Sorry about the wait - went to a friends housewarming on Friday and didn't get a chance to update before that. And then yesterday I was too tired to go on the computer. Not that any of you care about my social life. Anyway, sorry. I'll try post the last chapter tomorrow to make up for it.

And another big thank you to everyone who has taken the time to review.

Chapter 21

The exams finally ended, and their time left seemed to evapourate. It seemed like only days ago that they'd boarded the train to begin the school year; now Hogwarts' students were boarding it to leave.

Alastor and Arthur, along with the other seventh years, were travelling on the Hogwarts express for the last time. Neither seemed to happy about it; Alastor spent the first few minutes of the journey gazing wistfully towards the castle and Arthur was moody for the begining of the trip.

The Weasleys and Potters didn't begin in the same compartment, sitting with their respective friends while the train first boarded, but none stayed still for long; by the time they were halfway to London, family and friends were moving from one compartment to the other, talking, laughing, and teasing before some would move on or more would arrive.

By the time the huge steam train pulled to a stop at platform nine and three quarters, James, Lily, Albus, Hugo, Rose and Scorpius were in the same compartment, halfway through a game of exploding snap.

"We're here!" Lily cried, and leapt to her feet.

"I won." James announced instantly, collecting the cards up.

"No you didn't - I had the most -" Scorpius replied indignatly.

"Prove it." James replied with a grin. "Anyway, it's not like it was important -"

"So admit that I won then -"

"You didn't - it was me -"

"No one won, we didn't finish the game!" Albus interrupted loudly, rolling his eyes. "Idiots. I'm surrounded by idiots..."

That comment, of course, earned him several punches on the arm, before the occupants of the compartment pulled down their luggage and pets.

"Where's Allison and Cassie and Lizzie?" Rose cried. "I said I'd meet up to say goodbye - I can't leave without saying bye!"

"Come on - we'll find them on the platform." Scorpius said, pulling her out of the compartment and rolling his eyes. They piled their luggage into waiting trolleys, and all scanned the crowd through the steam, seeking familiar faces.

"Rose!" Scorpius wisely moved aside as Rose's friends emerged from the crowd, and he and Albus exchanged "why-are-girls-so-weird" looks as they all hugged.

"Where did Lily go?" James asked suddenly. "Dad'll kill us if we've lost her...I think he kind of likes having her around..."

"She's there." Scorpius told him, pointing to where Lily was hugging her own friends goodbye.

"Why the hugs?" Hugo asked. "Why not just say bye, I'll write, see you in September...?"

"'Cause they like to be dramatic." Al told him. "Rose, are you done? I think we should find our parents..."

"Yeah..." Rose said, waving to her friends one final time before turning to Scorpius. "Are we really going to do this?"

"We said we would." Scorpius told her, deciding he had to be the one to stay strong. They couldn't both back down.

"Do what?" Lily asked instantly, having re-joined the group without catching attention.

"You'll see." Rose replied, with a nervous smile. "OK. I'm ready."

Scorpius held her back for a private goodbye, then they seperated and sought out thier parents.

They had already planned it all; and so it was only after the initial hugs and greetings that he made his was back to her side.

"Scorpius, what are you..." Draco Malfoy's voice trailed off as he saw the crowd his son had led him to.

"Draco." Hermione said finally, her greeting breaking the silence. Draco nodded.

"Hi..." He muttered, before looking back at his son. "What are you up to?"

"It's actually my idea, Mr Malfoy." Rose said, catching Draco's attention. He looked at her, guessing she was the infamous Rose.

"What was?"

"Well, see, Scorpius and Al have never stayed at each other's houses, have they? And I thought that was a little strange, but they both thought you and my Uncle Harry wouldn't allow them to visit each other." She added a hint of laughter to her best diplomatic voice, as though the suggestion was ridiculous. "I mean, all this old rivalry stuff is just silly now, isn't it? You're all adults, and all that schoolboy stuff is long forgotton, isn't it? Anyway, I thought it'd be nice if Albus and Scorpius could arrange to see each other over the summer. What do you think?"

Draco, Harry and Ron were wearing identical looks of disbeilf. Hermione and Ginny exchanged smirks; Al raised his eyesbrows at Scorpius, who grinned.

It was Harry who spoke, clearing his throat before stammering a response. "Well...I suppose...uh, if that's what Al and - and Scorpius want...and it's OK with...ah..." He looked up at Draco, the plea for him to be the bad guy clear.

Instead, Draco shifted uncomfortably, looked at his wife who rolled her eyes at him and gave him a pointed look, clearly telling him she wouldn't intervene.

"Well...sure...that's fine. Ah...when, exactly, are you wanting to...?"

"We thought I could go to Al's next week." Scorpius said instantly. "We thought I could stay a few days..." He looked at Ginny then, who nodded and smiled encouragingly. "And then maybe a week or so after that, Al could come to us."

"Sounds - uh, great." Harry said, and Ron barely controlled his laughter. Scorpius grinned at Rose, but she was watching his parents; the way Scorpius' mother had gripped Draco's hand briefly as though to supporrt him, the way they'd communicated in silence, the little smile on his mother's face, the same kind of expression her own mum got when she thought her dad was doing something stupid but not worthy of her annoyance.

Scorpius may not think his parents would last, or that they were truly in love, but Rose thought they seemed to love each other, care about each other.

"Well...we better be going." Draco said finally.

"Yeah, us too." Harry muttered, avoiding meeting anyone's eyes.

"Rose and I just want to say goodbye to Scorpius." Al said quickly. "We'll meet you outside in a bit."

"But..." Harry began, and sighed slightly when Ginny took his arm and started pulling him away.

"Come on." Hermione murmured, and tugged at Ron's sleeve.

"We'll see you by the car, then." He said finally, and Rose nodded. The three teenagers waited in silence until their families had all left, before crying "Yes!" in unison.

"That was brilliant, Rose!" Albus said. "You could've told me you were going to do that though - I wouldn't have looked so shocked then."

"Rose wanted it to be a surprise." Scorpius told him with a grin.

"And Scorpius and I thought it was about time our parents all met, face-to-face, again." Rose told him.

"When I saw you bring your dad over, I thought there'd be curses flying within seconds."

"Me too." Scorpius laughed.

"Well I knew there wouldn't be." Rose replied, shaking her head. "Our dad's aren't that childish."

Albus and Scorpius exchanged amused looks.

"They would have done if we hadn't been in the way." Scorpius whispered, and Al nodded, then Scorpius glanced over his shoulder. "We better go, before they all come back."

"Yeah..." Rose agreed. "OK, I'll see you when you come to Al's, 'kay?"

"Write and tell me if you want picking up or if your mum or dad's going to bring you." Albus added.

"Will do. See you soon."

And then Scorpius hurried to his parents, Al and Rose hurried outside, and the summer holidays had officially began.