Serendipity was a beautiful feeling.

Lily smoothed out the blanket on the warm, golden sand as James unpacked the picnic basket. Sandwiches, chips, and soda were scattered across the tartan-colored blanket.

"That's quite a feast," James marveled. "Your mum is incredible. Thank Merlin I married into your family."

"You do realize when you married me, you married all of us?" Lily teased. "Including Petunia?"

"...Alright, maybe not completely thankful," James amended. "But your mum works wonders in the kitchen."

"She does, doesn't she?" In a swift movement, she pulled her tank top over her head and cast it to the side. Her shorts followed suit, landing in a heap on the sand. She smirked as she caught James gaping.

"Merlin, James, you'd think you'd never seen me barely clothed before."

James snapped his mouth shut and smiled cheekily. "Oh please, like you didn't spend entire Quidditch practices ogling me while I was shirtless."

"Touche," she said. "Well, the sea is calling my name. You can ogle my arse from behind as I run dramatically into the water, or you can join me."

"I don't know which is more tempting." James raised an eyebrow. "But seeing you all wet is certainly a dealbreaker, so I'll join you."

Lily felt a familiar spark spring to life in her stomach at his words, but she ignored it in favor of sprinting full-on into the ocean, hair streaming behind her. James followed her, laughing like a madman as he tripped into the water.

Lily waited for him to resurface, and when he did, she was ready to pounce. She gave him a hard shove and sent him spluttering into the water again.

"Lily!" James groaned when he emerged, coughing up salty water. A wicked gleam appeared in his eyes. "Now it's your turn."

Lily screeched as she was promptly dunked and James howled.

"What do you think they're doing?" a boy asked his sister, gazing at the couple in the water.

The girl studied them thrashing around and their laughter reaching even the deafest of ears.

"They're at peace," she murmured, her eyes wistful.

350 words

Auction - (word) serendipity