You're two weeks short of eleven when you see her for the first time. She's only a few days old, and she seems so delicate in Harry's arms as he holds her, trying to keep her quiet so that Ginny can get some rest. She's no bigger than a loaf of bread. It's not the first time you've seen a baby, nor is it the second or third time. You are no stranger to babies, being Harry Potter's godson, but you have never really gotten over the wonder of it all.


It's a Sunday night, and you are spending it at Harry's house, as is tradition. You are all in the living room, Ginny sprawled across a fluffy chair, half asleep, Harry pacing the floor of the sitting room, and you hanging in the doorway between the sitting room and the kitchen, watching.

Harry sees you looking at her. "Would you like to hold her?" he asks. You nod your head, careful not to seem so eager, lest Harry think that you are too wound up to hold her carefully. He sits you on the couch, taking the seat beside you, and gently puts the sleeping child into your arms.

She's warm and soft against your chest. Her little tummy rises and falls with each breath she takes, and if you're quiet and still enough, you swear you can feel her little heart beating. You look down at her sleeping head, which is covered with a thin layer of soft, red hair. Your eyes travel down to her face, which still has that slight old man look to it -- the wrinkles and the slightly squashed nose. Her eyes flutter open. You're afraid she's going to cry, but she simply stares at you with the bluest eyes you've ever seen. She seems so delicate there in your arms, and you feel as if she could break at the slightest touch.

You've never been so scared of dropping something in your life.

The tears you were scared of suddenly start when she realises that you aren't her mum. Her tears frighten you a little . You are worried that you have done something wrong and that you may have hurt her, and you never want to hurt her. You hand her back to Harry, who begins to rock her in an attempt to soothe her back to sleep.

"What's her name?" you ask. You realise now that you hadn't bothered to ask when you had arrived at the Potter's house that evening, and you hadn't seen them at the hospital.
"Lily," says Harry.

Lily. You like the name, you decide. It reminds you of flowers and innocence and beauty. You think it fits her perfectly.

There's a small tug at your leg, and you glance down to see four-year-old James tugging at your trousers.

"Teddy, play with me. All Lily does is sleep, she’s boring. Let's play dragon keepers."

You get up the off the couch and go with James. He's right: you're two weeks short of eleven, and dragon keepers is a lot more fun than a sleepy baby.

***

She's three when she sits herself down on your lap during the first week of summer holidays. You are in the middle of telling Harry and Ginny about the Gryffindor Quidditch team's plans for next year over a cup of tea. Ginny is bustling around making dinner, and seven-year-old James is watching wide-eyed at the other end of the wooden table.

"Hi, Teddy!" she says, before planting a wet kiss on your cheek. "I missed you!"

"Hello, Tigerlily," you reply, tickling her tummy. She giggles and throws her arms around your neck. "I've missed you, too." It's true, you have missed her, but you have a feeling that she's missed you a lot more. Ever since she could walk, Lily has been following you around like a shadow, begging you to play with her. Usually, you comply. She loves you almost as much as she loves her dad, and that makes you feel good about yourself. On the other hand, it is always nice to get away to school and spend time with your friends and play Quidditch.

"I think you should stay here all the time," Lily tells you. "Then I don't have to miss you."

Ginny smiles as she sits down at the table with her cup of tea. She has just set the potatoes to boil on the stove.

"But Teddy needs to go to school, too, Lily. You can't keep him here all the time. You need to share him," Ginny says.

"But I don't wanna share him," Lily whines. You cringe. Lily must be in that stage where she must have everything and everything is hers. You remember that phase well: Albus went through it after Lily was born.

"Well, you can keep me all to yourself today," you tell her. She'll likely make you look at bugs and other crawly things outside, which you are okay with. There were only a few hours until supper, you are sure you can entertain her until then. It's a lot easier to play with Lily than other three-year-olds. You remember having to play with Rose at that age: all she wanted to do was play with her dolls.

"Okay!" She squeezes her arms around your neck and gives you a big hug, before pulling away.

"Hey, Teddy? Will you marry me? Then I don't hafta share you anymore."

You are completely gobsmacked and a little unsure as to what to say. You glance over at Ginny, looking for help, but she stuffs her fist in her mouth in an effort to keep from laughing. You pick your brain, trying to find a way to say no without hurting her feelings, which, at three, are easily broken. "I think we're a little too young, Lily," you finally reply.

"Alright," she says, and you're relieved. She doesn't seem upset by your answer. "But I'm not sharing you today. Maybe when we're older?"

You sigh, not knowing how to answer. "Come on," you say, picking her up and putting her on the floor, then taking her hand. "Let's go outside and play." You doubt this conversation will come up again, and you know that once you two find a caterpillar, she'll forget about the whole thing.

***

"Teddy, will you teach me how to fly?" Lily asks. She's four, and she's never seemed so excited to do something.

"I don't know, Lily. Shouldn't your dad teach you that?" Harry taught you and James to fly, and Albus just last week. You have a feeling that it's something that Harry likes to do, being the dad and all. You would feel weird taking this important job from him. All you are is the almost-brother; you aren't even technically part of the family, no matter what Molly tells you or if Lily calls you her "big brother".

"But he's not here, and I wanna learn now," she says. Normally her charm works on you, but you know that this is something you cannot sway on. It was irksome, but she had a way of getting you to do what she wanted. She is smart that way, and you don't quite understand why she has that affect on you.

"Lily, I really think that flying is your dad's thing." You brace yourself and hope that she doesn't throw a tantrum.

"But, Teddy, I want you to teach me," she says, hugging your legs.

You sigh and pick her up. "Why don't I help dad teach you when he gets home?" Then, you change your hair from the turquoise that you've been sporting to a deep green, her favourite colour. Normally, you don't like to advertise the fact that you are a Metamorphagus, but you know that Lily loves it when you change your hair and face for her. She giggles and grabs your hair.

"Why can't my hair do that?"

"Because your hair is perfect just the way it is," you say, tickling the end of her nose with the end of one of her red curls. She giggles and is soon asking you for all her favourite noses. Before she knows it (and before you know it, too, much to your surprise) Harry walks through the front door.

"Hey, Harry," you say. Your hair is lime green and down to your waist, your eyes are violet, and your nose is currently the size of your index finger.

"Hey, Teddy," Harry says. "That nose really isn't a good look for you. It makes you look beaky. Not a good idea if you're wanting to impress the ladies."

You laugh and change your nose back to normal.

"Hey, Daddy, will you teach me to fly? Teddy said he'd come with me."

"Oh, did he?" Harry asks, looking at you. You shrug and smile apologetically. "Sure, Lily. Mum said supper will be a while anyway.”

The three of you trek out to the backyard. Harry hands you a broom and plops Lily on his broom in front of him. You straddle the handle and look at Harry. He nods, and you return the gesture.

"You ready, Lilypie?” Harry asks.

"Yeah!" Lily says. You smile to yourself. You don't think you've ever seen anyone this eager to fly.

The two of you kick off the ground and soar up into the air, Lily squealing with glee. You smile and soar around them. Harry is letting Lily try and steer. Even though she really isn't doing anything, you've never been so proud of her. She is the youngest of the Weasley-Potter clan to take the air. It is almost as if she can't keep her feet on the ground.

***

It's the summer and you're at Harry's almost every weekend. Lily is six, and she loves anything to do with you. She has a very active imagination and finds all sorts of things to play with you. Some days, it's all just a little too much and you crave the company of your friends at school, but mostly, you are content to be with Lily and her cousins. You're sixteen, and you know you should be spending this summer experiencing life--finding love or having your heart broken--but right now you are willing to just spend time with your Gran and with Harry's family. There will be plenty of time to hang out with your friends. Right now, Lily thinks the world of you, and you want to enjoy that before she thinks that you are no longer cool.

You're in the guest room, reading a book, when Lily comes in with the stuffed Snorkack that you think must be from Luna, seeing as you have one similar, and you know that Ginny would never get something so ridiculous, especially something that was so bright. "What's up, Tigerlily?" you ask.

"Teddy, I had a bad dream," she whispers. "Can I stay with you tonight?" You check your watch. It's 10:30. You figure Harry and Ginny are still up, and you wonder about sending her to them, but she looks so scared that you don't have the heart to send her away. She reminds you of the first time you saw her, when her eyes filled with tears at seeing that you weren't her mum, and how you never wanted to be the one to hurt her, so you pat the bed next to you. She climbs in and tucks herself under the blankets.

"Thank you, Teddy," she says.

"Goodnight, Tigerlily," you say, then kiss her on the cheek.

She's asleep in minutes. A little while later, Harry comes in and sees her asleep under the blankets while you sit on top of them, reading. Harry nods in her direction.

"She had a bad dream," you whisper. "I was just about to carry her to her room.” Harry pulls out his wand and conjures a mattress on the floor.

"If she wakes up in her room, she'll be furious at you in the morning, but she's also a blanket hog." You smile. You don't doubt she'd be mad; she had a temper to rival her mother's. "Goodnight, Teddy."

"Night, Harry," you say. Harry shuts the door, and you crawl onto the mattress. As you fall asleep, you hope you don't snore.

***

Victoire's lips are soft and sweet against yours. Your tongues explore each other's mouths in a secluded corner of Platform nine and three-quarters. You keep your hands placed on Victoire's slender hips, reluctant to let her go. The past summer has been amazing -- the sunsets, the walks, and the secluded kisses in hidden places. You pull her slight body in closer, not wanting her to leave.

"Ew, find somewhere more secret to kiss her! She's my cousin, you know!"

You whip around and see James looking at you with a smug smile. "I'm telling Dad," he says, and he turns around and walks away.

Victoire squeezes your hand, and you give her a chaste peck on the lips. "Good luck at school, Victoire," you say. She leans in closer and gives you another kiss, only this one isn't so innocent, and you find yourself wishing that she wouldn't go.

"Don't find another girl while I'm gone," she teases. She turns away and steps onto the train. You watch as she leaves and wonder how anyone so beautiful could have ever chosen you.

You reach Harry, Ginny, and Lily as they are leaving the platform.

"Hey, Teddy," Ginny says. "How's Victoire?"

"She's fine," you say, and you hope your face isn't betraying any of the thoughts running through your head at this moment.

"Are you gonna marry her?" Lily asks. "You'd really be part of the family, then."

"I don't know, Lily, I haven't really thought about it. We haven't really been seeing each other all that long. Besides I'm around a lot as it is. Whether I marry Victoire or not, you're still my bratty, annoying little sister."

"Hey!" Lily says, whacking you on the arm.

You smirk and slide your arm around her shoulder. "Hey, what? That's a compliment, you know. I wouldn't let just anyone be my little sister."

"I love you, too, Teddy," Lily says. "Victoire is really pretty, though."

"Yeah, that she is, Lily." Your mind wanders back to Victoire's slim body and soft hands, and thank Merlin that Harry never thought it necessary to teach his kids to read minds. What you are thinking is definitely not something you want Lily seeing.

***

I can't believe I'm finally going to Hogwarts!" Lily squeals. You and the rest of the Potters are on Platform nine and three-quarters the morning of Lily’s first day of school. "I'm going to be in Gryffindor, just like everyone!" She gives Ginny a hug and then Harry.

"I don't know, Lily, you seem more like a Ravenclaw to me," you joke, knowing that it would annoy her. "All brains and not the least bit interested in having fun."

"I am a lot more fun than you, Teddy Lupin," she says back. "I'm not the one who spent all summer studying."

"When you have Healer tests to take, you'll understand," you answer. It's true though: you didn't spend nearly as much with Lily this summer as you usually did, due to having to write your Healer's exams in two weeks time. What little time you did spend away from the books was often spent with Victoire.

"You guys better write to me every day!" she orders. Her parents laugh.

"Of course we will," Ginny says.

"Twice a day, if you want us to," Harry adds.

She turns to you next and gives you a big hug. "You better write to me, too."

"Of course," you say, "but only if you write to me."

"Deal,” she says. She leans in closer. "I want to be the first person you tell when you propose to Victoire."

You pat her on her shoulder. "Only if I'm the first one to know what house you're in."

She laughs and then boards the train. As you wave, you can't help but feel a little sad. It feels like Lily has been around forever, and you can't help but feel like it’s going to be slightly lonely without her small shadow following you around everywhere, but at the same time, you know she's been looking forward to this moment since James left for Hogwarts when she was seven.

Besides, Victoire is around, and while having an eleven- year- old around who idols you is fun, there are a lot of things she can't do. You smile to yourself and decide to Apparate to Victoire's. For the next four months, it's just you, her, and her soft, pink lips.

***

It's Christmas holidays two years later, and you're at Harry's for dinner. Thirteen-year-old Lily is sitting across the table from you, sipping her pumpkin juice, looking as if she's contemplating something. You're spooning some potato into your mouth when Lily finally opens hers.

"Hey, Teddy, why were you and Victoire acting so weird yesterday at Nana's Sunday dinner?"

"Lily," Ginny warns.

"Oh, we split up about a month ago," you answer. It's not really a secret, and you don't mind answering. Lily wouldn't have asked if hadn't been important to her. She was going to find out sooner or later, and better from you than some other third source, such as Dominique, who was currently very angry with you.

"Why?" Lily asks. "I thought you were going to marry her."

"Lily," Ginny scolds.

"It's fine," you say. If Lily is going to ask questions, you're going to answer them, and you have the perfect response. You look at Lily and smirk. "Well, there was a girl, and she asked me if I would marry her. This was years ago, and of course, I was too young, but I figured I may open my options up again, you know, see if she's still interested." You turn and wink at Ginny, who is staring very intently at her potatoes. You expect she's trying to keep herself from laughing. At least her fist isn't stuck in her mouth this time.

"What?" Lily asks. "You're engaged? You said you'd tell me first!" She looks seriously miffed at you, but you don't care, because you have the upper hand.

You look over at Ginny, who catches the gleam in your eye and smiles.

"Well, no, Lily," you answer. "It was a long time ago, and I haven't told her yet."

"Are you going tell me who it is, then?" Lily asks, seeming a little less angry at you.

"It was you," you say, winking. You stuff some more potato in your mouth, trying hard not to laugh.

"What?" Lily squeals. "I definitely did not ask you to marry you!" Ginny finally lets go and begins to laugh. "What?" Lily asks, showing increased signs of frustration.

"You did ask him," Lily," Ginny says. "You were three."

"Something about not wanting to share me, if I recall," you laugh.

Lily’s face is about as red as her hair, while everyone around the table laughs.

You wink at her, and she blushes even harder.

***

It's Lily's seventeenth birthday today. You are a little sad that Easter comes late this year and that you won't be able to give her the hug that you want to. You put the final wrappings on your gift and call your owl, Apollo, over.

"Give her a nibble for me, okay?" you tell him. He nips you affectionately and soars out the window.

***

It's Easter dinner, and the first thing you notice is that Lily is wearing the necklace you gave her - a gold chain with a small tigerlily pendant.

The second thing you notice is how she blushes when you walk in and smile at her.

The third thing you notice is how beautiful she looks, and you wonder how that happened. She's only wearing jeans and a t-shirt, but you think she is the most beautiful girl you've ever seen.

She walks up to you and gives you a hug. "Hey, Teddy, I've missed you." Her face is still a little warm, radiating heat onto your shoulder. She seems embarrassed about something, but you're not sure what, so you hug her back, noticing the way her body feels under your arms for the first time. You can't help wondering if you are noticing it for the first time because she's finally at the age where you can. You pull away, leaving one hand on her shoulder and twirling her tigerlily pendant with two of your fingers on your other hand.

"You're wearing the necklace," you say, letting it fall back to her chest. She picks it up and looks at it.

"I never take it off," she says. You aren't sure if you're imagining it, but you think that you see a faint smile on her lips, and you watch as the blush deepens and crawls down her neck.

"That's great, I'm glad you like it." You take your hand off of her arm. "Now, why don't you tell me about school."

You both sit down, and she begins telling you about her N.E.W.T.-level Arithmancy class. You listen and nod at the right time, but all you notice is the slight curve of her lips and the loose hair by her ears that have fallen out of her ponytail.

Harry invites you over for the night, and even though all you want is to go home and think this out, you agree. Between work and everything else, you barely get the time to see Harry and Ginny, and you've missed their company and the feeling you get when you've woken up in their guest room feeling completely rested.

You spend the evening catching up with Harry and Ginny in the sitting room. It's late when you decide to hit the shower and go to bed. As you turn the corner heading for the bathroom, Lily walks out of the bathroom wearing nothing but a towel. She must have heard your footsteps, because she turns and sees you. Her mouth forms an "oh" and her face turns bright red. She dashes across the hallway to her room and shuts the door.

You walk into the bathroom and lock the door. You look in the mirror and see that your hair has turned bright red. You take off your clothes, step into the shower, and turn the water on cold.

"She's Harry's daughter," you tell yourself, trying to will your beating heart to slow down and be quiet.

So? She's hot. There must be some sort of ugly animal who sits low in your chest telling you this, because no way is it appropriate to have such thoughts about Lily.

"She's seventeen."

It's plenty old enough, the creature says.

"She's ten years younger."

Age is but a number, it purrs.

"I started Hogwarts while she was in nappies!" The absurdity of the situation really begins to dawn on you with the realisation that you were gone for the majority of her growing up.

But she's not in nappies now.

"I hit puberty before she even knew what it was."

That just means that you have more experience.

You shove your face right into the cold water, shocked that you would even think that. As the stream pelts your face, you hope you are drowning the ugly monster out of you.

You can't help but think that life was so much easier when Lily was ten, and all you had to worry about was her flying off unattended.

***


You think that bringing Lily out for drinks is possibly the stupidest thing you've ever done. She's only had three Firewhiskies, but she's giggling like mad, and her thighs are pushed right up against yours.

She's just passed her first year of Healer's training (you try not to think too much about how she chose the same career as you did) and you've decided to take her out to celebrate. Drinks seemed like a good way for her to kick back and relax after a hard year of school and no social life, yet you can't help but think that all it's done is made her more likely to hit on you for no reason.

"Hey, Teddy, have you ever thought about what it would be like to, you know..." She runs her fingers down your leg, giving you shivers up your spine, and giving your brain all sorts of nasty ideas. She's nineteen, and you want to smack her hand away, but you don't, because you can't lie to yourself and say you don’t like it.

"No Lily, I don’t know," you lie, because you do know and you have thought about it, and in that moment, there is nothing that you'd like to do better than to find out what it would be like to do those things. You finally come to your senses and grab her hand and put in her lap.

"Have you ever thought about us? You know, not as friends, but as something more?" Her hand returns to your thigh, only this time it's a little higher and it requires a little more effort to bring yourself to return it to her lap.

You are beginning to regret this night more and more, but you muster up some of your old charm. "Is this your way of asking me out, Lily? I'd hate to think what your dad would think of that." You hold your breath, not knowing what you want the answer to be.

"No," Lily says. "This is me seeing how far I can push you. And, as for Dad," her hand slips around the back of your neck, "what he doesn't know won't hurt him."

You lean in close, so your noses are almost touching, and you swear you see something in her eyes just begging you to kiss her and have your way with her. "You're going to have to do a whole lot better than that, Tigerlily." You slip her hand off of your neck and lean back out to a normal conversational distance. Your heart is racing, and you are unsure whether it's from relief or anger. Either way, you decide to see if you can make her feel uncomfortable. "Have you ever thought of us that way?"

She blushes, but shakes her head. "No, but I have thought about you without a shirt, and how your chest must feel underneath my hands." She winks at you, and you're thrown off guard.

"Well, then, I guess we'll just have to go swimming sometime," you smirk.

You don't like the smile on her face, but you know that, at least for now, you've won.

***

"So what's this I hear about you seeing Sean McLaggen?"

"Where did you hear that?" Lily asks. You are at the Leaky Cauldron, catching up over drinks.

"Oh, you know, here and there. Rumours fly, you know."

"Well, I don't know what you're talking about," Lily says, a slight blush creeping up her cheeks.

"Come on, Lily, are you seeing him?" Maybe you shouldn't be pushing her, but you feel like you need to know, and you aren't about to stop until you know the truth. You don't trust McLaggen and want to know if the rumours are true.

"No," Lily says, as she picks up her coffee.

You look at Lily, who's avoiding your gaze.

"Lily..."

"Did you hear about the Harpies?" Lily asks, interrupting you.

"Lily, why are you lying to me?" you say. The two of you have always been honest with each other, and it hurts that she doesn't trust you enough to tell you the truth.

"Fine, I am seeing him, are you happy now?" Lily says, setting her coffee cup down a little harder than she should have.

"Why, Lily? With McLaggen, you know he's after only one thing," you say.

"Oh, piss off, Teddy, my personal life is none of your business." Lily tosses a Galleon on the table and storms off, and you can't help wondering why she got so upset.

***

It's New Year's Eve, and Lily is on the couch with Sean, who has his mouth on her neck and his hand inappropriately high on her leg.

Lily’s not mad at you anymore, but you still feel like you're walking on eggshells around her.

Sean's hand creeps higher, and you watch as Lily pushes Sean off of her and walks towards the terrace. You follow her out. The moon is bright tonight, and the stars are shining. Lily lifts her head, and you know she's looking at the stars.

"Lily, I really don't like your boyfriend," you say.

She spins around and smacks you on the arm. "Teddy, you scared me."

"Lily." You grab her hand. "I really don't like him.”

She squeezed your hand. "I know."

"At work, the other day, he was going on about how he's finally going to get into your knickers this weekend."

"Teddy, you don't have to tell me this." Lily's voice cracks a bit, and you can't help but wonder if she didn't already know this but just doesn't know how to let him go, or worse, is willing to sleep with him just to keep him.

"No, Lily, I think I do. I don't want to see you get hurt."

Lily looks at you with the strangest look in her eyes, and you can't help but wonder if you already have.

***

It's summer, and you're thirty-two, and you feel like you're running out of time. You have always wanted a big family, but you don't even have a girlfriend. You wanted children young, knowing that life is short and that anything could happen at any moment.

Ginny's tried setting you up, but no one has ever felt right. You think Harry knows why, but he's not letting you know, and you're too damn proud to ask.

You're home, reading a book, when Lily bursts in through the door.

"Teddy, there's something I have to tell you."

You put down your book and check your watch, only to see that it's midnight. You can't imagine what would be so pressing at this time of night. Immediately, your mind goes to the worst.

"You're not knocked up, are you?"

"What?" Lily looks at you, flabbergasted. "No, that would require me having a boyfriend. Why would you ever think that? Besides, I wouldn't tell you that at midnight, you'd go hex the boy's balls off and make it look like an accident." She laughs.

"It's after midnight, what matter could be so pressing that it couldn't wait until morning? Wait, does your dad know where you are?" Lily rolls her eyes.

"Please, I’m an adult, he can't control me forever. Plus, he already knows I’m here, I talked to him before I left."

"All right, what is it, Tigerlily?"

Lily grabs your hand and pulls you outside and sits you on the bench. "Teddy," she stops, and stares out at nothing and fiddles with the necklace you gave her. You know she's never taken it off. Her smiling demeanour has worn off, and instead, she's introspective and quiet.

"Teddy, why aren't you married yet?"

"I don't know," you say.

"But you're kind and smart," Lily says. "Any girl would be lucky to have you. Plus, you're pretty good looking."

"Well, I have a little help with that," you joke. She doesn't laugh.

"Do you remember when you said you didn't want to see me get hurt? Do you still mean that?"

You grab her hand. You don't understand what is going on with her. Lily is never quiet and never this questioning about things you've said. You are a little confused, and if your honest, a little concerned over her state of mind. "Of course I do." You give her hand a squeeze, hoping that you are giving her whatever reassurance she needs, knowing that something must be bothering her.

"You believe in love, right? I mean, if you found the right person?" This question makes you a little bit concerned. Lily has always been an optimist, and it's worrying that she is being so pessimistic.

"I guess," you say, realising as you say it that it was probably not the right response. "Lily, what's with all these questions?"

"Well, Dad came to talk to me today. He said I reminded him of someone he knew once, and then he said you reminded him of someone, too. He said he's been waiting for one of us to act, but neither of us has. He said he was tired of seeing you moping and was tired of seeing me wait around for someone who likely wasn't ever going to come without a little pushing."

"Lily, what are you saying?"

"Teddy, have you ever heard the story about the girl who loved the boy much too old for her? The one that was wrong for her in all the right ways? How she waited and waited and waited, but all he ever did was avoid the issue?"

"Of course," you answer. "That was my mum." You've heard the story many times. It was one of your favourite ones to hear when you were little and you asked Gran about your parents.

"Well, I think that's me."

"What do you mean, Lily?"

She grabs your hand. "I love you, Teddy, and I think I always have." All of a sudden, your chest goes warm, and you feel something in there explode. The blushing and the anger all of a sudden make sense to you. Suddenly, your own actions make sense, too. No one has ever seemed right because you were holding them up to some invisible standard--Lily--whether you knew it or not. The monster in your chest that first made his appearance when she turned seventeen is leaping with joy, but the rational side of your brain clicks on.

"Lily, I'm too old for you," you say. You watch as Lily appears to slump and lets go of your hand.

"This was a mistake," she whispers. "I never should have come and told you this. I should have known you'd never feel the same way back." She goes to get up.

"Wait, stop!" you say. She sits back down. "It's not that I don't love you, it's just that..."

"What, Teddy? What could possible stop you? And don't you dare try to use my dad as an excuse, he was the one who told me to come here and be proactive in the first place. Don't try the too old thing, either. Your mum was way younger than your dad, and look how happy they turned out."

"But, Lily, I don't want to hurt you. Do you know how hard this relationship would be? People would talk."

"You're hurting me already!" Her voice has raised in volume. "And who cares, Teddy, people already talk. They talk about how we should have gotten together years ago."

"But...I'm...not..."

"Shut up, Teddy Lupin," Lily says, as she brings her mouth towards yours, cups your face in her hand, and kisses you softly. It feels like all of George's fireworks are going off in your chest. She pulls away and looks at your face, searching for answers.

You lean toward in and kiss her back.

When she pulls away, she smiles. "Like father, like son, huh, Lupin?" She leans her head against your chest and runs her hand up and down it. "I told you I'd feel your chest someday."

You smile and slip your arms around her waist and hold her tight. Finally, you've figured out what Harry has known since he first starting dropping hints.

It's always been you and Lily.