I do not own Harry Potter!

Chapter One: Lovers Live in Paris

Harry Potter wrapped his scarf tighter around his neck, and stuffed his hands deeper into his pockets. He wandered around the streets of Paris, watching all of the couples cuddling together as they walked in the bold November air. Harry sighed. He would never have this. He stopped in front of a small café, and stepped in to escape the cold air. He sat down at a table and waited to be served. He watched as two women bustled around taking orders. They both were quite pretty, Harry thought, especially the redheaded one.

That red hair, Harry thought. Lord, how I miss it.

Harry shook his head. He was being stupid. Ginny Weasley had been missing for 5 years. The odds of her actually being alive were next to none. It had happened about a week after the final battle. Everyone had been at the Burrow, and it was early one morning that Harry had gone upstairs to find Ginny gone from her room. He remembered running up to Ron's room, yelling at the top of his lungs that Ginny had been missing, that her room looked like it had been torn apart. He remembered feeling like his world had ended. Only the night before, he had given her his mother's engagement ring as a promise that when she was done with school they would get married. But she had disappeared without a trace, and after 4 years went by, Harry and the Weasleys had given up hope. It had been particularly hard on Ron, who'd always been the closest with Ginny of all of the Weasleys. Harry understood, since they both felt that it was their job to protect her, and they had failed.

Harry watched as the blonde waitress approached him with a menu in hand.

"Ello, welcome to Pierre's Café. Do you know what you would like, or do you want to look at ze menu?" She asked, her French accent clear.

Harry nodded. "I'll just have a tea, please." She nodded, and turned to leave. As she passed the redhead waitress, she whispered something to her. The redhead giggled and turned to look at Harry, before whispering something back.

Wow, she even looks like Ginny. Harry sighed, and took off his jacket, before setting back in the plush chair. He watched as the blonde waitress brought out a teapot and cup and saucer. She set them down in front of Harry and cleared her throat.

"My name is Bridgette. Are you from ze area? Lily said she'd seen you in here before." she asked. Harry looked up surprised.

"I'm on vacation." He said, sipping his tea carefully.

"Ahh." She said. "And 'ow are you liking Paris so far?" she asked again.

Harry shrugged. "It's alright. I don't really know anyone here."

Bridgette nodded. "You should talk to Lily, she knows Paris like the back of 'er 'and."

Harry looked up at her, smiling. "Ah. I rather thought you were going to recommend yourself."

Bridgette giggled. "Oh no. I grew up in Poitiers. I've only been 'ere for a few months. Lily has been 'ere for years!" she said, giggling again. "Besides, I thought she iz needing ze company."

Harry frowned. "What?"

Bridgette looked over at the redheaded waitress who was ringing up another customer. Harry followed her gaze. The girl was quite pretty, now that he thought about it. Her eyes were sparkling as she spoke animatedly to one of the customers in French.

Bridgette looked back at Harry. "Anyway, you should talk to 'er." She said, before smiling and placing a chocolate croissant in front of him. "On ze house." She said, winking. She walked away to help another customer who had come in. Harry turned his attention back to the redhead. She was wiping down the counter, leaning over in a way that Harry found rather appealing. Her black t-shirt clung to all the right places, and her black pants showed off her shapely bottom. Harry watched as she tossed the rag in the sink, before pulling her hair out if it's bun and shaking it out. It fell in layers over and past her shoulders, her bangs falling into her eyes. Harry smiled. Maybe he would ask her to show him around Paris.

Harry finished his croissant and tea, and began putting his jacket back on. Bridgette brought him his receipt and winked at him as he stood to walk to the register. The redhead was behind the counter making an espresso drink. She finished it and took a sip before turning to help Harry.

"Merci de venir à Piere. Comment payerez-vous?"

"Oh." Harry put the receipt on the counter. "I don't speak French." He said, hoping she understood.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Habit." She said. Harry was surprised to find that she spoke with an English accent. "Tea was all?"

"The other waitress gave me a chocolate croissant, but she said-"

"-that it was on the house?" the waitress asked, rolling her eyes toward Bridgette.

Harry chuckled. "Habit?"

"She is always doing that. And it's always to people she wants to ask me out. It's actually quite annoying."

"I can only imagine." Harry said chuckling. "Though I have to admit, I was thinking about it before she said anything."

The girl looked up, surprised. "Oh. Well, that's a first."

Harry smiled, before offering his hand to her. "I'm Harry. Harry Potter."

She took it. "Lily James."

Harry blanched when he heard her name. Lily noticed.

"Are you alright?" she asked, placing her other hand on top of his, looking concerned.

"I'm fine." He said, shaking it off. "My parents names were James and Lily."

"Oh! How odd!"

Harry nodded. "So, Lily, how do you fancy showing me around Paris a bit? Word on the street is you know it pretty well."

She studied him for a moment. "Sure. I get off in a few hours. Do you want to come back then?"

Harry nodded. "Sure. I'll come back." She smiled and he paid, before heading out of the café. As he left, he took a peek back to find Lily cleaning the counter again, only this time she was grinning to herself. Harry smiled as he headed back to his hotel room. When he got there, he pulled out a piece of parchament, and began writing a letter to Ron.

Ron,

Paris is great. Just what I needed, really. It's beautiful here, though I don't know anyone or where anything is. Although, I did meet a pretty girl in this little café where their tea is smashing. We have a date type thing later today, I asked her to show me around Paris a bit. And do you know what's odd? Her name is Lily James. Isn't that bizarre? Of all the names she could have, she has the names of both of my parents. How is your family doing? It is about to be 5 years since Ginny disappeared. I send my love as usual, and would be there, but I really need this mental health break. I feel like I've finally given up, and it's been difficult. Anyway, I'll be home sometime next week, but I'll keep you posted. Tell Hermione that though I hate to admit it, and even though she already knows she was right, she was very right about Paris. It's beautiful here, and it's been interesting living like a Muggle, except for sending letters obviously.

See you when I get home!

Harry.

He put down his quill and folded up the letter. When it was dark he would send Hedwig out, so no one noticed her. He'd had to sneak her into the hotel as it was. He stood and stretched before turning on the television

oOoOo

Harry walked into the café, but Lily was nowhere to be seen. He leaned on the counter and waited, until Bridgette spotted him.

"She's just changing. I'll go tell her zat you are 'ere, shall I?" she said, walking back behind the counter and disappearing through a door. Harry didn't have to wait long before Bridgette returned, followed by Lily. She had changed into skinny jeans and flat slouchy boots. Her coat was on, opened to reveal an old band t-shirt, and a colorful scarf wrapped around her neck. She kissed Bridgette on the cheek, before greeting Harry.

"Hey." She said, smiling at him.

"Hey." He responded, as they left the café. "So where to?"

She grinned. "Well, do you want the tourist version of Paris or do you want the "I've been living here for long enough to know the real Paris" grand tour?"

Harry laughed. It had been so long since he had laughed. "I think the second one."

Lily nodded. "Good. That's the one you were gonna get anyway." She said, grinning at him.

Harry chuckled as they began to walk down the street.

"So. What brings you to Paris?"

"Vacation. I work in London, but needed a bit of a mental health week."

"Ah. What's London like?" she asked, her head down.

"Have you never been?" He asked, looking over at her as she stared at her feet.

"That's a good question." She said, looking over at him and smiling. She didn't say anything else. Harry frowned. That was an odd response. Does she not know? Before he could ask her, she grabbed his hand and pulled him over to a little shop.

"You can't come to Paris and not have a crepe!" she said, as they stared inside.

Harry laughed. "Well, I'm not too hungry right now, but maybe that can be date number 2."

Lily looked at him. "You're a confident one! Who said there would be a date number 2?" she asked. Harry looked at her to find she was crinkling her nose in quite a comical way, and grinning at him. "I'm just kidding, Harry."

Harry chuckled. Before pulling her away from the shop. It didn't escape his attention that she'd never let go of his hand, and he hadn't let go either.

"So . . ." he said. "How'd you end up in Paris?"

Lily looked up at him before looking away.

"I hate that question." She said. "Though, I guess I'll answer it."

Harry shook his head. "Not if you don't want to." He said, squeezing her hand. This has got to be one of the oddest conversations I've ever had.

"No, it's alright. I just never talk about it." She said, as she moved a bit closer to Harry. "Actually, Bridgette doesn't even know about it. She probably told you I need company or something."

"Or something." Harry mumbled, regretting his choice to ask her the question. There was a sadness in her voice as she spoke now.

"Yes, well, she's a bit correct. I don't have company."

Harry put his arm around her shoulder. "Do you want to sit down?" he asked, motioning to an empty bench they were passing. She shook her head.

"It's too cold to sit." She said, pulling her jacket tighter around her. "I have to say though, I don't know why I'm telling you this."

Harry looked at her. "Then don't. We can talk about something else."

Lily looked over at him, smiling gratefully. "Yea?"

He nodded. "Yes. Now, where are we going?"

She smiled at him before taking his hand again. "You'll see!" she said, before taking off down the street, Harry right behind her.

When they finally stopped running, they were in front of a little garden. Lily opened the small gate and made her way inside. Harry followed her inside.

"I love this place." Lily said as they walked along the path, with bright blooming flowers on either side. "I found it by accident actually, one day." Harry looked around. There were wildflowers and all sorts of plants that reminded him a bit of the garden behind the Burrow. There were fireflies fluttering around them as they walks, lighting up then disappearing. Then lighting up then disappearing.

"And there's a little old man who lives in that building who plays some beautiful symphonies and such so loud, you can hear them down here."

Harry smiled. "Honestly, I feel like I've been here before." He said. Lily turned and looked at him.

"Really?" she asked.

"Yea. It reminds me a bit of where my family lives in England. Well, my adopted family, but that's another story." He looked down at her as a firefly lit up by her, reflecting off of her pretty hazel eyes.

Harry suddenly felt something very powerful in the pit of his stomach, like he couldn't see himself ever sharing this moment with anyone. Like there was no one there but the two of them. Where did that come from? Harry thought. Though, she really is very beautiful.

Lily opened her mouth to say something, but right at that moment the old man in his little apartment put on a record and the music reached their ears, filling up the little garden.

Lily smiled. "See? I told you!" she said, smiling as she looked up at the old man's window. "It's like magic." She whispered.

"Yea."

They slowly made their way back out of the garden, holding hands.

"I'm glad you showed me that." Harry said.

Lily laughed. "If you play your cards right, I might share it with you." She said, bumping into him playfully.

"Oh really? And if I don't want to play my cards right?" he asked, grinning at her, and playfully shoving her back.

Lily stopped and looked at him. "Do you know, I have absolutely no idea what would happen." She said, before breaking into a smile. Harry laughed and shook his head at her. This has got to be one of the best dates I've ever been on. Well, except maybe one, but still. I like her.

Harry offered her his arm in a pompous and completely ridiculous fashion, causing her to break out into laughter.

"Madam?"

She curtsied with just as much enthusiasm and took his arm. "Merci beaucoup!"

They began laughing as they walked down the street. Lily stopped him after they'd gone a several blocks.

"Well, this is me." She said, gesturing to the building behind her. Harry looked up, then looked around.

"Really? How odd, my hotel is right around the corner."

"Oh, are you staying at La Chateau?" Harry nodded. "Hmm. How convenient. Well, Mr. Potter, I had a lovely time."

"I did, too."

Lily smiled. "Why don't you come by tomorrow. I'm not working and I can show you more of Paris by day." She said, leaning against the wall.

Harry smiled. "I'd like that." He kissed her on the cheek, and she bade him goodnight. Harry watched as she disappeared behind the doors, before turning and walking down the street. He had the most odd feeling, like he'd met her before. She seemed so familiar somehow. He closed the door behind him as he entered his room, and took off his jacket.

Laying in bed a few minutes later, Harry stared at the ceiling. He'd had fun today, with this mystery girl, but he couldn't help feeling something wasn't right.