I’m dreaming…



Lily sat down on the plush, crimson sofa and put her hands on her tummy. The last week had been stressful, to say the least. Work at St. Mungo’s had increased three-fold as Voldemort and his followers decided to make the most of the Christmas spirit – a feeling they found urged people to be less cautious as they went about their festive business, and a happiness too profound not to crush. But her Christmas holiday was finally here and she could think of no better way of spending it than sitting on this particular red sofa on Christmas Eve, listening to someone struggle with a heavy load by the front door.



“I’ve got it!� came James’ voice from the hall. “It’s a goodun’!�



“Bring it in here!� replied Lily, and a moment later, James was battling with the door frame to get the large Christmas tree into the front room.



“I still don’t see why we couldn’t have just conjured one up,� he said as he finally decided to turn the tree horizontal to get it through the door.



“Ah, it just wouldn’t be the same,� said Lily, “it’s all in the choosing. I just wish you’d have let me come with you…�



James pushed the tree into its holder and breathed a sigh of relief.



“You’ve had quite enough exertion to be getting on with already this week, without having to use the immense effort and skill it takes to choose one of these things,� he said, gesturing to the tree, which looked rather odd stuck in its base with its white netting still holding it in a rocket shape.



Lily laughed and nodded.



“If you say so. Now, let’s get it unwrapped. The others will be here soon.�



She whipped out her wand and gave it a flick, and the netting dropped to the floor. She started to get out of her seat to help James tidy up the branches which had decided to stay upright, but he pushed her back down.



“No, no, you’re staying there,� he said, making her sit so far back in the sofa that she sunk right into the cushions. “I’ll do this.�



Lily huffed and gave him a stern look.



“I’m not an invalid, James!� she told him, getting up and kneeling on the carpet to help him. “I can still participate in ‘normal person’ activities!�



James looked at her straightening out the branches and sighed.



“I know, I’m sorry,� he muttered, and he wrapped his arm around her back and pulled her into a one-armed hug. “I just think you can’t be too careful, that’s all.�



“You can be too careful, James. How am I going to survive this if I’m not allowed to carry on as usual?�



James smiled and brought his other arm round her front to embrace her properly, resting his hands on her tummy. She put her hands over his and their fingers interlocked. She sighed deeply as James bent his head down to kiss her on the cheek, then nuzzled into her neck and breathed in the smell of her long, red hair.



“Oh, so this is allowed,� she whispered, and James laughed in her ear.



At that moment, there was a loud knock on the front door. James groaned as he reluctantly let Lily go.



“I’ll get it,� he mumbled, getting up and leaving the room.



Lily heard the front door open and the sound of another male voice in the hall. With a slight longing for the moment alone with James to have lasted just a little longer, she stood up as Sirius entered the room.



“Lily!� he said, stepping forwards to hug her. “You look glowing!�



She blushed slightly as they pulled away and glanced at James, who grinned at her.



“I suppose it’s all the festive cheer!� she told Sirius. “Do you want to start helping James with the decorations and I’ll go and get us all a drink?�



The two men seemed happy enough left in each other’s company, so Lily went out to the kitchen to find some refreshments. She grabbed two bottles of Butterbeer from the cupboard and poured herself some apple juice, thinking how much more appropriate a glug of warm, frothy goodness would be on a day like today. Shrugging to herself, she went back into the front room, where she found James and Sirius wrapping each other up in strings of fairy lights.



“Ok, ok, now turn them on!� said Sirius, whose arms and legs were restrained by the green wires. James pointed his wand at his friend and dozens of little white lights flashed on, illuminating his entire body.



Lily giggled as Sirius began to bounce around the room, before losing his balance and toppling onto the sofa.



“You see!� she said. “This is what happens when I leave you two in charge! I get a decorated friend instead of a decorated fir!�



“Yeah, Sirius,� said James, as though he had played no part in the shenanigans. “Now spruce up the spruce!�



He untied Sirius and they began to wrap the lights around the tree while Lily searched in the Christmas box for the best decorations. When she let out a little “oh!� James stopped and asked her what was wrong.



“Look,� she muttered, showing him something in her hands, “do you remember this?�



James took the tiny ornament and nodded. There was another knock at the door.



“I’ll get it!� cried Sirius, sensing that this might be a good time to leave the room, and he ran out into the hall.



“It’s the first thing you ever bought me,� murmured Lily, getting up and standing next to James, who was looking at the object fondly.



It was a small but eye-catching decoration: a white lily edged with gold, hanging on a gold thread, and weighing more than it looked like it should. Lily took it out of James’ hand and turned it over in her own. A tiny engraving on the back of a petal read: ‘To my Lily, may all your Christmases be white, all my love, James’. Lily smiled.



“That was a good Christmas,� she said, looking up at James.



“It was, wasn’t it? Our first, in fact. And probably the first you ever spent at Hogwarts.�



“Yeah, it was,� whispered Lily. “I suppose I was just so happy, I didn’t want to leave you so soon after you’d finally realised why you were so bothered by me yelling at you…�



“Well you yelling at me didn’t exactly help me to work it out!� said James, putting his arm round her shoulders.



Lily laughed. “Fair enough.�



They stood there looking at the flower for a moment before James said: “Ah, seventh year – it was so … optimistic …�



Lily frowned and looked at him.



“Don’t say that,� she murmured. “You say it as though there’s no hope for the future.�



James sighed and kissed her softly.



“Sorry,� he whispered. “I am optimistic, really,� and he put his right hand on her tummy and kissed her again.



“Incoming!� came Sirius’ voice as he and Remus entered the room, causing Lily and James to break apart.



“Oh, hi, Remus!� said Lily, putting her arms around her friend and giving him a kiss on the cheek. “It’s so good to see you. How are you?� she asked, glancing at the deep cut in his cheek.



“Even better now that I’m here,� he replied, shaking James’ hand warmly and smiling around at his friends. “Wormtail said he’d be late; something about his mum and her turkey…�



Sirius scoffed and handed Remus a bottle of Butterbeer, which he had obviously collected before he came back in. Lily hung her Christmas present from James on the tree, smiling fondly at him as he took her hand before swigging his drink.



“Aw, isn’t it just lovely that we can all be together on this most joyous of occasions?� said Sirius, grinning at his friends.



“What about Peter?� asked Lily.



“Oh yeah…� muttered Sirius, “shame he can’t be here…�



James laughed and told them to get on with the decorating while he checked on the dinner. A moment, later there was another knock on the door, and Sirius groaned.



“I suppose Wormtail’s here,� he mumbled. “But … hold on … is he singing?�



Lily went to the front door and released the latch, only to see a group of six young people standing under the light of the porch, holding tatty little books and wearing woolly hats and mittens.



“In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan, earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone; snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow, in the bleak midwinter, long ago.�



Lily smiled and turned to get her purse. She opened it and fished a couple of pound notes out of the pocket that she kept some Muggle money in, and put it in their bucket, just as James returned from the kitchen. He came up behind her and put his arms around her waist, resting his hands on top of hers where they had settled on her stomach.



“Angels and archangels may have gathered there, cherubim and seraphim thronged the air; but his mother only, in her maiden bliss, worshipped the beloved with a kiss.�



As the choir finished, Lily let out a faint sigh.



“Thank you, that was lovely,� she said to the shy faces. “What are you collecting for?�



“A charity that helps young mothers,� piped up the tallest child, her nose and cheeks rosy from the frosty air.



Lily smiled at James. “Well, I think that’s a very good cause.�



“I got you some mince pies,� said Sirius, appearing in the doorway and dashing out to offer them to the singers, who took them gratefully.



“Thank you,� they said between mouthfuls. Lily smiled as they went back down the drive, and shut the door against the cold.



When they went back into the front room, they found Remus chuckling to himself.



“Look what I just picked out,� he said, holding up the object in his hand: a white moon and a silver star on a thread. “How appropriate.�



They all laughed but Lily still felt sorry for her friend and the difficult life he led, and would always have to lead. She knew that it had been easier for him since the other three had learnt to transform with him, but there was no doubt he’d rather not have to transform at all.



“When’s the next full moon, Moony?� asked Sirius.



“New Year’s Eve,� replied Remus. “Talk about a crazy start to the new year.�



Lily’s heart sunk a little. She had been looking forward to spending New Year with James, since it was their first as a married couple, but this new revelation about the full moon meant it was unlikely that he would be around.



“Oh, um,� started James, “sorry, Moony, but Lily and I were sort of going to spend New Year … together.�



Lily’s insides warmed as James finished.



“Oh, don’t worry, I quite understand,� said Remus. “I didn’t expect you to come with me on your first New Year’s as Mr and Mrs Potter.�



A wave of gratefulness washed over Lily, and she hugged Remus, before going over to James and taking his hand.



“Thank you,� she whispered in his ear, as Sirius and Remus started to decorate the tree again. James bent down and kissed Lily lovingly, pushing his hand up through the hair at the back of her neck.



“No problem,� he whispered back. “Hey, come out here a second.�



He led her out of the front room and into the dining room, before standing in front of her and taking both of her hands.



“I want to tell them,� he said.



Lily squeezed his hands.



“Me too.�



“I’m so happy,� whispered James.



“Me too,� she whispered back with a smile.



James gestured upwards and Lily looked up to see the mistletoe that she had hung there that morning.



“Oh no,� she muttered, grinning.



James’ hands snaked around her back and pulled her into him as her arms wrapped around his neck. Her hands clutched his hair as they got lost in the moment, until:



“Wormtail’s here!�



Lily groaned into James and tried to pull away, but James pulled her back for one last kiss. She giggled and took his hand again as they broke apart and went into the hall. Peter was standing on the doormat, a brown woolly hat pulled down over his ears and a bottle of sherry in his hand.



“Sorry I’m late,� he mumbled. “My mum misplaced her turkey for tomorrow and I had to help her find it.�



Sirius, who had just appeared in the doorway, contained a laugh.



“And then I slipped on the snow outside and got a wet bum.�



This time Sirius couldn’t help it and he laughed outloud before going back into the front room.



“Let me take your coat and things,� said Lily, helping Peter to divest some of his many layers.



“So, Wormtail,� said James as they went back into the front room, “where did you find the turkey in the end?�



“Oh, in the garden,� said Peter, sitting down in a large armchair which looked rather too big for him. “We’d been feeding it up all year, and mum realised she’d forgotten to kill it…�



“Good one,� muttered James, and Lily elbowed him in the ribs.



“Well at least you remembered one thing,� said Sirius, taking the bottle of sherry from Peter and heading out to the kitchen.



He returned a few moments later with five glasses, the bottle of sherry and the tin of mince pies on a tray, and began to hand them round. James settled down at one end of the sofa and Lily snuggled up next to him, putting one arm across his chest and resting her head on his shoulder. Sirius sat on the floor and started playing with a string of tinsel while Remus took a seat in the other armchair, looking a lot more at home in it than Peter did in his.



As Sirius poured out the sherry, Lily gazed at the sparkling Christmas tree and became mesmerised by its glittering glow, thinking of all the many Christmases to come with James and the family they hoped to enjoy it with. James saw her staring at the tree and lifted a hand to tuck a strand of hair that had fallen across her face behind her ear.



“It looks good, doesn’t it?� he asked her.



“Mm,� murmured Lily. “It looks even better from here,� she added, smiling up at James.



“I suppose Christmas will be a bit different next year,� he said, still gazing at her.



“Why’s that?� asked Remus. “You haven’t given up on the Order’s fight yet, have you?�



“Oh, no,� replied James quickly. “It’s just…�



Sirius offered Lily a glass of sherry and she declined, grinning.



“Lily, what is up with you today?� said Sirius, putting her glass back on the tray. “You’re not usually one to turn down a drink!�



Lily turned her grinning face to James and saw he held the same expression. Her hand involuntarily moved to her tummy as she looked to Remus, whose mouth was slowly dropping open.



“No…� he muttered.



“No what?� asked Peter, who looked thoroughly confused.



“Well,� announced Lily, “I’m … pregnant. We’re going to have a baby.�



There was a moment’s silence, before an eruption of congratulations.



“This calls for a toast!� cried Sirius, lifting his glass. “To James and Lily, and the beginning of their new family!�



“To the future,� added James, looking down at Lily.



“To the future,� she replied, and she leant up to kiss him. “And may all our Christmases be white.�