"Lily, she keeps kicking me!" James whispered.

"Well at least she is sleeping," sighed Lily.

"I guess you're right. I guess I'll just move over a little bit," sighed James.

"You do that," Lily yawned as she turned over.

Rose squirmed slightly, but stayed asleep, much to James' relief.

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Lily looked over at the clock on her dresser. It was eight in the morning and Rose and James were both still sleeping. She smiled as she remembered the previous year's Christmas. James had woken her up at five in the morning by hitting her on the head with a pillow. Her smile grew wider as she grabbed the pillow from behind her head. Lily carefully reached over Rose and hit James on the face with it.

He shot straight up in bed and Lily cupped a hand over his mouth to keep him from screaming. James saw the pillow in her hand and he grabbed his own pillow. It was going to be an exact repeat of last year's Christmas morning.

Lily ran down the stairs, still holding her pillow as James sleepily dashed after her. She ran outside into the snow and tried to hide behind the Christmas tree in their back yard. James saw her take cover behind it and chased after her with his pillow raised over his head. Lily screamed playfully as the pillow hit her head. She had been ready for his attack. She pulled the snow ball out from behind her back and whipped it at James.

James shook the snow out of his hair like a dog as he listened to Lily laughing. He quickly crafted a snow ball and whipped it back at Lily. It was his turn to laugh as she spit snow out of her mouth. She whipped out her wand and pelted him with snowball after snowball. "So we're going to play that was now are we?" laughed James, ducking as more snow balls came his way.

He pulled out his own wand and summoned a mountain of snow to fall on Lily. She screamed and threw her arms over her head. "I surrender!" she cried.

James stopped the snow in mid air. "What did you say?" he teased.

"I said I surrender!" she said again as she looked up cautiously.

James laughed and made the snow disappear. Lily walked over to him, shivering. He threw his arms around her and laughed. "Our neighbors must think we are really strange," he said, leading Lily back inside.

"Yeah, having a snowball fight in our pajamas doesn't really qualify as normal," laughed Lily as she kissed James' cheek.

He stopped her right before they went inside and kissed her lips. "Happy Christmas, Lils," he whispered.

Lily kissed him back. "Happy Christmas to you too, James."

"Come on, we better be getting inside," said James. "I don't want you to get sick."

Lily nodded and opened the front door. "Rose is up," she groaned when she heard the screaming coming from upstairs.

"I'll get her," sighed James. "You go into the living room."

Lily closed the door behind her and walked into the living room, wondering what had gotten into Rose.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"Rose, what is the matter with you?" James asked as he picked her up. "You are shaking again. It's like you are constantly having bad dreams or something," he sighed.

He brought her downstairs and tried to calm her down. "Lily, there is something wrong with her, she was all shaky when I went to get her," said James.

Lily shook her head as she took Rose into her lap. "I have no idea what to say about it," she sighed.

"She seems fine when she is in one of our arms," he said.

"Let's just open presents then, we have to be at my parent's house at two for tea," she said.

"Can we make a short stop before we go to their house?" James asked.

"To where exactly?" asked Lily as she grabbed a gift for Rose.

"Well I kind of wanted to visit my parents too," said James looking at Lily.

She nodded. "That would be fine," she said, offering a smile.

Lily tore at the wrapping paper on the gift sitting in front of Rose. "I don't think she gets it, Lils," James sighed, kissing Lily's forehead.

"Do you think I should open it for her?" asked Lily.

"Give her a minute, she did a very good job of ripping up my paper the other day," James said, glaring at Rose.

Lily tore a bit more of the wrapping paper away. Rose was not impressed. Lily sighed and ripped off all of the paper. "I should have known, James," Likely sighed as she pulled a small broom out of the paper.

James shrugged. "What did you expect?" he smiled innocently.

Lily rolled her eyes and set the broom on the ground beside her.

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The pile of discarded wrapping paper and ribbon grew taller as the pile of presents grew smaller. Rose giggled when her eyes landed on the pile of discarded paper. James saw what she was looking at and lifted her into the pile. Lily laughed as Rose began tearing apart the paper. "Why couldn't she do that to her presents?" Lily asked.

"Because the wrap job was too pretty," said James simply.

Lily hit him and laughed. James reached out and cupped her face in his hand. He stared into her eyes, taking in their beauty before gently kissing her lips. Lily's eyes fluttered shut as he continued to kiss her. His hands toyed with her red locks as her arms automatically drew themselves around his neck.

James softly ended the kiss, much to Lily's disappointment. He stuffed a small wrapped box into her hands and watched her eyes light up. "What? You didn't think that I would just get you that perfume, did you?" James laughed, kissing her again.

"You always have something up your sleeve James Potter!" Lily laughed.

"And you never know what it might be Lily Potter," smiled James.

Lily smiled back at him and tore the wrapping paper off, revealing a small gray velvet box. She opened the box slowly and gasped when she saw what was inside. "The yellow topaz one is me, the emerald one is you, and the ruby one is Rose," explained James as he slid the ring onto Lily's finger.

"It's beautiful, James!" Lily gasped as she stared at her finger.

"Now Rose and I will be with you, no matter where you are," he whispered softly.

"Where did you get the idea?" Lily inquired.

"Potter family tradition. I was supposed to give it to you on our wedding night, with just our stones on it of course, but I spent most of my cash on that wedding ring sitting on your finger. So I waited until Rose was born and put all three of us on the ring," James explained. "And if we ever have another child, we can add its stone as well," he added thinking about the boy with jet black hair and green eyes.

"I love it James!" said Lily.

"I knew you would," smiled James.

"Now I feel guilty. All I got you was the broom service kit and the tickets to the Bulgaria vs. England game," Lily sighed.

"And I love my gift," said James rubbing her shoulders.

"Do you think that Rose enjoyed her gifts?" asked Lily as she leaned back into James' arms.

James looked over at Rose who was still playing in the wrapping paper. "Well she certainly like my choice of wrapping paper," he laughed, kissing Lily's head.

Lily laughed as she watched Rose continue to rip apart the paper. "Well I know what to get her for her birthday," she sighed.

"What time do we have to be at your parent's house?" James asked, leaning his chin on Lily's head.

"Two" she answered, closing her eyes.

"Can we visit my parents at one-thirty and apparate to their house?" asked James.

"Sure," said Lily. "You should really open that gift from them," she added softly.

"James sighed. "I'll do it later. Right now I have to get dressed and stuff," he said.

Lily sighed and looked at Rose after James had left the room. "He'll open it when he is ready I suppose," she said.

Rose just stared at her mother blankly. "Come on, we have to get you dressed before we go to grandma and grandpa's," Lily said as she scooped up Rose out of the wrapping paper.

Rose clung tightly to Lily's shoulder and buried her face in her hair. Lily sighed again as they entered the nursery. "So Rose, what do you want to wear to grandma and grandpa's Lily asked.

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"You and Rose stay here," James said as he opened the gate to the wizarding burial grounds.

Lily nodded and took Rose from him. She watched as James walked onto the burial grounds carrying a thin wrapped package that contained a scrapbook that Lily had put together for them a few months ago.

She drew her cloak tighter around herself as James disappeared from view. She hoped he wouldn't be too long, it was getting really cold outside. Lily pulled out her wand and produced a flame coming out of the tip. Rose was shivering slightly in her grasp and she pulled her closer to her, trying to keep her warm.

About ten minutes passed before James came back, apologizing for being gone so long. Lily shook her head and told him it was alright before handing Rose back to him. They both apparated away from the burial grounds and planned to meet in the Evans' guest bedroom.

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James could see Lily clench her fists as her sister's voice traveled down the hall. "...isn't coming, is she?"

James gave her a tight hug and a kiss on her cheek before they entered the living room. "There you are Lily! We were wondering when you were going to get here!" said Mrs. Evans hugging Lily and James.

"Where is my favorite granddaughter?" Mr. Evans laughed.

Lily held Rose out for him to hold and smirked at Petunia who was shooting her a glare. "She has been wanting to see you father!" Lily said brightly.

James sighed and took a seat on the couch opposite of Petunia and a beefy man who must have been her husband Vernon. Lily sat next to James, still smiling. "Petty was just talking about you. She was wondering whether you were going to be joining us," said Mrs. Evans, trying to break the tension between her daughters.

"And right on cue you joined us," glared Petunia.

"I am never late, Petty, you should know that by now," said Lily.

"Petty was just telling us about her house that Vernon found in Surry," smiled Mrs. Evans.

"So you are finally moving out of that apartment?" Lily gasped. "I would have thought you would have been there forever."

Petunia just glared at her. "It is a rather nice house. Big and roomy. Probably a mansion compared to what you have," she sneered.

James quickly turned his laugh into a hacking cough. "You haven't been to our new house yet, Petty. I am sure you'd think differently if you had," said Lily.

"I wouldn't step foot in your house," said Petty.

"I'm sure," said Lily. "James, has that safe-house charm been put into effect on our house yet?" she asked.

James shook his head. "Not until the first of the year," he said.

Vernon looked utterly confused at this point. "What? Does it just magically 'zap' enemies away?" Petunia laughed.

"Yes, actually, it does," James said.

Vernon laughed. "How in the blazes does it do that?" he asked.

Lily looked at Petunia. "You haven't told him yet have you?" she asked.

"Told me what, Petunia?" Vernon asked.

"What type of family you married into," Lily smiled evilly.

Petunia glared at her. "Tell me what Petty?" Vernon asked again.

"Petunia, if you don't tell him I will," Lily smiled.

James coughed nervously, sensing danger. He knew what Lily was going to tell him.

"You wouldn't dare," Petunia warned.

Lily just smiled. "He has the right to know, Petty."

"What is this nonsense about? Tell me!" Vernon yelled.

Petunia shook her head. "Don't you dare Lily!"

Lily just kept smiling and reached into her pocket. James closed his eyes and sat back on the couch. She had her wand in her hand and he knew it.

"James and I are wizards," she said.

Vernon just laughed. "You expect me to believe this hocus pocus?" picking up his cup of tea.

Lily pulled out her wand and summoned the tea cup out of his hand.

Vernon gasped.

Petunia glared at Lily.

James buried his face in his hands.

Mr. Evans just stared at Rose.

Mrs. Evans sighed deeply.

Rose just continued to look at her surroundings.

Lily smiled triumphantly.

There was a long drawn out silence in which Mr. Evans timidly broke. "Well now, we have some gifts for Lily, James, and Rose. Katherine, why don't you get them from the front room," he said slowly.

Mrs. Evans nodded and got off of her chair. "Petty, when were you planning on telling me about this?" Vernon asked softly.

Lily smiled to herself. This was going to be interesting. Petunia always waited until the worst moments to spill the beans on important issues. Vernon had taken the news better than she had expected, much to her disappointment.

"Well Vernon, I was planning on telling you, just not for a while," said Petunia as her cheeks reddened.

"I cannot believe that you hid this from me for so long," Vernon sighed.

Petunia looked on the verge of tears. Lily just kept smiling while James slouched in his chair. "I was really going to tell you! I was just waiting for the right time," cried Petunia.

"You never say anything at the right times," said Lily.

Petunia glared at her. "That is only because every time I said something no one wanted to hear it. They were always cooing over their 'little Lily'. 'Little Lily is a witch! Isn't that wonderful! I always knew she was a bright one! Little Lily, our little witch!'" she sneered.

Lily kept smiling. "You were never happy for me when I found out. I kept turning to you for your support and you pushed me away saying I was a freak. If you had supported me a little maybe they would have listened. But no, you just kept telling me how much of a freak I was and how I was going to meet a sticky end sooner or later. I haven't met any sticky ends yet and I doubt I ever will!" said Lily.

And with this line, without even knowing it, Lily tempted fate.

A/N- Well I hate to end it there, but I have to, yeah I know, writers are so unfair. Next chapter I think I am going to have to leave you with a cliffy, so have fun with that! : p Well till next time, leave me a review!!