're in the same House, dumb ass." He stiffened, but she ignored the gesture.

"Why should I trust you? You aren't any different from the rest of them."


Before she could form a reply, they heard voices approaching. Footsteps sounded on the marble and Lily watched the doorknob turn.

She grabbed the boy by his shirt and ran off down the beach, pulling him behind her. She refused to stop running until she was sure that nobody could hear or see them anymore. "It's around here somewhere…"

"What is?" he muttered, still glaring at her.

"The cave where you'll hide." She glanced around, walking off to the right a little ways. "Come here!" she yelled at him, insistently.

He grumbled to himself, but followed her inside a good-sized cave. She had obviously been inside before.

"I used to play here as a little kid. It's not bad." She turned to look at him. "I'll bring you food. But don't go outside, and for God's sake, don't ever tell anyone that I'm doing this for you. I already wish I hadn't." she muttered, turning back to the entrance and staring out, listening to the waves roaring a little ways off.

This boy whose name she still had yet to find out leaned against the cave wall, watching her. "I would say thanks, but I still don't think I like you."

"You are the most ungrateful bastard I've ever met!" Lily spat furiously, stalking out.

"I was just...kidding." he said, seeing that she was already gone.

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A/N: Too fast? I guess I could always rewrite the chapter, if that's the case…well, review if you want me to continue…otherwise say goodbye to the story! Goodnight and thanks for reading. =)