Chapter 29: Healer
My hand is slippery with blood. I don't know why.
"Scorpius?"
I stare at him. His silver eyes stare back at me as he extends his hand and I grab it, clumsily standing up. I feel so light, like I'm going to faint.
"Lily."
And then, completely unannounced, he kisses me, pulling me towards him and holding me tight. And I kiss him back, my stomach fluttering with butterflies and my head spinning wildly as we pull away and I kiss him again because I want to. My ears are hot and his cheeks are red. We blush as our gaze meets at our entwined fingers. He's wearing bloodstained robes and I'm wearing a nightdress. A nightdress. This is pretty terrible. But terrific.
"Lily, oh, it feels so good to be back! I've been having an terrible dream! It was an absolute nightmare -" Rose stopped mid-sentence, and smirked, "I think I'm still having it."
Scorpius shrugged, "A lot can change in a few months, can't it, Potter?" he said teasingly. I swatted him playfully.
"What I want to know is how exactly you two stopped arguing," said Rose. I hugged her.
"Don't worry, we still do."
I stared at the shuddering ceiling. "We have to get everyone out, this place is going to burn!"
"I'm on it," said Rose, "What about her?"
Scorpius smirked, "Oh, she won't be bothering us for a while."
"The cells! They're absorbing energy twice as quickly now!" Rose exclaimed. I glanced at the cells again, searching the mechanism.
"I can break them," I said.
"Be careful, Lily. There are lots of binds on these," warned Scorpius.
"I know," I said, "Stand back!"
I focused my magic on the connection point, the weak part. The light crackled and snapped. Scorpius yanked me down as the cells exploded. James, Hugo, Carla, Adele, and Maddie got to their feet.
"Albus, Al, please, no!"
Carla knelt by Albus, her face pale as a ghost, her healing magic flowing through Albus.
"He's alive, but very weak. My healing powers are not that strong, but I did the best I could. Albus will survive." Her voice was shaky.
"Let's get out of here," said James. Scorpius shook his head.
"You can't get out by any normal means. All the magic is locked inside this place."
I bit my lip. "This. Is not. Good." And then my exhaustion from using so much magic caught up with me. I fainted.
I woke up for the second time in a hospital bed, this time in St. Mungo's and around 5 in the morning.
"Oh, good, you're awake. I'm Healer Nori," said the young woman with the clipped blonde hair with a streak of pink in it, "Like the seaweed."
"I'm Lily," I propped myself up against the pillows with a small smile, "Like the flower."
Healer Nori smiled, "Oh yes, I know who you are. That's a brave thing you did back here in the Ministry."
I shrugged, embarrassed, "I didn't think about it much at the time. Healer Nori, how long have I been here?"
"A week."
"Is my brother okay?"
Healer Nori nodded, "He's fine. Gave us quite a turn, the two of you, but you both pulled through alright. Your father and your older brother were worried sick. I finally convinced them to sleep for half an hour, at least."
"Can I see them?" I stuck a foot out of bed.
"Not so fast, young lady," said Healer Nori.
"I don't need a wheelchair!" I complained.
"Rules are rules," said Healer Nori, "And your dad has a surprise for you."
"Mum!" I screamed, flinging myself at my mum, who wrapped me in a hug.
"Lily, oh, I missed you!"
"I missed you more."
"No hug for me?" teased Dad.
James and Albus are besides themselves, grinning and doubled over with laughter, Maddie is blowing pink bubblegum, which Adele and Carla are stealing as usual while they bet on how long it will take them to catch Lysander and Rose together again. I grab a piece and wink at Scorpius. Aurelie is sitting on the chair next to Hugo, talking a mile a minute. Mum and Dad convinced the teachers to let me pull out of the Games, on account of my 'condition'. Generally, life is good, I think as Scorpius grabs my hand before sneakily leading us out.
James looked up, "Where's my coffee mug?"
"Jamie!"
Scorpius stiffles a snort as we walk to the orchard. The paper-thin blossoms rustle in the wind, and his lips find mine slowly, carefully.
"I love you," he whispers. Because he's mine and I'm his, not perfect alone but perfect together.
And that's the end of the year! Thank you to everyone who's been with Lily from the beginning, thanks to all readers, favoriters, followers, and reviewers! I've come so far since Lily Burning... thanks guys. It's been real. For Lily's next adventures, look for Shattering Moon: Book 3, coming soon!
