A/N This story has absolutley nothing to do with Serpent's Tongue and I own nothing except the plot line, the character of Gregor Haideish and little Ruby. Read and enjoy:

Scorpius watched her every movement before walking up to her and telling her what had to be said.

'Lily, next year…'

'Shh,' she whispered, pressing a finger to his lips. 'Don't talk about next year just yet, let's enjoy the here and now.'

Scorpius looked sadly around the Slytherin common room that had been his home for the past seven years, then he looked down at the perfect, red-haired beauty in his arms. 'I'm leaving,' he said.

Lily looked confusedly up at him. 'Of course you are, you can't stay any longer.'

'No, Lily, I'm leaving the country.'

'Oh,' she said and he was devastated to see the look of heart break on her face. 'For- for how long?'

'I wish I knew, Lily. But I've signed up for the foreign investigator corps so that I can repair some of the damage my family has caused.'

She choked and he couldn't help but see the tears spring to her eyes. 'Your family, Scorp, not you,' she finally said. They both knew it wasn't going to change anything.

'I have to do this, Lil,' he said.

Lily choked again and clung to him as if she was drowning and he was her only means of escape, but Scorpius felt as though he was only pulling her deeper into the suffocating waters as she sobbed against his chest. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly until the sun started to rise and the first Slytherins started to appear from the dorms. Everyone knew. Some shook their heads sadly, others just avoided looking at them. Finally, Lily straightened her back and rubbed her face, clearing it slightly. She put on a fake smile and she held his hand and they walked down to breakfast together for the last time.

The train came to take them home and Lily never let go of his hand. They stepped off and each remembered the previous year when their families had been baring their teeth at each other. Now they waited together, Draco talking awkwardly to Harry and Astoria laughing together with Ginny and Hermione. The adults all turned to see the young couple and immediately knew what had happened. Scorpius had already told them what he was going to do, apologising profusely to Lily's parents until they had begged him to stop. They knew what it would do to their daughter, but they could see what it would do to Scorpius if he didn't go.

The couple kissed one last time and separated, sad smiles for each other and their families, but the moment no one was watching they slipped from their faces. They didn't talk much over the holidays, only a couple of letters until the final day. He was leaving the day before she returned to school and Lily went, for the first time, to Scorpius' house. She greeted his mother with a friendly hug and shook hands with his father. Then she turned to Scorpius. He was travelling light, with only one spare change of clothes and no equipment save his wand and a water bottle.

The two stood staring at each other for a very long time, reliving the past couple of years from before their first kiss through the happy, laughter filled years to this point now. Lily blinked hard, trying her best not to cry before him. He reached a hand towards her, to cup her cheek in his hand, but faltered and thought better of it. His hand dropped to his side as he opened his mouth to tell her – something. But she shook her head; no.

'I know,' she said simply and he smiled gratefully and sadly and disapparated, wondering how long it would be before he'd see her again.

Scorpius apparated in the foreign apartment of the Ministry of Magic and they greeted him with a curt nod and sent him off to a team of about forty men. The captain greeted him and he stepped into the ranks, feeling the warm metal of the locket containing the photos of his loved ones against his cold, clammy skin. His mission would last a long time and as the captain spoke he realised that he might not see any of them, his mum, dad or Lily, ever again. He bit the inside of his cheek and hoped that they would, one day, forgive him.

The squadron travelled to America, Canada, India, Japan, Kenya, Italy, Egypt, Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkey, Zimbabwe, Madagascar, all across the world, their path erratic, going only where they were sent. Most of the time the quarrels they found were silenced peacefully. Sometimes they had to use force. Occasionally someone died. The numbers of their squadron were dwindling slowly and it choked Scorpius up whenever he had to tell his parents another of his colleagues was dead. He wrote to his parents as frequently as possible – which wasn't very often – but he could never work up the courage to write to Lily and ask her how she was and he never received a letter from her. At least, not until two years after he had joined. The numbers of the once-forty squadron were now down to twenty five, and that was with three new recruits. But he didn't tell Lily that.

From his parents letters he thought she was worried still, but cheerfully moving on with her life. The letter she sent him would say otherwise. She wrote about her school years and her new occupation and inconsequential things, but beneath every word Scorpius could hear her shouting at him, begging to please, please just come home. When he saw that she had signed off, love, he swallowed. She had scribbled it out, but he could still tell. He scolded both him and her lightly in his head. Stupid, stupid fools. Her image agreed with him, but clung to him like that last night at Hogwarts. Scorpius struggled to breath evenly, before writing what he hoped was en even response.

He had been in Dubai at the time and shortly after the letter had been sent off the war broke out. The squadron was meant to be out of their by then, they were peace keepers, not the peace fighters. However, as soon as the ministry heard they were reassigned and they stayed another three months at Dubai, fighting the war and loosing another eight men, including heir captain. By default Scorpius took his role and the squadron travelled once more across the world, this time to Tanzania. They stayed there for another few months where Scorpius was joined by an old 'friend' Gregor Haideish. He too had left immediately after finishing school and his squadron had been completely wiped out by a bombing two weeks before, but Gregor had opted to stay out there and had been put under Scorpius' command. Despite their previous rivalry, the men found comfort in knowing the same people back home. Scorpius received another letter from Lily, which Gregor shook his head at and turned away. Scorpius didn't write back to her; he couldn't. He'd done too much damage in her life already. He told his parents to apologise to her in his last letter home. The next day the enemy had them surrounded.

The squadron was cornered in their small mud castle for several months, slowly squandering their food and water until Scorpius could stand it no longer. He explained what he was going to do. The men shook their heads in shock and refusal.

'No, Scorpius, you can't do this!' Gregor shouted out.

'Why not exactly? Tell me, Haideish, how else do you think we're going to get out of here?'

'Don't do this.' The man shook his head, already knowing he'd lost. 'Not to the men, not to her.'

Scorpius didn't need to ask who Gregor meant when he said this. 'I've seen more death than anyone should see, but hopefully I've done right by her. I can't go back now, Gregor, surely you can see that?' Scorpius asked.

The men looked at their leader. His once pale skin was now light tan from too long in the sun, pockmarked with long white scars of spells and bullets and knives. His hair, once white blonde, was now simply white. He was a strong, resilient man, their captain, but no one could look at him and say that he wasn't broken.

'When you get home, find her for me. Tell her what I've done, but don't… don't tell her I still love her. She needs to be able to move on.' Scorpius stopped talking and Gregor nodded once. Scorpius thanked him and turned to face the outer wall, beyond which the enemy lay waiting. Now he had to do what he had to do. He stepped forward and fought for his life, knowing he would not win. He heard the others escaping and as the blackness finally started to creep up over his vision he sent one final prayer up to the God he had never truly believed in to protect his dear, beloved Lily. Then the world pitched and he fell into nothingness.

He woke a long time later. He was still lying, face down in the blood soaked earth and he could feel the flood seeping out of his front. Scorpius heaved himself upright and inspected his wound. It was long, shallow and only bleeding very lightly. Looking around him he saw the ground was littered not only with the bodies of the enemy, but three others from his squadron. That meant fifteen of his men had survived. Good. Scorpius carefully removed one of the thick jackets from his team members and ripped the cotton covering off to wrap around his middle to help clot the blood. Wincing, Scorpius carefully dug three light graves and heaved the bodies into them, carving simple wooden crosses for his men, hoping it would be enough to let them get their well-earned peace.

Scorpius considered apparating, but his concentration was so fragmented at the moment he doubted he'd be able to do so without splinching. Looked like he was simply going to have to get home the old fashioned way. And so he started his journey that would take him half way across the world and take him nearly two years.

He made it to the nearest town and was immediately taken to the hospital. For once Scorpius didn't mind being treated by the muggles. They may not have magic to enhance the healing, but they sure as hell knew how to make a good pain killer. Scorpius was forced to stay in the hospital for three and a half months of long frustration until the doctors finally declared him well enough to move on. Scorpius thanked them and promised to send his support when he made it home to England. The doctors only shook their heads sadly. So many of their patients promised to get home and help. More often than not they returned within weeks with another injury.

But Scorpius was smart. He died his hair brown and joined the enemy ranks; slowly earning their trust until, a year later, he had control of three hundred-bands whom he sent on a suicide mission into middle of the desert with false promises of a large, powerful oasis. The heat had been almost unbearable, but Scorpius managed to leave the group in the middle or the parched landscape and went to the local authorities anonymously tipping them off. All of the three hundred men were killed either by starvation, dehydration or by the bullets of the peace fighters. The peace fighters soon worked out who tipped them off and Scorpius was welcomed with open arms back into the magical community.

He wanted to go somewhere new, colder, but he wasn't ready to go home yet. They sent him back to Russia, to the city of Archangel. He stayed there for another four months before he got shot in the shoulder. Finally, finally, he'd had enough. He had almost died too many times to count and he had given everything to his country and to the peace operatives. What he wanted, what he really, truly wanted, was to return home to his parents and to catch a glimpse of his beautiful Lily. He didn't want any more than a glimpse. She was sure to have moved on by now and he didn't want to bring back painful memories. It had, really, just been a school girl crush she'd harboured for him, anyway.

Which was how, over two years after his supposed death and almost six years after he first left to pay his family's debts to the world, Scorpius arrived at the huge front gates of the Malfoy Mansion.

''Scuse me, sir, but this is private property, are Ma'am and Monsieur Malfoy expecting you?' the gatekeeper asked the haggard soldier gently.

'No, Bill,' Scorpius replied tiredly, addressing the old man the same as he always had. 'I dare say they aren't.'

'Oh my Lord, master Scorpius, is it really you? After all this time?' he exclaimed, quickly opening the gates and allowing the young man in.

'Yes, Bill, I'm home.'

'Well then you best go in. I'm sure they'll love to see you. Mind you're careful, though, Monsieur's heart isn't what it used to be.'

Scorpius nodded and made his way up the long driveway, surprised to see a sleek mahogany car that he didn't recognise. But what was so surprising about his parents having guests over? Scorpius shook his head and knocked gently on the door. The portly, bald man who answered neither recognised him nor was recognised by Scorpius. However, the man led him to the kitchen where the sounds of three people eating and chatting quietly could be heard. Scorpius gently pushed open the door and all three turned to look at him.

'Oh my God,' both Lily and Astoria said at the exact same moment, both of them dropping their wine glasses which landed with loud smashes on the floor. The next moment Scorpius was smothered by his father who pulled him into a rough hug. Lily waved a brief goodbye to Astoria before slipping out of the room. Her heart was doing some kind of stupid acrobatic sequence in her chest, but she had to give them, give him time.

When Draco stepped back Scorpius was both disappointed and unsurprised to see Lily had left. He smiled at his parents and they talked for a short while about little things, the weather, places he'd been, things he'd seen before Astoria took his hand like he was a little boy again and led him up the stairs to his bedroom. Scorpius thanked her quietly and collapsed on to the bed. He slept for three solid days. He finally caught up with all the sleep he'd missed for so long.

Breakfast was an unhurried affair between the three of them, all of them longing to ask questions, but no one saying anything. The smell and taste of bacon and eggs nearly bowled Scorpius over after years of nameless mush. He smiled ruefully at the thought and, after eating, went back to his room and slept longer. He woke up mid-afternoon and realised with a jerk there was someone else in the room. His hand went automatically to his wand, but her soft voice stopped him.

'How long has it been Scorpius?' Lily asked him in a gentle, unassuming tone. 'Six years, nearly. We have so much to talk about.' She turned to face him and he could see from her face that she had been crying. 'I have so many questions for you, but they can wait. You just stay here and get better.'

'I don't think I can, Lily,' he replied in a broken voice.

'Shh,' she murmured into his hair. 'You can and you will. But for now just sleep, sleep and rest.' And she pressed a single kiss onto his forehead before leaving him. It was easier the next time for Scorpius to slip back into a deep, deep sleep.

Lily smiled sadly at Astoria and Draco. 'He's going to be fine,' she said, 'he won't ever be the same again, but he'll live.'

'Thank you Lily, again,' Astoria said, hugging Lily.

'You know full well I'd do anything for your son, Astoria, so please don't thank me. It's just what he deserves.' Lily paused then made a request of them. 'He should be strong enough… this Saturday, if he wants to, I'll pick him up and take him back to my place for a good decent, Potter-made meal.'

'I think that would be lovely,' Astoria said, smiling.

'He's going whether he wants to or not,' Draco said, a ghost of his old smirk appearing on his lips. 'You're a good girl, Potter.'

Lily thanked them and left in her Mahogany car.

Saturday took a long time coming for Lily, then the time between waking up and going to pick up Scorpius seemed to go past in triple speed. All too soon five o'clock rolled around and Lily drew up to the gates of the mansion she had become so familiar with over the past years. He was there already, standing tall and proud, the black cane that he held in his hand barely taking any of his weight at all. Lily smiled at him and went up to greet him.

'Scorpius,' was the only thing she could say.

'I've missed you, Lil,' was the only thing he could say.

Lily smiled slightly and helped Scorpius into her car. The short ride from one side of London around to the other was silent and awkward for both of them, both racking their brains for something, anything to say.

When they arrived outside her house Scorpius half believed that she had moved on – it seemed far too large for just one person, but there was no other car in the driveway and when they went in the table was only set for two.

'How have you been?' he asked.

'Career-wise or just generally?' Lily asked with a smile, checking the food in the cooker and leaning against the polished worktop of the kitchen counters.

'Both,' he replied, trying to give her a smile in return.

'Well career-wise, great. I'm head of my division at St Mungos, I earn enough to be able to buy out this house, and the car and a lot more, if I wanted to. Life's been good to me.'

'But generally?' Scorpius prodded, catching, as usual, the undercurrent beneath her carefree tones.

Lily looked up and stared him straight in the eye. 'Not so good,' she replied earnestly.

Silence fell on them again until it was broken by the too optimistic ping of the cooker. Lily smiled broadly and jumped up to pull the food out and presented him with a huge plate of spaghetti bolognaise. 'Hey,' she said, 'it doesn't take a mastermind to make and it tastes freaking delicious!' And for the first time in ages Scorpius really smiled.

Conversation over dinner was slightly awkward and, as they avoided the taboo subject Lily told Scorpius about her years after Hogwarts.

'We thought you were dead for two years, Scorpius, why didn't you send word?' Lily asked finally, long after the plates had been cleared of food.

'I wasn't going to come home,' he said carefully as he stood slowly from the table.

'Nu-uh, I'm not taking you home until we have out with this,' Lily said, directing him into the large, comfortable living room. 'Now you're going to tell me why you weren't going to come home.'

Scorpius sighed and explained. 'After I had sacrificed myself for my men, even though I had lived I still felt as though I was dead. I've seen so much, Lily. You have no idea what kind of horrors are out there.' His voice broke and Lily longed to wrap him up in hers arms, but she still couldn't tell where she stood with him.

'I work in a hospital, Scorpius. I have people come to me with live or die situations. Sometimes I can save them, sometimes I can't. I've seen what humanity can do to itself, believe me.' Lily assured him.

Scorpius looked at Lily for a long time and although he felt as though he should be angry that she presumed she knew, he couldn't bring to himself. Her last statement wasn't just about the people she attended to at the hospital. She was talking about him. They sat a while longer in silence, an understanding forming between them. 'What about you're family, how are they?' Scorpius asked in a desperate attempt to change the subject.

'You know James is married? Well, he's expecting their second child and Albus and his wife have decided to go to America of all places and live there and Rose is happily settled with her boyfriend of three years.'

'And you?'

Lily turned to look at him, her Butterscotch eyes burning into him. 'I've been here, waiting,' she whispered, her voice hoarse. 'Everyone kept telling me that I had to move on, but you know what? I didn't. I couldn't. I dated you for two measly little years and then you disappear for four years and then you're supposed to be dead for two years, but I still can't let go. I've waited so long, Scorpius.'

Scorpius looked at her, slightly shocked. How was it even possible. They'd grown up so much, they didn't even know each other anymore. 'Lily – ' he stopped. What excuse from his repertoire was he going to give her. He'd had six long years to come up with them, after all. 'I'm not the boy you fell in love with. Six years broke me,' he choked out.

Lily searched his eyes desperately for something that might be counted as hope, but realised that the man before her hadn't had hope for a long time. There was no doubt that he still loved her, she could see it clear as daylight in his eyes. So Lily moved up against him on the sofa and wrapped her arms around him and whispered in his ear, 'I'll mend you, Scorpius, I'll save you,' over and over as the barrier broke and for the first time since he was six Scorpius wept in her arms.

He wept for all the death he had seen.

He wept for all the years he had lost.

He wept for the burden he was upon Lily.

He wept for the pain he had caused his family.

And he wept for all those little moments back when he was seventeen and she was fifteen and they stole kisses between lessons and snuck out onto the roofs after dark and when she had won another game for Slytherin and he had lifted her up into the air and span her round and round and round.

He wept for what have should have been and he wept in the pure miraculous-ness that said he might have another chance with this flame-haired beauty he had had the nerve to fall in love with.

The next few months, even years, weren't easy. It took a very long time for Lily to find enough pieces of Scorpius to put him back together again and make him smile. But eventually, eventually, she could make him laugh again. Scorpius would never forget what he had seen and when it became clear to his parents that Lily helped keep the shadows at bay they invited her to move in to the mansion. Lily, who practically lived there anyway, gladly, if a little guiltily, accepted. Scorpius had smiled painfully widely when she had arrived at their door with all her bags and announced she was here to stay. Lily continued to work as a doctor, but stepped down from her position of responsibility so she could spend as much time as possible helping Scorpius.

The general wizarding population still shunned the Malfoys slightly until Lily had made a very loud, startling speech about what Scorpius had done to help make the peace. When they had called her biased she had cried freely in front of them, asking how many of them had barely a spare inch of skin that didn't have a scar. Then Scorpius had stepped up and wrapped an arm protectively around her waist and everyone could see the hard blazed look of a man who had seen too much death to be doubted. And though there were still whispers of uncertainty, they were quickly scolded away by others.

And at last Scorpius and Lily were left to pick up the pieces of their lives and carry on to live their happily ever after.

'Mummy, mummy!' the little girl cried out, jumping up onto her mothers lap and bouncing there excitedly. 'Daddy's home!' she shrieked excitedly, before slipping down and running off to greet her father.

Scorpius scooped up the three year old and plonked her on his shoulders, walking into the kitchen and giving his wife a long kiss.

'Eeeeeewwwww!' Ruby exclaimed, kicking her father's shoulders.

'Ok, ok, down you go,' Scorpius said, lifting her up then swinging her back down to the floor.

'I've something to tell you,' Lily said happily, standing and wrapping her arms around her husband.

'Oh? And what's that?' he asked, the family smirk appearing on his lips.

'Mummy's pregnant,' their daughter announced huffily, clearly put out at being missed from their hug. 'What's pregnant mean?' she asked after a moment's thought.

'It means you're going to have a little brother or sister,' Scorpius said, his eyes shining brightly and brilliantly into Lily's.

'Are you going to love me less, then?' Ruby asked, immediately pouting, her eyes widening to epic proportions.

Lily leant down and picked up her daughter, nestling her against her waist. 'No, love, of course not. It just means you get a younger sibling to pick on.' Lily's eyes sparkled as she glanced sideways at Scorpius, who rolled his eyes.

'Oh, well that's ok then,' Ruby announced with a huge grin.

Scorpius and Lily shared a long look that said all they needed to know; life was perfect. All was well.

A/N Fluuuuuuffy ending! Woot! And totally cliché, too, LOL. So, did you guys like it? I sure as hell enjoyed writing it! Leave me a message and some love, please!
Cally xxx