A/N: I needed to write, and this was the best I could do. I am at a stand still with "Dear Harry", and I'll get to it when I get the inspiration. Hope this is enough to tide you over for now, though. Thank you so much to everyone who keeps reviewing my stories. You make my day!
Disclaimer: Harry Potter is owned by J.K. Rowling and a lot of others. Not me. Never me.
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"Dad?" Lily was standing in the doorway to Harry's study, and she was looking slightly worried. Harry looked up from what he was doing and smiled at his daughter.

"What?" he asked and motioned for her to sit down.

"Dad, I have something I need to ask you," Lily said as she sat down. She was looking anywhere but at his face, and Harry knew better than to press her for information, instead he merely waited for her to continue.

"Actually, not really ask you. It's more… no… it's definitely a question." She was talking quietly as if to herself, and when she wasn't talking she was chewing her lip, a habit she had had since she was about two. It was the best way for those who knew her to tell that she was worried about something but trying her best to hide it. Harry eyed her carefully, wondering what kind of problem she possibly needed him to solve now. It wasn't so much that he minded to fix her problems, it was his duty as a father, after all, but she was almost grown-up now, and he couldn't be around to fix her problems forever. Maybe just this once wouldn't hurt, though.

"Dad when did you know that you and mum were meant for each other?" Lily suddenly asked, taking Harry completely by surprise. He opened his mouth as if to speak, but nothing came out. Had she just asked him what he thought she had? Was it possible that his baby daughter… no, it couldn't be. She couldn't mean… He looked at her with open confusion.

"What do you mean?" he asked her, not knowing how to handle this.

Lily sighed, "I mean, when did you know that you were really in love with mum and wanted to marry her? Like, was it before you started going out, or was it after? When you first started to date her, was it just because you wanted to have some fun, or did you know all along that she was the one? And if it was just for fun, then when did you know that you wanted to marry her? And is it a bad thing to just want to have some fun? Can you date someone without actually wanting to marry them? At least not now." The words came rushing out, and Harry couldn't help but feel slightly taken aback at all this.

"I guess I… just knew one day," he said after some time. "When your mother went to Hogwarts to teach I just, I just knew. Does that make any sense?"

She looked at him with an expressionless face. "No, but I think I understand what you mean, nonetheless." She looked at him for the first time since coming into his office, and suddenly Harry realised that his daughter had gone from being his baby girl, to becoming a young woman. When, and how it had happened he had no idea, but there was no denying the fact that it had happened, and now he was completely taken by surprise.

"Lily, is there a reason why you're asking me this?" he said carefully, not sure where his boundaries were.

"No, not really," Lily replied quickly, "I just wondered." She let the last word hang in the air, and she looked away again, and Harry nodded knowingly. So there was a reason. And he was getting a feeling it was a reason he may not be very excited about.

"Actually, I got to go," Lily said and got to her feet. "Thanks, dad." She turned around and left the office before Harry could say another word, and once she was gone he was left staring dazedly at nothing in particular.

It was like this he was found by Ginny half an hour later. She was coming in to tell him that dinner was ready, but when she had tried to talk to him three times without him answering she started to worry.

"Harry, are you listening to me?" she asked and walked to stand in front of him.

"Huh?" He looked surprised to find her there. "Oh, hi, I didn't notice you."

Ginny rolled her eyes. "You're not saying. Is there a problem?"

Harry sighed. "I don't know. Lily was in her before, and we had the most cryptic conversation. She almost could have given Dumbledore a run for his money. Has she talked to you?"

Ginny shook her head. "No she hasn't, but then I was never the one she confided in," she said meaningfully, and Harry smiled. He had always felt a small surge of pride in the fact that he was the one Lily seemed to trust the most of her parents.

"What did she want then?" Ginny asked, and Harry shrugged.

"I don't really know, to be honest. I have a bad feeling, though."

"About what?"

"Gin, do you remember that letter we got from her just before she came home? The one where she told us about the Slytherin boy who had helped her with her arithmancy homework?"

Ginny furrowed her eyebrows. "I guess, is this about him?"

"I don't know, but something tells me it might be."

"Do you want me to talk to her?"

Harry shook his head. "No, something tells me that might not be very clever. I guess she'll tell us when she thinks we're ready to hear it."

"Ready to hear what?" Ginny asked.

"Never mind. We'll let her work it out. Now then, did you say dinner?" He got to his feet, kissed his wife on the hair and headed towards the kitchen, while Ginny was left behind, feeling confused, and also slightly unsettled.

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"Mum," Max wailed, "mum, Lily is glaring at me!"

"I'm sorry, but you're right in front of me!"

"Mum, tell her to stop."

"I can't stop, I would have to turn my head and that hurt!"

"Muuuum!"

"Ok, that's it," Ginny said sharply. "Max, leave your sister alone, she can't look another way. She would have to turn her head and that hurt."

"I already said so," Lily said, and Ginny gave her a stern look.

"Lily, don't be smart."

"What do you want me to be instead? Stupid?"

"You know perfectly well what I meant, young lady. You may almost be an adult, but I am still your mother and you have to respect me."

Lily rolled her eyes. "Whatever."

"Lily has a boyfriend," Max suddenly said, causing the entire table to erupt. Lily looked fit to kill, Sirius was snickering under her breath, and Harry and Ginny looked thunderstruck.

"I do not have a boyfriend!" Lily screamed and reached across the table to punch her brother. Harry interfered by grabbing her arm and forcing her back down on her chair.

"Lily, sit down," he said, "and Max, if Lily has a boyfriend then that's her own business." He gave Ginny a look that spoke volumes, however, and the worried feeling in the pit of stomach grew even larger.

"I don't have a boyfriend," Lily protested, and this time both Sirius and Max snorted. "What? I don't!"

"No, of course, I guess kissing someone doesn't automatically make them your boyfriend," Sirius said with a smirk, causing Lily to leash out against him. Her wand was out and she pointed it at the oldest of her younger brothers.

"Lily, put that down," Harry said strictly, "this isn't Hogwarts, and you are not seventeen yet. Until then the law of underage magic is still in effect."

Lily glared at her father before pocketing her wand. While doing so she mouthed 'later' at Sirius, who put on a face of mock terror. Max was laughing and making rude faces at Lily, while Sirius was chanting "Lily and John is sitting in a tree," under his breath. Lily on her side looked ready to burst into tears. Harry looked at Ginny whom he knew was having problems keeping calm. He surveyed the scene before him, trying to find out who he would send to his room and who he would force to clean up after dinner, when the Weasley genes overtook his wife.

"THAT'S IT!" she yelled. "Max, go to your room. You're not coming back for two hours, and DON'T try and argue with me. Sirius, you go de-gnome the garden with your father, and yes Harry, you are that father." She gave him a look of 'please just do as I say', "and Lily, you will stay here and help me clean up. Now, go!" There were a lot of things happening at once, and after a short while only her and Lily were left in the kitchen. Ginny sighed and closed her eyes. So much for a calm day with no big interruptions.

"Mum, are you alright?" Lily asked eventually.

Ginny opened her eyes and looked at her. "Yes, I'm fine, I just keep hoping that you kids will grow up some day, and then I get so disappointed when you don't." She smiled, "I guess I should have learned my lesson long ago, having six older brothers who still act as if they are ten."

Lily smiled, and Ginny chuckled. "One day, though. One day." She got up. "Now come on, we need to clean this up. And if you help we will be done quickly. Ron and Hermione are coming over later, and I guess you and Catharina want to run off and talk about boys." She put an emphasis on the last word and Lily blushed. Ginny arched her eyebrows and set to clean the table. Then she put it all in the sink before ordering Lily to wash, while she dried.

"I hate how I can't use magic to do this," Lily muttered as she was cleaning out a particularly nasty pot. "Once I turn seventeen I swear I will never do a thing by hand ever again."

Ginny smiled. "I know how you feel. When I turned seventeen, the first thing I did was to offer to do the dishes, and then I watched as it all washed itself. I don't think I have ever felt more accomplished my entire life." She winked at Lily, who giggled.

"I think I will do the same thing. But first of all I am going to hex Sirius with that bat bogey hex uncle George taught me."

Ginny couldn't help but laugh. "The first thing I did, after setting the dishes to clean themselves was to turn your uncle Ron's pajamas into spiders. I don't think I have ever heard him squeal like that." She laughed heartilly at the memory, and Lily looked awestruck.

"Did you really do that? I thought you said you were always nice."

Ginny snorted despite herself. "Sweetheart, I have six older brothers. It's impossible to be always nice. Of course, in comparison to Fred and George I could never do anything wrong, but that doesn't mean I was perfect. In fact, I am quite sure life would have been very boring if I had always been nice."

Lily smiled as she handed the pot to her mother to clean it.

"Oh yes," Ginny continued, "very boring. Hey, did I ever tell you about the time I turned your father into a giant cockroach?"

Lily gaped. "You did not!"

"Actually I did. That was before we started going out, though. We were 'just friends' at that time. Oh dear, I don't think he has ever been that angry with me. Poor Harry. He certainly learned his lesson, though." She laughed and put the pot away.

"Mum," Lily said, suddenly very serious. "You know, what Max said… it's not all untrue."

"Really?" Ginny replied casually.

"Really. There's this guy, his name is John. He was my partner in arithmancy all last year, and the last Hogsmeade weekend before the summer we went together. And although he's not exactly my boyfriend he, umm, kissed me." Her ears went red, a definite sign that she was half Weasley, despite her hair.

"Did he?" Ginny said and tried not to let off any of the emotions she was feeling.

"Yes. It was just outside the portrait of the Fat Lady, before we said goodbye. We didn't think there was anyone there, and it was just a quick kiss, but suddenly Sirius came out of the portrait hole, and I think he saw the whole thing. Or if he didn't he managed to add the missing parts by himself. I made him swear not to tell anyone, and he's kept his promise until now. I didn't mean to get so angry, it was just that he broke the promise, and I don't want there to be any rumours, because I like John and I don't want him to get upset with me." She trailed off and looked up at her mum.

"I see," Ginny said with a warm smile. "And I'm glad to hear that you have found someone. I don't mind at all, in fact I just think it's nice. Heaven knows I had enough crushes as I was going through school."

"But I thought you were only in love with dad," Lily said.

Ginny shook her head. "I was, but I didn't realise this until sometime in the middle of my seventh year. Besides, that didn't stop me from having a crush on someone. Not to mention that your father wasn't very interested."

Lily nodded. "You told me before. He had enough with the war, right?"

"Exactly. He had to get that off his shoulders before he could do anything else. But I knew all along that he was the one for me and so I waited for him until he was ready. And when I finally got him it didn't matter that I had waited as long as I had, because it was all worth it." Ginny shared a smile with her daughter before stroking her hair. "If you really like this boy, then know that your father and I support you a hundred percent. I wouldn't tell your father just yet, though," she laughed, and Lily smiled.

"I don't think I will. Umm, there's one more thing." She dropped her voice, and Ginny suddenly felt cold. "Mum, he's a Slytherin."

Ginny gaped. A Slytherin? How was that possible? Her daughter, with a Slytherin? It couldn't be.

"And that's not all," Lily continued. "Oh please don't get angry, but his last name is Malfoy."

Ginny suddenly got cold all over. She took a few steps backwards and fell down on the nearest chair. She was staring at Lily like she was a stranger, and it took a couple of seconds before she managed to pull herself together.

"I see," she said slowly. "Well, if you really like him."

Lily sighed. "I think I do. But do you understand now why I didn't want to tell you? You look at me like I'm so kind of freak, and I don't even want to think about how dad is going to react. But mum I can't help it. I really like him, and I think he likes me too." Lily's lip was quivering, and Ginny took a deep breath before putting on a smile. She got up and gave Lily a hug.

"It's ok, honey," she said comfortingly. "You can't help who you fall in love with, and just because this boy's father is an absolute prat it doesn't have to mean his son is like that. Right?"

"Right."

"Good. Now then, you're almost a grown woman and I trust you to make the decisions that are best for you. If you didn't think this John was good for you I am positive you wouldn't have chosen him, no matter how in love you are. I do think I should be the one to break the news to your father, though."

Lily nodded. "Thank you. Thank you so much."

"Don't worry about it. Now how about you go freshen up before Catharina comes, and I'll go make sure Sirius and your dad isn't sleeping on the job. And do look in on Max while you're up there will you? Make sure he hasn't done something too stupid?"

"I will. Thanks again, mum."

"You're welcome."

Lily skipped off and Ginny looked after her as she left. She sighed again and put away the wash cloth. A potential boyfriend, a Slytherin, and a Malfoy all in one day. Harry wouldn't be pleased. No, not pleased at all.