Chapter Twenty Six
"Should I apparate out?" suggested Lily, biting her lip nervously. James's face lit up at the clever idea but the little happy light in his head distinguished.
"My apartment is surrounded by an anti apparition shield," explained James, his face annoyed. "To stop crazy fans from stalking me."
"Brilliant," muttered Lily sarcastically.
"You wanted to see the library," snapped James, running a hand through his messy black hair forcefully.
"You wanted to give me a tour!" argued back Lily, her voice steadily rising louder and higher.
"You wanted to come here for the Easter Holidays!"
"You invited me!" screamed Lily, her fiery red hair had been in an immaculate French plait only several hours ago. Now strands were flying loose all over the place. It only added to the scariness of her red head temper thought James.
"You do both realise the neighbours are just positively amused by your little debate," commented Sirius smugly, leaning against the doorframe casually, yet elegantly. Honestly he looked like he'd just walked off from a random photo shoot.
Lily and James's heads both turned around to stare at Sirius in shock before realising how close they had gotten whilst fighting with their chests heaving up down. If Sirius hadn't heard them shouting then he'd have been having rather suspicious thoughts about the two although he probably was now – arguments between two sexes clearly meant sexual tension. They sprang apart suddenly. It was almost comical.
"My, my, my isn't this cosy," remarked Aurora, popping her head around the doorframe briefly, her long black hair swishing about.
"We were just discussing something of no importance," said Lily shrilly, walking out of the door with her head held high and her face almost the same shade as her hair. Embarrassment really wasn't kind to redheads James decidedly sympathetically.
"God, you got to love her, haven't you?" he said, following her out, grinning like an idiot. Aurora had gone with Lily to go greet Frank and Alice with shrieks and hugs but Sirius held him back.
"You're an idiot," Sirius stated stonily, with an added flick of the hair. Ooh a strand was out of place whatever shall we do?
"Why?" asked James bluntly, his attractive face bemused.
"Because you've got a gorgeous yet somewhat annoying pregnant fiancée somewhere in Milan and you're flirting with your past; some fling."
"You know damn well Lily was more than a fling," argued James, getting angry.
"Yeah I do. I know how much Lily meant to you, that's in the past though. It's not worth the risk now," shouted Sirius. "She's not worth the risk."
"But what if she is?" bellowed James.
"Is she worth your fiancée? Family's reputation? How are you're parents going to feel when they find out you've been shagging your ex-girlfriend behind your future wife's back? Is it worth all of that?" barked Sirius. "Is she worth your job?"
"Maybe she is!"
Neither of them had noticed that Lily, Aurora, Remus, Alice and frank where stood watching and listening in interest. None of them had seen them argue this much since fifth year when Sirius lead Snape to the Whomping Willow on a Full Moon. Lily's face showed a mixture of embarrassment, shame and shock. She looked helpless as the scene unfolded before them.
"What's the point James? I've known you all your life and you've never been this reckless over anything. When you think about it you're willing to take all those risks just before one last fling before marriage. She's only a fling."
"Don't say that, I love her!" shouted James before punching Sirius right in the face. The girls screamed. Sirius staggered slightly backwards, blood dripping from his nose, his expression holding anger, surprise but mainly hurt. That didn't stop him. Although wounded he managed to send a pretty good punch James's way. It was his turn to stagger backwards. Alice and Aurora were in hysterics. Remus seemed unsure what to do – it was rare he saw his friends like this. Sirius and James were usually like brothers and even if they did fight it was little scraps not fully blown punch-you-in-the-face kind of fights. As a precaution he held his wand out steadily before him, in case either o the two idiots were clever – yet in a way stupid enough – to start duelling.
As James raised his fist to punch Sirius again Lily quickly darted forward and bravely stood in the middle of the fighters, whilst her friends shrieked in fear. They obviously thought she would get caught in the crossfire, thought James, but he'd never hit her – ever.
"Don't you dare," she warned him, her voice deadly low. James looked at her with such a defeated face it almost broke her heart. He was ashamed of his own brutish antics. He rarely raised his fist to a stranger who really offended him let alone his own best friend. Remus and the girls were now cleaning up Sirius as he glared at James.
Lily raised her own fist and slapped James swiftly across the face. He was shocked to say the least as he rubbed the stinging red mark on his already hurt cheek.
"That's for being a jerk and hitting your best friend." He was ashamed of himself but Lily wasn't finished. She slapped him sharply for a second time.
"And that's for saying you love me." James's heart broke in two. I mean, how many girls slapped you for saying that you loved them?
Then she reached up on her tip toes and pulled down the back of his head and kissed him hard and quickly stepped back before he even had the chance to wrap his arms around her waist. James was confused and slightly dazed. Lily smiled.
"That's for saying you love me." James burst out into a grin and hugged her, spinning her around so her feet were off the plush carpeted flooring.
"Wow, she's confusing. Even for a girl," commented Sirius, massaging his jaw. Alice smacked him over the head.
"Let them be happy, Siri," she said softly, tucking her curly blonde hair behind her ear. "Everyone here knows it can't last forever – we know it can barely last another couple of two months. Then we all know they're going to have to part and be miserable. They really are in love; let them enjoy it whilst they can."
Sirius smiled. "I know that. Part of me wants them to live happily ever after forever but deep down I know they can't. It was the wrong time and wrong place for all this to happen. Lily was meant to be getting married to James not Gwen but things happen. If they hadn't have split up all those years ago they'd have probably had a family by now. Even though Lily claimed she hated him all those years at Hogwarts everybody could see there was a spark between them."
"You actually sounded like you were an intellectual who knew what emotions were then, Padfoot," chipped in Remus, smirking.
Sirius pouted and tossed his glossy black hair back.
"Awww don't be mean," said Aurora. "I'm sure he has many good attributes."
"Hmmm," smirked Sirius sexily. "Can I escort you to the lounge my fair lady?"
"You may indeed Sir Sirius," answered Aurora giggling, taking his offered arm.
"That poor girl," muttered Frank. "We've unleashed evil."
Alice laughed and started to drag her husband and Remus out of the hallway leaving James and Lily alone.
"You shouldn't have punched Sirius," said Lily softly. "He was only telling you what's right."
"He is right," agreed James, putting his forehead against hers softly. "But I don't care. I am madly head of heels crazy in love with you Lily Evans."
"I love you too," she murmured before they pair kissed so softly their lips were barely touching but it was special. They both knew it. They both also knew that their happiness wouldn't last forever.
"You know I've still got to go through with this wedding," he said miserably, stroking her hair comfortingly. She nodded not looking him in the eye. He lifted her chin up forcing her emerald orbs to gaze into his hazel eyes. "Let's not worry about that until we have to, flower, let's just go celebrate my birthday and be happy."
Lily smiled and placed his hand in front of her for him to take. He grabbed it lovingly and they both entered his lounge hand in hand. The others knew their love and they also knew the agony they were both going to have to go through but for now it didn't matter. They were having a party.
"I fully apologise for whatever Sirius may do to Aurora," said James sincerely yet his hazel eyes were dancing in amusement.
"She's a big girl I'm sure she can handle him," laughed Lily for a second before looking at James with a serious expression. "But you need to apologise to him."
James nodded gravely and made it over to where Sirius was spinning Aurora around to some random muggle music. She was shrieking with laughter until Sirius accidentally let go of her hand when he saw James. She went flying into the wall.
"Oops," muttered Sirius sheepishly before hurrying to where she was laying on the ground in a heap.
"I'm so sorry, are you alright?" he asked, biting his lip nervously.
She grinned up at him. "That was fun! Let's do it again."
He laughed. "You know what Rory? I'm started to really like you." He grabbed her hands and pulled her up easily, her long black her swishing side to side.
"Can I have a word Siri?" asked James ruefully. "It'll only take a moment Rory then he's all yours."
She nodded whilst rubbing her head. Sirius followed James into his bedroom.
"I'm so sorry Padfoot," said James sadly. "I didn't mean to hit you, well, in that split second I did but I regretted it the second after."
"I know," smiled Sirius. "You my best friend James, my brother even. Of course I forgive you but just think about what you're doing here. If you'd have never have taken this job, you'd have never have found Lily again, you'd still be happy with Gwen."
"You know I wouldn't be happy with her," admitted James, sinking into his bed, running a hand through his messy tresses. "Our relationship was cracking long before Lily came along. We're too different. She's happy with money and fame; I'm happy with friends and family. She doesn't even like my best friends! The moment, I saw Lily; I knew that I had to break up with Gwen. I've never loved anyone as much as I've loved Lily. You were at Hogwarts with me you know that. Whenever I imagine my future I picture Lily. I always have. But then Gwen got pregnant.
Most fathers-to-be are ecstatic when they find out but when she told me I thought she was playing a sick joke on me. I was waiting for someone to jump out and tell me it was all a prank and that makes me sick. It isn't the baby's fault. The funny thing is, is that I've always wanted children. A beautiful baby boy with messy black hair like me and Lily's emerald eyes."
"You have one complicated life, mate," commented Sirius. "But it will get better. Sure it might not be the way you've planned but you've still got friends, family and you've still got Gwen. In a few months time you'll have a gorgeous baby girl with messy black hair and dazzling blue eyes. She'll become the most important person in your life Prongs. I know you, you'll give her the best childhood a child can possibly have because I know despite all the feelings you have for her mother you will still love her no matter what."
James smiled. "You're one of the smartest people I know Sirius although I know many would disagree. Thanks. You've put a lot of things in perspective for me but I'm not married until August and I deserve those few months with Lily. When that time comes though I'll pull through cause of the baby."
"But for now let's get wasted and have a good time!"