ALBUS

"And they didn't say why they'd dropped the charges?"

Lily stubbed her cigarette out on my windowsill and I threw a pillow at her.

"What?"

"Don't stub your fag out on there," I said crossly "I've got a party here tomorrow."

"I know, I'm coming to it." She yawned "I'm going to be a fairy by the way, will you make me some wings."

"How last minute do you want to leave it?" I asked incredulously.

She turned from the window and put her hands together in a praying gesture. "Please." She whined "You're my favourite gay brother."

"I'm your only gay brother." I pointed out with a sigh. "Did I mention that Scorp was coming tomorrow?"

"What?" She flipped her hair: a nervous gesture for Lily. "So?"

"Well, maybe I could ask him why the Malfoy's let you off."

The tension seeped out of her and she laughed disparagingly "Don't bother Al. I don't want him to think that I'm grateful or anything."

I eyed her suspiciously- her cheeks were going pink.

I pointed triumphantly at her. "You like him!" I crowed.

"No I don't!" she protested, too quickly to be believed.

"Yes you do."

"No I don't."

"Just admit it." I urged her "And then I shall have to make you wings- you'll be the prettiest fairy there and Scorp won't be able to resist!"

"Fine." She said curtly. "I'll ask Emma to make them."

As she flounced out I couldn't resist yelling "DENIAL!" after her, even though I knew she'd get revenge.

LILY

"Emma, pass me the vodka."

She did as I asked, but she didn't look at me. No, she was too busy flirting with an already drunk James to bother with me.

I poured my drink and turned around...only to walk smack into the one person that I'd been hoping to avoid: Scorpius bloody Malfoy.

He was dressed up as a vampire and the black clothes made his skin look even paler than usual. He also looked a little worse for wear, probably due to the bottle of firewiskey in his hand.

"Er, hi." I said, annoying myself with my nervousness. It was only Malfoy for god's sake. I instructed myself to calm down. My body ignored my brain and insisted on going jelly like anyway.

"Hi, Lily Last time I saw you was in court."

I raised my eyebrows. "Yeah, well that's over now." I said firmly, trying to judge how much he'd had to drink.

Scorpius nodded "Yeah- it was difficult persuading Father to drop it, but I succeeded in the end." He took a swig from the bottle, while I tried to process what he'd just said. I felt frozen to the spot. Did he just say what I thought he said? He got me off? "-And of course he's very anti-potter, he lives totally in the past-"

"You mean- you made sure the charges were dropped?" I was thunderstruck. Also my heart was doing this weird fluttering thing that was distracting me.

He nodded slowly. "The trees are still going though, I couldn't stop that. D'you want to dance?"

Wow. Rapid topic change there. I knew that dancing with Scorpius would just prove to Albus that I liked him, but it was the least I could do after what he'd done for me.

The song slipped into a ballad and Scorpius slid his arms around my waist, while I draped mine around his neck. We revolved slowly, and then – I don't quite know how it happened- we were kissing.

It felt as though I'd never been kissed before, it was so fresh and new and scary. Everything I knew, everything I'd experienced faded into the background as I gave myself up to the feeling.

SCORPIUS

I woke with a pounding head, a dry mouth and feeling sick. I was also naked- the unmistakeable sign of a hangover. For me anyway.

I closed my eyes, getting snatches of last night. Kissing on the dance floor. Kissing in a back room. Getting kicked out by Albus. Kissing in the street. Holding someone tightly and bringing them back to my flat.

I swung my legs over the side of the bed and cautiously stood up. My clothes were in a trail from the door to the bed. I spotted something on top of the cupboard and summoned it. It was a small lacy pink bra, and I had a vague recollection of tossing it behind me.

The problem was, I was having trouble remembering the face. I'd drunk quite a lot, even for me.

"Hello?" I called out. "Anyone here?"

There was no reply, so I assumed that she- I hoped fervently that it was a she, but with that much alcohol in the system, who knew? - had sneaked out first thing. I was quite relieved. One night stands are fine, it's when they think it means more I freak out.

I turned back to my bed, yawning, then froze. On the pillow was one long strand of deep red hair. Hair that could only belong to one girl. A girl whose face was now clearly in my mind, the memory of the taste of her lips very vivid...

Lily Potter.

Oh shit.

A/N Hello. Er...sorry it's taken me so long to update. No excuses =/ I just suck =] And I know that the quote bit wasn't good, but it's much better in the next chapter, promise ;)