One Year Older and Wiser Too

by The May Waters

"So Evans, would you say you're any wiser now that you're twelve?" "Wise enough to stay away from you, Potter."

Jily Week 2 Day 4

Theme: Birthdays

-oOo-

Title: One Year Older and Wiser Too

Summary: "So Evans, would you say you're any wiser now that you're twelve?" "Wise enough to stay away from you, Potter."

May Waters

-oOo-

Eleven

"Happy Birthday Lily," Severus greeted, he was holding out a very nicely wrapped parcel as they met in the January snow.

"Thank you Sev," She smiled warmly at him and gestured back towards her house, away from the park. Once inside and free from their snowy clothes she opened the present. It was a book, a rather shabby and probably second hand one, but it was a book about magic. Lily grinned and looked up at Severus with wide eyes. "It's perfect."

"I'm glad you like it," He replied a smile growing on his own features.

"Lily, we have a guest." Evelyn Evans yelled through the house, Lily stood and Severus followed. When her mother saw her guest, she bit her lip. "I don't know if it's good to have a friend over right now darling."

Severus looked at the woman who was perched on the Evans' living room couch. She was wearing a long sweeping robes which could be mistaken for a muggle dress, he knew the sharpened exterior was that of a Professor from Hogwarts.

"It's okay; I've already gotten my Hogwarts letter. It came when I turned eleven too," The woman stared at Severus in shock; she had never met such an intuitive young wizard.

"What is your name?" She asked, her voice was like a stony brick wall.

"Severus Snape, I live down on Spinner's End."

"And you are a wizard yes?"

"My mother is Eileen Prince, surely you'd remember her."

"Oh yes, Ms. Prince was always a wondrous witch to have in class. I hope you can show the same ambition she did," the woman did not smile. She turned back to the Evans family and proceeded with her mission. "I am Professor Minerva McGonagall from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry; I'm here to talk to you about your daughter Lily."

-oOo-

James blinked his eyes open late in the day of March Twenty-Seventh, once he had fully arrived to the world of the living and realized exactly what day it was; he raced through the halls of Potter Mansion. When he came to the grand staircase, he found the annual mattress slide already in place. His parents were waiting for him at the bottom, having correctly predicted when their energetic son would finally tumble out of bed. James grabbed the mattress waiting for him and soared down the slid, laughing with joy he gave his mother and father a kiss in turn. Then as they led him to breakfast, he saw it. He had been waiting for this letter for what seemed like his whole life.

-oOo-

Twelve

"Happy Birthday Lily!" The girls from the Gryffindor dormitory shouted brightly at breakfast on the morning of January Thirtieth. Lily smiled kindly at her friends; James seemed to be frozen in place staring at her.

"Problem Potter?" Lily asked sparing a glance in his direction.

"No, none at all; I just didn't know it was your birthday." His hand came up and ruffled his already messy black hair and Lily snorted.

Later the same night James approached her. "So Evans, would you say you're any wiser now that you're twelve?"

"Wise enough to stay away from you Potter." Lily retorted and he narrowed his eyes.

"One day you'll be eating your words Evans."

"I highly doubt that."

-oOo-

Remus, Sirius, and Peter raced through the halls. James has awoken long before them, and as they guessed, he was already in the Great Hall for breakfast. They had wide grins plastered on their faces as they ran towards him excitedly.

"Oi Hogwarts, today is James Potter's birthday, just thought you lot would like to know." Sirius yelled at the top of his lungs.

"Quiet down, would you?" James appeared to be annoyed at the extra attention. He looked up to see Lily staring at him in horror. His lips quirked into something of a smile and he let his hand jerk in her direction as greeting. His hazel eyes focused once more on the meal in front of him. He adjusted his glasses and let his eyes slide to the edge to spot where she was going to sit. He breathed in the spring air wafting from her clothes, to him, it smelled like beauty itself.

-oOo-

Thirteen

"Happy Birthday Evans," James greeted, he had his hands held behind his back.

"Thanks Potter," Lily tried to hold back her curiosity.

"I got this for you," James held out the bracelet. It had small wizarding charms which chased each other in circles around the chain. There was a wand and a lily, she guessed it was to represent each year he had known her.

"It's beautiful," She breathed taking it from his hand, their fingers brushing.

"I thought you might like it."

"Thank you James." She smiled and then left to rejoin her friends.

-oOo-

"Happy Birthday Potter," Lily already had his present stretched out towards him.

"Thanks Evans," James smiled but didn't make to open the package. She nodded and then wandered away, her eyes kept flitting back to him to see if he had opened the gift. He had set it down and it was being ignored, disappointed, Lily vowed to never buy him another Birthday present.

-oOo-

Fourteen

Lily spent her birthday with her friends, shut away from anyone else. James had tried a couple of times to give her the next charm for her bracelet, but each time her friends had whisked her away for another adventure around the castle. He eventually charmed it up the girls' staircase and hoped the envelope had landed on the right doorway.

When Lily and the girls finally returned to the tower for sleep, James had long since vacated the common room. Lily found the envelope waiting for her and opened it on her bed; inside was a small little village which she guessed was meant to resemble Hogsmeade. She set it in the palm of her hand and watched as it magically wiggled its way down to the bracelet before attaching itself and joining the wand and lily in a never ending dance around her wrist. She smiled.

-oOo-

Lily stayed far away from James on his birthday, she didn't look at him, she didn't even think about it more than she had to. The previous year had really ruined her for celebrating Birthdays; it was one of the reasons why her friends had dragged her all over the castle on hers.

James wondered why Lily was avoiding him. He remembered his thirteenth birthday; she had given him a broom servicing kit. He'd absolutely loved the gift as he'd just managed to join the Gryffindor Quidditch team and now he could take care of his broom. James thought he had thanked her for the gift, but surely she wouldn't be put off if he forgot to thank her? James sighed and let his eyes keep glancing over at her stiff posture and determined attitude. Perhaps the next year would be better.

-oOo-

Fifteen

Lily accepted the charm and sentiment from James on her next birthday; she quietly left however avoiding any further celebration. James' friends said he was being creepy for stalking her. He was trying to see if she had liked the birthday gift. He could now see four charms dancing around her wrist; a wand, a lily, a village, and a train. What James didn't know however, was whether or not the charm was there because she had put it there, or it had worked its magic to be there.

-oOo-

Lily spent James' Birthday watching him. His friends had thrown some extravagant stunts during breakfast for show; Lily had quite enjoyed their erratic energy about it all. James however, had not looked at her once. She had nearly gotten him a gift out of a moment of weakness, but then she remembered what had happened the last time and her mind refused. He seemed to enjoying his day though, so she saw no need to interrupt with a sentiment.

-oOo-

Sixteen

James let this be the one day he didn't ask Lily out. She seemed to appreciate it and the charm he had set next to her at breakfast, but he'd not said a single word. It had appeared to him the last year she appreciated the gift, but wouldn't want to speak to him, so he kept his mouth shut. The charm he had given her was of a willow tree, she seemed to love the one on the grounds-the one which didn't try to kill people at least.

-oOo-

Lily had broken down and bought James a gift. She was berating herself for the spontaneous decision when she'd seen it in a shop at Hogsmeade. She however, refused to gift the frame to him. Her friends thought she was saving it for herself, but it was a frame for an artist. Say a simple spell and your artwork would go into the glass and change every few seconds, displaying each piece fairly. He was always doodling on the edges of his homework and notes, she'd seen several of his finished drawings and they were beautiful. She figured he might like it to display his art, but because of her decision three years before, she would not give it him.

-oOo-

Seventeen

Lily had figured out Remus' and the rest of their secrets. She hadn't known about the rest of them, but she'd stormed into their dorm one night raving and yelling and asking why Remus had never told her. Needless to say, all four boys were shocked, but happy she was not scared of their friend. It was the reason why James had bought a little Stag to go on her bracelet, so she could always have him close to her heart; even if she didn't understand the full meaning. James hoped she had liked the gift as she'd smiled down at the charm, watching it wiggle its way to the bracelet.

-oOo-

She'd bought him another gift. Despite telling herself she wouldn't and trying to appear firm on her decision, there was a set of new chaser's gloves sitting in her trunk on top of the picture frame. Lily had given him a smile and a small sentiment and James had seemed happy enough, so she hoped he was pleased with the decision.

-oOo-

Eighteen

James pressed his lips firmly against Lily's as she stepped down the girls' staircase into the common room on the morning of January Thirtieth. She laughed as he pulled away to kiss her forhead.

"Good morning to you too," Lily replied struggling to get free.

"Happy Birthday Lily," James told her brightly, letting his hand open around her wrist. Appearing on the silver bracelet was a new charm, a little castle reminiscent of Hogwarts.

"It's beautiful." She told him with another soft kiss.

"Come on love birds, lots to see and do today." Sirius interrupted as he walked towards the portrait hole. James pretended to glare at him, but Lily merely pulled him along.

-oOo-

"Happy Birthday!" Lily dumped a pile of presents on James' bed the morning of his own birthday. As she was now his girlfriend she had bought him a gift and decided to give him the other's she'd bought as well. She hadn't bothered to wrap a single one, just in case they ended up being ignored again.

"What is this?" James asked reaching for his glasses.

"Your birthday present,"

"All of them?" He looked confused, inspecting each one. "Why aren't they wrapped?"

Lily shifted on her feet, not wanting to answer.

"Lily, what's wrong?"

"I didn't wrap them because the last time I wrapped you a gift it got set down and ignored and I never got to see your face when you finally opened it and so I thought you didn't appreciate getting presents from me so whenever I bought you a present I kept it hidden in my trunk because I didn't think you'd want it." Lily blurted out suddenly, clapping her hands to her mouth and staring down at her shoes.

"What?"

"It was in second year, when I gave you that broom servicing kit. It's why I never got you another birthday present or wished you happy birthday, because I didn't think you appreciated it."

"Lily,"

"I was silly, just a stupid girl with a small crush on the cool boy who could play quidditch. It hardly matters anymore." She still wasn't looking at him.

"Hey, it mattered back then so it still matters now, yes?"

"No,"

"Lily,"

"Fine, yes, it still bothers me. It's why I didn't wrap your gifts because I thought you'd just throw them to the side and not look at them." The other boys in the dorm could be seen rushing around for their clothes, attempting to get into the hall before being dragged into whatever was going on.

James reached out and grabbed her hand, pulling her onto the bed and into his arms. "I'm sorry I was a young, stupid, thirteen year old."

"It's not your fault,"

"Yes it is, I spent all those years wondering why you avoided me on my birthday. Why you avoided me on yours when I attempted to give you your gift. I can't believe I never figured it out."

"James,"

"No, it does matter Lily. I love you; I never meant to disregard your present. They mean the world to me, really." When she looked up into his hazel eyes, he seemed as though he would cry. Something she'd never seen him do before.

"Are you really going to cry over missing out on a few birthday presents?"

"What? No! I am a man," James squared his shoulders, succeeding in making her laugh. He reached around her and asked her what each present was, when and why she'd bought it, and what exactly he was supposed to do with it.

-oOo-

Nineteen

James slid his hands down Lily's arms and she heard the familiar clink as another charm fell into place. A little doe was now dancing with the others, it would stop and nuzzle the stag every so often, she giggled at it and looked up at her fiancé.

"Happy birthday love," James whispered, then he kissed her and nothing else seemed to matter.

-oOo-

"Happy birthday darling," Lily told James once their early morning wake-up kiss was over. He smiled up at his wife and asked what she'd gotten him. She smirked and held up a certain piece of silky blue lingerie. James didn't even bother to have her put it on.

-oOo-

Twenty

"Hi,"

"Hi,"

The couple stared at each other and James took Lily's hand in his. There was another charm on her bracelet when she looked down. A cute little broomstick, she laughed and nodded at his birthday sentiment.

-oOo-

"Happy birthday!" Lily cried out as James tumbled down the stairs for breakfast. The whole house was decorated with insane balloons and their cat had his fur sticking up all over the place, some of the decoration following him around the house. James laughed as it hissed and sunk its claws into one of the balloons, jumping five feet away when it exploded.

"Good morning love," James greeted her with a kiss.

"Morning,"

"So do I get a present or?"

"Eat your breakfast and then we'll see."

-oOo-

Twenty-One

Lily and James had been in hiding for months now; this didn't stop James from giving her the annual charm though. This year, it was a pair of glasses, to which she laughed brightly and pretending to show her expanding stomach for his entertainment. Sirius, Remus, and Peter came to celebrate with them and Sirius insisted on talking to her stomach for a straight five minutes so the child would know who he was. James had convinced himself his son would think Sirius was his dad rather than he, Sirius found it funny.

-oOo-

James spent the day out with his friends, but when he returned home Lily had a magnificent dinner and birthday cake waiting for them. He smiled and rubbed her belly, whispering something about overexertion. Lily laughed and kissed him, causing their friends to groan.

-oOo-

They never lived to see Twenty-Two.

-oOo-

Note: *awkward cough* You may or may not have recognized part of this from my earlier piece this week entitled "Winter and Spring" and because I liked it I just moved it here and then embellished it a little bit more. (I don't pity you if you thought this was boring, I was bored writing it too. Sorry guys, I just needed to get today's almost late submission out of my system)