AN: Well, Liza. Happy Birthday! I hope you have an amazing day. This - every single chapter - is for you. 18 of your favourite pairings. Also for GGE, so I've used various prompts but can't be bothered to list them for each chapter. You better enjoy it. ;)
I would like to give huge thank-yous to both Sam - MissingMommy - for betaing most of the following chapters; and Paula - Exceeds Samspectations - for betaing a couple of the other chapters, and for publishing the first couple of chapters. I LOVE YOU GUYS!
To other people - a mixture of fandoms, as I said before, not a crossover, pulled from everywhere, skip chapters if you're not interested in them. Warnings for each chapter given at the beginning. Thank you!
To Plan Ahead
Outside it is dark and quiet, apart from the sounds of a few small children running around, asking for sweets on the doorsteps; trees rustling slightly in the wind, and houses sighing and creaking in their old age. The village is peaceful.
We sit next to each other on the settee, relaxed. Harry is in bed asleep – at last – and now there is a bit of time for just you and me.
I move closer to you and bury my head into your jumper. You smell the same as you always do – of musk and soap and just slightly of lemon. I smile, taking a deep breath and closing my eyes.
You look outside. "In a few years, we'll be able to take Harry out to go around the houses trick-or-treating. I'm sure Sirius would love to help."
I laugh. "No way - I can see the disaster happening already!"
"But it would be pretty good," you point out, and I agree, grinning.
"Oh god, he's only fifteen months old and I already feel that he's growing up too fast."
"I know what you mean, Lily. It's okay to feel that way, you know. Just think of all the good times we've still got to go!" You squeeze my hand in reassurance.
"And of course, you're right," I reply, stroking your hair. "The best is yet to come. Just think - him finding friends, us teaching him magic, then he'll get his letter for Hogwarts …"
You continue. "Finding his talents, playing Quidditch, doing his OWLs and NEWTs …"
I nod. "And then him making a living doing a job he loves – maybe even an Auror like us…"
You finish off. "Falling in love, getting married... And then we'll be grandparents, and we can do it all over again!"
I smile, and give him a peck on the cheek. "Yes. It'll be good."
Then there's a bang, and it's the beginning of the end.