27th March, 1978

Mornings were odd things. Saturday mornings were incredible, waking up to the bright sky on your own body-clock and not having to rush anywhere. There were no alarms, no stresses, nothing that could make you feel bad. Monday mornings, however, were peculiar. No matter the circumstances of the day, no matter the mindset of the person, they were crap.

James was going through a dilemma just like this one. One the one hand, it was a Monday. That meant he was automatically in a bad mood. On the other hand, Easter Sunday had just passed, there were mounds of chocolate eggs sitting beside his bed, he was in the second week of the holidays - and on top of all of this it was his birthday! How, then, should he react?

His ears pricked, his eyes still shut tight against his pillow. His mornings had been considerably quieter ever since he received the Head Boy badge and had moved into the large, secluded, Private Common Room. Eighteen years old and all he had finally found his peace.

The shower was running in the room next to him, the door slightly ajar. Steam could be felt softly swimming into his room. Lily barely spent any time in her own bed any more. Sure, she had to walk to her room to get dressed, but James had been quite insistent on the fact she slept in his room - specifically so he could see her make that morning walk from the shower.

He opened his eyes softly, welcoming the warm sunlight. Lily had opened the curtains ever-so-slightly, just so the light could reach his pillow, and James loved it. She knew his favourite way to wake up was by natural light, and though Sirius had gone out of his way for the past seven years to ensure that didn't happen, Lily had given him this small joy during their relationship. The sun was already high in the sky, but the condensation on his window showed that the temperature was significantly lower.

The rectangular glasses that had been through so much sat beside his bed, resting on a small table, a glass of water standing beside them. He picked them up and placed them on his nose, sniffing slightly as they itched him. He didn't bother wiping his eyes to get rid of their morning sleep, for he never had any, something Lily absolutely envied. The shower stopped, the sound of her soft feet hitting the floor as she stepped onto the hard floor.

He looked around the room quickly. The only significant difference was the small present resting on the end of his bed. There was just the one. He knew the guys would do something for him later; a huge Marauder party was the most likely bet, and presents would come then. His parents had already given him his present, a golden ring with his family name on it, traditional and classy to match his watch from his previous birthday. It must have cost a fortune because - of course - it was goblin-made, nothing but the best. It had magical qualities, though James had yet to delve into it to find out what they were.

The door creaked, slowly opening. James couldn't help but break into a grin. There was nothing that made him smile more. He could win the Quidditch World Cup, be named Minister of Magic, receive and Order of Merlin, First Class, and yet none of them would give him the butterflies that Lily Evans gave him. None of them would make him more happy than Lily Evans made him. None would give him greater pleasure, none would give him the feeling of ecstasy. Standing there, in nothing but a towel, the love of his life stood, smiling at him.

Her hair was dripping wet, her hands softly drying it with a towel. Her bare chest was sparkling with droplets of pretty water, another towel tied just above her breasts. Her legs were freshly shaved, smooth and reflecting the sunlight, her pale skin luscious. Her body was perfect, it fit exactly against his, like two pieces of a puzzle. She stared at him for a moment, apparently filled with the same wonder and love.

A moment passed, nothing but the sound of breathing, the occasional drop of water splashing against the ground. Then, she softly laughed, a sweet sound, but quiet in the morning hour. That was all James needed to hear to melt.

'Morning, Gorgeous,' he smiled. That was basically her name now. He barely referred to her as 'Lily'. She was 'Gorgeous', or 'Flower', never Lily. She loved it.

'Morning, Birthday Boy,' she winked, walking over to him and sitting beside him, her wet towel softly falling to her waist, James gulping as he watched. No matter how many times he saw her naked, he still managed to lose himself completely. Words couldn't form in his mind, no coherent thought. It was all her.

'I hear somebody is eighteen,' she teased. 'In my world, eighteen is the age of adulthood.'

Of course, James thought. Her muggle background meant she still viewed people as coming of age at eighteen instead of seventeen.

'Now,' she spoke with a gentle ease, 'I tried to think of all of the things I could get someone at this age.'

She reached to the end of the bed, her emerald eyes - yet to be touched by any make-up - glinting in the pale light, shining as though a dozen jewels were ablaze in fire. James could wander into those eyes and never come back. He was utterly obsessed with them; their colour, their shape, their emotion. He loved them.

'This is for you,' she smiled, giving him the small present. 'I wasn't sure what to get, so I decided for a symbol instead.'

James nodded, opening the small package with ease. The ribbon softly fell apart, the paper floating away into the air and disappearing in an explosion of glitter. The charmwork that girl could produce was beyond anything he could ever attempt.

The box that was left was small, only the size of the palm of his hand. He took the lid off, left to be staring at a very simple thing. A key. He looked back up to Lily, who now had booklets in her hands, magazines stacked to her stomach.

'We talked about moving in together after Hogwarts, and I was reluctant to answer. I talked with Sirius, and we went out into some Wizarding communities, picking up some brochures, just to see what I thought.' She shyly brushed away the hair falling into her eyes. 'That key symbolises the fact that as soon as you're ready, we're going to go shopping for a house. The key means that not only am I yours emotionally forever, but I'm yours physically for all time. We're going to share a house, share a life, have a future. I want your children, I want your sadness, happiness, your love. I want you forever, James Potter. I want your last name, your family, everything. You and I, we're going to have all of that, and that's what that represents.'

James could hardly whisper. Everything he'd ever wanted had just fallen into his arms. His six years of trying had paid off. He had the girl of his dreams, the girl he was going to be with forever.

'Lily -' he spoke, her name falling off of his tongue.

'James,' she smiled, cutting him off. 'Of course, I got you something else you could have today.'

She stood up, the magazines dropping to the ground, her towel falling with them. She held up her arms to show herself off, James grinning. She kissed him, her hot breath and warm lips passionate against his. He felt any conscious mind he had left disappear.

James loved Monday mornings.

A/N

I haven't wrote anything for this website in a while, I'm ashamed I've been rather slack. However, it was my favourite character's birthday so I had to write something. James Potter means a lot to me, Jo created a character I could find strength in, he was everything I wasn't - confident, strong, funny, smart, brave, and most of all, loved. I felt all of those things through James, and he's been the source of most of my recovery of absolute helplessness. Thank you, Jo, for creating a character I love, a character I can find in myself whenever I need him. This character is my strength, the Marauders are my strength.

Thank you, Jo.