AUTHOR'S NOTE : Written for Professor Flitwick's Prompt of the Day "She's right you know" (6th July)
James looked at the mirror. He couldn't bring himself to believe this was the day. The day. He was going to marry Lily Evans, the girl of his dreams. He nervously flattened his hair again, in yet another vain attempt to tame the mess that it was.
At the sound of the door being opened he spun around quickly.
"Don't be so jittery, Jamie, you'll break your neck!" the slightly laughing voice of Nadira braced him.
"Oh, Nadi! You have no idea, how nervous I am!" James exclaimed.
"Why? The worst part is over, she said yes when you proposed, didn't she? It's not like she'll run away from the altar," said Nadira.
Nadira looked fetching in her flattering, pale sapphire gown. James was glad she did not agree to be Lily's bridesmaid and wear those God-awful pink piles of fluff!
"Come on, James, get ready. Why don't you cast a spell on your hair, so that you can look fit for a civilized ceremony for at least an hour?"
"It's funny, but I never got to learn that spell."
"Why am I not surprised. You know, I think you feel women find your hair attractive, that's why you never used a comb."
"That's not true. I don't use a comb because they get lost in my head."
Nadira laughed and swatted playfully on James arm.
"You know, one might think we would pick any other day to make jokes like old times."
"I do miss clowning around with you, though. It used to be so much fun."
"Yes, well this is no time to discuss the good, old days," said Nadira, gently pushing James towards the door.
James stood still, and caught Nadira's arm. "You didn't have to go away, you know."
Nadira froze. She averted her eyes and loosened James' grip, pulling herself away. "Please don't start now, James-"
"I don't want to start. I just never understood why you had to go away to another Goddamned country."
"I had to because I wanted the best education. And the best Muggle education in Europe is given in France."
"Yeah, right."
"Don't huff, James. I didn't want to be the Squib everyone either hates or pities. I would rather be with people who think I'm their equal."
"Don't say that, Nadi. Everyone told you it was foolish. Your family, mine, our friends- everyone!"
"Yes and maybe they really wanted me to stay. But you know me, Jamie, don't you? You had once told me, my patronus would probably be a peacock. I am the proud one and I was going to be the Squib in one of the oldest pureblood families of Europe? I would have judged myself, if no one else did. And I cannot live with that."
"So your pride took you away from your family, your friends,... me? Is that your excuse?"
"It's not an excuse, it's the truth. I would never be able to be with someone who is not my equal. And you're a wizard, James. I have not a drop of magic in me. I have learned to accept the fact and so have you."
"Do you know how much I hated you when you went away?"
"I know. I hated myself too. But I don't regret it. We just weren't meant to be."
Nadira stepped closer to James, looking into his eyes. James thought he saw a drop of tear roll down her cheek as she gently stroked his hair.
"Besides, you would have never married Lily if I hadn't gone away. She is a witch, and you don't deserve less. So you see, everything has a reason. You shouldn't question it," said Nadira, biting her lips.
She leaned forward to place a soft, chaste kiss on his cheek.
James stared contemplatively at his own reflection in the mirror long after she left. The mirror softly murmured, "She's right you know."