Slipping Through My Fingers
Here's another one- shot that I have had swimming around in my mind for the past few days and had to get it out. I warn you this is a SongFic but it's quite emotional. I apologize for mistakes and I own nothing. I just thought I'd write this while I had a spare moment form my other story. This story originated because I wish my dad was more like this and you will see what I mean when you read it. Please review or message me what you think of it and the previous stories as well as the many more to come. Hope you enjoy it.
Italics= song lyrics
'School bag in hand, she leaves home in the early morning,'
Harry Potter and his family had just pulled up at Kings Cross station (London) in their blue, magical flying car. They had been here many times, almost all his and his wife's, Ginny's, life. They were here to help their children board the train at Platform 9 and ¾ to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Harry had always felt exhilarated at the thought of heading on to the train to go to the school which had and still does love so much. His daughter Lily was much the same. For today was the day that Lily Luna Potter was finally heading to Hogwarts for the first time and she was well over ecstatic. She had always love taking her brothers James and Albus to the train station, wishing she could venture to school with them much like her mother had at her age. Lilly had wanted to go to Hogwarts ever since she had first taken James and always felt a loss when she was told she was too young. But now her day had come and she was ready to finally go to the historical building her father had lived, saved and praised so much.
'Waving goodbye with an absentminded smile,'
Harry, Ginny, James and Albus exited the car to join Lily who had leapt out as soon as the car had stopped moving. She was standing by the boot of the car waiting for her dear father to open it so she could relieve her luggage from the small, cramped space. She had packed all of her things a week before after their large trip to Diagon Alley where she had bought all of her school books and robes as well as quills, cauldron and a new owl which she had called Hedwig, after her father's old owl that died trying to save him. He looked exactly the same as the original Hedwig apart from her owl had large green eyes that she adored so much like her mother to her father's eyes.
'I watch her go with a surge of that well know sadness,
And I have to sit down for a while,'
Harry took his youngest and only daughters suitcases out of the boot of the car and carried them to the entrance for her until she grabbed a trolley and he placed them on there for her. He remembered the times when she was younger, she would bring some empty suitcases and her favourite bear, that Harry had given her, and put them on a trolley to pretend she was going with her brothers. He had remembered the day he had given her that bear. It was her third birthday and she had been sitting on her father's lap like she always did. He had placed it in her hand when she was sitting on him. A smile had lit up her face when she had placed the small, emerald green bear into her hands. She had hugged him so tight that he could hardly breathe. But those were all memories now and his little girl was not so little anymore. She was not the three year old he used to read to at night. She was now the independent girl who would take on each and every one of her uncles, cousins and brothers but would still do anything for her daddy. She wasn't his baby anymore…
'The feeling that I'm losing her forever,
And without really entering the world,'
They kept on walking through the crowed station, heading towards the familiar wall between platforms nine and ten. Harry pushed the trolley while Lily sat on the front like she always did. Ginny stood next to him, smiling sweetly at her youngest daughter. Harry, being his usual self, decided to jerk the trolley sideways, hitting James suitcases making them fall to the ground with a sudden crash. Although she too had laughed, Ginny took the trolley from Harry and steered it so that nothing else would end up on the floor along with Albus's suitcases. Harry looked to where Lilly was still sitting on the front of her trolley, doubled up with giggles. How he loved her laugh. It was a sweet laugh that could bring warmth to even the coldest of hearts. She had always been one of laughs and jokes, much like her uncle George. She would always brighten up Harry's day with even the most simplest of jokes.
'I'm glad whenever I can share her laughter,
That funny little girl,'
They finally reached the Platform and Lilly hopped off from where she was sitting on one of her many suitcases. Naturally, James and Albus went first but Lilly hung behind.
"You go first mum, I'll only be a minuets," Lily assured her mother who took her trolley and went through the wall. Lilly then turned to her slightly confused father and wrapped her small arms tightly around his waist, no wanting to let go, "I'll miss you Daddy."
Harry smiled as he petted his daughters hair and crouched down to her level, "I'll miss you too Lil's, so much!" He said as he held her close again only for her to draw back and look hi m straight in the eye.
"I'll write to you every day, I promise!" She exclaimed in all seriousness, making her father chuckle a little, tears springing to his eyes at the thought of how empty the house would be without his little laughing Lilly. Lilly pulled her sleeve over her thumb, wiping away her father's tears as they both laughed at their stupidity. She them reached into her dainty pocket and pulled out her green checked handkerchief that had ' ' embroidered into the corner. She shoved it into his hand and closed his fingers around it, "Take it, you'll need it more than I do," She whispered and he smiled and he placed gently into his pocket as he stood up from the floor.
Lily reached up for his hand and grasped it tightly. Harry gave her one last reassuring look as they ran towards the wall and entered the famous Hogwarts platform. Lilly had run through it many times before but for some reason, she felt the need to do it with her Dad.
'Slipping through my fingers all the time, I try to catch her every minuet,
The feeling in it, slipping through my fingers all the time,
Do I really see what's in her mind, each time I think I'm close to knowing,
She keeps on growing,
Slipping through my fingers all the time,'
They finally got through the barrier to see Ginny had got the boys to load their own and Lily's luggage onto the train. The train would not leave for another 10 minutes so they had time to hang back and say their goodbyes. Harry mental laughed at how early they were all thanks to Lilly. She had woken up so earlier just to get them there, she was that excited.
'Sleep in our eyes, her and me at the breakfast table,
Barely awake, I let precious time go by,'
Harry hadn't really realised how much he would miss Lily once she had gone. He hadn't really given it much thought as this moment had always felt so far away. He realised how much time he had taken for granted when Lily had been there. The amount of precious moments he had discarded such has helping her pour her milk or brushing her hair. He didn't realise how much time they had dismissing during them few moment that although she would be gone, he would view in his head and hold in his heart forever. Regretting every passing moment he had missed as a chance to spend with his daughter who would now be gone for a year, leaving the house empty.
'Then when she's gone, there's that odd melancholy feeling,
And a sense of guilt I can't deny,'
Harry had planned so many things to do with Lily ever since she was born. He had made a long list of things they could do and places they could go and they would try to do them all before she left for her first year of Hogwarts. Sadly they did not manage to do many, what with Harry being an auror and therefore not being at home a lot as well as being on many missions for the Ministry of Magic. Being away so much meant that he was hardly ever there to watch her grow up although he knew her more than even her mother did as they had always been so close.
'What happened to those wonderful adventures, the places I had planned for us to go?
Some that we did but most we didn't but why, I just don't know,'
Finally, the whistle blew to tell them that they were soon to leave and they saw some more students get onto the train. The boy's hugged Ginny and said a cheerful goodbye to Harry who still seemed to be holding Lily's hand. He felt Lily loosen her grip on his hand and walk in front of her mother. She hugged her tight as Ginny said a tearful goodbye to her one and only daughter; her last child to go to Hogwarts. Lily soon let go as Ginny wipe her tears on her own sleeve. She turned to her father who was standing close to Ginny. Lily hugged Harry even tighter than she had earlier on the other side of the platform in the muggle world. He felt some of her tiny tears wet his shirt although she wiped them away with hast and beamed up at him, her eyes glossing over as was his. That day, Harry James Potter was the proudest he had ever been, watching his young daughter climbing onto the old, shining red Hogwarts Express he had journeyed on so many years before. She was no0w off on her own little adventure. Independent and strong, just as he father had raised her. She was finally on her way.
'Slipping through my fingers all the time, I try to catch her every minuet,
The feeling in it, slipping through my fingers all the time,
Do I really see what's in her mind, each time I think I'm close to knowing,
She keeps on growing, slipping through my fingers all the time,'
Harry took out his old, magical camera as Lily stepped onto the train and shut the door. She looked towards her mother and father, hanging her head out of the window in the door like many other children all along the train. She looked straight at the camera, and waved to her parents. Her auburn hair blowing in the wind and the biggest smile you could ever imagine spread across her delicate face. Harry clicked the button and the picture popped out. He had that moment, captured forever. Never to change or be distorted.
'Sometimes I wish that I could freeze the picture,
And save it from the funny tricks of time,
Slipping through my fingers,'
Lily ducked her head and headed into the train to find her brothers who were sitting in a compartment not too far away with her many cousins. Harry watched as she slid open the doors and sat next to Albus. The whistle blew once more as the children all waved out of the window. This was it. Lily was finally making it to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She had grown up so fast in what felt like just a blink of an eye. Harry had never felt more proud of her daughter as tears leaked down his cheeks and the train pulled out. It rounded the corner and she was gone. Ready for her own adventures without her father. Harry had never been happier.
'School bag in hand, she leaves home in the early morning,
Waving goodbye with an absent minded smile…'