Our Seventh Year

Lily woke up on her side, and did not feel James next to her, rolling over she saw he was not in bed, and heard the sound of the shower going. Sitting up she rubbed her eyes, and looked out the window before looking at the clock. It was ten in the morning, and the ceremony would begin at one that afternoon.

Rolling out of bed, she wandered into the bathroom to see James was just getting undressed, so she had caught him in time. “Mind if I join?” She asked him, knowing what his answer would be already. Removing her clothing, Lily climbed into the shower after him, just taking this time to relax under the water. She was nervous about today and having to give their speech.

James smirked, and once they were completely done, he pulled her close to him just standing in silence. “I love you,” head said quietly kissing the top of her head as the water kept flowing over them.

“I love you too,” Lily said standing up on her tip toes to kiss him lightly on the lips before reaching around her to turn off the water. After drip drying off, she climbed out of the shower, grabbing herself a towel before tossing James one.

Drying her hair slightly, she wrapped the towel around her body walking out into James’ bedroom. At the foot of his bed laid a gold cap and gown for Lily, and a red cap and gown for James. It was amazing how house elves knew where Lily was staying.

Lily turned around grabbed James hand leading him to the bed. Laying on her back, she smirked when he followed suit settling on top of her. It was the last time they would be able to do this for a while, so Lily thought, so she took full advantage of it.

At eleven thirty they were both panting for breath on the bed after making love for forty five minutes. “We should get ready,” James said quietly as he sat up. They needed to be down at the great hall by twelve thirty since everything started at one.

Nodding, Lily climbed out of bed, and pulled on a white dress with matching heels before slipping into the bathroom to fix her hair, which she decided to do with a few curls and her makeup, opting for something light. Once she was done, she emerged from the bathroom to see James was already set, with his gown on, his cap in his hand. Everything in both of their rooms was packed up, and the Elves would have their items brought down to the carts to bring them to Hogsmeade where everyone could apparated home.

The gold gown and cap made Lily’s hair seem more vibrant then it really was. Taking James' hand they made their way to the great hall, catching up with their friends. Other houses were already inside. Green and silver were the Slytherins, white and blue were Ravenclaw, and yellow and purple were Hufflepuff, and they all sat in groups.

Parents, siblings, and other family members were jam packed inside; surprisingly it was not hot though. With a big sigh, Lily and James took their seat up front, many eyes were staring at them, and James could see Sirius Remus and Peter waving at him.

“Autumn will never learn,” Lily whispered as she pointed her out to James. There she sat next to Sirius, and Melinda was on her other side.

“Neither will Sirius,” James responded. They were constantly on and off again, he swore they were going to end up married. He found their parents sitting together near the front and in the center of the hall just as planned they waved at them, and he and Lily waved back.

Shortly Dumbledore took the podium and a hush fell over the hall. James fidgeted in his seat, his hand holding tightly to the small black box in his pocket.

Lily could feel him move, and his hand was a bit sweaty, “you alright?” she whispered keeping her eyes on Dumbledore. He was acting very strangely, for the first time in her life she was seeing James nervous.

“Yeah, just, anxious,” James said smiling at her. Soon it was their turn to give the speech, and it went off without a hitch, though James could have sworn everyone could hear his heart pounding from anxiety of what was going to happen soon.

The heads of houses lead the procession to get their diplomas then houses went, Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Slytherin, and then Ravenclaw. Lily happily looked down at her diploma, her name written in beautiful cursive, and signed by Dumbledore as well as the minister of magic. On the other side of the diploma holder was a list of her achievements at school. She glanced over at James’ but she couldn’t read it very well since his hands were shaking slightly. “Are you sure you’re alright?”

“Fine love,” James said not looking over at her. He was watching Dumbledore very closely; he was beginning to have second thoughts. Not because he did not want to ask Lily, it was just asking in front of all these people was starting to get his nerves going. He glanced at his parents and she just smiled, he knew they could tell he was nervous.

He watched Dumbledore continue the closing speech, grateful that it was rather long so he had more time to compose himself.

“…today marks the end of one journey and the beginning of another for all of you, though some are starting earlier than others…” Dumbledore said and turned around to face James and Lily. Smiling he gestured to James who fidgeted slightly then rose from his seat. The hall began to buzz slightly with people whispering back and forth.

“What is he talking about…James?” Lily asked him then he stood up in front of her. She looked around the hall wondering what exactly was going on. Her friends looked at her puzzled, but when she spotted her parents they were just smiling.

James pulled the small box out of his pocket, almost dropping it. He was glad that Lily was not looking at him just yet, though everyone else was. Removing his cap he went down onto one knee he heard Sirius whoop, which caused Lily to snap her head in his direction, bringing James back into her view.

“Oh my God,” Lily said her hand flying up to mouth. People were dead silent as she stared down at James’ face ignoring the small box in his hand. She could not believe that this was happening, Lily always thought it would be years before he would even think about asking her.

Clearing his throat, he smiled back up at her, and he realized that Dumbledore had cast the spell on him so that the whole hall could hear what he was saying. He and Lily were definitely going to be remembered by all of their classmates. “Lily…” he said then opened the box to reveal the ring. “Lily Evans, will you marry me?”

Tears were in the corner of her eyes, and she shook her head yes trying to get her voice, “y—yes James.” With her hand shaking, she extended it to him as he removed the ring from it's box. It was gorgeous, though it was hard to see since her vision was blurred.

He steadied her hand as he slipped the ring onto her finger, and it was a perfect fit. He had managed to nab the ring Lily’s parents had given her for her birthday, and he knew that it fit both on both of her ring fingers.

When Lily took her hand back, she leaned down to kiss James, the tears finally falling down her cheeks. With that the hall suddenly burst with applause from all but Severus, and his group of friends. When she pulled back from the kiss she held his hand turning to look around the hall. Her friends seemed to be in a state of shock, and James' friends were all clapping one another on the back, and were pushing their way up front. Daring a glance, Lily looked to see Severus sulking, and his friends talking away as if nothing happened.

“How could you not tell me?” Sirius said loudly over the crowds’ roar. Many people were now with their parents, friends, or professors.

“Because I wanted it to be a surprise,” James said as he held Lily around the waist as they went down the stairs of the makeshift stage to greet their parents.

“What a surprise is was,” Remus said as he grabbed Peter’s arm to save him from being swallowed by the crowd.

James put his cap back on his head as they found their parents. Remus and Peter had wandered off to find their own, but promised they would be back. Sirius’ parents had not bothered to come, so James’ parents were there to congratulate him instead.

“I—mum—look!” Lily said as she found her mom extending her hand to show her mother.

“I know,” Rose said smiling as she looked at the ring before dropping Lily’s hand. “James had talked to us about the whole thing when you came for Petunia’s wedding.”

Lily smiled; she could not believe James went to this extent to propose to her. Soon she was showing her ring to her future mother-in-law, though she had seen it as well, then her friends were pulling her every which way wanting to see the ring, and making sure they were all invited to the wedding.

“I don’t know when it will be,” Lily said as strangers even approached her asking questions. “But it will be soon, I promise.”

Everyone hung around for the gathering after the ceremony, as Lily and James just enjoyed their time together with friends and family. Lily kept looking down at the ring on her finger, and the smile on her face did not leave for the entire night.

Their last year at Hogwarts attested to be surprising, trying, and unforgettable. As Lily and James walked out hand in hand, their years at Hogwarts were over, but their whole life was ahead of them, and it would prove to be even more extraordinary then anyone ever thought it would be.

--------------------------------------------

I am currently working on another story that follows this one, it's about James and Lily after school until their untimely deaths. I have about three chapters done so far, and I have so many ideas it is hard to organize them, but I will begin posting soon.

~Riot