A/N: I hope that my releasing two chapters simultaneously didn't bog you all down with too much to read. This chapter marks the 100k word mark! Wow, an average of 5k words per chapter. Great job to all of you who are reading and reviewing. Fantastic. Those who aren't should be beaten. I kid! I kid! Seeing now that releasing two was a BAD idea, I'll never do that again. Sorry to have overwhelmed you and so… one chapter at a time from now on… I promise.

Disc.: Plot is the only thing I created.

Competition

Lily rolled her eyes at her brothers as they bickered in the back seat of the car. She was sitting next to her father, in the passenger seat of their car. She reached and flipped the radio on, hoping to drown out the bickering. She kept her hands folded in her lap, watching as King's Crossing came into view. She was wearing a cute little sundress, tied behind her neck. Her hair was up in a loose knot, wisps of it having escaped from the tie.

"Lily being a prefect doesn't count," Albus said.

"Hey," Lily said turning her face to look back at them.

"Well, it doesn't," Albus said. Lily rolled her eyes and turned back to face forward as the car pulled into a parking spot.

"The fact of the matter is, Albus, Lily and I both made prefect for our houses and you didn't," James teased. Lily unbuckled her seat belt and opened her car door. She caught a glimpse of herself in the car parked next to her and smiled slightly. She could feel the fragile looking anklet against her skin, a gift from Scorpius in celebration of her fifteenth birthday. She had gotten a bit taller, but not by much and she was resolved to be petite, with well proportioned curves. She was happy, though, and that was all that mattered.

'Single and happy,' Lily thought to herself as she watched her brothers pull the school trunks from the boot of the car.

"Honey, you look nervous," Harry said quietly. Lily looked at him and shook her head, smiling.

"Not at all," Lily said. She pulled her purse on over her shoulder and waited.

"I can't believe how beautiful you've grown to be," Harry said kissing her forehead. "Your mother would have been proud."

"Yeah," Lily said and for the moment, she felt like the wind had been knocked out of her. Her eyes welled up and Harry immediately realized his mistake.

"Oh, honey, I didn't mean to upset…" Harry started. Lily shook her head.

"No, it's fine," Lily said taking a deep breath. "Just give me a second and I'll be ok."

Harry waited as Lily glanced away from him, focusing on the ground before she looked up and smiled at him. Lily wouldn't think about it. Not now. Not when it happened two years ago. She refused to dwell and instead offered to take her own trunk on a trolley. James shook his head, leaping into his role as big brother by leaps and bounds. He had grown up quite a bit and was more mature now, for the most part. Lily let him half hug her for a second before she laughed and pushed his arm off of her.

Harry watched his youngest carefully as the four of them walked through King's Crossing, James pushing his own trolley while pulling Lily's behind him. Lily caught him looking at her, concern and worry on his tired face and she forced a smile. It hurt a bit to see her trying to show him that everything was ok. He knew she was repressing a lot. She never cried.

"Now, Albus please try to be good," Harry said. His voice was quiet, even, though he hoped his son picked up on the insistence that he tried to put behind his words. Albus nodded as he watched James effortless load Lily's trunk.

"I'll keep an eye on these two," Albus promised as he gestured to his siblings. Harry chuckled.

"Now, James, remember to study for your N.E.W.T.s, and Lily, honey, do well on your O.W.L.s," Harry said. Lily nodded as she stepped into her father's welcoming arms. He squeezed her, planting a kiss easily on the top of her head.

"I'll do my best, Daddy," Lily said sweetly and Harry nodded, choked up. It would never get easier to say good bye to his little girl, no matter how many times he had to do it. She was just growing up so painfully fast for him.

"Let me show you were your stuff is," James offered as the two of them headed towards the train. "This is, after all, your first year as a prefect."

"Alright," Lily said as she followed. She looked behind her waving at her father. He smiled and waved back as she disappeared into the train car.

James and Lily walked along silent through the noisy corridor, side stepping the first years that were in abundance around them. Neither said a word as James slid the compartment door open to the prefects' car and the two stepped through. Lily could not suppress her surprise on how much nicer it was than the regular cars. A few other prefects, including the new Slytherin one Shale Zabini, milled around catching up. Shale rushed to Lily, throwing his arms around her and nearly knocking her to the floor.

"Isn't this great?" Shale asked as he caught himself and Lily before they tumbled right out the train car. "We're prefects together. All year long, working side by side."

"Well, when you put it that way," Lily laughed as she pulled herself free of his exuberant embrace.

"Hey," Shale said making a face. The two of them laughed and Lily looked at her bag in the overhead bin longingly. Asher's basket was void of the spot. An ache crept into her chest for a moment, but she jerked her head away from that and met the other new prefects from the other houses. She barely glanced up at the new head boy and girl, a set of Ravenclaw students that seemed a little too goody-two-shoes for Lily. She laughed inwardly at that.

"Hey, Lily," Scorpius said as he sat in one of the chairs across from where Lily and Shale were now sitting. She smiled.

"Hello there," she replied. "How was your summer?"

"Dull," he said frowning.

"No crazy adventures while you were away?" Lily asked. He shook his head.

"I did make captain of our team," Scorpius said. Lily's face brightened.

"Oh, that's great," Lily said as she awkwardly hugged him before returning to her own seat. He shrugged.

"You going out for the team this year?" he asked. Lily's smile faltered slightly.

"I… I wasn't really thinking about it," Lily said quietly. Shale made a noise of contempt.

"Come on, Lily, you have to," Shale said taking her hand in his. "If it wasn't for you we wouldn't have won the house cup last year."

"I doubt that the whole victory was me," Lily laughed. Shale continued to hold Lily's hand.

"Just try out," Shale pleaded as he smiled at her. Lily sighed.

"Ok, fine," Lily said. She turned to Scorpius. "When are tryouts?"

"I was thinking next weekend," Scorpius said as his eyes flicked to Shale's hands still wrapped around Lily's hand. She caught his eye, a silly little half smile on her face as she pulled her hand from reluctant Shale.

"Good," Lily said as she stood. "Well, I think I'll go change into my school uniform. Can't very well do my first prefect duties in a sundress."

"I don't mind," Shale teased. Lily rolled her eyes and departed to where her belongings were. She pulled out her school uniform, laying it on the bench seat before she untied the halter part of her sundress. A knock on the door interrupted her disrobing and Lily quickly retied it before she opened it.

"Scorpius?" Lily said confused as he stepped in. He looked at her, glanced at the clothes on the seat, and then back at her, standing barefoot in the compartment.

"How are you?" Scorpius asked.

"I'm fine," Lily said with a simple smile.

"No, I mean, how are you really?" he asked. "I heard that your mother finally passed away."

"Really, Scorpius, I'm fine," Lily said. He looked at her disbelieving. She sighed and sat down, patting the seat next to her. He sat looking at her. "After the accident, we didn't know how long it would take so I said my good-byes every time I parted from her. I was there in the end, when she went, and for once in two years she was in peace. So, really, I'm fine. I'm glad she's not suffering anymore."

"I just had heard, rumors mainly…" Scorpius mumbled. Lily shook her head.

"Like your mum, mine died doing what she loved," Lily said with a slight smile. "My not crying over it has no bearing on my loss, trust me. Two years is a long time to grieve."

"Still, Lils, if you ever need anyone to just listen, I'm here for you," Scorpius said. Lily smiled again, and she touched his cheek with the palm of her hand before she embraced him.

"You've always been such a great friend," Lily said as she tucked her face against his neck. "I couldn't ask for any more from you. I'm just sorry…"

"Sorry for what?" Scorpius murmured as her lips brushed the side of his neck in a distracting way while she talked.

"That I ruined your summer," Lily said quietly. "I did very much like where things could have headed, might have been heading, but that seems like a life time ago."

"You didn't ruin my summer," Scorpius said. "I'm just glad that I got those few days with you. It opened my eyes to a lot of things. One day, I hope I will have the opportunity to talk with you about them."

"That was two years ago, Scorpius," Lily said as she drew back slightly. "Then, I might not have known what you meant, but I do now. Two years is a long time to harbor thoughts and feelings."

"And yet," Scorpius said as she pulled even further away. "I'd still like to talk to you about them one day."

"Perhaps one day," Lily agreed softly. She glanced at her clothes. "I should get changed. See you on the walk around."

Scorpius took his cue and left Lily standing alone in the compartment. She shook her head, rolling her eyes as she jerked off her clothes and slipped her school uniform on over her underwear. She was tucking in her shirt when a knock to the door interrupted her. She rolled her eyes again and opened the door. Shale was there, grinning. She left the door open as she walked to the bench to put her socks and shoes on.

"We've been paired up," he said happily.

"For patrol? No surprise there," Lily said as she finished the incidental parts of dressing. Shale threw himself into the seat across from her, his smile fading.

"Are you ok?" he asked.

"I'm fine, why?" Lily asked confused.

"Your mum died," he said almost as if he was in some pained shock.

"No, she didn't," Lily said. Shale looked at her confused. "Her body died this summer, but my mother died two years ago. I wish people would quit acting so concerned around me."

"We are concerned, Lily," Shale said. He forced a smile. "You are one of my best friends."

"I appreciate it, Shale," Lily said after she took a moment to recollect her emotions. "I do, but really. I don't want to talk about it, ok?"

"Ok," he said. The two sat in silence for a moment. "Are you up to patrolling?"

"Yes," Lily said as she stood first.

After the first years were properly sorted, Lily and her fellow classmates began eating their dinner. The feast spread before them and the students tucked in with such exuberance that no one really talked much. Kate, Callie, and Nina looked at Lily with concern. She looked up at them, raising her eyebrow. The three looked away quickly and Lily shook her head.

"So, Lily, you're trying out for the team again this year, huh?" Damon asked. Lily nodded her head swallowing a too large bite of food.

"Yes, well, Shale and Scorpius seemed pretty insistent," Lily said.

"Don't go and try throwing the tryouts to get out of playing," Damon teased. Lily blushed slightly. Damon shook his head. "Awe, you were going to, weren't you?"

"I had thought about it," Lily confessed. "After all, I have O.W.L.s this year and I can't afford to be distracted."

"Please," Kate laughed. "I know for a fact that you are top of our level. I'd daresay if they did the whole advanced placement in our cores, you'd probably have graduated already."

"That's not true," Lily said shaking her head.

"Now you're just being modest," Kate said as she smiled at her long time friend. Lily laughed.

"Right, Lily, modest?" Shale teased. "I saw you giving yourself eyes in the reflection of the compartment window."

"What can I say?" Lily said as a slight heat rose to her cheeks. She ducked behind a glass of juice, hiding.

"You're still shorter than the rest of us," Shale teased. Lily grinned.

"Just means you'd all get hit first in a meteor shower," Lily teased back, laughing. The kids around them laughed. "And I'm taller than the first years this year, maybe even taller than some of the second and third years."

"Except for John Collins," Kate piped up as she glanced over her shoulder at the very tall Gryffindor boy.

"Now Kate," Lily laughed. "John Collins is a third year. Two years younger really is just too young to be dating at our ages." Lily looked at Scorpius, a wicked glint in her eyes.

"Two years or even three years is nothing," Kate whined, not catching the look Lily shot Scorpius. He had paused mid-bite, looking at her curiously.

"Maybe when we're in our forties, or even twenties, but when you're fifteen and he's only thirteen, it is something," Lily said quietly. "There are plenty of guys our age to lust after. It's best for all parties involved for us to stay in our own age pool. How about David Campbell from Ravenclaw? He's kind of cute."

"Meh, I dated him last year," Kate said shaking her head.

"What about Brodie Thomas?" Lily suggested.

"Dated him before David," Kate replied.

"Chris Craft?"

"Dated his twin brother," Kate sighed.

"Benji Artemis, Luc Tran Du, Connor Jacobs?" Lily said as she mentally went through the rest of Ravenclaw and started on Hufflepuff.

"Second year, third year, and same time as David," Kate said as her face turned a bit pink.

"Merlin," Lily said as she fought to suppress her grin.

"Well, you dated Flint, and he was four grades ahead of you," Kate countered. Lily laughed.

"A mistake," Lily assured you. She glanced at her plate for a second, pushing her veggies around with her fork. "Flint was much too old for me. In the end, he and I made the right choice to end it. What you want at thirteen is not necessarily what's best for you."

"Good to know," Scorpius said quietly. A few people looked at him curiously but no one replied.

"But I'm fifteen," Kate complained without hesitation to Lily's comment. "It'd be nice to get some fresh little thing to entertain me."

"You sound like you're going to eat him," Lily laughed. Kate snickered.

"I might," Kate said only loud enough that Lily, Callie, and Nina heard. The three girls' cheeks flushed pink and they all started laughing, drawing a few curious looks from the rest of the Slytherin table.

"Heaven help the boys of Hogwarts," Lily said grinning.

"You think your brother Albus would like to have a go?" Kate asked. Lily's eyes widened in surprise.

"Kate Rosier, what would your parents say to that?" Lily laughed. "A Slytherin fifth year with a Gryffindor sixth year; what a scandal!"

"Hey, at least she wouldn't be robbing the cradle with the little third years," Shale laughed. Lily giggled at that thought, resting her face on her hand.

"Too true," Lily said thoughtfully.

"And just think," Kate said. "If things go well, you and I could become sisters-in-law."

"Heaven help us," Lily laughed. "Granted, you'd be hard pressed not to go through that relationship like the rest."

"Do you think you could talk to him?" Kate asked. Lily looked at her warily.

"I don't really like to get involved, least not where my older brothers are concerned," Lily said apologetically. Kate looked at her pleadingly.

"Please, Lily," Kate begged. Lily rolled her eyes.

"I'll bring you up," Lily said. "You do realize that he is the most immature person I know, right? Between him and my cousin, Hugo."

"Oh, if Albus says no, talk to Hugo for me, will you?" Kate suggested excitedly.

"No," Lily said shaking her head. "I'm not asking him to date you. I'll plant the seeds of curiosity. You have to do the rest on your own."

"Some help you are," Kate grumbled. Lily laughed and shook her head.

"We can talk strategy after I settle the first years in," Lily promised which brightened Kate's mood considerably. Lily laughed at the easy way Kate seemed to cheer up and didn't even notice the intense way that Scorpius was looking at her.

And he was looking at her. When looked at her, he couldn't help but remember how she had felt in his arm that night, the one night he'd never forget no matter what happened to him. He'd never forget the way she felt, warm and soft, curled against him in his arms. Even if he had wanted, which he didn't, he couldn't purge it from his memory.

She had asked him, sleepily, not to leave her side. That he was certain, though perhaps not in those words, and he had no option but to comply. He wouldn't have dared to say no to her, because though she did not know it, he was completely gone when it came to Lily Potter. Scorpius loved her. He couldn't pin point the moment he decided that it was true, perhaps when he stopped fighting it. Maybe he had known all along he would buckle and stop resisting her, yet it had surprised him that it was so easy to do. He had been fighting it so long.

Scorpius had to admit. It felt nice having her so close. In bed, her being so much short than him wasn't noticeable. Her face tucked easily against his neck and her body seemed to fit against his perfectly. He had never been one that liked being touched when he was trying to sleep, but he could imagine the two of them lying like that forever. She had draped her leg over his, causing him only the most pleasurable discomfort. He had a hard time focusing on keeping his excitement levels level as she clung to him in his sleep.

Part of that closeness was what warned him early on that there was something up, something very wrong. He was unable to stop his racing thoughts, to turn his mind off to sleep. He heard the phone ringing shrilly and his father's voice, though the words were hard to understand. He figured it had to be work related this late at night and instead buried his face against Lily's face, her fingers tangled in his hair. He thought of things of quite impure natures and thought that he had resisted her far too long.

"First year students tucked away?" Elena asked as she led the way back into the common room ahead of Scorpius. He followed to see Lily sitting cross legged on the floor with Kate and Shale. He had to admit she was consistent in her friends. He hoped that worked across the board.

"Yes," Lily said looking up at her. Shale was sitting behind Lily on the couch, his feet up and he was twisting a lock of Lily's hair around his finger. Whether she was ignoring it or oblivious, Scorpius wasn't sure.

"You're getting better," Scorpius said to Lily. She looked at him, almost as if she was surprised for a second before she slightly smiled.

"James and I have been practicing," Lily said. Scorpius nodded. He had known that she and her oldest brother had clung to each other in a strong, unbreakable bond when everything in her life was turned upside down. James had been her rock in the uncertain storm.

"He must suck too," Kate laughed as she moved her piece and removed yet another piece of Lily's. Lily laughed, though her laughter seemed a bit hollow.

"He does alright," Lily said as she overtook a piece of Kate's. Shale let his fingers continue to twist in Lily's hair, completely and seemingly unnoticed by Lily.

"They're hovering," Kate complained. "It's making me nervous."

"We could sit," Scorpius said. "If you think that would make you more comfortable."

"Sure," Kate said as she looked up at him. Elena and Scorpius took a seat on the couch behind her and Kate gave Lily a look. Lily ignored it and continued to play.

"Sit up, Zabini and let someone else sit on the sofa," Damon said knocking the boy's feet aside.

"Fine," Shale said as he sat up, setting one leg on either side of Lily's shoulders. Lily glanced back at him as if she had just realized that he was back there, a slight smile on her face.

"Do you need me to scoot forward so you can have more room?" Lily offered as she looked up at him from her place on the floor.

"No, you're fine," Shale said with a half smile as he touched her hair, tucking it behind her ear. She grinned at him and turned back to the game without another word. It was quiet while the two fifth year girls stared at the pieces, now having drawn an audience of three seventh year students. Scorpius saw Lily shiver at Shale's slight touch though he couldn't be entirely certain that Lily was conscious of the fact Shale's touch had caused it.

Heat rose slightly in her cheeks and she shifted so that she was sitting on her other foot. Scorpius watched her carefully as she contemplated, running moves in her head as she watched the board. She went to reach for a piece just to withdraw her hand slightly. She seemed to ignore the solidarity that the pieces were claim and the loyalty to her they vowed. She held her bottom lip captive between her teeth as fought a smile.

"Give it up," Kate taunted with a smile on her lips. Lily's eyes fell on Scorpius for a second and held his gaze for a moment before turning back to the board.

"Checkmate," Lily said quietly as she moved her piece and won the game.

"NO!" Kate said as she looked at the board. She looked Lily. "Holy Hell, you beat me!"

"I was due," Lily murmured softly as Shale cheered. He threw his arms around Lily from behind and kissed her cheek. She laughed, pulling out of Shale's arms. She wiped her cheek off. "No slobber on the cheek, Shale."

"You know you love it," Shale laughed. Lily pushed his face away as he tried to kiss her cheek again, laughing.

"Well, as much as our prefects seem to be having a good time," Scorpius said yawning slightly. "I think it is that witching hour."

"Cute play on words there," Lily teased as she looked up at him. She smiled slightly before looking away, almost as if she was shy. She stood.

"Easy there," Shale laughed as Lily nearly toppled over. "Legs' asleep?"

"Yes," Lily laughed. She laughed as she tried to put weight on it and nearly fell again, Shale wrapping his arm tightly around her waist.

"Easy. Don't want you to hurt yourself," Shale grinned. Lily nodded as she pulled away.

"I think I can make it back to the dormitory," Lily grinned.

"You sure?" Shale asked. Lily looked away from Shale's face briefly to look at Scorpius before flashing him a grin.

"Absolutely," Lily said as she waved good bye to the room and both of the fifth year girls disappeared behind closed doors. Shale looked at Scorpius, laughing.

"I am so falling for her," Shale grinned as he ran off to his own room. Damon and Elena looked at each other and then at Scorpius.

"You ok with that?" Damon asked frowning.

"No," Scorpius growled as he stormed off to his dormitory. Damon and Elena looked at each other again.

"This is going to be a long year," Damon sighed, rolling his eyes.