I'll be Home For Christmas…
Summary: ….you can count on me. I'll be home for Christmas, if only in my dreams…
Disclaimer: Yep...though I would dearly LOVE to own the HP franchise...I still don't. And i ask for it every year...maybe this year...
She sat by the fire tying the last bit of ribbon around the final Christmas presents next to the tree. It was that time again…Christmas Eve; her second one being married to the man of her dreams. She heaved a heavy sigh and a tear trickled down her cheek, smudging the name on the last name tag she had written. Surely Christmas should be a time for joy, not tears…but Lily Potter was sad.
Sure her emotions were out of whack as it was, what with everything happening to her body, but this was really out of hand. It was the second Christmas in a row that James hadn't been home to spend it with her. She was alone at home, waiting like the good wife, while he was on duty in the ministry. It was a dangerous time. Not only was he an Auror, but he was also on call for the Order. Voldemort didn't stop because it was the holiday season. On the contrary, he was only wreaking more havoc on the unsuspecting Christmas shoppers whose only cares were what presents to get for whom.
Lily whipped her eyes impatiently with the back of her small hand. She was being stupid. She should be thankful that he was safe in the ministry and alive.
But hadn't he promised her that they would spend Christmas together? A nice cozy night filled with friends and loved ones? And then, later that night he was going to give her a surprise; something that Lily hoped would be shiny…
The old Grandfather clock struck seven o'clock: a deep resonating dong, dong, dong went through Lily's chest, shaking her frame. Their friends and loved ones were still coming over and due any minute. Lily didn't know if she wanted them to come. She just felt like being alone. She was not in a very Christmassy, Joy to the World and Good Will Toward Men mood.
She stood up and shifted the presents under the tree with her foot. Then, once they were perfectly arranged, she wandered into the kitchen to check on the dinner.
Of course everything was perfect; Lily had organized everything to a tee. Because she hated feeling rushed and now Lily had nothing to keep her mind off things. She had been planning on sharing some important news with James tonight. And now…it would just have to wait…most likely until after the New Year. That's about the next time they would get to spend more than five minutes together, in the same room…and when they would both be awake.
There was whooshing coming from the fireplace and two figures emerged bearing presents.
"Happy Christmas Mrs. Potter!" called Sirius walking across the kitchen, his parcels floating behind him. He swept Lily into a bear hug and kissed her cheek as the presents neatly arranged themselves under the tree. "You are looking absolutely lovely! What are you doing different?"
"I've gotten new socks," Lily offered with a smile.
"That must be it! Something smells delicious as well! What's for supper?" Sirius continued as he put Lily's small feet back on the ground.
"Always thinking with your stomach, eh Sirius?" Remus smiled, walking over and giving Lily a squeeze.
"Well, at least I'm not thinking with my-"
"How are you?" Remus asked Lily quietly, cutting across Sirius. He looked deep into Lily's green eyes with his tawny ones. "Feeling all right?"
Lily bit her lip and looked away from his penetrating gaze.
Sirius lost his smile. "Where's James?" asked Sirius, looking around.
Lily's eyes welled with tears.
"Is everything alright?" Remus asked.
Lily impatiently whipped her eyes again. "Oh yes. Absolutely fine. James is just working….again. So it's another Christmas with just us." She said in a falsely bright voice. "It's not as though I wanted to actually spend time with my husband…" she began sarcastically, though the effect was slightly lost as her tears caused it to waver.
"Oh Lils…" Remus began.
"Who put him on this time?" asked Sirius, his eyes losing some of their sparkle.
Lily shook her head. "He wouldn't say."
"Well…"
"And I had it all planned out!" she continued. "I had dinner and then presents and then…I had something to tell him!"
She started crying. "I'm sorry!" she said, crying into Remus' shoulder. "I'm not even that upset about it! It's just that my emotions are going haywire and I can't control my hormones so one minute I'm laughing and the next I want to physically kill someone and then…."
Remus held Lily back at arms length. "Lils…" he said, looking at her. "Are you…"
"That's it!" Sirius began his eyes wide. "That's why you look different! Lily you're…you're… Pregnant?!"
She nodded, her shoulders sagging in release. She hadn't even realized how tense her shoulders were or that she had scrunched them up. "It's so good not to keep it a secret anymore!" she pulled both boys into a bone crushing hug.
"How long have you known?" asked Remus, narrowly avoiding cracking his skull against Sirius'.
"This is the second month."
"So the baby will be born in…"'
"July."
"That's wonderful Lily!"
"I'm going to be a father!" Sirius exclaimed.
Lily and Remus both looked at him.
Lily actually grinned.
"WHAT?!" asked Remus, very angrily.
"I mean Godfather!" Sirius corrected himself, impatiently waving his hand. "But it doesn't matter! I will be the BEST ever! Little James is going to love me!"
"Well I don't know about the little James part…but I'm sure the baby will love you no matter what."
"You need to tell James now! This kind of news can't wait…"
"It's going to have too though, isn't it? I mean, I can't just go barging in to the ministry saying 'James dear. Happy Christmas! Good News! We're going to be having a baby!'"
"Why not?" asked Sirius. Lily looked at him strangely. "I mean to say," Sirius continued. "He'd want to know…no matter what the time or the place."
"I think Sirius is right Lily. I think you should tell him as soon as possible," Remus agreed.
"Should I send him an owl?"
"You could do that…" Remus began, giving Sirius a sideways glance and sharing with him one of the patented Marauder looks.
"Or do one better…" Sirius grinned, taking Lily's hand and leading her to the living room.
Lily hoped that her child didn't pick up on the Marauder Look too quickly…although, admittedly, it was rather adorable.
He twitched his heavy cloak more securely around his shoulders and stood up, stretching his long and aching legs. He cupped his hands together and blew into them, trying in vain to warm them up. For being inside a ministry building it was awfully cold. His breath was actually rising in white, misty clouds in the dark empty space. James walked around his desk and over to the fire which was crackling merrily.
James glared at it; he would have cursed it, but it was the only thing keeping him warm at the moment and he didn't think that would be too smart. The dancing molten flames did give him some comfort. They reminded him of his lovely wife, his favorite person in the entire world (and the most beautiful in his opinion), Lily.
He hated having to tell her that he was working tonight, Christmas Eve too. The look that his news had caused nearly broke his heart. Oh sure, she'd tried to hide it from him, to not let him see how much it bothered her; but he had seen it: the pain was hidden just behind her bright smile, smoldering in her green eyes. She knew he wouldn't have willingly taken the Christmas shift if he could have helped it.
He stared moodily into the fire, holding his hands out to it, trying to absorb its warmth. He was cold and hungry; he was missing his friends and his wife; and he was tired from working so many late and varied shifts. And the more he thought about it…the more he knew there was something different about Lily. He couldn't place it, she hadn't changed toward him…but she had just changed slightly over the last few weeks. Maybe it was the way she was holding herself or maybe she had learned a new glamour charm…James couldn't tell.
He sighed and went back to his small cramped desk. He switched on the radio to the Wizarding Wireless Network. It was playing Muggle Christmas music.
Christmas Eve will find me
Where the love light beams
I'll be home for Christmas
If only in my dreams
If only in my dreams
James smiled ruefully. It was the song on his life at the moment.
The fire gave a small pop and someone popped out of it, coughing slightly. James instinctively reached for his wand and peered over his cubicle wall. Who he saw made him go running out and sweep the figure into a hug.
"LILY!" he exclaimed, twirling her around.
She hugged him in return. "Happy Christmas my love."
"Happy Christmas! What are you doing here?" he asked hastily, setting her down. "Is everything all right? Is everyone all right?"
"Yes everything is fine. I simply missed you and brought you some Christmas dinner…" Lily handed James a covered plate. She paused and then said, looking into his hazel eyes. "…and I have to tell you something."
James set the food on his desk and then sat on the edge himself. "Oh?"
"Yes…James, we're going to have a baby…"
James sat, rooted to the spot and simply stared at Lily.
"We're…we're…we're…hang on. Baby?" he looked at her, his eyes huge and hopeful.
"Yes," said Lily, a small smile touching her lips.
"Lily this is…quite possibly the best Christmas present anyone has ever given me." He took her hands in his and pulled her to him. As he kissed her forehead, he said, "I love you so much Mrs. Potter."
Lily wrapped her arms around her husband's waist and said, "And I love you, Mr. Potter. Happy Christmas."
Ok I know. It's short, but I thought it was cute! C'mon you know it was cute! Please review if you made it this far!
Until next time: Keep a sharp eye ;)
Pupparoux