Disclaimer: I do not own J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter, nor do I own Taylor Swift's "Never Grow Up."

Never Grow Up

Eileen smiled sadly down at her little boy. His hand was curled around her pinkie as he lay there, asleep. He was so tiny, so innocent, so peaceful. His eyes twitched, but he had a small smile on his face: no nightmares yet for her tiny one. After she tucked him in, made sure he was safe and warm under the worn old blanket, she turned to the dusty little window and opened the ragged curtains to let in the starlight. His favorite constellation twinkled merrily down at her: his made-up doe that he swore had glittering green eyes, though she couldn't see them.

Your little hand's wrapped around my finger
And it's so quiet in the world tonight.
Your little eyelids flutter 'cause you're dreaming
So I tuck you in and turn on your favorite nightlight.

Eileen smiled sadly down at her little boy. He watched the other children play on the swings and laughed with them, a high, light, musical sound like the birds in the spring or the windchimes on someone else's porch—so carefree, so genuinely happy—and Eileen wanted to capture that music and keep it forever close to her heart.

To you, everything's funny
You got nothing to regret.
I'd give all I have honey
If you could stay like that.

Eileen smiled sadly down at her little boy, and she sang quietly in a trembling voice hoarse from yelling with her husband:

"Oh, darling, don't you ever grow up,
Don't you ever grow up
Just stay this little.
Oh, darling, don't you ever grow up,
Don't you ever grow up
It could stay this simple."

Eileen smiled sadly down at her little boy, and smoothed the poorly-cut, lank hair from his eyes. She wished she could keep him in her arms forever, protect him from everyone in the world, let him stay here, safe and whole, for the rest of his life.

I won't let nobody hurt you,
Won't let no one break your heart.
No one will desert you,
Just try to never grow up.

Never grow up

Severus smiled sadly over at his best friend. It was summer and they were going to the Muggle cinema in the Evans' car, and her face was red in discomfort. Her mum was talking about years ago, long before they went to Hogwarts for the first time, but Lily was bigger than that now—past those childhood Muggle memories. She was a witch; she did magic; she was a Gryffindor—she didn't want to think about normal stuff. And she glanced sideways at Severus, because they only recently had an argument over Dark Arts and Slytherins, and Severus knew they were drifting apart—knew she was going to leave him someday for bigger and better things, because that's what she was born for.

You're in the car on the way to the movies
And you're mortified your mama's dropping you off
At 14, there's just so much you can't do
And you can't wait to move out
Someday and call your own shots

Severus smiled sadly over at his best friend. Don't leave me, he wanted to beg, though he knew she didn't realize that she even was leaving him. Don't leave us, the people who brought you to where you are now—your ladders. We're still here, and we l—but of course, he could never say the L-word to her. He wondered if sometimes she forgot how they danced about in excitement the weekend before their first year began, back when they did everything together.

But don't make her drop you off around the block
Remember that she's getting older too
And don't lose the way that you dance
Around in your PJs getting ready for school

Severus smiled sadly over at his best friend on the way home. She was asleep, so he sang in a quiet, uncertain voice, slightly off-key:

"Oh, darling, don't you ever grow up,
Don't you ever grow up
Just stay this little.
Oh, darling, don't you ever grow up,
Don't you ever grow up
It could stay this simple."

Severus smiled sadly over at his best friend. She was so lucky, he thought, not to be him. Her life was perfect, full of joy, full of innocence. Nobody ever even wanted to hurt Lily. He wanted to paint her against the stars and keep her that way forever. Right there in the night sky, sparkling lights in the darkness, never to be out of his sight.

No one's ever burned you,
Nothing's ever left you scarred.
And even though you want to,
Just try to never grow up.

Lily smiled sadly down at her baby boy, who peered about the nursury in joy. Things were changing, the war was raging, and she never could be quite certain that where they lived today would suffice for living safely tomorrow. She ran her hand over her son's untidy hair and hoped that he would remember this room when he was older—remember the happiness and love that surrounded him here. Downstairs she heard James enter the house and shut the door behind him softly, and then she heard the soft swish of his Invisibility Cloak as he removed it. Remember that, Harry, she whispered in her mind. Remember these days, remember all the loving words we coo at you, remember all the little melodies I sing to you when I'm trying to get you to sleep. The world's changing, and even if everything turns out fine, it'll still be different—you'll be bigger, older, less innocent. She sang to him a lullaby she had heard once or twice—from where, she was unsure.

Take pictures in your mind of your childhood room
Memorize what is sounded like what your dad gets home
Remember the footsteps, remember the words said
And all your little brother's favorite songs
I just realized everything I had is someday gonna be gone

Harry smiled sadly as he sat down by the tree, holding Hermione's wand uneasily in his hand. He gazed off into the forest, lost his eyes in the darkness that surrounded him. He shivered in the cold, even though he was wearing every sweater he owned. He shifted the cushion he was sitting on and tried to get comfortable against the rough tree trunk. Everything was black; the starry sky was hidden from view by trees and heavy clouds.

So here I am in my new apartment
In a big city, they just dropped me off.
It's so much colder than I thought it would be
So I tuck myself in and turn my nightlight on.

Harry smiled sadly. The locket lay heavily against his chest, and he missed Ron and Ginny and the parents he never got to know. He whispered quietly, cautiously with the winter wind:

"Wish I'd never grown up.

Wish I'd never grown up.
Oh, I don't want to grow up,
Wish I'd never grown up
Could still be little.
Oh, I don't want to grow up,
Wish I'd never grown up
It could still be simple."

Eileen smiled sadly down at her little boy as he reached up to touch those stars.

Oh, darling, don't you ever grow up,
Don't you ever grow up
Just stay this little.

Severus smiled sadly over at his best friend as she started to sprout wings to fly away.

Oh, darling, don't you ever grow up,
Don't you ever grow up
It could stay this simple.

Lily smiled sadly down at her baby boy as the darkness tried to close in upon them.

Won't let nobody hurt you,
Won't let no one break your heart.
And even though you want to,
Please try to never grow up.

Harry smiled sadly as his sons, aboard the Hogwarts Express, pulled out of the station.

Don't you ever grow up.
Just never grow up.

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