Adventures in Your Children Dating

Chapter Four – Lily

Disclaimer: Sadly, I don't own Harry Potter. My student loans still exist.

By the time that Lily had finally finished Hogwarts, the Potter family had grown beyond Harry, Ginny and their children. Albus had married and was expecting his first child, which made Harry and Ginny both feel extremely old despite being in their mid-40's. James was engaged (for the second time) and a wedding date was set for Christmas. Even Teddy and Victoire had their hands full with a toddler. While all three of Harry boys – Teddy had always been an honorary Potter, after all – were grown and out of the house, he still had his little girl at home.

Or so he thought.

For the first year after finishing school, Lily decided to stay at home as she started her training at St. Mungo's to become a medi-witch. Harry and Ginny didn't mind; after all, Ginny had stayed at the Burrow for a couple of years as she started her Quidditch career and Harry had done the same after the war before starting the Auror program.

"I found a flat in Muggle London," Lily announced happily after dinner one evening. "It's close to St. Mungo's, and a few of the others in my program live in the neighborhood, too."

Harry and Ginny exchanged a look. They figured this was bound to happen eventually. "You know you're welcome to stay here until you finish your training, Lils," Ginny said. "It's perfectly alright for you to live at home."

"Your mother and I lived at the Burrow for at least two years into our careers," Harry added.

"I know that, I just-" she paused and blushed slightly, "I really want to do this. We both do."

Both elder Potters raised their eyebrows. "'We'?" Harry repeated. "You and -"

"Scorpius, Dad. We've been together since the end of my fifth year."

Scorpius Malfoy had been a close friend to Albus and Rose through Hogwarts, after the young son of Draco Malfoy had been shockingly sorted into Gryffindor House. While he was nothing like his father (and Harry had suspected that being raised by Astoria Greengrass had something to do with that) and he had spent several holidays at the Potter residence, Harry sometimes felt the old rivalry with Draco rise when he saw the young boy. When Lily announced at the end of her fifth year (the year Albus and Scorpius finished school) that Scorpius had asked her out, Harry had been apprehensive about it. Not that he didn't trust his daughter, he didn't trust others with Lily. She was his only daughter, and found himself being more protective of her than the boys.

Ginny scolded his childish actions each time, and could currently feel his wife's gaze on him now, as though she was silently communicating to keep calm.

"You two want to move in together?" he asked.

"Al and Elise moved in right after finishing school, and so did Teddy and Victoire. Even James got a flat with his friends," Lily said. "I love you and Mum, but I love Scorpius too."

"Are you sure, Lily? I mean, are you ready to have that kind of responsibility?" Harry knew he was searching for some kind of excuse now. Lily had a point when it came to Teddy, James, and Albus.

"Responsibility? James has been engaged twice! My pinky toe has more responsibility than he does!"

"Lily Luna, you know better than to talk about your brothers in such a manner," Ginny scolded.

"It's such a big step, Lils," Harry said, "Have you really thought about this?"

"Yes, Dad, I have."

Harry didn't want to accept this. While he had felt a pang of sadness when each of the children had left for Hogwarts and then moved out, this was different. Lily had always been the baby of the family, always present. When she had decided to live at home while starting her training at St. Mungo's, Harry had been overjoyed. He knew that his children had their own lives to live and he respected that and their decisions (as long as none of them ended up in the Auror holding cell at the Ministry), and that he was being slightly hypocritical of Lily wanting to do the same thing. But Lily finally moving out would solidify the fact in Harry's mind that his children were grown up and would no longer need him or Ginny.

"Harry, she is 18 now," Ginny interjected, sensing that Harry wasn't about to let this go quietly. "When the boys moved out they were the same age."

"I know," Harry muttered. "I know."

"Then why is it so different for me!" Lily demanded. He arms were crossed and she was glaring at her father.

"It's not," Ginny assured her.

"It is," Harry said.

Both Lily and Ginny looked at him with a look that reminded Harry strongly of Molly Weasley. Harry knew he had to elaborate quick before his wife could start yelling. "You're the last, Lils. You've always been the baby of the family, and I know that you hate that," he added as he watched his daughter's face grow redder. "You've always been here. When Teddy, James, and Al moved on, you were always here, and it was a comfort to me. Probably to your mother too. You living here after school made us, made me, feel like we were still important."

He sighed and ran a hand through his greying, unruly black locks. "You finally moving out just makes me realize that you don't need us anymore," he finished lamely.

Lily looked at her father for a few seconds before flinging her arms around his neck, which took Harry off guard.

"You think because we've grown up that we don't need you or Mum anymore?" Lily said. "Dad, James still floos and asks Mum if it's okay to mix blacks and whites in the wash. We'll always need you and Mum, no matter how old we get."

Harry smiled and hugged his daughter tight. Ginny had left the room when Harry had started talking, sensing that father and daughter had needed a moment and was standing at the entrance of the kitchen, watching the two.

"So is it okay?" Lily asked timidly, pulling away from Harry. "Will you and Mum be okay?"

"Well, you are of age, so you really don't need our permission, do you?" Harry answered with a small smile. "But your mother and I will be okay."

"It may even be quiet for a change around here," Ginny joked.

Lily scoffed. "This house, quiet? Teddy has a toddler and Al and Elise have a baby on the way. It's like the Burrow, it'll never been quiet."

As Lily hugged her mother, Harry couldn't help but agree with her. And honestly, he wouldn't want it any other way.

I had promised this final chapter four months ago, so I deeply apologize for such a long delay. I started a new job (yay!) but it has literally eaten all of my time and energy up (boo!), and I'm lucky to sit down and eat before falling asleep.

I read a couple of Next-Gen fics that paired Lily and Scoripus together, and I enjoyed that ship better than Rose and Scorpius. Plus anything to add more worry to Harry and his children makes it better.

I hope you have enjoyed this little ficlet! It was my first time writing anything Next Generation. My other story, Finding Answers will be updated soon!