Chapter Twenty-One

Lily stood on the platform, Scorpius by her side. A few people had stopped to stare or to whisper, but for the most part everyone seemed focused on getting their children on the train to head back after a much needed Christmas holiday. It was still very much cold, everyone bundled against the snow. Theron hugged her and Scorpius both before bouncing off to visit with his cousins. Tina waved from where she was with her mother and father, Sarah grinned. Lily hoped they'd come over, but most people were keeping their distance. The minister had made a point of vocalizing just how displeased he was with the outcome of the trial.

If work was any harder for Damon or Scorpius, neither mentioned it. They didn't mention a lot of anything. Lily would cook dinner and serve Theron, who was still miffed at her but seemed to have at least taken into consideration that she'd allowed him to live. Still, he was different, and she didn't know if it had to do with the fact that he was older, or school, or if it was the new knowledge he'd learned. Scorpius and Damon both sat down with him, to apologize for what was said in anger, and for fists that were thrown. Theron seemed to relax some when he realized that no one was taking his mother or his new brother away from him.

Theron had tagged along with Damon and Lily to have the gender revealing ultrasound. Lily had hoped that Scorpius would have come, too, but he had bowed out at the last minute and stayed home to read a book. He was living in the third bedroom, the one that Lily had never in a million years imagined using. Lily didn't bother him when he shut himself away, as he did when it came time for Damon to take Lily to her appointment.

Neither Theron nor Damon had ever been present to an ultrasound, so they were pleasantly surprised to see the very-baby-looking creature on the screen wiggling and waving. Unlike Theron, who had been very difficult to capture on screen for very long, and impossible to see his gender, Baby West was pleased as punch to show that he was very much all boy. Lily blushed at the thought that Damon's genes were very strong. He held her hand, grinning down at her for a second before focusing back on the screen.

"Our son!" Damon whooped as the tech handed him a few of the print-off pictures. He hugged Theron. "You're getting a baby brother!"

"I'm going to teach him all about Quidditch," Theron announced as they left the ultrasound room for an exam with the doctor.

"Maybe Theron should sit in the waiting room," Lily mentioned as she looked at the gown and sheet on the table. It had been quite some time since she had a baby, but she remembered those usually indicated that she would be removing all of her clothing, and while they'd never been a prudish family by any means, Theron had long out grown walking into Lily's room unannounced. He was old enough to sit alone.

"Yeah, I'll walk him there," Damon replied, putting his hand on the boy's shoulder. Lily undressed quickly, pulling the gown and the sheet to hide away her body. She'd been out of captivity now a month, and she'd put on some much needed weight, but she was still self-conscious about the way her bones felt too sharp still.

Lily was laying there when the doctor came in. He was about to start his exam when Damon knocked and entered. Lily blushed. This was one of the most awkward thing ever, having him sit in the chair next to her shoulder. Lily listened to the doctor ramble about something while he did his head to exam, focusing not on Damon or the doctor, but counting the tiles in the ceiling. She glanced at Damon once, despite her better judgement when the doctor started pulling out the stirrups. The look on his face was clouded with hunger and desire, unshielded.

"Oh, Miss Potter, just relax and drop your legs to the side," the doctor said matter of fact. Damon never broke eye contact with her, even as the doctor checked her, mashing on her stomach with one hand while checking for dilation with the other.

"Ah," Lily groaned quietly from the discomfort.

"Sorry, I don't mean to be so rough, but you're very tiny," the doctor apologized. Damon took her hand and held it to his lips, as if he were going to kiss it. Lily hated that part of her wanted him to part his lips and nip her knuckles. Her face felt like it was on fire, and he remained ever vigilant, only glancing down once. Lily was fairly certain that he was in a position that he couldn't see anything, but part of her felt horribly guilty that she'd entertain the idea of things.

"How's everything look, doc?" Damon asked as the doctor pushed the stirrups back into the table and stripped off the last glove.

"Everything looks good," the doctor answered. "You're a little on the small side, and that might become a problem once we get to forty weeks. You're the father, yes?"

"I am," Damon replied proudly.

"With you being so much taller than Miss Potter, if the baby takes after you, that might make for a tight fit, but you mentioned you'd like to try and not have a ceserean again, correct?" the doctor looked at LIly.

"That's correct," Lily nodded as she held the sheet tight against her body. At the moment, she wasn't focused on logistics of being a smaller sized person and trying to push a Damon's genetic beast from her body, she just wanted them to leave the room so she could put her clothes on.

"I'd definitely be willing to let you try," the doctor offered. "I'll go ahead and let you dress, and I'll see you back in a month."

"Thank you, doc," Damon shook the man's hand and closed the door behind him. Lily looked surprised that Damon hadn't let himself out.

"I need to get dressed," Lily pointed out.

"I'm not stopping you," Damon gestured to the pile of clothes on the chair.

"Okay, but could you leave the room so I can?" Lily asked. Damon 's cheeks turned slightly pink but he didn't move to leave.

"I want to talk to you about some things, and I don't know how to start," Damon explained.

"Well, for one, it'd be nice if I could get dressed. We can talk about things at home," Lily replied. Damon ran his hand through his hair.

"I'd rather not talk about them in front of Scorpius, to be honest. I think they'd come off wrong," Damon explained.

"Oh, okay, because me standing here naked under a sheet wouldn't?" Lily crossed her arms. She sighed. "How about you do it quick, like a band-aid. Painless."

"How do you plan on feeding our baby?" Damon asked her. Whatever she had thought he'd bring up, feeding the baby wasn't one of them.

"Um, I just assumed that I'd feed him like I fed Theron," Lily told Damon. Nursing had been a wonderful bonding experience between her and Theron, and she had a hard time giving it up when it was time. It was such a beautiful and comforting thing for both of them.

"Nursing?" Damon frowned.

"Is that a problem?" Lily asked him. She knew that even if it was, she was still going to do it, but since they were going to co-parent the baby, she had to at least attempt to make him feel like his opinion mattered.

"Well, when the baby stays over at my place-"

"Wait, what?" Lily asked.

"How else am I supposed to do night duty?" Damon asked her. "I'm not going to climb up in bed with you and Scorpius until the baby cried."

"For your information, Scorpius is sleeping in the spare room, and even if he wasn't, you can't take a baby away from his food source over night," Lily's voice had the slightest edge of hostility in it.

"Well, that's why I was thinking we could just do bottles with him," Damon explained. "They make baby milk. It comes in a can with a scoop for the powder."

"Damon, can we talk about this later?" Lily begged.

"I don't want to miss out on feedings, Lily," Damon continued. "Scorpius never did."

"Scorpius didn't really do anything, just kind of sit there and watch, then take the baby and change him," Lily explained.

"Well, I doubt that Scorpius is going to be okay with me ever being around while you're nursing," Damon pointed out. Lily frowned.

"You were around when I nursed Theron. How is this any different?" Lily asked.

"It wasn't all the time, and I hadn't slept with you," Damon countered. "There's no way that Scorpius is going to be okay with me caressing my feeding son's cheek while he eats if he's at your teat."

"Damon, really, we will figure something out," Lily promised. "Maybe a few feeding I can put some milk in bottles for you to feed him, okay, once nursing is well established. But please, let me get dressed. Being around you this undressed is making me nervous."

"Afraid you won't be able to control yourself?" Damon quipped with a chuckle as he closed the door behind him. Lily's face flamed beet red, and she dressed in record time.

Scorpius listened politely to his son gushing about the baby, but once he skipped off, his very own copy of the little black and white photo for his desk, Scorpius immediately changed the subject. Damon had already departed, claiming he needed to go look at paint for the apartment. It occurred quickly to Lily that Scorpius was going to ignore the pregnancy and Damon was going to focus completely on it. Lily supposed that it was the way it was supposed to be, but she'd really have loved to have been able to curl up with someone and be excited about the baby.

"You ready, or do you want to stare at the empty track all afternoon?" Scorpius teased. Lily had been so lost in her thoughts that she hadn't even noticed that the train had departed and folks were filing off the platform in record speed.

"Yeah, I'm ready," Lily replied. A twinge of pain shot through her back and she winced. Scorpius looked like he was going to say something but instead he clamped his mouth shut and turned away. Lily tried to pretend that it didn't bother her, but it did. He had yet to kiss her or hold her, and unless she initiated the hand holding or hug, he wouldn't touch her.

"Do you want to eat before we go back?" he asked her hesitantly. Lily nodded and they were off, zipping through town in his car. Before long, they were seated and tucked behind tall menus. Her stomach did this funny fluttery thing. She wanted to ask him something, but she wasn't sure that she wasn't going to be hurt if he turned her down.

"Scorpius?" Lily spoke.

"Hm?" He murmured as he continued to study his menu. The lady took their order and the menus. Lily thought that he'd look at her, but he seemed focused on tracing the rim of his glass while he stared off into space.

"Scorpius?" Lily tried again. He startled ever so slightly, drawing his eyes to hers.

"Yeah, Lily?" he replied, giving her his full attention.

"I would like, very much, for you to sleep with me tonight," Lily told him quietly. His eyes widened slightly and he began to choke.

"I don't know that I feel comfortable having sex with you with another man's baby inside of you," Scorpius choked out. A few people glanced over at them and Lily's face went bright red. "Maybe after you give birth or whatever."

"I mean sleep in my bed with me!" Lily hissed at him, blocking her peripheral view of the giggling neighboring table. She was mortified. "I wasn't going to suggest that. I know how you feel about me, okay? I just... I miss having someone in bed with me."

"Yikes," Scorpius said sarcastically. "So Damon and Marshall were only two of a long list of bed-warmers?"

"Oh, you're such an asshole," Lily snapped at him. "I meant I missed sleeping next to you. I never shared a bed with them for sleep. Just hit and quit it, you know. Because I'm some floozy tart. Isn't that right? Isn't that what you believe, you jerk!"

"Easy, Lily," Scorpius whispered as a few more people started to turn and watch the scene.

"I changed my mind. I'm not hungry. I want to go home," Lily growled at him as she stood up and very awkwardly grabbed her purse.

"Lily, sit down and eat," Scorpius requested. "I'm starving, and I know you have to be, too. Eat, and then I'll take you back to your place." Lily frowned but didn't see much choice in the matter. She wasn't about to apparate with the baby in her belly. It was too uncomfortable for her, and she'd not put him through it, either.

Lily glared at him while she speared food onto her fork and ate it. She didn't even taste the food, anger coursing through her veins white hot. If he noticed, it didn't change his mannerisms while he ate. Lily grew increasingly angry while she glared at him and ate.

"Desert, folks?" the waitress asked.

"Lily, would you like a desert?" Scorpius asked her calmly.

"No," Lily snapped. The waitress looked surprised, but Scorpius only smiled slightly.

"Looks like we're good. I'll take the check," he explained. The waitress quickly brought the ticket to be paid and seemed in a hurry to get Lily and him out of her section and on their way. Scorpius grabbed her jacket and held it for her to put on, which she would have admitted was helpful if she hadn't been steaming mad.

They were silent the whole way home. Lily didn't wait for him while he parked the car. She took the first opportunity to climb out and catch the lift up to their floor. He was waiting, arms crossed loosely over his chest, and a smirk on his face. He raised a single eyebrow at her, and for a second Lily was that thirteen year old girl, hopelessly in love with her teammate, hoping that he'd kiss her or just pay her some attention. She felt her face turn hot at the thought, and she berated herself for not having her hormones in better check. She was supposed to be mad at him, not thinking about him pinning her between himself and something solid.

"Good night," Lily huffed as she pushed past him into the apartment. She went to hang her jacket up on the jacket tree but missed and it fell to the floor. She debated picking it up but decided she was too tired, too sore, and just plain old too angry to care. Scorpius didn't say anything. He scooped it up and hung it up properly, next to his. He waited a minute before he headed to Lily's room.

He didn't knock, just pushed the door open and leaned against the door frame. She was already dressed in her night gown, her clothes in piles on the floor where she'd removed them. She looked up at him in surprise, wondering why he was standing there against the doorway, much like the first time she'd seen him after so long. She fought and lost against the onslaught of other times he'd stand in the door way and watch her.

"What do you want, Scorpius?" Lily asked, fighting the urge to run up to him.

"I want... I want to kiss you," he replied. Lily felt her whole body shiver with anticipation, and that made her even more mad. His voice had taken on this deep, velvety smooth cadence that climbed inside of her and stirred places that she had no business having stirred.

"I wouldn't stop you," Lily found the words tumbling out of her mouth before she could stop them. Scorpius smiled, not a smirk or something sarcastic, but instead a warm, inviting smile and Lily felt her knees go weak. He was the most amazing guy she'd ever known. She knew she was going to be in serious trouble if ever all her memories came back to her.

Scorpius stroked her cheek with his hand, each touch sending jolts of desire straight through her. He leaned forward slowly, taking his time. She knew they'd waited all this time, what was a few seconds, but Lily had the almost uncontrollable urge to crush her mouth down on his and claim him to his core. She forced herself to be patient, the build was getting intense. His lips brushed hers so feather light that it almost tickled and Lily failed to keep back the tiny noise of pleasure that escaped from her.

No other kiss compared.

He pulled back a little, the corner of his mouth turned up slightly at the sound. He let his hand ease into her tresses, gently pulling her toward him. She came eagerly parting her mouth slightly. She ached so much, wanting so much for him to claim her mouth. He took it painfully slow, brushing his parted lips against hers first, then tasting her lips. When he finally entered her mouth, Lily couldn't restrain from letting a purr of delight, mixed with a heady moan. The noise seemed to break within Scorpius his resolve to take things slow. Her heart raced in her chest, the twist of pent up desire boiled unchecked within.

She felt him pushing against her, sandwiched between him and the bed. She never wanted to stop, she wouldn't initiate the stop. She couldn't recall a time where she'd wanted to do anything with anyone as much as she wanted to do with Scorpius right now. He gripped her hip, holding her down with a chuckle. She had been pushing up against him, moving in rhythm, making her carnal desire well know. She cried out when he touched her intimately.

"We can go slow, Lily. We have all night," he breathed into her ear softly. "Shh... we have the night."

Lily's flesh burned at his every touch, and she craved it. She drew his mouth back down to hers, greedy. She fought to remove his clothing but he kept brushing her hands away effortlessly. She found it frustrating that he kept slowing her down.

"This is worse than when we were younger!" She cried out. He chuckled.

"Why are you in such a hurry?" Scorpius taunted as he kissed her again.

"I want to be with you," she protested. She pushed him away for a moment, confusion registering in his face.

"I'm not telling you 'no', Lily. I just don't know what the rush is, and that still makes me uncomfortable," Scorpius poked her midsection.

"I feel like I've waited forever for you," Lily jumped up. She jerked off her nightgown and tossed it with the rest of her clothes on the floor. "Deny me!"

"Lily," he called to her. His voice had dropped an octave and the previous masked amusement had been replaced with unshielded desire. He swallowed and jerked his shirt off, kicking off his pants as quickly as she'd climbed back towards him across her bed. Flesh to flesh, they burned hot. He couldn't fight his own neediness as she enveloped him. She held fast to him, careful not to pierce his skin with her nails as she clung to him. He growled her name, lost to the passion before he claimed her lips again and claimed her as his equal.