Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter and don't pretend to do so.
January, 1977
James dodged Lily's question again for the fifth time as they walked around the Great Lake. This was their third lap around and James had yet to say anything.
"James Potter!" Lily said sharply. "James, we have N.E.W.Ts soon. We should be studying. Come on, tell me what's wrong?"
Lily took his hand and squeezed.
James, whose head had previously been down came up, stared into the distance and Lily was sure that he wasn't seeing anything. "My mum," he croaked. "She's in the hospital."
Lily gasped. "Oh, James. I'm so sorry. What's wrong?"
"She, uh, got this feeling that my dad was in danger when he went on a raid and followed him. She lost sight of him and was caught by surprise and attacked from the back," James said.
"Oh, honey," Lily said soothingly.
James stopped and turned to her. "I need a favor."
"Anything," Lily swore.
"Promise me that you will never put yourself in danger," James said urgently.
Lily froze. "James-."
"Promise!"
Lily shook her head. "We're in a war, James! I can't promise that."
James brought Lily to him and put his chin on the top of her mop of red hair. "I don't know what I'd do without you, baby."
"You'll never have to find out. I'm not going anywhere. That I can promise you," Lily promised.
James pulled back. He reached into his cloak and took out a shrunken bundle. He restored it to full size and handed it to Lily. "Here. I was going to give this to you a while ago, but…"
Lily opened the parcel and smiled when she saw what was inside. She pulled out the red and gold jacket and held it up. "My, my, could this be the infamous `Marauder's Jacket'?"
"Yes," James said. "Yes it is."
Lily giggled. "Put it on?" she asked, handing him the jacket as she turned around and held her hair out of the way.
James shrugged the jacket on her and kissed her neck as he put her hair back in place. "Perfect fit," he whispered.
Lily turned around and smiled brilliantly. "I love you James."
He kissed her nose. "I love you too."
Exactly 20 years later…
Harry felt Hermione slide her arms around him as he stared at Dumbledore's coffin. He tried not to cry, but the simple gesture made him do so. He should've been embarrassed, but Hermione just had this presence about her and Harry knew he was capable of anything with her by his side.
"Harry," she whispered. She walked around to his front and wrapped her arms around his neck. If anyone had walked by, they would assume the two were dating, but their relationship had always been close.
"I can't let him down," Harry said.
"You never could," Hermione said. "Dumbledore was never disappointed in you."
"I'm going to fight him soon."
It had been on the back of her mind. Even through all the training and research, she new the day when Harry went to fight Voldemort would come. Even when Mrs. Weasley insisted they return to school, and all the times they snuck out to search for horocruxes, Hermione had always pushed it to the back of her mind.
"I know," was all she said.
"I don't want you to come," Harry said.
Hermione backed away, hurt. "Harry-."
"Look," he interrupted. "Sirius died, Dumbledore died, even Lupin almost died. Hermione, I would never be able to do this if I thought you were in any type of danger. You can't ask me to let you walk into it."
Hermione stared at him for a moment. "You can't ask me to let you go into this by yourself. It's selfish and I won't allow it."
Hermione-."
"No, you listen to me, Harry James Potter," Hermione snapped. "I love you and I'm going to be there for you. Always."
Harry smiled and took her hand and began to circle the lake. "I'm not going to be able to change your mind, am I?"
"Of course not," Hermione grinned. She bumped him with her hip. "Are you ever going to tell me what was in the package Lupin sent you this morning?"
"Oh! I'm sorry. It's just. It was about my mum and dad, and I just-."
""It's okay. But I'm dieing here, please tell me," Hermione begged.
"Actually," Harry stopped and took out a shrunken parcel from his cloak. He unshrunk it and gave it to her. "Open it."
Hermione opened the package and lit up with delight as she saw the jacket. "Merlin," she breathed. "I heard Sirius and Lupin talking about it once. The Marauder's Jacket."
"It's yours," Harry said.
Hermione's eyes darted up to him. "Oh no, Harry. I couldn't. Besides, you ad Ginny-."
"Ginny?" Harry snorted. "Until the war is over, you're the most "special lady" in my life. So it's yours."
"If I take it, I'm not giving it back," Hermione warned.
"Good, so put it on," Harry said.
Hermione handed him the jacket and turned around so he could put it on.
He kissed her cheek after and smiled. "Perfect fit. It's weird; you're the exact same size my mum was."
Hermione turned around and gasped when she saw her name being magically written under Lily Evans'. "Oh, Harry, thank you."
"My pleasure," Harry assured her.
"So I was thinking," Hermione said as they walked on.
"Hmm?"
"Since we've snuck out just, oh so many times," Hermione started.
Harry grinned and looked at her. "Hermione Granger is asking to sneak out? Wow, where are the flying pigs?"
"Funny," Hermione sneered. "No, but seriously, I figured that maybe we could go to a concert in London."
"Concert?"
"Some new group. Spice Girls?" Hermione guessed.
Harry laughed. "Wow, we really are a bad influence on you."
"Ah, but you love it."
"Solemnly swear," Harry promised.
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