A/N: The tone of this whole chapter can basically be summed up with a single song. If you've never listened to the cover band, Boyce Avenue do their rendition of Somebody I Used to Know... you should. If this chapter had an anthem, this would be it. I'd link it from YouTube, but it's easier if you'd just look for it yourselves, if you so wish.

Disc.: Borrowed characters, own the plot.

Chapter Thirteen

Lily watched him sleep next to her. It was the first time that they'd slept together, like actually slept together and did nothing else. She knew she needed to wake him, but she wasn't ready to quite yet. Damon was peaceful, his face not tormented with the lies he must have been forced to tell in her presents. He looked younger sleeping, more at ease.

Her heart ached. She was falling for him, but the knowledge Damon offered her last night, that Scorpius was very much alive, it carved at that love, it carved at her heart. If he was truly alive, why hadn't he kept his promise? Why hadn't he come home and be with her and their son. She had needed him, their son had needed him. She was only able to survive the crushing blow of the deaths because she had no other option.

She had missed the funerals of her father and brother, being sedated in the hospital. They were buried in the graveyard at Godric's Hollow. She had visited only the one time, when she was first released from St. Mungo's. The same rang true for Scorpius' grave that had been erected in the Malfoy family plot. Just the one visit, and Lily never returned. She wondered how much more was faked, all in the name of the ministry. She looked at Damon, wondering if he'd tell her. He'd already told her more than she was permitted to know, and she knew that it would be the end of his career.

She lay next to him, her eyes tracing the contrasting bandages across his body. She reached out, her fingers brushing his skin softly. He shivered in his sleep but didn't stir. She closed her eyes for a moment, thinking. A flash of a false memory assaulted her senses, confusing her. She could imagine marrying Damon, having more children with him, and just finally putting it all behind her. She opened her eyes, staring at the ceiling as a tear slipped from her eye. She would never be able to marry Damon, and the only child she had would be it for her, her body broken. Until she knew the truth, she knew she could never just put it all behind her.

"Are you okay?" Damon asked her softly. He touched her cheek gently, brushing the tear away.

"I don't know," Lily whispered. Damon cupped her cheek and guided her face to look at him. Her lip trembled as he looked at her, concern easily written on his face.

"Do you want to try talking it out?" he asked, caressing her cheek with his thumb. Lily thought about it for a moment.

"I don't know that it won't make things worse," Lily confessed. Damon smiled slightly, knowingly. He continued to cup her cheek, and Lily's heart ached. "Why didn't he try to contact me? Even if he didn't want to be with me anymore."

"I can't answer that, Lily," Damon answered. Lily moved closer to him, resting her head the arm that he'd circled around her.

"Can't or won't?" Lily challenged.

"Does it matter?" Damon asked. She tilted her chin, her head dipping back.

"Do you love me?" Lily asked him.

"Do you remember back when we were in school, and Scorpius smelled that Amortentia potion?" Damon asked her hesitantly.

"Yes, he said something about it smelling like grass and stuff, claimed it was my scent," Lily answered. She watched him, her hand spread over the uninjured part of his chest. She could feel his heartbeat pick up tempo as she spread her fingers out across his warm flesh.

"It was your scent," Damon nodded. He looked up at the ceiling, studying it. He covered her hand with his, pressing it firmly to his chest. She could feel his heart racing. "I know this because I know what I breathed in, I know how it felt to have your scent be the one that filled and invaded."

"Say what?" Lily gasped.

"I told you before, told him before," Damon breathed as he shifted so he could look at her, nose to nose or nearly close to it. "The only thing that kept me from pursuing you myself was the fact that I knew he had a thing for you."

"A thing? We were going to be married," Lily choked out. "We had a child together, and another on the way. "

"And if he could have, he'd have fulfilled that goal, Lily. I'm sure of it," Damon promised. "But it doesn't change the fact that I love you. Have for a long time."

"Did you send me the postcards?" Lily asked him. "And Theron?"

"I didn't want to hurt either of you, but I had to get you here," Damon explained unappologetically. "It's an unofficial declaration of war."

"War?" Lily growled. "You gave me hope."

"I know, and I'm sorry," Damon looked away.

"You could have just as easily kept things the way they were," Lily cried out.

"No, they'd already learned that I'd broken one of the very few rules that Scorpius agreed to when he agreed to take the assignment originally," Damon explained. "If he'd known you'd two have a kid together, or that you'd finally agree to marry him..."

"When did he agree to this horrible mission?" Lily sobbed.

"Not long after he became and Auror, when you guys weren't seeing a lot of each other, but he signed on for the surrendering after he thought you... terminated... your pregnancy," Damon explained carefully.

"He knew for two years that he'd have to give me up, and yet he agreed to marry me?" Lily asked incredulously.

"I think he honestly believed that he could find a way out of the agreement with the Argentineans," Damon confessed.

"Is he... is he still human?" Lily asked.

"Yes, of course," Damon nodded.

"My brother's death?" Lily challenged.

"That, not even I have been given the details behind that. The eve of your wedding day was the last peaceful exchange that our government had with the Argentineans," Damon sighed. Lily pulled herself free and began to change. "Lily, where are you going?"

"I need to be alone to think," she breathed, holding in her emotions. "I'd ask you to leave so I could do it here, but you're injured and I'm guess that it's not safe for you out there right now."

"No, it's not. And it might not be safe out there for you, either, Lily," Damon explained. "I have an extraction team that will pull me out, but you're here against ministry ruling. You may not be able to return to London after this."

"Oh," Lily gasped. She took a deep breath. "I'll be careful."

"Please, do," Damon begged when he realized that she was set on leaving and that there was nothing he could say to stop her. He watched her hesitate at the door, her hand on the frame as she turned to look at him.

"I will," Lily promised.

"Hey, Lily? Can I ask you something before you leave?" Damon pushed himself up in the bed, his back bare against the pillows.

"Yeah?" Lily agreed.

"Can I have a kiss before you go?" he hesitated. She looked a little surprised, but she walked across the room, dipping down to his level, brushing her lips against his slightly. It was simple, it was sweet, and Lily felt the twist and pull of something more than lust pulling at her. Damon watched her walk to the door again. "Do you think you could ever love me back?"

"I don't know that I don't already, Damon," Lily whispered before she disappeared through the doorway. She sprinted down the steps, unable to stand another moment in the house. She was confused. She had been certain that she saw someone that looked like Scorpius the previous night, before she'd found Damon, before the attack.

She wondered if she would have died, had Diego not been there. She supposed she should thank the minister for his hospitality, and the use of his top Auror, and ask for a favor of a portkey home. She wouldn't tell him about Damon, just get the key and use it to take him home. This place, this dreadfully wet and cold place wasn't worth trying to find Scorpius, especially when she wasn't sure that he was even there.

She easily found the pub and walked up to the bar, the place was deserted but the barkeep took his time attending her. He was wiping out the same glass, Lily suspected, and he looked at her suspiciously. She didn't say anything at first, just looked at him and he looked at her.

"I'd like to talk to Raul Rosa, please," Lily requested politely. The bar keep frowned, placing his rag on the bar.

"About?"

"I just need to talk to him. I want a portkey, I need to go home," Lily rushed out in a huff. If the bar keep was expecting something from her, it wasn't that. He was unable to hide his surprise.

"I'll see if he's available."

"I'll wait here," Lily replied, taking a seat at the bar. She remained there until Diego returned to retrieve her. Lily slipped from the stool and followed him through those same doors. He didn't look happy to see her.

"Why are you here, Lily?" he asked her quietly. "Why really? Why did you come to Argentina?" Lily looked up at him, frowning. The doors, one being the minister's door the other being the exit, were on either sides of him. Diego echoed a strange familiarity in Lily's mind, a lost ghost of something she couldn't place.

"I came to get answers," Lily replied honestly. "I came to find my son's father, the truth about what happened to him. I came to find out if my brother and father died in vain. I came to find my friend."

"The... guy from last night?" Diego asked hesitantly.

"Yes," Lily admitted.

"Do you love him?" Diego asked. Lily frowned.

"I don't know that it's any of your concern," Lily replied. "And I don't know why my answer last night wasn't enough."

"I.. it's not my concern," Diego said stiffly and he headed toward the door that would led to the minister's office. He stopped just before the door and turned to Lily slowly. "No matter what happens, I wish you the best."

"Thanks," Lily replied looking at him. Without warning, he swooped down and planted a kiss on her cheek, her turning at the last minute and the briefest of brushes of lips between them had Lily stumbling backwards away from him. It was too familiar, too much like a memory that struck her like lightening. She felt tears prickle behind her eyes. If he felt anything, he didn't let on to it. He pushed the door open and lead the way into the minister's office.

"Senorita Potter, I hear you'd like to talk to me about a portkey home," he said gesturing to the chair before his desk. Lily sat, glancing at Diego, who was off in the corner, taking a swig from his flask.

"Yes, sir," Lily answered. She kept her hands folded on her lap, her purse below them.

"Can I ask why you're suddenly so eager to leave?" Minister Rosa asked.

"I've seen everything I can think of seeing this time around," Lily lied. "Plus with Christmas coming, my son will be coming home on Holiday and I need to be there to pick him up from the train."

"I see," the minister said sitting on the edge of his desk, his fingers peaked as he tapped them on his chin.

"I appreciate all you've done for me," Lily told him, gesturing toward Diego. She cringed as a sharp pain cut through her shoulder. She should have guessed that back-kitchen healing wouldn't have her back to perfect.

"Is there a problem?" he asked her.

"I fell," she lied. The minister didn't look like he believed her but didn't say anything.

"I see," he replied after a moment and pulled out a form. "Well, just fill this form out and I'll submit it."

"You can't just approve it, maybe pull a portkey out of a box or something?" Lily asked. "I really was hoping to leave immediately."

"Really? You don't have your things," the minister replied suspiciously.

"I meant to say that I'd take it back to my hostel and activate it, so I can gather my things," Lily said hurriedly. He raised his eyebrow slightly.

"Why do I get the feeling that you're not being entirely truthful with me?" The minister asked her. Lily's stomach flip-flopped with nerves. He glanced at Diego, who was watching them very carefully. He opened his drawer and began rooting around in it, withdrawing a small device.

"Sir," Diego protested. Lily glanced at him carefully before looking at the item. It began whizzing around and whistling.

"Lily Potter, do you know what this is?" he asked. Lily looked at the device.

"That's a... a... sneakoscope," Lily answered. Minister Rosa pulled his wand out from behind his back, flicking it once at Lily. Ropes sprung from the end, binding Lily tightly to the chair. Lily immediately protested.

"Just for safety's sake," the minister explained, placing the sneakoscope on the desk before her. Lily glanced at Diego briefly before she looked at the device. The minister ignored the sneakoscope for a minute, pulling Lily's purse free. He took her wand out of it, turning the small piece of wood over in his hands. "Rather small."

"I'm rather small," Lily challenged. The minister nodded and dropped it in the drawer of his desk.

"Now, Senorita Potter, Miss Potter if you will be so kindly, tell me what the Ministry of Magic in London planned to do having you and the other operatives come here," the minister asked her. His tone was cooler now, no longer the friendly tone. "And if I must remind you, if you lie or try to deceive me, I'll know." They both glanced at the sneakoscope and Lily didn't bother looking at Diego.

"I'm not an operative," Lily replied firmly. "I used to be a healer, and up until recently, I was a glorified secretary."

"Under the minister himself," Minister Rosa added leaning against the desk.

"Yes," Lily confirmed.

"You must have had access to important information, valuable to my cause," the minister murmured as he stroked his chin.

"No," Lily shook her head slightly, the only thing she could move under the ropes. "I don't even know what your cause is."

"I don't believe that, and my sneakoscope doesn't either," the minister's voice was soft, almost soothing in tone. "Do you want to change your answer?"

"It's my answer," Lily shot back at him.

"So be it," the minister almost seemed sad for a moment. "Cruccio."

Lily felt her body arch against the ropes, twisting. She tried to fight back the scream that ripped up her body. She had never felt such pain before, and she hadn't been completely numb yet when they started the cesarean with Theron, nor completely under. She felt like the pain would never end. Fire burned in her veins, consuming her. At once the pain stopped, but her body still ached from the muscle memory of it.

"I don't know what you want from me," Lily screamed at him.

"You have been in contact with operatives while you have been in my country," the minister told her. "I want to know where they are."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Lily shouted angrily.

"Oh, but I do think you do. I think you know a lot more than you're letting on," he chastised. "Your father is the great Harry Potter, one of the best Aurors around. I'm certain he's trained you well."

"I'm not an Auror, and my father is dead," Lily cried.

"Rubbish," the minister dismissed. "Now, tell me where the allegiance's head quarters are, Senorita."

"I don't know what you're talking about!" Lily screamed as another bought of severe pain ripped through her.

"Minister, maybe she doesn't know," Diego interrupted, gripping his flask hard.

"I think she does, Diego," the minister snapped. His momentary distraction lessened the curse and Lily was able get a momentary reprieve. She kept her eyes clenched shut, breathing hard. Sweat poured down her face.

"What do you want to know?" Lily gasped.

"Where is your partner, from the ministry?" the minister asked her. His wand was trained on her.

"I already told you that I don't work for the ministry. I quit before I flew here. It was supposed to be a holiday before my boy comes home," Lily wept.

"LIES!" the minister yelled at her. His face was inches from hers, his hands pressing her wrists into the armrests. Lily braced herself for another round of the Cruccio curse. Instead of the white-hot flicks of flames burning her insides, she felt her skin split as if swords were being drawn across her flesh. She cried out.

"For the love of Merlin, Lily! Tell him where Damon is!" Diego yelled at her. The minister turned to him.

"You know where?"

"Yes, sir. Damon West, Auror. She has him stashed at her hotel room," Diego confessed. "I thought she'd tell you. They were both attacked and bitten last night."

"Excellent," the minister rubbed his hands together.

"No!" Lily screamed at Diego. "How could you do this?"

"I'm sorry, Lily, but I can't just sit by and let this continue," Diego begged.

"Cruccio," the minister pointed his wand at Lily, silencing her in pain.

"Sir, I told you what you needed to know. I bet Damon would have more useful information," Diego rambled quickly.

"We'll see when you bring him back. In the meantime, I'm going to keep working on her," the minister's voice was calm and matter of fact. Diego was gone with the crack, apparated out of the room.

"Please stop," Lily sobbed.

"Tell me what you know," the minister demanded.

"I'm Lily Potter, mother of Theron Malfoy. I used to be a healer before my son was born," Lily wept. "On my wedding day, my brother was killed, my father died, and my fiancé was never heard from again, presumed dead."

"Where did they go? What was their objective?" the minister asked.

"I don't know," Lily wept. The sneakoscope had been quiet for some time.

"Wrong answer," the minister sneered. He made a whipping motion at Lily, and invisible whip of power cracked against Lily's body. She cried out.

"They would never tell me anything," Lily cried. The sneakoscope began to whistle and spin again and Lily couldn't help but think of the onetime Scorpius had told her about the vampires and trolls, and how they wanted to rise up against the Secrecy.

"That, I don't believe," he breathed in her face quietly. "I don't like hurting you, Lily. You seem like a lovely lady, but I have a ministry of my own to run and I must stop this invasion."

"Please, Minister Rosa," Lily begged. "There is nothing more I can offer you. I just want to go home."

"Why did you come here?" the minister ignored her.

"I came on holiday!" Lily shrieked as he wordlessly tortured her. Lily thought of sweet old Miss Alice Longbottom and could understand how it could break you. She knew even if she spilled all of her secrets, she'd probably still be tortured for more and killed."

"I'm back!" Diego shouted over Lily's screams, holding a struggling Damon by his arms.

"LILY!" Damon fought to pull away from Diego. "Stop! Stop hurting her! She doesn't know about any of this!"

"Damon West," the minister sneered with a smile. He turned away from Lily, her screams stopping abruptly. Damon relaxed for a moment, stopping the fight.

"Minister Rosa," Damon replied back. "I'd never take you as one that would hurt an innocent."

"She's not innocent," the minister challenged. Damon pulled out of Diego's grip and went to her side, cradling her face in his hands, tilting her battered, bruised, and abused face.

"Lily, darling, are you okay?" Damon asked her, ignoring both men in the room. She nodded with a sniffle. He stood and looked at the minister. "Release her. Portkey her out of here and I will tell you every last detail."

"Hmm," the minister tapped his chin for a second. "Such a generous offer, Senor West. Really, but I think you'll be more than willing to sing like a canary with her still under my power." Lily sobbed, biting back the scream for a moment before she writhe in pain.

"No, stop!" Damon screamed, lunging at the minister, wand drawn.

"I know you have a no-engage order," the minister laughed.

"I've gone rouge," Damon yelled at him, exchanging curses. The walls cracked around them as they shot curses back and forth. Lily's chair was blown back, knocking the wind out of her as they battled and Diego scrambled to her, ripping away the ropes and dragging her behind the desk.

"Are you okay?" he asked her, cradling her head in his lap. She looked up through the swelling and blood, past the tears and sweat into Diego's eyes. There was something painfully familiar in their silver gray.

"Your eyes," she choked. He touched her face gently, mindful of her wounds.

"I should have never promised you," he whispered as he pulled out the flask. He put it to his lips but Lily reached up, cupping it.

"It's you, isn't it?" she breathed softly. He looked at her, her eyes watching for the variations of a potion wearing off. He took a big swig, his eyes changing back to the brown they'd been before.

"I don't know who I am anymore, Lily," he muttered as he stored away the flask. She slid her hand into his shirt, touching the flask.

"Scorpius, please," she begged. He brushed her hand away.

"Lily, please," he mocked quietly. "Scorpius died almost a decade ago." He looked away, glancing over the edge of the desk to see Damon and the minister still battling. "Plus, you have Damon." She rested her hand against his cheek.

"I've missed you so very much," she cried softly. He brushed her had away effortlessly.

"I'm sorry Lily," he hung his head, holding Lily's wand in his hand. "Obliviate."