Jily oneshots

A Universal Truth

by WeasleyWannabee

Lily looks up from her worn copy of Pride and Prejudice, scanning the café for her friend and roommate Marlene for the third time. Once again failing to spot the blonde, she returns to her reading with a little sigh. She knows it shouldn't surprise her that Marlene is late—Lily had known her long enough to realize this was a virtual certainty—but nagging thoughts of the amount of homework awaiting her back in her dorm makes Lily impatient.

Distracted as she is with wondering when Marlene might arrive, Lily jumps when someone else slides unannounced into the seat across from her. The person in question is a young man about her age with unruly black hair and a pair of spectacles perched crookedly on his nose.

Without preamble, the young man states, " 'It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.' " When Lily merely stares at him, he gestures at the book still in her hand. "Pride and Prejudice. The first line of the book?"

"I'm aware," Lily says, recovering from her surprise. "I'm just trying to decide if you said that with the intent to impress me, or if you're in fact announcing that you're rich and looking to get married as soon as possible."

The bespectacled man grins and says jokingly, "Both, I'd say. James Potter," he adds, holding out his hand, which Lily shakes after a moment of hesitation. "I don't think we've ever been formally introduced."

"Probably because my father has yet to visit your family to make a proper connection," Lily says dryly.

James laughs. "Well, no, I just meant because we sit about four feet away from each other in human anatomy." Lily frowns, and James continues uncertainly, "With Professor Gardner? Shit, you have no idea who I am, do you?" He laughs again, but this time somewhat nervously. "Sorry, I must be coming off as a bit of a stalker. All right, let's just pretend this never happened, and I'll—"

"No, wait," Lily says as James begins to rise, though she's not entirely sure why she doesn't just let him go. "I mean, it is a little odd that you sat down and just started talking to me, but it's probably my fault I don't recognize you. I can barely keep up with Gardner's fast-paced lectures in that class, much less pay attention to anyone else."

"Fair enough," James says, resuming his seat. "If you ever want to borrow my notes, let me know. I usually manage to get everything down."

Eyeing him carefully, Lily says, "That could almost come off as arrogant, you know."

"Hmm, I suppose it could," James agrees. "Proud, even, you might say. Though pride could be considered a virtue where there is a real superiority of mind."

Lily shakes her head. "I'm beginning to feel a bit disturbed by how easily you can quote Pride and Prejudice."

James affects an affronted air. "Upon my word, you give your opinion very decidedly for so young a person."

"Please stop," Lily says, though she's fighting a smile.

James's features relax into a grin once more. "I'm quite pleased to find that this is working, though." He frowns. "Did I just say 'quite pleased'? Yeah, you're right, I'd better stop before I'm stuck sounding like an eighteenth century gentleman forever."

"There are worse things, certainly," Lily says.

"I don't know. It seemed to take everyone an awfully long time to get to the point back then. If those Austen books are anything to go by, that is."

Lily's eyebrows climb toward her hairline. "You mean you've read more than one?"

"Why not?" James says with a shrug.