AN: Sorry for the Heffalump ear thing. It was the first thing that popped into my head. Also, Prof. Saren - yeah I dunno.

This is my first fanfic, so yeah, be nice!

Lily Potter sat leaning against the trunk of a tree, homework in her lap. Her eyes were on the Whomping Willow, flailing on the other side of the lake.

"Lily? What's the matter with you today?"

Lily watched the tree twitch and shed all it's leaves, then broke her gaze.

"Sorry, Hugh. I guess I'm just really distracted today."

Hugo Weasley sighed and closed his textbook. He lay down in the grass and looked up at the sky.

"I guess there's no point studying now, is there? There's no way you'll remember any of this." He grinned and added "And I already know it all."

Lily rolled her eyes.

"Right, right - you're a charms master. I'll study tonight." Her textbook thudded as she closed it.

"That's right - I'm a charmer." Hugo closed his eyes, running a hand through his bright red hair.

Lily rolled her eyes again. She found that rolling her eyes was becoming more of a habit as she spent more time with Hugo.

Lily looked around the great lawn at the groups of students studying together. She picked out the people she knew - Albus and Rose were in a group of fellow 7th year Ravenclaws (they appeared to be leading the study session, which was no surprise at all), some of her Gryffindor friends were splashing around in the shallows of the lake, and a group of seventh year Slytherins sat close together, studying quietly, glancing up only to smirk at passing students. Lily picked Scorpius Malfoy out of the bunch. He was ignoring his textbook and instead staring intensely at the scenery, first at the Whomping Willow, then at the Gamekeeper's Hut, then at -

Lily looked down quickly, her face burning.

"God, that Malfoy really gives me the creeps."

"Malfoy? He doesn't seem too bad. For a Slytherin, I mean. Rose says she's had a few classes with him, and he's nice enough. Quiet, though. He's head boy, right? So he can't be that bad."

Lily glanced back at Scorpius. He was looking back at his textbook now.

"Hey, do you know that Tiana girl? The sixth year Hufflepuff?"

But Lily wasn't paying attention anymore. Her thoughts had gone back to Malfoy.

"5 points from Gryffindor, Potter."

Lily jerked up during Potions class.

"Wha? I -"

"There is no sleeping in my class, Potter. Now, what is the first step of making Felix Felicis?" Professor Saren asked sternly.

Scorpius Malfoy sat at the Professors desk, smirking. He was the Teaching Assistant for the fifth year potions class. He walked around the room and helped the students with their potions. Lily had never needed help, of course, she was the best in the class.

Lily sighed and recited the step perfectly. Professor Saren raised an eyebrow, impressed with Lily's work.

"Very well, Potter. Now, each of you have your materials -"

"Need a hand, Potter?"

Lily started. Malfoy was standing above her cauldron, looking down at the Heffalump ear she was trying to mince. So far she had managed to cut her finger and cutting board, but was making no headway on the ear.

"I'm fine, thanks. I'm just a bit tired." Lily responded, turning her eyes back to her cut finger.

"Episkey." Lily's finger mended itself as Malfoy's wand made contact with it.

"Comon, Potter, not even the brightest student in the class can make a potion on no sleep."

Lily looked down at her Heffalump ear silently. Malfoy took the opportunity to slide to her side and start cutting up the ear himself.

"You Gryffindors have no sense of when to ask for help." He chuckled at her. She looked up to see that he was smiling kindly. What an odd disposition for a Slytherin to have.

"Maybe we just like being on our own. Looking at work and knowing that it's ours, and ours alone."

"Or maybe you're just too proud to ask. You should have been a Slytherin." He glanced at her. "Hey, don't look so insulted! Slytherins aren't all bad, you know."

At breakfast the next morning, Hugo came over from the Ravenclaw table to sit with Lily. He did this at least once a week, but the other Gryffindors never got used to it - they stared at him as though he were the Giant Squid. Hugo ignored them and leaned toward Lily, whispering into her ear.

"You will never believe what I saw last night."

Lily was about to ask what when a robed figure appeared beside her. She glanced up and saw Rose staring down at them, glaring at Hugo.

"What were you saying, Hugo?" Rose said through gritted teeth. Hugo rolled his eyes and left for the Ravenclaw table.

"Rose, what was with that? Hugh was just about to tell me something."

Rose glanced back to the Gryfindor table and glared at the spot where Hugo now sat, talking loudly with his fellow Quidditch team.

"Don't worry about it, Lily. I'm sure it was nothing." And she was gone.