I smiled slightly as I shut my trunk, hearing it make a small snap. I looked around the empty dormitory with a sigh. My dorm-mates had gone down a long time ago, to say their good-byes. And me? I had spent that time laughing and joking around with Neil and his friends, and now was trying to finish up my packing before the Hogwarts Express left.
Neil's recovery had made my spirits lift, and my shyness had left me almost entirely that year. He had left the hospital wing long ago, and we had continued our relationship happily.
I was slightly sad to be leaving Hogwarts, but I would be coming back next year, and next year Rose wouldn't be here. Perhaps that would be the year that I would be more open around everyone. Without my cousin around, I would be able to talk to others that weren't just Jake, Will, and Neil.
But Scorpius was leaving next year. He didn't matter to me that much... anymore. We barely talked, in fact. I don't think he likes me anymore. But there was still something there... I missed being friends with him, even if it had been so long ago.
So much had changed. Shaking my head, I flicked my wand, with a hasty "Wingardium Leviosa," making my trunk hover above the ground. I looked around my room one last time before passing through the doorway, closing it without looking back. A new era would begin now. Summer time.
Neil and I had made plans to see each other that summer, meeting up with Jake and Will at Diagon Alley. True, I would miss them in those long months with barely anything to do... but I would be able to spend time with my family, and we would send each other owls.
I hated the thought of never seeing Scorpius again; we probably wouldn't be in contact after all of what happened. Hogwarts was the only place where I could know that I would be seeing him, and the thought of that possibility going away forever was quite frightening.
"Lily! You ready to go?" I looked down, seeing Neil waiting in the common room.
I grinned, skipping down to meet him. "Yup. I just got my trunk packed."
He nodded, ruffling my hair. I scowled, sticking my tongue out in mock anger as I turned away.
"Where are you going?" he asked, tipping his head to one side as he watched me approach the Portrait hole.
"There's something I have to do... meet you at the platform?" I asked, turning around.
He nodded. "Sure," he replied, not asking what it was that I had to do. I was glad; Neil was so understanding. "See you there."
I smiled, waved, and walked out of the Gryffindor tower for the last time that year.
Before I knew it, I was in the grounds, looking around at the scenery I knew so well for the last time before we'd leave. They were so beautiful... green before the heat would hit them and make them turn yellow... so the teachers would tell me. (Students weren't allowed here in the summer.)
I remembered how I had been here with Scorpius, when we had been friends. We had laughed, talked, and I had fallen in love for the first time. He had tried to help me, trying to make me less shy.
'Lily! You can't just let people control you like that.' Scorpius' voice echoed through my head, and I shivered. I had forgotten the sound of his smooth, calming voice.
But then I thought of Neil. He had been here when Scorpius hadn't been. We had spent countless hours out here... He had told me of his feelings for me here.
'I would do anything for you, Lily,' he had whispered.
Yes, I loved Neil. Loved him more than anything in the world. And I still did; he was so different than Scorpius... And yet... I still felt regret whenever I saw Scorpius. Regret for what could have been. Somehow, I needed to see him one last time... see him and tell him all of these things. I needed to get rid of these thoughts, and telling him would most likely make me feel better.
But I didn't think I would find him. There had to be a way, though... had to be a way to find him one last time.
I found it quite easily. The Slytherin common room had a known location, and I stood there, waiting for someone to come out.
After a long time of waiting, someone did come out. Her name was Reina Blew. She wasn't exactly unpleasant, so I called out to her.
"Reina!" I exclaimed, running up.
She raised an eyebrow, taking a step back. "What?" she asked crossly.
"I need you to do me a favor..." My voice trailed off. "Please."
"And what may that be?"
I hesitated. "I need to talk to Scorpius Malfoy. Could you tell him to come out here?"
Reina looked like she was going to say no, then she shrugged. "Sure, why not? Hang on." She disappeared into the door, coming back a few minutes later.
"He doesn't want to talk to you," she informed me. "Sorry." Reina turned away, but I stopped her.
"Oh, could you let me in? I really need to tell him something... it's important."
There was a long pause, then she nodded. "Fine. But you'd better not do anything that'll get me in trouble." She opened the door, then led me in wordlessly.
The common room was dark, yet full of light. It was much larger than the Gryffindor tower, yet somehow... colder.
"He's over there," Reina said, pointing to a chair in a far, lone corner. She turned and left, and I muttered a thank-you.
As I approached, I thought about what I was going to say. What could I say? I had to apologize, and say good-bye... forever.
"Scorpius?" I said timidly, tapping him on the shoulder.
He stood up, his eyes wide. "How did you get in here?" he demanded.
I shrugged. "Someone... let me in." I wasn't going to give Reina away; she could get in trouble. "But that's not important right now."
"What exactly do you want?" His voice wasn't welcoming, and I resisted the urge to turn and run.
But I stood my ground. "I wanted to say good-bye," I said, my voice stronger than before. "Since you're not coming back next year."
He watched me, crossing his arms. "True," he replied. "But you could have done that on the platform."
"I could have," I said slowly. "But I also wanted to say something..." I looked up at him, seeing his dark gray, stormy eyes. I suppressed the urge to shiver; his eyes had always been such a mystery to me... So dark and gray... they were beautiful, almost.
"Well?" Scorpius pressed, turning away.
"I wanted to tell you... that I really missed being your friend this year."
He laughed quietly. "Really?" he said, his voice bitter. "You didn't seem like you did. Too busy with Neil, weren't you?"
Jealousy? "Don't tell me that you're jealous, because I won't... I won't believe it." I hated to admit it, but he made me feel timid... like I had before.
"I'm not jealous," Scorpius replied, shrugging. "I used to be... but I'm not anymore." He turned to face me. "I used to like you, Lily. But I don't anymore."
I didn't expect him to have. "I know," I replied. "Have you found someone else?" My voice was casual, and I hoped he had.
A smile crept onto his lips. "Yes, actually. I did."
"Who?" I dared to ask. My curiosity was back.
"Rose," he replied, shrugging again. "You'd be surprised how much a person can change."
Rose? I narrowed my eyes. "Out of all of the people in Hogwarts, you choose her?" I asked quietly. How could he be so... blind? A person like her couldn't change.
"She's changed," he repeated. "A lot. You'll be surprised yourself."
No I wouldn't. Rose and I wouldn't see each other ever again, if I had anything to do with it. "But she still hates me."
"Wrong again," Scorpius said, sitting down on his black trunk. "I really like her."
I wanted to feel happy for him, but I couldn't. Rose would ruin his life.
Or perhaps she wouldn't. Maybe she had indeed changed.
"We should go. The train'll be leaving soon." His voice startled me.
I nodded. "Yeah." I backed away. "Will you owl me sometime?" I said hopefully.
"Sure," he replied, standing up. "You'll be seeing me this Summer.. Rose is bringing me to meet her family."
I grinned. "I want to be there to see her father's reaction." Without stopping to think, I rushed forward and hugged him. "You were a great friend, Scorpius." And sometimes I wish we could have been more.
He awkwardly patted me on the back. "You were too," he replied, pulling away.
I forced a smile, and turned, running toward the door.
OoOoOoO
Neil welcomed me back with a kiss on the cheek. "Where were you?" he asked curiously.
I kissed him back, smiling. "I had to say good-bye to someone," I replied.
He was silent for a moment. "Scorpius?"
I nodded. "He's not coming back next year, and we won't see each other ever again..." My voice trailed off.
"I understand," he replied, putting his arm around me.
"I know," I replied, still smiling.
He grinned. "What am I going to do without you this Summer?" He shook his head, looking down.
"We'll see each other," I promised. "And I'll send you owls every day."
He smiled. "I know," he replied. "But it's still hard... you're so important to me."
"You're important to me too," I told him, my voice sincere. "And you'll be coming over to my house to meet everyone."
Neil chuckled. "D'you think your family will like me?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Of course they will," I replied, laughing too. "And even if they didn't, we'd keep seeing each other." A life without Neil wouldn't be a life at all. I needed him now.
He looked over at me, staring into my eyes.
It took me by surprise; his eyes... they were so blue and full of light. They were the exact opposite of Scorpius' eyes. Scorpius' eyes were dark, like a stormy day. He made me feel small and timid... And Neil's eyes were bright like a sunny day, and he made me feel strong, and more confident in myself.
It was obvious who was better for me.
"What're you staring at?" he asked, breaking into my thoughts.
I blushed. "Your eyes," I murmured, looking down.
He ruffled his hair. "Why?"
I shook my head, knowing I wouldn't be able to explain myself. "No reason. Let's go; the train's about to leave."
He nodded, and gently kissed my forehead before walking off towards the door, holding my hand.
As I watched him, still smiling, I felt happier than ever. When I was a little girl, the boy I had always dreamed of was dark and mysterious, with gray eyes, preferably. Scorpius would have been my prince.
But I had had it all wrong. My prince didn't have gray eyes. His eyes were blue.
Author's Note:
So this is the end... the final chapter of 'He Had Gray Eyes'. I loved writing this fic, despite some of the bad reviews I got ;D
I want to thank each and every one of you who have reviewed this fic from the start. Your support was amazing, and I loved hearing everything you had to say.
To those of you who want to read fics I'll be posting in the future, put me on your Author's Alert, and you'll be notified when I post my new fic!
~Cloudsong
