The Marauders - Order of the Phoenix - Part Two

The Cottage in Godric's Hollow

The motorbike landed and came to a stop in the square by the fountain. James didn't so bad at driving it, really, and they landed nicely before the statue of Godric Gryffindor, who stood bold and strong in stone form over the fountain. Lily stared up at Godric's face from the foot of it as James shrunk the motorbike down and slipped it into his pocket. He turned to look at Lily.

It was cold and what had been a light rain most of the day was now a light snow, and though the ground was a bit slippery from the ice that had formed, it was too beautiful to be mad at - everything seemed to glisten. Moonlight filtered through the clouds and turned everything pale blue-grey, and it was terribly cold. Lily's dress was not made for keeping warm, and James shrugged off his tuxedo jacket and walked up behind her at the fountain, slipping the fabric - warm from his skin - over her bare shoulders, pausing to kiss her neck as he did.

"Hmm," she hummed, reaching up and catching his hand on her shoulder before he could slide away, his mouth still on her skin. She smiled up at the statue. "I do say, sir, you're excellent at fulfilling wishes."

"He's never failed," James murmured against her skin. His nose touched her jawline as he lingered.

"I wished for you that day."

"I wished for you, too."

Lily turned about to face him and she brought her arms up around his shoulders, staring into his eyes and he smiled at her with his lip hung up on his tooth and she thought how perfect everything had been. He put his hands on her hips under the suit coat, and they gently swayed back and forth for a moment. James hummed Born to Run, since that was the last song they'd heard it was stuck in his head, and Lily lay her head against his chest, feeling the rumbling of his hum deep inside of him.

They stayed like that for a long while, just enjoying each other's presence as snow fell slowly around them, and the peace of the moment filled them up like calm waters. James stroked her hair with one hand, the other slipping over her lower back as she wrapped her arms around his torso, bringing her hands up to hang onto his shoulders in the back. She looked up and their lips met again in another kiss... long, passionate and deep.

When they broke apart to come up for air - for Lily really was breathless from the kiss - James took a step back, his palms slipping from her until they were only holding hands. He smiled. "C'mon." They started walking down the road, which was all lit up for Christmas... String lights hung from street lamps in long arcs and the town was glowing in the distance at the end of the road. Lily could still hear people in the streets shouting Merry Christmas as they went in and out of the Lion's Den. She could just see the reflection of glowing colored tree lights in the ice of the square of the town, though the tree itself was tucked 'round a corner and just out of sight. It looked so picturesque and beautiful - a lovely little village, all cobble stone and wood and goodness. 

Across the road, an old church's clock tower bell rang, announcing that it was one o'clock in the morning. James came to a stop, staring up at the church. Lily looked up at it, too. "I almost suggested we got married there," he said.

Lily stared at it. It was a beautiful old church. "Do you regret we didn't?"

"No, what we had was perfect," he said. Lily laced her fingers through his. James murmured, "Just the proximity would've been really convenient." 

"The proximity?" Lily asked.

James turned, unlatched the gate in the very same swift motion that he scooped her up into his arms. Lily squealed in surprise as he did, her legs hanging over one arm while her torso pressed against his shoulder. She laughed, "What are you doing?"

"It's tradition to carry the bride over the threshold the first time," James replied.

"What?"

James turned and kicked the gate open, stepping into the snow-covered garden, stepping on the step-stone pathway. The gate slammed shut behind them, the latch clicking and a protective charm shimmered in the moonlight as it locked behind them - Remus's magic. Lily looked up at the house and she remembered once, standing before it and saying it was a lovely house. "What are we --" Lily's eyes widened, her breath stopping as her heart began to race. "James?"