I wanted to post the next chapter of The Chance to Change Fate for Harry's birthday because it covers his 14th birthday, but it just wasn't going to happen. I hope you like this instead.

Lily Evans-Potter was going to wring James' neck.

Something had awoken her in the early hours of the morning and instead of rolling over to cuddle up to her husband, she found that the bed was empty. She sat up, or had tried to. It was hard with her beach ball-sized stomach. She didn't like to complain, but she thought she would surely burst if she got any bigger. Her due date wasn't for another week but it felt like a lifetime away. Half rolling out of bed she set off to find her ignoramus of a husband.

"He should know better than to worry me like this, I'm due any bloody damn moment and if he dies in some fool errand for Dumbledore I'll—"

"Whatcha on about Lils?" Sirius grumbled from the couch, pushing himself up from an apparent nap.

"You! What are you doing here? Where's James?"

Sirius gave a great yawn before answering, "Oh he was called in, he sent me here to keep an eye on you."

That was the wrong thing to say to a very pregnant, very hormonal, and frankly very scared Lily. Who could take care of herself thank you very much!

The resulting dressing down had Sirius scared for his life, his nads, and mostly for James. Lily had taken to pregnancy beautifully, really she was the kind of woman who could do anything competently and gracefully, but in her third trimester as the war grew ever more dangerous her anxieties were taking a toll on her mood. And what amount of idiocy she could tolerate from her husband.

She was starting to wind down from yelling at Sirius, hands on her hips, her long red hair wrinkled from sleep, her face red when she felt it. She had dealt with some Braxton-Hicks contraction in the last two months, each episode scaring the shite out of James, but this was different. Oh great, she thought. I'm going to have to give birth and murder James in the same day. The thought caused her to have a hysterical giggle as she clutched her back.

Sirius was looking at her like she was insane. Maybe she was. Petunia had given birth a little over a month ago and she had certainly seemed insane towards the end. Lily could only hope she wasn't that bad.

"It's time. I've got to go to St. Mungos," she said calmly. "Sirius, would you fetch the green duffle bag from the hall closet for me? I don't think I should be carrying anything heavy."

Sirius's face blanched white as he realised what she was saying and he ran to do as told.

Together they Floo'd to St. Mungos and in short order she was in a private room, a Healer checking her over. She didn't feel as excited as she thought she would, if anything she felt a little sick.

Sirius was out in the hall trying desperately to contact James, but Rufus's secretary didn't have any Hit Wizard missions scheduled for that night, Dumbledore wasn't answering his Floo, and Remus didn't know where he had gone either. Peter was visiting his mum and wouldn't know anything. He sent out a Patronus and borrowed an owl from a rather irate secretary to send him a letter. The secretary may or may not have been irate because he snatched the bird out of her hand and sent his letter off without asking for permission. Details, details.

James has to get here, he has to, I can't do this! Oh sure we all joked about being there but this is really fucking happening! Sirius tried to look outwardly calm as he strolled back into Lily's room, but he doubt he succeeded.

"Well? Where is he?" Lily was still oddly calm, perhaps she got all her shouting out earlier and didn't have any left. Either way, it set Sirius on edge.

"I, er, well, I uh…I didn't hear back from him." He hurried on before she could interrupt, "but I sent an owl and patronus! And I Floo'd Dumbledore and Moony! Moony said he would be here right away." He cringed, waiting for the explosion.

"Well, okay then." Sirius blinked owlishly at her, where had the fiery Lily gone?

Silence prevailed other than the beeps and hums of the monitoring spells until Moony came striding in, as calm as ever.

He took one of Lily's hands, "And how are you doing Lily-flower?"

She smiled at him. She and Remus had always had a special friendship, even before she started dating James. "I'm alright, the contractions have only just begun really. The Healer even said I might not give birth today at all, I've only had three in the last twenty minutes or so."

This didn't mean anything to Sirius, but Remus knew enough to know that she definitely was in labour. "How long were they?"

"I barely felt the first one but the last two were at least half a minute. It's hard to count when it happens."

Remus scooted a chair over to the side of her bed and went back to holding her hand. "James will be here in time, I promise."

She smiled at him again, she didn't have to say her fear aloud for him to know what was really bothering her. Over the next two hours the contractions became increasingly worse and she was immensely grateful for the two men who were the best midwives anyone could've asked for. Sirius kept her cool with charms and chips of ice, Remus held her hand and counted the length of each contraction, recording them for the Healer.

But despite them, Lily was scared. She didn't want to deliver little Harry without James. Tears formed in her eyes when she realised that she hadn't even told him yet that she'd come around to his favourite name. Oliver had been her top choice, but despite her initial rejection, the name Harry just stuck. It felt right, deep in her bones.

The next one was a bad one, she had thus far managed to get through with barely a groan, but this one dragged a small scream out of her and she could feel Harry moving around in her stomach. His head must be dropping down into position, she thought dazedly. I'm going to give birth today. It was one thing to imagine it for nine months, it was another thing entirely to be confronted with it and know that there was no backing out, no delaying. She was going to painfully squeeze new life into the world that very day.

These thoughts in her head, she didn't immediately notice the three people arriving in her room, but when she did all her anger came flooding back to her.

"JAMES EMRYS POTTER, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?" James was wide-eyed with adrenaline, both from the mission he left in the middle off, and the news that Lily was in labour.

"I…I fetched Petunia. I thought—"

His words were cut off by Petunia striding forward. "You're going to be fine, Lily. I was," she said, gesturing to the bundle in her arms that must be Dudley. "No use in shouting now, he turned up…eventually." It was clear that she was anything but impressed with James.

Nevertheless she backed away to give James room to kneel beside her. "I'm so sorry Lils, I'm so sorry. I came as soon as I got Sirius's owl."

"Oh it's—it's alright, I'm just glad you're here, that you made it." Tears shone in her eyes and James could see just how worried she'd been. The kiss that followed went down as one of Lily's top ten favourite kisses with James Potter. Not that she'd ever tell him that.

The Healer huffed impatiently and began issuing instructions. It was hours later (felt like eons to Lily) when Harry James Potter was born on July 31st, 1:37pm. Lily had heard it described numerous times, the instant bond between mother and child, but none of those words prepared her for the entire centre of her world, her very being to shift to the small, wrinkly, red-faced, black-haired baby in her arms. It was as if her heart had left her body too and taken up residence in that tiny chest. She looked over at Petunia who simply nodded, she understood. For the first time since Lily was eleven years old, she felt like she and her sister were in synch. Her heart swelled with hope that they could become close again, their babies growing up as friends, taking their first steps together, learning to talk together. The possibilities suddenly seemed endless as a new chapter of her life began.

James was crying and it wasn't until his tears splashed on her arm that she realized she was too. Harry had been remarkably quiet and suddenly he opened his eyes for the first time. "They're green," James breathed, as if talking too loudly would hurt the baby. "They're green Lils, just like yours."

"They're green!" He told Sirius and Remus, as if it was the most important thing in the world.

"Poor Harry, he has the Potter hair," she smiled, futilely trying to pat it down.

"Oh he does doesn't he? So much hair for a newb—hang on, did you say Harry?"

Lily nodded. "His name is Harry James Potter." She would never forget the look of pure happiness that lit up James' face.

Soon baby Harry was passed around, and greatly admired. They even got a surprise in the form of Alice and Frank and their newborn Neville. She had given birthday yesterday and was just now being discharged. The idea of joint birthday parties flitted through Lily's head.

So many people, magical people, made Petunia nervous so she gave her sister an awkward sort of hug and said "You did well, Lily," before taking her leave.

By evening time it was just her and James. Despite the Healer's protests, James had climbed in the bed with her and she curled up against him, Harry between them. Lily and Harry fell into a doze as James kept watch. Quietly, so as not to wake them, he breathed a sigh of relief that it was over. Watching Lily give birth had been terrifying, everything went as fine as any birth could go and the Healer had pronounced them both healthy and sound, but seeing the love of your life screaming in pain and not being able to do anything about it…something about that had made him feel more helpless than he'd ever felt. Not to mention that after getting Sirius's poorly phrased letter "Lily said she's going to kill you, she's in labour, come quickly PLEASE" he had been truly terrified that Lily wouldn't forgive him. He had been mentally kicking himself ever since. Leaving her so close to her due date during a time like this…it was stupid, reckless even. I'm glad I helped get the Brown's to a safe place, but nothing, not even the war can become more important than my wife and son. I know it's wrong, but their lives mean more to me than the lives of a dozen, a hundred others. Lily would probably berate me for thinking so, but…he looked at his sleeping son again "I thought the day Lily asked me to Hogsmead was the happiest day of my life, but that only lasted until she agreed to marry me. Then, the moment she said "I do" I thought for sure that life couldn't get any better than that, but you little Harry have proved me wrong. Lily may have my heart, but you little fellow, are my heart, and I swear on my life that I will always be here to love and protect you."

Harry smiled in his sleep as James wondered how he could be so lucky as to get everything he ever wanted and more.

Reviews are love, thanks for reading!