KEEP YOUR FINGERS CROSSED
Lily loosened her blue and bronze tie as she waltzed into the Slytherin common room. The Snakes around her paid her little attention as the sight of the fourth year Ravenclaw in their common room was a regular occurence. She could usually be seen with her older brother and his best friend, although they were often heard laughing before they were seen.
Albus and Scorpius had spent their evening on the Quidditch pitch, being forced through a seemingly endless training session by their captain. Lily spotted them stretched across two of the green leather couches. Seizing the opportunity, she ran over and jumped on top of her brother. Albus groaned with pain as he was trapped underneath his sister.
"Thanks Lily" he muttered sarcastically, shoving her to the floor.
"Aww Albie, don't be mean. I was just excited to greet my favourite brother" she said, smiling innocently up at him from her new position on the floor. She heard laughing and looked over to see tears streaming from Scorpius' eyes.
"Don't laugh at me Scorp, bloody yoke weighs a ton" Albus said. Lily glared up at her brother before saying "Don't worrying Albie, he's only crying because he wishes I had jumped on him".
Scorpius wiped the tears from his face and winked at Lily.
"But unlike our dear Al here, I won't push you off".
Lily smirked and replied "What makes you think you'd have the chance to?".
Albus groaned again. "Please stop flirting infront of me. I get it, you're hopelessly in love with each other. Please just find a broom closest to snog in. Wait, on second thoughts, Malfoy you are definitely not allowed to defile my baby sister in a broom closet. Just, I beg you, wait until I leave the room" he sighed.
Lily and Scorpius looked at each other in silence for two minutes before bursting into laughter. They were used to Albus' outbursts when they pretended to flirt with each other. He was convinced they were secretly dating behind his back, when actually nothing was going on between them (as much as they both wanted there to be).
"Aww come on Al" Lily said, "You know we're only joking. Anyway, I better be off. Lucy wanted help with her Potions essay". Lily got up and patted to two boys on the head.
"I would recommend you too have a shower. You absolutely stink!" she said and then ran out of the room before they could reply. Albus chuckled and then looked over at his friend. Scorpius was staring after Lily.
"Oh for Merlin's sake Scorpius, you are bloody ridiculous! Just ask her out already!" he said.
Scorpius jumped in shock and swung his legs off the couch, turning to face his best friend. "Why would I ask her out, just to have her laugh in my face?" he asked, looking sad, "It's not like she'd ever actually say yes".
Albus mirrored Scorpius' position before slapping the boy's face. "What the bloody hell was that for Potter?" Scorpius exclaimed, nursing his sore cheek.
"To try and slap some sense into you. You're talking nonsense!" Albus all but yelled back.
At Scorpius' disbelieving look, Albus continued with "I've said it before and I'll say it again. You two, emphasis on TWO, are perfect for eachother – you're practically dating already! There's no way she'd turn you down, stupid boy".
Scorpius looked up at Albus and when he saw no sign of joking in his friend's face, he knew that Albus was being straight with him.
"So you think I should ask her out then?" Scorpius asked.
"IS THAT NOT BLOODY OBVIOUS BY NOW?" Albus screeched, catching the attention of many of the Slytherins around them.
"Calm down Al, if it means that much to you, I'll go do it now" Scorpius replied, standing up.
"Not right now Scorp" Albus called, "I think you should wash yourself first, Lily might appreciate it if you didn't stink!"
X-X-X-X
Freshly washed and smelling of soap, Scorpius made his way to the library where he knew Lily would be helping Lucy. He entered the room and looked around for the oh-so-familiar red head of hair that belonged to Lily. He spotted her in a corner, hunched over a piece of parchment while Lucy sat beside her, absentmindedly staring out the window.
Lily looked up as Scorpius sat down at the table. "Hey Scorp, following me now are we?" she said, taking in his damp hair and clean clothes which indicated that he had finally taken a well-needed shower.
"Actually Lily, I came to find you cause I have to ask you something" he replied, not looking up at her.
"Go on then" she prompted, returning to skimming over Lucy's essay
"Willyougohogmewimme?" he rushed out.
Lily looked up at him again, this time meeting his eyes. "Sorry?" she asked, "what was that?".
Scorpius took a deep breath and replied "Will you go to Hogsmeade with me tomorrow?".
Lily took a second to reply. This was different to their usual joking, his nerves told her that he was being deadly serious. She didn't have the courage to give him a serious answer so she replied with "Keep your fingers crossed and be at the Entrance Hall around eleven" she turned to Lucy, handing her back her essay before winking at Scorpius and walking out.
He gaped after her in shock. Scorpius couldn't believe that she had just left. He heard laughter and looked back to see Lucy giggling at him. He frowned at her and left to find Albus.
X-X-X-X
Albus was playing a game of chess with their fellow sixth year Alex Nott when Scorpius came running in. Albus raised an eyebrow as Scorpius dramatically flopped on to the couch beside them.
"What's the matter with Malfoy?" Alex asked.
"No idea" Albus replied before poking Scorpius in the back.
"Sod off Potter" was the grumbled response he received from the lump on the couch. Albus returned to his game, shrugging in reponse to Alex's curious look.
Scorpius sat up and looked at Albus. "I asked Lily out".
"Well done" Albus replied, "Gold star".
"She didn't give me a proper answer" Scorpius wailed. "She just told me to wait in the Entrance Hall and hope she turns up! What am I supposed to do?"
Albus chuckled, he recognised what Lily was doing. Whenever she was afraid of getting hurt, she pretended not to be interested. It was her main tactic when it came to things like ice-skating or swimming in the Black Lake. But he wasn't going to share this information with Scorpius. Watching his best friend freak out was proving to be quite entertaining for Albus.
"You'll be fine Scorp, just go down to the Entrance Hall tomorrow. She'll be there".
X-X-X-X
Scorpius reached the Entrance Hall at half ten. His nerves had woken him up at half past six that morning and he hadn't been able to get back to sleep. He had taken special care with his appearance, showering, brushing his hair and wearing what his mother had called his "special shirt", for "special occasions" - he deemed his first date with Lily to be special enough.
He paced the Hall, unable to sit still as he waited for the clock to strike eleven. As the bell began ringing, the door creaked open. It revealed Lily, looking as beautiful as shre always did to Scorpius. She smiled at him and his relieved facial expressions.
"What?" she said, smirking, "did you really think I wouldn't come?"
X-X-X-X
Albus walked into Hogsmeade two hours later. He planned to pick up some sweets from Honeydukes before meeting some of the Quidditch team in The Three Broomsticks. As he walked past the empty shell that used to be Zonko's and would soon be W.W.W, he spotted two familiar figures snogging underneath a tree.
Picking up a small twig and throwing it in their direction, he yelled "Oi, Malfoy! Get your manky paws off my little sister!"
The couple seperated and Scorpius shouted "You told me to!"
"You're forgetting the rule dear Scorpius, not where I can see!" Albus replied.
Scorpius threw his arms up in exasperation before turning and pulling Lily to the other side of the tree, presumably to continue snogging where Albus couldn't see.