Bargaining Chip

by Keeperofthemoon0

"I'm not marrying your father or mother. It is you, Lily, who I am to wed. As such, I refuse to call you Potter—" Draco spat her last name and she flinched. "—so I suggest you get comfortable with it." Royalty!AU, Draco/Lily Luna

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Title: Bargaining Chip

Summary: "I'm not marrying your father or mother. It is you, Lily, who I am to wed. As such, I refuse to call you Potter—" Draco spat her last name and she flinched. "—so I suggest you get comfortable with it." Royalty!AU, Draco/Lily Luna

Disclaimer: None of it is mine!

Author's Note: This is one of two exchanges I did this summer! It was done for the CrossGenFest over on Tumblr; each pairing had to have a significant age difference between them. The pairing, Draco Malfoy and Lily Luna Potter, is definitely new for me. I've never really read anything about Lily, so it made it more difficult for me to write than normal, but I think it also helped me grow—which, honestly, I view as the point of the exchanges, in a way.

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April 28th

"This is stupid, Lily!"

"Shh."

"Don't shush me! If our parents find out—"

"Honestly, can you shut it for one second?"

"No! Lily, I swear, your brothers will ring my neck if they—"

"My brothers?" she choked out, laughter coloring her words. "My brothers taught me how to sneak out. Now, shut up."

Hugo huffed, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I know that!" he replied in a furious whisper. "I've done this before with you, remember?"

"And you've become much less fun since the last time," Lily teased. "When did you become your mother, hmm?"

"Oh, probably when your wedding date was announced."

Lily stopped walking abruptly. Hugo, who had been peering over his shoulder worriedly, hadn't noticed and walked right into her. He let out an 'oomph!' of surprise when he hit her before stumbling back. Spinning around on her heel, Lily glared at him.

"I thought we agreed not to mention that?"

"No one agreed to anything, Lils. You're the only one ignoring it."

Her stomach squeezed unpleasantly and she stuck her nose up in the air.

"I'm not ignoring anything. I have only a few months till I have the pleasure of meeting the sod who will be my husband—"

"I just want us to be safe about this—"

"—and I'm going to get shipped away to some castle in the North and never see any of you again—"

"—your mother told me to make sure you didn't do anything stupid—"

"—remember that this is the man who threatened war against our kingdom for years! My father hates him—"

"—Albus told me you'd rebel and that you'd probably run away and I just want to make sure I'm not an accomplice here, and… what? Why are you looking at me like that?"

"I want to have fun! Can't we have some fun? You're going to really miss me making you break the rules once I'm off being the queen in some distant land."

Hugo rolled his eyes and Lily smirked.

"Only because you're going to get shipped off soon, will I stop complaining," he finally agreed.

She laughed and nodded. Making sure her hood was up, covering her obnoxious red hair, Lily left the alleyway and merged with the crowd. Hugo grabbed onto her elbow, falling in step beside her. He didn't have as much of an issue blending in with the crowd as she did. Where her skin was almost blindingly pale, his was tanned and freckled. Where she had wild, distinguishable hair, his was brown and tame.

"Where do you want to head off to, then? Get a drink at the pub with the finest of society? Perhaps you'd like to try to stop another brawl? Is there a beheading you'd like to watch?"

"You're a prat." Lily shoved her shoulder into him and he laughed. "I heard one of the guards say that there's been a market set up in Phoenix Square."

Hugo's eyes scanned the crowd as he nodded.

"He said there are warlocks and witches there, selling their goods and services."

That caught Hugo's attention.

"Warlocks and witches? Are you trying to get us killed?"

"We could get our palms read," she said, lifting her hands in front of his face and wiggling her fingers.

"I can tell you my future without the help of a witch," Hugo informed her, lowering his voice so no one else would hear. "The King and Queen are going to toss me in the dungeons and throw away the key once they find I've strangled you out of sheer frustration."

"You know Father would have to get permission from his top advisors in order to do that. I doubt your parents would approve of him putting you in the dungeons."

"Rose is off spreading diplomacy throughout the lands. I'm simply the backup child. Only if she messes up do I have to worry about my parents actually expecting anything from me."

Lily's lips stretched into a grin at the sight of Hugo's smirk. They continued through the crowd.

It wasn't always easy getting through the city, especially on a day this beautiful. The past month had been a dreadful combination of rain and chill, which often occurred before spring. It always managed to bring the mood of the people down. Even at the castle, Lily had found herself itching to go outside and stretch her limbs, though she was never allowed to for fear of getting sick.

Annoying, really, since her twentieth birthday had passed during the rain month. When her brothers turned twenty, they were given all the freedom they wished for. James had gone off to nearby cities, bringing a caravan of jokers, musicians, and storytellers to entertain the people and win their good faith. Albus had travelled the countryside with their father, checking on the soldiers that were stationed on the borders of the kingdom and bringing books to help educate those too far from proper schools.

When she turned twenty, the rain had fallen outside as she remained perched miserably on the windowsill watching it. And she had seen a carrier arrive. Not an hour later, her parents had found her and told her the news. Her betrothed, the King of the North, would be arriving by summer to officially meet her. It had been agreed upon at Lily's birth that he would not marry her until her twentieth birthday; growing up, she had always had a distant hope that he'd perish before she turned twenty and she'd be able to live her life as she wished.

It was a horrible, dark hope that Lily had never shared with anyone. Not even Hugo.

But it wasn't fair. Her brothers were able to go wherever they wished, to do as they pleased when they turned of age, and she was… she was going to marry a man as part of an agreement her parents had made two decades ago. This marriage was supposed to help heal old wounds between the two kingdoms, to help show the people that everything was fine and that the kingdoms were determined to maintain peace.

Lily was the bargaining chip, she supposed.

But her betrothed had little interest in Lily throughout the years. They had never met and he had never written to her. Her parents never showed any concern over it; perhaps they had been trying to forget the fact that they agreed to their only daughter marrying a man who threatened war whenever he didn't get his way. The few things Lily had ever heard of the King of the North were from her parents, who only carefully told her that he was a man willing to do whatever needed to protect his kingdom. Her uncles, who barely hid their disdain for him from their faces, agreed with a sharp nod.

It wasn't fair. It wasn't.

A random bout of laughter distracted Lily from her thoughts and she focused on the area around her. The street had opened up. They had reached the market.

There were entertainers stationed about, playing flutes and juggling clear balls. Men behind stands yelled about different trinkets and jewelry they had for sale. Women with children bustled from one vendor to the next; the children's eyes were wide with wonder. Clouds of smoke, blue and purple and green, filled the air further down.

"There. Let's go there," Lily said, pointing at the smoke.

Excitement colored Hugo's face.

"Okay, okay. But we'll be quick, yeah?"

They continued on, stopping to look at several different stands. Lily was not a fool enough to bring a bag of coins with her when leaving the castle but she did like to see what the people sold. If she saw something she liked, she'd send some servants down to the market later in the week to buy it for her. Today, she found she rather wanted everything. There was fruit she had never seen before, perfumes that smelled like heaven, silks that were extremely soft to the touch.

It took longer than she expected to make it to the spot they had been heading towards. The crowd had swelled, making it hard to navigate. But there it was: the wagon emitting the brightly colored smoke. Lily grinned, rushing towards it.

A woman stood beside a long table, mixing the contents of several large cauldrons that sat on it. Each cauldron produced a different color smoke. Lily was one of several people who had come to look.

"Good day," the woman said. "These are potions of great power. One can heal. One can kill. One can alter your appearance. The last can make whoever you wish fall in love with you."

"How about one that can stop my impending wedding?" Lily asked Hugo out of the corner of her mouth.

When he didn't respond, she turned to look at him but he wasn't there. A flash of panic struck her and she spun around, her eyes growing wide. She didn't see him. When had—when had she lost him? Her lips parted, ready to yell for him, but the sound of the crowd would drown out any attempt she made. And Hugo would be a fool to call for her; everyone in this kingdom knew her name.

"Shit."

Leaving the castle with Hugo or her brothers was one thing. But being out here, among the people, completely alone… well, that was certainly something else. Being by herself brought about a certain vulnerability that Lily hadn't felt in a long time.

Pressing her hand to her chest, Lily frantically scanned the crowd.

Come on, Hugo. Where are you?

If she left this spot to go look for him, would they somehow miss each other? He knew she had headed this way and he might come here. But what if something had happened?

Lily gnawed on her bottom lip worriedly, taking a step backwards as panic threatened to overwhelm her.

She couldn't go back to the castle, not without Hugo. But what if he had gone back? What if he went back without her and her parents realized she was missing? She wasn't a child anymore but she knew everyone would react like she was. Her parents would certainly send out the guards.

Lily took another step back.

Her lower back hit something and she heard a yell. Then someone pushed her and she fell onto her knees. Lily caught herself with her hands and she gasped as the skin of her palms ripped open from the pebbled street. Whipping her head around, she saw that the table outside the wagon was swaying dangerously. My God, she must've backed into it.

One of the potions splashed out of the cauldron, burning a hole into the table and dripping onto the ground.

"Fancy getting splattered with acid?"

Lily looked away from the cauldrons to a tall man with shockingly light blond hair standing beside her. He sneered down at her.

"I—I hadn't realized. I'm so sorry—"

"You fool! You've lost me money!" The woman screeched as she grabbed onto the table to stop it from rocking.

Rushing to her feet, Lily patted her pockets.

"I didn't realize! I'm sorry, I can pay you for the mess!"

Her face dropped when she realized what she had offered. She never brought money with her to the market. The woman continued to scream as Lily searched for coins she knew she didn't have.

"Quite a mess, aren't you?"

Lily looked at the man who spoke. His lip was still curled, his gray eyes cutting as he looked her over. Her temper flared as embarrassment hit her.

"I didn't purposely step in to it!" Lily snapped.

"I should hope not," he retorted. "Or you're as big a fool as this wench thinks you are."

He nodded his head towards the screaming woman.

"Do be quiet," the man drawled, turning towards the woman. "You're the imbecile who put a cauldron of acid on a table that looks held together by luck alone."

"You—you monster!" the woman screeched. "I curse you a hundred years of pain and darkness—"

"Yes, well, you're one of many. Will this get you to be quiet?"

The man pulled a gold coin from his pocket and tossed it at the woman. She stumbled forward, catching it.

Lily opened her mouth, unsure of what to say, when the man grabbed her and began to pull her away from the wagon. Yanking her arm out of his grasp, Lily straightened, clenching her hands into fists. The skin on her palms burned from the open wounds but she ignored it. She didn't care if this man helped silence the woman on Lily's behalf—she wasn't going anywhere with him!

"Don't touch me!"

The man's jaw clenched as he turned to look at her. She shivered; there was something cold about his gaze when he turned it on her.

"Don't be an idiot, child."

"I'm not a child," Lily growled.

"You certainly act like one," the man replied. "What do you imagine would've happened if I hadn't given that woman coin?"

"I can repay you."

"With the same coin you wanted to pay her with?"

Her blood boiled. Her cheeks flushed. It took all she had to not scream at the stranger.

This was not the place. If she drew any more attention to herself, who knew what would happen? If someone recognized her…

"I have money," she told him, after taking a deep breath. "I simply don't have it on me."

"Of course not. Who would bring money to a market?"

The crowd moved around them, laughing and talking and singing.

"Tell me your name and I'll repay you."

The man arched a single, blond eyebrow, as if the idea of telling her something that personal was absurd.

Again, a mixture of humiliation and rage hit her. She hated the man before her. Really, though, Lily hated herself. If she had been paying better attention, she'd never have lost Hugo and none of this would be happening.

Instead of saying something that would surely make her want to strangle him, the man took a careful look around the crowd before turning his attention back to her.

There was something in the way he looked at her that almost made her think—

"Where is your friend?" he asked.

Lily blinked in surprise.

"What?"

"Your friend. Surely you came here with somebody."

She blinked again before looking around. Hugo was still nowhere to be seen. Chewing the inside of her mouth, she fought the urge to shrug.

"I came alone."

The man looked ready to laugh at her reply. He settled for a smirk.

"Then who were you speaking to earlier?"

Speaking to earlier? Lily stared at him, confused. Then she remembered she had spoken to Hugo about one of the potions stopping her wedding before she realized he wasn't beside her. Had the man heard her say that?

She groaned internally.

"I had—that hadn't—I was only—"

"You absolute idiot!"

Lily barely processed the words shouted at her as she stared at the man before her. But then something—no, someone—grabbed her, wrapping their arms around her and lifting her feet off the ground as they embraced her. Her focus was diverted as she recognized who was hugging her.

Hugo.

Lily cried out, hugging him back. He put her feet back on the ground and stepped away, his hands squeezing her shoulders.

"Are you absolutely mad? Running away from me like that?"

"I didn't run away!" Lily quickly said. "I didn't! You were behind me, then you weren't!"

"I told you to wait, I told you to stop! You didn't listen! Then there was this fight—"

"A fight?"

"Yes! A bloody fight! I got hit in the lip, look! All because I told them to bugger off!"

Hugo pointed to his lip, which was swollen with a tiny cut. Lily hadn't even noticed in her excitement to see him. Laughing, Lily held up her palms for him to see.

"I got shoved to the ground. Wounded in battle, we are!"

Hugo grabbed her hands, turning them so he could get a better look, before breaking out into relieved laughter also. Abruptly, he stopped and looked around.

"What?"

"Who were you talking to?"

Lily looked quickly to her left but the man she had been speaking to, the man she had forgotten about once Hugo arrived, was no longer there. Standing on her tiptoes, Lily tried to look through the crowd for him. She saw a flash of white blond hair but the person was too far away for her to tell if it was the same stranger or not.

"An utter prat, that's who," she told Hugo, turning back to him.

Hugo's eyes narrowed.

"What did you do?"

"I didn't do anything!"

Shaking his head, Hugo linked arms with Lily and they began to head back the way they had come.

"You're always doing something, Lils."

May 1st

It had been unexpected, the news that the King of the North was set to arrive months early to meet his betrothed. Lily had only just returned from the market when her mother told her the news. Ginny's gaze had anxiously slid over her daughter but Lily had put on a brave face.

She had known this day would come. Lily had simply hoped that she'd have more time with her family, with her friends, beforehand.

There were quick preparations to plan a ball that would properly announce the king's arrival—though, in reality, it was also to celebrate the engagement between Lily and the King of the North. However, everyone made sure not to mention that in front of her, though she knew what was happening. She wasn't a child. Yes, it certainly stung somewhere deep inside of her when she realized what was to become of her but she had known since she was young that this was her future.

The reminder of that—she could change nothing—was a mantra that repeated in her head as she let the maids, Padma and Mildred, change her into a dress that she'd never wear normally. It was large and gorgeous and heavy and she hated it. But, still, she let them do it without her temper flaring. When they began on her hair, she kept her mouth clenched shut.

She could change nothing.

Mildred and Padma tried to force Lily's hair into curls— which was never going to happen—before trying to put it in a nice bun—did they not realize she had inherited her father's wild locks?—then decided to clip it away from her face and leave it as that. After that, she was saved from having anything else done to her simply because too much time had passed.

Pressing her hand against her stomach, which was solid from the tight corset, Lily looked over herself.

"I look like a buffoon," Lily growled.

Mildred frowned from behind her.

"You look lovely," she told Lily.

"Oh, don't lie," Lily groaned. "He's going to think I'm an idiot."

"You look just like your mother!" Padma said approvingly. "Very beautiful. Very beautiful, indeed."

Lily looked over herself. The bright red of her hair and her wide, brown eyes were the only parts of her that resembled her mother. She bore none of her mother's freckles nor her petite, athletic build. Instead Lily was nearly as tall as her brothers, inheriting her father's knobby knees and untamable locks. If Albus was here, he'd have already made a comment about how she looked like their father in a dress.

She clenched her fists.

"Let's get on with it before I throw myself out the window."

"That's not funny, Princess," Mildred said.

A smile tugged at Lily's lips for the first time since the maids had begun working on her but she tried to nod solemnly in agreement.

The castle was alive with sound as they moved through it, their destination the ballroom. Lily tried to stop herself from fidgeting but the effort was wasted. She hated her dress. She hated that this was happening. Normally, she rather enjoyed balls and mingling with the nobles. But the idea that everyone's attention would be completely on her and a person she had never met filled her with dread.

It wasn't until they were getting close to the ballroom that she felt like she couldn't breathe. Lily tried to take several deep breaths but her lungs felt constricted. A wave of nausea hit her. She knew it was nerves and a rush of adrenaline over the idea of meeting her fiancé that was making her feel this way and—and she knew her parents would be in there and everything would fine and nothing would happen and she wouldn't horribly embarrass herself, because, even though James always said she had no manners, she did and—and—

Lily stopped walking abruptly, turning to her maids with wide eyes. They stared back in surprise.

"I need a moment."

"A moment?" Padma repeated.

The wind from the open doors ruffled her dress. It cooled her hot skin. Lily nodded.

"I need a moment outside. By myself."

"Princess—"

"I'm not going to run away. I can barely move in this dress. A moment, honestly, then I'll be back. Wait here for me. Don't look at me like that, Padma, I'm already nervous enough."

Lily didn't wait for them to agree. She took a sharp turn and stepped outside, towards the gardens. She continued down the cobbled path, reaching out so her fingers could graze the blooming flower buds. Lily loved gardening. Often in the spring, the gardener, Neville, would spend his mornings with Lily and teach her about the florae around them.

The reminder of those long, cool mornings helped calm her.

Stopping when she was sure she was far enough away from Mildred and Padma that she could do whatever she needed without them hearing, Lily tilted her head back and looked up at the sky. The stars were bright, twinkling down at her. Another breeze tickled her exposed skin and she let her eyes flutter shut, enjoying the solitude.

"Perhaps I'll stay out here for the rest of the night," she said to herself.

"I'm sure someone will notice your absence."

Lily shrieked, her eyes opening and hands flying to her mouth. She looked to her right to see who had managed to sneak up at her. Though it was dark out, there were several lanterns lit. A dark figure was walking towards her. He must've been seated on a bench in the shadows; that's the only way she wouldn't have noticed him.

Something about his voice sounded familiar, though she couldn't place it. Not that that surprised her; the amount of people she had met throughout her life, while sitting in on her father's meetings or doing tea with her mother, was unconceivable.

The man continued towards her. When he passed by a lantern, the flame cast light upon his face.

Lily stared in surprise.

It was the man from the market.

Once it was announced that the King of the North was arriving, Lily hadn't thought much of the day she snuck out of the castle with Hugo. The man before her hadn't crossed her mind at all. The idea that he had somehow snuck into the castle sent her heart racing.

"What are you doing here?" Lily asked, frozen in shock.

"I was invited."

Her eyes narrowed. That made no sense.

She looked him over. His hair was slicked back, making his features sharper. The fabric of his clothing spoke of money, much more so than at the market. There was something cocky in his smirk as he continued to approach her that made her think he must've been born a noble.

Only men who were raised to think they were important looked as pleased with themselves as he did.

"Who are you?"

One of his eyebrows rose.

"Your fiancé, I'm afraid."

A burst of giggles left her mouth at his comment and she had to force her lips shut to stop them. He looked entirely unimpressed. Clearly, though, he knew who she was. At least, now he did, for at the market he seemed to have no idea.

Licking her lips, Lily continued to eye him. The man was close enough now that, if he wanted to, he could reach out and touch her. Not many people came so close to her without permission—normally, only family and friends. She didn't feel uneasy, though.

Who was he? How had he managed to sneak into the castle? Or was he with the King of the North's entourage?

"What's your name?"

Unlike at the market, he didn't deny her the answer.

"Draco Lucius Malfoy."

Her eyebrows furrowed. He was still going to pretend to be the King of the North? Crossing her arms over her chest, Lily tried to tamper the rush of anger that hit her. It wasn't funny, joking that he was her betrothed. She was already nervous enough about meeting the king.

"I order you to tell me your name," Lily told him sharply.

The amusement that had colored his face abruptly disappeared.

"You order me?" he sneered, taking another step closer to her. "You have no rule over me."

She stared in surprise.

"This is my family's castle. My father is the king—"

"Potter is not my king. You would do well to remember that your father doesn't rule over everyone."

"You can't speak of the king in that manner!" she snapped.

"He is not my king," the man told her slowly, as though she were stupid.

Goosebumps rose on her skin. Her eyes were locked with the man's and, once more, she felt like it was hard to breathe. Because something whispered to her that this was him, the King of the North.

That was idiotic. He couldn't be her fiancé. It didn't make sense. The man before her looked nothing like what she had imagined. Her uncles had always joked that he looked like a ferret and Neville, the gardener, had said the King of the North could be cruel and she had always thought he'd be old and wrinkled and horrible.

The man in front of her was healthy and lean and—dare she say it—handsome, when he wasn't scowling or sneering at her. No, handsome wasn't the right word. Pretty, delicate, as if he had been pampered and sheltered most of his life. Lily had a feeling if she grabbed his hand and turned it over, his palm would bare no calluses or scars. Not that Lily could say much, for she had grown up extremely privileged also. Her mother, however, had been poor before Lily's father married her. Ginny always made sure her children helped the servants when needed and played outside whenever they weren't in lessons.

"They said you only just arrived. But I saw you at the market."

He shrugged.

"I'm under no obligation to tell your parents every movement of mine. I decided to visit early."

Lily's mouth opened and closed as she struggled with what to say. The reality of the situation became clearer. This was the King of the North before her. This was the second time they were meeting without any sort of supervision. Her Aunt Hermione, Harry's top advisor, would likely go gray if she knew this was happening. For Lily to be in the presence of Draco, with no one else near…

"This isn't proper," Lily breathed, taking a step away from him. "You shouldn't be here."

"And, I suspect, you shouldn't have been wandering around the city by yourself the other day. I suppose we can let both things go, can't we?"

He spoke smoothly, as though he was used to both insulting and negotiating with people at the same time. A pinch of annoyance flashed through her but she forced it away.

Maybe… maybe this was a joke. Perhaps Albus and James were lingering somewhere, home early from their adventures, snickering into their hands at the horrible prank they were pulling on their sister.

The man's eyes had yet to leave her face as he waited for her to respond.

"You can't be—there's simply no way you're—"

"I prefer to go by King Malfoy, Ruler of the North. As you are a princess, I can see why it would be odd for you to call anyone other than your father 'King'. Though, of course, it must be odd for anyone to call Potter by that title."

"This is mad."

He tilted his head as he continued to watch her.

"You may call me Draco, if you prefer. I have no intention of calling you anything other than your first name and I offer you the same courtesy."

Lily straightened, fighting to control the rush of emotions that were washing over her.

"I'm proud of my family. If you call my father by our surname, I don't mind if you do the same with me."

"I'm not marrying your father or mother. It is you, Lily, who I am to wed. As such, I refuse to call you Potter—" Draco spat her last name and she flinched. "—so I suggest you get comfortable with it."

"You can't—"

"Princess! Princess Lily, I believe you've had plenty of time out here. The King and Queen are waiting."

Lily turned, the angry words on her lips dying, as Mildred hurried towards her. She looked back to Draco but he was already walking away. He wouldn't be expected in the ballroom immediately so she wasn't surprised to see the back of him.

Heart pounding, Lily looked back to Mildred and began towards her.

Loathing raced through her veins as Draco's words echoed in her head.

May 4th

She should count herself lucky, she knew, that Draco wasn't only there to socialize with her. His month-long trip included meeting with her father and his advisors, discussing new trade deals, analyzing the current war going on in the West, and socializing with the nobles. Though normally interested in such things, Lily carefully kept herself distant from anything her betrothed was involved in.

She spent time in the stables, looking at the King of the North's horses and how different they were from the ones she had grown up around. The North was colder, she knew, and the horses were built to withstand it. Lily also spent more time in the library than she normally did. Sometimes she'd help Mildred with the laundry, though it made Mildred so uneasy that she'd focus more on Lily than her work. If all else failed, Lily would search for Hugo; her cousin, however, was very intrigued by the meetings between her father and Malfoy and tried to take part in them as often as allowed.

Lily wasn't hiding.

She would never hide in her own home. But staying as far away from everyone made it easier than constantly worrying that she'd run into Draco. There were occasions, of course, that Lily was forced in his company. Several times, Draco and Lily dined together, though always with her family and servants present. Lily always managed to be polite but it was hard; his smile seemed mocking whenever she said something courteous to him.

Her parents, she noticed, monitored the conversations intently.

Slipping off her shoes, Lily forced her thoughts away from Draco. It was a lovely day outside and she was going to enjoy it whether she wanted to or not. Hugo was with his parents, Mildred was likely hiding from her, the library was too stuffy for a day as beautiful as this, and the stable boys were busy interrogating the guards that had come with Draco.

It didn't bother her that she was left alone.

Lily dipped her foot into the lake. The water was chilly. It often wasn't until July that the sun managed to heat up the water enough so she could swim in it.

"I hope you know how to swim. I'd be devastated if you attempted to drown yourself."

Spinning around, Lily spotted Draco walking towards her. Of course, he would manage to find her when she was by herself.

"I know how to swim," she snapped.

Draco smirked.

"Lucky me."

She studied him as he continued towards her. His clothing was light, loose, as was hers. It was clear he didn't have to meet with anyone anytime soon by what he wore. In one hand, he held a book.

"I'm surprised you know how to read," Lily told him, trying to keep her tone light.

"Most of royal blood do. Are you one of the unlucky ones who don't? Shouldn't be surprised your parents don't value an education. I'll make sure I have someone ready to teach you when you head North."

Lily frowned, turning her back on him. She had come out here to relax, to enjoy the day. Perhaps he'd get the hint and leave if she paid him no mind.

"Do you have no intention of running off?" Draco drawled from behind her. "No tapestry to hide behind? The stables don't need your attention?"

She heard him moving closer to her, though his footsteps were light. Lily refused to respond to him. After a second, he was beside her, looking out over the water. He wasn't close enough to her that they were touching but he was close enough that she could smell his scent—mint.

Lily prayed her face wouldn't flush as she realized what he had said.

"I wasn't hiding from you, if that's what you insinuating," she informed him coolly.

"Come now. What about me frightens you so?"

Clenching her teeth, she looked up at him. Though his gaze was still on the lake, there was an amused smirk curled on his lips.

"I'm not scared of you."

"Then why do you run?" Draco asked.

Now his eyes found hers.

"There's work to be done around the castle."

"You're a princess. You realize how idiotic it is that you're telling me you do servants work?"

"It's not servants work to help. Though you may not know what a true day's work is, I do."

Without thinking, Lily grabbed his hand and turned it so she could see his palm. Where she expected smooth skin, she saw calluses. They looked familiar—James and Albus both had them, as did Teddy and her father, all her uncles and even her mother. It came from intense training with a sword.

She dropped his hand in surprise.

Had he wielded a sword in case war ever broke out between her kingdom and his? Had he trained as her family did, in fear that they'd be leading soldiers into battle?

Draco's face cleared of emotions and she took a step back. He was a king. A foreign king at that, who had once been her father's enemy. She needed to remember that.

"That was rude of me," Lily admitted softly.

Draco made a sound of agreement but said nothing else. After a long stretch of silence, Lily glanced up at him through her eyelashes. He wasn't watching her, instead inspecting his fingernails as though he had not a care in the world.

She let her eyes wander over him. There was something irritatingly arrogant about him but Lily couldn't put her finger on what it was exactly. Perhaps it was his stance, or the curve of his lips, or the way he seemed amused by her anger rather than bothered by it. Or, she mused, perhaps it was because he seemed decidedly too comfortable in her home and around her when he had no reason to be.

"Run along, then, if you'd rather be anywhere else than here."

Lily frowned but understood the dismissal. And she did want to get out of his company. Slowly, she turned and walked to her shoes. Grabbing them, she lifted the hem of her dress and got away from the king as quickly as she could.

May 7th

She stumbled upon him in the library.

Lily had been hoping to find the book she had read over winter that she wanted to show Rose; her cousin was due back the same time Lily's brothers were. When she had rounded the corner, Lily saw Draco sitting stiffly at one of the tables, several tomes opened in front of him and long lengths of parchment unrolled beside them. A quill was poised in his hand as he readied himself to dip it in an inkpot.

He froze when he heard her, his gaze lifting to meet her own.

"Oh!" Lily stumbled to a halt. "Oh—I, um, hello. I hadn't realized you'd be here."

"Clearly," he murmured, though his words were heard clearly in the silence of the library. "You're about as quiet as an elephant."

Her cheeks reddened and she clenched her hands into fists at her side.

"I'll leave you, then—"

"Sit, Lily."

She had been ready to turn away when her name fell from his lips. Something about the way he said it—Lily—made her catch her breath.

"I would but I'm expected elsewhere. I'll leave you be."

"There's no need to lie," he told her, leaning back in his chair.

Amusement coated his words.

"I'm not lying."

"Then why are you here?"

"I've come to find a book for my cousin," Lily informed him, frowning.

She hated that she had to explain her actions to him.

"The young boy, Hugo?" Draco's nose scrunched. "I didn't realize he enjoyed reading."

The desire to defend Hugo was automatic. When she opened her mouth to do so, Draco waved his hand lazily, silencing her. He didn't say anything else, however, turning his attention back to whatever he had been doing before she interrupted him.

Her blood boiled.

"He's hardly a young boy. I'm the same age as him."

"You, also, are young."

"Yet I'm to be your wife."

Lily hadn't meant the words to be spoken, wasn't sure where they came from, but they lingered between them. Draco glanced up at her, his expression unreadable.

"Indeed," he drawled, tilting his head. "Sit with me."

She shook her head.

"I'd rather not."

"You're as stubborn as your parents."

"I'll take that as a compliment," Lily retorted, lifting her chin.

"Please don't. It's rather annoying."

Her lips twitched, trying to form a smile that she wouldn't allow. When the silence between them stretched a second too long, Draco sighed.

"You don't like me."

Her eyes widened. As much as she wanted to say that wasn't true, she couldn't—because Lily didn't like him.

"Each time I've been alone with you, you've seem displeased by my presence."

"That's only been twice. It's not fair to make a judgement off two occasions."

Lily wasn't sure what she was trying to play at. Because she had been unhappy at his presence both times they'd been in each other's company. Something about him rubbed her… not wrong. He simply made her defenses go up.

"Four times, including right now," Draco corrected.

Lily frowned.

"You're including the market?" she asked.

He made a sound of agreement. Chewing on her bottom lip, she tilted her head curiously as she eyed him.

"How'd you know it was me at the market?"

"You assume I knew who you were then?"

Did she really think he knew who she was that day? There had been no flare of recognition in his eyes—not that she could remember, at least. And it would have been in poor taste for him to argue with her when they first met.

"No," Lily replied slowly. "No, I suppose there's no way you could've known it was me."

It was fate, maybe, that they had run into each other then—

"I knew it was you," he said, interrupting her thoughts.

Lily blinked in surprise.

"How?"

"You looked startlingly like your parents."

The words were an insult, she knew. Lily almost scowled.

"I don't like you," Lily snapped without thinking. "Because you're rude and arrogant. It's only natural for me to—to not want to be around you."

Draco ran a hand along his jaw.

"You're making this harder than it needs to be," he informed her.

What?

Butterflies seemed to have escaped in her stomach as she waited for him to continue. Putting down the quill, he stood from the chair.

"We're to wed. For the rest of our lives, we'll be in the same living quarters. You're to be the Queen of the North. You not liking me won't change that fact."

With no permission at all, her frustrations from the past week escaped her.

"This wasn't a choice of my own!" Lily cried out as Draco approached her, adrenaline rushing through her. "Why am I expected to make anything easy for you? I'm the one who—who has to leave everything behind, I'm the one whose future was decided at birth! I owe you nothing. Everything I've known about you has been horrible and cruel. I've heard stories, I know the history between our kingdoms, of you and my family. I'm simply a—a bargaining chip to keep the peace but that doesn't mean I have to like it."

He stilled.

"You know nothing about me except the poison your father spews," Draco hissed.

"Why wouldn't I believe what he says? And I know my father hasn't even told me everything about you! He doesn't want to frighten me, knowing he's aligned my fate with that of a monster."

Lily had said too much. Right away, she wanted to apologize, to take it back, but it was already done. Draco's face twisted before clearing of emotion. He turned back to the table and sat down, his attention on the books in front of him once more.

"It must run in your family's blood to hate without knowing," he said.

She frowned, surprised by the lack of anger in his voice.

What else was there to know? She knew enough about his threats of war and the unreasonable demands Draco had forced on them to keep peace. Her uncles spoke of his family name with fury, her father's advisors were always wary when he was near, her brothers always scowled when they spoke of running into people from the North.

There was nothing else.

Even as she thought it, though, it seemed wrong. But Lily didn't allow herself to explore the feeling, instead clinging to the dislike and resentment that burned in her blood.

"I'd rather sleep on the streets than go to the North with you," she told him heatedly.

"That can be arranged," he drawled, his gaze finding hers.

Lily bit her lip to stop herself from saying anything else. Turning on her heel, she headed towards the exit.

May 12th

This time, it wasn't her avoiding him.

Draco no longer came down for meals. He seemed to have learned the routes of the castle and made sure never to go on any that could potentially make them meet. Lily had thought it was far too immature of a grown man to go to such lengths to avoid someone but she had grown up with two brothers and Hugo and, well, she knew how they were.

At times, even her Uncle Ron hid from his wife.

The worst part of Draco avoiding her was the guilt that had begun to weigh Lily down.

What she had said was completely inappropriate. She had a feeling that her Aunt Hermione had a sixth sense, for she came to Lily the next day to reiterate the proper ways to speak to and interact with a foreign king. Hugo, for one, had managed to find the situation both amusing and worrying.

"You can't speak to just anyone that way, Lils."

"Yes, I know."

"Do you, though? You speak to him as though he's—he's me or Albus or James and he isn't. He's a king. He's your betrothed."

"Yes, I know, Hugo, thank you for reminding me."

But he wasn't wrong. Lily needed to change her attitude quickly and she knew it.

Apologizing, however, wasn't her strong suit. It took several days for Lily to come to terms with the idea that she had been in the wrong and needed to fix it. Then it took another few days for her to work up the courage to find Draco. She was forced to take action when she overheard Draco's advisors, Lady Parkinson and Lord Zabini, discussing him leaving sooner than originally planned.

Had she wasted too much time thinking and not enough time acting?

Desperation made her go to his bed chambers, where she was sure he had hidden himself.

Steeling herself, she knocked on the door. After a moment, it opened to show the face of Lord Zabini.

"Ah, the young princess," Zabini purred.

Lily's eyes narrowed.

"Is he in there?" she asked.

"Who?"

"Draco."

"So informal," Zabini chided. "He is the King of the North and should be addressed as such. Have your parents taught you no manners?"

Lily resisted the urge to kick the door open further so she could peer in. Draco's advisors were a… different breed of people. At meals, they straddled the line between polite and rude with ease, throwing jabs at her father's kingdom which weren't friendly enough to be jokes and weren't harsh enough to be threats. Her mother didn't mind what his advisors said much, continuing the exchange easily, but her father and Uncle Ron would redden with rage.

"Let her in, Zabini."

Zabini let out a dramatic sigh and opened the door further. Lily looked in the room and saw that Draco was standing by the window, looking out over the grounds. Her eyes drifted over the rest of the room. His books were piled neatly beside one large chest. The other chests were closed, likely filled with other goods he had brought for his stay.

Her heart raced.

Was he really going to leave early?

"Are you going to stay in the corridor?"

Zabini's words brought her back to reality, and she stepped into the bedchamber. Draco didn't look at her as she entered. For the first time in a long time, Lily felt like she was an intruder in her own home. Neither Draco nor Zabini seemed concerned over her presence, instead continuing to do whatever they had been before she entered. And… and she wasn't sure what to say.

"Can I speak with you?"

Her voice wavered.

Zabini glanced over at her, his teeth flashing white when he bared them in a large grin. It was obvious he enjoyed her discomfort. If Zabini knew what she had said to Draco, though, could she blame him?

Draco's head turned slightly but he still didn't look over at her. Then he nodded.

"Leave, Zabini."

"I think it best if I stay. Who knows what—"

"Leave. Now."

Zabini shrugged at her, as if to say he tried to help, before he headed out of the bedchamber. The slamming of the door behind him made her flinch.

Gnawing on her bottom lip, Lily tried to organize her thoughts. She had come here to apologize. But what should she say? Anything. The silence was stretching on. Lily was beginning to flush in embarrassment.

She was an adult and should be able to do this.

"You're really leaving?" she finally managed.

Draco's body went still at that. He glanced at her, eyebrows knitted in confusion.

"I can't stay here forever but I have no intention of leaving before the end of the month."

What?

Lily blinked in confusion.

"But I thought Lord Zabini and Lady Parkinson had said…" she hesitated, seeing Draco's confusion deepen.

Clearing her throat, Lily lowered her eyes.

"I had heard your advisors mention you leaving earlier than anticipated."

"Take my advice and try not to listen in on my advisors. They find joy in making others believe lies. I said I'd stay the month and I will. Do not trust what others tell you about me."

She couldn't help but wonder if what he said had a double meaning.

Clasping her hands in front of her, Lily took a hesitant step towards Draco. His gaze seemed to sharpen at the movement. She faltered in her conviction and stopped.

"In the library, I had been cruel…"

"Have you been learning from me?" Draco asked. "I didn't realize Potters were anything other than kind and loving. Perhaps my time here has been a bad influence on you."

Heat crept up from her chest to her face.

"I had thought you were leaving because of what I said," Lily admitted, ignoring what he said.

"You think you have that much power over me? You think that you can control what a king does? That what you said hurt me so badly that I was going to flee this kingdom and hide away in my own?"

Lily scowled at his mocking tone and crossed her arms over her chest.

"I never assumed I had any power over you," she snapped. "I was simply trying to… to speak to you."

Draco's lips twitched. Then he left his spot by the window and stalked towards her. Lily stared, surprised, as he got closer to her than he ever had before. The warmth of his breath fanned her face as he looked down at her.

Her heart raced.

"You're spoiled. You've been warned of your future your whole life yet you revolt against your duties now that the time has come. Youth makes you ignorant."

"I am not ignorant," Lily growled, tightening her grip on her arms in order to not push him away. "I told you what I needed you to hear."

"That I'm a monster?"

"That this isn't my choice! I—I need time."

"Time?" Draco sneered. "Time for what? The future moves forward even if you ask it not to."

Lily inhaled sharply but whatever retort that had been on her tongue died. Draco's scent hit her nose—mint—and she found it hard to concentrate for a moment. Her eyes traced over his face as she attempted to recollect her thoughts but the heat of the argument left her.

There were wrinkles by his lips—probably from scowling so much. Some of his hair fell loose from where it had been slicked back and her fingers itched to brush it away; it made him look more youthful, more handsome, and she wasn't sure how she felt about that. His bottom lip was full and begged for her attention.

Her eyes flickered up and met his. Warmth flashed through her when she saw that his gaze had darkened.

Lily had kissed a stable boy or two throughout the years. The kisses had been rushed and weird and seemed forced, in a way. She had simply wanted to know what it was that made kissing so important. Then she told herself that that sort of affection was unnecessary and she stopped going to the stables for that.

But now…

Draco took another step towards her and she stepped back. He tilted his head slightly, curious and challenging at the same time, and took another step towards her. This time Lily didn't step back, tilting her chin up.

"Why did you come here?"

"To—to apologize," she barely managed to say, the words catching in her throat.

"Apologize?" he murmured.

Draco lifted a hand then and she held her breath. A strange desire for him to touch her hit her hard. What was she to do if he did touch her? But why would he? Why was she even thinking about this? Lily didn't want him to touch her—he was an arrogant prat—but still she found herself leaning forward, ever so slightly.

His hand fell before his fingers could graze her cheek. The odd spell that had been cast over her broke and she took a shuddering breath.

"I shouldn't have come here. This wasn't proper of me."

Lily stepped away from him. She continued walking backwards until she hit the chamber door.

"I have a feeling you're rarely proper," Draco drawled, watching her. "If our past meetings have been any indication."

His expression was unreadable but the words washed over her, like warm bath water. She averted her eyes and yanked open the door, stumbling out.

"Forgive me."

It was the last thing she said before she tugged the door shut behind her and bolted to find some fresh air.

May 17th

"You're both far too old for this."

Lily groaned as the familiar, disapproving voice woke her from her sleep. She shuffled further beneath the covers, hoping they'd hide her from the intruder. Beside her, she felt someone do the same. It was the realization that she wasn't alone in bed that forced her eyes open.

She stared, for a moment alarmed, at the pair of brown eyes looking back at her. But then she realized who it was and made a face.

Hugo barely held back a laugh.

"Honestly, morning has come! The sun has risen! And you, Princess, are to have a picnic with—"

"Don't say it, Padma, please—"

"—your betrothed. Get up! Get up!"

Without permission, her face flushed. Her mother had warned her the other day that she was to spend time with Draco, whether she wanted to or not. Apparently, her attempt to avoid him this time around had been noticed by her parents.

If only she was as sneaky as James…

"Time for breakfast, Lils," Hugo whispered to her, distracting her from her thoughts. "With your fiancé."

"Shut up," she hissed back, but a smile curled on her lips.

Before Hugo could begin laughing, the covers were tugged off of them. Lily cried out from the sudden chill and Hugo let out a curse.

Padma stood at the end of the bed. She frowned at the sight of them.

"You're not children anymore," Padma reminded them. "You shouldn't be sneaking into each other's rooms at night."

"I'm the only friend he has," Lily said, sitting up and sliding off the mattress. "You must take pity on the boy, Padma."

"I am not a boy and you are certainly not my only friend!" Hugo cried out. "She was distressed, Padma, worried over her fiancé. Could I really leave a friend in need?"

Lily glared at Hugo.

"That's not true."

"Sure, it is," he retorted.

"I am not distressed. I'm…"

"Avoiding him completely?"

Hugo gave her a look.

"You're a prat."

"I'm only trying to help—"

"Very sorry to interrupt but you still have to get ready, Princess."

Hugo and Lily stopped bickering; they had quickly forgotten about Padma being in the room. A sympathetic expression colored the older woman's face as she looked down at them.

"Hugo, your father and mother await you in the dining hall."

When Hugo left, Padma helped Lily get ready for her picnic with Draco.

Lily's thoughts wandered.

It wasn't uncommon for Lily and Hugo to stay up late at night, talking and laughing, before falling asleep in her room. Last night, however, had been one of the few times Hugo had come to her room to comfort her. After finding out she was to be forced in Draco's company, a wave of panic had washed over Lily. Hugo had noticed.

He had shown up after everyone was asleep to make sure she was okay and not trying to escape the castle through her window (an idea that she often shared with him, jokingly, when they were younger). When Lily tried to explain to him why she was so desperate to avoid Draco, it had come out all wrong. Hugo had asked if she was afraid of her betrothed. She wasn't.

Lily didn't think anything horrible would happen if she were in Draco's company, per se. But after she had gone to see him in his bed-chamber, her view of him had become muddled. There had been something in that moment—when he gazed down at her and she had a chance to really study him—that had seemed heavy and electric and different.

Stupid girl, she berated herself, the moment in the chambers was of your own imagination.

After all, Draco was utterly rude and mocking. She shouldn't—no, she didn't want anything from him.

"What are you fighting, exactly, Lils?" Hugo had asked her from the foot of her bed the night before. "It's not like you can dislike him enough that the engagement will end."

Hugo was right.

Draco was her future.

Her future king, her future husband—he'd be the father of her children and the man she saw nearly every day and her only friend, if she let him.

Lily couldn't figure out what she wanted from him, though, or what she wanted to offer him. She didn't need to enjoy him as a person. She didn't need to be in his company, other than what was required.

But… but something in her wondered if maybe she wanted more than that.

What was that feeling she had experienced in his bedchamber?

"Almost done, then," Padma declared.

Lily looked up, surprised, to find that Padma had managed to pull her wild locks into a braid.

Padma lifted up one of Lily's summer dresses, light in both color and fabric, and motioned for Lily to stand. Without any resistance at all, Lily stripped from her nightgown and stepped into the dress with Padma's help.

It took another thirty minutes before Lily was allowed to leave the room. She knew without being told that the picnic would be set up by the lake, where Draco and Lily had spoken two weeks ago.

He was already waiting for her as she approached the lake. It took almost everything in her to not turn and bolt; Padma was waiting by the castle entrance, Lily knew, in case she tried to make an escape. Lily's mother would have made sure there was no way for Lily to avoid this meeting and Padma was certainly the way to do it.

Though beloved, Padma was strict and a little scary.

"I'm surprised you showed up this morning."

Lily forced herself to make eye contact with Draco as he turned to face her; he must've heard her approaching despite the fact that his attention had been on the lake.

She sighed.

"Yes, well. My mother told me to come here, so here I am."

Draco's eyebrows rose.

"I was referring to how late in the day it is. The food is ready to spoil. The wine has gone warm. The sun is about to set." He waved his hand towards the picnic basket as he spoke. "I had thought something happened to you. I was ready to send the guards to check on you, for I was sure that you had passed in your sleep."

She wasn't sure whether he was joking or not. Staring at him hard, Lily let her eyes trace over him. There was something different in his gaze, light and carefree, as he waited for her to respond.

"What are you fighting, exactly?"

Lily licked her lips, trying to gather the courage to say something—anything, really. Before she could figure out what to say, Draco spoke again. This time, the teasing had left his voice.

"I expect nothing from you."

Her eyebrows knitted in confusion. Sure that she had misheard him, Lily took a cautious step towards him.

"I'm not sure…" She cleared her throat. "I'm not sure what you mean."

He glanced away from her. It seemed to make it easier for Draco to speak, for the words flowed from him easily once his eyes weren't on her.

"You told me that you were expected to make it easy for me. That's simply not the case. Nothing has been easy for me in recent years, and I expect nothing ever will be again. When I came here, I should've assumed I'd meet someone as stubborn as your mother and as…" Draco paused, his jaw clenched. Then, "As self-righteous as your father."

Her stomach squeezed in anger. It was effortless for her to fight with Draco; suddenly words were ready to rush from her mouth, to argue against what he said. Before Lily had the chance, Draco continued.

"Lily, you are both. I hadn't thought I'd make it to the day where I'd meet you. I had thought I'd be killed far before this."

Her darkest hope—that her betrothed would die before her twentieth—came to mind and she closed her mouth in shame.

"I expect nothing from you," Draco repeated. "We don't have to speak for the next ten years, if it pleases you. There need be no children born between us, no daily interactions, nothing that would upset you."

"The whole point of our marriage is to bear children," Lily said with a disbelieving laugh. "To mix our lines and to show that our two kingdoms are at peace."

"If war is to occur, a child will not prevent it—even if it is a child of Weasley, Potter, and Malfoy blood."

Draco shrugged tiredly before continuing.

"I've been at war most of my life. The years of peace between our two kingdoms have meant little in the North. There are consequences to every war, every treaty. My past with your father, with your family, is not a great one but I do not… I do not want war between us."

"Between me and you?" Lily clarified softly.

He nodded.

"I accused you of not making this easy. I was wrong to do so. I am hardly an easy person to be around, as my advisors take joy in reminding me. I have given you no reason to want to spend time with me. In my bedchambers, you had tried apologizing to me. You deserve an apology from me as well. You deserve… much, much more. You're more than a bargaining chip."

Lily found it hard to look away from him. Draco had… he had listened to her when she had fought with him. He had apologized to her, in his own way.

He was trying.

"You're more than a bargaining chip."

Slowly releasing her breath, Lily took the remaining steps until she was beside him. Her arm brushed his.

"It isn't that late in the day."

Lily could feel Draco's stare on her as she lowered herself to the ground. When he didn't immediately sit down, she patted the ground beside her and glanced up at him.

"Honestly," she continued, as if he had replied. "I've slept in much later than this."

"You're used to food spoiling, then?"

Draco took her unspoken invitation and sat down. Again, their arms brushed. When their eyes met, she stopped herself from looking at his lips.

Surely, last time, his lips had been what caused her to feel so strange.

"Food does not spoil in a matter of hours. Unless that's a Northern thing?"

Draco smirked.

"Our food can last months in the North."

"Likely because everything is frozen up there for half the year."

"Half the year if you're lucky."

Lily's lips twitched into a smile.

May 19th

Something had changed between them.

One day she couldn't stand the idea of a future with Draco and the next it seemed bearable.

"How large are the mountains?" she questioned, her fingers brushing the petals of the flowers as they walked through the garden.

Draco's humming ceased when she spoke.

They had taken to meeting every day, even if it was only for a few minutes. It seemed to help build something between them—friendship, perhaps.

"Nothing like you'd have seen out here."

Lily looked out over the grounds. Her kingdom's land was rather flat, she supposed. Still, her urge to defend it overtook her. Straightening her back, Lily turned her attention back to Draco.

"I've left this kingdom before," she said dryly. "I've seen the ocean—"

"Which is rather flat, wouldn't you agree?"

"—and have traveled through the Hills of Gryffindor—"

Draco released a sound of amusement that made Lily's eyes narrow.

"The Hills of Gryffindor? Hardly comparable."

Hardly comparable?

The hills had been wild and glorious, stretching on for miles and miles.

"You don't like them only because they're a part of my father's kingdom."

"If they are a part of your father's kingdom then you've hardly left the kingdom, have you?"

Her cheeks reddened under his smug gaze. She hated when he felt like he had bested her. But the familiar annoyance that used to hit her whenever Draco spoke didn't arrive and she found her lips tugging into a grin. Lily bit it back.

"Albus traveled to the Mountains of Ravenclaw, in the West."

"Should I offer him my congratulations when we meet?"

"I meant," Lily said, fighting the urge to push Draco into the roses as they walked by them—it would be too cruel to the delicate flowers, though she wouldn't mind him falling into the thorns. "That when he described them to me, I had some idea of what he spoke of. You, on the other hand, seem at a loss for words, though I dare say I must blame your education on that more than anything else—"

"My education?" Draco interrupted. "I'm twice your age. Whatever education you have is nothing compared to mine."

Lily rolled her eyes. Draco's jaw clenched at the sight of it and she almost laughed. It was fun figuring out what annoyed him.

"Your education likely consists of sewing and writing poetry, singing and dancing and other womanly joys."

"What's wrong with sewing and writing poetry?" Lily asked, frowning.

Draco glanced at her, his lips curling into a smirk.

She pushed him away, unwilling to get into a back and forth with him over poetry, and he laughed.

May 21st

"What were you doing there? You must have known how risky it was to venture from the castle without guards."

"You were at the market without guards!"

"How do you know that?" Draco asked, glancing at her.

She blinked.

"You had guards there?" Lily asked, uncertain.

"It's unwise to go into a foreign kingdom without protection. I'd have been as big a fool as you to go to the market alone."

Her lips twisted into a scowl.

"I'd have been fine if I hadn't lost Hugo."

"Perhaps. Though I doubt he'd have realized to push you out of the way of the cauldrons."

She stopped walking in surprise but Draco didn't notice. When he did, he glanced over his shoulder at her, a single eyebrow raised. A flash of something—concern?—colored his expression before disappearing.

"Lily?" he called.

"You pushed me out of the way when I hit that table?"

He turned to face her completely, frowning.

"You hadn't realized that?"

"I hadn't thought about it," Lily admitted.

If he hadn't noticed her, if he hadn't pushed her out of the way, the contents of the cauldron would've splashed all down her back. She could've been seriously injured.

Draco cocked his head as he eyed her.

"Come. I have the maps laid out for you to look over."

Suddenly, though, the idea of studying maps with Draco seemed silly. He had… he had saved her, in a way. Lily hadn't even known.

Her heart fluttered uncertainly as she walked towards him.

"Why was that woman selling acid? Rather unsafe, isn't it?"

"I'm not sure she expected a clumsy girl to stumble into her table. You ruined her illusion."

Lily rolled her eyes as Draco smirked.

May 23rd

The castle was quiet as everyone slept.

Normally, Lily fell asleep easily. Tonight, however, she found herself perched on the windowsill in her bedroom, looking up at the stars as the hours dragged by. She wasn't sure why she couldn't fall asleep. Nothing was bothering her. The day had been spent riding horses with Hugo before meeting late in the afternoon with Draco.

Her heart squeezed at the thought of him.

Perhaps that was the reason she couldn't sleep.

Or, rather, he was the reason.

The past few days had awoken something inside of Lily that was unknown to her. She seemed constantly torn between a state of anxiety and a state of happiness. Whenever she wasn't with Draco, her mind was on him; Lily couldn't stop herself from over-analyzing each interaction between them. Sometimes she thought over their conversations and wondered if the smirk he sent her way meant something more. Sometimes she wondered if he thought her foolish by how wide her smile was when he said something amusing.

Whenever she was with Draco, though, her thoughts settled and she calmed down. They barely touched each other but, when it accidentally occurred, her breath caught and her skin seemed to tingle and her face would flush unpleasantly as she tried not to think too much into it.

Lily groaned, pressing her forehead against the window.

She knew what was happening, whether she wanted to admit it or not. She had a crush on him. A crush that made her desperate and excited to see him, a crush that brought about daydreams of what life in the North would be like with him, a crush that made her previous misgivings about him disappear as if they had never been there to begin with.

Hugo noticed it and teased her over it— "How quickly the tables have turned," he laughed.

Her mother certainly observed it—there was a curious gleam in her gaze whenever Lily mentioned Draco.

Even her father seemed aware—he seemed both happy and sad when Draco said something that made Lily snort into her glass at breakfast the other day.

Forcing herself to stop thinking about her silly crush, Lily slid off the windowsill and padded across her room. She knew she shouldn't wander through the castle this late at night but she feared if she stayed confined in her bedchamber any longer she'd go mad. There was no way sleep was coming, even though she longed for it.

Maybe she'd go wake Hugo and force him to spend time with her. He hated being woken up but she knew he'd entertain her if she asked him to. Or, maybe, she could sit in the gardens and watch the sunrise.

The light from the lanterns helped brighten the corridors as Lily aimlessly roamed.

Soon enough, she'd be learning a whole new castle. This castle she had lived in since birth would no longer be her own. She tried to envision her new home, off of what Draco had told her, but—

The sound of someone approaching made Lily freeze.

"Lily?"

Lily stared in surprise at Draco. She hadn't expected to see him turn the corner.

"Draco! What are—are you, um, doing up?"

As she spoke, her face warmed and her hands went to her hair. She knew her locks were wild at the moment, especially from the hour or two she had been tossing and turning in bed. Except for the dark bags under Draco's eyes, however, he looked fine.

"I find it hard to sleep sometimes," he admitted, eyeing her. "As do you, apparently. I understand why you sleep in so late now."

She walked up to him till they met halfway. Biting back a grin, she shrugged.

"You don't sleep in nearly as late as me."

"I find I don't need much sleep."

"Like a vampire?" Lily teased. "You are pale enough to be compared to a creature of the night."

He scowled, and she almost laughed.

"I shouldn't be surprised you'd believe in fairytales."

"Don't be so sour, Draco. I don't really believe vampires are real."

Draco's scowl lessened into a smirk as he stared down at her. Sometimes she wondered if the tenderness in his eyes was a figment of her imagination.

"What part of fairytales do you believe in, then?" he asked her, his voice soft in the quiet of the night.

Lily tilted her head, waiting for him to elaborate.

"Happy endings? True love?" Draco continued.

She inhaled sharply. For once, he didn't sound mocking. Simply curious.

And he was waiting for her answer.

"Sometimes I do," she replied gently.

He nodded. For a moment, they lingered in the silence, watching each other. Lily desperately wanted to reach out to him, to touch him and make sure he was real. It was still odd for her to realize the man before her was the same man she had heard horror stories of growing up, the same man who had berated her after saving her in the market.

If Draco noticed her internal struggle, he didn't show it. Instead, his familiar smirk colored his face and he straightened.

"Where were you off to?"

"I'm not sure I had any destination in mind," Lily said. "The gardens? The library?"

"You enjoy reading in the dark?"

"There's this odd thing called fire, which produces light—"

She began laughing at the expression on Draco's face before she could finish her sentence.

May 26th

For the first time in a while, Lily woke at dawn to meet with Neville, the gardener. She arrived as shabbily as allowed, her dress an old, thin one that had been patched up so many times even Padma and the maids cringed at the sight of it. But it allowed her to properly garden, to dig her hands into the dirt and not worry whether she stained her clothing or not.

The morning was spent planting new bulbs and trimming the plants throughout the garden before moving to the greenhouse. A plate of fruit was brought out to them just as Lily's stomach began to rumble, then they continued on. Neville could never stay long, though, required back at his own house before lunch.

"Are there flowers like this in the North?" she asked, swiping at the strands of hair that tickled her forehead.

"Not these exact flowers, no," Neville said, getting to his feet and letting out a groan. He continued. "I've only been up North a handful of times, however, just as spring hits. There could be flowers there that grow come summer or fall that I've never seen."

Lily watched him as he began to collect his things.

"Is it pretty there, in the spring?"

Neville glanced at her in surprise.

"Has the King of the North not spoken to you about it?"

"I haven't asked him," Lily admitted. "Though I'm sure if I did, he'd tell me."

Neville nodded in understanding.

"It seemed greener than here. The North is known for the harsh winters and short days. When spring comes, life is breathed into everything again. The flowers, the trees, the people, the very air itself. Like here, in a sense, but much more intense." He paused. "If there's a greenhouse there, you can bring bulbs and plant them. Let me know and I'll help you pick the ones that would best survive the journey."

"Thank you, Neville."

"Of course, Princess."

He nodded his farewells and left the greenhouse.

Lily breathed a sigh of happiness now that she was completely alone. The castle could be hectic at times and the greenhouse always offered solitude. There was something about the silence that the flowers always provided that brought her peace. Her brothers had never cared for gardening, nor her mother and father. It was Lily's own hiding place.

She brushed her palms over the moist dirt where the next round of vegetables would be growing. Slipping off her shoes, Lily glanced around at the life she had helped create.

The doors to the greenhouse opened and she grinned, pushing to her feet. Neville was notorious for forgetting things. Looking around, she tried to see what he had left.

"What did you forget, Neville?" Lily called, looking in the direction of the doors. "I don't…"

She stared in disbelief. It wasn't Neville who had entered the greenhouse.

"Draco," she greeted, wiping her dirty hands on her dress.

Draco looked out of place surrounded by the foliage, with his clean, pressed clothing and slicked back hair. It was almost laughable. But when his eyes met her own, one of his blond eyebrows lifting, the desire to laugh left her.

Sometimes she hated how quickly the feeling hit her—the heaviness that settled on her chest, the racing of her heart, the warmth of her cheeks—when she looked at him. It came to her so randomly. There were times it hit her when he said something that made her laugh in surprise. Other times it came when they sat in silence and their gazes locked.

Lily wished it would go away.

At the same time, she wanted desperately to explore it.

"I shouldn't be surprised that this is where you spend your free time," Draco drawled, bringing her focus back to him.

"I'm sure you say that in kindness and not to insult me—"

"Among dirt and insects," Draco continued.

Lily shook her head, fighting a smile.

"I shouldn't be surprised that you find flowers disgusting," she retorted.

He shrugged.

"Not disgusting. I have simply no interest in them."

She didn't reply, instead turning and walking further into the greenhouse. Draco followed her; Lily had grown used to the sound of him, his gentle breathing, his light footsteps, the way he seemed to not disturb anything when he walked. Glancing over her shoulder, Lily was surprised to find that Draco had managed to get much closer to her than she thought.

One corner of his lip curled at her startled expression.

"When you move to the North, I'll try to teach you how to move quietly," he promised, his gaze on her before lifting, looking at the vines that hung from the ceiling.

Lily licked her lips, glad that he was distracted. She turned to face him and realized, if she wanted, she could reach out and press her palm against his chest. The boundaries that had been between them when they first met seemed to have melted away at some point.

The palm on her hand tingled, desperate to feel his heartbeat beneath her touch.

"It's hot in here," Draco complained after a moment.

His eyes found hers again before tracing over her face. The greenhouse was always humid. Lily had never minded it before. Now, however, she could feel the beads of sweat that clung to her skin and dampened her dress. She fought the urge to wipe at her forehead.

"It's a greenhouse, Draco," Lily replied lightly. "That's the point of it."

"Indeed."

"Why did you visit me here? I thought we agreed to meet at dinner."

"We did," he told her simply.

Lily frowned, eyebrows furrowing as she looked him over. Something was… off about him. He looked the same, though his cheeks were becoming pink from the heat in the greenhouse. Maybe it was the tug of his lips, forcing them into a slight frown, or the way he seemed to have trouble keeping his eyes on her for longer than a few seconds at a time.

"You just wanted to see me, then?" Lily teased, though it felt like her stomach was filled with butterflies.

"Yes."

Draco shifted closer to her, his head lowering as though he was going to tell her a secret. Lily's breath caught, though she wasn't sure why.

"Draco…"

The uncertainty in her voice made her inwardly cringe. She hated that she didn't know what to do or feel or think. Something had changed again between the two of them—Lily felt it deep inside of her.

Draco had said he came to see her… because he wanted to.

A moment passed and then, with no hesitancy at all, Draco lifted his hand towards her face. Lily held her breath. She wanted to be embarrassed by her reaction, because she could feel Draco's eyes on her, but her desire to be touched by him was overwhelming.

She took a step forward and Draco reached out. His thumb brushed the soft skin under her eye before stroking her cheek. Tingles erupted wherever he touched her. The urge to grab his hand, to let him touch her elsewhere, made her step even closer to him.

Her chest brushed his and she inhaled sharply.

"I leave in two days."

Lily blinked at the sudden change of pace. His words were free of emotion, despite the tension between Draco and her.

He continued to watch her.

Lily nodded, unsure of what he expected of her.

"I know."

And she did. Lily had found herself thinking more and more of Draco's departure as the days sped by. May was almost over. Draco would be returning to his kingdom. The wedding was being planned for autumn. She'd be left at her family's castle and he'd be in the North and they could write letters, sure, but she wouldn't see him for months.

It was odd how quickly she had grown accustomed to his presence.

"Is that why you came here?" Lily asked. "To tell me that you leave in two days?"

She took a step back.

"Stop that," Draco ordered as soon as she moved.

"What?"

"You have a habit of running away from me."

Was that true? Lily hesitated.

"I'm not running away," Lily said, trying to sound certain and firm.

"Are you upset?" Draco inquired curiously.

"Well, I was having a pleasant time until you came in here and started bothering me."

Lily went to take another step away from Draco but his hand twitched at his side. The movement stopped her.

"I meant about my departure," he clarified. "Are you upset I'm leaving?"

Yes.

"We knew you'd be gone by the end of May," Lily said, ignoring his question. "You told me that."

"That's not what I asked, Lily."

Something about the way he said her name—as if he knew something she didn't—made her blood boil. She narrowed her eyes at him, her hands clenched at her sides.

"What do you want to hear? You're a giant git, yes, and you've annoyed me from the second we met but—but, yes, I do enjoy your company. It's going to be strange without you here. What are we supposed to do until the wedding? Write letters that are going to take weeks to get delivered? Is that what normally occurs? I almost wish you hadn't bothered coming here for the month because how am I supposed to go back to when you weren't in my life—"

She hadn't even realized Draco had moved until his hand was touching her again, wrapped in her hair, cradling her head. His other hand lingered by her hip, brushing the thin fabric there. A rush of warmth raced through Lily and she reached for him, wrapping her hands in his tunic.

Then, as though it was the most natural thing in the world, his lips were pressed against her own.

Lily sighed, the tension leaving her. Her eyes fluttered shut as she relaxed and Draco seemed to feel it; it gave him more confidence. He tilted her head with his hand for better access to her lips. Her breasts brushed his chest as he deepened the kiss. Warmth pooled in her stomach, leaving her feeling breathless and awake and hungry.

Draco tasted of honey and tea—he had probably come from breakfast with her mother and father.

Lily fought the urge to pull him closer, to taste more of him. But why? Draco had reached for her first, Draco had kissed her, he had come to her because he wanted to see her. There was no need to resist her own urges.

She stood on her tiptoes, her body skimming his, as she let him guide her in the kiss. Draco was no stable boy and the feelings his touch evoked proved it. He nibbled at her bottom lip and she gasped. The groan he emitted afterwards made her feel… made her feel… it made her feel.

His hand that lingered by her side was now pressed against her thigh as though stuck there. She wondered if he was too scared to let it explore.

"—can't believe I'm sent here like some servant. Ah. I see. This is why you've been missing."

Lily jumped backwards at the additional voice, looking at Draco, horrified. Draco, however, seemed more annoyed than anything else. His lips were pink, slightly swollen, and his cheeks were far more flushed now. Running her hands over her dress anxiously, Lily wondered who had found them. Embarrassment was already washing over her.

But then Draco's gray eyes met hers and his lips twitched into a smile. She gave him a shaky smile back. Draco turned around.

"Pansy," he greeted.

"King Draco," she replied, sounding far too amused. "You're to meet with Lady Granger. Did you forget?"

"Clearly. I'll be there in a moment."

Parkinson didn't linger and Draco turned back to Lily. His gaze was soft and curious. Lily was thankful he didn't reach out for her again—the idea of being walked in on while so lost in Draco was not an experience she wanted to endure again.

"I'll see you at dinner tonight."

"Yes."

"We'll discuss my departure further afterwards?"

"Yes."

Draco nodded and Lily tried to steady her breathing. When he left, she slid to the ground, a giddy smile brightening her face.

So she hadn't been alone in her feelings.

February 17th

Snowflakes fell softly from the sky, coating the ground outside.

Lily watched from bed. It had been snowing for weeks now but, still, she found her attention drawn to it. Perhaps because it seemed so perfect compared to snowfall in the land she had grown up in. There, the snow would be dirtied and melting within a day or two. Here, it remained pristine.

"One day, you'll get sick of it."

Lily looked away from the window and met her husband's gaze.

Amusement glowed in his eyes.

"Maybe," she allowed.

She reached out to him and her hand brushed his bare chest. His skin was warm to the touch and she grinned cheekily at him.

"As long as you're here to keep me warm, though, I'm sure I'll be fine."

Draco smirked, grabbing hold of her hand and tugging her gently towards him.

When she was close enough, he leaned into her, pressing his lips to the sensitive skin of her neck.

"I'm afraid you'll be stuck with me for many years," he murmured into her neck. "There's no getting rid of me now."

Lily laughed.

"Yes, I figured that when I said my vows," she replied.

"Good."

His lips brushed her neck once more before nibbling gently on her earlobe. Lily made a sound she couldn't distinguish at the contact—a moan or groan or sigh— and wrapped her hands in his hair.

Being a bargaining chip to keep peace between the North and the East, she had decided, was not as bad a deal as she had once believed.