Harry Potter sat in the attic, shifting through an old box full of past posessions. Now graduated from Hogwarts and going through Auror training, now after the defeat of Voldemort, he lived with Remus Lupin and his fiance, Padi. He was finally away from the Dursleys, whom he no longer had any contact with whatsoever. Upon his search through the numerous boxes, he came across Padi's old cd player, a cd still inside. Out of pure curiosity he turned it on and played the cd. For some reason as he heard the song he saw Sirius, his parents, Remus, and Padi smiling down at him. (He had found out that Padi was Remus's school sweetheart and was there at the time of Harry's birth. She had left shortly after to pursue another career, since Voldemort was after her and she wanted to keep Moony safe.)
/I can remember when
you fit in the palm of my hand
you felt so good in it
no bigger than a minute
how it amazes me
you're changing with every blink
faster than a flower blooms
they grow up all too soon/
He recognized the song, Padi was humming it the day of his graduation, but had never sang the song aloud. He became lost in the lyrics, realizing that he had never had or done any of the things in the song, he had never acted like the child he was supposed to be.
/so let them be little
cuz they're only that way for a while
give them hope, give them praise
give them love everyday
let them cry
let them giggle
let them sleep in the middle
oh but let them be little/
A tear began to slip down his cheek, but he quickly wiped it away, he was no child, he would not cry over a stupid song. Yet as he continued to listen he could picture all of the people he considered family pressing close to him, convincing him that it was okay to cry. Another tear crept out of his eye, and this time he did nothing to stop it.
/I never felt so much
at one little tender touch
i live for those kisses
your prayers and your wishes
and now you're teaching me
how only a child can see
tonight while we're on our knees
all i ask is please
let them be little/
A small wash of guilt swept over him. Padi had tried to be motherly towards Harry, to the point of at least kissing his forehead when she thought he was asleep. All the time he had been with them she and Remus had tried to act like the parents he never had the chance to have without attempting to replace them, and he never showed any form of thanks for it. They were trying their hardest to make sure he felt loved and all he did was brush them off, thinking they were trying to baby him.
/cuz they're only that way for a while
give them hope, give them praise
give them love everyday
let them cry
let them giggle
let them sleep in the middle
oh but let them be little
so innocent
precious soul
you turn around
and its time to let them go/
Harry wiped the tears from his eyes and got up. The end of the song played just as he exited the room. Waving his wand, the cd player shut off just as the last keys of the piano died. It was late, so he knew they would be asleep by now.
/so
let them be little
cuz they're only that way for a while
give them hope, give them praise
give them love everyday
let them cry
let them giggle
let them sleep in the middle
oh but let them be little/
"Padi? Remus?" Harry asked tenitavely, gently poking Padi in the side as they slept in their queen size bed, happily snuggled up together. She stirred and turned to look at him in confusion.
"Harry? What's wrong?" Remus now awoke, raising a sleepy eyebrow at his best friend's son, who was looking sheepishly at the floor. James's clone looked at the couple, a light blush coming to his cheeks at what he was about to ask.
"Can...Can I sleep with you tonight?" Padi looked at her future husband and they shared a smile. Getting up, she held the covers up for Harry to slip in before returning to bed. Harry comfortably snuggled in between his guardians and fell asleep, each of his parental figures had an arm draped across him lovingly and protectively, as if they were saying 'we'll always be here.'.
/let them be...
...little/