Preface

Opposites attract. I look back now upon my years at Hogwarts, how my time was spent there and with whom it was spent. How true that saying turned out to be, after the storms have weathered, leaving a clear view of the sky. As a child, I had always thought that sayings like this would always come out to be true - without complications, or expectations. But now as I am older, I realize that the saying did not delve deep enough into the reality of the situation, nor of life itself. I suppose that as a young girl, it was the easiest thing to believe that the world would be true to the promises it made to us in our youth. I later learned that nothing in this world comes without complications, and that there are always boundaries that prohibit you from reaching out to the things - or people - it is that you desire to reach, and sometimes - despite all of your efforts and attempts - it is impossible to pretend that you do not see the inevitable writing on the wall. The words that had been written there so clearly had been overlooked by myself, simply because that girl that I was did not want to believe the painful truth. How easy it was to be ignorant at the time. If I had known what I do now, it might have prohibited some of the suffering I inflicted upon so many.

"Hugo, please tell me that owl isn't for you." The words came out a flurry of a breathless sigh, and the girl wording them behind the kitchen counter rolled her eyes.

It was snowy outside, the soft flakes hitting the winter streets of Godric's Hollow with soft, silent impacts. While the flakes were small, there were many of them, and they were enough to impair most muggles from any public transport. The Potters were certainly glad that they were of a magic family, for many more reasons other than the obvious we-can-apparate-and-muggles-can't.

"That'll be the sixth girl this week dying for a chance to meet with you over the Holidays," Albus Potter sniggered from where he was lounging in the corner, his feet up on the coffee table, idly turning the pages of the newspaper. No one bothered to point out that he was moving too quickly to be reading any of the actual articles.

From where she stood by the window, Lily Potter obviously found this amusing. The girl smirked at her cousin, giving him a thumbs-up and a wink. She then proceeded to swoon dramatically, her fingers pressed dramatically over her chest, bending over and falling to her knees, a dreamy look on her face as she pretended to be one of the girls her cousin wooed. "Oh, Hugo! How my heart breaks I think of you all alone, without my arms around you! If only you could see how I spend my time we are apart. You make my womanhood quiver-"

"Who makes your what quiver?" a voice sharply interrupted. The entrance of her father seemed to dramatically put a halt to the girl's re-enactment of the situation that was a common occurrence at Hogwarts, but the smile still remained place, unashamed.

Rather than seeming embarrassed by being caught talking of such things by the famous Harry Potter, Lily rolled backwards onto the floor, her eyes shut tightly in that expression of utter joy she would get as a child when she used to find something utterly hilarious. She was not alone, as the rest of her cousins were already in bits of laughter over her antics. Even Hugo was grinning slightly, although he was slightly embarrassed that his love life had been the cause of Lily's latest amusement.

Harry raised an eyebrow as his daughter continued to roll around on the floor, her long black hair surrounding her head like a dark halo. He didn't however, question what he had just heard. It wasn't uncommon for Lily to say inappropriate things, even back when she was little. She had first picked up a swear word at the age of five, when Teddy had once come over. He remembered too well how Lily had continued to trumpet it at the most inappropriate of times. Despite everyone's attempts to get her to stop, she was a stubborn girl back then. Even now, at the age of fourteen, she was still the same old Lily. The Lily everyone knew and loved.

"Dad, take her out and beat her, will you?" Albus smirked, watching his sister wipe a tear from the corner of her eyes as she picked herself up off the ground. While his words were hard, everyone knew that the boy loved his sister dearly. If anyone tried to so much as lay a finger on her uninvited, they would hear it from him first. "It's too early for this nonsense."

"Hey! Don't look at me," Harry laughed. "I haven't been there at school when she's been learning all of this about womanhood."

Lily's eyes widened. "Dad!" she exclaimed, giving him a reproachful look as if he had just killed the humor. "Don't say it like that - it makes it sound dirty."

"Really, is there anything that is appropriate about you talking about something like that?" Rose responded from her seat at the counter. With her legs crossed, red hair in a neat braid, she seemed the model of perfection even at this time in the Holidays. While the rest of the cousins saw Christmas as a time to let their covers fall down, Rose was the only exception. She alone kept her clothing pristine at all times, a book always in hand as she studied for the exams that were still months away. Compared to Lily, with her wild black hair and huge smile, it wasn't uncommon for Rose to be called boring.

Lily seemed as though she were about to make a reply to that, before her father cut in. Knowing his daughter, Harry knew that she would be quick to reply with an overly emotional quip, and he knew better than to leave the two girls alone to bicker. They had spent their childhood arguing, and even now, continued to get along poorly. With their opposite personalities, they clashed in a way that was purely based on Rose's jealousy of the younger cousin that always got more attention than she. While she had never said it, there were many that secretly wondered if a small part of Rose yearned for the laughter that Lily awoke out of everyone so easily. Her ability to make everyone laugh at a joke without it even being funny was a gift she had even at a young age. It was one of the few abilities that Rose had not been able to master.

"Your grandmother wanted me to tell you all that dinner is ready."

Hugo looked up from the letter he had retrieved from the tawny owl at the window, nodding easily to his uncle as everyone began to stand up. While he was stuffing it into his jumper pocket, Lily snuck up behind him and opened it up. Her eyes danced as she read the first few lines before her cousin could steal it back, and exclaimed with an infectious amount of excitement: "Aha! I wasn't so far off!"

The annual Potter-Weasley Christmas party that year certainly lived up to its legacy. While it was always loud, and there was always the inevitable overflow of guests, the atmosphere was appealing to most. In fact, it was so well-acknowledged in the wizarding tabloids that the Daily Prophet would make attempts every year to sneak a reporter in to cover the event. With the help of their uncle George, Lily and Hugo kept everyone laughing. And what with the excess of joke merchandise he had from his store, George made it possible to provide more than enough prank wands, and sugar sticks for the littler kids. Lily didn't need the energy boost however, to keep her bouncy mood energetic as always.

She was wearing a dark green christmas sweater made by her grandmother Molly Weasley, and a pair of shiny black pants. The color of the top brought out her eyes; the same color as her fathers', and the bright smile on her face was always the defining source of the beauty that only few really recognized. It was common knowledge that Lily was her father in female version, what with the dark hair and green eyes. But in personalities they couldn't have been more different.

Hugo was as good-looking as he always was, wearing a sweater vest and loose-fitting tie around his neck. His blonde hair was slicked up slightly, giving him a rugged look that drove all the girls from his year wild. He and Lily were the only two cousins from their generation that did not have the signature fiery red Weasley hair, and it was somewhat fitting that they were so close to one another. With their differences of appearance, they were alienated from the rest just enough to become close in that sense, though their bond went much further than that superficial aspect.

It was a given that the everyone was allowed to bring any guest they wanted to. But it was also common knowledge amongst the children that bringing a friend of the opposite sex meant having the entire family tease them endlessly both in front of the guest, and once they had left. Hugo had learned the hard way after he had begun to show interest in dating.

Given that they were still in their second year in Hogwarts, Lily had not yet found a friend from school worth inviting. All of the friends she hung out with were already present at the party, given that they were either first cousins, or simply family friends.

It was around noon when the guests began to arrive. Harry had put his daughter and Hugo on welcoming duty, and the two cousins were happy to oblige to the task of opening the door and giving their hellos. Certainly there was not a person in the family who could be more enthusiastic about it than Lily was, as she was up on her feet nearly the second the door would knock each time, hugging everyone who she recognized. Hugo lounged in an armchair a few feet away, his fingers idly tracing the smooth fabric of his tie, watching his cousin as she greeted a group of ministry officials that Harry knew from his job as an auror.

Lily drifted over to sit beside him when it seemed as though there was a break in guests. She brought her legs up to sit cross-legged on the chair, her face tilted slightly to one side as she looked over her shoulder to watch the guests milling around their large living room. "Still no sign of Rose?" she asked, seeming slightly surprised when Hugo shook his head.

"I think she stayed behind to meet up with a friend from Hogwarts," was his lazy reply as he rested his head up against the armchair, seeming perfectly content with this easy position.

Lily stopped herself before she could ask who - that it was a surprise in itself that Rose had a friend outside of the family. It wasn't like her cousin to be very social, as she would usually hole herself up in the library all day studying. Perhaps she had met someone who enjoyed the similar past-time.

The sound of someone apparating brought the two back to their senses, and Lily quickly got up from her post on the armchair, and approached the door to see who had arrived at the party. But the three figures that were approaching were enough to make even Hugo jump up from his lazy state, surprise easily dawning on his face.

Rose was there, one of the three, red hair up in a simple undo, her coat a similar shade that complimented her features. Lily's attention however, did not linger on her cousin, however pretty she had made herself in that moment. Both she and Hugo were staring doubtfully at the two blonde men who flanked her on either side. While the Potter-Weasley family was easily the most well-known in the wizarding world, their fame was rivalled closely by the previously dark-sided Malfoys, who had turned their image around by donating to many different charities. However mixed up he had been in the war, Draco had managed to turn his image completely around, with the help of his wife, Astoria Greengrass. And while the rest of the wizarding world had come to accept them, the bad feelings between their families had prohibited them from ever mixing.

It was natural that Lily lingered in the doorway, her previously excited smile replaced by a slight frown of worry. Hugo was right behind her, peering out at them with open hostility, unafraid of what they might think of Rose's rude cousin.

It took a moment for anyone to speak, as the image the two younger cousins were casting caused everyone to be rather uncomfortable.

"Lily, Hugo, can you two please move out of the doorway so we can get through?" Rose's voice was undyingly calm, but rather forced as she tried to mask her irritation towards the younger girl.

"Does dad know they're here?" Hugo interrupted, regarding his sister with narrowed eyes.

Rose's cheeks flushed a pale pink, and it was clear to see that they were embarrassing her in that moment. From behind her, Draco cleared his throat, seeming just as uncomfortable to be in this territory. Lily spared herself a glance at the boy who was being held in Rose's grasp, and she found herself remembering him from Hogwarts. Though they never spoke before - she hardly ever spoke to anyone outside of their circle of friends, much less a Slytherin a year ahead of her - Lily had always thought that he seemed like a kind young man. Very quiet, always studying, and much less evil than what her brother James would make him out to be. But since he had never entered her life, Lily had never really given him any other thought besides that. To her, he was simply an outsider. So why had Rose brought him here, to the party? And why was she holding onto his hand like a vice?

The sound of footsteps approaching from inside the house once again added an edge to the awkwardness, until the voice of Ron announced his presence.

"Hugo, have you seen any sign of Rose y-"

His words broke off quite suddenly as he caught sight of the two blonde men standing by his daughter, one of them holding his hand, and his ears turned red. "What are you doing here, Malfoy?" he said slowly, his words cut with anger, expression mirroring the one his son had on in that moment. "I didn't realize the guest list suffered so much as to include your name on it."

"Calm yourself, Weasley. It didn't," Draco drawled, stepping forward from behind the two kids, his arms crossed loosely over his chest. A small smirk had formed on his pale face, hinting at the fact that he genuinely was enjoying the look of irritation on Ron's face. "But as I understood, it did include a plus one for your daughter." He jerked his chin towards the two, who seemed oddly embarrassed to be under the gaze of Ron. "And as I understood it, my son Scorpius would act as her guest."

Ron's jaw twitched, and Lily was quite aware that he was very close to exploding in that moment. It was painfully obvious that his daughter had not mentioned this to him before, and he was making it clear that he did not approve of her choice. "Rose, can I talk to you inside for a moment?" he hissed suddenly, a forced smile upon his face as he gestured her to come forward with his stiff hands (Lily suspected they were previously clenched into fists).

Rose instantly dropped Scorpius' hand, her eyes flashing as if she to were fighting the urge to speak harshly to her father. Of course, she didn't though, given the two certain blondes that stood before her. "Dad-"

"Inside." Ron's voice cut across hers, giving her a clear gesture towards the inside.

As she huffed, stomping in behind her, Ron shoved Lily out onto the snowy sidewalk. "Keep an eye on them, Lil. Show them the garden or something," he muttered before slamming the door. Hugo had already disappeared behind him, probably eager to join in the yelling with his father. Lily was perfectly aware that when it came to Slytherins, Hugo was his father's double.

It took her a moment to realize what had happened, and Lily spared a glance over in their direction, for the first time in her life, somewhat tongue-tied. Given the haste, she had not even had the chance to grab a jacket. Now that she was out in the snow with these two, it was suddenly much more chilly than she had been all winter.

Draco seemed rather annoyed, and she guessed that he probably had wanted to leave his son there as soon as possible, so as to get out of the Potter scene. And when their gazes met, Lily felt herself standing taller under his narrowed gaze. No doubt her similar appearance to her father made him feel some dislike, but she felt no shame as she stood in her father's image. Harry Potter certainly was not someone she would ever be embarrassed of looking like.

It wasn't long before the voices inside began to raise, and it sounded as though Rose and Hugo's mother had joined in too. Knowing that it would probably get even worse, Lily knew that she probably should get the two away so as to avoid a scene. "Should I, er… show you the garden?" she suggested, a shy smile gracing her features as she glanced over once more, this time catching Scorpius' eye. To her surprise, he seemed quite embarrassed to have been the cause of all this, and took her offer up rather eagerly.

"That would be wonderful," he answered graciously, glancing quickly over at his father. "Dad, are you coming?"

"Forgive me if I don't take you up on that offer, Scorpius. But I'm not really interested in seeing an overgrown weed garden. I'm fairly sure that you will be safe with Potter's young daughter, here." Draco's words for the first time, sounded somewhat amused. "I just came here with you to make sure your father understood my message. I'll be back this evening to pick you up. In one piece, mind you." He smirked slightly. "Can you see to that?" he suddenly turned on Lily, his eyebrow raised as he waited impatiently for her reply.

Lily was taken off guard to being the subject of his humor, and instantly straightened up, seeming alarmed. "Yes, sir," she answered automatically, her polite response coming out before the witty one she had thought up in her mind. Her reply was greeted by a small chuckle, and Draco was still smirking when he disapparated in front of them.

There was a moment of silence between them, and since the voices behind the door were still going rather strong, Lily knew the most sensible thing to do would be to lead him away. Scorpius seemed glad to oblige as she started to show him around the corner of the house, opening the gate that led them to the garden. There was a slight skip in her step, and she couldn't help but feel more at ease now that Draco had left.

The two of them tried to speak at the same time, and Scorpius laughed awkwardly.

"Sorry, you go ahead," Lily invited, a shy smile on her face as she invited him to speak. After all, she had only envisioned a response to open up conversation. She disliked silence, especially in this awkward moment. After all, she had not been planning on spending time alone with the youngest member of the Malfoy family on Christmas eve. What was one supposed to say in a situation like this, anyway?

She was grateful when he took her up on the offer. "You're Lily, aren't you?" he asked, his hands shoved deeply inside of his pockets. She found herself noticing how one side of his dark green scarf was longer than the other, and how his long blonde hair was so close to the color of the snow around them. It wasn't like Hugo's golden hair, which could almost be mistaken for a light orange in some lights. Scorpius had hair so light, it was almost white. And his grey eyes certainly finished the slate look nicely. "I've seen you around at Hogwarts," he confessed. "Usually not as quiet as you are now though, mind." He spared a glance over at her, as if questioning why he had put a damper on her famously happy-go-lucky personality. Did he miss it? How could he, when they had never spoken before today?

Lily found herself smiling brighter at that comment, a spark of her usual personality shining through her eyes. "Well, it's not every day that you get to give a tour of your garden to a Malfoy, right?" she said, laughing for a moment before realizing that that had been the wrong thing to say.

Scorpius seemed slightly confused by that reply, and she inwardly cursed for a moment.

"I'm sorry, that sounded awful," she apologized, reaching up and fluffing out her hair slightly. "I just… I'm surprised you're here," she confessed. "Rose never mentioned you before."

He seemed to understand that, and allowed himself a shrug. "Well to be fair, I don't think she's your biggest fan," he said slowly. "And that time you spilled tea on her exam notes didn't help."

"But that was an accident!" Lily exclaimed, her eyes wide as she turned around to face him. To her surprise, he was smiling, though. "She told you about that?"

Scorpius laughed. "She swore it was on purpose," he responded lightly. "And she made me stay up all night with her in the library, re-writing it all."

"I'm sorry," Lily sighed, turning away to continue leading him through the frozen garden. They steered clear of the frozen pond, as she had fallen in once when she was a child - it had been a horrible experience.

"It's okay," he assured her. "Honestly, I think that was one of the first times we really started hanging out. I should be thanking you." His voice was gentle, and there was something about its tone that put Lily at ease, encouraging her back to being her old self.

"Then I guess that-"

"There you are!" Lily and Scorpius turned around, seeing Rose herself marching up to them. "Why did you bring him out here? It's the ugliest part of the garden."

Lily frowned slightly. "I was going to show him the garden gnomes," she defended herself. While it hadn't exactly been her plan, she saw Scorpius smile slightly from the corner of her eyes. It was encouraging, to say the least.

Rose chose to ignore her, and instead began to lead him away, her arm entwined with his. "Come on, then - my father said you can stay. Let's go and introduce you to everyone." He was being dragged away before a reply could form on his lips, and Lily was left standing there alone in the cold garden, her head tipped slightly to the side as she watched the two of them disappear into the throng of people who were lingering on the opposite end of the garden.

She would never forget that first conversation they had, and how it was the beginning of something terrible - or depending how one looked at it, something beautiful.