The Marauders: Year Seven Part Two

Happy Birthday, You Idiot

James ordered what seemed like half the menu when they found a place to order food from. He felt positively famished, as though it had been days, rather than hours, since they'd eaten. They opted for take away and their food was packed up into a bag, which James carried back to the inn, following alongside Lily as they walked, groaning because of how good it smelled even through the containers, his arm 'round Lily's shoulders protectively. They got back to the inn, nodded to the wizard at the reception desk as they passed by, and went directly to their room. 

They had a little table in the room, which James spread with their food and, on a whim, he fetched his wand and produced a couple of mood-lighting candles that flickered and glowed. He grinned at his cleverness, and they sat down to supper in the privacy of their room.

Lily was still strangely quiet, and distracted, staring out the window at the purpling sky. 

"Oi Evans," James said 'round a mouthful of chips, "You alright?"

"Yes I'm alright," she replied, smiling and looking 'round at him. "You keep asking me that."

"Because you keep staring off into the ether with a strange far-away look on your face," he said.

Lily hmm'd and turned back to him, looking down at her barely-touched container of food, and turning to fix her tea. 

"You sure Mopsus didn't do any funny turns earlier?" he asked, a frown on his face.

Lily shook her head and sipped her tea. When James continued to look at her in concern, she said, "How's your supper, Potter?"

James nodded, "Great," he said, "Really good. The burger's good and drippy just the way I like." He grinned as he lifted his cheeseburger from the container and waved it for her to see, a bit of sauce going up his wrist, which he licked off quickly.

Lily laughed, "You're so disgusting."

"Because I don't want to waste a single bit?" he asked, "Blimey, excuse me for relishing my dinner."

Lily said, "For licking yourself. You know the sort of heart patters you would've given Sirius just now, flapping your tongue all about like that?"

James smirked. "Oh, it's Sirius you're thinking of now, is it? Didn't give you a bit of a patter at all, huh?"

Lily rolled her eyes, "Please."

"My tongue doesn't do you in, Evans?" he asked, lolling it out for her to see.

"Put that thing away, Potter," she said, laughing. "You'll give me nightmares. I'll wake up in the night shouting about it."

James's eyes twinkled. "You know what Sirius would have to say about that, don't you? Waking up shouting in the night thinking about my tongue?"

Lily laughed, "Gods, he's corrupted us both, hasn't he? That stupid dog."

"Barking mad, he is," James agreed.

Lily shook her head, "I canine believe we put up with him, really."

"Good one, Evans."

"Thank you, Potter."

"You ought to take a... bow-wow."

"Lame."

"I'm sorry, I was just still so mesmerized by yours that my punny-ness has failed me." He paused. "It's getting ruff to think of new ones."

Lily laughed, then, quite suddenly, she produced a small box onto the table between them, and said, "Happy Birthday, you idiot."

James was taken by surprise, and it registered on his face as his eyebrows went up and he blinked at the little, neatly wrapped package. "What's this?" he asked in a tone that, as soon as he spoke it, reminded him very much of his father for some reason so that he laughed at himself as he reached for the little box.