For several months, Lily and James decided to find ways to meet in secret. Outside of their hidden romance, they pretended to The act was hardest for Lily. James didn’t have to act any different than he had been acting in the past six and a half years; Lily, however, had to pretend to hate and insult James.
Eventually, they had fun with it. On one occasion, James and Sirius had dropped numerous cauldrons of steaming chili upon the Slytherin table at dinner. Sirius, who had an obsession with Jell-O, had suggested using it instead of chili (“You know what? Maybe we could fill their cauldrons with some Jell-O, eh?”), but James had rejected the idea. At first, once the entire house had been drenched in the levitated dishes’ soup, Lily had been furious. But when she saw James grinning with his trying-to-look-innocent-unsuccessfully face, her heart melted and she had half a mind to snog him right there in the Great Hall. Instead, she had proceeded to scold her Head Boy, sentencing him to a week of detention.
Thankfully, both Lily and James had the same classes. They pretended to be furious with each other, but hardly fooled their friends.
Halfway through January, the seventh years met with representatives from several prominent career fields. To no one’s surprise, James and Lily met with the Auror wizard.
“Miss Evans?” asked the Ministry wizard. Lily nodded. “Well, your grades are impeccable. It seems school suits you.”
Nervously, she nodded again. This man was dressed in green robes, touched with gold and black; he had golden hair, though it was thin and graying. Lily had the distinct impression he had never actually fought a dark wizard.
Through the months, both students were among the rest of the seventh years in studying and practicing for N.E.W.T.s, not to mention Lily and James had to plan all the events for the rest of the year. Between Hogsmeade trips and Prefect meetings, the couple hardly saw each other. When they did, it was in secret, usually at night, out on the grounds. In a swirl of practice exams and dance planning, Valentine’s Day arrived. On the day of the huge ball, which James had been surprisingly helpful in preparing for, Lily decided she wanted to tell everyone about their secret. She pulled James into an empty classroom and told him her idea.
That night, the couple got dressed separately, deciding to welcome everyone to the dance with their surprise. Sirius had suggested another mass-prank (“You know, I still think that Jell-O “”) but James had again forbidden it. Since James was the only person Sirius ever listened to, the prank had been squashed. At quarter-past seven, people began flooding into the Great Hall, completely amazed.
Colored fairies in glass orbs hovered around the windows; there were rows of low-lit candles floating in midair. Bunches of tables off to the side were covered in confetti, and a light snowfall fell from the ceiling, warm to the touch. Along with every rose bouquet at each table sat one beautiful white lily “ James’ personal touch.
Then, at half past the hour, the entire school watched as James climbed the stage. “Sonorous,” he whispered to his wand, holding it out like a microphone.
“I hope you all have a great night tonight. We have the wonderful talent of the Vultures tonight -- let’s give them… a round of applause,” James had to stop for the cheers of the crowd had droned out his voice. When the cheering died down, he continued. “Before we have the band come onstage, who would like to see the Head Girl?”
Cheers sounded, while Lily looked bashfully (if not angrily) at James. He smiled, looked around, and kicked his head to the side, as though saying, “Get on up here!”
She knew to go and join him; they hadn’t planned anything so huge “ she had arranged for a special course of ice cream! James muttered “Quietus,” into his wand, which gave no more sound.
Lily mounted the stage with the grace of a dancer, utterly gorgeous. She wore a dress of black silk, with her hair in a curve around her face, over to one side. Her earrings were glass of the exact shade of green as her eyes. When she did reach James at the center of the stage, he gave her a soft kiss on the cheek. She pulled away, smirking, then gave him a long deep kiss on the lips. Almost everyone from Gryffindor, along with most Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws, erupted with applause. Once she let go, James looked out at the crowd, then back at her. Lily laughed, and then led him offstage as the Vultures began to play.
Around eleven, James led Lily off the dance floor onto the grounds outside the front doors. They walked a few paces in silence, then came around a corner onto a secluded path, into a garden James had arranged himself. Everywhere there were white lilies, pink lilies… every color imaginable. In the center of a small ring of flowers was a white box, laced with a red ribbon.
“James… what is this?” Lily asked, turning around in circles.
“I’m a herbology nerd,” James said in jest. He was standing over Lily, who he had directed to a seat on the nearest bench.
“So… you brought me out here to… sniff Fanged Geraniums?”
“No,” he said, with an uncharacteristically nervous laugh.
“Something wrong? Everyone seems to be having a great time in there.”
He nodded slowly. “Out here… I’m kind of... take this.” He thrust a grassy pink pod into her hands, but too quickly; she dropped it. As though on high-speed, a flower burst from the crumbled soil where the pod had fallen. A light blue lily grew beneath her hands.
She gasped in surprise. “It’s beautiful!”
“You’re beautiful,” he said predictably.
“What a line!” she murmured.
“But that’s the thing,” he said anxiously; it seemed this was what he had been trying to voice all this time, and he continued to talk in a passionate rush. “Lily, I love you. I always have, and I will never stop. I never want to. I hate to see you sad or angry, and I would die to protect you. I want you to know that.”
James was becoming quieter, but she hung on every word.
“I do.”
“Good.” He smiled, ruffling his hair in the back as usual. She grinned too. “I want you to remember that forever.” He stood up. “I want everyone to know.” James climbed on the next stone bench, raised his arms out wide and looked up at the stars. He looked positively ten feet tall. “Every time I see you, I feel completely insane and sane at the same time! I don’t know what to do with myself!”
Lily stood up, black silken dress flitting about her feet, pulling him down from his pedestal.
“James, you don’t have to prove anything,” she whispered smiling, once he was back on the ground.
“I know I don’t,” James whispered back, taking her hands in his. “Go get that box. Read the note first.” He pointed to the small white gift next to the blossom in the center. She looked at him, confused, but went and sat next to the box, knees bent and splayed off to one side. As she opened the card, a note fell out. It read:
Dear Lily,
This is James Potter, and I just wanted to tell you something. I know that you probubly don’t know me, but I love you. Please don’t hate me. Seriousley.
Love,
James
Lily read the entire note twice without understanding.
“I’ve never seen this before,” Lily said questioningly, looking up at him.
“No, of course not. I wrote that letter at the end of first year. I just never had the courage to give it to you then… or before.” James showed no emotion, but Lily was stunned.
First year? How could he have known in first year? Lily read the note again, this time realizing the scratchy writing, the terrible spelling…His passion and faith in them both was so strong, she was almost knocked over.
“Open the box,” suggested James, sitting next to her on the bench.
She smiled, looking back from the note. “Honestly James, this is more than enough.”
“No it isn’t. Just do it.”
Laying the letter down beside her, Lily took the box up gently and began unwrapping the ribbon. Inside the white box, as the ribbon fell gracefully to the ground, was another box “ black and velvet.
“You are obsessed with boxes, too, then?” she asked, but he stopped her. James picked the box from her palms and then took the first of two bold moves “ he got down on one knee.
“I love you. This,” he said as he opened the box, revealing a silver banded ring with a woven Gaelic pattern, “is a Promise Ring. I promise to be loving and faithful, with the hope of marrying you someday. Would you, Lily Bridget Evans, do me the honor of wearing this ring?” James’ hopeful hazel eyes shone, and he lifted the ring from its slip into the air before her finger.
“I-I-I… I’m not ready to be married,” Lily stammered, looking down at the ring before her.
He looked crestfallen, but persisted. “Neither am I. But when I am, it will be to you. I’m going to be an Auror and so are you. We can’t handle being married during all that time. But eventually, they’ll be a chance.”
She thought. No words came.
“Are you sure?” When he nodded, she stuck out her hand obligingly, unable to come up with a satisfactory reply. Lily let him slip the ring on her finger, enjoying its cool smooth feeling on her skin. She stood and hugged him tightly. Promised? It was so old-fashioned, but so incredibly like him: Sweet, understanding, and forever persistent.
James thought he might burst with joy “ he kissed her entire face, her fingers, her neck.
“I didn’t mean to pressure you, I just…”
“You will find, Mr. Potter,” she said haughtily, “that it is very difficult to persuade me to do anything I would prefer not to do.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” he said.
Without waiting, she ran gracefully up the path towards the Hall. He followed right behind.
“Who can I tell?” she called over her shoulder, looking through her sheets of auburn hair into his hazel eyes.
“Who ever you want!” said James sweetly. She gave the smallest of laughs and went through the doors into the Great Hall. He smiled at the thought of what he had done.
Everyone.
Inside, Lily found her three friends and dragged them away from their dates “ Amos Diggory, Remus, and (of course) Sirius.
“This had better be good, or “” Hannah began.
“OH MY GOD! What is that on your finger?” Jessica asked excitedly, pulling Lily’s left hand out for inspection. Lily smiled.
“It’s a promise ring.”
“NO!” gasped Beth.
“From who? Potter?” shouted Hannah in shock.
“No, a centaur from the woods “ great upper body.”
Jessica was laughing and hugging Lily, beginning to cry, while Hannah had yet to understand.
Meanwhile, James had taken Sirius and Remus away from a prying Amos, leading them toward the punch bar at the far end of the Hall. Most people were dancing to the very loud music coming from the rock band. James gulped down four glasses of punch before he could tell them what he had done. When he finished, Remus was smirking, arms across his chest. Sirius, on the other hand, was tackling James to the floor in a bear hug. They punched at each other laughing as if in the middle of a very energetic pillow fight.
“Padfoot, you can’t kill the man before he’s properly proposed,” Remus joked. Both boys on the floor got up, still cackling hysterically, enjoying every second of the wonderful night.
Finally at around midnight, the couples parted, wishing the fading notes of balalaikas and drums could go on. Everyone cheered as the Vultures bowed and disappeared behind the stage curtain. James and Lily got back on the stage and waved goodnight to their friends and peers, watching the tired but excited crowd depart.
Lily looked down again and played with her ring. Two chains wove in and around each other in a never-ending wave upon the polished band, graceful swans gliding in a symmetrical braid around the surface of silver. She smiled and closed her eyes as a pair of strong arms wrapped around her waist from behind. A sharp chin rested on her head; she smiled even more broadly. Resting her head on James’ shoulder, Lily slipped her hands upon his at her hips.
“You’re good at this,” Lily murmured, eyes closed in bliss. She held on for another second before turning to him, letting go.
“You know, I’ll always be there for you. If ever you need me, day or night, don’t ever hesitate to find me.” He leaned over and kissed her on the forehead, grinning. They both smiled at each other for a while, until James stepped back and practically squished his eyes out from the huge smile on his face. “May I have this dance?” asked James politely, extending his hand.
“There’s no music,” Lily said laughingly, looking around and brushing her fiery hair out of her eyes.
“We don’t need music.” She flashed him a small but appreciative smile and took his hands in hers.
Together the waltzed the stage, slowly but smoothly, touching every inch of the dance floor. After a while of floating on a cloud, not wanting at all to come down, Lily began to feel the weight of the hours, yawning.
“Want to go back?” James suggested sweetly.
Lily had half a mind to refuse, but she had been completely overwhelmed, and now she was totally drained. She relented. “Alright. I guess we can sit by the fire in the common room.”
Together, they wandered back to the common room, past those remaining students who had not trekked back to bed. Lily made it halfway through portrait hole ("poppycock"), she tripped on her skirt. Thankfully, James caught her; he smirked as he helped Lily back on her feet, containing a laugh.
“It’s this stupid dress,” complained Lily, raging under her breath, pushing ahead of James in a huff. “I feel like a penguin. I have to do a penguin walk. I hate my penguin walk.”
“I love your penguin walk,” James called softly. She turned to face him, temper gone.
“How do you always know how to get me?” Lily asked in her somewhat-seductive tone.
“I just read your diary, that’s all…” James said nonchalantly, shrugging his shoulders.
For a second, she panicked. Then she realized “ he was joking. “It’s a good thing, then,” replied Lily. James sighed, not being able to restrain himself.
“What’s a good thing?”
“That I love you.” Lily grabbed his wrist and pulled him towards the door. James took the opportunity, maneuvering his hand into hers instead of next to it.
“I love you, too.”
"Don't be gross," said Hannah from her armchair by the window.
"Yes, please," called Remus over his book. He and Jessica were sitting on sofa near the fire, immersed in A Guide to Magical Creatures of Asia Minor and the Indian Ocean.
"Prongs," said Sirius loudly, for he had been half asleep near the notice board, "was that ice cream new? Tasted a bit like pumpkin juice and berries."
"Dunno," said James shrugging. "Ask the house-elves."
James and Lily sat on the sofa near the fire, talking with the rest about their first great Valentine's Day. Eventually, though, their beds beckoned, and soon all by Lily and James had gone to their dormitories.
"What's your middle name?" Lily asked all of the sudden. She realized she didn't know.
"William," he replied.
Something stirred in her memory... a family member... no, that wasn't it...
"Why does that sound so familiar?"
He didn't answer her right away, but finally met her gaze again. "A howler in first year."
She smiled, remembering the day just about a month after the start of term. The scarlet envelope had appeared in the Great Hall, and shouted at James for trying to hex Sirius (he had instead made a burn in a large tapestry of a toad and a rather unattractive princess).
They continued to converse about old pranks until, just before four, Lily fell asleep on the couch by the fire; James, still seated on the floor, had his hand in hers, even though it cost him a slight back ache the next day from the angle. But it didn’t matter to him. He’d done it before, he’d do it again.
I realize this was sickeningly cute, but a)sometimes happiness is fun, and b)is doesn’t last. Muhahahaha! Read and Review!!!!! It makes me feel good, even if it’s a suggestion!! C’mon… Also, balalaikas are real instruments. Look ‘em up. Or… listen to the Beatles…