Authors Note: This is hella bad, as I tried a new style. Bear with me here. As per usual: No beta's, less than 24 hours to write it, but this time I don't have a list to go on for prompts. We'll see how that works.

Thanks for reading!

James sighs when he sees her standing in the cold without a coat, Harry squirming restlessly on her waist. Her face is pale and her eyes are tired, but she's giving a broad smile to the thin-to-the-point-of-unhealthy man in the oversize red suit in front of her. He smiles back, taking off his hat and rubbing the massive bald spot on his head.

"It goes to orphans in need of food and clothes, and the extra money goes towards buying them presents for Christmas."

Lily nods, bouncing Harry gently to calm him. He grips the sleeves of Lily's shirt, pulling on the fabric and babbling.

"Hush, Harry. Daddy'll be back soon and then we can go home and warm you up, yeah?" She says quietly, setting her free hand on her son's flushed face. A small protest escapes his mouth.

"If something happened to you and your husband, Miss, wouldn't you want your son to have somewhere to stay and something to eat?" The man in the suit asks with a kindness in his eyes that almost looks fake. His red, sallow cheeks and sunken eyes make him look sick and James doesn't trust him.

"Of course I would- one second, sorry," She says as she adjusts Harry and digs through a bag, searching for change floating around in the bottom. "Here."

He takes the money almost greedily, his hand covering Lily's for a moment too long. James steps to her side, eyebrows raised and arms crossed.

"Who's this, Lil?" He asks, slinging an arm over her shoulders and ruffling Harry's hair. He looks the man up and down, glaring at the fake beard that hung down in a large gap next to his ear.

"He's collecting money for orphans-"

"What orphanage?"

"Not any on in particular, sir." He's wringing his hands around each other, twisting his hat and untwisting it and twisting it again under James' stare. Lily can feel James puff out his chest and straighten his back.

"What are you doing?" She whispers, glancing up at him only for a second. Her eyes are narrow and the green glints with something that James finds dangerous.

(Is dangerous the right word?)

"I'm displaying how my masculinity is greater than his." He smirks down at Lily with mirth in the raised corner of his mouth.

"Are you an ape?" She asks, hitting his stomach with the back of her hand. Her ring pushes through his shirt and fucking shit, that hurts.

(Dangerous was probably the right word. Lily's scary.)

"Well, I figured if you liked when I act like that at home-"

She cuts him off with a kick to the back of his leg and a not-so-subtle cough, moving a struggling Harry into James' arms. It's almost offensive, how little she lets him talk when they're making first impressions.

"I'm sorry about him," She jerks her head back to motion at James. "He's practically five years old."

"It's true," James nodded, grinning.

"I'd say I'm only with him because he knocked me up, but we were already married by then."

"She won't admit it, but she loves me."

Lily shrugs, handing more money to the quiet man in the suit. "For your trouble. Happy Christmas."

"Thank you, ma'am. And may I say, you gorgeous for a woman who's had a baby."

She's not sure whether to be offended of delighted. James knows exactly what to be- protective.

"Alright, that's it. We're going. Good night." He says, pulling Lily behind him as they make their way towards their apparation spot. They walk silently, the sound of a bell the man was ringing the only thing in the cold night.

A guest requested Protective!James so there you go. Also, sorry about the cheesy ending but I was rushing and god almighty, I need to work on my secret santa.