Slytherin's Potter ( Scorpius Malfoy x Lily Luna Potter)

Part 106: The responsibility of a sister

The dinner at Christmas Eve had been a disaster. While Theodore had relieved a bit of tension after James had left, it still left an awkward and tense feeling around the room. James never came back that night, and he didn't show up on Christmas day. With how upset it made their parents, Lily felt like cracking James's skull open, but had kept her mouth shut about how big of a baby he was being. At least for now.

Lily groaned at the sound of a distant but still loud pounding. "What the hell is that?" she muttered.

"Who the hell visits people at one in the morning?" Scorpius groaned. He nudged Lily's shoulder. "Babe, get it?"

"You get it," Lily countered.

"I've got work in the morning!" Scorpius complained. "I need to sleep."

Lily groaned again as she relented and got up from bed, kicking off the blankets. January had come with a storm, and while the flat was warm, she already missed the great comfort of the bed and blankets. Yawning and rubbing her eyes, Lily made her way down the hall and into the living room. The closer she got to the door the more frantic the knocking got, and Lily could hear another sound that her tired brain couldn't make out at the moment. Lily pulled the door open, and she immediately recognized the sound as the wail of an infant.

"She won't stop!" Lola cried as she stepped in.

Lily yawned as she closed the door, blinking as the sound of Melody's cries slowly woke her. "What's wrong?"

"I don't know!" Lola retorted, tears in her own eyes. "I've tried everything! But she's been crying for hours now, and I don't know what to do!"

Lily sighed. "When Jace comes back from visiting his uncle, tell him he owes me," she mumbled. "Ok, give me the baby." Lily took hold of Melody. "Hey, sweetie, why don't we let Mommy have her little breakdown, and we'll make sure there's no fever." Lily took the baby to the kitchen and flipped the light on.

Little Melody was still crying, her blue eyes teary and a little pink. Lily placed her hand on the infant's forehead. "Well you don't feel warm," she murmured. "Must just be colic, huh? Poor thing." Lily hummed softly as she rocked the baby softly. She looked over at where Lola was now sitting on the couch with her face buried in her hands. Slowly Melody's cries began to quiet, and Lily watched as her eyes began to close.

"How did you do that?" Lola whispered as Lily came to sit by her.

Very carefully, Lily passed Melody off to her mother. "You just have to be patient. It's colic. There's really nothing you can do but be patient. Although it is easier with more than one person, so you don't lose your mind."

Lola brushed away one of her tears. "I remember Max being colicky. It was horrible."

"Well when does Jace get back from his trip? It's been a few days now, hasn't it?" Lily inquired. Jace had left on the first of January, and it was the third . . . or rather the fourth, now.

"Not until this evening," Lola mumbled as her head dropped onto Lily's shoulder. "Lily, how do women do this on their own? How do single mothers do it?"

Lily gave her a sympathetic smile. "It'll be ok. Why don't you stay here? You and Melody can take the guest room."

Lola lifted her head, another tear dropping. "Thanks, Lil," she sniffed. "Sorry I came here. It was the closest, and the first, place I thought of."

"It's ok. I'm not doing anything today anyways," Lily assured before yawning. "Especially not now."

Lily didn't get up to make Scorpius breakfast that morning. Instead she just laid under the covers, not bothering to even open her eyes.