Legal Disclaimer: I own my stuff, but not the original source material. That belongs to whoever. Also, the opinions and interpretations I use here may not reflect the same in said whoever that owns the source material. Look, I'm just a poor college librarian. Suing me isn't going to get you anything but tears.

Warning: This work may be offensive to some readers. Feel free to back out if need be.

Author's Note: Here's a little more sweet/sour Lily Lives AU for y'all.

Submitting Info:
Stacked with: Hogwarts (Term 12); MC4A
Individual Challenges: Gryffindor MC (x2); Red Era; Old Shoes (Y); In a Flash; Two Cakes; Eating Cake; Green Ribbon
House: Hufflepuff
Assignment No.: Term 12 – Assignment 5
Subject (Task No.): n/a
Other Hogwarts Challenges: Insane Prompt Challenge [959](Happy Days); 365 [286](Shenanigans); Mario Day [4](Dancing); Crazy Cone Contraptions (Sour)
Other MC4A Challenges: Sp Bingo [4D](Dance/Music); Tr Bingo [1E](True Companions); Hunt [Sp Settings](Small Town/Village); Link Maker (Same Bingo Card)
Representation(s): Lily Evans Potter; Lily & Sirius QPR
Bonus Challenges: Not a Lamp; Persistence Still; Odd Feathers; Pocky Pockets
Tertiary Bonus Challenges: n/a
Word Count: 637

(^^)
Happy Days
(^^)

"You've got to relax a bit, Lils," Sirius said as he rubbed her shoulders. He was also using the hold to steer her out the door of the little cottage where they had moved after James' death. Remus had already carried Harry off to the playroom. The toddler didn't even look back, the traitor. "Moony has the Prongslet well in hand. All you have to worry about is enjoying our afternoon out."

"What if—"

"No," Sirius interrupted. He let go of her long enough to pull his long hair up into a ponytail. The movement showed off the way his tee shirt bared his forearms and their myriad of tattoos. Even she had to admit that he looked ruggedly handsome when he wasn't being, well, Sirius. "This is a worry-free zone. There shall be no worries here. Mummy is going to get her nails done and drink fruity drinks with umbrellas to celebrate how wonderful life is."

"If you start singing, I swear—"

"And you can tell ever-ee-body," Sirius sang, because not even losing James could stop him from being ridiculous, "that this is your song—"

"You certainly sound like a dog howling," Lily quipped. She smiled despite herself as Sirius serenaded their walk into town. The cheerfulness felt wrong, like it was sour instead of sweet. It had only been a few months since Halloween. "You're going to attract banshees with shrieks like that."

"I hope you forgive me," Sirius continued, "these things I do-oo. You see I've forgotten if they're green or if they're blue-oo."

"They're green," she said, as Sirius swept her into his arms in a parody of a waltz down the lane.

They had reached the outskirts of town now. A few villagers shook their heads disapprovingly at their frolicking. More were smiling in welcome, though. Sirius and Remus had lived in the village since they had graduated Hogwarts, so no doubt they were used to Sirius and his particular brand of shenanigans.

"And we're here," Sirius announced as he spun her out. They were in front of a small café. Lily gave him a confused look. "Yeah, yeah. Definitely not getting your nails done here and they probably don't have anything that comes with an umbrella, but the smoothies are awesome. Remus also says they have a variety of jammy dodgers that they make in-house."

"Blackberry?" she asked, perking up.

Neither she nor Remus had had the energy to make their favorite cookies lately. Between all the fallout of the war ending the way that it did, and Harry's night terrors, and then the whole situation with Dumbledore trying to have Sirius arrested, all their energy had been spent just trying to keep going. She literally had no clue how she would have managed if she had been forced to do it on her own, even if she hated imposing on the couple as she had these last six months.

"Blackberry," Sirius confirmed. "They don't cover them in chocolate like you and Remus do—"

"That's fine! I'll take it!"

"Does this make me your cookie-dealer?"

"Oh, shut it," she ordered as she dragged him into the café. "I'm only going to last for about an hour more before I need to go make sure Harry hasn't convinced Remus to run for mayor of a little town up the coast. I want biscuits and at least one cuppa before then."

"As you wish, your highness," Sirius answered regally. She paused long enough to press a grateful kiss to his cheek. She could feel his gaze as she walked up to the counter. Knowing that he was watching her back helped ease the twitchiness left over from the war.

It wasn't the life she had planned when she had married James, but right at that moment, it was enough.