• Growing up Harry •

• a new arrival •

July 31st 1980

Lily smiled lovingly down at her newborn son, gently stroking his soft cheek with the back of her hand. Little Harry had finished feeding only a few moments before and managed to fall into a deep sleep the moment he was back in his mummy's arms, so far his favourite place on earth

James sat beside Lily's hospital bed, peering anxiously at his wife. Ever since Harry's birth earlier that morning, James had been on a rollercoaster of emotions he didn't know he had the capacity of experiencing. There was fear, concern, anxiety, but above all the deepest love he'd ever felt ... he was finally a dad, though he still felt like a child

He gently held onto Lily's free hand, "are you sure you're okay love? I-I wanna make sure you're totally okay before we go home tomorrow"

Lily smiled, an act that seemed to brighten the room immensely, "James I'm fine honey...just enjoy the moment with me"

James nodded and peered down at the tiny human that Lily and himself had created, he let out a long breath and smiled, "I told you it'd be a boy" James' head filled with images of teaching his son how to fly a broom, something he'd been hoping to get to experience since Lily had broken the news to him of her being with child

"You did tell me" Lily said as she gave a finger to Harry's minuscule hand to cling onto

"What can I say? I guess I just have a thing for knowing the gender of babies before they're born" James grinned and put his hands behind his head in the familiar arrogant way that made Lily playfully roll of her eyes

Harry stirred in his mother's arms, turning into the warm comfort being provided. James smiled sweetly, "he really is something eh? I mean...we made that"

"We did make that..." Lily nodded and smiled adoringly at her husband, she loved when he became soft with love

"Remus and Sirius couldn't believe it either, they thought for sure his head would come out as big as mine" James said through a chuckle

Lily scoffed, "oh come on, I'll have you know your head has completely levelled...if it hadn't, I can assure you we wouldn't be together"

James chuckled, "no way missy, I could tell the moment you laid eyes on me that you were a goner...and I wasn't wrong I mean..." James gestured to the bundled baby in Lily's arms

She smiled happily, "I suppose you're right, you've always known my weaknesses James Potter"

James grinned, and let out a large yawn, he had no idea how Lily was still functioning. He obviously hadn't gone through the strenuous labour and yet he felt as drained as ever

"Get some rest honey" Lily said gently, sliding her hands through her husband's stubbornly untidy hair

James sat back in his chair and shut his heavy eyelids, though he didn't manage to find the sleep he desired as Harry's uncomfortable cries began to fill the small room

James opened his eyes feeling suddenly wide awake with concern, "what's wrong? Is he in pain? Is he going to be okay—"

"James honey, he's fine...I think he just needs a nappy change" she giggled softly as she spoke knowing that her husband struggled with changing nappies

A sudden feeling of dread filled James, despite all his attempts he simply couldn't put a nappy on the muggle way. Lily had insisted on a couple muggle traditions, changing by hand was one of them

"Honey do you mind?" She asked handing Harry to his fear taken father

Harry let out a sad whimper being apart form his mummy, James suspected that Harry had already become closely attached to Lily, something James could understand all too well

"Alright, come on mister poopy pants" James said in a silly voice, taking Harry's incredibly tiny body in his arms

"Do not call our son that" Lily said sleepily, finally showing the fatigue of her day

James took Harry over to a table where he could change him and sighed pulling off his used nappy, he winced, "Lils I don't think I'll ever get used to this" James gagged as he cleaned his son's bottom

"You'll get used to it James..." Lily's voice seemed to trail off as she spoke, something that put a soft smile onto James face

He put a cream onto Harry's bottom to ensure he didn't get any rashes and then raised his feet and put on his new nappy

He then kissed Harry's small tummy and put him back into his blue onesie

Although James changed Harry as quickly as he could without making a mistake, it still took a good fifteen minutes until he was satisfied with his work

"Lily you won't believe it but..." James' voice trailed off seeing his wife knocked out in a no doubt exhausted sleep

He took a seat as quietly as he could and held onto Harry who was now wide awake and impatient for his mother's arms

"Shh Harry daddy's got you" James said quietly as he gently rocked the boy

The doctors had told them Harry was smaller than normal, he was born slightly early so it made sense

James and Lily however agreed Harry's small size only added to his already immeasurable cuteness

Despite James' attempts to comfort Harry, his son simply wasn't having any of it. Unfortunately it seemed Harry had inherited James' stubbornness and refused to put up for anything other than Lily

A loud unpleasant crying once again filled the room as Harry became restless of his father's arms

Lily snapped awake instantly, rubbing her eyes and turning to Harry, "oh sweetheart what's wrong?"

"I don't think he'll be able to answer you at this age...even if he is magic that's impossible..." James' voice faded away seeing the firm glare Lily was giving him, he'd have to learn to keep his mouth shut more often

"Come here baby" Lily said gently as she took Harry into her own arms, Harry's crying ceased immediately upon feeling himself taken into his mummy's arms. James couldn't help the feeling of jealousy that stirred within him, though the feeling of love and tiredness seemed to overshadow most of those feelings, for now at least

For a while both Lily and James sat in silence waiting until Harry fell into a soundless sleep before even thinking of slumber for themselves

"I think we should get some rest as well Lils" James finally said through a long yawn

Lily nodded subtly, clearly fearful of even the slightest move waking up her sleeping son

"Don't worry, Harry will be fine" James said calmly gently squeezing Lily's leg

She nodded and smiled sleepily at James, "goodnight honey...I love you"

"I love you more" James smiled and rested his head on Lily's leg, the protectiveness he now felt toward her and his new son was strengthening ... he promised then that he'd never let anything happen to either of them
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