The Invitation
Title: The Invitation
Author: lunalovepotter
Summary: Despite everything, Lily refuses to give up on her sister.
Pairing: James/Lily
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 1301
Warnings: None
Prompts: Sight ; "Love comforteth like sunshine after rain" - Venus and Adonis
Author's Notes: I've always been intrigued by the relationship (or lack thereof) between Lily and Petunia, so I decided to make that the focus of this piece. Thanks to the mods of redandthewolf for putting together this lovely challenge, and thanks to my great beta, V.
Lily hesitated before she put the envelopes in the mailbox and then hesitated again before she closed the lid. She listened as the envelopes dropped into the bin. Her heart gave a slight flutter, and tears stung her eyes. She wasn't sure this would work, but she had to try.
* * *
"Are you sure about this?" James asked skeptically as he watched Lily at the kitchen table addressing envelopes containing their wedding invitations. Lily felt his eyes on her as she tucked a lock of auburn hair over her ear; as much as she was compelled to look up, she remained focused on the task at hand.
"I'm sure," Lily replied, swallowing hard. Her hand remained stiff and resolute as she wrote the name and address.
The minute Lily knew she would be getting married she wanted to invite Petunia. Perhaps she was being naive, but a part of her deep inside didn't think so. This would be her chance to patch things up with her sister, and rebuild their relationship. She'd also considered asking Petunia to be in the wedding party, but eventually settled on simply inviting her; she didn't want to put too much pressure on her sister too quickly.
Her parents had greeted news of the engagement with great enthusiasm, but there hadn't been any response from Petunia. This rejection stung Lily more than she'd let on. She was determined to be happy, no matter what, and she refused to let her sister's misguided notions get in the way. But she was also determined to have her sister back in her life. They didn't have to agree on everything; Petunia didn't even have to like James. It would be an even trade, since Lily didn't much care for her sister's husband either.
"What makes you think she'll even acknowledge the invitation? She didn't send so much as a word when we got engaged." James sat down at the table.
"She has to know it's all right for her to come, and that I'm willing to put the past behind us."
"Suppose she's not willing to put it behind her? That woolly oaf she's married to doesn't strike me as the open-minded type." James bristled at the mention of Vernon Dursley; from the moment they'd first met, the two men had intensely disliked each other. It was a testament to his love for Lily that James hadn't strung the pig-headed Vernon up by his ankles and tormented him as he had Severus Snape. The vile things Vernon had said about Lily right to her face were enough to make James angrier than he'd ever thought he could be, and the fact that Lily's own sister had stood there and said nothing only made it worse.
Lily's throat tightened. When she raised her head, she fought hard against the tears in her eyes. "I have to try, James. I won't be able to live with myself if I don't."
James reached over the table and clasped his hand over her wrist. "Whatever you want, Lily. I just don't like seeing you get hurt, that's all."
"Hey I can take care of myself, Potter." She gave him a little smile.
"Soon, you'll be a Potter yourself you know."
Lily set down her pen and took James's hand in both of hers. "I can't wait," she said. She gazed into his eyes, and felt the tears evaporate.
* * *
James wanted to come with her to mail the invitation - next to her parents' invitation, it was the only one going by regular post - but she wanted to do it on her own. She bundled up against the late winter chill and made the walk to the corner, all the while acutely aware of the envelopes in the pocket of her coat. Her feet crunched in the snow and she thought about the snowball fights she and Petunia had had together as little girls.
She also thought of the envelope that had changed everything; the envelope that had taken her away from her sister, but had in turn given her the love of her life. She lifted the two envelopes out of her pocket and looked at them, focusing on the one addressed to Petunia. She sincerely hoped that this one would change her life all over again and give her back her sister. It was perhaps her last chance.
* * *
One week later the envelope came back unopened. The address had been crossed out violently with red pen, with "Return to Sender" written in block letters across the top in Petunia's handwriting.
Lily stood by the kitchen window for a long time, simply staring at it. She refused to believe that what she saw was real. It couldn't be real, it just couldn't. It wasn't right.
"Is that the post?" James asked, as he strode into the kitchen. He came to her side, and read over her shoulder. Lily felt his body stiffen, and his arm came around her waist. "I'm sorry, love. I know this isn't what you were hoping for." He pressed his lips into her hair.
Lily stifled a sob. "It's all right," she said. "I wasn't expecting-"
"No it's ruddy well not all right, Lily. She's your sister, and she should be there for you." James took the envelope from her hands, and although she protested at first, finally Lily consented to be taken into his arms, where she buried her face in his shoulder and inhaled the freshly showered scent of him.
"It can't be over. I won't let it be over." Lily clutched his sweater, clinging to him as if she would never let go. Her knuckles ached, and her jaw hurt from holding back the tears.
"You won't want to hear this, but maybe it's for the best. You were born in the same house, but you may as well be from different worlds. Petunia has chosen her path, and it might be time to let her go."
"She's my sister, James. I can't let her go, not ever. Even if she hates me for the rest of her life, I won't stop loving her and missing her. If things were reversed, and this was between you and Sirius, Remus, or Peter, would you be willing let go?"
James sighed deeply. He curled his finger under her chin and tilted her head up. "Absolutely not," he said.
"So then you understand why I can't." Lily brushed her hand along his jaw and over his mouth. He pursed his lips together and kissed her fingers.
"She doesn't deserve you as a sister. You're too good to her."
Lily bristled, and she stepped back out of James's arms. "Petunia's only afraid of what she doesn't understand, that's all. She's not a bad person."
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that. But I love you so bloody much, sometimes I speak with my heart more than my head." James framed her face in his hands, and bent his head to kiss her. His mouth was soft but insistent as his tongue slipped between her teeth. "My only concern is for you," he whispered. "I only want you to be happy, Lily."
She melted into his kiss, curling her arms up over his shoulders and rifling her fingers through his hair. With every pulse of his mouth, and the beat of his heart against her chest she felt more relaxed. He held her close, lifting her off her feet and nearly squeezing the breath out of her.
"I am happy," she murmured. She wrapped her legs around his waist and locked her ankles, and he curled his hands under her bottom to hold her up. Lily gazed into his soft, dark eyes and she felt strong. "And I love you."
Author: lunalovepotter
Summary: Despite everything, Lily refuses to give up on her sister.
Pairing: James/Lily
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 1301
Warnings: None
Prompts: Sight ; "Love comforteth like sunshine after rain" - Venus and Adonis
Author's Notes: I've always been intrigued by the relationship (or lack thereof) between Lily and Petunia, so I decided to make that the focus of this piece. Thanks to the mods of redandthewolf for putting together this lovely challenge, and thanks to my great beta, V.
Lily hesitated before she put the envelopes in the mailbox and then hesitated again before she closed the lid. She listened as the envelopes dropped into the bin. Her heart gave a slight flutter, and tears stung her eyes. She wasn't sure this would work, but she had to try.
* * *
"Are you sure about this?" James asked skeptically as he watched Lily at the kitchen table addressing envelopes containing their wedding invitations. Lily felt his eyes on her as she tucked a lock of auburn hair over her ear; as much as she was compelled to look up, she remained focused on the task at hand.
"I'm sure," Lily replied, swallowing hard. Her hand remained stiff and resolute as she wrote the name and address.
The minute Lily knew she would be getting married she wanted to invite Petunia. Perhaps she was being naive, but a part of her deep inside didn't think so. This would be her chance to patch things up with her sister, and rebuild their relationship. She'd also considered asking Petunia to be in the wedding party, but eventually settled on simply inviting her; she didn't want to put too much pressure on her sister too quickly.
Her parents had greeted news of the engagement with great enthusiasm, but there hadn't been any response from Petunia. This rejection stung Lily more than she'd let on. She was determined to be happy, no matter what, and she refused to let her sister's misguided notions get in the way. But she was also determined to have her sister back in her life. They didn't have to agree on everything; Petunia didn't even have to like James. It would be an even trade, since Lily didn't much care for her sister's husband either.
"What makes you think she'll even acknowledge the invitation? She didn't send so much as a word when we got engaged." James sat down at the table.
"She has to know it's all right for her to come, and that I'm willing to put the past behind us."
"Suppose she's not willing to put it behind her? That woolly oaf she's married to doesn't strike me as the open-minded type." James bristled at the mention of Vernon Dursley; from the moment they'd first met, the two men had intensely disliked each other. It was a testament to his love for Lily that James hadn't strung the pig-headed Vernon up by his ankles and tormented him as he had Severus Snape. The vile things Vernon had said about Lily right to her face were enough to make James angrier than he'd ever thought he could be, and the fact that Lily's own sister had stood there and said nothing only made it worse.
Lily's throat tightened. When she raised her head, she fought hard against the tears in her eyes. "I have to try, James. I won't be able to live with myself if I don't."
James reached over the table and clasped his hand over her wrist. "Whatever you want, Lily. I just don't like seeing you get hurt, that's all."
"Hey I can take care of myself, Potter." She gave him a little smile.
"Soon, you'll be a Potter yourself you know."
Lily set down her pen and took James's hand in both of hers. "I can't wait," she said. She gazed into his eyes, and felt the tears evaporate.
* * *
James wanted to come with her to mail the invitation - next to her parents' invitation, it was the only one going by regular post - but she wanted to do it on her own. She bundled up against the late winter chill and made the walk to the corner, all the while acutely aware of the envelopes in the pocket of her coat. Her feet crunched in the snow and she thought about the snowball fights she and Petunia had had together as little girls.
She also thought of the envelope that had changed everything; the envelope that had taken her away from her sister, but had in turn given her the love of her life. She lifted the two envelopes out of her pocket and looked at them, focusing on the one addressed to Petunia. She sincerely hoped that this one would change her life all over again and give her back her sister. It was perhaps her last chance.
* * *
One week later the envelope came back unopened. The address had been crossed out violently with red pen, with "Return to Sender" written in block letters across the top in Petunia's handwriting.
Lily stood by the kitchen window for a long time, simply staring at it. She refused to believe that what she saw was real. It couldn't be real, it just couldn't. It wasn't right.
"Is that the post?" James asked, as he strode into the kitchen. He came to her side, and read over her shoulder. Lily felt his body stiffen, and his arm came around her waist. "I'm sorry, love. I know this isn't what you were hoping for." He pressed his lips into her hair.
Lily stifled a sob. "It's all right," she said. "I wasn't expecting-"
"No it's ruddy well not all right, Lily. She's your sister, and she should be there for you." James took the envelope from her hands, and although she protested at first, finally Lily consented to be taken into his arms, where she buried her face in his shoulder and inhaled the freshly showered scent of him.
"It can't be over. I won't let it be over." Lily clutched his sweater, clinging to him as if she would never let go. Her knuckles ached, and her jaw hurt from holding back the tears.
"You won't want to hear this, but maybe it's for the best. You were born in the same house, but you may as well be from different worlds. Petunia has chosen her path, and it might be time to let her go."
"She's my sister, James. I can't let her go, not ever. Even if she hates me for the rest of her life, I won't stop loving her and missing her. If things were reversed, and this was between you and Sirius, Remus, or Peter, would you be willing let go?"
James sighed deeply. He curled his finger under her chin and tilted her head up. "Absolutely not," he said.
"So then you understand why I can't." Lily brushed her hand along his jaw and over his mouth. He pursed his lips together and kissed her fingers.
"She doesn't deserve you as a sister. You're too good to her."
Lily bristled, and she stepped back out of James's arms. "Petunia's only afraid of what she doesn't understand, that's all. She's not a bad person."
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that. But I love you so bloody much, sometimes I speak with my heart more than my head." James framed her face in his hands, and bent his head to kiss her. His mouth was soft but insistent as his tongue slipped between her teeth. "My only concern is for you," he whispered. "I only want you to be happy, Lily."
She melted into his kiss, curling her arms up over his shoulders and rifling her fingers through his hair. With every pulse of his mouth, and the beat of his heart against her chest she felt more relaxed. He held her close, lifting her off her feet and nearly squeezing the breath out of her.
"I am happy," she murmured. She wrapped her legs around his waist and locked her ankles, and he curled his hands under her bottom to hold her up. Lily gazed into his soft, dark eyes and she felt strong. "And I love you."