Jily Oneshots (pt2)

You and Me Both, Kid

by twilightstargazer

He probably stands there in the doorway gaping at her for at least a full minute before he manages to snatch his jaw back up from the ground and tries his best to look put together. (He's fairly certain that he does not, but, well, a bloke can dream, yeah?)

Harry- bless his soul- doesn't realise that his father is undergoing some form of existential crisis, and grabs his hand in one of his small, sticky ones, dragging him into the classroom where some of the other parents are already milling about. He gets a few looks thrown his way from some of the older ones and despite the anxiety gnawing away at his insides, James still manages to roll his eyes at them and ignores the disapproving sniffs that follow.

James can't- look, he's not one who puts a lot of stock into 'fate' and 'destiny' and all that hogwash, but right now he's around 87% certain that someone up there is having a great laugh at his expense.

The teacher- Ms Evans, he now knows- still hasn't noticed him as yet, but Harry is already tugging him over to her and all James can do is shut his eyes and send a quick prayer up to whoever might be listening even if they are laughing at him.

She's chatting away with another set of parents in front of him and Harry is rocking back and forth on his heels, practically vibrating with excitement. The pair soon leaves, and then it's just him and Harry and James pinpoints the exact moment she realises what's happening when her smile practically falls off her face.

Because standing in front of him with her green eyes blown wide and mouth shaped in a small 'o' is Lily Evans and James is just about hoping that the ground would open up beneath his feet and swallow him whole.

It all starts when he deviates from his routine.

James likes having a routine- or at least some semblance of one. Usually he gets up at six thirty and has breakfast on the table before seven (always dinosaur shaped pancakes and grape juice) before waking Harry for school and getting him ready. Sirius or whoever is free that evening picks up Harry from school and keeps him until James is back. Then it's dinner and homework and bed time promptly at eight for Harry and whenever the words start to blur together for James. It gives him a sense of purpose, something to stick to and pretend that yes, he is a competent twenty four year old with a five year old kid who has his shit together.

(He does not, in fact, have his shit together, but he's all about faking it til you make it, so he tries.)

It's the same routine he's had for the past four years since his ex girlfriend showed up out of nowhere and dumped a squalling one year old and some cloth diapers on his doorstep before disappearing off the surface of the earth, and he hasn't had any serious missteps just yet, making him consider it to be a win.

So yeah, the whole routine thing works out pretty well. Sure, he doesn't have as much free time available since he's caring for an actual human 24/7, but Sirius, Remus and Peter come over often enough and that's all he really needs in terms of social interaction. Except then one night in the middle of July, his office staff invites him out for drinks and since James doesn't want to be that guy- the boss who's only ever your boss/ you know nothing about/ some phantom who you only see between the hours of nine and five on weekdays- he agrees and then calls up his parents to ask if they could keep Harry for the rest of the evening.

They go out to a bar called the Leaky Cauldron, which is filled with people, but not uncomfortably so, surprising what with it being a Friday and all. He offers to get the first round of drinks for the table and is making his way over to the counter when he spots her and almost falls flat on his face.

(He doesn't, but he does stumble into a chair causing some of the nearby patrons to glance over at him. Suddenly he's very glad that Sirius isn't there.)