the_debt_of_time

Mia frowned, knowing that he spoke the truth. "Even die?"
"Even die," James affirmed without a single moment of hesitation.
"And the rest of us?" How are we to go on without you? How am I supposed to go on without
you?
James gave an irritable sigh. "I just got engaged Mia, why are we talking about
depressing things?"
"Answer the question, Jamie," she pleaded.
He took a moment to really think about it, clearly not wanting to leave his answer
open to interpretation and thus furthering the pessimistic conversation.
"Mum always said that it's the content of the years that you're given to live, not
the length of those years. I want my content to count. I want your content to count. I'll do
whatever I have to do to prevent losing those I love most." His eyes flickered to Lily. "Are
any of us more important than the entire Wizarding world? The entire world? I don't love
you any more than the wizard down the street loves his sister. I don't love Lily more than
any other man loves his wife. Though I do try."
Mia flung herself at her brother, wrapping him tightly in her arms, refusing to let go
anytime soon as she buried her nose in his mess of hair. She breathed in his scent,
memorising it. Despite all the firewhisky he'd had in celebration of his engagement, he still
smelled like treacle tart.
"Have I ever told you that you're a good man, James Potter?"
James shrugged his shoulders as though being a good man just came naturally to
him. "I do what I can."
"That upstairs bedroom?" Mia looked at her brother with a knowing smile. "It
should be a nursery."
James smirked. "I'll think about it."
"Happy Christmas, Jamie."
"Happy Christmas, Mia."