Chapter 15

Prince Charming

James leaned back against his gold and scarlet pillows, allowing his mind to wander as he stared at the small, black velvet box sitting on his nightstand. He sighed contently as thoughts of his and Lily's wedding night filled his head. That was not the reason he wanted to marry her, but it was a damn good perk. He practically hit the ceiling when the dormitory door opened unexpectedly and Sirius entered. James was suddenly very glad for the forgotten charms book that lay open on his lap.

"Been studying?" James asked casually. His and Sirius's conversations had felt forced ever since their spat almost two weeks ago.

Sirius shrugged. "A bit, took a short break though, you know, just to clear my mind."

James nodded understandably. Sirius's hair was ruffled, shirt untucked, and tie partially undone and twisted. "You have lipstick on your collar, by the way."

"Damn," Sirius examined his shirt collar in the mirror. "You would think with everything magic can do, they'd invent make-up that stayed on the girl and off the guy."

"There you go then, figure that one out and you'll be a hero to lusty wizards everywhere."

Sirius didn't respond, just pointed his wand at the pink stains, causing them to disappear. He pulled off his tie entirely and crossed the room to throw it and his books on his bed. He sat down on the four-post, eying the box on James's nightstand. "So you're really going to do it then?"

"Yeah, I'm really going to do it," James replied, wondering if another argument loomed.

"I am sorry, James, for what I said in the common room. I had no right to bring that up, not after promising not to. You had every reason to try and hex me."

"Apology accepted," said James slowly, in slight disbelief. "And looking back, perhaps it was not the best time to bring it up."

Sirius nodded in agreement.

James picked at his quilt. "Padfoot, assuming Lily says yes, you'll still be my best man at the wedding, right?"

A huge grin spread over Sirius' face. "I wouldn't miss it for the world, Prongs. But I want one thing in return. Promise me you'll be around once a month, for Moony."

"Padfoot, Lily isn't going to lock me in a cave and never let me out! I'll be around more than once a month. Hell, I figured you'd drag me out to bars every weekend. After all, you'll need me to attract the ladies, who after finding out I'm married, will settle for second best and leave with you." James ducked as a pillow flew over his head.

"Prongsie, the thought of marriage has addled your brain, because you're delusional."

James grinned back, enjoying bantering with his best mate again.

Lily was thoroughly sick of studying. With N.E.W.T.s only two days away, she felt like her head was one huge cauldron, where everything she read slowly congealed into one ambiguous lump. As if that wasn't bad enough, she was on pins and needles over when James would finally pop the question: if he ever did. After two weeks and no further mention of marriage from him, Lily began to wonder if he had changed his mind. Perhaps giving herself time to think had allowed him to do the same, and he had come to the opposite conclusion than she. It was nerve racking, stressful, and not at all conducive to a healthy study environment.

When the final N.E.W.T exam concluded, Hogwarts could practically hear the entire seventh year class heave one huge sigh of relief. Although there was still the second guessing and the panicked, "were there twelve steps in a patience potion or fourteen? Thirteen, you're kidding, right?" most of the stress disappeared. Now anticipation took over, as students waited for their scores and acceptance letters for the jobs and programs they had applied to.

"I'm going to lie here all day," Anne proclaimed happily from her place in the middle of her bed. She snuggled into the pillows and soft comforter, arms and legs in a spread eagle. "I have nothing to do! Nothing! It's wonderful."

"Let's not lie here, though," Lily replied from her bed. "It's too nice a day. Let's go lay by the lake, maybe take a nap under a tree."

"Only if you get up first."

Lily didn't move. "You get up and levitate me down there."

The both laughed. "We're so lazy."

"We deserve to be lazy after all that studying," Lily responded.

"Do you think we could convince some house elves to bring lunch to us and serve us in bed?"

There was a light taping at there window and both women exchanged looks.

"Go let the owl in, Anne," Lily joked.

"You let the bloody owl in, I'm not moving."

Lily waved her wand lightly and the window popped open, but no owl appeared. Anne and Lily exchanged another glance.

"Are you waiting for an invitation?" Lily shouted to what she thought was a hesitant bird.

"You know, not being at the window really messes with the whole Prince Charming persona. You asked for Prince Charming, you're supposed to play the dutifully princess waiting to be rescued."

Lily sat up at the sound of James's voice floating through the window. Anne mouthed 'Prince Charming' and raised her eyebrows.

"I'll explain it later," Lily replied, moving toward the window. James' mention of Prince Charming gave Lily hope that he hadn't changed his mind about proposing. Though, it did sort of worry her that he took the Prince Charming bit seriously. She had to remember not to use Muggle allusions around him. Slightly scared at what she might see, she looked outside.

James hovered on a broomstick just beyond Lily's dormitory window. He grinned mischievously when she finally appeared. "Want to go for a ride?"

"Now?"

"Why not? I've packed lunch. We can find a nice quiet spot."

So you can propose...maybe? Lily returned James's grin. "I'll be right down."

"Just climb on now."

"What, through the window? N.E.W.T.s driven you mad?"

He hovered closer to the window, so that his right leg was pressed against the stone of the tower. "I promise you won't fall."

Lily really didn't want to squeeze through the window and climb onto a broomstick a hundred feet above the ground. She looked over at Anne, hoping for a helpful suggestion. Anne just shrugged, hiding her amused smile.

"Can I borrow your broom?" Lily asked Anne.

"What? You're going to fly your own?" James seemed disappointed. "You're really killing this whole Prince Charming, riding away on the back of his white steed, thing."

She really had to stop using Muggle allusions. And why the hell did Remus keep explaining them to him?

"I know how to fly," Lily shot back. "This princess rides alone."

James looked incredulous. Then why did she give the bloody speech about a Prince Charming proposal? Merlin, women were confusing.

"Thy broom is in the corner, my lady" Anne quipped, pointing to the racing broom she kept for friendly pick-up matches of Quidditch. Kneeling on her bed, she pretended to curtsey. "And don't forget to be back by the stroke of midnight or your broom will turn into a cucumber, and watch out for any poisoned apples or spindles."

Lily stalked over and grabbed the broom. "I fully regret loaning you that book of Muggle fairy tales in our first year."

"And just think, you wanted me to take Muggle Studies." Anne grinned at her best friend, waving her out the door.

Lily carried the broom down to the common room, where there were much larger windows. She didn't bother to explain herself to the staring students. She just threw one open, mounted the broom, and swooped out into the warm late spring air. James still hovered around her dormitory window, seeming fairly impressed that Lily actually could fly.

"Been practicing since first year flying lessons I see." He pulled level with her broom, hanging on with his legs as he pulled both hands through his already wind swept hair.

She shot him an impish grin. "Just because I choose not to chase after enchanted balls at high speeds doesn't mean I didn't see a need to learn how to fly adequately."

"I will never doubt your flying skills again," he promised, putting a hand over his heart. Lily swatted at him, causing her broom to pitch slightly. She hurriedly put both hands back onto the handle as James laughed.

They flew away from the castle. The Ministry had sent Aurors to guard Hogwarts' perimeter, allowing students back out on the grounds unsupervised. The timing was perfect, as the weather had warmed and become increasingly sunny. As they flew over the shallows of the lake, Lily watched the puffy white clouds reflected below her. James, showing off, dove toward the surface before pulling up and skimming the water with the tips of his shoes. Lily practically fell off her broom, laughing, when a sneaky tentacle appeared out of the depths and snatched the left trainer right off his foot.

They landed in a grassy meadow on the edge of the lake. Trees rung most of the meadow, ensuring privacy, but it wasn't so secluded to be dangerously far from the castle. A large blue blanket spread out by the water's edge, with a basket on it.

Hope sprang to life inside Lily. James had put a lot of thought and effort into this little date. They stretched out on the blanket, basking in the warm sunshine. James pulled two bottles of butterbeer, two peaches, and a plate full of sandwiches out of the picnic basket. Those were followed by chocolate covered strawberries for dessert.

"You're an excellent romantic picnic planner," Lily complimented, snuggling against James after they had finished eating, "and an excellent Prince Charming as well."

"No help from you," James teased back, sitting up and shifting their positions so that he could wrap his arms around Lily from behind, as she leaned against his chest.

"Where would the fun be if I made it easy for you?"

"Indeed," James replied, though Lily couldn't tell if he was joking or not. "Always remind me that I have to work to be with a beautiful, talented witch like you. We wouldn't want me becoming complacent."

She tilted her head up in order to give him a quizzical look. He just smiled and kissed her forehead before his hands slid off her waist and intertwined with her fingers. Lily felt a small, round object pressed between her and James' left palms.

"I want to prove my love for you every single day for the rest of my life," he whispered softly into her ear now, sending pleasure filled tingles up and down her spine. He moved his left hand away from hers. Clutched between his thumb and index finger was a gold ring, with a single, perfect diamond rising from the center. "And you will make me the happiest I've ever been if you let me do that. Marry me, Lily Evans."

Lily wasn't sure if she actually croaked out 'yes' before her eyes welled up and she turned to kiss him, but he got the message. It took him a few seconds to get the ring onto her finger, but as soon as Lily felt it slide on, she threw both hands around his neck. James pulled away worriedly, feeling her tears fall on his face. But she pulled him back with a gentle hand on the side of his face, unable to entirely form words to explain the tears of joy.

The sun barely remained above the horizon when Lily and James finally admitted they had to fly back to the castle. If it wasn't for their mutual agreement that dinner would be nice, they might have stayed out hours longer.

The Great Hall was already full, when James and Lily entered. The Gryffindor seventh years were already seated, eating and celebrating the end of exams. Lily couldn't help but smile when she saw Anne seated very close to Remus. She and James held hands, hiding her ring from view, though it took all of Lily's willpower not to shout her good news through the entire hall. Sirius and Peter budged over to give them a place to sit as they deposited the broomsticks and empty picnic basket on the floor.

"What happened to your shoe?" Sirius asked, staring at James bare left foot.

"It turns out the Giant Squid has a taste for rubber," he replied with a grin, pulling a plate of pork chops toward him.

"I suppose you only crawled out of bed for food," Lily said across the table to Anne, noticing immediately the blush that crept into both Anne's and Remus' faces.

"Yeah," Anne replied unconvincingly. Lily gave her a disbelieving look.

"Well you were off having fun, I deserved to have some too," Anne whispered, causing Remus to blush even more.

Unable to contain herself any longer, Lily finally pulled her left hand from beneath the table and asked Anne to pass the boiled potatoes. Anne had the bowl halfway to its destination before she noticed the ring, dropped the bowl, and shrieked loudly enough to startle a fair number of students in the vicinity. The next thing Lily knew, her arm was nearly pulled out of its socket as Anne wrenched the bejeweled hand across the table.

"For real?" Anne finally managed to stutter.

"Really," Lily replied, earning another squeal from Anne, who launched herself across the table to hug Lily, before waving Lily's hand toward Julian. Three more loud shrieks sounded, as Lily's other roommates noticed the engagement ring and ran over to congratulate her. By now, the entire Great Hall stared at the seventh year end of the Gryffindor table. The loud proclamations being made by the girls and the congratulatory pats on the back dolled out to James didn't make it hard to guess what had happened.

At the staff table, Professor McGonagall was about to loudly demand their peaceful dinner back when Dumbledore stopped her with a gentle hand. "Let them be, Minerva, they haven't had much to celebrate this year."