I wish I was special

"Do you think we could invite Doe over for dinner? Well, I suppose Marls as well? I really would like to see them." Mary asked from her position by the unlit fireplace.

They had moved together into the smaller cottage but they were currently looking at options for a house that wasn't right next to Mary's frightening mother. Her mother was way too defensive about Mary, Peter couldn't blame her but she did not have to act against him. He loved Mary with all of his heart. Which meant he would never hurt her or try to hurt her. Her mother was extremely intense, and to be perfectly honest, terrified Peter... more than his own mother. Which was one of the reason's he was excited to find someplace else. A place of their own, without any parents.

He looked up from the project he was currently working at, to look at her. She was beautiful. So beautiful. And she had also asked a question. Which took priority over sitting there in silence admiring her beauty.

"Doe is on a mission tonight. I'm sure Marls would appreciate the company though. Do you want to ring her or shall we invite someone else over?"

"Let's just ring her. We don't want her to be alone and if we start inviting the Marauders we'll have way too many people in this house." Mary laughed lightly. She started to get up, but Peter stopped her.

"Let me, darling." He said quietly, the word feeling weird to actually be able to say. He then proceeded to get up, gently pulling the yarn off of his body and putting it on the sofa, where it would wait until he came back.

"Why thank you my darling, oh and tell Marls to bring potatoes. A lot of them." Mary responded, offering a smile to him.

He felt his insides get jittery again. Even though they had lived together for a while, this was all new. Even though they had been dating even longer than that, this all felt new. Every glance at him, every smile, made him feel euphoric. It was amazing, and he was rather addicted to her smile. She was just so beautiful and kind, and perfect and he loved her so much.

He had started to spin the dial on the phone for Marlene's number when there was a crack and a thudding noise outside.

"Go...go...g...go... go hide." He turned to Mary, trying to be brave. His stutter showed otherwise but he needed to put on a brave face. He could be brave with her around.

She shook her head, pulling out her wand. "I'm with you forever Peter, and that means now."

Peter just nodded, not wanting to fight with her. He also pulled out his wand and together they headed outside.

A quick look to the left, nothing. A quick look to the right, a foot.

They both crept towards the body, Peter recognizing it first.

"Prongs," he kneeled down next to the bleeding man.

"Wormy," James looked sheepishly at him. "Sorry to intrude, I just couldn't go back home. Not in this state. Lily would kill me."

"You already look dead, Potter," Mary said as she cast a quick levitation charm on him so they could move him inside.

He smiled weakly. "That's really what I want to hear from all the ladies."

Peter sort of glared at him before opening the door so they could get James in easily. He then proceeded to put away his knitting supplies and put a sheet over the couch.

Once James was on the couch, Peter tore off his bloodied shirt.

Prongs' chest was discoloured and very bruised. The skin had barely been broken, which meant the majority of the blood was coming from the head.

"Babe, get some hydrogen peroxide pour some on a rag and start disinfecting his chest. I'll handle his face."

Peter nodded, muttering a quick "accio hydrogen peroxide" and nearly dropping it when it came to his hand. He then did as she told him and got to work on his best mate's chest.

James winced in pain, then bit down on a clean rag Mary gave him.

Meanwhile, Mary had stopped the bleeding coming from the skull and nose.

She then got a clean rag and started cleaning his wounds. It was important to clean up any harmful bacteria before fixing up wounds, Mary had informed him. It was a muggle idea but she explained that without disinfecting it people could still die even if you magicked it up properly.

Peter then switched places with her as she started mending the skin back together. Healing magic was not his strong suit and he didn't want to mess up James Potter forever. That's not what friends did.

Once she had finished pushing the skin in place, they traded places again.

Soon enough, a patched-up James Potter was lying on their couch.

He made a move to get up and leave but Peter stopped him.

"You need rest," was all he said.

"Stay the night," Mary offered.

Peter couldn't but feel insecure about the whole scenario. Sure James had told Mary that Peter liked her, but he was also much better at Peter than anything and everything. If he decided he wanted Mary, he could just take her. These thoughts were constantly rushing through his head, he could barely listen to the conversation that was progressing.

"Why would she be jealous?" Mary scrunched up her pretty face into a slightly less pretty face.

"I mean staying at another woman's house that's not my mother? She's under loads of stress and even though I promised myself to her she's assuming I will stray." James explained, all while propping himself into a sitting position.

"I'll take your place. I'll go over there spend the night, tell her that you two are having a boy's night. It'll be just like the old days." Mary offered.

Peter nodded. This plan was a better idea than having Prongs stay the night with his and only his Mary.

"Tell her I love her," James called out as Mary started packing an overnight bag.

Peter smiled at that slightly and then went into the bedroom to say his goodbyes to her. It was only for tonight.

She pulled him into a hug. "Tomorrow morning, I'll be back. I promise. I love you."

He wrapped his arms around her gingerly, making sure she was comfortable before replying. "I love you too. Please come back I need you." He muttered.

She pulled away, grabbing her bag. "Of course I'll be back. I need you too."

She then disapparated and he headed back into the living room.

"Hey, Pete?" James asked as Peter sat next to him.

"Yeah?" He responded, slightly uncomfortable with it just being the two of them because usually there were at least three Marauders in a room.

"Will you be one of my best men?" James asked.

He was confused. Very confused. Apparently, he had missed a step. Didn't an engagement come first? Maybe Prongs forgot, or maybe Peter just wasn't important enough to be told.

He nodded as a way to answer the question since he was too startled to form words properly.

"Brilliant. So the engagement party's next Friday. You know that of course though, since the invitations have the date and time." Prongs smiled at him, as he confirmed Wormtail's suspicions.

He nodded again, not bringing up the fact that he was forgotten yet again. It didn't matter in the overall scheme of things.

"Thanks for being here for me." James suddenly said.

Putting aside his doubts and insecurities, he responded quietly. "Marauders forever."

"Marauders forever!"