So you're not gonna believe this...but here's a short chapter for you all. It's only been what 7 years or so. I'm going to try not to abandon this story.

Enjoy!

Awkward Encounters of the Parental Kind

Lily paced the entry way once again this time in anticipation.

James had come round to dinner the evening before and she hadn't been quite so nervous after they had spent an entire evening together in front of her dad when they had gone to the theater. Her dad had given his approval after they had returned home from dinner that evening, stating that he believed James was a good young man.

And things had gone almost too smoothly when James had come over to get to know her mum and sister as well.

He had done his best to keep from mentioning the magical world too often in front of Petunia and had instead feigned an incredible amount of interest in both her upcoming wedding and Lily's mother's garden.

And even though he had looked far too handsome for his own good and Lily had wanted to enthusiastically show him her appreciation, they had ended the night saying goodbye in front of her mother and father who looked on in amusement as James awkwardly kissed Lily on the cheek in farewell.

And now she was supposed to be attending a ministry ball with the Potters, but she was more nervous than ever having never attended any such thing before, much less in the wizarding realm. Trying to calm herself down she kept internally repeating that it was just a fancy party and that things would be fine.

But when the doorbell rang, and she rushed to open it, she was surprised to find Charlotte Potter staring back at her with a large but somewhat awkward smile.

"Hello Mrs. Potter. Come in please." Lily waited until she complied before asking if she would like to take off her coat and hat.

"Oh that's alright. It's ever so rude of me but I'm hoping we will only be a moment here before we are off. I was just wanting to meet your mother and father myself. And do call me Charlotte dear."

Lily's mother entered at just that moment and her welcoming smile grew if possible wider at seeing who stood with Lily.

"Ahhh, you must be James' mother. I'm Rose Evans, my husband is unfortunately off to the shops at the moment, but it's lovely to meet you."

They shook hands and Charlotte introduced herself insisting once again that they call her by her name.

"I'm so sorry to rush in and out but I was hoping I might be able to steal Lily away with me before we head over to the house. There's been a change in plans but I'm hoping we can still surprise the boys on our arrival."

Before she really understood what had happened permissions were granted once again for Lily to stay late into the evening with James' family, and once she had grabbed up her things and kissed her mother in farewell, they were off.

"So I'm just going to come right out and say it." Charlotte rushed out the second they were no longer in front of Lily's house. "The ministry ball is a no go I'm afraid. Instead we are just going to be dining at home family style with the boys." James' mum frowned as they moved further down the walk looking for the appropriate apparation point. "I'm very sorry. I know you were probably looking forward to it and ..."

"Actually I was sort of dreading it." Lily interrupted laughing lightly. "Truly I was so worried about never having attended anything of the sort that I was more nervous and anxiety ridden than excited."

Charlotte smiled softly at her. "James doesn't really want me to tell you, but it wasn't cancelled, we are actually boycotting it. Jason and I are at odds with a large number of ministry officials at the moment and we felt it was a better course of action to forego the event than to have any unpleasant incidents while we were there."

Lily swallowed feeling suddenly very hot and uncomfortable.

"Mrs. Potter-

"Charlotte, please."

"-I don't want you and your family to change your plans because of me. I get the feeling the disagreements are due to the muggleborn tax and registration issues and-"

"Lily, no." Charlotte cut her off again stopping on the walk just before the apparation point and turning fully to face her. "My family has been at odds with many officials and persons over the years in regard to a number of issues. This was all long before you entered into our lives. James is understandably upset at what is currently going on and so are Jason and I, but we have our own moral conscience to consider in regard to all the ministry dealings."

Lily waited patiently trying to let Charlotte gather her thoughts.

"The state of things currently is very fragile. And while yes, your presence played a part in our decision not to attend, it wasn't the only contributing factor. There are many things currently at work in the wizarding world and we all need to proceed carefully but with conviction."

Charlotte sighed tiredly and for the first time since meeting her Lily realized she wasn't her usual poised and controlled self. The older woman rubbed her forehead lightly and looked over to where they were supposed to apparate.

"I think it would be best if we discussed things with James and Jason also present. We are a family and it's important that we all know where things currently stand." Charlotte returned her eyes to Lily, looking at her warmly but somehow also worriedly. "We're family Lily and we need to stick together."

Lily smiled back widely feeling suddenly lighter than a moment before. "I agree. Family should stick together."

L&J L&J L&J L&J L&J L&J L&J

It turned out the surprise Charlotte wanted to execute was a full Turkey dinner with all the trimmings. A post-Christmas feast of sorts.

Lily enjoyed every moment of shopping and helped Mrs. Potter make the decisions regarding which sides to include and which to leave out and which dessert they should make.

When they flooed to James' house from The Leaky Cauldron Lily had only a moment to orient herself in the room where she had been spectacularly sick the previous summer before strong arms wrapped around her lifting her clean off the ground.

"Lily." James breathed out sounding more than a little relieved and pleased.

"Hello to you too." She answered back grinning as she pulled away from him a little. "I missed you."

"You have no idea." He replied before glancing over her head to where his mother was exiting the fireplace.

"Took you long enough." He grumbled at her even as he moved forward to relieve her of their many purchases as she returned them to their original size.

"You survived. Besides it was only a couple of hours and Lily and I had a lovely time together. Didn't we dear?"

"You can't ask her that outright. Of course she'll say yes, you are standing right here in front of her." James said teasingly rolling his eyes.

"Mind your manners James Potter or you'll get none of what Lily and I worked so very hard to acquire this morning." Charlotte said leading the way from the room with James and Lily following after her to the kitchen.

Upon learning of the dinner plans James suddenly became the picture of a doting son. Helping his mother put things away and getting out what they needed to start the turkey while Lily sat down and had a cup of tea at the table nearby.

She quite enjoyed observing their mother and son relationship. They were two peas in a pod as they moved around the kitchen, and so alike in so many ways. Yet Lily could tell that while James adored his mother and would move heaven and hell for her, they didn't quite have the bond that he shared with his father. There was just something about James and Jason that made you feel happy looking at the two of them.

However, the more she watched them the more Lily had to admit that James got his strong sense of self from Charlotte. They were so similar with their confidence that Lily found herself surprised she hadn't noticed it before.

It wasn't long before Charlotte kicked them out of the kitchen though.

"Ok move. I'm tired of bumping into you as you try to steal tastes of everything. Unless you can sit over there with Lily and stay out of my way properly I want you gone." Charlotte ordered brandishing her wand at James with a glare.

"Alright, alright we'll go find Sirius then." James complied grabbing Lily's things from where they had left them in the entry room and heading off with her hand in his.

But it turned out James had no desire to find Sirius at all. The second they were on the landing outside of the room Lily had occupied the last time she stayed with them he began to tug her toward him. Pulling her into his side he steered her toward a door further down the hall and, after opening it and pulling her through, he unceremoniously dropped her things on the floor and slammed the door shut.

"Lily." Her name came out nearly a growl.

She smiled shyly feeling her now familiar stomach butterfly colony instantly come alive at the look he was giving her. "Yes James."

"I didn't get to kiss you goodbye properly last night. And I didn't get to kiss you hello properly earlier." He closed the distance between them and surprised her when reached down to lift her up off the floor, his hands planted firmly on the backs of her thighs pulling her up until she wrapped her legs around his middle. "If it's alright with you I'm going to fix that now."

"Yes, please."

James' mouth found hers as we walked them toward the large bed that occupied the middle of the room. She knew she should be vaguely curious about her surroundings as she was in his bedroom, full of his things from his childhood and all the personal touches that would give her clues as to what essentially made up James. But she couldn't bring herself to care. He tasted so good and it felt like forever since she'd had the chance to kiss him properly. His shoulders were so solid beneath her hands and the way he maneuvered them straight to the center of his bed caused shivers to race up her spine.

J&L J&L J&L J&L J&L

James didn't waste any time once he had her flat and looking comfortable. He reached behind him and pulled off his jumper in one fluid motion, chucking it away and not caring at all where it landed.

He leaned down invading her space and positioned himself between her legs, lining them up in all the right ways.

He caught her mouth and groaned at the feeling of kissing her properly.

And long minutes later he was still so caught up in the feeling of her tongue sliding smoothly against his that when she pressed her hips up and into him he was startled out of the kiss. The familiar motion brought back memories of what they'd done in the head's dormitory and James couldn't hold back the hiss that escaped through his teeth.

"Lily I…." He inhaled sharply when she did it again.

"Mmmmmmm… I missed you." She said quietly and he was shocked to open his eyes and find out that she was staring down between them watching her hips rise up to press firmly against his cock.

"I…you…" He stammered straining to get his heart and his mind to slow down enough to ask her what she was thinking.

She pressed into him harder making a soft sighing sound as she pulled the center of her body up and down what was quickly becoming a rock hard erection. And he gave up for a moment. Letting himself ease down onto her. Exploring her mouth harder than before while giving her more of his weight and letting her take the pressure instead of giving it.

But he pulled away sharply when she started to slide her hands up under this shirt to his waistband.

"Lily wait I…"

"James! Did you see your mother is making Turkey?!" Jason strolled through James' door casual as can be and halted halfway across the room when he realized the position he had found them in.

"Ahhh…I um. Ahem." He cleared his throat and tried again. "I apologize for not knocking. This is me turning around and walking back out. And knocking. I am going to knock on the door. To announce myself. My arrival." He spun around and walked quickly back out.

Lily, whose face currently came as close as possible to matching her hair color, began to whisper in mortification, "Is he actually going to…?"

KNOCK. KNOCK. KNOCK.

"James! It's Dad! Just wanted to see if you were in! Your mother is making a huge dinner! I think-"

"Jason what are you doing?" Charlotte's voice rang out sounding as if she were shouting at him from the end of the landing.

Lily began to forcibly shove at James' shoulders trying to free herself from underneath him, just as he began to shake with silent laughter.

"It's not funny James I-"

"Charlotte! There you are! I was just knocking! On James' door!"

"Why on earth are you shouting so loudly. I'm sure if he's in there he'll let you know." Charlotte sounded as if she were trying to calm down a lunatic.

"Oh ho ho, he's in there." There were suddenly lowered voices and what sounded like a debate began outside the doorway.

"What are you doing? Get up you big oaf! Now!" Lily whisper-shrieked still pushing at his shoulders to try and move him.

James' eyes were leaking tears he was laughing so hard. He had completely collapsed down on top of her and couldn't have moved even if he'd wanted to.

KNOCK. KNOCK. KNOCK.

"James. Could you please come down to the kitchen at your earliest convenience?" Jason's voice finally sounded somewhat normal. "Your mother and I would like a word."

He managed to control himself long enough to shout back. "Ya Dad. I'll be down in a minute!" Before collapsing into silent laughter again.

"This is not funny James Potter. Not even a little. Here I spent a wonderful morning with your mother and now she probably thinks I'm some sort of… of scarlet woman!"

James took a deep breath while feigning a serious expression and replied. "I mean you actually might be scarlet at the momen- oof!"

She had socked him in the stomach. He couldn't help it he started laughing all over again.

J&L J&L J&L J&L J&L