A/N: This adorable prompt was from james7594 on tumblr. I hope they like it and you do too! Hinny cat neighbors part 2 is in progress! Also a few other things, just long in the completion stages. If you have prompts or anything you'd like to see, let me know in a comment or over on tumblr!
It's early spring when Lily decides she wants to join the local children's footie team. In the days leading up to her first practice, they have a few parent-child meetings about how the Muggles can't know about magic, etcetera etcetera. Altogether, she's a pretty low drama child in terms of accidental and 'accidental' magic. The converse of that reality, is that her frustrations tend to emerge in the form of actual physical altercations which is more easily explained to the average Muggle, a behavioral problem nonetheless.
Though Harry and Ginny have had more than a few late night, post-bedtime chuckles over Lily's antics. It's the same with all three kids really. The combination of Harry and Ginny's genes apparently makes children with high levels of athletic ability, an abundance of freckles, excellent hair, and very low levels of tolerance for injustice and thick headed people.
This does make them sound like a trio of beautiful hoodlums, which they would probably not mind being called, but they're also smart, kind, and loyal. And in this particular instance, so adorable Harry feels like he will simultaneously melt into the floor and combust with affection.
Because with all their worrying and instructions and mini shopping sprees, Harry never guessed little Lily Lu would become his personal PR rep.
The plan was to descend on the peewee football league as a triumvirate, Lily flanked by fiery mum and stern dad, but at the last second Harry was called to assist with an interrogation on a suspect of interest. He would've begged off, but they've been working this case for the last three months with barely a break, and Lily looked at him with those big brown eyes he's never been able to refuse and told him to go.
So he had, and his frustration made him firmly in the 'bad cop' end of the old adage during their interview. Which wasn't bad, per se, because the suspect cracked in record time and Harry was only thirty minutes late for the practice rather than missing it altogether.
He arrives just as they're taking a snack break and the parents are loitering around while the sweaty kids chatter excitedly. It doesn't take long to spot Ginny's bright, sunkissed hair, wild in the breezy afternoon. She runs a careless hand through the chunky locks, a soft smile on her face as she watches Lily.
Lily, who has apparently taken to the physical aspects of football, given the broad green streak across her practice kit and the dirt caked on her kneecaps. Between that and the little space where her front tooth used to be, it's clear she's got her mum's 'all in' sportswoman's attitude.
With a slow saunter, Harry rounds the crowd and comes to a stop behind Ginny. "So her tooth?"
A grin ticks up the corner of Ginny's lips and she darts her eyes over to Harry. "She took an errant elbow to the face, spat out the tooth, and sunk a goal."
"Oh my god."
"We may have a little Harpy on our hands," Ginny says, face flushed with pride.
An answering smile rises on Harry's mouth as he wraps an arm around Ginny's waist. Lily's holding court, already popular with her new cohorts, regaling them with some tale that's hopefully filtered through their 'don't spook the Muggles' advice.
They wander closer and Lily's excited voice carries through the crisp spring air, "And while the paint on his nails dries, he lets me braid his hair. When I check his hands the next day they're still pretty."
Ginny hides a chuckle behind her hand and Harry's face colors. She murmurs so even Harry can barely pick up her whisper, "I did think that mauve shade offset your coloring nicely."
That earns her a pinch to her side and overall, Harry's motivation to hear what the other kids are saying is minimal, but he's got that weird parent tuning that keeps him well aware of what Lily's saying. So he hears loud and clear as she extolls the wonders of his dragon impression.
God she's adorable. He'd always wanted a family but Harry never guessed how much he would love being a dad, having kids. And embarrassed as he is by the mini Harry Potter fan club meeting, her next talking point is a bit of a surprise. Lily's slipped another section of orange into her mouth - the little slice catching in the new gap in her teeth - when she renews the promotions. "Mine works hard too, I know he must be so sleepy. But he always plays with me in the yard, or reads me stories and does funny voices."
Ginny leans her head back against Harry's shoulder, nuzzles at his chin affectionately. "Quite a man, that Lily Luna's dad."
They forget about it mostly, at least in terms of actually discussing it point blank. There's a brief chat about not being braggadocious and that yes, it's still bragging if it's nice things about someone you love. But other than the little kernel of warmth that lingers in Harry's chest, it passes.
He doesn't even really consider it much again until Ginny goes away for the week to cover some new sport that's going to 'kill Quidditch' and the boys are camping with Charlie and Hugo, leaving him and Lily Lu home alone. The early part of the week they're mostly baking cookies, playing elaborate dragon games in the yard, and dressing up as everything from cursebreakers to faeries.
Until Wednesday, when they're cuddled up on the couch, reading a letter from Ginny, and Lily presses her head against Harry's arm. Her very, very warm head.
"Lily, your head."
She nuzzles against his arm, fingers cool as they wrap around his hand. "I do feel a little funny. But let's finish Mum's letter."
Harry sets the letter aside and scoops Lily up into his arms. "You are burning up. We'll read the rest in a bit."
The fever leaves her compliant as Harry goes about brewing fresh potions, slipping her into pajamas, filling a glass with chilled pumpkin juice, and then tucking her in on the couch. Because you don't get in bed when you're sick, you get to snuggle up on the couch and watch your favorite films, and drink all the soda you want. At least in the Potter household.
Once Lily's dosed up and wrapped in her favorite blanket, she pats the cushion until Harry folds her up in his arms while the wireless plays low and a fire crackles in the grate.
"This is my favorite song," Lily murmurs sleepily against Harry's t-shirt. His fingers card through her sweat-damp hair and he half murmurs, half sings along with the tune.
When her breathing has steadied and Harry thinks she's drifted off, Lily's quiet voice sounds, barely an exhalation against his chest. "Love you."
"Love you, Lily Lu."