Someone reviewed about how could Lily not recognize James if she was in their house. I forgot to mention that he would be in their London home then and Lily's only been in his Berkshire home. I'm so sorry for the confusion. Enjoy this chapter!

Note: Sorry for the long wait! I had exams, went on holiday (no computer, unfortunately, and I was also kind of de-stressing at the time), got busy trying to learn "Safe and Sound" on the guitar, writing HG fanfiction, finally trying to improve on my drawing skills (I really improved, I swear. I can show you a before and after!) and school's restarted! So between all that, I just didn't have the time to think about this one, I'm really sorry! And my new school schedule makes me want to cry.. 8am-6pm classes EVERY. EFFING. DAY. (Insert sad face here)

Before I forget, I just want to say, if we ever reach 200 reviews, I will post the next chapter plus a bonus chapter. It's what my initial idea of how Lily and James met..as kids! HAHA. You could say it was my first draft of the story... That, and probably the sketches to Lily's wedding gown. I'm gonna try this thing where every time I reach a hundred review mark, I'll do something special. You can make requests if you want. So the gown sketch would be for the 100th review.

The next chapter is coming along- I've already started it. I have some free time in the mornings before class, so I try to squeeze in some writing then.

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If this is the moment I stand here on my own

If this is my rite of passage that somehow leads me home

I might be afraid

But it's my turn to be brave

-Brave by Idina Menzel

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"Please say something."

James looked at Lily pleadingly when she finally stopped walking. He had asked his mother if he and Lily could have a moment alone to talk. She was surprised but looked pleased as he led Lily away to the garden.

She turned to him. "What do you want me to say?" she said in a deadly whisper. "Do you want me to get angry? Do you want me to scream at you? What? I think I've said it all back then. I have nothing else to say."

"I don't expect you to," he answered. "I just wanted to apologize to you. If you would just let me explain-"

"You seriously think an apology will make it better?" Lily demanded. "And how do you expect me to react? I thought I would never see you again, that I'm ready to forget about it! But now I find out that I'm supposed to marry you!"

She threw her arms up in exasperation. "I never knew you were Lady Potter's son," she added in a softer tone, obviously trying to keep her temper in check.

"And I never knew that you're the Evans girl," he responded.

She crossed her arms and frowned. "I would refuse right now if my mother had not consented to an Unbreakable Vow. But since she has, I have no choice," she told him.

"What are we going to do now?" James asked her.

He anxiously waited for her to answer as she weighed the situation in her head. Finally, she took a deep breath and sighed.

"I'll marry you."

James looked at her, dumbstruck. "What?"

"We can't break an Unbreakable Vow. I don't want my mother to face the consequences," she said, sounding like she's convincing herself more than him. "And it will ruin my family if anyone lets out that I broke my engagement with you. So I will marry you."

"I don't want to force you to-"

"I'm not doing it for you," she cut across him rather harshly. "I just don't want to hurt my family."

An uncomfortable silence followed. James couldn't stand the silence anymore so he decided to break it.

"Should we go back in?"

Lily stared at him for a moment before nodding slowly. "We should," she replied. "Any longer than this and my mother just might complain that it's not proper."

They began making their way back inside. Just before they reached the back door, Lily grabbed James' arm.

"Don't tell them about this. Please."

He tried to hide his surprise at her request, but he nodded nonetheless.

"Thank you," she said, sounding like she meant it. "And… I think we should keep a civil relationship. Since we're getting married. But that doesn't mean I've forgiven what you've said."

He nodded again. She gave him a brief smile before going through the door.

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They put on a good show. They acted cordial, even friendly, in front of their parents. They didn't notice the coldness of Lily's eyes when she smiled, or the hesitation in James's. They happily discussed the wedding details while the two kept their distance.

As their mothers pored over wedding dresses and entrée selections, the two sat quietly, Lily with her hands folded on her lap demurely and James looking everywhere else in the room but at her. Lady Potter called Lily to ask her about which gown she wanted to wear, getting her preoccupied for the rest of the afternoon.

She protested against her mother's suggestions of pearls and crystals on her gown, wanting it to remain simple enough. Several compromises were made and two hours later Lily had chosen a beautiful ivory gown with embroidered flowers, lace appliques and a long train.

"Of course the wedding should be in our garden!" Lady Potter insisted. "I absolutely adored your elder daughter's wedding, and I think our garden would do nicely for the ceremony and reception, don't you?"

"Oh, yes, I will see to the decorations personally!" Mrs Evans agreed enthusiastically. "I was thinking calla lilies and orchids, don't you think that'll be nice, Lily?"

"I don't really mind," she answered. "You can do what you want with it."

"And maybe some roses," Mrs Evans mused.

"Oh, I don't think that would be a good idea. James isn't fond of roses," Lady Potter said. "The smell makes him nauseous."

"No roses then," Mrs Evans smiled kindly. "What flowers would you prefer? Of course, we would have to think about the motif, I was thinking gold would look nice, especially since it won't clash with Lily's hair."

"It doesn't really matter if it matches my hair, Mother," Lily said hastily. "I'm sure no one would mind."

"Gold would be lovely!" Lady Potter agreed. "I think we should use some gold thread on Lily's dress and on James's suit, don't you think? And James's house colors were red and gold, it would be perfect!"

Lily tuned the rest of the conversation out, knowing that the two mothers would only be too happy to finish the planning for her. All she has to do is appear on that day in a white dress and plaster a fake smile on her face.

Her eyes fell on James, who looked desperate to leave the room. She could not blame him though; the tension between them was too great. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, her mother announced that it was time to go. She bid the Potters a polite but swift good-bye, trying to hide the relief she was feeling over not having to stay any longer.

Her mother turned to her the minute they arrived home. "So, what did you and James talk about while you were in the garden?"

Of course she wanted to know. I bet she was dying to ask me but didn't want to seem too eager in front of Lady Eleanor.

"Nothing," Lily replied with a straight face. "We just laid down some boundaries over what we could expect once we're married, that's all."

"And those are…?"

"Mother," Lily said exasperatedly, not wanting to let her mother know about her previous connection with James. "Must you know? I can take care of myself. Whatever it is that James and I have agreed on, may we please just keep it between the two of us?"

Mrs Evans looked a little taken aback with her daughter's tone. Finally she sighed. "Alright then, Lily. Why don't you go upstairs and rest?"

Lily nodded, sincerely grateful that her mother did not press further. "Thank you. Good night."

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The news of the engagement burst through the social circles faster than you can say "I do."

Lily became subject to the attention-and occasional scrutiny- of the Wizarding society almost overnight. Reporters clamored to get photos of her, to get her statements on the engagement. Everyone wants to know the shiny new toy. Old pure-blood families turned their noses on her for being a half-blood, one they saw as trying to marry above her station. Most people were enamored by her beauty and elegance and by the fact that she's an almost normal young woman, who was just fortunate enough to be marrying into one of the most affluent Wizarding families in Europe.

She was sick of it all.

She was forced to appear alongside James to whatever function he was invited to, smiling as she latched herself onto his arm. She spoke to strangers about things she did not really care about, forced to give an opinion on trivial matters just so she would not look snobbish. She was repeatedly lectured on the importance of public image and etiquette, which were not entirely new to her, but still made her uncomfortable knowing that she everyone would be watching- and scrutinizing- every little move she makes. Everyone will be waiting for a misstep that they could spin into a wild scandal. Everyone will be waiting for her to make a mistake so that they could tear her down. After all, drama is the heart of high society. But she vowed not give them the satisfaction.

The engagement party that took place two weeks after their meeting was the worst.

Hundreds of strangers gathered at the Potters' home in London, all eager to see the couple. Some, mostly young women dressed in overwhelming finery, gave Lily disdaining looks as she walked past them. No doubt, they were rich girls who had their eyes on the Potter family. She couldn't help but smile in the pale gold asymmetrical gown she wore, which accentuated her slender waist, with a flowing skirt that fluttered when she moved. It was decorated with gold and red crystals on the bodice that shimmered in the light when she moved. The front section of her hair was done in a French braid that formed a hairband, decorated with red and gold crystal ornaments. Lily said a silent thank you to Lady Potter for providing her with the ensemble. She looked worthy of royalty.

James presented her with an engagement ring that night. It was smaller than Petunia's, which she was thankful for, but still sizeable. It consists of a princess cut emerald in the middle, surrounded by two small diamonds on each side, set on a white gold band. She tried to look ecstatic as he put it on her small finger, but the ring felt heavy, and she felt sinking feeling at the pit of her stomach.

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Severus Snape was never one to read the society section of the Daily Prophet. He was never interested in the affairs of the rich and famous, deeming their nonsense a waste of time. But today was different. It was the big bold letters proclaiming "Potter Heir Engaged" that caught his attention. He was interested to find out who the unfortunate girl who would marry the arrogant James Potter so he found himself flicking through the society pages, smirking at the superficiality of it all. His eyes widened when he saw the woman clutching Potter's arm- a woman he has not seen in years, and yet looked all too familiar. He knew that big smile, the red hair and the green eyes (even if the black-and-white picture didn't show it) could only belong to one person. He quickly scanned the article to check, and there it was, in plain black letters underneath the photograph: "The Noble House of Potter has recently announced the engagement of Lord James Potter, the only heir to the Earl Potter, to Miss Lily Evans, the daughter of Robert and Azalea Evans, who are known Herbologists who earned their fortunes with their agricultural businesses. The wedding date is not yet confirmed, but word has it that it will happen very soon." Lily was described as if she was a shiny new toy, nothing of particular interest other than the fact that she was marrying into one of the most prominent families in England. The piece of parchment was crumpled in his fist the minute the information sank in—Lily was marrying Potter. He threw the poor piece of paper away, teeth gritted together, his rage clearly visible in his features.

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The Evans household was abuzz with excitement upon seeing the morning paper. Their daughter was an instant star. Lily could not care less, to be honest, and kept quiet as her mother talked about it to the housekeepers. She stood up from the table and tossed her napkin on the table, ignoring the looks she received from her mother and father.

I need to leave.

She grabbed her coat and Apparated out of the house without any thought of her destination.

When the uncomfortable sensation of Apparition has passed, she opened her eyes to see that she has arrived at a meadow, surrounded by weeping willow trees, the ground littered with dandelions and lavenders, covered by a thin blanket of snow. A clear lake is situated a few feet away, its calm waters a deep shade of blue, glittering in the sun. Her eyes widened in surprise as she realized where she was.

She had not been in Mill Town since she was seven years old.

She took careful, deliberate steps towards the water, breathing in the cool air. The place had not changed since her family left it more than ten years ago, if anything, it looked more beautiful. She remembered the place in spring, when everything would be in bloom and she and Petunia made crowns made from the wildflowers that grew there. Where she would talk to Severus about his problems and hers, about how the kids in the playground bullied them and how his father paid no attention to his mother and him. How she was scared of the monsters in her closet. Where she could speak her mind and be herself.

It was somewhere she felt free.

She was sorely tempted to get into the water and wade in it like she used to when she was a child, but she knew that the water had to be freezing- it was the middle of winter, after all. She backed off from the edge of the lake slowly, smiling to herself, when she heard the unmistakeable crunching of a branch underneath someone's foot. She turned sharply around, her red hair flying as she did. But her tense features immediately relaxed when she saw the face of her old friend.

"Severus?" she said in disbelief, a small laugh making its way to her lips. "Is that you?"

"Lily?" his surprise made her laugh again.

"How are you?" she said, walking towards him. "It's been so long! What, two years?"

"I'm fine," he answered. "It has, hasn't it?" He took a moment to register her surroundings. "What are you doing here?"

She shrugged. "My feet took me here," she replied. "Or my mind, since I Apparated."

"I heard you're getting married," he blurted out. Lily looked at him in surprise, then smiled sadly. She nodded.

"News travels that fast, doesn't it?" she laughed humourlessly. "But yes, in a few weeks."

"To James Potter."

"Yes."

"Was it-"

"It was arranged," she cut across him. "I don't really want to talk about it."

"I'm sorry," he told her.

She shook her head. "No, don't be. I'm fine. I'm sure he'll take care of me. He should be scared of me, really," she said, trying to soothe the tension.

"I wish there's something I can do for you," he said.

"There's nothing to do anymore, Sev," she said, shifting her eyes from his gaze. "If there was something, believe me, I would have done it by now."

"You could run away, like Andromeda Black did," he suggested.

She gave him a sad smile and shook her head. "No, I could never do that to my parents, it would crush them."

"But if you don't want to-"

"It doesn't matter. What's the point of fighting it? I certainly don't have it in me to hurt my parents by running away, even though I protested the marriage in the first place. I can scream as much as I want and it won't change anything. My mother made an Unbreakable Vow. You know what happens when you break it, and I can't compromise her."

"And in return you compromise yourself?" he demanded angrily.

"I can handle myself, thank you very much. I don't need you to tell me what I already know," she retorted coldly.

He dropped his gaze. "Do you remember when we were kids, that we came here when we're upset?"

"Yes," she breathed. "I think that's why I'm here. It's a little too much to take."

"I'll always be here to listen," he told her. "Don't forget. You know where I am."

She gave him a genuine smile this time, warm and sincere. The smile that used to make everything alright.

"I should be going now," she said, breaking the silence. "I have a wedding to plan."

"I see."

"Maybe…if you're not too busy. Would you come?" she said hopefully.

"Me?" he stammered, unsure. "I'd do my best."

She grinned. "Thank you. And it really is nice to see you, Sev. I've missed you."

She spun on the spot and the crack filled the air. She was gone- and he was left alone, staring at the spot where she stood only moments before, the words he contemplated saying still hanging on his lips, but it was too late for her to hear.

"I love you."

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Oh GOSH that was hard to write!

Anyway, the next chapter will be the wedding, hopefully that would be easier to write. Unfortunately, I'm back in school, so writing time will be scarce for me. It's been a week since school started and I've already received several projects and papers to be submitted. GAH. I hate school.

I WILL BE FINISHING THIS STORY IF IT KILLS ME. I just want to make sure you know that. I don't plan on abandoning it, don't worry. I don't think my sister will let me, either. She kept nagging me to write it, hovering behind me while I type. I'm sorry if this chapter's long overdue, though. SIGH. Life is hectic.

Thanks for all the reviews and alerts and favourites, guys! I love reading your feedback, and it makes me happy to know that you're still reading this despite the awful lack of updates. I do try, but my writing bug is really nit-picky, and I don't want to write anything half-hearted because I'm sure I won't like it. And probably, neither would you.

Any of you Hunger Games fans? I wrote fanfiction for it, if you don't mind checking it out. Reviews would also mean so much. Review this one too!

Oh, and I designed the wedding dress! *squeals*

Until the next one!