James Potter lasted a total of three days before he owled Lily.
Dear Lily,
Just wondering how your journey home went. Mine was fine. We apparated home from King's Cross and Sirius almost splinched himself. I've had a wonderful time railing him about it. It's been awfully hot but we've been playing a great deal of Quidditch. (Another thing I can rail Sirius about). Dorcas showed up here last night after that attack in Hartfordshire. Thank Merlin she slipped out before my parents saw her, although they did have quite a few questions when they saw that the fireplace in Sirius' room had been recently used. We ended up telling them that Sirius had to burn that love letters that were so numerous they almost filled his room. My father winked at him and my mother laughed before I asked him who had visited him. I think she'll be apparating from now on. I didn't even see Dorcas. Sirius could be lying to me. Somehow, I don't think he is.
Answer soon,
James
Dear James,
I was really happy to get your letter so soon. I'm glad you're enjoying your summer. There was an attack in Hartfordshire? I really should start having The Daily Prophet delivered. Everything around here has been revolving around the wedding. Last night during dinner, I had to listen to Petunia discuss which pattern of lace she should put up around the gazebo for a quarter of an hour. I almost threw up in my gazpacho. I've been mocking the whole thing with my father, but he does care a little, so sometimes he gets angry with me. I hope you don't mind mocking the whole ridiculous charade with me in our letters. I'm sure you don't.
I'm sorry you have to deal with the Dorcas/Sirius situation. If it was me, I'd hold watch in his room and shoo her away every time she showed up. I just know this whole thing is going to end badly. She's going to end up heart-broken. Don't tell Sirius I said so, but you have to admit it.
I have to go. Vermin is here for dinner.
Lily
Dear Lily,
I'll send you my copy of The Daily Prophet anytime anything happens. You should know what's going on. I'm awfully sorry about your sister, but think, in two months, she'll be gone. After that, you don't have to talk to her or Vermin ever again if you don't want to. You're right about Sirius and Dorcas. I'm afraid of how it'll end too. I think he's getting more and more expectant. There was an attack yesterday on the Gregors and they all got away. He wanted to whether or not I thought she would come. She didn't. He was devastated.
What sort of lace did Petunia end up choosing?
James
James and Lily continued their letter-writing. It escalated so much that by mid-July they were speaking at least every other day. One blistering day after Lily had been drug to a bridal shop to watch Petunia be fitted for her horrid wedding gown, she sat down to write James a letter. When she finished it fifteen minutes later, she read it over again three times. She folded it and was about to seal it, but unfolded it instead to read it one last time.
"Relax Lily," she told herself and put the letter down.
A set look on her face, she folded the letter again and sealed it. She held it in her right hand tightly. She stared at it and took a deep breath. Putting the parchment back on her desk, she began pacing her shag-carpeted room. After another twenty minutes of serious consideration, Lily finally gave the letter to her tawny owl, Declan. The minute he had flown out of the window, she wished he would come back.
It took James two days to answer Lily's letter and the anticipation had been killing her. She ripped it open the minute Declan dropped it onto her bed.
Dear Lily,
I'd love to go to your sister's wedding with you. I thought you'd never ask. I'm very curious to see this lace that seems so important. And I guess it will be nice to see you too. I can just apparate on the 15th. I suppose I'm going to have to wear a muggle suit. Oh, the things I do for you, Evans. By the way, can I get angry and scream about how horrible you are now? You are far too clever! And your hair…IT'S RED! You great red-headed genius! Sorry, I couldn't resist. Don't worry about your parents. It won't be strange to meet them, honestly.
After the wedding, maybe you could come with Sirius and I to Diagon Alley. We're meeting Remus and Peter and we'll be staying there until the 1st. It would nice to have you around. Dorcas will probably show up at some point if you get bored with the rest of us.
Love,
James
Lily immediately broke into a huge smile.
"How do I look?" James asked. He was dressed in a gray polyester suit with a white dress shirt and a wide blue tie he had picked up from a muggle shop in a nearby village. The formal attire clashed horribly with his mussed-up hair, but his hazel eyes were burning with excitement behind his glasses.
Sirius laughed from his arrogant pose on James' bed; sticking his tongue behind his bottom lip. "Completely bloody ridiculous."
James threw a quill lying nearby at him. "Come on, don't be a prat about it."
Sirius dodged the quill and continued laughing. He shrugged. "I suppose you look like a muggle going to a wedding."
"Good," James turned and surveyed himself in the full-length mirror. He took a deep breath. "I can't believe this is actually happening. I'm going on a date with Lily Evans."
Sirius grinned. "Congratulations mate."
James took another breath. "What are you doing tonight?"
Sirius shrugged. "I was thinking about going into the village and playing tricks on the muggle girls. Lure them into the woods as a wounded dog."
James continued examining himself in the mirror. He frowned a little. "Dorcas isn't coming?"
"How many times do I have to tell you, Prongs?" Sirius scoffed. "That's not what we do."
"She still hasn't shown up, has she?" James turned to look at his friend, who was now lying on his back.
"No," Sirius said quietly. And after a few seconds, "Of course, I don't really care. I just thought she might have come after the Youngsons were killed."
James looked at his friend; he had a rather disappointed look on his handsome face. "Why don't you write her?" he asked.
Sirius sat up and looked at James as if his head had just turned into a grindylow.
"Right," James rolled his eyes. "That's not what you do."
He turned back to the mirror and ran a hand down his wide lapel. He bit a lip and shut his eyes for a second; trying to relax.
"You ready?" Sirius asked.
James exhaled, stood there for a second, and then nodded.
"Well then," Sirius smirked. "What are you loafing around for?"
James smiled at his best friend and with a pop, he was gone.
James arrived in the front yard of the Bones' house (the closest place he knew well enough to use as an apparition destination) easily and, thankful that no one was home, began the trek through the trees. Ten minutes later, he emerged to a small country road, where he had arranged to meet Lily and her father.
Looking down at himself, he quickly murmured a few cleaning and mending spells to fix a tear in his coat and the huge dirt stain near the hem of his pants. The Evanses weren't there yet, but James was too nervous to do anything but stand there, occasionally messing up his hair. He felt his stomach drop as an old brown hatchback turned the corner. When it stopped, James thought he was going to faint. But when the back door opened and a red-headed goddess dressed in a long deep purple dress exited the car and smiled directly at him, James' heart felt as if it would burst right out of his chest. She seemed to walk to him in slow motion. He detected every movement she made; from the swing of her long, loose hair, the crinkling of her deep green eyes as she smiled at him, the way the material clung to her and the way her hips switched her weight from one leg to the other, all the way down to her arched foot in the heels. James felt as if he had seen her for the first time all over again.
"Hi," she said; enthusiastically throwing her arms around him. James grabbed her waist tightly; holding her to his chest tightly and feeling her chest rise and fall against him
"Hi," he said breathlessly when they had separated. "You look…amazing."
She looked down and smiled. "You look pretty good yourself."
"Really," he smirked. "I feel ridiculous."
She laughed a little too loudly. "Come on," she motioned to the car. "The ceremony starts in an hour. My dad has to be there in twenty minutes."
"Alright," he said. Automatically, he offered her his hand. She looked at it for a second and then up at him. Then slowly, she slid her hand inside his. It fit perfectly. She smiled again; more broadly this time and right into his eyes. He returned the gesture; falling head first into pools of deep green.
They walked to the car slowly; trying to savor the moment. James couldn't pull his eyes from her. The smile on her face was so huge it looked almost painful.
George Evans had stepped out of the car and had a small smile on his face. He nodded at the 17-year-old holding his daughter's hand.
Reluctantly, James let go of Lily's hand and shook George's hand. "Hello sir," he said, looking the man in the eyes. "I'm James Potter."
George shook back. "Nice grip, son," he commended James. "I always like a good handshake."
"It's the first thing my father taught me about introducing myself," he smiled. "Always have a firm grip. Shows strength of character."
"Your father sounds like a wise man. Let's get going. I have to go keep Petunia from crying too much." He made a face, "Although I would cry too if I was marrying that vermin."
James wasn't sure if he should laugh so he smiled slightly instead and opened the back door for Lily. She beamed at him and climbed in. Feeling an immeasurable surge of pride, James slipped in after her and closed the door.
The ceremony took place in a small church next to a mini-mart. The decorations were ludicrous, really. The aisle was completely covered in the gaudiest lace anyone had ever seen, the pews were decorated with fake baby pink and orange daisies and shoots of some sort of grass. Every arrangement drooped into more lace. The altar was covered in lace.
"So," James whispered, as the vicar walked to the front of the church, "You weren't kidding about the lace."
Soon Vernon had followed him along with a similarly husky man with grubby brown hair. They were dressed in orange leisure suits complete with ruffled dress shirts and matching bow ties. Music began and an enormous blonde blob completely enveloped in baby pink lace began to walk down the aisle. Lily had to clap a hand to her mouth to keep herself from laughing.
James looked similarly amused and whispered, "I think that's more lace than there is in this entire building."
Lily had glared at him to get him to stop making her laugh more. As the doors opened, everyone stood. Lily felt the closeness of James acutely as he stood next to her. His chest was right there; it would be so easy to fall onto it.
Petunia walked down the aisle on her father's arm. She was also dressed in about a thousand yards of lace. Her white dress was complete with bell sleeves, scoop neck, and long train. She carried a bouquet of those pink and orange daisies. Lily had to admit that with her blonde hair down, softening her usually harsh face, and a sincere smile on her face, Petunia did look beautiful. And when the couple stood at the front of the church, they looked happy.
The vows went off without a hitch. Well, except when James had leaned over and whispered, "I take thee, vermin" in Lily's ear. She had laughed out loud and Petunia had turned to give her the most hateful look. Lily had bit her lip, mouthed sorry, and then stuck her fist in her mouth.
"So," James said, as he sat with Lily at a folding card table covered in pink lace in a backyard filled with more tables covered in pink lace. "That's a muggle wedding."
She nodded, her eyes laughing.
"I must say I prefer the wizarding version."
"What happens at a wizard wedding?" she asked, leaning slightly forward.
"Well," he smiled; mussing up his hair. "All the friends of the bride and groom perform all sorts of protective and luck spells. Which ones always depends on the people involved. Then the couple holds hands."
"Like this," Lily grabbed the hand that lay on the table.
He shook his head and took her other hand. Then he laid his hands on the table palm side up. She placed her smaller hands on top so that their palms touched. He curled his longer fingers up around her wrists, locking eyes with her. Lily swallowed hard; staring intently at James
"Like that." He said; his eyes glazing over. "The guests form a circle around them and then they all say "Tojourium Amortio." It's the marriage charm." He began to caress her wrists with his fingers. She sucked in a lot of air and her eyes blinked. "It binds two people in love together forever. After that, their spirits are one. Of course, they both do have to be truly in love for it to work."
Lily's lips parted as James finished. "That's beautiful," she said. Her stomach dropped with James' head as he bent to kiss the back of her right hand.
"It is," he nodded, biting his lip.
They were both breathless and silent for a moment; waiting for something to happen. James had just begun to lean forward when a loud voice rang out.
"SPEECH TIME," Lily was jerked from James' eyes and turned her head to see her drunk Uncle Gregory waving a champagne bottle in his hand and yelling.
"I reckon we should go listen," she said, turning back to James.
He nodded; looking a little disappointed. They stood and walked over to the long rectangular table with both pink and orange lace covering it. Vernon's best man, a secondary school mate by the name of Tom, spoke.
"I'd like to congratulate Vernon and Petunia on their commitment. Vernon has been a good mate for a long time and I'm happy to see him happy..."
Tom should not be making speeches. Lily and James exchanged glances; daring each other to laugh. Finally, James grabbed Lily's hand and they snuck to the very back of the crowd. James discreetly pulled his wand out of his coat pocket.
"James," she whispered harshly. "What if someone sees you?"
He smirked. "They won't, I promise." Holding his wand tightly, he murmured a quick banishing charm. Immediately all of the lace covering the tables was hurled by some force at Tom.
"I can't wait to see him even happier in the future on the happy events celebrating ha…" Tom was suddenly knocked over by the attack of the lace. Lily almost fell over she was laughing so hard. Vernon stood up immediately and began digging his friend out. Petunia immediately burst into tears; scanning the crowd. When her angry eyes found Lily and James, James grabbed Lily's hand.
"Come on," he whispered, laughing himself.
He pulled her to a small abandoned garden on the side of the house. Overgrown rose bushes surrounded a semi-circle of cement. Lily was still laughing hysterically, but gave James a disciplinary glance when they stopped running. "How're they going to explain that?"
James shrugged innocently. "The wind?"
"She's going to hate you forever, you know," Lily's laughter had begun to subside and now she smiled up at him instead.
"I think I can live with that," James smirked as he caressed Lily's face with his eyes, turned to face her more directly, and tightened his grip on her hand.
Lily stopped laughing. He was getting closer. With every move he made, Lily's heart beat faster. When his other calloused hand found its way to her cheek, she gasped a little and locked eyes with him. His hazel eyes were glazed over as he gently stroked her face.
"Lily," he whispered, his lips remaining in their final position after pronouncing her names. Her lips parted in response; everything but James was going blurry. She was going to faint. She knew it.
Her breathing was uneven when he dropped her hand and his fingers arrived under her chin and tipped it up a little. And then, he leaned in. Closer and closer he came. Soon his lips were on hers, pressing hard. She went up on her toes to reach him better; wrapping her arms around his neck and mussing his hair up for him. His arms encircled her waist and he leaned down to press against her harder. Their lips parted together and they gasped in unison. He bent his head forward so that their foreheads touched. Lily stroked the back of his neck and he leaned his head back; catching her bottom lip in his mouth. Her fingers raked through his hair and when their lips had lined up again, she pressed against his with her tongue and then, when he let her in, she stroked his tongue affectionately with her own. His hands explored her back, her shoulder blades, her neck, her hair.
Finally they separated; relaxing into an embrace.
"You pulled that stunt on purpose so you could snog me. Didn't you Potter?" she placed a hand on his chest.
"Do you really care?" he asked cheekily
"No," she smiled. "I'm just angry that I could have had that for three years and I didn't."
James laughed and kissed her again.