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The Way Life Works Chapter 12-Christmas Part 1
The two weeks before Christmas disappeared quickly, and before anyone knew it they were loading up their trunks to head home. James was planning to go home with Lily to meet her parents and be her date for the wedding. James had to admit he was extremely nervous. Being away at school for so long meant that he never had to meet his girlfriends' parents. Then again, none of his other girlfriends were Lily. He cared more about Lily than he had about any of his other girlfriends and he'd only been with Lily for a month. As these thoughts were passing through James's mind, he was carefully packing, making sure to include all of his nicest clothes, he had to owl a house elf from his home for his suit to be sent to Lily's house. James finished filling his trunk and met Lily and their friends in the common room. As Lily watched him walk over to them she couldn't help but notice how good he looked. He was dressed in his nicest dark jeans and a soft black sweater with his black school shoes. She could tell that he was dressing nicely thinking her parents would care, but no matter how many times she had told him that all that mattered to them was making her happy he still didn't believe her. That was okay with her, he looked great, and if it made him feel better then why fight it. The friends laughed all the way back to London, snacking on chocolate frogs.
"James stop fidgeting. Just wait until the train stops, you can meet my parents, they'll love you, you'll love them, and we'll spend the rest of vacation pretending my sister Petunia doesn't exist, while she does the same." Lily said excitedly waiting to see her parents. "Oh, there they are!" Lily said and she tore out of James's arms, off the train and made her way over, James followed behind. Lily's mother pulled her into a giant hug and when she finally let go her dad scooped her up and twirled her around, they had always greeted each other this way, ever since her first year. While Lily had been hugging her mother, James was shaking hands and introducing himself to Mr. Evans, and despite what James thought, Mr. Evans didn't seem to have any desire to kill. Then the two switched. James didn't have a chance to say anything before Lily's mother had him in her arms in a huge hug. James hugged her back and whispered that it was nice to meet her. Hugging Mrs. Evans had reminded James of how much he missed hugging his own mother.
After they had finished the meet-and-greet, they headed towards the Evans's car. James helped lily's dad fit both trunks in the boot of his car, magic really did come in handy, and before anyone knew it they were speeding down the road toward Lily's home in Little Whinging. It was a nice home, in James's opinion, a nice lawn with lilies and what he believed to be petunias as well as roses planted in the front yard. There were no flowers, obviously because it was December, but James's mother loved flowers and had always made James help her in the garden when he was younger.
Inside, the house was really a home. It was warm, with a fire blazing in the fireplace, a comfortable looking couch and arm chair sat in the living room with a coffee table cluttered with different sections of the London Times Newspaper.
"Lily, why don't you give James a tour of the house, while I start on dinner." Lily's mum said to her.
"Okay. Follow me James." James took her hand and they headed through a door into the kitchen. It was a large, well organized kitchen, the kitchen of someone who loved to cook. After that, they went into the guestroom downstairs which was to be James's while he stayed. It was room of average size, which held a desk, more than likely it acted as a sort of den for the family. But the sofa bed looked comfortable enough so they moved on to the rest of the house. Lily showed James the bathrooms, and the upstairs. She pointed out her parent's room but didn't go inside, the same with Petunia's room, at which time James knew that he had been right. When they entered Lily's room Lily pointed out several things, and then the two reclined on her bed and talked.
"You're mum's name must be Rose, am I right?" James asked.
"Yeah, how'd you know?"
"The flowers in the front yard; there are lilies, petunias and roses. So I just assumed." James said as he stretched his legs out with his back against the headboard. Lily snuggled into him with her head resting on his chest and one leg over his.
"You're right. How do you know so much about flowers anyway?" Lily asked. She loved being with James like this. They were comfortable with each other now, after they had shocked their friends, but they still weren't overly demonstrative. It really wasn't their style. But one thing Lily knew she'd never get enough of, was being in James's arms like this. As if to prove her point, James kissed the top of her head and then answered.
"My mother had a large garden at our home. She had all types of plants; both wizard and muggle. She made her own potions and grew some of her own ingredients. But more than anything she loved flowers. When I was younger she use to make me help her, and she would teach me all about flowers, as well as the plants she used in potions. Looking back, I realized I took that time with her for granted and resented that she pulled me out into the garden when I wanted to being doing something else. Now, all I wish is that we could have more time in the garden, just the two of us. As far as recognizing the plants in your front yard, my mum already had petunias and roses, but when I came home from my first year of Hogwarts, I asked her if we could plant some lilies. She asked me why, and I said I just think their pretty. So we planted several varieties of lilies. And each year when I got home from school, I got to see the lilies bloom and I'd think of you." James paused then said, "That was pretty cheesy even for me." And they both laughed, but they also knew that James was serious. He had liked Lily a long time, and even though he was an idiot about it for a long time, he eventually came around. Lily still appreciated the fact that he had planted flowers because of her. When they had stopped laughing Lily kissed him sweetly.
"Thank you James."
"For what?"
"For sharing that with me. I know how hard it is for you to talk about your parents."
"It gets easier every time I do. I used to think that talking about them would make me weak. Sirius still refuses to talk about them and Remus and Peter just never knew them like Sirius and I did. So I just didn't talk about them. With you though, it's easy for some reason. It also helps, because as painful as their death was, remembering them as they were keeps them alive in my heart and mind. So I should really be thanking you, for listening and being here." James said and this time he kissed Lily. It was still a sweet kiss, but it held a deeper feeling of understanding as well as the beginnings of passion that was growing between them. The two were interrupted however when Mrs. Evans brought Petunia in to meet James. Petunia had been out shopping for some last minute items for the wedding. Lily's mum, Rose opened the door.
"Lily, Petunia's here so we best…oh." Lily and James broke apart and while James looked a little embarrassed they didn't look ashamed or spring apart like they'd been doing something they shouldn't have. Rose was surprised but not in anyway upset, on the contrary she looked really happy because she could see how happy Lily was.
"What's going on, can't we just get this over with." Petunia barged in saw the two cuddled up together. "Eek, kissing in your bedroom Lily, really have you no shame, I suppose, though, that it's the only way you could get a boyfriend, by spreading yourself around." Petunia said spitefully with a smirk that would rival Snape's. Before Lily or Rose could say or do anything, James moved gently out of Lily's arms, stood up and stopped in front of Petunia staring her down. James towered over Petunia. When he spoke his voice was ice cold, he no longer cared about the impression he made, no one would ever say things like that about Lily and get away with it.
"You speak of having no shame, and yet you speak as if you've no class at all. Lily didn't need to do anything but be herself to catch my attention, she's had my attention since I was twelve years old. I grew up, because before recently I wasn't worthy of Lily's attention." Lily looked aghast by that statement, but James continued before she could say anything. "Clearly, you need to grow up as well. If you can't see how amazing Lily really is, then I pity you, because you're losing out on the chance to know someone who is truly amazing. Lily's one of the biggest reasons I am the man I am today. I hope you figure it out before it's too late." James turned his attention to Lily's mum.
"I'm sorry if I was disrespectful, but I hope you understand that I can't let anyone, regardless of who they are, defame Lily like that. She's done nothing to deserve it, and I can't just sit back and watch it happen just to avoid causing a seen when I only just met her parents. She means the world to me, forgive me if I've stepped out of bounds." James left through the door before anyone could say anything. As he left the room Lily's father, Robert was there just outside the door, he'd heard the whole thing. James paused and met his eye expecting to see reproach, but instead, James was surprised to see a strong sense of camaraderie and pride. As James started walking again, Robert gave James's shoulder a comforting pat.
Back in Lily's room Petunia was incensed, Rose was trying really, really hard not to smile and Lily looked both angry at Petunia and concerned about both her parent's reaction and James.
"How dare he come into our home and insult me this way. I hope you're going to do something about this mother!" Petunia said to Rose. Lily turned to look at her mother to see her mother looking directly at her. Their eyes met, and Lily could see her mum's acceptance of James and that she was in no way upset by what he had said.
"If you'll both excuse me, I need to make sure my boyfriend is alright."
"What! You're going after him when he said those things to me. We're family, we're supposed to protect each other." Petunia said. Rose was waiting for a blowup. Petunia's and Lily's relationship was very volatile ever since Lily went away, and the fights could be heard from blocks away. So Rose was surprised and proud when Lily didn't blow up. Instead she sighed and started talking. Clearly, James had helped Lily grow up as well.
"Petunia, you're right, family is supposed to protect each other. So let me ask you, where have you been when people ridiculed me for being different. To you I was, to you I am a freak. You've taken every opportunity the past six and a half years to point that out to me. You weren't so keen to protect me then, instead you were one of those attacking me. James is one of the best things that's ever happened to me since I found out I was a witch, as much as I made him grow up, he's made me grow up. And the best part is that we've grown up together. He's my family now, along with mum and dad, they've always protected me, even when I didn't want them to. You, were never there. I love you Petunia, you're my sister, I'll always love you, and I hope Vernon makes you as happy as James makes me, but James will always come before you, just as I suspect Vernon will always come first for you. That's the way life works." Lily hugged her mum and kissed her cheek whispering that they would talk later and walked out the door in search of James. Lily also ran into her father outside her room, and she stopped to hear him speak.
"You love him." Robert stated, rather than asked. Lily nodded.
"Well I guess it's a good thing he loves you too." Lily looked uncertain at this, as they had never said the words to each other. "He does Lily, he wouldn't do what he just did if he didn't love you. I know it doesn't matter to you, but I approve, I don't think he's good enough for you, but I think he's as close as anyone could get." Lily gave hugged him hard and kissed his cheek. "Go after him, and tell him that your mum and I are proud of him, and happy for you."
"I don't know where he is, he could have left." Lily said with uncertainty.
"He's out back pacing." Lily turned to go.
"And Lily?"
"Yes?"
"I don't think James is the type to just leave." Lily nodded and headed downstairs and out the backdoor to talk to James.
