Lily glanced over her exam results with only mild interest. Perfect scores, just like usual. Lily was starting to wonder if she was really her aunt Hermione's daughter instead of her mum's. Neither of her parents got grades like she did. Then again, there were too many qualities that were like her parents.
"I'm so excited!" Shannon gushed as the girls all sat around the common room. "Tomorrow night is going to be epic!"
It was true. Only one more day until the party, and everyone in Slytherin House was excited for it.
"Are you going with Hunter?" Izzy asked.
Shannon smiled shyly. "Yep."
"Of course she is. The real question is how far she'll let him go," Megan teased.
The other girls laughed, but Shannon threw one of the couch's pillows at Megan. "Shut up!" she giggled, her cheeks turning pink.
"Are you going with someone, Megan?" Lily asked, turning the spotlight onto her.
But Megan just grinned slyly. "No. Why tie myself to only one guy the whole night?" she joked. The other girls laughed again.
"Shannon's right. Tomorrow night is going to be epic," Lola said with a grin.
To no surprise, the girls were still in their dorm room when the party was about to start. They were still helping each other on what to wear. Lily had slipped on a red and black striped top that exposed both of her shoulders, black tights, and a short black, lacy skirt. She curled the ends of her hair, and put on a light bit of makeup. She chose her favorite lip gloss to wear. Bubblegum flavored.
"Should I wear the green top, or the blue?" Shannon asked as she held up the two tops. All the girls looked over at her.
"Is Hunter getting any further tonight?" Lily asked.
"No," Shannon answered immediately.
"Then the blue. It looks better on you anyways," Lily told her.
"If you're wearing that, then wear the last pair of jeans you had on. They'll look better," Lola told her.
It was another half hour before the girls were finally dressed, primped, and ready to be seen by the party. They were careful while sneaking out, knowing that the doors were unlocked, and that the Slytherin prefects were supposed to be patrolling the dungeons and first floors. The girls giggled as they half-ran across the grass toward the Forbidden Forest. Lana had given them very specific instructions on how to get there, not wanting them to end up in the wrong part of the forest.
"It's here," Lily told them when they reached the edge of the forest. "Here's the scorch mark the seventh years left."
"Then let's go!" Lola said in a hush voice of excitement. The girls rushed into the forest, and within the next couple of minutes, they could see the lights that signaled the party was on. Soon, they stepped into a large clearing. It was perfect for a party. It was ringed with trees, blocking out the light for the school to see, yet had enough room to not be claustrophobic. Lights and candles were strung everywhere in the trees or floating in the air. The older students had really taken time with getting this party ready. A few chairs and a couch from the Slytherin common room were in the clearing, along with the couch from the Shrieking Shack, and two others she didn't recognize. There were three big tables, filled with food and drinks, some of which Lily was sure were spiked. From somewhere, music was playing loudly, and the middle of the clearing had been turned into a dance floor.
"Amazed?" the girls jumped, and turned to see Scorpius smirking at them, Justin and Lars by his side.
"How did you guys do all of this?" Lily asked.
"Well, some of the older students swiped a few couches and chairs from offices of past professors. I think one of them is Binns's," Scorpius told her.
"I'm going to find Hunter," Shannon told them, and soon the other girls had all dispersed, as had Justin and Lars, leaving Lily and Scorpius by themselves. There was a bit of an odd silence between them. A familiar heat and tension.
"So, where's Scamander?" Scorpius asked, clearing his throat.
"He's not coming," Lily said quietly. She knew he could hear her over the music.
"Does that bug you?" he asked.
Lily gulped. "No. Actually . . . it's kind of liberating."
Scorpius smirked again. "Good. Because tonight is all about fun," he murmured. He took her hand. "Come on. We'll get a drink, a bite to eat, and then we'll dance."
It wasn't long before Lily ended up on the dance floor, but it wasn't just Scorpius she danced with. She danced with the girls, was passed off from a few different boys, not that Lily really cared. She was having way too much fun to care. And besides, she always seemed to end up back in Scorpius's arms. And how could she ever worry in his arms? Especially when he was so warm that every time he held her waist or her hips, an incredible warmth wrapped around her like a thick and cozy blanket.
"You are quite the dancer," Scorpius murmured in her ear during their dance.
"Why thank you," Lily whispered back. "You sound surprised."
"I shouldn't be surprised by anything you do anymore, yet you always amaze me somehow," he said softly.
Lily turned and placed her hands on his shoulders, smiling coyly at him. "Can't say that I'm sorry about that," she teased.
He laughed quietly. "Neither can I," he whispered, his breath fanning against her ear. It almost made Lily shiver. But she wasn't at all cold. She licked her lips, tasting the zing of the spiked punch on her lips. The taste was intoxicating, relaxing her, and shattering and worries and problems she could have ever had.
"Wanna go sit down for a bit?" Lily questioned lightly, licking her lips once again.
Scorpius coughed lightly, but then he smirked. "Getting tired?"
Lily shook her head. "Not in the slightest," she told him.
Scorpius was quiet for a moment, but then nodded vigorously. "Sure. Come on." He kept a firm hold on her wrist as he led her through the dancing crowd and over to one of the couches, where they both sat down. Lily glanced at him as she made herself comfortable on the couch. Scorpius was turned toward her, his knee lightly brushing against hers, the denim on his jeans a bit rough. His arm laid on the top of the couch, and he was smirking. His hair was a nicely styled mess, like he'd just gotten out of bed. He wore a black muscle tee, and dark jeans. The shirt really showed off the size of his upper body. Lily could tell that he had at least a six-pack. His arms were thick with muscle, and the combination made Lily's stomach flutter.
Lily refocused, but then noticed that she wasn't the only one with wandering eyes. Scorpius's eyes were walking over her. It didn't make Lily blush or feel embarrassed like she thought she would be. It just made her feel warm and excited.
"Enjoying yourself?" she teased lightly.
Scorpius didn't look embarrassed about being caught either. He simply raised his eyes to hers, his smirk becoming even more smug. "Just as much as you are," he quipped. He looked over at the table, and then pulled his wand out of his pocket. He flicked his wand, and two cups began to float over to them, dodging moving bodies. He plucked one out of the air, and Lily took the other.
"I didn't know you could do wandless magic," Lily commented.
Scorpius shrugged as he took a drink. Then he sighed. "It's what we learned this year. I'm not very good with hexes and jinxes, but simple things like that are easy enough," he told her. Lily felt his hand start to play with her hair.
"That's still pretty impressive," Lily complimented. She took a drink from her own cup. That tangy kick was strong in this drink. It must have been 'freshly' spiked. But it was good. "Was the rest of your year just as simple?" she asked innocently.
"Easier than last year, but that's because there was no fear of O.W.L.s at the end of the year. Next year will be a different story," Scorpius answered. "And yours?"
"Teachers never let us forget that O.W.L. year is next year," Lily said with a roll of her eyes. "It's hard to imagine that I'll be a fifth year soon."
"Hard to imagine it's my last year next year," Scorpius replied.
"I know. It won't be the same without you around here," Lily sighed, resting her head against his arm. His finger kept twirling her hair.
"Only two years without me," he chuckled. "And I'll come see ya on your Hogsmeade visits."
"You better," she joked, shoving his other shoulder playfully.
Scorpius caught her wrist teasingly, but he didn't let it go. Not that his grip was rough or anything. "I will," he assured. "So don't be planning any dates." He took another drink before placing his cup on a nearby table.
"There's no one I'd rather go with," Lily murmured with a smile. She set her cup on the table as well.
Lily watched as Scorpius's stormy eyes seemed to darken slowly. Her heart began to pound as she noticed that he was leaning closer, his breathing getting warmer across her cheeks, her lips getting closer to her own.
His lips brushed against hers lightly as he spoke. "Good," he whispered.
Then his lips were truly against hers, and Lily felt like not only her lips, but as if her entire body had lit up on fire. Her veins tingled, sparks running across her skin, and passion pounding in her heart. It was like an instinct for her body to respond. She ran a hand through his hair, messing it even more. Her other hand rested on his shoulder. The muscle under her fingers was hard. She felt an arm wrap around her waist to rest on the small of her back, and a hand resting against her cheek. She felt his tongue swipe gently at her bottom lip, pleading for her to part her lips. She did, letting his tongue rub against her own. Then his tongue was retreating, and he was pulling her bottom lip between his teeth, nipping lightly. A moan escaped Lily's lips before she could stop it. Scorpius's hand slowly began to move up and down her side, his fingers pressing into her skin lightly as he did. It tickled, yet was soothing at the same time. It was addicting. It was more intoxicating than the taste of that punch.
The kiss ended, and Scorpius pulled away and looked straight into her own eyes. Then again, Lily didn't think that kiss covered it. It was too explosive to be called just a kiss.
She watched as he seemed to gulp. "Is it bad that I don't feel sorry for kissing you, even though you have a boyfriend?" Scorpius whispered.
Lily licked her lips, wanting to savor the taste of his lips on hers. "I think it's worse that I don't feel bad for kissing you even though I have a boyfriend." Lily took in a gulp of her own. "And I think it's even worse that I want to do it again."
"I knew you were smart," he murmured, and then his lips were on hers again. This kiss wasn't as . . . slow. It was faster, and much rougher. But it was just as passionate, and just as addictive. Now both of her hands were in his hair, and both of his hands had moved to her hips, gripping her firmly. He was leaning on her a bit, pressing his body against her while still sitting.
In the midst of this amazing snog, it hit Lily like a brick. This was what she'd been waiting for. That kiss that threw her off her axis. That passion that burned her entire body in an enticing heat. And she knew that this was what she and Scorpius were waiting for. The continuous warmth and tension between them. The intense air around them when together. This was it, and it was absolutely wonderful. Everything else just kind of melted away. There was nothing else going on in Lily's life but this snog, and she wanted it that way. Besides, what could be more perfect?
"Plan on breathing anytime soon?"
The two pulled away from each other, Lily regretting the decision, and saw Lana and Dante standing in front of them, both looking smug. "I can't wait to tell Mitch I won our bet," Lana laughed.
"Tell Mitch to shove it," Scorpius replied with a smirk of his own.
Lana winked at Lily. "Nice choice," she teased.
Lily giggled, and soon the rest of them were laughing as well. Scorpius pulled Lily up from the couch. "Come on. Let's dance, beautiful," he urged.
Lily had never had a better night in her life. She and Scorpius were in constant contact no matter what they were doing. Whether it was dancing, getting something to drink or eat, or snogging against a tree. Either way, Lily couldn't have been happier. She knew that she should have felt guilty. She still had a boyfriend, and Lysander was still . . . into her. But she just couldn't feel guilt. Not when it was with Scorpius. But whichever Muggle said, "All good things come to an end," had it right.
Scorpius and her had been sitting in a chair, Lily in his lap. It wasn't her fault, he had pulled her there, and she just hadn't argued. They were talking with Lana, Dante, and Will, who were sitting on a couch next to them. Every other minute or so, Scorpius would nuzzle her neck, pressing his lips lightly on her skin. It made her shiver each time. But that was when the party came to a crashing halt.
"What is going on here?"
Music stopped, people froze, and Lily's eyes widened with shock. Everyone's faces turned to look at the entrance to the party. There, still in her uniforms, Head Girl badge on, stood Molly Weasley. Shit! Lily thought.
Molly seemed to sense that Lily was there too, because her eyes soon locked onto where Lily was sitting. "Lily Luna Potter! What on earth are you doing?" she screeched.
Lily stood up, standing her ground. "What are you doing here? I don't remember you being invited," she quipped. There were snickers around her.
Molly stomped over to where Lily was. "Are you really stupid enough to throw an unauthorized party?"
"Are you stupid enough to walk into a Slytherin party without a pack of lions with you? Snakes bite with pleasure," Lily taunted. "Especially scared little kittens."
"This party is over!" Molly called to all of them. "The staff is on their way now, no point trying to hide!"
"You better hide then," Lily told her. "You're still here without any back up."
"You aren't going to do anything," Molly said as she crossed her arms, her nose in the air like the pompous girl she was.
"Careful. A little rain and you might drown," Lily mocked. The Slytherins began to laugh. "And by the way, you might want to ask your friends to guard you so we don't jump you later. Oh!" Lily gasped. "I forgot! You don't have any friends. No one likes you! Not even Hufflepuffs!" The Slytherins roared.
Molly's face turned to a humiliated red. "At least when my father hears of this mess, he can be proud of me. Unlike your father, who's never felt pride in you."
"Unlike you, I don't kiss my dad's ass. I'm not into incest," Lily said dryly. More laughter. It seemed that the louder the laughter got, the redder Molly's face got. Lily knew that she was being harsh, but Molly had ruined her perfect night. And she knew that she was going to have to deal with the consequences. And she just had a gut feeling that Lysander was going to know what she'd done.
"Everyone inside the castle now!" Everyone shook at the loud boom of Headmaster Brown's voice. Lily looked over at him. There wasn't really anger on his face. It was just stern. "Now! The staff will be leading you back, and I will be talking to you all in your common room. Anyone from other Houses, your Head of House will talk to you," he explained loudly. "Now move!"
One by one, the Slytherins and their guests filed out of the party's clearing. Lily felt a hand squeeze her wrist comfort, and recognized the warmth of Scorpius's skin.
The lecture the Slytherins received was a long one. They must have sat in their common room floor, since the couches and chair were still outside, for hours while Headmaster Brown talked and lectured, and Professor Slughorn looked at them all with disappointment. Then he sent them all to bed, walking out with Slughorn. Everyone was slow getting up, stiff from sitting during that lecture.
Lily stretched a little as she got up. She was so glad that there were no lessons tomorrow. Great date planning on the sixth years' part. But before Lily could move toward the girls' staircase, she locked eyes with Scorpius. As their friends all moved around them, they stood still in the middle of the crowd.
Lily bit her lip as she looked at him. Now that the party was over, the whole 'magic' of no worries or problems that had been there was gone. But that passion and intense heat still whirled around them, and in Lily's skin.
Scorpius reached out and brushed Lily's bangs away from her eyes. "Goodnight, beautiful," he murmured. But Lily could see that he felt the weight of their actions too. The night was over.
"Goodnight, Scorpius," she whispered. Then she turned and walked up the stairs.
Slytherins weren't happy the next morning. Not just that someone had crashed their party, but that someone had leaked it to the Hogwarts Prophet. Lily knew that she wanted to strangle someone when she saw it. At least when she saw the gossip column, whose headline said, "Where Loyalties Lie."
"As we all know after reading our head column, the Slytherin party was bust! Haha, little joke there. But I think we all deserve to know what really happened. Because last night wasn't only a defeat for the party, but a humiliating defeat for MW, our own HG. After finding her cousin, LL, a Slytherin, at the party, she flipped to know that her family would take part in the party. LL was quick to berate and humiliate her own cousin. A payback for ruining her party. But that's not the only place where LL's loyalties fall. When she was found by our HG, she was wrapped in the arms and in the lap of SM. What a heartbreak to her actual boyfriend."
"You're fucked," Jace said bluntly at breakfast after reading the column.
"Who writes this column?" Lily hissed.
"No idea," Christian told her honestly. "Only Roxy knows."
"She better hope I don't find out, because I'm going to freaking kill her!" Lily growled. Then she pushed aside her plate and dropped her head. "What am I going to tell Lysander? He was already hesitant about me and Scorpius being friends!"
"Can't imagine what he thinks of this?" Megan said dryly.
Lola patted Lily's shoulders. "Lily, . . . I think this is the end. You can't hang onto him. You need to just let him go," she told her.
"I just wish it wasn't because I cheated on him," Lily sighed.
"He doesn't have to know about Clayton," Lola whispered.
"It's not about me and Clayton. What happened between me and Clayton was nothing compared to what happened to me and Scorpius. And at least after what happened with Clayton I felt guilty. I can't even feel bad for snogging Scorpius," Lily groaned. "I'm a terrible girlfriend!"
"No. You're just a bad match for Lysander. Just like he's a bad match for you," Lola assured.
"Hey, Lil, look," Jace nudged her shoulder, and pointed over to the doors. Lily looked to see Lysander standing there, looking directly at her. Lily felt her heart pound with disappointment. This was going to hurt.
Lily stood up. "I'll see you guys later."
"Yeah, ok," Lola said.
"Later, Lil," Jace said with an encouraging smile.
Lily walked away, her stomach feeling twisted. The closer she got to Lysander, the more her heart seemed beat. A flower was in his hand. Oh Merlin!
"We need to talk, Ly," Lily said when she approached. She could have smacked her forehead. Of course they had to talk! That's why he was there.
But Lysander nodded. "I know."
Lily motioned for him to follow her, which he did. She led him down to the dungeons and away from the prying eyes. She took him to the same room where they'd had their fight. That seemed like such a long time ago.
Lysander immediately held out the rose. "Here. This is for you," he told her.
Lily took the flower, while trying not to roll her eyes. Only Lysander would give her a rose after she cheated on him. "It's pretty, Ly, but that's not important."
"Look, I know what happened," Lysander told her quickly. "And it's ok. I understand, and I forgive you."
Lily dropped the flower, and looked at him with major surprise. "You what?" she asked.
"I forgive you. It was an accident. I mean, you were kinda tipsy. Most of the kids at that party were. I understand that. You didn't mean for it to happen," Lysander assured.
Lily shook her head. "No, Ly, no. It wasn't an accident. And I wasn't even really tipsy. I have a better hold on alcohol than one cup of a spiked punch."
She saw him gulp. "Lily, what are you saying?"
Lily sighed. "I know I cheated on you, and I did it willingly and soberly. And the only thing I feel guilty or bad about is that I'm hurting you," she stated. "So, that's why I can't be your girlfriend anymore."
Lysander reached out to take her hand. "Lily, -"
Lily pulled away from him. "No, Lysander. If we stay together, I'll just hurt you again. And I know that I'll do it again." Lily ran a hand through her hair. "I just need to be single for a while."
Lysander scowled a little. "It really is Malfoy, isn't it?"
Lily shook her head. "I don't plan on running straight to Scorpius either. Rushing into any relationship is just going to end badly."
Lysander shrugged. "Then you and I can just take a break. Once you're ready, we can pick this back up," he told her.
But Lily shook her head. "No, Lysander. You're a great guy . . . but you're not the guy I want to be with. I don't . . . feel the way for you that you do for me," she murmured. "And I probably never will."
Lysander opened his mouth to stay something, but Lily turned her back and left the room now. If she hurt him now, he'd hurt a lot less later. And this way, she'd never hurt him again.
Lily sighed as she looked out the window of the Hogwarts Express. She was dreading the talk her parents were going to give her. The headmaster had sent letters home to the parents of all the kids at the party. Lily was sure that her parents would be less than pleased, and she was sure that someone would mention what happened with Scorpius.
Lily tried not to groan as she thought about Scorpius. Things were different with them now. Sure, they acted like nothing had happened . . . but those feelings were still stirring around them. Lily was afraid of what was going to happen. How was this going to affect their friendship?
"Quit thinking about it," Lola told her, tapping her on the knee. "Thinking about those boys will get you no where."
Lily sighed again. "How are you so smart?"
"You've been looking like that ever since you broke up with Lysander," Lola told her.
"And broke his little heart," Jace teased with a laugh.
"Shut it," both girls muttered. Lola smacked his shoulder, making him wince.
Lily ran her hand through her hair. "I just want to get home, face my parents, and start working again. Then I can forget all about it."
"Being busy does make it hard to think of past happenings," Lola said as she flipped through a magazine.
"Until you do a photo shoot at the Malfoy Manor and run into Scorpius," Jace commented. Lola stomped on his foot.
"Ignore him," Lola told her.
"Planned on it," Lily sighed.
Life was about to get much more complicated.
"What were you thinking, young lady?" Ginny scolded. "A party in the common room is understandable. We used to do it too. But having a party after hours and in the Forbidden Forest? Are you kids insane?"
Lily sighed as she tapped her fingers on the kitchen table. At least her parents didn't know about the alcohol in the drinks. And it seemed that what she'd done to Lysander was still unknown to them.
"We know it was wrong," Lily told her.
"Yet you still did it?" Harry demanded.
Lily sighed. "Yes I did."
"And what the hell did you do to your hair?" Harry exclaimed.
"Stay on subject, Harry," Ginny told him.
Harry nodded, his look still stern. "You have any idea how much trouble you are in?"
"Well, we were all forced to clean up the mess in the forest, were put to do odd and manual chores around the castle, and had multiple detentions at different times so that we couldn't talk to each other during. I'd say quite a bit," Lily said with a mocking grin.
"You're ground for at least a month," Harry told her.
"Does that include work?" Lily asked.
"No. I think a little work is what you need," Harry replied.
"That sounds fine," Lily said with a nod. She stood from her seat. "May I go now?"
"Almost," Ginny answered. She looked over at Harry. "But I want to talk to you alone first. Harry?"
Lily looked as confused as her dad did, but sadly, she didn't get to leave like he did. Once she and her mother were alone in the kitchen, her mum sat down in the chair next to her. Lily knew that some kind of talk was coming. "What's this about, Mum?"
"I know about you and Scorpius," Ginny told her.
Lily looked at her with surprise. "What?"
Ginny smiled. "Rose told me and Hermione. She was talking about Lorcan was consoling his brother about the break up."
Lily groaned, trying to resist the urge to run down the street and pummel her cousin. "So?"
"Well, how are you doing?"
Lily looked at her mother with a raised brow. "I cheat on him and you ask how I'm doing?"
Ginny laughed. "Well, you are my daughter. I'm not going to pass judgment on what you did. It's your business."
Lily pushed aside her bangs. "I'm fine, Mum. Actually, now that I ended things with Lysander, I feel much better. Now I can't hurt him."
The look on her mum's face was one that Lily didn't know how to describe. It was like she didn't believe her. "I guess," she murmured. Then she sighed. "Well, when will Scorpius be coming over?"
"He isn't," Lily told her.
"You aren't going to introduce him as your boyfriend?" Ginny asked.
Lily looked at the wood of the table. "He's not my boyfriend. We're not dating."
"Really? I must say, I'm a bit surprised," Ginny replied.
Lily glanced at her mother, and saw a surprised look. "Why is that?"
Ginny shrugged. "I just figured you would be by now. That's all."
Lily relaxed her shoulders. "Well, we're not. It's probably better that way."
Ginny nodded, and reached out to smooth down her daughter's hair. "I'm sure you're right, sweetheart."
Lily wiped down the counter of the Leaky Cauldron with a smile. It was her second day of working here. It was actually kind of easy. But it wasn't open yet, so all she had to do was clean the counter and set down the chairs.
"Lily, we have another new recruit," Hannah said with a laugh.
Lily giggled. "Really? Who?"
"Well, find out for yourself. He's coming in now," Hannah said, nodding toward the fireplace.
Lily turned to see a roaring green flame. She was a bit surprised to see Hugo walking out of it. And when he looked over at the counter, he seemed surprised to see her too.
"Good morning, Hugo," Hannah greeted.
"Morning," Hugo said with a sort of smile. He looked at Lily. "Morning, Lily."
"Morning, Hugo. I didn't know you were going to start working," Lily commented.
Hugo shrugged. "Same here. My parents forced me to get a job though. Said I needed a good work ethic," he scoffed.
Lily laughed. "Yeah, so do my parents now since they know about the party."
Hugo chuckled. "Yeah, I heard about that. I heard it was an awesome party."
Lily grinned. "Yeah, it was. Too bad you weren't there. You'll have to go to the next one." She moved to the tables and began to pull the chairs off the tops.
Hugo moved to help. "I heard about the break up with Lysander. Sorry it didn't work out."
Lily shook her head. "Don't be. I'm not." Lily hesitated before continuing. "You and Wilde still together?"
Hugo nodded. "Yeah. It's been four months now. How long did you and Ly last?"
Lily thought about it. "Almost a year actually." She laughed. "I can't believe we lasted that long."
"That's pretty good for being only fourteen," Hugo told her.
"I guess," Lily said with a shrug. "The last couple months were a bit . . . well we didn't see much of each other."
"Well, things happen," Hugo said with a sigh. "No one's to blame." He looked at her as he set a chair down on the floor. "Hey, Lil."
Lily looked at him as she moved to another table. "Yeah?"
Hugo leaned against the back of a chair. He seemed to be thinking about something, but then he spoke. "I'm sorry about the past four years. The fights, the hexes and words thrown at each other."
Lily pursed her lips as she put down a chair. "It's ok."
"That's not it," Hugo told her. "What I'm really sorry about is . . . I'm sorry for believing James and Albus about the whole 'evil Slytherin' thing. They were full of it and just being prejudice. I'm sorry for abandoning you for being a Slytherin," he apologized.
Lily sighed. "It's ok. I'm sorry for all the fighting. And I don't really hate Gryffindors. I just hate....Lily shrugged. "No idea, but we can give him hell if he is."
Hugo laughed. "Sounds awesome. I'm in."
"Hey, can I get a cup of coffee?" I gruff man asked as he came down the stairs.
Lily let go of Hugo's hand. "Of course, sir. Just one moment." She grinned at Hugo again. "And the work day begins."
"You two are a great team," Hannah told them as they started to close up the first floor of the inn.
"What can we say? We're awesome," Hugo joked.
"Well, you two deserve something to drink for you efforts. Here," Hannah set two butterbeers on the counter. "Before you go on home."
"Thanks," they both said. They sat on two stools, and opened the bottles.
"So, you two know what you wanna do after school?" Hannah asked curiously.
"No clue," Lily replied.
"Don't really care yet," Hugo added. "I'm staying away from Quidditch though."
Lily looked at him with a bit of surprise. "Really? That's a bit surprising. That's what you always talked about being before."
"Yeah, but now . . . I just rather do something else. Something more grounded I guess," Hugo told her. "And you?"
"Well, I could never do Quidditch. Too . . . expected," Lily said with a grin. "I might just stick with modeling for now, and figure the rest out later."
"Sounds reasonable. That's gotta pay good," Hugo commented.
"Very good," Lily said with a nod. "I have more money than I know what to do with."
"Well I'd never object to a gift," Hugo teased, making them all laugh. "But really, do you just save it?"
"Yeah, I made an account a while ago at Gringotts," Lily told him.
"I'm surprised my mum didn't tell me," Hugo sighed.
"She doesn't know," Lily told him.
"Your parents didn't tell my parents something?" Hugo asked with surprise.
Lily giggled. "My parents don't even know."
Hugo nodded. "Ah. Good idea. And thank you. My mum would have never shut up about how responsible you were being, and how I should be the same."
"She would have shut up about me after the party," Lily joked.
Hugo laughed. "Well, I'd have stopped listening by that point anyways." He took a big gulp of his butterbeer. "So, you ready for O.W.L.s this year, Lil?"
Lily shrugged. "Yeah, I guess."
Hannah began walking toward the kitchen. "I'll be back in a minute, you two."
Lily waited until she was gone. "Can I tell you something?"
"Of course," Hugo assured.
"I took my potion O.W.L. back in third year. I just took my N.E.W.T. for it this month," she confided.
Hugo's eyes widened. "No way! How did you do?"
"I got an O on the O.W.L., and I'm sure that I did good on the N.E.W.T.," Lily told him.
Hugo chuckled as he shook his head. "I thought you were a wiz at potions, but I don't think that covers it." He took another drink. "So, I'm guessing you haven't told your parents?"
"Nope," Lily said, popping the 'p'. "I'm proud of it, and I wasn't going to give James the chance to ruin. And if I told my mum and dad, the whole family would know."
"You know, when they look at your O.W.L. scores at the end of fifth year, they'll probably notice Potions missing from the list," Hugo told her.
Lily sighed. She hadn't thought about that. "I'll figure that out when I get there."
"Sounds like a plan," Hugo chuckled. He threw his empty bottle in the nearby trash.
Lily did the same. "Yeah. Well, we better go. I've been grounded to the house, so they'll be wondering where I am."
"Am I still allowed over then?" Hugo asked.
Lily grinned. "I'm sure they'll make an exception." Lily pushed open the kitchen door. "See you tomorrow, Hannah!" she called.
"See you tomorrow, kids!" Hannah called back.
Lily let the door swing closed and looked at Hugo. "Let's do this."
They both Flooed to the Potter house, finding it quiet. It surprised Lily. Usually her brothers were making some kind of noise upstairs.
"Mum, Dad, I'm home!" Lily called.
"You're late!" her father yelled back.
Lily rolled her eyes at Hugo. "They're in the kitchen," Lily whispered. The two left the living room to meet her parents. Lily grinned. "Look who took a job at the Leaky Cauldron!" she joked.
Hugo smiled. "Hey, Uncle Harry, Aunt Ginny," he greeted.
"Your parents really made you get a job, huh?" Harry teased.
"What are you doing here, Hugo?" Ginny asked. "Your parents need something?"
Hugo shook his head. "No. Lil invited me over, so I thought it was the perfect time to catch up. I hope you don't mind?"
Both of her parents looked shocked, and it almost made Lily laugh. But Ginny soon seemed delighted. "Oh, it's no problem. Albus is staying at Tyler's house, and James will be out late with his friends. And I think he said he might go home with one of his friends. You can take one of their rooms."
Hugo grinned. "Thanks."
Lily smiled. "We'll be upstairs then." The two left the room and started for her room. "How much you wanna bet James goes home with a girl?"
"All the money I wish I had," Hugo joked.
"Lily,
I'm glad to hear that you and Hugo are getting along again. I imagine that it's nice to have your best friend back. But then what does that make me? Just kidding. And I'm excited for you about James trying to move out. One less pompous ass for you to deal with. Maybe I won't see that hurt in your eyes as much. I'm glad to admit that I'm actually a step ahead of said ass. I moved out of the manor finally! I've got my own flat now. A place of my own. My parents (mostly my mother) weren't happy about it, but they let me. After all, I'm seventeen. A legal adult. Besides, they told me I could always come back. But I knew that already. They insisted on paying the first few months' rent, wanting to feel like I still needed them for something. It's ridiculous, but I couldn't argue my mum out of it. You'll have to some see it sometime. It's pretty cool.
Sorry to hear that you're grounded. My parents weren't happy, but I wasn't grounded. As my dad said 'I'm an adult, and I make my own choices and mistakes. This was just one of them.' I didn't think the party was a mistake. One of the best nights ever actually. I guess I'll just have to drop by the Leaky Cauldron while you're working, or wait for my mum to set up a photo shoot. Either way, I promise you'll see me soon. Be excited. Haha.
Love,
Scorpius"
Lily licked her lips as she read the letter. She'd finally gotten the courage to write to Scorpius after almost a week of not seeing him. She wanted to talk about the party, but the best she could do was mention that she was grounded because of it. So instead she opted for telling him about work, Hugo, and how James was finally going to move out.
James saying that he was going to move out had been a blessing. Lily had been so excited. It was hard to see her parents look so sad and upset, but she knew that they'd be ok. Still, she hid her excitement for their benefit.
"Lily! You've got a letter!" her father yelled from downstairs.
Lily put her letter from Scorpius down and hurried down the stairs. Her father was standing by the door, flipping through envelopes. He held one out to her. "A Muggle mailman gave it to me," he told her.
Now Lily really was confused. Who would send her a letter this way? She opened the envelope and scanned the bottom of the letter for a name. She was surprised by what she saw. It was from Marcus, her Muggle cousin. She quickly read the letter.
"Dear Lil,
Hey, how's it going, cuz? I thought I might write ya a letter, see how things were going. I dropped out of Smeltings. Didn't tell my parents though, and I found a way to keep them from finding out. I didn't feel like dealing with their bitching. During the school year, I've been staying with a friend that graduated already. I've kept up my boxing. I still go to underground rings, but I've been trying to work my way up to the pros. I might be going to America soon, maybe try and start out there.
How are things on your end? Those pain in the ass brothers of yours leaving you alone? If not, just beat the hell outta them like I taught ya. That'll teach 'em. My siblings are pains. My dumb ass sister got herself knocked up in the middle of school last year. She's due in like a month. What a dumb bitch, right? And my parents always thought that if someone got knocked up that it'd be my fault. Looks like my sis ain't a saint in their eyes no more.
Well, write back, kid. Let me know what's up. I know I'm going to be bored most of the summer.
From,
Marcus"
Lily smiled at the letter. She hurried upstairs to write a reply. She'd have to ask her dad to send it the Muggle way. She'd never had to do that before. Lily wrote a thoughtful response, laughing at both of their siblings, telling him that she was still exercising to refocus her energy, and that she was happy to hear that he was doing something that made him happy.
There was a knock at her door before it opened, and Hugo stepped in. "Hey, cuz. Hannah wants to know if you can work the lunch shift with me today?" he asked.
Lily nodded. "Sure. Need me there now?"
"Yup. So, let's get to it," he joked.
Lily slipped on a pair of shoes. She was in a pair of skinny jeans and a simple band tee, and she'd already thrown her hair up into a messy array. She was perfect for work. She yelled to her parents that she was going to work before Flooing to the Leaky Cauldron with Hugo. She noticed it was packed.
"Something tells me you wanted me to work," Lily said, elbowing him playfully.
"Shut up and help," he laughed.
Lily laughed too as she moved to the counter. "I guess I'll help you."
It was a long lunch rush, Lily decided as the place begin to calm after three or four hours. She sighed as she leaned against the counter, stretching her back a little.
"Working hard, Lil?"
Lily turned around in surprise to see Christian sitting across from her on a stool. "Chris!" Lily exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"
Christian laughed. "My family is shopping in Diagon Alley, and I heard you were working here now. Thought I'd see if I could find ya," he told her.
Lily leaned over to hug him. "I'm glad you did. I've been going crazy after being grounded for the whole month," she replied.
"Parents took the party badly then, huh?" Christian teased.
"Just a little," she laughed. She sighed. "So, enjoying the beginning of your summer?"
He shrugged. "Kind of. A bit boring so far."
Lily smiled as she came around to the other side of the counter to sit by him. "Same. I'm hoping to change that once I get parol," she joked.
"I'm sure you will." He paused, and Lily waited for him to continue. "So, you talk to Lysander or Scorpius yet?"
Lily shook her head. "No. Not yet. Which might be a good thing."
"Yeah. I think so," Christian murmured.
Lily looked at him curiously. "What do you mean?"
He looked at her a bit sheepishly. "Because, then I still have time to see if I have a chance with you."
Lily blushed as she looked at him. But before she could talk, Hugo was coming toward them. "Hey, can I borrow you for a minute, cuz?" he asked.
Lily glanced at Christian. He waved her off. "Go ahead. I'll wait here."
Lily followed Hugo to the kitchen. "What's up, Hugh?"
"What's wrong?" Hugo asked. "You looked like you wanted to get outta there."
Lily sighed as she leaned against the wall. "Christian likes me."
"And?" Hugo asked.
"Well . . ." Lily sighed again, "I don't want a relationship. Not with him."
"Then don't have one. Just let him down gently," Hugo told her.
Lily nodded. "I know. I'm just having to do this a lot lately." She walked out of the kitchen and back to her seat. "Sorry. Hugo kinda sucks at looking for things in the kitchen."
"It's ok," Christian assured. "But, um . . . ," he trailed off.
Lily nodded. "Yeah. Look, Chris, . . . I'm not looking for a relationship. I . . . it's just not a good idea," she said carefully.
He nodded. "Yeah, that's not too surprising." He paused again. "I just thought that . . . maybe I could add up to the spark Scorpius left on ya. Like . . . like maybe it wasn't just him."
That thought sort of scared Lily. She had liked the idea that what went on between her and Scorpius was because it was with him. The idea that I could be with anyone else . . . Lily shook the thought from her head. But it persisted. She had to be sure.
Lily leaned forward and kissed Christian with force. It was a quick moment before she felt him kissing back. Lily tried not to grin into the kiss. She pulled away from his lips, and now she did smile.
Christian was grinning. "It is just him, isn't it?"
Lily nodded. "Yeah. No offense."
He sighed. "None taken. It was a long shot, but I figured I'd still give it a try."
"Spoken like a true opportunist," Lily teased.,"