Lily woke up the next morning thoroughly exhausted. Her eyes felt leadden in her head. She didn't feel up to getting out from under the blankets on her bed, much less going to Frank and Alice's wedding this night. She felt incredibly guilty at the thought, but it was true. It was like her life had been going steadily downhill.
She was sick of fighting. She was sick of having to go tooth, nail, and fist to not die when she stepped a foot out the door. She wanted everything to just stop for a moment. Just a day. A day where she could read and go out to the movies without having to worry about the order or death eaters. A day with both her parents well and healthy and a petunia that didn't hate her. She wanted the family she used to have. She wanted, for the first time in her life, her ignorance about who she was back.
But she knew she couldn't have it.
Lily slowly rose and stood in a burning shower entirely too long.
Once out of the shower and dressed lily ate a single bowl of a cereal she didn't quite like but ate because it was going stale.
She finished with her breakfast and was simply staring out the window at all the traffic driving by when James came out of the bedroom. He kneeled in front of her chair and took her hand. She looked at him for the sake of humoring him, but she didn't think he could say anything that could make her feel much better.
"Lils, I have no idea what you're going through. I really don't so I'm not even going to pretend to understand, but I know it must be awful. However, I also know that some of our best friends are getting married today. I know that they've been waiting forever and today is supposed to be happy. I'm not saying everything has to be totally perfect today, but I am saying that, for yourself more than anyone, you should try to have a little fun."
Lily wanted to argue but he was right. The world was going to move on no matter what happened. And her mum wasn't gone yet, just sick. So she nodded in agreement. She was going to have some fun today.
She stood at the front of the church dressed in the pale purple gown Alice had picked months ago. It went all the way down to her feet but made up for that modesty with the way the top was cut. Lily hadn't wanted to wear it, insisting she didn't have the figure, but Alice had wanted her to. And it was her wedding, after all.
She had to admit, she had wondered before the service started how she was going to let go and have fun. But watching Frank and Alice exchange their vows at the front of the church made her happy again. It gave her hope. In this world of everything going wrong; wars and sickness and death, two people were carrying on like it didn't even phase them. And that was beautiful.
"You may now kiss the bride."
Frank and Alice leaned forward into each other, and even from where Lily was standing, the smiles on their faces shone big. Alice turned to the audience and cheered and people clapped and laughed. Fuck. James was right. She really was starting to have a good time.
The by the reception most of the adults and stuffy obligatory guests had fled and it was mainly just the recent graduating class of hogwarts.
Lily was dancing with Sirius, while Remus had gotten roped into dancing with a shy cousin of Frank's that had been eyeing him and blushing all night. James was dancing with peter and, boy oh boy, that was a sight.
"Alright, Evans, you are quite the dancer, I'll give you that. However, to really turn this party up to an eleven I'm gonna need some booze."
"I guess I'm with you there." Hey, she was supposed to be having fun, right?
"Wow, Evans. Getting on my level."
"I'm no prude. I've had plenty of drinks with you before, Sirius."
Sirius walked over to the bar and turned around with two shots.
"Prove yourself." He inclined one towards her and wiggled his eyebrows. Lily simply raised hers right back and took both the shots. One right after the other.
"Evans!" He seemed genuinely surprised
"Catch up, Sirius." She laughed and went to find James.
Thirty minutes later and Lily hadn't stopped with those two shots. Then again after she found James he had kept pace with her so whatever. Fun, right?
Sure, her brain was a little fuzzy. And by a little that really meant quite a bit. But who cared. What else were you supposed to do at a wedding besides get hammered with your fiancé?
Speaking of James Lily hadn't fully appreciated just how good he looked tonight until now. His sleeves were rolled up and his shirt was unbuttoned a little at the top. His hair was a mess, but when wasn't it? It's just added to the look of casual hotness that was coming off of him.
"You- you know, potter," Lily wrapped her arms around his neck "you're kinda cute."
"Cute in a awww kinda way or like- like a," he raised one eyebrow and winked "kinda way?"
"Right now it's totally the second one."
He giggled "good."
And then the two were kissing. Lily never appreciated how nice his lips felt on hers, or how nice his hands were against her skin.
"You- wanna-" she broke apart the words between kisses "go- back to- our place?"
She felt a hot laugh of his against her neck and felt a slight tingle go up her spine.
"L-lily, love, I'm surprised you even had to ask."
And the two of them apparated back into the dark apartment, stumbling through to get to the bedroom.
Why were they wearing so many clothes anyway? That was stupid. Lily didn't want to break away from James long enough to take them off. But they managed. And then it was something Lily had never felt before. She and James were simply lost in each other.
