While We're Here
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any related items. If I did, I
would be writing fanfictions for a website; I'd be writing the real thing
for international publishing companies.
Summary: Lily and James go to visit Sirius. They find out he's not home and they're locked out in the rain. *One-Shot Fluff*
***********
"Which number was it again?" James asked looking at sheet of paper with writing scribbled all over it. "The rain's smudged the writing." Lily leaned in closer under the umbrella they were sharing.
"It looks like 12-B or 17-E or 13-D or something," she answered, squinting at the writing.
"Oh well now, that's a lot of help."
"Well, you weren't getting us anywhere were you?" Lily snapped back at him. "Why did we have to take Muggle transportation?"
"Because this is a Muggle city," James said peering around at the tall, slender houses and sky scrapers. "You know we can't risk it."
"I know," Lily sighed. "Well, if all we're going to do is stand in the rain we could start knocking on doors." James nodded and they did just that. Starting with 12-B, they knocked on every door with a number that resembled the smudged scribbles on the page.
"Oh sorry sir," James apologized as an older man wearing nothing but a pair of torn blue shorts answered the door at 19-G. They had already been at it for nearly 45 minutes. "We were looking for our friend's flat. Sorry to bother you." He explained turning with Lily who was trying to hide her face that had now turned bright red.
"Maybe we should try one last number. Is there a 17-B around here?" Lily suggested after she regained her composure. "The rain's getting worse, and the wind's getting up now."
"Alright then. 17-B should be down this way somewhere." He put a hand on her back and led her down the street almost to where they started out. She was right. The wind was now blowing the rain in under their umbrella. It was getting harder and harder for him to keep a firm grip on the handle. Lily knocked on the door of 17-B. No answer. She knocked again. Still no answer, but when she looked down at the soggy door mat, she saw the initials, S.B.
"James. Look. This is Sirius' flat," she said thrusting her index finger towards the mat.
"So it is. He must not be home," James cautiously took one hand off the umbrella to knock on the door once more.
"Maybe he got the wrong time. Or maybe something important came up."
"Maybe. Well, in any case, he's not home. We should go."
"No, it's late, and it's raining. Our train was the last one today. We'll have to walk for ages until its safe to Disapparate."
"Well, what do you suggest we do?" James had intended his voice to sound angry, but it immediately softened itself at the look on Lily's face. That look changed suddenly from a pitiful worry to a look that reflected the stroke of brilliance that had just crossed her mind.
"This is a Muggle city, right?" James nodded. "And Sirius is supposed to follow Muggle customs right?" James nodded again. "Those are Dumbledore's orders right?" James nodded again. And Sirius would do everything he could to follow Dumbledore's orders right?" James was completely lost, but he nodded yet again. "Well, Muggles keep spare keys under the door mat!"
"Oh," James was taken aback slightly, but in a good way. "Here, hold the umbrella. I'll get it." After handing the umbrella to Lily he kneeled and started searching under the door mat for the key. When he found it, he stood back up and said, "You better do it. I'm no good with Muggle locks." Lily nodded and brought the umbrella handle closer so he could take it, but, as she did, a gust of wind blew the umbrella over his head. James managed to keep the tips of his fingers on the hook of the handle, but he needed to grip it tighter. His other hand, the hand with the key, shot over his head to assist the other one, but in doing so, he lost his grip on the key. It slipped through his fingers and landed in a stream of rain water that carried it down a drain. In his shock, James let go of the umbrella handle as another gust of wind blew through. The umbrella was lost, the key was gone, and it had all happened in a matter of seconds. They were stuck outside in the wind and pouring rain.
"James we can't stay here," Lily shivered drawing her jacket in tightly around her with her hands in the pockets. James shivered too, and they were both quickly getting drenched in rain water.
"C'mon then," James took her gently by the arm and led her to the alley between 17-A and 17-B. At least the wind wasn't as bad there with the walls to block it out. They spotted a low, rickety old awning on one of the lower windows of 17-A (which appeared abandoned) and crotched under it. James took his jacket it off and put it around Lily's shoulders, put one arm around her waist and drew her closer to him. They were both sitting on the only dry patch of ground for what must have been miles, and were now relatively away from the rain. They didn't speak for several minutes. They just sat there in silence together listening to the rain on the awning. They both took long glances at each other when they knew the other wasn't looking, but they never said a word until James finally broke the silence.
"You know, Lily, there's something I've been wanting to do for a very long time, and I've never wanted to do it any more than I do right now," he grinned looking her straight in the eye, his face glowing. Lily had a polite, but puzzled look on her face. James felt a swarm of butterflies take over his stomach and looked at the ground. "So, while we're here, in the rain and cold, trying to stay dry—"he stopped short, reached into his pocket and pulled out a little velvet box. "Lily, I love you more than anyone I've ever met. I can't imagine being with anyone but you. So—"he stopped again and delicately opened the box, "Lily Evans, will you marry me?"
The End
A/N: I think we all know what she said.
Summary: Lily and James go to visit Sirius. They find out he's not home and they're locked out in the rain. *One-Shot Fluff*
***********
"Which number was it again?" James asked looking at sheet of paper with writing scribbled all over it. "The rain's smudged the writing." Lily leaned in closer under the umbrella they were sharing.
"It looks like 12-B or 17-E or 13-D or something," she answered, squinting at the writing.
"Oh well now, that's a lot of help."
"Well, you weren't getting us anywhere were you?" Lily snapped back at him. "Why did we have to take Muggle transportation?"
"Because this is a Muggle city," James said peering around at the tall, slender houses and sky scrapers. "You know we can't risk it."
"I know," Lily sighed. "Well, if all we're going to do is stand in the rain we could start knocking on doors." James nodded and they did just that. Starting with 12-B, they knocked on every door with a number that resembled the smudged scribbles on the page.
"Oh sorry sir," James apologized as an older man wearing nothing but a pair of torn blue shorts answered the door at 19-G. They had already been at it for nearly 45 minutes. "We were looking for our friend's flat. Sorry to bother you." He explained turning with Lily who was trying to hide her face that had now turned bright red.
"Maybe we should try one last number. Is there a 17-B around here?" Lily suggested after she regained her composure. "The rain's getting worse, and the wind's getting up now."
"Alright then. 17-B should be down this way somewhere." He put a hand on her back and led her down the street almost to where they started out. She was right. The wind was now blowing the rain in under their umbrella. It was getting harder and harder for him to keep a firm grip on the handle. Lily knocked on the door of 17-B. No answer. She knocked again. Still no answer, but when she looked down at the soggy door mat, she saw the initials, S.B.
"James. Look. This is Sirius' flat," she said thrusting her index finger towards the mat.
"So it is. He must not be home," James cautiously took one hand off the umbrella to knock on the door once more.
"Maybe he got the wrong time. Or maybe something important came up."
"Maybe. Well, in any case, he's not home. We should go."
"No, it's late, and it's raining. Our train was the last one today. We'll have to walk for ages until its safe to Disapparate."
"Well, what do you suggest we do?" James had intended his voice to sound angry, but it immediately softened itself at the look on Lily's face. That look changed suddenly from a pitiful worry to a look that reflected the stroke of brilliance that had just crossed her mind.
"This is a Muggle city, right?" James nodded. "And Sirius is supposed to follow Muggle customs right?" James nodded again. "Those are Dumbledore's orders right?" James nodded again. And Sirius would do everything he could to follow Dumbledore's orders right?" James was completely lost, but he nodded yet again. "Well, Muggles keep spare keys under the door mat!"
"Oh," James was taken aback slightly, but in a good way. "Here, hold the umbrella. I'll get it." After handing the umbrella to Lily he kneeled and started searching under the door mat for the key. When he found it, he stood back up and said, "You better do it. I'm no good with Muggle locks." Lily nodded and brought the umbrella handle closer so he could take it, but, as she did, a gust of wind blew the umbrella over his head. James managed to keep the tips of his fingers on the hook of the handle, but he needed to grip it tighter. His other hand, the hand with the key, shot over his head to assist the other one, but in doing so, he lost his grip on the key. It slipped through his fingers and landed in a stream of rain water that carried it down a drain. In his shock, James let go of the umbrella handle as another gust of wind blew through. The umbrella was lost, the key was gone, and it had all happened in a matter of seconds. They were stuck outside in the wind and pouring rain.
"James we can't stay here," Lily shivered drawing her jacket in tightly around her with her hands in the pockets. James shivered too, and they were both quickly getting drenched in rain water.
"C'mon then," James took her gently by the arm and led her to the alley between 17-A and 17-B. At least the wind wasn't as bad there with the walls to block it out. They spotted a low, rickety old awning on one of the lower windows of 17-A (which appeared abandoned) and crotched under it. James took his jacket it off and put it around Lily's shoulders, put one arm around her waist and drew her closer to him. They were both sitting on the only dry patch of ground for what must have been miles, and were now relatively away from the rain. They didn't speak for several minutes. They just sat there in silence together listening to the rain on the awning. They both took long glances at each other when they knew the other wasn't looking, but they never said a word until James finally broke the silence.
"You know, Lily, there's something I've been wanting to do for a very long time, and I've never wanted to do it any more than I do right now," he grinned looking her straight in the eye, his face glowing. Lily had a polite, but puzzled look on her face. James felt a swarm of butterflies take over his stomach and looked at the ground. "So, while we're here, in the rain and cold, trying to stay dry—"he stopped short, reached into his pocket and pulled out a little velvet box. "Lily, I love you more than anyone I've ever met. I can't imagine being with anyone but you. So—"he stopped again and delicately opened the box, "Lily Evans, will you marry me?"
The End
A/N: I think we all know what she said.