Eternity

I knew that we belonged together
Long before I knew your name
And the only thing I longed for
Was a sign to prove you felt the same

Somehow I knew your every secret
Just by looking in your eyes
From the very moment I met you
I was thinking of the rest of our lives

I'm gonna love you 'til the end of the time
Somehow two hearts have made a friend of time
Eternity, eternity is on our side

I'm gonna love 'til the end of time
Somehow two hearts have made a friend of time
Eternity, eternity, is on our side
Eternity, I'll love you for eternity

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Lily Evans awoke with a start, her eyes wide and her heart pounding. A cold wave of dread washed over her as her emerald green eyes stared hard at the wall opposite her, her ears strained, listening. Yes…yes, surely she had heard something outside – a light footfall. Worriedly, she turned over and gently placed a small hand on the sleeping figure beside her.

“James?� she whispered, glancing over at the crib in the far corner of the room. Lily looked back to see James’ eyes blink open quickly, and she knew he had only been feigning sleep.

“Lily?� he asked, reaching towards his glasses on his bedside table and pulling them on, before turning to her with a worried expression. “Are you okay?� Lily took a deep breath.

“He’s here,� said Lily quietly, her ears still searching for the sound of footsteps. She felt James snap out of the bed beside her, and walk across the room to the crib. He reached down and picked up a tiny bundle, returning to Lily’s side of the bed.

“Take Harry,� he said shortly, pulling Lily out of her reverie.

Lily held out her arms dumbly and felt the squirming baby being placed into them. She hugged the baby to her chest as she gazed up at her husband. Tall, strong, and brave, she trusted him more than anything in the world. Her heart thudded as she realized this was it.

“James,� she whispered softly, and suddenly, she didn’t know what to say. James looked at her through eyes that had aged with worry since the threat of the Dark Lord had become so huge. Lily missed the light that had once shown in his hazel eyes, the light she had fallen in love with. He leaned down and touched her cheek gently before kissing her.

“Be brave,� he said simply, and went swiftly downstairs. Lily stared after him. She knew what he was doing: securing the valuables. They had practiced this so many times, gone over the procedures over and over again. Dumbledore had insisted they do so the day he found out that the prophecy had been leaked.

As James came back into the room, Lily faintly heard the lock on the gate outside of their yard jiggle with impatience. Someone was outside, fighting their way in. James came toward her, obviously having heard it as well, and before she could say anything, he had pulled her towards him and pressed his lips against hers, hard. The warmth of his lips melted the numbness of her own.

“Lily,� he said softly, as they broke away. He stroked her hair tenderly. “I love you. I always have. Please, listen to me. You need to run. Run right now – I’ll hold him off.� Lily paused as tension filled the room.

“W-what?� asked Lily finally, her eyes wide and confused. This wasn’t what they had practiced. James was supposed to come with her. He wasn’t supposed to stay behind. “What are you talking about, James? You’re coming with me.�

“Lily,� said James desperately, his hands holding her shoulders in a tight grip. “I’m going to hold him off. You must run. Take Harry and leave through the backdoor. You’ll find it open.�

“No, that - that wasn’t what we had planned,� said Lily, panicking, now. She got out of bed and stared at James with hurt in her eyes. She was frantic. “No. No, James, I won’t leave.�

“Lily,� groaned James, closing his eyes for a second before opening them. “We don’t have time. This is what Dumbledore and I planned. You have to go. Go. Go, now. I’m going to head him off.�

“But you didn’t bother to tell me?� Lily asked, her eyes wide with confusion. “You didn’t bother telling me that I would have to live without you for -�

He pressed his lips on hers again, enjoying the softness and tenderness of her lips. His hands wove themselves through her fiery red hair, pulling her closer, the taste on her lips burning his. He heard her faint moan against him and he pulled away gently, gazing down at the girl he had loved since the day he met her. She was holding onto him with one hand, the other on her baby, afraid to let go.

“James,� she whispered, opening her eyes slowly and clinging to him. He could see tears in her eyes. “Please. Please don’t do this.�

The tears in her eyes were killing him. Each one that ran down her face pierced his heart, but he knew he had to follow through on this. It was Dumbledore’s only hope. He couldn’t abandon the plan now. He kissed Lily’s forehead before he spoke.

“Lily,� he whispered, “I have to. Dumbledore’s counting on me.�

“Why didn’t you tell me?� asked Lily angrily, struggling to connect her words through the stream of tears that was running down her cheeks. She shifted the baby in her hands before looking up at James. The look he gave her made her cry even more. She could tell he was determined. He was going to stay and fight no matter what she said. She could do nothing to stop him.

“Please go,� said James, closing his eyes, summoning up his courage. “I have to do this. Remember, I love you.�

And with that, he turned to exit the room.

“James,� said Lily softly, her voice barely more than a whisper. She saw him stop at the doorway and slowly turn his head in her direction. “I love you.�

The last three words were uttered so low, even Lily had trouble hearing them come out of her mouth. The tears that were now cascading down her face were making it hard for her to speak. But James heard her. He slowly turned around, tears springing in his own eyes, but he refused to let them fall.

“Oh, Lily,� he said, striding back to where she was standing, head bent, a defeated look on her face. “Lils, I love you, too. You know I always have. Ever since the day I met you…� And he bent down for one last kiss. The passion between them was unreal; it was as though fireworks were erupting between them. His hands were on her waist, pulling her closer, as though afraid of letting her slip away from him. Lily’s one hand was on his neck, and her other was clutched around the bundle that was almost in danger of being crushed between her and her husband. As they pulled away, Lily could feel the hot breath of her husband on her forehead.

“Lily, please remember I love you,� he said, and he slowly backed away from her, his arms slowly letting go of the woman he had worshipped for so long. His eyes seemed to be lost in hers, his heart heavy. “Please,� his eyes pleaded. “Please don’t forget.�

Lily watched as her husband walked away from her slowly. She gaped at him, at a loss for words, tears burning as they ran down her cheeks…and suddenly, the intensity of the situation hit her. Never again could she run into those comforting arms. Never. As she watched James make it slowly but determinedly to the doorway again, she heard him whisper something that made her heart stop.

“I love you, Harry. I love you so much. Be brave.�

And he left. Lily felt rooted to the spot. She knew she was supposed to sneak out the back way, but somehow James’ last statement had hit her hard. Harry. Lily looked down at the small, now squirming, bundle in her arms. Her little baby. She loved him so much. She bent her head and gave the baby a small kiss on the forehead. And then two more on each of his cheeks. He squirmed as a little giggle escaped him, and with a sad smile Lily felt herself being pulled into Harry’s carefree world. For all he knew, Lily realized, his father was playing a game of hide and seek.

Abruptly, she stiffened.

The door of her house blasted open a second later, and the impact caused her to stumble. Suddenly, she realized she was supposed to be running. She shouldn’t still be here. The blood rushed back into her legs as Lily ran quickly toward the door, and just as she reached she heard a yell.

“Expelliarmus!�

James. He was in trouble.

Lily’s heart pounded. How could she just stand here while James was downstairs fighting him? Hadn’t she vowed at her wedding to help him whenever she could? She couldn’t just leave him there! She loved him. With a burst of adrenaline, Lily started sprinting down the stairs, Harry still in her arms. Her legs seemed to turn into jelly with every step down the stairs she took.

“Avada Kedavra!�

Lily froze. Her legs numbed. A million years seemed to pass in the moments her emerald green eyes widened with fear. The world turned back on its axis.

No.

No, it…he couldn’t have. Her heart pounded. Lily's legs shook dangerously under her. Suddenly, she whipped back up the stairs and stood at the doorway to her room again. It was too late to try going out the back door. And, anyway, she couldn’t. The shock of what she had just heard – the wooshing of life out of her husband – had numbed her to no extent.

She couldn’t move. Memories of her love came flooding back to her, and she was hit with the biggest emotional wave she had ever experienced. No. No, she shouldn’t be doing this. She had known it was going to be hard leaving this world, leaving her husband, and leaving her baby. She had known that it would be dangerous. But she had always thought James would be coming with her! She didn’t know it was going to end like this…without her husband…without her lifeline. She heard a creak on the first step.

He was coming up the stairs.

Lily started panicking. Her heart was in danger of breaking her ribs, her legs were shaking and suddenly couldn’t support her body, and her eyes were swimming in water. She stumbled backward a couple of steps, still at the doorway.

He was here. In her house. He was coming up the stairs. Lily’s head pounded with worries. She squeezed Harry a little too tightly, and he started to whine. Lily’s eyes widened again and she tried to hush the little baby. No. No, this couldn’t happen. She could hear his footsteps quicken on the staircase at the sound of the baby’s cry.

“No. No, Harry, please,� whispered Lily, now back up at an alarming pace. Her head was bent over her son’s, trying to make him calm down. She heard the creak of the last stair of the staircase. Her heart leapt in her throat and he knees buckled.

“No!� she heard herself scream, and she threw herself back to the doorway. Her hand grabbed the door and tried to slam it shut, but found she couldn’t. Lily, panting, her eyes wide and heart racing, gazed at the door in horror. She knew what had stopped it. It could have only been on thing. Her breathing became harsh and her whole body was trembling. Then, slowly, the door opened again, revealing the man she had come to despise, that she had come to hate. She averted her eyes from the pale face and sinister red eyes that had haunted her for the past three years. She looked away from the man that had caused her so much pain. She stumbled backward and hugged Harry tighter.

“Hand over the boy,� she heard a high voice hiss and Lily felt shivers shriek through her body painfully. That voice had visited Lily’s dreams every day for the past year. Her head was spinning; she couldn’t tell where the voice was coming from anymore. Everything seemed dark and confusing.

“No!� she screamed, tossing her head wildly as her red hair whipped behind her. She held Harry even closer. “No, not Harry.�

“Lily,� the voice hissed again, and Lily’s legs gave way. She stumbled back up and blinked through the fog that had now clouded her vision. “Hand him over.�

“No!� she yelled louder, and she tried desperately to cover Harry with her arms.

“Then I’ll have to make you,� said the voice again. It came out as a calm, fluid sentence. As if he were discussing wands. The smoothness of his voice sickened her and she felt nauseated. “This is your last chance, Lily.�

“NO!� screamed Lily louder, and her voice cracked. Her head felt like a thirty pound weight, and her eyes were alight with fury. “Not Harry. Please, not Harry. Take me. Take me instead.�

And she meant it. If it was to protect her little boy, Lily would gladly give herself up. She would lay her life down in an instand. …And she would get to see her husband again…she would be able to run into those arms and find comfort and safety…

No. No, no, please no. Don’t take Harry. Just don’t take Harry. Please. Please, no.

Lily’s red hair was flying about her as she stumbled around her room. The same room she had spent many happy days with James and Harry. Her green eyes were darting around the room, trying to orient herself. She collided with the foot of her bed behind her, and her knees buckled, sending sharp pain throughout her body. She could feel him approaching her, and her head pounded even louder.

And then she couldn’t hear anything anymore. She couldn’t even see. All she could feel was the baby in her arms. Harry. Tears poured out of her, now, sightless eyes. Sightless not because of any curse or spell, but sightless because of what had happened, what she had heard, what she had witnessed. Everything was falling apart. Her world was crashing down around her. The only thing she had left was her little boy.

“No. No, not Harry. Please!�

She was pleading with him. Her dignity had fallen so low. She was begging him. Her eyes were flooding with tears of shame, loss, and love. The bundle close to her chest started squirming again, screaming and crying even harder than before. Lily could hear nothing but the sound of her baby. Her ears burned. Her little baby was crying. And there was nothing she could do to stop it.

“Avada Kedavra!�

Harry’s cries suddenly fell silent, and darkness pressed in around her.

It was all over. The story of her life had come to a close…

Her last breath echoed into eternity, as her body fell to the floor gracefully.

“James…�

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A/N: The song lyrics are from the song, ironically: Eternity by Dreams Come True. However, I did not choose my story's title after the song title - that's an absolute coincidence. I searched for the song lyrics after the story was written, and it just so happened to coincide. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed it! Thank you for your reviews!

See "Bio" for full Author's Notes.