(Disclaimer: I own nothing. I am quite poor, in fact. College costs a lot of moolah.)
CHAPTER 1: Restlessness
James Potter was a man who couldn't keep still. As a young boy he had been fidgety to a point of exasperation, and while he had much more luck in taming this habit than he did with his consistently untidy black hair over the years, sometimes a wave of jitters, twitches and jolts overcame him and he became a restless wreck.
These days, his moves were usually limited to bouncing his left knee and combing his stuck-up spikes repeatedly between his long fingers, but today there was a very special weight in the back pocket of his jeans nestled right beside his mahogany wand, and his right hand kept making its way back there every few moments. The pads of his fingers would stroke the luxurious velvet of the small box, and sometimes his hand would emerge from his pocket still holding the treasure. When this happened James would quickly open and close the lid a few times, glimpsing a warm flash as the firelight of the room flickered and reflected off the facets of the jewel enclosed within the case.
Then he would glance around the tavern suspiciously, and when he was satisfied that whoever he was searching for was nowhere to be seen, he'd quickly shove the package once more into the safety of his pocket.
He couldn't help but notice how ridiculous he must look to the other current patrons of the Three Broomsticks. James was holed up alone in a corner booth, an untouched butterbeer waiting, lonely, in front of him; his hands were clammy, and his brow would undoubtedly start to dampen at any moment, what with all the stress he was feeling.
He'd only done this to himself. His girlfriend of seven months was shopping the High Street with her friends Alice and Marlene, and had been doing so for the past few hours. Meanwhile, the rest of his friends the Marauders were celebrating the day—April 1st, their most sacred—setting up prank after delicious prank within the mostly empty halls of Hogwarts while the rest of the student body enjoyed the first truly nice spring day they'd seen in ages. Lily'd told him earlier that she had no problem with him remaining with his friends for their last April Fools' Day at school, instead of meeting her for a late lunch at the Three Broomsticks as they typically did on Hogsmeade weekends, but James took this with a grain of salt; while Lily had lightened up immensely since she began dating James at the beginning of this school year, he doubted that she would gloss over some of the more ruthless tricks the Marauders were setting up for the Slytherins at this very moment. Even though he had been instrumental in planning it all, being removed from its execution would protect James from the brunt of the Head Girl's displeasure (which had less to do with the actual pranks, but more with the fact that he, as Head Boy, "should know better.")
He glanced at his wizard's watch; the golden hand was getting close to Saturn, so he figured Lily would be walking through the tavern doors any minute now. He would take this second of solitude to go over his plan once more in his mind.
He would greet Lily as if everything was normal, standing up to give her a hug and a momentary peck on the lips, then Banishing her cloak and bags to the rack just across from the bar. He'd call to Rosmerta for their usual; one Shepherd's pie for him, a roast beef sandwich and chips for his girl, two fresh butterbeers and two shots of firewhisky.
James chuckled, remembering their first date. Lily'd challenged his Ogden's tolerance after a mere butterbeer had turned him a bit tipsy--he was convinced it had been spiked with something much stronger. The girl had then proceeded to drink him under the table, her red cheeks the only signal that she'd been drinking shot after shot. Since then, the pair had made a tradition of having at least one shot every time they went to the Three Broomsticks, and James always drank to his "fiery Lils."
His hand absently drifted back to his right pocket and the tiny package resting there. Their firewhisky toast was the moment; he'd even pre-planned what to say.
"To my fiery Lils… the woman I've realized I can never live without." They'd each drain their shotglasses, and then he'd pull out the velvet box. "I love you, Lily, and I want to make a life with you before this war takes control of our lives, our minds, and our hearts. Will you—"
A familiar, tinkling laugh was just discernible outside the window near his seat; he turned to watch his girlfriend's auburn waves bounce as she animatedly spoke her goodbyes to her two friends, then strode around the corner to the front door of the tavern.
James stood up and gave her a charming half-smile as she made her way to their favorite corner booth, inevitably passing his hand through his black mop of hair one more time. He couldn't help but notice how beautiful she looked, even in the simple emerald jumper and denim skirt she was wearing that day. As she removed her cloak, he saw that she was wearing the golden star pendant he'd bought her for her birthday, and that brought the smile up to crinkle near his hazel eyes cheerfully.
"Breathtaking, as usual, Lils. Hope you're not tired of hearing it by now."
That laugh again. It brought up a wonderful feeling in James' abdomen.
"A girl never tires of compliments, James. Especially when she knows they're sincere." Her freckled fingers tenderly entwined with his on the tabletop.
"Who's dared give you insincere compliments? I'll hereby Transfigure them into something ridiculously hilarious! That is, if you haven't already adeptly handled them yourself."
"Too right, James. They're already taken care of. But thank you for the kind sentiments." She paused to lean across the table and kiss him strongly. "What've you been up to all day? Reveling in April Fools' debauchery with the boys?" She couldn't keep a straight face over her last comment, and James grinned at her attempts.
"Well—no, actually—they've run away with this one on their own. I was caught up in something else rather important this morning." He skirted the question; James didn't want to lie to Lily, but Rosmerta was chatting up a dark, most likely handsome bloke at the bar and taking her sweet time with their drinks.
He decided to steel himself and press on. Screw his bloody plan.
"I actually made my way over to Diagon Alley; had to make a crucial visit to the Potter vault." Lily's brow wrinkled, and he could anticipate her oncoming question. "All cleared with Dumbledore, of course, Lils."
"What did you need from Gringotts? More Galleons to lavish gifts upon your poor unsuspecting girlfriend?" Her green eyes glittered with amusement, making them appear even more jewel-like.
"No. I had to retrieve an old Potter heirloom." He slid the black velvet box from its quiet hiding place and laid it ceremoniously on the tabletop, tapping it with his index finger. Before Lily could reach out and sate her curiosity by opening the mysterious case, James continued. "My mother told me that it holds great power, and only to take it from the vault when I was ready to assume the full responsibility of its meaning. I think now is the right time."
Of course, Rosmerta had also decided it was the right time to bring over their drinks, and she forcefully deposited both mugs and the two shot glasses with her wand before returning to her post at the bar.
The young man couldn't take it anymore. His twitchy hands reached forward and pulled the two sides of the box apart like a clam, presenting the shimmering diamond ring perched within.
"Lily Evans, will you marry me?" He stared into the depths of those eyes that he had come to know so well. Did he see pleasant surprise, or panic behind those pupils? "I love you," he added hopefully.
Slowly, her lips parted to reveal the widest smile he had ever seen from her, and she nodded while her eyes glistened with a whisper of tears. Her hand grasped his tightly.
"Yes."
James let out a breath of relief. Had he really been holding his breath that entire time?
"Rosie, darling, we're going to need another round. Today's a special day," he projected across the tavern to the kind woman tending the bar. Then he raised the shot he already had at the table and nodded at Lily.
"To my fiery Lils, who I've realized I can't live without."
"And you won't have to, James."
They drank to that.
(A/N: So. It's been a while, I know. A LONG while. My life ran away with me, if that makes any sense. Happily, though, I already have 4 chapters written for this-- so updates should be regular. I figure one chapter'll be posted each week... or maybe bi-weekly if this chapter doesn't get much of a response. That means, if you read, REVIEW. So I know how people feel about it, and you'll get more soon.
Anyway, this fic will be a collection of crucial moments we haven't witnessed in canon. Not all of them will be marriage proposals, regardless of what the title conveys. Next chapter will be much less fluffy, but about the same length. I'm really open to suggestions-- what scenes would you like to see? And do you think I stuck to canon well enough?
Concrit will be heavily appreciated... e-hugs await all who review!)