There's a few other things I changed that you may notice in this chapter, one of them being the age of Fred's daughter Roxanne and the other is that Teddy is married to Victoire. I really wanted to include them in the story so I hope you wont mind. Hope you enjoy it!

Many thanks to all reviewers I was so pleasantly surprised and really hope you like the rest too!

Chapter Three – A Hand-me-down

I barely slept on Christmas Eve; the excitement rippled through me and made every nerve in my body buzz. Eventually the exhaustion took a hold of me and I drifted into a slumber.

There was a soft knock at my door, I groaned and squinted at my clock – seven o'clock – who the heck was knocking at seven. I heaved myself out of bed, ignoring my reflection in the mirror on my wall, and opened the door. I was immediately shocked to see Scorpius standing outside in a green t-shirt that clung to his upper arms and a pair of shorts. I'd never seen him in such little clothing and for some reason I flushed, my cheeks went red and my skin burnt hot.

"Can I come in for a moment please?" he asked very quietly, I guessed he didn't want to wake the others, confused but equally curious I stepped aside to let him in. I didn't really know what to do, we'd never been alone like this before there'd always been people in the background; I stood rather awkwardly with my arms folded and my eyes avoiding his.

"Sorry if I woke you." He said softly, I shrugged and managed a small smile.

"Don't worry about it, is something wrong?" he'd never sought me out away from my brothers before and I started to worry that something was going on with Al that I didn't know about. Was he in trouble?

"No, I just um…I wanted to give you your gift…you know, away from the others." He pointed to the door and I guessed he meant away from the family. Why would he want to give it me separately?

"Oh…" he held out a small rectangular package wrapped in white paper and a silver ribbon. I took it gingerly and felt his eyes on me as I shyly tore off the wrapping. Inside was an old book with a tattered cover and faded illustrations.

"It's my old potions book, it has my notes in from the past two years." he told me, seeing my confused expression. I opened the book to a random page and noticed scattered writing across each page, arrows indicating which sentence or ingredient they corresponded to and even bullet points highlighting additional information not included in the book.

"Wow…" I gasped, turning the page and finding the next one just as rich with notes and helpful hints.

"I thought it might be useful…you know, if you have trouble with any essays and I'm not around to help." I felt a sudden overwhelming rush of affection for him.

"It's not much…" he mumbled, clearly a little embarrassed as he nervously scratched at his hair and kept his eyes low. Before I knew I was doing it I'd thrown myself across the room and was hugging him, I felt his arms wrap around me shyly and I realised it was the first time we'd ever really hugged. I was momentarily mesmerised by the scent coming off his skin but quickly let go worried he might feel uncomfortable.

"Thank you…for the book." I managed to say, rather awkwardly. He smiled a little and nodded.

"Oh I almost forgot." I rushed past him and opened a drawer, inside were a few presents I'd gotten for my friends which I planned to send by owl later today. I extracted a thin blue one and handed it to Scorpius.

"I didn't really know what to get you…" I began nervously; he unwrapped it and opened the thin box to reveal the quill inside. "Al mentioned yours kept blotching so…and it has a built in spelling thing, so if you make a mistake it turns red so you know…" I didn't know why I was blushing or why I felt so awkward, we'd given each other gifts before and this was no different. His grey eyes met mine and I noticed an unusual look cloaked in them.

"Thanks Lily." It was strange hearing him say my name, it sounded different somehow. A floorboard creaked on the landing and we both looked to the door – someone else was up.

"I'd better go." He said quietly, looking at little dismayed.

"I'll see you at breakfast." I replied as he slipped through the door leaving me standing alone. With a sigh I sat on the edge of my bed and ran my hand over the cover of the potions book, it was an incredibly thoughtful gift and I was genuinely grateful because maybe now my grades wouldn't slip. I happened to look up and noticed my reflection in the mirror, a look of pure horror swept across my face at what I saw, my hair was sticking up in more places than I could count and I looked like I was dressed for Halloween.

"Oh bloody hell." I groaned and threw myself onto the bed, hiding my face in my pillow. Note to self, I thought, check hair before you open the door. How the heck had Scorpius managed to keep a straight face while he'd been in here?

Christmas was great, we all crowded around the fire and opened our presents and mum made one of her amazing dinners – we all know she got her cooking skills from gran – and then everyone drifted off to do their own thing. James, Al and Scor spent most of the day outside playing Quidditch so that Al could test out his new Firebolt. No doubt he and Hugo would spend much of the train ride back to Hogwarts discussing whose new broom was better.

When night drew in mom and dad went off to bed early and James and Al were upstairs playing exploding snap, every few minutes you'd hear one of them shriek and then they'd be in fits of laughter. Scorpius and I stayed down stairs, he was writing a letter to his parents and I was completely absorbed in a book Rose had sent me. When I couldn't get through a page without yawning I decided it was time to go to bed, I rose from the chair and stretched before setting my book on the table and noticing Scorpius asleep on the sofa. I walked over and knelt beside him; carefully I reached over to the back of the sofa and pulled the blanket off, covering him up with it gently. It got cold down here when the fire went out. A piece of his hair had tumbled across his face and I reached up to gently brush it aside, his skin was smooth and cool, my hand lingered for a moment before I realised what I was doing and stood up.

"Night Scorpius." I whispered as I left the room. I poked my head into Al's room where he and James were sitting on the floor surrounded by cards and covered in soot.

"Scor's asleep on the sofa, could you put him to bed later please James." I asked politely, they both looked like they were holding back laughter and James nodded vigorously. I rolled my eyes and set off to my room hearing them both burst out into hysterics. I would have levitated him to his room myself if I wasn't still underage, unfortunately James was the only one of us that could use magic.

I was restless that night and couldn't sleep. After tossing and turning for hours I finally sighed and opened my eyes, they fell upon Scorpius' potions book. I sat up and reached for it, moonlight was streaming through my window illuminating the faded cover; I opened it and smiled when the spine creaked a little from the motion. On the inside of the cover I saw he'd written his name no doubt to stop people stealing it, I traced the letters of his elegant script with my fingertip and watched curiously as the writing shimmered gold in the light. It must be enchanted to stop people erasing the name or writing over it. The clock caught my eye and I groaned, it was far too early for me to be sitting here awake, I needed some sleep.


The day after Christmas was always spent at the Burrow, Mrs Weasley made sure every member of the family turned up and the day was always complete chaos. This year was going to be no exception. I flooed in and tripped bumping into Scorpius who'd gone before me, he caught me and steadied me as I blushed an unforgiving shade of red.

"Sorry." I mumbled, he smiled and helped me out of the way of the fireplace before the rest arrived.

"Lily!" Rose's excited shriek was followed by her throwing herself at me and hugging me so tightly I was worried we might become fused together. "I thought you'd be here earlier, I've been staring at the fireplace since this morning." She was oddly excited today I noticed, she saw Scorpius standing beside me then and I noticed her blush which was odd.

"I didn't see you there Scorpius, did you have a nice Christmas?" she asked brightly, smiling a little wider than usual. Scorpius looked a little uncomfortable with her sudden friendliness but smiled warmly.

"It was great, much better than if I'd stayed at Hogwarts." He glanced at me gratefully and I smiled, I didn't feel right receiving any thanks from him after all it'd been Al who'd gotten him invited not me.

"Oh come with me, I have a present for you." She reached for his hand and tugged him off, I watched them go feeling slightly irritated though I wasn't sure why. Al came flying out of the fireplace closely followed by James who collided with him and they were both sent crashing to the floor.

"You're supposed to wait a while you idiot." Al snapped angrily, throwing a well aimed shove at James' shoulder which sent him toppling back to the ground.

"Yeah well if you moved instead of standing there like a dunce maybe I wouldn't have hit you." James retorted, a fierce scowl on his face.

"Will you please stop arguing for five minutes." I demanded with a heavy sigh, they both eyed me like scolded children as they stood up.

"Where'd Scor go anyway?" Al asked, casting a searching glance around the room.

"Rose dragged him upstairs I think, she wanted to give him a present or something." I told them, smoothing down my red hair and making sure there was no soot on my dress. I noticed my brothers exchange a glance and frowned at them.

"What was that for?" I demanded and they both looked at me innocently.

"What?" they chimed, I narrowed my eyes suspiciously.

"That look, what's going on?" I watched them exchange another glance and Al sighed.

"Well the last few months Rose has been very…strange around Scor." He said slowly, as though I might not understand.

"Strange?" I mused.

"And we think, well quite a few of our friends too, that she might have a bit of a thing for him." James added, checking the two in question hadn't returned.

"You think she likes him?" I repeated not really sure I heard right. They both nodded and leant closer to me.

"You should see some of the looks she's been giving him, gazing at him with big puppy dog eyes." James whispered, beside him Al was nodding vigorously.

"Yeah and always flipping her hair and giggling like a little girl whenever he speaks to her, I almost threw up during Charms when she kept flirting with him." Their words made my whole body turn cold, Rose liked Scorpius…but they didn't suit each other, they were so different. The thought of them together irritated me.

"What about Scor, does he like her?" I found myself asking, my brothers looked at each other then shrugged in unison.

"Who knows, I mean she's pretty and smart but Scor's an odd one."

"Yeah he's never really dated anyone so who knows what his taste is." It was true, since he'd been friends with Al I'd never known Scorpius to have a serious relationship with anyone, a few people at school had started gossiping saying cruel things about nobody being good enough for a Malfoy but I just assumed he'd never found anyone he was truly interested in. Maybe he did like Rose, she was beautiful having inherited Hermione's brown hair and eyes, and she was always top of her classes again much like my aunt had been – or so my dad had told me. But despite that I still couldn't see them together, they were so different. Before I could ask my brothers any more questions on the matter the pair reappeared with Rose hanging off Scorpius' arm.

"I'm going to go find Hugo." I muttered before heading for the kitchen. Inside gran was busy cooking, mum was sitting at the table chatting to grandpa and my uncle George, and leaning against the wall casually was Teddy Lupin.

"Teddy!" I shrieked happily, he noticed me and a huge grin spread across his face.

"Lils!" he scooped me off the floor hugging me heartily. Growing up Teddy had been like another brother to me but I saw less of him since he married Victoire.

"You get more beautiful every time I see you." He said touching my long hair, I smiled and heaved myself onto the counter next to where he was leaning.

"Now come on Lils, do you have a boyfriend yet?" the question startled me, nobody ever asked me that.

"Um…no." I admitted, in fact I'd only really had one proper boyfriend – Tom Nikolas, he asked me when I was in my third year and I'd liked him for months so obviously I said yes. The trouble was we had basically nothing in common and he wanted to spend all of our time together kissing, so needless to say we weren't together long. The there was Michael Corby the Gryffindor Quidditch team keeper, they held a huge Halloween ball every year and this year he asked me to go, he kissed me afterwards but we never started dating. The memory made me blush and Teddy chuckled.

"Well what's wrong with all the boys at Hogwarts, letting a beautiful girl like you go around unclaimed." He laughed.

"Maybe I don't want to be 'claimed' I'm quite happy belonging to myself." I retorted rather haughtily, I wouldn't call myself a feminist but I hated the idea that a woman had to belong to a man, why couldn't the guy belong to her or they belong to each other?

"That's what they all say, but deep down they all want a guy to shower them with affection."

"Oh please." I scoffed. "The only time a man ever showers a woman with affection is when he's after sex."

"Lily!" my mother exclaimed, I shrugged and threw her an innocent look.

"What it's true!"

"Not every guy is like that." I hadn't noticed Scorpius and Rose enter the room; he was looking directly at me despite having Rose linked on his arm.

"Oh really, name one who isn't." I challenged.

"You're looking at one." He replied simply, I frowned at him curiously and my brothers appeared behind him.

"Speak for yourself Scor; I wouldn't mind a bit of female company at night." James said slapping him on the back before laughing with Al.

"Albus please take your hormonal brother into the other room." mum instructed.

"Yeah some of us want to keep our appetites." Teddy added with a cheeky grin as Al steered James in the direction of the living room. My gaze was still held by Scorpius as the back door swung open and Hugo appeared, red faced and out of breath.

"Lily come see Roxanne flying, it's hilarious she's already fallen off three times." George and Angelina's daughter was almost eleven now and would be going to Hogwarts next year for the first time. Glad for the excuse to escape the odd atmosphere in the kitchen and the sight of Rose gazing at Scorpius I hurried outside after him and joined my other cousins most of who were zooming around the back yard on brooms.

After everyone else had arrived and the house was officially packed full of the ever expanding family we all bustled outside where a huge line of tables had been set up for dinner. I found a seat and tuned out the loud buzz of conversation around me, I loved being with my family I just wasn't feeling as cheerful today, maybe it was the lack of sleep.

"Mind if I sit here?" his voice startled me I jumped a little and hit my elbow on my chair.

"Ouch…no go ahead." I rubbed my elbow furiously and Scorpius sat down beside me. I glanced up and noticed Rose a few seats down on the opposite side with an empty seat beside her, obviously hoping he'd sit there.

"Shouldn't you be sitting by Rose?" I asked trying to ignore the pang of bitterness in my voice.

"No, I'd like to sit here." He said simply, not even casting a glance at where Rose sat. I could feel his eyes on me but kept mine trained on the table as the food started to be carried out. The meal was particularly uncomfortable and I tried desperately to ignore any of Scorpius' conversational advances, it wasn't that I didn't want to speak to him I just didn't want to hear him talking about Rose, I wasn't jealous of her I just felt uncomfortable about the idea of him dating my cousin. I deliberately kept my distance from him at the table and tried to make sure our arms never brushed. Towards the end of the meal I was running out of things to occupy myself with to avoid talking to him and inevitably it happened.

"Are you looking forward to going back to Hogwarts?" he asked politely, I was immediately relieved that the direction the conversation had taken was not related to his almost relationship.

"Um…yes but I'd much rather it was my sixth year, I'm tried of all this talk of O.W.L.s and all the pressure to start revising." The exams weren't until the final few weeks of the year but the professors seemed determined that we should all revise well in advance.

"I'm dreading next year, the pressure for N.E.W.T.s is supposed to be twice as bad." He grimaced and I smiled sympathetically.

"At least you're done with school then, I have a whole other year after that." I pointed out dismally.

"It won't be that bad." He said, trying to comfort me.

"No it wont, it'll be worse especially with you, Al and Rose gone." As soon as I said her name my thoughts immediately returned to my earlier discomfort.

"Right shut up you lot, I have some news." It wasn't the first time I'd been grateful for Teddy interrupting. Everyone turned their attention to him and waited silently.

"My lovely wife and I would like you all to know that we're expecting our first child in about eight month's time!" his grin was huge as he gently laid a hand on Victoire's shoulder and the whole table erupted with excitement and congratulations.

"Oh Teddy this is wonderful!" Molly's voice was heard above all the commotion as she rushed to hug the pair, closely followed by countless more huge and pats on the back and kisses for Victoire.

The commotion provided me with the ideal cover to slip into the kitchen unnoticed, I leant over the sink and sighed heavily glad for some quiet for a few moments. Out of the window I could see everyone hugging still and laughing happily but despite my joy for Teddy I just couldn't lift my mood. I didn't hear my mother come inside; she leant on the counter beside me and gently brushed back my hair.

"What is it Lily?" she asked softly with a worry in her voice only a mother would have.

"Nothing mom, I'm fine." I tried to lie.

"That's not what your face says." I mentally cursed my expression for forcing me to tell the truth. "Come on, sit down." She ushered me to the table and sat beside me.

"I think I just feel a bit lonely." I admitted sadly.

"Lonely, but honey you're surrounded by your family." I knew she was right but it just wasn't the same.

"I know but everyone seems to have someone, Al and James are always together, Teddy has Victoire now, Hugo's always with Fred and Roxanne. Scor was always like me but now he has Rose so I'm the only one who's alone now."

"Scorpius and Rose?" she asked with an eyebrow raised, I nodded sadly but kept looking at my hands. "Ron's going to love that." She muttered, we both laughed and for a moment I forgot I was feeling lonely.

"Listen Lily, I know what you're feeling I grew up with six brothers who were always too busy doing boy things to let me join in."

"Maybe I just miss Emma." I concluded, thinking of my faraway best friend.

"We did invite Neville and Hannah but they had plans today." This was the first family meal Emma had missed and I decided that was the cause of my distress. I just felt lonely because she wasn't here.

"Thanks mum." I smiled gratefully and she kissed my forehead.

"Now lets get back outside before your father sends out a search party, you know what he's like." She rolled her eyes playfully and I followed her back to the garden.