Seasons' Greetings 2011 ♥ A Gift for ichthyes
Title: What’s in a Name
Author: betta329
Recipient: ichthyes
Rating: PG-13
Wordcount: 1126
Warnings: non
Summary: Can Peter help James keep a secret from Lily?
Author's Note: Happy Holidays lovely! I hope you like it! Thanks to L for the beta!
“Just watch her for a couple of days,” James said.
“Days?” Peter gulped. This was the first time James had really trusted him, and with something so big. Christmas was Monday and James needed Peter to keep track of this little furball for him.
“Yeah. With it being break and all, I have to keep Lily busy. You understand of course.”
“But why a rabbit?” Pete asked.
James blushed and ran a hand through his hair, not that it settled any of it. “She mentioned a couple months ago in Transfiguration that she had a rabbit and something with her sister letting it loose. So I thought she’d like it.”
Peter picked the little rabbit up from the box, surprised at how small the thing really was. It was this huge fluff ball of grey hair, but its body was tiny. He held it up to his chest and the little rabbit curled against him.
“See, Pete, the thing loves you. You’re great with little animals. Just hold on to her for a couple of days for me would ya? And don’t tell Lily! It’s a surprise!” Before he could say no, James was running back up to the castle.
Peter was about to ask what he was going to do with a rabbit anyway, but James was already gone. Oh well, he thought, as he petted the rabbit’s little head.
“We’re gonna be good friends. I have a thing for small animals. They’re underestimated y’know.” He laughed at his own joke. If only the rabbit knew the truth. “We’re gonna have to think of a name for you.” Peter sat there for a minute shifting the rabbit in his hands. “James said you were a girl. I know! Hairy! It’s a great name. It’ll be like short for Harriet. Let’s head upstairs… Hairy.” Putting the rabbit back in its little box, Peter made his way back up to the castle.
* * *
After stopping down at the kitchens to get Hairy some food and water, the painting swung open and let Peter inside Gryffindor Tower. Was he ever surprised to see Lily and James on the couch, snogging. Well, the snogging didn’t surprise him so much as the fact that they were there on such a beautiful day. For December, it was rather warm. James had her against the arm of the couch and was trying to smother her from what Peter could gather, but Lily was resisting. She opened her eyes and saw Peter standing there dumbstruck. And then he remembered. Hairy! Trying not to look conspicuous with Lily looking over James’s head at him, he slowly fumbled the cardboard box until it was behind him.
Lily smiled as James was kissing on her neck. “We’ve got a bit of company, James.”
“Hmm?” he mumbled as he made his way across her collarbone.
Lily’s eyelashes fluttered as she playfully pushed him away. “Oy! Stop it, James! We've been interrupted.”
“What the-” There was James looking over the back of the couch at Peter, cardboard box poking out from behind him. The look James gave Peter would have made anyone else quiver, but not Peter. Well, not usually. Except he was standing there with this super secret responsibility behind his back, his first major responsibility, right in front of Lily, who was smiling at him and motioning for him to take a seat, all while James was trying to light him on fire with his gaze alone.
“No, no I have to go upstairs. Have to change.” Peter said as he sidestepped toward the stairs.
“Oh come on, Peter. You can come sit here with us for a bit.” She scooted further away from the arm she had just been pressed against and patted the seat next to her. Peter didn’t move and Lily cocked her head to the side, a frown forming on her face. “What’s that behind your back?”
“What? Nothing! There’s nothing behind my back.”
Lily squinted and started to stand when James grabbed her around the waist and pulled her back down on the couch onto his lap, then kissed her hard. She pressed against his chest, laughing, trying to get him off her but couldn’t. James was waving a hand at him, motioning him to go, but Peter just stood there. Breaking free, she pushed James away. Now she was standing, gasping for air, hair a mess and pale pink camisole all tangled.
“James stop it! You’re acting awfully strange. Is that thing behind Peter’s back for me?”
“No!” James roared tackling her and knocking her onto the couch, free arm flailing over the top. Peter shook his head as he turned to go. And then the box was out of his hand. He dove for it, hovering there in the air as it glided towards Lily, but he missed and smashed face first into the floor.
“James! She took it!” Peter shouted as now James was diving over the back of the couch, but the little box dodged out of his way. Lily was laughing as the box settled into her hands. She opened it and squealed, pulling the rabbit out and holding it to her.
“Oh James! You remembered! You remembered that story about Harry!” Lily said while stroking its little ears and kissing its furry head.
“Of course I remembered, love. I knew how important he was to you.”
“Hairy?” Peter asked. Lily looked up at him, beaming.
“I used to have this rabbit when I was little, and Petunia let it out of its cage one night because she was mad about something. His name was Harry. I’ve always really liked the name.”
Peter blushed.
“What is it?” Lily asked.
“I just named her Hairy when I was carrying her around is all, short for Harriet.”
Lily smiled and got up, came around the couch and kissed Peter lightly on the cheek. “It’s a perfect name. Thank you, Peter.”
* * *
Picking up the baby, messy black hair like James and bright green eyes just like Lily’s, Peter smiled up at Lily and James. Lily was sitting up in the bed, leaning her head against James standing next to her stroking her hair. They watched Peter as he held their son.
“What’s his name?” Peter asked.
There was a bit of a pause before Peter looked back up from the baby and over at them. James was rolling his eyes and Lily blushed.
“Harry,” she said.
“Harry?” Peter asked, raising an eyebrow. Didn’t she already have a menagerie of pets named Harry?
“I’ve just always liked the name.” Lily whispered looking down at her hands.
James kissed the top of her head. “It’s a great name, darling. A great name.”
Author: betta329
Recipient: ichthyes
Rating: PG-13
Wordcount: 1126
Warnings: non
Summary: Can Peter help James keep a secret from Lily?
Author's Note: Happy Holidays lovely! I hope you like it! Thanks to L for the beta!
“Just watch her for a couple of days,” James said.
“Days?” Peter gulped. This was the first time James had really trusted him, and with something so big. Christmas was Monday and James needed Peter to keep track of this little furball for him.
“Yeah. With it being break and all, I have to keep Lily busy. You understand of course.”
“But why a rabbit?” Pete asked.
James blushed and ran a hand through his hair, not that it settled any of it. “She mentioned a couple months ago in Transfiguration that she had a rabbit and something with her sister letting it loose. So I thought she’d like it.”
Peter picked the little rabbit up from the box, surprised at how small the thing really was. It was this huge fluff ball of grey hair, but its body was tiny. He held it up to his chest and the little rabbit curled against him.
“See, Pete, the thing loves you. You’re great with little animals. Just hold on to her for a couple of days for me would ya? And don’t tell Lily! It’s a surprise!” Before he could say no, James was running back up to the castle.
Peter was about to ask what he was going to do with a rabbit anyway, but James was already gone. Oh well, he thought, as he petted the rabbit’s little head.
“We’re gonna be good friends. I have a thing for small animals. They’re underestimated y’know.” He laughed at his own joke. If only the rabbit knew the truth. “We’re gonna have to think of a name for you.” Peter sat there for a minute shifting the rabbit in his hands. “James said you were a girl. I know! Hairy! It’s a great name. It’ll be like short for Harriet. Let’s head upstairs… Hairy.” Putting the rabbit back in its little box, Peter made his way back up to the castle.
* * *
After stopping down at the kitchens to get Hairy some food and water, the painting swung open and let Peter inside Gryffindor Tower. Was he ever surprised to see Lily and James on the couch, snogging. Well, the snogging didn’t surprise him so much as the fact that they were there on such a beautiful day. For December, it was rather warm. James had her against the arm of the couch and was trying to smother her from what Peter could gather, but Lily was resisting. She opened her eyes and saw Peter standing there dumbstruck. And then he remembered. Hairy! Trying not to look conspicuous with Lily looking over James’s head at him, he slowly fumbled the cardboard box until it was behind him.
Lily smiled as James was kissing on her neck. “We’ve got a bit of company, James.”
“Hmm?” he mumbled as he made his way across her collarbone.
Lily’s eyelashes fluttered as she playfully pushed him away. “Oy! Stop it, James! We've been interrupted.”
“What the-” There was James looking over the back of the couch at Peter, cardboard box poking out from behind him. The look James gave Peter would have made anyone else quiver, but not Peter. Well, not usually. Except he was standing there with this super secret responsibility behind his back, his first major responsibility, right in front of Lily, who was smiling at him and motioning for him to take a seat, all while James was trying to light him on fire with his gaze alone.
“No, no I have to go upstairs. Have to change.” Peter said as he sidestepped toward the stairs.
“Oh come on, Peter. You can come sit here with us for a bit.” She scooted further away from the arm she had just been pressed against and patted the seat next to her. Peter didn’t move and Lily cocked her head to the side, a frown forming on her face. “What’s that behind your back?”
“What? Nothing! There’s nothing behind my back.”
Lily squinted and started to stand when James grabbed her around the waist and pulled her back down on the couch onto his lap, then kissed her hard. She pressed against his chest, laughing, trying to get him off her but couldn’t. James was waving a hand at him, motioning him to go, but Peter just stood there. Breaking free, she pushed James away. Now she was standing, gasping for air, hair a mess and pale pink camisole all tangled.
“James stop it! You’re acting awfully strange. Is that thing behind Peter’s back for me?”
“No!” James roared tackling her and knocking her onto the couch, free arm flailing over the top. Peter shook his head as he turned to go. And then the box was out of his hand. He dove for it, hovering there in the air as it glided towards Lily, but he missed and smashed face first into the floor.
“James! She took it!” Peter shouted as now James was diving over the back of the couch, but the little box dodged out of his way. Lily was laughing as the box settled into her hands. She opened it and squealed, pulling the rabbit out and holding it to her.
“Oh James! You remembered! You remembered that story about Harry!” Lily said while stroking its little ears and kissing its furry head.
“Of course I remembered, love. I knew how important he was to you.”
“Hairy?” Peter asked. Lily looked up at him, beaming.
“I used to have this rabbit when I was little, and Petunia let it out of its cage one night because she was mad about something. His name was Harry. I’ve always really liked the name.”
Peter blushed.
“What is it?” Lily asked.
“I just named her Hairy when I was carrying her around is all, short for Harriet.”
Lily smiled and got up, came around the couch and kissed Peter lightly on the cheek. “It’s a perfect name. Thank you, Peter.”
* * *
Picking up the baby, messy black hair like James and bright green eyes just like Lily’s, Peter smiled up at Lily and James. Lily was sitting up in the bed, leaning her head against James standing next to her stroking her hair. They watched Peter as he held their son.
“What’s his name?” Peter asked.
There was a bit of a pause before Peter looked back up from the baby and over at them. James was rolling his eyes and Lily blushed.
“Harry,” she said.
“Harry?” Peter asked, raising an eyebrow. Didn’t she already have a menagerie of pets named Harry?
“I’ve just always liked the name.” Lily whispered looking down at her hands.
James kissed the top of her head. “It’s a great name, darling. A great name.”