(no subject)
Title: We'll see
Author: apostrophe_ess
Disclaimer: Everything belongs to JKR, I merely gain from playing these games in her playground.
Pairing/Character: Lily/James
Word Count: 989
Rating: G
Summary: That feeling of being strange, she'd felt versions of it before. But never quite like this.
Author's Notes: Inspired by vanillacocktail - she'll know why! I hope you feel better now, hon.
ETA: As I'm allowed to use some previously written things for my challenge at potterverse100, I am going to make this the first of my one hundred stories about the Potter family from the time of Harry's conception - Prompt number 11: Future.
We'll see
Lily didn’t know what exactly the feeling inside was. Was it the same as the one she’d had recently, or was it something different? Was it nerves?
“We’ll walk,” James said, coming from the bedroom and pulling on an outer cloak in the style of a Muggle coat.
“It’s cold, James.”
“Yeah. I don’t care how cold it is. I’m not taking chances on Apparating.”
Lily didn’t answer. She had that feeling again.
She’d had a version of the feeling just before she took her Apparition test. She’d had an immature version of the feeling when she was waiting on Kings’ Cross station, on platform 9 and ¾ all those years ago. She’d had the feeling the morning of her wedding to James, and she’d had it on the day she just knew he was going to propose to her.
It wasn’t the same though. Not the exact same feeling. This time it was different.
The other feeling, the one she’d had recently had been a bit scary. At first she’d thought it was one of James’s cooking spells gone wrong, but when it happened again the next day then she knew it couldn’t be that. Not unless both their cooking spells had gone wrong, one after the other.
By the fifth and sixth day she mentioned it to James. Quietly, in apologetic tones, her head dropped so her eyes looked at her feet. She suspected she knew what it was by then. They’d find out today, for sure. They’d know.
“Come on, Mrs Potter,” James said happily, holding out his hand as she joined him dressed against the cold.
“James …” Lily’s voice was apologetic again.
He didn’t answer, he gave her the look. That look. The one he’d given her every time she’d used that tone of voice. If they found out what he thought they were going to, he was going to celebrate. Celebrate long and hard. Sirius too, and Remus, and Peter. They’d have a wild old time. They might even let Lily join in, if she was lucky!
The walk didn’t take nearly as long as Lily had expected it to. They’d arrived earlier than she’d thought they would and now the clock was moving so slowly it needn’t be moving at all. One by one they saw others stand up and move into another room when their names were called. Some came out looking pleased, some came out looking shocked. One girl came out crying into her mother’s shoulder.
How would she come out? Would she smile? Cry? Would she be just so stunned she couldn’t think?
“Mrs Potter. Mrs Lily Potter.”
“Come on Lil,” James said, bouncing up out of his seat and holding his hand out to Lily. “They’re calling you.”
“It’s just a drop of blood, Mrs Potter,” the friendly smiling mediwitch said having taken what seemed like loads of information from them. “A drop of blood and then a few minutes and well, well that’s that.”
“James,” Lily looked at him, her eyes big and her face worried.
“Just a drop of blood, Lil. It’s nothing.”
“It’s not that -“
“Mrs Potter?”
Lily rolled up her sleeve. She’d never had a magical blood test before, she’d hardly had a Muggle one, certainly not for years. Her mum had told her, years back at the last one, it was best not to look. She shut her eyes, bit her lip and waited.
“Merlin!” Lily exclaimed, looking by her feet when she finally opened her eyes again, not actually having felt a thing but heard something that sounded like a thump. There, laid out flat on the floor was James, looking as white as a sheet, and as asleep as if it was the middle of the night.
“He’ll come round in a minute or two. Best to leave them where they are, I always think,” the kindly mediwitch said leaving Lily in the room alone with the apparently sleeping James as she went out with the blood.
Lily had no idea who needed the cup of tea the most. Whether it was her, or James was debateable. She was glad though, that they’d been shown into a small side room - after James came round - and given some time alone before facing the world.
“So,” James said again.
“Yes.” Lily’s voice reflected her thoughts and was a bit numb.
“I can cook after all.”
“Yes.”
“Lil, it’ll be okay.”
“Will it?” Lily asked.
“Yes! I’m trying not to be too excited. But yes! It’ll be fine.”
“James, there’s a war going on.”
“I know. But it’s life, Lil.”
“I suppose,” Lily nodded. She was sort of getting used to the idea now. Perhaps she’d not let herself do that before in case she was disappointed. If she told herself it wasn’t a good idea, maybe it would seem better when they’d told her no.
“A baby, Lil. Another little Lily, just like you. All red hair and green eyes, and gorgeous.”
“It might be a boy,” Lily suggested, suddenly feeling better about it all and quite liking the idea of another little James about the place.
“No, definitely a girl. I know it.”
“Well, if it is a girl at least she won’t faint at the sight of a drop of blood.”
James chuckled. “You never know.”
“We girls are made of stronger stuff,” Lily said, standing and putting her now empty cup of tea down on the table. “We’d best get going.”
“Are you sure?”
“You’ve got partying to do, haven’t you?”
That’s what he liked about his Lil. No matter what happened, however hard it was, she always adapted and came around, and was there for him - understanding and just brilliant. They’d just got the most fantastic news, and she was telling him to go and see his friends.
“Another time, Lil.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah. Maybe tomorrow. Tonight, I’m going to spend with my wife and daughter.”
“Son.”
“We’ll see.”
Author: apostrophe_ess
Disclaimer: Everything belongs to JKR, I merely gain from playing these games in her playground.
Pairing/Character: Lily/James
Word Count: 989
Rating: G
Summary: That feeling of being strange, she'd felt versions of it before. But never quite like this.
Author's Notes: Inspired by vanillacocktail - she'll know why! I hope you feel better now, hon.
ETA: As I'm allowed to use some previously written things for my challenge at potterverse100, I am going to make this the first of my one hundred stories about the Potter family from the time of Harry's conception - Prompt number 11: Future.
We'll see
Lily didn’t know what exactly the feeling inside was. Was it the same as the one she’d had recently, or was it something different? Was it nerves?
“We’ll walk,” James said, coming from the bedroom and pulling on an outer cloak in the style of a Muggle coat.
“It’s cold, James.”
“Yeah. I don’t care how cold it is. I’m not taking chances on Apparating.”
Lily didn’t answer. She had that feeling again.
She’d had a version of the feeling just before she took her Apparition test. She’d had an immature version of the feeling when she was waiting on Kings’ Cross station, on platform 9 and ¾ all those years ago. She’d had the feeling the morning of her wedding to James, and she’d had it on the day she just knew he was going to propose to her.
It wasn’t the same though. Not the exact same feeling. This time it was different.
The other feeling, the one she’d had recently had been a bit scary. At first she’d thought it was one of James’s cooking spells gone wrong, but when it happened again the next day then she knew it couldn’t be that. Not unless both their cooking spells had gone wrong, one after the other.
By the fifth and sixth day she mentioned it to James. Quietly, in apologetic tones, her head dropped so her eyes looked at her feet. She suspected she knew what it was by then. They’d find out today, for sure. They’d know.
“Come on, Mrs Potter,” James said happily, holding out his hand as she joined him dressed against the cold.
“James …” Lily’s voice was apologetic again.
He didn’t answer, he gave her the look. That look. The one he’d given her every time she’d used that tone of voice. If they found out what he thought they were going to, he was going to celebrate. Celebrate long and hard. Sirius too, and Remus, and Peter. They’d have a wild old time. They might even let Lily join in, if she was lucky!
The walk didn’t take nearly as long as Lily had expected it to. They’d arrived earlier than she’d thought they would and now the clock was moving so slowly it needn’t be moving at all. One by one they saw others stand up and move into another room when their names were called. Some came out looking pleased, some came out looking shocked. One girl came out crying into her mother’s shoulder.
How would she come out? Would she smile? Cry? Would she be just so stunned she couldn’t think?
“Mrs Potter. Mrs Lily Potter.”
“Come on Lil,” James said, bouncing up out of his seat and holding his hand out to Lily. “They’re calling you.”
“It’s just a drop of blood, Mrs Potter,” the friendly smiling mediwitch said having taken what seemed like loads of information from them. “A drop of blood and then a few minutes and well, well that’s that.”
“James,” Lily looked at him, her eyes big and her face worried.
“Just a drop of blood, Lil. It’s nothing.”
“It’s not that -“
“Mrs Potter?”
Lily rolled up her sleeve. She’d never had a magical blood test before, she’d hardly had a Muggle one, certainly not for years. Her mum had told her, years back at the last one, it was best not to look. She shut her eyes, bit her lip and waited.
“Merlin!” Lily exclaimed, looking by her feet when she finally opened her eyes again, not actually having felt a thing but heard something that sounded like a thump. There, laid out flat on the floor was James, looking as white as a sheet, and as asleep as if it was the middle of the night.
“He’ll come round in a minute or two. Best to leave them where they are, I always think,” the kindly mediwitch said leaving Lily in the room alone with the apparently sleeping James as she went out with the blood.
Lily had no idea who needed the cup of tea the most. Whether it was her, or James was debateable. She was glad though, that they’d been shown into a small side room - after James came round - and given some time alone before facing the world.
“So,” James said again.
“Yes.” Lily’s voice reflected her thoughts and was a bit numb.
“I can cook after all.”
“Yes.”
“Lil, it’ll be okay.”
“Will it?” Lily asked.
“Yes! I’m trying not to be too excited. But yes! It’ll be fine.”
“James, there’s a war going on.”
“I know. But it’s life, Lil.”
“I suppose,” Lily nodded. She was sort of getting used to the idea now. Perhaps she’d not let herself do that before in case she was disappointed. If she told herself it wasn’t a good idea, maybe it would seem better when they’d told her no.
“A baby, Lil. Another little Lily, just like you. All red hair and green eyes, and gorgeous.”
“It might be a boy,” Lily suggested, suddenly feeling better about it all and quite liking the idea of another little James about the place.
“No, definitely a girl. I know it.”
“Well, if it is a girl at least she won’t faint at the sight of a drop of blood.”
James chuckled. “You never know.”
“We girls are made of stronger stuff,” Lily said, standing and putting her now empty cup of tea down on the table. “We’d best get going.”
“Are you sure?”
“You’ve got partying to do, haven’t you?”
That’s what he liked about his Lil. No matter what happened, however hard it was, she always adapted and came around, and was there for him - understanding and just brilliant. They’d just got the most fantastic news, and she was telling him to go and see his friends.
“Another time, Lil.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah. Maybe tomorrow. Tonight, I’m going to spend with my wife and daughter.”
“Son.”
“We’ll see.”