"Calm down mate, you're starting to annoy me." Sirius Black cracked one eye to look at James Potter, who was currently pacing back and forth, his head leaning back against the winged arm chair he occupied in the Gryffindor common room. Watching his nervous friend made him laugh. "It's not going to kill you, you know."
"What if something goes wrong? What if I mess up? She'll never forgive me."
"All right, first of all, it's only one date, your first date. She has nothing to judge you by yet."
"With the girl I've liked for five years."
"And you can't mess up. Come on, my best friend never messes up."
"She'll understand that you're nervous James." Remus looked up from the book he was reading to join in Sirius' amusement.
"She's turned me down for years; maybe she'll take any excuse she can…"
"Seriously James. Sit down and shut up. You're worrying worse than Remus here before exams." Remus frowned at Sirius.
"Really James, you'll look ridiculous if she comes in and you're pacing like that. Just sit down. Everything will be fine."
"Just breathe James. What is wrong with you? Honestly." Sirius shoved his friend onto the couch in the front room of the Potter's house.
"What if she says no? What if I mess up? I'm afraid I'll lose the ring and she'll just walk away. I still can't figure out why she went out with me. Why on earth should she marry me? Oh Merlin, this is going to be terrible."
"You're rambling James." Remus stood in the doorway.
"Never a good sign."
"We'll just have to tell Lily he can't make it." James' two friends ignored him for a moment in their fun.
"You'll do no such thing!"
"Finally! He hears us." Sirius exclaimed. "James, you really need to calm down. This is Lily, she loves you, you love her; how could she say no?" James nodded but didn't look at all convinced. He had a perfect evening planned with Lily. They would go to a small restaurant in London for dinner where he had planned months in advance to get reservations. Then during dessert, he had arranged for a violinist to play for her and he would have her close her eyes. It was wizard owned, so he was going to
wingardium leviosa the ring to float before her in its little green velvet box. She would open her eye to see the ring and him on the floor on one knee.
"James? Are you alright darling?" Lily gave James a worried look when he picked her up at her house. He could see Petunia giving him her upturned nose, the prat, over Lily's shoulder. "James?"
"What? Sorry love, I didn't hear you."
"I asked if you were alright. You don't look so well honey, maybe we should cancel tonight."
"No!" Lily looked surprised by his sudden outburst. "I mean, I'm fine. Just fine."
"Alright, if you say so. So, where are we off to?" James grinned down at her, the anticipation finally giving him a little of his old swaggering confidence back.
"A special little place I don't think you've ever been to." They apparated to a quiet alley near the restaurant. The warm summer air and dim light lent a romantic air to the evening. Ueilly's was just around the corner, a lovely little place invisible to muggles.
James and Lily had been seeing each other steadily during the year since graduation from Hogwarts and for the last couple of months he had been building the courage to ask her to marry him. He was deeply in love with her; he knew that without a doubt. He couldn't imagine growing old with anyone else, raising children with anyone else, or loving anyone else. Not the way he loved his Lily, the most important person in his life, even more so than his best friends and comrades. She was the sun that lit his days.
All through dinner, James got distracted, trying to stay calm. Lily gave him a few concerned, odd looks, but he shook off her questions. He knew that as soon as he was ready, he could signal for the musician and he would come over to play a love song for Lily.
"Lily, I have something special tonight."
"Yes James?"
"Well," He motioned over the violinist, who began to play a soft slow love song, making Lily smile with delight. "Close your eyes, will you?"
"Okay." She closed her eyes, a smile still fixed upon her lips. James pulled out his wand and the small ring box. Speaking softly, he bewitched the box then bent down on one knee.
"Lily Evans, I love you. You can open your eyes." She did, and gasped. One hand flew to her mouth and her eyes pooled with tears. "You are the most important and special person in my life. I want to grow old with you and I want to raise a family with you. I can't imagine being with anyone else for the rest of my life. I would do anything for you, I would die for you. But I cannot live without you. Will you be my wife?"
"Lily, I've liked you for years, you know that." James had taken her to the Three Broomsticks for lunch. He smiled at the beautiful girl he had fallen for. "Will you be my girlfriend? Will you be only mine?"
"James, I…"
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked. I shouldn't, Oh Merlin." He ran his hand through his already messy black hair.
"No, it's okay." She reached across the table and took his hand. "I would love to be your girlfriend. You have grown up a bit; you're not a complete toe rag."
"James, I…" She smiled suddenly with a laugh. "You aren't going to apologize now are you?"
"What?" He was completely taken aback by her answer.
"Seventh year at the Three Broomsticks, on our first date, you asked me to be your girlfriend. Then you apologized for asking me."
James gaped for a moment before speaking uncertainly. "Should I…?
"No." She spoke softly, tenderly. "Yes."
"Yes. I'll be your wife. I can't imagine being with anyone else. We'll have a houseful of kids and we'll grow old together. I love you James."
"Merlin Lily, I could never love anyone as much as you. I'll never understand why you love someone like me."
"Well, you're not a complete toe rag." He slipped the ring on her finger and they kissed. He wasn't nervous anymore.