Chapter 11

Skipping, Showers and Snogging

"It's kinda hard to tell the two of them apart when they are asleep beside each other like that." Sirius said scratching the back of his head.

He and Remus both turned when they heard Lily in the doorway.

"Why are you both in here staring at James sleeping?" she asked, confused.

Remus put his finger up to his mouth and motioned her forward to the side of the bed. "As the future wife, and mother to each of them respectively. When their eyes are closed and they are both wearing baggy clothes. Who is who?" he said with a grin.

She looked down at them in utter bemusement, they were identical, they always looked alike but asleep, there was no difference between the two. Both of their faces smoothed in to carefree, masks, side by side they seriously could have been twins. They were even laying similar, both on their stomachs, one leg hanging off the side the other curled up. Both of their hair was smashed up into their faces their mouths slightly open. She leaned a bit closer to the boy closest to her and brushed his hair from his face. Smiling she lifted the fringe of bangs and whispered "Harry."

"That is cheating, you can't use his scar." Sirius hissed.

Her replying giggle woke James. Harry remained asleep.

"Why are you all standing around my bed?" James mumbled as he sat up, wiping the sleep from his eyes.

"Because you and Harry are impossibly cute when you are laying side by side asleep and we can't figure out who is who." Lily said with a grin as she moved her hand from Harry's head.

James shook his head and pointed to the door. All of them took his cue and walked out, he followed.

"So was there are purpose for coming in to stare at us sleeping or was that it." He asked, scratching his head which was exceptionally messy from sleeping sideways on half of a bed.

All four boys stared incredulously as Lily walked closer to him and attempted to flatten the side that was sticking up. He smiled at her, bemused when she smiled back.

"Well I think we were all dually making certain that you were coming to class and that you and Harry hadn't killed each other overnight." She said with a wink.

"No we did not kill each other. It was quite civil actually." James said, poking his tongue out. "But we aren't going to classes today."

"James." Lily said slowly.

"You have to go to class." Remus argued.

"Fine by me, but you are both going to end up in detention." Sirius shrugged.

"No, Remus, Lils, we aren't going. We are doing other stuff today, he doesn't know it though. Yesterday was tough and we both need a break, we won't see each other this weekend really and I want to resolve all of this before we go home and have that whole new confusing mess to face. And so we end up in detention, we can make history by being the only father and son to ever serve a detention together." He said with a smirk, causing Sirius and Lily to laugh. "Besides, if he is going to be the first Potter to take Lily on a date I'll be damned if he is wearing those too big, nasty clothes of his cousin's. He has to make a good impression."

"Mate I would think as your date is immediately after you would want to make the better impression." Sirius joked

James looked at Lily and pushed a stray hair from her face 'Don't worry Siri, I have that covered too."

"Well we are going to class, so if we don't want to be in that detention with you, we had best get going." Remus said, turning for the door. Sirius and Lily turned to follow but Pete stayed in his place.

"I-I want to talk to Harry." He said softly.

The other three spun to look at him in shock, James just stared at him. It was Sirius who answered. "I think you should wait until he makes peace with the fact that right now you aren't the same Peter Pettigrew that he knows. Wait until he comes to you."

"He will never come to me." Peter said softly.

"Well than that is his choice Pete. He shouldn't be forced into listening to any of us. The kid has lived through hell and if any of this made any difference than he won't know you as the same man as he does right now. If it makes no difference at all then what is the point of hurting him more by telling him lies and giving him hope that he will remember forever?" James said quietly.

"But I'm not going to." Pete protested.

"I didn't say you were. But in his life you did, and to him, that is what is real that is what is going to happen. He won't believe otherwise Pete, even if we do. And can you blame him? Now don't take this wrong because I am in no way mad or upset or anything because I know we are going to change this, all of it. But I saw his arm last night, that scar runs half way from his wrist to his elbow. He isn't going to forget that just because we say he should." James said gently, trying to remind himself that it wasn't this Peter that had done that, if he was having a hard time with it, he couldn't fathom how Harry had held it in for so long.

Peter sighed and left the common room, Remus looked after him with a frown on his face. "James we can't turn on him or we might as well push him to Voldemort ourselves." He said softly.

"I know that, I said I wasn't mad, I said I wasn't blaming him, but I will not ask Harry not to." James shrugged.

Remus nodded and followed after their friend. Sirius walked over and patted James' shoulder. "I am glad you are starting to understand him, I know you can't really be his dad right now, but he does need you." He said before chasing after Remus. "Oh and we need to talk about when Lily started finding you cute and agreeing to go on dates with you, or any Potter for that matter." He yelled back around the door, leaving James and Lily standing alone.

"You're sure about Saturday night?" he said softly.

"I was sure about Saturday night before I knew any of this James." She replied, trying to force herself not to mess with his hair.

"But now that you do know all of this…I mean it is a lot, it is really…intimidating, I wouldn't blame you at all if…"

"If I decided to turn my back on my future? James I knew at the end of last year that I wanted you. As surely as I know when I look at that boy in there that I want him. I feel it, I can't explain it but I want to spend time with him, I wanted to before I was just nervous how you would handle it if I was hanging out with your little brother. If anything, all this shows me is that I was right when I figured out that I desperately just wanted to give you a chance." she said giving in and pushing his bangs from his eyes.

He caught her hand in his and pulled it to his face, sighing into her palm. They stood that way for several minutes before Lily laughed and looked at her watch.

"I am officially late for Charms."

He was teetering with his decision of whether or not to kiss her when he let her hand go and stepped back.

'Go, get to Flitwick, all you have to do is take notes for me, and I will take the ultimate sacrifice and take care of our son." He said with a smirk as she laughed.

"Somehow I think you are getting the better end of this deal." She muttered as she left their shared common room.

James returned to his own room and shook Harry awake. He blinked his eyes and lifted his head, looking as if he was still half asleep.

"Whah?" he muttered.

"We aren't going to class, we are going to Hogsmede. I am going to get ready." James said before turning to his wardrobe. He grabbed his clothes for the day for both himself and Harry, and went into his private attached bathroom but not before turning to see Harry sleepily rub his eyes. He had seen that look before, he would be back asleep by the time James got in the shower. Really he was more a combination of Sirius and himself rather than Lily and himself, James thought. He rolled his eyes and pulled the door closed.

He had been finished with his shower for quite some time and was standing shirtless in jeans with his towel thrown over his shoulder and his hair damp when the door was pushed open. He turned, expecting to see Harry but instead was face to face with Lily. His mouth dropped open, his toothbrush stuck in his cheek. Toothpaste dribbled out of his mouth before he realized how ridiculous he looked and he pulled out the toothbrush and wiped his mouth on his bare arm.

"Uh, Lils." He stammered. She was staring at him in shock, she blinked several times and shook her head as if to clear it before turning and walking out the door. He followed her and leaned out to see Harry sitting on the bed, his hair sticking up as James' had been an hour before.

"You could have told me he was half naked." She screeched.

Harry shrugged nonplussed as he looked at James.

"How was I supposed to know he wasn't dressed? He's been in there forever. I even went back to sleep after he started the shower. Hermione takes less time to get ready than him. Ginny takes less time to get ready than him, and she is forever doing stuff to her hair. Besides I fail to see the problem here." He said before shaking his hands through his hair.

James had to smile, in his most vulnerable sleepy state he reverted to James' habit of mussing his hair, he grinned with pride.

"Harry he is half naked!" Lily said, still failing to lower her voice.

"He has jeans on." Harry muttered in response. "Put your shirt on, she thinks you are too naked." He yawned.

James couldn't hold back his laugh as he tossled his hair in the towel before pulling a fitted undershirt on.

"Er Lils, why were you in my bathroom, if I can interrupt you two for a minute." James asked before sticking his toothbrush back into his mouth with a grin.

"Obviously I wouldn't have been in there had someone told me you were undressed." Lily replied, glaring at Harry angrily.

"I'm sorry, next time I will stand in there with him so I can tell you when it is appropriate to go into a boy's private bath." Harry shrugged before standing and stretching. "Besides one doesn't usually think twice about their mum seeing their dad without his shirt, or naked for that matter."

James knew what was coming and jumped back into the bathroom doorway. As Lily picked up a pillow and began to hit Harry with it violently. "Yes. But. I. Have. Never. Seen. Him. Without. A. Shirt. Or. Naked!" She yelled between each it, James laughing like mad.

"Yet." Harry said confidently before sliding past her towards James who was rinsing out his mouth.

"WHAT!" she yelled, advancing on him. Harry laughed and held up his hands in surrender.

James decided to come to his aide. "He has a point, I mean, he is living proof." He said calmly, pointing at Harry.

"James!" she squealed.

Harry smiled hugely, and in that moment James was stunned at his son's quick wit. He looked right at Lily and pulled off his shirt and threw it into her hands. "Oh no, close your eyes mum, your son is shirtless." He walked close to her kissed her cheek and stepped into the bathroom, leaving Lily standing stunned. "Love you mum." He called through the door over James' hysterical laughter.

"Don't worry Harry, I will have her well and over her aversion to nudity by the time she has to wipe your arse and give you baths." James chuckled.

"James!" Lily moaned, but James held up his hand, smiling as the door opened and Harry stuck his naked torso out, frowning.

"Thanks for that." He grumbled slamming the door shut to James and Lily's laughter.

They stood silent until they heard the shower cut on.

"Now, again, and seriously this time, why were you looking for me in my bathroom? I mean unless it actually was to find me half naked." James said with half a grin. He found himself being attacked by way of pillow.

He was laughing and backing up when he fell back, grabbing Lily to stabilize himself, causing them both to topple back onto his bed. He was gripping her waist and laughing when he realized he was gripping her waist and she was straddling him. She saw his face flush and heard him gulp before the realization dawned on her. And her own blush crept up her neck to her cheeks.

Taking every ounce of Gryffindor courage he had James took his hands from her sides and ran them up her back, letting one tangle into her hair and pulled her face down to him before crashing his lips against hers.

After several seconds she pulled back, staring at him in disbelief. He let his hands slide back down to rest on her lower back. Without hesitating she gripped his hair and pulled herself to his lips. Their kiss continued on until they heard a strangled yell behind them."

"One doesn't assume they are ever going to be there to witness their parents' first time though! AGH! My virgin eyes." He yelled.

James wrapped his arms her waist and sat up before letting go of her and letting her stand, she was blushing furiously. "That could not have taken you more than 10 minutes to get ready." James huffed.

"Yeah, I don't primp." Harry said, tousseling his hair with the towel and then attempting to flatten it unsuccessfully. "You know most people have their first date before their first snog." He pointed out as Lily tried to sneak out the door.

"Yeah well most women wait to give birth before they beat their first born senseless but for you I might make an exception." She said before playfully pushing him towards the bathroom.

"Watch it James, she touched me and I am shirtless." He said walking over to where he had had left the shirt James had laid out for him to wear today.

"I just wanted you to know I went to Dumbledore and told him that you and Harry were exhausted from yesterday and that Harry needed some basic supplies like clothing and stuff before you go home for the holidays. You have both been cleared from classes for the day, just stay out of trouble. Please." Lily huffed before walking out of the room shaking her head.

"You have been hanging out with Sirius far too much." James chuckled. "And as your father I am pretty sure I am supposed to tell you that I am proud of you for still being a virgin. But can I say I am surprised, especially with the influence Sirius seems to have had on you."

Harry shrugged in response, pulling on the yellow zippered, hooded sweatshirt over the dark blue tshirt. He looked down at the dark jeans and matching, well-fitting clothing he was wearing. "This is how you want me to dress?" he said looking at James who was pulling on a leather jacket over his collared shirt.

"At the very least." He said firmly. "Mum will have a heart attack if you show up wearing those rags of your cousin's. And I will not have you going out with Lily to Hogsmede, as a Potter, my little brother or not, looking like a prat."

"So you want me to change back into my own clothes then." Harry asked offhand.

James chuckled and pushed him out of the door. "Cheeky little thing you are. Smart arse, I swear, I don't know who you get it from."

"Gee I wonder." Harry replied sarcastically.