Chasing Oblivion

TWO

"Hey," I greeted Harry, passing him a mug of hot chocolate filled to the brim with marshmallows.

We were currently at the burrow for Sunday brunch, something I knew that Molly had planned to make a weekly event.

"Oh," he jumped slightly before grinning up at me sheepishly, taking the offered hot chocolate from my hand, "hi."

I grinned, plopping down next to him on the worn old red couch, following the direction his eyes were previously glued to.

James.

"It must be strange to have him around, huh?" I put my feet up in his lap, leaning back against the side arm of the couch, watching his expression carefully despite the fact that I knew he would be completely honest with me.

He was unlike his father in that aspect.

Unlike both of us, really.

"You have no idea," he laughed out breathlessly, moving to take a sip before I slapped his hand gently, reminding him that it was hot. "Oh yeah, thanks mum."

The silence that ensued was somewhat awkward as Harry blushed a deep red, running a hand through his hair in a style so similar to James that it was uncanny.

They truly were father and son.

"You can call me that, if you want Harry, I mean I guess it's a bit odd considering we were best friends and grew up together," I let out a quiet laugh, rearranging my grey fluffy sock-clad feet on his lap, "but I've adjusted and accepted it. I can't promise that I will be the best mum though, I don't really know much about being one."

"We can learn together," Harry grasped my hand in his free one, squeezing it gently, "mum."

"So, does this make me Harry's Godmother then, Li?" Hermione walked into the living room, another Shakespeare classic clutched in her left hand, sitting down on the seat next to Harry.

"I don't see why not, you're my only living female best friend," I ignored the look the two shared full of worry and disbelief, not quite believing that I had fully adapted to being back in the present.

"I believe that this should be a decision that we both make, should it not Love?" James sat on the arm of the couch, hip and thigh pressing into my back, a cheeky smirk lilting at his lips. "Hey kid," James ruffled Harry's hair, grinning down at him.

"Dad," Harry smiled goofily up at him, having idolised him before he had even met him.

James winced slightly at the term, and luckily no one besides me noticed.

I leaned back against him, glaring up at his now rigid form, "you chose Sirius," I pointed out, sulking slightly.

"And how do we know that you didn't choose him?" He pouted, blue eyes alight with laughter as he saw the disbelief colouring my features. "Good point."

"Prongs," Remus greeted, still a bit pale from the recent full moon that left both him and James in fresh new scratches and battle wounds.

"Moony!" James leapt up and eyed him carefully before leading him to the couch opposite us, going as far to even fluff up one of Molly's cushions to support his back.

He truly was born to be a parent.

"Prongs," he whined in a fashion that I had become quite accustomed to back in the 1970's, reverting to his younger self around the friend he had thought he had lost forever a long time ago.

"Shut it," he grinned wickedly, knowing how much Remus hated being fussed over, "you know, I'm never going to get used to you looking this old."

That earned him a well-deserved cushion to the face.

"You're still a bloody twat, even after all these years. I can't say that I missed it."

"It's rude to lie, Dear," Tonks walked into the room, pastel purple hair and eyes matching that of Teddy's.

My little brother.

The brother I thought that I'd never get to see again, let alone hold and watch grow up.

"Oh here," I stood from the catch, taking small strides to reach her tired figure, knowing full well how much of a handful Teddy could be.

I took the infant from her arms, sitting down on a vacant couch, watching my younger brother adoringly as he giggled and cooed up at me, his little fingers tangling in my dark brown curls that he instantly mimicked, now bearing a head full of brown locks himself.

"Isn't he adorable?" I grinned up at James, having noticed that he claimed the free spot next to me.

"Yeah," he smiled back just as enthusiastically, wrapping an arm around my waist and tugging me back into his chest.

Merlin did he give me butterflies.

Things were quite similar now as to how they were when we dated par the actual talking about our feelings. We hadn't quite reached that stage other than James professing his love for me on the day after the Great Battle but at this rate, it was right around the corner.

Maybe, just maybe, we'd get it right this time.

A disgruntled cough broke us from our intense gaze, an annoyed Remus Lupin staring back at us, disgust marring his face.

"I know that it hasn't been that long for you both, but for me, it's been twenty years and I actually know she's my daughter this time around, so I'd appreciate it if you kept the whole," he gestured wildly to the both of us, "in private."

Tonks slapped his chest lightly, careful of his self-inflicted wounds, "They would make a beautiful family, Remus, don't you dare ruin this for me."

I felt James stiffen against me, his arm retracting from around me as he coughed into his hand, looking anywhere but Remus, Harry and me.

I caught the broken gaze of Harry, feeling absolutely horrible that I hadn't thought about how he might have viewed this – as the life that he never got to have with us.

"Are," I corrected Tonks, smiling warmly over at Harry, "we are a family. Well, one in the making I guess."

"Yeah?" Harry questioned hesitantly, looking at James for approval, knowing that he hadn't quite accepted him to the extent I had.

I inconspicuously pinched his outer thigh, looking over at Harry with love, knowing that James could never reject his own son, even if he didn't know him very well.

Even if they were only a short two years apart.

"Of course, Harry," James wrapped his arm around me once more, looking down at me, his eyes a bright blue, filled with happiness but also... dread?

I couldn't be sure.

"Why don't you come sit with us?" He patted the open spot next to him, watching in amusement as Harry scuttled over with obvious excitement, having envisioned this a thousand times, never truly believing that such a thing could happen.

But it could.

And it did.

James leant down, pressing a soft kiss into my hair once Harry was distracted, discussing how much more effective a notebook was in comparison to loose parchment and why it is more beneficial with Arthur after James' exclamation of shock at seeing the 'Ginger' that's also known as Ron, "He's our kid, Love, and I promise that no matter what it takes, I will protect this family."

His sentence was supposed to be reassuring but all it succeeded in was more unanswered questions.

The war was finally over, so what else was there for James to protect us from?

--

So the second chapter is up!

Seems like some shady shit has taken place in the two years Lilah was absent in James' timeline - any guesses?

Thanks for reading y'all, feel free to vote if you enjoyed it!

Love R101