~*~ Sorting ~*~

"(...)SLYTHERIN!", proclaimed the Sorting Hat loudly, shortly after it was placed on Scorpius' head. A triumphant smile appeared on his face. He was born to be a Slytherin. His dad would be proud.

The Malfoy tilted his chin up and looked as arrogant as he could while he stalked over to his house table.

At some point: "Potter, Albus!", was called and got Scorpius' attention.

What would Potter-boy be?

Surely a Gryffindor.

Just like his parents. And their parents.

The hat was quiet for a while and seemed to have a silent debate with Albus before he shouted out: "SLYTHERIN!"

If Scorpius had not been so well brought up, his moth would have hung open in irritation, disbelief and puzzlement.

Potter a Slytherin?

Mentioned rose from his chair looking disappointed and padded with a sullen posture to his table.

The light fell directly on the face of the dark-haired wizard and made a suspicious wetness in his eyes visible.

Scorpius believed to hear him mumble 'he does not take your own preferences into account' but he clould have misheard Potter.

With further terror Scorpius noted that the only free seat was next to him.

And so it happened as it had to happen

Probably the worst thing a Malfoy could imagine.

Potter sat down beside him.

"Well, Potter? Not brave enough to be a lion?", Scorpius tried to hide his insecurity.

"Just shut your mouth, ferret.", Albus gritted through his teeth.

Why did Malfoy have to taunt him now?

"This is horible. Let me be!"

His lips formed a thin line.

What would dad say when he found out that he was a vile snake?

"Hey, Potter. Slytherin is not as bad as you might think.", Malfoy tried to cheer him up, not willing to ruin his 'good' reputation among the Slytherins by making a fellow snake cry.

"We'll see, blondie.", replied Albus with a voice full of venom.

"Okay, okay. Don't get so worked up!", Scorpius raised his hands mockingly.

This had been the Slytherin in Potter. Only Slytherins were so snappy.

Could it be that the dark-haired wasn't so terrible?

~*~ Beginning of the Third Year ~*~

Scorpius never would have thought he could be friends with Potter.

Albus wasn't so bad when he didn't complain about not getting to Gryffindor.

In addition, Albus was a good chaser, just like Scorpius a good seeker.

Both together were an unbeatable team in Quidditch.

Slytherin had not lost a game since the two joined the team in second year.

Not even against Gryffindor, which had Albus' big brother James as seeker, who - if Scorpius was honset - was really not to take lightly.

Today Scorpius and Albus would begin their third year at Hogwarts.

Since both had remained in contact over the holidays, Scorpius had come to know that Albus' little sister Lily would start this year at Hogwarts.

I wonder which house she'll be sorted into?, thought Scorpius to himself, who had always been pretty sure before that all Potters were Gryffindors.

But Albus had proven him wrong.

Said came, followed by aredheaded younger girl, which had to be Lily, stumbling into his compartment.

"Hey, Scor. Is it okay that Lily is going to sit with us? She doesn't want to be alone and James is currently...a bit distracted.", explained Albus, who blushed a bit when he told the last bit.

Scorpius gave a michievous grin.

Everybody knew of James'...fickle affairs.

He had somehow gotten it from his fathers godfather, who had been a shameless flirt and lady's man in his schooldays, too.

During the train ride everybody was silent and Scorpius used the opportunity to study Lily a bit closer.

Her hair shines beautifully in the sun, he thought to himself.

What am I thinking? That's total bullshit. But her honey-cloured eyes! Breath-taking...

He shook his head in his thoughts.

What non-sense was he thinking today?

That had never happened to him before.

He spent the rest of the time trying to not muse about Lily.

Without success, sadly.

~*~ A bit later at the Sorting ~*~

Scorpius sat bored at the Slytherin house-table Nobody intersting had been sorted to Slytherin as of now. Only when"Potter, Lily!" was called, did he tilt his head to watch what was happening.

The redhead sat down on the three-egged stool with quivering legs and the hat was placed on her head.

After he little while he practically screamed:"GRYFFINDOR!"

What a waste.

It would have been nice to have her in Slytherin. Then she would have been closer to him, Scorpius...wait a minute! Why was he thinking like that AGAIN!

He must bew going crazy.

Scorpius noticed how Albus seemed disappointed

The darkhaired boy would have like to have his sister around him, too.

~*~ In the middle of the year ~*~

Scorpius closed his eyes for a moment to savor the feeling of the wind that blew through his blond hair.

How he loved to fly on a broom!

When he opened his eyes again he noticed movement in the right corner of his vision.

The Snitch!

Although it was just a practice game, he dove after it, as if it were a matter of life and death.

"Go, Scor get it!", encouraged him Albus and Lily.

Lily was actually just here to watch her brother practise, but her eyes followed Scorpius, who was directly after the Snitch.

He already stretched out his hand for the Snitch, when a stray bludger suddenly hit him hard in the stomach out of nowhere.

The air was forced out of his lungs and Scorpius gasped painfully.

He fell off his broom and fell from a height of 3 meters (/ 10 feet) to the ground.

They were all too stunned at this moment to stop his fall, so he hit the dirt with a thud.

His back cracked suspiciously and black dots danced across Scorpius' vision.

He noticed in a haze that the practise was cancelled.

Then he fell into a soothing darkness.

~ * ~ One hour after the accident ~ * ~

Scorpius the muffled murmurs of a beautiful familiar voice. Although he did not understand what she was saying, he grew calmer. On his right hand he felt a slight pressure that radiated heat.

When Malfoy opened his eyes all he saw was red hair.

They turned out to be Lily's who sat on a chair beside him, holding his hand and watching him seemingly lost in thought.

After Scorpius had tried to state a question, but didn't get much more than a croak out af his dry mouth, she jumped startled and blushed.

Why did she get red?

"I...I...uh...better go.", muttered Lily and was already going to go when she felt Scorpius taking the hand which had been holding his previously and draw her to his form.

A funny feeling spread in his stomach and she blushed more.

"Don't go yet.", whispered Scorpius quietly.

The look that was dormant in her amber eyes now, made that feeling only stronger.

She inclined her head on a whim to get closer to Scorpius.

He did the same and after a while that seemed endless, their mouths met.

When Lily's lips lowered down on his, Scorpius' heart missed a bit, only to pound at double speed against his ribcage.

But ther lips already broke apart.

It had only been a feather-light touch but it had changed so much.

And from that moment on, Scorpius was aware of one thing:

He was in love with Lily Luna Potter, a lioness.

A/N/Disclaimer: The characters are not my own and I didn't do this cover, but Iwonn from Deviantart, who kindly allowed me to use it.