Disclaimer: Everything in the Harry Potter world belongs to JK Rowling and Warner Bros.

CHAPTER THREE

The thick blanket of night was slowly lessening and the first rays of light peaked through the lacy white curtains that rippled in the light breeze like a sail. The ocean crashed against the sand outside and a few lonesome seagulls squawked in the distance. A tangy salty smell wafted into the small cottage bedroom and the sound of a boat being started up rang in the air.

Lily Potter stirred in her new husband's warm embrace and affectionately nuzzled his neck. "James?" she whispered.

James grunted and mumbled something incoherent.

Lily smiled softly and gave him a lingering kiss on the lips. James still had his eyes closed but sleep slowly slid off him due to Lily's exceedingly pleasurable ministrations and he delved his left hand into her red hair whilst his other hand pulled her atop his chest. Their lips tenderly yet passionately duelled, the intensity reminiscent of their once-famous sparring at Hogwarts, giving and taking from each other with equal strength and enjoyment.

James broke for air first and gently tucked a rope of Lily's hair off her face and said softly, "Good morning, Mrs. Potter of one day."

Lily kissed him again. "Good morning, Mr. Potter," she murmured.

"Our first full day of marriage life together."

"I can hardly believe it."

"I can't imagine anything better than beginning our long life together by lying in bed with you in a little cottage by the beach."

"Nor can I," Lily replied, her emerald eyes sparkling in the new light of dawn.

James traced circles lazily along her bare back. "What do you want to do today?"

Lily lay her head down on his chest with her eyes closed. "I have no idea."

"I know what I would like to do all day," James said slyly, burying his nose in her hair. "Something that would not make us leave this bed at all."

"Slave driver."

James chuckled.

"I would like to go for a walk along the beach."

"I would if I could move my legs," drawled James. "Last night's exertions have completely drained me of strength."

Lily playfully pinched his forearm, blushing furiously. "Well," she said, her eyes twinkling like a Marauder, "I am not made for the weak, Potter."

James tucked his hands behind his head and smiled softly at his beloved new bride, his eyes deepening into an infinite abyss. "You are certainly not made for the weak, Lily Potter."

Lily's face melted into a radiant smile and she sprinkled his face with feather-light kisses over his forehead, his eyelids, his nose, cheekbones and finally capturing his lips in hers.

When they came apart, any resistance on James' part about leaving the warm and pleasurable confines of their bed dissolved when he looked at the petite figure of his goddess-like wife draped over him like a sinuous snake. "James," she purred, "Can we please go for that walk?"

James groaned and immediately caved in. "As long as it is a short walk."

Lily grinned triumphantly and got up from the bed, wrapping a sheet around her bare form.

James made a face. "I don't get to see my wife's womanly attributes while she gets dressed?"

Lily's eyes twinkled. "No you do not, sir," she said primly and smirked as James fell back on the bed dramatically as if he had been stabbed in the heart.

"You do wound me!"

Lily chucked some clothes at James in response.

Eventually, forty-five minutes later after more kisses and light banter, James and Lily finally were dressed and walked hand-in-hand down onto the sand. They were staying in a Muggle cottage on Lily's insistence to which James had readily complied for he also harboured an interest in Muggle ways. Besides, it was also a getaway and haven from the recent horrors of the Wizarding world.

There was not another soul on the beach. When Lily voiced that observation, James replied in a mock-haughty tone that he knew would irk her: "That's because no one is idiotic enough to be up at the crack of dawn walking on this beach."

Lily swatted him on the arm and rolled her eyes.

James immediately tucked her arm into the crook of his elbow as an early morning wind sent their hair haywire. Lily leaned in close to him and James kissed the top of her head.

The two then walked on in silence for a while, time seemingly immeasurable on this uninhabited beach. The lightening sky was pierced with a brilliant blend of honey yellow, warm orange and blood red as the dozy sun lazily rose into the sky, sending shimmers across the water.

James sat down on the soft sand with Lily wrapped in his arms, leaning back against his chest and watching the sunrise. "This is simply beautiful," Lily sighed happily, snuggling into James with pure contentment.

"Hmm…" murmured James, not really concentrating on the sunrise but on the woman in his arms.

Lily twisted herself around so she was facing James and slid her arms around his neck, smiling. "This can't get much better than this."

"Oh yeah?" he whispered.

"Yeah," replied Lily, her eyes gazing at his mouth.

"I'm going to snog you right here, you understand that?"

"Completely," Lily breathed and did not even protest when he leaned in to kiss her like she was some awesome life force that would give him sustenance and life.

Some while later, the thoroughly dazed and bedraggled couple managed to restrain themselves from kissing or caressing long enough to stand up and rationally decide (or as rationally as two newly-weds could possibly be!) to head back to the cottage.

The pair was in a giddy mood and James swung their joined hands high into the air like two young children. He broke free of Lily and jumped and twirled in crazy circles, hooting loudly with his arms outstretched. Lily laughed and ran after him, her red hair blazing out behind her. James lifted her into his arms while Lily squealed and protested (rather weakly, I may add) for the obnoxious prat to put her down or be hexed six ways to Sunday. James merely laughed boisterously and then suddenly plopped her down unceremoniously on the sand and ran away from her. Lily sprang up and chased him, calling out threats of grievous bodily harm and then James slowing down just so she could.

Lily kissed him avidly by the water until James' mental and physical faculties had quite dissolved and with a devious smile, suddenly pushed him into the ice-cold ocean!

James rose up sputtering and shivering, looking like some monster from the deep as his habitually messy hair now lay plastered to his head. Lily laughed uncontrollably and lithely dodged him as James lunged at her. A grinning James pursued her for at least a good half a kilometre down the beach with Lily giggling. Finally she stopped and allowed James to capture her in his soaking wet arms and she ruffled his dripping hair. "I surrender."

James tried to keep his face solemn but failed as his hazel eyes dancing and his lips were twitching. "Do you swear?"

Lily gazed up at him. "I swear."

"I will have to punish you, of course," James murmured, sliding his arms around her waist.

"I humbly resign myself to whatever fate you decide for me in retribution for my most heinous crime," Lily said huskily, tipping her head to one side so James could have better access to her creamy neck as he gently kissed it, sending delicious shivers through her.

"I will of course be merciful and commute your sentence to a long day in bed where I will cook you breakfast, lunch and dinner and do that Muggle thing—a massage, is it?"

"Oh James."

"—and in between all that…well…I will do whatever you want to do as long as it does not involve moving an inch from our bed or the vicinity of our cottage."

"That sounds absolutely perfect," said Lily tenderly.

James scooped her up in his arms. "And as part of the deal, I get to carry you back to the cottage and carry you over the threshold—that is another Muggle tradition isn't it?"

Lily didn't answer but wrapped her arms tightly around him and buried her face in his neck, emitting a sigh of pleasure.

"I love you, Lily," whispered James into her ear.

"James, there is no one but you nor will there be anyone but you," Lily said quietly, her eyes blissfully shut as James started the walk back to the cottage under the bright light of a new day.

End of the story—I hope you all liked it! Please review!

Luv Mango Shmango xoxo