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14. A heart full of family.

Scorpius POV:

I stared at the closed door. The shutters let out two small cracks of light that broke into to the shadow of the room. I've been a wake for some time but the noise only started a couple of minutes ago. First some steps and some whispers in the hall, them the clattering of pots and plates in the kitchen down stairs.

Mr. and I'm guessing.

I didn't leave the bedroom, though, I wasn't fully ready to face them just yet. I heard more steps, at least two people, one of them running and suddenly a door closed sharply.

"Hey! James you idiot I was going to the bathroom first!"

Even through two closed doors I heard a chuckle.

"Apparently you weren't!"

"I'm telling Mum!" The first voice, who I supposed belong to Potter, or better yet Albus, whined.

"Fine, you baby!"

Albus didn't reply this time, but left stomping his feet.

Silence once more. I sighed, I couldn't stay here forever.

I hadn't slept much, thoughts of my mother and grandmother alone in Malfoy Manor, with its tall ceilings and cold rooms, kept finding its way in my mind, that and one more thought. I'm going to be alone for Christmas. At first I even felt relieved to avoid the dreaded family dinner, when Father spend too much time in the same division has Lucius Malfoy, a.k.a my-not-that-loving grandfather, he turned into someone else, someone pathetic who would do and say anything to please that excuse of a man. After the war, Lucius Malfoy had done everything he could to be kept out of Azkaban, he gave up all the names he thought to be remotely associated with the words Dark Lord and Death Eather. Merlin, by the time he realized that for the first time neither his family's name nor his money would be able to save him, he would have sold his own mother if she was still alive…

In the end, he did manage to escape a sentence in Azkaban, but he didn't escape completely unpunished. Until the end of his days, Lucius Malfoy could never leave his house ever again. He couldn't go strolling down Diagon Alley or the Ministry, showing off his ego and his stupid pureblood pride, no, he couldn't even go sit in a bench in his own backyard. He would walk through the house, his back straight and head held high, like he wasn't in a prison, like he was the one who had won something. I don't know how he was back in the day, but now I only saw him as ghost, that haunted the Manor, that haunted us. I bet he was actually happy they arrested him and Father, after years and years, he could finally leave the house. I had the urge to punch something, but that would be pretty hard to explain later to the Potter's so I just clenched my hands into fists.

That's when I heard a soft humming, followed by much more delicate steps than Albus's, I got up and stood near the door, listening, I closed my eyes and leaned my head against the door frame, my fists unclenching. The song wasn't familiar to me, it was slow and gentle, but what made me stop breathing was her voice. So painfully sweet, so...

"Morning Lils!" James's voice called out.

The humming stopped and my eyes opened.

"Morning Jamie James. You and…" She shrieked and then started laughing. "Jamie put me down!" She demanded between laughs.

"Never! I shall demand ransom from Mum and Dad, or they will never see you again!" James let out what was meant to be an evil laughter.

Both their laughter started to dim as they went downstairs. And has I stood there, leaning against the door, thinking of Lily's humming and hearing Mr. and Mrs. Potter laughter mixed with the laughter of their children, I felt a stab of envy and sadness like I'd never felt before.

Lily POV:

We were putting up the Christmas decorations today, Mum and Dad always waited for us to do it, it was one my favorite parts of Christmas, setting up the tree with my family, and even though Albus and James would never admit it, I knew they loved it too.

"Lily-Pad, this came for you." Mum handed me a letter.

We were all in the living room, James and Albus playing wizard chess, Dad reading some documents, and Mum had been reading Witch Weekly before going to the kitchen to grab a glass of water and Scorpius was sitting near the window, reading a book, although sometimes when I spared a glance in his way I would see him stare out the window, his face a mask, showing no emotion, he had been like this the whole day, Al wasn't even sending him angry glares anymore, once he saw that Scorpius was being an emotionless statue he seemed to have deem it useless, and changed his tactic, so he was just ignoring him now.

Mary and I had been talking about the rest of the gang and wondering what they'd be doing by now, when I grabbed the letter I felt a bit confused, it was from Derek. Maybe he forgot to tell me something yesterday.

"Oh… thanks Mum."

I saw her sneaking an amused glance at Dad, who returned a not-that-amused look.

I rolled my eyes and tore open the letter.

Dear Lily flower,

How is everything going? Having fun with your family yet? Everything's going great here, but it would be even better if you'd be here too. I find my house lacking of your smile and glow. I saw some lilies in my mother's garden and since then I can't stop thinking about you, your beautiful hair, your sparkling eyes…how I crave to have you in my arms once more…

I already miss you very very much, please write to me soon!

Lots of love,

Your Derek.

I was let dumbfounded and shocked. I stared at the letter for a few more minutes, I mean, I guess it was a bit sweet he missed me…My eyes jumped between Lily Flower to the part about my smile and what not, and then stopping at the 'your Derek'. No, sweet was definitely not what described this letter, for Merlin sake I saw him yesterday…

"Lil?" Mary touched my arm. "Your face is quite priceless right now, did he confess to murder in there or something?" She joked.

"I think I'd prefer murder really…" I gave her the letter so she could read it.

I focused my attention on Mary as she read the letter and I swear I saw her roll her eyes at every single one of the lines.

"For Merlin's sake, please tell me this is a joke you guys have going on or something..." she lowered her voice "how I crave to have you in my arms once more? Has he been overseas for the past year or something?"

I snorted. "Or maybe he's been reading too many novels, either way, what the hell am I supposed to answer to this?!"

"Good news from the boyfriend Lils?" Albus joked, his eyes sparkling with mischief.

I narrowed my eyes. "Why do you ask?"

Albus shrugged "Just wondering really." But he had a smile plastered on his face I was very familiar with.

He knew something I didn't.

"What are you keeping from me Albus Severus Potter? Spit it out!" I demanded.

James was eyeing us both, amusement lighting up his face, like it was already Christmas day.

The whole room felt quiet, I could feel them all paying attention. Mum was discreetly looking up from her magazine, and I noticed Scorpius eyes unmoving on the page he was reading, only Dad seemed to have remained focused on his work.

Albus chuckled. "Well…I never said anything because I know how you are, and if I'd given you any warning you'd only go after the block faster. So maybe you just need to learn for yourself. You see, Derek has a little bit of a reputation."

"What?" Dad's eyes suddenly flared up from the paper he was reading. "What kind of reputation?" He asked suspiciously.

I couldn't see if this was just an attempt of Albus jerking me around or if Derek did indeed had some strange reputation I didn't know about…I mean, he was Sexy Derek, what could be wrong with him? And were we really having this conversation in front of the whole family? In front of Scorpius?!

"Relax Dad, it's not that kind of reputation. For the contrary." Albus paused, I could see he was taking his sweet time with this to screw with me, the little bastard.

"You see, me and the guys have a nickname for him too, Lils. We call him Bubble-Gum Derek." He announced proudly.

If I had to guess, I'd say he was the one who had come up with the name.

"Bubble-Gum Derek? What the…why?" Mary intervened.

"Because once he's glued to you he's one bloke hard to shake off!" And that's when Al started laughing.

My mouth fell open. Dad coughed trying to disguise a laugh, James was laughing as hard as Albus and I could swear that even Scorpius lips seemed less statuesque than before. However, it was good to see that I at least had some feminine support, since both Mum and Mary had remained quiet and were staring at me with pity.

"You can't be serious!" I rebelled against the idea.

"Oh…I wish I was Lily, I wish I was." He cleaned up a fallen tear. "And for the look I saw in your face when you read the letter, I'm guessing he's already showing off that part of him."

I was about to flip him the bird but my parents presence made me stop mid action, so I just stood there with my hand raised in a fist.

"Lily…" Mum warned.

"Don't worry Mum, just stretching." I conceived.

Dad suddenly stood up and clapped his hands. "Okay kids, let's change the subject! Who wants to go get the Christmas decoration? I think it's about time!"

I jumped off the sofa "Me! Me!"

"Don't be such a kid Lily." James said.

He had a smile in his face though, so I just stuck my tongue out at him.

"I'll be going to the bedroom if that's okay with you ."

Scorpius had been so quiet the whole time, I think everyone else in the room had forgotten he was there. He now stood, his book in his hand, a polite expression in his face. Albus narrowed his eyes and I saw him open his mouth but before he could say anything, Mum put a hand in his shoulder and spook.

"Are you sure Scorpius? You can decorate the tree with us if you want, it'll be fun." She smiled.

"What? Mum you…" Albus chocked.

"Not a word Albus." She warned.

He clenched his jaw, and crossed his arms, looking at Scorpius, daring him to stay and make the tree with us. Scorpius shifted his eyes from my Mum, to Albus and finally to me. I could have said something, and maybe he would have stayed if I'd insisted or maybe he wouldn't, either way, I didn't say anything, I just stood there like an idiot. Finally, he looked down.

"Thank you Mrs. Potter but I think I'm going upstairs, I'm a bit tired."

Mum's face fell, pity written all over her face. "Well…okay, if you eventually feel any better you are welcome to join us any time, sweetheart."

He seemed a little taken back by my Mum's warm tone, but eventually nodded and left the room.

Mum looked at all of us, angry.

"What is wrong with you? The poor boy doesn't talk to anyone and just goes around the house like a sad ghost and none of you can make an effort to make him feel welcomed!"

"That's because he isn't!" Albus retorted.

"That's enough Albus! You are the worst of all, why do you insist on making him feel bad?!" Mum ralhou.

"Because he's not our friend Mum! He strolls around Hogwarts like he owns the place, always looking down on us and now, all of the sudden, I'm supposed to be nice to him? He's already living in my house, and taking advantage of my family. So I'm sorry, but I don't pity him and the way I see it, everything that has happened? He. Had. It. Coming!" Albus exploded.

Sheesh, and I thought I had issues with Malfoy…

Dad calmly took his glasses and started cleaning them on his shirt. "Albus, son, we're not asking you to be best friends with him, but he's here and he is not leaving until the end of the holidays, so, for us, and for your brothers can you not make bad ambiance, please?"

Albus was breathing hard and staring at Dad with disbelieve, hell right now even now I was staring with disbelieve at Dad for being so calm. Finally Albus rolled his eyes, clearly having no response for that.

"Whatever…" He muttered.

I bit my lip, and stared sadly at the place near the fireplace were we usually put the Christmas tree, all the previous excitement now lost.

"Can we now go get the Christmas tree? I was kind of hoping to decorate it today. " James confessed, breaking the silence.

I smiled. "Don't be such a kid James." I mimicked his previous statement.

James chuckled and jumped at me, tickling me.

"Don't you wear my own sentences against me Lils!"

"Get off of me." I shrieked between laughs.

And like that Scorpius was forgotten and a happier thought and task was put into motion.

I was staring at the closed door of Teddy's or better yet, Scorpius's room, for about 30 minutes now.

Maybe I should just go downstairs and forget about this, what could I say to help with his situation? Nothing! It's not like I could comfort him. I can't say I understand because I don't, my parents aren't even close to being like his parents, for the contrary…

I turned around to leave but hesitated.

Once, when I was about 8 years old, Rose's cat died and she cried for an entire week. I remember feeling so useless because I didn't know what I should do to make it better, so I didn't want to go to her house or talk to her. When I told Mum about this she just frowned, she sat next to me, grabbed my hand and said: Sweetie, it doesn't matter that you don't have anything to say, because you don't have to say or do anything. If you just sit there next to her and hold her hand like I'm holding yours right now, it will be enough.

So I went to her house, I sat next to her and held her hand while she cried. We stayed like this the whole afternoon, but for the first time in a week she left her room, not crying, and had dinner in the kitchen with us.

Maybe Scorpius just needed someone to hold his hand… I sighed and turned around again. Took 3 deep breaths and knocked.

"Scorpius? Can I come in? It's Lily."

Silence. And then,

"Come in."

The lights were out, the only light was the one provided by the moon. He was sitting in the ground, by the window, his back to the wall. Even in the dim light I could see two grey orbs staring at me, I fought back a shiver. He looked positively ethereal. The platinum blond hair sparkling in the moonlight, his already pale skin looking even paler.

I swallowed hard and urged my feet to walk forward, finally sitting next to him, our arms almost touching. I could sense the heat irradiating from his body and this time I couldn´t hold back a shiver.

We stood in silence has I gained courage to speak.

"Why didn't you stay?" I finally asked.

He shifted a bit, our arms now touching.

"I didn't want to intrude in your family moment."

I could lie. I could say that he wouldn't be intruding. But if he had stayed Albus most likely would have threw a tantrum and one of two things would had happened. One, he would have gone to his room, by choice or sent by Mum and Dad, or he would have stayed in a corner of the room, arms crossed, glaring the whole time at Scorpius.

Instead I said, "Did you have some similar tradition with your family? To build a tree I mean?"

He shook his head slightly "Not really. When I was younger, my parents and I would decorate a tree too, but then my Grandfather said it was stupid and childish so he made my Dad burn it."

I gasped, completely shocked. I always thought Scorpius was so arrogant, by the way he walked, the way he talked, like he could boss everyone around, but now I realized, that was the way he had been taught. I could imagine his face as he watched the tree burn, just a little boy watching the only good family tradition he had, burning.

His family was far from perfect, but it was the only thing he knew, and now it was crashing down, like that tree was burned down that day, the things that were happening could mean that the life he had known until now could change forever…for the worst.

Without a moment of hesitation I grabbed his hand, intertwining his fingers with mine.

His whole body tensed, I could sense him staring at me, but a moment later he squeezed back and he's body relaxed against me.

"I'm sorry Scorpius. I'm really sorry." I whispered.

"So am I Lily." He said so low I only heard it because I was so close.

I felt his shoulders trembling has he looked away.

Is he…crying?

I grabbed his hand harder and laid my head in his shoulder. Eventually, the trembling stopped and he laid his head on top of mine.

Things are going to start to pick up now in the next chapter! I'm sorry it took so long but I really wanted to build up how her life was and her family. Oh, and don't forget to review! :)