Disclaimer: I do not own any of the charactersapart from Hamilton the poodle and his owner. JK Rowling owns all the rest.
A/N: I wrote this for a Fic Challenge. Reviews are always appreciated and if you see me murdering English anywhere, let me know. Even though I had it checked, English is not my first language. Thanks to Bia for using herlittle green thinguies and to Julie for all the help.
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Part One: Destiny Begins
It was Halloween, 1977 and Lily Evans was driving herself insane. It was the Head Girl's job to help with the Grand Hall's decorations and, of course, it was Head Boy's job as well, but James Potter was, as usual, nowhere to be seen.
"Sorry I'm late!" the bespectacled boy said as he entered the room, his hair, if possible, even messier from running in.
"Two hours late. So no, you're not forgiven." she retorted, not trying to hide her bad-mood.
"I'm here now aren't I, Evans? Your knight in shinning armour to the rescue!" he put his fists on his waist in a rather silly attempt to look hero-like and smiled. Forgetting he was making a pose, he immediately took one of his hands to his hair as the red head approached him. James tried to get closer to her, but before he could take a single step, he was brought to the ground by at least fifty Jack O'Lanterns she had summoned towards him.
"Knock yourself out, brave knight." Lily spat ironically and walked out of the room to fetch the bats to decorate the ceiling.
Finding out they would be sharing duties throughout their seventh year was like throwing a cold water bucket on the level of happiness she achieved when receiving the badge. Not because she couldn't stand Potter, but because of that other side of the so called "thin line". For what she hated about him the most was the fact that she couldn't really hate him that much, a task that had gotten harder since September. Sure, he was usually late; and sure, he had gotten himself in detention last week, but he did seem responsible when put effort on it, and she hadn't heard of any more "hallway attacks" involving his name. That, of course, was probably due to better evidence concealing and obviously two months were not a time long enough to prove behaviour changes, but is was getting more difficult every day not giving him the benefit of the doubt.
As to prove that his delay meant nothing, James made sure that when Lily got back to Grand Hall levitating twenty cages full of bats her first site was of the lit candles in the pumpkins and orange streamers already floating. He decided not to mention Professor Flitwick had just stopped by to give a hand and she did looked amazed for about half a second, before changing her face back to total blankness. "Good." was also she master herself to say.
The Feast was just thirty minutes away when everything was finally in its place and both Gryffindors were able to return to their Tower to get themselves ready, which they did as quickly as possible. Lily was rushing down the stairs when she realised there weren't steps anymore, just a big stone slide that sent her sailing to the bottom and falling at James's feet.
"Don't you just love that spell?" he asked, with a satisfied smirk across his face.
"I'm going to... What is that?" the red head had gotten back to her feet and was only half of step away for choking Potter to death when he held his left hand in front of her to make her stop, and his right hand high up. Lily's question was referring to what he had in his right hand.
"That is mistletoe." he said, simply.
"Yes, I can see that. Let me try again… Why are you holding mistletoe in October?" now she had crossed her arms in her chest and looked a bit annoyed, though she was actually rather intrigued.
"Because I'm in a Christmas spirit." the boy kept a very calm tune, as if what he was saying made all the sense in the world.
"Well, I'm not. So I'll get going now…" she feared what was about to come and cursed her curiosity.
"No, Evans. You can't. You know the rules. And we all know how much you like rules."
"That's a lie. Besides, Christmas is two months away. The rules do not apply." Lily tried to make her way around him, but he held her arm gently. She could easily pull herself away, but she didn't. "Well be late for the feast," she said, instead.
"I know a shortcut." James shook the mistletoe making a little bell that decorated it ring.
"You know what? Fine. I'll play along, but if you tell any soul, alive or death, in the bloody universe I swear I'll hunt you down and painfully kill you." the girl had regained her common-sense and figured that pretending to agree would make him so shocked she could run away. She was wrong. Shock was not his first reaction. Throwing away the mistletoe and pulling her by the waist was.
Even though James was eager to do that for ages now, he started off slow, despite not giving room for her to push him back and slap him across the face, which, he believed, she was going to do in a matter of time anyway. However, he was proven mistaken, for, yes, she had been caught of guard at first, but was pulling herself together unbelievably and unexpectedly well and was kissing him back. Gaining confidence, James deepened the kiss, and held her as close as he could, keeping one hand at her neck and the other at the small of her back. Lily had both her hands messing his hair.
Reluctantly, he separated his lips from hers to grasp for air, and that's when the already predicted slap came. Her face, nevertheless, showed the act was an ode to habit, and she had a small, half-concealed smile as she said "Now, show me that shortcut to the Hall you've mentioned."
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Part Two: Destiny Settles
The sky was beautiful that night. On October thirty-first, 1978, the stars fought for their viewers' attention, and as stunning as they looked, they still couldn't take away the moon shine. It was shaped at a perfect half-circle as it grew its way to fullness. Not even the London lights could diminish such perfection.
Lily and James walked hand-in-hand through the streets, her eyes fixed on the wonderful show above her, as he guided the red head making sure the dazzle look on her face didn't fade away with any obstacles on the way. They had just left Sirius's place, where he had throw the first Halloween party the Marauders had after Hogwarts. Not that the small gathering wasn't fun, but Padfoot had nearly pushed his mate out for some air with Lily. He claimed James needed to propose soon so that he could start making cute red haired babies that would carry the Marauders' legacy. A joke he made so he could watch his friend in despair. The look on his face this time had been truly remarkable.
They kept walking until the reached a park. At that hour of the night, it would probably not be the best place to be in, but James had the comfort of his wand in his pocket and he knew Lily had hers. He lead her to a nearby bench and sat her down, taking a sit next to her. Just then, James figured out what was more beautiful than the night's sky as he look into her emerald eyes. He must have stared at her for quite some time for suddenly he realised she was blushing and then looking down.
"Erm… Sorry for that. Got a bit carried away." he said, apologetically. Lily laughed softly and shivered afterwards. The night was unusually chilly. "Here. Take my coat." he said, already taking it off and hading it to her.
"Are you insane? You're going to freeze with just that jumper on. I'm fine." she said, pushing it back to him. James pushed it back to her, and they stood like that for a few minutes before the red head came up with an idea: "We'll share it," and she thrust it around them both. The coat wasn't nearly big enough for both of them, but the thought did count. That, and the fact they sat closer to each other, her head leaning against his shoulder.
"We could go back, if you want to…" James said, reaching for her hand.
"Why would I want that?" she asked, seeming to enjoy his touch, and James was grateful for that response and felt like he could stay that way forever. In perfect stillness.
A dog ran by behind them, his owner running after him, yelling in vain for him to come back. Apparently, the leash had gotten loose, but James didn't dare looking back, for that would make him unable to feel the delicious touch of Lily's silky hair against his cheek, which by all means was strictly forbidden. But Hamilton the poodle was not aware of such rule and jumped right into the girls lap, and all the contact she had with James was broken.
"Aren't you a little sweetheart?" she said, in a high pitch voice, as she struck the pet. James was unbelievably jealous.
"Sorry! He got away from me. He likes you." comment the owner, a middle age man, with 90 of his hair gone.
"He's very cute." Lily passed the poodle back to the man, while James stood voiceless, his hand messing his hair up.
"Thank you so much. If it weren't for you, I'd still be running." he said, truly grateful, before leaving holding Hamilton firmly in his arms."
"Why the long-face?" she asked, looking back to James, who shrugged in response. "Oh my! Tell me you're not jealous of a poodle!"
"I am not!" he tried to put on his best appalled face as he spoke. "I'm not jealous of anyone. Person or dog. Or Sirius, who doesn't quite fit in either category. Or maybe he fits too well in both. Willyoumarryme?"
"I beg your pardon?" her eyebrows were high up and she showed no sign of breathing.
"I asked you to… Wait." James took the coat he had on his shoulder off, and stood up. He looked at the sky and back to Lily, then to the sky again hoping the stars could tell him to go ahead. He got down to one knee. "Will you marry me, Lily Evans? Me, James Potter? James-I-don't-have-a-ring-and-for-that-I-am-so-very-sorry-Potter?
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Part three: Destiny Sealed
When James got home he didn't even know how he had managed not to splinch himself as he Apparated. As he became a member of the Order of the Phoenix he was aware things wouldn't always be pleasant, but that Halloween in 1979 things had gotten rough. The wizard would much rather having participated in a nasty battle with Death Eaters than seeing what he had seen. And with that sight he made a promise. One he would be sharing with Lily as soon as she walked through the door.
"Hi, dear. Since you got home before I did, am I right to suspect dinner is ready?" she joked, leaving her cloak over a chair and then meeting his gaze. She seemed to know something was wrong, for her smile vanish.
"When you die, I'm dying right next to you. At the very same second. With you in my arms." perhaps, he now reckon, a "hello" might have been a better opening sentence, but he couldn't hold that in any longer. Now he was getting a scared look from his wife. "I'm not planning on murdering you and committing suicide, which I now realised, is what it sounds like. I'm sorry."
"Well, good. 'Cause I don't want to duel you. Not that I'm scared of losing. We both know I wouldn't." she was making an effort to lighten James's expression up, but didn't succeed. And so, she took him by the wrist and sat him on the sofa, sitting herself down at the floor in front of him so that she could rest her chin on his knees. "Tell me what's troubling you."
"You know that house I was sent to today? The one with the Mark?" he took a breath and Lily nodded. "Well, there were two people in there. But only one was dead. The woman, a muggle. Her husband was the one who found her and had been holding her body ever since. It had been over five hours." The sheer thought made a shiver go down his spine, but when he looked at those emerald green eyes, he feared she would find him silly. After all, this was obviously not the first house with the Dark Mark in the sky above it and it probably wouldn't be the last.
Regardless of James's apprehensions, Lily didn't think he was silly. On the contrary, she looked as though she knew precisely what he was feeling and came to sit next to him on the sofa, taking his hand. "You saw yourself in his place, didn't you? That's why…"
"The look on his face." he said, interrupting her without intent. "All the pain. I could see it. I could almost feel it. And then I made myself that promise. The one I just made you."
"Was that a promise? I'll hold you to it." she said, and her smile came back softly. Seeing Lily so beautiful standing in front of him, James knew how lucky he was. He raised the hands they had entangled to his lips and kissed hers gently, almost not touching.
"I love you more than I can stand, you know that, don't you?" he said, bringing his face so close to hers their foreheads touched.
"Yes, I do. And I love you right back." with that, their lips were sealed.
It started off slow. They kissed each other tenderly as she healed his wounds and assured him everything would be alright. It kept going that way for a while, hands unusually shy. Then suddenly, he pulled her close fiercely, and she sat on his lap, her legs sideways. At first, his action surprised her, but Lily soon recovered and started kissing him again, all thought abandoned.
Soon, the sofa became too small and too uncomfortable, and so James carried his wife in his arms, placing her slowly in their bed. He lay next to her, kissing her neck and getting dizzy with the sweet perfume of her red hair. He always wondered how she made it smell that good all the time. It was wonderful. Then again, everything about her was wonderful, and therefore he started kissing every inch of her body, undressing her as he went.
They were both in muggle clothes, having been on the streets for most of the day and not wanting to call any attention to themselves. Lily sat up to help him take off her light coat and blouse, lying back and allowing him to lead from there.
James spent the longest of times in her stomach, knowing she got ticklish and he would be able to hear her laugh while begging him to stop. He moved lower to remove her pants but ended up having troubles getting it through her boots, something he could only solve with his wand, which was tossed away afterwards. He then looked at her and realised her underwear didn't match, which, of course, would not be a problem to him, hadn't he known she disliked doing that.
"Did you get dressed in the dark this morning, Lil'?" he asked, mocking her.
"Oh, shut up!" she snorted back, bursting into laugh as he once again kissed her stomach.
After that, they reached the point where there were no more words left to say. Quickly, Lily undressed her husband, and blood began to race fast throughout their veins. Her mismatched underwear was soon lost as well and finally she could feel James's sweet weight on top of her as their bodies entwined.
They moved in perfect synchronism, increasing their rhythm almost painfully slowly. At one point, James came to full stop, to whisper once again in the ear of a shaking Lily that he loved her.
James lulled Lily into sleep by stroking her head as she lay in his embrace. He watch her sleep for a while, with the feeling something had just change, in the strike of a second. However, he would not understand that until the seventh month died. Only then he would be able to see what they had just created. That night they had sealed their destiny. And love would live beyond him and Lily.
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Part four: Destiny Fulfilled
October 24th 1981, the day the Fidelius Charm was cast and James and Lily were put in almost complete reclusion inside a house in Godric's Hollow. Now, a week later, they sat at the dinner table, eating silently, Harry finally asleep in his bedroom.
"He was very agitated today. I don't think we ever ran through the house this much." Lily commented, serving herself with more pasta.
"Yes, my legs hurt. Can't wait to be able to put him in a broomstick. He'll go wild." James answered back, laughing with the thought of his son flying. His wife didn't share his amusement.
"He'll end up with a broken skull before he turns two. And I'll kill you for it." she said.
"I got my skull broken when I was two. And I'm still here alive and well, and married to a beautiful red-haired woman." his bare foot gently caressed her leg underneath the table. James figure he could charm his way out of trouble. Which he could. Especially when it regarded "unusual parenting methods".
"Finish your meal." she commanded in the most dignified voice she could master, not making any attempt, however, to push his foot away.
They went back to silent eating, while exchanging glances. James foot never left her leg, and she enjoyed that physical contact. As silly and innocent as it was, it gave her comfort. Once they were done, Lily immediately took out her wand in order to make every dish find its way to the sink and wash itself there, but her husband stopped her.
"Let's do this the muggle way." he explain, though getting an inquisitive gaze in return, after all, she wasn't sure he knew what "doing dishes the muggle way" meant. She certainly hadn't taught him. "I just… feel like doing it. You only have to get them dried. Don't look at me like that. I can figure some things out by myself, amazingly. It can't be harder then Animagi."
"Probably not. And I can fix the things you break. 'Cause I am not going muggle in that part." he was now standing in front of her, offering his hand, which she took, and they waltzed clumsy to get to the sink, his hip hitting stone when they got there. "Be careful! Are you alright?"
"Get ready to dry things, woman, I'm fine." he said in mock, incredibly low pitched, voice, stealing a kiss before turning the water on.
It started off rather well. Nothing was broken and everything looked clean. In fact, they worked together beautifully, and were able go in a nice rhythm. Then James got bored, so he assumed his teenage self, filled a pan with water and got Lily soaked wet, the plate she was holding hitting the ground.
"Very mature, James." she said, taking her wand out. He was prepared to duck "I'm not revenging. Reparo!" the broken plate was perfectly whole again, and she put it away. After that, no pans were needed as she waved her wand to the running water, changing its course directly to James's face, who had actually believed she wasn't getting back at him. "Sorry, honey."
"Now you're in trouble." he jumped at Lily, grabbing her by the waist. It was not his intent, but the wet floor made them fall to the ground. Her echoing laughter showed she wasn't hurt, though. They kissed, James wet glasses flying off in the process and suddenly Harry was crying in his room. "I'll go." said the father.
"No, it's ok. I'm on it. You get this mess clean." she kissed him once again and got up, using her wand to pull herself together.
Harry's room had its walls in a pale shade of blue with a few white clouds here and there. Over his crib it was painted a Quidditch player reaching out for the Snitch. The mobile showed a wolf, a black dog, a steer and a rat (ou mouse?). The young boy was sitting and seeing his mother he raised his arms for her to take him. His tears had stopped, but he seemed discomforted.
"What's wrong, dear?" she asked, but no answer came from the baby in her arms. Her embrace, however, seemed to calm him down and Harry was soon asleep once more. Lily watched him for a while, and when she got back to the kitchen she found it all cleaned up. "I'm impressed. Wizard way, right?"
"I'm offended by such insinuation." he said, pretending to be heart-broken as he put one hand in her lower back to pull her close. "Is Harry okay?" before James could get any answer, the baby started crying again and with it came a noise at the front door. "Lily…" he said, a small hint of panic in his voice. And when he spoke his next words, telling her to take Harry and run, his wife was already climbing the first steps.
The seconds that followed lasted ages and went by the speed of light at the same time. Lily heard the fight, but there were nothing she could do. And so she felt it. A wave of indescribable pain consumed her from the very depths of her soul as she knew James had broken his promise. He was gone, and she didn't have her arms around him and her eyes closed as well. They were not together. She nearly broke in half, but instead she looked at Harry, at what she and James had done. It was not a time to grief. There was nowhere to run; nevertheless, that was not the end. She had to stay strong.
Lily Potter turned to face him, unaware of the tears that ran freely through her face.