Sorry about the weird title but I used this for an English assessment and we had to use a Shakespeare quote for the title. Read through and see if you can guess the grade I got and I'll tell you at the end.


Lily was curled up in the most comfortable armchair by the fire. Her auburn hair forming a curtain in front of her face, hiding it from the many nosey onlookers in the Gryffindor common room. As usual she was completely absorbed in a book and didn't notice the fat lady portrait swing open then slowly creak close.

"Lily?" a voice asked.

"Hmmm?" Lily said, still concentrating on the on-going bloody Ork battle on the outskirts of Fangorn Forest.

"Lily!" the voice said again. Lily recognised Eva's angry voice and quickly looked up. Eva was practically bouncing; her glossy, dark brown ringlets were going crazy.

"Oh my gosh!" Eva gasped, "Do you know who's waiting outside for you?"

"No who?" Lily asked in a monotone, aching to get back to The Lord of The Rings. Eva didn't seem to notice or care, instead she just squealed in excitement.

"Honestly Eva, I know you're my best friend, but sometimes only dogs can understand you."

"Oh shut up and listen!" Eva replied, punching Lily on the arm, "It's Scorpius!"

Lily rubbed her arm, "What?" she said, a small line forming in between her eyebrows.

"Scorpius Malfoy is waiting outside for you!" Eva said as he sat in the armchair opposite Lily's, "He wants to talk to you and he said he'll wait all night if had to. It's so romantic. Like Romeo and Juliet!"

"Right," Lily said raising her eyebrows and turning back to her book.

"So?" Eva leant forward expectantly.

"So what?" Lily replied not looking up.

"So are you going out there or what?" Eva asked exasperated. She found it tough being Lily's best friend. Lily closed the book with its thick warped yellow pages and ancient broken cover; she knew she wasn't going to be able to read it in peace anytime soon. Eva watched gladly as the book made its way to the table.

"Look Eva, I don't think I should. I mean after what happened…" Lily trailed off.

"Surely that's all the more reason? He wouldn't be here if he wanted to do it again. Believe me, he's sorry. You should go outside to talk to him"

"Really?" Lily was sceptical.

"No!" A voice sounded behind Lily. Eva looked up. Lily saw her innocent brown eyes widen with fear. Not many things scared Eva but the owner to that voice did. Lily stood up and turned to face her older brother.

James Potter had broad shoulders, perfect for his beater position on the Quidditch team, and his short brown hair was almost standing on end with anger.

"What do you mean?" Lily asked defiantly, "Why shouldn't I go out there and talk to him?!" Her flaming hair seemed to swell and surround her in fire. Eva could imagine her as a princess of a fire nation in a land where people had immense power and could control the four elements. Lily gave James one final glare then turned to go but he grabbed her shoulders and turned her back. The crowded Gryffindor common room was silent. Eva looked around and said:

"Come on guys, this'll be uncomfortable enough without you nosey sods listening in so go back to your knitting!" Eva turned her glare onto everyone in the common room but they all shied away from her gaze.

"Look Lily," James said trying to look at her eyes but Lily purposely looked away, "You shouldn't go out there. You've got to understand: you're not one of them. And he's not one of us." Lily shook off his hands and shouted at his face:

"And you've got to understand that that stuff doesn't matter to me!" She turned again and stormed out of the common room.

Outside the common room and away from the fire, Lily shivered in the cold corridor. She looked around and down to her right sat Scorpius leaning against the wall. His legs were bent and his knees propped his arms and bowed head. She walked round to his other side and sank down next to him. She hugged her knees to her chest and sighed loudly.

"Hey," She said. Scorpius looked up surprised.

"Lily! Oh God. I didn't realize it was you!" then he remembered why he was there, "Lily please. I'm sorry! I don't know why I did it, just please forgive me." Scorpius was on his knees facing Lily, pleading with her.

"I know I-" Lily started.

"You see Tom is like a brother to me. We're so close," Scorpius continued to explain himself. "Seeing him fall like that; pushed off his broom. It filled me with a kind of rage and before I could stop myself, I'd pushed James. I tried to help but all the Gryffindor's were in the way. I just-"

"I know! I know!" Lily practically shouted cutting off his rant, "I forgive you."

Scorpius stood slowly; his shoulders were hunched as if he carried a great weight.

"Good," he said, "I've got to go. I need to resign from the team and tell Madam Hooch. She obviously didn't see what happened-"

"NO!" Lily all but screamed. She scrambled up and jumped in front of him, blocking the stairs. Her eyes were glittering with tears. Scorpius put his hands out to move her from his path but she grabbed him and hugged him tight, clamping his arms to his sides.

"You can't," she said, her eyes were full of tears threatening to overflow, "It's your whole life: Quidditch. You can't give it up after one little thing! I couldn't let that happen."

"Why not?" Scorpius asked hoarsely. He had managed to manoeuvre his hands so that he was half hugging Lily, reassuring her that he wasn't leaving. Lily gulped back a sob and blinked away tears while considering her answer. She loosened her grip slightly to lean back and look up at Scorpius. He was staring out of a nearby stained glass window. His face was a mask, showing no expression, though when he Lily looked into his eyes, she thought she saw a something. A twinkle of hope but he blinked and it disappeared. Just her imagination.

"Because you are one of my best friends," Lily said, trying to keep the sadness out of her voice, "And I couldn't let my best friend throw his life away like that, not for such a stupid reason." Scorpius' face didn't change.

"Ok," he uttered then started to move out of their embrace.

"Wait! Where are you going?" Lily asked, panic rising in her voice.

"The Slytherin Common Room." Scorpius said, facing away from her, hiding his face.

"Promise?" Lily asked.

"I promise," he answered solemnly.

"Good." Lily let relief flood her voice. She stood on tiptoes and kissed him gently on his cheek. Then she moved away, letting Scorpius go down the stairs. She leant against the wall where Scorpius was sitting moments before, and watched until his strong back disappeared.

Lily wrapped her arms around her middle and slid down the wall, folded in half. There she cried and let all the emotion pour out of her. Five seconds, or maybe five hours later, Lily heard the Fat Lady portrait swing open. Someone stepped out and called:

"Lily? Lil- Oh!" Eva saw Lily curled up on the floor and sat next to her. Eva hugged her best friend and muttered comforting worlds like:

"Don't worry, it'll be okay. You'll see. Everything will be fine."

But Lily knew it wouldn't. She just had told the love of her life that they were friends and nothing more. But she knew that this pain was better than the pain of rejection.


Please review and give me any suggestions. Also this piece got a grade... A! So do you think I deserve it?