When she reached the lake she could see him saying goodbye to his mother. He glanced up, feeling her eyes on him and turned away to give his mother a kiss. She watched her son walk towards his love with tears in her eyes. Lily saw his reflection in the water. He moved towards her without speaking, stopping directly next to her. Their arms brushed lightly. He gently broke the silence.
"I won't be gone long. They said we'll be back in a few months…didn't you hear it?" She turned to face him, looking up into his hazel eyes. The gorgeous eyes she had grown so fond of. Unable to contain herself any longer, she threw her arms around his neck, holding him tightly to her. His arms wound themselves around her waist and he lifted her slightly off the ground and buried his face in her auburn locks. He took a deep breath, inhaling her scent before gently setting her back on the ground. She pulled away and he saw tears glistening in her eyes.
"Promise me that you will come back." He cupped her chin in his palm and gazed into her love-filled emerald eyes. He leaned down slowly, pressing his lips to hers in a passionate yet gentle kiss. They broke apart and she leaned her head on his shoulder. "James…," she sighed into his neck. She could feel the familiar burning of the tears that began to creep into her eyes again. He stroked her hair and whispered to her. "Promise me something." He pulled away and crouched down, propping his one knee up and steering her towards it. He reached into his pocket as she sat down. "Promise me that you'll wait for me…," her eyes turned to the smooth wooden box that he held in his hand, "…and when I come back…," he opened the box to reveal the most beautiful ring Lily had ever seen. She gasped in surprise. "…you'll be mine."
She stared at him in shock. "James…you wish to…marry me?"
"Of course I do. Who else?" She moved off his knee and dropped to her own knees in front of him, grasping his face in her hands. "James, you…are sure?"
He grabbed her hand in his own. "Lily…what is it?"
"James…what if you do not come back?" She sniffled lightly and moved into his arms. He rubbed her back gently, calming her fears by whispering into her ear, "I'll come back to you. I promise. I promise you, Lily." He released her enough to reach around his neck and unclasp the lion pendant his father had given him before his death. He gently lowered it around her delicate neck before leaning forward to tenderly kiss her on the forehead. "Keep this for me…until I get back."
"And when you do, then I will take that ring." James grinned and pulled her up to stand with him as the whistle sounded.
"Let's go, boys," Alastor Moody, the leader of James' division, yelled.
James held her hands and looked into her eyes. Lily broke down in tears and clung to him, burying herself in his embrace. He clutched her body to his and stared into the lake, lightly moving his fingers on her slim waist. She pulled away slowly, looking at him with love and tear filled eyes. "Be safe," she told him. He leaned forward abruptly, capturing her lips in a passionate and needy kiss before pulling away from her quickly and walking to join the assembly of young men. Lily fell to her knees in grief. James stopped walking and looked back at her, swallowing hard and staring into her eyes. He yelled to her quickly before blowing her a gentle kiss and joining the group. "I love you."