He found it during his explorations of the castle his second year. It was near the ravenclaw common room, which was somehow fitting. But Scorpius was immediately fascinated with it. The shiny black wood, opened to reveal the copper colored wires, was flickering in the light of his wand. When he sat down to the ivory keys, he recalled some of the muggle movies that he watched the last summers at Albus's house. Delicately, he pressed two of the keys and a soft note filled the room. He spent the rest of the evening figuring out the keys and when he left the room he knew he would be back soon.

Albus, Scorpius's fellow ravenclaw, came with him the next time. They didn't stay long, mainly because Scorpius wasn't comfortable playing in front of his friend. But Albus could tell, as he always could, that Scorpius had found something he loved. A couple days later, the Potter's owl carried a muggle piano-lesson book with it.

Scorpius never told his parents. He never played for anyone else. Over the summers, he'd take a day trip to a church near his manor and practice in the solitude of a weekday. But his secret wasn't his alone. A slight redhead, dressed in the yellow of her house, was often seen in the hallway outside the piano's room, doing her readings or writing letters or just listening. A couple of times a month, Lily would hesitate outside the door, hand poised to knock, but she hadn't inherited her parent's bravery.

Scorpius never knew he had an audience until halfway through his sixth year. He knew it was past time for him to be back in his Common room. Even if he was the best friend of the Head boy's younger cousin, he couldn't avoid a detention or two if he was caught outside the common room this late. He almost tripped over Lily's small sleeping figure. In that moment, realizing that Lily had been listening to him play, he simply had to take a moment to study her. She was pretty, but not what most would call beautiful. Nah, she had too many freckles for that. Not one square inch of her face was without a freckle. Her lips were on the thinner side and she got her father's narrow features. She was skinny without the curves of her mother, but Scorpius had a suspicion that that might change given a couple of years. James was only 5'6" until the summer of fifth year and when he graduated, he was the tallest in his class.

Footsteps started faintly echoing down the hallway and Scorpius knew they both had to get back. But there was no way Lily would make it all the way down to the hufflepuff common room without getting caught. "Albus might kill me for this…." He muttered as he scooped Lily up into his arms. He succeeded in reminding himself that this was Al's little sister and therefore there was no point in even thinking about it, but that didn't stop him from feeling the curves he had assumed weren't there five minutes before, or noticing that she smelt like oranges or lemons or something like that. Lily stirred a little, when they were almost all the way back to the dorm, but Scorpius shushed her, and held her a little tighter to his chest.

Scorpius made it to the knocker before he realized he'd have to set Lily down to get into the dorm. So, he gently shook her awake. "Uhm, Lily? Can you wake up? I'm gonna let you wait in the common room while I go get the cloak from Albus." She sleepily nodded, and Scorpius swears she didn't fully wake up until after they were in the common room.

"Lily?"

She jolted. Her gaze, bright blue eyes just like her granddads, had been wandering over the serenity of Ravenclaw Tower. "Oh… sorry Scorpius. You… You carried me here didn't you?"

Scorpius realized that it was kinda awkward for him to have done that in hindsight, but he simply nodded. "I'll go grab the cloak from Albus and walk you to your common room now." Lily nodded demurely, turning her gaze away from Scorpius and towards the woman in the middle of the room. Scorpius glanced at her, meaning for it to be a passing one before he ran upstairs, but he couldn't help that it turned into a stair.

He'd never spent much time with Lily before. Whenever he was hanging out with Albus over the summer, Lily was helping her mom or gran in the kitchen, or playing with the younger generation of babies in the big lawn. When he did happen to look at her, she always had a too-big grin on her face and, while pretty, she seemed so distant from the calm, quiet life that was Scorpius's every day. Now though, she was… different. She still had a small smile on her face, but it was solemn. Lily's expression mirrored the statue she was studying; inquisitive, soft, and… stunning. She suddenly realized he was still watching her, and the long red hair spun out around her quickly turning head. "Scorpius? If you don't want to walk with me, I'm sure I can just give Al the cloak back later."

Scorpius's response rushed out. "NO! I- I mean, nah. It's cool. Albus is probably already asleep anyway." He knows his pale skin is flushed, and embarrassment sends him running up the stairs. When Scorpius pauses outside his door to catch his breath, he can't help but thinking "Of all the damn girls at this school. It had to be her. Scorpius you are a complete arsehole."

Lily had never realized that Scorpius exuded an energy. She remembered her dad saying Draco Malfoy had always seemed to radiate arrogance when they were in school, that it had turned into a quiet confidence now. But Scorpius was… stability. Walking close by his side under her dad's invisibility cloak, there was a calmness that she rarely experiences. Lily loves her family and her house and her friends, but quiet moments are so rare. She always feels like she's got to be happy.

The first time she heard Scorpius playing the piano, she was in third year. She mentioned it to Al the next morning when he came to check up on his little sister, and he quietly whispered to her that it was Scorpius playing, and it'd be better if Lily kept it to herself. For some reason, she had no problem with that. Listening to the music made her feel relaxed. She wasn't on show in those moments. A small part of her had always wanted to go up to Scorpius and tell him how beautiful his music was.

Now walking beside her, that small part was ecstatically bounding around in her brain, screaming to be allowed to say its piece. Lily cleared her throat and looked upwards, god he's tall. Lily might not be growing yet, but neither was Scorpius, and he was probably a full foot taller than her. His intense grey eyes met hers and Lily almost lost her guts to speak. "You… you play beautifully." She mumbled.

Scorpius chuckled and Lily turned an unflattering shade of hot pink.

"You're probably the only person who's ever heard me play."

Lily's habit of word vomit caught the best of her. "Well that's too damn bad. You're amazing. Especially for.." Lily caught herself before she said the mortifying last part of that statement.

"For what? For a pureblood?" He seemed honestly curious in what she was saying. It was a rare thing for Lily to experience.

"For someone who taught himself."

He didn't reply at first, and Lily was nervous she'd offended him. Then she realized that they were standing outside the entrance to her common room. Lily's heart dropped to her feet. Scorpius didn't immediately turn to leave, but neither did he say anything. So Lily just watched his face, trying to figure him out.

He didn't look as much like his father as he did when he was younger. Sure, Scorpius had his father's pale complexion and platinum blond hair. Even the grey eyes were like Draco's, though they were often softer and warmer. He was less guarded. But Astoria's features had a place in Scorpius's fuller lips and heart shaped face. Yes, Lily decided. Scorpius had gotten his mother's bone structure. She was making note of how his short-cut hair seemed to have a bit of curl to it when he finally spoke.

"Lily… Next time I'm playing. I'd like it if you came inside the room. I think I want to get used to an audience."

Now Lily's heart was back in her throat. "Really?!"

He smiled again and she noticed that one of his incisors was chipped just a little. "Absolutely. Plus it's probably a little safer for you to sleep in an abandoned class room with your brother's best friend than out in the hallway alone."

Lily giggled a little and nodded. "Well yeah. Okay then. I'd love to."

"Yeah?" Scorpius seemed a little surprised.

"Yeah." Lily shoved a piece of hair behind her ear and grinned at Scorpius. "I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Yeah, for sure! I'm- I'm gonna say goodnight then." Scorpius lifted the cloak so she could easily step out and it fell down around his shoulders so she could still see him.

Lily was about to enter the common room when a feeling in her stomach made her turn around, for one last look. Scorpius was still standing there, an unreadable expression on his face. "Scorpius?" For some reason, Lily could hear a longing in her voice.

It was echoed in his, "Yeah Lily?"

Lily had no clue what to say. Or what she wanted to say. Just out of her reach, there was a question lingering. So she simply said, "Thank you… for ya know. Everything."

He smiled, though Lily could see there was a pensiveness behind the smile. "Any time, Lil. Now go on to bed. It's late as hell." Scorpius flipped the cloak back over his head and Lily waved to the seemingly empty hallway. It was only twenty minutes later as she settled into bed that she realized she had just dived head-first into uncharted, impossible waters.

Lily had a crush on Albus's best friend.

Why don't I just shoot myself in the foot.

Well that's it for now. I'll post a second part in a couple of days and if i'm getting good reviews than I might continue the story. I guess we'll see. Thanks so much you guys :)