Unofficial Portkey Archive

"Come aboard, we're expecting you
Love, life's sweetest reward
Let it flow, it floats back to you
Love Boat soon will be making another run."
-Love Boat, Paul Williams

Chapter Eleven

"You are so whipped," Sirius glared at him, while the Healer prodded his back. Lily had taken one look at Sirius and proceeded to chew James out for letting him injure himself further. Whereas a simple spell would have sufficed before, now Sirius would have to spend at least a day at St. Mungo's. Lily also threatened James with no more back massages if James failed to deliver and watch Sirius until he was fully healed.

"I am not whipped, I'm concerned about you as well," James shifted uncomfortably.

"'James Potter! If you don't sit there and make sure he gets the attention he needs, I will never even think about massages ever again!'" Sirius mocked. James blushed slightly; the Healer gave him a suggestive look.

"There!" said the Healer after a bit. "All finished."

"See? Nothing to worry about!" Sirius said, pushing himself up by his arms. After a second, he let out a howl of pain and fell back to the bed. "I thought you said you were finished!"

"I am finished," the Healer said, scribbling something on a pad of paper. "You'll just be sore for a day or two, falling on your back is nasty business. You should probably stay here until you're well enough to walk."

"It's all right, Sirius," came a voice from the other side of the curtain. James moved them aside and they saw fellow Auror Marlene McKinnon laying on her back, smiling at them. "I'm here for a while too."

"What happened to you?" Sirius asked, adjusting himself so that he could look at her.

"Some little arsewipe who liked to use the Crutacious curse. I don't know who he is, his voice doesn't sound familiar," Marlene shook her head. "The Healers say that I need to stay here for a day to rest."

"I could kill Lily," Sirius grumbled.

"You can also live with lying in a bed for a few hours," James said, plopping himself down in a chair between the two beds.

"Fine, since we're here, how about we start practicing with the beans?" Sirius said, reaching into his robes and pulling out a can of beans. James blinked at him.

"You carried those all throughout the battle?" he stared.

"You never know when you needed to spill the beans," Sirius said, grinning. "I needed to be there in case the mood showed up to tell you it was the right time to open the can."

Marlene raised her eyebrows. "Do you think that we need to call the Healer to see if his mind has been addled?"

James snorted. "It's too late, he's been like this for too long."

"Fine," Sirius pushed himself up to give Marlene a very snarky and knowing expression. "We're talking about James proposing to his girlfriend."

James sat up. "Hey!"

"See what you get for being snarky?" Sirius said. "I'll tell your secrets." He laughed, but that hurt his back too much so he stopped and fell back onto the bed.

"See what you get for being snarky?" James hissed back.

"So, that's what you've been trying to do," Marlene chuckled. "We all had bets going."

"What?!" James sputtered.

"Yeah, Lily's been telling us all about your little failed adventures. I suppose Alice gets the pot then..."

James blinked at her. "You mean to tell me that you had wagers going on what I was doing? And Lily was in on it?"

"Oh yes," Marlene nodded. "Alice Longbottom thought you were going to propose, Dorcas thought that you were trying to break up with her, Willow Smith from the Department of International Cooperation thinks that you're trying to ask her to have a threesome with some other girl, Marion Keller from Department of Magical Games and Sports thinks you're really a dark wizard and are planning to turn her into a slug, Addy Walker thought that you were trying to tell her that you were a vampire, Ashley O'Leary thought that you were trying to tell her that you were pregnant..."

James stared at her, stupified. "All of these people put money in to bet what I was trying to tell my girlfriend?"

"Of course we did, we aren't stupid you know."

"But I haven't asked her yet, so you can't tell anyone," James said, panicked.

"So tell her," Marlene shrugged.

"That's the problem," Sirius spoke up again. "He's a chicken shit."

"Chicken shit!" pipped the voice from the doorway.

"Percy!" One of the Prewett twins swept him up in his arms and walked away, telling him off for running away. "Your mummy is going to spank you for running away again!"

James sighed. "I just don't know. I can't seem to choke out the words..."

"Maybe I can help," Marlene offered.

"Oh, I don't think you can..." Sirius muttered.

"What's your idea?" James ignored him.

"I have this boat down in the Carribean, anchored in St. John's Bay. You could take Lily out on a romantic cruise, propose to her as the sun's setting."

"Why would that be any different from any of the other ideas?" Sirius asked.

"In the first place, you two would be all alone on a boat," Marlene said. "It could get you in the mood. In the second place, it has anti-Apparating charms on it and once you set it to go a certain speed around a certain place, you can't change it. So that would mean that you either stall for three hours or tell her and get it over with."

James grinned. "Sounds great!"

"You won't do it," Sirius shook his head.

"Fine friend you are," Marlene glared at him. "It's worth a try, isn't it?"

"Yeah, of course it is," James grinned. "Thanks Marlene!"

"Anytime..." she said. "Besides, Alice could use that 300 galleons."

"Three hundred galleons!?"

He was pumped.

Pumped.

He was going to do it tonight, if it killed him.

He had told Lily to take the night off, and he had told Moody that he was taking the night off.

He told Lily not to eat and to be home by six.

He had dinner reservations at the Tamarind Club on Tortula, the largest British Virgin Island. He had consulted Remus before he made the reservations, just to be absolutely sure, and Remus had pointed out that the Islands were four hours behind them. So the reservations were for four in the afternoon (which was eight at night in England).

Marlene had taken him down to the boat yesterday to show him how to work it. She showed him the automatic course charter and how to work it, and then she helped him chart his four hour voyage around Josiah's Bay so that he'd be at just the right point to see the sun set, and she told him that would be the ideal spot to propose marriage.

He had a picture of the place where they were Apparating to, so Lily could visualize it perfectly.

He had her clothes laying out on the bed.

He had the ring in his pocket.

Tonight.

Was his night.

Lily came home at six o'clock on the nose, giving him an enthusiastic kiss and hug. He returned it and led her into the bedroom to show her the clothes he had picked out for her.

"A sundress?" Lily asked, raising her eyebrows. "It's the beginning of February...where am I going to wear a sundress?"

"On Tortula," James said, smoothly, taking off his sweater to reveal a very tropical-looking orange shirt with white flowers, then he picked up the picture and showed it to her. "On the BVI."

"The...Virgin Islands?" Lily said, smiling. "Going on holiday a bit early aren't we?"

"I thought I'd take you out somewhere nice for dinner," James said, helping her take off her button-down shirt and unbuttoning her pants. "Are you taking a shower first?"

"Yeah, probably," Lily said. "Why, do you want to take one with me?"

James just grinned.

They arrived at the Tamarind club at three-forty-five, and were promptly sat next to the window. The sun was still out, but was shining beautifully on the crystal-clear water. James looked up to Lily, who was grinning happily, and took her hand.

"The water is the same color as your eyes," James whispered, squeezing her hand. "Beautiful."

Lily blushed. "I didn't know there was such a color as beautiful."

He leaned over the table and Lily met him halfway in a kiss. He sat back down and smiled at her. "I love you so much," he whispered.

"I love you, too," Lily said, back. "Is this Valentine's day, or something?"

"Valentine's day isn't for another five days," James reminded her.

"But..." Lily smiled. "Why tonight?"

"I was feeling romantic," James said, taking her other hand. "And I thought we needed a night off."

"You're so adorable," Lily giggled.

"I know."

Lily rolled her eyes. "You never change, do you, Potter?"

"I changed for you, didn't I?" James said, kissing her knuckle.

"No, not really," Lily shook her head. "I just realized that I liked you being a big git." She reached forward and played with his hair.

"I like you being mine," he said, smiling.

"I like that too," she said, smiling back at him.

After dinner, James took Lily down to the seaside and led her along the waterfront until they reached the boats.

"Let's go on the dock, shall we?" James asked, leading her towards it. Lily nodded, happily and followed.

"Such pretty boats," Lily sighed, putting her head against James' shoulder. They stopped at one of the more larger ones and James looked down at her.

"Want to go out on it?" he asked, mischievously.

"James, we can't steal a boat," Lily sighed, tugging him away.

"Why not, Marlene said we could use it as long as we wanted," James grinned, getting onto the boat and holding his arms out for her to jump into them.

"M-Marlene?" Lily gasped. "Marlene McKinnon?"

"Yeah, I asked her the other day," James said, holding out his arms again. "I fancied a sail around Josiah's Bay, what do you say?"

Lily stepped into his arms and he pulled her into the ship, smiling. "James, you don't know how to sail a boat...."

"Are you going to trust me, or are you going to trust me?" James said. "Now, get your cute arse up to the front while I get things ready back here."

"Cute arse, hm?" Lily said, climbing up onto the side of the yacht.

"And be sure to bend over a lot," James called, as he tapped the automatic system with his wand. Lily turned back and glared at him, sitting down on the bow of the ship and watching them leave the dock. Once James was sure that things were working properly, he joined her up front, as they left the harbor and sailed out into the bay.

"James, who's driving?" Lily asked, scooting into his arms.

"It's automatic, m'dear," James answered, smiling. He was feeling a bit odd, as if he wasn't digesting properly. He attributed it to nerves, but it was really making him feel sort of sick.

"This is amazing," Lily said, letting the wind blow through her hair. "Absolutely amazing." She leaned up and kissed him. James thought that maybe a quick snog with Lily would settle his increasingly upset stomach.

Unfortunately, he had to break away from her, groaning slightly, a pounding in his head. He put his hand to his forehead and breathed in through his nose and out through his mouth, but nothing seemed to be working. The fish he had just eaten seemed to be alive and kicking in his stomach.

"Baby?" Lily asked, putting her hand to his chest. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," James said, breathing out very slowly.

"Are you seasick?" Lily asked.

"No, no," James shook his head. "I'm fine..."

"Do you want me to see if there's any water on the boat?" Lily asked, brushing her hand over his hair.

"Yeah," James nodded, meekly. Lily left his side and disappeared, and James laid back against the hatch on the bow of the boat and whimpered silently. The boat rocked under him and made him feel even sicker, so he sat back up.

Lily showed up with a martini glass she had found downstairs filled with some ice. She handed it to James and put her arms around him, rubbing his stomach gently.

"I'm sorry you feel bad, Baby," Lily whispered. "Maybe if we stop the boat?"

James looked at his watch. It was almost seven, and he and Marlene had planned on letting the boat sit for an hour, while they watched the sun set.

"It's ok, the boat's going to be stopping soon," James nodded, taking a few of the ice cubes into his mouth and crunching them up.

"Want to lay down in my lap?" Lily offered when the boat came to a halt. James nodded and laid his head down in her lap, whining quietly. She put her hands in his hair and rubbed his scalp, trying to make him feel better. "So what's wrong?"

"My stomach hurts," James said. "And my head hurts too..."

"Poor baby," Lily said. "Are you feeling any better since we stopped?"

"No," James sat up and scooted against the side of the boat, leaning on the ropes. Lily scooted over to join him and put her head on his shoulder. James put his hand in his pocket and felt the ring. He'd better go ahead and get this proposal over with before the fish came back for an encore.

"Lily..." James said, kissing the side of her cheek.

"Yes?"

"Lily, would you..."

"Yes?" Lily asked, looking at him. James groaned.

"Would you look the other way..." He said before leaning over the side of the boat and emptying the contents of his stomach. Lily put her hand on his back and rubbed gently until he was done with his first wave.

But James, who was astounded that he had so much in his stomach in the first place, was going for round two, and saw the remnants of his pasta lunch come out of his mouth. Just when he thought it was over, round three came running by.

"Poor Baby, do you want to Apparate home?" Lily asked, kissing his sweaty forehead.

"Can't," James grunted, wiping his mouth weakly. "Marlene put some Anti-Apparating charm on the boat so nobody can attack them, and I don't know how to rechart the course to go home."

"How much longer do we have then?" Lily asked, getting up and going to the back of the boat to find a towel to wipe his mouth.

James looked at his watch. "An hour."

Lily came back and dabbed his mouth with the towel. "I'm sorry this turned out so horrible for you..."

"Yeah, me too..." James whined, putting his head over the side of the boat.

Sirius heard movement on the other side of the flat and poked his head on the other side of the door to see what was the hubbub. He immediately frowned when he saw Lily lowering James onto the couch and covering him up with a blanket.

"What happened?" Sirius asked. Lily went to the kitchen and grabbed a glass of water.

"James got a bit seasick," Lily sighed, bringing it back to him. He took it gingerly and brought the glass to his lips, drinking a little bit before lying back down.

"Seasick?" Sirius blinked.

"Yeah, poor guy," Lily sighed, running her hand through his messy locks.

"Seasick...worst bloody luck..." Sirius rolled his eyes and walked back to his flat.