Jily Week: Day Seven

Prompt: Death

Bloody Brothers

Showers do wonders, Lily thinks as she towels her damp, scarlet locks and walks into the bedroom. After a long, tiring day of no, Harry, get off the broom and come to Mumma; Lily is absolutely fucking exhausted. It feels pretty darn amazing, though. The little bundle of energy with a black mop is their son, and she still can't quite believe it.

She plops onto the soft, warm bed and turns to her husband. James has a letter in his hands and a frown on his face. His hand tugs at a strand of jet-black hair that has fallen into his eyes and he looks worried.

"James?" Lily asks tentatively, mentally preparing herself for the worst.Because really, what else can she do?

James jerks from his reverie and looks at his wife. His eyes are hazel orbs of burning emotion and Lily is scared.

"What's the matter, love? Everything is all right, isn't it?"

James looks down; his hand creeping slowly, to find and entwine with Lily's.

"Ah, it's nothing. Just a letter from Padfoot. He says the Map is malfunctioning slightly. Blanks out before Mischief Managed."

Ten years with the speccy git has taught her his tricks; James Potter doesn't meet your eyes when he's lying. Or upset. Well, she'll be damned if she doesn't find out the explicit cause of his unusual moodiness and get that bloody crooked smirk on his face pronto.

"You and I both know that's not what has twisted your handsome features into this scrunched mess, James." She tilts his chin up with a finger. "Talk."

"I miss him." comes the plaintive reply. "I miss him so fucking much and it hurtsand I want to go back to being a Marauder, Lil." His eyes shine with pure, purelonging and her heart aches for him.

She pulls him closer to her and mumbles into the messy black hair that her son has inherited and oh, how she loves them. "I know, love. I don't pretend to understand your pain, no, but I do know. It's been a week since I've seen the twit and I miss him, too. But that can't even begin to compare to how much you miss him, James, and I'm so, so sorry."

She feels wetness on her old, black shirt and begins to rub circles on his back. "You know, I used to think you were brothers, you and Sirius. The same dark hair, only his was far better-looking than yours could ever dream to be," That earns a snort from him. Encouraged, she continues, "That dratted smirk; you know, I had actually drafted a letter to McGonagall, requesting her to ban the two of you from smirking that way? It was downright distracting, that smirk. Wasted many an hour ranting to myself about it, I did. And that sparkle you got whenever you were up to something, and Merlin knows you always were. That, combined with the smirk and the hair; the pair of you positively looked like twins!" Lily grins reminiscently into that very hair.

James pulls back. "That's because we were brothers, Lil. Were, are and willalways be bloody brothers. Until the very end."

She is proud of the love blazing in his eyes, the love for his best mate, hisbrother. That is entirely why she married him, really. His unfailing capacity tolove, with every fiber of his fucking being and protect that love, give it everything he has in him.

Wiping his cheeks with light fingers, she whispers, "I know, James. Now can weplease sleep? I'm enormously tired and Harry's going to wake us up in a couple of hours anyway, bless his little nose,"

Grinning broadly at the mention of his son, their Harry, James hugs Lily fiercely. "We are going to make it, you hear? We've got Padfoot and Moony and Wormy and we will bloody well survive. Sirius will kill me, otherwise."

Lily's heart swells at her husband's words. "Yes, we will, James. We have to, for Harry. Who'll teach him how to fly and how not to talk to girls, if we don't?"

The redhead and her James pull apart; each of them has the same glowing look in their eyes. Love.

Lily snuggles down into her quilt, curling up into a ball like she does, and mumbles, "G'night, James." She waits for a couple of seconds; he doesn't respond. Rolling her eyes in the dark, she sits up and asks, "Now what, James?"

"I love him, y'know." James is still clutching the letter in his hand. "I don't think I've ever told him that, Lil."

Smiling quietly at the sentimental loony that is her husband, Lily says, "I know, you twit. You can profess your undying love for the git when he comes around tomorrow. I'll get the candles and wine."

A small smirk tugs at the corner of his lips. Merlin, he loves her. "Okay, but I want red candles."

"Deal."

Lily leans forward and kisses James.

Dong. Dong. Dong. Dong. Dong. Dong. Dong. Dong. Dong. Dong. Dong. Dong.

It's Hallowe'en.

A/N: Sorry for that. Review if you wish they hadn't died.

~Z