Awkward run ins with Roger's girls.

[melodicmaeve]

It was the day after the article in the Prophet, and as paranoid as Maeve could have let herself become about what happened in Hogsmeade, she was trying to just see it as a horrible one off event. It was tragic, but she wasn't going to let it get in the way of her life, or Lily's, so today they were out in Diagon Alley, grabbing lunch and doing

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[lavender_x]

Lavender had been doing a coffee run after her morning session with the team, needing much more caffeine in her system if she was going to make it through the afternoon. It was a beautiful day for November and she was feeling overly optimistic about being back in England. But then she heard it...

Her name was being called over and over again as she crossed the street, the voice only getting closer. When she looked up, Lavender saw them and her stomach sank. There was literally no way to avoid this. She took a deep breath and took those last final steps towards Maeve and the adorable seven year old that had Roger's smile.

"Hey, what a coincidence..." she started, giving her a tight smile.

[melodicmaeve]

"Uh huh." Maeve nodded with a slightly awkward smile, aware her daughter was beaming at this outcome. "Sorry, we didn't mean to embarrass you or anything..." Maybe they could all get through this quickly...

"I'm Lily, and you're Lavender. You're friends with my dad!" Or not. It wasn't going to get less embarrassing with the excitement of Lily fuelling it, was it? "But you're meant to be in another country taking pictures! What country were you in?"

Giving the little girl a small squeeze, Maeve tried to work out how to shut Lily up..... and then felt awful for even thinking about it. "I'm sure she's just got back, let's not go overloading her with questions already, sweetie." What was she meant to say now? "I mean it's nice to see you. Visiting family?" Oh great example, tell your daughter not to overload her with questions then ask one yourself.

[lavender_x]

Lavender was about to tell Maeve it was really okay, but Lily was going about a mile a minute. The head rose up in her cheeks, realizing that Roger had told his daughter so much about her.

"I was in a lot of different countries," she explained to Lily, trying to to go into too much detail. But it was hard not to when she was looking up at her with those big eyes.

She turned her attention back to Maeve, trying to get her head on straight.

"Actually, I'm on a new assignment....local. I got back just in time for the Reunion Ball actually," she told her, the words spilling out. Lavender looked from Maeve to Lily and tried to keep that sinking feeling out of her chest. This was a bit of an emotional overload. "I'm back in town...permanently."

[melodicmaeve]

If there was one thing to say for Lily, it was that she was hard to resist at the best of times, never mind when she had her mind set on something she wanted to know more about. Luckily she had a lot of patient adults in her life. Also luckily, she sometimes knew when to just let the adults talk, and she just looked up, looking between her mum and Lavender as they spoke. For now.

"That was good timing. I hope you enjoyed the ball." The ball.... a blonde, a blast from the past, the year below Maeve. The pieces clicked together and she had to stop herself from laughing. "It must have been nice to catch up with Roger, you did catch up, right?" Oh, she was going to have to whack him if he was falling back in love with Lavender. The last thing she wanted was him getting his heart broken if she took off again.

A small voice piped up. "Are you staying with my dad?"

[lavender_x]

"Yes, we had plenty of time to....catch up," Lavender assured Maeve, realizing that she must at least know the gist of what had gone on between them. It wasn't as if nobody could have seen them at in their little corner at the ball. "But I've actually just come from his practice...I'm the Magpies new photographer."

Lavender help up her camera bag, just for good measure. She realized that this was not going to be their first run in, not at all. Especially if Maeve liked to bring Lily to her father's games.

"No, I'm not staying with your dad," she said, turning to Lily, her voice much softer. Then Laveder grinned even wider. She just couldn't help herself. "I'm staying with a good friend George Weasley. One of the guys who owns the joke shop in Diagon Alley."

[melodicmaeve]

"That explains his happiness when I asked about the ball." She nodded, trying to keep the tone of everything light. "He said he'd been catching up with someone from his past, just not who. That must have been quite some surprise. A good one I'm sure." Things were always bound to be awkward when she finally saw Lavender again, but the added 7 year old ears made it even more strange. Things probably needed to be said that just couldn't be discussed in front of Lily.

Then again, she made for a good subject changer too. "I love the joke shop! Mum helps me buy pranks there and then we play them on people, especially dad and Uncle Eddie!" Lily's eyes shone with amusement at that, one of her favourite things to do. "Does Mr Weasley have lots of jokes in his house?"

[lavender_x]

"Surprise is an understatement," Lavender told her, keeping her tone light and as pleasant as possible. Though, it came as a bit of a slap in the face that Roger was running around telling Maeve about his night - even if he was leaving her name out of it. After all, it really wasn't that difficult to put the pieces back together once the news of Lavenders return would get out. Her low-key return had ultimately blown up in her face. But there was no turning back now. "We just got so....wrapped up in each other."

Again, she turned back to Lily. There was no denying she was adorable.

"Oh, George has more jokes in his house than the shop! I think he's working on a few new ones for the Christmas Holiday," Lavender told her, knowing the twins were always working on something new. "When he makes a really good one, how about I try to get it to you before it hits the shop? ....That is, if your Mum and Dad don't mind."

[melodicmaeve]

"He always did have a soft spot when it came to you." That was what worried her. What if Lavender decided she couldn't handle it and took off again? Maeve might not be in love with Roger , but she cared about him, and she wasn't sure how he would cope with that happening again.

Even worse was the idea of her getting close to Lily and then leaving. Already the little girl was looking up at her mum, begging with her eyes to be allowed what Lavender offered. "How could I say no to something like that? Thank you, Lavender." It was a sweet gesture, she had to admit.

"That is so awesome! Thank you!"

[lavender_x]

Lavender felt herself blush. It was true - but it also went both ways. Roger made Lavender melt and she had never stopped thinking about him.

"It goes both ways," she assured Maeve, making sure to make direct eye contact when she said it. The only reason she had left was because she thought he had truly moved on.

"Don't thank me," she said, laughing at the idea of getting Roger's daughter all these crazy jokes from the shop. Maybe it wouldn't be as hard getting to know Lily has she originally thought. "Anything that makes your...dad crazy is well worth it." Lavender gave Lily a wink, trying to cover up her fumble. Those words felt strange on her tongue.

[melodicmaeve]

Maeve wanted to ask how she could feel like that and still have disappeared for so long with no contact, but now wasn't the best time. "That usually helps." Maeve joked instead, but her eyes searched the other blonde's, hoping it was the truth and a good thing in the long run.

"I'm safe, Lils and I work better as a team against others than against each other. Right?" "Right!" Lily agreed, mother and daughter giving each other a high five and laughing. Maeve couldn't hold Lav's stumble over those words against her. It was strange, and she hadn't been around to get used to it over the last 7 years like others had. "Maybe you can join our team sometimes though if you're going to be sticking around now though." Almost a peace offering, and one Lily was nodding and grinning in agreement with.

[lavender_x]

Her offer actually left Lavender speechless for a moment. She looked at them both, nodding her head slowly. They had all really become a little family. Lavender wondered what had kept Maeve and Roger for ever trying to be together, with a connection like their daughter between them.

"That would be great," she said finally, still a little shocked. "And ya know, I know all of Roger's deep dark secrets...I used to play tons of tricks on me when we were your age." Lavender laughed, remember how she would sneak into Roger's room to pour itching powder in his sock drawer. "I might even have a picture from that time I turned him bright orange!"

[melodicmaeve]

Maeve couldn't lie, the thought had crossed her mind that maybe she and Roger should have tried to make things work as a couple too, for the sake of Lily. That wasn't them though. They worked like this, as friends, andnthat was more stable than them trying more.

"Sounds like we were lucky to run into you then. Maybe we can share trade secrets." Perhaps less than perfect words to use, but it could be taken either way. Lily's giggling at the idea of an orange Roger kept things innocent. "He won't know what hit him later."

[lavender_x]

Lavender's tight smile returned as she was pulled back to the present. She felt like there was a tug-of-war inside of her and it would eventually rip her apart.

"Well have to see about that," she told her, her voice steady and even. "I wouldn't want Roger getting too upset with me after all this time. Especially since I'm hoping to make this permanent." There was definitely a double meaning to her words as well.

[melodicmaeve]

"Yeah...." Things were never going to stay pleasant and easy for long were they? There was too much history, history that maybe they all needed to air at some point, but not right now. "Well Lily has class soon, so we might have to say goodbye for now, but I'm sure we'll run into each other again. Maybe coffee sometime." She could see Lily making faces out of the corner of her eye, making Maeve laugh softly. "For us adults anyway, because we like our icky drink."

[lavender_x]

"It was great to meet you, Lily!" Lavender told her, a big bright smile on her face. There was so much of Roger in her. It made her smile and her heart ache all at once.

She reminded herself to keep things pleasant. They would be seeing plenty of each other.

"That would be lovely. I'll be out of town with the team to photograph their games," she explained, already thankful to be hitting the road again. It was even better this time, knowing Roger would be with her. "But when we're back in town, that would be fantastic."

[melodicmaeve]

"It was nice to meet you too." Lily very politely recited, obviously having picked it up from the adults in her life. There was a grin in return as soon as the phrase was finished though.

Oh great. Of course she would be travelling with the team. Two weeks of getting back into Roger's heart completely, away from some of the realities of his life. "I didn't think about that. Well, maybe we can get coffee while Roger and Lily catch up after that." Read: they could fight or argue, or talk things through, and it also stopped Lavender spending much time with Lily and Roger together before Maeve knew for sure where she stood on that. "I'm sure we can get in touch somehow to arrange it." Knowing Roger he would have asked her to move in with him by then anyway.

"And take care of him while they are away, especially after... you know."