Miles From Where You Are: A Lily/James Story

A/N: A songfic to Snow Patrols Set Fire To The Third Bar. Switches between Lily and James's POV according to the lyrics. I DON'T OWN LILY AND JAMES. I AM ONLY BORROWING THEM.

"Sometimes you have to be apart from the people you love, but that doesn't mean you love them any less. Sometimes it even makes you love them more." The Last Song Trailer.

June 30th 1977, 6th year Train ride home.

Lily sat with her three best friends in the compartment they were sharing. There was less then fifteen minutes before they would be at Kings Cross. Suddenly the compartment door slid open, and Remus Lupin stepped into the compartment.

"Hello, ladies. Lily, James wants to talk to you. I swear he said he wanted to talk, not annoy the hell out of you. He said it was serious." Remus said as he sat across from the bemused red-head. Lily shrugged and left the compartment.

"He's in the last one!" Remus called from behind her. Lily walked down the corridor when she reached the last one she slid the door open to see James stand up. Lily walked into the compartment and shut the door behind her.

"Remus said you wanted to talk to me? Where are Black and Pettigrew?" Lily said as James walked closer to her.

"Yes, I do want to talk to you. Sirius and Peter are in a different compartment. I want to apologize, Lily. I really didn't mean to annoy you for so long. It's just that I love you, Lily. I have since our first train ride. I will always love you, Lily. I've tried to move on, lord knows, I've tried. But I can't, because the other girls weren't you. So I'm giving up. I probably don't have much more time on this earth, but I want to spend what time I have left with you. Even if we are just friends." James whispered, taking Lily's hands in his and looking down at her.

Slowly James moved his hands to under Lily's chin so she was looking up at him. Lily looked up into James's eye, noticing the gold flecks in the brown eyes. James kissed Lily's cheek softly, then the corner of her mouth. Lily started to pull away.

"One kiss, Lily. Just one kiss…" James whispered, his eyes closed. Lily sighed as James leaned down again. He kissed her fully, wrapping his arms around her waist. James kissed Lily longingly, pulling her closer to him. He released Lily's waist and reached down pulling Lily's arms around his neck. Lily gripped James's hair as he placed his arms back around Lily's waist. Lily pulled away as the train stopped. She stared at James with wide eyes, and then ran down the corridor back to her compartment. James stared after Lily in wonder.

"Thank you." James whispered as he left the compartment too.

One Month Later: Yorkshire, England

Alice Stevens ran to open the front door to her parents' manor to see an annoyed James Potter on the steps.

"Hey, James. How has your summer been so far? Do you want anything to drink?" Alice asked as she let James into the house.

"Hey, Alice. My summer would be better if Lily would answer my letters. What did I do this time? No thank you for the drink offer. I do live next door." James said as Alice led him into the drawing room and sat across from him.

"James, Lily isn't in England this summer. Her older sister, Petunia, is getting married and demanded that the wedding take place in France. She wants to get married in Notre Dame. So the entire family is currently in Paris. Lily won't be back until school starts. Her cousin, Jamie, wants her to come stay with her and her parents in America for whatever summer is left. She will be taking a plane back on August 29th. So she probably hasn't gotten your letters. As to what you did wrong, to my information, you've done nothing wrong." Alice said looking at James, who suddenly felt very upset.

"She isn't coming back until the end of August? Why the hell didn't I know that? Why didn't she tell me?" James whispered

"Well, you and she aren't exactly best friends James. Remus knows; I don't know why he didn't tell you. Is there anything else? I have company and I know you do too." Alice said standing up.

"No, Alice. Thank you." James said numbly. James left and went back to his house. James went into his father's study. Mr. Potter was an elderly man with white hair and a cane.

"Hello son. What can I do for you?" Mr. Potter wheezed.

"Hi dad. Do you have a map of Europe that I can have?" James asked, still numb.

"Of course my son. Here you are. Drawn to scale and everything. Have fun son." Mr. Potter handed James the map.

"Thank you, Father." James said going up to his room.

He sat at his desk and unrolled the map. James picked up his quill and put a star on Yorkshire, where his parents' manor was. He put another star on Paris, where Lily was. James drew a straight line from the two stars. He traced the line and wished that it was gone. He touched the star on Paris and kissed it softly. James put the map up on his wall and sighed quietly lying on his bed and wishing that he could talk to Lily. Just to see her face, to hear her laugh.

I find the map and draw a straight line
Over rivers, farms, and state lines
The distance from A to where you'd 'B'
It's only finger-lengths that I see
I touch the place where I'd find your face
My fingers in creases of distant dark places

The Same Day: Paris, France

Lily and her cousin, Jamie sat in the room they were sharing. Lily was sitting in front of the vanity as Jamie did her hair.

"Lils, what's wrong? Petunia's rehearsal dinner is in two hours. This time tomorrow, she is going to be married and off to Italy for her honeymoon. C'mon, it is always fun to have half our family drunk. And tonight they will ALL be smashed. Including the darling bride-to-be. You haven't been sleeping, Lily. I know you haven't. I wake up in the middle of the night to see you sitting on the window seat looking out on the city. You can trust me, Lily. You aren't the only witch in our family, you know." Jamie said resting her chin on Lily's shoulder.

The two were the same age and adored each other. They wrote monthly to keep in touch. Jamie was a tall brunette with blue eyes. She was more than Lily's cousin, she was Lily's confident. She knew everything about Lily and Lily knew everything about her. It wasn't surprising therefore that Jamie had noticed Lily's behavior.

"I don't know, Jam. I feel tired, but I can't sleep properly. I haven't been able to since the train ride home. I feel sick, Jam. But I'm not. I don't know what the matter with me is." Lily whispered looking out the window behind the vanity.

"Did something happen on the ride home? Something drastically different then every other ride?" Jamie asked as she went to get the dresses for that night.

"You remember me telling you about James Potter?" Lily asked as Jamie reentered the room. Jamie smiled and nodded.

"He kissed me. I would have kissed him back if the train hadn't stopped. Jam, I hated him! What the HELL happened? I can't stop thinking about him. That's why I can't sleep. Every time I close my eyes, I see James. Jamie, I think I love him. This is mad! Last year I couldn't stand him, now I think I love him! Am I going mental, Jamie?" Lily said her eyes widening as she figured out that she wasn't bluffing.

"No, Lils. I don't think you ever hated him. I think he annoyed the shite out of you. He was a childish person. But all boys have to grow up at some point. James just took a bit longer. As to your going mental, I highly doubt it. You are in love, that's ok. You aren't going mental, I promise. Now, the family is joining in the bar for cocktails before heading to the rehearsal. We need to get dressed and get to the bar, or we will be late." Jamie said taking Lily's hand and handing her the dress for the night. Lily sighed and got dressed. Jamie zipped up the back of Lily's dress and Lily zipped up Jamie's. Jamie took her key to the room and led Lily out of the room.

Lily and Jamie arrived in the bar, holding hands. Lily could see most of her family in the bar already drinking.

"Told you, here, let's have a soda." Jamie said pulling Lily to the bar.

Lily took the drink from the bartender with a smile. Jamie was pulled away by her parents to be introduced around to Vernon's friends and family. Lily, who had met Vernon's friends and family, stayed at the bar, sipping her drink. Lily could hear some of her already drunk family roaring with laughter at something Petunia had said. They had to be drunk, because Lily could not remember a time that Petunia was genially funny. There were two men on Lily's left.

"There was a flaw in Galileo's theory, he was blind. How could he have proven Copernicus right when he was blind?" One man said to his comrade.

"You are right, mate. He was blind…" The other man replied

They are drunk as well… Lily thought wryly. Lily sipped her drink and turned out the men and her family. Soon they were only a dull roar in her ears.

"One kiss, Lily. Just one kiss…" Lily closed her eyes and wished to be back in England…back with James.

Funny, the boy annoys the shite out of me until the summer that I am away from him. Now, I miss him.

"Lily, darling, I can't wait for you to come back to New York with us! Jamie has been talking of nothing else since the two of you arranged it!" Lily's aunt Cathy sat beside Lily. Lily pasted on a smile.

"I can't wait either, Auntie Cathy." Lily smiled.

Yeah, I can't wait to get home to see James again.

I hang my coat up in the first bar
There is no peace that I've felt so far
The laughter penetrates my silence
As drunken men find flaws in science
Their words mostly noises
Ghosts with just voices
Your words in my memory
Are like music to me

Two Weeks Later Yorkshire, England

James groaned and threw his pillow across the room. He couldn't sleep. He hadn't been able to get a full night's sleep since he had learned why Lily wasn't visiting Alice this summer. James glanced at his bedside clock. Three AM. James moaned and closed his eyes briefly in one last attempt to fall asleep. James sighed and stood up, pulling on his dressing gown over his pajamas. James put his glasses on and slipped out of his room.

James pulled a blanket from the closet across from his room and crept out into the back yard. James spread his blanket out on the grass and lay on it. James watched the stars and moon. He felt comforted that Lily was seeing the same sky that he was, but in the daytime. James closed his eyes again.

Whatever god there is out there, please let Lily be safe so that she will come back to me in one piece. Better yet, take me to where she is. I have honest motives. I just want to hold her, to kiss her, to tell her how much I love her. Thank you.

James felt lighter somehow. He closed his eyes and dreamed of red and green. He dreamed of Lily. That was how Sirius found him later that morning.

I'm miles from where you are,
I lay down on the cold ground
I pray that something picks me up
And sets me down in your warm arms

Later That Day: New York City

Lily and Jamie were sharing Jamie's room. The two were currently asleep, as it was two AM.

The train didn't stop. The pair kept on kissing. James let his hands wonder into Lily's hair. Hers went back around his neck. James pulled away only to start kissing Lily's neck and jaw. Lily whimpered at the feeling and gripped James's hair. James returned his lips to hers and Lily's arms went around James's biceps. She ran her hands up his arms, surprised at how soft his skin was. James hissed at the feeling. Lily pulled away slightly to look up at him.

"You have no idea how long I've wanted you to touch me, Lily, even if it is just my arms. I love you; I love you so much it hurts." James whispered, kissing Lily again.

"I love you too, James. I always have, deep inside." Lily whispered back. James returned his mouth to hers longingly. Lily kissed him back….

"LILY!!!" Lily sat bolt upright. Jamie giggled. Lily threw her pillow at Jamie, who blocked it with her arm. Lily groaned and closed her eyes again. Jamie sat beside Lily's head and petted her hair. Lily opened an eye. Jamie smiled at her and said

"Mom says we have to get up. It is nearly noon. She is taking us down to central park for lunch. We need to be ready in twenty minutes. You will be back with your beloved James soon enough. You are going home next week. Your parents wrote to say that your friend, Alice, has all your new books with her and that she will be seeing you on the train station on August 28th at nine pm. But for the next week, you are mine to play with, so let's go. Mom is waiting." Jamie said putting jeans and a tee shirt on Lily's bed.

Lily sat up and stretched. She crossed off another day on her calendar. She was counting the days until she would be back in England. Lily got out of bed and got dressed. She went down stairs to join her Aunt Cathy and Jamie. The three left the house and went on their adventure.

After I have travelled so far
We'd set the fire to the third bar
We'd share each other like an island
Until exhausted, close our eyelids
And dreaming pick up from
The last place we left off
Your soft skin is weeping
A joy you can't keep in

August 27, 1977: Yorkshire, England

Alice was walking around her parents' backyard. It was just after sunrise. Alice, who was always an early bird, had a cup of tea in one hand and a book in the other. Alice saw a boy lying on a blanket in the Potter's yard. As Alice watched, Sirius Black came out of the house and shook the boy awake. Alice realized that it was James.

Sirius helped James up and brushed him off.

"Look, mate, I know you miss Evans. But sleeping in the yard nightly isn't going to get her home faster." Sirius said looking at James.

"I know that, Padfoot. It helps me feel closer to her. I want to hold her, Siri. I want to hold her so fucking bad! But I can't because she is not here. Even if she was, she hates me. I screwed up when it came to her. I screwed it up so damn bad. All I want, all I've ever wanted, was for her to love me like I love her. But that isn't going to happen. So I'm going to spend what time I have left being friends with her. I so wish for more. But it will never happen. I wish every night for her to magically appear in my arms. She never does. She never will. C'mon, let's get inside. I smell breakfast." James said folding his blanket and leading a concerned looking Sirius into the house.

Alice stood still. They had not known that she was there. That she had overheard every word that passed between them. Alice took her tea back into her parents house. The other girls were starting to wake now. Alice joined in their chatter, thinking hard about what James had said.

I'm miles from where you are,
I lay down on the cold ground
And I pray that something picks me up
and sets me down in your warm arms

The Next Night, 3:00 AM, Yorkshire England

Lily kicked the sheets off her bed. She STILL couldn't sleep. She sighed and walked out onto the balcony built onto her room at Stevens Manor. Lily looked out into the night. She could see into the Potter's backyard. A figure was walking across the yard, a blanket over their shoulder. Lily looked closer and saw glasses.

James.

Lily was over the railing of the balcony and climbing down the vines creeping up the wall below her window before she realized how badly she needed to kiss James, to hug him, to let him hold her. Lily jumped onto the waist-high wall that separated the houses. James had stopped and was looking at her. Then the blanket was on the ground and James was running to her.

Lily jumped off the wall and directly into James's arms. James wrapped his arms around Lily's waist as he kissed her greedily. Lily kissed him back, gripping his hair. James moaned into Lily's lips as he put his hands onto her face, securing it to his. Lily's legs were wrapped around James's waist as the two continued to kiss. James held onto Lily's waist as he continued to kiss her. Lily whimpered as James pulled his mouth from hers. James kissed Lily's neck and jaw. Lily moved her arms to his neck as he continued to kiss her. Lily sighed happily as James fell back into the grass, taking her with him. Lily rested her head on his chest. James looked at her as he ran his hands in her hair.

"Never leave me again, Lily. I don't want to ever be apart again. I love you too much. I know you don't…" James was cut off as Lily kissed him.

"I promise. I love you too, James." Lily said as she slowly fell asleep. James did the same. The two slept peacefully for the rest of the night for the first time in two months, finally together. That was how their friends found them later that morning.

I'm miles from where you are,
I lay down on the cold ground
I pray that something picks me up
and sets me down in your warm arms

A/N 2: Sorry I had to add extra chapters to each of my stories to tell you about the poll. But if I hadn't no one would have noticed the poll. I know that because I have had polls before and they have gotten very few votes. The poll involving this story will stay up until the end of the month, so keep voting. And if you haven't already done it, VOTE! lily.