Putting The 'M' in Mystery~ Hinny/Jily

Stage Five: Acceptance

"Lily?" asked Ginny softly. Lily flinched. Ginny reached out and touched her shoulder. "James told me about your parents." Lily let out a fresh sob at the word. Ginny didn't come any closer, but leaned against the wall on the other side of the corridor, waiting for Lily's sobs to quieten. "Let me take you to the staff room. You can't stay out here, you'll get trampled on."

Lily said nothing, but allowed Ginny to lead her to the staff room.

_._._._._._

Lily cradled the cup of tea in her hands to her chest. Ginny looked at her closely over the yellow rim of her own mug.

"I've never really lost a loved one before." Ginny told her, knowing that she probably didn't want to talk now, "But I've watched Harry lose nearly all of his. I never know what to say. Usually I end up giving him a clip round the ear for driving me crazy with his silence."

Lily let out a little choking sob. Ginny touched her arm gently.

"I'm really not helping, am?"

Lily gave her a watery smile, and nodded.

"Thought so. Doesn't really help that I'm only seventeen. No older than you."

Lily looked up, surprised. She had assumed that Ginny was the same age as Professor Potter.

"I'm really no good at this teacher thing." said Ginny, examining her own tea. "I've never really felt comfortable with teaching people my own age." Lily felt more relaxed and Ginny's discomfort, and felt as if she were sitting with Alice, or Marnie, or any of her other friends.

"We grew apart when I went to Hogwarts," she mumbled to her cup of tea, "They were so proud when they found out it wasn't a hoax. But I went to school, and I felt..." she trailed off, a tear falling into her cooling tea. "I felt like I didn't fit in any more. I knew all these amazing things and being in suburbia...it just didn't feel right."

Ginny nodded, knowing this had been how Harry felt, on the rare occasions when he tried to put what he felt into words.

"My sister didn't help." Lily continued, beginning to bite her nails. "She always called me a freak. She was horrible to all my friends, and I felt like I hated her. But the awful thing is, we were so close when we were little. She meant everything to me."

Ginny remembered Harry telling her that his Aunt Petunia had always called her sister a freak. They made it seem a thousand time worse that they had once been close. Petunia had obviously pushed her sister away.

"She's engaged now." Lily said softly. "To this total baboon, Vernon Dursley. I hate him."

You're not the only one. Thought Ginny, thinking of the awful memories that Harry had of him.

"I'm glad she's happy."

How the hell can you be glad that someone that horrible is happy? Ginny wanted to shout. Lily was so carring; she really wanted everyone to be happy. But why, when her own sister treated her like dirt?

"Really?"

"Really." said Lily firmly

"Have you heard from her since..." Ginny paused delicately, wondering whether to bring it up.

"Since they died?" Lily snorted. "No. I doubt she'll speak to me again. She holds grudges."

As is obvious. We can see that from Harry's bedroom ten years of his life.

"I'm sure she will," said Ginny unconvincingly.

Ha! I'm sure she won't!

"She won't." There was such conviction in Lily's voice that Ginny didn't bother arguing.