A/N: I have had some thoughts that this needs to pick up the pace, so in a few chapters, we will skip ahead. But for now, things continue on. Thank you to all who read and reviewed. It is greatly appreciated.
Disc.: Plot is mine. Nothing much else.

Easter Holiday

Scorpius sat in the middle of his grandmother's large antique dining room. He had spent the better part of his Easter holiday hunched over a million microscopic pieces, all illuminated with a bright light. His posture was ill, the way he bent over the table. He didn't look up as his grandmother entered the room, carrying his lunch. She took a seat near him, placing the plate on the table.

"Scorpius, perhaps a break?" Narcissa suggested as the boy rubbed the back of his neck.

"Gran, I have to fix this," he moaned sleepily.

"Wouldn't it be easier to just buy a new one?" Draco mumbled as he entered the dining room, followed by a house elf carrying his lunch.

"Yeah," Scorpius said grinning at his father. "But this is one of a kind."

"One of a kind?" Draco smirked.

"It belongs to someone special, Draco," Narcissa said as she poured herself some tea. Draco looked at his son.

"Really?" Draco said with that same smirk that Scorpius sometimes gave. Scorpius rolled his eyes and began reconstructing the microscopic pieces. "Is this someone special someone we know?"

"Yeah, probably, Dad," Scorpius said blushing slightly. "I'm hoping by fixing this she'll realize that I want to be fixed between us."

"You know Darla's never coming back," Narcissa said quietly to Draco. "And Scorpius never really loved her. You want what's best for your son, as I did you. It's time, maybe, that he moves on to someone else."

"But he just said that things were broken between them. How could she be worthy of him if they hadn't worked out before hand?" Draco asked frowning. "Who is she, Scorpius? You say I already know her."

"Dad, I don't really want to talk about it," Scorpius said blushing as he continued to move quickly reassembling the pieces.

"She must be very special," Draco murmured. "I'd probably never slave over fixing… what is that anyways?"

"It's a locket that plays music," Scorpius said as he glanced at his father. A half smile tugged at Draco's mouth.

"Interesting," Draco said trying to suppress smile.

"Why?" Narcissa asked not catching what was so interesting.

"Well, remember I told you I was having a coworker over for Easter dinner?" Draco reminded his mother.

"I do," Narcissa said nodding. "I've already got the whole menu planned out."

"Well, my co-worker's daughter had a locket that played music," Draco said. "Only when I asked her about it, today in fact when she came to work with her father, did she no longer have it and seemed reluctant to discuss it."

"You didn't," Scorpius asked him warily. His face was ablaze. "You invited the Potters for Easter dinner?"

"Well, this is interesting," Draco laughed as he nodded. Scorpius turned brighter red.

"The locket belongs to the Potter girl?" Narcissa asked looking at the pieces that Scorpius had before him. Scorpius growled some obscenity and turned back to his work.

"So, Scorpius, should I start calling Harry Potter 'brother'?" Draco asked in a light, teasing manner. Scorpius didn't say anything, just turned even brighter red, and continued to work on the locket.

It was after midnight, hours before everyone was supposed to arrive for Easter dinner that Scorpius finished and restrung the locket on its chain. He ran his finger along the edge and it silently swung open and played the song Lily had played on the piano, the one she had fallen in love with from the locket. He sighed in relief and put the chain around his neck. He nodded off just an hour or two before dawn.

"Mr. Malfoy, wake up," a tiny voice said shaking his shoulders.

"Go away," Scorpius grumbled as he kicked his foot out.

"You should be nicer to your house elves," Lily whispered in his ear, her hands on his shoulders. He opened his eyes as he grabbed her wrists and flipped her up on the bed. He looked down at her, her eyes wide with surprise.

"Lily?" Scorpius asked uncertainly. The room was pretty dark, though his drapes were drawn tight against the windows causing the darkness.

"Good morning to you, too, er, afternoon, really," Lily said. He looked down to see she was breathing a little harder than normal.

"Are you ok?" He asked.

"You kind of startled me," Lily admitted. "I didn't expect to be pinned between your bed and you with my hands restrained above my head like this when I agreed to wake you since your house elf has been trying since we got her two hours ago. It's nearly dinner time."

"What time is it?" Scorpius asked. Lily turned her head, laughing.

"Ugh, time for you to go brush your teeth," Lily teased. He let her up immediately.

"Oh, sorry about the morning breath thing," he said. He climbed off the bed, not caring that he was only wearing his boxer shorts. "Stay there, I'll be right back."

"Is… is that my locket?" Lily asked. Scorpius grinned.

"I'll be right back," Scorpius said skipping off to his bathroom. He took a quick shower, knowing full well he should be quick before Lily got it in her mind to head back down stairs. He shaved and brushed his teeth, pulling on his pants and a wife beater on before rejoining her. He blinked at his room, the light insanely bright. His bed was made and the curtains flung open. She was by the window, looking out over the garden.

He stopped and looked at her for a moment, taking her in. She was wearing a blue dress that went just past her knees, black Mary Jane shoes with white socks, and her hair was pinned away from her face. She was kneeling on the window seat, her face practically pressed against the window. She glanced over at him, smiling. He took it as her welcoming him closer and his shoes were silent as he crossed the floor. He pulled his arms through the sleeves of his shirt, rolling them up and ignoring the buttons.

"You have the prettiest garden," Lily told him as she pushed the window open. The air was warm, a gentle breeze ruffling her hair. She rested her hands on the window seal, leaning a little out to let the sun warm her face.

"You like it?" Scorpius asked coming up behind her.

"Yeah," she said. She leaned a little further out the window. Scorpius rested his hands on her hips.

"You're making me nervous," Scorpius admitted.

"Afraid I might fall out the window?" Lily smirked as she looked back at him.

"Kind of," Scorpius said nodding. Lily rolled her eyes and pulled back from the open window.

"I'm a witch," Lily said. "You'd think I'd just fly or something."

"You need a broom," Scorpius reminded her. She laughed and turned so that her back was to the window. She was still kneeling.

"Very true," Lily said. Her fingers went to the lump under his shirt. "So, did you just get another one to torment me?"

"No," Scorpius said as he pulled it out from under his shirt. He stepped away from her, his hands dropping from her waist. "I wouldn't do anything just to torment you. This is yours."

"It can't be," Lily said as he took it off. He held it out to her and she touched it without taking it from him. "I saw it after… that night. It was in like a million pieces."

"More like a billion," he said. She made a face.

"I guess money can fix anything," Lily grumbled.

"Hey, that's not very nice, Lily Potter," Scorpius snapped as he closed his hand on it. "I worked for five days nonstop. I just finished it this morning before dawn."

"I'm sorry," Lily said meeting his eyes. He made a face.

"You shouldn't just assume that because my family is affluent that we don't know the value of hard work," he chastised lightly.

"Really, it was rude of me," Lily mumbled. He grinned.

"Turn around," he told her.

"Going to shove me out the window?" She asked. He laughed.

"If I was going to do that, I wouldn't need your back to me now would I?" Scorpius joked. She stuck her tongue out at him and she stood, turning her back to him.

"Does it work?" she asked him as Scorpius' fingers brushed the skin of her throat. He moved her hair aside and draped the necklace over her head.

"Mhmm," he murmured as he clasped the clasp. He was tempted to kiss her neck but he didn't want to push his luck. One kiss wasn't worth it.

"How does it look?" Lily asked as she turned to look at him. He grinned as he started button up his shirt, his eyes not on her but his buttons.

"It looks great," he said. He hesitated as he carefully picked up the locket, sliding his finger along the crease. It spring open and played the song as clear as before. She grinned and threw her arms around his waist, her face pressing up against his chest.

"Thank you," Lily whispered.

"Please tell me you not crying," Scorpius begged. She laughed, it shaky, and pulled away. She strolled over to his mirror, her fingers on the locket. Scorpius watched her, finally putting the pieces together. Every time he had seen her fiddling with her collar, it was because she missed the locket. Her fingers instinctively sought it out.

"I'm not," she lied as she grinned at his reflection and wiped her eyes. "I'd better go back downstairs before someone thinks I've lost some of my virtues to you."

"Good point," Scorpius said as he laughed. She left him and it took him all his strength not to chase after her and drag her into his bed.

Lily was sitting between her mother and Narcissa, sipping tea, when Scorpius exited the house into the garden. Lily looked up at him, a smile playing on her lips as he ambled over to where his father, Harry, James, and Albus were sitting. They were a little more relaxed looking.

"You grace us with your presence," Draco said laughing.

"Meh, I was up late," Scorpius said reflectively as he shrugged.

"He's been working on a little project," Draco explained. Scorpius was afraid that he'd go more into it, but Draco didn't.

"So, didn't you two not get along in school?" Albus asked curiously. "What changed?" Scorpius had obviously interrupted a conversation that had been going on at the table. He took a sip of water as he listened.

"Well," Harry said looking at Draco. "A lot. For one we both grew up."

"I still think it was the war," Draco said. Harry laughed.

"I wasn't going to go for the spectacular reasons," Harry said.

"Yeah, but those are a hell of a lot more interesting than the whole we grew up and matured reasons," Draco said rolling his eyes.

"Plus, once Lily was sorted Slytherin, it was kind of inevitable that we'd at least be cordial," Harry said. "That was the last thing that bridged us."

"Hey, we work together, too," Draco reminded him.

"Yeah, but I try not to think of that place when I'm not there," Harry said groaning. The two of them laughed and the kids rolled their eyes, thinking their fathers were being weird.

"So, Lily, have you thought more on my offer?" Draco asked after the first course arrived for Easter dinner. Lily choked slightly on the ham. Ginny patted Lily's back.

"Offer?" Lily replied as she dipped her bite of ham in her potatoes. Scorpius caught her eye, grinning.

"I have investment properties that I check up on in the islands, and I wanted to know if you wanted to come along with us this summer. Scorpius is usually bored to tears," Draco explained. "So, are you in? Two weeks of sun and surf?"

"S-sure, if it's ok with my parents," Lily said as she looked at her father and mother.

"Fine with us," Harry said. Lily smiled.

"Granted, he'll have to do well on his O.W.L.s," Ginny added. Draco laughed.

"I think Hermione is wearing off on you," Draco said.

The adults continued to talk while the kids stayed silent and ate. Lily glanced up at Scorpius, grinning at him while she made a point of dipping her piece of ham into her potatoes, the very thing he had teased her about. When dinner and desert were served and finished, the adults sat around drinking coffee while the kids went down to the interior garden.

"You know, I don't know if I like the idea of you spending that long of time with my sister," James said casually. Lily laughed and continued to walk ahead of them.

"Please, you'd have to know that it really is the most boring place in the world," Scorpius said rolling his eyes. "I have more fun at your place than traipsing all over the Earth with my father, looking in on his business expenses."

"Just mind your manners around our baby sister," Albus piped up. James and Scorpius laughed.

"Well, you know I'll be respectful," Scorpius said.

"Plus who knows," Lily called from the end of the path. "I may annoy the hell out of him he that he ditches me on the first day and I run off with an island local."

"Yeah," James said raising an eyebrow. "I don't think I like that idea."

"Anyways," Lily laughed as she prodded a statue. She looked up at them walking closer. "Scorpius and I are just friends, right?"

"Right," the three boys said in unison. Lily laughed and ran off to the right out of sight.

"Can't find me!" She challenged playfully as she disappeared around another corner.

"That sounds like a challenge if I ever heard one," James laughed.

"Losers buy the winner drinks at the Hogs Head," Scorpius anted. James shook on it and the three boys headed off into the garden to find her. Scorpius knew the mazes and gardens like the back of his hand, having spent his entire childhood playing in them but James knew Lily's habits just as well, so they were evenly matched.

It was Albus who found her, the two of them tumbling down a small hill and ending up in the muddy pond when he went to grab her. Albus whooped, claiming victory. She pulled herself up sputtering and dripping with mud and slime. She was angry. It was evident in the way she glared at him that she was going to kill him. She dove at Albus, knocking them both back into the murky water just as Scorpius and James turned the corner to see them tumble back into the pond.

"Damn," Scorpius said to James as the two of them approached. "Your mum's going to kill them, isn't she?"

"Yes, probably," James said sighing as he shook his head. "MUM! LILY AND ALBUS ARE FIGHTING!"

"Oh, for MERLIN'S SAKE!" Ginny cried out as she and the other adults joined them at the pond's edge. "Lily Potter, do not drown your brother."

"He pushed me into the pond!" Lily said as she shoved Albus' head under the water. "Scratch that, he tackled me down the hill into the pond."

"Lily, let him up," Harry said. Lily reluctantly let her older brother surface, sputtering. Draco covered his laughter in a false cough.

"I swear, we can't take you anywhere," Ginny snapped.

"I'm sure we can scrounge up some changes of clothes," Narcissa said coolly. She smirked at Lily's feistiness. "Follow me."

"Really, Mrs. Malfoy… er, Narcissa, it's not necessary," Ginny said apologetically. "I can just apparate them home. Merlin knows they don't deserve to remain."

"It's no problem. I can't tell you how many times I'd catch Draco or Scorpius down here, stark naked in the pond catching tad poles," Narcissa said. Lily busted into laughter at the thought, causing everyone to look at her curiously.

"I… just couldn't imagine Scorpius getting… anyways," Lily mumbled, her face red with embarrassment. "Never mind."

Albus was set up in a guest bathroom to shower and to change into a spare set of jeans and a tee shirt. Lily's change of clothes were a little more difficult and Narcissa had sent one of the house elves up to retrieve a change of clothes from the attic where Scorpius' smaller clothes were stored. She stood in Scorpius' personal bathroom, looking around in amazement. His bathroom was the size of her bedroom, though she should have expected it from the size of his bedroom.

"Hope you don't mind wearing boys' clothes," Scorpius said as he entered holding a stack of clothes. I tried to go with the most ambiguous of the choices, black tee shirt, blue jeans. Figured you'd have less of an issue with the whole girly garment thing."

"Um, yeah," Lily said as Scorpius piled the clothes on the long marble counter. He walked over to the showers and turned them on, turning the various knobs and levers.

"Take your time, enjoy," Scorpius mumbled. He pointed to the hamper. "Just dump all the dirty clothes in there and the house elves clean them up."

"Oh, ok," Lily said. She looked at him expectantly and he laughed.

"I can't believe you fell in the pond," Scorpius said shaking his head as he headed out, closing the door firmly behind him. Lily hesitated before heading into the strange, fancy shower. She was in heaven and knew one day, no matter where she lived, she wanted a shower like this one. She was squeaky clean after a minute or two, but spent an insanely long time in the shower. She had used his supplies and could smell him all around her. She hummed as she scrubbed up, the lilting tune from the locket, and smiled.

The jeans fit her well enough and she wondered how old he had to have been to have worn them. She wasn't a fan of being so undressed under her clothes, but she couldn't really see a way around it so she buttoned up the pants and pulled on the shirt, towel drying her hair as she exited the bathroom. Scorpius was there, lounging on his bed with Ash. He was half asleep.

"I thought you drowned in there," he commented as his fingers caressed the cat's fur. "I was going to give you like three more minutes before I went in after you."

"Yeah?" Lily said blushing as she sat on the edge of his bed, the farthest from him. It was then that she noticed his door was wide open and she knew that it must have been to maintain their distance.

"Yeah," he replied as the cat purred. It was as if he was answering her silent question as well as her verbal one.

"How come you don't bring Ash to school with you anymore?" Lily asked as she continued to dry her hair.

"She's old and needs a quiet life to rest," he said. "Plus with Gran being here alone, it's nice to know that they can keep each other company."

"That's very sweet of you," Lily said as she folded the towel. Scorpius shrugged and pushed himself off the bed. He held out his hand and took the towel.

"What can I say?" Scorpius said grinning. He tossed it into the hamper on top of the dirty clothes that were already in there and rejoined her on the bed, keeping his distance. "So, we're you serious when you said you'd run off with a local?"

"You mean on our trip? Only if I annoy the hell out of you," Lily teased. Scorpius rolled his eyes. "I mainly mentioned it to bother and worry James because he acts like I am some child that can't be trusted to make the right decisions for me. He so acts as if I'm too young. Like I can't possibly know what I want out of life, who I'd want to be with."

"Your brother does bring up a really good point," he said quietly. "You and I aren't a great idea. Not right now, not yet."

"I never said we were," Lily said frowning. Her fingers toyed with the necklace.

"Oh, don't even think about giving it back," Scorpius said as he reached across and stopped Lily's hand from traveling to the clasp. She hadn't even been aware she was reaching for it. "I gave it to you for Christmas as a friend, and yeah, I blame myself for blurring those lines, but that it my fault, not yours."

"Oh, Merlin," Lily sighed.

"What?" Scorpius asked at her expression.

"I know what you're doing," Lily said anxiously as she wiggled her toes absent mindedly.

"What am I doing?" Scorpius asked uncertainly.

"You're about to pull the age card, aren't you," Lily mumbled. "I knew it. You got to thinking about how you'll be sixteen soon, and I won't be fourteen until the end of summer and how you feel that three years is such a big difference."

"Well, it is," Scorpius said.

"Not really," Lily grumbled.

"Look, we don't have to talk about it," Scorpius said forcing a smile. "I'm content being friends."

"No you're not," Lily said pushing up off the bed and heading to the door. "You're as delusional as the rest of them."

"Lils, wait," Scorpius said.

"I don't really feel like it, Scorpius," Lily said shaking her head. "I should have known when you had plenty of opportunity to kiss me on multiple occasions and you didn't take it. Granted, I did just break up with Malvo, but still… I would have thought you'd of all people want to scoop me up."

"I do like you, Lily," Scorpius said. Lily laughed and forced a pained smile.

"Don't worry about it, Score," Lily said lightly. "You won't always feel the struggle between liking me and my being too young."

"I hope not," Scorpius said. He watched her leave and inside he was kicking himself. He didn't even mean any of that. Hell, he had been thinking of ways to kiss her all day and to get her alone, yet he found himself acting noble and rather mature about it. He didn't want to be mature about it, but something inside of him was holding him back. Guilt, maybe, for hurting her last time although she was just as guilty for that hurt.

He knew he'd have a chance to talk to her at school on Monday evening when they all floo-ed back, so he didn't stress about it when they left. He remained cheerful and light as they all said their good-byes. She hugged him quickly, though he would have loved to have held her a bit longer. She hugged him as if he was nothing more than a friend and parted without the hesitation that he sometimes felt on their partings.

"See you at school," Scorpius said. Lily nodded.

"Yeah," Lily said as she parted with her family. She glanced back at him as if she wanted to say something to him, but didn't.
"Please tell me you didn't screw things up with her," Narcissa said out of the corner of her mouth as she waved at them.

"What, Gran?" Scorpius asked looking at her.

"That girl is crazy about you," Narcissa said as she patted his shoulder and led him back into the house.

"She's thirteen," Scorpius said. "We're just friends."
"Those two statements are completely unrelated," Narcissa said as the two of them sat in the drawing room.

"What's unrelated?" Draco queried as he entered and stoked the small fire.

"Lily Potter's age and Lily Potter being Scorpius' friend," Narcissa said smirking. Scorpius groaned.

"You know, your mother was nearly six years younger than me," Draco said casually. "Lily's what thirteen, fourteen?"

"Thirteen," Scorpius mumbled.

"Don't mumble," Narcissa said absentmindedly as she pick up a book that the house elf held for her.

"She's thirteen," Scorpius said a little louder and clearer.

"And you're fifteen," Draco reminded him.

"I'll be sixteen in a bit," Scorpius said. Draco nodded.

"But then she'll be fourteen," Draco said. "I'm not saying you have to do anything you don't want to do, or that she doesn't want to do, but I think age is a poor excuse for why you can't be friends."

"Draco, this isn't about friends," Narcissa reminded him.

"I know, but the idea of anything more is unnerving…" Draco mumbled.

"Don't you start mumbling too," Narcissa said.

"Sorry Mum," Draco said. Scorpius snickered.

"What are you reading, Gran," Scorpius said quickly changing the subject.

"A book Lily recommended," Narcissa said holding up the book. "Day Walkers. So far, it's very good."

"Isn't that the muggle book Lily was reading?" Draco asked. "You know, that day of the ice skating incident?"

"Yeah," Scorpius said.

"She mentioned it over tea and I sent Niue out to get it for me," Narcissa said. "She's right, it's quite amusing; a great diversion."

"I've not read them, but James says their kind of girly," Scorpius said. Narcissa laughed.

"You know, before I became your Gran, and Draco's mum, I was a girl," Narcissa said. She looked at her grandson and son, both spitting images of each other with their minor variations. "Shouldn't you be packing your stuff up for your departure tomorrow afternoon?"

"Yes, yes, of course," Scorpius said as he left his father and grandmother. He entered his room and looked around. It looked the same as always but it felt different to him. He could feel her all around him. He could see her at the window, leaning and looking at the grounds below. Scorpius turned and headed into his bathroom, glancing at the hamper knowing that her dirty clothes were in there, mingling with his own clothes. He grinned.

She had stood in his very bathroom, stood naked in his shower, and yes, she was too young for him to have these thoughts about her, but he did none the less. He headed out of the bathroom, lying across the poorly made bed, knowing she had made it for him instead of the house elf. The imperfection of the duvet placement evident, and Scorpius knew that the house elves made the bed military style with exacting perfection. He rested his head on his pillow, staring up at nothing in particular, and thinking. Maybe, just maybe everyone was right. Maybe three years wasn't that big of an age difference.