–Lily, there’s someone who wants to see you. He’s in the waiting room.†Lily looked up from her paperwork.
–Who is it?†Maybe Hugo’s finished work early.
–He said his name’s Benedict Zabini.†Lily dropped the quill she was holding.
–Don’t let him in,†she said, her voice cold as ice.
–What should I tell him?†Mary asked.
–I’m not in.†Mary nodded, slightly confused, and left the office. Lily closed the door and turned on the Muggle stereo Al gave her for Christmas. It had a detachable part called an ‘IPod’ she could save music to. After a long day of seeing patients, it was nice to be able to listen to music sometimes that wasn’t Wizarding.
As soon as she turned the stereo on, one of her favorite songs started. Slightly soothed, she started working on her paperwork again.
I hear you're asking all around
If I am anywhere to be found
But I have grown too strong
To ever fall back in your arms
How could he do that to her? He got her pregnant, then, as soon as he found out, he dumped her. And now he wanted to see her. How dare he think he can just waltz back into my life, that pretentious prat. He’ll never meet my daughter.
She should have figured that he would be, as Hugo so aptly put it, a bad apple. His reputation as an ice-cold playboy preceded him. Even though he was only a fifth year, he’d already left behind a trail of broken hearts, most of them older than him.
She remembered the first time they met. She was serving detention with Professor Slughorn. Hugo had wanted to pull one more prank before the summer. She agreed to help. It wasn’t her fault they got caught. One of Hugo’s friends ratted them out to a Prefect.
Professor Longbottom, also known as Uncle Neville, separated Lily and Hugo, knowing that they would cause even more trouble together in detention. Slughorn offered to take her, one of his favourite students. While Hugo was doing Merlin knows what (Uncle Neville’s detentions were famous for how hard they were), Lily was helping prepare the first years’ lesson for the next day.
She didn’t mind serving detention with Slughorn. He told her about her grandmother, his most favorite student past or present. And he let her listen to the radio.
–If you could finish up putting the lavender into bunches, that would be great. I have some business I need to take care of with the Headmistress.†He smiled at her like it was their little secret.
–Sure.†His smile grew even broader.
–After you’ve finished, you can leave.†He waddled out and shut the door.
A little while later, the door opened. She looked up, expecting the professor. But the boy who walked into the classroom was a much better surprise.
No, I can't take one more step towards you
'Cause all that's waiting is regret
He was tall, almost as tall as Teddy. His skin was very tan, in contrast with his blue eyes, which were staring at Lily. He ran a hand through his dark cropped hair.
–What are you doing here?†he asked. Lily immediately fell in love with his voice. It was smooth, like the honey Dad brought back from his business trip to Egypt.
–I-I got caught helping Hugo prank Slytherin,†she admitted, rather embarrassed. She, of course, knew who he was. Benedict Zabini, the Slytherin playboy. Everyone knew who he was.
–Perfect Lily Potter, getting caught pranking us,†he mused. –I thought that Weasleys couldn’t get caught when they’re breaking the rules.â€
She blushed. They did have a few secrets that made it harder for Filch to catch them. And someone who would let them test out his latest pranking products. But not all of them broke the rules every day. This was only her third detention.
–And I thought that Slytherins would have a better password than ‘Severus Tobias Snape’,†she retorted. It didn’t faze him a bit.
–How, exactly, would you know the Slytherin password?â€
–If I told you that,†she said sweetly, –I’d have to kill you.†She smiled at him, the smile she used when Slughorn caught her talking during his lecture.
Al loaned her Dad’s Invisibility Cloak and she sat next to the door to the common room one night. It wasn’t all that hard.
He chuckled.
–You are one interesting girl, Lily.â€
They met every once in a while, which surprised her. He clearly thought of her as a friend, not a potential girlfriend. But all that changed right before NEWTs.
They were studying in the Room of Requirement, the only place that wasn’t packed. Since they were both taking Potions, Lily suggested that they practice by brewing a potion together.
–Which potion did you have in mind?†he asked.
–Felix Felicis.â€
–You want to make Felix Felicis? Are you mental?†he asked disbelievingly.
–I’m not insane. It’s difficult enough that it could be on the NEWT. And I asked Slughorn. He said we could do it.â€
–It takes twenty four hours!â€
–So?†she put her hands on her hips. –Are you afraid of a little potion? And here I thought you were up for a challenge.†She played him like a piano. The one thing he hated more than anything was failure.
–Okay, you’re on. But how are we going to stay awake for an entire day?†A gas stove popped up next to the cupboard, complete with a pot. Lily picked the pot up. Liquid sloshed around inside.
–Coffee,†she answered simply. –Now, are you going to help me or are you going to sit on your bum?†With a flick of her wand, the radio turned on.
–All that’s left is the stewing period,†Lily said after six straight hours of slicing, dicing, and stirring. –Should we take shifts watching it in case something happens?†Benedict shook his head.
–We can stay up for another eighteen hours.â€
–What are we going to do for that long?†she asked. A slow, mournful song started. He held his hand out to her.
–Care to dance?â€
–Sure. Why not?†He put an arm around her middle and held her hand. They danced for a little while. She enjoyed it. She got to see a part of Benedict that no one else saw.
After a little while, they stopped dancing.
–You know, even before we met, I always admired you.â€
–Why?â€
–You stood out from the rest of your cousins.â€
–How so?â€
–You’re extraordinarily intelligent and you earnestly want to help people. Professors like you for your grades and willingness to help other students. Blokes like you because of your,†he paused as he briefly raked his eyes across her figure, –body, but they also appreciate how kind and caring you are.â€
–You didn’t answer my question. Why did I, little Lily Potter, stand out in the mind of Hogwart’s Playboy?â€
–Because you were the only girl I couldn’t have,†he admitted quietly. She stood up on her tiptoes and pressed her lips to his very gently.
–Maybe you can,†she whispered.
They were together for two months before Lily noticed something was wrong. Her period hadn’t come since that review session. More importantly, she was sick every morning. She brewed a simple test and it confirmed her worst fear: she was pregnant.
I wish I had missed the first time that we kissed
'Cause you broke all your promises
–Hey Bene,†she said brightly, smiling sweetly at him. He hugged her and kissed her forehead.
–Hey babe.â€
–I need to tell you something.†He followed her to a secret passage she was sure no one could find them in.
–I’m-I’m,†she stuttered, unable to tell him.
–What?†he asked genuinely concerned. He wiped away one of her tears.
–I’m pregnant. With your kid.â€
And who do you think you are
Running round leaving scars
Collecting your jar of hearts
And tearing love apart
He wanted some time alone to think about the shocking news she gave him. A week later, he called her over to the Slytherin table during breakfast.
–Hey Bene. What’s up?â€
–I think that we should break up,†he said, his tone as if he’d just said –Let’s study in the library todayâ€.
–Excuse me?†she asked, her voice dripping with venom.
–It’s over, Lily. We’re over.â€
When she looked back on this moment, she realized that she should have acted a bit more gracefully. But grace be damned; he had just broken up with her.
She did what any girl with Weasley blood did when confronted with such a cold-hearted bastard: she slapped him, leaving a bright red hand on his perfect cheekbones. And then stomped away, leaving a confused Benedict standing there dumbly.
She told her parents she was pregnant. They took it better than she expected. They agreed to help her take care of the baby while she went to Healer training, her dream.
Her NEWT results came a couple months later. Five Os, including one in Potions. Two weeks later she got a letter from St Mungo’s inviting her to attend Healer training. When she wrote back, telling them that she would have to wait a year to attend, they saved her a spot in next year’s class.
A week after New Year’s, she gave birth to a beautiful baby girl she named Cordelia.
Six years later, she was a Healer. He ran an apothecary after winning a prestigious apprenticeship that should have been hers.
And now that sorry excuse for a wizard wanted to see her. Where had he been? Oh right. He shacked up with some vapid blonde trollop who dumped him five months later.
And who do you think you are
Running round leaving scars
Lily sang along to the song.
–Collecting your jar of hearts/ And tearing love apart.†He hadn’t even sent an owl after she gave birth to their daughter.
–You’re going to catch a cold/ From the ice inside your soul/ So don’t come back for me/ Don’t come back at all.†He is never going to see our daughter. He deserves his heart broken for once.
I learned to live
Half a life
And now you want me one more time…
Jar of Hearts by Lost_Robin
Chapter Endnotes: Thanks for reading! Please review.
A/N: The Room of Requirement fixed itself after the war. Since it has so much magic in it, why couldn't it fix itself? And pretty please review!