Growing Up

Lily ran away after she gets in a fight with her mom. What convinces her to come back?

"Ugh! Why can't you trust me?" I screamed at my mum. We were fighting about me wanting to go to London with some friends. She didn't think I was old enough.

"I'm turning 14 in 9 days! I'm old enough!" I said glaring at her. She sighed, clearly frustrated.

"I already said no, and that's final. And you need to learn that you don't get to do what you want after all the trouble you get into!" it was true I was the most rebellious of my siblings. They were of course the perfect oldest children. James and Albus got the perfect grades, were on the quidditch team. Also the teacher's pets, they are.

I on the other hand got passing grades, and teachers did not like me. I was on the quidditch team though, as a seeker. I always got in trouble for pulling pranks and causing disruptions. Most of my friends were boys, which my parents didn't approve of up until this year.

"Mum, the one time I'm going to hang out with girls to do girly stuff, you won't let me go!" I said coldly.

"Just." she sighed. "Just go to your room." And pointed her finger towards the stairs. I huffed and walked away blinking back tears. I wasn't weak, but lately I kept getting fights with everyone. Mum, dad, James, Albus, my friends. I just felt like I was everyone's problem. I walked in my room and locked the door. I grabbed a quill and parchment and began writing.

Ginny POV

"James, Albus, Lily! Dinner." I called up the stairs. Harry was in the kitchen setting the table, when the boys came thundering down the stairs. I smiled as they brushed past me with quick hello mums. Lily still hadn't come downstairs. I sighed; I better go up there and get her. She was very good at holding grudges.

I knocked on the door quietly. "Lily, dinner time." I said. She didn't respond. Something was up, even when she was mad; she was like her brothers when it came to food. I tried opening the door. It rattled but wouldn't budge. I groaned.

"Alohamora" I said pointing my wand at the door. It swung open and revealed the inside of an empty room.

I gasped as I flicked the light switch on. Her drawers were open and barren. Her pillow gone. As my eyes flitted around the room, they stopped on a piece of paper on her desk.

To: Mum, Dad, James, and Albus.

From: Lily

I opened the letter and I covered my mouth with my mind.

Mum, I'm sorry about this but, I have been nothing but a waste of space, another mouth to feed, and a pest. I thought it might be better for everyone if… I left. I will go to Hogwarts and get my wizard education. I want to let you know that I love you and dad, and Albus and James. I will always love you. Even though we have our fights. But, I'm just the accident. The child you never really needed. I won't bother you anymore. Bye

Love,

Lily

By this time tears were flooding down my face.

"Harry!" I called. I heard his feet running at the urgency in my voice. I sat on Lily's bed and sobbed. I heard 2 more pairs of feet as Albus and James ran after Harry. Harry burst in the room with the boys' right behind him.

"Ginny!" he ran over to me and started asking questions rapidly. Albus and James seemed shocked. Not once have they ever seen me cry.

I thrust the paper at Harry and he read it quickly. At each sentence his eyes grew wider. When he finished he looked at me. He pulled me in a tight hug. 2 wet drops hit my shoulder as Harry let the tears escape. Albus snatched the paper from Harry and he and James scanned it. They gasped and sat down next to us and wrapped their arms around me.

I suddenly stood up knocking the boys backwards. I turned around and looked at them.

"We need to look for her." I sniffled. "Ask Ron and Hermione if they can help."

Lily POV

I looked at the sky miserably. Wet hair clung to my face and got in my eyes. Rain poured everywhere; you could barely see 10 feet in front of you. I coughed and spluttered as rain filled my mouth. I felt as if dementors were flying by me.

I gasped as my feet fell out from underneath me as I ran into something. Or should I say someone. My head hit the cement and I sat up rubbing it. Somebody else sat opposite of me and groaning.

"Hey! Watch where you're going!" I shouted at him. His head snapped and looked at me.

"Lily? Lily Potter?" a familiar voice said. I involuntarily grinned. Nick.

"Nick Savon." I said and looked up at him. He stood up and held his hand out to me. I took it without hesitation. Nick was my best friend at Hogwarts. Only one year ahead of me.

"What are you doing out here all by yourself?" He asked. His eyes were full of curiosity.

I bit my lip and decided to lie. "I'm meeting my muggle friends and going shopping with them."

"huh 'cause with that satchel makes it seem like you are running away."

"Why do you always have to be the smart one?" I asked and he grinned.

"C'mon, lets get out of this rain my house is right around the corner." He said grabbing my hand and pulling me along. We kept laughing and chattering the entire time there.

"Mum, I'm home," Nick called.

"Hi honey, did you get the packages?" Someone, obviusley his mother called down to him.

"Yeah. You don't mind if a friend stays over for awhile, do you?" he asked.

"Which friend?" she asked walking down the stairs. Her eyes stopped on me and slightly narrowed. Only I noticed. Then again I always had glares pointed towards me.

"Mum, this is Lily Potter, my best friend." Nick said noting her reaction. She instantly relaxed.

"Oh, she's welcome here any time she wants. I'm going to town to pick your father up and get dinner. Have fun… just not too much. She said after a pause. My eyes grew wide and I instantly flushed. Nick did the same.

"Mum!" he exclaimed.

"Sorry, sorry." She muttered. She grabbed car keys and walked out the door. Nick's dad was a muggle. He knew about wizard world and is used to seeing objects fly around the house. We spent the next hour talking about our summer. When his mum came home we ate dinner.

"Mum, can Lily stay here tonight?" Nick asked. His mother and father made a silent conversation between their eyes.

"sure, Lily can sleep in the guest room." She smiled warmly at me.

"Thank you." After dinner his parents went in their room and didn't come back. Nick and I sat on the couch and talked for hours. Then he came to the big question.

"Lily, why did you run away?" I sighed. He was my best friend I knew I could tell him anything. So I told him everything. He didn't interrupt the entire time. When I was finished he didn't say a word just pulled me into a hug and didn't let go for awhile. I started to doze off in his arms.

Harry POV

We searched until midnight and decided to go looking again in the morning. Ginny lay next to me looking miserable. James and Albus felt the same way when they went to bed. I felt horrible. My one daughter, gone. I missed her and wanted her to come home. Lily, where are you? Come home. I thought as I drifted off.

James POV

Lily you idiot. Mum and dad do love you, and so dose Albus and me. I sighed and rolled over staring at the picture of us. Mum and dad standing in the back. Albus in front of mum, her arms wrapped around his shoulders. I stood in front of dad and he had a hand on my shoulder and lily hung off his back, her face peeking over his shoulder. I remember that day. She had just lost her front tooth and had a gaping hole in her smile. We were all laughing. Why can't we have those days back?

Albus POV

I stared at the wall and remembered the days when Lily and I played together. I remembered the day Lily set off a confetti bomb in Professor McConnagle's class. She had disguised it as an apple. I remembered earlier today when she had bested me in wizard's chess. It had been a brutal defeat. Then I remembered the look on mum's face when we didn't find her. Like something had been torn out of her heart. Lily, come back home, come back, so our family can be whole again. With that I fell asleep, dreaming of the happy days.

Ginny POV

I silently cried myself to sleep tonight dreaming that Lily would come home, unharmed and safe.

Lily POV

I woke up and felt arms wrapped around me. I groggily sat up and saw Nick sleeping next to me. His arms were wound around my waist. That's when I felt the eyes staring. I looked up and saw Mrs. Savon watching us.

She didn't say anything to me, she just smiled and gave me a thumbs up and sank back into the shadows.

"Nick, Nick, you need to get up." I said and gave his arm a little push. He woke with a start and noticed his arms. He pulled them away quickly and blushed. I laughed and pushed him off the couch. His head popped back up and he fake growled at me and tackled me to the ground and we started wrestling each other. We stopped in peculiar position. He had me in a head-lock and I was pulling on his arm and leg when someone cleared their voice.

Our heads snapped up in unison and Nick's mum was standing there with a hint of amusement in her eyes. We quickly untangled ourselves and sat on the floor quietly. She laughed and told us breakfast would be ready on ten.

"Lily, you need to go home." Nick said suddenly.

"I know." I sighed. "Thanks for letting me stay here." I said. He nodded.

After breakfast he decided he was going to see me home. As we walked we talked about the most random things. It was quiet funny. When we reached my house we grew silent. He walked me up the front doorstep.

"Guess I'll see you at school then." I said. He did the most unexpected thing then. He leaned down and pecked me on the mouth and ran down the steps.

"See you at school!" he threw over his shoulder. I couldn't help it. A huge grin spread across my face. My smile dissolved when I heard the sound of crying in the living room. I walked in to see my father and brothers consoling my broken hearted mother.

"Mum? Dad?" I asked quietlty. They sprang up and I was smothered in hugs. I was greeted by many "Lily's where have you been?"

I told them my story leaving out the detail of the doorstep.

"Okay, so what's my punishment going to be?" I asked. Mum and dad looked at each other.

"You are not going to be punished." Dad said.

I wrapped my arms around them all and whispered 'I love you' to all of them. It was my happy ending after all.

Hate? Love? Tell me. Oh and for my other HP story. You keep saying they would never forget but the thing is it just popped in my head and I wrote it down so just letting you know.