On her 22nd birthday Lily Potter woke up to the smell of hot chocolate and blueberry cake. Her favourites. Her eyes opened to an explosion of rainbows. It took a while for her to recognize that a rainbow hadn't exploded in her room, it was just that her room was filled with lilies, lilies hanging from the ceiling, lilies growing on her walls, lilies on her dresser and vanity and wardrobe and Lilies even floating in the air at strategic places. Liles of every colour available in nature and some not even available in nature, but were obviously charmed. Like the red ones which were the exact shade of her hair, or the jewel green ones which made her feel she was looking in the mirror.

There were even a few which were glowing pretty well, magically.

A smile stretched across her face as for the first time since October all that filled her heart was joy and excitement, all worry elevated from her mind. She had always loved her birthday. Her parents, and then in Hogwarts from fourth year onwards James had always made it extra special for her, even if she had hated it for the first two years, and only started enjoying it from her sixth year when James had finally grown up and had put thought and effort into her birthday instead of just creating a huge bang to gain her attention. He did have to tamp down his enthusiasm during the war but he had still made it special.

With excitement, Lily grabbed her wand from her nightstand, before jumping out of her bed and summoning her robe. Just as her feet hit the floor, butterflies burst into existence and began floating her around. Laughing in delight, Lily, surrounded by the butterflies, moved towards the door and the smell of chocolate and cake. Just as she opened the door and stepped outside, a bright flash blinded her slightly before beautiful crystal birds burst into existence and the melody for "Can't help falling in love with you." began playing. Nostalgia hit her in waves as tears gathered in Lily's eyes. This was the song to which James had proposed. He had scoured various muggle artists for weeks before going to her parents who had pointed him to the song she considered the most romantic of all.

As she descended the stairs, every step of hers made lilies bloom beside her, until she turned back and saw the same rainbow she had woken up to now decorating her hallway and stairs, the butterflies and the birds flying around creating a scene which was completely out of this world. Even the living room was similarly decorated with lilies descending from the ceiling and coating every side table, with the same butterflies and crystal birds flying around. The beautiful melody of Elvis still crooning softly throughout the cottage.

Happy tears were already streaming down Lily's face even as her cheeks hurt from smiling so much. Her heart ready to burst from love for her husband. Just as she didn't think the day could get any better, the music around her softened as she heard the soft verses to 'Happy Birthday' from behind her. She turned around slowly to the sight of her husband holding her son while he levitated a beautiful blueberry sponge cake decorated with fresh berries and cream with twenty two candles on it.

"Happy Birthday Lily flower." James said softly, his besotted eyes fixed upon the image of his beautiful wife with happiness literally radiating from her.

"Happy Birthday mama." Harry chimed in beaming.

The last few days had been really eye opening for him. He had known his parents had been in love. He had known that his father had loved his mother from the moment he met her, yet until this moment, until he had seen the tireless devotion of his father towards his mother, until he saw the look in his mother's eyes as she looked at his father, he hadn't understood the depth of it. And it was humbling, it was awe inspiring that he had been born from that love. It was at this moment that he finally understood what Dumbledore had said when he meant it was love that had saved him.

His parents had the kind of love that people dreamed of, the kind of love that people would kill for, the kind of love that ended wars. The kind of love that had ended wars. The kind of love without which neither would be their complete selves. The all-consuming, burning love in which there was one and only one person for them. Either them or no one. And maybe, maybe this was why he was the Chosen One. Maybe he was the Chosen One because he was born from love which was written across the heavens and not because of some pre-written conditions in some prophecy.

It was the kind of love he was doubtful if even he himself would ever find. He had loved Ginny for sure, before, in his previous life, he had loved her, yet as genuine as that had been, he knew it wasn't this. It wasn't the soul aching, heart wrenching love his parents shared. He knew without a shadow of doubt that if ever something happened to one, then the other would never be the same, that the other would be a mere shadow of what they were before.

And it was this love that he wanted to preserve and save and he would. The world deserved to see the force of love that was James and Lily Potter and he would be damned if he allowed anyone to ever snuff it away.

After a round of very snot filled rendition of Happy Birthday and a ton of kisses and hugs and more kisses. Seriously, Harry knew that his parents had the fairytale kind of love and he accepted that it came with a lot of tactile affection between them but now it was just getting a tiny bit gross, they sat around in the pseudo garden with the butterflies and birds and ate cake and drank hot chocolate.

"Well I know that it's my birthday and you're the ones who are supposed to give me a gift, but I have a present of my own for you boys." Lily said, her face still aglow with happiness and love.

Harry cocked his head to the side interested. His mother's eyes were shining in a way they hadn't in a long time.

"Recently I have been feeling a little, shall we say moody."

"A little sure." James coughed into Harry's hair wincing as he recalled the very dramatic highs and lows that his wife was experiencing recently. The last time she had been this emotional she had been-

"Are you sure?" A wide eyed James asked. His face frozen somewhere between shock and happiness.

Sure about what? Harry wanted to ask. What was even going on with his parents? His mom looking utterly beautiful and peaceful and his dad's face morphing from shock to happiness as his mom nodded to his question.

At the confirmation. James whopped loudly, leaning over to kiss Lily soundly. Merlin, he had the most perfect woman to ever exist as his wife. How had he ever gotten so lucky?

Harry whined in exasperation as his parents kissed loudly and soundly. And were they? He squinted his eyes o confirm what he was seeing.

Oh my god they were crying. What happened? Was someone dying? What the hell on earth was going on? Unable to stomach his fear, his magic rushed out into a loud bang, startling them away from each other and towards a teary and hyper-ventilating Harry.

"Oh baby." Lily crooned as she picked up her beautiful son into her arms. Her fingers wiped the few tears that had leaked out of his beautiful eyes before moving her hands through the soft tufts of hair available on his head. After calming him down sufficiently Lily lifted him in her arms until their eyes met. Both emeralds, yet one calm another confused.

Oh, her child was so precious. He was sure to be so handsome when he grew up, with James's tanned skin and mass of curls and her emerald eyes. It was just sad that the beginning of his life was so violent. No matter, she would make sure that the rest of it was filled with happiness, starting with her announcement.

"It is actually a very good thing my love, you are going to be a big brother soon Harry."