After All These Years
Chapter Five – Daredevils and… a Proposal!?
"What?" James asked, his eyes growing wide. "You… me?" He started mumbling incoherent words.
"Kiss me," Lily replied simply and shot him a tantalizing look. She smiled, with a touch of evilness, loving the effect she had on James.
"No, Evans," He replied, smirking and gaining composure. "I know you want me, but I'm just going to dangle the bait in front of you." He took off his socks.
"Oh, look, now who's adventurous? Taking off your socks? Absolutely raunching! What are you going to do next, James? Shoot yourself out of a cannonball? Swim in a tank alongside sharks, perhaps?" Lily asked sarcastically.
He grinned. "Daredevil is my middle name! Anyways, let's go find Arabella and Remus… I wonder what they're up to."
"You're right," Lily replied. "I'm getting worried."
"Yeah, you're right, do they have protection?" James joked and cracked a grin.
"James!" Lily cried, looking offended and playfully slapped him.
"What? It's true!" James replied indignantly.
Lily rolled her eyes. "Let's go find him," She said, grabbing his arm and leading him out their door and in front of theirs.
"Are you guys ever gonna be done in there?!" James patiently yelled through the door. "It's really boring outside!"
"Hold your horses, James!" A muffled voice replied.
"What are they doing in there?!" Lily giggled.
"I don't want to know," James replied darkly.
"I don't think I do either," Lily agreed.
"Come on, let's go on a walk then and leave the lovers alone," James said, grabbing her hand and running with her to the end of the hall.
Lily laughed. "Thanks for the run."
"You're welcome," James replied, bowing. "It was my pleasure."
"Mm, charming," Lily commented.
"So… what caused you to change yourself?" James finally asked. He really wondered why Lily wanted to change.
"Change?" Lily asked, raising an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
"Well, you're so different from when we were Head students," James shrugged. "I just want to know what happened…"
"Okay, I lost some weight and 'blossomed'," Lily shrugged. "Is that that drastic? People change, you know, James, people change."
"Oh," James replied, at a loss for words. "All right then."
"Sorry for being short," Lily replied. "It's just I hate it when people think it's so drastic for me to change. It just… annoys me."
"Yeah, I guess I can understand," James replied sympathetically.
"Thanks," Lily said, cracking a small smile. She opened her arms for a hug and James gladly accepted. The electricity flowing through them was amazing.
'Seize the moment, seize the moment!' A voice yelled through James's head. And he seize the moment he did because he leaned down and gave Lily Evans the best kiss he could muster.
The only shocking part was the aftermath – James was left there, a slap on his cheek, looking confused and lost.
***
"Lily!" James yelled. The blob of red in front of him turned around, revealing Lily Evans, sweating a bit.
"Hey," James said calmly. "Why'd you run out? Are my kissing skills too good?" James said, chuckling a bit, blowing off some imaginary dust.
Lily looked unsure. "Not really? It's just that that kiss… it was so…"
"Weird?" James finished for her. "Yeah, I know. And that slap wasn't so nice, either."
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Lily wailed. "It's just I freaked out and I didn't know what to do! I'm sorry, it was… lovely, but it's just so weird – I don't do this with guy friends!"
"Oh," James said slowly. "It's okay… as long as… there are no hard feelings then? I'm sorry for making a move on you. I didn't know you'd be that uncomfortable."
"Well, yeah," Lily admitted. "I didn't know either." She let out a dry chuckle. "Didn't think this night would end like this."
"Well, it wasn't a picnic for me either," James said. "You know what? Let's just forget about the kissing thing, okay? We are in France, one of the most beautiful cities in the world! Let's enjoy ourselves tonight, all right?"
"And to enjoy ourselves meaning we raid the mini bar and order alchoholic drinks?" Lily supplied suggestively.
"Love to," James replied as he stuck out his arm.
Lily smiled and hooked her arm with the crook of his elbow.
***
"Remus," Arabella started breathlessly. "That was amazing."
"It really was, wasn't it?" Remus mused, smiling faintly. "I love you." He took a swig of his martini.
"I… I love you too," Arabella replied, looking dazed. "God, life is just simply fantastic right now – if I could, I'd just want to freeze this moment in time and stay this way forever. Screw England, screw my job, screw the friends!" She held up her vodka bottle up with his. "Cheers." She grinned.
Remus smiled back, savoring the moment. "I know exactly what you mean – I feel like my life has been fulfilled… well, except for one thing."
"And what is that?" Arabella asked curiously.
"Well, ever since I was a young boy, I was restricted from things the other boys could do… well, because of my… 'state' and I always felt so left out. I always felt like I was the mommy's boy and that I could never have a chance at a regular life. I felt I was always underprivileged and handicapped. I've just always wanted to prove the people who look down on me wrong. I want to show them there is just so much more to me than being a werewolf. I've just wanted to do something…"
"Own the Wimbourne Wasps?" Arabella suggested.
"Other than that."
"No bloody idea."
"I've always wanted to do something… crazy. Something out of the ordinary… something that some ordinary person would never think or even dream of doing! Just to get those people back – the ones who doubted me, that's who," Remus replied looking determined, but his look changed to melancholy. "But I've always thought to myself it'll never come true."
"Sure it can!?" Arabella said, looking excited. "There are tons of crazy stuff that we can do that can satisfy you."
"Oh my god," Remus said, looking convinced. "I have got it."
"What? What is it!" Arabella exclaimed.
"Let's move to France," Remus replied seriously. "Let's do it! I really think we should!"
"Really?" Arabella asked unsurely. "Is that what you want? Or has all the vodka gotten to you?"
"Really," Remus replied firmly.
"But Remus," Arabella said, starting to examine the situation. "It'd be so complicated – I love living in England… plus, I don't want to lose my job or lose Lily! Maybe if it was in the future and we were married or something…"
"Oh my god!" Remus exclaimed. "We should get married!"
Arabella shot him a look. "You won't even move in with me, now you want to get married?"
"Yes!" Remus exclaimed, looking like he had just won the lottery. "It's be amazing! I love you, you love me – let's just speed things up!"
Perhaps it was the effects of alcohol that was getting to Arabella because in a woozy tone, she said – "I'd love to, darling."
"Then it's settled, we'll make our way to the chapel right now," Remus replied.
***
"Wow, this is just so beautiful," Arabella commented on the chapel. "Everything is so lovely and intricate." She looked around avidly.
"Yes, I know," Remus replied, smiling. "This will be wonderful, darling, absolutely wond-" Before Remus could finish his sentence, through the chapel doors burst out two figures in an unruly and wild manner. It was the last two people in the world Remus and Arabella would expect – their very own Lily and James.
"Hello Mr. Lily!" Lily shrieked out wildly and laughed shrilly. Her laughter filled the halls.
"Why, hello Mrs. James!" James exclaimed back.
"Catch this!" Lily shrieked again, throwing her bouquet made of… well, lilies. She was laughing like a madwoman.
"Ooh, I caught it!" James shrieked. "This is absolutely wun-dah-ful! Tralalala…"
And with that ending note, both of them exited the chapel.
"What.. the.. hell.. just.. happened.." Remus exclaimed, running his hands through his hair.
"No bloody fucking idea," Arabella replied.
***
A/N: Sorry for the short chapter and rough ending. Yikes, sorry. All will be revealed in good time, m'love :). BTW, for those of you avid Friends fans, yes, I stole the idea from Season 5 finale – "The one in Vegas". Mm, things will be solved somewhat like Friends with an interesting ploy on it – by ME! :)
Well, now, please go review… I still can't believe this story has been up since 2001! =) Leave a praise, flame, or criticism – I take 'em all.
Lots of Love,
3 Angeline
PS: Feel free to IM me on MSN or Y!M anytime – I love to talk and meet new people.