Lily sighed as she sat at the kitchen table. Her mother was humming as she made breakfast, and her father was holding the paper in his hands. But Lily knew that he wasn't reading it, but glaring at it. After the fight with Lysander, Lily's father had wanted to interrogate her immediately, but Ginny had quickly given Lily a reason to leave the room, and avoid the questions. And thankfully for the next few days, she had been able to avoid her dad. Either he was working early mornings, or she was rushing off to work, and then offering to work early for Hannah. But then her luck ran out. She had another day off and came to lunch to find her dad sitting at the table. Lily was surprised that her father hadn't started asking questions as soon as she walked into the kitchen. Her mum must have said something to him.
"So, Lily, what do you have planned for today?" Ginny asked casually.
Lily glanced at her father to see that he was looking sharply at her. She looked away. "Well, I thought I might see what Lola is doing, or maybe hanging out with a few other friends," she replied.
"Like Scorpius?" Harry snapped quickly.
Lily tried to keep her insides from trembling. "I don't know. Probably."
"Are you dating that boy?" Harry fired off the question.
"Harry," Ginny warned carefully.
Lily ran a hand through her hair. Better get it over with. "Yes. Scorpius and I are dating," she answered.
"Isn't he seventeen?" Harry inquired with a stern gaze.
"Isn't Uncle Percy four years older than Aunt Audrey?" Lily pointed out.
"He's a bit old for you," Harry quipped.
"Scorpius has been a great friend for years," Lily argued. "And you've always liked him."
"You two being friends did not include him touching my daughter," Harry said in a low tone.
Lily blushed at his words. "Harry!" Ginny scolded. "They just started dating! And Scorpius has always been a perfect gentleman."
"So was I around your parents," Harry countered. "But that didn't stop me from-,"
"Dad!" Lily interrupted quickly. That was nothing she needed to hear.
Ginny rolled her eyes. "Harry, I was not fourteen. I was fifteen. And you and I did none of what you are implying until I was practically seventeen."
"Times are different, Ginny," Harry replied.
"How about we just have him over for dinner?" Ginny suggested. "That way you can properly talk with him?"
"Do I get a say?" Lily asked.
"I don't want to talk with him!" Harry complained.
"You talked to him when he used to come over," Ginny replied.
"He wasn't all over my daughter!" Harry exclaimed.
"He's not all over your daughter," Ginny said with another roll of her eyes.
"Can I say something?" Lily tried to interrupt.
"We'll have him over, and you can find out that he is still a nice boy," Ginny told him.
"He's seventeen. No seventeen-year-old is 'a nice boy'," Harry muttered.
"Hey!" Lily exclaimed, catching the surprise of both parents.
"What, sweetheart?" Ginny asked.
"How is it that Scorpius is suddenly coming over?" Lily demanded.
Ginny turned her back as she began to pull out plates. "Don't overact, Lily. It's a simple dinner. Scorpius has been over for dinner before," she told her.
Lily dropped her head onto the table, giving up.
A door slammed somewhere in the house, and pounding feet soon came toward the kitchen from the front door. James burst into the room. "Great news!" he cheered. "Al, come down here!" he yelled. Lily turned her head to glance over at James, who was moving to sit down.
Harry chuckled. "What's with all the excitement, son?" Lily tried not to growl. How was it that he was suddenly so happy now that James was home?
"Just a minute, I want everyone here," James told him with an eager grin.
Albus was down in another moment, looking confused. "What's up?" he asked.
"Ok," James said eagerly, "so, I went and had my tryout for the Chudley Cannons today."
"And how was it?" Ginny asked with excitement.
"I'm on the team!" James cheered. "And not as a reserve! I'm a first string player!"
"That's great, James!" Harry complimented.
"We are very proud of you," Ginny told him as she kissed his cheek.
"Way to go, bro!" Albus said excitedly.
"And that's not all," James told them.
"What could be as awesome?" Albus asked with a laugh.
There was a pause, and Lily almost snorted at James's attempt at adding suspense. "Well," he finally said, "I also found the perfect flat!"
"So soon?" Ginny asked. Lily didn't have to lift her head to know that her mother's face was one of distress.
"Well, I only looked at it, but it's a decent size and price," James assured. "And if I go and sign the papers later today, I can begin moving in."
"Are you sure about this?" Ginny questioned.
"Totally," James replied. "But I thought that you and Dad would like to check it out first."
"You are right on that," Harry joked lightly. "How about we go after lunch?"
"Sounds perfect!" James said happily.
"Mind if I tag along?" Albus asked.
"Of course you're coming with!" James assured him.
Lily quickly stood up from the table. "I'm going to go and get dressed before going to Diagon Alley," she told them.
"What about lunch?" Ginny asked.
"I'll get something at the Leaky Cauldron," Lily told her as she walked toward the door.
"Don't you want to go and see the flat your brother's talking about moving into?" Harry asked.
Lily bit her tongue to hold back any unnecessary remark. "When do you want me to invite Scorpius over to dinner?"
"Malfoy is coming to dinner?" Albus complained.
"See if he can come tonight," Ginny told her. "The sooner the better."
Lily nodded. "Sure." Then she left the room.
About an hour later, Lily found herself sitting on a stool at the counter of the Leaky Cauldron. She had taken a bit of time to get dressed and get a quick note out to Scorpius to meet her. Now she was waiting for him to arrive.
"Hello, beautiful," someone whispered in her ear.
Lily smiled as she recognized the voice. Before she could speak or move, a flower was placed in front of her eyes. A very pretty daisy. She took it and turned to see Scorpius now sitting on the stool next to her. "Hey, there," she giggled lightly.
He smirked. "So, why the quick and 'emergency' meeting?" Scorpius asked.
Lily sighed. "Well, my mum wants you to come to dinner tonight," she told him, trying not to sound grim about it.
Scorpius raised a brow. "Really? Ok, why not."
"They know we're dating," Lily warned, trying to throw him off.
"All the more reason for me to go," Scorpius replied.
Lily sighed. "If you're sure."
"Your dad hates me?" Scorpius asked.
"Sort of," Lily admitted. She ran a hand though her hair. "Do you mind if we go somewhere else? The rest of my family is out looking at some flat James wants to rent, and I don't to see them incase they stop in for lunch."
Scorpius nodded. "Yeah, I know the perfect place." He took her hand, pulling her from her seat. "Come on." He took her out the back door, and stopped before the wall leading out to Diagon Alley. There, he put his arms around her, and Lily waited for the feel of Apparation. "Hold tight," he whispered.
When Lily's feet hit the floor, she looked around and was curious as to where they were. It was a moderate sized room, with a good sized Muggle tv, a big couch in the center of two comfy-looking armchairs. A small coffee table was in front of the couch, and bottles, papers, and a couple of magazines lay on the top. There were pictures on the walls, and a large Slytherin banner on the wall. A book case was full of books in the corner. The room was connected to a normal looking kitchen, with an assortment of Muggle appliances. They were obviously not in Malfoy Manor.
"Where are we?" Lily asked, pulling from his arms to look around.
She heard him chuckle. "This is my flat. Your family won't bother you here, and I thought that you might want to see it."
Lily turned to smile at him. "I like it," she admitted. In the normal, average looking room, Scorpius stood out. Even while dressed in a casual shirt and jeans, Scorpius was elegant. His face was that of an aristocrat, his hair styled in a perfect mess. He made the room perfect.
Scorpius sat on the couch. "I'm glad to hear that. Because I was thinking that, now that you're no longer grounded, I might bring out around here some times. If you don't mind."
Lily grinned as she sat next to him on the couch. "I think that's a great idea. It is nice to be free of my chains after a freakin' month of being locked away."
Scorpius chuckled as he leaned forward to brush his lips against her cheek. "I'll bet. Now you can breathe clean, and lion-free air." His breath was warm against her ear, and Lily loved the feel.
"I just can't wait to be surrounded by level minded Slytherins again," she murmured.
"Well, I could probably get a few of them over today. Sound good?" Scorpius asked.
Lily grinned. "That is the best idea I've heard yet."
"Give me a minute to Floo them all."
Half and hour later, Lily felt the happiest she'd been since she was grounded. Well, not as happy as she was when she and Scorpius got together, but close. Scorpius had really delivered on bringing their friends over. Mitch, Rex, and Justin were the first to arrive. Lars, Lana, and Dante were next. Then Lola came over with Shannon, and Jace came over with Hunter, and Christian. It was a great gathering.
"We've missed you!" Lola squealed as she and Lily hugged. Lola had gotten taller, which amazed Lily. They hadn't been apart that long. Her hair was curled loosely now that it was longer. Her ears had been pierced again, twice on the top.
"I know. Living at home as been Hell," Lily groaned as she pulled away from the hug. "Luckily, James is talking about moving out. He's already found a flat."
"And that is reason to party!" Mitch exclaimed with a laugh.
"Now you just gotta get rid of your sister, Allie," Lars joked.
"He is a girl," Dante chuckled.
"So, what have I missed?" Lily asked as she dropped onto the couch.
Lola sighed as she sat next to her. "Well, Megan finally dropped her standards and allowed herself to go on a date."
"Really? With who?" Lily asked. Megan was known among the girls for having ridiculous standards.
"Matt Cornfoot. He's in Ravenclaw," Shannon answered.
Lily felt her insides and her mind slow. "Cornfoot?" she questioned. Surely she was over thinking it.
But Lola gave her a hesitant look. "Yeah, he's Clayton's little brother."
Lily gulped. "Yeah, I thought so."
"Shay, did you tell her about me and you?" Hunter asked from his seat next to Jace and Christian.
Lily raised a brow. "What about you two?" she asked.
Shannon shrugged. "We broke up a couple of days ago. Mutually."
"Her brother scared the shit outta me," Hunter told her.
Lily laughed as she thought of Adrian Flint trying to scare off Hunter. It was probably a true image.
"More importantly," Mitch interrupted, "what have we missed with you and our own Scorpius?"
Lily bit back a giggle at Mitch's suggestive tone. Scorpius smacked the back of his head as he moved to sit down next to Lily, his arm going around her shoulders. "Shut it," he warned. But then he looked at Lily. "Actually, how did Scamander take it?"
"Oh, Lysander found out?" Lola asked with a sympathetic look.
Lily sighed, trying to ignore the sting of Lysander's words. "Yeah. He, uh . . . he didn't take it too well."
"I'm sorry," Scorpius said, although there wasn't much apology in his voice.
Lily shrugged. "It doesn't matter."
"So, I heard that you and Hugo Boy are getting along better," Jace mentioned.
Lily nodded. "Yeah, we've patched things up. He said he's tired of dealing with James's crap."
"I got tired of it a second after meeting him," Dante muttered.
"He's a good kid," Scorpius told them, bringing the topic back to Hugo. "I hung out with him the other day when I went to her house."
"You'll have to bring him over sometime," Mitch told her. "Let us meet him personally."
"Is he gunna be at your house tonight?" Scorpius asked her.
Lily shook her head. "From what I know, it's just you and me, and the other Potters," she muttered.
"Wow, dinner with the girlfriend's parents," Rex teased. "You're in for a treat!"
Scorpius shrugged as he smirked. "I've met her parents before. And her mum likes me, so it's all good."
"Genius moment!" Mitch yelled as he jumped up from his seat, scaring the hell out of everyone else in the room.
"What the fuck are you yelling about?" Lana snapped, her hand over her heart, a look of surprise on her face.
Mitch grinned with an odd sense of victory. "I had an awesome idea! We all come here one night, stay the whole night, and fucking party away from the eyes of adults!"
Scorpius raised a brow. "Not that I'm against the idea, but how the hell are some of our parents going to allow that?"
"Not all of us are legal adults," Lola pointed out.
Mitch rolled his eyes. "You tell your parents you're staying with a friend, and then come here instead! It's perfect!"
Lily bit her lip momentarily. "I don't know. My dad isn't very trusting of me after that party."
"What if . . . what if you tell him you're staying at Lola's house after a girls' night or some crap like that?" Mitch asked. "He can see you leave with them, and then Lola can go home with you the next morning."
"And that will help me if I tell my parents that I'm staying at your house," Lola added with a thought.
Lily sighed "I don't know I guess we can at least give it a try."
"Awesome! How about the tenth of August? We can all go to our band's gig, and then come here," Mitch asked, looking as if he was getting ready to bounce on his feet.
"How about we all try to work it out, and then meet the day before to make sure it all adds up?" Lana suggested.
"That sounds like a plan," Christian agreed.
"And I can at least clean this place up a little before then," Scorpius said with a nod.
"Good, because it's a mess," Shannon teased.
"I like it," Lily defended with a smile.
Scorpius smirked. "And if she's on my side, then I win," he laughed.
"You never win against Lily Lu," Mitch agreed as he laughed too.
"That's because you're not smart enough," Lily mocked with a smile. They all laughed, even Mitch. Lily loved this feeling. This was home.
"Do I look ok?" Scorpius asked as he attempted to smooth down his hair. After the others had left a little around an hour ago, Lily was sitting in the living room, watching the Muggle tv, while Scorpius was getting ready for the dinner. When he walked out, Lily was bit taken aback at his appearance. He had obviously showered, and shaved all but his chin, leaving a small goatee. He wore a dark-green shirt that was buttoned up, a flipped down collar, and buttoned cuffs. His pants were black with a sleek, leather belt.
Lily stood up and walked closer to him. As she did, she could smell that musky smell that was all Scorpius. She took hold of his cheeks, which were now smooth. "Well, don't you look dashing," she murmured.
Scorpius smirked. "Why thank you." He brought one hand to her waist, but then one tugged at the hair on his chin. "I didn't want to shave completely," he said sheepishly.
Lily giggled. "Don't worry. I think it looks good on you," she complimented. She looked over his outfit. "But, you didn't have to look this nice. It's just a dinner with my family. I doubt James and Albus will put any thought into their clothes," she told him.
"Why should I try to match those idiots' standards?" Scorpius inquired with a smirk.
Lily smiled. "You've got a point. Although, it does make my outfit seem very casual," she teased. She wore only a simple black skirt and a thin green sweater.
"I think you look beautiful," he whispered. He leaned down and placed his lips on hers in a brief kiss.
When he pulled away, Lily brought in a deep breath. Did he always have to make her insides go soft and warm? "We should go," she said quietly, unable to get her voice any louder.
Scorpius sighed. "All right. Let's go then."
Soon, Lily found herself outside the door of her house, her hand in Scorpius's. The door in front of her was a little daunting. Part of her was afraid of the problems that James and Albus would cause. They've done it before. They always had some snide remark for when she was with Lysander. But Lily knew that, unlike Lysander, Scorpius would take up for her, and was bigger than her brothers.
With one last free breath, Lily opened the door, and brought Scorpius inside. "Mum! Dad! I'm home! Scorpius is with me!" she announced.
In a flash, Ginny was in the hall with a smile. "Hello, Scorpius. How are you?"
Scorpius smiled slightly. "I'm fine, Mrs. Potter. And you?"
"Well, I'm sure Lily has told you about her brother moving out soon. With that over our heads, I can't be my happiest, but I'm making due," Ginny told him, her smile never wavering.
"I'm sure this house will be much quieter," Scorpius joked lightly.
"I have no doubt about that!" Ginny laughed. When she stopped, she waved for them to followed. "You came just in time. Dinner is ready, and the boys are waiting at the table."
When they entered the kitchen, Lily was surprised to see her father, James, and Albus dressed nicer than they normally would have. Even Albus's hair was a nicer mess than usual.
"Can we eat now?" Albus moaned.
"Albus Potter!" Ginny chided, pushing his shoulder lightly as she passed him to take her seat. Lily and Scorpius moved to take their seats as well. Lily noticed her father's glare toward their fingers, which were interlocked.
"It's nice to see you again, Mr. Potter," Scorpius greeted politely.
"Scorpius," Harry said tensely. The air around them grew heavy as they began to eat.
"So, what did you two do today?" Ginny asked as an icebreaker.
"Yes, what did you do?" Harry asked with suspicion. Lily tried not to glare at her father.
"Well, I took Lily out and we met up with a few of our friends," Scorpius answered easily. "I figured that she might like to see the others after being grounded."
"That must have been fun," Ginny commented.
"So, you're seventeen now, Scorpius?" Harry asked, firing off his first question.
Scorpius nodded briefly. "Yes. My birthday was last February," he answered.
"That must have been a good day. First day as a 'man'," Harry said with the same tension as before.
Scorpius shrugged. "I guess. Really, I feel no different."
"So, you'll be eighteen this coming February?" Harry mentioned.
"Yes. That's right," Scorpius agreed.
"Lily's birthday is coming up soon," Ginny threw in, sending firm looks at her husband.
"Yes. She'll be fifteen," Harry added with almost a glare at Scorpius.
"Just brings you even closer to O.W.L.s," Scorpius teased her, obviously ignoring the tension Lily's father was trying to throw at him.
"Ha, ha," Lily muttered dryly. "Find amusement in my suffering."
Scorpius smirked as he took her hand. "You'll do fine," he assured.
"You must be eager for this year," Harry said to Scorpius. "After all, it is your last."
Lily felt her heart tighten. As much as she hated that fact, it was true. This would be Scorpius's last year at Hogwarts. Then she would have two years without him. She pushed the thought away. It was way too early to let thoughts like that irritate her.
"No, actually, I know I'm going to miss Hogwarts," Scorpius told him. Harry still didn't seem pleased.
The rest of the dinner passed with casualness, and tension. No matter how charming Scorpius was, Lily's father didn't seem appeased. But Lily's tension really shot up after dinner was over.
"Scorpius, would you mind if you and I talked while Lily and her mother clean up?" Harry asked.
Both Lily and Ginny looked at Harry sharply, but he ignored them. Scorpius nodded. "Of course, Mr. Potter. Lead the way." All the males in the room left the kitchen, but thankfully James and Albus turned toward the stairs. The opposite direction of her father and Scorpius.
"Does Dad have to be unreasonable?" Lily growled as she picked up the plates from the table.
"He's your father, and you're his youngest and only daughter. He's going to be a bit tough," Ginny told her. "It's not fair, but what can you do? It's who your father is."
"Well, he's a jerk," Lily muttered.
"I'm sure things will be better after their talk," Ginny assured.
"That or Dad will find another reason to be angry," Lily said quietly.
"Just be patient and have faith," Ginny told her.
"Hasn't worked before," Lily mumbled under her breath. If her mother heard her, she didn't respond.
Lily had done the dishes, straightened up the kitchen, and even cleaned the living room slightly before Scorpius finally came out of her father's study. Lily felt her heart skip a beat with anticipation. But Scorpius only sat down on the couch, and didn't say a word.
"Well?" Lily urged, moving to sit next to him.
Scorpius raised a brow. "Well what?"
Lily smacked his shoulder. "No games," she told him.
Scorpius chuckled. "Ok, ok. Well, he interrogated me on my intentions, past relationships, future plans, and moral character."
"And?" Lily prodded.
He shrugged. "And I answered his questions. How I answered those questions . . . well I'll let you guess."
Lily smacked his shoulder again when she caught sight of his teasing look. "That's not fair!"
He laughed fully now. "Maybe my answers were personal. Maybe I don't feel like sharing them."
Lily rolled her eyes. "You are such a jerk," she mumbled, knowing he could hear.
"So, what's his name?" Duncan asked.
After being ungrounded, and finding time from work, Lily took the chance to come see Duncan. He was looking good. The only difference from the last time she saw him was that he looked just the tiniest bit older. A little less baby fat. That was a good sign. But she decided to tell him about Hugo, and then about Scorpius. He was insistent to know about her friends, family, and others.
"His name is Scorpius," Lily reminded him. She had pulled one of the million pictures off his wall, and showed it to him. It was one of the Slytherin Quidditch team, and she had pointed Scorpius out to him.
"He looks nice," Duncan told her with a smile.
"He is nice," Lily assured.
Duncan turned to look at her. "Can I meet him?"
Lily looked at him with surprise. The thought of any of her friends or family meeting Duncan had never really crossed her mind. The relationship between her and Duncan had always seemed . . . fragile, and she feared that bringing someone else into it could shatter it. But . . . she didn't know that Scorpius would change things. And Duncan wanted to meet him. Duncan wasn't someone she could say no to.
"Well . . . I'll bring him around sometime. If not this summer, then during Christmas break," she told him.
"You should try for this summer," he told her. His tone was different than it had been a moment ago. It wasn't as light or happy. It was bright, but with an undertone of . . . sadness?
"What's wrong with Christmas?" Lily asked, trying to ignore the tone.
Duncan made a movement like a shrug, but without sight of his arms, Lily couldn't tell if that's what it was. "I just want to make sure that I look like I do now when I see him," he told her.
Lily felt tension shudder through her. "What do you mean, Duncan?" she asked carefully.
Duncan was now looking at the picture in his hands, but Lily felt like he was looking through it more than at it. There was a small scowl on his face. "Nothing," he mumbled.
"Duncan," Lily whispered, brushing his hair away from his eyes. "Tell me."
Duncan dropped the picture onto his lap and lifted his head to look at the wall ahead of him. "When you have Vanishing Sickness, you can feel when something is going to disappear. At first, you don't notice it. It just feels like that feeling just before your foot falls asleep, only lighter. And then it goes away, and so does the limb. You never think about it until a lot of your body starts to disappear. I began to notice it when my arm disappeared," Duncan explained. He stopped, tilting his head back as if he was trying to find the sky in the ceiling. "I haven't felt that feeling in a long time it seems. Like it was all over. But then . . ." He stopped.
Lily stroked his cheek gently. She didn't know how to make someone feel better about something like this. "Then, what, Duncan?"
He leaned his cheek into her palm. "Then, a few days ago, I felt that feeling again. It was on my right side. It's a really small area, but I can feel it now. It's going to disappear eventually," he told her. "The nerve endings stop functioning, and then the skin and everything else about it will fade. Any purpose or function a side has, will be done, along with anything inside that area." The normal calm that Duncan usually had was gone, and Lily was frightened at his sour and tensed voice.
"It will be ok, Duncan," Lily assured.
"Do you know how someone dies of Vanishing Sickness, Lily?" Duncan asked quietly. "Do you?" When Lily didn't answer, he continued. "Then ask me. Ask me how!"
Lily bit her lip. "How does someone die with Vanishing Sickness?" she asked softly.
Duncan's gaze at his lap was hard. "Eventually, you get that feeling in your chest. And soon, anything in the area starts to slowly stop working. Your heart beat gets slower, and your lungs take longer. It gets harder to breathe. And eventually, one of them stops working. Maybe you'll be lucky, and only one of your lungs stops, but soon . . . they all stop."
Lily felt her own heart pound harshly against her chest. It was true . . . but it was scary. And if it was scary for her, then Lily couldn't imagine how scary it was for Duncan. Lily stood up from her seat and leaned forward to hug him. Although she couldn't see it, she could feel where his arm was. She kept herself from looking. She knew it would make her feel worse, so she kept her eyes on his hair. "You'll be ok, Duncan. You'll be ok," she whispered soothingly.
She could feel him leaning closer to the hug. "You'll come see me? Even if I'm all depressing like this?"
Lily smiled into his hair. "I'll come see you no matter what you're like," she assured him.
"And . . . when it happens, will you come?" he whispered.
Lily felt her heart clench. "I'll be here whenever you need me," she murmured, avoiding actually saying what he meant.
"Ok," he said quietly. "Then I'll try to not be as depressing. I'll smile," he promised.
"Don't worry about hiding your feelings," Lily told him gently. "You feel however you feel, and I'll help you through it. Ok?"
She felt him nod against her arm. "Ok," he whispered. "Thank you, Lily."
Lily sighed, trying to quell the sadness that wanted to grip her. "It's never a problem, Duncan. Anytime, and any thing you need."
"So, I want to try a summer dress first," Astoria mentioned.
August had finally come around, and Lily was now sitting in Astoria's workroom, waiting for an outfit to be chosen. It seemed that Astoria was still unaware that her top model was now dating her son, and Lily didn't see a reason to mention it. Well, honestly, she was afraid to mention it. Sure, her father was . . . well, her father, but Lily was still afraid that the news that she was dating Scorpius would change Astoria and Draco's views of her. And she liked the Malfoy parents too much to be brave.
"Lily? Are you ok?" Astoria asked.
Lily shook her head a little, knocking herself out of her thoughts. "Sorry, sorry. I'm fine. Just thinking a lot." After her visit with Duncan, it was hard for Lily to push away that sad feeling. Being around Scorpius helped, and since he had a habit of 'showing up' when she was at work, she was able to keep the feeling away.
"Everything ok?" Astoria asked with care.
Lily shook her head. "No, it's fine. My birthday is five days away, and my family is throwing a party at my grandparents' house," she said, trying to play if off.
But Astoria suddenly looked excited. "Your birthday is in five days? Oh, how fun! We'll have to get you a present!"
But Lily shook her head. "No, it's ok. I don't even really want a party. I'd rather just hang out with my friends and call it good," Lily told her.
"Well we can do that!" Astoria assured. "We'll throw a party here! Just you and your friends. Scorpius can help set up!" Lily opened her mouth to protest, but Astoria beat her to it. "Nope, no arguing. It'll be a present from me and Draco. I insist. You pick a day, and I'll plan it then!"
Lily tried not to laugh at Astoria's happy attitude. "Ok. I will. I promise."
Lily later found herself in light makeup, hair up, and put in a thin and very pretty dress. Astoria had left her in the room, saying that she was getting the backyard prepped, which was where the pictures were to be taken.
"You look ravishing."
Lily jumped, her heart pounding. She whirled around to see Scorpius leaning against the doorframe. He wore a simple grey shirt and jeans. His wrist was adorned with the studded bracelet she'd gotten years ago, and she could see the three piercings in his left ear.
"Scorpius! What are you doing here?" Lily asked, mostly out of excitement.
Scorpius begin to approach her with slow but long steps. "How could I miss seeing you all dressed up and pretty?" he teased. When he was closer, something caught Lily's eye, and it made her gasp.
"You pierced your eyebrow?" she said in surprise as she looked at the thin hoop above his eye.
Scorpius laughed. "Yeah, Mitch and the other guys talked me into it a few days ago. Like it?"
Lily reached up to rub her thumb along the skin around the hoop. "It looks good on you," she complimented. But this man could make rags look good.
"I'm glad," he murmured, bringing his lips closer to her. Yet they still weren't touching, and Lily didn't know why. "So, my mum caught me in the hall and told me to start planning a party for you. What's that about?"
Lily sighed and did her best to keep from rolling her eyes. "I made the mistake of telling her that my birthday was in five days. Now she insists on throwing a party for me."
Scorpius chuckled, his lips brushing against her as he did. "Really? Well, I should start planning. Mind if I throw it on the sixth?"
Lily smiled. "Well, it would get me away from my family. I'll see if I can convince my grandparents to let me go to a different party. Maybe after a 'birthday lunch' I can go," Lily replied.
"I'll start planning then," he whispered. And finally, his lips pressed onto hers in a smooth yet passionate kiss.
"Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy, you better not be messing up the lip gloss I put on her!"
The two teens jumped apart and turned to see Astoria standing in the doorway, amusement on her face.
Scorpius sighed. "Of course not, mother," he assured with a grin.
Astoria laughed, excitement bubbling up. "You know, I'm a little hurt, Scorpius. My own son doesn't tell me that he's dating such a sweetheart?" she teased.
Lily blushed lightly, but Scorpius shook his head. "Well, mother, you never asked," he mocked.
Astoria only smacked his shoulder as she passed him to put her arm around Lily's shoulder. "Oh, Lily, hun, you are in for a treat. Malfoy men are just so much fun to deal with."
Lily giggled, happy that Astoria was happy about it all. "Yeah, I figured that out."
Astoria winked at her. "And since Scorpius is a lot like his dad, I can warn you about a few things now," she joked.
Lily laughed. "That sounds wonderful!"
"Don't you have pictures to take?" Scorpius muttered, his cheeks turning a little pink.
"We can always talk while she does," Astoria teased. "And I think Lily needs a bit of warning about how difficult Malfoy men can me."
"You get even more difficult?" Lily groaned jokingly. "And just when I thought I'd see it all when it came to you."
Scorpius rolled his eyes and began to leave the room. "Well, I'm going to hang out with the other difficult Malfoy man. Perhaps Dad will at least cut me some slack."
Astoria and Lily only laughed. Then Astoria was taking Lily out to the backyard, and helping her find the perfect spot for the picture. They chose a spot near one of the flowerbeds.
"So, Lily," Astoria said as she got the camera ready, "when did you and Scorpius start dating. I doubt my son will tell me much."
Lily smiled. "Near the end of June. Don't feel left out. My parents only just found out a couple of weeks ago. And that's not because I told them."
"Well, I'm glad you two are dating. He's been mooning over you for almost a year now, and I'm glad to see him actually happy," Astoria told her.
Lily blushed again. Almost a year? Even his parents knew? "I never would have guessed," she sighed.
Astoria laughed. "That's not too surprising. Draco was never good at making his feelings known either. Even when it came to the simplest things. Obviously where Scorpius gets it from." Finally, the camera was floating, and ready to start.
Lily took the chance to ask a quick question. "Astoria, how will Lucius and Narcissa react, do you think?"
As the camera started, Lily hid her emotions when she saw hesitation on Astoria's face. She kept smiling as the camera flashed repeatedly.
"Well, I'm sure Narcissa won't mind. She's very fond of you," Astoria assured.
"But . . . Lucius?" Lily asked between flashes.
Now Astoria was really hesitant. "Well, . . . Lucius has obviously always been pro-pureblood. After the war, he was a tiny bit more accepting. But when it came to marriage within the Malfoy family . . ." she cut off, but then started again. "Well, when he first found out that Draco and I were getting married, his only reply was 'as long as she's a pureblood.'"
Lily sighed. "So . . . no chance?" Not that Lily had even expected one to begin with.
"Well, he might just see this as a fling and let it slide. But eventually he would insist that it end. But you have nothing to worry about, dear," Astoria said quickly. "Scorpius has never really been good with listening to Lucius when he spoke about purebloods being supreme. Especially as of late."
A thought struck Lily, and as Astoria took the camera so that they could change her outfit, Lily decided to ask. "Astoria?"
"Yes, sweetheart?" Astoria questioned.
Lily bit her tongue, but then continued. "Why does Scorpius argue and rebel against Lucius so much?"
Astoria sighed as they begin to walk back to the house. "You know, Lily, I'm not sure. It was strange. Just one day, Scorpius didn't like his grandfather anymore. It was odd, and whenever I tried to ask him what happened, he wouldn't explain. And neither will Lucius." She looked at Lily. "Maybe he'll tell you."
"What makes you think he'd tell me if he won't even tell you?" Lily asked.
Astoria's smile had a quality that Lily couldn't identify. Was it sadness? "I think he tells you a lot of things he doesn't tell me." She sighed. "Anyways, you should talk to him. Even if he doesn't tell you all of it, he might say a little bit about it."
As they continued switching outfits, changing hairstyles, and taking pictures, Lily thoughts persisted on Scorpius's distaste for his grandfather. He had never really talked about it. Just called him a "pureblood maniac" and a bigot. But that was obvious, and it still didn't really explain Scorpius's reasons for rebelling against the supposed Malfoy image.
"So, this magazine should be out in a month or so, I'll send them to you," Astoria assured as Lily changed back into her original outfit. She was handed a pouch of coins again. "Here's your payment for this."
Lily didn't bother looking at it. She would never agree that she deserved that much, and Astoria would never agree that she deserved less. It was a moot point to argue.
"Also," Astoria said, "I was thinking that we could do a formal shoot again. On the sixteenth?"
"Sounds good to me," Lily assured.
"What is this I hear about having a future daughter-in-law?"
Lily turned her head to see Draco walking into the room. He was smirking in her direction. Lily smiled. "Hello, Draco," she greeted.
He nodded politely. "Hello, Lily. I hear that your dating my son, and that you and my wife have been teasing him mercilessly," he teased.
Astoria waved her husband's statement off. "Don't let him be over dramatic," she said airily.
"It's so fun to tease him," Lily joked.
Draco chuckled. "Well I won't argue with that." He sighed as he moved to sit on a stool next to Lily. "How's life treating you, Lily?" he asked.
"Excuse me," Astoria murmured, her eyes glued to a piece of parchment as she left the room, leaving Lily and Draco alone in the room.
Lily sighed. "Not horrible I guess. It's getting better."
"Excited for O.W.L.s?" Draco teased.
Lily rolled her eyes. Did everyone ask fifth years that? "Well, I actually took my potions O.W.L. in my third year. Slughorn tricked me into it," she admitted.
Draco looked astounded. "Are you serious? How did you do?"
Lily grinned, trying not to look to smug. "An O. I took my N.E.W.T. this last year. I'm waiting for the result to come in this month," she told him.
"Well I am impressed," Draco complimented. "That's quite an accomplishment for a girl of thirteen and fourteen. I'm sure your parents were excited and proud."
Lily shrugged. "I don't know. I haven't told them."
Draco's face was confused. "Why not?" he asked, although his tone didn't sound like he was prying.
She sighed. "Never time. The boys in the house are always going on about something that has my mum and dad's attentions wrapped up. And I'm proud of it, and I don't want that ruined."
Draco nodded. Unlike most, he didn't ask what she meant, nor did he pry into her family life. Most people would have. Lily was glad that he didn't.
"You know, sometimes I think that having only one child was a good thing," he said thoughtfully. "And then other times, I think that my life would be more fulfilling if I had a bigger family." He sighed. "There's really nothing I can do about it now. Astoria and I have made our choices. Now all I can do is wonder if I'm a good father."
"You question your parenting skills?" Lily asked softly.
Draco's smile was small and almost bitter. "No matter how many kids you have or how old they get, you always question your parenting skills. Did we teach them right? Did we take proper care of them? The list goes on and on. I guess I mostly wonder if I raised a man who can be proud of himself, and a man that knows right from wrong," he murmured.
"I think you did a great job," Lily assured.
Draco shot her a small and appreciative smile. "Thank you. I like to think that I did. And I like to think that I was a good dad. One that he knows he can tell anything. One that he can talk to."
Lily bit her lip shortly. "I think he knows," she told him. "But Scorpius doesn't always talk about important things. He bottles things up."
"Yeah, I know and admit to where he gets that from," Draco agreed. "And it's not that I'm expecting him to tell me everything . . . I just hope that he knows that he can."
"He's never complained about you or Astoria," Lily told him. "He's only had good things to say, and fond memories to retell."
Draco sighed and rubbed at his eyes. "I just hope that I'm a father that he can be proud of," he muttered.
"Well, I don't know everything the Malfoy family did during the war, but it's obvious that you've turned it all around for the better. What's not to be proud of?" Lily questioned gently.
Draco's grin was small and not sincere. "There are a lot of things if he looks back enough."
Lily shook her head. "Scorpius isn't about the past. What people did before we were born doesn't matter to him. And even so, you did amazing making things better for your family. You're a great father. And if you raised Scorpius to be like you, then he is a man."
Draco turned in his chair so that he was facing her completely, his face serious as he looked at. And in almost a fatherly way, he reached out and moved her hair from her face and straightened the collar of her shirt. "And you, Lily, are a great girl. You are smart, kind, gentle, yet strong and determined. And loyal. There is no other girl that I think would be better suited for my son," he murmured.
Lily felt her cheeks flush with something akin to pride, and she felt her heart squeeze tight with a feeling of sad longing. Then it tightened with guilt. Because the thought that crossed her heart was so terrible to think about. But in the back of her mind, it was true, and she couldn't deny it.
She loved her own father, but in the moment, she wanted nothing more than for Draco to be her dad.