Chapter 3

AN: ok, here is where the story is going to pick up. So enjoy!! And is Auror a field in the ministry? I don't know, but in my story it is. Ha ha

Disclaimer- I do NOT own Harry Potter!!!

5 years after graduation

James opened the door to his flat. He was unbelievably tired, every muscle in his body ached. He proved himself in the past four years to be exactly what the ministry needs in an Auror. This was is first year as an official Auror, and he was loving it. He walked over to his kitchen table and found a letter from Lily. They had been keeping touch, just as he said they would, since graduation. The letter brought a smile to his face, one that only she could bring. There was a knock at the door, James put down the letter, and answered it. His girlfriend, Kristy, threw herself on him. He kissed her, and held her for a little bit.

"So, how was work today?" She asked pulling away from their embrace.

"Same as always, what about you?" He shut the door as she headed to the kitchen.

"Oh, it was fine," she took off her coat and purse and sat them on the kitchen table. Then she noticed the letter, "What's this?"

James came up behind her, "Oh, nothing. It's Lily."

"What'd she say?" she started to pick up the letter but James grabbed it from her.

"Nothing."

"Jamie!" James hated that nickname, almost as much as the voice she said it in.

"What does it matter?" There wasn't anything in there that she couldn't read; it was just that it was from Lily and he considered it personal.

"What's in there that you don't want me to read?" Kristy was getting upset over nothing.

"Nothing! Nothings in here that you cant read, its just I don't want you to read it!" James almost never raised his voice, but this was getting out of hand. He shredded the paper and threw it on the floor. "Are you ready?"

She looked like she was about to cry, "yes."

James sighed he hadn't meant to yell, " Come here."

She hesitated but walked over slowly. He put his arms around her and they stayed like that for a minute or two before getting their coats and leaving. The fight about Lily wasn't their first and James knew it probably wouldn't be their last. He had tried to let her go, so many times. He had dated non-stop through out the first year after graduation trying to get over her, then he found Kristy and had been dating her since. While Kristy was beautiful with her long black hair and hazel eyes, she was nowhere near Lily. Lily had gorgeous red hair and amazing green eyes; she had everything that he wanted and everything that he needed. James had to put all focus on Kristy to forget Lily, once he even took down the picture of him and Lily at the Graduation ceremony after Kristy complained about it, though put it back up three days later. He had accepted that he couldn't forget her, and so he stopped trying.

Lily came home to her apartment; she threw her keys into a bowl that she kept on a table by the door. She then kicked off her shoes and shrugged off her coat. She went to her room and changed into her pajamas, on her way to the kitchen she flicked her wand and the radio came on. She then found some leftovers and heated them up. She was flipping through her mail when she heard a tapping noise beside her. She looked up and saw an owl tapping on the window. She went over and collected the letter and gave the owl a treat before it flew off. She turned the letter over and saw James's handwriting. She smiled to herself as she shredded the envelope and began to read the letter. What's he up to now? She thought. He wrote of good things, he seemed happy. His job was going good. No injuries. He was still together with that girlfriend of his. Ugh! She put the letter down and grabbed a piece of parchment and a quill and wrote a reply.

"Abby!" A snow-white owl came fluttering into the kitchen. Lily tied the letter to her leg and gave her treat and sent her out the window.

When Lily had finished eating she put the dishes into the sink and went into the living room. She found a magazine and started to read an article.

Pop!

Lily looked up from the magazine to see Natalie standing by the door.

"Hey!" Lily was glad to see her.

"Hey love," Natalie smiled and moved towards the Kitchen.

Lily spoke so Natalie could hear, " What's up?"

"Ah, nothing. You?" Natalie asked.

"Same."

"What's this?" Natalie said coming back holding a drink in one hand and the letter in the other.

"What? Oh, its just a letter from James." Lily put the magazine down and scooted over so Natalie could sit.

"Ooooh, what does it say?" Natalie smiled from ear to ear.

Lily laughed, " Not much, his job hasn't killed him yet, yesterday he had went out with Sirius and Remus, oh, and he's still together with that girl."

Natalie put the letter on the coffee table and looked at Lily, " I'm sorry."

"Ah, well, it doesn't matter."

"No it does, why don't you tell him!" Natalie insisted.

"Why? He has a girlfriend!" Lily was shocked.

"So, he's not married." Natalie argued.

Lily smiled, "Nah, I'll wait."

"Fine, whatever, I give up. Although," Natalie got a playful look on her face, " you know that Mark is free now."

Lily rolled her eyes, " No way."

"Why not? He's been flirting with you for weeks! He's really hot, plus he's your boss!"

"Exactly, that's why! What if something bad happens between us, then what?" Lily shook her head.

"Lily Evans!" Natalie turned to face lily more.

Lily giggled and shook her head again, and then she thought about James and what he would think of her dating her boss.

Natalie guessed she was thinking of James, "You know Lils, you can't waste your whole life waiting for James." Natalie whispered.

"I know." Lily sighed; the words hurt her more than Natalie intended.

"He's got a girlfriend, there's no reason why you can't have a boyfriend. And if he breaks up with her, you can break up with mike." Natalie smiled and her scheme.

"That's true." Lily agreed, the truth was she hadn't had a date since graduation and was beginning to feel lonely, "Ok. Ok. I'll talk to him tomorrow at work."

"Yes!" Natalie chuckled.

The two girls spent the rest of the night hatching their plan for the next day at work.

James was exhausted when he came home. He threw his coat over his couch and, walked into his room. He was changing when he heard a noise at the window; he turned to see a snowy owl. He smiled to himself and opened the window, "Hey Abby." He took the letter from the owl, and finished changing. As he read her reply he remember the shredded letter in the kitchen. He went in there and with a flip of his wand the pieces formed the letter again. He took both letters back into his room, where he read them, and placed them in his top drawer along with all her replies. He laid down on his bed and freed his mind to think of Lily. If he tried hard enough, sometimes he could still smell her perfume. He rolled over on his side, and thought about the date with Kristy. It had gone well, as good as it could have been. Kristy was a little flustered all night, and James suspected it had been caused by the fight. James knew Kristy deserved better, but for some reason she still wanted to be with him. Their relationship was a confusing one, at the beginning it was mostly physical, but he soon came to love her. Love. He remembered when he first said that he loved her, it was quite possibly the hardest thing he had ever done. They had been dating for at least 4years now, he wasn't really sure when they'd first started dating. She says it was in March, but he swears it was in May. James rolled on his other side, he couldn't get comfortable. He opened his eyes and saw the picture of him and Lily. They were standing with their arms around each other, and confetti all around them. Lily's smile was big, but his was much bigger. They looked happy. With that picture in his mind, he fell asleep.