A/N: Rowling owns everything. I wrote this fic many years ago, but have decided to post it here since my last one-shot was so sad. Warning: This chapter is pure fluff. But, please enjoy! And review, even if you hate it.

January 30th, 1978: Lily Evans, 18

An Odd Sense of Romance

Lily Evans was feeling overwhelmed. Beside her, her fiancee was looking bored and lost at the bridal magazines and glossy photos of six tier cakes and elaborate flower arrangements. This was definitely not a man's area of expertise. Nor is it mine, Lily thought anxiously as she warily eyed the spread before her. On her other side, her mother was rattling on about how stunning Lily would look in a strapless number with a huge twelve layered bell skirt and even bigger veil. The dress was certainly better than some of the others she had seen, but still. She would like to be able to see James as they stood on the alter. Lily sighed; she'd always had an odd sense of romance.

It was Lily's eighteenth birthday, and James was leading her blindfolded down the corridor to some secret place. She felt like the luckiest girl alive to be able to spend her entire evening with such a wonderful boyfriend. James stopped her, turned her, and began walking her again. Then she was stopped again, and the process was repeated. "We're here," James whispered eagerly into her ear. Lily heard him pull open a door and felt the blindfold slip. She was excited. She knew it had to be something elaborate, as the Marauders never celebrated in a small way. At the moment her emerald green eyes met the room, Lily discovered that . . . she did not care for elaborate celebrations after all.

Instantly and without thinking, Lily pulled a face of disgust at the gaudy room. It was decorated in a style that Lily mockingly referred to as "Red Rose Romance", and, indeed, there were at least three dozen red roses in the room, all in black vases. The walls were a deep shade of red and the carpet was black. Lily noticed a rather majestic looking fireplace with a crackling fire in it, an overstuffed sofa, and low, black stained coffee table, and, to her horror, a bear skin rug on the floor. On the table, there was champagne, chocolate covered strawberries, and something that looked suspiciously like whipped cream. She turned towards to James, prepared to ask if this was a joke, when the hurt look on his face told her it wasn't.

"You-you don't like it?" he asked, sounding defeated.

"Oh, no, James," Lily started, trying to repair the damage she had caused, "It's- it's . . . repulsive." She broke down laughing; she never was very good at lying.

James looked offended for a moment before joining in. "Ok, then," he finally managed, "You pick your perfect evening." He steered her out the door and closed it behind him.

Lily thought hard about her ideal evening as she walked past the tapestry with the dancing trolls on it three times. When the door appeared, she wrenched it open. She was pleased at how well the room looked. She could tell from the confused look on James' face that he was wondering why her perfect evening involved her bedroom from home. He'd seen it before on New Year's Eve, so he definitely recognized it. The only noticeable addition was a small, rolling cart with a Muggle television on the top shelf, and a VCR on the bottom.

Lily strolled over to the chest of drawers, and, with a slight pause and small smile, she pulled open the bottom one. She squealed with delight and pulled out a t-shirt that was several sizes too big for her. In the next second, Lily was slipping off her heels and stripping out of her dress, sure that she had just taken James by complete surprise. She could feel him gaping at her as she unhooked her bra. But she quickly tugged the t-shirt over her head, and was feeling much more comfortable.

James seemed to regain his ability to speak as he looked at her. In a voice of recognized surprise, he exclaimed, "Hey, that's one of my shirts."

"Yeah, I know. This room is really great," Lily smiled excitedly. "You can change now, while I pick out a movie," she directed, pointing at a crate full of videotapes on the floor.

"Change into what?" James asked slowly.

"Into whatever you sleep in, silly," she explained as she knelt in front of the crate. Throwing a quick glance over her shoulder, she saw James blush slightly. I wonder if he sleeps in the nude or something, Lily mused trying to explain his blush.

After sifting through the videos, she grabbed two and turned around. She felt a slight blush of her own start to rise, but she smiled broadly just the same. "That's what you sleep in?"

"Yeah," he shrugged as he stood in his boxers.

"Well, you have a choice," she continued holding up two videos, "Bringing Up Baby or Monty Python and the Holy Grail."

"Er," James said, reminding Lily that he probably had no idea what is was that she was holding up.

"Nevermind. Let's watch both. We can start with Monty Python. You'll like that; it's funny. Then maybe later, we can watch Splendor in the Grass, as well," Lily babbled as she turned on the TV and popped the tape into the VCR. "I can't believe this is actually working. I love this room," she added, referring to the electrical equipment though there was not a cord or plug in sight.

"Sure," was James' only response.

Lily hopped onto the bed and motioned for James to join her. Lily stretched out onto her stomach, feet in the air behind her, and James mimicked her, though he kept his feet on the bed. "Are you hungry?" Lily asked James after awhile.

He finished laughing at the Black Knight before answering, "Yeah, actually, I am."

Lily sat up, pleased to see that James was enjoying himself, and turned to the nightstand. A platter of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and a bottle of sparkling cider appeared on its surface. She handed a glass of cider and a sandwich to James. "It's my favorite late night combination," she giggled.

James smiled back at her and kissed her sweetly and softly before taking a bite of his sandwich, which he followed with a swig of cider. As the flavor combination hit his taste buds, he grinned widely. "This is delicious," he exclaimed.

"I know," Lily replied brattily, leaning in for a kiss, " that's why it's my favorite." James gave her another kiss to comply with her unspoken wishes. After all, it was her birthday.

During Bringing Up Baby , Lily rolled off the bed in a fit of giggles. She had been imitating Katherine Hepburn's "I was born on the side of a hill, I was born on the side of a hill" when said movie star tripped dramatically over a branch, and Lily exploded. She clutched at her side and went clattering off the bed. It took James' a second to realize what had happened, as he was chuckling at the frantic and hapless Cary Grant. He looked over the edge of the bed and broke into hysterics as well when he saw Lily still laughing and lying on the floor. He gave her a hand up.

"Oh thank you, baby," she said jokingly once she was kneeling on the bed again. She pecked James on the lips, and then kissed him again, this time deeper and longer. In fact, they didn't stop kissing until Katherine Hepburn sent a brontosaurs skeleton smashing into the ground. "Oh, that's the end," Lily breathed as she extracted herself from James' embrace.

The silliness subdued, they put on Splendor in the Grass. By this time it was quite late, and Lily was beginning to feel sleepy. But that didn't stop her from catching James wiping away a tear as Natalie Wood had her breakdown in the bathtub. She smiled, and fell asleep in James' arms.

"Lily? Lily?" her mother was calling her out of her reverie.

"Yes, Mum?" she responded vaguely.

"I was just wondering how you felt about an arrangement of tea roses on the tables?"

"Oh," Lily said, but she knew if there was one thing she didn't want, it was a big wedding. "You know, Mum, I've never been a big fan of roses. I like lilacs." She looked her mother in the eye and took a deep breath, before continuing, "Mum, I appreciate you doing all this, but James and I would really prefer to have a small wedding. I was thinking that there's this lovely little church in Godric's Hollow that we could use. Then, we could have the reception at Potter Mansion. The rooms are definitely big enough for a small amount of guests, just family and a few close friends."

"Oh," Mrs. Evans said, echoing her daughter from just a moment before. James sat up straighter in his chair looking at Lily in awe.

"Yeah. I mean, if we have a huge wedding, we won't be able to get married for months. And really, all James and I want to do is get married . . . by the end of next month if possible." Mrs. Evans looked disappointed as she started closing the magazines and binders on the table. "Besides, Mum," Lily continued, "Petunia already had a huge wedding this year. No need to overdue it."

Mrs. Evans smiled at her daughter, a true, genuine smile. She sighed, "You can have whatever type of wedding you want; it's just that you're growing up so fast." And then, mother and daughter hugged.