AN: Ok, this chapter is painfully short compared to my normal 5-8k word chapters, but since it's been about a week since I updated, I figure you guys deserve a little chapter read. I finished that really short story that was haunting me and I'm nearly done with my Exam 3 for Biology. I took a break to write this. I also moved and am settling in to my new room. It's been interesting. Anyways, here's a very short chapter 23. Comments welcome…

Disc.: Credit is given where credit is due.

Room of Requirement

Lily's first sensation of waking wasn't one of cold sweats from nightmares or night terrors that plagued her but of a warm hand on the small of her back and the rise and fall of breath that tickled her face. She slowly pulled her eyes open and groaned. Loudly. She tried to move her arms and legs, but she was tangled with his, face to face, except for the one hand pressing into the small of her back, pressing her against him quite intimately. She sighed.

'What have I done?' she thought. He mumbled something, something that sort of sounded like her name and she felt her face go up in flames. This was not happening! He was dreaming about her and saying her name, meanwhile continuing to cling to her like a life vest in the middle of a sea. Lily blushed, her own body seemingly hell bent on clinging to him in the same manner.

"Lily," he breathed and she stiffened. His eyes were still closed and she prayed he was having some sort of dream that didn't include them really laying this close to each other. He pulled her closer, held her tighter and buried his face into her neck. She tensed up, feeling him. All of him.

"Scorpius, please wake up," she groaned, horribly embarrassed by his obvious condition. He slowly opened his eyes, uncertain if he was still dreaming. They were lying uncomfortably close and immediately he was too aware of what he was feeling. His own face flushed red and he pushed away from her, which to Lily felt a little like him pushing her away. She nearly fell out of the bed.

"I…" Scorpius stated uncomfortably. He spent a few seconds lying on his back, eyes clenched closed as he collected himself. His eyes snapped open. "Only a dream."

Lily could only guess that was what he said, she couldn't be sure. His voice had been quiet as he quickly dressed in his school clothes, her own actions almost in the same embarrassed, hurried way. The two barely glanced at each other as they headed off in two different directions, Lily to breakfast and Scorpius back to the Slytherin common room.

The dream had been wonderful. Even at the very moment he was running, running from her, he couldn't help but think of it in all of its glory and wonderfulness. His face blazed red with pleasure and excitement, wondering if it could possibly be a prophetic dream or not. He could still taste her from his dream, and it was just as wonderful as the times he had kissed her in real life. He nearly ran Damon down.

"Man, what happened to you last night," Damon asked as he turned Scorpius around. "C'mon we're going to be late for breakfast."

"I…" Scorpius said as Damon directed him back the way he had come.

"Look, where ever you went, I don't mind, but next time, could you tell me so I don't have to worry?" Damon asked. Scorpius looked at him, confused.

"Worried?" Scorpius laughed. Damon laughed along with him.

"Not so much worried as… well, curious," Damon said. The two looked up as they walked in the Great Hall. Scorpius' eyes fell on Lily immediately as Shale brushed past him and took the seat directly across from Lily. Lily looked up at him, grinning. Scorpius watched her a moment. Damon looked at Lily then at Scorpius, grinning.

"What?" Scorpius said as he suppressed his smile. Damon shook his head.

"You're a mess," Damon said shaking his head. The two sat down in their usual spots, Lily glancing up as they sat. A hint blush stained her cheeks.

"So, Hogsmead?" Shale asked Lily. Scorpius glanced at Shale as Lily's eyes fell on him. She smiled and nodded.

"That's perfect, Shale," Lily said as she took a bite of her toast.

"You're the best Lily," Shale laughed as he scooped more porridge into his mouth. Lily rolled her eyes but still grinned.

"You're welcome," Lily said as she gathered her bag. Her eyes fell on Scorpius for a moment before she left the Great Hall for classes.

"I have to study," Scorpius complained to Damon as an excuse not to have to go to Hogsmead. He knew it sounded pretty pathetic and weak, but he didn't want to risk running into Lily and Shale. It would have taken a very dense blind man to see that Shale was attracted to Lily, even if Lily couldn't see it. Scorpius couldn't harbor ill feelings toward the boy. Lily was very attractive.

Still, as much as he rather do anything other than study, he didn't want to see either of them having a great time together in Hogsmead. Scorpius couldn't forgive himself for not acting sooner and he knew it was too late. He escaped a rather disappointed Damon and headed to the library, at least to make good on a little bit of his lie. He didn't have to study, but he would.

He glanced around the library, looking for a place to sit and pretend to study. Most of the tables were filled with the younger year students who couldn't go to Hogsmead. There wasn't a spare chair anywhere. He headed toward the restricted section, knowing that usually there was a table or two that normally only sat two people. Most people avoided these tables for the fact that they couldn't cram all of their friends at them. He spotted the empty chair before he spotted the fort of books. He slipped soundlessly into the chair, pulling out one of his text books.

He cracked it open, looking at the page. His ears picked up the sound of a familiar song being hummed, muffled and light. He grinned confused as he looked at the back pack resting against the leg of the small table. He needn't see its owner to know who it belonged to. The music alone would have told him as much as actually seeing her face.

"I thought you were going to Hogsmead with Shale," Scorpius said in a voice over a whisper. Lily laughed quietly, pushing aside one of the books she was hiding behind.

"You shouldn't eavesdrop," Lily said. She grinned at him. "Shale is meeting up with Nina in Hogsmead."

"I thought he liked you," Scorpius commented. Lily smiled.

"Just because someone likes me doesn't mean I have to like them back," Lily said.

"So, what kept you from Hogsmead?" Scorpius asked. Lily smirked and sat up straighter, pointing at the books around her.

"What else?" Lily said.

"Ah, O.W.L.s are coming up at the end of the year for you, aren't they?" Scorpius asked. Lily laughed at him.

"And you with your N.E.W.T.s, studying no less," Lily said as she flipped open the book she had in front of her.

"Ugh, yeah," Scorpius said smiling weakly. "I have to get decent marks otherwise my dad's going to have a conniption."

"Yeah," Lily said rolling her eyes. "Like you need to study much. I've seen your grades."

"When?" Scorpius asked as he leaned back a little in his chair.

"Um… when I've helped the teachers out," Lily said shrugging. Scorpius snickered.

"You are such a teacher's pet," Scorpius teased. Lily rolled her eyes at him and stuck her tongue out at him.

"I can't help it that I am who the professors go to when they need help," Lily said. Scorpius raised an eyebrow at her. Lily looked back at the book.

"Sorry for running out on you," Scorpius said suddenly. Lily glanced up, a hint of color on her cheeks.

"No problem," Lily mumbled. She turned back to her books and Scorpius watched her for a moment. A strand of her hair fell into her face and absentmindedly, she blew a puff of air to move it. It fell into her face again after a moment and she repeated the action. After the third time, Scorpius reached across the small table and tucked the hair behind her ear. She looked up at him, blushing.

"Do you really need to study?" he asked. "We still have months until the exams, after all." She shrugged.

"Why do you ask?" she questioned.

"I just… wanted to know if you could play for me," he asked slowly. "You know, the piano?"

"Now?" she asked.

"Yeah," he said quietly. Lily hesitated. "Please?"

"S-sure," Lily stammered as she gathered up her armload of book.

"Where should we go?" Scorpius asked as he took her books from her. Lily shrugged.

"The room of requirement?" Lily suggested. Scorpius laughed.

"You are always trying to get me in your bed, Lily Potter," Scorpius teased. Lily blushed.

"No, I'm not," Lily mumbled. Scorpius laughed as the two of them headed towards the seventh floor and the room of requirement.

Scorpius was surprised that the room didn't look like Lily's bedroom from the night before. Instead there were huge, comfy sofas near a roaring fire and a large grand piano. The wood was dark, shiny, and Lily could see her reflection in the surface. She hesitated to touch it.

"This is ten times better than our old upright that I learned to play on," Lily breathed. "This room really does give you what you want and need."

"You like the piano?" Scorpius asked smiling.

"Yeah," Lily grinned at him. "I've been trying to talk my dad into getting me one, but our house really is too small for one this size. When I get my own place, I am so buying one."

"Yeah?" Scorpius said throwing himself into a very comfortable position on the sofa to the side of the piano. "So, have you already figured out where you will live when you get out of school?"

"Not yet," Lily admitted as she sat down on the bench. Their books lay forgotten on a table nearby. "I still have two more years here."

"Will you see the world after graduation?" Scorpius asked. Lily shook her head.

"No," Lily said simply.

"Why not?" Scorpius asked. "It's like a tradition. I know James was saying that he's planning on a safari in Africa and some traipsing through the jungles of the Amazon after school."

"James and I are different people," Lily reminded him. "We've grown closer but we still want different things out of life. Traveling the world, that an Auror thing. No wonder you and James don't always get along. You're just alike."

"So no breaks for you, then?" Scorpius asked.

"No," Lily said simply. Scorpius frowned for a moment. He suppressed his dislike at the idea and instead changed the subject back.

"So, what will your famed perfect place look like?" Scorpius asked. Lily's face brightened up.

"Mind if I play while I talk?" she asked quickly, looking longingly at the beautiful instrument. Scorpius waved his hand dismissively and Lily turned to the instrument. She let her fingers work mindlessly while she talked, the notes ringing out clearly. "I want to lease a loft with a wall full of windows to let in a lot of afternoon sunlight. In the middle of my loft, I want one of these beauties in the middle."

"Nothing else?" Scorpius asked. Lily shrugged.

"The rest are just minor details," Lily said.

"No pets? No husband? No kids?" Scorpius asked raising his eyebrow at her. Lily made a face and shook her head.

"Asher was the only pet I ever wanted. When he disappeared, I knew I never own another pet," Lily said. "And I definitely don't want kids."

"Hm…" Scorpius said as he leaned his head back to stare at the ceiling, deep in thought. Lily continued to play, first the song from her locket, her most favorite piece to play, followed by a few classics, and then something a little louder, harsher. Scorpius sat up looking at her. "What is that song?"

"This one?" Lily asked as she beat out the notes on the keyboard.

"Yeah," Scorpius said. She grinned.

"It's called 'Faint'," Lily said. "It's actually a rock song from a few decades ago. Not really a piano piece, but I was listening to my dad's old CD's and this was the back beat. I fell in love with it, so I learned how to play it."

"It's… interesting," Scorpius said. Lily nodded.

"So, what about you?" Lily said.

"No, I don't know how to play this song," Scorpius teased. Lily rolled her eyes. "Well, I plan on traveling for a few years when I leave here, to see the world, and then I guess I'll settle down and start my training at the ministry under our fathers."

"So, you want to follow in their footsteps?" Lily asked as she pushed away from the piano. She took a seat on the other end of the sofa. He turned to her, watching her a moment before he shrugged.

"Our fathers work honorably," Scorpius said. "It's enough."

"Ministry work," Lily murmured. Scorpius laughed as he scooted closer to her. He laughed.

"So, you're serious about this Healer thing, huh?" he asked. Lily nodded as she tucked her legs under her. She smoothed her skirt down against her thighs.

"I know a lot of people doubted that I'd want to, you know, after spending every break there with my mom but it really reinforced my desire to help people," Lily said. She smiled. "I think that my being there really eased her there in the end." Scorpius watched her carefully, expecting Lily to burst into tears but instead she took a shaky breath and smiled.

"I did worry a lot about you then," Scorpius said. "I still do." Lily looked at him in surprise.

"I promise, I'm ok," Lily said. He nodded.

"You look tired. How've you been sleeping? Truthfully," Scorpius asked. Lily smiled.

"Decently enough, actually," she said shrugging. She looked back at him. "It was easier that night, to be honest."

"Yeah?" he said, needing no further clarification. He was aware of the change in his dreams the night they had innocently shared a bed. He had to admit that it was one of the best nights of sleep he had in ages. He was deep in thought and didn't realize that Lily had scooted closer until her knee brushed against him as she reached forward, touching his face.

"You look so tired, Score," Lily said concerned. Her fingertips were light on his skin and he shivered.

"I'll live," Scorpius said as he brushed her hands off his face. She nodded.

"Have you found it yet?" Lily asked. Scorpius shook his head.

"I'm starting to think you didn't actually write anything," Scorpius said gesturing at the book that was spread open in his lap. Lily laughed and scooped up the book. She paced in front of the sofa, flipping through the pages.

"I wrote something," Lily said devilishly. She pouted. "I'd have thought that you would've found it by now."

"Nope," Scorpius said crossing his arms and watching her, amused. Lily rolled her eyes and flipped to the part of his text book. She stepped away from him, holding the book up.

"See," Lily said as she flashed the page at him. He could see her neat handwriting, unable to read it from that distance. He broke into a smile and jumped up, reaching for the book. She snapped it closed and ran from him. Scorpius was quicker and he tackled her, the two of them falling into some squishy bean bag chairs that had appeared. She laughed as she struggled to hold the book from him.

He kissed her. It wasn't planned and neither had expected it, but she lay under him on the bean bag chair, holding the book in her hand as far from him as possible and somehow, he kissed her. Their eyes shot open wide with surprise and Lily dropped the book, the dull thud reverberating for a second. Lily's hands found their way to his face, her fingers linking behind his head. She closed her eyes closed. Scorpius closed his eyes too, kissing her deeper. He gathered her up against him, changing their positions so that he was pressing her into the bean bag.

He pulled away from her slightly, looking up at her. She smiled at him almost shyly and he felt his mouth drawn to hers again, an assault on each other's senses. He felt himself losing his head as he deepened their kiss, clinging to her life she was the very thing that kept him alive. The two pulled back suddenly, as if they were charged.

"Wow," Scorpius said as Lily stood and crossed quickly to the other side of the room. She looked at him uncertainly as she bit her bottom lip and turned her attention to the fire.

"Yeah," Lily breathed.

"I guess I should question you more often, huh?" He said. Lily didn't reply, just continued to look at the fireplace. He felt the smile slip from his face and he crossed to the sofa, sitting next to her sideways to face her. He touched her arm, causing her head to jerk in his direction. "Lily, I'm sorry if I crossed the line there with you."

"It's not that," Lily said shaking her head slowly. She bit her lip again, focusing on the fire intently.

"Will you tell me about it?" Scorpius asked. Lily looked at him for a moment, her eyes holding his for a second. She forced a smile and shook her head.

"It's nothing," Lily said. She took a deep breath, calming her racing hormones. "Shall I play a bit more for you?"

"Will you show me how to play?" he asked her suddenly. Lily smiled slightly, the smile barely reaching her eyes.

"Sure," she said as she stood and walked to the piano. He sat on the bench next to her. "What do you want to learn?"

"How about that song you played, the one that's not really piano music," he suggested. She shrugged.

"Sure," she said and the two of them did their best to not think about it and pretend that the kiss had never happened. They failed epically.

Footnote: The song Lily was playing is called Faint by Linkin Park. I found an instrumental version of it for the piano and it was fantastic. Anyways, here's the version. I could picture Lily playing it: http : / uk . youtube . com / watch ? v - U3PO5 - tvLM (remove the spaces to go there) Enjoy! (Oh, and I am in the US, even though Youtube thinks I'm in the UK. Silly Youtube.)