A/N: Editing this on a Friday night has been seriously so relaxing and wonderful after the most stressful work week I've had. I think I'll add a disclaimer here that non of this belongs to me because obviously it's JKRowling who is the Queen.
"New patient in Room 415," the woman called as she sidled up to Lily with a clipboard in one hand and what looked like a several dozen letters under her arm. Lily took the clipboard that was offered to her, even as she continued to watch her coworker, Geraldine Yen, with trepidation. Excess paperwork was something of a never-ending problem at Mungo's, and something the Healers all dreaded, but the excessive letters stirred something of a warning sign in Lily. No good news came from increased mail. "Also, you must make sure you sign DeWalt's retirement card before the end of today, and here." Gerry reached under arm and handed Lily a stack of letters that had been bound with a thick rubber band.
"What in the name of Merlin?'
"Don't take it up with me!" Gerry protested before Lily could barely begin to list her grievances at being handed a pile of mail thicker than her wrist. "I've been instructed that all Harry Potter's mail is priority and should go straight to you. The higher ups don't want to take any chances that something important won't get to the someone so important."
"Excuse me? Gerry, you are talking absolute rubbish." But even as she said it, Lily examined the top piece of mail to see it had her father's name scrawled across the center. "No."
"Oh yes. It's a brand-new effort by the government to make inter-government correspondence more efficient. They hired a team under the new correspondence secretary to head the mail sync-up between the Ministry and Mungo's. They're hoping to get the Prophet and Hogwarts involved too. And International miniseries as well. This was just a first test. Well, I'm sure you can imagine the headache when we all started to notice no one was receiving the correct bits of mail. And they McGreggor volunteered me to try to figure out a solution to this shite."
"Minister Weasley okayed something like this?" Lily asked, more to herself. How could her aunt have approved such a bullshit program to regulate government mail? And what tosser who headed the switchover was so inept that he didn't even send out a memo to let the workers know there would be a change in their mail system? Lily huffed an exasperated sigh.
"I don't bloody care who allowed it, but I'd like the chance to ring their neck. Just make sure that gets to your dad, alright? I have to spend the rest of my day sorting out mail like some common owl instead of caring for my patients. Because apparently that's a valuable use of my time."
Lily looked back down at the mail, examining it more closely this time. "A letter from Madam Malkins? This is hardly high priority mail, Gerry."
Gerry shot Lily a dry look, clearly unamused. "We're all making sacrifices."
"Well," Lily huffed. " Don't stop there. I'm surprised you haven't come to me loaded to the hilt with Potter and Weasley mail for me to pass out. Why just stop with my dad, hmm? Both of my brothers work for the ministry. And my Aunt Hermione certainly wouldn't mind getting a visit from me either," Lily continued, throwing extra emphasis on aunt even though she normally preferred to use Hermione Weasley's formal title when she wasn't around family. "Why should the ministry bother coming up with a more efficient solution when I can just floo from relative to relative and hand out their junk mail. Oh no, it makes much more sense to do it this way. And maybe if I get lucky my cousin Rose will deliver me my mail someday soon. But for now, I guess we mustn't keep dear Madam Malkin in suspense! Certainly, not!"
Gerry didn't give an inch. Her eyes, which had become unfocused during Lily's rant, suddenly sparked back to attention. "So I can give you your cousin's mail too? Because that would almost certainly save time on my end."
Lily turned away. "I have a new patient." Happy to distance herself from anymore conversation about ministry mail, Lily headed towards Room 415. She made a mental note to stop by her parents' house after work. And while she was at it, maybe she'd also stop by Ron and Hermione's place and have a chat with her dear Aunt. Lily shook back her hair. Even after the harsh conversation, Lily still felt as if she could take on one hundred Gerry's and best them all. Probably the new hair, she thought as tossed her new, darker ponytail over her shoulder.
"Lily!"
She hadn't bothered to read her patient's chart, she realized. Had her head not been in an over-indulged fantasy of sparring with an army of paper-pushing ministry workers, and HAD she of taken the time to glanced at the patient file for Room 415, and HAD she not have been so busy trying to catch a reflection of her new darker shade in one of the many reflective surfaces provided by the generic St. Mungo's hallway art, Lily might have noticed. The room she was walking in to was occupied by someone she actually knew. Specifically, Hannah Longbottom II.
"Hannah!" Lily said in surprise. Hannah wasted no time in rising from the chair in which she had been seated to greet Lily in a friendly hug. Lily's conversation with Rose rushed to the forefront of her mind. "You're here! In Mungo's!"
Lily pulled away from her smiley friend. Before she could ask what had landed her in the hospital, Hannah squealed and ran her hand through her hair. "Merlin! You're hardly recognizable!"
Lily laughed. She'd already been told that multiple times that very morning, but it was different coming from someone she considered a friend. "You like it?"
"I love it," Hannah said earnestly.
Lily grinned. She always forgot how sweet Hannah was. They were the same age, and had been good friends in Hogwarts, especially when she had dated her brother. When the couple had split, however, Hannah had seemed to disappear. Professor and Mrs. Longbottom claimed she was just immersed in work. And as far as Lily knew she was an international consultant between Foreign and English ministries, but when Hannah was in the UK, she also helped her mum run The Leaky Cauldron.
"But wait, my hair is not important. You're here for…" She looked down at her clipboard. "Burns?"
Hannah smiled sheepishly as she held out her arms, which looked very red and scabbed indeed. Lily set down her chart, and gestured for Hannah to take a seat so she could examine the damage.
"Are these magical wounds?" Lily asked.
Hannah nodded. "I was trying a new cooking spell at The Leaky, just helping out my mum, you know? Well one thing led to another and suddenly the cauldron is on fire." She smiled. "So here I am."
"But you must have just arrived in town," Lily said as she turned Hannah's arms over. "And they have you working in the kitchens already?"
Hannah laughed. "I've actually been home for a while now. And I like working at the pub."
"Oh I know," said Lily. "We could never get you to leave that place over the holidays. The amount of times alone…." Lily trailed off. She had been about to say 'the amount of times alone I had to go there and drag Al back home', but she caught herself. She squeezed Hannah's wrists. "This doesn't look bad at all," she said to fill the silence.
"Oh good. Everyone told me I was being dramatic, but I just wanted to make sure it wasn't something more serious. It was a new spell after all."
This didn't surprise Lily. Even in Hogwarts Hannah had always been over cautious. She went to Quidditch matches prepared for all types of weather and over studied to prepare in case of a pop examination.
"Well, all you need is a burn ointment. I'll prescribe you a cream meant for potion induced burns. Lily jotted down her signature and tore out a piece of paper from her notepad and handed it to Hannah. "Just take this to the third-floor receptionist and she'll help you."
"Thanks, Lily. Or should I say Healer Potter?"
"Yeah, can you believe it?" Lily asked, gesturing to her new lime green robes.
"New hair, new job. You're a whole different person."
"We should get together, Hannah," Lily said, feeling a sudden urge to reconnect with her old friend. Lily knew she looked different, but she certainly didn't want to change so much that she began alienating the people in her life. "We're all going to the pub on Friday. That new one in Diagon Alley. You should come. My brothers will be there. I'm sure they'd love to see you too."
Lily watched as Hannah's face dropped. "I don't know. Mum will probably need me at the Leaky on Friday. And I promised my dad I'd visit him at Hogwarts sometime this week, so…." She trialed off.
She didn't want to push Hannah. It was really unfair to start badgering an old friend who seemed to have a legitimate excuse, and yet...Lily found the question slipping out before she could stop herself.
"Surely you could make time for one night?" She moved her piece forward on the board towards Hannah. And then she added for good measure. "Rose and Roxy and Dominique and Molly- you can just hang out with us girls. And I don't have to tell you how Molly gets when she goes out. Sure, she's all conservative like Aunt Audrey, but that girl likes to have a good time."
"I'm still getting all of my stuff settled in. Would you believe I still haven't unpacked?" Nice counter move by Hannah.
"But Hannah, Freddy and Louis will be there. Scorpius too. And Lysander said he might try to stop by. But you can't pretend you don't miss watching Freddy and Louis get pissed? They always start up with the muggle magic tricks. It never fails." Lily attacked again.
Hannah began to open her mouth. Lily could see the countermove- a strike of attack that could easily end everything now. She was going to say she couldn't. She had promised her mum other plans. She'd take a rain check. And so, Lily looked across the board and planned out her move before Hannah had the chance to strike.
"You missed us. Don't lie to me, Hannah."
Hannah smiled, and Lily smiled back. The blonde's shoulders dropped, a sure sign of a guard being fully let down. Checkmate.
"Okay."
It was a low move to drag her other cousins as a motive to get Hannah to come out, she knew. She hadn't missed the edge in Hannah's voice when Lily had mentioned Al would be there, and a selfish part of her was interested in seeing how they got on together after being separated all these years. There break up had been strange, and no one could convince her that it was amicable no matter how much they tried. And so, she was very interested in seeing the pair of them together. Would they act like strangers? Would they hook up? Would it be painful?
"Thanks again, Lily," she said sweetly. "I really do love the hair, by the way." Lily smiled politely, and gave Hannah directions towards the lift that would take her to the 3rd level. And with a last wave, Hannah disappeared through the corridor of Healers and patients to collect her burn ointment.
Lily didn't want to think Hannah would purposefully avoid her family, and no one else in the family seemed to question the validity of the breakup quite like Lily had. But then again, no one had been friends with the couple to the extent that Lily was.
Being in the same year, Lily and Hannah spent a lot of time together long before Albus even entered the picture. Neither girl played Quidditch, so they tended to hang around each other during matches. Both Lily and Hannah had friends within different houses so they bonded over the very specific dilemma of wanting to cheer for multiple teams.
At Albus's graduation, Lily remembered her brother seeming so happy, and at the time she had thought it was because of Hannah. She remembered confessing to her roommates that she thought Albus was in love with Hannah only to be thoroughly embarrassed when the couple had mutually announced their breakup.
And later, Lily had been present to witness Hannah and Al together at parties and family dinners. Their behavior was so friendly and normal that Lily couldn't help but be suspicious.
"Who stays that friendly after a breakup?" she exclaimed, privately confessing her suspicions to Roxy Weasley, after a family dinner one night. "Who?"
Roxy looked thoroughly unconvinced by Lily's rambling examination of Al and Hannah's unlikely friendship. "They just didn't work out as a couple, Lily. That doesn't mean they can't be friends."
"Something's not right," Lily said stubbornly. "I can feel it."
"Can you?"
"You know, I think you're mocking me."
"Only when you start talking bollocks."
Lily ignored her. "Didn't you see them tonight? I wouldn't be surprised if they're secretly still a couple with the way they flirt."
Roxy scoffed. "They weren't flirting. And even if they were," she added loudly before Lily could interject her dissent, "wouldn't they just be a couple in the open? Nothing is stopping them."
"Ah! THAT'S the mystery!"
"There is no mystery, Lily."
"There is. I can feel it."
"No. What you're feeling is mental illness." Roxy paused. "Or maybe you're drunk. I think my dad spiked the pumpkin juice again."
Lily huffed. "Believe me, the mystery will be exposed one day, and when it is," she gave her cousin a significant look. "You'll be sorry."
Roxy looked amused. "Why will I be sorry?"
"Because…I knew…and…just let me have my moment, alright?"
"Alright," said Roxy skeptically.
About a month after that suspicious conversation with Roxy, Lily had to concede that Hannah and Albus were in fact probably not having a clandestine relationship. Based on their conflicting work schedules and the fact that Hannah always seemed to be overseas, Lily resigned herself to believe that the two were just very talented at maintaining a post breakup friendship.
Lily shook her head as she heard a coworker call her name. Wiping her mind of any thoughts of friends, family, or mysteries, she shifted into Healer mode, and continued with her shift.
-Friday Night-
"You know who might be going to be at the pub tonight?" Lily asked as she watched Rose get ready.
Rose met her cousin's gaze through the mirror she was currently sitting in front of to get ready. It was already far later than Rose would have preferred, but Lily had insisted they wait before getting ready in order to make sure they would arrive at the right moment. It had been dark outside for hours. And Lily knew her cousin would've been happy to be in bed rather than siting at a vanity discussing lipstick shades. "I already know our entire family is coming, Lily. The real miracle would be if you could somehow get Hugo to make an appearance."
"That would be quite impressive all things considering. But, no. Hannah."
Rose frowned. "Why?"
Lily was not surprised by her cousin's unenthusiastic response. She didn't know too much about Rose's relationship with Hannah Longbottom II, but if Lily had to guess, she would say a fierce, unwavering protection of Albus was the reason for Rose's frosty reaction. They had always been the closest.
"I invited her. Hannah is a good person, Rose."
"I know," she admitted, somewhat begrudgingly.
"She's just returned to England. Shouldn't we try to befriend her again? We were always good friends in Hogwarts."
"Many things were different back in Hogwarts, Lily."
"It'll be fun, I promise. Hannah is a good person," Lily repeated.
"Why do you keep saying that? Who are you trying to convince?"
"You, apparently."
"Al's going to be there too," Rose said. "You don't think it will be strange for them to see each other?"
Lily thought about Hannah's hesitancy back when they were at Mungo's. When Lily had mentioned her family would be joining her at the pub, the excuses had come fast and quick. Lily didn't want to mention to Rose that Hannah had not seemed too excited at the prospect of seeing her brother and that Lily had to convince her to agree to make an appearance.
"I don't think we'll have any problems," said Lily evasively. "Hopefully Scorpius will keep you distracted enough that you won't even notice a little Al and Hannah drama anyway," she added, hoping that the mention of the blonde Healer would distract her cousin enough to drop the topic of Albus and Hannah.
"We're not really going to discuss that again, are we?" Lily almost laughed. It seemed she was more than happy to continue discussing the topic.
"Make your eye makeup a little smokier. This is a pub, for Merlin's sake! Natural looking makeup is a daytime look." Lily threw a case a black eye shadow at her cousin.
"Bloody hell, Lily!"
"You're going to wear lacy undergarments, yes?"
"What does that matter? My whole family is going to be there. I'm certainly not going to be stripping in the pub."
"Rose, Rose, Rose," Lily said. "Don't sound so scandalized. This is about confidence. If you wear something sexy, you will feel sexy. Lingerie is the ultimate cure to feeling less than your best."
"You have been living with Roxy much too long, I think."
"Rose!" Lily chirped gleefully. "Think of it this way. I've worked with Scorpius for years, so I just happen to know that Mr. Malfoy has not exactly been getting a leg over. And he could use some help, if you know what I mean. You have to seduce this man. He's not good at making the first move. If he was, he would have done it by now."
"I…I don't even know how to respond to that," Rose muttered shaking her head. "I hope you know this is all very unhelpful."
"What are you going to wear?" Lily asked, ignoring her cousin's tone.
"Jeans?" offered Rose.
"This. Is. A. Pub. Rose. You wear jeans to go to the Apothecary." Lily opened Rose's closet and began to rummage around. "You do not wear jeans when a handsome man has recently seen your knickers after patching up your leg."
Rose gaped. "Excuse me?'
Lily popped her head out of the closet. She grinned widely. "He had to file an off-site injury report because he used Mungo's supplies. And I just happened to see it."
"Fucking hell," moaned Rose. "He wrote about my knickers?"
Lily laughed. "No, that part he told me in person after I approached him about it. To be honest, he said he was extremely uncomfortable- but only because he thought you seemed uncomfortable!" she added quickly upon seeing Rose's mortified expression. "And then he said you passed out once the medications overwhelmed you."
Rose groaned again.
"Were they at least sexy knickers, Rose?"
"Oh he didn't go into that detail with you?" Rose snapped.
"Don't be upset, Rosie. Honestly he seemed embarrassed about making you feel uncomfortable more than anything else," Lily cooed with a smile. "He said you had nice legs."
"What?" Rose asked turning around on her vanity stool to fully face Lily, immediately more interested than before. "Is that true?"
"Yes, Rose. You can't really be surprised? You're a very beautiful, very powerful woman. Maybe your ex couldn't handle that, but do you really think Scorpius Malfoy is the type of bloke to back away from a challenge?"
"So now I'm a challenge? Twenty seconds ago I was supposed to be the seductive vixen."
"You can be a well-rounded seductive challenge."
"I'm not wearing the lace knickers," Rose said, crossing her arms.
Lily rolled her eyes. "Fine. Scorpius is probably more of a full coverage wizard anyway."
Rose hurled a hairbrush at her cousin.
-Scorpius-
Scorpius had to laugh at the absurdity of his life. When he was younger, Scorpius was always nervous whenever he would talk about his friendship with Albus to his parents. He quickly picked up the habit of forgetting to mention Al's surname if his friends came up in conversation to his family.
Now, as he looked around the pub, his table crowded with Weasleys and Potters, Scorpius wasn't sure how his strict life had taken this path, but he was certainly grateful.
James Potter clinked his pint against Scorpius's. "Here's to a rough week, mate."
"Tough week in the Quidditch world?" Scorpius asked.
James grunted.
"Were you overseas? I didn't think Puddlemere was traveling," Scorpius commented. He honestly didn't know much about James's job as Public Relations Coordinator for Puddlmere United. Working at St. Mungo's barely allowed him to pay much attention to teams other than the few he caught on the wireless when Al listened in their flat. However, James was a favorite among the gossip rags, and the Prophet even picked up a few of the stories if they were having a slow week. Scorpius figured if James really was having a rotten week, it could easily be due to the unyielding press just as much as it was to the stress of his job. Potter was a popular name to write about, and it added fuel to the fire that their subject was notorious with witches and seemed to enjoy posing for photos.
"No, we were here." James spoke morosely before taking a long gulp of his pint. "Unfortunately."
"Hey!"
Both Scorpius and James turned to see a beaming Lily. She had clearly not come from the Hospital like he had, because she was wearing a bright shade of lipstick and a glittery top. Scorpius had already seen her dramatic new look several times already when their paths crossed at the hospital, so he gave a nonchalant wave, but James cursed enthusiastically.
"Oy! Who's this bombshell?" he called as he gave Lily a kiss on the check and ruffled her dark hair.
Lily gagged theatrically before pulling away from her brother. Scorpius didn't blame her. Lily had always complained about James's women- he knew Lily would want to look as faraway from anything that James Potter found appealing as possible. Lily smiled as a group of her female cousins screeched. The Weasley women had obviously just caught sight of her new look and were descending.
"Look at your hair!"
"Spin around!"
"What charm did you use?"
"Arg!" Fred Weasley, who was sitting next to James, winced as the witches tittered and shouted their questions over the din of the pub. "Let's get another pint while they chat, yeah?"
"Where are you going?"
Just as James, Fred, and Scorpius stood up to fetch their drinks, Rose appeared. "Hey," Scorpius said, happy to see her. Something about her seemed brighter. Her lips were shimmery and her eyes seemed to stand out more so now than before.
"You look nice," Scorpius said reflexively looking up and down at her sleek dress. And then he kicked himself. Rose's entire family is here, he thought miserably. Not the time or place to start ogling her.
"You don't want to hear about Lily's new hair?" Fred asked.
"Oh, sorry," Rose said, looking away from Scorpius to address Fred. "Did you want to tell me something about it?"
Fred reached across James to ruffle Rose's hair, which prompted her to swat at him.
"We were just going to get more pints."
"You too?" Rose asked Scorpius. Scorpius had been planning on walking over with James and Fred simply to avoid being left alone in earshot of the squealing Weasley women, but now that Rose was here...
"You go," he said to James and Fred. The two cousins shot him miserable looks, and Scorpius decided he only felt slightly guilty for abandoning them, but not bad enough to change his mind. Rose took James's recently vacated seat, and Scorpius pulled out his own chair.
Rose gestured to Scorpius's pint. "You should drink. You've hardly skimmed the surface."
"Stop trying to get me pissed," Scorpius teased. "I don't see you with a drink. How long have you been here anyway?" Scorpius asked. He had only arrived at the pub ten or so minutes ago, and he knew there were various Weasleys wondering around that he hadn't even seen yet.
"Not long enough apparently. Not one bloke offered to buy me a drink," Rose said biting back a smile.
Scorpius laugh. "Is that a hint? You know, Weasley. I feel quite used."
Rose laughed as Scorpius held up his drink to a waiter passing their table nearby. "We'll have 2 more. Thank you."
"How's the flat without me?" Rose asked.
"There's less blood."
"That's out of order!" Rose said, feigning a blow to the chest. "You really know how to kick a witch when she's down, hmm?"
"You look nice, tonight," Scorpius said, the words slipping out involuntarily.
"You already said that." Rose smiled.
He had, that was true. But watching Rose smile and joke around made him feel lightheaded. She had always been beautiful- that had never changed. But now, with her sitting here with her bright smile and dark eyes and sweet laugh- it was making it hard for Scorpius to focus. He hadn't flirted in a while, but now he was going to try it with Rose while they were surrounded by their friends and family? Did he have a death wish?
"Tell me a fun Healer story," said Rose, interrupting Scorpius's thoughts.
"A fun Healer story." Scorpius repeated.
"Oh don't give me that look. Lily tells me hers, so I know what you're hiding."
"Well then Lily is breaking St. Mungo's protocol because we're not allowed to tell you civilians about our lifesaving acts."
"Ughhh." Rose feigned a gag when Scorpius uttered 'lifesaving acts.'
"Don't be mad, love," Scorpius said, using his best seductive voice. "Maybe one day I'll tell you my secrets. After all, I am a man with the gift." He paused dramatically. "The gift of life."
Rose whacked his arm. "Git."
"Some women find Healers very fit," Scorpius said, the words leaving him before he could call them back. But she had touched him. And she was laughing at his jokes, and he couldn't stop himself. The flirty tone just slipped out. He had to physically restrain himself from pinching his arm. Was this really happening?
Was Rose his friend? Did she only think of them as friends? But then why was it so easy to flirt with her? Why had they never tried a relationship when flirting was this much fun? Why couldn't Scorpius remember?
"Well don't you think very highly of yourself."
Scorpius leaned in closely to Rose as he lowered his voice. "Should I not?"
He watched Rose bite her bottom lip. Something punched at his chest. He couldn't stop himself from flirting with her, which was almost like living someone else's life, he realized. And flirting did tend to lead to other things, but as Rose bit her lip an image shot through Scorpius's head he hadn't thought about in years. A time before Mungo's or flat mates or bloody ministry mail issues. A time when he had thought Rose's lips quite a lot.
"Should we toast?" Scorpius asked suddenly, holding out his drink. He need to distract himself, and get his mind off that memory. And he needed to get her to stop making that pouty, sexy thing with her lips.
"What would we toast to?" Rose asked.
"To Gryffindors. Where dwell the brave at heart."
"Strange toast for a Slytherin to make."
"I am finding myself strangely drawn to Godric Gryffindor's lifestyle more and more with age. Bravery was never my strong suit, I will admit. But something tells me all this time spent with this lot," Scorpius glanced around to the large crowd of Weasleys scattered in every direction, "has begun to shift my opinions."
Rose smiled and raised her own glass. "to Slytherins."
He raised his eyebrows. She shrugged.
"I don't mind a little Ambition in my life. Plus, Al is always saying Slytherins have more fun anyway."
"Oh?"
"Mhmm. I don't know if you will believe me, but the only two times I've ever been drunk at Hogwarts I was with a Slytherin.
Scorpius felt something tug inside of him. A kick or maybe a punch- but whatever it was, it certainly felt like it was coming from his chest. He wondered if her words were meant to be some sort of code. She tossed him the clues, and laid them out before him to sort through, and now he was expected to piece together the meaning. But the meaning seemed to him fairly obvious. Too obvious. He swallowed, and then immediately regretted the action, wondering if it made him look like he was suddenly afraid of the words she had just spoken. Maybe he was. "Is that so?"
Rose clicked her glass against the one Scorpius held. Her eyes never left his. "Cheers, Scorpius."
