m&mwp.
Most people didn't understand why Lily Luna, of all people, had offered to help her brother and cousin at the joke shop after school. It was true that her grades had been below average, but even she could find something better to do than stand behind a counter all day. The truth was that the things that she'd excelled were too scattered to get her any decent job.
Actually, they hadn't helped her to get anything that she'd wanted.
"Fred and I've got to go out for a bit." James, her older brother, threw off his cloak and nodded at his sister. "Shouldn't be too busy anyway, but just make sure the building doesn't burn down, yeah?"
She waved them off without a second thought. "Even I can take care of a joke shop," she teased.
As they shut the front door, she placed her head in her hands and sighed. This happened every Tuesday without fail. While James and Fred went to collect more ingredients, she would be left to man the shop—something that many kids used to their advantage during the holidays.
During the school term, however, the shop had very few visitors. Of course, there would a decent amount of curious customers per day, but nothing compared to the Christmas Rush.
The Christmas Rush—the most dreaded time of the year. She'd only been working at the shop once during Christmas Rush, and that was way back when she was a young girl, bouncing around the place and shoving Pygmy Puffs into the arms of anyone and everyone.
Lily looked up at the ding of the bell that hung above the entrance.
"Didn't think you'd be coming here," she said with a smile.
After taking in his ragged appearance and the slight limp he seemed to have adopted, her smile disappeared. Lily hurried in front of the counter, offering the man her arm to lean on.
"Rough night, huh?" she murmured sympathetically. "Hasn't anyone been brewing you Wolfsbane? I thought Aunt Hermione was on to it."
"Hermione's out of town, remember?" Remus snapped, a lot harsher than he had intended. "I actually came to ask you for some of that potion that your brother brews. Does a damn miracle for the aches, that does."
He was lying through his teeth. He hadn't come for some blasted potion. Oh, yes, he appreciated it—of course he appreciated it. But still, the potion was definitely the last thing on his mind as he followed her into the backroom.
Remus watched her carefully as she stood on a small stepladder, reaching for the small glass bottle on the highest shelf.
"Ah! Here we go!" Lily beamed down at him, throwing the bottle down to him much to his protest.
"You'll break something one day," he reprimanded, painfully aware of the fatherly tone that had crept into his voice.
She didn't seem fazed though and shrugged. "It's not my loss. Drink up."
He watched her with outmost curiosity as he hesitantly sipped at the potion. She in return tapped her fingers against the wooden bench impatiently, waiting for him to finish.
"Remus, why didn't you ask me to brew it?" she asked. "You know I'm more than capable." She walked around the bench and placed her hands on his shoulders, massaging them gently before adding quietly, "Last night must have been hell."
"Potions were never your thing, Lily."
Laughing, she corrected him: "I'll have you know I got Outstanding for Potions in seventh year. The professor even wrote a special note to express how adequate my Wolfsbane was."
She sighed, removing her hands. "I wish you'd let me take care of you."
Remus twisted in his seat and gazed at her for a moment. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but then quickly clamped it shut, handing her back the vial in silence.
"What's the harm in me making the potion for you?" Lily demanded to know. "It's not as if you don't come to me when you haven't taken it and have subsequently clawed yourself to pieces."
"It's not your job to take care of an old man like me."
The teenager scoffed. "I know it's not my job. My job is to take care of my brother's joke shop. It is, however, something I want to do."
As she said the words, she dabbed at a gash of his arm and then muttered a spell, marveling at her handiwork as the skin stitched itself together. Healing spells and various potions were perhaps the only thing she'd ever paid attention to at school. Whenever people had asked her way she had replied simply, "They're more useful for me."
It was only ever her father and brothers that understood what she meant though.
"And you're not that old," she whispered. "You still have some life left in you yet."
Remus laughed. "I'm old enough to be your grandfather, yet I'm not that old? Have you finally lost your mind, little Lily Luna?"
"I'm not little either!"
She attempted to cover the hurt in her tone by turning her back on him and placing the now empty bottle on the wooden bench. Clenching her hands together, Lily frantically blinked her eyes, trying to hold back the tears that were forming.
"Lily?" Remus asked hesitantly. "Lily, what's wrong?"
"I just don't see the difference between Aunt Hermione and me making you the potion," she muttered after a moment. "I know she's older, but that doesn't automatically make me completely incapable of making it, Remus."
For once in his life, he was speechless and he still hadn't managed to squeeze out a word or two when she swung around, red hair flying, to face him.
"It's just..." Lily trailed off, knowing that this was the time to make things blatantly obvious to the man. And so she took a step forward, cupped one cheek in her hand and then kissed the scar that ran from the ridge of his nose to the side of his neck. "It's just that I want to take care of you. And I wish you'd let me."
She pulled herself away from him, blushing as she attempted to hold his gaze. "Please, please let me take care of you, Remus."