Hi everyone! Today is Haley's (aka haleyisafangirl) birthday! Happy birthday, dear! This is one of my birthday presents to her. Her prompt was "Cute and wintery."

Warning: a lot of fluff

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter

Enjoy!

The trees glistened with frost, snow, and icicles in the winter sunlight as Lily walked down the empty path, bundled in jeans, brown boots, a black wool peacoat, and a blue hat. Her gloved hands were tucked in her pockets and her head was tilted back to look at the reaching branches. The only sound came from her boots crunching in the snow as she walked through the forest, all alone.

She sighed, her breath creating mist in the otherwise clear air, and looked down at her feet, placing one directly in front of the other as she walked. The sound of walked-on snow came from behind her and she stopped and turned around to see who it was.

A tall boy with messy black hair, piercing hazel eyes, and an almost ever present smirk was walking down the path behind her, very evidently heading to where she was. At the sight, Lily couldn't help but smile.

He caught up soon after she spotted him and she couldn't help but tease, "To what do I owe the honor, James?"

He grinned and pulled at her arm to get her hand out of her pocket, twining their fingers together. "What, I can't go on a walk with my girlfriend?" he asked as they started walking again.

Lily arched an eyebrow at him, "I didn't say that. I'm just surprised you knew I had left. Or that you knew where I went."

James shrugged, "Call it instinct."

"Or you following me," Lily returned with a teasing grin.

James ducked his head in embarrassment, but also to keep Lily from seeing his blush (which epically failed, by the way). She laughed and knocked her shoulder into his (it ended up more like his upper arm).

"So, why did you go here, anyway?" James asked, changing the subject.

Lily looked up at the trees again and a soft smile graced her face, "It's beautiful out here this time of year."

James looked over at Lily, mapping her face with his eyes, "Yes, it is."

Lily looked back at James and blushed, the color clashing with her red hair, but it looked perfect in James' eyes.

Lily turned her head back to the trees, letting the cold wind cool her burning cheeks. James gave her profile a smile and then turned his head to the trees.

They continued on that way for a while before James broke the silence by asked, "What do you see in the trees?"

Lily considered for a moment, "Rest. The trees don't really look dead to me. Just asleep under a white blanket, waiting for morning. What about you?" She glanced at James out of the corner of her eye and then looked back to the trees.

"Hope," James replied almost automatically, "because I think they're anticipating the time they can bring life once again to the world."

Lily nodded slowly, before lowering her head and looking at the path in front of them, "It always seems so peaceful out here, especially in winter."

"Yeah, I can see why you like it. It sort of reminds me of Hogwarts in the winter, with everything white. It feels weird to not be there, taking classes, preparing for holiday break."

Lily gave a small laugh, "Agreed. I miss it; even the work."

With a chuckle, James replied, "I don't miss the work. All of those long nights?" James mock-shuddered.

The air was filled with their laughter at that.

Once they had quieted and a few more moments of walking had passed, James stopped and pulled on Lily's arm to turn her towards him, suddenly serious.

"Lily, I love you more than I ever thought it was possible to love anyone," James started, a twinkle in his eye despite his stoic demeanor, "and, if you will let me, I would love to continue loving you for the rest of our lives." Lily's free hand flew to her mouth as he sunk down to one knee and pulled out a small black velvet box from his pocket, somehow opening it with one hand to reveal a simple silver band with a sparkling diamond, "So, Lily Marie Evans, would you do me the very great honor of becoming my wife?"

Lily was silent and still, making James worry, but he needn't have, because she was simply trying to soak it all in and process his words. A moment later, she was on her own knees with her arms around his neck and her face buried in his coat as she choked out that yes, of course she would marry the bloody idiot.

~.~*~.~*~.~

"And that, Harry, is how I managed to snag your mother. So ha in Severus' face!" James smiled smugly down at the at wide-eyed baby in his arms.

"What are you going on about in here?" Lily asked with a smile that said she knew exactly what James was going on about in there thank you very much as she brought hot chocolate in.

"Just how I managed to marry the ever beautiful you, dear," James replied with a smile and a kiss to Lily's cheek. He placed Harry in his lap, being careful to have his head supported, before taking one of the mugs from his wife.

Lily smirked, "Yes, well, it was quite the battle on your part. Always the stubborn mule, aren't you?"

"Now that's not fair!" James exclaimed, "You could have accepted my dashing good looks and boyish charm far sooner than you did! It's not my fault that you couldn't see what you were missing."

Lily took a sip of her drink and raised a challenging eyebrow, "Oh? So it's my fault you played tricks on innocent first years for so many years?"

"What? No! That's not what I said! Don't put words in my mouth," James pouted.

Lily gave him a smug little grin before leaning over and kissing the pout off of his lip, "Only teasing, love. Although you would have done well to be a bit nicer to them, and to me," she said with a pointed look.

James hung his head in shame, making Lily laugh. "Brighten up. It's not as if that completely decided my opinion of you. I am married to you now, after all," she teased with a wink.

James did, indeed, brighten up a little bit, "Speaking of which, what was it that eventually got you to say yes to a date?"

Lily hid a smile by taking another sip of her drink, "Your dashing good looks and boyish charm."

Somehow, James managed to smirk and pout at the same time, "I do appreciate that, but I want a serious answer."

Lily responded by shifting and curling up against James' side, contemplating her answer. Just as James was about to ask again (he never was very patient), Lily replied, "Your goodness and loyalty, I think. I mean, sure, you played tricks on first years when you were younger, but you soon enough cleaned up your act. And then you were always so loyal to your friends, never hesitating to do something that would make them happier." There was silence for a moment before Lily asked, "What about you? What made you want to ask me out in the first place?"

James laughed, "Your temper. I had never met anyone with the temper like yours before and it drew me in like a magnet. And then your eyes of course," James looked down at said eyes, "Such a beautiful green. They reminded me of the forest back home."

Lily smiled up at him, leaning up to rub their noses together, making James grin.

A coo came from below them and they both turned their heads to see Harry grinning up at him with spit at the corners of his mouth and crinkles in the corners of his eyes. His parents laughed and turned their attention to him, the fire roaring pleasantly in the fireplace, their drinks cooling in their hands, and the small family safe and sound.

I don't think I have any notes to add other than you should all go to Haley's profile and send her a PM wishing her a happy birthday. Mm-hm. Or if you say it in a review, I'll make sure she gets the message. Let me know if you have any questions!

Lots of love and have a great week,

-Katherine