"Lily? Time for tea!" My mother called up the stairs. I switched off my music and started out of my bedroom door.
"Coming mum!" I yelled to her. Tea with the Weasley's, how could I forget? I quickly put on my pink cardigan that my Aunt Hermione got me, stuck a flower clip in my hair and ran down the steps. I jumped down the last three, as I always did, with an angered but amused look from my mum.
"How many times have I told you not to do that?" My mother, Ginny, said. She smiled and hugged me.
"As many times as Daddy stopped Voldemort?" I said, looking up and laughing. She ruffled the bangs of my bright red hair and smirked. I pulled out of her hug, with much effort, and fixed my hair quickly.
"What's that about Voldemort?" familiar, squeaky voice says. I rushed to the living room and saw my cousin, Hugo, emerging from the fireplace. Hugo had just turned 14 last month and tomorrow was my birthday. Hugo and I were going into our 4th year at Hogwarts together.
He brushed some dust off of his shoulder and reached down to hug me. Yes, down. He definitely got my Uncle Ron's height.
"How's it going, Lils?" he asked smiling.
"My turn to hug her!" Rosie said, coming out of the fireplace herself. Rosie was two years older than me, with bright red hair and dark blue eyes. She pushed her brother, who was much taller than her, out of the way to reach me. She pulled me into a warm hug and rubbed my back.
"Kissing up to my mum, are we?" she whispered, tugging at my top. I could feel my ears go red and I nodded, laughing. The fireplace burned again, but this time it wasn't red hair that came out of the fireplace- it was blonde. Bright blonde.
"Lily, you've met Scorpius?" Rosie said, taking Scorpius' hand. Rose smiled and looked up at him.
"I think I have, yes." I said, nodding.
"Hi, Lily," Scorpius said, looking at me with a gaze that could make anybodies insides melt; mine included. I felt my cheeks twinge a slight shade of pink as he shook my hand.
"Rosie, Lily are you-" my mother began as she walked into the room. She stopped on a dime as she spotted the head of bright blonde hair. "Hello, Scorpius," she said, startled.
Hello, Mrs. Potter. I'm so sorry to intrude on your family gathering," he said smoothly as he shook her hand. His other hand was still within Rosie's, which is where my mums eyes wandered. Scorpius didn't move his hand, even when Rose's twitched.
"It's quite alright. Lily, would you mind go getting another cup from the cupboard?" she asked me, with sickeningly sweet smile. I nodded and started into the kitchen where I heard my father and my uncle Ron talking. Aunt Hermione was pulling some cups out of the cabinet. She carefully set 9 cups on the counter with a flick of her wand.
"You'll be needing one more, Aunt 'Mione," I said, poking her side.
"Lily! You scared me half to death!" she said, pulling me into a hug. "Don't ever do that again, or So help me Merlin, I'll chuck you in the shrieking shack!" she said, touching the tip of my nose with her finger. I scrunched my nose up and smiled.
"One more? Oh. Right. Scorpius," She recalled. Uncle Ron snorted.
"Ronald! Be considerate!" Aunt 'Mione spoke softly, but harshly.
"How am I supposed to be bloody considerate when my only daughter is dating a Malfoy?" I heard his whisper to my dad. My dad smiled and got up from his spot at the table.
"James! Albus! Your cousins are here!" He called. Like clockwork, James and Al were down the stairs in no time.
"When aren't they here? Don't they have their own bloody house?" Albus called jokingly down the stairs.
"What's this I hear about a Malfoy?" James asked bouncing into the kitchen. He clapped Hugo on the back and smiled.
"There's one in your living room that won't bugger off my sister." Hugo replied, rubbing his shoulder jokingly.
"Scorpius is here?" Albus asked, finally coming down the stairs. I nodded.
"What other Malfoy would be here, you bumble?" I smirked, socking him lightly on the shoulder.
"Ha-ha, very funny Lils." he said messing up my bangs on his way to the living room. Again, I hastily fixed my hair and walked into the living room along with them.
Tea came and went, very awkwardly might I add, and Rosie and I sat on the front porch while the guys were playing exploding snap inside. Scorpius had gone home about 15 minutes before because his parents had returned home.
"He's something else, that Scorpius." Rosie said with a sigh.
'Yeah, Rose. Yeah he is.' I thought to myself. "You've really got a thing for blondes, have you noticed? First Lysander, now Scor?" I said, nudging her side.
"Oh, shut it," she said nudging me back and laughing.
She laid her head on my shoulder and sighed.
"Do you like him, Lils?" she asked. My heart pounded. How could I tell her? I couldn't just come out and say 'Oh and by the way, Rosie, I think I'm in love with your boyfriend' could I?
"Like how?" I said, trying to calm my heart which was beating rapidly.
"Like do you think he's... My type? You know, beside the blond-ness," She said laughing lightly.
Before I could answer, the front door swung open.
"Rosie, dear, we've got to get going," my aunt 'Mione said. I hugged rose, then my aunt and then they were gone. Apparently Hugo and uncle Ron had left earlier. Uncle Ron would rather die than miss a Quidditch game, especially with his season tickets.
I stayed out on the porch for at least an hour. Thinking. Just thinking.
"Lils?" I heard Albus say from behind the front door.
"Out here, Al." I called back. I lifted my hand to my cheek and rested my head on my hand. It was only then that I realized tears were rolling down my cheek.
"You okay?" He said sitting down next to me. I looked down and allowed a few more tears to roll down my face. Nonetheless, I nodded and hoped he wouldn't ask any further questions.
"Yeah," I said shakily. "Why?"
"You never were good at occlumency, Petal," he said putting his arm around me, obviously trying to hold back a laugh. I stared at him angrily through teary eyes.
"You don't even know legilimency!" I retorted.
"Yes, but mum does," he said, rubbing my shoulder. I looked down and a few more tears fell. "You fancy Scorpius, don't you?" he asked.
"Yes..." I said sadly. "It hurts seeing him with Rosie. I love her and all, but.." I trailed off and set my head on his shoulder. I sat there crying silently into his sleeve for what seemed like more than a half hour.
"Why didn't you tell her?" he said, shattering the silence like glass against the pavement.
"How could I? You saw how happy she was!" I said, anger building up inside of me.
"Well why didn't you tell her before she went out with him, Lily? She is your cousin," he said sighing deeply.
"I don't know, Al." I said, my head falling back on his shoulder. He lifted my chin and pulled me into a deep hug.
"You'll be okay, Petal. I know it," he said.
"Thanks, Albus," I said, hugging him back. Al and I rarely have moments like this, but it really reminds me how close we really are. The summer air starts to chill as the night starts to fall. Al and I walk back inside and sits next to James who was polishing his broom. Start of term was day after tomorrow, I almost forgot!
I quickly raced up the stairs, my legs carrying me as fast as they could go. I wasn't even the slightest bit packed. My trunk lay under my bed still cluttered with gobstones and leftover, most likely stale sugar quills.
I crouched on my knees and pulled my trunk out from its hiding place. Without looking up, I grabbed my wand from my nightstand.
"Lumos," I spoke quietly. The tip of my elder and unicorn tail hair wand ignited at once and I searched under my bed for loose things that I might need. I pulled my broom, a firebolt, from way behind some old clothing and candy wrappers and set it off to the side.
This is going to be fun.