Quid Pro Quo

A wave of cheers greeted Scor when he appeared beside his father and Lily. The back of the stands rose up before him, banners waving in the breeze from the topmost boxes. He could just make out the yellow and black robes of a Wasps player through the tiers. Lily stood white as a sheet still clinging to his father’s arm. An invisible hand seemed to clench Scor’s heart. Draco led her to a picnic table nearby and she sank onto the bench.

“I’m sorry, Lily,” Draco said gently. “I promised your father I would take care of you and…” She dug her fingernails into the weathered wood of the bench.

“You did! You took me away from that…from him.” Scor saw her tremble.

“Is anyone going to tell me what happened?” Scor said frustration and concern balling within him.

“Lucius cornered Lily in the library. I believe he was threatening her when I arrived.”

“That…that…I’ll kill him!”

“Scorpius, calm down. Getting yourself killed will solve nothing. Scor wanted to argue, wanted to apparate back and hit Lucius with a thousand curses. He took a deep breath and stared at Lily. She looked resolutely down at her hands refusing to meet his eye. This was my fault. I shouldn’t have left her.

“What do we do now?” Scor said softly.

“We wait until Lily calms down and then we return to the manor. You will remain with her until tomorrow when you will both return to school where he can harm her no further.” Lily sat unmoving. “Would you like to watch the game, Lily?” She looked up at Draco and gave him a brief nod. Scor moved to offer her his arm before his father could then led her to the stands. Thoughts of Lucius kept nagging him as they made their way past screaming fans. What would happen to his father? Would Lucius have his “purist” friends hurt him or worse kill him? Scor sat staring at the seat in front of him completely ignoring the match. Lily’s color returned slowly as the game progressed and towards the end she even screamed, “Go James!” when her brother made a particularly well executed goal.

Afterwards, they waited outside the locker room and Lily flew at James as soon as she caught sight of him. James held her close and gave Scor a questioning look.

“Lils, what’s wrong?” She didn’t answer, but Scor could see her shuddering in James’s arms and knew she was crying. He stifled the urge to hit something. Scor hated it when Lily cried. He knew how upset she must be. All she had to do was tell James and then she would be gone. “Did they do something to you? Lily, what happened?” James glared at him and his father. Scor heard Lily sniffing and wished she would let him comfort her instead of James.

“They…they didn’t d…do anything, James. I jus…just miss you!” Her sobs resumed in earnest.

“I’m not buying it, Lily. What’s wrong?”

“N…no…really,” she wiped her eyes on the hem of her shirt allowing Scor a glimpse of creamy skin. “It…it’s just been…I didn’t…I didn’t sleep well. You know…how I…how I get when…I’m tired.” James nodded but Scor still saw a hint of malice in the look James shot him. Anxious to reassure him and Lily, Scor stepped forward.

“I’ll take care of her, James. I swear.” James searched his eyes and finally nodded briefly.

“We’d best be getting back,” Draco said. Scor had forgotten his father was there silently observing the whole scene. Scor wrapped his arm around Lily’s shoulder protectively and led her off after his father. I won’t let anything happen to you again, love, he thought but wondered if he would be able to keep this promise.


Scor stuck to Lily like glue the rest of the day. They packed their trunks for the trip to Hogwarts then spent the last few hours before bedtime playing chess in his room. After the sixth win, Scor looked up to see Lily stifle a yawn. She continued to set up the board and he realized she was avoiding going back to her room.

He thought of her lying in his arms that very morning. What a shock it had been, a pleasant one to be sure. He knew he had reacted badly, but he was embarrassed by his reaction to being so close to her. After all, he had promised his father he would behave like a gentleman. He watched her eyelids droop as he contemplated his next move. Father did say to stay with her until tomorrow.

“Why don’t you stay with me tonight?” he whispered. Her eyes shot open revealing relief, anxiety, and something else he couldn’t quite define.

“You don’t mind?”

“No.” She smiled nervously and stood up walking to the enormous bed and lying on the left side close to the edge. He climbed into the middle.

“There’s plenty of room. You don’t have to fall off the edge,” he grinned hoping to lighten the tension he felt and sensed in her. She turned to face him and moved closer to him. She reached over and took his hand warming him instantly.

“Thank-you, Scor. You’re my very best friend.”

“Lily, I…I…”

“Yes?”

“I’m glad to have you as my best friend.” She smiled and shut her eyes while Scor mentally kicked himself. What is so hard about saying I love you?


Scor had a hard time sleeping that night. He spent the first hour simply staring at the beauty lying next to him. When he finally drifted to sleep, it was only to be startled awake by a bumping sound coming from the room next door. He reached for Lily pulling her next to him to assure himself she was still there. She snuggled close and lay her head on his chest. He kept vigil through the night stroking her hair and listening to her steady breathing. The combined tension of Lily’s closeness and the noises from her room kept him alert for several hours. Eventually exhaustion overcame him in the wee hours of the morning.

When he woke, Lily was gone. Panic rose up inside him. No! No he couldn’t have!

“Lily?” He searched his room and closet. “Lily!” He ran to the door and across the hall to the bathroom. “Lily!” He ran down the hall to her room. “LILY!” He slammed the door open to find her standing over her open trunk looking at him as though he had grown another head. His heart attempted to escape from his chest as he clung to the door facing panting.

“Scor?” He tried to control his breathing, to stamp down the urge to shake her, yell at her, or snog her senseless but failed. In three strides he had her in his arms; fire consumed him as he crushed her lips with his. Her initial shock passed quickly and she melted into him returning the kiss with a fire matching his own. He felt the euphoria would obliterate him on the spot as he finally came up for air and stared into her dark eyes.

“You scared me.” His own voice sounded husky with emotion. She smiled up at him her eyes sparkling.

“I’ll have to scare you more often.” He grinned lowering his head again this time brushing her lips gently silently asking permission. Her lips parted and they shared a lingering kiss that had the small hairs on the back of Scor’s neck standing on end. When their lips parted he laid his cheek on the top of her head wishing he never had to let go.

“Lily, I…”

“Scorpius, Lily, it’s…” he turned and saw his father staring red-faced at the two of them from the door. “Uh…we have to leave in ten minutes.” He felt Lily pull away and heard her trunk snap shut. Great timing Dad!

He walked past his father who looked completely taken aback. He levitated his trunk in his room still reeling from the adrenaline and heat rushing through his veins. Will I EVER get to tell her?