Harry Potter One-Shots

James and Lily

Chapter 5: James and Lily - The Way She Was

James loved looking at Lily, and he loved the way her green eyes would darken when she was angry. When she yelled at him, he smiled on the inside, amused and content. She'd yell at him for the oddest thing, like leaving him shoes in the middle of the floor, or making a mess when Pads and Moony came over. It was just the way she was, and he loved it.

When her eyes would shine, from something funny he did, they shined like vibrant gems. And when she laughed, they sparkled, full of life and happiness. Her laugh, Merlin, her laugh. It was like listening to angels. There was no sweeter sound in his mind, it rang like a wind chime, light and musical, and it never failed to leave him smiling like an idiot.

James loved it when he could sit there and watch her, while she was reading a book, or simply relaxing on the couch. When it was winter, she loved to be in the snow, and James lived to watch her. The way her red hair would stick out in the pale white snow.

But the sight he loved the most, was when she was pregnant. She just glowed, and he thought she was the most beautiful thing on the face of the planet. When she was almost due, she would read with a hand on her stomach, and she would read out loud.

He loved watching her, but if he had to chose, absolutely chose, his favorite memory of her, was after she gave birth to their son. Exhausted and sweating, she held their little boy in her arms, their perfect little boy, the perfect combination of him and her. When she carried him when they were home, and sang to him, James would pause in the hall way, or the middle of the room, just to listen to her sing.

James would do anything for Lily, absolutely anything.

So when he came to, and ran to the nursery and saw her laying on the floor, her hair laying around her head like a halo, he wanted to do anything to bring her back. As James fell to the floor and pulled his dead wife to his body, he cried and cupped her cheek. Her empty green eyes stared past him and at the ceiling, and James' tears hit her cheeks. In the midst of his sorrow, he heard a cry and looked up. Standing in the crib was his fifteen month old son, his face was red, and tears streamed down his cheeks. On shaky legs, James stood and walked over to his son. He picked Harry up and held him to his chest, trying to cover his eyes and calm his son down.

He wasn't sure how he managed it, but he found himself outside with Harry in his arms. He was staring up at the house that him and Lily turned into a home, it was in flames, and at his feet was a diaper bag, he wasn't even sure what was in it because he couldn't remember putting it together. James jumped a foot in the air when a hand was placed on his shoulder.

James looked over to see his best friend, Sirius, standing by his side. Sirius met his eyes with sympathy, an unasked question on his lips, to which James' eyes darkened with sadness and grief. Sirius pulled his friend close and hugged him, with a promise that they would get through this. Holding his friend up, the three of them vanished with a small pop.

James was inconsolable for weeks, everything he looked at Harry, he burst out crying. Sirius was scared for his friend, and hoped he would come out from this depression. Eventually he did, and it was his son that brought him out. So much of Lily was in Harry, that James didn't notice it at first. When she was angry, it came off her in waves and her green eyes would darken, the same, he found out, happened to Harry. Harry was a kind and sweet boy, never hurting a fly, just like his mom, but sometimes, he would do something that was just so... Lily, it made him smile and his heart ache at the same time.

James came to realize, that the way Harry was, was the way she was, and he wouldn't do a thing to change him.