When he woke up she was long gone. He was startled for a moment, disorientated by how cold he felt without her by his side. Staring at the empty space by his left he inhaled deeply, smelling the faint lemon scent of her shampoo. He tugged his lips into a lazy smile.
Sighing he searched for his glasses on the bedstand but instead his fingers clasped around a piece of paper. Frowning he sat up, with his glasses on one hand and the paper on the other, and read the slightly curvy handwrite.
No backing out of it now, Potter. See you in a bit. I'll be the one in white –L
At first he chuckled at the written words, not grasping the meaning. Then he heard a crash coming from the flat's kitchen – bursting the peaceful bubble he had immersed himself in – and his eyes widened when realization hit him.
"Prongs?" Sirius voiced carried from the kitchen. James scrambled out of bed, wincing when his head started to spin. He let out a series of loud curses and sat back down again. The events of last night suddenly flooding his mind. All the firewhiskey. He swatted his hand at his forehead in frustrations, immediately regretting the move when his head started to pound.
The door swung open and Sirius stopped to a halt noticing James only in his boxers sitting on the floor with a nauseated look on his face. "Why the hell are you on the floor?"
"It is a hobby of mine, you see." He tried saying it with as much sarcasm as possible, but his current situation did not allow much. "Why the hell do you think I'm sitting here? I can't bloody walk straight." James hissed. Sirius, helpful as always, started laughing.
"Keep laughing. It's not like this is your bloody fault. It's not like that bloody stag party was your brilliant idea." James said squeezing his nose bridge. Sirius stopped laughing.
"Enough with the passive aggressive shit. Here." He said and offered a silver flask to James who only raised a brow. "I know that I usually cure hangovers with more alcohol but you're not a functional drunk. Take it. It's a Hungover Potion. You'll be good to go in a minute."
James poured the contents of the flask into his mouth and waited.
"What time is it, anyway? I wasn't supposed to meet you until later." He said, getting up and reaching for his wand to fix the mess he'd made.
"Noon." Sirius said simply. "Your father looked like he was about to die when people started joking you'd had cold feet and had run away. So he sent me to fetch you. And by people I mean Wormtail. And by fetch I mean tie you up and force you to come."
James choked and turned to face Sirius with wide eyes. Finally being able to focus on what the note from Lily meant and where he was supposed to be.
James Potter was late. To his own wedding.
Lily entered their flat late the night before. She still had a smile plastered on her face and glitter on her hair. She looked around for any signs meaning that James were already home and set her eyes on her fiancée sleeping on the couch.
She walked closer and noticed his clothes were dirty and his hair was full of leaves. Rolling her eyes – of course the Marauders would throw a literal stag party – and easily ignoring the smell of alcohol surrounding them – since she was pretty much smashed as well – she levitated him to their bedroom, discarding his dirty clothes and went to take a shower.
The flowing water sobered her up a bit and she recounted the many events of the night.
Both she and James agreed to have their hen and stag parties on the same night, the one before the wedding. She'd never thought about having a hen party, but James insisted and to please him and her own friends she obliged.
Marlene McKinnon, the maid-of-honor, had planned the most ridiculous get together she had ever seen, and yet it couldn't have been more perfect. She was gifted with good company, inebriating drinks and skimpy lingerie. Thinking back, she couldn't remember why exactly glitter was involved, but it didn't matter. She felt like she was a stupid seventeen year old again, whose biggest problem was how to make her feelings for one Head Boy known.
Still smiling she left the bathroom and lied beside James who was snoring softly. She drifted off to sleep not too long after. She opened her eyes after what felt like a second and light flooded the room. She smiled and scooted closer to James, who had his arm around her now. She closed her eyes once more before realizing what day it was.
She inhaled sharply, feeling a warm feeling spread in her body. She disentangled James arm from her and stepped out of bed, throwing random clothes on and grabbing her wand. It was all she needed for now, everything else would be on Marlene's house or on Potter Manor. Glancing at her wristwatch she saw it was still early but since they had decided that the ceremony should start around noon, it was best that she was already ready to leave.
She glanced at James one more time. James Potter. Lily Evans' fiancée.
Lily Evans. Lily Potter.
Scribbling a quick note and placing it near his glasses she disapparated with a pop.
She was getting married. And to bloody Potter. My bloody Potter.
James was very proud of his ability to act under pressure.
Of course that the day he needed it the most would be the day he would succumb. Of course.
By Sirius estimations they had about half an hour to go back to Potter Manor before someone – and by that they meant Lily – noticed that they weren't there. And about twenty minutes before Charlus Potter, retired elite Auror, came bursting the door and dragged James to attend his wedding on his boxers.
Charlus was really keen on having Lily as his daughter-in-law.
So, adding up, James had ten minutes to take a shower and put something on, erasing any signs of the previous night's shenanigans, while Sirius would organize the flat following James' instructions.
In theory, that is.
After James' realization of his lateness he simply went into shock. Sirius had to throw him on the shower, pick his clothes and even threatened to enter the shower with him if James didn't move. Then he tried his best to remember James blabbering about how he wanted the flat to look like for their first night.
After twelve minutes, Sirius Black apparated with a shocked James into Potter Manor, going directly to his childhood room, so he could make his best mate put on the dress robes he had picked out last month.
When James kept starring at the piece of clothing with the same wide eyed expression he sighed and decided he needed to take a more Sirius Black approach to the situation.
So he punched James' stomach.
Fortunately it seemed to have the desired effect. James inhaled sharply and made a move as if he was about to kick Sirius' shin. Black simply took a step to the left. "What the hell, Padfoot?"
"Look, as much as I love to engage in fights, we don't have time for that. Go put those ridiculous dress robes on."
James pouted. "They're not ridiculous. And if you didn't want a fight, then why did you punched me?"
"You keep thinking that" Sirius muttered and turned to the door. "You were catatonic. This is definitely not the time for you losing your wits. So a bloke's got to do what a bloke's got to do."
"So you punched me?"
"It was either that or calling your father to dress you up. Did you fancy being scolded by Charlus? I can always arrange that." Sirius said hesitating on the door. James scowled and massaged his stomach. "Just get dressed, ok? I'm going to check on things, make sure no one's noticed you were missing. And if you're not dressed when I come back…"
"What?" James said crossing his arms.
"I'll bring Moony." He said squinting his eyes and getting out. James promptly started to get ready. Chances were that Remus was suffering from a very disgusting hangover, meaning he would be on his most terrifying prefect mode. And unless you wanted to die, you didn't mess with him when he was like that.
After adjusting his tie he looked at himself on the mirror. He looked older in those clothes. Much older than simply nineteen. He scanned his flushed and wide eyed face and saw the swirling of emotion on his hazel eyes.
He couldn't help but smile. He had been scared to death early. Afraid that he had fucked things up even before getting to the ceremony. He'd lost his senses for a while. But there he was. Dressed and ready.
Ready for his life with her to begin.
There was no war. No Voldemort. No bigotry. No deaths.
There was only love. There was only Lily.
Lily was staring at her reflection for a while now. She didn't know for how long had she been alone on that room on Potter Manor, but she didn't really care. She couldn't believe that was it. The day she thought would never arrive.
She was getting married. She was there, dressed up in a fancy dress and fancy jewelry and she felt like there was nowhere else she'd rather be. She belonged there. And that almost brought tears to her eyes.
But she swore not to ruin Marlene's job before James saw her, so she contained herself.
She traced the lines of her beautiful dress, following the complicated lacy patterns and the small pearls that adorned the bodice of the dress. The white gown clung to her curvy figure. She had never felt so beautiful.
A small knock on her door made her jump from her thoughts and with a steady voice – which surprised her – she called the person in.
Sirius Black opened the door and peered in with a hand in front of his eyes.
"Are you decent?" He asked. "Before you answer that, I warn you that if say no then I'll have no choice but to look." At that she rolled her eyes.
"Why are you covering your eyes?"
"Can't see the bride before the wedding." He said. "Bad luck. You should know that, Red. Shame on you."
She laughed. "Only applies if you're the groom. So if you're not James in Polyjuice Potion then shame on you for not knowing that detail, Mr. Wedding Expert."
He put his hand down and stared at her.
"So?" She asked and turned around. "My shoes are still missing, but I don't mind. I'm not that shorter than James, so maybe no one will notice if I'm not wearing heels."
Sirius continued to stare at her with wide eyes.
"I feel like I should be making you a very indecent proposition. But you are so bloody beautiful I can't think of anything witty to say. James will lose it. He'll fucking lose it."
"Glad to see my looks have not affected your ability to curse." Lily said laughing with a slight blush covering her cheeks.
"Maybe if you were my soon-to-be-wife…" Then he stopped and laughed. "Nah, I think then I would only be able to curse."
"I'll make sure your bride looks breathtaking then… When the time comes, that is. I can only imagine how the minister would react at your vows then." She smiled mischievously for a second, as if she already knew who the bride would be.
"Ok, now this conversation is turning slightly uncomfortable, so I'll just you know leave, let people know you're ready." He said fidgeting in his dress robes.
"My shoes are missing."
"You're a witch, Lily. Summon them." He opened the door but stopped when she kept speaking.
"Or I could let Marlene go bonkers and buy you some time to get everybody ready for my awesomeness." She said smiling knowingly. Sirius closed the door and widened his eyes.
"How?"
"Had a feeling." She said and Sirius gave her a look. "And I've also heard Remus and Marlene saying something about a groom missing."
"Merlin. I've forgotten how good of a eavesdropper you are."
"It's fine, though."
"So you weren't worried that Prongs would live you hanging?"
"He's here now. And to be honest from the two of us, he's the most prepared for today." She smiled. "Just took me a good half an hour to calm down and remember that."
Sirius nodded.
"Well, I'll make sure deer Prongs is ready, then." He said and left the room before she could scold him for the stupid joke.
James was sitting by the window watching all the people gathering on the backyard of Potter Manor. Everything looked beautiful and he felt happy seeing so many knowable faces.
He heard laughs from the end of the hallway, and immediately recognized both Lily's and Sirius' voices. He passed his fingers through his hair, smiling. Lily was three rooms away from him.
She was three rooms away from him, in her wedding dress. She was three rooms away from him, probably looking breathtaking. And in an hour she'd be his. And he'd be hers.
He had to control himself not to leave his room and go to her. Fortunately, before his hormones could get the best of him, Sirius entered the room.
"You're so dead, mate." He said. "Honestly, I think I should say my goodbyes now, because in fifteen minutes you'll be long gone."
James groaned. So Lily knew he had been late and had a panic attack.
"Padfoot, why did you tell her? She'll just…"
"Stop being thick. I didn't tell her anything. She eavesdropped and found out on her own. Besides I was talking about how she looks." He rolled his eyes. "Cut the catatonic crap, Prongs. You'll be getting married to the most beautiful bride I've ever seen in a moment and you can even stop sweating!"
James decided to ignore Sirius provocations.
"I need to see her."
"Can't see the bride before the wedding. Apparently this is especially directed at grooms. So no, can't do." Sirius said crossing his arms. "Are you ready to go down?"
James scowled but nodded nonetheless. Sirius opened the doors and they started to walk towards the stairs, taking their time.
"Thank you, mate." James said quietly, squeezing Sirius shoulder, trying to convey all of his emotions into the words that followed. "For everything you've done."
He gave James a playful shove. "Just doing my job. As best man. And I reckon Lily secretly thinks of me as her Gentlemen-of-Honor, so…"
They stopped before the door leading to where the ceremony would be held.
"I mean it, Sirius." James said once again. "Wouldn't be able to do any of this without you. Thank you, brother."
Sirius opened the door and gesture for him to get out.
"I don't think you would be able to do any of this without a bride. And I refuse playing that part."
"Reckon you'd make a terrible wife, anyways."
And with a last playful shove, James walked towards the aisle, feeling all of his nervousness disappear and the certainty that his whole life culminated to that point flooded his senses.
Until the music changed and all he could see was red, white and green.