A/N: This chapter is brought to you by Getting to Know You and awesome reviewers humming Julie Andrews classics. Hints in this chapter are hints, poke at them and guess, please. Next chapter, AS/S action as well as Hugo, playing the role of agony uncle. As for my other story, I know, I know I'm on the last chapter and I haven't posted anything. I'm a monster, stone me with cookies. It's snowing here and I'm going outside. Enjoy and let me know what you think.

Part Six:

"What do you think of these?" Lily asked. "Or the pearls, Snitch?"

Scorpius snickered, flipping one slip of parchment over to read the other side. Scorpius had asked Al Potter to send him a copy of his story, and last night Scorpius had received a little brown paper package, tied up with twine. However, it hadn't been the story that Albus had described to Scorpius the week before. Tucked inside the first page of the story had been a spellotape note:

From a romantic Slytherin to a cunning Gryffindor- a story, just for him.

Asp.

It was a story about a boy who had studied for months and months in order to discover his animagus form, but instead of turning into an animal, he had become a snitch. Scorpius had just gotten to the part where the boy had flown himself, accidentally, onto the Arrows field, when he had fallen asleep, exhausted from work. There were three more pages to go, and Scorpius was savoring it, as much as he was entranced and desperate to get to the end. No one had ever written him anything like this before. No one had ever written him a story, actually- unless the stories his mother had told him at bedtime had counted. Of course, this was something else entirely.

It was amazing and genius. And funny.

Scorpius snickered again.

"Are you actually going to pay attention to a word I say today," Lily cried, and this time Scorpius did look up. "Or are you going to read your post? Who has written, anyway? Is it one of your cousins?"

"It's my aunt," Scorpius felt his stomach twist. He couldn't even think to lie properly and say which aunt it was outright. "I suppose she must be very bored with Mummy and Dad if she's writing me."

"Hmm," Lily nodded, absorbed in her reflection once more. Lily was still in her bra and knickers; a black lace and nude strap affair that didn't cover much. She tilted her head to once side, which let all her red hair tumble across the opposite shoulder. Then she accio'd a black halter robe off the edge of the bed, and pressed it to her torso critically.

"I've gained weight," Lily declared dramatically.

Scorpius groaned internally. They were already late- they didn't have time for Lily to have a meltdown about an extra ounce she imagined dangling from her eyelashes.

"Your tits look larger," Scorpius tried flattery as he reached off the edge of the bed for the firewhiskey. Lily kept her flat in such a state that Scorpius had to dig for the bottle underneath a Chinese takeaway carton, and a shredded Witch Weekly magazine.

"That's just the glamour on them," Lily adjusted the straps of her bra with a faint smile. "Worth going to Romania, for that. But I don't look fat to you, Snitchy?"

"I can barely see you," Scorpius stuck out his tongue in amusement. "And don't wear black. It makes your freckles stand out terribly. Wear the teal."

Lily reached for the teal dress and began wiggling into the skintight number. "I'm surprised that you haven't gone up to Scotland, yet, Snitch. Or is it because of-"

"Lily," Scorpius whispered. "Don't be stupid."

Lily sat down at the edge of the bed and tapped Scorpius' leg twice. Without a word, he handed over the bottle of firewhiskey, and she took a large swig. Whenever she was away, Scorpius missed the silent communication that they had built up together, through years and years of friendship. Jamie was his best mate, and as such they always got on, but Lily was something else. Maybe in another world she would have been his wife. Or his sister. Something more essential than just a friend. She felt like something that familiar, yet external.

"I'm only asking because you haven't even told Jamie yet," Lily put her head on Scorpius' shoulder and Scorpius sighed. "Don't you think you ought to tell him, at least?"

"Jamie and I don't actually talk about those sorts of things you know," Scorpius shrugged, and Lily's head bobbed at his side. When Jamie wanted to talk about shagging, he went to his cousins, or to Teddy. Scorpius was his best mate, but they didn't share everything. In fact, telling Jamie that he was gay had been the hardest and most awkward conversation of Scorpius' life. Much harder, actually, than telling his family.

"I just don't think that keeping a secret like this is going to work well, long term," Lily sat up then, and fiddled under her crumpled duvet until her hand came away with a strand of pearls. "Do these up, will you?"

"Come here," Scorpius reached around her neck. She had a splash of freckles down her neck, and chest, but her face wasn't very spotted, even without the addition of magical face powder. Not like Al. Albus reminded Scorpius of Ron Weasley in the amount of freckles he had.

It was oddly charming.

Not Auror Weasley- he was not charming at all. He had the habit of looking at Scorpius as though he was a barely trained crup. But Albus. Albus was charming-

"Will you tell Jamie?" Lily persisted. Ah- and Scorpius had just removed his hands from her neck. Maybe next time.

"What for?" Scorpius was well aware of the fact that he was whinging.

"This will come up, Scorpius," Lily looked cross then- but she always looked cross when she wasn't getting her own way, so it was nothing new. "If not during a party, then during Yule. Or at the Ministry. Someone will get drunk and let the kneazle out. And you know Jamie will cause a scene."

"Which is why we won't tell him a word," Scorpius smiled, and his face felt stronger than wand's wood. When Jamie chose to break up with witches, and they sought Scorpius out, it was always strained and awkward- especially in the early years when Scorpius had made the mistake of befriending a few of them. But this would be worse. Scorpius could actually see Jamie doing something stupid.

"I can't let him be dragged into this," Scorpius stated. "Besides, it's done."

"That's what you said the last time," Lily pursed her lips, rising from the bed, her eyes darting around the room. "Accio blue handbag! Ah- not this handbag. Oh well. You always say that it's over, and nothing changes in your life. You're worse than a Hufflepuff. You just drift and keep on-"

"Ugh," Scorpius grimaced at the mental picture, "Lily!"

"Well, it's true," Lily huffed, pausing in front of the glass. "I'm going out without lipstick and no, I can't be bothered to do a charm. Does this look alright, or do I look too cheap for later on?"

The dress was so tight that Scorpius was pretty sure that he could actually see the outline of Lily's internal organs. Scorpius bit down a smirk and a smart remark- Lily was already glaring at him, as though she could read his mind just by looking at his expression. But that really didn't matter. Lily would easily outshine any witch tonight, lipstick or not. She had a model's long, lean lines, and a model's perfect bone structure. Growing up, Lily had been coltish, then waiflike- and because of it she had taken to wearing Jamie's jumpers under her school robes to hide her awkward form.

Until her fourth year. That was the year that Scorpius had found it necessary to break Hammond Barlett's wand, because he had attempted to do a reflecting charm on the Gryffindor bench at breakfast, just so he could look up Lily's skirt. Luckily Jamie had taken part of the blame, or the pair of them would have been expelled.

It had been worth it.

"Are we going?" Lily huffed, as if she hadn't kept him waiting. Scorpius rose from the bed, and Lily wrapped her arms around him, as she began to tuck his white Oxford shirt into his trousers.

"You're very handsome, Mr. Malfoy," Lily smiled. "Will you marry me? Oh- and don't forget the Portkey, Snitchy."

"I thought we were already married, Potter," Scorpius snorted, adjusting the angle of his trilby hat until it looked perfectly effortless. Merlin- he had a spot. How unfortunate. "We barely see each other, don't shag, and we're having affairs. Feels an awful lot like a Pureblood marriage."

Lily tapped his shoulder, and without a word of warning, glamoured the spot.

"There you are," she grinned. "And don't worry, Snitch, I won't ask you about it."

"About what?" Scorpius asked, distracted. He had no idea where the Portkey was, and there was precious little time left until it was supposed to deactivate. Lily always did that- she always left something laying about in her hovel of a flat, and then she made Scorpius look for it. Where was her maid, anyway? Scorpius wouldn't have been surprised if the poor witch had quit again- there was only so much magic could do, and no one dared use the Dark Arts on Harry Potter's daughter.

"About the letter in your pocket," Lily said triumphantly, and Scorpius stilled, his body petrified to the spot. Had Lily seen the note? Had Lily recognized her brother's handwriting? Gods there had to be a way for Scorpius to get out of this-

"Lily-"

"Snitch," Lily held up the Portkey, "We've got to go."

Scorpius backed away from the mirror and took the two steps to Lily's side. Though she had fallen silent for the time being, Scorpius knew from experience that she was merely waiting for the right moment to strike. Or had she already talked to Jamie about it? Scorpius could imagine the pair of them, scheming worse than Slytherins, about Scorpius' imagined love life. As if he had time for an affair, with his career banished beyond the grasp of even a first year trainee.

"Is he fit?" Lily whispered, her pointed hip knocking against a coin in Scorpius' pocket. Thank the gods- she didn't know that it was Albus. Not that there was anything to know, really. Except the party, of course.

Scorpius opened his mouth to tell her once and for all to shut her gob, but instead, a flash of Albus' face appeared in his mind. Albus had a crooked nose, and far too many freckles, and eyes that were so green that they made Scorpius almost ashamed to look into them. Was he fit? Scorpius wasn't quite sure. His mouth was pert and narrow, and it curved in a way that made Scorpius think of all the stories he wrote, and all the words he had locked up inside, but never let out. Anyone off the alley would say that James was more handsome, and that wands down Lily was the real beauty of the Potter clan. But Albus was more interesting to look at. Scorpius could look Albus for days and not be bored- his face was like a novel, unfolding constantly.

"I-" Scorpius wasn't even sure what he was going to say. Something incriminating, surely.

But the Portkey went off, and his words disappeared into the night.

Scorpius was exhausted. The sweat was pouring from every pore in his body, and he felt as though his bones were literally separating from his cartilage under his robes. Still, he had to push on. Pausing was not an option; even though right now his wand was temptingly close, just out of reach. If only Scorpius could get at it, and cast aguamenti. One sip of water would be like a hydration potion right now. One drop would be enough, really, for him to regain momentum- he wouldn't ask for more. It was mad, but now even Scorpius' hands were even sweating; even between his fingers. Scorpius was done in- there was supposed to be that fabled second wind, but at this moment it felt like a fantasy that elder Aurors told their trainees-

"G'wan Malfoy," Scorpius heard a cat-call. It was Jamie, doing a horrible impression of a Scottish accent. "G'wan my son."

Scorpius huffed down a laugh, but he knew better than to turn his head and drop the pulsating, charmed ball of mass that the Aurors trained with. The ball itself was nothing more than an illusion- a tiny little pod that grew and grew as the Aurors tossed it back and forth. It increased in weight and size, until it was the maximum mass that that Auror was able to handle and train with. Scorpius was not a huge fan of the ball, but when he tried to avoid it Jamie's uncle Ron always managed to appear at the bullpen; parchment in hand. And Scorpius couldn't afford a row with him, especially not with his shoulder in the state it was in these days.

Scorpius heard a thud. Out of the corner of his eye, Scorpius saw James drop down in the corner of the mat beside him, tossing his bag down with the ease that Scorpius missed using. Damn his shoulder, and his impulsiveness.

Jamie was taping his left hand with magi-gauze. He had an old Quidditch injury that had never healed properly, mostly likely due to the fact that Scorpius and James had tried to Heal it themselves first, using books from the Manor. Then, they had ignored it for a week, while Jamie's hand swelled to comical size. There had been pranks to dole out, after all.

"How's the case going?" Scorpius asked. Someone had to mention it. It was getting too bloody awkward. Was this what it would feel like if Jamie slept with one of Scorpius' exes? Scorpius tried to imagine it, and winced. Either way, really, the tension was reaching idiotic proportions.

"Good," James tossed the ball against the pad and it registered neatly, striking out in a gold flash of sparks. "Really good, Snitch. You did almost everything, all I had to do was brew the ingredients you had left in the cauldron."

"I was better in Potions," Scorpius said dryly and then bit his tongue. You're supposed to be happy for your best mate, you plonker.

"I am sorry that I took your case you twat," Jamie grinned, though the smile didn't quite reach his eyes completely. Throughout their friendship, James had been the older one, the fitter one- the one who had come from the right family. Scorpius had always been made aware by the entire school, and by the world, really, that he was the hanger on. And then the Fates had decided to make him gay as well. It was really the best punchline- only it was on Scorpius himself.

"Don't be an arse," Scorpius huffed, trying to focus on both his workout and the conversation. Thankfully doing both meant that he had to give up his pity parade. "I get my mention, you get the glory- nothing's changed, really. I exist to make you look good."

James grinned.

"What are you doing?" Jamie asked, groaning as he missed his target and the ball ricocheted across the charmed, padded floor, becoming twice as heavy and triple the weight in one go. Scorpius held back a laugh. Watching Jamie get his wand clipped by an intimate object in a one-sided duel was always hilarious.

"Sweating my balls off, clearly," Scorpius muttered under his breath. He nearly missed that time. Scorpius was winded, and tired, but he wanted to gain some strength back in his shoulder. Being dependent on potions was not something he relished.

"Charming," Jamie let out a long breath. "Give me a minute and I'll hex them off for you. I meant tonight, you Janus Thickey patient."

"James Potter," Scorpius smiled evenly. "The only employed Inferius in the wizarding world, and my best mate. I feel so honored."

"You should be, Malfoy," Jamie shrugged his nose to push up his glasses. "My fabulous decomposition has fascinated many a witch. Please don't pick at my rotting flesh, resist the temptation. I'm not an object for your amusement. I am a wizard, just like you."

Scorpius couldn't help but laugh. Because of the distraction, he missed the target by a wide margin, and Scorpius' orb went rolling off into space, knocking against the ward that kept all the workout mats folded and shrunken tight in a large wooden cabinet. Scorpius sighed as he stood up, sweaty and exhausted. Jamie had won, and he'd likely crow worse than an owl holding a letter on a locked windowsill.

50 Galleons.

"Jelly wand," Jamie taunted and Scorpius won the wager with himself. Gods, James was never going to grow out of being sixteen. "You tired, then?"

Scorpius nodded. "What did you want to ask?"

"I'm coming over," Jamie hit the mark without looking. Fucking Potter. Scorpius could do better, if it wasn't for his shoulder. "It's the Arrows versus Puddlemere."

"You don't support either of them," Scorpius said idly as he stared into the glass across the bullpen. His hair was getting long again; it was time for another cut. Scorpius was supposed to Floo Al Potter tonight. He really didn't think that Al wanted to have a conversation about champagne versus firewhiskey with his brother in the room.

"Yeah, but if Puddlemere wins then they have to play the Cannons," Jamie frowned. "When did you stop liking Quidditch? Have you got the Malfoy Malady?"

Yeah, I'm a homosexual, Scorpius almost said, but he bit down the quip. James could handle so much before he imploded. And Scorpius was already testing his fortitude by having Al over on a regular basis.

"Don't be stupid," Scorpius laughed. "My great-grandfather made that up to cover for his affairs. Are we going to play Quidditch Gobstones?"

"My darling," James drawled, looking over his shoulder, his dark eyes full of glee, "I thought you'd never ask."

Scorpius grinned. Sometimes he really fucking loved Jamie Potter.