Chapter 4
"Morning Potter," said Evans. It had been three weeks since James had first showed up at the coffee shop, he had been there every morning since.
"Morning Lily," said James. He was sitting at their usual table with her order sitting across from him.
"Thanks," said Lily lifting her coffee. "How long are you going to keep this up?"
"Well," said James sitting his newspaper on the table. "That depends."
"On?"
"Whether it's working or not."
"It's not working," said Lily. "I can't be bought with coffee and pastry."
"Well then I have a proposition for you."
"Go on," she said.
"I will stop harassing you every morning by showing up here..."
"I like it already," Lily interrupted.
"If you have dinner with me," said James.
"Why would you want me to have dinner with you?"
"Well...I'll tell you a secret, come closer..." James whispered leaning in.
Lily leaned forward as well so that their faces were almost touching.
"I really love you...I want to go out on a proper date with you, fill you full of alcohol, take advantage of you therefore making it impossible for you to ever leave me again since my skills in the bedroom are just so impressive," he whispered.
"You really think you are that impressive?" Lily whispered back to him.
"You never complained."
"I'm a good faker."
"Just give me one more chance, I'll make sure you never have to fake anything again," he whispered.
"So if I have dinner with you, I can have breakfast in peace?"
"That depends how well the date goes."
"James..."
"I'll stop coming here every morning to see you," said James. "I promise."
"Fine," said Lily. "The things I have to do to get rid of you."
"You'll have dinner with me?"
"Yes," said Lily. "But it's not a date, there will be no funny business, no good night kiss and I'm paying."
"But I invited you."
"You have also bought me breakfast for three weeks," said Lily. "You're the one that wants to have dinner, take it or leave it."
"I'll take it," said James. "How about tonight?"
"I can't tonight, I have a real date," said Lily. She wasn't entirely sure how James would take that, when they were at school he never reacted well when she had a date with someone else.
"With who?" said James completely outraged.
"You don't know him," said Lily keeping her voice casual. "This guy from work asked me out, he's cute, funny and helpful so I said yes."
"He won't love you like I do," said James sulkily.
"Well it's only our second date," said Lily. "Give it some time and I'm sure he'll get bored of me too."
"I never got bored of you," James sighed sadly. He reached out and stroked her hair. "Why can't you understand how I feel about you? Why can't you just believe that I love you, I love you more than anything in this world?"
"I don't have any reason to believe you," said Lily closing her eyes, she didn't want to see the look on his face, she didn't want to see him hurt. "I don't have any reason to trust you anymore, I can't trust that you won't get scared again. Isn't it better to just go out and find other people than to risk getting hurt again?"
"No," said James quietly. "I have to get to work, I'm sorry...I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"
"Fine," said Lily. She wondered how James knew when he had to go to work, maybe aurors had some kind of silent way of knowing, maybe Alastor Moody fitted them with some kind of device so that he could summon them when they were needed.
"Be careful today," said James. "I love you."
"Is everything okay?" said Lily. She knew James well enough to know that he was suddenly worried.
"I don't know," he said. "Promise me you will be on your guard today."
"I promise," she said. "Be careful, don't get yourself blown up."
"I'll do my best," said James. He leaned down and kissed her cheek, it didn't even occur to her to stop him.
Later that night Lily was on a date with Brad, the guy from work and she was miserable. She couldn't stop thinking about what had happened that morning with James, one minute he had been fine and then he was really worried. There must be an attack planned for today, it must be bad. She wished she knew how to contact him, but she didn't she didn't even know where he lived. She needed to know if he was okay, just the idea of James getting hurt in battle was enough to make her blood run cold. He couldn't die, he couldn't die not knowing how much she loved him, she would never forgive herself. He just couldn't die at all, she wouldn't know how to live in a world where James Potter didn't exist anymore.
"Lily. Lily," said Brad waving his hand in front of her face. "Are you alright?"
"Sorry I was miles away," she said apologetically.
"Is everything alright? You've been quiet all night."
"Uh...I'm sorry," said Lily. "I'm in love with my ex-boyfriend, I always have been. I'm sorry if I led you on in anyway...it's just he really hurt me, but lately he's been hanging around and...I'm sorry I know you don't need to be hearing this. I should go."
"Okay," said Brad dumbly. "I'll walk you home."
"You don't have to do that," said Lily. She threw money on the table to cover dinner.
"It's not safe out there," said Brad. "It's only a few minutes away."
"Okay thanks."
"So...this ex-boyfriend," said Brad as they walked down the almost empty street.
"What about him?"
"Is he the one?"
"Yes," said Lily. "He is."
"Well I can deal with losing my chance with you to him then," said Brad graciously.
"Thank you for being so nice," said Lily as she stopped walking. "You would have every right to be mad at me."
"To be honest I was warned that you weren't over your ex," Brad confessed.
"I'm sorry," said Lily. She reached and hugged him. "You're a great guy."
"Yeah I know," said Brad.
"Ministry official," said a stone cold voice behind them. "We are evacuating this area, deatheaters are nearby and you need to clear the area."
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