James couldn't wait to get home. He had been away for a couple of weeks abroad because of the Order. Lily hadn't been on this mission as she and Marlene had been posted somewhere else. Two weeks and he hadn't been able to contact his girlfriend. It's been two years since they'd got together and James didn't like her any less. It was raining as he opened their flat door.
"James? Is that you?"
"Lils?" James called out. Lily ran out to hug him. "I missed you." He whispered. She leaned and kissed him on top of his head
"I'm soaking." He tried to tell her but it was too late.
She laughed. "I've realized"
"And you don't mind?" He joked. She kissed him on the cheek, as reply "You're wonderful." He shook his head so droplets of water fell on her. She moved her hands above her head to stop the water from hitting her face. James smiled and leaned in to kiss her. "I love you." He said against her lips. "But I really need to change my clothes."
She kissed him and laughed. "Go right ahead" James took of his cloak and hung it up before heading into their bedroom. When he came back down, he saw that Lily had prepared a full meal for him. "Have I ever told you how much I loved you?" He grinned.
"You have, but I still enjoy hearing it" she laughed
"Well, I love you a lot." He said as he sat down.
She smiled. "Tuck in" she told him
"It looks delicious." James picked up his fork and dived in.
"Well? How is it?"
"Amazing." He answered. "I haven't had a good meal since we left on that mission."
She laughed. "I know the feeling"
"So what have you been up to then?" James asked. "I mean without me here you must have been going out of your mind!"
"You seem to be forgetting, I had a mission too!'
"Actually, that did slip my mind!"
"It went well, thanks for asking" she grinned
"Yeah, sorry."
She smiled. "How was yours?"
"You know, we go there, we do what we have to do, we get out." He shrugged. "Sirius is in his element."
She grinned. "As always"
"As always." He nodded as he finished his plate. She went over to hug him and kiss him on the cheek again James turned his head so her lips met his.
"Marry me." James suddenly said.
"What?"
"Marry me." He repeated.
"Yes!" she agreed
"That's ... that's great!" He beamed. She kissed him, and the pulled apart, looking at him, expectantly "I was going to ask in more romantic way later but it kinda slipped out." He grinned as he shoved a hand in his jean pocket. "So, this was the way I was going to ask." James stood up and went down on one knee. "Lily Evans, will you marry me?"
"I will!" James smiled and opened the little box to show her a beautiful diamond ring. "James! it's beautiful!" "I should have been back yesterday." He admitted as he took the ring out of the box. "But I stopped off on the way back." He took her hand an slipped it on her ring finger.
"For this?"
"Yeah." He nodded as he stood up. She threw herself in his arms. James laughed and hugged her back.
-
James and Lily were happily married. But at the moment Lily was quite distressed. James was on his way home from a mission with the Order, he had been gone nearly three months, and she had to tidy up the house before he got back.
"Lily, I'm back!"
She nearly dropped the plate he was holding. "James!" she gasped. "I wasn't expecting you for another half hour!"
"What's the matter?" He immediately asked, surprised by his less-than-warm welcome.
"Nothing! Nothing! I was just trying to clean!"
"Lily." James said a bit more firmly. He knew when something was wrong.
"James, just... I'll see you at dinner. I have to finish cooking."
James walked up to her and made her face him. "Tell me what's wrong." His wasn't demanding it was more like a plea.
"Nothing's wrong James! I just... I'll see you at dinner, okay?"
"Fine, don't tell me." He took a step back, his tone was bitter. She turned away from him.
A few hours later James came down. He had taken a nap to forget all about why he was upset. On the table he saw all his favorite foods, complete with one glass of wine and a smiling Lily. "You've changed your tune." He said half smiling, half concerned.
"Oh just eat!" she playfully scolded him
"Fine!" He held his hands up in defeat. He sat down and looked back up at her. "You not joining me?" She realized she was still standing. She looked like she just snapped out of a trance and sat down across him.
"So, how was your mission?" She already knew what his answer would be.
"Not very successful, Sirius thinks something is wrong though. They were expecting us." Oh. she wasn't expecting that She bit her lip.
Are they going to come here?" she asked, worried.
"Sirius thinks someone told them." He looked up at her.
"Told them what?"
"That we were going to turn up. You know Sirius, suspicious as always, he ended up arguing with Remus who claimed he was just being paranoid."
Lily closed her eyes. "You could have been killed" she whispered.
"But I wasn't and we all knew the risks when we joined the Order."
She nodded, eyes still closed. "Just... promise me you'll be extra careful"
"Sirius and Remus too. And Wormy"
"Don't worry, I'm always with the Marauders, I'm in safe hands."
"Maybe that's not safe." she considered "Maybe its too predictable"
"Don't worry Lily." James got up and came over to her.
She got up herself. "James." Her green eyes met his brown ones
"Yeah?" She kissed him. James smiled and dropped his hands to her waist. She put her hands on his and pulled her face away. James looked at her. "Lily?"
"This wasn't how I planned on doing it James. Your mission was supposed to go successfully. This was supposed to be a celebration."
"It's just a mission for the Order Lily, hardly celebration worthy."
"I know you've been gone for so long and I just.." she bit her lip.
"Just what Lily?" James features softened.
She looked at him. He hadn't seen her this worried in a while. "Promise me that they're not after you. After us." Her voice faltered on the word.
"Why would they be, Lily?" James asked. "They're not."
"If they were already suspicious..." she whispered
"Lily, they didn't see us." He put his hands on her shoulders. "The place was just heavily guarded so we got out of there as quickly as possible."
"So...there's not even a slight chance?" she whispered
"No, I'm positive." She heaved a huge sigh of relief.
"We'll be safe" she grinned
"Yeah, what's brought this all on?"
"James," she looked at him smiling
"Are you going to tell me what all of this is about?" He smiled for some reason.
"I'm pregnant, James. Three months on Monday."
James' face broke into an even bigger grin. "For real?"
"For real!"
"That's ... that's fantastic!" He beamed. She couldn't stop smiling "We're having a baby!" James was nearly jumping up and down. She was laughing. Tears of joy escaping her eyes.
"I know it's early and all," she said, wiping the tears "But should we think of names?"
"I'm going to be a father." James still couldn't believe it.
"Yeah, hell yeah."
"If it's a girl..." she started
"It's going to be a boy."
"What? How do you know?"
"Dunno, I just think it's going to be a boy."
She frowned. "Do you not want a girl..?"
"Of course I do!" James said.
She laughed "Then how do you know...?"
"A feeling?"
"Okay then... What would you want to name it if it was a boy?...Because I'd...I'd name if after you".
"I don't know, I've never really thought about it." James looked up at her. "No way, I don't think I'd want a James Jr, maybe his middle name but not his first name."
She thought about it. She finally agreed. "Middle name it is"
"So then?" she looked up him. "First name?"
"Perfect." James nodded. "I don't know? Louis?"
She scrunched up her nose. "No." she said
"Fine... You got an idea?"
"Liam?"
"No, that was the name of a Ravenclaw I hated."
She rolled her eyes. "I guess Severus isn't an option then" she teased
"I would never even consider the name. I might end up hating my own kid."
"James... don't say that." she cooned softly
"Sorry, it's just, he's a slimy git." She nodded slowly.
"Well?"
"What about Harry?"
"Harry?" She considered it. "Harry James Potter." she smiled.
"I like that."
"Me too." she smiled an kissed him
Next week, James called Sirius out to lunch.
"We almost had them, Prongs! We were so close!" ever since James and Sirius had gotten back Sirius had gained an unhealthy obsession with finding those dark wizards "They belong in Azkaban!" he growled. "And I'm going to put them there. Just so that you, nor I will ever have to see the insides of those cells"
"Padfoot, just let it go." James sighed. "We're never going to end up in there. Anyway, I've got something to tell you." James added.
"I dunno, James. They seemed pretty serious but go on," he said, his expression changing
"How do feel about being a godfather?"
"W-w-wha-Is Lily pregnant?" his entire face lit up, and this was happier than James had seen him in two months
"Three months." James nodded. "But she only just told me"
"Ruddy..Brilliant!" he yelled, causing people at the next table to look. "That's great! Have you decided on a name?" he asked, eagerly
"Harry James Potter." He announced proudly as people continued to stare.
"Harry James Potter." He even said the name with love. "Brilliant" he repeated
"Lily wanted to call him James."
He laughed. "Mate, I didnt think you were that narassistic."
Sirius laughed. "I understand. Don't worry. Maybe one day young Harry will have his own James Jr" Sirius winked.
"You never know might even James Sirius Potter." He laughed.
"Look at us. Your son isn't even born yet and we're already planning your grandkids!" Sirius laughed
"I'm going to be a father."
"And a bloody good one too!'
"I'm going to be a father." James repeated
"Don't worry mate, don't be nervous. Young harry won't know how much he's loved." Sirius grinned.