"YOU! YOU DID THIS TO ME, JAMES POTTER!" hollered Lily from her hospital bed, clutching her husbands hand in a vice-like grip.
"Well, to be fair, you were the one who suggested having a baby in the first place." James Potter said with a grin, despite the danger of teasing his wife at such a moment. Lilly's grip tightened as she dug her nails into his skin
"OW! Alright- I get it! There's no need for violence!"
"I swear, if I had my wand-"
"Lily. Relax. Breathe." James said calmly. He wiped the hair from Lily's forehead to kiss her there, "We are about to have a beautiful baby together. We are starting a family. A beautiful, strong family and—" James was interrupted by another cry from Lily, who chose to have a natural birth and very much regretting it with every contraction.
"James," she said with a heavy breath, "James it's happening. I'm scared, I don't want this…"
"Yes you do." Assured James who wiped the tears from her face, and kissed her forehead again, "You're going to do this and you're going to be so strong. I love you, Lily. You're a perfect wife and you're about to be a perfect mother. Now let's get this show on the road, eh? I'm supposed to be meeting up with the boys soon." Thankfully, for James's sake, this time his wife laughed, bringing her to another contraction.
"It's happening, the baby's crowning!" said the attending doctor calmly to the two parents.
"BELIEVE ME, I KNOW! JUST TAKE THE DAMN THING OUT!" screamed Lily so loudly the doctor looked up in shock.
"That's my girl!" James said proudly, "Push, Lily, you can do this!"
Several more pushes and threats and tears later, Harry James Potter was born, exactly seven pounds and seven ounces, and perfectly healthy.
"He's perfect." Said James, looking down at his son, sleeping in his mothers arms after being cleaned up. "He's… just perfect."
"You aren't crying, are you, James? I thought you were supposed to be 'meeting up with the boys'." Lily teased, still looking down at their sleeping baby. James just smiled at her.
"Can I hold him?" he asked gently
"Of course." Said Lily, carefully handing the swaddled baby to James.
"Am I… am I holding him right?" he asked
"You're holding him perfectly. He looks exactly like you. Like a tiny, bald, cuter version you." Lily said, trying to imprint this picture to her mind forever. Her wonderful husband holding her wonderful baby.
"Can you say 'Daddy'?" James asked the infant in his arms "Say 'Daddy', Harry."
"James, even if he wasn't less than a day old, he's sleeping."
"I know, I just thought I'd get a jump-start on his education. Harry, can you say 'Mummy takes things too seriously?'"
"Harry," Lilly said, rolling her eyes, "Can you say 'Daddy's a buffoon?'"
"Harry, can you say 'I have the best Mummy and Daddy in the world, and even though they bicker about silly things, they love each-other, and their wonderful son very much?'" James said, to which, baby Harry opened his eyes for the first time to look at his silly, bickering parents.
"Lily, he has exactly your eyes." James said, fighting back tears, "He's so beautiful. Exactly your eyes." He handed the baby back to Lily who let her tears fall from her eyes freely.
"Hello, Harry." She said softly to him. "I'm your Mummy. And I love you more than you could ever possibly know." Harry looked from Lily to James, back to Lily and gave them the littlest smile. His first smile.
The new family head to their little home at Grimwald Place only to be greeted by a celebratory surprise-party consisting of the Marauders.
"SURPRISE!" yelled Sirius and Peter wearing comically small party hats. The living room was decorated with pale blue and pink balloons and streamers everywhere.
"This wasn't my idea!" said Remus who was holding his party hat in hand, "I figured, you wanted a bit of rest, but these two…"
"It's alright, we're glad to have you over!" Said James with a laugh, hugging each of his friends, "Right, dear?" he asked Lily cautiously.
"Yes, of course." She said not paying much attention and watching Harry in her arms
"Can I see him?" Asked Sirius, "I want to meet my little godson!" Lily smiled up at Sirius's enthusiasm, and gently handed Harry over.
"Blimey… he's… he's…" Sirius was at a loss for words
"He's beautiful, Lily. Truly, he is." Remus said looking over Sirius's shoulder at the bundle who was observing the scene.
"Looks just like you, Prongs!" squeaked Peter, "'Cept for his eyes."
Sirius continued to gawk at the baby in awe, afraid to move or upset little Harry in any way.
"Alright, mate?" James asked his closest friend.
"Yeah. Yeah, he's… he's great. Really great, James. Congrats, you two."
"Thanks, Sirius. He is pretty great." Said Lily smiling at the love-stricken godfather of her son who was reaching out to touch Sirius's face
"Can I hold him?" Remus asked shyly. Sirius reluctantly handed the baby over, but stayed close.
"Hello, little Harry." Remus cooed at the baby who waved his tiny arms up in the air in excitement.
"Can you say 'Padfoot'?" Sirius asked Harry
"Please tell me you're kidding." Said Lily with Remus.
"Tried the same thing earlier with "Daddy". Don't feel bad, mate. He'll learn." James assured Sirius
"Wormtail? Can you say 'Wormtail'?" Peter was already asking the infant
"The first word out of my sons mouth will not be 'wormtail', so help me." Lily snapped
"If anything, 'Moony' is probably the easier one to say." Remus chimed in, "Say 'Moony', Harry!"
"Let me hold him again!" Sirius demanded
"I didn't get a chance!" whined Peter
"I only just got him!"
Lily walked over to her husband who automatically wrapped his arms around her, they both were enjoying the scene of their friends showering their baby with love and affection.
"Can you believe it, James? Only a baby and our son's already famous."