Just a short one shot of James's thoughts on pursuing Lily, set in the next generation era, meaning that Harry's married Ginny, had kids, etc. James Potter's view on life. Please review!

I thought I would never get her to look at me the same way I stared upon her pretty face. To some, the freckles and bold auburn hair might seem weird, but to me, she was utter perfection. When Padfoot found out, I didn't know how to describe it to him. After all, he's the one who doesn't know what falling in love is like. The bloke shagged a different girl each week - but I know he's different now. Changed, like I was. He wouldn't have understood then, but…

There really was something different about her.

I had my heart set on her for seven years, and the last year was when it all fell together, like a puzzle figured out overly late. It was with joy that I hugged her, kissed her, held her close to me, so close that she was almost a part of me. She still is.

Every word she ever spoke to me is still etched into my memory - from her threats as prefect to loving whispers as wife. Every rejection, as painful as some may have been, was as dear to me as the words "I love you". Because every time she didn't want me, it meant she wanted someone better. And if that someone was better, was a good person, that was okay.

I guess the time it hurt most was in the middle of sixth year. I was so optimistic - we were good friends and spent a lot of time together, and the question just slipped out of my mouth. I hadn't intended to ask her. And her no - that one word, said with such finality and exasperated tiredness, sent the message that she was done, that her mind couldn't be changed.

That day, I went upstairs and cried, for the first time over a girl, all the while punching Padfoot for saying "I told you so". I didn't talk to anyone, including her, for a whole month. Eventually, I thought, I would just get over her. It was a silly, prolonged crush.

It wasn't.

Christmas of seventh year was when she finally came around. Her confession involved tears and apologies, but it was a joy to everyone around us. Except those girls who had been practically drooling over me. It isn't hard to resist the Potter charm.

Hey, that hurt! Don't hit me for narrating to our audience our epic tale!

Yeah, I'm telling them our love story, if that's how you want to put it.

Impossible, love. I am the most gallant man in the world.

I know, darling. I love you, too.

Anyway. She's just about done yelling at me, just so you know. She's got quite a temper too, but she usually reserves that for Moony and Padfoot. And Wormtail… who's lost to us. I miss the person he used to be, but none of us know him anymore. We're down to three.

I think the happiest days in my life were the day she said yes, the day I married her, and the day our son was born. I was overjoyed to have her, and our son was nothing short of a blessing. He has my hair, and her beautiful green eyes. I love them both so much, more than anything else. We are so proud of Harry, all grown up now. I wish we could have been around to raise him instead of that Dursley. Harry should have grown up with love and care, not hostility.

It's amusing to watch Harry interact with his own family, especially our daughter-in-law. Could we have been so in love when we were newly married? Merlin, I hope I didn't give my friends any public displays or anything.

Shove off, Padfoot!

There are so many Weasleys. Too many of them. And Harry's wife is a Weasley too - Ginevra, I think, the first Weasley girl born into the family. So I respect my son's decision to have three children, and wonderful ones at that. Little Lily looks just like her grandmother, except for the eyes she got from her mother. Albus is the only one of our grandkids to inherit her eyes. And unlike Padfoot, who never sees reason, I finally understand Severus Snape and why Harry chose to name his son after him. And even though Albus is a Slytherin, he's a wonderful kid. All of them are. I'm incredibly happy to see them - especially James Sirius, that wonderful bloke. Spot on me and Padfoot, he is.

I love her to the ends of this world and beyond. When Voldemort pointed his wand at me and finished saying the word "Kedavra", it wasn't his face I saw. It was Lily's. Soon joined by Padfoot and Moony, and many others, we're happy again. Everyone down there misses us, and we miss them, but we'll always be together.

So now, when we look down on our family together, Lily nudges me with her elbow and says,

"Seriously, James. What is it with Potter men and redheads?"