QLFC Reserve League

S1, R1

Beater 2: Romance (Same Pairing as Keeper - Sirius/Lily [off-screen Lily/Sirius/James])

Lily laughs as she waddles as quickly as she can to the skating pond Sirius brought her too, calling back to her husband to hurry up. With an armful of things, because she wasn't allowed to carry anything heavier than her lightest book, Sirius lets out a sound somewhere between a squawk and some other animalistic sound she's fairly sure humans are supposed to be able to make.

Her belly hangs over her hips, big and round, and she waddles over to a bench and sits down. She waits patiently for Sirius, as he eventually manages to bring their skating belongings over and sits them down on the ground with a heavy thunk. He sighs and she stares up at him. He stares at her blankly, very obviously clueless, and Lily sighs. "Can you put my skates on for me, love?" she asks, holding her feet out.

Sirius immediately nods. "Of course, luv." He kneels at her feet and eases her shoes off, sliding her skates in their place. His masterful fingers rub over her ankles, gently massaging her as the skates settle on her foot and lower calf.

The muggle couples that spot them coo, complimenting Sirius on his attentiveness to his obviously pregnant wife, and she smiles at him happily. He grins back soppily and she pecks his lips. "Thank you, Siri," she mumbles, rubbing the top of her stomach in an unconscious movement she picked up when she had been pregnant with Harry.

He gently guides her onto the ice and Lily hears him murmur a variety of cushioning and balance charms over her. His hand settles on the dip of her lower back and they skate carefully, or at least Lily skates carefully while she prods Sirius into showcasing the skill he's been nurturing for a long time.

She glides across the ice, using the skating walker Sirius brought as he lost himself in executing picture–perfect stunts and Lily admires her husband's grace. He weaves through the people on the lake gracefully, spinning and twisting his body perfectly, and a few strands of hair fall from his ponytail to fall in his face. His face is relaxed, he's happy, and Lily loves to see him like this.

James has the day with Harry, citing that it was high time for them to spend some time together since he is usually busy with Auror business, and took the day off. Then he shooed Lily and Sirius out of the house, with Harry laughing and giggling in his arms.

Lily skates back over to her bench, wincing at the throb in her ankles, and seats herself back down carefully. She huffs and relaxes against the firm metal. Compared to Harry, this baby was so much easier, much lazier and calmer than Harry had been because he loved playing football against her insides, and this baby loved napping all day. Still though, the swollen ankles and throbbing back was something she could do without.

"The things I do to bring you into this world," Lily murmurs, closing her eyes and basking in the sunlight. It warms her skin and she feels the soft touch of snowflakes against her face.

"Lily? Are you okay?" She peaks her eyes open to see Sirius skate right up to her, his black hair peppered with little flecks of white and his mercury eyes flitting over her in concern.

His concern makes her feel warm, knowing that he cared for her. Despite how his mothering can sometimes get on her nerves, his concern never failed to warm her—his concern, his gentle care, and his attentiveness were all what drew her to him in the first place. Just the same as his infectious laughter, his dramatic, theatrical ways, and his stubborn loyalty.

He completed James and her, highlighting their good things and helping them always, just as she did for them, and just as James did for her and Sirius. They were wonderful together in Lily's eyes, and she loved her husbands so much her heart felt as though it would burst with the need to profess it on the rooftops.

However, given her current rather heavy state, she would have to settle for kissing it into their brains. Which Sirius never seemed to mind, given his loopy grin, a gentle pink hue on his cheeks. Lily giggles and wraps her around his neck, peppering his face with kisses. "I love you so much," she whispers happily. "So so much."

"Can I ask what brought this on or doesn't really matter?" Sirius murmurs, his eyes laughing as she kisses him all over his face.

Lily shrugs. "Doesn't matter how you think about it—the end result is still the same. I love you."

He shrugs them and Lily shrieks with laughter when he scoops her up into his arms, holding her bridal style as though she was the weight of a feather. "If it's all the same then, I can put away my confusion. I love you too my lovely chimera," he says as he glides back onto the ice, still holding Lily in his arms.

She laughs and presses her face into the crook of his neck. "My sky gem," she hisses in Parseltongue, shifting when Sirius' arms tighten around her.

Sirius lets her down onto her feet when she wiggles in his arm, and she glides a few feet away from them, spinning smoothly to face him. "Come on, 20 more minutes and then we have to get lunch. I expect this one to be hungry soon." She waves him over and his hands settle on her belly the moment he's close enough, gently rubbing the sides.

"Alright, alright," he says softly, stealing a quick kiss. "But take it easy. You don't want to fall and hurt yourself and the baby," he frets, eyebrows drawing together and furrowing at the imagery of a scene that will never come to play.

"Stop worrying you nanny," Lily teases. "You'll be old and grey by the time we're 30 and I'll have to say you're my father, not my husband."

Sirius makes an offended noise and Lily laughs as he wraps his arms around her and drags her across the ice, spinning them and whirling them at a fast pace. He uses soft puffs of magic to lift her off her feet and cushion her when she is brought down. Lily trails off into giggles as he slows them down in a few circles, burying his face in her hair.

His hands cradle her carefully and Lily pants for breath, moving her hips a bit. She crinkles her nose when the baby kicks her insides, grunting when it feels as though he headbutts her ribs. "Okay, they're hungry now I think. I kind of want some sour cream crisps," she muses to herself.

"Then crisps you shall have," Sirius announces enthusiastically. "We'll get you crisps and whatever else you want."

Lily raises a brow. "I want you to carry the next babe," she says with a small tease. "Carrying babes is hard work and I'm not sure I want to do number three."

Mercury eyes stare at her blankly and then Sirius blinks. "If you really want me too," he says noncommittally as he guides her to the bench.

Now it's Lily's turn to be surprised. She hadn't actually thought Sirius would say yes. Which, in hindsight, is pretty foolish of her considering Sirius is in love with having children and was insistent that they have more than two kids—he wanted as many as James and Lily were willing to have, and they were all willing to have multiple kids. 4 or 5 was the number they'd settled on but truly, they'd take as many kids as they could have and whatever number they end up having is perfect.

"I don't mind doing it. I gave up being an Auror to be an artist and I can do that while carrying a babe," he continues. "Besides, James and I married you because we love you—we didn't marry you for your womb. If you want to carry a babe, then I am more than willing to do so."

Lily wipes her eyes, blinking a little bit when her vision continues to blur with tears, and exhales carefully. "Okay," she murmurs. "We can talk about it with James when we get home."

Sirius nods his agreement as he ties the laces on her boots. "That we can. But for now, we get crisps and other foods you need," he says brightly, helping her onto her feet.

Lily lifts up their bag of skates despite Sirius protests, swinging it over her shoulder and slips her hand into his. "I won't carry anything except for my food for the rest of the day if you let me carry this," Lily bargains, rubbing her thumb over Sirius' knuckles.

Sirius thinks on it for a few moments before nodding. "Deal."

They go to their apparation spot, laughing and giggling together, and Lily feels like she's glowing from happiness. "Thanks for taking me out today, Siri," she says softly, before they can apparate to another muggle district.

Her husband smiles at her and cups her face, "Of course, Lils," he says before kissing her gently.

"I love you."

"And I you, ma flamme."