I don't know how this happened, but I wrote an entire chapter today, and I'll probably have time to write another before the weekend. Consider yourselves lucky.

Thanks to Triple Insanity for your review!

Here's Chapter 6!

I was released from the Hospital Wing after four long, boring days. Lucky for me, only two of those days had classes, so I was able to keep up. Professor Longbottom was even kind enough to explain the lessons I'd missed when he visited me. That especially surprised me because Father and Professor Longbottom were definitely not friends at Hogwarts.

I hurried through the corridors; I'd been allowed to return to my room about ten minutes before classes let out, but I was apparently too slow.

"Hey, Malfoy!" James Potter's voice rang through the corridor. I sighed, and prepared myself for a beating. I was pretty sure it wouldn't be physical, because James had never hit me before, but I couldn't be positive. After all, I had recently become friends with his little brother and sister. James was extremely protective of them, and he wouldn't want someone like me corrupting them.

"So, Death Eater, I heard something about you." I didn't say anything, it was usually better not to.

"I heard that your mother hated you so much that she killed herself. Is that true, Death Eater?" His words stung worse than a wasp. My brain knew that they were ridiculous; my mother had been ill for a long time, even before I was born. My heart, however, had been telling me that for a long time. Mrs. Potter said that it was because of my low self-esteem and Father's constant insults, but I could never quite shake the thought that maybe it was my fault.

I wanted to tell him to shut up, but I couldn't find the words. I felt like I was sinking, and I just wanted to disappear forever. I didn't do either of those things. I just stood there, staring blankly past James, not making eye contact. James seemed pleased with himself.

"Why don't you do us a favor and go kill yourself?" he asked. I tried already, and I couldn't even do that right. I sighed again, and started walking towards Ravenclaw Tower.

"Whoa, Malfoy, I think you're going the wrong way. The dungeons are the other way," he pointed for emphasis. It was nothing I hadn't heard before, and the familiarity helped me build my facade up even more.

"Thanks, but I know where I'm going," I responded coolly, and walked away before he could get another word in. As I hurried back to the safety of my dorm, I was cut off by a mass of fiery red hair.

"Lily." I was extremely relieved for the reprieve.

"Hi, Scorpius!" she greeted me brightly, "You're feeling better?"

"Yeah, I'm great." I tried to hide my feelings from my voice. I didn't want to bother Lily with my problems.

"What's wrong? Who was mean to you? Was it James?" I breathed deeply before responding.

"Yeah, it was James, but it was nothing. I'm fine." She didn't seem to believe me, but didn't press the subject.

"If you want to talk, I'm here. Why don't I walk you to Ravenclaw Tower? People probably won't mess with you if I'm there." She was right, they always left me alone when I was with her.

"That sounds good, thanks." We walked through the corridors, and I gave her pointers in the classes that I had taken the year before.

"Do you need help in any of your other classes?" I asked her after explaining a complicated transfiguration concept.

"No, I think I'm okay. I have a question, though." I nodded. "Why do you take Muggle Studies?" I was a bit shocked by her question for two reasons. First of all, the fact that Lily was asking me, and second, the matter-of-fact tone she was using. She wasn't accusing me of anything devious, she was just curious.

"Uh, I guess I was interested in it. I mean, I'd grown up only knowing about wizard life, and there was always a whole other world out there. A big part of it was also to go against my father. He would never have allowed me to take it if I hadn't signed up behind his back."

"That was devious of you. How did it turn out? Was he mad?" Her eyes lit up, the same way Al's did when he was talking about the antics he'd gotten into with his brother and cousins.

"He was furious." I forced myself to smile, but inside I shuddered. I'd received many beatings because of my choice to take "that ridiculous excuse for a class" with the "Mudblood" professor. I was always proud after the beatings, though, because it was my own little rebellion. I wasn't brave enough to stand up to him, but while I was safely at school, I could go against him for a little while, at least until I had to go back to the Manor (it wasn't home anymore.)

"I'm glad you like it. Are you really that interested in the Muggle world? 'Cause if you are, maybe you and I could…" Her voice faltered and she looked away, embarrassed.

"Maybe we could what?" I asked, unsure. What was she trying to tell me?

"Maybe I could take you to the cinema or something like that," She blushed and looked away from me.

"You mean like on a date?" I asked in complete shock. I hadn't realized that Lily could like me like that. I'd never seen myself as particularly attractive or interesting. I also hadn't thought about Lily in that way, but now that the idea had planted itself in my head, it seemed pretty appealing.

"Uh, sure, if you want… I mean, I'd like that." She beamed at me, and I couldn't help but smile back. I finally had something to look forward to.