The Toe-Rag and the Lily ✔ (COMPLETED)

Chapter 23

Unexpectedly, James started crying. I rushed over to him.

"James, what did she say to you?" I asked. "What did she say?"

"Lily," he croaked. "Are we going to have a baby?"

So she did do it for me. She must have started rambling.

"What did she say?" I repeated.

"She said that you're pregnant," he said. "Are you?"

He seemed almost worried.

"Yes, I am," I confirmed.

He started smiling broadly. But the tears still fell thick and fast. His reaction was perfect to me, though.

"I'm going to be a dad," he sobbed.

"Yes, you are," I said to him.

And a sudden fog hung over me. Voldemort was at large. How I was I supposed to bring a child into this world, when a mass murderer was on the move? How was I to know that it would live it's life to the fullest? And most importantly, how was I to know that James and I would still be there it when it needs us most? I was devastated. But I wasn't going to let it go now.

"James, will everything be ok?" I asked as I started crying on the bed beside him.

"Lily, as long as we've got each other, everything will be fine," he said, resting a warm hand on my stomach, "And the baby will be, too."

James POV

Looking back upon our conversations in high school, and even just recently, I realised I hadn't always been the best person to Lily. But I was still going to try to make it up to her, even if it took the rest of my life to do so. I walked into the kitchen, Lily once again standing behind a pan, full of delicious pancakes. I felt the urge to pull her away from the pan and reprimand her for even standing up while she was this pregnant. But instead I snuck up behind her and kissed her cheek. She turned around to look at me and smiled, her gorgeous green eyes lighting up.

"Morning gorgeous," I whispered.

"Morning handsome," she whispered back. "Do you want some pancakes?"

"Definitely! But I want you to sit down because you can't be standing up like this when you're so close to the due date."

She rolled her eyes.

"James I'm fine, it's not like the baby's going to come any second now."

"It might," I said, wide-eyed, almost expecting her water to break then.

My eyes watered at the thought. I didn't know what to do when that should happen. And now I had no one I could ask. Sirius' parents were an absolute no, Peter's parents loved me too much, Remus' parents were in hiding, and my parents... well, they were gone now. They had both drifted off in similar conditions, old age, contracted Dragon Pox. My mother should not have tended to him. But she refused to give up. To let him go. And now they were both gone. My loving parents, who had cherished my existence from the moment I was born, the ones who I could barely whisper goodbye to. And I swore that I was to protect Lily and my child with everything I had. And not much later had Lily's parents both gone. She was shocked at first, but I was there to help her up, and give her tissues when it hit her hard.

"James?" Lily asked.

"Yeah," I said, snapping back to reality.

"You ok, gorgeous?" she said.

"Yeah, just fine," I said, wrapping my hands around her waist and smiling. "You're so small, still."

"Argh. I'm not that short James," she replied angrily. "Besides, I'm not small anymore."

She looked down at the baby bump and smiled faintly. It really was a big baby. I smiled down at Lily and she gasped. She grabbed my hand and dragged it across her stomach, placing it where a faint 'thump' was occurring every so often. I smiled broadly, but before long I had tears in my eyes. I was too emotional for my own good. I remembered the talk Dumbledore had to us, about a prophecy, which Lord Voldemort had seemingly decided was about our child. But this rested in the back of my mind for now. My child was going to be fine. I would guarantee that. And Lily, too.

*

Sirius, Remus and Marlene were over the day it happened. Remus and Sirius were in the middle of an avid chess game, people picking sides. Lily was supporting Remus, because he could actually play, and Marlene and I were supporting Sirius, just because. And in truth, I should have supported Remus, because he was flogging Sirius.
"C'mon Sirius," I roared with laughter, "You can do better than this."

Remus commanded one of his pawns to move and Lily gasped at this, though it was a completely uninteresting move. Everyone turned to look at her and she gasped my name out.

"James..."

My eyes widened. The baby had decided to come.

"The baby?"

All she could do was nod. So I decided to help her up and the others decided to meet us at St Mungo's. I ushered Lily over to the fireplace and grabbed a handful of Floo powder.

*

A few hours later, in the early hours of July 31st, a little black-haired boy, was born. I hadn't left Lily's side, and now she crying silent tears, taking our little boy in her arms for the first time. She wiped the tears off of her face with one hand, the other, holding the baby like he was her lifeline.

"You're so precious," she whispered in his ear. "My little boy...."

I smiled at that. But now we had to decide on things like a name.

"Lily, I think we should call him Harold."

"But... what about your parents?" She asked, still crying quietly.

"What about them?" I asked.

"Shouldn't we do something for your side of the family?"

"He's got my last name," I said.

"How about... Harry James Potter," she suggested.

I smiled. It sure did have a ring to it.

"I love it."

Then a nurse, who was standing at the door moved from her position, trying to stop whoever was trying to get through the door.

"That's enough, I'm going to see my godson!" Shouted a voice that I instantly recognised as Sirius'. He, Marlene, Remus and Frank Longbottom barged through the door.

"Frankie!" I shouted. "What's up?"

"Looks like your lad and my Neville are going to be friends," he said. "Alice had Neville on the 30th."

"Oh that's why you couldn't come over to our house yesterday, then," Lily said.

The next few hours was tiring, everyone fussing over Lily and Harry, everyone wanted a turn at holding him. But I got first dibs. And it was one of the most special moments of my life. Sirius was named the godfather officially and Augusta Longbottom came through to see Harry and Lily, and of course, her favourite non-son. These next few years were going to be very eventful.

AN: Hi guys, so sorry I haven't updated in ages, but one of my friends persuaded me to finally finish this chapter after all my time-consuming homework was done. And so (even though I still have homework, but I'm procrastinating) here is the SECOND last chapter. The penultimate. And I feel like crying just bcoz it is the penultimate. But I'll save that for the next chapter. 

Love you guys, Cass. <3