GOOD WITH KIDS
Written: .09
Sirius bounced baby Harry up and down on his knees, enjoying the giggling and hand-clapping that children only made when they were that small. Pure joy, he decided. That's what it was. He made silly dog faces at Harry, who began giggling all over again, and James and Lily, watching from other parts of the room, laughed too.
"Honestly, Sirius, and you say you aren't good with children!" said Lily, as she directed garlands and streamers into the door frame of the sitting room.
Surprised, Sirius looked up. "I'm not."
James snorted as he lit the candles in the window. "Sure, Padfoot. Sure. You're too much of a kid yourself to be bad with them, and you know it," he said, tossing a look over his shoulder at his oldest friend.
Sirius shrugged, looking sheepish, and went back to bouncing Harry, who had started reaching for his long hair the second his previous form of entertainment had ceased. He smiled at the little boy. It was a very different smile than the devilish ones he and James exchanged, and even different from the secretly tender ones he gave Moony on the sly. Utter love and loyalty was in that smile. James and Lily saw it, even if Sirius didn't, and were once more glad they'd chosen him as Harry's Godfather. No one would be more devoted to giving Harry the home and family he needed than Sirius, after themselves.
Sirius cooed at the baby, grey eyes crossing ridiculously, to make green eyes light up.
***
"Prongs, Lily, I'm off for the night. It's late, and I've got plans with Moony early, but we'll be over for the bonfire tomorrow night." Sirius led the way to the front door, failing to suppress a yawn.
James was grinning. "Planning on getting thoroughly trashed with me, tomorrow? Peter said something about bringing some high quality vodka..." Lily slapped her husband's arm lightly, and he looked properly ashamed of himself. "I was kidding, Lil'! Kidding!!" For whatever reason, she didn't look as though she quite believed him...
Sirius chuckled, glad to see that married life hadn't changed his friends yet, and turned to leave.
Lily cleared her throat, and Sirius turned.
"Forgetting something, Sirius?" she said, though her voice was teasing.
Startled, Sirius glanced down and realized he still held the sleeping baby. Harry's arm had curled around and gotten tucked up under the edge of his robe. He laughed softly to himself, and untangled himself from his godson. He placed Harry gently in his mother's arms, still grinning.
"Oops?" He said, his voice soft so as not to startle Harry into wakefulness. James was smiling and shaking his head, and Lily was looking down at her son, stroking his velvety cheek with one delicate finger. Another yawn crept up on him. "Wow, I've got to go. Moony'll be wondering where I've been, you know?" He checked his watch, and laughed. "Yeah, I've really got to go...it's tomorrow already!" Sirius grinned, and -- pulling his wand -- quickly lit the jack-o-lanterns on the front porch. "Happy Halloween, Lily, Prongs. I'll see you later." He leaned in, and brushed a soft kiss across the sleeping baby's smooth forehead. "Bye, Harry. Sleep well."
Sirius walked to the edge of the property so he could apparate home, but paused and looked back. The Potters had gone back in already, but the carved pumpkins were still watching him. Something about their leering faces sent a shiver up his spine, and he shook it off quickly. He laughed quietly at his own paranoia, and left Godric's Hollow.