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Disclaimer: the Harry Potter universe belongs to J.K Rowling

Test Results

Snow fell gently on the ground, adding to the six inches that was already there. The icicles that formed on the end of tree branches and roof overhangs, created sparkles everywhere you looked.

Couples held hands as the walked; and children built snowmen and threw snowballs at one another. Of course, it wasn't just children that had snowball fights. There was one group of adults (well – as 'adult' as one could get at nineteen years old) that were having just as much fun throwing snowballs at each other as a group of children.

Lily Potter stood at the window and watched her husband and his best friends whip snowballs at each other. They had had snowball wars ever since their first winter at Hogwarts, when they where eleven.

Seeing how happy they looked now, allowed Lily to forget about the war that was building up around them. Forget – for a moment. The moment never seemed to last enough though. All-to-soon, reality came crashing down on her.

Sighing, she moved away from the sitting room window and focused her attention on the paper that lay on the table. It was a copy of the test results from her recent checkup with her Muggle doctor. She had thought that everything was fine. It wasn't.

The office had mailed her her results due to the fact that shut down two weeks for holidays.

Lily re-read the letter for the third time.

Lily Evans,

As you are aware, the office shuts down for two weeks in December due to Christmas. If you seek immediate medical attention, please visit the on-call doctor at the Hospital's emergency room.

You had blood taken at your last appointment as part of your annual checkup. All levels came back normal.

However, because you mentioned having slight headaches, cramps and nausea, we also ran a pregnancy test. The test returned positive. We have referred you to a gynaecologist, to discuss neonatal options and steps to ensure a safe pregnancy. Contact information can be found on the attached page.

The doctor's name and address followed. Finally, she forced herself to believe thatshe did indeed read that the test returned positive.

What was she suppose to do? She was nineteen years old, had been married for just over a year, and there was a wizard war happening outside. She wasn't ready for this. Oh no. A baby took time and attention and knowledge about children. She had no knowledge of children. Her sister had a baby, sure, but she didn't get to see them. None of her friends had children. She couldn't even practice raising a child!

Maybe the test was wrong. That happens, right? Maybe they had confused her test with someone else's. That had to be it.

The front door burst open and three soaked bodies ploughed through the opening. Lily hastily shoved the letter into the back pocket of her jeans.

"That was defiantly another win for me." James exclaimed.

"No, it wasn't. You cheated!" Sirius shot back.

"Did not!"

"Did to!"

"Did not! I never cheat."

"As if, you don't. I'm sure Lily can confirm that." Remus said.

Lily moved to the foyer. "I've seen you cheat at games before."

James put a hand over his heart, "I don't cheat," he said solemnly, "I bend the rules to favour me."

"Also known as cheating," she said.

James stuck his tongue out at her.

"Where's Peter?" Lily asked, noting his absence.

Sirius shrugged, "he muttered something about his mother and left the second the game was over." He shouldered past James and made his way to the kitchen.

"At least take your boots off!" Lily shouted at his retreating back.

Sirius raised his hand lazily to acknowledge that he heard her.

"He's going to ignore me anyway, isn't he?"

Remus shrugged, "probably. I'll go make sure he doesn't eat you out of house and home."

The second Remus disappeared, James's arm encircled Lily's waist, pulled her towards him and kissed her.

This was what she liked. Just the two of them. Not having to worry about anyone else. Not having to be listening for a crying baby or being quiet while a baby slept.

Tomorrow she would go to St Mungos and get everything sorted out.

"Congratulations. You're pregnant," the Healer said with a grin.

Lily stared at her, "I'm sorry ... what?"

"We did and a test, and it returned positive," the Healer said, giving her the parchment, "I take it this wasn't what you wanted to her?"

The Healer conjured a glass of water when Lily remained silent and still. She put the glass gently into Lily's hands

"With a cycle that's isn't regular, I'm not surprised that this has come as a shock. But unexpected pregnancies happen more often than you wold think. But as long as you follow..."

Lily tuned out the rest of the conversation. She was actually pregnant. Six weeks according to the parchment. Well great. Now she had to tell James. Damn.

Over the next two weeks, Lily tried to tell James at she was pregnant. She really did. But between Order of the Phoenix meetings, and raids, she just couldn't seem to find the right time.

James was exhausted when he got home at night. And Lily was avoiding him because she didn't want to tell him, because that would make it real.

"You're eight weeks. That's two months," Lily thought to herself as she climbed into bed, "you're probably going to show suddenly. Right? Maybe I shouldn't take tuned out the Healer. Maybe there's a charm to make it so I don't know. That doesn't help you tell James about why you'd be showing. Don't be a baby and tell him!"

"Do you have something you want to tell me?" James said.

Lily jumped slightly at his voice. He was standing against the door frame wearing pyjama pants, while towel drying his hair.

"Well..?" he prompted.

"What makes you think there's something to tell?"

James moved towards the bed, "don't insult me, Lily. I know something's wrong. You've been avoiding me for weeks and when we are together, you're distant."

Lily looked down. Had he always been this perceptive of her? She thought she was being subtle about trying to keep her distance from him. Which is harder than it sounds when you live with the person you're trying to avoid.

James put the towel on the nightstand, and sat down beside her. He gently lifted her chin to force her to look at him.

"What's wrong, Lily?" he asked softly.

Lily closed her eyes but didn't say anything.

"It's Christmas Eve, Lily. Please tell me what's wrong."

She sighed and reached under the bed. She pulled out a wrapped box and gave it to him.

Puzzled, James took the box hesitantly, "if this is you're idea of avoiding the question, it's not going to work."

"Just open it."

He tore the paper off and opened the box. He stared at what was inside before holding it up. It was a yellow one piece sleeper for a baby with the words "If you think I'm cute, you should see my parents" written on the front.

"Is this what we're giving Alice and Frank for their baby?" James asked slowly.

The corners of Lily's mouth turned up slightly as though she was going to smile, "not exactly."

"Why would you give me a baby sleeper? It's not like we have a baby, or we're expecting one, right?"

After a moment, it was like a light bulb went off in his head, "is Marley pregnant?! Ooh. Sirius is going to be mad! Don't tell him okay? At least not until I can figure out a way to stop his from going after the guy."

Lily pulled out the paper that her doctor had mailed her and set it on his lap.

Frowning, James scanned the letter. Before he could question it, she slid the parchment from St Mungos onto of it. He blinked a few times when he looked at her.

"You're pregnant?"

Lily nodded, "eight weeks."

James opened his mouth, seemed to re-think it, then closed it without saying anything.

"I know I should have told you sooner," she said quickly, "but I wasn't sure how and then things just got busy; and I just wasn't sure I was ready to tell you because then it would be real and I just ..." she trailed off.

"Why didn't you want it to be real?" James asked quietly.

"I don't know. I don't know the first thing about kids. And I like it being just the two of us. And what if I'm a terrible mother and it grows up to be a horrible person and-"

"What do you mean you'll be a terrible mother?" James interrupted, "I've seen you around Andromeda's kid, and you practically baby the cat anyway. You'll be great."

Lily looked up at him through tears, "you don't know that."

James wiped the tears, "sure I do. Everything will be fine and good and great because – we're having a baby!" he said breaking into a grin.

Seeing him so giddy and excited made Lily consider that maybe a baby wasn't such a bad thing.

"Why does the Muggle letter say 'Evans'?" James said suddenly.

He sobered so quickly, that she stared at him, "excuse me?"

He pointed to the two words at the top of the page, "it says 'Lily Evans'."

"Because I haven't changed my name on their forms yet?"

"That's a stupid reason," James said, "Tomorrow we're going to change it."

"Can't. They shut down for Christmas."

"Muggles don't get sick on Christmas?"

Lily shrugged, "it's a small practice and they can afford to."

"Why do you have baby clothes wrapped if you weren't even going to tell me that you were pregnant?"

"St Mungos gives a sleeper to all expectant mothers."

James nodded and put the box on the floor, "nothing that happens tomorrow will be able to top this." He moved so his face was directly above hers and kissed her, "a baby: best Christmas present ever."