"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.
"Well, Lily. You know you have us. Your friends, teachers – well some of them at least. Maybe you don't feel like pouring out your emotions to Professor McGonagall, say, but I'm always here, and so is Harry."
Ginny paused, but then decided to take a chance.
"And James."
Lily's head snapped up from her cup of tea. "What, Potter?"
Ginny ignored her negative reaction and nodded.
"He really cares about you, you know, Lily. Stop pushing him away, and you might be surprised."
Lily could hardly believe that she was taking advice on her love life from a teacher.
She went a little red.
"I think I'll go back to class now." Lily said hastily. Ginny knew she wasn't ready to back yet, but if she was anything like her son, it would be pointless trying to dissuade her.
"If you're sure." she said gently, letting Lily stand up, and put her full mug of tea down. She walked down the corridor so fast that Ginny had to jog to keep up with her.
_._._._._._
"What was that all about?" asked Harry softly, as the students left the room, Lily's friends running up to her, demanding to know what the matter was.
"Her parents were killed by Death Eaters."
A look of genuine sadness crossed Harry's face, and for the first time, Ginny realized that they had been Harry's grandparents.
"I'm sorry."
Harry shrugged. "It's Lily I'm sorry for. At least I grew up knowing my parents were dead. She just got it like a punch in the stomach."
"I dropped in a few not so subtle hints about James."
Harry looked disbelieving that anyone could be insensitive enough to talk about that right then, but then sighed, realizing that Ginny could. "Better now than never, I suppose." he said resignedly. "I'm beginning to get scared that they aren't going to get together. And I think it would be frankly perverted to try to set up your parents."
Ginny nodded in agreement. "We'd better just let fate take its natural course. And occasionally give it a swift kick in the arse if it doesn't move along fast enough.
"Excellent idea. Now who's next?"
"Ravenclaw first years," said Ginny gloomily.
"Huzzah."
The class walked in excitedly, desperate to learn something. Harry grimaced at their enthusiasm, slapped on a smile and turned to face his over eager class.
"Now." he said, "Who's heard of the leg locker curse?"
_._._._._._
"Say that again, Prongs." said Remus, staring incredulously at his friend.
"Her parents had just been murdered, so I comforted her and gave her a hug." repeated James irritably.
"No, no, no!" said Sirius sounding horrified, "You were supposed to be mysterious and aloof, not sweet and caring!"
"Shut up, Padfoot!" said James, sounding furious, "It wasn't about scoring with Lily! I've given up on her!"
Sirius fell silent.
"Well, Prongs, you actually did the right thing. She needed a shoulder to cry on, and you gave her one. Well done." Remus looked at James with respect.
"Thanks, Moony. That actually means a lot to me. But I'm not trying to snag Lily. It isn't what she needs right now."
He got up and crossed the Common Room, disappearing up the boy's staircase.
"Stage Five." whispered Remus in awe, "Acceptance."
"Speaking of matchmaking." said Sirius cheerfully, "Had any ideas on Operation Set Up Teachers?"
"A few," said Remus vaguely. "The problem is, every time I think of one, they come up with a bit of banter or flirt so outrageously that I know it wouldn't work."
Sirius stared at him. "You can't think of any? You can't think of any? What kind of relationships guru are you?"
Remus settled back in his chair, a patronising smile on his face.
"One completely at loss when it comes to two completely insane Defence Against The Dark Arts teachers. But for something vaguely resembling a normal relationship, I'm still good."
Sirius shrugged. "Fair enough."
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