Author Note: Wow! So I simply cannot believe that this is the last chapter of Completely Incomplete. It's been an awesome two-and-a-half years writing for all of you & I hope you had fun along the ride! You all have been great readers and I only hope you'll read my other stories and enjoy those too. Thank you all for being so great. I hope you enjoy the final chapter, inordinately corny as it may be!
OH! And Happy Christmas to all of you:)
Chapter Twenty
June 1978
"Lily, seriously, we have to go now!" James exclaimed, trying to sit up straight on the couch.
Lily laughed and kissed James anyway, lightly pulling him back down again. "Later," she told him, not wanting to leave just yet.
"Now." James tried to use a sterner tone this time, but to no avail – he couldn't keep himself away from her. "All right, maybe in a few minutes," he murmured, pressing himself closer to her. "I didn't realize you wanted me this badly."
"Oh, but I do," Lily said truthfully, deepening the kiss.
Though part of James advised him against it, he finally regained enough composure to stand up and break the kiss. "We really have to go, Lily."
Lily sat up, and shot him a puzzled look. "The one time I'm throwing myself at you, and you want to go to Hogsmeade?" she asked, bewildered.
"It's just that we promised everyone we would meet them there, and it's our last trip before we leave," James reasoned (somewhat uncharacteristically). "Besides, there's something… er… important I have to do there."
Lily crossed her arms. "What's that… kidnap Madam Rosmerta and bring her back with you?"
James grinned. "Good idea… but no. Can't tell you right this minute, but we have to go now. Trust me on this, Lily – it's important."
Lily sighed. "Fine, James. I trust you." She stood up and began to head toward the portrait hole.
"Oh, and Lily?"
Lily turned around.
"The events prior... to be continued?" James asked hopefully.
Lily bit her lip and nodded. "How can I resist?"
James's grin widened. "Nobody ever can. Now let's go."
"Can you believe this will be our last time here together?" Lily asked sadly.
She sat in the usual booth, along with James, Sirius, Jerrica, and Peter, in the middle of The Three Broomsticks, looking around somewhat nostalgically. Sipping her butterbeer, she smiled softly, remembering all of the fond memories she had of Hogsmeade, and could not imagine where the time had gone.
"I know," Jerrica agreed with a nod. "What are we going to do without The Three Broomsticks?"
Sirius shook his head. "Stop being such girls!" he replied with a laugh. "It's our last time here as students, but that doesn't mean they're barring us forever. We can still come back."
Peter sighed. "They're right, though. It wouldn't be the same."
"Well, I know I'll be back someday," James announced, grinning. "Madam Rosmerta wouldn't be able to survive without my visits." He tossed a wink at the attractive young barmaid, who responded with an eye-roll and an attempt not to smile.
Lily smacked him lightly against the chest. "It sounds like your next visit will be alone," she told him mock-threateningly.
James flinched slightly, then draped an arm around the Head Girl. "You know you'd never leave me, love."
Sirius laughed at this banter, as Selena and Remus came to join them, butterbeers in hand.
"Oi! Where have you two lovebirds been hiding?" Sirius inquired.
Selena blushed profusely at this, while Remus seemed relatively unabashed. Though it was obvious that the two of them had feelings for one another (and had probably acted upon those feelings), nothing was official yet, and as far as Selena was concerned, nobody knew of anything that had gone on between them.
"We were up at the bar ordering our drinks," lied Remus. (The two had actually been outside snogging behind the building.)
Selena nodded to corroborate the story, as the two slid into the booth. The seven friends continued to reminisce about the many memories they'd had within this village over the years.
As they finished their drinks, the friends headed outside, where they discussed their plans for the afternoon.
"I really want to go to Sadie's Boutique and see if there isn't something pretty I can wear to Lily's sister's wedding," Jerrica announced. "There was a coupon in Witch Weekly."
"Count me in!" Selena exclaimed, whipping out a coupon of her own. "I need something to wear too."
"Why can't girls ever wear the same dress twice?" Sirius asked incredulously. "I'm planning on wearing the same dress robes I wore to the New Years' Banquet."
Remus crossed his arms. "Well, while you're all looking for clothes, I wanted to go to Honeydukes' and pick up some chocolate one last time. Anyone want to come with me?"
Peter grinned. "I'll come!"
"James, where are you off to?" Lily asked.
James shook his head. "That's top secret information," he responded, seemingly serious. "Only Padfoot can come with me."
Though this confused Lily, she nodded in agreement. "Fine," she said. "Then I'll go to Sadie's with the girls."
Everyone began to part ways, when suddenly James grabbed Lily's hand and pulled her back to him.
"What is it, James?" Lily asked, even more confused than before.
"Meet me at Honeydukes' in about an hour, all right?" he whispered in her ear.
Lily gave him a half smile. "Sure," she answered slowly, before running off with her friends.
"What do you think of this one?" Jerrica asked, holding up a purple dress. "I mean, it's nice, but is it me?"
Lily smiled. "It screams you. Now go try it on."
Jerrica headed over to the fitting room as Selena was walking out.
Selena twirled around in the pink dress she had chosen. "How's it look?" she asked.
"Wonderful," Lily said truthfully. "All the Muggles at Petunia's wedding will be begging you and Jer to tell them where you bought your dresses."
Selena cocked her head to the side in thought. "The guests don't know we're witches?"
Lily shook her head. "Not exactly, and we're not to tell them. We have to be careful what we say around them, you know? I doubt if even Vernon's family knows."
Selena nodded in understanding.
Suddenly two of the fitting room doors opened. Jerrica stepped out, looking gorgeous in the dress she had chosen, and turned to see who had walked out of the room beside her. There she saw none other than Greta Catchlove, wearing the same dress as she wore.
Jerrica, Lily, and Selena exchanged looks, as Greta pretended to ignore them and talk to her friend (a semi-familiar Ravenclaw who had been standing nearby) before returning to the fitting room.
"The dress looks much better on you than on her," Selena told Jerrica.
Jerrica grinned. "Thanks, 'Lena. Whatever happened to that girl, anyway? She sort of melted off the planet after you and James got back together."
Lily smiled. "I hear she's back with Amos. The prats deserve each other."
"I can hear you!" shouted a voice from the fitting rooms.
The three friends giggled quietly, knowing that karma had finally worked itself out.
As they left the store, James pocketed the small box, and turned to Sirius.
"Do you think she'll like it?" he asked nervously.
Sirius sighed, having answered this question at least ten times by now. "Yes," he answered. "She'll love it."
James smiled to himself, satisfied with this answer. Then, he grew nervous again.
"What if she says no?"
Sirius shook his head. "You know that's not going to happen, mate. Not after everything you two have been through this year."
"Man, I feel like I'm getting ready for my first Quidditch match or something," James said with a laugh. "I just hope this turns out better than the match did."
"Oh, I remember that… you fell off your broom about five minutes into the game, no?" Sirius laughed.
James nodded. "Not exactly my moment of glory," he said grimly.
Sirius grinned at his friend. "No worries, Prongsie. She'll be thrilled."
"I hope so," James replied. He paused for a moment. "Thanks for coming with me, mate. You have no idea what this means to me."
"Any time, James. I know you'll do the same for me."
And now, it was only a matter of time.
"So, what do you think the boys are doing right now?" Lily asked as they walked around Hogsmeade.
"Sirius is off with your crazy boyfriend, fulfilling some kind of secret mission – remember?" Jerrica laughed. "I wonder if it doesn't involve some kind of pranks at Zonko's?"
Selena shrugged. "Want to check Zonko's for them?" she suggested, hoping that Remus might have wandered over there by chance.
Lily looked at the time and shook her head. "You two can go ahead. I promised James I'd meet him by Honeydukes' in a few minutes. I'll let you know what the secret mission was as soon as he tells me."
"Good luck!" her friends called out to her as they separated.
Lily turned the corner to see James pacing in front of their favorite sweets shop. She smiled to herself, wondering what he was up to. "You're a little early," she said.
James grinned back at her. "Come here," he told her, taking her hand and leading her down the street, directly in front of a tree.
"Do you remember where this is?" he asked.
Lily shook her head, confused. "The most random spot you could think of?" she guessed jokingly.
James crossed his arms. "Lily. You don't remember? This is the spot where we first kissed."
"Oh no, how could I forget?" Lily laughed good-naturedly. "I didn't slap you that day, did I?"
James grinned. "I was the happiest guy in the world that night. I had loved you for so long and that was the first time I saw that you might actually grow to love me back one day."
"You were right," Lily said, beaming. "I do love you, James."
"Good to hear." He paused for a moment. "You looked so beautiful in the moonlight, Lily," he continued. "And I know I sound completely cliché and corny right now, but I don't care. I want you to know that when we're together, you make me happier than anyone else has ever made me feel. I've never felt for any other girl the way I feel for you."
Lily couldn't hold back her smile. She could feel her eyes begin to well up.
"You know more about me than anyone else, and I think I know just as much about you. I know that you wouldn't name your child after something that reminds you of lunchmeat. I know that you're a hard egg to crack, but that once you've opened up to someone, you're fiercely loyal to that person. I know that you hate to play Wizard's Chess, but that you play it with me anyway to shut me up. And I know that you have the prettiest smile I've ever seen.
"Lily, I love to see you smile. I would do anything in my power to make you happy. And I know we're young, but if you were to ask me who I'd want to spend the rest of my life with, my answer would be the same today as it would be in fifty years. The answer is you and it will always be you, because without you, I'm completely incomplete."
He knelt down and pulled a small box out of his robe pocket. He opened it up to reveal a ring, and then looked up longingly at a wide-eyed Lily.
"So I'm asking you now, in the middle of Hogsmeade, if you would let me make that possible." He took a deep breath. "Lily, will you marry me?"
Lily tried to blink back the tears, but she couldn't do it. "Yes!" she told him, laughing and crying at the same time. "Nothing would make me happier."
James grinned and slipped the ring onto Lily's finger. "No slap?" he asked jokingly, trying to contain his happiness. "Because you should know, I like fiery redheads."
"Get used to it," she said, smiling as she wrapped her arms around him. She stood on tiptoe and kissed him. "Because you're stuck with the fieriest redhead of all."
"Good," James replied, kissing her back. "I'm up for the challenge."
And as they walked away from Honeydukes, hand in hand, they knew they would be ready to face any challenges that stood in their way.
Final Author Note: I hope this wasn't too corny for everyone's taste! It was hard to write the proposal scene, partly because I've never actually been proposed to (har har har), but I guess I was feeling sentimental, finally wrapping up this story after so many months. So much has changed in the time that this story has been written, in my life and I'm sure in yours as well. I hope you've enjoyed the time spent reading this story, and I hope to hear from you in the future. I hope you enjoyed! Best of luck in everything you do.
Acknowledgments: I would like to thank everyone who has read and reviewed this story. You have no idea how much you have helped me along the way. I also would like to specifically thankvintagebluejeans, CurryCurran, chopperchick123, -Jeisa-, RavieGrint, missvee, Mrs Claire Potter, Sterling Fire Kittie, PinkKittyMeow, cosmopolitan, BrazilianPrincess, Cardboard, KJ COLLECTIONS, Lo, Loz727, TheHorcruxHunter, and LilyHeartsJames for their reviews on Chapter 18 and 19. Thank you all so, so, so much for all of your kind words. I hope this final chapter doesn't disappoint!