Lily's POV

Graduation had passed, as had the first three months of my pregnancy. We had visited two doctors before falling in love with our third. I felt smothered by the amount of doctor visits so Scorpius, after a rather heated discussion, said our next visit could be in early September. By then we would be married and officially begin prepping for Baby Malfoy. For now we were focusing on getting through the wedding and prepping Safe Haven for the event.

Every surface had been polished and all the drapes had been cleaned and repaired and color enhanced. Scorpius had purchased a large plot of land behind the house and had planted blossoming willow trees and vines over arches that would be ready and in full bloom by the time our late-August wedding rolled around. There was so much to do and now that my morning sickness, which was terrible, had lessened I felt like I had energy to help and choose our colors. I was thinking of downy grey and a soft rose and crème accent. Scorpius had really seemed to like the color mix I had shown him so I had begun to order everything that struck my fancy.

I had accepted the invitation for the Irish Phoenix' team and joined them for practice today. We were going through a few different moves and tactics today and my excitement to be one of them was tangible. During our break I ran my hand back and forth over the red and gold robes we wore. Everyone on the team had red hair (It was common for teams to have a theme or thing that brought them together. The Holyhead Harpies all had names beginning with the letter G and we had red heads!) After three hours of riding, feigning, diving, and doing speed flights the team touched ground and congratulated each other on a practice well done. While at the bar everyone visited afterwards as "team building" I invited all of them to the wedding and excused myself after two Shirley Temple drinks.

That evening Scorpius and I walked through Diagon Alley hand in hand. We were going to dinner then I was going to explore the new multi-story potions shop while he had a banner made for our Baby Gala this coming weekend. He had wanted my input but the only thing I could think of was exploring the store. He had given up and just passed his ideas by me in the end.

Dinner was uneventful. Our waiter was awkward and seemed taken back when I asked for a bottled water after my first glass. It had tasted funny and kind of sour to me. Scorpius sat and chatted happily with me after he had thrown down his meal of Pan-fried pheasant and Yorkshire pudding. He had finished a solid thirty minutes before me. After eating all I could and picking at my food a bit longer we went took to the streets.

The night was warm and so comfortable that an impromptu walk was needed. With the cobblestone beneath our shoes we traced the pavement and stopped to admire anything was struck our fancy. I bought a white and silver feather canopy to drape around the basinet Draco had given us and Scorpius later bought a cool item that would let you create designs and pattern for a room before magically applying it in the room of your choice. We also both fell in love with a rocking chair that looks as though it had been made to match the basinet waiting in the alcove of our favorite room.

Soon Scorpius kissed my hand and left me at the potions shop as he rushed towards the parchment store to loose himself in its hues and textures. I smiled as the bell tinkled above the door to the newest shop. Here every ingredient imaginable was in stock and nicely displayed. My hands traced the polished wood of the shelves and the shopping basket bumped comfortably into my hip every other step. There was a bookshelf at the end of the row and on it sat a hundred copies of The Extremists Guide to Potion-making: A-Z guide to brewing. As I neared one levitated around with me and a magically infused voice told me about different spells for the items around me. When I asked about a spell it flipped to the correct page and read off the ingredients lists as well as telling me which isle and floor it was located on. I got the things I wanted off the fourth floor then quickly walked through the third floor in an attempt to save myself from impulse shopping.

It was on the second floor that my trip turned for the worst. Above me there was a roar and a whoosh of air blasted my hair back. Above me people were screaming and rushing down the staircase. I was nearly knocked back as a mess of red hair covered me from the explosion that sent heat shooting passed.

"Go, Lily, get down the stair and turn left immediately. Get outside. Hurry. This is only going to get worse. Go."

It was my cousin. Rose and I hadn't exchanged more than a few sentences in the year or so since Scorpius and I had resumed dating. She was stung and hadn't forgiven me for being the one he chose. In an effort to keep family drama out of my life I hadn't forced conversation or demanded her presence.

Those who rushed by seemed to push towards the fire leaking down to this floor. Feindfyre. Shapes jumped around the store and begun to engulf this level now that those above had been destroyed. Rose pushed me into their midst and watched as I was carried by the terrified crowd towards the doors. Her form disappeared when I was forced around the corner. She had been getting people down the stairs and out of the building. I realized that she had been wearing an apron. She worked at the store and was determined to get everyone she could out.

After being battered around and squeezed through the door with four other people I looked at those out on the streets. Some of the people were trying to water down the fire, not realized it wasn't possible to satiate this type. I found Scorpius charging to me and pulling me into his chest panicking as he asked questions. Medics found us and pulled me from him.

As quick as possible I told him Rose had saved me and that she was inside still on the second floor. Before I could say more Scorpius charged into the building, pushing past the few people still fighting to escape.

Scorpius POV

Inside the parchment shop I fingered through glossy sheets of image paper and thick paper made for signs and banners. The texture of shine on my fingers was soft and clay like, or perhaps wet chalk like. I selected my paper and moved on to admire the colored inks. And as much as I wanted to go with Malfoy Silver and Green I knew Lily would have an issue with it, despite her uninterested mood recently. I selected a deep royal purple and silver for the trim. With my arms full I walked up to the sharp looking witch to pay for my supplies. It was the moment ink hit the table that sirens shot off and people in the streets pointed and shouted. The recently built four story potions store had caught fire. For a moment I thought about how disappointed Lily would be about all the new potions she hadn't gotten a chance to brew then I panicked, dropped everything, and raced towards the building being engulfed.

I felt my heart pounding as my feet screamed at themselves for not being able to run faster. Lily had wanted to visit every floor and the potion she had been most excited to brew was advanced, meaning its components would be on the top story. Had she bought what she needed and come to find me? Had she been working her way up? She might have been on a lower floor if that was the case. What ever she had chosen she would still be in the store and I had no idea where she could be. A throng of people rushed over with me and started jets of water before I could draw my wand with shaky hands. Others slowed and focused on different parts a ways back. I kept running. The shapes leaping around told me that water would be useless here. This was feindfyre and could be near impossible to put out.

Lily came staggering out of the mess of wood and greasy flames and grasp my arms crying something about Rose and needing to rush in. She held her hand over her swollen stomach as if to protect our little babe from the harsh heat radiating off the collapsing building. She was quickly ushered to a safe location and medics began looking her over and asking about our child and who else was in the building. To which she could only say," Rose Weasley, second floor." It was enough to send me off. Police blocked my way but a fast leap and a bit of magic pushed me past their spells.

Inside everything was black and sooty. Thanks to my bubble head charm I had fresh air and my wand produced enough water to keep a stream of fluid coming. I cleaned off a sign and tried to memorize the map. Stairs for the second floor were ahead of me and half way up a heat flare blew me down the stairs I had almost completed. Again the stairs moved past under my flailing feet and the door to the second floor fell ajar. Inside a girl lay face down on the floor, her singed orange hair reflected the fire closing in around her pale skin. My wand no longer produced enough water and to keep focus I refused to try something else. Rose wasn't moving and I felt as though I was melting. The unbearable heat threatened to push me from the room and sweat threatened my vision. The shapes danced just through the other door and were quickly licking the doorframe, threatening to enter. I summoned Rose to me and checked her forehead. She must have passed out from the heat and smoke. With her on my shoulders I returned to the stairwell to find a lack of stairs. The bottom level was consumed with flames and it was bubbling up the stairs.

On the map below it had shown a balcony on one of the sides. Taking my chances I made a logical decision. Balconies would face the street, right? Right! It was there, facing the black mass of people who struggled against the flames. Luckily I was noticed and all efforts to put out fires focused around us. It was the first time I had a moment to breathe. My bubble charm faded and Rose opened her eyes and her face twitched into a smile for a brief second. If faded just as quickly.

"You're holding me against you, as if I matter, finally. I've waited for this for eleven years."

"Rose, I'm so sorry, I never knew."

"No. No need wasting breathe for things past. Eventually you've just got to let go. Give Lily my best and my congratulations. Your baby will be amazingly beautiful, like both of you. You will make a great father. I would have loved to..."

She curled into me and I felt her grown still.

"Rose? Rose Weasley. Look at me. Rose. Look at me. Talk to me. They are coming for us. Rose. Look. Look. They are coming!"

People had run to the broomstick store down the street and now came to rescue us, lead by the shop owner. As fast as they flew, they couldn't get here faster. Rose was gone or fading fast and medics were scrambling to get ready for us. I was tossed a broomstick and reached the ground. I had held Rose in front of me and only released her once we were safe, kneeling on the cobblestones. Medics swirled around us and Rose was carried off just as Lily rushed to me.

"Is she alright. Scorpius, she talked to you. I saw her. Is she still talking?"

"No. She dropped her head and hasn't moved since. I don't think she is going to speak again Lily. Her last words were sending you her best and congratulating you."

Lily gave me a knowing look before saying the words I hadn't wanted to. Rose had always loved me. From the day on the platform to the burning potions store.

Medics ushered us into a tent where Rose had been laid out, the ash cleaned from her face, hair, and burned arms. They predicted she had passed before leaving the building. I admitted to talking to her before the broomsticks got to us. A swift nod told me she died in my arms. How very Les Miserables-esque. We were joined by the Weasleys and after a undetectable enlargement charm the Potter's and my own parents joined us in the crowded tent. When they asked I told them what she had said last. Her last sentence, or half of a sentence, I kept to myself. It was for me and I knew how it ended.

Lily and I left the tent for a short walk. Lily needed something to settle her stomach and I wanted more than anything to avoid crowds and questions. In the small pastry shop down the street we were given a private room and the curtains were drawn.

"Scorpius, I'm glad you saved her. I'm glad you got her body out of there. I know what she said wasn't easy to hear. We hadn't said more than a few words to each other since she found out I was the one you gave the necklace to. I wish we had patched things up and gotten back on good terms. Now she's gone and I never got to forgive her or share another secret. She would have loved to hear about Safe Haven and all our hopes for Baby Malfoy. I sent her a wedding invite and she had said she would come. My dad got a picture from Ron yesterday. Rose tried on and showed off the dress she planned on wearing and he took a Muggle picture for my parents."

"I'm sorry it ended that way too. Most of all, I'm very grateful she saved you and our baby. I doubt she was as mad as you think. She was probably just lonely and sad."

"I would be the same way if I were in her place. Actually, I would be worse. I wouldn't be able to see you so happy with someone else. That must be why she was never around."

"I'm disappointed it had to end that way for her. She was a good person."