Hello :) I know it has taken me some time to post it but finally, here it is! :D chapter 4! Thanks for all the reviews guys! they make me reallyyy happy! :D Oh also thanks to the various people who told me that i should write "s instead of -s. I have fixed it in this chpter, and will fix it on the others as soon as i can! Reviews and faves are really appreciated :) The cover image of the story belongs to the deviantART member KelilaQ, and I have her permission to use it :)
Disclaimer: I do not own any harry potter characters, places or things. I only own the story,

Now that the first task was over, Lily felt truly relieved and joyful. She wasn't any more on the gloomy and darkish mood she had been before, nor faking happiness so that Scorpius wouldn't worry about her. She was cheerful, and for the first time in days she allowed herself to worry about daily things, things any girl of her age would worry about. Homework, classes, grades, friends. The days before the task these had seemed so unreal, so senseless compared to the danger Scorpius was about to face. The first two days after the task Scorpius had been at the hospital wing. Lily had gone by and visited him as much as he could, but now that Christmas holiday was near, teachers were requiring all the attention and effort from the students.

As Lily thought about Christmas, another worry came into her mind. But this worry, unlike the one of the Triwizard Tournament, was probably in all students from fourth year and on. The Yule Ball. Lily had already denied two invitations, secretly hoping that Scorpius would invite her. But they were in the middle of December already, and she was starting to realize that if she didn't accept the next invitation she got (assuming there would be a next) she would end up with no couple. That would be sad. Pathetic, even. She kept telling herself that if Scorpius had wanted to go with her, he would have already asked her, he had plenty opportunities. He wouldn't ask her out. He wouldn't. Yet her stupid, stubborn heart thought otherwise. Hope sucked, Lily concluded, because when your hopes are broken, it hurts even more. But she couldn't do anything to shut up her heart, no matter how much she tried.

Suddenly, she felt something on her shoulder and rapidly twitched.
"Scorpius! You almost gave me a heart attack! I didn't see you coming." Of course she hadn't, she had been lost in her thoughts about him. Scorpius sat in the chair in front of her.
"Studying for Slughorn?" He asked. They were on the library, and she had her potions book opened, although she was paying no attention to the instructions on the book.
"Umm, not really, I was just thinking."
"Yes, I had thought so, you didn't really look like you were reading."
"How can you tell?"
"Well, I find it pretty difficult to read not looking at the book." They both laughed.
"So? Why are you here?"
"I don't really know, just wanted to talk, I guess" As he said these words, Lily smiled. He continued "But you are studying, so I'll better go." He was standing up but Lily grabbed him by his hand. He looked at their hands, Lily blushed and quickly let go.
"I wasn't even studying, you know that!"
" Um, yeah, right."
"Scorp, is everything alright?" he was acting strange, Lily knew.
"Yes, it's just that I was wondering... Iwaswonderingifyouwouldliket ogototheYuleBallwithme."
"I'm sorry?" He had spoken so fast, the only word she caught was "me".
Scorpius got all his courage and said "I was wondering, em, you know, if... if you would like to go to the Yule Ball with me." WOW. She had not expected that. At all. Her heart was bouncing up and down her chest, it even felt as if it was throwing fireworks around. If she wanted to go? Of course she did. She had been wishing this moment for over a month.
"Me?" she said softly.
"Well, you know, only if you want to, you don't have to if-"
"I do want to go with you" she interrupted.
"Really? Tha"That's great!" he sounded relieved.
"Well, I need to go now, see you later Scorp.
"See you, Lily" She smiled at him, giving what was probably the brightest smile he ever knew. The smile he loved so much. The smile whose owner had agreed to go to the ball with him. He felt jubilant. He watched as she stood and left the library, her long, red hair shining whenever sunlight illuminated it. She had said yes. He, Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy, was taking Lily Luna Potter, the most amazing girl he ever knew, to the Yule Ball.

As Lily was heading towards the common room, she bumped into someone. She looked up and saw a pair of familiar green eyes staring at her.

"Why so cheerful?" Albus asked.
"Nevermind."
"No, really, tell me. What? You got an invitation to the Yule Ball?" he had guessed, and Lily felt the urge to shout at him whom she was going with, but she knew that would make him mad. And, if she did so, Al would tell their father.
"As a matter of fact, I did. What I'm happy about is that this time I accepted it." she replied flatly.
"This time? This time? You mean you got other invitations?!"
"Yes, I did get two before this one."
"Who are you going with?" Lily felt the change on his brother's voice. It now had the "protective brother" tone. Lily thought it was wise to let him find out on his own. She knew that word would quickly spread, a Potter going with a Malfoy. It had done so when they had become friends. Still, for Scorpius' shake, Lily was not going to be the one to tell her brother.
"Find out." she finally answered to Albus' question, and left.

When she got into the common room, she found Jessie there, and thought it was time to share the news.
"Jessie, I have news!" she exclaimed cheerfully.
"Me too, but go first."
"Scorp invited me to the Yule Ball."
"Oh my." Jessie smiled, evidently feeling her friend's happiness. Then she said "I got an invitation too.
"Who?"
"You wouldn't believe it. Hugo, your cousin!" Lily smiled, but raised her eyebrows.
"Is there anything you would like to say?"
"Yes, that I have liked Hugo ever since we started school."
"You never told me! It would have made things easier. For instance, I knew Hugo liked you." Jessie looked surprised. But she could have guessed. Hugo was Lily's favourite male cousin. They trusted each other a lot. He was almost like a brother to her, being the same age and everything.
"Well, I'm glad for Hugo then." Lily said.
"And I'm glad for you" she winked, and then went back to her homework.

As Lily and Jessie got out of the common room, Hugo appeared. Being Jessie's date they had agreed to meet outside. Since Hugo was a Hufflepuff, he couldn't have entered the common room. He took Jessie by the hand, winked at Lily and left. Lily and Scorpius would meet outside the Great Hall. Lily was nervous. Today was the Yule Ball. Today was her first date (if she could call it so) with the boy she loved. Yet she didn't know if he had asked her out as friends. But it didn't matter, they were still on a date. As she went downstairs, she found Dominique, her cousin.

"Hey Lily. Are you nervous?" Dominique was a Slytherin in her seventh year, and had dated a lot of guys, so Lily hadn't expected her to be nervous.
"To be honest, I am."
"You don't worry about Al, ok? I'll calm him down if things get complicated." Lily loved Dominique as much as she loved Hugo. She was like an older sister to her.
"Yeah, thanks, I need to get going. Besides, if Albus gets annoying, I'm capable of fixing it."
"I don't doubt you would, but we don't want you getting detention right?" She smiled, and left.

Lily met many of her cousins on her way towards the Great Hall. Rose was going with Frank, Jessie's brother, both of them Ravenclaws. Fred was going with a Beaubatonxs girl. Louis, a Slytherin, was going with a Hufflepuff girl of his year. Roxanne, a Gryffindor, was going with a Durmstrang boy. Lucy, a Hufflepuff, was going with Lorcan, a Slytherin. Now that she thought of it, her family was sorted in the four houses. Lily thought this was good, because even thought they were kind of agressive about Quidditch and everything, it made them more open to friendship with other houses.

Scorpius saw a beautiful girl descend the stairs. She wore a lilac dress, simple, but amazingly beautiful. It matched her pale skin and her red hair. The dressed seemed to have a faint glow around it, and it gave her a magical appearance. But her smile outshone everything else. Scorpius couldn't believe she was Lily. He couldn't believe she was his date.

"Hi" she said
"You look... you look beatuiful." she blushed, and muttered "thanks".
"So, are you ready?" he asked. Since he was a champion, they would have to open the ball with the other two champions and their couples.
"Well, if we must..."
Professor McGonagall hurried them up, and they entered the Great Hall with a round of applause. As they walked to the center of the dance floor, there where some whispers which Lily tried so hard to ignore. "A Potter and a Malfoy?" "Is that Lily?" "Hey, but that's surely Malfoy" and other exclamations where being whispered. Lily stood at the center of the dance floor and saw his brother's face. Surprise. Anger. Dissapointment. All that she saw. That had hurt more than she expected. She turned her stare away, determined to have the best night ever, no matter what Albus Severus thought.

The music started: a waltz. Scorpius placed his hand on Lily's waist, and with the other he grabbed hers. They started dancing, looking at each other, smiling. That was their night, Scorpius thought. After a while, more couples started joining the dance, until the waltz stopped. A more modern band came in, and all the students started dancing and having fun.
"Lily!" Scopius shouted over the sound of the music.
"Yes?!"
"Do you want to go outside?! Fresh air!?" They were forced to shout to hear each other, and even doing so, it was difficult still to hear.
"Sure!"

They went to the gardens, which had been specially decorated for the ball. Fountains and never"melting ice statues were only some of the decorations. The teachers had made everything look like a crystal palace out of a fairy tale. Lily and Scorpius sat in a bench, resting their feet. They had been dancing for more than an hour.
"Scorp?"
"Yes Lily?"
"I just wanted to tell you I'm having a great time." she smiled.
"Me too."
They stood up and started walking through the gardens, ocassionally bumping into a couple. Silently they walked through rosebushes, pines, and many more plants and flowers. Suddenly, Scorpius came to a stop.
"Do you want to go back inside?" Lily asked. They had been walking around at least fifteen minutes, if not more.
"Not just yet. There's something I promised myself I would do." he answered.
"Which is?"
"This." he whispered, and came closer to her. Then he looked her straight in the eyes and kissed her. Lily felt his warm lips press against hers, and her heart beating really fast. This date was being all she had ever hoped for. She kissed him back, and Lily was sure of one thing: she loved him. She loved him and she didn't care how many relatives she would have to fight, she would hold on to him.
They separated, their eyes still locked together.
"I love you, Lily."
"I love you too, Scorp." She smiled, and he smiled back. They were happy.

They returned to the castle with no hurry. Pausing to kiss each other, to enjoy the other's company. Unlike before, they were holding hands all the way. When they reached the Great Hall, Lily caught Albus' staring at them. She saw Jessie and Hugo kissing on one corner, so she didn't interrupt. They went to the dancing floor, which was nearly empty. Slow songs were sounding, and it was almost twelve o'clock. The Yule Ball would end soon. Lily and Scorpius danced closed in embrace, Albus' stare fixed upon them all the time.

When and the teachers started moving the remaining couples out of the Great Hall, Lily and Scorpius went to the common room. There, still under Albus' threatening gaze, she kissed him goodbye, and he went to his room. When Lily was about to go to hers, however, Albus stood up and spoke:
"Lily Luna you better come back"
"I'm only coming back to tell you some things. First, I won't let you ruin the best night I have ever had. Second, don't act as if you were my father. Third, give him a chance!"
"Him? How could I after all what his family did?!"
" Exactly. His family! Not him. He doesn't have the fault. AND DON'T YOU DARE TELL DAD OR I'LL HEX YOU! I'LL TELL HIM."

"OH, NO. I'M GOING TO TELL HIM THIS. YOU'LL END UP HURT! HE IS NOT GOING TO DATE YOU, NOT WHILE I STAND ALIVE!"
"YES HE IS. HE IS MY BOYFRIEND, LIKE IT OR NOT!"
"I would have never thought you were capable of such betryal."
"Betryal?THIS ISN'T A WAR! I CAN DATE WHOEVER I WANT! GET YOUR ASS OFF MY LIFE!" she shouted, and went to the girls room, where he could not follow. She hated him. He always ruined everything, even the happiest of her nights. One single tear fell from her eyes, and she pressed her face hard against her pillow.

Scorpius had heard the yells at the common room. He had wanted to go downstairs, but felt that it would only make Albus angrier. He could perfectly understand Albus' reasons, but still wished he had a chance. A chance to prove what he was, not what his relatives were. He had the feeling that his relationship with Lily was going to be a though one. They would have to fight their way out of angry relatives for sure. Again, as he had done his first day at Hogwarts, he wished that his last name was any but Malfoy.