Valentine's Day

BRINGIN' IT BACK, BITCHES.

To those [most] of you who weren't with me for the first Valentine's Day, it was a disaster. It had gotten to the ridiculous point where I had to delete it to save face. But it was going to be a seven-chapter fluff piece about what James did for Lily each year.

And then today I got nostalgic. And we all know what happens when I get nostalgic.

Disclaimer: I dyed my hair purple to look like Tonks. Does that count as ownership?

On Valentine's morning, James Potter proposed to Lily Evans. And that evening, instead of following the usual protocol and spending the rest of the day with him, she and her friends went out to celebrate.

The Three Broomsticks was festively decorated (yeah, like they were going to that pink-and-poufy monstrosity Madam Puddifoot's down the road) and the drinks were warm. Toasts were in full swing.

"And to our dearest Lilykins, who's going to be a wife as of today!" Mary shrieked, pulling a widely grinning Lily's arm into the air triumphantly.

The other girls shrieked appreciatively, as they had done for every previous toast.

"You're up, Lils," they instructed as Mary sat down, the next around the table.

Lily stood, hoisting her half-full glass into the air. "I know that this is as special to you as it is to me," she began.

Alice hooted. "Wedding planner spot is mine," she cut in, and the others laughed.

"But that isn't even the best part of Valentine's Day to me," Lily continued. The other girls fell silent. "This is. Easily. Being around the people who love me the most and having a good time is the most fun thing I could imagine."

"I don't think we're those people right now, Lil," Nancy grinned, wiggling her fingers as if there were a ring on them.

"Oh, please, James could never love me as much as you girls, and for that matter, I couldn't love him as much as you," Lily scoffed. "You don't run up to your boyfriend and lock yourself in his room to tell him you've made a new friend. Only girlfriends have the kind of relationship that's the most valuable, the most trustworthy, and the most loving. Even if we are right bitches once a month."

"Tell me about it," Hestia grimaced, rubbing her stomach.

"So here's to you," Lily finished, raising her glass. "You crazy, annoying, clingy, best friends in the world."

The girls pulled her back to her seat, all joining in a mushy, cheesy group hug that they'd all swear was the dumbest gesture ever the next morning, when they were all nursing hangovers.

I seem to be on a girlfriends-kick-boyfriends'-asses-any-day kick.