Another Day In Paradise

Jersey Princess

Rating: PG
Genres: Drama, Romance
Relationships: Lily & James
Book: Lily & James, Books 1 - 4
Published: 20/12/2005
Last Updated: 20/12/2005
Status: completed

Several deaths have happened, and Lily is living as a Muggle on the streets of London. No one will help her. No one cares. Every few weeks she moves streets; people don’t want her there. Finally she gets found…but why is he being so nice to her? L/J

Chapters

1. Another Day In Paradise

1. Another Day In Paradise

Well, this is another one-shot idea I had. Purely L/J. Hope you enjoy!

This is kinda Anastasia-y, too…it wasn't originally; originally she never lost her memories but it didn't really work then…basically, this is now kinda like Princess Leia but based a little bit on Phil's song.

Summary: Several deaths have happened, and Lily is living as a Muggle on the streets of London. No one will help her. No one cares. Every few weeks she moves streets; people don't want her there. Finally she gets found…but why is he being so nice to her? L/J

Disclaimer: the song this is based on, Another Day In Paradise, is not owned by me; it's Phil Collins's. I own the rest of it. Apart from JK's stuff. Don't sue!

R/R

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Another Day In Paradise

A scream. A flash of green. Two dead bodies fell on the ground before her. She looked up to see a man. His eyes flared red, dangerously. She heard another scream. She turned towards it. A boy was running towards her. He shoved her out of the way as a flash scraped past her ear. They fell to the floor, and she apparated at the impact. But what became of the boy?

But what became of the boy?

She woke up with a jolt. She sighed in relief as she realised that it was just a dream. An awful one, but still a dream.

But it had happened. The niggling in the back of her head wouldn't rest. She couldn't quite remember it happening, but she knew it had; two years ago. She didn't know who the man was, or the boy. But the two dead bodies were those of her parents, and she knew that for a fact. Nobody could deny that the woman's hair was the same red colour as hers, the man's shining green eyes were the image of her own. They had been called Mr and Mrs Evans, and she was sure they had been amazing parents—not that she could remember anything about them, of course. Her memories had vanished as she left the scene, the boy who had saved her, the man with the red eyes and her dead parents.

She shivered, the cold bringing her out of her daydream. She stood up and shook her clothes out. She was wearing grim and dirty rags; the remnants of the dress she had been wearing two years ago. Sometimes she washed them when she found somewhere, but that was every six months or so. Her shoes, which had never been for everyday-wear, were torn to shreds, so she only ever wore them at night to preserve heat. Her hair was dull and greasy, a mass of tangles and knots hanging past her waist. Her teeth were stained yellow and her fingers black. She looked uncared for; the beggar that she was.

A long time ago, she had realised that she had to have a name; `Evans' couldn't do. She went looking around the streets of London for something that would suit her. Eventually she came across the word `ruby' in a `WANTED!' notice. She decided it was perfect, and so she became Ruby Evans.

She looked around. It was dark, but not black yet. There were a few people walking around. A blond man wearing a green cloak walked by her.

“Please sir!” she called after him. “Do you know anywhere I—?”

The man cut her off by sneering loudly and saying, “Why would I want to help a filthy muggle?”

The words rang in her ears. She remembered somebody saying that before…but where??

By the time she looked up, the man had gone.

Another man, this time with brown hair and wearing casual clothes, hurried by her. The rest of the street was deserted. This was her last chance. “Sir, can you help me?” she asked. “It's cold and I've nowhere to sleep. Is there somewhere you can tell me?”

The man continued walking, without turning to her. He started crossing the street, whistling as he went. His shoulders were hunched and he was chewing his fingers.

Ruby bit her lip, tears trailing silently down her cheeks. This was the usual reaction; she was used to it but it still stung that people wouldn't bother to react. She walked down the road slowly, her shoes in her hands. It was going to be a long night if she didn't find shelter soon.

---

Oh, think twice, it's just another day for you and me in paradise

Oh, think twice, it's just another day for you, you and me in paradise

---

She had been walking for days, weeks even. Every now and then she'd stop, only to get shooed along by the pedestrians. They didn't want her there.

It was evening and Ruby was tired. She longed to collapse and sleep for a year. She was in sore need of a bath and of food; she only ever got food from dustbins that people hadn't finished. Her feet were blistered and she had tearstains on her cheeks. Walking was hard, but somehow she persevered even though she wasn't making much progress.

A man in a business suit passed her by. She knew it was fruitless but she had to try anyway. “Sir!” she called weakly, her voice without much hope.

To her amazement, the man turned. He wasn't so much a man as she had thought; he looked about her age; still a boy. “Yes?” he asked.

She sighed gratefully. “Do you know anywhere I can stay?”

The boy gave her a once-over, stopping at her eyes which he stared at for a few moments, and then moved his briefcase into his left hand and held out his now empty right hand. “Come on, I'll take you to my place. You can get something to eat and have a bath there. Would you like that?” he said kindly.

Ruby nodded silently, fresh tears creeping down her cheeks. She wanted to hug the boy, but knew it wasn't proper and he might change his mind if she got him dirty. She hurried forward and took the boy's hand, relief evident in every gesture she made.

“I'm James,” the boy said.

“Ruby,” Ruby whispered.

“Well, I'm pleased to meet you, Ruby,” James said. “Nearly there. My house is just around the corner.”

His house wasn't so much a house as it was a mansion. There were large iron gates fencing off the manor from the public. Once through the gates, there were a few gardens, including one entirely dedicated to roses, which Ruby found absolutely gorgeous. Eventually they reached the large pink granite building. The steps up to the large wooden front door were grey marble and shielded by a massive porch awning. James walked up and swung open the door.

The inside of the manor was just as grand as the outside. The floors were all marble, and the furnishings all gold and silver. For a street-beggar, it was a palace, and Ruby could only gasp. She tiptoed through the house and dared not touch anything.

They arrived in a rather homely kitchen that was entirely different from the grandeur of the rest of the house. “Sit,” James commanded kindly. Ruby did as he said. James went over to the cupboards and got her some bread to eat. He heated her up some soup and got her out some cold meats. He then got himself some soup and sat opposite her.

“How did you get like this?” he asked eventually when they'd both eaten their fill.

Ruby shrugged. “Two years ago my parents died and I lost everything. I don't remember how life got to be like this.”

James nodded. He opened his mouth to say something, but shut it again. He ran a hand through his black hair nervously, which messed it up. He looked at Ruby quizzically from behind horn-rimmed glasses, his hazel eyes sparkling in a friendly way.

A cough came from the door, and Ruby looked over to find a girl standing there. She had waist-length black hair and the same hazel eyes as James.

“Hello?” the girl asked.

“Hey, Evie!” James said companionably. “This is Ruby. Ruby, this is my little sister Evelyn.”

Ruby smiled gently. “Hi,” she said, proffering a hand. Evie knocked it out of the way and gave her a hug.

“You know,” Evie said thoughtfully, looking at her, “you remind me of someone…”

James spoke up, “Evie, can you show Ruby where the bathroom is so she can get washed up?”

Evie grinned and dragged Ruby up by her hand up the stairs and down the corridor. The bathroom was large and white, with a red suite and accessories. Evie ran Ruby a bath and added lots of oils and different bubble baths. She put out a large white fluffy towel and slippers and left the room to Ruby.

She stripped down and stepped in the boiling water. She soaked amongst the bubbles for a while, dislodging all the dirt that she'd gathered on her skin for the past few years, and then scrubbed at her skin with a scrubbing brush and a loofah for maybe an hour until it was raw and pink. She then soaped her hair with several different shampoos and conditioners until it was soft to the touch. She stepped out of the bath, drained it, and then filled it again and stepped back in; to make sure she was clean all over. Her feet seemed to have healed some time in the bath; they felt as good as new—no sign of the blisters from earlier. She scrubbed herself dry and then attempted to comb through her hair, which was still knotted. She wrapped the towel around herself and stepped out to find a pile of clothes waiting for her, all in her size, and a spray-on conditioner. She stepped back in the room and dressed. The conditioner worked like magic, and she was able to comb through her hair and dry it with a hairdryer. She looked at her reflection in the mirror.

Looking back at Ruby was a pretty girl of medium height, with messy dark red hair that tumbled a long way down her back, fair skin, a tiny waist and bright emerald orbs for eyes. She was dressed in a white cotton tunic and matching white floaty trousers, which the furry slippers at the bottom.

Who was she? It wasn't her. It couldn't be her. She didn't look like that, did she?

There came a knocking at the door, and she opened it. Evie stood there, gasping at the girl in front of her.

“Wow,” she breathed. “I…I knew you reminded me of someone…but…how…?”

Ruby shrugged. “I don't even know myself. Is this me?”

Evie blinked a couple of times, then smiled. “Let's take you to see James again; he'll be wondering where you are.”

They started down the stairs. They were near the bottom when James came out of the sitting room and stood at the bottom of the stairs, waiting. Evie, who was behind Ruby, had a plan and slipped slightly, knocking into the other girl and sending her flying. Ruby slipped down the stairs and into James, who caught her.

A boy was running towards her. He shoved her out of the way. They fell to the floor.

Flashes of memories were hitting her. She vaguely heard James whisper, “Is that you, Ruby?” before seeing the face of the boy who had saved her for the first time.

Spiky black hair. Horn-rimmed glasses, shadowing hazel eyes. Muscles to die for. They came from playing Quidditch so much. And the pranking…and the friends…

And she realised: James Potter.

The boy who had plagued her every day at school. He had saved her life.

Just as he was saving her, now.

She leapt up and off him in a shock, jolting back into reality. Her name wasn't Ruby, it was Lily. She was a witch. She'd narrowly escaped Lord Voldemort; the man with the red eyes. She owed James Potter her life, twice.

She covered her mouth with her hand, her eyes wide in horror. “Oh Merlin, no…” she whispered frantically.

He could have poisoned her. After all, he hated her in school. He was so rude to her every day. Every single day, he found a new way to insult her; whether it was by ripping her Transfiguration homework up that had taken her three hours to do, or by charming her skin green and hair pink. He never ceased to amaze anyone…and he was helping her now? He saved her life? But maybe he hadn't known it was her…

More flashes came.

“Lily!” the boy yelled, running towards her. He screamed in horror as her parents went down. “Lily, get out of the way!”

No, he'd known it was her alright. But the question was, why?

“Why?” she whispered in question.

Evie choked gracelessly. “Sweet Merlin, it is you, isn't it?! Oh my goodness…”

Lily looked at her, questioningly. “What…?”

“You're not called Ruby at all! Are you? C'mon, you can't tell me that you are…”

Lily shook her head. “But I didn't know until just then, when I fell…” She turned to James. “Why did you save me?”

James's brow furrowed. “You were cold and hungry, on the streets…who wouldn't have…?” His voice trailed off as he saw Lily shake her head.

“Not then. Why did you save me? Then? Why did you save me when you knew he was going to kill me!”

James looked at her for a few moments, trying to recognise her. Finally he got it. “You…you're Evans? You…you lied to me?”

“I didn't know. Not until just now. And I want to know, why did you save me?”

James bit his lip. “He was going to kill you. You don't just let someone kill someone else. It's not done. Even if you hate them.” He threaded his hands into his hair and tugged at it; he was trying to stop himself from doing something, Lily noted as he clenched his fists tightly.

She nodded at his words, tearing up slightly. “I guess I should go then,” she said softly. “I don't belong here. But at least I know who I am now. Thank you.” She nodded to James and Evie and walked out of the front door.

She had walked for a little while when she heard running footsteps behind her. She ducked into a crack in the wall and hid. The person passed her by; it was James. He looked frantic. She didn't know what for, but she headed back the way she'd come and along the road.

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Oh, think twice, it's just another day for you and me in paradise

Oh, think twice, it's just another day for you, you and me in paradise

---

A year later, Lily was walking around. She'd bought herself a flat and she'd got a job helping in the memory-recovery ward at her local hospital. Even though she was only twenty-one, she had lines on her face that made her look older than she really was. These didn't mar her beauty, though.

She walked along a road that was familiar to her. She stopped at the burnt-out house. Her house. It had been torched only a month after the murders of her parents; nobody wanted to live there. She stood, looking at the iron gates and the stone of the building, thinking about another house that was so different to this.

Suddenly, she was hit from the side by something. She fell flat on her back, the wind knocked out of her. Something heavy settled above her, straddled over her hips. She opened her eyes to see hazel ones staring back at her.

“James!” she whined. “I haven't seen you for a year, and you think this is a way to greet me?!”

“No, I think it's a way to get your attention,” James told her. “You know, you haven't changed much in ten years. You're still as beautiful as you were when I first met you.”

Her breath caught in her throat. “You…?” She couldn't finish. It was too much of a shock.

James looked at his hands on her stomach and sighed, refusing to meet her eyes.

Lily gasped. She remembered a quote her mother had once told her when she was complaining about James; she must have been about fourteen and she hadn't believed it.

When boys tease you, it means they fancy you.

James thought she was beautiful?

James had thought she was beautiful when they were eleven?

It was too much to take in. She breathed deeply. “Wow…” she whispered. “You really think…?”

James nodded. “I've always thought so. I just didn't want to admit it to anyone, not even myself. I think the guys always knew…Evie definitely did…I mean, if anybody realised I had a crush on some random poor muggleborn girl…they'd probably have killed me, so I kept it to myself when I realised.”

“So all those years…I thought you hated me, when really, you had a crush on me?” Her voice was rising in pitch and volume; she was getting angry for some reason.

James's hands were inching their way up to his scalp to ruffle his hair and hold it again. She hated that. She reached up to tug them away. James lifted his eyes and they met hers.

Though it may have been a cliché, she had no idea who moved first (probably not her; his eyes rather captivated her), but suddenly they were kissing passionately. She couldn't understand; she hated him, thought he hated her, it turns out he fancies her and so she kisses him? It was the way it went in fairytales, films, stories. Not real life.

But she was happy. And that other awful cliché: she felt like that was where she belonged.

In the middle of a pavement, lying on her back in a rather uncomfortable position, which one of James's legs pressed painfully against hers and his hands clenched tightly in hers so that her fingers were going numb and he had fingernail-marks in his hands.

It was literally heaven.

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Just think about it

Think about it

Just another day, for you and me, in paradise

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Well, what did you think of that? I hope you didn't think it was worse than PL, or a spin-off of it…it was originally an entirely new idea…

ly,

x Cazzy x

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