Summary of this OS: James is sure it isn't the right time to do it, but he does anyway.

Rating of this OS: T

Warnings: Non-described sexual situation and extreme fluffiness (at least for me, and at the end)

Disclaimer: Everything belongs to J.K. Rowling, and nothing belongs to me except the words you can see here. I don't make any money out of this story.

.:.

Written for:

- the All Sorts of Love Competition, in the fluff category

Word count: 1033 words

Proposal: James and Lily

James is holding her hand. She's giggling a little, because it's not necessarily the best thing to do when you're eating, but she lets him all the same.

It's the first time they're in a Muggle restaurant, in London, and it's just because she wanted to come here. He loves her that much, she thinks. He loves her enough to risk everything for her, and she knows it. He has proven himself, over and over. And if he were to ask her to give herself entirely to him, heart and soul, she would now, without a single hesitation.

Something must transpire on her face, because he looks at her and frowns.

"Lils, are you alright?" he asks her, and his voice is filled with concern.

"I couldn't be better," she answers in all honesty. "Don't you think it's great here?"

"Greater than I would've thought!" He lets go of her hand and leans back in his chair, a smile playing on his lips. She scowls a little, and he notices (what doesn't he notice? she wonders) and laughs. "You know, Lils, for someone who hated me not so long ago, you're absolutely adorable!"

She can't help herself (it's his laugh, and his eyes fixed on her, and it's just him), she's laughing too, and when the waitress comes to ask if they want a dessert, they're hiccupping through tears of laughter. The young girl decides to come back later, and she shakes her head at them, but there's a smile on her lips too. Lily has never been the jealous type, but it calms her a little, the way the other girl looks at James, because she's beautiful and Lily is afraid he's going to notice it.

He notices the look on her face (it's almost annoying, how he notices everything) and shakes his head at her. "Is it jealousy I see there, Lily Evans?" he asks, a mischievous glint in his bright hazel eyes.

"It's not! I have no reason to be jealous!" There's a question at the end of her answer though – or do I?

"If you think I will ever be looking at another woman the way I look at you, Lily, you couldn't be more wrong." And his voice is so convincing that she believes him. She holds her hand out for him to take and he does, his thumb soothingly brushing over her skin.

"Do you want a dessert?" The waitress is back, and they both shake their head.

"The check, please," Lily asks, and the younger girl seems a little disappointed, but she brings it to them anyway, and it's Lily who pays for their dinner.

When they get home (they haven't shared a walk hand in hand after the restaurant, like most couples do), there is a strange feeling in James's gut. It's like he has to ask her now, to be sure. He knows it's probably not the right time, but he tugs on her hand anyway.

She stops and turns towards him, and she's obviously not ready to see him down on one knee, because she rushes down on her knees too and there are her hands on either sides of his head.

"Are you alright, James?" she cries out.

"Huh, Lily, for what I'm about to do, it's better if you stand," he smirks at her, and she raises her eyebrows. He has an idea what she has in mind, and he laughs earnestly, "It's nothing like what you have in mind. Though we can also do that, later, if you want to…" he trails off, and she smacks him on the head. But she does stand up, and he takes a deep breath because he knows he will need a rant to explain everything, but she speaks up before he can.

"We will not do anything tonight, James," she warns him.

He nods, and then starts, "Look, Lily, what I have seen tonight… Holding hands with you in a normal place, it made me realize I can't ever live without you. And I hope you feel the same, but I love you so, so much. And right now, I don't have anything on me to give to you to… officialise the thing, but… Will you marry me, Lily Evans?"

He realizes he must be red in the face, because he hasn't taken a break to breathe during his rant, but what really worries him is the way she just looks at him, dumbstruck.

He makes a move to stand up, his cheeks reddening some more, when she gets down on her knees in front of him and kisses him hard on the mouth. He responds to the kiss with all his heart, because he knows now what her response will be.

And indeed, when she leans back a little (they both need to breathe by then), she rests her forehead against his and she's laughing. "Yes, yes, yes," she giggles excitedly. "Of course I'll marry you! I love you, I love you, I love you, James Potter!"

And she's so excited, and he is too, so neither of them notice Sirius when he walks into the hallway. They do hear him clearing his throat though, and they both look up from their place on the floor.

"Finally!" his best friend exclaims, a radiant smile on his face. "I was wondering when you'd do it, Prongs, you know?"

James frowns at him, and Sirius gets the message, but he still throws something at him (he catches it, of course he catches it). When he looks down, he sees the ring. Silver, and simple.

"Thought you'd need this, though," he grins and then disappears.

When James slips the ring on Lily's finger, he has never been more grateful for a best friend like his. And the smile on Lily's face is ecstatic, and he doesn't want to kiss it away, but she brings his face back to hers anyways.

They finally walk into James's bedroom together. It surprises him, because Lily has always taken a pride in keeping her promises. He kisses her anyways, and when they make love, it's tender and they whisper their love to each other at least a thousand times.

I hope you liked this! :)