James turned his face a little, pressing his cheek more firmly into her warm palm. He hadn't realised how desperately he'd wanted to hear her say that. It felt like a dam breaking. As much as he loved Sirius and Remus, and how grateful he was to have them here, it wasn't the same. Their situation, those months living in fear of something happening to Harry... it was something only Lily could know.
"It's so stupid," he told her. "It should have been Sirius or Remus or, Merlin even Dumbledore. I should have..." But he stopped himself, biting down on the inside of his cheek.
"Sorry. Doesn't matter," James decided, with a shake of his head. "You're here now. None of it needs to happen." Even if Harry was the wrong age and it all seemed a little wonky, they could make it work. They had to.
"There's more," he added, reluctantly. "About Padfoot and Harry and stuff that happens after we - afterwards. But shall we get back inside first? Only it's freezing out here." He even managed a smsll, lopsided smile.