"Hey why the long face?" asked Lily. It was the night of the ball, she had just arrived at the Potter mansion. James had gotten there earlier to help his parents with the preparations.
"Nobody thinks I can do it," said James, darkly as he looked out of the huge bay window.
"Do what?"
"Make this work with us. They all think I'm going to muck up and hurt you again. Even my dad and Sirius. They think I'm going to cheat again."
"I don't think you will," said Lily, placing her hand on his shoulder.
"But…"
"Isn't my opinion the only one that matters in the end?"
"Yeah of course, I'm sorry." He turned round to face her, and when he saw her took a deep intake of breath. "Wow, you look…wow."
"Thank you," said Lily. She was wearing an ivory dress with an emerald green belt. The dress had a fitted corset top, then the green belt. The skirt was a long flowing one, shaped almost like a bell. She was wearing her hair up, with just a few curls hanging loosely down.
"You look sensational, I'm a lucky man," said James giving her a quick, sweet kiss.
"You are," smiled Lily, she loved it when he complimented her because there was something in the way he said it where she knew he meant it. "You don't look too bad yourself."
"Why thank you."
"You're welcome," said Lily, wrapping her arms around his neck. "What time did you say everyone was arriving?"
"Any minute now," said James.
"You okay? I assume you and your dad had words."
"Yeah, we did."
"Look, I know you, and I don't think you're going to cheat on me. I trust you," said Lily.
"You do?"
"I do."
"Thank you." He said sincerely, pulling her closer.
"James, I know everyone has been giving you a hard time about…"
"I deserve it."
"Yes, you do. But they think they are looking out for us. Before we got together in school you were a player. You dated 5 girls at a time, new ones every week…"
"Until you."
"Until me. Then you cheat on me and go back to your old ways. They think that you truly are a player and you only want me because I'm the only one that ever put up a fight."
"It's not, I swear…"
"I know. I know that. I know that you only dated so much in school because you could and I wasn't interested in you. And I know that what we had together was real. You weren't cheating on me all along, you weren't even thinking about it."
"I wasn't."
"And I know that you made a mistake and you've spent three years hating yourself for it. That was why it was so easy to forgive you and become friends with you when I came back, because I saw how much you hated yourself for what you did."
"What did I ever do to deserve you in the first place, never mind a second chance?" he asked, his adoration for her plain to see.
"Mmmm… I ask myself the same thing," said Lily, pulling his lips down to meet hers.
---------------------------------------------
"I have been looking for you everywhere," said James about an hour later.
He had to go and greet the guests with his parents, by the time he was finished Lily had disappeared. He had just found her in the wild flower garden, one of many on the Potter estate, but this one had always been her favourite.
"Oh sorry," said Lily, turning round to face him. "It's been a while since I was here. I love this garden."
"I remember," said James, pulling his arms around her waist. "Are you cold?"
"No, I'm okay. Don't feel you have to move though," said Lily. She was enjoying having his arms wrapped round her.
"I won't," he said.
"Are you feeling better now? About what your dad and Sirius said?"
"Yeah you were right. The only person that matters is you and what you think."
"Exactly. Now come on, Mr. Potter, we better get back inside. Your mum will be wanting to open the ball soon," said Lily, turning in James' arms to face him.
"I guess," he sighed, resting his forehead against hers.
"It's not that bad," she said. She knew he didn't really like formal balls, with all the traditions.
"No, this year is definitely not as bad as the past two years."
"Flattery will get you nowhere."
"What if it's true?"
"Come on, you charmer, get inside," she laughed.
"Okay, but one quick question first," he said.
"What?"
"Dance the first dance with me?"
"Alright," she said.
"Come on then," he said, giving her a quick kiss on the tip of her nose.
----------------------------------------------------
"They are all talking about you two, you know that, right?" said Sirius who was hiding under the table.
"Are you trying to look up my dress?" teased Lily.
"Padfoot, if you…" started James.
"Oh shut up, you moron, he's not looking," laughed Lily.
"Oh, right…" muttered James.
"Not that given half the chance I wouldn't try…" said Sirius, before Lily swiftly kicked his shoulder.
"You wouldn't get half a chance," laughed Lily. "So what or rather who are hiding from?"
"Mum, she is after my blood," said Sirius fearfully.
"And why is that?"
"She, um….didn't approve of my choice of date," said Sirius, looking around frantically.
"He brought a bunny," giggled Lily, trying to muffle her giggles in James' shoulder.
"I thought she was lovely girl…" said Sirius, pointlessly trying to defend himself.
"A lovely girl? Is that the 'lovely girl' over there in the feather boa, asking mum to feel her implants?"
"Oh god," howled Sirius. "She is going to murder me."
"She sure is, so you better stay put," said Lily, pulling the tablecloth over his head so he was once again out of sight. "We'll sneak you some food later."
"Thank you, dear," they heard him say from under the table.
"He is right, though," James whispered to Lily as they made their way over to the bar.
"About what?"
"Everyone is talking about us."
"Let them talk," she said, pressing a kiss to his lips.
"I couldn't agree more."
"Great, now be a good boy and get me a drink," she told him.
"You tell him," said Miriam, appearing next to them.
"Hi Mum," said James, kissing her on the cheek.
"Hello dear. Don't you look handsome," she said, pinching his cheek.
"Mum," he groaned.
"Oh I know, and Lily you look beautiful as ever," said Miriam.
"Thank you Miriam. You look lovely too," said Lily.
"Drink, Mum?"
"Double Vodka," said Miriam. "My feet are killing me, and I have to talk to so many boring people and keep a smile on my face."
"Coming up."