Chapter 4, THE MEETING & A SURPRISE

Lily clutched the note in her hand as she descended the grand staircase into the Great Hall. For some odd reason, she could feel the awfully pesky sensation of nervous butterfly wings flitting around in her stomach. Nervous? Why am I nervous! All I am doing, is to meeting Scorpius… and it is only for a required meeting! Lily thought to herself.

Lily was so focused on this totally out of place and wrong feeling she was having, that she ran into somebody as she pushed open the doors that led down to the quidditch pitch. "Ouch!" Lily heard from the direction of the floor. Ohh, goodness, I really need to stop making this a habit! Lily thought as she glanced down at the floor and her eyes settled on the slightly ruffled, but still Abercrombie model like hot guy lying there. "Oh my God, Luke!" Lily said as she hurriedly bent over to help him up (earning a few wolf-whistles and calls from the lingering students on their way to the common rooms after dinner). "I totally wasn't looking where I was going at all, I'm super sorry, are you hurt?"

"Calm down, Lily," Luke said as he took her offered hand and got to his feet. "No worries, I go off in my own little world sometimes too." Luke shot Lily a movie star smile to reassure her that he meant what he said. "Come on, no hard feelings, I promise," he said when he noticed that Lily was still biteing her lip in a worried way. "Since we have run into each other, no pun intended we might as well walk down to the meeting together" Luke said, offering his arm in a jokingly gallant manner that would have been in style a few decades ago. Lily finally perked up and looped her arm through his felling giddy. Luke was obviously a sweet guy and she could tell that he like her. She was looking forward to getting to know him more this year, and was both surprised and happy that just being around him did such a good job at expelling the nervous feeling that was in her stomach a few minutes ago.

Scorpious awaited his mentees slightly anxiously on the quidditch pitch. He was used to always being composed, bordering on cocky around the other students (especially girls), so he was wondering how this meeting would go with the only girl who was able to cut through his wall of natural self confidence and effortless charm. Of course Luke will be here too, he thought to himself. Despite the annoyance that it would cause him to see Luke flirting with the Potter girl, it might be good that he was going to be there; as a buffer to keep him from doing anything stupid and totally irrational. Scorpious mentally kicked himself for the way his thoughts were going. Why was he going on this long mental rant about the stupid Potter girl? So what, if she was the only girl that acted normal around him and was able to resist him? That doesn't really mean anything… does it? Damn, he was being a real fool; he needed to get himself together. Scorpius Malfoy never beats himself up over a girl…. Especially one that he doesn't like.

Scorpious looked up just in time to see his two charges walking and laughing hand-in-hand down to the pitch, put on one of his trademark smiles, and straightened his robes… ready for the fun to begin.

"Okay guys, "Scorpious said when Luke and Lily had finally reached the pitch, both a little flushed and out of breath from hurrying to make it to the meeting on time. " Tonight we are on the Quidditch pitch for a reason. As I am sure that you both have a good idea about; being on a Quidditch team takes a lot of teamwork, trust, and hard work. This is just like being a Head. If ether- or both of you- make a Head position next year, you are going to play a very important role on the Hogwarts team. Therefore, tonight, we will be working on our Quidditch skills!" Scorpious finished off his speech to be greeted be a shocked silence. A Quidditch workout? That is really what he has in mind?" Lily thought to herself, "Good thing my family is so Quidditch obsessed, or I don't think this would go well…"

"First of all, you're going to need your brooms," Scorpius instructed. Luke automatically used Accio! to call his broom to him, while Lily just looked around like a little lost kitten.

"Ummm…yeah. Scorpius… I don't exactly play Quidditch for the school, so I am kinda short of a broom," Lily said with an uncharacteristically embarrassed stutter. She did in fact have a top of the line Nimbus 2020, but it hadn't even come out yet to the general public and she only owned it because of her dad, so she didn't want to show it off to of other people. It was already way too easy for people to hate her for her fame.

"Well, I'm sure you can borrow one of the training brooms for the first years," Scorpius responded, sounding slightly shocked that a Potter wouldn't be in possession of a broomstick. "Or you could borrow my back- up if you would like. It's a Nimbus 2018 and I am pretty sure that you would like it better than Madam Hooch's old Cleensweeps from her glory days."

Lily decided to borrow Scorpius' broom (which probably made him feel just a little bit too self-satisfied), and then they were off and into the air. Cute outfit included much to Lily's dismay. Lily and Luke had to work hard at passing and shooting drills for over an hour getting so tired that their arms ended up feeling like jelly from all the steering and shots they had to take, but the Scorpius just kept working them harder and harder, until they all felt as if they were going to fall of their brooms.

"All right guys, "Scorpius announced, blowing his whistle after Luke and Lily finished their 10th shooting set. "Go ahead and hit the showers. We're done for the day." Lily and Luke were so relieved that they sped to the ground instantly, glad to be rid of Scorpius's drill sergeant like ways. No wonder the Slytherin team has been totally dominating for the past few years. Lily thought. With a captain like Scorpius, it would be impossible for them to be anything other than the best.

Luke and Lily started to trek back to the castle, waking in a companionable silence, as Scorpius lingered in the air, seeming to want to stay out there as long as he could. Once they had reached the doors, Lily finally had enough of her breath back to start a conversation.

"Fun stuff, huh?" She asked sarcastically, taking in their disheveled appearance. With windblown hair and red cheeks, they made quite a bedraggled pair.

"Of course it was!" Luke replied, mirroring her sarcasm. "But seriously though, what was up with how harsh Scorpius was being? He was yelling at you like crazy the ONE time that you dropped the ball!"

"Yeah, I know. He was being super strict. Maybe it was just to prepare us for what is to come? I don't know….. Anyway, I'd rather not think about it anymore, I'm just ready to relax." By this time, they were already half way up the marble staircase, with Luke automatically keeping step with Lily, walking her back to her own common room. "By the way, I never got to thank you for those flowers you sent me, what with me almost killing you as I came down the stairs and all. I loved them," Lily said sweetly, inspiring a slight blush in Luke cheeks.

"I hoped that you had gotten them," He replied just as sweetly. "But I have to admit that I did have an ulterior motive…"

"Uhh ohh…"

"NO, nothing bad Lily! " Luke added hastily," I just wanted to butter you up to accept my invitation to Hogsmead this weekend!" He finished with a little smile pulling at the corner of his mouth.

"Oh! Thank God! I was worried that you were going to say that you accidently killed my owl or something!" Lily answered in a cheery and relieved voice, "Of course I will go with you! I think that we will have a lot of fun together."

"Well then, it's a date! Should I pick you up around noon?"

"Yeah, that sounds perfect to me…. We'll I guess this is my stop." Lily said as the pair approached the portrait of the Fat Lady. "I guess I'll see you in classes tomorrow."

"Yeah, I'll see you then," After a quick goodbye hug, Lily walked into the portrait hole, only to be greeted by her circle of friends… ready for the rundown.

A/N: I know, I know, I know that is has been forever since I have updated. I am super sorry! I promise that I will be updating very soon. I already have an idea of where the next chapter will lead… hehe. Please don't forget to review! I am always open to your comments!