Turning the letter over, heart in mouth, his eyes opened wide when he saw the seal.
It was not from St Mungo’s; there was no need to be quite so frightened. However, his anxiety had not lessened, just changed to something else, a kind of nervous sick feeling bubbling in his stomach. He glanced across the room, over the other tables, trying to catch Lily’s eye, but she wasn’t looking his way whenever he was. Short of staring at her obsessively for the next half an hour, or jumping up and down like a Kneazle on catnip, he could not attract her attention. He could hang around and wait for her to leave, but the letter was glaring at him.
“Scorpius.”
He looked up to see Benedict hovering behind him. “Yep,” he replied, hiding the envelope under his hand.
“Prefects’ meeting at midday, okay?”
“Uh, sure. Usual place?”
Benedict grinned. “The last time you came to a meeting was over a year ago, I doubt you can remember where the usual place is.” He clapped Scorpius on the shoulder. “Would be nice to have your company, for a change. We’re going to meet in Professor Goldstein’s classroom. See you there.”
“Uh, yeah, sure,” Scorpius replied, but his mind wasn’t on the prefects’ meeting. It had drifted back to his letter. He stood up, trying again to catch Lily’s attention, but then it occurred to him that if this were bad news, he would need to be by himself.
He fingered the wax seal on the envelope, feeling the emblem from the Auror department under his thumb. It wouldn’t necessarily be bad news, of course. Although the envelope felt thin, it could well be everything he’d hoped for. Lily had said her dad gave second chances. She had said he was a fair man. Teddy, on his part, had assured him he’d speak to his godfather.
Buoyed up with hope, he strode out of the Great Hall and sped back to the dungeons. “Zabaglione,” he intoned, waiting for the door to open and trying not to laugh. Since Mrs Zabini had moved in the passwords had become more and more ridiculous. This month, she seemed to be under the influence of Italian food.
He barged past the first years scurrying away to a late breakfast and looked round the common room. It was busy, so he turned down the passage leading to his dormitory. Hopefully it would be empty; he didn’t want to open this in front of Vaisey, although he’d bloody enjoy shoving it in his and Ariadne’s faces once he’d read it through.
Hearing voices from his room, he ducked into the bathroom. Ah well, not the most auspicious place to find out the news but ... He ripped open the envelope and pulled out the hand-written letter.
Harry Potter had really bad writing. Scorpius screwed up his eyes, trying to read the scrawl, then faltered.
Dear Mr Malfoy,
It is with regret that the Auror Department cannot offer you a place on the training programme. Although your application was strong-
He didn’t read anymore. Screwing the paper up, he chucked it straight into the toilet bowl, and flushed the chain. As the paper swirled, he felt his stomach churn. Resting his head against the stone cubicle wall, he stayed there for Merlin knew how long, taking deep breaths as he tried to calm his stomach. He was vaguely surprised at his reaction; he certainly hadn’t expected to feel quite this bad, but neither had he thought he’d fail.
Stupidly, he’d believed Harry Potter would look beyond his name, and give him a chance. He had no back-up plan, unless following his dad into a boring desk job at the Ministry counted. It was only now he’d lost his chance that Scorpius realised how much he’d wanted this opportunity to break from the stigma of his family’s past. Shaking, he got to his feet and stepped out of the cubicle. Then, after splashing his face with water, he stared at his reflection. He didn’t look any different, a touch paler, perhaps, but not like someone whose life had just been forced to take a different path.
“I will get through this,” he muttered. “I’ll find something else. This isn’t the end of everything.”
Then, checking the mirror again, he smoothed back his hair, straightened his robes, and walked away.
Feeling unfocussed, he wasn’t sure how he got through Herbology. Professor Longbottom was nauseatingly enthusiastic about Mandrakes today, and had started telling them “ yet again “ how the plants had restored the lives of people he knew.
“Your mum,” he said, looking directly at Rose Weasley, “was one of the ones affected.”
Rose, Scorpius was surprised to see, stifled a yawn, and rolled her eyes at Albus who was also hiding a grin.
“And your father, Potter, was the one who killed the Basilisk that had been Petrifying all the Muggle-borns.”
“For Merlin’s sake, not this again,” Scorpius hissed under his breath, but not soft enough because Potter looked straight at him.
“Your dad probably set the thing free, Malfoy, or hid in his dungeon.”
“Potter!” Professor Longbottom rapped, sounding uncharacteristically snappish.
Albus raised his eyebrows, but muttered an apology. Then he turned back to Rose and whispered something. She started to laugh. At that, Scorpius felt his hackles rise. Always the same. Never going to let him forget something that he had no part in. He wanted to hex them both where they sat. Fucking smug bastards.
“Don’t,” someone murmured beside him. Scorpius looked to his right to see Ben Macmillan shaking his head.
Surprised at Benedict’s intervention, Scorpius unclasped his wand, and watched his fingers turn from white back to pink as the urge to hex the pair of them ebbed. The rest of the lesson passed in relative silence. Professor Longbottom made no further comments on the past, except to warn them “ again “ that he’d once been careless with his earmuffs and had fainted when hearing the cry of the baby Mandrake.
Scorpius sank back into gloom for the rest of the lesson. Once or twice, he caught Professor Longbottom giving him a thoughtful look, but Scorpius didn’t show any reaction and prayed the professor wouldn’t start trying to talk to him.
“Scorpius, hold up,” called Benedict once the bell had gone. Scorpius had already packed up, anxious to avoid Longbottom who looked as if he wanted ‘a chat’. He ducked out the door, not really wanting to talk to Benedict either. All he wanted was his Firebolt. He didn’t want to think, or talk; he wanted to fly.
“What?” he said insolently, staring up into the bluff friendly face of the Head Boy.
“Prefects’ meeting, remember.”
“Benedict ... look, I’m really not in the mood for that crap. Just assign me whatever you want, okay,” he replied and tried to walk off.
Benedict caught his arm, tugging on his sleeve. “We’re four prefects down and I need to match up patrol partners. Please ... make this easy on me; come along and we can all thrash it out.”
Scorpius closed his eyes. “Just put me with anyone. I really don’t give a toss.”
“Uh, so you and Ariadne?” Benedict asked. Was Scorpius imagining the mockery? “Or ... Heloise Edgecombe, perhaps?”
“Don’t you bloody dare!” Scorpius growled.
Benedict laughed and clapped him on the back. “Come on, then. Look, it won’t last long. You can still catch lunch.”
“Don’t you want to wait for Weas ... uh ... Rose?” Scorpius asked, surprised at Benedict’s presence alongside him.
Looking back into the classroom, Benedict shrugged. “She’s talking to Professor Longbottom. She and Al will be a while, yet.”
Scorpius bit back the sarcastic retort about the three of them discussing the ‘Potter Years’ and walked along with Benedict, listening half-heartedly to the other boy’s idle chat. It was oddly calming listening to Benedict’s voice as he prattled on, and Scorpius could feel some of the knotted tension leaving his shoulders. I’ll be okay. I can get another job, he chanted internally, his thoughts keeping pace with his steps.
Nearly all the prefects were already in the classroom when they arrived. Ariadne, sitting next to Flint, was eyeing up Heloise, who was staring stonily at the door. She raised one eyebrow and turned away when Scorpius walked through the door. Having not spoken to her since the Valentine’s Ball, he had the grace to feel embarrassed. He supposed he should have apologised to her before now, but he’d been so caught up with work, or rather Lily, he’d not even thought about Heloise.
“We’re just waiting for Rose and Al,” Benedict started, as he levitated two chairs for himself and Scorpius, “but as they’re caught up with Professor Longbottom’s reminiscences, they might be delayed.” He removed some blank roster sheets from his bag, and glanced across the circle. “Hugo, can I start with you? Your usual patrol partner is ...”
“Cherylanne Downsby,” Hugo replied. “She’s got dragon pox, so she’ll be away for at least a month.”
Benedict nodded. “Heloise?”
“Davey Fisher was hit by a Bludger in practise yesterday and is in the hospital wing. He’ll probably be out for a week.”
“Scorpius, any absentees from Slytherin?”
No bloody idea, he thought, but glancing across at the Slytherin contingent, he saw they were all there. “No problems,” Scorpius replied.
“Good,” murmured Benedict, still puzzling over his roster and talking more to himself than anyone else. “And we have two away from Hufflepuff. Okay, if one of the Slytherins could move to there, for a while...”
“Why should we move?” Ariadne complained. “None of us are ill.”
“It’s called being helpful,” Hugo muttered. He cast a venomous look at Scorpius and then the other Slytherins. “Ben, it’s okay, I can double up with Rose or Al, or perhaps Professor Longbottom will make someone up to prefect while Cherylanne’s ill.”
Benedict shook his head, slowly. “No, I’d rather like to try something else.” He put the roster down and raised his hands as if in supplication.
Scorpius groaned and exchanged looks with Flint; Benedict was about to be all deep and sincere, he was sure of it.
“Guys,” Benedict began, “I think we should grasp this opportunity to cement our inter-house relationships into something friendlier.”
Slumping into his seat, Scorpius tried not to laugh, his gloom over his rejection almost forgotten as he listened to Benedict’s rather obvious attempts to patch things up between the houses.
“You’re already doing you bit for inter house unity, aren’t you, Benedict? With the Head Girl, I mean,” Ariadne purred. She smirked at Scorpius. “Personally, I prefer keeping things in-house.”
Merlin, how the hell did I ever fancy her? Scorpius thought and edged away. He’d thought that having given her the brush-off last month she’d have taken the hint, but Ariadne seemed determined to insinuate herself back into his life.
Benedict was looking around for volunteers, but no one was offering to move. Realising that if he didn’t offer soon, Benedict might stick him with Heloise or even worse keep him with Ariadne, Scorpius started to say that he’d volunteer for a shift in Hufflepuff when Rose and Albus walked in.
“Yeah, so Dad basically said, that if I wanted to give it a try, then I should go to the office with him,” Albus was saying. “I’m not sure, but I suppose it can’t do any harm, and it’s a family thing, after all “” He grinned at Benedict, “Sorry, Professor Longbottom wouldn’t stop talking about sharing a dorm with our dads.” He cast his eyes around the room, the grin turning to what looked suspiciously like a smirk when he saw Scorpius.
Benedict waved dismissively at Albus, but smiled at Rose and pulled a chair up for her to sit in. “Scorpius, what were you about to say?”
“Nothing!” Scorpius snapped. He glared venomously at Albus. “I can’t be arsed to stay any longer. I’ve given up enough time waiting for Potter.”
“I need to get this sorted out,” Benedict protested. “Come on, ten more minutes.”
“Let him go, Ben,” Rose said. “I can’t see Malfoy offering to help out, anyway.” Scorpius gritted his teeth as he watched her take Benedict’s roster. “Look, I’ll work with you. We can double up in Hufflepuff and Gryffindor and Ariadne can patrol with Heloise.”
“No!” both girls yelped.
“Scorpius, then?” Rose suggested, but making it sound much more like an order.
Heloise cast a despairing look at Scorpius, but he wasn’t feeling that apologetic.
“I’ll help,” Albus offered. “Do my bit for House unity. Great idea, Ben, Rose was telling me all about it on the way here. Would be good if all houses were as committed as others, but ...” His eyes met Scorpius’ glare.
“What will it actually prove?” Scorpius demanded.
“Nothing, the way your acting!” Albus retorted. “But the other houses think it’s a good thing. Might have known you lot would object.”
“You see!” Scorpius turned back to Benedict, feeling a rising tide of anger inside him. “It always comes back to this, doesn’t it? We’re in Slytherin, so it has to be our fault.”
“You’re the one flouncing out of here, Malfoy,” Albus yelled. “What is it now? Daddy cut your pocket money. Granddad stopped sending you “” He stopped abruptly.
“Shut up about my family,” Scorpius shouted. “I’m sick of it, Potter. You think you’re so bloody cool because of your dad, but you’re just living off his sodding name. Just ‘cause you look like him, you think you’ve got it made. But, you know, deep down you’re nothing.”
“SCORPIUS!” Benedict warned. “Cool it.”
“No, no,” Albus said softly. “Come on, Malfoy. This is interesting. What’s your gripe against me now? Just ‘cause I stopped you with my sister, you think that gives you the right to have a go at me, do you?” Albus stood up and took a step towards him, whispering, “You’re a bastard, Malfoy. Using my sister to get a job. Won’t work; my dad’s got your number.”
At that, Scorpius lost all reason. The rage that swirled inside of him erupted into white-hot fury. Barely realising what he was doing, he whipped out his wand, holding it directly to Potter’s throat. “I didn’t use her, you shit, but you had to interfere didn’t you? Had to lose me whatever chance I could have had with her and with your dad. What is it? Jealous of me, or something?”
“MALFOY!”
He heard a voice shouting at him, but he was too far gone now for reason. Everything this term: getting dropped from the team, his granddad’s stroke and now not getting the one chance he gave a damn about, reared its ugly head. Right at this moment, he didn’t care if he hurt Potter. Hell, he didn’t care if he killed ...
Her brother.
He closed his eyes and dropped his wand just before a pair of strong arms wrenched him away from a shocked Potter.
“What the hell is going on here?” Professor Zabini demanded. As he thrust Scorpius to one side, he stepped between the two boys, towering over them both, and glared at Benedict. “This is supposed to be a prefects’ meeting, MacMillan and not an excuse for a brawl.”
“Sorry sir,” Benedict mumbled. “It got a bit out of hand.”
“So I can see,” the professor replied, his voice returning to its normal level, but not losing any of the fire. “Malfoy, Potter, are you going to explain?”
Scorpius glowered at Potter, neither of them saying a thing.
“It was Potter, sir,” piped up Ariadne. “He insulted Scorpius’ family, and mentioned his granddad.”
“Hold on!” Hugo butted in. “Malfoy had a go at Al first. He started ranting about Uncle Harry.”
“Only because Potter decided to slag off Slytherin,” snarled Flint.
“Because Malfoy was in a strop and wouldn’t help!” Rose protested.
“Merlin! Will you lot ever learn?” Zabini growled. “Malfoy, have you anything to say?”
“Nothing,” he replied sourly. Then, ripping off his prefect’s badge, he chucked it across to Benedict. “What the hell’s the point?”
He didn’t bother with lunch, couldn’t give a toss about eating anything, he told himself, but in truth, he didn’t want to see Lily. He was sure that the story of his spat would have got back to her now. Probably not the full story; he had no doubt that Potter would embellish it to his advantage. Throwing his bag in the corner of his room, he flung himself on his bed and stared at the wall.
He was already regretting ripping off the badge. Although he’d moaned about the meetings and patrolling, he’d liked being a prefect. It wasn’t just the status, more his dad’s pride. He should write to him, get his side of the story in before Zabini got there first. Trouble was, he couldn’t be sure what his side of the story was now. All he remembered was his rage. There was something said about his granddad ... what had it been? No, Potter had stopped. Scorpius frowned as he tried to recall exactly what had happened.
Dad basically said, that if I wanted to give it a try, then I should go to the office with him .... I suppose it can’t do any harm ... it’s a family thing, after all.
So much for giving people chances. The only person Harry Potter gave a chance to was his own sodding son.
“You’re in here, Malfoy.”
Scorpius looked up to see Vaisey entering the room carrying his broom.
“Your observation skills never cease to amaze me,” Scorpius drawled.
“Zabini’s looking for you. Looks pretty pissed off. What have you done?”
“Fight with Potter,” Scorpius replied, not wanting to elaborate. “Good practise?”
“So-so. Didn’t have Flint because of your meeting and Gerald’s “” he stopped and smiled ruefully. “My brother is a pretty shite Seeker. I ...er ... don’t suppose you want to come back, do you?”
“Vaisey.” Scorpius sighed and rubbed at his eyes. “I’m not sure I’ll even be at Hogwarts next term.”
“You’re leaving!” Vaisey laughed, not mockingly, but rather as if he were in shock. “But what about your NEWTs?”
“Dad didn’t take them,” Scorpius muttered. “He did all right. Anyway, I don’t think I’ve got a lot of choice. Zabini’s just caught me trying to kill Potter. He’ll have to tell Vector; she doesn’t like me much, so I can’t see her letting me off lightly.”
Levering himself off his bed, he smoothed down his hair and checked the mirror. After satisfying himself with the knowledge that there were no visible signs of the turmoil inside, Scorpius left the dorm in search of his Head of House.
“Sir, you were looking for me.”
Professor Zabini looked up through narrowed eyes as Scorpius stood in the doorway of his study. “Close the door,” he barked and gestured to the wooden seat in front of him.
Scorpius sat down, resisting the urge to wriggle awkwardly on the uncomfortable chair.
“I shouldn’t have to be having this conversation with you, Malfoy,” the professor said in cold measured tones. “Raising your wand to someone who irritates you is one thing, but holding it against Potter’s throat is something completely different. What do you think would have happened if I hadn’t got there?”
“I don’t know,” Scorpius muttered miserably, as he tried to remember. Would he have gone through with it? Would he have maimed Potter? He remembered the anger bubbling inside of him, and then ... He took a gasping breath in relief. “I stopped, sir. I dropped my wand.”
Zabini studied him closely. “I know,” he said softly. “And that is what I have told Professor Vector. It was lucky you did, because otherwise the reprisals would be far worse than lost house points. Miss Bletchley and Flint have said Potter insulted your granddad. Is that true?”
Scorpius searched his brain for the memory. “He was about to, I think, but he stopped.”
“Both Weasleys said you started it by ‘having a go’ at Potter’s dad. Is that true?”
“Er ... yeah, I ‘spose,” he muttered, not looking the professor in the eye. “Potter was annoying me, rattling on about joining the Auror department and I got pissed “ er “ annoyed and lashed out.” He swallowed and then looked directly at Professor Zabini. “I got a rejection letter from the Auror Department today.”
“Ah,” Zabini leant across the desk, “that explains rather a lot. I expect you think your life’s over.”
“Nothing that dramatic,” Scorpius replied, realising that he meant it. There would be other jobs, just not anything he wanted to do. “I would have been good, sir, I know it. And it pisses me off that Mr Potter couldn’t see beyond my surname. No one can see beyond my family’s past in this place, can they?”
“What do you mean?” Zabini asked curiously.
“Potter, Weasley, all of them. They look at me and see my dad, right. Okay, I expect that and I know my dad made mistakes. But-” He faltered, wondering now about a lot of things that were starting to fall into place. “It’s the teachers, as well. Not all of them, but Professor Longbottom and Professor Goldstein “”
“I can’t believe they don’t treat you with anything less than fairness.”
“They don’t treat me the same as the others. Goldstein can be so patronising but isn’t with me.”
“Probably because you’re his star pupil,” Professor Zabini said reasonably.
“And Professor Longbottom is just ... well ... Look, this is stupid, but both of them call me by my first name. Potter is always ‘Potter’, Weasley is Miss Weasley, to him. Benedict is Macmillan. I’ve always been ‘Scorpius’.”
“And that bothers you, does it?”
Scorpius shrugged. “It’s just a difference, that’s all.”
Professor Zabini sat back in his chair. Placing his hands together, he raised them to his chin as he thought. “I think I know why,” he said after a while. “I was at school with both of those professors. The three of us were the same year as your father and Harry Potter, but of course, we were in different houses. Now, to me, anyone I wasn’t particularly friendly with, I called by their surname.” He gave a small, tight smile. “It is only recently, for instance, that I called your dad, Draco.”
“So?”
“So, Scorpius, Professors Longbottom and Goldstein were not on friendly terms with your father. To them, he is and always was ‘Malfoy’. I think that in their heads they are deliberately trying to make a distinction between you and your father, which is disconcertingly difficult because, apart from the fact that you have blue eyes, you could be twins.”
“Really?” Scorpius felt somewhat heartened by the professor’s revelation.
“It’s a decent enough hypothesis,” Zabini replied dryly. “Tell me, did Harry Potter give you a reason for turning you down?”
Scorpius shrugged. “Didn’t read it all, but I don’t think he could write, ‘we’re not giving you a chance because you’re a Malfoy and I caught you snogging my daughter,’ can he?”
“I suppose not.” There was a faint glimmer of a smile on his professor’s face. “What will you do now?”
“No idea. But when I end up with six Outstanding NEWTs, I’m sure everyone will be queuing up to employ me. Even St Harry-bloody-Potter.”
Professor Zabini raised his eyebrows; with a wave of his wand, he opened the study door, signalling that the interview was over and pushed a small metal badge across the desk. “Scorpius, before you leave, MacMillan wanted you to have this back.”
There were only two things left to do. Apologise to Benedict, and then find Lily. He had no idea what he was going to say to her, no doubt Albus had got in there with his own highly exaggerated story, backed by both Weasleys.
Deciding that apologising to Benedict was the easiest hurdle, Scorpius headed towards the entrance to Hufflepuff. If he loitered there for long enough, he’d be bound to catch Benedict.
He hadn’t expected to see Lily there as well.
“Please, Ben, tell me what happened. Rose and Hugo are telling me he was attacked, but Al’s saying nothing. Did Sco “ er - Malfoy hex him?”
“No, but I wanted to,” Scorpius called as he walked with deliberation down the stone steps towards them. He approached Benedict holding out his hand. “I wanted to apologise to you, I was out of order in your meeting. And ... uhm ... pair me up with whoever you want. I don’t mind pulling a double shift or two.”
“Even with Heloise Edgecombe?”
Scorpius rolled his eyes, hoping Lily was taking note. “I suppose so.”
“Forget it. I’ve paired you this week with Jarvis Madley, fifth year Hufflepuff.” Benedict laughed when Scorpius looked puzzled. “Plays Chaser.”
“Oh him, fine.”
There was an awkward silence. Benedict was obviously expecting Scorpius to leave now, but he wasn’t going to go without speaking to Lily. For her part, Lily was staring at wall, her expression unreadable.
“Uhm, Benedict, I ... uh ... need to talk to...” Hell, what could he say he needed to talk about to her?
“Oh ... uh ... yeah, sure,” Benedict replied, a slow smile creasing his face. “Is this ... uh ... what I think it is?”
“I have no idea what you’re thinking,” Scorpius replied smoothly.
“Ben,” Lily murmured. “Just go, please.”
With a last smile, and a wave, Ben sauntered away leaving Scorpius and Lily alone. Pushing his hands in his robe pockets, Scorpius peeped at her. “I was coming to find you. I wanted to explain.”
“Not here,” she said, and plucking his sleeve, she pulled him along the corridor until she found a dark alcove. “Rose said you were going to hurt Albus. She said you looked furious and she was terrified you’d go too far.”
“I nearly did,” he admitted.
“Why? What did Al do?”
Scorpius leant against the wall, lifting his eyes to the ceiling. It was cold here, and there were cobwebs stringing down from the cornices. “Nothing, not really. We had an argument; he mentioned Dad and Granddad. I lost it.”
“But what did he say? Please Scorpius. Albus won’t say a word, except to say it’s not important, and Hugo’s story gets worse with every telling.”
“It wasn’t what he said, okay,” Scorpius clutched his fists to his temples. “Look, it really was my fault, but sometimes your brother just winds me up, and today was not a good day, okay?”
“Has something happened to your granddad?” she asked, and carefully took a step closer to him, touching him lightly on the arm.
“No, it’s not that.” He could feel his left temple throbbing, the tension of the morning starting to reverberate through his body. “I heard from the Auror Department.” Suddenly he didn’t want to mention her dad’s name. “I was turned down.”
“Oh Merlin, I’m sorry,” she soothed and wrapped her arms around him. “Does Al know? Was he taking the piss?”
“No idea,” he said, shrugging. “But it didn’t help that he came swanning into the meeting late, having enjoyed a cosy chat with Longbottom, and was telling your cousin that he’d be joining Daddy in the office if he wanted to.” He broke off and pulled away from her. “Doesn’t he bloody realise what an amazing chance this is? He was so blasé about it, Lily.”
“Auror Department?” she queried. “Are you sure?”
“That’s what he said, well, he said something about going into the office with your dad and trying it out. Why do you look so surprised?”
“Because Al would rather get hit by a Bludger than become an Auror,” she replied, and smiled. “I told you once before that he has a hard time looking so much like dad.”
“But he said something about it being ‘in the family’,” Scorpius insisted.
“We have a large family,” she said. “He could be going anywhere. I doubt he’ll follow Granddad into Misuse of Muggle Artefacts, but there are loads of other departments.” Standing on tiptoes, she gave Scorpius a quick peck on the cheek and then stared into his eyes. “My dad might not like you much, Scorpius, but he wouldn’t have turned you down without a good reason. I promise you, he’s not biased.”
“I doubt he caught any of the other candidates in a clinch with his daughter though, did he?” Scorpius mused, starting now to feel brighter than he had all day, especially as her fingers were now twining in his hair. “The one bright side to this is that we can now be a proper couple. No more sneaking around.”
That stopped her. He could sense the trepidation even before she pulled away.
“You don’t want to though, do you,” he stated simply.
“I do, really I do. It’s just ... Oh, I know this sounds silly, but I like having this secret, and I can’t help feeling that once everyone knows, things will change.”
“Are you ashamed of me?” he muttered, staring at her.
“No!” she protested vehemently. “But you can’t seriously tell me that your parents are going to be happy about me.”
“Mum would be all right ... probably relish the drama, but-” he sighed “- yeah, you’re right. The Head Boy knows, though; he’s bound to tell your cousin.”
“Ben won’t tell; he likes the quiet life,” she said. “He’s also very good at untwisting Rose’s kickers.” She blushed as Scorpius laughed and whacked him on the arm. “That’s NOT what I meant, Malfoy. He’s good at calming her down, so it will help if he knows about us beforehand.”
“Beforehand?”
“I don’t want everyone knowing about us yet,Scorpius,” she whispered and started to kiss him again, her lips against his neck. “I’ll only get more hassle especially because it’s OWL year.”
“After the exams, then,” he muttered. “We’ll both have a lot more free time, and I’m going to show you off to everyone.”
He watched as she nervously chewed her lip. Then tilting her face up to his, she smiled beatifically, and pulled away.
“After the exams,” she agreed, “but until then ...”
He grabbed her back to him, not letting her elude his grasp and kissed her again. “We’ll carry on sneaking around.” He chuckled softly as he twisted a tress of her hair in his fingers. “You are becoming very Slytherin like, Lily Potter.”
She giggled up at him. “From what I’ve heard about my granddad and grandma, sneaking around is very much a Gryffindor thing.”