i.

Miss Evans is basically every student's favorite teacher at school. It's a well known fact by all of the incoming kindergarteners that Miss Evans will be the bestest teacher ever and always has a bowl of candy in her drawer in case you're missing home.

"Miss Evans?"

"Yes, Charlie?" She's surprised by his tears because it's already October and she has yet to see the younger Weasley show any sign of anxiety but he's standing in front of her with tears in his eyes suddenly. "What's wrong?"

As his lower lip quivered, she placed a hand on his shoulder and pulled him a little closer. "I-" He choked on his sob and she smoothed down a strand of his hair before smiling down at him. "It's okay, take your time. Do you want to sit inside during recess?" The little boy nodded and settled down in the beanie bag next to her desk.

"Everything alright, Miss Evans?" The voice surprised her as she looked up to see the new vice principal standing in her doorway. His lanky build filled the opening and as his hand flew to his hair, she noticed the way that his unruly curls fell against the tan skin on his forehead just so. He had taken a more hands-on approach to being an administrator, popping in at random times just to ensure things were running smoothly. It was already better than Principal Umbridge, who was really a useless piece of crap burning on a hot day, or so said Lily when she and Miss McKinnon had a few drinks and would get a little rowdy on Friday nights at the bar.

"Yes, just having a little bit of a hard day, I think. Charlie here is going to spend some time with me just reading while everyone goes out to play." She smiled sincerely at James while letting Charlie grab a picture book from the small shelving unit on the side of her desk and offered him a snack from the small basket in the bottom drawer of her desk. Lily hadn't noticed that James was stepping into the classroom and crouched down beside Charlie. "Hey, bud. I think we met before. Two weeks ago during recess, right?" Charlie's nod confirmed that James was correct in recognizing him. "Do you want to tell me what's wrong?" At the shrug of Charlie's shoulders, James shot a small smile and shrug Lily's way.

"That's okay if you're not ready to talk about it. I was wondering if you'd like to have lunch in my office with me and your brother. I can see if Bill would be cool with having a special lunch earlier than normal, just the three of us. What do you say? Maybe then we can talk about what's wrong?" James' grin grew as Charlie nodded and was able to calm his tears. "As long as that's alright with Miss Evans, that is." He shot her a wink and Lily let out a soft sigh.

"I suppose it sort of has to be, at this point." Normally she would have been annoyed that someone was taking over her comforting moment to connect with her students, and was changing up the rules of her classroom, but it was obvious how much James cared about Charlie despite the minimal interactions they may have had, and it made her much more accepting of the situation. Lily shot James a genuine smile as he lifted his gaze to meet hers.

She could let it go this one time.

ii.

"Hey, Miss Evans, can I see you for a minute?"

James' voice was a surprise to Lily's as he appeared in her doorway.

"Hey, call me Lily when there's no children around, please." She smiled as she beckoned him in and he was able to shut the door.

"Well, then I insist you call me James." His smile only brightened as he took a seat on top of one of the kindergartener's desks, knowing there was no way he was fitting in one of the tiny chairs. "I just wanted to come and see how things were going."

Lily was surprised by this. Principal Umbridge never made it a habit to check in on her teachers, especially when she was the Vice Principal. She had considered herself the dean of discipline and was constantly pulling children out of class for "poor behaviors," and this often resulted in traumatized children feeling targeted for struggling in class when really they just needed extra support. She had attempted to pull one of Lily's students once, and when she refused the removal of the student, it had started a power struggle between the two women. Principal Umbridge had made it a point to be Lily's enemy ever since.

"Principal Umbridge wanted me to come in here and talk to you about… um…" James trailed off and Lily's eyebrows furrowed together as his cheeks grew increasingly pinker. "Spit it out, James." She huffed, already annoyed that James was now going to be scolding her too.

"Well, she says that some of the things you wear could be considered.. um... inappropriate for a kindergarten teacher. That maybe your outfits should be a little less adult friendly and a little more k-kid friendly." He stuttered over his words, refusing to actually look at her when presenting her with this suggestion .

"Oh, is that so?" She asked, raising her left eyebrow as she went to stand in front of James. Lily waited until his chin lifted so he was looking at her, and she noted the slight fear in his eyes. "Does my wardrobe bother you at all, Mr. Potter?" Lily's formal use of his name caused him to gulp and he shook his head.

"N-no. I- I think you look just fine. More than fine. Beautiful, actually. Well, not beautiful. I mean, yes, beautiful. But in a totally professional way. An appropriate way. I think nothing is wrong with how you dress. Principal Umbridge just asked me t0-" James trailed off when he realized that Lily was giggling.

"It's okay, James. I know Umbridge has it out for me. She does this at least twice a year. McGonagall used to just bring me a packet of biscuits and chat while we had my semesterly talking to . It's too bad she got promoted to superintendent. We could use her level-headedness around here." Lily let out a sigh as she sank back into the chair behind her metal desk, putting her feet up on the wooden top of it so that her skirt hung a little lower on her thighs.

James just grinned and stood up, shaking his head as he walked out.

iii.

Lily had stepped away from the gymnasium/cafeteria where most of the teachers were. It had grown incredibly stifling and she just needed some space. Lily had somehow ended up back in her classroom and she was enjoying the cool air that was coming in through the window she had cracked open upon entering. Settling in on the reading rug, Lily's legs kicked out in front of her so that the red skirt she wore splayed across the grey carpet. Holding a glass of spiked eggnog, the redhead let her eyes fall shut for just a moment while nibbling on a sugar cookie shaped like a Christmas tree.

"Everything alright in here?" The deep voice scared her so much that the eggnog sloshed onto her hand a bit and Lily's cheeks went pink at being caught hiding out from everyone. "Mind if I join you?"

James didn't wait for a response as he sauntered over towards the rug, sliding down beside her so that his legs also lay out in front of him. His were much longer than hers, and she appreciated his height for the first time since they had truly met while purchasing a snack in the teacher's lounge the day before school started for the students.

"Penny for your thoughts?" He asked, grinning down at her.

"Just thinking about how even that Santa hat can't hide those curls of yours." Lily smirked as she made him blush and duck his head.

"Liiiiiiily." He whined, nudging her with his elbow before he laughed softly. "I can't control it!" James was growing defensive and she couldn't control the giggles that fell from her lips. She knew she had too much eggnog before coming down here, and being alone with her boss while slightly tipsy was a dangerous matter. Especially a boss who was looking incredibly cute with his button down sleeves rolled up to his elbows and the hat tilted on the top of his head.

Lily must have been staring for too long because James cleared his throat and she smoothed down her skirt quickly, avoiding his gaze.

"It's getting cold in here. We should probably head back to the party. Free eggnog can't last for much longer." She stood without a warning, watching as James did so as well. He locked up the window for her and then led her through the doorway, his hand burning on the middle of her lower back throughout the walk.

iv.

Lily was looking at her classroom, all decorated with hearts in various shades of red and pink. She had on her pink cardigan with a cream colored skirt that twirled whenever she spun and for some reason she was really looking forward to Valentine's Day this year. All of the kids had been "gossiping" with her about what kind of cards they were going to get for their friends, and she knew of at least two students who had crushes on other students. Lily had just finished putting out the Valentine's she gave her own students each year with a small lollipop attached at the corner of the heart-shaped card when she heard a slight cough coming from the doorway. She smiled pleasantly at the sight of James, wearing gray slacks with a white shirt and a bright pink tie covered in hearts.

"Looking quite festive in here, Miss Evans! In fact, I think Cupid may find himself a new home in your classroom, it looks so ready for Valentine's Day." James' teasing caused her to flush, though she smoothed her skirt down and offered up a shrug in response while turning to scan her classroom.

"I like the students to feel excited for the holidays. You haven't even seen my Valentine's Day lesson planning." She had constructed a spelling word list along with math worksheets and art projects, all designed to be Valentine's themed. "I think I am the leader of this school when it comes to the holiday spirit." Lily grinned as she settled down at her desk, leaning back in her chair Godfather-style as she glanced up at James. His cheeks brightened and he stepped into the classroom, peeking at one of the cards on a student's desk before smiling at her again.

"Sorry for the teasing. I appreciate the festivity. I noticed that nobody around here really has that passion anymore, so I'm glad to see at least one teacher does. I'm sure the kids are going to love it." He sounded sincere as he settled into the beanbag chair beside her desk, his lanky limbs not quite fitting on the cushion properly. Her gaze focused back on him as he adjusted himself and then jumped up again, causing Lily to let out a small yelp in surprise.

"Sorry, sorry. Just forgot. I need to give you something." As he reached into his pocket, she was afraid she was about to get her pink slip (and on Valentine's Day no less) meaning she'd have to bid for her job, again and she knew she'd get it but just the stress of having to go through the bid process every year was frightening and she was incredibly grateful that Umbridge didn't have hiring and firing power.

"Here. Happy Valentine's Day, Evans." In James' palm lay a small Disney princess card in her hand. She took it and noticed that it had Ariel on it, and she couldn't help the smile that formed on her face as she realized he probably was trying to be cute, identifying that they both had red hair. She licked her lips and opened it up, reading the scratchy scrawl on the inside in tiny lettering.

"Be my Valentine, Evans? Love, James." Above his handwriting were the words So glad you're a part of my world printed in big teal lettering. She grinned up at him and nodded. "I happily accept your proposal, Valentine." Lily winked and James' cheeks burned a red almost as bright as the mermaid's hair.

"Great, so that means you're required to stop by my office for lunch. I'll order us something great from that Greek place you always mention." He told her as he started to back towards her door.

"Perfect! It's a date." Lily confirmed, to which James nodded in response and out of the corner of her eye, Lily noticed him stumble over a small chair by the door before he left Lily alone with her thoughts.

v.

Lily had just hugged the last of her kindergarteners goodbye, saying a special farewell to Charlie, who had made immense progress when it came to his math over the year. This was always a hard time for teachers. It was a time to rejoice and prepare for a few months off with no children to really stress over, but it was also a sad time. She was struggling to hold back tears as she took a turn and just stared at the empty classroom. She was being forced to remove all of her decorations for the summer so that they could repaint and retile the floors. All of her student's things were gone, and any reminders of this school year would be shoved into a storage box. She had never felt so nostalgic before, and she knew that this year's students held a special place in her heart.

"Alright, Evans?" James' voice sounded concerned as he suddenly appeared in the doorway to the classroom. She nodded and let out a little sigh before stepping towards him. "How do you always seem to know just when I need some form of human contact?" Lily tried to joke, but she found it to be uncanny. It was as if James just knew when she needed the help.

His hands rested lightly on her shoulders as she let her eyes close, trying to stop anymore tears from forming. "It's okay." He murmured, letting a hand slip down her arm so that he could lace their fingers together, giving her fingers a slight squeeze. "You'll get new rascals next year, and you'll get to mold them into awesome human beings because it's what you're great at." James' voice sounded so genuine it just made her want to cry more. He was being so kind and thoughtful, and his words meant the world to her.

When Lily peeked up at him from beneath her lashes, James' gaze seemed a bit softer than usual. Without thinking, his hand slid up to cup the back of her neck, and she could feel his warm breath across her cheeks. "Lily, I-" His words were cut off as she leaned up the rest of the way, capturing his mouth in a soft kiss. Lily wasn't entirely sure where the desire to do so had come from, but she realized that she had been thinking about doing so for quite some time, and she didn't want to wait any longer.

After pulling back, the weight of what Lily had done was weighing her down, and she felt like she was going to be sick. She had just kissed her boss . She was so going to be fired. She'd have to work at the school across town, doubling her commute. They definitely didn't have as nice of classrooms, and she heard all of the administrative time were monsters, but she could make do. Lily could feel her heart pounding in her chest and James must have finally noticed the fearful look on her features because he chuckled softly before lifting up her chin using his thumb and forefinger.

"I was going to ask if you wanted to go for dinner sometime, but I think that I got my answer." James' face donned a cocky smirk, but his voice sounded a bit nervous, despite the fact thatLily had just kissed him .

"I think dinner could be arranged."

vi.

Lily appeared in the doorway and grinned as she watched her husband work. His head was bent over his desk, completely oblivious to his visitors. She knew that the school year wouldn't be starting for another month, and James technically didn't start getting paid again until next week, but his passion for his students was what drew her in, and it was something she still found endearing, even after all their time together.

"Ahem, Mister Potter? I have a dilemma I need solving." She smiled as he looked up, hand midway through his hair, a crooked grin on his face.

"Yes, Miss Evans? Come in and take a seat, I'm happy to help you."

She sauntered over to the cushioned chair opposite the oak desk and slowly lowered herself into the seat.

"The thing is I'm not entirely sure what the problem is. I just know that it was very cold and lonely at home, and I decided that Harry and I simply had to come for a visit. Maybe you know how to fix the problem?" As Lily spoke, James' grin turned into a smirk and he made his way around the desk, leaning against it while crossing his legs. "I think I may have the solution."

Moments later, James was taking the baby bundle from her arms, pressing a gentle kiss to Harry's smooth forehead before letting his eyes meet hers. "Much better." She reassured him, standing again so that she could drop a kiss to Harry's cheek and hold onto the hand that had peeked out from the folds of the baby blanket wrapped around his small body.

"I'm so proud of you." She whispered, smiling as his free arm wrapped around her waist so that he could tuck two of his favorite people as close to him as possible. James dropped a kiss to her temple and let out a soft hum of contentment.

"You know you're not supposed to be out of bed for another week." He scolded her, though it was hard to look stern when he was holding his newborn son in the middle of his office, feeling more pride than he ever would have imagined.

"Harry and I wanted to be the first ones to say congratulations to the new principal. We hear he's pretty spectacular." Lily's grin grew as she watched her husband's cheeks turn pink. Even with the cocky attitude he could have at times, it was always fun to watch him grow flustered because of her. She knew that his cockiness was only an act, and that when it came down to it, he was still just that silly boy she met in the teacher's lounge trying to get a soda unstuck from the vending machine on his first day. James just winked at her and pressed a kiss to her lips before speaking.

"What can I say? I work with some really great teachers."