I don't own Harry Potter

James held the chair out for his date. She sat down gracefully, and a smile lit up her face at the gesture he had made. He sat down across from her. Lily looked otherworldly in the candlelight, like an immortal being that had decided to grace him with her presence. The light brought out the small strands of gold in her rich auburn hair, and her eyes sparkled like emeralds. He once again asked himself how he was so lucky.

The waiter came with their orders, and he felt his anger rise as the waiter commented on Lily's appearance for the third time that night. There was a line between being professionally courteous and hitting on your costumers and this guy was obviously on the wrong side of that line. Lily didn't appear to be noticing this, though, so that was good thing. He thought. Lily's voice brought him out of his thoughts. "James, are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Lily." He said with an easy grin.

"James," Lily replied forcefully, "You've been out of it all night. What's wrong?"

"It's nothing, Lily." He answered. "I'm just a bit nervous. Who wouldn't be when their out on a date with someone like you?"

"James, you haven't been this out of it since our first date. Now what's going on?" Lily said.

"Why don't we get the check?" He changed the topic. He waved his hand to signal the waiter, who came and gave them the check, but not before sending Lily another admiring glance. James glared at him in response.

"James," Lily said, now thoroughly annoyed.

"Why don't we go to my apartment? There's something I want to tell you." James asked. He held out his hand, and Lily took it. James left the money on the table, along with the world's most minuscule tip, and escorted Lily out of the restaurant. The restaurant was a short walk away from his apartment. The walk there was spent in silence, James thinking over what he was about to do, Lily watching the people passing by. He noticed her free hand was in her pocket. He supposed this was so that her wand would be at the ready if something occurred.

James fumbled with the key as Lily waited behind him. Her arms were crossed across her chest, and she was waiting expectantly. He realized this would be the first time she had seen his apartment; they'd always been closer to her place. He wished that he had thought to clean it up. The key turned in the lock. James gestured for Lily to enter, and she did. He followed her in.

Lily took a seat on the couch, and James stood across from her. She looked so out of place, all done up, sitting on the dirty old couch that Sirius had found at a garage sale. James wasn't sure where, and he found it better just not to ask. "So, what was it that you wanted to tell me, James?" Lily asked.

"Wow, straight to the point, Lily." James said.

"James, stop stalling." Lily chided impatiently.

"I do not stall" James said in his most pompous voice. He stuck his nose in the air for good measure. Lily giggled.

"James," she said.

James threw his hands in the air theatrically. "Alright, woman,"

He sat down on the couch next to her. "Well, Lily, you know I love you, and I saw this, and well, uh,"

"James, you're not proposing, are you?" Lily asked him seriously. "Because we're still young, and we've only been together for a year and a half and,"

"No!" James said. "No. It's not that I find the idea of marrying you bad, it's just, you know, like you said, we're young and yeah. Just, um, here."

James brought out a box that was, thankfully, not the size of a ring box. He opened it. Lily gasped when she saw what was inside. A stunningly clear emerald was attached to a gold chain, all nestled within emerald velvet. "Oh my, James, it's beautiful."

"It's for you." He replied.

"But it's too expensive." She protested.

"You're worth it." James answered. He waved to the box. "May I?"

Lily swept up her hair. "Of course," James took the necklace out of the box and put it around her neck. He fumbled a bit with the clasp, and absently wondered when he became so uncoordinated. He finally got the stubborn clasp done. Lily took out a compact and looked at her reflection. "Oh my, it's beautiful."

"I see something more beautiful." James replied. Lily aimed a playful swipe at him. "Hey, what was that for?"

"For being way too cheesy," She said. She snuggled her head into his shoulder. James wrapped an arm around her in response. "James," She said after a while.

"Yes, Lily?" He answered.

"For the future," she said, "I expect a better proposal than that."