The Marauders - Order of the Phoenix - Part Two

Like an Egg Hunt

Lily opened her eyes.

She was staring directly into James's neck.

She stirred a little and when she moved the firelight caught her finger and the gold ring shimmered and she stared at it, grinning like an idiot, snuggling closer into James and admiring how the ring looked on her finger alongside her golden snitch engagement band. She nestled her head against his bare chest, and sighed dreamily.

"Happy Christmas, Evans."

She looked up into his face. She hadn't realized he was awake until he spoke. He had a knowing grin plastered about his mouth.

"I've just been admiring mine too."

Lily laughed and lay her hand sprawled on his chest. "Can you believe it?"

"Not even a bit. I've pinched myself at least seventy times since the wedding."

Lily smiled, and her eyes roved about the room. "Gosh this house is so incredible, James."

"I'm glad you like it."

"Love it," she corrected.

"I'm even gladder that you love it," he amended.

"And what if I hadn't?" she laughed.

James kept a straight face, "I would've burnt the whole thing to the ground."

"Well don't ever. It's everything I ever could hope and more." She kissed his skin, and he laughed, "What?"

"Tickled, didn't it?"

"What? This?" She kissed him again and he laughed and she grinned enjoying her new game, and kept at it until he was laughing too hard. "Happy Christmas, James." Then she lit up, "OH JAMES YOUR PRESENTS! I have presents for you. They're at the flat!"

"Everything of ours is here, rather," he answered. "Remus, Sirius, Regulus and I moved everything.... now where things are, I'm not sure. Knowing Sirius our most important things will be hidden in all sorts of odd places, and we'll be looking about for days, like an egg hunt."

Lily laughed, "That barmy idiot would do that, too."

James ran his hand across her back gently, strumming her spine lazily with his thumb. "We have all day today to laze about, anyway. We don't leave until tomorrow."

"Leave? Leave where?"

"Our honeymoon? You put me in charge of a honeymoon, didn't you?"

"You mean this isn't it?"

"Of course not! This is our home! Honeymoons are travel to beautiful places and getting away from it all and forgetting things about home!"

"I don't wish to forget anything about this home."

"Very well, but we still get to go away!"

Lily looked at the fireplace across the room, and the empty space above it. "You didn't put anything there?" She pointed.

James smiled. "I thought you'd like to pick that one out. I never found one quite good enough for there."

Lily mused, "Hm, I'll have to think on it."

James's stomach growled and they both looked at it. "Well, then, it's time for breakfast," James said. "My tummy has spoken."

They went downstairs and Lily was amazed all over again by the house. She wandered about marveling while James grabbed the plate of cookies Dora had left and started eating them, rather than making a proper breakfast. He sat on a bar stool in the kitchen at the counter and watched Lily as she looked around, smiling to himself around the mouthfuls of butterbeer cookies.