Summary: James decides that it is time he asks Lily to be his forever. He's got the proposal all worked out, he's got the ring, but he hadn't planned on it all going so very wrong. First time, second time, Third times the charm.
Hope you enjoy ;)
----------
Chapter 1:
"Lily, you are my rose among the thorns, you are the sparkle in the stars and you are the sun in my life. I love you so much and I want to spend the rest of my life waking up with you by my side. So, Lily Emily Evans, will you marry me and make me happiest man in the world?"
James looked into the smiling face in front of him. "So, what you'd think?"
Sirius burst into laughter. "Ah mate. You've lost it." Sirius wiped away tears of mirth.
James raised his eyebrow. "So, how's Heather." This seemed to silence Sirius.
"Low blow, mate, low blow."
James knew that Heather was a touchy subject. Sirius liked to say that they had a "special" type of relationship but James knew Heather to be difficult, stubborn and have the special ability to remember every little detail, and could bring them up in a fight. Sirius and Heather often fought to the point where James was scared for the life of his- furniture, but it was never long and the two were together again.
"Sirius, now seriously. If you were Lily and I asked you to marry me like that what would you say?"
"Oh, James, oh James. Yes, yes I'll marry you!" Sirius said in a terrible imitation of Lily's voice. "Oh but I'd change the bit about the 'rose among the thorns'. It just doesn't work if she's named after a flower."
James thought about it for a moment and realized how stupid it sounded.
"So what should I change it to?"
"Don't look at me mate. If it were up to me, I'd just say 'you, me and a white dress, how about it?'" Sirius flopped down onto the couch again and grabbed the magazine that was lying next to him.
"Well you let me know how that works out for you."
"Why are you stressing about this? It's just a girl, mate."
"Lily is not just a girl, she's thee girl! And tonight has to be perfect. I don't want anything to go wrong. I've planned it all."
"Where you taking her?"
"I'm taking her to a place not to far from Cornwall. She said she really likes the country out there and I've got a whole picnic thing set up and when I propose, at that exact moment, a hundred lilies are going to appear around us and the one I have in my hand will open and reveal the ring."
"Well, good luck, mate." Sirius said, clapping him on the shoulder.
----------
"Oh, James, it perfect." Lily stood, gazing around, at the woods a short way off, a large blanket lain out in the clearing between the trees, candles in red jars, a picnic basket and an arrangement of pillows on the blanket. She turned to James, smiled and stood on tiptoe to kiss him on his cheek. James took her hand and led her to the blanket.
"May I offer you something to drink?" James said reaching for the picnic basket.
"Oh, I'd love something warm. Coffee perhaps?"
James handed her a mug of steaming coffee.
"It's chilly, isn't it?" Lily said, pulling the thin cardigan more smugly around her. The autumn air had a hint of cold to it, and Lily wasn't dressed for the outside.
James conjured up a blanket and tossed it over the pair of them. Lily snuggled closer to James and let her head rest on his shoulder. James held her close but could feel his own body shake with nerves.
He could smell her sweet perfume and could feel her cold hands wrap around his arm as they both lay back on the blankets and looked up at the stars.
"They beautiful, aren't they?" Lily gazed up.
"You know I would give them to you if your heart desired them." James said smiling into the cascades of red.
Lily rolled over a bit onto her elbow, so that her face was in front of James' and she kissed him. "I'm so lucky to have you."
James smiled in return. "I love you, Lily."
"I love you, too." Lily replied and pressed her lips to James' again. The kiss was and sincere. Lily pulled back and gazed at James for a moment, her emerald eyes sparkling in the candle light. She raised a hand, pushed James' hair back from his face, and then ran it across his cheek and jaw.
"You're wonderful." Lily whispered as she lowered her head to James' ear.
Not wanting to get carried away, James decided to change the subject. "I've prepared us a dinner. Are you hungry?"
Lily smiled seductively and whispered in his ear again "Famished."
James sat up and reached for the picnic basket. Out of it he pulled the various plastic containers with their dinner. James wasn't a great cook so there was an arrangement of finger food that one couldn't get too wrong.
He had made a special effort to at least make the garnishing and food look appetizing. He had even gone as far as to make little roses out of tomatoes, a trick he had learnt while helping his mother with the many dinner parties she held.
Lily reached for a cucumber sandwich and nibbling cautiously on the corner and was surprised to find that it was rather nice. "You've learnt to cook then?" She asked.
"Well, I hardly think cucumber sandwiches would ever be in a chef's final exam."
"I don't know, to get the perfect balance between bread and cucumber is rather tricky and the right butter to salt ratio is absolutely crucial." Lily teased.
Lily spent another few minutes playfully mocking James by picking up different foods, eyeing them and giving it a sniff before eating it and then delivering her critical opinion.
"Hell, she's beautiful." James thought as Lily laughed at the look on his face. James began to feel his leg twitch with excitement or was it perhaps nerves. He couldn't take the suspense any longer. He was going to ask her now.
"Lily." He said attentively. He took her hand and looked into her entrancing eyes. "Lily, you make me so happy, and-" he said. He looked down at her hand in his.
Lily began to fan herself with her other hand. James felt his own face become hot with emotion. "Lily, I want to ask you-"
Lily had pulled her hand away from him and was fanning herself furiously. James could see her face become more crimson with each passing second.
"Oh James." Lily covered her mouth with both hands.
"Sweetheart, I-" James broke off. "Lily, are you alright?"
"Was there any nuts in the food?" Lily asked in a rather thick voice, still holding her face.
"Yes, there was some in salad."
Lily looked at him in shock. "I'm allergic!" Lily dropped her hands for the briefest second and James could see her face already start to swell.
"Shit, I'm sorry, I forgot! We've got to get you to a healer!" James pulled Lily to her feet and a split second later they were gone.
----------
"Let me see your hand, let me see your hand!" Heather shouted when she saw Lily and James at the door. James, who slightly behind Lily, mouthed the word "No!" and shook his head furiously at Heather.
Lily's face wasn't swollen anymore but it was tear-stained and she was still sniffing a bit. Lily held out her hand in confusion. "Why do you want to see my hand?"
Heather saw James' frantic beckoning and realized that he must not have asked her. "I'm, uh, trying a new palm reading technique."
Lily still looked a little confused. "Oh, don't worry, I'll do it later. Do you want some tea? You look a little upset. " Heather lead Lily away into the flat's small kitchen. James could hear Heather say "Tea has this wonderful way of making everything better." Heather had a particular gift for feeding people the perfect comfort foods when they needed it the most.
James had rushed Lily into the emergency ward at St. Mungo's and after being treated with an anti-inflammatory charm and a few drops of anti-histamine potion, Lily was completely fine again. James had brought her back to the flat that he and Sirius shared. Heather was always around with Sirius.
James didn't want to leave Lily alone in her flat tonight, partly because the potion made one rather dizzy and sleepy and partly because he was still feeling guilty.
He found Sirius in the lounge, listening to some awful music over the radio. He lay stretched out on the couch with his hands folded in behind his head and his eyes closed.
James dropped into one of the armchairs. "She's allergic to nuts, did you know?"
Sirius opened one eye and raised an eyebrow in question.
"It was all going perfectly up until she ate of the salad that had nuts in it."
"So did you do it at least?" Sirius asked, cautiously.
"Oh yes, of course I did, the emergency ward of Mungo's is terribly romantic." James added sarcastically.
----------
A/n: okay so this a fic I probably started six months ago and its just kind been sitting in my documents. I finally got to a point that I'm happy with it.
It's actually based loosely on some of the events of my parent, grandparents and a friend's engagements. This chapter is based on my friend's engagement. Her boyfriend ended up putting nuts in the salad on their picnic too. She swelled up like a balloon but he couldn't wait any longer and proposed to her in the emergency room at the hospital.
The character of Heather is dedicated to Lady Bracknell. She is such an amazing writer! She's under my favorite authors. Go check her out, and if you have time read her story "Disaster, also see Remus Lupin, love life of." If you do, you'll get the Heather references.
Anyway, please, please review, I'd love to know what you think. Do you have a favorite part or line? And if I get enough review, I might just update a little sooner. Just a little incentive.
Reviewers get a romantic Marauder of their choice and a complimentary picnic basket;)
Thanks
Von Bon