Disclaimer: I don't own Lily or James, and I don't even own the house i'm in... My parents do ;)
Dedication: Dedicated to Lily and James, because tonight marks 25 years since they died '(
A/N: I've always loved the idea of him doing this in the rain, it's just so romantic!
James smiled widely and opened the door for her, and then proceeded to bow. "My lady," he said in a posh voice.
Lily giggled and he smiled. He loved it when she smiled. He loved it when she looked at him. He loved her.
The both went inside the restaurant and were seated. The apprehension in his mind began to grow. A healthy conversation sparked, and the two were happily chatting away and laughing.
As the food was brought to their table he kept looking at her. She didn't mind. She loved it when he looked at her. She loved it when he smiled at her. She loved him.
Although the feeling in James's stomach began to worsen. What used to be butterflies had turned into something bigger, something that was making his stomach feel uneasy. James Potter had never been scared in his life, but now?
He was scared.
How could he be scared? He thought quietly to himself. It's not like it's a hard thing to do. It's not like she doesn't care. She looked up and their eyes met, and they both smiled at each other again.
"James?" she asked.
He jumped slightly and then looked up with a smile. "Yes Lily?"
"Thanks for tonight," she said. "It was the best anniversary gift ever."
James smiled his handsome grin. "Anything for you," he said.
She smiled back and they both tucked into their food. The conversation continued and they both seemed to be having a great time. But something in James was stirring. Like it was trying to get out. He knew what it was. He knew what he had to say. But he kept telling himself 'not now, later, this isn't the right moment.'
But as the night progressed the 'right moment' never really came along.
Lily noticed James's behaviour, but thought nothing of it. She was used to his quirks, but as she watched him more, she noticed that every time she spoke to him she jumped slightly. If Sirius were here he probably would have compared James to 'a rabbit on crack'.
He was smiling, and he was happy, but something wild danced behind his eyes. An impulse he was struggling to keep under control. She told herself to think nothing of it.
The meal ended, and he paid the bill, took her arm and led her outside. They tightly wrapped their cloaks around their shoulders as a chilly breeze swept down the street. James looked up at the sky and noted the half moon barely visible behind the dark clouds.
"Looks like it's going to rain," he said quietly.
She nodded in agreement and shivered slightly. He wrapped his arm around her and slowly they walked down the street.
After about fifteen minutes they reached Lily's door. James wrapped her in a warm embrace. They pulled apart slightly and he leaned in and kissed her. The kiss slowly turned passionate, and when they finally broke apart both had a slightly pink tinge to their cheeks.
"Thanks for tonight," Lily said again, looking deeply into his eyes.
"It was all a pleasure," he said, smiling.
"Goodnight," she said, and leaned up and kissed him quickly on the lips again.
"Sweet dreams," he replied as their hands separated. She smiled quietly at him and shut the door.
James stood on the front step and closed his eyes. He quietly clenched his fists and put his back against the wall. He slid down and hit his head against the wall rhythmically.
He was so stupid. How could he not have done it? He was a Gryffindor! He was supposed to be brave! But right now, he just felt like a huge coward.
Lily couldn't sleep.
She didn't know why, but as much as she tried, she just could not get to sleep. She looked at the clock on her bedside table. The florescent green light blared out the time; 3:00am
She sighed and got out of bed. She wandered down the hallway and into the kitchen. The room was dimly lit by the street light outside, and the windows were blurred as large splatters of water hit them. Lily poured herself a glass of water and stared out the window.
She loved the rain. She had always loved the rain. She smiled as she remembered the time she had dragged James outside onto the Hogwarts grounds when it was raining. She'd spun around, happy to feel the raindrops hit her skin, and he had laughed at her.
She had flung her arms around his neck and suddenly he had leaned down and kissed her. The rain was magic.
She was brought from her thoughts by a loud knocking at the door.
'Who would be here at this hour?' she thought quietly while she put down her glass on the counter top. She quietly padded through the house and made it to the front door. The rain was pouring down, and you'd have to be absolutely insane to be out in this weather.
She stifled a yawn and unlocked the door. But as she opened the door nothing would have prepared her for what she saw.
James stood, soaking wet on her front step, with a strange look in his eyes. He looked terrified of something, but at the same time he looked so confident.
"James!" Lily said in alarm, "What are you doing here?"
He took a deep breath.
I'm an idiot Lily. I thought I could do it, I thought I knew what I was doing, but I couldn't and I don't know why."
"James, you're not making any sense. Come inside or you'll catch a cold! It's three in the morning!"
"Wait, I need to say this," he said, a determined look on his face. "I was going to do it at dinner, and I don't know why but I couldn't. I can't sleep because I've been beating myself up about it, and I couldn't figure out why I didn't ask you sooner. Lily, you're amazing. You're more than amazing, you're an angel. And the thing I wanted to ask you was…"
Slowly he got down on one knee and took a small velvet box out of his pocket. Lily gasped and her hands covered her mouth in shock.
"Lily Evans, will you marry me?"
There was a moment of silence, where nothing could be heard but the rain hitting the ground, and then…
"Yes!" she said, and ran out and hugged him. She didn't care that it was raining, she didn't care that she was only wearing boxers and a tank top, she didn't care, because he loved her.
He slid the ring onto her finger, and just like that time at Hogwarts they engaged in a passionate kiss while standing in the rain.
All had to agree, that the rain was magic.