edited and updated 07-09-2017

Desperation

Part Five:

Longing

July 31st 1999 - Saturday - 2:30 p.m

Lily

The conversation Lily and the girls were having had trailed off and ended a few minutes ago, and she found herself alone staring at the many plants that lined the fence enclosing the yard. Her mind drifted off into the memories of a time much sweeter and easier than now. Times where she spent hours laughing with her best mates after a long day of classes; times where she was unaware of the true cost of war, of loss. She longed, oh how she longed, for the brief time she had with her son, her baby, before everything came crashing down around her. Of course she was beyond happy that he was alive and just a few feet away from her, but it didn't mean she was okay. She had missed everything that happened to her baby in the seventeen years after she died, that it was hard for her face every moment with him now positively.

Lily had been lost in her thoughts longer than she thought because the next thing she knew the backyard was packed with people. Many she didn't recognize, but people like Minerva Mcgonagall who was talking with a tall black man who was dressed in expensive robes, or Slughorn who was pestering Ginny Weasley by the playpen stood out to her. Besides a few other familiar faces, Lily didn't recognize most of the guests and she was starting to feel overwhelmed.

After gathering every last bit of courage she possessed, Lily made her way into the sea of people. She was stopped by a few guests who shook her hand, welcomed her back to life,and smiled at her happily. A more memorable, short man, wearing a brightly covered top hat had gripped her hand too tightly as he shook her hand. He was telling her about how loved her Harry was by the wizarding world and how lucky they were that he was born. It was almost enough to send her running inside to hide for the rest of the night. Luckily she was able to push her way out the crowd to grab some food without much interruption after that. Hagrid and two unfamiliar young adults had seated themselves at the head table in her absence. Both of the two unfamiliar young adults had fair blonde hair; although the female had a darker shade than the male so Lily assumed they weren't closely related. She couldn't see much else of them but the back of their heads at the moment so she could be certain. Ron was bickering with a visibly annoyed Harry as she approached the table.

"Why the bloody hell is Malfoy sitting here?" Ron asked glaring at the blonde who was sitting across from him.

"Because," Harry said hotly. "It's a public statement Ron, we've been over this before."

"I know, but..."

Molly Weasley cut her son off with a look and then whispered, "Enough boys! You can have this argument at a different time."

Lily was noticed as she pulled out her chair next to Harry, who smiled at her before greeting Neville and Hannah as they took their own seats at the table. Only moments later James sat down on her other side; he looked as overwhelmed as she felt. She interlocked their fingers to ease her own anxiety and to comfort him. Andromeda Tonks took one of the last seats at the table a few minutes after James sat down, and helped a little boy into the seat between her and Harry.

"Uncle Harry, who's that?" The boy asked pointing towards Lily. "She's holding your daddy's hand."

Harry laughed and ruffled the boy's hair. "Teddybear that's my mom, why don't you introduce yourself to her?"

"Okay." He said then he leaned over Harry you was in between the two of them and held out his little hand. "I'm Edward Remus Lupin, but I like Teddy better! It's nice to meet you Harry's mommy!"

Lily smiled and shook his tiny hand. Her smile didn't quite reach her eyes, because she knew that the only reason Remus wasn't here with his son- and isn't that crazy- was because he wasn't able to be. She squeezed James' hand knowing that he must have realized this too. She gazed and their joined hands for a moment before looking up when she heard the others at the table greeting someone.A man who Harry called Bill and woman with beautiful silvery-blond hair sat down in the remaining two seats at the table. Lily was glad that she and James knew the majority of the people at the table, even if only by name.

"Harry," Mrs. Weasley said from her seat in front of him. "Introduce everyone to your parents."

Harry gaped at her, red flushing his cheeks; it seemed this never crossed his mind. He cleared his throat, glaring at the Malfoy boy who had started laughing at him and then turned to her and James and smiled sheepishly.

"Uh sorry." he said and gestured to Malfoy and the blond woman beside him. "Draco Malfoy and Luna Lovegood both of them are friends from Hogwarts."

"Potter I wouldn't exactly say we were friends during our school years." Draco said after choking on his butterbeer.

"Yes Harry," Luna said, her voice soft but still heard over the noise of the party. "You two never had a civil conversation until a few weeks after the Hogwarts restoration began."

Lily shared a looks with James, they both had another question to ask their son about what happened when they were dead.

Harry pointed to the woman next to the man named Bill and continued his introductions. "That's Fleur, she's married to Bill. He's the oldest Weasley child. And you've both met Neville and Hannah."

The next few hours were a blur for Lily. Once everyone had ate, the dining tables were moved elsewhere and a makeshift area for dancing and mingling was out in their place. People kept coming up to her and James and telling her all about the things Harry did since starting his first year at Hogwarts. Most of which she forgot about. However some things like how he was the tri-wizard champion, and how he was their savior stuck with her. She really had no time to think much about those things though because someone one else was there talking her something else. When it was finally time for cake, Lily was glad for the reprieve from the other guests.

After being back the tables, Arthur Weasley cut the cake and levitated the first piece to Harry's spot at the table, followed by a whole plate of treacle tarts. Then he sent a piece of cake to every occupied seat.

"Before you all dig in let's sing happy birthday!" Mrs. Weasley said her voice rang out above the rest. "On three."

After that embarrassing and loud ordeal was over, Mr as Mrs Weasley grabbed their own pieces of cake and made their way back to their seats. The next thirty or so minutes after the cake cutting were much like the first few hours of the party. By the time Molly Weasley said that Harry would be opening gifts, Lily was ready to be alone. She had just overheard a conversation Neville had with Ron about Harry and a basilisk and she wasn't taking that very well. It took her ridiculously long to reach her seat by Harry at the head table so he could open his gifts since she was so out of it.

Harry had received many things from his guests, the most memorable items were a toilet seat from George Weasley (he had laughed so hard he ended up crying) and a box of chocolate frog cards from Ron (They were all Harry Potter cards).

"Oi Ron, did you leave me any of the chocolate frogs?" Harry said moodily after he had opened all his gifts.

"Yeah, it's buried under all the cards." Hermione answered for her boyfriend.

"Uncle Ron I gotta better gift than you." Teddy said smugly and pointed at the stuffed reindeer in her son's arms. "Its his pwatnis."

"His patronus isn't a reindeer it's a stag." Ron said immaturely, sticking his tongue out at Teddy.

"He's only three Ron, how is he going to know the difference?" Hermione asked pointedly, glaring at the redhead.

Harry watched the exchange with an amused smile on his face. The trio shared a long look and then the three of them were laughing. After a moment Lily found herself laughing too. For the first time since the party started Lily was actually enjoying herself. A bit of the negative emotions she had been feeling dissipated.

Later, James pulled her into the mass of dancing bodies, pushing through until they were in the less populated corner by the gate that led farther into the Weasley property. Held close in her husband's arms, the rest of her worries slipped away, and all that mattered was that endless moment suspended in time.

I most likely will have more to post tomorrow, but don't quite me on that. Thanks for reading!

Additional thanks to all those who reviewed, favored and followed this story!

-haley