James Potter thought himself to be a rational person. James Potter also knew that everything he ever knew about himself was thrown out the window when Lily Evans was around.
He always knew he had talent, and he thought himself to be rather humble. But whenever he say Lily's deep red hair in the corridor or the library, he suddenly heard boastful comments spew from his lips about his latest 'O' in transfiguration or spectacular goal on the Quidditch pitch.
He thought himself fair, but any time she walked by with a swing in her hips, he would tease or berate the kids closest to him. It was usually a younger one, one who didn't yet know that when James saw Lily, you should run.
Even now that he had matured and had graduated from Hogwarts, he knew that things were just different when Lily was around. They were dating, almost for a year, and James knew he was in love.
The crazy smile she put on his lips and the thumping in his heart couldn't just be him fancying her. His dad always told him that when a man was in love, he knew it. There wasn't anything debatable or questioning, like how girls seemed so indecisive, but when a man was in love, he knew. And James knew that he loved Lily Evans.
But James knew a lot more than that. He knew that there was a war coming. He knew that he would be a direct target, he was a blood traitor and in love with a muggle born no less. He knew that he would do anything to save people who did nothing wrong. He knew that he would give his life for his friends, his family and for what was right.
James Potter always thought himself to be a rational person. When he decided he would propose to Lily Evans, and make her Lily Potter, he had it planned.
He would bring her out to Hogsmeade, where they had their first date, then bring her to the park where they shared their first kiss, and then he would bring her to the cinema, her favorite cinema, and propose to her right there.
But, anytime Lily was around, James couldn't seem to remember anything. Everything in his mind became her. Her laugh, her smile, her freckles, her kindness, her bravery, her love.
That's why, on a rainy May morning, when he was only 18 years old, James Potter showed up on Lily Evans' doorstep and asked her to marry him.
He rang the door bell, and heard steps pound down the front stairs. He knew it would be her running down the stairs; she loved to jump the last step. And when she opened the front door, she was smiling that Lily Evans smile. He could tell it was genuine by the way her eyes crinkled a bit in the corners and how a blush came about on her cheeks.
She was gorgeous, that girl. Even in a Quidditch t-shirt, his Quidditch t-shirt, and some little capri jeans, she was as brilliant as the sun.
"James," she said, "What are you doing outside? It's pouring!" She exclaimed.
His eyes were staring at her, and it seemed he didn't hear her. His mind was racing with thoughts, ask her to the cinema, one thought went by. Look at how gorgeous she is, another rang out. And they just kept coming.
Maybe there was something wrong with James Potter that day, because he found that he couldn't just stick to his plan. There was Lily, standing right in front of him, smiling, and he knew he just couldn't wait.
"Will you marry me?" he blurted out. Her eyes widened in surprise and she looked a bit shell shocked. Of course, how else would you expect the 18 year old woman to react.
"James, are you-" but he cut her off.
"Lily, I've never been more sure of anything. Look at me right now, and tell me you feel the same. Tell me that you can see it too. I don't care if people think I'm crazy or if they say we're crazy because we're young. There's a war Lily, and there's nobody I would rather be with than you. We only get one life Lils, and I want to live it with you." He got down on one knee at this time and pulled out the little ring box that he had been carrying around with him for the past few days. "What do you say?"
She had tears in her eyes. Her hair was falling out of it's bun. The rain just kept coming down on James, and as he got more steadily drenched, he wondered whether she would turn him down. She kept staring at him with her hand over her mouth and he began to doubt himself. He was stupid for asking her like this, and Lily was rational. She would think they were too young, it was too dangerous and-
"Yes." She whispered. "Yes of course James." A huge grin split across her face and James could have cried out of pure happiness.
Lily Evans, the girl who had yelled at him for years, the girl who dyed his hair pink when she was 13, the girl who cried to him about her sister one lonely night in 6th year, the girl who thought he would never change, had agreed to marry him.
He stood up quickly and she jumped into his arms.
"Lily," Mrs. Evans shouted from the kitchen, "who's at the door. You've been standing there an awful long time."
"Mum! MUM!" Lily shouted. Mrs. Evans came running from the kitchen looking panicked, until she saw James.
"What is it dear? Is everything okay?" She asked concerned.
"James and I are getting married," she said gleefully. James supposed this was as good a time as any to give her the ring, just as Mrs. Evans gave a shout of glee and hugged them both.
"Oh my dears, I'm so happy for you! Lily, look at you, you're radiant," she said, squeezing her daughter tight. "And James, I doubted you at first, what with everything Lily told me about you from school, but you've grown, I can see that. You make her happy. There's nothing more I could have asked for," she finished lightly.
Immediately after, Mrs. Evans rushed into the other room to call all her friends and Mr. Evans, who was at work. James and Lily went into the living room to call Sirius and Marlene and tell them the good news.
James Potter had a whole plan on how he was going to ask Lily Evans to marry him. James Potter also knew he was quite irrational when it came to a certain redhead of his affections. He knew that when he was with her, age didn't matter and everything that was bad seemed just a bit brighter. He knew that he would do anything for her, through the good and the bad, and he knew that he didn't care what happened around him. And when James Potter saw Lily Evans walk down the aisle to become Lily Potter, he knew that life would never be the same.
He saw their life together flash before his eyes, a little house that they fixed up together, dinner dates, balls and galas to attend, jobs, a few children down the road. He saw everything he ever dreamed about become slowly closer to reality that day. With his best friends by his side, his family in the front row, and the love of his life in front of him, James Potter knew he was the luckiest man in the world.