Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters, obviously otherwise my name would be JK Rowling.

Challenge: Written for kissing flame's 20 drabbles, 20 prompts challenge. My Character is Scorpius Malfoy and the prompts are the chapter titles.

Author Note: I would like to let everyone know that the randomness of the opening line comes from the bizarrest (is that a word?) prompt I have ever been given ever! For those who don't know (which is probably everyone) pinnate means mini branches coming off of a central stem, like the walnut tree leaves.


Chapter Twelve: Pinnate

The pinnate leaves were swirling through the open windows of the tower from the forest on the crisp evening breeze. The cold night air sent shivers down Scorpius' spine as he opened the door at the top of the never ending staircase that lead up to the astronomy tower.

He saw her standing against the railing looking out across the shimmering black lake. Her arms were tightly wrapped around her keeping her cloak closed against her body as the cool breeze blew her hair out behind her.

Scorpius let the door fall close behind him, alerting her to his presence.

As she spun around her hair caught the wind and wrapped itself around her head, blocking her face from his view. He chuckled lightly as she hurriedly attempted to fix her fly away hair. As her face came into view he saw a pink tinge engulf her face as she looked down at the ground.

Scorpius slowly approached her and reached up to place one last strand of hair back behind the correct ear. As his fingers traced down the side of her face, her eyes looked up to meet his.

Her mouth opened and closed as if trying to decide what to say, but she stayed quiet.

Suddenly realising he was still cupping her cheek with his hand, he quickly dropped it down to his side and buried it in his cloak pocket.

He went to step back from her but was stopped as she grabbed a fistful of his robes. He looked down at her hand clenched tightly to stop him from moving away from her. Then up at her eyes that were widened in surprise at her own move.

Her eyebrows furrowed as if working out what her next move was going to be.

"Lily I..." Scorpius began, but in a flash Lily grabbed his shoulder with her other hand and pulled him down towards her.

To Scorpius it was if the whole thing was happening in slow motion.

He saw her face moving towards his. Her eyes fluttered closed the closer she got to him.

He was holding his breath, afraid to move even an inch so not to ruin this moment. He took another millisecond to look at her beautiful face before closing his own eyes.

As soon as his vision was blocked his other senses took over. The soft vanilla fragrance from her hair washed over him as the warmth of her body soaked into his skin.

And then it happened.

Her soft lips met his in the lightest of touch, the kiss was no harder than a breath ghosting across his mouth. But thats all it took to send his hormones into overdrive. Scorpius gasped at the realisation that this was Lily who was pressed up against him in every way possible. As he opened his mouth the taste of her lips filled his mouth. He pulled her against him, one hand clasped around her waist and the other cupping her neck. Her hand was crushed between them but neither of them cared. Her lips slowly opened and he swallowed her breath urging their lips into each other with such a force of passion it sent her knees weak.

His hand on her neck tilted her chin up towards him so he could have better access to her lips. He eased away from her slightly but her lips followed his, kissing him with such passion it lured him back into it.

It was only as he pulled away that he noticed in his frenzy he had lifted Lily right off the floor. The toes of the shoes were barely scraping the floor.

Similing shyly he put her back on the floor and went to let her go but her hand clenched against his robes once again stopping him from moving.

"I thought actions would speak louder than words" she whispered.

Scorpius traced his thumb along her jawline and titled her head up to look her in the eye.

"I heard you loud and clear!"