#limes network

I feel so bad about how short this is but there was no way for me to finish it otherwise. September has been a hell month for me and I had practically no time to do this. Anyways here’s my @jilychallenge fic. My partner was @writingontheclouds and the prompt was  “famous heir and heiress of parent’s rival companies au (starcrossed lover?)”

Lily Evans slammed the door to their secret apartment so loudly that James Potter braced himself for a storm.

“How dare they? They know my opinion on setting me up yet they continue to try to anyways.”

James had a decent idea what had happened.

Lily Evans as one of the heiresses of the Evans corporation was expected to marry who her parents wanted. Lily’s only opinion on the situation was absolutely not happening.

“Who’d they try to set you up with this time?”

Lily growled and James knew better than to interrupt her.

“Severus Snape. Just because we were friends in the past doesn’t mean I’ll ever date him. Especially not after what he’s done.”

James knew what Lily’s background with Snape was and he knew exactly why Lily was angrier than usual after one of these meetings. He chose not to bring it up because neither of them liked remembering that event.

“Hey do you just want to elope?”

Lily started laughing but James didn’t and she realized he was serious. She stared at him as James finished what he was saying.

“We’re engaged but our families hate each other. Let’s just get married and let them deal with it.”

“Are you kidding me? We can’t just get married without them knowing.”

James shrugged.

“Why not? We can get Sirius and Remus to help out and we both know Alice would help too.”

Lily was hesitant at first, but she had to agree.

“Well we have hidden the fact that we live together from our parents.”

James continued for her.

“And both of us have incomes separate from both of our parents companies.”

Lily grinned.

“Okay let’s elope.”

This is my Hogwarts Secret Santa gift for @mcgonacat. I had a lot of fun writing this! I finally wrote the bookshop AU I promised myself I would write someday. I hope you like this Alma!

James was feeling disgruntled. It was the day before Christmas Eve and he was stuck at the bookstore his parents owned.

All of his best friends were off enjoying the holidays. Sirius and Remus had managed to book a Christmas Mediterranean couple’s cruise and Peter was off visiting relatives.

The only bright side to the whole situation was the fact that the love of his life was browsing the shelves looking for something new to read.

Lily Evans was a common visitor to the Godric’s Hollow bookstore and James really really liked her. He enjoyed talking to her and he really wanted to ask her out but he wasn’t sure if she was already dating someone.

James could just hear Sirius’s voice saying,

“Who cares if she’s dating someone? If you don’t ask her, you’ll never know if you even had a chance.”

Remus would agree with his boyfriend.

“You know Sirius is telling you the truth. Sometimes you just need to take the risk.”

Peter would just shrug.

“It’s up to you if you ask her out or not. Either you ask her out and things change or you don’t and nothing changes. It’s you decision in the end.”

James had the same conversation with his friends multiple times and every time he would gain the courage to ask Lily out but the minute she smiled at him, he’d get all flustered and mess up.

James glanced up at the clock and his eyes widened in excitement. It was finally closing time. Lily just needed to check out and he could walk her home like he usually did on days she stayed until closing.

Lily, since she was regular, had come up to the counter with a stack of books. She’d already taken out the money she needed to pay for the books.

Lily gave James that smile that made his brain turn to mush.

“Hello James. Could you package these books separately this time? I was a bit late with my gift shopping this year so I decided to just get everyone books as presents.”

James nodded quickly and started the checkout and packing of the books she’d picked.

“So Lily, any plans for Christmas this year?”

Lily shrugged.

“I’ll be spending Christmas Eve and the morning of Christmas Day like I usually do but I don’t really have plans other than that. What about you?”

James was tempted to laugh because he’d never really celebrated Christmas. It was usually just a day spent at home with his family.

“No plans. My family doesn’t really celebrate beyond just relaxing at home.”

“Don’t you have a love of your life to spend it with?”

“I guess I haven’t found them yet. Hopefully someday.”

Lily looked thoughtful as James finished up and they walked toward the door together.

James paused to lock the door and Lily looked around and froze when she saw what was hanging above them.

“You ready to…”

James trailed off as he followed Lily’s line of sight to see the mistletoe hanging above them. He growled.

“Sirius.”

Lily’s voice was sharp.

“What do you mean?”

James sighed.

“Sirius helped me out with decorating the store for Christmas before he left for the cruise he and Remus are on. He was responsible for the front of the store. I didn’t even realize he put mistletoe out here. When he gets back, I’m going to give him a piece of mind. Honestly, if he wasn’t my best friend – mmph.”

James wasn’t able to finish that thought because Lily grabbed him by the collar and kissed him.

They stayed like that for what seemed both like an eternity yet not long enough. When they separated James eyes were wide and Lily blushed a red almost the same shade as her hair.

“I’m so sorry! It’s just I’ve been hoping you’d ask me out for two months now and you ignored all my hints so I thought you were dating someone. Then today you tell me you’re not and there was the mistletoe and I’m so sorry for kissing you like that. Ugh, I didn’t even ask you if you were okay with it.”

Lily stopped rambling the minute James took her hand. He smiled at her softly.

“I hope you’re okay with me holding your hand on the way back to your house today.”

Lily nodded and they started walking as a comfortable silence settled over the two of them.

James was the first to break the silence.

“I think I owe Sirius a thank you for the mistletoe. I’ve wanted to ask you out for ages but I kept chickening out.”

“Really? That’s why you didn’t ask me out even though I dropped all those hints.”

James laughed.

“I actually didn’t realize you were dropping all hints. I’m a bit oblivious when it comes to people liking me.”

Lily hummed in thought and the silence returned.

Once they reached Lily’s home, Lily stood on her tiptoes and gave James a chaste kiss.

James put his hand to lips in amazement as he watched Lily open the door to her house.

Lily turned around and smiled at James.

“Pick me up around 1:00 day after tomorrow for our date. Have something planned for the second half of our date? First half is mine.”

“Wait are you asking me out?”

“Well yes. Neither of us have plans for the 25th so why not have our first date then?”

“Yeah sure whatever you say Lily flower.”

Lily and James stared at each other for a bit just smiling when Lily was called inside and James phone rang.

Lily blew James a kiss before closing the door.

James caught it and picked up the phone.