the_debt_of_time

"You, my fiery Lily flower," James said with a smile, leaning down to place a kiss
on the inside of her palm, "have a terrible habit of hexing me anytime I bring up the fact that
you're going to marry me one day."
As though the pieces suddenly fit together, Lily's face reddened. "James―"
"I'd like to trust you, and would request that you promise that you won't hex me,"
he pleaded with her, running the pad of his thumb over her knuckles as they gripped his
hand tightly.
Lily gasped. "Oh my god."
"Lily, your word," James insisted.
She smiled, tears filling her eyes. "I-I won't hex you. I promise."
When Sirius slipped Lily's wand into his hand, James took a deep breath and fiddled
with it for a few moments. "Good to know. Here's your wand back, love."
Instinctively—and likely because Sirius had held it for those few minutes—Lily
looked down at her wand, examining it carefully. She gasped when there, circled around
the centre of the wood, was a thick gold-banded ring holding up a large ruby stone that
was surrounded by a halo of small diamonds. Lily instantly pulled the ring off of her wand
and brought it to her eyes to inspect.
Mia shifted from Remus to Sirius as he re-joined them on the sofa. She smiled when
she could hear Lily mumble "Animo et astutia," under her breath, recognising the heirloom
for what it was.
"Oh goodness.. ."
"Lily Evans," James said, dropping to one knee.
The Christmas lights behind them illuminated the entire moment, sealing it in Mia's
memories forever like the magical version of a camera flash.
"I've been asking you this question since I was eleven years old. And even if you
say no—again," he muttered, and Lily laughed as she wiped tears from her eyes, "I'll keep
asking because you have a history of giving me the wrong answer. Something you're not
usually known for doing, considering how brilliant you are. Will you marry me?"
Lily did not wait a single second before shouting, "Yes!"
"Finally!" James rejoiced loudly, swooping the witch into his arms and spinning her
around in a circle.