"I've got a message for you!" She grins happily, falling into step with him easily.

"You've got to hurry, Lils, I promised I'd help your dad." Teddy doesn't even try to hide his smile at the familiar face of his (best) friend.

Lily takes a crumpled piece of paper from her pocket, says "I had to ask Dominique for some help" before reading out loud:

"Tu," she points at Teddy, then adds "es un perdant."

"What's that mean?"

She smiles. "Guess."

They are sitting on the staircase, waiting for Christmas dinner. Lily, with her hair in messy plaits down her shoulder blades and Teddy, his hair bright blue (just the way she likes it).

"Happy Christmas, Ted," she whispers, as if the words are a secret she wants nobody else to hear.

She leans her head against his shoulder and Teddy smiles at the familiarity of the action.

"Yeah," he says back, just as quietly, "Merry Christmas, Lils."

"Then he started yelling and I think he would have killed Scorp, if it wasn't for Aunt Hermione. The only time I've ever seen him that angry was the time Hugo asked for a tattoo."

Teddy laughs, watching Lily turn upside down so her hair touches the floor. "Well, Scorpius isn't exactly a family friend," he says, twirling a strand of her hair between his fingers.

"But Rose loves him, and that should be enough for Uncle Ron."

"She's his little girl, Lil. He just doesn't want her growing up. I'm sure it would be the same for your dad when you fall in love."

Lily stays silent at that, and Teddy doesn't question it.

She's graduated from Hogwarts and Teddy has no complaints about spending so much more time with her. The sit in a muggle ice cream shop, sharing chocolate ice cream (what else?) and talking about anything that comes to mind.

"But I will miss the pancakes," Lily says seriously, hitting his arm as he laughs at her grave expression.

"No, I'm being serious! Teddy! Stop laughing!"

"I'm not" splutter "laughing" chuckle "honestly!"

"I hate you," she grumbles, crossing her arms and glaring at him.

"No you don't," he says, spreading his fingers over the tabletop.

"No I don't." She agrees, resting her fingers over his.

They sit side by side of the sofa, heads touching, watching the commotion around them. It's familiar, like a comfort blanket, and Teddy thinks I am happy. Ginny is laughing at something James has said, and when Lily turns to him to speak, her mouth is close enough to kiss.

Their feet dangle over the edge of the roof as they sit, hands almost (but not quite) touching.

"I wish I could fly," she whispers, looking upward to the clouds, her red hair falling around her like a broken halo.

"The birds would be lucky to have you," he replies, his eyes following an airplane as it lights up the sky, leaving a momentary trail behind.

Flying, he thinks, will always end in a fall.

Lysander is tall and blonde (and the same age).

He holds her hand and says things like "oh, we went to school together" and "you're beautiful."

Teddy watches them and learns how to hide his jealousy - except from James and Albus, who sit with him and tell him to man up. And Ginny, who gives him a smile that says too much and too little all at once.

Two weeks turns into a month, and he waits (im)patiently for Lily to tell him they're broken up but it never happens, and he realises that maybe he's too late.

"We all know you love her, Ted." Albus tells him.

Teddy says nothing.

Lily rings him up three weeks later and for a terrifying moment Teddy hears "we're engaged!" instead of "I broke up with him," which is what she says without a hint of sadness.

"Are you … okay?" Teddy keeps his voice level, not wanting to sound too cheerful.

"Oh shut up, Teddy."

She hangs up without saying anything else.

He gives her three days before he apparates to the Potter house, unannounced and quite possibly uninvited.

Ginny is in the kitchen and smiles, welcoming and familiar.

"Lily is upstairs," she says without hesitation.

Teddy nods, thanks her and heads upstairs to the room where he spent most of her childhood. She is curled up on her bed and Teddy thinks that this is the weakest he has ever seen her.

"Go away, Teddy."

He wonders how she knows it is him without even looking, and sits beside her.

"Is this about Lysander?" He questions, and she sits up, her eyes blazing with anger, her expression fierce.

"Teddy Lupin, you are the stupidest boy I have ever met!" She cries, and then (without warning) she crushes her lips on his, pulling him to her.

"So … this isn't about Lysander?" He asks later as they lay side by side, fingers entwined.

"Shut up, Teddy."

He does, but this is probably because her lips are once again on his.

(He doesn't complain)