Chapter 10: Prompt: Climb

This was it. The moment he'd spent ten years climbing towards, really. He couldn't believe it was finally here, couldn't believe it'd come so soon, and that it'd taken that long. Indeed, he'd taken all the money he'd made in these past years, and spent it, spent it all on this year. He'd promised her, the day before her birthday, that this birthday present would make up for the ten (well he'd said nine, after all, she didn't see him that first year) he'd missed out on. Lily, being Lily, wasn't happy about that.

Oh well.

When the day dawned, he knew that this was it. He'd planned the entire day, arduously detailing their plans to the last second. First they'd have a breakfast at the bakery, then he'd take her to the Big Ben, and then to the park they'd gone last year. He planned on finishing the day with a fancy dinner.

And then he'd ask her.

He was set in his plan. James was sure in his plan.

Fate, apparently, wasn't.

That morning, when Lily walked into the shop, James' heart stopped, it really did. She looked so beautiful in a dress, light even though it was winter. Her smile lit out the room and, as if to remind him how lucky he was, the clouds parted and the sun started shining that day.

Screw those plans, James thought.

"Happy Birthday Red!" he said to her, hugging her tight before pulling her in for a kiss, "What do you want to do today?"

She looked up at him, smiling gleefully, "Actually, do you want to bake?"

He smiled at her, at the fact that she'd choose to spend her birthday helping others, and back to the kitchen they went. Because of the special occasion, his parents let them work on the cakes, and he and Lily baked and decorated them generously. While he was only good at baking from practice, Lily was naturally talented, such that everything she made came out perfect, no matter what.

It was well past lunch by the time they noticed the time, and James excused himself, grabbed a few sandwiches, and pulled Lily out into the grass garden, a few blocks from the bakery. There they sat, basking in the sun and the crisp January air, laughing and playing and just genuinely enjoying each other's company. Lily was more liberal with her affection, and he could usually coast out an I love you a day, though that day he got three, just sitting in the garden. Lastly he pulled out a cake he'd decorated behind her back that morning, with Happy Birthday Red written sloppily on in red icing. She laughed at it, smeared a bit in his face, and dug in.

"James!" she exclaimed after the first bite.

"Wot?" he asked, his mouth full of food.

Her laugh tinkled through the air, "That's cheating! You can't give me a cake I baked for my birthday cake!" She didn't mind at all though, eating it happily. In all honesty, James didn't know who had baked the cake he'd stolen, but he was glad she got to appreciate her own masterpiece.

They continued on the grass for a long time, until the sun was about to set, and James (courtesy of Fate) got a marvelous idea.

"Lily!" he said, jumping up and grabbing the picnic basket, "Come with me!"

Pulling her hand and refusing to let her protest, he grabbed her hand and started running, leaving her to laugh and run behind him.

The couple darted into the shop, breathless, but James didn't stop. He dropped the basked on the counter, kissed his mom, winked at his dad, and started climbing the stairs.

"James where are we going?" Lily asked, breathless from laughter and running.

He didn't answer, just pulling her faster, afraid he'd miss it. Then, bursting through the attic, opening the window he'd found when he was much younger, he squeezed his body through it (a tight fit, to be sure) and pulled Lily out after him.

"James what- oh." She said, her eyes caught on what he'd hoped they wouldn't miss.

Because in front of them was all of London, framed by the setting sun. The sunset today was the color of her hair, stretching beautifully across the horizon.

James took the chance he had, seeing as she was distracted by the sunset, and got down on one knee.

Turning, Lily went to make a comment, only to have her words die in her throat a second time in a row.

"Red," he started, stopped, and then started again, "Lily. You are the love of my life. You have been, ever since I saw you, ten years ago. For my entire life, there's never been another girl for me, and I know it will continue to be so, from now until… forever," he said stumbling over his nerves, "I love you, and I always will. So Lily… will you marry me?"

She smiled down at him, then got down on her own knees, sitting next to him on that balcony. He was confused, but then again, when it came to Lily, he was always confused, "James, did you know that, for a long time, I was afraid of climbing up the stairs?"

He was wordless, with nerves and confusion. Confounded woman, why wouldn't she give him a straight answer!

"I was afraid of going anywhere differently than where I was. Actually, the first time I climbed the stairs without worry was that day you saved me, and pulled me into your room," she looked at him lovingly, "With you, I've never been afraid of the future, I've never been afraid of climbing up, of seeing what comes next."

There was a pregnant pause. James knew she was just doing this to torture him, but he couldn't do anything but love her. She would be the death of him, this girl.

"So yes," she continued, "On one condition."

His heart, which had soared, settled in the pit of his stomach.

"Can there be stairs at our wedding?"

Chuckling at her, at how impossible she was, at how much he loved her, he slipped the ring onto her finger, before pulling her in for a kiss, letting that be answer enough.

And yes reader, as cheesy as it is, they lived happily ever after.

Author's Note: I hope you all enjoyed this story of One Day in the life of James and Lily Potter :)

Thanks for reading

-Julia