Summary: James, a doctor at St. Mungo's, saw it as a way to get his long-awaited raise. Lily, the work-preoccupied and somewhat bitchy "rising-star" reporter at the Daily Prophet, saw it as a step to a front-page article. What they both didn't know was what seemed like a simple news story would change both their lives forever.

Disclaimer: Nothing's mine. Don't sue me. You won't get anything, except maybe some nickels from the cracks in my room floor and my Aragorn poster. (Don't take my poster, PLEASE!!!)

Author's Note: Oy. I am such a terribly horrible author for not updating this. It's all school's fault, as this year is evil and Honors Geometry absolutely sucks. Gaah. But I am making an effort to update more!

Anyhoo, I think that this fic is my new favorite out of all the ones I'm writing, so look for a lot more updates! This chapter's pretty long, as I wrote it on the car ride up to Vermont on President's Day Weekend. Enjoy!

The Quill

Chapter Four

By Lady Wildcat

They were in a small café. People sat at the many wooden tables and chairs, and the counter was black marble with drink rings all over the top. If James had glanced outside, he would have seen that they were at the very edge of wizard London--actually, one or two Muggles could be seen milling about outside, convinced that they were on a particularly quiet back street.

Not that James was paying attention to the scenery, of course. He was trying to avoid Lily's wrath--which was exactly the right word for it.

She was sitting two stools away from him, which was as far away from him as possible in the crowded café. Every so often, she would give him a taste of her dagger-sharp glance. He was concentrating very carefully on the remains of his sandwich and the decaf he had ordered.

The server came up to her. "What'll it be today?"

She glanced at James and scowled. "Gimme a large black."

The attendant whistled. "No milk, sugar? Just all-out caffeine?"

"Frank. I need it today."

"Alright." Frank looked over to James. "So, what happened to Charlie?"

"Charlie?" Lily blinked at the mention of her boyfriend's name. "Charlie and I are still together...why'd you ask?"

"Well, it just seems like that you and him--" he handed her her mug and nodded over at James "--are a couple."

"Has my hatred of him not been made apparent, or does he need this coffee in his face?"

"Sorry." Frank held up his hands in defiance. "You didn't think Charlie was so great either when you guys met here."

"Well, this is different." Lily rubbed her eyes. "He's the MES doctor I'm assigned to. We knew each other in Hogwarts. I'm pretty sure he's scared of me."

"Come to think of it, I did notice his knees shaking a little when you two Apparated in here."

She nodded and sipped at her coffee, then glanced back at James again. He had stopped staring intently at his sandwich and was flirting subtly with the girl next to him, whom Lily happened to recognize from her office. She drew up a name--Sarah Lewis--one of the Prophet's top reporters. Good writer. But, obviously, good writing skills did not have any bearing on taste in men, because Sarah was blushing and smiling and flirting right back.

Then again, James wasn't exactly bad-looking. In fact, he was rather handsome if one put him in perspective. Not that Lily cared.

Abandoning her coffee with one last gulp, she stalked over towards James and tapped him on the shoulder. "Let's go."

He turned, annoyed. "Lily--" she noticed his indecision over what name to use for her had vanished "--can't you see I'm talking to someone?"

"Yes. And I'm saying that we need to get as much interview time in as we can."

"Then why'd you come here in the first place, not exactly quality interview time, is it--"

"Lily Evans?" Sarah interrupted their bickering. "From the Prophet?"

"Yes. Sarah Lewis, right?"

"Right. Listen, Lily, I've read some of your work. Really really good. Excellent job with that article on the Ministry cutbacks."

Lily allowed Sarah a cool smile. "Thank you. Now, if you could kindly finish flirting with the subject of my next article. Potter, now."

"Fine." He stood up and faced Sarah. "Listen, you know, if we ever run into each other again, coffee's on me..."

"Potter."

James, catching her death glare, quickly followed Lily out of the café. It was incredibly sunny outside, and the sun was getting in her eyes. Lily fished around in her bag for her sunglasses, deaf to James' complaints.

"What the hell was that? Don't you understand that normal human conversations are not to be interrupted?"

She found her sunglasses. "That," she said as she flipped them open, "was flirting. With my co-worker."

"So what if I was flirting? Flirting is a form of normal human conversation! Do you know how long it is since I've been on a date?"

"No. Please don't tell me, as it will make you seem more pathetic than you already appear to be." She started to walk down the busy street.

"Is there anyone you're not a bitch to?"

"Yes. My parents. My boss. My boyfriend. My secretary. My cat."

"You know, if I include your parents as two people, I need two hands to count all those."

"Potter, I am just as enthusiastic about this article as you are. But we'll just have to grin and bear it if we each want our just rewards."

"Just rewards?"

"Front-page article for me, raise for you."

"How'd you know about my raise?"

She sighed. "I'm a reporter. I notice things. Now if you could get your arse in gear we might make it back to St. Mungo's on time for my introductory meeting."

***

"Laa-aate," Bella whispered to Sirius.

"They'll be here." The meeting room was packed with MES members and doctors, curious to meet the reporter who would, hopefully, bring the hospital some much-needed attention. Remus had reclaimed Gus from Sirius and was catching up at the front of the room.

"They're still laaa-aate."

"Tell me, Bells, how old are you again?"

Bella flipped her dark, shiny hair over the chair back, ignoring the question. "So you say he knows this Lily person from school?"

"Yes, she was Head Girl, remember?"

"Oh, the ice-bitch. Right. But, d'you think they're taking some time to--catch up? You know, doing a little romancin'?" She waggled her eyebrows suggestively.

"Bella, the day that Lily and James are attracted to one another is the day that Hell will freeze over."

"Fine, I'll believe you."

Just then, David stepped to the front of the room. "Okay, people. It appears that James and Ms. Evans are deciding to take their sweet time getting here, so we'll just have to start this thing now. Dr. Lupin, if you could introduce our photographer?"

Remus stood up. He was a fine-boned young man with honey-brown hair and friendly gray eyes. Right now, those eyes were shining animatedly. "Everyone, this is Mundungus Fletcher--stand up, Gus." The photographer stood, waving cheerily. "He's my cousin."

"Let's remember our manners," David chided. "Everyone say 'Hi, Mr. Fletcher."

"Gus, please," said Gus.

"Okay, 'Hi, Gus.'"

"Hi, Gus," chorused the room.

The door at the back creaked open. Bella turned and saw James entering, followed by a small red-haired woman in sunglasses and professional-looking gray robes.

"Ah, Dr. Potter," David drawled. "So glad you could join us. Could you do us the honor of introducing your guest?"

"Um, okay." James cleared his throat. "This is Lily Evans." The woman took off her sunglasses, and the room could see her cold green eyes as she calculatingly looked them over. "She's the reporter for the Prophet and, we, um, were Head Boy and Girl together in school."

"Previous experience, eh?" David smiled. "Okay, everyone say 'Hi, Lily.'"

"It's 'Ms. Evans.'"

"Right, then, 'Hi, Ms. Evans.'"

"Hi, Ms. Evans." But the response was considerably less warm than Gus' had been.

***

Later on, when Gus was busy snapping candid shots of the various MES rooms and doctors and Lily was snagging unfortunate individuals for interviews, James cornered Bella. "Bels, can you do me a favor?"

"Depends."

"Well, uh..." James glanced over at Lily, who had nabbed Sirius and was drilling him thoroughly. He didn't look too happy about it, either. James continued. "See, Lily needs a place to stay, and considering my apartment and the awkward circumstances between us--"

"Oh, no." Arabella shook her hands fervently. "No. No. You are not saddling me with that--that--" She said something in Spanish.

"Please, Bella? Where else will she stay?"

"She can sleep in the cafeteria for all I care--you could sleep on your couch and give her your bed--"

"Arabella." James took her shoulders and shook them gently. "Please do this. For me. It's just for a week and a half."

"Week and a half of hell--"

"Please, Bella...I'll do anything you want me to--"

"Well..." She paused. "Anything anything?"

"Yes, anything within reason."

Bella pouted. "I suppose so. I'll tell you what I want you to do at the end of the week."

"Thank you! I love you, Bells!"

"Yeah, you better."

***

Lily finished interviewing Black and was looking around. Gus had taken James for some portrait photos under various leafy green trees--"for scenery." She was just about to review the notes in her book when someone tapped her on the shoulder. "Ms. Evans?"

She turned and saw a very beautiful Spanish-looking woman behind her. Lily looked over the tops of her sunglasses. "Yes?"

"I'm Dr. Arabella Figg." Not a very Spanish name. Lily tentatively shook the outstretched hand. "I'm a friend of James'."

"Yes, and?"

Dr. Figg rolled her liquid-brown eyes. "Listen, he asked me if I would let you stay in my apartment for this whole week and a half. I know what his apartment looks like, and believe me, you don't want to sleep there."

"I've been in it. I don't like dogs."

"Then you do not want to stay in the same room as Hairy," said Dr. Figg. "I love him and all, but he does slobber. Anyway, my place is much neater--but one rule: you have to like cats."

"I like cats. I have one at home."

"Good." Arabella smiled. "Then let's get your stuff, and you can come to my place."

***

Author's Note: Okeydoke, another chapter gone by! Wow, that was very long for me. Feel privileged. If yeh like, review please!

Best,

Lady Wildcat