Alright, y'all, this is tooth-rottingly fluffy, ten kinds of cheesy, and for once, no warnings. But given recent events, that's the kind of mood I'm in. Or I need to be in.
"I think that's the last of it." James kicks aside the empty cardboard box, glancing around the room with satisfaction. "Thank goodness. I never want to see another box again in my life, if I can help it."
Lily grunts from across the room, but her words are good-natured. "Don't worry, I don't plan on moving again for at least twenty years." She rests her hands on her slightly protruding stomach, her expression softening. "Not until this one is all grown up."
The two of them share a smile. James crosses the room — not without difficulty, he has to navigate through the many, many boxes without tripping — and in the little circle of space around his wife, he kneels so his face is level with her stomach. Lily drops her hands and James presses his lips against the swell.
"Hello there, James Junior," he whispers, and Lily trembles as she tries (and fails) to suppress her amusement. "This is your new home. You can blame two of Daddy's friends for that, they were making so much noise every night —"
Lily's body is shaking, but despite that, she lightly smacks the side of his head. "James!"
"What? They were playing...tennis. Making such a racket. All night. With their ba—"
"James!"
"Alright, alright," he murmurs, grinning. "Point is, this is your home. Mummy and I are going to make sure that you're safe and loved. You have no idea how much — your Uncle Sirius and Uncle Remus, the noisemakers, are planning to spoil you so much. Your Uncle Peter plans to give you your first sugar high before your first birthday, and not just once. Mummy's friends are going to dress you up and take you out and bask in the compliments, so look out for that. My parents —"
"Alright, James, I think they get it," Lily says, but she's smiling. They're both smiling, giddy because of the thoughts he'd put into words. James kisses her stomach and stands up, kissing his wife chastely, and wrapping his arms around her. They're in this little cocoon of delicate peace after the storm — or maybe it's before the storm.
But he doesn't care. Any storm that comes, no matter how strong it is — they can bear it together.
The three of them can.
386 words
Gardening Task 3 - Rotate crop families every year: Write about moving house.
