Harry Potter tried to be a good father. It was easiest with James; his eldest son was good-natured and outgoing, and they had a passion for Quidditch in common. Harry and Albus were too much alike, brooding and insecure. Each had believed the other disappointed in them and lashed out defensively until they'd confronted their issues during Albus's fourth-year at Hogwarts. Nine years later, their relationship was one of affection and mutual respect.
Lily Luna, named for his mother and a dear friend, had wrapped him around her little finger before her newborn-blue eyes turned emerald green. Ginny claimed it happened the moment he'd held her and she smiled up at him. He hadn't cared that it was a reflex. His daughter's smile melted his heart.
He took parental leave with all his children, and when Lily was small he continued to do his best to spend as much time as possible with his family. Harry would hold his baby girl while he and Ginny watched the boys play, while they oversaw James and Albus's baths, read them books at bedtime, or whenever his tiny sweetheart held out her dimpled arms. Unlike her brothers, who both said, "Mama" before anything else, "Dada" was Lily's first word.
When Lucius Malfoy and other Voldemort supporters regrouped as the Knights of Walpurgis, Harry's workload increased. Members of a wizard supremacy group—pure-bloods held highest rank, but wizard superiority was the new focus—had to be identified and monitored in the same way Muggle agencies maintained a watch list to keep track of suspected and known terrorists. He turned down the nomination to lead the task force, but kept busy as a consultant in addition to his other Auror duties.
Ginny, promoted to sports editor at the Daily Prophet, also worked extended hours, although she did her best to work from home most afternoons. Harry should have consulted on only the most urgent cases and rearranged his duty schedule to help mind the children. Instead, he'd relied on Kreacher.
The house-elf had become sprightlier with children to care for. He had home-schooled Sirius and Regulus and eagerly volunteered to teach James, Albus, and Lily. The children bragged about outings to museums and parks, and soon Ron was dropping Rose and Hugo off to "Kreacher School" with their cousins. When Rose and Albus went to Hogwarts, Hugo, keen to play team sports, chose to attend the wizard primary school his other cousins and the Scamander boys attended. Lily refused to go, begging to stay home so pitifully that Harry talked Ginny into allowing it. After all, Kreacher taught a wider variety of subjects at a higher level, so much so that Lily had breezed through her years at Hogwarts.
Despite her academic successes, Harry sometimes wondered if he'd done Lily a disservice allowing her to opt out of primary school. She acted more like an adult than a child, a quality that earned her many admirers but few close friends. Not that the lack seemed to bother her. While other girls spent holidays with dorm-mates, she was happy spending time with Kreacher.
Once she'd left Hogwarts, it had been a relief to see his daughter going out with former schoolmates and new acquaintances. At nineteen, Lily started dating Lorcan Scamander exclusively to the family's delight. Harry and Ginny joked with Luna and Rolf that they'd have pink-haired grandchildren if Lily and Lorcan married. It had shocked everyone when the pair broke up.
.
"Lorcan asked me to go to Norway, and I couldn't do it," Lily confessed when they went up to her room to ask what had happened. "Not just the trip, but the life he wanted, me being the little woman tagging along on his adventures. I have to be an equal partner."
"Partner in what?" Ginny asked. "What do you want to do with your life?"
"I don't know!" Lily burst into tears and Disapparated.
Ginny threw up her hands. "She's gone to Kreacher because he coddles her, unlike her mother, who wants to help her do something besides shop and go clubbing!"
"She's a girl with a broken heart. Let's give her some space. She'll come to us when she figures out what she wants," Harry said. "Between us, we have all the right connections."
Ginny snorted, but her tone was amused. "We're not comforting, but we're useful, is that it?"
He slid an arm around her. "I say we go to our room and comfort each other."
"Comfort meaning sex."
"Yes, please," Harry tightened his hold and Side-Along Apparated.
.
Over a year had passed since that day, yet Lily at twenty-one continued to act like a girl straight out of Hogwarts enjoying the freedom of adulthood with no thought of the future. The Daily Prophet and tabloids alike sold copies by publishing the latest photos of Lily leaving a party or club. She was their "It Girl," a phrase Ginny said meant their daughter was famous for her name, her looks, and her glamourous lifestyle instead of any meaningful contribution to society. Harry had reluctantly agreed that a family conference to discuss Lily's career options was in order. He'd been secretly proud of her for declaring that she would find her own job.
Sod's Law that things went wrong with the worst possible outcome was proven when Lily answered Draco Malfoy's ad for a personal assistant. Malfoy Manor was in Wiltshire, far from London shops and clubs. Harry had convinced Ginny to let Lily discover that a job was work. A dose of reality was exactly what she needed. She'd return home after a few days ready to listen to their career advice.
But she didn't come home.
One week at the manor became two, and the thoughts that Harry constantly pushed to the back of his mind crept forward.
Draco Malfoy is on the Auror watch list as a former Death Eater. For over a decade, he's rarely left the manor and has no known mistress.
Neville jokes that his wife is extra-affectionate after Lily hugs him because Hannah thinks Lily fancies older men.
Every group of Aurors you swear in has one or two young women who blush and gaze at you starry-eyed when you present them with their Auror badges. Women your daughter's age. Women you don't encourage, but you can't help noticing that they're pretty, can you?
Lily is beautiful, and Malfoy isn't blind. He isn't fat, ugly, or even balding since he went to some posh clinic to fix his receding hairline.
Ron was to blame for their past enemy's youthful head of hair. On the platform at King's Cross station, he'd snickered over "bouncing, balding ferrets" within earshot of Draco Malfoy and his wife. The next time they crossed paths, Malfoy's hairline had matched his son's.
Harry didn't tell Ginny about his misgivings. He didn't want her to think he was dirty-minded or cause her to rush to Wiltshire to accuse Malfoy of having carnal intentions towards their little girl. Ginny was content believing her daughter was suffering and would be the better for it. They'd told the rest of their family and friends that Lily was travelling, which had somehow led to the rumour in the papers that she was in rehab, then in Europe.
Guiltily, he kept his concern over a lonely widower's reaction to a beautiful young woman staying in his home and working closely with him day after day to himself. Harry had never been good at picking up emotional cues—he'd thought Tonks had loved Sirius, for Merlin's sake—but he was a bloke, and could imagine how he'd react in similar circumstances. It was enough to give him nightmares.
He decided to open the lines of communication by sending Lily a letter apologising for not believing that she'd last at her job once the novelty wore off. She'd organised almost everyone in the family's wardrobes, he should've known that she would enjoy using her skills on a more challenging project. He should've had more faith, and would do his best to convince her mother—Harry couldn't admit he was the one with fears and suspicions—to wait a week or two before revealing Lily's whereabouts. What he didn't write, although it took everything he had not to do it, was, "Finish up organising Malfoy's library by then, or we're coming to drag you home!"
Harry sent the letter on Friday. On Monday morning, he was sitting in his office sorting through the usual pile of interdepartmental memos and owl post when he saw a bright pink envelope with "Harry Potter (Dad)" in Lily's handwriting. He reached for it with a self-congratulatory grin. Here it was: his reassurance that Draco Malfoy was merely an employer, and her work there was almost done. He ripped open the envelope and read:
Dad,
Thank you for writing and telling me you have faith in me. That means so much. I'm sure it will disappoint Mum to hear that I've had the best two weeks organising Draco's library, so you don't have to tell her if you don't want to. I do need you to break the news that I'm staying on to organise Draco's research for publication. We've decided on the subject for the first book, and I'll be drawing the illustrations. Tell Mum not to come to Malfoy Manor to talk me out of it because I won't be there.
I'll send a letter from France,
Lily
The second time Harry read the words, specific parts leapt out at him.
Break the news . . . I'll be staying on . . . I'll send a letter from France.
Lily had twice referred to Malfoy as Draco, but she called loads of her parents' friends by their first names: Neville, for example.
Hannah thinks Lily fancies older men.
He scanned the letter a third time. "We've decided" and "I'll be drawing the illustrations" drew his attention. Lily's explanation for her breakup with Lorcan flashed through his mind.
I have to be an equal partner.
"Don't overreact. Don't leap to conclusions," Harry told himself as he folded the letter into a square and shoved it into a trouser pocket. He checked his watch. Seven AM. Scorpius, a mystery writer fortunate enough not to need a day job, often worked on his current novel until the early morning hours, according to Rose. If he was sleeping in today, she'd have to wake him up.
They needed to talk.
.
.
.
Scorpius Malfoy usually dreamed about scenes he was working on. While writing his first novel, his protagonist, "Lucky" Lucius Severus, a Roman senator's son sent to assist in rebuilding Londinium after the Iceni revolt, refused to fall for a plucky servant girl as planned. Scorpius had dreamed that the brown-haired Lucius had split into two men, one blond, and one black-haired, who both made love to the governor's auburn-haired daughter, Julia, falsely accused of murdering her husband. Rose and Albus had laughed when he'd told them his "revelation" that Lucius Severus was a combination of himself and Albus, and the sharp-witted Julia was based on Rose. They'd known all along, and were flattered, as they should be. He wrote "witty, strong, sexy characters" according to Witch Weekly.
Dreams about his characters, Scorpius enjoyed. Dreams about his dad and Lily Potter, however, were another story. Since Saturday night when he and Rose had dropped by the manor to check on his dad and found him sharing a romantic dinner on the terrace with Albus's little sister, he'd had nightmares. Two nights, three nightmares—unless the one that had just jolted him awake after a few hours' sleep was a daymare.
Every bad dream started the same way: he and Rose looked for his dad, who wasn't in the library, or the indoor pool, or his bedroom, or the kitchen.
"Maybe he decided to eat on the terrace. It's a lovely evening," Rose said.
Her calm tone eased his worry. His dad wasn't lying on the floor, dead of an aneurysm like Grandfather Lucius, or dying of stress cardiomyopathy that led to heart failure for Grandmother Narcissa after her husband's funeral. Scorpius Apparated to the terrace.
He'd seen his dad and Lily kissing in his first nightmare. They'd been groping each other more than dancing in the second one. That morning's nightmare/daymare had been the worst yet. He'd awoken shouting.
Rose paused in fastening a white blouse over a lace push-up bra with a front clasp he looked forward to unfastening later. "Another dream?"
Scorpius sat up in bed, nodding.
Albus walked in from the ensuite bathroom dressed in a towelling robe, traces of shaving cream on his jaw, razor in hand. "What's this about 'sex on the table'?"
"Another Draco and Lily nightmare," Rose said. When she bent to pull on her navy trousers, Scorpius and Albus both stared at her arse, beautifully displayed by her thong.
"I'm still pretending I don't know she's at the manor," Albus said. A queasy expression crossed his face. "You had a sex dream about them? Poor mate."
Scorpius pressed the heels of his palms against his eyes. "I only saw Lily's arms and legs and Dad from the back, thankfully."
"He was naked?" Rose asked.
Scorpius lowered his hands. "You think he's fitter than I am, don't you? That's why you want to install a pool on the roof."
Rose used a Styling Charm to tame her gorgeously unruly hair into a sleek bob. "A private pool would allow the three of us to enjoy all kinds of aquatic activities." She used a Vanishing Charm to rid Albus's face of shaving cream. "Our sweetie is cranky. Let's give him a hug."
Usually, he and Albus enfolded Rose, but being the centre of affection was exactly what Scorpius needed. He sighed. "I suppose you two can't skive off work."
"I'll come home for lunch." Rose lifted a brow at Albus.
He grinned. "Sex on the table?"
Rose's lips curved. "Among other things."
She kissed them goodbye and strolled out while Albus returned to the ensuite bath to finish shaving. Scorpius was trying to decide between getting up to write a scene where Lucius Severus got lucky with Julia on a table and going back to sleep to dream about it first when Rose's voice, made audible by a Projection Charm, filled the master bedroom.
"Uncle Harry! Is everything all right? No one's—"
"Everyone's fine. I need to talk with Scorpius."
Scorpius scrambled out of bed and tossed clothing to Albus, who ran in from the bathroom. "Why is your dad here?"
"No clue," Albus said, catching the clothes before Apparating. He'd change in the second guest room—the one closest to the master bedroom—and walk out as if he was only a cousin, best-mate, and flatmate.
Scorpius splashed water on his face, chewed a brushing/flossing mint, and pulled on a Puddlemere United t-shirt and jeans. He opened the door and saw Rose.
"Oh, good, you're up," she said as if she hadn't given him a warning via Projection Charm. "Uncle Harry needs to speak with you." Her eyes flashed. "He said he didn't want me to be late for work, but I told him I had an hour to spare and didn't need to run along."
Harry Potter wasn't a patronising git. For him to talk like one, he must be upset. "Thanks," Scorpius said. "I have a feeling I'll need the backup."
"Al won't leave either." Rose squared her shoulders. "Whatever Uncle Harry has to say, we'll face it together."
.
Scorpius held her hand as they walked down the corridor to the lounge. Harry and Albus stood in front of the sofa. The resemblance between the two was uncanny. Scorpius was glad Albus wore his hair longer and didn't need glasses. He doubted Harry would fancy the kind of hugs Scorpius, Rose and Albus shared.
"I need to talk to Scorpius about his father," Harry was saying. "I don't understand why my son and my niece feel they can't allow us to have a private discussion."
"I don't keep secrets from the people closest to me," Scorpius said. "Whatever you have to say to me can be said in front of them."
Harry asked, "Will everyone give their word that what I say will be held in confidence?"
"Mum doesn't know?" Albus asked.
Harry shook his head.
Albus's expression was disapproving, but he slowly nodded his agreement. Rose said she wouldn't tell anyone, and Scorpius did the same.
Harry moved to take a seat in one of the chairs. He didn't comment when Rose, Scorpius, and Albus sat facing him on the sofa. He leaned forward, clasping his hands together between his knees. His gaze flickered from person to person. "Lily has been working for Draco Malfoy as his personal assistant. Were you aware of that?"
"We found out Saturday," Scorpius replied. "Lily's worked hard. The library used to make me claustrophobic, but now it looks like an alchemy museum."
"She's got organising superpowers," Rose said.
Harry didn't smile. He asked, "How did she and . . . Draco . . . get on?"
An image of his dad in a tuxedo and Lily in a ball gown with a plunging neckline appeared before his mind's eye. He hadn't brought it to the surface! Scorpius used Occlumency to freeze Harry out. "I thought your family had rules about using Legilimency."
"Dad, what the hell?" Albus yelped.
"Déjà vu," Rose murmured.
Scorpius fought back a nervous chuckle. He'd said those exact words to his father when they'd seen him with Lily on the terrace.
Harry shivered. "I apologise. I used it unintentionally. Why were they dressed up? Did the four of you go out to dinner?"
"Why are you asking?" Scorpius wasn't going to tell Harry his suspicion that Lily and Draco's relationship had become more personal than professional. He loved his dad and wanted him to remain unharmed.
Harry pulled a square of parchment from a trouser pocket and handed it to Scorpius. "I received this."
Rose and Albus scooted closer and leaned in to read the letter too.
"You've been telling him for years that he should publish his research." The annoyance in Rose's voice echoed Scorpius's own feelings of pique. Draco ignored his only child's advice yet leaped at the idea when Lily suggested it?
Albus asked, "Why did they go to France?"
"Excellent question," Rose said.
They turned expectant gazes his way. Scorpius realised that the three of them remained sitting with arms and thighs pressed together, comfortable with extreme closeness in a way that would make Harry tremendously uncomfortable if he wasn't distracted by his concern for Lily. Scorpius stood. "I have an idea." He went to his study and returned with a map. "I own several maps of France," he said in response to Harry's why didn't you Summon it and save time expression. Scorpius spread the map out on the iron and reclaimed wood coffee table Albus chose because it was long enough for them to eat takeaway meals on when Scorpius didn't feel like cooking. He knelt beside the table and cast a spell to highlight half a dozen cities and towns. "Birthplaces of prominent alchemists. Lily will sketch their portraits and homes if they've been preserved."
"Dennis offered her a position at Creevey Comics," Harry said absently as he rose from his chair to study the map.
"James and I are still upset Lily turned it down," Albus told Rose and Scorpius.
Rose looked amused. "She would've created the Double Dunderheads instead of the Dynamic Duo." She sat next to Scorpius on the floor. "Where do you think they went first?"
"Depends on the subject of the book," Scorpius said.
"Alchemy?" Albus asked dryly.
"Too abstract." Scorpius stroked his chin. "A specific subject, not general."
"Lily still has Sirius Black's wanted poster on her wall." Rose peered at the map. "Are any of those the birthplace of an Animagus alchemist?"
"We'll find out." If her uncle hadn't been watching, Scorpius would've kissed her for being brilliant.
"Would anyone else travel with them?" Harry asked. "Does your father have a girlfriend?"
"The Stevenses may have accompanied them," Scorpius said. "I'll send an owl and—"
"You don't know whether your father has a girlfriend?"
Albus jumped to his feet. "Don't treat him like a suspect, Dad."
Harry kept his gaze on Scorpius. "Since your mother passed, has your father ever had a girlfriend? A boyfriend?"
"That's none of your business!" Rose stood, glaring.
Scorpius remembered halting outside his parents' bedroom door when he overheard his mum say his father had physical needs she couldn't meet. He'd replied that being with her was all he required for happiness.
"Beloved Occlumens. Promise you won't suppress that part of yourself forever."
He shuddered. "Stay out of my head!"
Harry stumbled backwards. "Tell me your father is still asexual." The eyes behind iconic round glasses were wide and pleading.
Scorpius pushed to his feet. "I can't do that."
"You can't say that he isn't, either," Albus said. "Your dad said his relationship with Lily was none of your business. He didn't tell you they were lovers."
"Why are we even discussing this?" Rose cried. "Draco and Lily are adults. Who they have sex with is no one else's concern!"
"It's mine," Harry said grimly. "She's my daughter." He stalked toward the front door.
Albus hurried to follow. "Dad! Please don't go after them. You'll only make things worse."
Harry didn't reply. He shut the front door with ominous softness.
"What are we going to do?" Albus asked, raking both hands through his hair.
"We're going to find them before Uncle Harry does," Rose said. She opened one of the iron coffee table drawers where Scorpius stashed writing supplies in case he got an idea and was too lazy to go to his study to write it down. She took out two quills and two pieces of parchment. She signed and dated one. "You and I are taking personal leave, effective immediately. You'll write out and owl our requests while I change and pack a bag for us."
The way she took charge of a situation was both sexy and reassuring. Everything would work out because Rose Weasley wouldn't have it any other way. Scorpius moved closer to help her unfasten her work blouse. "What will I be doing?" he asked, just to hear her say it.
She smiled. "You're going to use a communication fire to ask the Stevenses where we're going."
.
.
.
Colmar, home of Jean De Vigenere, alchemist Animagus, was a lovely town in northeastern France with medieval and Renaissance buildings and cobblestone streets. Locals were proud of being on the Alsace wine route, and the wizard they were renting the villa from also owned a vineyard. He'd included bottles of Riesling in the welcome basket. Lily and Draco had enjoyed the white wine with their poolside brunch of brie on baguette and green apples. Dinner would consist of whatever Mrs. Stevens had packed in the picnic hamper she'd sent with them, because they didn't intend to waste time going to the market or out to dinner.
We're too ravenous for each other. Lily grinned at the thought as she sat on the bed, sketching Draco as he slept. His swimming regimen had transformed the body good genes had given him into the physique of a Greek god. She giggled. Minus a tan.
He opened his eyes like a sleepy blond dragon. "You're wearing my shirt."
"Technically." She hadn't fastened any of the buttons. "I couldn't resist. It smells scrummy like you."
"It's against the rules." They'd declared their first day in Colmar "Naked Day."
Lily slid off the bed and placed the sketchpad on the bedside table. "You want me to take it off?" She smirked at his lusty grin. "Make me!"
He caught up with her in the outer corridor.
They'd made love for the first time the day before, but Lily was confident and at ease in a way she'd never experienced with Lorcan or during the couple of weekend flings she'd had after the breakup. Draco declared her hourglass figure perfect and touched her in ways that made her feel cherished as well as desired. When she'd told him that she only wanted his heart, he'd told her it was hers, and she believed him. It didn't matter that they'd been spending time together for weeks, not months or years. She didn't care that he was the same age as her father, and had been a hateful, prejudiced git as a boy, then a Death Eater. Loss and regret had changed him into the man who had stolen her heart.
She whispered the words in the aftermath of bliss. Draco lifted his head from the curve of her neck. His eyes were darkened silver in the shadowed corridor. "I love you," she said again, like a vow.
"I love you," he said between kisses that made her breathless and giddy.
He'd carried her halfway to the bed when the doorbell rang. The tune was familiar. Sonorous-charmed voices called out:
"Dad! Answer the door!"
"Lily, it's Rose. We have to talk!"
"Open up, Lily-lunatic!"
Lily stared at Draco.
He said, "The Stevenses wouldn't tell Scorpius our location unless the matter was urgent." He countered the security ward and cast a Sonorous Charm to say, "There's wine and food in the kitchen. We'll join you shortly."
"After a shower," Lily told him when he started to pick up trousers off the floor. "I like the way we smell, but they might not." The trio downstairs had to know that Lily and Draco were in a sexual relationship. They didn't need to have their noses rubbed in it literally.
His gaze roamed over her. "Then we'd better do it quick."
Quick turned out to be amazingly satisfying. Lily cast a Drying Charm, pulled on a sundress, and left her hair down. Draco, after a slight hesitation, let his hair fall to the top of his shoulders from a natural part instead of slicking it back. With his black t-shirt and jeans, he made casual look sexy. She gave him a kiss for luck and Apparated.
.
Scorpius, Rose, and Albus had walked outside from the kitchen to sit at the rustic dinner table shaded by a grapevine-covered pergola. All three were holding wineglasses and gazed at the pool, which had a waterfall feature at one end and blue mosaic glass tiles. Rose must have picked out their travelling clothes. Scorpius and Albus wore shirts in different shades of grey and black trousers that coordinated with her grey and black striped maxi-dress.
"Want to go swimming?" Lily asked.
They stared at her as if she'd asked them to watch her and Draco swim nude.
Albus frowned. "We're not here on holiday."
"Maybe later," Rose said. "Are we invited to spend the night? The villa is incredible."
"Where's my dad?" Scorpius asked.
"I'm here," Draco stepped outside holding two wine glasses. He handed one to Lily.
"Thanks, love." She smelled the wine, closing her eyes while breathing in deeply. "Mmm, apricot and honeycomb." Draco was a wine enthusiast, so she'd learned over the last couple of weeks to appreciate different wines for more than their alcohol content.
He smiled. "You're smelling the ripeness of the grapes and the vineyard apiary."
"Better than petrol." Lily made a face, remembering the aroma of a Muggle Riesling.
Albus asked, "Who are you, and what have you done with my sister?"
Lily showed him the back of two fingers and rolled her eyes at the way he relaxed at seeing the rude gesture. Did he think she was under an Entrancing Enchantment or Amortentia Potion? She told Draco, "The villa has privacy wards, but if you'd be more comfortable we can talk in the drawing room."
"This is fine." He pulled out a chair and sat next to her once she was seated. She reached out to hold his hand.
Scorpius heaved a resigned sigh. Rose's eyes sparkled with amusement. Albus asked Lily, "Are you trying to get him killed?"
She set her wineglass on the table to wrap both hands around Draco's. "I'm trying to avoid that."
"By telling Dad that you've run off with Draco Malfoy?"
Her face heated. "I wrote that we're working on a book!"
"Uncle Harry came to the flat after he read the letter." Rose glanced at Scorpius, who winced and then gazed apologetically at his father.
"He used Legilimency and saw you two on the terrace . . . and . . . a memory of Mum telling you not to repress, uh, yourself forever."
A slight flush coloured Draco's cheekbones. Lily's own face burned at the thought of how they'd ended up spending Sunday in bed instead of travelling as planned. Deep emotion and the release of pent-up desire was a fiery combination. Their passion continued to blaze hot.
Albus told her, "I asked Dad not to go after you, but I don't think he listened."
Rose put a hand on his arm and rubbed back and forth in a comforting gesture. "Which is why we're here."
"Five wands are better than one," Scorpius said.
Albus nodded. "And maybe Dad won't do anything violent in front of multiple witnesses." He smiled when Rose pinched his cheek and Scorpius called him their ray of sunshine.
Lily glanced at Draco, who observed the affectionate interaction with raised eyebrows. She hastily asked, "How long do you think it will take Dad to get here?"
The trio exchanged glances. "The Portkey Office is at his disposal," Albus said.
"But would he think to go there first instead of questioning wizard travel agencies? They could've used a combination of Floo Network and flying racing brooms like we did." Rose shook her head. "I'd say not, or Uncle Harry would've been here already."
"Unless he's gathering all the relatives," Albus said.
"To storm the villa?" Scorpius asked grimly. He stood. "Dad, want to help me double-check the security wards?"
Lily squeezed Draco's hand and reluctantly let him go. "I'm sorry I sent the letter."
"Don't be." He leaned over to kiss her cheek. "We're altering the plan, not scrapping it."
"Naked Day tomorrow?" she whispered.
He smiled and nodded before following Scorpius, who had already gone into the kitchen.
She turned to Rose and Albus, who were once again staring at her in amusement and dismay. Albus, who showed dismay with a grimace, said, "They taught us to read lips in Auror training."
And he'd taught Rose and Scorpius? "Feel free to use the idea," Lily said, "At the flat, though, not here. I saw enough of your bum when you streaked through the house as a kid."
"I didn't," Rose said.
The tips of Albus's ears turned pink. "Merlin, Rosie."
"What? Don't talk about your cute bum? Lily knows, darling. We don't have to pretend in front of her anymore." Rose reached out and linked her fingers with his. "Do you know how many times I've wanted to hold hands with both you and Scorpius, but couldn't, because of the scandal it would cause? Other people would judge, but your sister won't."
"And I expect the same respect for my choices," Lily said.
Albus picked up his wineglass and drained what was left. "I'm trying." He gave her a disgruntled look. "You've had months to get your head around things. I've had two days!"
"You're older." As expected, the retort her parents had used whenever her brothers blamed her for starting a row earned Lily a scowl. She and Rose giggled, and Albus grinned sheepishly. "We're not kids anymore, but you still know how to wind me up, brat."
He said the words with so much affection; Lily pushed her chair back and went around the table to hug him. "I love you, too, Albie."
Rose gave a splutter of laughter that set Lily off. Her laughs became shrieks when Albus's arms clamped around her and he stood and carted her toward the pool. "Still think it was funny spiking my drink with Uncle George's Albinism Potion, do you?"
"I was ten! I wouldn't have really sold you to the circus!"
"You made me think it was permanent instead of temporary." Albus's lips twitched even as he mock-growled. "You created a poster for Albie the Albino!"
"I was jealous of all the fun you were having at school." She glanced over her shoulder. The pool was unnervingly close. "Rose stole the poster! She fancied your lack of melanin!"
He stopped. "Yeah?"
"Oh, yeah. She said your red eyes were hot." Lily almost had him believing her, but Rose snickered.
"You're the one who needs to cool off." Albus tossed Lily into the pool.
The day was warm and the water so refreshing, Lily kicked off her sandals as she plunged down. Next, she pulled her sundress over her head and let it sink. A strapless bra and panties could serve as a bikini. She pushed off from the bottom of the pool and swam underwater to reach the waterfall, waving to Albus and Rose before tilting her head back. She grinned when she heard, "Lily-lunatic" and closed her eyes, remembering the way she and Draco had made love beneath the cascade of water.
"Galleon for your thoughts."
She opened her eyes, her smile widening. "What I'm thinking about is worth more than gold." Lily slicked her hair back as she climbed out of the pool to join her lover. "I'll show you tomorrow." She stood on tiptoes to whisper. "Or we could improvise later in the shower."
Draco nodded as if she'd asked him a question about the security wards, but his eyes were molten. Answering desire made a flush bloom on her chest and sweep upward.
A magically cold breeze swirled around her. Lily shivered.
"It was that or a blast of cold water," Albus called out.
Her teeth chattered as she held up two fingers in a shaky V.
Draco rubbed her arms. "Keep your back to them until I warm you up."
Lily glanced down and saw two points of her anatomy on the verge of wardrobe malfunction. "We're recreating this later too," she said.
His slow smile abruptly froze.
"Ahem, here's your dress and shoes." Scorpius's voice sounded strangled. "Albus Summoned them, and Rose used Dry-Cleaning Spells."
Draco's fingers circling Lily's arm kept her from turning. "Thank you, son." He took the bundled dress and shoes with his free hand. "If you three haven't eaten, Mrs. Stevens packed a hamper."
"We'll go forage," Scorpius said.
Lily bit her lip in order not to giggle at his rapidly retreating footsteps.
Draco's gaze was rueful. "I tried to talk to Scorpius about my feelings for you as we checked the wards, but he said it wasn't necessary." A corner of his mouth tugged upward. "Apparently, we left a bathroom window open for ventilation and sound carries."
Oh Merlin, they'd been quick, not quiet! "What about the privacy wards?"
"Mostly exterior, it seems, blocking the vision and hearing of those outside the villa walls who try to intrude on the privacy of those within." He frowned slightly. Lily, who had taken her sundress and pulled it on, thought it was over their mistaken assumptions about the limited scope of the privacy wards until Draco asked, "Should you wear dry clothing over damp?"
Lily wriggled out of her bra and panties before casting a Drying Charm on herself. "I got a rash beneath the fabric the last time I dry-cleaned clothes I was wearing." She used a Shrinking Spell and stuffed the miniature knickers into Draco's front jeans pocket. "My dress is lined. No one else will know."
He smiled like a dragon looking forward to devouring a sacrificial maiden. Lily imagined striding past a group of sobbing virgins clothed in white while she was naked except for a circlet of flowers in her hair. In her vision, she shouted, "Pick me!"
"I already have."
Oops. She'd accidentally blurted the words out loud. Lily decided to tell him about the fantasy later. "And I choose you," she said, linking her arm through his as they walked to the kitchen.
Rose, Scorpius and Albus stood at the marble-topped kitchen island assembling plates from a charcuterie spread: crimson seedless grapes, tiny pickles, pistachios, and slices of baguette with French cheeses, ham or air-cured beef. Before she'd lived at the manor, some of Lily's dates had taken her to wine bars and ordered charcuterie for something to nibble on while they sampled French wines. The portions were always small. Mrs. Stevens had sent enough to make several meals.
"Dijon or Bavarian?" Scorpius lifted both containers when Albus asked him to pass the mustard.
Albus threw a pistachio at him. "As if I'd know the difference. There was only one kind of mustard in our house. English."
"Give him the Bavarian," Rose said. "It'll sweeten him up."
Albus tossed a pistachio at her. "I'm already sweet."
"Just like these cornichons," Lily said, picking up a pickle. She took a bite. "Mmm."
Albus grabbed a cornichon and bit down. His lips puckered. "They're sour!"
Draco huffed in amusement while the others laughed. Lily slipped an arm around his waist. One day he'd be as comfortable around the trio as she was. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders. No one gawked at them. Scorpius and Albus watched Rose spread Bavarian mustard on a ham-topped slice of baguette.
She handed it to Albus. "Try a bite of this and then another bite of the cornichon."
He warily did as she suggested. His eyes widened in surprise.
"Say! He likes Bavarian mustard and ham," Scorpius said. "He likes them, Sam-I-Am!"
"Dr. Seuss, right?" Albus asked.
Scorpius nodded. "Mum bought the collection. I made her read Green Eggs and Ham a dozen times."
"That was just the first night," Draco said. He glanced down at Lily while Rose and Albus teased Scorpius by asking if he'd eat mustard and ham on a boat or with a goat.
Lily hoped she wasn't blushing. She and Draco had eaten pesto and sliced egg sandwiches on their first picnic, but she'd thought him unaware of the Dr. Seuss book until yesterday, when Draco recited the lines in bed, replacing "them" with "you."
Draco whispered, "I would, could, in the rain, in the dark, or on a train."
She licked her lips. "Anywhere?"
Albus started coughing.
Lily was closest. She pounded him on the back. "Are you choking?"
He whispered, "Lip . . . reading."
She shook her head and gave him a final pat. "There. All better."
"Easy for you to say," he grumbled.
"What was that?" Lily asked. She hadn't invited him to read her lips. If anyone had a right to grumble, it was her over the trio showing up unannounced instead of sending an owl or a Patronus.
Before Albus could respond, the doorbell chimed. Again, the four notes struck a familiar chord.
"Frère Jacques. Someone liked nursery songs," Scorpius said.
"They're loony." Albus scoffed. "No, we're not sleeping. You rang our doorbell. Go away."
The bells chimed again.
"Would Uncle Harry ring a doorbell instead of knocking?" Rose asked.
"You mean instead of pounding on it with his fists?" Lily answered. She regretted her facetiousness when Draco's hand clasped hers and squeezed. He didn't need her making him more apprehensive!
"I'd think Dad would demand she open the door like we did," Albus said.
"We'll find out." Draco stepped forward and Lily went with him, head held high, pretending her heart wasn't hammering in her chest.
The doorbell chimed a third time when they reached the mahogany double doors. Draco said, "Judas," the French word for peephole, to activate the Scrying Charm. Her dad, in his Auror plainclothes outfit of black suit and black tie, stood on the doorstep. He wasn't holding a broomstick, so he'd travelled by Portkey once he'd discovered their location. The Head of Aurors didn't have time to waste flying.
Lily opened the door, and another meaning of Judas came to mind: betrayer. Did he think she'd betrayed the family? There was only one way to find out. She opened the door wider and said, "Come in, Dad."
.
.
.
Draco expected Harry Potter to charge at him, fists flying like they were on the Quidditch pitch and he'd just insulted both Mrs. Weasley and Harry's mother. Instead, Potter walked into the villa and pulled Lily into a hug. A shimmer of magic blurred the air almost like a Disillusionment Charm.
Lily stepped away from her father. "What was that?"
"I countered any charms he might have cast upon you."
She heaved a sigh. "Dad, you know I didn't write that letter because I was entranced." She moved to stand by Draco, so close her arm pressed his. "I'm here because this is where I want to be."
Potter's gaze flickered over the group. "Is there somewhere we can speak in private?"
"There's an Anti-Disapparation Jinx that prevents Apparating anywhere but inside the villa." Lily lifted her chin. "You can't force me to leave. I'm happy, happier than I've ever been."
"Lily's an adult, Dad," Albus said. "We—"
"I was talking to him, not you or your sister," Potter said, jerking his head toward Draco.
Lily stepped between them. "Whatever you have to say, you can say in front of me."
"Us too," Albus said. "We can't let you harm him, Dad."
Draco resisted the urge to shove Lily's knickers further into his pocket and rubbed his shirt over the scar on his chest. The scar didn't hurt, and it was only a thin silver line, so he wasn't overly self-conscious about it. Rubbing it was merely a nervous habit he'd never been able to break.
Potter noticed, of course, and scowled. "I'm not here to hurt anyone!"
"Let's go into the drawing room," Draco said. His Occlumency would shield his mind from intrusion, which lessened his uneasiness. He could face anything with Lily at his side. He clasped her hand with fingers that didn't tremble—much. She gave him an encouraging smile as they led the way to the spacious room with double French doors that opened onto the terrace overlooking the waterfall end of the pool. The mix of modern and antique furnishings was pleasing and comfortable. Draco and Lily sat on the sofette while the trio sat on the sofa, leaving Potter to choose one of the two antique chairs with triangular seats and U-shaped arms designed to accommodate a Renaissance woman's multi-layered skirts.
"That's a Caquetoire," Scorpius said. "Caqueter is French for 'to chat'." He shrugged when everyone looked at him. "I considered setting my mysteries in Paris during the Renaissance before deciding on London during the Roman period. Dad and I did research."
Draco smiled a little. He'd been more focused on the alchemists of the time than the customs, clothing or furniture.
Potter gave the chairs a dubious glance before sitting on the one closest to Lily. He leaned forward, hands clasped, elbows on knees; the image of a father preparing to have a serious talk with his daughter. "This . . . relationship . . . ." He closed his eyes briefly as if gathering his composure after uttering the word to describe his little girl and Draco Malfoy. "Think of what it will do to your mother . . . the entire family . . . ."
"We're not going to drop it on them like a Dungbomb, Dad," Lily said. "We have a plan." She explained the letters she intended to write, and the cities and places they'd visit where wizard paparazzi would take photos and sell them to the British tabloids and Daily Prophet. After enough letters and ever-increasing public displays of affection documented in the papers, the family would be forced to acknowledge that Draco and Lily were a couple regardless of how they felt about it.
"I can't keep my visit secret from your mum. When Ginny finds out—" Potter raked a hand through his hair. "There's no telling what she'll do."
"I'll write a letter telling her what I'll do if she shows up on our doorstep threatening to camp out and make a scene the way she did at Malfoy Manor," Lily said. The cool resolve in her tone contrasted with the anger flashing in her eyes. "I'm not a child who doesn't want to go home after an outing. I'm an adult."
"Who ran away from home like a rebellious teenager?"
Instead of arguing further, Lily said gently, "Home is where the heart is, Dad. You taught me that."
Potter's head jerked back as if he'd received a physical blow. His turbulent gaze shifted to the man holding his daughter's hand. "You don't deserve her."
"I know," Draco said, "There's no changing the past." He had changed as a person, but Potter only saw who he used to be.
Lily's fingers squeezed his. "I love you for who you are now."
Potter shook his head. "This . . . affair . . . isn't love, and it isn't going to last once you work out whatever issues you have because I wasn't home enough when you were a child."
Lily gaped at her father for a moment, and then she gave a short laugh that rang with disbelief. "I had you, Kreacher, Granddad Weasley, five uncles and countless honorary uncles, and you think I have Daddy issues?" She looked at Draco. "He's in denial, so he's trying to dismiss my feelings. Believe me. I had more than enough father-figures growing up. I don't fancy another one."
"I believe you." Each of them had been curious about the other years before Lily came to Malfoy Manor. She'd heard stories about Draco from her family and then Scorpius, and he had seen her photographs in the newspapers since she'd left Hogwarts. Interest became mutual attraction when they'd met. Age had nothing to do with it.
"Do you feel sorry for him? Is that it?" Potter burst out. "When the new term began after his wife died, I overheard you telling Albus on the train platform that he could hug Scorpius and you'd hug his Dad."
"Hugs make people feel better," Lily said. "The Stevenses brought Scorpius to King's Cross, so I didn't even do it."
"Until now."
"Dad, that's mental!" Albus cried.
Lily turned to Draco. "I don't pity you."
"I know." He lifted her hand and kissed it. "Why don't you go write the letter for your mother?"
She nodded and sent a warning glance toward her father before she Disapparated.
Draco held up a hand when Potter opened his mouth to speak. He told the three on the sofa, "You can go to the kitchen and finish your lunch. I'll keep . . . Harry . . . company while we wait for Lily to return."
"No," Scorpius and Albus said in unison.
"Yes," Rose said, standing. "We need to let them talk in private."
Scorpius and Albus didn't look happy about it, but they followed her lead.
"You've turned my children against me," Potter said once they were alone.
"Not at all," Draco replied. "You can love someone and disagree with them." He'd disagreed with his father's views after the war and opposed his plans for Scorpius's future, but had never stopped loving Lucius.
Potter didn't speak for so long Draco wondered if he planned to remain silent until Lily returned, but he finally said, "I understand loneliness."
Draco made a non-committal, "Hmm." He had a suspicion where this was going.
"Your wife died. You were alone for years, and then a beautiful girl was living in the manor, and you weren't alone anymore, and naturally you wanted her to stay." Potter's sympathy wasn't faked—Draco would swear it. The ability to empathise must help Aurors gain confessions from Dark wizards susceptible to such things. Potter's tone hardened slightly. "But relief from loneliness isn't love, and you're going to tell Lily that and end your affair."
The air blurred between them. Draco shot to his feet. "You tried to cast a Memory Charm?"
Potter rose from the chair, fists clenched. "I won't let you use my daughter—"
"Petrificus Totalus!"
Unlike Draco, Potter didn't wear or carry objects imbued with permanent Shield Charms. He froze in place.
Draco spoke quickly, unsure how long he'd have before Potter was able to cast a nonverbal counter curse. "I'm not using Lily, and I was never lonely the way you imagine. I had my son, my alchemy research, the Stevenses as friends and the manor to keep up. Occlumency repressed . . . physical desires . . . until I met Lily in person. She made me live again, love again, and I'm not going to give her up." Potter blinked. Draco spoke faster. "I can't. She's everything to—" Potter's fist crashed into his jaw. He staggered backward.
A dainty popping sound was followed by a furious, "Dad! You promised!" Lily rushed over to steady Draco with an arm around his waist. She examined his jaw.
He rubbed it. "Nothing's broken."
Lily glared at her father. "You said you weren't going to hurt anyone!"
Draco said, "I may have overshared my feelings for you." No man wanted to hear how his daughter awoke passions long-suppressed by Occlumency, especially when an old enemy was making the confession. "It's nothing bruise remover won't mend."
Potter stared as though he'd expected Draco to cry or threaten to call the police and was surprised that he was so calm.
The boy I used to be would've made threats and cried. Open your eyes. See that I've changed.
"No hard feelings," Draco said.
Lily smiled at him as if he was the most amazing person on the planet. "Just when I thought I couldn't love you more."
Only his Slytherin sense of self-preservation kept Draco from kissing her. He licked his suddenly dry lips. "Did, erm, you finish writing your letter?"
She held up a creamy envelope embossed with the Malfoy crest before striding over to her father. "I didn't seal it," she said. "You can read it at home before you give it to Mum." Her emphasis on "home" wasn't lost on Potter, who slumped a little as if the fight had gone out of him. Lily handed him the envelope. "We'll see you out."
"I'd like to talk to Albus first."
They went to the kitchen. Rose and Scorpius exchanged worried looks when Albus and his father stepped out onto the terrace and shut the French doors. After Lily applied bruise-healing paste to Draco's jaw, the four of them cleared the dishes and stored the food in the coolant cupboard while watching the pair speaking in low voices.
"Uncle Harry had better not put a guilt-trip on Al," Rose said fiercely.
Scorpius kissed the top of her head. "If he does, we'll jolly him out of it."
Draco had seen the trio hugging on a number of occasions, and the sight always made him uncomfortable. These were adults, not first-years. He asked, "Why doesn't Albus have a romantic partner to cheer him when he's feeling low?" It was a simple question, yet Scorpius and Rose acted as though it was complex Arithmancy.
"Have you met my brother?" Lily asked dryly. "He's not the Eeyore he used to be, but it takes two best mates to jolly him out of his moods. I can't see one romantic partner taking their place."
Was she implying that Albus had some sort of mood disorder? Draco had no knowledge of mental health issues.
"We're happy with things as they are," Scorpius said. "We're not kicking Albus out. We like being a trio. He can stay with us forever if he likes."
Forever? "What about children?"
Scorpius and Rose traded glances. He said, "Don't you remember, Dad? I told you we're focusing on our careers and each other."
Draco inwardly reeled. No grandchildren? No future generations of Malfoys?
"Sit down," Lily said, steering him toward one of the tall stools next to the island worktable. "I think you were hit harder than we thought."
"I'm fine." Draco sat down heavily. "I'll be fine." He'd find a way to come to terms with the idea of no grandchildren and no wedding in the future, either, if his son was content to be a life-partner instead of a husband.
Albus and his father came inside. Potter asked Lily, "Walk me out?"
Her gaze flickered to Draco. He said, "I'll wait for you here."
Potter nodded his thanks, or at least his acknowledgment of Draco considerately allowing a father to have a final word with his daughter.
"Dad, drink." Scorpius pressed a goblet of water into his hand.
"Did you conjure this?" Draco asked. The semi-translucent, bright green goblet looked like a French version of Venetian glass.
"No, it's opaline glass. Reproduction, I hope," Scorpius said with a mischievous twinkle in his eye. The 1850's goblets had a high lead count."
Rose cast a spell. "No reaction. It's safe to drink."
"I already tested it." Scorpius chuckled.
Albus said, "He was showing off his knowledge of trivia and yanking your chain, Rosie."
She waved her wand between Scorpius and Albus. "I'll show you two chains." Her mock-threat earned joking pleas for mercy. Draco would've smiled if Scorpius's earlier words weren't echoing in his mind.
We're happy with things as they are . . . He can stay with us forever if he likes.
.
When Lily returned to the kitchen and insisted he rest for a few hours, Draco allowed her Apparate them upstairs. He let her to steer him to the bed and push him down to sit on the edge. She knelt and removed his shoes and socks before tugging off his shirt and unbuttoning his trousers. "Skin-to-skin contact is good for shock."
Once they were under the covers, cuddled facing each other, she said, "Not everyone chooses to have kids."
He nodded. Rationally, he was aware that Scorpius lived to write, and Rose's face lit up when she talked about using the law to gain social justice for magical beings. The pang in his heart came from the daydreams he'd entertained of playing with children in the garden, reading them stories and teaching them about alchemy. His breath caught when he heard Lily whisper, "I want children."
Her eyes searched his. Was she saying what he thought she was saying? Draco asked, "How many?"
"Two?" She worried at her lower lip. "I'd prefer them one at a time, but twins run in my family. Could you handle that?"
The children he'd imagined now had red hair. "We'd handle it together." Were they really having this conversation? The smile that stretched his cheeks assured him that they were. "When?" He wasn't getting any younger, but he wanted them to spend time alone together first.
"In a few years?" Lily's answering smile was so bright it made his heart ache in the best way. "We'll have published our first two books and outlined two or three more to work on at home until we're ready to do more travelling."
"We'll bring the Stevenses along." As well as being butler and chef, the pair were trained bodyguards. Lucius had claimed they were a former Hit Wizard and Hit Witch dismissed for fraternizing, but Draco had never been able to get either of them to confirm or deny it.
"Oh, yes, they have to come." Lily giggled. "We can't live on pasta and sandwiches."
He chuckled. "We could, but the children might be pickier eaters." Scorpius had been a good-natured baby, but through the toddler years had only wanted to eat beige foods. Mrs. Stevens had used Colour-Change Charms to get him to eat a healthy diet.
Lily made a sound that was part laugh, part moan. "Merlin, I'm turned on by the thought of having your baby."
She wasn't the only one. He captured her mouth in a passionate kiss.
Draco expected to sleep after making love, but he only dozed until his stomach rumbled noisily.
Lily giggled. "I'm hungry too. Want to sneak downstairs and grab some food? A picnic in bed sounds lovely." Her eyes were closed, her tone slumberous.
He couldn't help smirking a little over having more stamina than his young lover. "Your wish is my command."
"I'm going to remind you of that later." The drowsy sexiness of her smile made him determined to bring back enough food to give her loads of energy for making sensual wishes.
Draco gave her a kiss before sliding out of bed to pull on clothes. He could Apparate, but if he walked downstairs, he could knock on the door to the guest room Lily had told Rose was "the prettiest" and have a word with Scorpius. Before he could knock on the door, the handle rattled from the other side.
"Forgot I locked it," a muffled voice said.
Albus Potter's voice.
Draco cast a Disillusionment Charm and moved to stand against the wall. He remained motionless as Albus, Rose, and Scorpius, all wearing white towelling robes, exited the room holding hands.
"For our tenth anniversary, we're going somewhere tropical with a private beach where we can do this every day," Rose said.
"Agreed." Albus glanced over his shoulder, and for a heart-stopping moment, Draco thought he was looking at the wall beside the door. "Good thing you packed swimsuits, Rosie. We'd give Scorpius's dad a heart attack if he glanced out the window to see the three of us starkers."
Rose said, "Poor man's had enough of a blow, realizing we meant no children ever, not just while we're building our careers."
"He's an amazing dad." Scorpius's voice was fainter as they neared the stairs. Draco edged along the wall to keep them in earshot. "He should have more kids. I'd be a good brother."
"I'd be their uncle," Albus said in a wondering tone.
"And I'd be their second-cousin." Amusement laced Rose's voice. "If polygamy ever became legal, we'd have to remain life-partners because we're too weirdly related."
Draco halted. He'd heard enough. Scorpius and Rose didn't mind if Albus wanted to live with them forever because they were more than a trio: they were a ménage a trois about to celebrate their tenth anniversary! He didn't want to think about it. Ever. He loved his son. He wanted him to be happy. As long as Scorpius was satisfied with his life the intimate details didn't matter, and Draco certainly wasn't going to ask for any. One of the lesser-known Malfoy mottos was noli perturbare: Do not disturb.
He slowly went downstairs, arranged food on a tray and Apparated to the bedroom. Lily was sitting up, arms above her head, stretching. "I was just about to go looking for you. Did you run into Scorpius and have a chat?"
Strains of laughter drifted through the window. The privacy charms Draco had recently cast on the room kept others from hearing them, not vice-versa. "It seems he, Rose, and Albus are swimming. Care to join them?"
Alarm flickered in Lily's eyes before she said lightly, "Albus would dunk me. I'd rather picnic with you."
Draco was certain she knew or suspected something about the trio's true relationship. He was grateful that she respected their privacy and intended to follow her example. He placed the tray next to Lily, and they began to nibble at the food. Although sunlight streamed in through window slats, the bed was situated in an oasis of shade. It made their picnic seem even more intimate, especially when Lily began to feed him grapes.
"But I refuse to peel them," she told him with mock-severity. "I took a belly dance workshop, but I'm not your harem girl."
"Of course not," he said, followed by, "You learned to belly dance?" The mental image was enticing.
She conjured a scarf. "Want a demonstration?"
He did, and showed his appreciation for her performance so ardently, they both fell asleep afterward and didn't wake until he heard Scorpius's voice and opened his eyes to see a Patronus mongoose peering at him from its perch on his chest.
Hey, Dad, we walked down to the local market and shopped for dinner. The weather's too good to cook inside, so I'm grilling rosemary chicken, assorted veg, and peaches. Come down and we'll eat on the terrace.
"We'll be down in fifteen minutes," Draco said. He watched the ghostly mongoose scamper away.
Lily sat up and pushed her hair out of her face. "Are they wanting dinner?" she asked. "We could make pasta."
"They went to the market and cooked for us."
"You mean Scorpius cooked. Mrs. Stevens taught him well." Lily bent to kiss Draco's shoulder and then gave it a push. "Hurry. Albus will eat all the food." She scooted off the bed and ran toward the ensuite. "Belly dancing makes me work up an appetite!"
"Only the dancing?" he asked when he joined her in the shower. Lily's giggles became peals of laughter when he tickled her with soapy hands.
.
Dinner was surprisingly free of awkward moments. Conversation centred on the food, the town of Colmar and Jean De Vigenere, the Animagus alchemist. Albus broached the topic of Lily's plan to write letters and have photographs in the paper make the family accept the reality of Lily and Draco as a couple. "Won't work anymore," he said regretfully, "No matter what threat you made in that letter, sis, Mum isn't going to keep silent."
"We reckon your parents will talk to mine tonight and arrange Portkeys when the office opens in the morning," Rose said. "We'll be here to talk some sense in them when they arrive."
Draco looked at Scorpius. "Where will Lily and I be?" They weren't going to hide!
"Paris," Scorpius said. "I've booked you a room at a discreet, Goblin-run hotel, and Witch Weekly has an office there. In the morning, you'll send an owl offering an exclusive interview. We think Parc Monceau is where you want to do it."
"Classic French formal gardens, modern café. The background is perfect for photographs," Rose said.
Draco searched for something to say that wouldn't sound ungrateful. "You've given this a lot of thought."
"You're two of our favourite people. We had to help," Albus said. He seemed embarrassed by his declaration, muttering, "It was like helping Scorpius brainstorm plot ideas. Fun."
Lily said, "You'll have a cracking good time rehearsing what to say to our parents, then."
Her cheeky tone brought smiles to the trio's faces. Scorpius said they'd clear the dishes if Draco and Lily wanted to go up and pack.
"You made a reservation for tonight?" Draco asked.
"Their parents will be here first thing," Scorpius replied defensively. "You aren't an early riser."
"Neither are you," Rose told Lily.
They all stood, and Scorpius came around the table to hug Draco. "I love you, Dad. I want you to be happy."
"I love you, too." Draco hugged Scorpius, kissed Rose's cheek, and shook Albus's hand before Disapparating.
By the time Lily Apparated into the room, he'd already cast spells to remove their clothes from the wardrobe, fold them, and pile them in tidy stacks on the bed. She opened her handbag enchanted with a Capacious Charm and began to pack. She suddenly snapped the bag closed and whirled to face him, emerald eyes troubled. "You hate the idea of a tell-all in Witch Weekly, don't you?"
"How did you know?" He'd thought he'd hidden his reaction to the trio's plan.
"You're an intensely private person, and I loathe the thought of answering prying questions too." Anger flashed across her face. "It isn't the world's bloody damned business! Photos are one thing, an interview—no. Just no."
"What are our alternatives?"
"We can go to Paris, get photographed, and then hide until the family calms down." She smiled wryly. "Or until our first child is born, whichever comes first."
The idea appealed. "Or?"
Almost shyly, she said, "We can elope."
He wasn't normally an impulsive man, yet he immediately asked, "Where?"
Lily's cheeks turned pink. "I told Mum in the letter that we'd go a place called Las Vegas in America, but I read an article in a Healer's office once about a Danish island where the residency requirement is only twenty-four hours before a couple can marry."
Married . . . . The word meant more than a legally recognised union to Draco. It was intimacy and security proclaimed to the world through an exchange of vows. "You'll need a ring and a dress."
"We can shop in Copenhagen." Her eyes misted, and then Lily was in his arms, kissing him breathless.
.
.
Aero Island, Denmark . . . .
The Wedding Room in the Old Merchant's Court was tastefully decorated with candles and flowers. Draco only had eyes for Lily, who was a vision of loveliness in her ivory gown. They smiled at each other when the Registrar began to speak of marriage; they'd exchange private vows on the beach the night before. When asked if she took him to be her lawfully wedded husband, Lily said with a fervency that echoed his own, "Yes, I do."
.
.
.
This is the third one-shot about Lily and Draco, so if someone hasn't read Love and Alchemy or Alchemical Love (first story is her pov, second is his pov), I'd love for you to do so. I'm thinking of writing a Family Meeting one shot to let Weasleys and Potters come together and vent before skipping ahead a few years to Lily and Draco having a baby. Anyone up for more drama (with humour, of course)?
Happy Easter!