Lily and James Potter had been happily married for two and a half years. They were living in a handsome little house in a town called Hampstead. They didn't fight much; they lived peacefully for the most part. The war with Voldemort was raging on around them, and Lily only noticed when James was out in the field, working as an Auror. However, this chilly, December afternoon, James was in the office, and Lily had another thing on her mind.

The something on her mind was both absolutely wonderful and terrifying. There was a war going on, and now was no time for this to be happening. Lily sighed, seating herself into a chair at the kitchen table. Bouncing between two emotions, she nearly started crying, worry encasing her whole body. James would be home soon for lunch. Would she be able to tell him? Would he be happy? Would he be worried like she was?

She was truly happy; it was the miracle of life. But she was also petrified. A war was no time to start a family, and yet, she and James were going to. Lily would have waited until the war was over to plan to start a family. Raising a child in a time of panic and chaos was not what she would wish for her family. She would manage after all. They always managed. Besides, they had the whole Order behind them, or Dumbledore at least.

Being a part of the Order of the Phoenix was never a simple job. While attending the meetings, they were given dreadful jobs of spying on suspected Death Eaters or recovering items of needs from the other side's possession. James had refused to let Lily onto the field, though. Lily was strong, but James insisted that she stay safe, and now she was glad for this.

Even though this baby was not planned, it was happening. And Lily knew that she would risk her life for the little thing that was growing inside her. Whether James would be happy or not about this didn't matter. James would support Lily no matter what. If Lily was happy, then James was happy. But of course James would be happy to start a family, war or no war.

James cut off her thoughts by walking into the kitchen with snow flakes in his jet black hair. "Hello, love," he said, bending down to kiss Lily's forehead. He was carrying a gold gift bag behind his back and smiling mischievously.

"Hello," she replied, giving him a small smile. She glanced at the gift bag. "How's the office today?"

"Slow compared to most days, actually. Its so close to Christmas."

"Understandable, I suppose," she sighed, looking out the kitchen window.

James noticed her vacant expression as she stared in the opposite direction. "Lily? Are you alright?"

"Of course, I'm alright, James."

"Well good!" he exclaimed. "Because I've got fantastic news."

Lily's eyes brightened a bit, "Yeah? Does it involve that gift bag behind your back?"

"It sure does!" He set the golden bag on the table. "For you, Lils."

She looked confused. It wasn't her birthday or their anniversary or anything. She pulled the tissue paper out from the bag, revealing a bottle of 1951 Penfolds Grange wine; Lily's favorite wine. She knew that this wine was not cheap. There had to be an occasion that it was bought for. "Why are you giving me this? Its not a special holiday that I've forgotten is it?"

"No, of course not, dear," he said soothingly, joining her at the kitchen table. "I bought it for us to share." He drew his wand from inside his robes. With a jab towards the bottle, the bottle had uncorked itself and was pouring two glasses. "I've been promoted!" he said excitedly, handing a glass to Lily.

She set her glass down on the table and smiled genuinely for the first time all day. "Oh, James! That's wonderful! What position did you get?"

"I'm one of Mad-Eye's top five now. It comes with a healthy pay raise and some benefits."

Not to mention, more danger, Lily thought before saying "That's spectacular!"

"I knew you'd be happy! We can buy a bigger house so when we start a family. We'll have plenty of room for all the kids some day."

An anchor fell into Lily's stomach. Some day... The way the words echoed in the room made Lily uneasy. He wasn't ready for a family and neither was she. But they were going to have to be ready. Her gaze was turned back to the wine in front of her. No alcohol. Her favorite wine was right here, and she shouldn't even have a sip.

James finished off his first glass and was about to pour himself a second when he noticed Lily hadn't touched hers. "Is something the matter?" His voice was full of concern for her.

"No, nothing is the matter. Nothing at all."

"But you haven't touched your wine. Its your favorite. That's why I bought it."

"I know, James. And I'm really happy that you thought of me like that, but I can't drink it."

"Why not? You've never resisted this stuff before!"

"Trust me, if I could have the whole bottle, I would."

"You can have the whole bottle if you want." James was confused.

Lily wasn't acting herself and he was starting to get worried. She wasn't making any sense in the way she talked. She looked afraid and uncertain, like she was teetering between telling a lie and telling the truth.

"But I can't have any at all."

"Well, why can't you, then?" He was getting frustrated now. She wasn't answering him, and he wanted to know why she was denying his gift like in the old days before they were dating.

"I can't because..." she trailed off for a second, took in a breath, and just decided to say it, "Because I'm pregnant, James."

She waited for him to say something, to say anything. Instead, the empty glass that he was holding fell to the floor with a crash. Lily held her breath and chewed the inside of her cheek. A minute of silence went by and no words were exchanged. This is exactly what she had been afraid of. He wasn't saying anything, not expressing emotion at all. No smiles, no frowns. Just a blank stare.

She covered her face with her hands and tears started rolling down her face. She knew James would be upset, she just knew it. He wasn't ready for a family. The words some day echoed again through her thoughts. Some day, but not now. Not during a war. Lily heard the scraping of the chair legs against the floor, assuming James got up to go to another room. Instead, she felt his cool hands on either side of her face.

"Lily, why are you crying?" She moved her hands from her eyes to reveal James's face inches from hers, a faint smile playing at his lips. He brushed a few of her tears away with his finger tips.

"You weren't saying anything," she mumbled, emotion filling every word she said. "I thought you were upset that I'm pregnant."

"No, no, of course not. I could never be upset with you. I love you. So much. The only way I could be upset right now is if you told me the baby wasn't mine."

Lily frowned, looking more upset that he could even think that it wasn't, "Of course, the baby is yours."

"Then there is no way in this universe that I'm upset, right now," he smiled, moving his lips to hers, kissing her gently. "Just shocked."

She nodded, "Me too. I know we were going to wait, but–"

"Things happen, Lils. Don't stress yourself out, worrying."

"But, James, now is no time to raise a child. Now is a time of chaos and war. This isn't a time I want my child to grow up in."

He nodded, his smile disappearing for a second. "But you know what? We'll make do. We always have, and we always will. War or no war, we're going to have a family." His eyes moved to Lily's still-flat belly and smiled again. "And in eight months or so, we'll have a baby around this house." He settled one of his hands on her stomach, and the other, he left on the side of her face, stroking her cheek.

A smile of relief spread across Lily's face. She had heard what she thought he might say. She placed each of her hands over his where they lay. "We're going to have a baby," she said, mainly to herself, disbelief coloring her tone.

"We're going to have a baby!" James repeated, happily, the mischievousness reappearing to the smile on his face.