They were yelling. Again.
"Will you just LISTEN, James?"
"You're being ridicul-"
"For the millionth time, POTTER-"
"No."
Something about his voice made Lily Evans stop, her mouth open slightly in anticipation of another retort to escape her lips. Yet something in James's voice made her stop- maybe it was the finality in his tone or the rare intensity in his usually light eyes, but she stopped.
There was a large distance between them, and there were books and pots and vases strewn all about the floor, from Lily running away from James, and he trying to catch her, to try to get her to listen. After a prolonged silence of simply staring at each other, James shook his head and closed the distance between them, stepping right up to Lily.
"Wh-" she had whispered, her breathing ragged from his closeness, yet he had raised a forefinger to her lips.
"Sh."
The two former Gryffindors stood in that position for a while, before James opened his mouth to speak.
"Lily, I know you're worried that you're putting me in danger. Yes, both my parents are from magical families, and yours are not. But why does that matter? The answer is it shouldn't."
When Lily opened her mouth to respond, James simply shook his head. With his voice softer, he continued, "We're not in Hogwarts anymore, Lils. The war is real to us now. We need to choose sides, and I would be in this situation no matter what, with or without you. Do you think Voldemort is not going to come after my family, to try and recruit us? And what do you think I would have done then? Gone along with the bastard?"
"But-"
James ran his hands through his hair, trying to come up with the right words.
"Lily, I love you. And there is no changing it for me anymore. You're it for me. Now you can yell and scream at me all you want about being safe and looking out for myself, but it won't work. I'm already in love with waking up to you and having breakfast with you in the morning, and having you look at me, and only me like that when you're frustrated."
"I know, James," Lily began, her eyes softening and her voice low, "But-"
"No but's, Lils."
He picked up her chin with his thumb and forefinger, willing her to look at him. When her green orbs finally met his, he said quietly, "Marry me."
Lily Evans did not know why she started crying, but she did. Perhaps it was finally letting out weeks and weeks of worrying and tension built up in her, worrying that she was bringing James to harm but too in love with him to leave, or perhaps it was simply cherishing one moment of happiness in the midst of darkness and war. But as tears streamed down her face, the redhead threw her arms around James's neck and wiped her tears away before crushing her lips on his.
"Is that a yes?" James grinned, looking down at her as if he'd seen her for the first time in his life- and Lily replied with a returning smile,
"Yes."