Word Count: 886
Challenge/Competition: Hedwig Blacks Weekly Challenge
Prompts: Next-Gen
Warnings: None
Disclaimer: I don't claim to own Harry Potter, it's all JKR's.
Note: Lily is 18 and Teddy is 28 here. I imagine it to be Christmas, which is why a 28 year old Teddy is at the Potters household. Please enjoy, and I dedicate this to Couture Girl because she is a great cheerleader for writers block, she understands my writing, and because she loves this pairing. Lot's of love to you, CG!
Lily sits in the middle of her living room, legs crossed, trying to stare at the floor but barely being able to keep her focus on the bland rouge carpet. She can feel his gaze – his apologetic, guilty gaze, and she hates it.
"Are you staying tonight Teddy?" Ginny calls from the kitchen.
After a few seconds, he shakes himself out of his trance, replying, "Uh- I don't know yet."
She doesn't want to stay in this strange position on the floor, obviously doing nothing, but she doesn't want to be the first to leave. She wants him to stay – everybody leaves, not him, too. Sighing to herself as his staring continues, she pushes herself off the floor and into standing.
Then, she leaves.
For a split second her heart drops because she thinks he didn't follow. But an utterance of Lily floats through the air and into her ears, and her heart raises that littlest bit.
Still, she sighs. "What, Teddy?"
His blue eyes fix on her green; in that horrible way that immediately ensnares her. "I don't understand what I've done. I don't understand… what's happening here." He takes a step closer to her and she leans back on the wall, keeping her expression as hard as possible.
Lily tries to keep her breathing steady as their bodies become mere inches apart. "It doesn't matter. Honestly. Nothing's happening here," she mutters as she makes to leave again.
But Teddy sticks a hand out and grabs her by the wrist. "Don't do that. Once upon a time, you were Lily Luna Potter – bright, a beacon of light, with glittering eyes and bounce in her step, nice words spewing out of her mouth without the tiniest amount of effort. But gradually, you became Lily Luna Potter – doesn't want to be herself, with dull eyes, hard expressions, cold words. As a twelve year old, you believed in fairytales and love and friendship and happy endings. You wanted a happy ending."
She bites her lip as he speaks, willing herself to express no emotion. "Well Teddy, I'm not a child anymore. The illusion of fairytales shatters eventually."
"You're just so unhappy and no one notices. You aren't yourself," he says sincerely, one hand cupping her face.
"Don't say that, that I'm not me. Rose said that, Scorpius said that, all before they left me. Everyone said it, and everyone left. Don't," she says pleadingly, allowing a chip to be made in her wall.
His face drops. "I'm not – I wouldn't… Even if I wanted to, I couldn't."
"It's fine. I'm fine!" she says with a forced smile in a forced cheerful voice, making to leave again as his grip subconsciously loosens around her wrist. She half runs up the stairs, hoping not to dissolve into tears.
"Lily!" he manages to get himself in front of her in the hallway of the upstairs. "This is ridiculous. You're not fine, you're not even okay. It's me, Teddy, and you don't have to pretend with me."
She cocks her head, blinking back tears. "Stop it," she chokes.
"No, you stop it Lily!" He grabs her arms desperately, pleading.
She gives him a look, eyes glimmering with unshed tears, and watches as he moves out of the way of her bedroom door. Pushing the door open, she mirrors his own words. "What is happening here?"
So he follows her in, sitting down next to her on her bed. "I don't know, Lily. I mean, you were like a little sister to me…"
"Were being the key word. Now…?" she questions in a shaky voice, finally daring to voice the question that's been begging for too long.
He sighs, putting his hand over hers. "Now… I don't know. You're full of light, but cloaked by darkness. You often blur into the background of things, but I can and will pick you out of the crowd. You act so happy but you're so sad – I see it. I want to break your walls down. I want to see you believe in people again, I want to see you believe in me…" he trails off, eyes locked on hers.
"But…?" she says, voice trembling, as she laces her fingers into his.
"I'm ten years older than you. I've watched you grow up. I've been like a brother to you your whole life. You're difficult. You're still growing. You don't even believe in love."
Suddenly she becomes aware of their close proximity – hands laced, faces so close that their noses are almost touching. She can feel his breaths on her face. "You still haven't answered my question…"
"You still haven't answered mine." His eyes glance to her lips for a millisecond, before shifting back up to her eyes.
So she takes a deep breath, and practically feels her guard drop. She opens her mouth to reply, but is cut off before she speaks with a searing kiss. She feels both his hands lace with hers as she is pushed onto her back, the kissing not breaking. It's a kiss unlike one she's ever felt before – it's real passion, real feelings, and she can feel his smile against her lips. Everything with them clicks into place as kiss after kiss is shared with barely any room for breathing. Right now, the complications don't matter.
She is home.
AN- So... I don't know how much I like this, but it's my first attempt at this pairing so I like it for that. And the angst. And the kiss. Please, review with your thoughts & be happy that my writers block seems to be fading! Lots of love and Christmas cheer x
Oh, and I'm going to the Harry Potter Studio Tour tomorrow, squeal with me! Yay! :)