So this was unexpected. This just came out. I don't know if it will last, if not I will make it into a big one-shot. I really hope you like it. It's unedited and I just finished writing it. Thanks for reading it!
-Jill
P.S as of December 8th I edited it. Hopefully I caught all the mistakes.
Rating: M for Mature. I think things could get a bit intense in this story, it's just to be safe.
Disclaimer: I suppose that the Old School Harry Potter characters are Ms. Rowling's. The images of them are really thanks to the masses of stereotypes in these stories, and I suppose Ms. Rowling's. I think Jane is mine, and I think parts of the plot are as well…
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
Of Old Times and Order
Her dress was cut dangerously low, front and back, and it was all James could do to keep himself from looking down as he danced with her. Just as friends of course, that's all they have ever been. He tried to get his mind off that dress, that little black dress that never failed to make him sweat. She always wore it; he had to go out shopping with her to find another one. One not so… sexy.
Across the club, a girl who he knew he had seen before, but he couldn't place. He had only known one red head in his life, and she was long gone by now. Living in Rome was the last he heard of her. Or Remus heard of her. Jane shifted in his arms, bringing her hands around his neck, making her dress lower in the front. James swore under his breath and went back to gazing over her shoulder at the red head on a barstool.
Damned if Sirius didn't pick up on her because when her head was starting to turn his way, Sirius crossed his vision. Words were exchanged and he took her out on the dance floor. She was wearing a dark purple dress, barely visible on its own, but in the sea of black it was clear as day.
James stopped moving altogether when he saw Sirius' hand slide down this girl's back, which was facing him. He couldn't blame Sirius; she did have a nice back.
"What's wrong James?"
James turned to meet her eyes.
"Nothing luv, I just remembered something."
Jane put her head against his chest as James continued to stare at Sirius and the girl.
His hand moved up some, she must have noticed. They seemed to be having a great time laughing; they hardly seemed to be dancing at all. Sirius caught his eye and winked. He then did a very dramatic spin so that James could see the girl's face.
James' hands dropped.
It was her.
"James? What's wrong?" Jane asked placing her hand on his cheek.
James just stared.
Sirius saw that James had caught sight of his partner. He stopped dancing, took her hand and led her over to James.
"James! Mate! Guess what the dog dragged in. I assume you remember Lily Evans?"
Lily knew this was James Potter. The whole reason she moved in the first place. Lily held out her hand.
"James, it really has been to long."
Her eyes flashed to Jane. Her smiled faltered. "Never could stay single, could you?"
Jane laughed shaking Lily's hand.
"Oh no, I'm only a friend, Jane."
Lily's smile grew.
"James, she is simply adorable. I don't see your reason for keeping her as a friend. You're not getting any younger you know. "
James forced a laugh and began to drag Jane deeper into the crowd of people. Jane stopped him.
"So Lily, where do you know James from?"
"School, Head Boy and Girl in our seventh year. Isn't that right James?"
"Yes, now if you don't mind, I need to work tomorrow, we should be getting home. Jane?"
Lily held back a laugh. "Wow, you have really grown up. I never did believe Remus' letters."
"You should know, Remus tells the most truth out of all of us," Sirius laughed.
Lily glared at James. "I know. I hate to break up this reunion, but I also have to work tomorrow. Need to make a good first impression. Nice seeing you again, Sirius…James. Nice meeting you Jane."
Lily turned and walked out of the club. The second time she has walked away from James since Hogwarts.
James grabbed Sirius' sleeve and pulled him over to the bar.
"Bloody hell, have you gone mental?"
"I could ask you the same question. Why did you bring Lily here?"
"Whoa, I never brought her anywhere; she came here on her own."
"You know what I mean." James sighed, running a hand through his hair.
Sirius smirked. "Mate, you looked like you were going to jump her bones if I didn't bring her over. And how rude would that have been if you ran off and left Jane for some strange girl. I was just being polite."
"Shove it. You just wanted to rub her in my face. I'm finally happy and you had to bring her into the picture."
"Again, whoa. I didn't bring her into any picture."
Jane made her way over to the boys. This girl, James had never mentioned her before, but they seemed to know each other. She would have to ask about her when James was in a better mood.
"James? Is everything alright?"
"Perfectly fine. I'm going to head home, are you coming?"
Sirius smiled at Jane, as if to challenge her.
"Yes, I'll come with you. Bye Sirius, have a good night." Jane smiled taking James' arm as he led her out.
Jane could tell that Sirius didn't like her very much. He never seemed to. She felt as if he thought she was replacing someone. That couldn't possibly be true since James spent every night out drinking with him. But then again she came along too.
Remus liked her though. Well more than Sirius did. Remus always smiled politely and made small talk with her and that was ten times friendlier than anything Sirius ever did. Why was she so upset over the fact that there was a possibility that Sirius didn't like her? Maybe it was because Sirius was so close to James, and James was so close to her. She was living with James; she should be close to him.
Or maybe Sirius was just like that with everyone. He never came right out and said 'I don't like you Jane'. He could just be a very cold person. But he was nice to that Lily. In all fairness he did know her a bit better. If they were friends for their entire time at Hogwarts that would be…ten years. He could have known her and been friends with her for ten years.
"Were you friends with Lily at school?"
James looked over and gave Jane a strange glance followed by him frowning.
"No. I was never friends with her. We just worked together."
"Was she friends with the rest? Remus, Sirius, Pete?"
James thought for a moment. "Not really. Not until our sixth year, they kind of grew attached to her then."
Sixth year. That would only be four years. They were attached to her? Jane had known them for a while now and she was nowhere near being attached to them. Maybe there was more to this Lily person than Jane saw.
James turned the key in the lock.
"James?"
"Yes luv?
"How do you know Lily?"
James sighed and took Jane's jacket and then his own, placing them both on the coat rack.
"I told you, she told you. We worked together in school."
"Then how come Sirius knows her so well?"
James ran a hand through his hair. "Can we please not talk about this now? I'm tired and I have a long day at work tomorrow."
Jane nodded and watched James walk into his room.
She thought she loved him then. Half drunk, with bags under his eyes. Yes she loved him.
They have known each other for two years already and have been living together for one. One could say it was a match made in heaven, without the romance. They met at King's Cross. Jane was waiting for her sister, who was in her third year at Hogwarts, and James ran into her. It was friends at first sight.
And now she loved him. It was terrible. James trusted her with his secrets, with his life and she goes and falls for him. That was the last thing he needed. His job was stressful, and this Lily girl upset him. The last thing James needed was her telling him that she loved him. Or maybe it was just the thing he needed to hear.
Jane walked up to James door and hesitated before opening it to see James getting into bed.
"Jane?"
"I love you. I have for a while, I was afraid to tell you, I was afraid it would ruin us. Please don't be mad."
James stopped pulling back the sheets. He walked up to Jane and took her face into his hands.
"I love you too."
And he kissed her.
Rome was nice. For a while. Lily missed her old life. Not to get her wrong, she loved it there, especially the weather, but Lily missed the England lifestyle. The balmy, rainy nights, the scarf and umbrella days. She also missed her friends.
Remus did keep her updated on the many fascinations of Sirius, the strange accounts of Peter, and his own day-to-day life. Every now and then he would bring up James. Mention he was stressed at work, and how much he missed her, even if he didn't know it yet.
What Remus failed to mention was the floozy James was running around with. This Jane. She seemed a nice friend sure, but Lily could tell, she could always tell, that Jane was in love with him. After being in a school of James worshipers for seven years she should know what it looks like to be in love with him. And Jane was in love with him.
Lily was never an insulting girl, and never to people that she didn't know. She didn't mean for half of those things to come out in front of Jane. It's not her fault for loving James.
"Is this Lily Evans I see?" said a voice that could have only belonged to one person.
"Is that Sirius Black I hear?"
"But of course, do you know anyone else with such a handsome voice?"
Lily laughed.
"Clubs are not for drinking Lils; go to a bar for that."
Lily smiled. "I know, but no one has asked me to dance yet."
"You never needed an invitation before."
"You make me sound like a tart."
"Me? Never, not to my Lils."
He brought her out to one side of the dance floor, his hand sliding lower.
"If that hand moves any lower, you won't have a hand left."
"Just making sure you're still you. Rome can change a person."
Lily laughed. "I was only gone for two years, that's hardly enough to change me."
"Enough to change some people," Sirius said has he did a dramatic spin.
Lily's new flat was just above a coffee shop in London, not a long walk. And it was one of her favourite rainy nights. Apparating seemed such a waste.
It was good to see Sirius again. She would meet him again tomorrow at the coffee shop. It would be good to catch up. After all, he was one of the reasons she came back. She would have to owl Remus and Peter as well, catch up with them.
And with James. She would wait with him. She knew she got him upset. She didn't mean to, she hadn't seen anyone look at James that way in long time. It was hard. But she would have to talk to him eventually.
He flat was cozy. Exactly what she had always wanted. Small, one bedroom, two bathrooms, sitting room and a nice warm kitchen. A perfect place to call home.
Tomorrow would be her first official full day back in London. Where everything was set up and where everything had order. She needed order. Tonight she went out to celebrate.
Please review if you like it, or even if you don't, I really don't mind!