Happily Ever After
A Lily/James One-shot
By Phaerie
Lily Evans sat on a lone park bench, watching her breath mist and curl in the cold air. Rubbing her gloved hands together, she readjusted her scarf and looked up at the sky. She absentmindedly connected the dots between the stars of Aries. Closing her eyes, she sighed.
What was she doing outside, freezing her arse off? She was supposed to be at her bachelorette party, getting smashed and giggling with her friends over the stripper they'd hired. Instead she was sitting alone in a park late at night, asking herself how she'd let everything go so far.
It was supposed to have been just one date. One date to prove to herself and her friends that he was the pompous git she knew him to be. But it had been so perfect and the perfect date had led to a good night kiss, which had led to a second date. The second led to a third and so on and so forth until she reached the present - the night before her wedding to the one and only James Potter.
It had all gone by so fast, but it had all felt so right at the time. Now that she'd taken some time to stop and take a breather, she couldn't help but wonder if she was rushing into something that she'd soon come to regret. Did she really love James? Or had she just agreed to marry him in the heat of the moment? Was she ready to settle down so early in her life? Would it even last more than a few years? And then, of course, the biggest question of all: was James The One?
Lily hugged herself and sighed sadly. She wasn't ready for all this. She couldn't go through with it.
"What's a pretty lady like you doing out alone so late at night, I wonder?" came a smooth voice from behind her bench. She'd been so caught up in her thoughts that she hadn't noticed the man sneaking up on her. She jumped up from the bench, her heart beating rapidly, as she reached for her back pocket where she kept her wand. Facing the man, she released her grip on her wand and glared.
"James!" she shrieked, reaching over the bench to smack him, "What in Hell were you thinking of, sneaking up and scaring the shit out of me like that?"
James crossed his arms haughtily and explained, "Teaching you a lesson. Sitting in a park all alone at midnight! What were you thinking? You had best be glad it was only me sneaking up on you. What would you have done if it was some rapist or serial killer?"
"I'd have hexed him into oblivion like I was just about to do to you, you great prat."
"Ah, my sweet Lily-flower," he cooed, as he jumped over the bench and his arms encricled her waist, "Always so insistant that you can take care of yourself."
"I can take care of myself."
"I know that," he admitted dejectedly, "But maybe if I keep telling you that you need me to protect you, you'll let me stay."
Lily's lips twitched upwards in a small smile as she let her head fall against his chest, "You can stay."
James smiled and pulled her closer, whispering in her ear," Is everything alright?" Biting her lip, Lily reluctantly shook her head. "What's wrong?" he asked nervously, grabbing her by the shoulders and pushing her away so that he could look her in the eye. She just kept shaking her head and biting her lip.
"Lily," he soothed, stopping her head with a hand to her cheek, "You're supposed to get cold feet just before the wedding, it's only natural." She looked up at him in surprise while her eyes welled with tears. One tear fell, silently sliding down her cheek until James' thumb brushed it away gently.
"Are you - do you - " she stuttered.
James chuckled, "Am I getting cold feet as well?" Lily nodded anxiously. "Nope. I have no need to. I already went through the whole list of second guesses when I first realized I was in love with you, and many times afterward when I was trying to convince myself otherwise. I love you Lily Evans. You're my one and only; always have been, always will be."
Lily sniffled and buried her face in his chest, bunching her numb hands in his jumper. "I feel so awful, thinking these - these things. It's just I - "
"Lily-flower, if you want to call off the wedding, then go ahead. I just want you to be happy. Do whatever you have to do to be happy."
Lily pulled back and took a step away from him. Shaking her head, she asked, "What are you even doing here? Aren't you supposed to be at your bachelor party?"
He shrugged. "I suppose so."
She looked at him sceptically. "I know that Sirius decided to have it at a strip club, so why are you here instead of there, letting a bunch of half-naked girls fawn all over you?"
"What's that line? The one from that song? Oh yes, cause I only have eyes for you. Yeah? Besides, those girls were all just after me for my money."
She coughed to cover a giggle. "And you came looking for me?"
"Of course. The very drunk bridesmaids said you'd left a while ago. I thought you might be around here, looking for a quiet place to think. Figured you'd get cold feet, so I came to sweep you off your feet and leave no doubt in your mind about marrying me."
"So why aren't you sweeping me off my feet? So far you've only told me that it's alright to back out."
"Oh, it's not alright really. You are a Gryffindor, after all, and that'd be the cowards way out. Plus, if you did cancel the wedding, then I'd be forced to wallow in self-misery, entertaining thoughts of you running off with the best man to Bermuda. I'd become a drunkard and a mean old grump. A very sad existence really. Do you think you'd be able to live with yourself, knowing you'd caused such a thing?" he rambled on dramatically. She smacked his arm playfully and earned herself a giant grin.
Stepping back and bowing, James offered her his arm and asked, "Fair damsel, would you be so kind as to give me this dance?"
"It would be my pleasure, kind sir," she giggled as she took his arm and he quickly swept her into a waltz.
"My dear, dear lady, you dance so gracefully. Like a retarded goose," he whispered in her ear. She snorted at this. "And your laugh! Like a squealing pig."
Lily began giggling insanely. Looking up at him, her eyes sparkling, she inquired, "And to what do I owe such gracious compliments?"
"Well, you see, I'm ready to start living happily ever after. Problem is, I need someone to share it with. And I was hoping that if I buttered you up with flattery, you would set me up with a nice friend of yours," he told her conspiratorially.
"My, aren't you the Prince Charming?"
"I do try."
"Well, I'm sorry, but all of my friends are already taken."
"No matter, I'm sure you can think of someone suitable."
"Well, I do know one girl who you may fancy."
"Would she happen to have lovely red hair and the most beautiful emerald eyes?"
"Maybe."
"And would she happen to like reading nonsense poetry and writing her own poems to leave in library books for other bookworms like herself to find?"
"She may."
"And sitting all day in a tree tossing acorns at unsuspecting passersby?"
"Perhaps."
"And does she bite her lip to stop herself from giggling when I kiss her overly ticklish neck?"
"I do seem to recall hearing something of the sort about that."
Grinning mischeivously, James began trailling light kisses down her neck, causing her in turn to bite down on her lip to stifle her laughter. She placed both hands on either side of his face and pulled him up to eye level.Searching his hazel eyes silently, she made her decision.
"I'm ready to live happily ever after, too, Prince Charming."
Next thing she knew she'd been lifted off the ground, James' arms fastened securely around her waist as he spun her round and round. Lily slung her arms around his neck and threw back her head to laugh before ducking back down to kiss him soundly.
The next day - at a few minutes after noon - amid cheers, applause, and cat calls from the best man, James heartily kissed the bride and he and Lily began to live happily ever after.
Finito.
A/N: So late, so tired. Now that school's started, all my energy is drained and I hardly have any spare time to write. Ah well, this was fun to write, especially towards the end. Lily and James are so perfect for each other. Writing this made me want to start the LJ fic I've been planning... Anywho, REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW! Pretty please? With a nice hat and scarf on top?
-Phaerie
And thanks to Clause for beta-ing and typing half of this for me!
B/N: You better be very thankful Phaerie cuz you know I don't type as fast as you and I had to decifer your handwriting so you better be happy. Ta for now.