The Marauders: Year Five #Wattys2017

Moony Down

Moony Down

James fumbled with the paper pounds at the register of the hamburger place, taking entirely longer than he should have, and finally got the correct amount to the girl that worked there, the paper hat she wore on her head a bit soggy from the greasy air. She gave him the change and handed him a number on a silver table marker, "It'll be right up," she said in a bored voice.

James looked about and spotted Lily, sitting at a table by the windows and he went over and joined her, putting the silver marker down where it could easily be seen. Lily looked up as he sank into the chair across from her. "You didn't need to do that, I could've paid," she said.

"And let you have all the fun of dealing with the wonky muggle money?" he laughed.

"I mean, I do know the currency," Lily said, "I grew up using it."

James said, "Besides, a gentleman never makes a lady pay on a... a date. Or... or whatever this is. I'm not saying it's a date if you don't want it to be a date, but if it's a date then -- but it's up to you. Entirely. I'm going to stop talking now because I feel like I'm saying stupid things."

Lily laughed quietly, looking at the table top. Her hair was falling out of the bun on the back of her head and several long strands fell over her shoulders to frame her face. James couldn't help but think she looked very pretty with it falling out like that.

"I think it's just lunch," Lily said. "I don't think this is the sort of place where first dates happen."

"Good call," James said.

Lily sighed and leaned back. She picked up the straw that lay on her napkin and slowly unpeeled the paper off it, making a little pile of teensy little bits. "Sorry about Petunia, by the way," Lily murmured. "She's... well, Petunia."

James waved it off. "It's fine."

Lily said, "It's not."

"So Severus Snape's from around here, too? Spinner's End? What is that?"

"A street... in a nasty neighborhood..." Lily sighed, "It's sort of where the poor people live. But Sev hasn't really been here in ages. Dunno where they stay... or he stays, now, I suppose... since his mum..." she trailed away.

James studied the utensils, pressing his thumb to the tines of the fork so the handle lifted and dropped as he flexed the muscles in his hand. He wished he hadn't brought it up. He didn't want to talk about Snape.

"So have you lived here long?" he asked.

"All my life," Lily replied. "In the same house."

"Me, too. Except in Godric's Hollow."

Lily watched his fork rise and fall. "Like Godric Gryffindor?"

"Yeah, it's where he's from. Dumbledore, too. And Bathilda Bagshot. Loads of famous people. Small town. Really nice. I like it a lot. Sirius likes it, too. Stayed with us most of the summer - mum reckons he's her kid now, I think. He went with Rey in Newt Scamander's case for part of the summer, too. You probably know that, though, you talk to Sirius quite a lot. You lot sent loads of owls over the summer."

Lily's eyes moved from the fork to James's eyes. He was still staring at the fork. She could see the nervousness playing over his face and she couldn't help but smile. "Blimey," she joked with a smirk, "You'd think it was you and Sirius that were boyfriends, the way you're going on. Does Remus know Sirius is cheating on him with you?"