@jilymicrofics prompt: May 2026 #21 â Clue | WC: 747. Part 1 | Part 2
âJames?â Lily blinked, her eyes still unfocused from sleep.Â
The tiny bedroom was still dark, save for the weak grey light creeping through the gap in the curtains. Rain tapped softly against the windowpane.Â
âLily,â he said, mouth dry. âI⌠need to ask you something.âÂ
They were eighteen. Sheâd say no. He knew sheâd say no. But he had to ask. He couldnât live with himself if he didnât.Â
âI⌠I know ââ pausing, he started over: âActually, I know very little.â
âWell, yes there was a time I used to think I knew quite a bit, but now⌠I really only know a few things.âÂ
Lily pushed herself up slightly, the duvet slipping down her shoulder and stomach, her green eyes serious as she surveyed him. Did she already guess where this was going? If she didnât, she would know in a second:Â
âI know I love you. And I know I want to spend the rest of my life with you. And I always thought weâd get married when the time seemed right.â
He really ought to have waited a day. Planned his words a bit more carefully.Â
âBut now it seems a lot to ask for. That we should all be alive⌠mum, dad, your parents, Sirius, CarlâŚ.â Peter. Remus. You. Me.Â
Lilyâs fingers tightened slightly in the bedsheets, and he could practically feel her desire to pull him close to comfort him. But this was not the moment.
Exhaling, he repeated: âI know I love you. I know I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I thinkâI hope, at leastâyou feel the same. So why wait?â
He looked at her, studying her features, wanting to see any clues as to which way she was leaning. She had gone pale, but her lips twitched as she repeated: âWhy wait indeed.â
Her voice was quiet, but there was no hesitation in it. James felt his heart lurch painfully against his ribs. There was hope, after all.
âLily Evans,â he said, feeling his eyes burn anew, having experienced too much in the last twenty-four hours for anyone to bear: âwill you do me the honour of becoming my wife?â
Then he realised heâd forgottenâ
He reached into his robes and extracted the silver bracelet: âItâs not a ring,â he said quickly. âThis used to be my great grandmotherâs, and I thought that you might like to have it until we get a ring. Or.. I mean⌠itâll be yours after that tooââ
ââJames,â said Lily, placing her hand on top of his, âare you going to let me answer?â
Heart hammering, he met her gaze once more. For one, breathless moment, time stood still. Then:Â
âOf course, you fool.â
The relief that swept through him was almost painful. James let out something between a laugh and a shaky breath before he cupped her face and kissed her hard enough to send them both falling back slightly against the pillows. Lily laughed into the kiss, one hand tangling immediately in his hair as the other gripped the front of his robes.Â
âI think,â she muttered after a few glorious moments, âif you hadnât asked soon, I would have.â
âReally?â grinned James.
But Lily didnât smile back as she reached out and brushed some hair out of his face: âYou nearly didnât come back yesterday,â she said, seriously.
The grief, the guilt, everything flooded back in, as he replied: âBut I did.âÂ
Rob didnât, a small voice offered unbidden, but he pushed it away. Just for now. There would be plenty of time to mourn him.
âYou did,â she agreed, face relaxing.
James kissed her softly, one hand still wrapped around hers where it rested atop the silver bracelet between them. Even when they pulled apart, James could still feel her breath against his skin.Â
âNow all we have to do is stay alive until after the wedding,â she teased after another kiss. âEasy.â
He kissed her nose: âMaybe we should push it far into the future after all?â
âDonât you dare,â she said, biting his lip, âNothing would annoy Petunia more than if I got married the same year as her.â
âBut that gives us ââÂ
âAbout two months. Getting cold feet, Potter?â
James shook his head. What was it Robert had said: Time was precious. They were going to get married and the wedding couldnât come soon enough.
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