Lily was waiting for James in the kitchen, a steaming cup of hot tea warming her hands and her face set in a resolute expression.
James couldn't stop himself from stumbling as he saw her: she was beautiful, his wife, beautiful with a serious face and bright eyes, bathed in the sunset light that lit her hair in a cascade of fiery sparks.
So beautiful that James almost didn't pay attention to her dark circles under her eyes, her disheveled hair or her tracksuit now irreparably stained by Harry's regurgitation.
Lily emptied her cup with one gulp, never stopping to stare into her husband's eyes.
To stare at him with an intense expression, sharpened by a latent malice, a malice that spoke of days without wars and without night feedings.
“Go up to your room, James, and make yourself comfortable, I have a surprise for you.”
"A what?" James stammered.
The young man couldn't get out of his head that there was something strange in the air that evening. Everything seemed calm and quiet and that was never the case in his house.
"A surprise. For you, and for me too." Lily murmured, standing up and brushing a wet kiss against his lips.
“Is Harry sleeping?”
James' question was hesitant: his son, his wonderful baby, at just three months old must have already won all the possible world records for the longest wakefulness in the universe and the highest shriek of any creature known to wizards or muggles.
The smile bloomed on Lily's face, and she leaned in again to kiss her husband, beaming.
"I do not know. But, for at least three hours, it won’t be our problem, but only his dear godfather's."
James couldn't help himself and held his wife in his arms, laughter lighting up his face.
He knew he should be worried: a father must worry when his child is not under his care.
He should be especially worried if the little one is in the arms of his godfather -especially if he is in the arms of a godfather named Sirius Black- however…
However, the surprise that Lily had planned for him was beyond his wildest dreams.
“Are you really telling me that…”
“Yes.” Lily interrupted him, intertwining her fingers with James's and dragging him impatiently towards their bedroom “Yes, Potter, we have three wonderful hours to finally be able to sleep.”
“A genius, my wife is a fucking genius." It was all James could think about, an ecstatic smile painted his face, before he dropped onto the bed next to his wife, without even taking off his slippers, finally taking his well deserved nap.