11CHAPTER TWO!!!

La, you guys don't miss ANYTHING do you? Yes, this is loosely(ok, that's somewhat a lie) based on the Holiday. I saw it just fell in love and had to write this. Good job!

Enjoy! This one will be longer, I promise!

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"Oh, um, Lily, how've you been?" Alice said uncertainly.

James, who was listening from the other side of the door in Alice's bedroom, dropped his mouth in surprise. Why would his Lils be contacting Alice? As far as he knew, Alice hadn't been more then a passing aquaintance with Lily. He listened on eagerly.

"I've been great, thank you. I um...well I was talking to Frank this afternoon, you remember that we work together at a photo agency and he, uh, recommended your house to me, in a way."

"I'm sorry, I don't quite understand–" Alice started.

"He said you did some sort of house swapping, uh, thing," Lily said, not really knowing why she was suddenly so shy and nervous. Maybe she really was looking forward to a vacation, even if it meant taking over someone else's house.

"Oh, well, yes I do 'House Swap' though I don't know how Frank knew about that...um, is that what you want? Uh, I mean, uh, the reason your calling is because you want to House Swap with me?"

"Yes."

"Well, I'm glad we've come to some understanding, now. When would you like to do it?" She suddenly remember James in the other room, most likely eavesdropping, and quickly, though trying to appear joking, said, "Would tomorrow be too soon?"

"No! Not at all, if you can."

Oh. "Well, then I'll just have to clean the house up for you, get your address and, well you already have mine so, that's that. We'll swap at, say, ten o'clock?"

"Sounds great, fantastic! My address is 4013 Autumn Drive. I'll see you then! Bye."

"Bye." Alice waved a little as the head in the fire vanished, when her bedroom door crashed open and her dastardly cousin came flying in.

"Oh, Alice! You're the best cousin any man could ask for! I'll love you forever and never ever EVER steal your cookie dough AGAIN!"

"You only say that because I've just invited the girl you've been infatuated with for years to live at my house, which you have access to and now are going to propose marriage to her the second she sets foot in here."

"Alice! You never told me you were a MIND READER!!!"

"Oh merlin...you better leave her alone when she comes!"

"I promise not to set foot in this house while she is here with you!"

"She wont be here with me except for the first five minutes."

"Exactly...I'll just wait for ten minutes after she sets foot in this house. By then you'll be gone!"

"Poor Lily..."

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Ok, everything's packed, Frank knows I'm leaving, and now I get a whole MONTH to myself! I am strangely excited! Lily thought as she pulled her two suitcases towards the fireplace in her apartment. She threw in a pinch of floo powder and yelled the address to Alice's house. The green flames tickled her as she climbed in and whooshed off to her relaxing getaway.

She arrived in a cozy little living room with white carpet, cream colored leather couches, and dark purple curtains that led out to a walkway in a forest. Alice stood there, with a suitcase of her own, and immediately gave Lily a hug.

"Ah, Lily! How have you been these last few years?" Lily shrugged with a smile; she forgot how pleasant Alice was to talk to, though she had rarely ever done so at Hogwarts.

"I've been great, I've got a really good job, a nice apartment which I hope you'll like, and now I just get to relax from all the stress I've been having!"

"Oh, I totally know how you've been feeling! A quick run through, the kitchen's behind us, the bedroom and bathroom are down that hallway, and since I know how much you love to read, my personal book collected is in that cabinet." Lily was touched that, not only had Alice remembered her love of books, but that she was letting her read her personal library.

"Oh Alice! You've just made my day. Well," she said, pushing Alice towards the green fire, "You enjoy yourself at my place and thank you so much for everything!"

"Another quick hug," which Alice gave her, "and goodbye! You know where to reach me!" Lily laughed as Alice went into the fire and then looked around at her quaint, but wonderfully quiet surroundings. She sighed happily.

"Oh, I'm going to just love this!"

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Later that day, after lazing around and eating a small dinner, she leisurely picked a book from Alice's supply, Pride and Prejudice, and snuggled under the covers of Alice's bed, sinking into the wonderful bliss of Mr. Darcy's and Elizabeth Bennet's romance.

At about eleven, when she was slowly sinking into unconsciousness by the lulling sound of the rain pelting the nearby window, a loud bang roused her from her bed. After a second, and two more bangs, she realized it was knocking, coming from the direction of the front of the house.

Who on earth could be calling at eleven o'clock at night?! Lily thought, grumpy and incredulous as she stumbled in the dark till she found the light switch. She grabbed her wand from the desk by the door and went quietly down the hall, through the living room, and to the front door. The loud knocking continued and Lily was thankful that Alice lived in the middle of nowhere, with no neighbors. She unlatched the door and before she could open it, it was thrown open by none other then her long-time enemy, James bloody Potter.

"What on earth–What are you doing here?!" He ignored her questions as he took off his wet jacket and slipped it into the closet. Lily, angry and confused and tired, took it out and flung it at him, now sitting on the couch taking off his wet shoes.

"Lils, would you be quiet, I've got a cracking headache at the moment and I don't need your excruciatingly loud voice filling my head...I cant believe I just said that–"

"What–but how–why–?" Lily sputtered, unsuccessfully trying to ask why he was there and why wouldn't he leave while she was on her holiday.

"I told Alice I was going to come right after you got here but lucky for you I decided to just drown my troubles in a bottle of firewhiskey and–"

"Oh, James–" she said, distraught as she ran over and kneeled down in front of him. She stared distastefully into his bloodshot eyes. "You're drunk?"

"Downright, yes. You mind if I stay here for the night?"

"Yes, I do, as a matter of fact!"

"Alice always lets me though..."

"How did you...how did you know I was here?"

"Well, I eavesdropped on Alice...I probably shouldn't be this crudely honest but I am drunk and cant help it, so–"

"Wait, are you and Alice...living together?!"

"No...but I do spend a lot of time here...I usually stay in the guest room but," he keeled over, "I don't think I'll make it."

"May I ask why you are 'usually' here at Alice's house?" Lily said, getting up and heading for the kitchen to get him a drink of water.

"Well, her being my cousin and all, she usually lets Sirius and I–" He stopped when he heard the sound of glass shattering against tile floor. He jumped up and ran into the kitchen to find Lily, hands bloody and kneeling on the floor, trying to clean up a broken glass cup she had dropped at the mention of Alice and James being cousins.

"Lils...you're bleeding! Let me uh, woah...I'll help you once the ceiling goes back on top and the floor on the bottom." But Lily didn't move, just stared at her bloody hands. James kneeled down next to her and pulled out his wand. With one hand rubbing his eyes he said a spell with the other which cleaned all the cuts in her hand then muttered, half groaning, pointing his wand at the mess on the floor, " Repairo." He stood up and pulled Lily up with him. He took the repaired cup and put some water in it. He drank it all in three gulps then went back into the living room, motioning for Lily to follow him. She did and they both sat awkwardly on the couch.

"So...You said something about a guestroom...but Alice never mentioned anything about one to me?"

"Well, that's probably because she didn't want to encourage you to have company." He laughed and she gave a small smile. "I'm just kidding, she didn't want me to be here so...well, anyway, its below us."

"If it's below us, then how–"

"I just stand over there, say 'Teleporte' then I immediately appear down there. I have a bathroom and everything. After I kept showing up here she finally built it for me...with magic of course!" He said to her raised eyebrows. "You still wouldn't mind if I stayed down there, would you? What with Sirius gone all the time, I don't like being alone." He said sheepishly, not looking her in the eyes though she had turned towards him when he started speaking. His expression softened and she was surprised to actually be having a civil conversation with James Potter!

"You know what James Potter..." she sighed and gave him a weary smile "You may stay tonight," she poked him in the chest, "but that's it! I don't want you ruining my holiday!"

"Would I really be ruining your holiday?" He said quietly, slowly leaning toward her. Sensing danger, Lily stood abruptly.

"Well um...over here then. It is in this corner, right?" she asked, desperate for safe small talk until she was out of his sight. He shook his head and stood up, joining her in the corner of the room.

"Well, goodnight, James." she said. He grunted.

"Goodnight Lils." Then, unexpectedly, he leaned down and softly kissed her. He pulled away and muttered, "Teleporte," and was gone with a whoosh.

Lily sighed and touched her lips gingerly. She then smiled to herself and went slowly back to her room. She laid down on the bed and smiled.

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CRACK!

Lily shot up in bed, breathing heavily. She had an unfortunate and untimely fear of thunder and right now it sounded like a rock band outside. She pulled the blanket close around her shoulders but to no avail; it didn't make the horrible noise go away. Should I...? Lily thought. I'm so fickle...oh, I'm going to go for it. He's here, so I might as well make the most of that. Lily threw the blanket aside, grabbed her pillow, and left the room. In the hallway, a loud CRACK made her run to the corner of the living room and whisper breathlessly, "Teleporte!" everything went dark for a second then she appeared in a room, lit by a small candle in the corner, with blue walls, no windows (obviously, since it's underground) a bed, night stand, and door adjacent to her. She saw a dark lump in the bed and quickly went to it, the muffled sound of thunder going off crazily above her head. James was turned away from her but she still put her hand on his shoulder and gently shook him.

"James. James, it's Lily." He made a grunting sound and rolled over. He blinked and whispered,

"Lily? Are you alright? Is something wrong upstairs?" He began to sit up but Lily put her hand on his bare chest, blushingly halting him.

"No, no, everything's ok, I just–" superfluous tears sprung to her eyes. If there was one thing she hated to do it was proclaim herself in an embarrassing light. She took a deep, shuddering breath while trying to collect herself in the second she could spare before answering, "I...I am afraid of the thunder." She said, then tears began to pour from her eyes. James quickly sat up and moved over, pulling Lily down onto the bed where he pulled her close to his side. "Shh...Lily, it's okay...everything's going to be fine...I think I can hear the thunder letting up even now!" Lily laughed at his feeble attempts to make her feel better.

"Thanks, James...I promise this wont happen again." She started to get up but his arm, which had snaked its way around her waist without her realization, kept her there.

"Stay with me, please." He whispered, his face extremely close to hers. She looked down for a second, contemplating what would happen in the near future if she did, then looked up into his eyes, snuggling closer to him.

"Alright." She said, so quietly that he almost didn't hear her. He cupped her face with his free hand and leaned so close that he was breathing her air, but waiting to see if she'd make the next move. She waited a moment before closing the gap and placing her lips softly on his. He pulled her waist so close to him that their hips were touching and he continued to kiss her hungrily, as if she gave him the breath of life. When he pulled away for a real breath she laid her head on his shoulder and boroughed it in his neck. He held her to him like that for the rest of the night and into the morning.

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WOOHOO! Don't worry, nothing DIRTY happens! I'm a mormon, not a porn-star! Good Grief, you people!!!

Danielle

P.S. Hope you liked it! REVIEW PLEASE!!!