DC: on chapter 1

Thanks to my reviewers

Chapter 14,

Work brought James away from Lily and baby Harry for a long week. During which Lily spent all hours sitting in a soft chair, gazing sadly into her son's plastic prison. She put her fingertips on the plastic and held a tissue to her eye. Harry looked over at her. Lily smiled softly and waved gently to him. This made him happy, as he smiled a toothless smile. He had a dimple on his left cheek.

It wasn't until she was able to take him home did she begin to feel differently. James was at work during the day with Sirius and Remus was out doing tasks for Dumbledore. Alice Longbottom was perfectly happy with her bouncing baby boy and couldn't stop talking about him whenever she and Lily talked.

One night Lily looked into her son's crib after rocking him to sleep. It wasn't like her to feel such strong negative feelings for someone so innocent, but she couldn't help it. The doctors told her it may happen, the hormones rushing back would be screwing with her brain.

"You should have been James' child." Lily said to the sleeping baby.

"Who says he isn't?" Lily turned around. James was leaning against the doorframe; there was a cut on his cheek.

"It's just like the doctor said." James said as he walked up to her. He wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her cheek. "Lily, just because he's not my son by blood, doesn't mean that I won't love him like my own."

"I feel so terrible because I'm sad all the time. I'm a horrible mother!"

"You're just stressed, first the premature birth and no doubt you're thinking about his biological father."

"He broke my heart, James, I loved him so much but he didn't feel the same. And now his son…forget it, it's stupid. I feel so bad for thinking these things."

"What things?" James asked, swaying softly with his fiancé in his arms.

"Never mind. It's the hormones talking." Lily said, she kissed him lightly and walked out of the room.

James walked up to the sleeping infant and smiled down at him. He leaned down and kissed Harry's forehead.

"Goodnight, my son." James said. Harry opened his eyes sleepily and looked up at James. James smiled at him and held his little hand. His face screwed up, a tell tale sign that he was fussy, and James lifted him from the crib. "Don't cry kiddo."

Harry whimpered and James heard Lily moan, "not again"

James sat in the rocking chair and gently rocked his son. He hummed softly and gently petted Harry's soft dusting of black hair. His heart swelled with unspeakable joy as he rocked his baby to sleep. He never really cared who Harry's real father was, as far as James was concerned, he was all the boy would ever need.

"You're real daddy was foolish to give up your mommy." James said. "I promise, Harry, that I'll be the only daddy you'll ever need." Harry squirmed a bit and snuggled into the warmth of James' chest.

When Harry was fast asleep, James tucked him in and left the room. He walked into the bedroom and saw Lily sobbing silently into her pillow. He crawled into bed with her and hugged her close.

"I'm not ready to be a mother." Lily sobbed. "I fall to pieces to easily."

"Sweetheart, you'll be an amazing mother. Remember the doctor said you'll be feeling like this. It's all the hormones."

"But what if it isn't? What if it isn't the hormones and it's me? What if…"

"Honey, every moment of our lives will be filled with what ifs. That's what parenting is, one big what if. It's wondering, will he make the right choices, if he'll grow up to be strong and healthy. We'll spend hours worrying about him, but I promise you we'll never regret it." Lily looked at him with teary eyes.

"How do you know so much?"

"I called mom when Harry was born. I told her all about him and she couldn't stop giving me parenting advice."

"When will she be able to meet him?"

"Next week, they're still on holiday. My dad might not though; he doesn't like the idea of me raising another man's son."

"I'm sorry." Lily said. James smiled.

"We should have a little girl next, one that I can spoil and keep the boys away from." Lily sighed.

"I should have you know, James Potter, I don't plan on becoming a baby machine!" James laughed and kissed the tip of her nose.

"Maybe not right away. We'll wait until Harry is older so that he can be a protective older brother. Then, when they're both at Hogwarts, he'll scare away any boy who dares to mess with little Emily."

"So you've named our imaginary daughter?" Lily asked. James smiled, his cheeks slightly red.

"I've been thinking too much lately." He admitted. Lily turned in his arms and faced him.

"What else have you planned?"

"Well, Harry will be a quidditch player, a seeker or preferably a chaser. He'll be a Gryffindor."

"What if he's Slytherin?"

"I'll still love him." James said. Lily smiled. "But the odds of that happening are slim."

"You never know." Lily said with a shrug. She snuggled into James' arms and sighed. "Do you think we'll be good parents?"

"I have no doubt." James replied.

"Isn't he just precious!" Mrs. Potter squealed as she laid eyes on baby Harry. They were at a picnic. Little Harry was looking quite sour in a blue cotton outfit with a pattern of snitches and broomsticks. On his head was a blue bonnet and his black hair poked out from under it. "How old is he?"

"Only two months." Lily said bouncing her son gently. Mrs. Potter took the infant and cradled him lovingly.

"Does he look like his father?" she asked. Lily thought for a moment.

"The shape of the eyes, and the hair, but other then that I don't think so. His father had very angular features." A look of jealousy crossed James' face. He must have hoped that Lily wouldn't notice because he tried to hide it quickly.

"Can I meet this man?"

"We don't speak." Lily said uncomfortably. "He didn't want a family and…" Lily trailed off.

"Can you believe that he's premature?" James asked. "He looks so healthy!"

"That he most certainly does!" Mrs. Potter cooed. Lily gave James a thankful look. "So when is the wedding?"

"Well, James thought it would be fun to get married on Halloween." Mrs. Potter laughed.

"I'm surprised he's waiting so long! That's a whole month! Why, for as much as he talked about you I expected you two would have married the day after he proposed." James looked embarrassed and Lily giggled.

Mr. Potter, however, was less friendly. He looked at Lily as if she was a street whore with a baby on her hip. He didn't seem to care that his only son was hopelessly in love with her.

"So you were only dating a few months before you married a woman carrying another man's baby?" he said loudly. James looked over at his father and sighed heavily.

"I'm marrying the woman I dearly love." James said. "I don't care that Harry is the son of her previous relationship. As far as I'm concerned, I'm raising him, I love him and he is my son. You could at least be happy for me." Mr. Potter turned to Lily and looked at her with piercing hazel eyes.

"You, why did you suddenly warm up to my son? Was it because you realized you were on your own with a baby?"

"Dad!" James cried.

"When James and I were in auror training together we became really close…"

"Even though you were in a relationship?"

"She is allowed to have friend while dating someone." James growled angrily.

"…after my relationship ended and my apartment destroyed by death eaters, James offered me a place to stay. Look, I know you don't like me, but I love your son more then anything."

"Oh, don't mind him, he's just being a little nasty." Mrs. Potter chirped. James stifled a laugh at the pained expression on baby Harry's face.

"Somebody needs a little love from his godfather!" Sirius cheered sitting at the table and taking Harry. Sirius rubbed the top of a melting chocolate frog and then let Harry suck on his finger.

"Sirius!" James cried.

"I'm the chocolate giver!" Sirius proclaimed. "I'm the one that he'll come to when his parents are being mean and not giving him any sweets!"

Harry seemed to enjoy the chocolate and didn't want Sirius to pull his finger out of his mouth. Sirius felt Harry's little gums squeezing his finger and he smiled.

"See! He likes his sweets!"

"You're going to make him into a little fatty!" Lily cried. They all shared a laugh (except for Mr. Potter) and began talking about their plans for the infant.

Later that evening they were due for dinner with Lily's father.

Petunia was there, with Vernon, her husband. On their knee was a chubby little boy. Lily never caught the boy's name, but she was sure that it was something that sounded like Diddy.

It was amazing how old her father looked. She hadn't seen much of him since her mother's death but she hadn't expected his drastic aging. He looked sad, even when he smiled.

He held Harry gently and played with him. James made small talk with Petunia, but she didn't seem to want to talk with him, so he turned his attention to Mr. Evans.

Lily excused herself and went up to her old room. She didn't know what she wanted to do up there but she went anyway. Her room was pretty much empty, just boxes and her old crib. Her father was in full grandpa mode, he set up the crib he had used for his daughters and the changing table.

Lily sat at her old desk and sighed. It was in this room, in this spot, where Voldemort first spoke to her. It was a time when her biggest problem was her best friend moving away. It seemed like such a long time ago, in a far away place and time. It was hard to believe that she was a mother now, and soon she would be a wife.

The crisp October air was a welcome change to the sweltering summer. The wedding was fast approaching. Both of them agreed on an outdoor wedding in a beautiful park.

Lily pushed Harry down a path covered in leaves. The baby clapped his hands and squealed in delight. Harry smiled a toothless smile at her and his green eyes twinkled. He was dressed in a blue wool jacket with blue mittens and a grey blue hat with floppy mouse ears. A leaf fell from the tree and landed on his hand. Harry clutched the leaf and sloppily tore it. Lily laughed and pulled the leaf away before Harry tried to snack on it.

"In a week your daddy and I will be getting married here." Lily said looking over a large meadow. She sighed softly as she thought about the wedding dress that was tucked away safely in her closet, and about the tuxedo James was getting fitted for right this moment with Sirius.

Harry squealed loudly, telling his mother that he was bored and he wanted attention. Lily reached down and lifted him from the carriage. She made her way to the underground and took it home.

Once there, Lily checked her messages. Nothing important, just conformations on the food, flowers and band, just stuff that she had been expecting.

She sat down and was breast feeding little Harry when the phone rang. Lily reached over to the phone and picked it up.

"Hello?"

"Hi, I'm looking for Lily Evans."

"This is she." Lily said, wincing as Harry bit her on accident. "Who may I ask is calling?"

"Don't tell me you don't remember me Lils." Lily wracked her brain. "It's me, Magenta!"

"Magenta!" Lily cried. "Oh my god! How are you? It's been so long!" Harry seemed upset by the sudden change in his mother's voice and movements so to show it he bit her again. "Ouch!"

"What?"

"Oh, it's Harry."

"Do I want to know?" Magenta asked. "Anyway, my friend is throwing a Halloween party in London so I'll be in town, do you want to come?"

"Oh, I can't."

"Please Lils! Please! I haven't seen you in years! I just found out your phone number today and I had to call you. You have to come!"

"No, Magenta, I can't because I'm getting married on Halloween." Magenta fell silent for about a second before squealing loudly,

"OH MY GOD TO WHO!" Harry looked up in irritation and Lily held the phone away from her ear.

"James Potter."

"Potty boy?"

"Yes, he…"

"Baby I'm home!" James called as he came in. "Who are you talking to?"

"Magenta!" Lily cried. James looked lost and confused. "My friend." James nodded and then, after kissing her forehead, went to change into more comfortable clothing. "If you want, come to my wedding! I would be so happy if you did."

"Alright, where is it?"

"Rockwood Park, at noon. Oh, please come!"

"Alright I'll be there." Magenta promised. She sounded like she was going to say something more, but stopped when she heard crying. "What was that?"

"Oh, Harry, he's fussy."

"Babysitting?"

"No, he's my son." Lily said, shifting Harry a bit.

"You had a kid out of marriage? You go girl." Lily smiled.

"Yeah, he's a sweetie."

"I can't wait to meet him. Hey, I have to go, I'll see you on Halloween."

"Bye, I can't wait!"

"Me neither, okay, kiss, kiss. Bye babe!" Lily smiled and hung up the phone. Harry looked jealous.

"Oh don't give me that look." Lily said to her son. "You're still my baby boy." She felt James' weight next to her and his arm around her shoulder.

"Did you have a good day?" he asked after giving her a kiss on the cheek.

"Yes, Harry and I went for a walk and I invited Magenta to the wedding."

"So she's a friend of yours?"

"You remember, she always wore purple hair clips. She called you Jamie Potty and Potty boy." James frowned.

"Yeah, I remember." He grumbled. Lily hugged him tight.

"She's coming! I haven't seen her in forever and she's coming!" Lily squealed.

"As much as I don't like her, I'm happy that she'll be there." James said as Lily began to jump up and down like a little teenager. Harry watched his parents as though they were quite nuts.

TBC

I know it's been a long time since I updated so pleeeeeeeeeease don't kill me! I have a good reason though, first it was writers block and then I moved into my dorm squee college! so I didn't have much time. Anyway the wedding will be in the next chapter and I can't really see too many left before the end (which I am totally psyched for). I already have most of the last chapter written. Heh I'm an impatient little thing aren't I?