First it was Easter. Lily was so sure it would be Easter. She had put on that yellow sun dress that did everything for her and still made her look like someone you would want to take home to Mum and Dad. She did her hair just the way he liked it. And all day he gave her smiles, the secret kind that made her feel giddy and warm. But Easter came and went and still, nothing. No surprises in the easter eggs, no pauses on their long walk in the field of wild flowers. Nothing but a boyfriend that loved her. She was a little disappointed, but nothing she couldn't hide. After all she had him. And Merlin, did she love him.
Then she was quite certain it would be just two days after he returned from that long two week mission. They hadn't been able to talk to each other that entire time, or exchange letters. It was silence, absolute unbearable silence. And when he came back to her he was covered in blood. Some of it was his, some was not. He was quiet, withdrawn, thoughtful. And then he disappeared to his parents' house for a few hours and came back different. He wasn't withdrawn, or silent. He wasn't what he was, he'd forever be different. But he was more her James than he had been when he first came home. He sat on the couch with her, ate the meal she cooked, told her he loved her. He told her he couldn't live without her. And that was the end of that.
Then she thought, Christmas. It was going to be Christmas. He knew she loved Christmas. He decorated the tree with her, he hung the lights. And James being who he was, put mistletoe everywhere and insisted they test it, to make sure it worked. It did. James even helped her make cookies. Her little cousins inhabited their house for a few days, and Lily noticed the flicker of excitement and joy when he was with children. And he started staring at her. Not in a creepy way. But in a way that made her feel safe. Comfortable. He was watching her to make sure she was happy. But Christmas came and went, and no small boxes were unwrapped.
Lily was starting to get impatient. She loved him. And he'd wasted two good holidays and she was starting to worry. What was the old saying? Never buy the cow if you can get the milk for free? She started making noises about going on extended trips, but James did nothing. James was supportive of these extended trips.
New Year's eve was spent in absolute drunkeness. James pressed champagne glass after champagne glass into her hand, and none of them held anything shiny at the bottom. New Year's day was quiet. She spent all day in bed with him, ringing in the New Year with the same old labels.
January 30th. Her birthday. Lily was starting to think he'd never get around to it. She actually had bought a band for him. An actual, silver band. She had taken to carrying it around in her pocket. More than once on her birthday she'd thought to ask. But Lily couldn't bring herself to do it. It seemed pathetic to her. How could she ask him on her birthday? He would practically be guilted into saying yes. And if he said no? Merlin, it would kill her. Later, much later, she decided that was a good thing.
But one day it happened. On the rather boring twentieth day of February James took Lily back to Hogwarts, just to visit. And he suggested, quite excitedly, that they go check out their old haunts. And she agreed with a small smile. The first stop along the tour was, of course, the prefect's bath. James winked at the mermaid, and Lily smacked the back of his head before laughing at his antics. He told her he used to flirt with the mermaid, for practice. Next the Gryffindor common room where they reminisced about everything Hogwarts related. And then down to the Quidditch pitch, where Lily smiled sheepishly when he brought up their first kiss, and it was there he kissed her, in the same spot they shared their first kiss just two years ago. And it was there that finally, finally, James sank to one knee. Finally. He told her that he couldn't imagine the rest of his life without her, and promptly begged for her hand in marriage.
And Lily said yes. Finally.