A/N: Today (May 13) is Mother's Day in the US. I realize these characters are British, and British Mother's Day is in March. However, I am American and the idea for this story just hit me today, so I hope you'll forgive me the discrepancy. Enjoy!
May, 1980
A ray of morning sunlight crept across white rumpled sheets on James and Lily's bed. James wrapped his arms around Lily's hugely pregnant tummy, his hands caressing her taut skin. "Happy mother's day!"
Lily laughed. The sound danced in James' ears. "I'm not officially a mother yet!"
"Are you sure? It looks like you could pop at any moment!" James grinned into her neck.
Lily ran her hands over James'. "If only. This little one is getting so heavy. I'd love to be able to set him down now and then!"
James thought he could be wrong, but he was pretty sure neither of them would ever want to stop holding their son, once he arrived.
~~~~~~~
May, 1981
Lily watched as her two favorite people in the entire world slept. She was lying in bed, facing James, with Harry in between them. Harry was a beautiful echo of his father, with the same hair, and somehow the same expression on his face in sleep. They were truly peaceful. The sight of them filled her with contentedness, the moment something precious she wanted to keep with her always. She smiled to herself and thought, "This is better than Christmas!"
She was still smiling as James cracked open an eye. The look in Lily's eyes made a sleepy grin spread across his face. "Happy official mother's day!" James said, his voice deep with sleep. He reached out to gather Harry and Lily closer. Lily snuggled into James, and Harry yawned and stretched as only a little one can. His bright green eyes popped open, and looked at both his parents. His mouth stretched into a two-tooth smile, as a gurgle of happiness escaped.
"Definitely better than Christmas," Lily thought.
~~~~~~~
May, 1998
The cemetery was beautiful. In fact, it didn't look like a cemetery at all. It simply looked like a lush garden, filled with flowers and trees, arbors and lawns, with a small stream babbling its way between picturesque ponds.
Harry wasn't sure what he was doing there. He'd discovered this was where his parents were buried, and had felt compelled to visit. He found it an unexpected comfort, to be able to go somewhere physical to visit them. "Well, they're not really here," he thought, but it was something.
He sensed movement in his peripheral vision, and turned to see Luna walking with her father. As if sensing his gaze, Luna looked over at Harry and waved. Having no idea of protocol, Harry waved back. He noticed the light around Luna and her father seemed extra bright. The light seemed to follow Luna as she broke from her father and made her way to Harry.
She looked at him, or rather, around him. In anyone else, Harry would have thought this odd, but he was used to anything from Luna. She smiled, then finally looked at Harry. "I'm here for mother's day, too."
Harry started to protest, but realized Luna had somehow perceived what Harry hadn't, consciously. He simply said, "Yeah."
"They never really leave us, you know." Luna gestured to the air around Harry.
Harry wasn't sure what to say, so he said nothing.
"My dad likes to say he comes here for my sake," Luna continued. "But we both know it's more for him than for me."
Silence fell between them, but was somehow comfortable instead of awkward. Harry felt as though a conversation was going on just out of his hearing, a conversation about love, and family. It was pleasant like birdsong and the rustle of wind through leaves. For a moment, he saw a beautiful lady with blond hair and eyes like the sky standing behind Luna, with her hand on Luna's shoulder. Luna's father called to her, and the spell was broken. Luna gave a seemingly knowing smile. "I'd better go. Nice seeing you both," Luna said.
Before it could register, Harry answered, "You, too."
Luna gave one more look to the red-haired lady standing behind Harry, before turning and walking away. Harry felt his heart swell, and knew his mother was somehow with him.
~~~~~~~
May, 2007
"Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Potter, it's a girl!" Harry grinned from ear to ear as the midwife handed Hermione their daughter. Hermione beamed, and positively glowed as she held her precious new baby. Harry put his arms around them both, marveling at his wife and daughter.
"Happy mother's day, my love," he said softly into Hermione's ear. "Have you decided on her name?"
Hermione looked up at Harry. For a heartbeat, she thought she saw Lily smiling from the doorway behind him. When she looked again, no one was there. Hermione smiled at Harry. "Yes, Lily."
~~~~~~~
The End
A/N: Happy Mother's Day to all the HP moms out there!