This one is for … MY TEDDY BEAR WHO WAS ALWAYS THERE ;D

No, I'm kidding.

It's really for Mad, my dear, dear friend :D She's so a(I)my-zhie-ing, and if it wasn't for her encouragement, I'd never have written this story.

Love ya, dear :D

I really hope you like it!

.::.

Of all the things I still remember, Summer's never looked the same

The years go by and time just seems to fly, But the memories remain

In the middle of September we'd still play out in the rain

Nothing to lose but everything to gain

Reflecting now on how things could've been

It was worth it in the end

-Daughtry, September

.::.

Escaping September

.::.

i.

.::.

May

The fifteenth

The warm, gentle spring breeze hits Molly's face and blows her straight red hair out of place as she appears on the sandy shores of Shell Cottage. School had just ended and since their parents decided to go to Paris for the summer for a second honey-moon, Dom, Louis, and Vic decided to have all the cousins' and Lorcan, Lysander, Scorpius, and Teddy (honorary cousins') over for the summer.

Originally, she wasn't going to stay the whole summer, but her internship at Saint Mungo's didn't begin until September, so she'd be free to spend her last summer as a child (she turns seventeen in August) on the beach, with her family and friends.

Of course, they'd leave the beach often, but it'd be like there 'base'. The place they'd come to, to hang around and lazy around in pajamas. The place where they spent their time just catching up with each other.

"Molly! You're finally here!" Lucy, Molly's younger by two-years sister cries as she comes flying out of the house and down the beach, her curly, shoulder length red hair flying behind her.

"Lucy!" Molly hadn't seen Lucy since school let out on the third of May and she really missed her while they were apart.

Lucy, though she's the complete opposite of Molly, has always been Molly's best friend. Because, though she's younger, she's also very wise and helpful and really, it's hard not to be her friend.

Lucy reaches her quickly, and Molly notes how much she's grown since the summer before.

"Oh I've got so much to tell you, Molly," Lucy says in Molly's ear. Her breath smells of saltwater taffy, ironically.

"I've missed you too, Luce. Even if it's only been two weeks or so," Molly teases, but in all honesty, she's so glad to have her built-in-best-friend back.

Lucy has always been the balance to her life. Everything is always so simple in Lucy's eyes. She's the dreamer to Molly's cynic. She's the foundation on which Molly's world sits.

Without her, who knows where she'd be.

"Molly? Is that you?" A bushy brunette head with natural auburn high-lights calls from the front porch.

"I'll let you get caught back up with everyone else," Lucy whispers in her ear. Hugging her one last time, Lucy adds, "Lysander's been waiting nervously all day for you to arrive," she smirks, letting out a bell-like laugh as she runs back towards the beautiful house without a backwards glance.

"Hey, Rosie," Molly says, hugging her cousin tightly, but her eyes are on her fifteen year old sister, who's running back towards the house, her laugh echoing around the long stretch of beach.

In the back of her mind, as her family runs up to greet her, she wonders how Lucy became so carefree, while she became the stuck-up-smarty-pants.

"Molly," he says her name like he hasn't had water in ten years and she's this huge pool of fresh, crisp, cold water, just waiting to be drunken. "Molly," he repeats.

She offers him a smile as she fidgets with her fingers. She hadn't felt this nervous since second year when Bobby Davis passed her a note in Charms class… Given, it was for the girl next to her, but still.

"Lysander," she whispers back.

And in a matter of seconds, her legs are wrapped around his waist and her arms around his neck and her face is buried in his neck. He's got some blonde scratchy stubble on his cheeks, but she doesn't mind it and for the first time she's not going to tell him to go shave.

His arms wrap around her thin waist easily and he holds her carefully, as if at any given moment, she'll break into a thousand tiny pieces, never to be fixed.

"It's been so long," he whispers in her ear, sending shivers down her body and making goose bumps appear on her pale white skin. Butterflies fly around in her stomach, making her want to throw up, but she contains it.

For a second, Molly feel's like she's on a rollercoaster, at the top of the highest drop, about to fall down a hundred or more feet at the speed of light. She loves this feeling; it's excitement, nerves, adrenalin, and nauseousness all rolled up into one.

Finally, she's where she belongs;

In his arms.

The twenty-second

Lysander and Molly's relationship has always been somewhat complicated. They're not boyfriend/girlfriend, but they're not exactly just friends either. Okay, so they've never snogged before, but come on, they are way more affectionate and touchy-feely than regular best friends.

But, they've always been like that.

Molly has always been comfortable in her own skin around Lysander. She never felt the need to dress up, to cake makeup onto her face and prance around in high heels. It was never her thing. She preferred a good book and a comfy pair of sweat pants, not killer heals and red lippy.

But lately, she feels like the line between love and friendship is hazy, almost completely non-existing.

Lysander hugs her more often and always kisses her cheek, given the chance. His hand is always on her arm or back, and sometimes, she sees him giving her the very same look Lorcan gives her sister.

But, Molly's always been a bit clueless, especially for someone so smart. She decides she's stupid for even thinking Lysander Scamander could ever, in a million years, be interested in her.

She's just her, simple, plain, boring Molly.

And, she doesn't believe in fairytales, which is all that 'your best friend falling for you' stuff is. It's just another fairytale that she'd be stupid to believe in.

But still, she can't help but hope, maybe, just maybe, he does feel that way about her. That he'll pull her into his soft embrace and kiss her soundly, before helping her onto his white horse and riding off with him into the sunset.

"Molly," he mutters to her during breakfast. It's a miracle she can even hear him; you think the family gatherings are loud? Try them without any real adults, and you've got a foolproof plan of chaotic death.

"Meet me outside after breakfast ends, alright? I want to show you something," he whispers in her ear, pushing a stray strand of red hair behind her ear as he does so.

For a second, Molly forgets how to breathe, how to speak, how to open her mouth. She's in heaven for two-point three seconds and it's the best moment of her life.

"Keep your eyes closed," Lysander whispers in Molly's ear, as he steers her down the steep hill, in the forest behind the Cottage. For a spilt second, Molly's scare she'll fall down, but then his hand grabs onto hers, while his other arm stays wrapped around her middle.

"I've got you," he says.

All around them, birds whistle and frogs croak. They can still hear the waves crashing down the beach, even though they're so far from it.

"I know," she says, almost breathlessly. For a second, she's tempted to open her eyes, just to see where they're going, but she doesn't. It'd probably ruin everything, if she did.

They walk in silence the rest of the way. The whole time, Molly's reminding herself how to breathe and mentally freaking out about what might happen when they get where they're going.

Then her mind wonders to where they might be going. Where could you go, in the middle of woods?

For a second, she worries he's taking her to the middle of the woods to kill her, but she get's rid of that though instantly.

Finally, he stops her.

"You can open your eyes, now." he says into her ear, not letting her hand go.

When Molly opens her eyes, she sees a field. A field full of beautiful, beautiful wild flowers. They're all a pretty shade of dark purple.

Molly knows for sure now; she's in love with Lysander.

The twenty-ninth

Molly starts going to the field filled with wild flowers everyday. Sometimes Lysander comes with her, sometimes she goes alone. Either way, her mind is on one thing… One person, really.

Lysander Scamander.

Sure, she knows she likes him, but love? Love is a big step. Love means commitment, and trust, and eventual heart break. But the thing is, she doesn't believe that last one will happen. Not with Lysander.

Because, she's known him her whole life and he'd never break her heart, not even if he wanted to. He's just that type of guy.

You know, T\the one who comforts you while you cry. The one who fearlessly buys you tampons when your too busy PMSing to move. The one that's so gentle towards you, protective, even.

She loves all that about him. She loves him.

So she decides . If he tells her he doesn't feel the same, she'll make up some lie about Saint Mungo's owling to let her know that her internship is going to start earlier than usual.

In the back of her mind, she knows it would never work; she could never lie to him.

But she can damn well try.

Molly slips him a note at lunch, that reads "meet me in the field of wild flowers" as she's walking out of the room. He sends her this secretive look when she stops in the door way to look back at him once.

Molly smiles back, a wide and genuine smile, and it's just for him. It's like they're sharing a secret, one only the two of them know and for the first time, Molly feels like she belongs; really belongs.

"Molly?" she hears him before she sees him. Whipping her head around, she searches the clearing filled with wild flowers, before her blue eyes land on his blonde Scamander hair.

"Hey, Lysander," suddenly she's not as confident as she was before, about this whole 'pronouncing her love for him'. Her palms are sweaty and she just wants to go back to Shell Cottage and lay around and watch old romance movies with the girls.

"Hey, Molly," he says with an easy smile on his face.

You're a Gryffindor, Molly, she tells herself when the thoughts of running away only deepen. You do not run away from situations like this, no matter how scared you are. You are Molly Weasley and you can do this.

She opens her mouth, the words already ready to come flying out, but they don't. Instead, she says nothing. Her mouth is hanging open like a fish and her cheeks are flushed faintly and she feels oh so stupid.

She can't admit that she loves him. Not to the 'him' whom she loves! She just can't.

So instead, she says "never mind," and turns to walk away, but he grabs her wrist and turns her back around.

"Wait. I've got something I'd like to ask you, then."

Molly forgets to breathe as she says, "What? What do you need to ask me?"

He smiles this shy kind of smile and says, "Truth or Dare?"

Without thinking, feeling, or acting, Molly says dare automatically.

Lysander smiles at her and leans forward a little. He brushes a strand of hair off her cheek and tucks it behind her ear, before leaning in close to her ear, to whisper, "I dare you to let me kiss you," and, without waiting for a reply, he does and she lets him.

Suddenly that fuzzy line between love and friendship is gone, with one movement. That one moment, where his lips touch hers.

It only lasts three seconds, and yet, it changes everything.

ii.

June

The seventh

"I'm going to ask Lorcan out." Lucy says to Molly randomly. Everyone else staying at the house had left, so it is just the two of them. Molly is laying on her bed in the room they share and Lucy's painting the sea-shore.

She'd been working on the painting the whole time she'd been there and it wasn't even half-way done, but it is still perfect.

"You're what?" Molly splutters, glancing at Lucy in shock. Sure, Lucy had always been a bit unpredictable, but she never though Lucy would go for her boyfriend's brother.

Not that there's anything wrong with the two of them together; in fact, she always thought they'd be perfect for each other; they're both dreamers, both artist. She just never saw this coming, because while Lorcan was obvious about his feelings for Lucy, Lucy hid hers well.

"I'm going to ask Lorcan out, Molly. Why? Do you think I shouldn't?" for the first time ever, Lucy didn't look calm and cool. In that moment, she looked as if she cry or scream, maybe even both, knowing her.

"No, no! It's not that, Luce," she says quickly, backtracking. "I just never knew you felt that way for him, whereas Lorcan is obvious about his feelings for you." she smirks, dodging the pillow flying her way.

"Oh, it's so on!" Lucy yells, laughing. She grabs a hand full of red paint and throws it at Molly, who lets out a shrill shriek and retaliates with Lucy's brown paint.

They laugh as they throw paint at each other and for the first time, Molly really feels like Lucy's sister, like her friend.

Suddenly, Lucy freezes in the middle of a throw, her face twisted up in horror. "Oh, oh no. No, no, no!" she cries, dropping the paint bottle on the ground and running to her painting.

There, by the ocean shore, is two splatters; one brown, one red. It's kind of surprising, how neat and straight they sit, parallel to each other.

Molly gets a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach as she stares at the painting and suddenly she can't shake the feeling that something's going to happen this summer; something major.

The tenth

"Are you crazy, Ly? It's pouring down raining out there!" Molly, always the voice of reason cries over the roar of the waves crashing down hard on the shore line and the down pour of rain.

"Come on! We might not ever get a chance like this again!" he says, equally as loud.

"I'm not sure, Ly. Look at those waves," she argues, rubbing her bare arms with her hands. And what a great day to chose to wear a short summer dress.

"Please." he pouts. "For me?:

"Fine," Molly agrees, trying to look grouchy, but her smile breaks through and soon she's just standing there beaming at him.

Lysander lets out a little cheer and grabs her arm, pulling her from the safety of the cottage into the downfall of rain.

"This is such a cliché," Molly says, rolling her eyes as she starts to slow dance around in the rain with Lysander.

"I know," he says as she lays her head on his chest.

And suddenly, he's looking at her with those eyes and she doesn't care whether or not it's a cliché; she's too busy watching him come closer and closer to her. Finally, his lips meet hers.

She grips his soaked tee shirt tightly, wanting nothing but to never have to let go.

The twenty-third

"I need everyone's attention!" Victoire demands, standing up on the kitchen table. It's around twelve in the afternoon, and almost everyone has just woken up, but everybody freezes; Victoire would never stand on furniture unless she was wasted or it was important. And since she was obviously not drunk, it must be important.

"What's going on?" James asks, rubbing his eyes tiredly.

"All of our parents, uncles, aunts and Grandmum and dad are coming to visit," she says solemnly, as Teddy helps her get down from the table.

As soon as she says this, things become chaos. Everyone starts talking franticly at the same time, except Lucy, Teddy, and Victoire.

"Everyone quiet!" Teddy yells for Victoire, and everyone goes silent.

"The girls will start working on dinner, while you guys go clean this place up, alright?" Victoire demands and for once, no one argues.

"Alright, girls. Let's get cooking," Victoire smirks, waving her wand once the boys are gone.

While the guys run around franticly, cleaning the muggle way, the girls relax in the kitchen, flipping through magazines and just chatting, smirking all the while.

Poor blokes, they didn't even think about using magic.

"Molly! Lucy! Oh you're both just so tan!" Molly's mum cries, hugging both girls tightly. "Oh, just look at you two. My babies are all grown up." she cries.

"Uh, mum? Why are you crying? You just saw us both back in May before we came here and I doubt we've changed any since May." Molly says, shaking her head, a small smile on her face.

Her mum just shakes her head at her daughter, as if she's missing out on a joke or something, but Molly doesn't think about that, she just hugs her mum again, before facing her dad.

"Hello, dad." Molly says stiffly, shoving her hands in her pockets. The last time she saw him, they got into an argument over her future. They spent three hours yelling at each other, until Molly finally gave up and left.

She was going to do what she wanted with her life, no matter what her dad said and he couldn't change that.

"Molly," he says, nodding politely. For a second, it's like she's one of the ministry officials he hates so much, but is forced to be polite to. And that hurts.

She feels tears sting at her eyes and is suddenly hyper-aware of how everyone else is being greeted warmly by their dads'.

Everyone except her, because he hates her.

After all, she could never be as perfect as he wants her to be. Because she's human, and perfection is just not in her nature. No matter how much he wants it to be.

She runs out onto the back porch, and drops down, without looking back. The sun's just starting to set, and the way the light reflects on the ocean is just so breathtakingly beautiful, but all Molly can focus on is the tears running down her cheeks and the thoughts racing through her mind.

"Are you alright, Mol?" Her cousin Louis asks from behind her, dropping down on the porch beside her.

"No," Molly whimpers, and the next thing she knows, her head is in Louis' lap and he's humming her a lullaby her mum used to sing her and Lucy to get them asleep while she sobs.

Out of all her cousins, Louis has always been the one she's closes to, the one she could relate to.

"Why are you upset?" he asks after a few minutes of humming.

"My dad. I just can't take it! I mean, why does he expect me to be so freaking perfect, when that's clearly impossible for me? Why can't I be in control of my future? Why can't I decide what I want? It's my life!" By the end of Molly's rant, her tears have dried up on her cheeks and she's pacing around the old porch.

"You should tell him that," Louis says causally, before getting up and going back inside without a word, just as the sunsets, melting into the ocean in bright reds and pinks and purples and oranges, before the sky goes dark.

iii.

July

The third

June flies by, and before Molly knows it, July is here. The weather is hot as it had been for a while, but that doesn't stop her from going outside and messing around, and just having fun.

"Tag!" Molly cries, shoving Lysander lightly out of the blue, as they're walking around Hogsmeade, waiting for Lucy to finish getting the supplies she needs from in the paint store to fix the painting they ruined and Lorcan to come out of the book store. She runs and runs and runs.

Her lungs burn, her legs hurt, and she's out of breath, but she keeps running, because that's who Molly is; a fighter.

She laughs as she runs by old classmates from Hogwarts and random strangers, who all pause to watch them run by with bemused expressions on their faces. Molly laughs harder at this.

She runs near the shrieking shack, and through the tall grass, into the woods, not even caring that they will probably end up lost.

Lysander's right behind her, quickly gaining, but Molly keeps running. She pumps her shorter legs, trying to make them go faster, but it's no use. Lysander's right there.

He goes to grab her around her waist, but of course, he trips and takes her down with him.

"Ouch," Molly moans from underneath Lysander. "Could you please get up, Ly? You're squishing me to death," Molly says, scowling when Lysander laughs and lays his stomach on her back, as if he's cuddling her from behind.

"Nah, you're rather comfy," he says smirking.

"Lysander! Get your fat arse off of me right this instant," she says though her laughter. Molly tries in vain to shove him off of her, but he's got about fifty pounds and almost two feet on her.

Needless to say, he doesn't move until Lucy and Lorcan come to find them.

"Jerk," Molly mutters, sticking her tongue out at him, and Lucy giggles at the two of them.

"Ahh," she says, a faraway look in her eyes. "Young love."

And this time, they all play 'tag' and it's nice, freeing, because for just a little bit, they're all just little kids again, without a worry in the world, carefree, playing tag with friends.

It's nice, and Molly decides to make them play tag with her more often.

The tenth

"This is stupid, what if we fall off?" Molly whispers to Lysander as the climb out of her and Lucy's shared bedroom window that meets the roof at the very top of the three story house.

"We're not going to fall," he whispered back, before pretending to lose his blance.

"Jerk," she mutters through her hushed laughter, hitting his shoulder with her spare hand. "If you jinx us and we fall, I'll hurt you."

"I thought you didn't believe in superstition," Lysander says to her as he pulls two lawn chairs out of the window behind them, while Molly watches.

"I don't," she denies, staring out at the dark ocean. Wrapping her arms around herself, her mind wonders and she realizes, even though they snog and act all couple-y, they haven't made their relationship official yet.

"Here," Lysander, completely oblivious to Molly's thoughts, says, setting up her lawn chair for her, before setting up his own.

"Ly?" Molly asks in a small voice, rubbing her arms.

"Hmm?"

"What are we?" Molly has to turn her head when she asks this. Her whole face turns tomato red and her pulse quickens, and she feels like a thirteen year old with her first real crush.

"What do you mean?" Lysander asks, dropping down on his chair.

"I mean, we kiss and act like a couple, but we aren't, are we? I mean, you never asked me, though I guess I could've asked you, but I just never thought about that until today, and I'm just so confused and-"

Lysander stands up, walks the two strides over to her, cups her face gently, and kisses her without a sound. It's soft and gentle and a bit clumsy, kind of like how you'd expect your first kiss to be.

"Will you, Molly Weasley, be my girlfriend?" He asks as soon as they pull apart, all traces of laughter gone.

"Of course," Molly whispers, before he kisses her again.

"I love you," he whispers when he pulls away from her for air.

For a second Molly panics. He loves her?

She's not sure how to act. All she wants to do is jump for joy, but she doesn't. Instead, she kisses him again. "I love you, too."

He stands there, just beaming at her for a second and she beams back. Finally, everything is falling into place.

"Let's look at the stars," he says finally, pulling her down with him on his chair.

"Look!" Molly cries, pointing to where a bright shooting star is flying across the night sky, lighting it up as it goes by. "A make a wish," she whispers to Lysander, closing her eyes to make her own.

"Why?" he asks, pulling her a little closer. "I've already got everything I need right here," he says, as if to prove his earlier words.

"Make a wish anyway," she demands without opening her eyes. A faint red flush rises on her cheeks, ruining her indifference act.

the nineteenth

"What are you talking about?" Lysander yells and for a second Molly's worried the whole house hears her, but then she doesn't even care.

Why should she?

It's the first time Molly's ever really seen him angry, but she's too busy yelling back to really think about it or be scared.

"I'm talking about the girl you were flirting with right there in front of me at WWW!" Molly shouts back, her whole face red with embarrassment and anger. She has never felt this angry before.

"I wasn't flirting with her, alright? She was flirting with me! I was just being polite!"

"Oh? I wonder how many other girls you're 'polite' with," Molly says, her voice filled with sarcasm.

"Why are you so insecure about this relationship? I love you! Not some random chick in Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes! Why can't you see that?" Lysander yells, running a hand through the shaggy blonde hair he hadn't cut since spring.

"Yeah, well you have a funny way of showing it!" Molly has to turn away from him; she doesn't want him to see her cry. She rubs at the tears inconspicuously as she can, but he still sees.

"Oh, god. Molly? Are you crying? Oh, I'm such an idiot! I'm sorry! I'm sorry, Molly," Lysander goes on a and on, just rambling, and Molly wants to laugh.

Instead, she turns and hugs him.

"I'm sorry, too. I guess I just jumped to conclusions and got jealous," she says into his chest.

From the door, Molly hears' a curse.

"What was that?" she asks Lysander with raised eyebrows, pulling away from him.

He gives her a look that says 'you really have to ask?' and without a word, opens the door, causing most of the cousins to fall to the floor.

"You guys suck at arguing," James says with a smirk from the ground.

"Yeah," Fred agrees. "When my girlfriend and I fight, there's more accusations, curses, and flying items. What you two did was pathetic," he says, but Lysander's already rolling his eyes and shutting the door.

"My family," Molly says with a sign.

the twenty ninth

"Ahh! Put me down right this instant! I swear I'll hex you both! Scorpius! Scorpius get them!" Rose screams while Fred and James just laugh and throw her into the ocean, fully clothed. Scorpius laughs along with them, shaking his head.

"Nah, I'm good right here," he says, lounging back with that infamous Malfoy smirk.

Molly observes from where she's sitting on the shore line beside Lysander, letting the water skim her stretched out legs, before the current pulls it back out to sea. "I bet he'll ask her out before the summers' over," Molly says quietly to Lysander, nodding subtly to them.

Rose is coming out of the water, soaking wet now, and she's going after a dry Scorpius. Both of them are laughing.

Lysander looks over and shakes his head. "But they are best friends. I really doubt they have those feelings for each other."

Molly scowls playfully at him. "Oh? So you're telling me we were never best friends, then?" she asks, shaking her hair out of her face.

"Alright, alright. I guess it could happen then," he says with his hands up in a mock 'I surrender' pose , rolling his eyes.

"Oh! And what about Lucy and Lorcan?" she says giddily, pointing over to where Lucy's splashing around obliviously, knee deep in water, trying to stay upright while the waves crash down around her, while Lorcan just stares at her.

Lysander and Molly laugh when a wave crashes near him, and sends him toppling over.

"Poor bloke," she sighs, watching Lucy giggle as she helps him up. "He's got it bad."

"Don't tell me you're going to try and play matchmaker again," Lysander says with a dramatic sigh.

"Hey!" Molly scowls, hitting him on the shoulder. "The last time doesn't count! Okay? I was young, naive, I trusted him."

Lysander raises an eyebrow. "Molly, it was only four months ago and you didn't even know his name! You just grabbed him off the street randomly and asked if he would like a date with a blonde Veela. I still remember Dominique's face when you brought that homeless guy with you to the pub as her date."

"Yeah," Molly says, laughing quietly. "She didn't talk to me for weeks."

"Yeah that's what happens when you set your cousin up with a homeless man who steals wallets," Lysander jokes.

"Come on! Let's get in the water!" Molly says suddenly, standing up and pulling off her cover-up dress, before running into the water. The ocean is cold against her warm body, and it feels so nice. She floats on her back and waits while Lysander struggles with his tennis shoes; only he would wear shoes and socks to a beach, she thinks, laughing a little.

Everyone spends the day playing around in the water, splashing and just having fun. They play chicken and marco polo and a bunch of other water games, without a care.

As the day comes to a close, the girls lay around by the pool in the backyard, while the guys argue over what to grill for dinner.

"So, Rose," Victoire says, pushing her sunglasses from her eyes so they sit perched on top of her head. She shoves her fashion magazine aside and smirks. There's a light in her eyes that says she's going to grill her about her love life.

And Rose can tell.

"What's that Albus?" she says loudly. "You need me to come over there? Alright, will do." she says quickly and almost runs over to the guys, ignoring their raised eyebrows at her.

Molly wants to laugh, but she honestly doesn't blame her; she'd run too if Victoire tried to confront her about Lysander,

"Well," Victoire says, scowling at the back of Rose's head. "That was rude."

This time, Molly does laugh.

the thirty first

"Tomorrow's the first day of August," Molly says quietly as they lay on their backs in the meadow of wild flowers, star gazing. Butterflies flutter around in her stomach, and she's suddenly very nervous. Would he want to see her after summer? Of is she just another one of those flings?

Lysander grabs her hand without looking at her.

"I know," he say s quietly, squeezing her hand a little.

Molly squeezes back and stares quietly at the night sky. In only two and a half months, things had changed dramatically with her and her best friend, and she didn't even know if it would last through winter. They'd never be able to see each other, except on holidays and maybe a weekend or two if they were lucky.

She was going to intern at Saint Mungo's for a year and he was leaving for Romania to work with Dragons with her Uncle Charlie.

"I love you," Lysander says, bringing her out of her thoughts.

"I love you too, Ly," she says, closing her eyes.

For right now, she doesn't want to worry about the end of summer. She wants to think about now; to lay there beside Lysander in the meadow of purple wild flowers, staring at the night sky, and holding his hand.

iv.

august

the third

"I love you," Lysander whispers, looking into her eyes.

"I know," Molly smiles as she whispers back, her eyes shining. They're laying in 'they're' field of wild flowers, and it's late at night. Molly loves summer nights - they're always so warm, not hot, not cold, warm, and all the sounds of the crickets and frogs and the sight of fire flies, and the breathtaking view of the star-lit night sky: it's all just to die for.

And. maybe it's the two glasses of wine she and Dominique snuck earlier, or maybe it's the way he's looking at her, or it could be that summers going to come to an end soon, or maybe it's just the night, messing with her mind, playing with her head, making her want him the way she's never wanted anyone before.

Whichever it is, before she can even think about what she's doing, Molly's all over Lysander, kissing his lip and behind his ear, before moving down his neck.

He flips her over and kisses her likes she's never been kissed before. She knows she'll have some God-awful hickies in the morning, but that doesn't matter. What does matter at that moment is getting rid of all the suddenly unwanted clothes.

Soon, there's nothing covering them up, and for the first time in her whole life, Molly's guard is broken into a thousand pieces. The wall she spent her whole life on, building up, keeping out all the hurt and pain and rejection, just gone.

It's just the two of them; skin on skin, his heart beats in time with hers.

And there, on the cool grass and wild flowers, in the field, Molly Weasley gives Lysander Scamander her virginity and her heart.

They don't talk about it much, after it happens. It is not awkward or anything, in fact, it is more like they did it all the time, like they are comfortable sleeping together like that. And Molly loves that, because she had worried afterwards that he would want to discuss it.

There is really nothing to talk about. They had sex, it was unplanned, sure. But really, where's the fun in a life planned out for you? No surprises, no nothing. You always know what to expect, and Molly's coming to realize, a life like that would be boring.

Her life used to be like that. But one summer can change everything, for the rest of your life, she's come to realize.

And she loves it.

It's the best summer of her life.

the fifteenth

Molly and Lucy's laughs echo around the empty beach as they mess around barefooted on the beach, spending what Lucy calls 'Sisterly-Bonding-Time' together - just having fun and relaxing.

"Did you ever finish your painting?" Molly asks Lucy, as a wave crashes down a little ways away from them.

Lucy frowns and shakes her head. "I never got to. I haven't had the chance, what with me spending so much time with Lorcan," the frown is gone, and it's place a huge smile and bright red 'Weasley flush', as Molly called it.

"So," Molly starts, trying to hide her own wide smile. "You and Lorcan?"

Lucy tries to look indifferent for about a second, but her smile beaks through and the next thing Molly knows, they are jumping up and down in the shallow water, squealing together.

"He asked me out yesterday night! I've never been happier, Mol!" her smile is so wide, so innocent, so full of pure happiness, and even though Lucy's always been the cheerful one out of the family, Molly's never every seen her this happy.

"I'm so happy for you guys! You're too cute!"

"Thanks so much, Molly! I'm really glad you approve!" Lucy says to Molly, hugging her sister tightly, just as a huge wave crashes down on them and sends them both falling to the ground, tangled in a mess of arms and legs and water and sand.

And yet, they've never been happier.

The twenty-ninth

"I love these muggle parks," Lucy says, sighing as she swings, a smile lighting up her bright face. "They're so full of wonder, and dreams, and innocence."

It's Molly's seventeenth birthday and she knows for a fact that everyone made Lucy, Lorcan, and Lysander get rid of her while they set up their 'surprise' party.

Molly lets out a giggle at her sister as Lysander pushes her next to her sister on the bright colored swing. "This is the best birthday ever, you guys," she says, smiling.

Lysander stops her for a second, to whisper in her ear. "It hasn't even begun, yet, darling," his tone is flirty, teasing, and Molly's whole face flushes.

"Whatever do you mean?" she asks, as he starts pushing her again, smiling innocently.

To their right, Lorcan and Lucy aren't paying any attention to them. They're lost in their own world, full of love and laughs and inncents - it's a world Molly would love to live in, but at the same time, she likes the one she's in now.

Lucy jumps of the swings and starts a game of tag between the four. Their laughs echo as they run around the empty park, tagging each other.

Molly laughs as she chases Lucy, the slowest of the other three. Her laughter turns into fear as she lets out a scream the same time the muggle car comes to a screeching holt. Her eyes are wide and watery as she watches helplessly as her sister gets hit by a car.

"Lysander! Lorcan!" she screams, dropping to her knees. She has to crawl to her sister, because she's suddenly forgotten how to walk. Her heart has stopped and is racing at the same time.

She hears the man who owns the car calling 911, but Molly pays no attention. She reaches Lucy, who's mangled body is laying on the cold hard pavement. Molly sobs as she tucks a curly lock of hair behind her sisters ear.

Lorcan and Lysander come quickly, and Lorcan's on the other side of Lucy in a second, sobbing as hard, maybe even harder as Molly, as he takes in her cut up face and bloody body.

Lysander sits down beside her, and feels for a pulse. "Guys," he looks up slowly, a fearful look on his face. "There's no pulse."

"No," Molly whispers and shakes her head. "No! No! No! Lucy! Lucy! Lucy Wake up! Wake up, please! Just wake up! You can't leave!" Molly screams hysterically, as sirens sound in the backround. "You have to finish up that painting! You have to! Wake up! Please," Molly whispers, before Lysander pulls her back from her sister and hugs her.

He hugs her tightly, not like he usually does - as if she's a fragile porcelain doll, ready to break at any given moment. No this hug is tight, secure, and it's sad that Molly's too busy sobbing all over his white shirt, staining it with Mascara, to really enjoy it.

"She's gone," Molly hears a paramedic say in the distance.

With those two words, Molly's world falls apart.

V.

September

the first

"Lucy," Molly says, over her sister's fresh grave. The funeral had been yesterday, and she was still a mess. Her eyes were red and she hadn't slept since her birthday. The day she lost her little sister.

"I miss you so much, every second of everyday," she pauses and shoots a hesitant look over her shoulder at Lysander. "I-I don't think I can do it, Ly," she whispers, tears leaking out of her eyes.

"Yes you can," his voice is full of determination, but it cracks at the end. Molly realizes, in that moment, how much Lucy was truly loved. "I can leave, if you want some privacy," he adds, smiling at her.

"Could you?" Molly whispers, rubbing at her eyes.

"Of course," Lysander says, kissing her on the forehead. "I'll wait by the entrance," he says, before turning and walking away.

Molly turns back to her sisters grave, a frown on her face. "Lucy," she starts again.

"You will never know how much I truly miss you. I think about how things could have been different. Sometimes, I just really wish it was me." Molly pauses to wipe away her tears again.

"I've talked to Lorcan, you know. He's not holding up to well. He really loved you, Lucy. Everyone loved you. I loved you."

"Before this, I worried about September coming. I even wished on a shooting star for an excuse to stay with Lysander a little longer. I am so sorry, Lucy," Molly sobs, sropping down on her knees. "So sorry."

"And I guess, in the end, no matter how hard you try, you've got to face September sometime. I just wish you were here to face it with, Lucy. I miss you, so much every day." Molly says, placing the stargazer lilies, Lucy's favorite, on the dark coloured dirt.

"Just remember, I'll never forget you, okay? I hope you're having fun up there in heaven, brightening up peoples lives."

"I'll never forget how much you brightened up mine," she whispers, before wiping her jeans off and with one last glance back, Molly turns and heads towards Lysander, who's arms are already opened and waiting for her.

She walks into them and lets him hold her. There are no tears this time. Just a comfortable silence, as Molly mulls over her childhood with Lucy.

"I need to see my dad," she whispers suddenly, pulling back. "I haven't talked to him since the argument and I really need to see him," she cries, her whole face gone from calm to panic in a split second.

Without a word, Lysander apparates them both to her parents house.

"Daddy," her eyes are full of tears as she appears in front of her parents. "Oh, daddy. I am so, so sorry!" Molly cries, throwing herself at her father, who hugs her back, tears of his own in his green eyes.

"It's my fault, too. If you want to be a healer, you be a healer. I want you to do whatever you want to do," he says, hugging her tightly.

And over-whelming sense of calming, of peace fills Molly's body, and she lets out a small yawn. For the first time in her life, she's finally getting along with her dad.

It's horrible Lucy's not here to see it, Molly thinks as her dad hugs her.

The summers over, Molly realizes as she hugs her dad. So many things changed this summer; both good and bad, and yet, she could never begin to bring herself to regret or take it back.

It's the summer she'll tell her grandkids about - the summer everything changed.

It's the best and worse summer of her life.

And she'll never forget it;

The summer she spend trying to escape September.

a/n: please do review. I don't normally ask for reviews, but I spent seven days on this story, and it's important to me that you guys review and let me know what you think. Thank you :)