Lasting A Lifetime
Chapter One:
Leaves Unfurl
"The plant of Roses, though it be a shrub full of
prickles, yet it had been more fit and convenient
to have placed it with the most glorious floures
of the world than to insert the same among
base and thorny shrubs.-"
Gerald's HERBALL (1597)
James leaned heavily on Sirius and Remus as his own feet would not support him.
"Damn, James. You know you're not a drinking man," panted Sirius. "Why'd you ever pick up the whiskey?"
"'Cause it's me weddin' night, and I plan on gettin' drunker still," James slurred noisily. "I'll plan on buying all of Godric's Hollow a good spot o' rum!"
He looped his arms out of Remus and Sirius' grasps and waved to Mrs. Whitaker who was making tut-tut noises at her windowsill.
"Hey! Mrs. Whitaker, you old windbag neighbor of mine! Come on, we'll show ya a good time at the Swaying Lion!"
Mrs. Whitaker slammed her window shut in response.
"Bitch," he mumbled not so quietly.
"Lily!" yelped Remus as Sirius opened the garden gate, and they stumbled inside. "Lily! Help!" A faint light flickered from inside. Remus sighed with relief. He couldn't help support James half a week after the full moon. God knew how he had lasted THIS long.
The door flew open and Lily was framed romantically in the middle. In silk lingerie with James's overcoat thrown over it, she looked so damned lovely. And with a candle in one hand, Remus almost gasped at her maternal beauty. James tried to iron out the slurring as he spoke.
"Nice to see yer home, Lillers."
Lily looked disappointed. "I told you to reassure him, not bring out his inner-Hagrid."
"Sorry, Lils. There was no way to avoid it. We were driving around trying to show him places that meant something to the two of you. We drove by and James said he wanted a memory of a drink on his last bachelor night. So we went in, and James had more money on him than we thought," Sirius said.
"It's okay." Lily looped her arms through his and took most of the weight. "I got him. You two go on ahead. I'll take care of him."
"You sure?" asked Sirius. He looked worriedly at the half-unconscious James, limp in his future wife's arms.
"I got it Sirius. Go. You too, Remus. Don't worry." Her face broke into a mischievous grin. "Besides, I think you've forgotten some wizard back in a Muggle pub."
"Peter!" Remus and Sirius shouted simultaneously. They ran back towards the street, Remus with a slight limp. Sirius jumped over the whitewashed picket fence. Remus merely opened the gate and turned back to smile slyly at Lily.
"Don't tell Sirius I did remember him, all right? I just didn't want to carry another drunk three miles."
Lily pressed her lips together in the pale starlight to represent her silence. Remus thanked her and ran off to catch up with a bear-sized dog loping off to a building called the B.A.S.H. (Bartenders Against Stupid Housewives).
~
Lily deposited the groaning body on the bed and yanked open his pajama drawer. She grabbed a plaid flannel shirt and polka-dot pants. The tackiness would be a good punishment when he went to get the newspaper in the morning.
"Why'd you do it, James? I love you…" A tear ran down Lily's cheek as she thought about her beloved James becoming a regular. Because of her.
James sat up and reached for her. "I love you too, Lillers-"
"Stop calling me names like that, James. It makes me want to love you…"
He took her hand in his and kissed her on the lips. Hard. Lily found herself kissing him back, despite her tears and laughter. James stopped kissing for a moment, whispering, "I love you. I'm sorry."
Lily laughed and kissed him.
"I understand."
A/N: I'm praying for 10 reviews. Please include any constructive criticism.