Note: Drabble. One-shot.
Full Moons
They had been in their sixth year when conversationally Lily had confided in James that she wasn't a very big fan of full moons. In her opinion, it diminished the beauty of the stars. Stars, she believed, were really pretty.
Lily sighed ever so slightly as she poured her tea into a cup and stepped in the balcony of her little home at Godrics' Hollow. She rested her hands on the railing, her eyes staring at the ground, out of focus. A small part of her was alert, as a mother always is, for the sound of Harry stirring in his crib. But a major part of her was thinking about James.
She glanced at her watch, sighed and looked up at the full moon; its light shining on her. She blamed it for her problems. Averting her eyes, she stared at the horizon. Only three hours to go. This was what she admired, respected and loved about James. He was simply helping out a friend and of all their friends, Remus deserved it the most. She couldn't and would never ask him to not go, but she worried.
Several thoughts raced through her mind; each pushing the other away, trying to earn a place in the forefront of her mind. But she didn't pay any attention to them. Her eyes were still on the horizon; heart still on James.
He was probably having the time of his life; she assured herself. Besides, he deserved his boys' night. She slumped slightly; she just wished his boys' night weren't as dangerous as her girl time. Not that she didn't trust Remus; but sometimes, Remus wasn't in control. She would never tell him or anyone else and she still trusted him but sometimes them being the Marauders, they lost control. But he was probably having fun and Remus deserved it. She would never be so selfish so as to not let Remus have James when he needed him the most.
But why did James have to do it? Because he was James and he was immensely loyal and ready to put his life at risk if it meant a good night for his friend. Half a night in one month, the transformation would last for barely five hours but James didn't care. When most people would've hesitated to accept Remus; he went out of his way to make life easy for him. That's what she loved about him and sides' he promised to be safe.
She knew James, knew that he would try his very best to keep his promise. His personal safety didn't matter to him as much as it ought to but he would keep his promise; for her. She should sleep, she ought to really, but she couldn't. She couldn't sleep because Harry would be up wailing for milk any moment now. She couldn't sleep because her eyes were still on the horizon and she was too tired to move. She couldn't sleep because James wasn't in bed with her, an arm wrapped around her torso. She was so much in love with him; so desperately in love with him. She couldn't sleep because despite his promises and his valiant attempts to keep them, there were factors out of James' control. So she sipped her tea, slowly and stared out at the horizon.
The first full moon after they had got together, Lily had found him at her door, midway into the night. He had been bleeding profusely, one arm severely mangled, muttering the healing spell. His friends hadn't known or they would've healed him themselves. He too had ignored it for a mere scratch. He tried to convince her that it wasn't a big deal; that it happened all the time so as to not worry her but if not anything, it alarmed her even more. Intellectually speaking, she knew better but that night had changed her. In the dark, she had been so sure he was bound to bleed to death. And she was all he had. She felt so helpless and sick with worry.
That night had changed her and James didn't understand. Fear governed her actions. She now lived with fear for his life. She felt the fear that he should've felt but didn't. And so she worked hard, practiced healing spells and stayed up every full moon night. Eventually he'd stumble in her room. Sometimes she put her efforts to use but most nights she held him knowing he was safe in her arms. He would fall asleep quickly and only after his snores became prominent, she would find sleep. Then it became their tradition. She would wait up each full moon night, tense and she wouldn't relax till she saw him. On nights like these, she wished they would've other traditions but in the daylight, she was proud of him. His loyalty was one of the many reasons as to why she loved him.
Another sigh. Harry still hadn't woken up. The full moon illuminated their small backyard. James still wasn't back. The clock said it would take two more hours. So she waited, like she did every month. She couldn't sleep. She sipped her tea; her eyes still on the horizon. Nearly three years had passed since the night she confided that unlike most girls, she didn't like full moons and all this time later, she still didn't like full moons.