Title: Every Marriage is a Mirage (EMM)
Author: Arista Ramabra
Rating: T
Beta: LivingDreams
Disclaimer: See Chapter 1. Marriage help by Clare.
A/N: Sorry for the extremely long delay! I give up on getting reviews… that was barely enough to make a satisfactory chapter so I decided to be nice and gave you a long chapter anyway… as an early Christmas present… but the review thing still applies…
This in the beginning of Part 2 of EMM… Living Hell… in this, James and Lily just try to make each other's lives… living hell! These range from simple things, such as yelling at each other to some redecoration… Hopefully it's a little more humorous than part 1…
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Recap of Chapter 6: Lily learns about wizarding marriages, visits her parents, finds Daray there, and decides to marry James.
Chapter 7- The Marriage
September faded into the showers of October, into the chill of November, to the snows of December. Lily and James had decided that their wedding would be in March, the beginning of spring. One snowy December afternoon, a week before Christmas found Lily and James busy at work writing invitations. After finishing one, Lily looked up at James. She waited for him to complete what he was writing before opening her mouth to speak.
"Potter."
James looked up.
"I need to… talk to you." Lily put down her pen and looked James squarely in the face.
"When we first… met… you told me your views on this marriage. Now it's my turn."
James looked at her sharply. "What do you mean?"
"Well you told me your condition, didn't you?"
"Yes." James drew it out in three syllables.
"I think now I have every right to present my own."
"Ok. What do you want?" James inquired.
"Well, first let me ask you this. We're going to live where?"
"You're the one who wanted to rent an apartment," James replied, almost accusingly.
"Yes. Yes I did. I mean… I do; I still do. Its just that… I have a request." that's cool
"What do you want?"
"Well… I want my sister to live with… well… I need a provider for her and her child and I thought…" Lily trailed off.
"And you want her to stay with us."
"Well… maybe… she just needs someone to be around her… the baby's due in a few months… and…"
"Look here Evans… she's your sister… and this marriage isn't like any other… so do what you want." With that last word said, James grabbed another invitation and continued with what he was doing.
Lily looked at him for a moment. Then her anger came out.
"What's wrong with you? Normal marriage or not don't you care about anything?"
"Dammit Evans what do you want me to say? You want me to speak shit like 'Aww honey, that is a wonderful idea! She can live with us and I'll pay for her hospital bills and delivery!'? Is that what you want me to say?"
"No I don't Potter. I just wish you'd somehow I can make you understand that marriage isn't some game!"
"Of course it's not! Do u think it's going to be all fun, living with you? You're such a pain to put up with. Jeez Woman! Who do you think you are?"
"Go ahead! Insult me all you want. But you know what Potter, someday, this arrangement of ours… it's going to come back and bite you in the ass. Then let's see who's in pain!" Lily threw down her quill and stormed out of the room.
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James went home that night with a terrible head ache. He shuffled into to his bathroom and quickly stripped. Then he turned the hot water on full blast and stepped into the steaming shower. God it felt good to have the boiling liquid run down his skin while he scrubbed himself. He stood there until the water began to cool, then he turned the cold water on and stood there for a few minutes before stepping out. He wrapped a towel around him waist before leaving the bathroom, feeling completely refreshed.
"He stood there until the water began to cool; then he turned the cold water on. He stood there for a few minutes before stepping out. He wrapped a towel around him waist before leaving the bathroom, feeling completely refreshed."
When he opened the door to his room he found Lor sprawled on his bed, thumbing through a magazine.
"Hey," he called out, while walking to his closet on the other end of his room.
Lor looked up. "Hey," she said, mirroring his casual tone.
"Anything up? How's your job search going?"
"Fine… fine…" she turned a couple of pages. "How are things with Lily?"
"They're… fine as can be with her I guess… Why the sudden interest in her?" he inquired, pulling a shirt over his head.
"Oh ya well… you know… just… wondering what's up in your life…" she tried to make sound impassive, but James saw right through it.
After pulling on some pants, he threw the towel on the floor with the rest of his laundry. He walked over to the bed and sat down on it.
"Hey… I'm not marrying her because I want to. She's difficult and rude and I cant see myself with her for even a short time. But a promise is a promise. I promised my dad and I have to go through with it."
"What the hell James… you don't like her… you shouldn't have to marry her. In any case, no one's making you."
"Well, she doesn't matter, but Ron does. I care about him and apparently he cares about Evans. So Evans it is."
Lor was amazed at the lighthearted manner that James spoke in of the subject that he most detested. And if he didn't give her a chance then she would make sure that no one else got a chance with him either. Sure the chances of him staying with her after the year were really slim, but there was still a small possibility. But that risk wasn't one that she was willing to take.
"But James, you totally detest marriage! Every time me or Ron brought it up, you always brushed us off or yelled at us about how you don't like the commitment factor. But now… I don't know what's wrong with you!" She paused for a moment. "So you're telling me that if I tell you that if you don't marry me I'll kill myself, you'll do it?"
James paused in his action of putting on shoes. Shocked, he was at a loss for words, for a moment, just a moment. However, being the smooth talker he was, he went on. Laughing lightly, a little hesitantly, he said, "Lor, you're being delusional. I have to go now. We'll talk about this later ok?"
He grabbed his coat and left. But Lor had seen that one moment of hesitation.
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Soon enough, the day of the marriage dawned on them, bright and early. The day was perfect for a wedding. It was very clear and sunny, the bright blue sky visible for miles. On a whim, the two families had decided that they'd rather have a wedding outdoors rather than inside the church as the day was beautiful.
Soon everything was all set up, the decorations all in place, the chairs set out, and the food arranged neatly on tables in the back. People were already starting to gather and there was the light buzz of people chatting in the background.
Lily, meanwhile, was sitting at her dressing table, gazing at her reflection in the mirror, twirling an unfastened strand of auburn hair on her finger. Her hair was done up except for a few strands left loose to hang around her face. She'd decided that she no longer liked the dress that she'd loved just that morning. Within the past few minutes, she'd discoveredquite a few things wrong with the satin, peach colored dress: the cleavage was too deep, the skirt was too puffy, the waist pinched too thin, there were too many ruffles, and she felt that it made her look fat.
When Jenna came in, she was already done with analyzing the dress and had moved on to her hair and make-up. Jenna took one look at her friend's worried face and sighed. She pulled up a chair and sat down next to Lily.
"Talk" she said, quite bluntly.
Lily looked at her, blankly. "About what? What's there to say?"
"You look worried."
"I'm not worried. There's nothing to be worried about."
"Yes there is, Lily. You're about to get married and the groom isn't someone that you want to spend the rest of your life with."
"Yeah, well that's not going to happen even if I wanted it."
Jenna quickly realized the mistake she'd made.
"Oh My Gosh! I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that."
"Doesn't matter if you meant it or not…"
"Lily what's your problem? You're acting like a bitch! And if I ask you what's wrong, you won't talk either! How can I help you if you don't tell me what's wrong?"
"You want to know what's wrong? Everything's wrong! I'm marrying a guy that doesn't even want to stand within two feet of me, let alone marry me! This dress is crap, there are a million things wrong with it! The-"
"Lily, I'm sorry sweetie. Look, James is not the perfect guy for you, but its going to help Evelyn and isn't that what you want? This marriage is not for you or James- its for Evelyn, which is why you must go though with it."
"But that doesn't make it any less hard to accept."
"I know Lily. But you're strong. You'll live through this."
"I hope no woman ever has to go through this," Lily sighed wistfully. "This is terrible, really it is."
Jenna patted Lily on the shoulder. "I'm sorry honey. I really-"
She stopped mid-sentence as the door opened and James stepped in.
He ignored Jenna completely, addressing only Lily. "Uhm… I know it's not customary for the groom to see the bride before the wedding but… can I speak with you alone?"
Lily shrugged , expressionlessly, nodding to Jenna. Jenna left the room, enclosing Lily in a tight hug and kissing her cheek lightly. When she was gone, James took her chair and pulled it opposite Lily's.
"I uh… don't know how to say this but… I was wondering if you'd sign this." He pulled out a piece of parchment and a quill, placing it on the dressing table.
"What is it?" Lily inquired, dryly.
"It's umm… a form that I conjoured. It is the official document that says that you agree that we won't be married after one year. It reads: 'This document provides the official proof that James Michael Potter and Lilliana Marie Evans will no longer be wed on this day, 1979. This document requires the signature of the following parties involved: Ms. Lilliana Marie Evans, James Michael Potter, the priest who intends to see this wedding through, and one family member of the parties concerned. This seals the promise that there will be no objections raised at the annulation of this marriage a year forward, dated May 19, 1978.' There is a space for all of our signatures, I have already gotten mine and Ron's on here along with the priest's. We just need yours and someone from your family to sign this."
At Lily's blank demeanor, he offered an explanation.
"It is just to insure that no objection comes up at the time of the divorce a year from now. Just to be on the safer side. So if you don't mind could you and someone from your family please sign this?"
Lily minded. She minded a lot. And she didn't want to involve her family into this. This was between James and herself. They had no business involving outsiders, even if it was their families. She wanted to be a feminist, and yell at him about this arrangement of theirs. She wanted to slap him, beat into his head the meaning of equality, teach him how to respect women. She wanted to refuse the document and scream her head off, saying that she wouldn not sign this trash.
But she did none of those things. While her heart and mind shrieked in agony, she picked up the quill, scratched her signature onto the parchment, her hands shaking.
Handing it back to James, she told him to find Steve and get it signed by him. He thanked her in response, and left, shutting the door softly behind him.
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Sirius sat in the first row in the church, watching Best Man Remus stand up there with his best friend. Though a little jealous, he was the one that had volunteered Remus in the first place. He wished he was there, making James laugh instead of Remus. Originally he was going to be the cameraman, a talent he had acquired while spending a summer in muggle London during his time at Hogwarts. Lily however had felt that he might do something inappropriate; she forbade him from bring a camera into the church.
Sirius watched most of the wedding in silence, observing the people as they one by one walked to the altar. Sirius was bored for most of the wedding, until Lily came in, looking as gorgeous as a new bloomed rose. He leaned forward for a better view as she came in to sight. She walked down the aisle in her long white gown. He rose with the crowd and held his breath as she glided past her smoothly and up to the altar.
Sirius listened to the priest half-heartedly, hoping that the wedding would end soon so that he could eat and drink. He loved weddings.
"I love weddings," Sirius told Ron, who sat beside him. "Drinks all around!"
Ron looked at him slightly reproachfully. "Try to keep count of how many drinks you have."
Sirius chuckled lightly, turing back to the altar. The priest was still droning on and on. Sirius noticed that there were small interactions between James and Lily. That caught his full attention. Finally entertained by something, he stared fixedly at the pair.
James was winking at some of the ladies that he saw in the church. Lily, irritated, glared at him, stepping on his foot. Not wanting to appear clumsy to the people around him, he grimaced painfully, an awkward look on his face.
"Do you, James, take Lily to be your lawfully wedded wife?" the priest asked him.
"N- Ye- yes," he answered, wishing he could say no. "I do."
"Do you, Lily, take James to be your lawfully wedded husband?"
"I do," she said with firm resolution, digging her heel into James' toes.
"I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride."
No one moved. Lily took her foot off of James' and James forgot his pain for a minute.
"What?" he demanded of the priest, slowly.
"You- you may kiss the bride," the priest replied hesitantly, looking around for some clue as to what might be going on.
When James seemed to be drawing a blank, Sirius decided to help out.
"It's when you put your lips like this…" He demonstrated. "And you have the other person fo the same and you make them meet."
"Shut up! I know what a kiss is!" James retorted.
"Well then do it!" Then after a slight pause. "If you don't want to kiss her I will!"
"Sirius!"
"Alright alright, just get on with it… Then we can go and get rum!"
James glared at him, turning back to Lily.
"Well then… I suppose you could kiss me." He puckered his lips, closed his eyes and waited. When nothing happened, he opened his eyes again.
"What is wrong with you? Just kiss me and be done with it!" he hissed under his breath.
"Why cant you kiss me?"
"What?"
"You think you're so good that I need to kiss you and u wont make any move-"
"I never said that!"
"Well you implied it!"
While they went on, their voices getting louder by the minute, Remus looked around, and walked to the edge of the altar, where he sat down. The old priest, astounded by this behavior, followed his example and sat down beside Remus.
"They'll be a while," Remus offered by way of explanation.
"Ah…"
After listening to them yell for 10 minutes, Remus stood up. He walked to the middle of the altar and yelled "STOP!"
The entire hall fell silent.
"James, lean forward." He complied. "Lilly lean forward. Good. Now touch your lips together."
"Good, good. Just like that."
The minute their lips touched, they pulled apart, jumping back, and wiping their lips.
Remus rolled his eyes at them, while Sirius, joyfully jumped up.
"Finally! The RUM!"