Quid Pro Quo

Lily woke up shivering Friday morning. Deep shadows still covered the room as her comforter covered her. Why does it feel so cold in here? The clock on the wall said it was 4:35 AM. The big room felt eerie to her; she couldn’t shake the feeling she was being watched. She slipped out of bed and grabbed her bathrobe off of a lavender chair. The door moved noiselessly as she pushed it open and stepped into the dark hall. She set off toward Scor’s room. Movement in the shadows ahead froze her to the spot. She stared at the edge of a gilt picture frame hung above a small table. After several minutes of heart palpitation and fear, she decided it must have been the occupant of the portrait moving that had caught her eye. She continued to the next door and pushed it open, stepped inside, and shut it quickly.

Scor slept soundly his bed sheets tangled around him. His tousled hair framed his face and his pajama shirt fell open revealing his collarbone and part of his shoulder. Lily tiptoed over to the four-poster enjoying the sight. Taking great care not to wake him, Lily crawled in the king sized bed behind him wrapping her arm around him and pressing herself to his back. Instantly her fear melted away. Feeling bold with the success of not being detected, she pressed her lips to his neck where it met his shoulder.

“Goodnight, love,” she whispered warmth flowing through her. She closed her eyes inhaling the woody smell lingering in his hair. In moments sleep consumed her.

She woke later that morning the feel of Scor’s soft breaths on her cheek. She lay facing the window with Scor’s arm and leg draped over her. He moved behind her pulling her closer to his chest and she pressed her eyes closed feigning sleep. She imagined what it would be like to wake up next to him every morning and delicious heat coursed through her veins. Maybe when he wakes up and finds me here, I can finally tell him how I feel. Fantasies of marriage and children played out in her mind nearly lulling her back to sleep when she felt him stiffen and jump away from her as though he had been stung. A stab of pain shot through her chest. He doesn’t want to be near me? He must not feel the same way.

“Uh…Lily?” His voice sounded hoarse. She opened her eyes pretending she was just waking up.

“Mmmm?”

“Lily, what are you doing in here?” She thought she detected a note of panic in his voice and looked away from him quickly. All the words of love she meant to speak died on her lips.

“Oh…I’m sorry…I was afraid last night…my room felt…cold. I just didn’t want to be alone. I didn’t mean to bother you.”

“It’s alright,” he said in a much more natural tone of voice. Her stomach clenched fiercely.

“Well, I’m going to get dressed. See you downstairs.” She jumped up and ran across the room trying to control herself long enough to get back to her own. When she finally made it there, she slid down the closed door and buried her face in her hands. What was I thinking? Her back felt cold where he had been pressed against her only moments before. Emptiness welled up inside her. Rose, James, Professor Longbottom, all of them were wrong! He only wants to be friends. The silent tears streamed down her cheeks. After emptying herself of emotion, she rifled through her trunk for jeans and a shirt. Her hand brushed the two-way mirror and she picked it up. She turned it over to read the words My Best Friend written on the back in her own eleven year old scrawl. Lily laid the mirror on top of a pair of red socks and pulled on her clothes steeling herself for the day ahead. I will think of him only as a friend.

Thinking of him as anything but the prat she loved turned out to be impossible. Lily realized this as she sat across from him in the library holding a book on ancient magic she was supposed to be reading. Her eyes insisted on drifting up to take in his expression. Her heart was determined to skip a beat when he smiled. Her skin refused to stay cool when he accidentally brushed against her. It was too late to stop loving Scor now. Her only choice was to find contentment in his friendship and love him from afar. His grey eyes caught her brown ones for the hundredth time, and she sucked in another breath.

“Lily?”

“Hmm?”

“There’s…something I want to ask you.” She closed the book and sat it on her lap. Oh, please don’t ask me about last night! I’m not sure I can hide my feelings a second time.

“Okay.”

He shifted in his seat.

“I…I…I need to get something from my room first. Can you wait here?”

“Uh…sure.”

He hurried out the door and she heard his footsteps retreating down the hall.

“Well, well, well…finally we have a moment alone.” Lucius Malfoy appeared from behind a shelf. Lily shot up and tried to swallow as the wizard moved to cut off her only means of escape.

“He’s coming right back. Maybe I should go help him.” She could hear her voice quavering as she spoke. Way to stand up for yourself, Lily.

“There’s no hurry. Why don’t we get to know one another better?” The feral gleam in the man’s eyes chilled her to the bone as he advanced toward her. She backed away until she hit the wall. His eyes danced maliciously. “What a pretty little thing you are. Pity you come from a family of blood traitors, I might…”

“Father!” Lily felt her heart beat madly as Draco Malfoy stepped into the room.

“Draco…you’re just in time to entertain our guest.”

“Yes, father,” she gasped. Would he really give her up to this monster? “I was just coming to get Lily and Scorpius. I’m taking them to the Wasp’s game. Come, Lily.” She obeyed at once hiding behind Scorpius’s father.

“You disappoint me, Draco.”

“I’m sorry father, but we must hurry. We’re running late already.” Lily trembled and clutched the back of Draco’s robes like a small child. He turned and she held onto his arm for dear life. Once in the hall she turned to see Lucius glaring at her from the library door. The gleam of hate still shone in his ashen eyes. Halfway down the corridor they met Scor running toward them. He paled when he saw them.

“Father! What happened? Why…”

“Come Scorpius, I’m taking you and Lily to the Wasp’s game.”

“But…”

“At once!”

“Yes, sir.” They walked out the door and down the driveway to the wrought iron gates. Once outside, Draco took Scor’s arm and turned on the spot. Lily was glad to see Malfoy manor disappearing around her.