Jily Oneshots (pt2)

Adore

My dear daughter,

A very happy Christmas to you! I hope this letter finds you quickly- I know that you say the post will be able to find you, but I do worry. I also do wish that you could install a telephone. Isn't there a spell that would be able to make it work?

We hope to have you (and James if you wish to bring him) over for a Christmas eve tea this year. It was so very sad to miss you last year. I know that your career is important to you, but you will only ever have one family!

Speaking of family, I have happy happy news for you- your sister is expecting! She is three months along. We (your father and I) are so very excited to be grandparents. Perhaps you ought to send her a letter? I am certain she would be grateful to hear from you.

Please write quickly (or find a telephone!) and let us know if you'll be able to come to Christmas Eve tea.

Love,

your mother

It was not only the thought of seeing Petunia again that had her on edge. It was reading that Petunia was pregnant. And it wasn't only the thought of Petunia and Vernon producing some poor child to be cursed with their parentage. It was also the reminder that her period was weeks late.

Lily glanced over at the bookshelf, where the volume of household spells that Euphermia Potter had pressed into her hand when she and James moved in together was stored. There was certainly a pregnancy detecting spell in that book. But if she cast it then she would know. And then everything would change.

Instead Lily lit a fire in their hearth, and set towards making merry. She had always been gifted at charms, and soon was producing garland to drape across the mantle of their fireplace. Then golden baubles, then red baubles. It was not merry enough. So Lily lit a fire in the oven, and set a bowl to mix together butter and sugar.

As long as she was working she could not think. As long as she was focusing on her spellwork she could not think about Petunia's spawn or her mum's guilt trip. As long as she was rolling and stamping gingerbread men she could not worry about being pregnant or Selewyn figuring out what she was up to. As long as she was twisting the garland by hand she could not worry about James' lateness, or this war, or why they had not been more careful.

The truth was, being alive when you thought you might die had an aphrodisiac affect on her. And James it turned out felt the same. There were times when they only had to look at each other and they were tearing at each other's clothes, hoping to be reminded that they were, against all other possibilities, still alive. It was damn near impossible to remember a contraceptive charm after those close brushes with death.

There was a crack outside their apartment, and a key turned in the door. Lily whipped around and held out a wand.

James stood at the door, looking tired but relieved, steadily pointing his wand towards Lily.

He spoke first.

"My favorite Christmas song?"

"Happy Xmas, War is Over," Lily answered without hesitation. It was the one muggle record he had ever bought. James nodded and lowered his wand. Now she had to think.

"How do I drink my coffee?"

James snorted and shook his head. "Anyone who has ever observed you would know that, Evans. White with cream, no sugar. And lukewarm today. What a monster."

"Well, I don't prefer it lukewarm," Lily snapped. "Someone just distracts me in the morning."

"Sorry about that," James said, looking not the least bit sorry, and Lily lowered her wand. James crossed the room in a few long strides and wrapped Lily in his arms.