Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. I don't make money from this fic.
November 24, 1979 London, England- Diagon Alley
Hermione never really needed an excuse to go shopping with Lily, as she lived in an apartment above one of the shops in Diagon Alley, but when Sirius told her that he and the guys had plans in Hogsmeade, she wasted no time making plans with Lily to go shopping. But they weren't shopping in Diagon Alley today. No, Hermione and Lily had opted to browse the shops in Muggle London instead.
"I never know what to get James." Lily said. "The man has everything he could ever want."
"You could always make him something?" Hermione suggested.
"Hermione, you know I'm terrible at crafts. Remember that time you tried to teach me to knit?" She said, glancing over at the other woman. Hermione winced.
"Yeah. Maybe we should stick to store-bought gifts, then." She said, peering in the window of the closest store. "What about a new pair of jeans? Or a jean jacket? He wouldn't wear leather, like Sirius."
"You know, that's not a bad idea. I don't think the man, for all his love of Muggle music, knows how to shop like a Muggle." She sighed.
"Sirius has the opposite problem." Hermione laughed. "He shops like a Muggle most of the time. You would not believe how many pairs of jeans that man owns."
"I just assumed he owned one pair and never washed them." Lily shrugged and the girls giggled, turning into the store and heading for the section where they saw men's denim jackets hanging on a rack.
"So what were the boys getting up to today that they had to go to Hogsmeade anyway?" Lily asked, looking through the rack of jackets at the prices and sizes.
"Sirius said something about James having some news for them?" Hermione said, looking up at Lily. She saw something in her eyes before a grin spread across her face.
"So this is how he's telling them." She said, smiling.
"Telling them what?" Hermione asked, narrowing her eyes at her best friend. Lily giggled and looked through the rack again, plucking a jacket from the rack and looking it over.
"Do you think James needs a medium or a large?" She asked, holding the jacket up to assess it.
"A large, he's filled out a bit since school." Hermione said, looking at the jacket. "But you're avoiding my question."
"I know." Lily smiled, putting the jacket over her arm and moving over to the men's dress shirt section. "Have you decided the colors of the wedding yet?" She asked.
"It's not official yet, but I think we're doing navy with accents of royal blue and gold." Hermione said, pointing out one of the dress shirts. "But once again, you're avoiding my question, Lily." She said. Lily sighed.
"Okay, you really want to know?" Lily asked her with a sigh. Hermione nodded. "So you remember Sirius's birthday party earlier this month?" She asked.
"Of course." Hermione said, chuckling. "James had a little too much to drink and you were tipsy. It was sort of hilarious to be honest."
"Well, you know how James gets when he's drunk." Lily said, rolling her eyes, but she blushed a bit as she looked through some of the jeans on a shelf.
"Handsy, you mean?" Hermione snorted.
"Well, we went home that night, and things got a little heated." She said. "And, well, we forgot to use protection." Hermione stopped dead as she realized what Lily was telling her.
"Wait. You're pregnant?" Hermione asked.
"Yeah, I'm pregnant." Lily said, looking up sheepishly at Hermione. Her first instinct was to hug her best friend. Her next instinct was to giggle uncontrollably.
"Oh great. I get to explain to Sirius that I broke his fiancee." Lily said, looking her over with a smirk.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, it's just-" She looked around, realizing they were still very much in the middle of a Muggle shop, and that she probably shouldn't explain just then. "You all done? Let's pay and I'll tell you outside." Lily nodded, eyeing her friend as she walked to the counter to pay for the jacket she'd picked out. Hermione waited for her, and they walked out together.
"So what was so funny?" Lily said.
"It's just so weird." Hermione said. "My current best friend is carrying my 'future' best friend, who's actually my best friend in my past. It's strange to think someone I knew for five years will have never met me in this time. Also, the child I knew for five years… was an accident." Hermione burst out laughing.
"You knew my child in the future, Hermione, right?" Lily asked. Hermione nodded. "Then why do you keep referring to them as 'the child'? You knew their gender. And their name. Why not use it?"
"I don't want to influence you." Hermione said. "So many things have changed about the past. As far as I know, your child may not even be the same gender in this timeline." she explained. "Trying to live in the moment when everything is sort of like deja vu is… interesting."
"I never even thought about how weird this is going to be for you, if you don't go back." Lily said, looking down. "I'm sorry it's like this."
"It gives me a different perspective on things." Hermione said, shrugging. "Allows me to see things a little clearer." They walked in silence, for the span of a few heartbeats until Hermione stopped in the middle of the sidewalk, nearly being run over by a group of Muggle boys behind her. Lily pulled her out of the way before she could be trampled, but Hermione still stared fixedly at the alley next to them. Lily followed her gaze and groaned at what she saw.
In the alley, beside a garbage can and set of stairs that looked more like a fire escape than the entrance to someone's house, was an old black motorbike with a big red FOR SALE sign taped on the visor. Hermione hurried over to it, examining it thoroughly.
"You're not really thinking of buying that are you?" Lily asked.
"Of course I am." Hermione said. "You know Sirius has been wanting a motorbike since school." she said.
"Yes, but this motorbike, Hermione?"
"I have a feeling about this motorbike, Lils." Hermione said, with a grin. "I can't explain it." Hermione examined the for sale sign, which listed an address, the one for the flat above the alley, up the fire escape stairs, as the point of contact.
"Fine. But please tell me you'll make him wear the proper gear?" Lily asked.
"If he gets this bike, Lils, the first thing we're buying afterward is two helmets." Hermione grinned.
"Two? You plan on riding with him?" She asked, brows pulling together.
"Not particularly, but take one look at this thing and tell me James won't want to go for a ride." Hermione said. Lily laughed. "Speaking of which, I may need a place to store this until I can convince Sirius to move out of that blasted flat." Hermione groaned.
"We'll hide it in the back shed until Christmas. After that, you're more than welcome to keep it at the house until you move." Lily said. "Why am I condoning this?" Lily asked herself.
"Because you love us and want to see Sirius happy?" Hermione suggested.
"Sure, let's go with that. Now, let's go talk to this person about it." Lily said, resigned. Hermione beamed and led the way up the stairs, pleased with her discovery.
December 25, 1979 Godric's Hollow - Potter House
Christmas Day was colder than usual, but the Potters and their guests didn't seem to mind. Hermione, Sirius, Remus, and Peter all sat in the little sitting room enjoying the cozy fire and each other's company while letting their Christmas dinner digest. They'd each opened the presents that were tucked under the tree, and James was already wearing his new jean jacket that Lily had gotten him. Hermione had bought Sirius a few smaller gifts, and he'd absolutely fallen in love with the boots she had bought him.
But the biggest gift was still under wraps. Hermione and Lily had enlisted Remus's help on the motorbike, knowing the reveal was going to take some doing. Hermione and Lily shared an excited smile across the room as they prepared themselves for the reveal and Lily gave a subtle nod to Remus. He stood, stretching.
"I think I'm going to step outside, I need a bit of fresh air." He said.
"Alright, mate?" James asked, brows furrowed.
"Fine, just fine. Ate a bit much is all." Remus waved his friend off with a smile. "I'll be back in no time." Sirius looked concerned, but nodded as his friend left the room. James started up a conversation about the English quidditch team after Remus left and Hermione and Lily waited for a lull in the conversation, giving Remus time to pull the bike out of the shed and set everything up. When the conversation seemed to be slowing, Hermione perked up a bit, as though suddenly remembering something.
"Lily? Does it seem like there should be two more presents? I feel like we've forgotten something."
"I believe you're right, Hermione. Let me check the closet again." She said, standing and crossing to the coat closet where she'd stored most of the presents. "Yes, there's two more here, for James and Sirius." She said, taking the two boxes from the closet and handing them to the boys. The two looked at each other and frowned, but Sirius merely shrugged and tore into the paper. He opened the box and pulled out a black helmet, frowning.
"What've you got, Prongs?" He asked, looking over at James.
"A helmet?" He said, looking round at his wife. "I know I'm clumsy, but I don't think it really warrants this, you know." She laughed.
"What are you playing at, Hermione?" Sirius asked, looking over to her. She merely grinned and shrugged.
"I don't know what you're talking about. But perhaps you should go check on Remus in the backyard?" Hermione suggested.
"Both of you." Lily added, "Safety in numbers and all that." Both men looked thoroughly confused, but nonetheless rose from their seats to do as the women asked. The girls grinned, following into the kitchen and out the back door, where Remus sat astride the bike. Hermione wrapped an arm around Sirius's waist and looked up at his awestruck face.
"Hermione, what is that?" he asked weakly.
"I believe that's a motorbike, love." She said.
"What's it doing in James's backyard?" He asked.
"Oh, Lily offered to let me store it here. We don't have much in the way of a driveway, now, do we?" She said lightly.
"So what you're saying," Sirius said slowly. "Is that this helmet is for that bike?" He asked.
"Sure is." She said cheerily.
"And that bike," He said. "Belongs to…?"
"You, love. It's yours." She chuckled at his blank expression.
"You're kidding me?" He said, looking down at her.
"Not in the slightest. It runs fine, and it's only had one owner. And older man who took care of it really well. His wife sold it when he passed away, poor thing. I'm just lucky I had the money on me. She'd already had several offers." Hermione said, looking up to him. He was quiet for several moments and Hermione was scared for a moment that he didn't like it. That was, until he caught her up in a hug that crushed her lungs and swung her around.
"Have I ever told you how much I fucking love you, Hermione?" He asked, not allowing her to answer and kissing her fiercely. She laughed when she let her breathe and looked up at him
"Not quite in those words, but once or twice, yeah." She said. "I take it you like it?"
"I love it. It's the best present I've ever gotten." He said, rushing over to examine the bike.
"I still have one question, though." James asked, holding up his helmet. "Why'd I get a helmet?"
"Do you really expect me to get on that deathtrap, James?" Hermione said, looking up at him. "Sirius needs a co-pilot, and who better than his best man?" she asked.
"You have a point," he said. "So when do we get to take it for a spin?" He asked, excitedly.
"When Sirius gets his license." Lily said, firmly.
"You're such a party pooper." James said.
"I'd prefer my child to have a father, thanks." Lily said, with a wry smile. James smiled back, but nodded.
"Suppose you're right. Guess my days of being reckless are numbered." James said with a smile, wrapping an arm around his pregnant wife.
"'Numbered' does not mean 'over', James." Sirius said with a grin. "We've got a couple more reckless nights in us yet."
"You know," James said, looking around at his friends. "Growing up isn't half as bad as I expected. Maybe an end to recklessness isn't such a bad thing."
"Who are you and what have you done with my best friend?" Sirius asked, with a laugh.
"I'm still here, Padfoot. I've got a few more reckless nights in me yet." James chuckled. But Hermione saw something in his eyes. Something that told her that Prongs was maturing. She smiled as she watched him guide Lily back into the house out of the cold, kissing her temple. These were the parents Harry deserved. This was the life Harry would have, even if she had to give her own to make it happen.