"I missed this," Lily admitted.
"Hm?" James asked, his hand in the back pocket of Lily's jeans.
"I missed just being with you. I missed you playing footsie with me under the table, feeling you near me when I was out. I suppose it all sounds a bit stupid and simple and like I overreacted when I say it all out loud like this, but it's true. I missed this, and it doesn't even close to excuse, justify or whatever word you want to use, I did."
James mulled this over, trying to make the right response, "I told you last night that I kind of understand what you were lacking. You continued to give me love and affection, even when I didn't know I wanted it myself, and it made me feel nice. I can imagine that you must have felt pretty rejected if you wanted it, and I was too dense to give it to you."
"You're right," Lily said. "Rejected is exactly how I felt. I swear I will never ever let it get to that point again. I should have known from the beginning that I can always talk to you."
"I let you think that you couldn't. I plan on making sure that that never happens again."
"Can we go home?" Lily asked.
"You want to know what your present is, don't you?" James asked, a knowing smile on his face as he looked ahead, observing two young kids run past them.
"Maybe," Lily admitted.
"Remember this morning when you insisted I get you nothing?" James teased.
"Of course I remember. I'm stubborn, but if I know that you're just going to ignore me, who am I to deny you the pleasure that you seem to get from giving me gifts?"
"That's the attitude," James chuckled, using the hand in her pocket to pull her slightly closer to him. "We'll go home in a bit. I just heard that they're playing some music down this way. We haven't gone dancing in a while."
"I'm shit at dancing," Lily groaned.
"Yeah, but I'm good at it, and I know that you like dancing with me."
"Yeah, I do like dancing with you," Lily said, defeated, but looking forward to dancing with James.
It was an upbeat rhythm and Lily found herself squealing with laughter as James spun her around with an excitement Lily hadn't seen from him in a while. Lily couldn't even say she had two left feet as that would be an insult to people who danced as though they had two left feet. She had absolutely no ability to feel a musical beat, not even if her life depended on it, and it was really quite upsetting, given how much she enjoyed music and how much James enjoyed dancing. However, she was able to get over her lack of talent to be able to engage in something that James liked so much. She didn't ever feel too embarrassed either, as James was talented enough that he could mask all of her terribly awkward missteps and steps that weren't even steps. The two of them slowed as the music faded out, the group of magical musicians concluding their performance.
Lily looked up at James, felt his arm around her waist, holding her to him as he held her hand with his free one. His eyes were twinkling, and it was clear how happy he was.
"You can't possibly enjoy dragging me through this; it seems like so much work for you," Lily said.
"Nothing feels like work when I get to do it with you," James replied, dropping her hand and using the arm around her waist to guide her back to where they had left her shopping bags from the Apothecary.
Lily apparated them home and James led them into the sitting room where they settled on the sofa and Lily eagerly watched as James pulled a small parcel out of his front pocket and handed it to her. She accepted it and unwrapped it quickly while James looked on awaiting her reaction.
"Love! It is beautiful," Lily exclaimed. "Thank you James! I love it. Can you put it on for me please?"
She turned her back to him and he draped the necklace with a doe charm around her neck and clasped it for her.
"I love it James," Lily repeated.
"I'm glad. You said I'm an exceptionally beautiful stag, and you're an exceptionally gorgeous doe. I know I could never convince you to become an Animagus."
Lily interrupted, "And you're lucky I never made you get registered."
James waved a hand and continued, "You're beautiful is my point, and I hope you like wearing that necklace and I hope you remember how much I love you any time you touch it."