A/N: So, I know this doesn't make me popular, but I am SO SORRY THAT IT HAS TAKEN ME THIS LONG TO UPDATE!

Like I said last chapter, I was working exclusively on Outsider on the Inside for the last two months. And NOW IT IS FINISHED! If you are looking for a flare of the dark and depraved, I would look into that one. There is action, cussing, brutality and Battle of Hogwarts. But it is fluffy sometimes. This is probably my most fluffy story. So, if you are looking for something to occupy your time, you can check it out on my profile. And it is a completed work so no waiting for two months for an update. (Again, I am so sorry. I just couldn't get Henria out of my head. She is so pushy.)

We are starting to make headway on Lily growing up. :D I hope this is what you have been waiting for!

Happy reading!

Henny, that lucky Penny!

Growing with Lily Luna Potter

Dear Miss Potter,

I hope that you were just as excited about seeing James and Albus as they were about seeing you. They talked about nothing else on the train. If I didn't find you just as fascinating, I would have been bothered. So, I hope it was a happy reunion.

I was just pondering what you could possibly be up to for the Summer Hols. I know that you keep up with your training; James was complaining about how he has to take you to the gym during the summer. But other than that, I don't know what else you get up to. I am normally found in the back, flying around on my broom. I practice dives or just fly to get a breeze. I do find the heat to be stifling at times and like to wait it out in the air.

I hope to hear from you soon.

Sincerely,
Mister Malfoy

"James and I find it odd that you two are so formal." Albus commented after he was done reading Lily's letter from over her shoulder. A nudge from her sharp elbow had him wincing and rubbing the spot tenderly.

"Well, we don't know each other. It only makes sense." she responded as she set the letter aside to finish her breakfast.

"Then just call each other Malfoy and Potter. It's like Zabini and I at school. Only, we just hate each other. He calls me Potter and I call him Zabini." Albus shrugged his shoulders. Lily rolled her eyes. She hated Zabini too since Lucy told her what he had said about her. If they ever were to see each other, Lily would break his nose and rub the fact that she could break his nose in his stupid, pureblood face. Honestly, the war is over and no one is better than anyone.

"Being formal is what we do. Leave it be, Albie." Lily said with a resigned sigh. Albus put his hands up in a placating manner.

"Fine. You two be odd together." he replied as he pushed from the table and brought his dirty plate and fork to the sink.

"Who's being weird together?" James ask groggily.

"Little one and Malfoy." Albus replied before he dashed out of the kitchen to avoid a hot glare. James stiffened at the implied friendship of his sister and his friend.

"How are you two being weird?" he questioned with an edge to his tone. Lily pushed from the table to place her plate and fork in the sink as well.

"When we write to each other. He and I formally address each other." she responded with a shrug of her shoulders, "I'll be ready in an hour. Mum left you pancakes in the oven. There is a stasis charm she said." Lily informed her brother.

"Thank you. Give a shout when you are ready." he ordered as he eyed a piece of purple paper. Now he understood why Albus was complaining. Lily caught him looking at something and followed his gaze. When she realized it was her letter, Lily snatched it up so James couldn't read it.

"I don't read your mail, you don't get to read mine." she hissed. James just arched an eyebrow at her. Lily ignored the look and marched out of the kitchen to write a letter and prepare for going to the gym.

Dear Mister Malfoy,

My summer so far is well. Yes, my brothers and I had the grand reunion that they had blabbed about on the train. I know that it is hard to listen to them gush about their impaired sister, but they are probably excited they can talk to you about me. It is hard since they only used to talk to our family about me, but they already know everything. The joys of being a close knit family.

How is your summer going?

I can usually be found at the gym. Jamie will drop me off and then wander around the muggle stores. Or he and Albie might get ice cream while I work out. They never venture far since I am so 'defenseless' and petite. Sometimes I wish I had been born first so they wouldn't hover so. But it nice to know that they care enough to be close. Again, having a close knit family is bothersome, but nice.

If I am not at the gym, I can be found at my friend Joy's house. While I love my brothers, I do like to be away from them. They get like that sometimes too, but it is hard for them to leave me be. Being different just causes them to worry more. I don't know how many times I need to punch them until they figure out I can care for myself. But, they who they are.

What else do you do besides fly your broomstick? Do you have any other hobbies besides flying, or friends you occupy your time with?

Try and keep cool! I hear it is going to be a scorcher this year!

Sincerely,
Miss Potter

The month after she had written Scorpius had been filled with sweaty gym work outs and hot showers. The days were hotter and the nights were more humid. Her birthday became progressively closer and Lily was getting progressively more excited. Turning twelve meant that she would be considered in a new age group for competitions. That also meant that going to the gym would be an even more serious affair. Lily couldn't wait to start to train harder and meaner. Lily wanted to win first place in five months. She was determined to win.

James was getting increasingly more excited also. Scorpius would be coming to visit during Lily's birthday week. He was excited to show him around the muggle neighborhood and the shops when his sister is at the gym. When he had made sure it was all right with Lily, she seemed excited. James tried to push it from his mind since he didn't want to spoil a good thing, but it nagged him. He was enjoying that they were getting along, but he was still the older brother. His instincts told him that they becoming friends was going to be a bad thing. What if Lily let him twirl her hair around his finger like Albus? Or what if Scorpius sat by her feet like he did?

Could he handle being replaced by his best friend?

He periodically had to shake his head of those disturbing thoughts. Lily would never replace her brothers, James was sure of that. They were best friends. They knew everything about each other. Well, James and Albus never discussed girls with Lily. She wouldn't be level headed about it. Did Lily have the same worries about girls that James had about boys? Did she fear being replaced by some flavor of the week? Not that James Sirius Potter would ever treat a girl like that. His father had talked to him about how to treat a girl. Most importantly, he had shown James how to treat girls. Harry Potter loved his wife wholly and completely. And James saw that and respected it.

As James sat in the hot, humid gym, watching Lily attack a punching bag like it was trying to steal her favorite toy, he couldn't help but wonder if she would ever accept a girl that James found attractive. When he saw her punch the bag in an aggressive move, he realized she would not. He wondered how Albus handled the thought of Lily dating. Would Albus be the level headed one that he normally is? Would Albus be able to handle letting another boy be responsibly for Lily's safety? Would he be his cool, calm self if this mysterious boy in the future touched their Lily?

No, that wasn't like any of the Potter men. They would never be able to handle that.

Merlin's beard, she can't turn twelve! Because once she turns twelve, she will turn thirteen! And then fourteen! And then she will be bringing muggle boys home and James and Albus wouldn't even be able to threaten him properly with magic because he would be a muggle! It was at that moment in the gym that James was less excited for his sister turning twelve. James felt a wave of panic go through his system. The shock of realizing that his sister wasn't going to stay this small forever hit him like a bludger in the face. James felt sick.

"Jamie, what's wrong?" Lily's voice pushed his troubling thoughts to the back. He felt the sweat beads collecting on his brow and wiped them away hastily.

"Nothing." James replied quickly, "Just really hot here. How is the work out going, firecracker?" he tried to get around the nauseous feeling rolling in his stomach.

"Great! I just finished. Are you sure you all right? You look like you are going to be sick!" Lily was peering into his forest green eyes with concern.

"I'm fine. Let's go then? Where is your bag?" he inquired as he rose from his place on the floor.

"If you say so. I'll go fetch it and then we can push off." Lily replied, sill looking at him with concern. He was really green in the face.

After she collected her belongings, the pair left into the blazing sun. Despite her vigorous exercise with the bag, Lily walked with a bounce in her step and it made James smile dotingly at her. Her bright personality was always a mood lifter for him. He loved that in lieu of her perceived disability, she was still a happy girl. It helped that none of their family never treated her like she had a disability. She may not understand how magic worked, but growing up around it didn't make her ignorant of it. She just let it happen around her and never made it a concern. She may not understand how a swish of a wand was different than a flick, but she understood other things. She understood love and caring. She understood family and marriage bonds. And she understood words.

Her understanding of both worlds helped her be comfortable with the fuzzy feeling of magic swirling around her.

And that just made James love her even more.

"Did you have fun?" James asked as they neared their home. Lily smiled brightly at him.

"Oh yes! I can feel myself getting stronger! I can't wait for classes to begin again! I think I am going to ask Joy to join me next week. I haven't seen her much at the gym. And then we could spar!" Lily babbled excitedly. James grinned widely as he opened the door for his sister.

"Albus? We're home!" James called.

"I'm going to hop into the shower and then I will fix some sandwiches for us." Lily stated as she toed off her sneakers. James hummed his positive response and went in search of his younger brother. He wanted to discuss somethings while she cleaned off her work out.

As James meandered through their huge house, he tried to organize his thoughts. His worries were creeping back into his mind. He would be turning fifteen next month and he could feel his body changing. He realized he was sprouting muscles in places he never knew muscles grew. He could feel hormones starting to spring up in his body. He had caught himself looking at particular assets that girls possess and it worried him that other boys were getting the same feelings. He knew his sister was a pretty little girl, but pretty little girls grow into beautiful young women and the same jealous thoughts were clouding his brain. He needed to talk to someone who cared about Lily the same way he did about them.

It was frustrating being an older brother.

He found his chestnut haired brother in the library, writing an essay for charms. He had a few books spread out on the coffee table and ink stains on his fingertips. Albus had his brow scrunched in concentration as he tried to figure out all the spell affects of some hefty concealment charms. James smirked at his emerald green eyed brother. All he had to do was owl their Aunt Hermione about those. She had mastered concealment charms before she was twenty. But James knew his brother. The thrill of finding the information himself in dusty books was like an adventure in itself for Albus.

"Hey Albus." James interrupted Albus' musing softly so not to startle him. Albus turned his gaze from the book in front of him to his brother, "Do you have a minute?"

"Yeah, just a second. Let me finish this passage and I will be right with you." he murmured his response as his eyes, so much like their father's, shifted back to the book.

James slowly made his way to the overstuffed chair that he favored while in the library. While he used the books in this room for nefarious reasons, he still liked to curl up with a book every now and again in the chair. It was excellent for when he had trouble sleeping and he just needed a book to turn his mind off. The chair was soft and it swallowed his body and wrapped him in comfort. He needed some comfort right now.

Albus sensed his brother's worry and skimmed through the paragraph quickly until he found the words he was looking for. He quickly made note of them in his essay and began making his books so he could return to them when he could. After finishing marking pages, he stacked the books neatly and put a stopper in his ink pot. He looked up to find his brother in his more favored chair. He rose from the floor and padded softly over to the chair next to his brother. He was anxious about what was making his brother so frazzled. It wasn't like James to take life too seriously.

"What's wrong, James?" Albus spoke softly. James stared at the floor while his forehead had a single crease in it.

"She is turning twelve! Do you know what happens when she turns twelve?" James talked to the floor. Albus felt like he missed something.

"She is placed in the next level for the Christmas tournament?" he answered uncertainly.

"She turns thirteen!" James exclaimed, finally training his gaze onto his brother. Albus saw the worry in his forest green eyes. He never saw that in those eyes. James hardly worried about anything. His carefree attitude came from his namesake. Their father told them that Granddad James was a vibrant boy with naught a care while he was in school. He rode with the waves of change and smiled more than frowned.

"I don't understand. How is this a bad thing? We both turned thirteen. I think we both have fared pretty well." Albus shrugged his shoulder, unconcerned with the knowledge that their sister was growing.

And then it hit him.

She was getting older.

James saw the realization leak into his brother's features as he began to piece together the puzzle that was muddling his mind. James watched as the bright green orbs dimmed slightly in thought. Albus looked to be mulling over the taste of the words behind his eyes. James hated the taste of those words. They were bitter and sour. They made his mouth go dry and fuzzy. In a whole, they made him nervous.

"Well, we knew that she would do that. All children grow up." Albus continued slowly, "We can't change that. She can't change that. I can see why her growing up would make you nervous, but terrified? Come on, James. You know how she is. Lily would break your nose, again, for trying to control her."

"She is going to be dating soon!" James tried to talk through the cotton feeling in his mouth, "I can't handle imagining anyone laying hands on her. It makes me sick to my stomach. Why aren't you more concerned?"

"Well, I'm very concerned about it. But it is Lily. She wouldn't need to hex us if we ever made a boy run away. Never mind that she can't use magic, just the thought of her kicking my knee in sends shudders down my spine. I think you are thinking too far into it, James. She has proven time and again that she can deal with irritants herself. Her brothers and most of her male cousins are bigger and stronger than her. She has no trouble bringing us to our knees and begging for mercy. I would be more worried for any boy she chooses to go steady with. What a nightmare for him." Albus tried to soothed the green pallor on his brother's cheeks.

James sighed as he ran a hand through his hair, making it stick up in the back.

"I don't know. I just get images of some faceless prat, twisting her hair around his finger. Or him sitting by her feet as they read books. It bothers me." James braised his elbows on his knees as he leaned over. His face was cradled in his palms.

"Honestly, she still thinks boys are gross. I think we have many more years before we are threatening young men who come calling to pick her up to take her to a film." Albus was trying to calm the pictures that his brother placed in his head. Only he gets to twirl strands of hair around his fingers. Only James gets to sit by her feet when they are relaxing around the house. No one else. The faceless prat was making Albus' cool fade.

"She still thinks boys are gross?" James asked hopefully.

"Yes. I asked Lucy about it. She said that Lily doesn't want to hear about kissing Kian anymore. Lucy likes to tease her about it. She turned thirteen in February, y'know." Albus rubbed the back of his neck. He left a smear of ink. James looked relieved.

"Finnegan shouldn't be anywhere near her. I suppose I will be hexing him when we get back to Hogwarts." James muttered, "But that is a different discussion for another time."

"James, honestly, she is only twelve. We have a good two or three years before she even starts to think about boys. By then, we will have a speech and it will be intimidating and embarrassing." Albus said softly, "Let's go get some lunch. Mum said it was leftovers for tonight. Maybe we can convince Lily to make some sandwiches for dinner also." James sighed.

"I suppose you are right." he said as he lifted his thin frame from his comfortable chair, "Maybe I can convince Teddy to help."

Dear Mister Malfoy,

I'm glad to hear that you have stayed cool. I have not been so fortunate, but that is because I spend most of my time in a hot, sweaty gym. Although, all my hard work has been paying off. I feel really good, but a little sore.

James has been getting excited. He has been talking about you more. He almost can't wait for you to get here. And you get to celebrate my birthday with me! He isn't excited about that part. I heard him talking to Albus and they were complaining about how I was getting older. They don't want me to start dating. I don't see myself doing that anytime soon. I work too much on my Muay Thai to think about boys. I know it sounds odd, but I don't even really look at them. Not that you care, but I just needed to tell someone. All my male cousins get up in arms if the word 'boy' leaves my mouth. And Lucy gets annoying. She is boy crazy and keeps telling me about kissing Kian Finnegan. It is horrible. Why can't my family be normal?

Well, we will be seeing you soon! Stay cool until then!

Sincerely,
Miss Potter