Song: "The Middle" by Jimmy Eat World (I could not stop listening to it as I wrote this chapter!!)
Chapter 7: Little Girl, You're In The Middle Of A Ride
Lily woke up in her bed the next morning with a splitting headache and a dreading feeling. She looked over at her clock, it read one in the afternoon. The last thing she clearly remembered was throwing up all over, after that it got very fuzzy. She saw on her bedside a glass of water and a small bottle entitled "Hangover Remedy". She took the recommended dose and drank some water before putting on her robe and heading downstairs. She walked slowly into her kitchen and saw Ginny, Harry, Albus, James, Emma and Ben all sitting at the table. Everyone looked at her when she walked in and James' face broke into a smile.
"Well good morning! Oh no, look at that, it is the afternoon!" He said and Lily bit her lip. "And how are you feeling baby sister?"
"Peachy." She responded. "Listen James, Emma, everyone, I am so-"
"Don't even go there," Emma said, waving her hand and smiling. "That made the night!"
"But aren't your parents furious?" Lily asked, confused at why everyone at the kitchen was smiling slightly, no one was cross. "Once you marry James, we'll be related. Aren't they ashamed to have me associated with them?" Her bottom lip started to quiver and Harry got off of the chair and wrapped his arms around his daughter.
"Darling, no one would ever think that. And if they do, then it doesn't matter." He said, rubbing her back slightly.
"Trust me Lily, you won't ever have to worry about my parent's approval," Emma said sincerely.
"They don't even approve of James!" Ben said laughing.
"It's true." James answered, and Lily looked at him, starting to smile. "But guess what? I don't approve of them! They throw lame parties."
"No Quidditch, no cake," Ben counted off on his fingers.
"Everyone has an embarrassing moment," Ginny told her daughter, motioning for her and Harry to sit down. "Now as your mother, I am telling you that drinking like that is dangerous and you were lucky you were surrounded by family who knew how to take care of someone in that state-,"
"Because we've all had lots of experience being there." James said with a grin.
"Like on James' sixteenth birthday when I took care of him," Emma said with a laugh.
"Or on Emma's twentieth when it was the other way around," James reminded, causing Emma to flush.
"MY personal favorite is Albus' seventeenth. All I have to say is Three Broomsticks, karaoke and a lack of dancing skills," Ben announced and the table erupted in laughter.
"He gets that from his mother," Harry said with a cheeky grin at Ginny who reddened. "Hermione says you introduced yourself as the lost Weird Sister at your bachelorette party."
"Hermione neglected to mention she and Angelina sung back up!" Ginny defended herself and she looked at her daughter. "You can ask your aunts about that one,"
"I will," Lily said smiling, feeling blessed about her family. "So, erm, what happened after I…you know," She said and Albus opened his mouth to answer.
"Well Ben picked you up and carried you out of the ballroom and I did a quick cleaning charm to the floor. And then Ben and I Apparated you back here and put you to bed,"
"Your Uncle George popped by an hour later with that hangover potion," Harry told her. Lily nodded, still feeling small in her father's eyes.
"Thank you," Lily said, looking around the table. Her eyes last landed on Ben and he winked at her.
"Silly Lily," he said and she couldn't help smile. "Anyway, who wants to know what I am doing this week?"
"What?" Emma asked warily.
"I'm getting a car!" Ben exclaimed and he was met with six confused faces.
"Why?" Albus was the first one to ask, but the other faces showed the same question. "You can Apparate."
"Not when he goes on dates with Muggles," James commented.
"You go on dates with Muggle girls?" Harry asked, interested.
"I like to mix it up," Ben shrugged.
"Or he's just dated all of the witches his age in London." Emma teased and Ben gave another shrug but grinned. Lily was feeling her headache come back.
"So that's why you're getting the car then?" Ginny asked. "For when you date Muggle girls?"
"Nah, that's only a perk. I want a car to drive around and look cool." Lily and Emma exchanged looks, trying to suppress their laughter.
"Maybe you can enchant it to fly!" James said, excited, looking at his dad and remembering a story he once told them.
"Absolutely not." Harry said, remembering the outcome of that same story. "How are you getting this car?"
"My dad is getting a new one so he's giving me his," Ben explained. "It's awesome, it's from the turn of the 21st century, a Land Rover. So I can drive on rocky terrain."
"Yes, because living in London you run into so much rocky terrain," Emma rolled her eyes.
"You'll be singing a different tune when I roll up to your flat in my fresh wheels," Ben told her.
"Can you even drive?" Albus asked.
"Sort of." Ben answered. "How hard could it be?"
"I fear for the Muggles that happen to be on the same road as you," Lily said, giggling.
"For that, Lily-flower, you will never ride shotgun." Ben stuck his tongue out at her and she returned the gesture.
"I want to learn to drive!" James announced
"NO!" Harry, Ginny, Emma and Albus said simultaneously.
--
Ginny took off work later that week and she and Lily went to go see James' match against the Tornados.
"I still can't believe my brother plays professional Quidditch," Lily said in awe as the team warmed up before the match. "Do you miss playing?"
"Yes and no." Ginny answered. "I love Quidditch and playing it professionally was a dream come true, but I like my job now. And I like not being away from your father all of the time," she added, a dreamy look fleeting across her face.
"Twenty five years," Lily smiled. "I still think you two have the most romantic story ever."
"Falling in love with my older brother's best friend… yes it is a classic." Ginny noticed the blush that crept up on Lily's cheeks as she stared into the horizon. "It's nice to have Ben around a lot this summer, isn't it?"
"When was he ever not around?"
"I just notice that he seems to be over more," Ginny said. "And he stays longer." Lily bit her bottom lip. "Care to enlighten me as of the reason?"
"I don't know what he's feeling," Lily said, determinedly not looking at her mother.
"Well what are you feeling?"
"I feel…like it's different between us. Not in a bad way, just in a…a confusing way. I mean I don't fancy him. I can't." Lily added the last part unintentionally, but she still felt that way.
"Lily, you can't help how you feel." Ginny told her. "And Ben can't help it either. And if the two of you are feeling the same thing-"
"Mum," Lily interrupted. "I can't. James would…I couldn't do that. I won't do that. No matter how I feel." She said, trying to convince both her mother and herself.
"I understand. But Lily?" Ginny said as a last thought before the match began.
"Yes?" She answered.
"Just follow your heart. Eventually it all works out." Ginny turned back to the match and cheered James' name. And although Lily watched the entire match, she couldn't remember a bit of it for her mind was concentrated on a blue eyed boy
--
A honk sounded outside of Lily's window the next morning and she awoke with a start. She peered out and saw a navy blue Land Rover and Ben waving manically from the front seat.
"Come check it out!" He called
"I'm in my pajamas!" She called back with a laugh.
"I don't care!" He answered and she shrugged and disappeared from the window and came out to the care. When she walked down the path, Ben wondered if he should have told her to put clothes on. She wore pink shorts with hearts all over them and a snug white camisole top. Thankfully, she had thrown a zip up hoodie around her shoulders. Her light red hair was piled on top of her head in a messy bun and she wore slippers.
"Wow!" She exclaimed. "This is wicked!"
"And for that reaction, you get the first ride." He said, offering the front seat to her.
"I thought you said I'd never ride shotgun?" she teased.
"Guess I changed my mind then," he said, one eyebrow raised.
"Lucky me," Lily said flirtatiously and she climbed into the front seat.
NEXT: The Car Ride ;) Reviews = chapter posted sooner!!!