Snake Charmer Chapter 50

Chapter 50: Malfoy Manor

Lily had been on a high all day; it was a wonder that she was managing to keep her engagement quiet until the time came when all her family would be together. She was so darn happy, it was amazing that no one had guessed already the source of Lily's joy. Then again, everyone was used to the bouts of happiness by now. Still, considering that several of them knew that Scorpius had intended to propose sooner or later, it was surprising they hadn't yet pressed her for information about the reasons for her current bliss. Lily currently was sitting in a ministry rented limousine with her four best girlfriends, Albus, Louis and Hugo. They were all dressed in their finest and ready to attend the Malfoys' Charity Ball. She wore her engagement ring as well a pair of black elbow length gloves to keep it hidden until the announcement was made; she was excited and nervous for that when the time would come for the announcement.

The lane approaching the manor was narrow and edged with a tall yew hedge. Watching through the window, Lily could only gape with wonder as they drove through the ornate cast-iron gateway and saw the manor for the first time. The sight before her did nothing to lessen the torrent of nerves churning her stomach. The Malfoys' stately home was huge. There was a queue of people in front of them so they had plenty of time to admire the property. The magnificent five-story structure was situated among extensive grounds, designed in the Renaissance style; a large domed roof towered above a large impressive entrance way. There were two smaller domed roofs on top of what looked to be of two recently added towers to the right and left of the structure, which were built in the same style. Lily didn't know how far back the property went but it was definitely larger than any other home she'd seen.

She'd known Scorpius had grown up in a large manor but this certainly wasn't what she had expected. Lily heard a whistling sound that could have come from any number of the car's occupants, herself included. Glancing back around her, she saw identical expressions of awe on the faces on all except the twins. Having been to the manor multiple times before, the twins had long since gotten over of the initial shock and awe of seeing the beautiful grounds.

"Malfoy lives here? Why the hell is he always at your flat, Lily?" Jess gasped, her eyes as round as saucers.

"Just because you live in your parents' manor doesn't allow you to be mean about my flat," Lily pouted teasingly. "Besides, it's perfectly sized for me." She knew her friend didn't actually mean to insult her flat. Jess' parents were minor celebrities in the Muggle word and lived in a manor three times the size of Grimauld place. Lily returned her gaze to the Malfoy home; she had no idea how many times her childhood home could fit in it, but it was a lot more than three.

Jess blushed and made her apologies. "I didn't mean it like it came out." Jess gasped. She was still recovering from the impact of the manor. "I just meant in comparison."

Lily let out a nervous giggle as she gazed out of the window. "I have to say, I think I know how Elizabeth Bennett felt in Pride and Prejudice when she saw Mr. Darcy's home." She recalled the movie version of the novel that Jess and her had watched the previous week, which had starred Keira Knightley and Dame Judi Dench, two well respected and known British Muggle actresses.

"There's about one hundred rooms, but the indoor Quidditch pitch in the West Wing is by far the best addition to the house," Margarita added. There was amusement in her tone as she observed their different states of wonder.

Maggie shot her sister a look of disgust and rolled her eyes. "Trust you to think about the Quidditch pitch. I, on the other hand, am looking forward to seeing the ballroom in use. Azzy hasn't held a fundraiser at the manor in so long, to my knowledge," she said with equal excitement but for an entirely different reason. Maggie loved parties and meeting new people. She excitedly squeezed Albus' hand, who didn't look as enthusiastic about the prospect of the Ball as Maggie.

Louis' attention was pulled from gaping at the house as soon as he heard the twins' discussion. "He has an indoor Quidditch pitch and I'm only hearing about it now? Hello! Professional Chaser over here! I'm slightly hurt." He exclaimed half jokingly. He considered himself a close friend to Scorpius, although not as close as Albus was with the former Slytherin. He was surprised his friend hadn't mentioned it during one of their matches at the Burrow; since Lily and Scorpius started dating, Scorpius was often invited to take part in the family Quidditch tournaments.

"Tell him that when you see him. Otherwise, quit complaining." Albus grumbled, which surprised everyone else in the car. Albus was in an uncharacteristically bad mood at the moment and was definitely brooding over something. Since Louis wasn't the type to just take attitude from anyone, he verbally laid into Albus. The pair of them bickered until the others intervened and silence fell over them.

Lily wondered if something had happened between him and Maggie. She spared Maggie a glance, who was equally surprised by her boyfriend's mood. Sensing the tension, Margarita was quick to add: "Rose will freak when she sees the library Draco and Azzy had built. It's the east tower that separates the manor from Lucius and Narcissa's wing of the house. The library goes up all five floors."

Hugo nodded as he reflected on Margarita's words. "Yeah, mum and Rose will both pee themselves with excitement if they see that. Maybe we should try and avoid that."

Delia snorted at her boyfriend's choice of words and ruffled his unruly auburn curls. "So crude. I'm sure they'll be too busy dancing and enjoying themselves to go sneaking off to glimpse the library," she chided. When Delia asked why Lucius and Narcissa lived apart from the rest of the family, the twins explained that Astoria and Lucius had never seen eye to eye. Draco had commissioned the building of the east wing shortly after his marriage to Astoria. The west wing containing the Quidditch pitch had been built to mirror the elder Malfoys' dwelling at a later time when Scorpius had begun to show an interest in Quidditch. As the twins explained, Lily was oblivious to the insinuation that as soon as Draco had married, he became the new master of the house and his parents had made way for him.

Lily felt a cold shiver run down her spine at the mention of Lucius Malfoy but she shook it off. She wasn't going to worry about him tonight. She knew that she was going to have to deal with him sooner or later, especially once she married Scorpius. Regardless of either sentiments, Lucius would be part of the family, and she would be a part of his; there would be no escaping that connection. However, she was determined that she wasn't going to worry about him tonight. Lucius wasn't going to be there and she had other things she'd rather spend time thinking about, such as her recent engagement and her delicious fiancé. Lily fiddled with her ring hand. She found herself suddenly astounded by the differences in the upbringing she and Scorpius had had. Swirling emotions of inadequacy and self-consciousness began to form inside her when Jess asked,

"Where is Rose?" The question and change of subject drew Lily's attention away from her thoughts.

"She's in the car behind us with my parents and the rest of the Potters." Hugo shrugged as he replied and Lily automatically spared a glance at the limousine behind them before returning her gaze to her friends.

"Stop your yapping, the car is stopping," Maggie said, eager to join the party.

"Aye," Albus said as the car came to a stop in front of the manor and the door magically opened. "Careful not to trip on your way out." He warned the girls since they were all wearing floor length formal dresses. He may have meant it as a way to express his genuine concern, but the irritation within his thoughts leaked into his tone, making him sound resentful.

This in turn aggravated Lily's temper. Today was a happy day and she didn't want anyone ruining it, not even her brother. "Be a gentleman then and go out first, please. That way you can offer us assistance and none of us will trip and break our necks. Or more importantly, our heels." Lily beamed, trying to inject a bit of humour into his mood. It had a few of them smiling but not her brother. He frowned moodily in response.

"Why me? Why not Hugo or Louis?" Albus huffed as if offering each of the girls a hand out of the car was a massive chore.

Lily shot him a confused glance since he'd normally would be the first to offer people help when they would need it. "Because you are nearest to the door, Al. Louis and Hugo would have to fight their way to the door since the skirts of our dresses are limiting the leg room," Lily calmly explained. She could have said a lot more but she decided this wasn't the time or place.

"Fine. Hope you don't break a heel." Albus muttered bitterly as he made his way out of the car. A few confused glances were exchanged between those who remained in the car.

"What's upset him?" Lily asked Maggie as Albus helped Margarita out of the car without incident.

Maggie shrugged and shot her man a look of concern. "I couldn't tell you but I am determined to find out. He's been like this since late yesterday evening. He returned to our flat and didn't say a word until this morning. He seemed better today until we got into the car," she told Lily as she rearranged the skirt of her sapphire gown and took Albus' offered hand.  

Lily winced and sat back in her seat when she heard that. Albus had spent most of the afternoon with her after Lucius and Narcissa's visit to the store. He had been concerned but appeared okay when he left. She wondered if his foul mood was because he was worrying about her or if something had happened on his way home.

"Are you wanting a hand out of the car or not?" Albus asked impatiently.

Shaking herself out of her thoughts and decided to make excuses for his mood. Lily manoeuvred her dress so that the heels were free of the deep red silk material and let Albus help her out of the car. She thanked him before giving him a hug and a kiss on the cheek. He was stiff at first but eventually relaxed into her embrace. As Louis and Hugo moved around them to get out of the vehicle, Albus pulled away from her.

"Don't want to get that dress all creased." He muttered but the hug did seem to ease some of his tension.

The limousine drove off and circled back down the drive while the next car parked outside the house. When the eight of them stood at the entrance of the manor but made no move to enter, Scorpius hurried towards them. He was dressed elegantly in black with his long blonde hair tied back. "Welcome to Malfoy Manor…my home." He added after a pause. They exchanged their greetings and Lily enjoyed the look in his eyes when he gazed upon her.

"It's big." Lily blurted out before she could stop herself. Now that she was standing beside the mansion she couldn't help but feel insignificant. Lily noticed that his cheeks flushed with slight embarrassment as he looked back at his home. She quickly retracted her words since it had not been her intention. "What I meant to say is… it's beautiful."

Scorpius smiled as he offered her his arm for her to hold. "It's both." He agreed. Lily was ridiculously nervous and excited about tonight, she was grateful for the support and the comfort he offered by just being there. He leaned in to kiss her in greeting and her fingers toyed with his tied-back hair, her slight frown shown her objection that it wasn't hanging loose like the previous evening. Thinking about their time lying under the starts last night had a blush creeping to her cheeks. Pink tinges stained his cheeks telling Lily that his own thoughts had taken a similar path.

"Hey Scor, where's this Quidditch pitch of yours?" Louis asked, reminding Lily that they weren't alone.

Scorpius laughed at the eagerness in Louis' voice. "Waiting for two teams to get together. But not tonight, yeah?" Scorpius replied.

Louis beamed at the other blonde while all the other Quidditch players in the group muttered excitedly about getting a tournament together.

"Boys." Delia and Jess muttered in unison as they rolled their eyes.

"Are you lot going to hang around the driveway all night or are you going to go in the- house." The pause before the word 'house' was only slightly noticeable. All turned around to see Harry Potter walking up the steps with his wife. Ron and Hermione were a few steps below them and Ron was commenting that the place was bigger than he remembered. James and Rose were also there with their partners looking as if the felt a little out of place, which Lily could most definitely relate to.

"Just waiting for you, Daddy." Lily quipped and smiled brightly. "But now you're here so lets go."

They all headed up the steps and through the grand stone doorway. Lily struggled to keep her jaw from dropping when she looked around the large entrance hall. The manor was a lot brighter than she expected. The walls were painted white which complimented the white marble floors. A formal dining area lay to the left while a large drawing room was to the right. The entrance way opened up onto a spacious hallway that seemed to run the length of the property, to the towers at either side. The gilded furniture was complimented by neutral cushioning but colour was injected into the design in the form of artwork, rugs and other decorations. Ahead of her, Lily could see two ornate grand staircases leading up to the next level and in the space between them; large double doors that were opened to allow a glimpse of the ballroom beyond. By the sound of the music and people socialising, many guests had arrived already.

Lily felt at a lost of where to look next so she turned to Scorpius for guidance just as Draco and Astoria Malfoy joined them.

"Welcome. It's good to see that you could make it." Draco announced as he welcomed each of them into his home. Their cloaks were taken and stored in the cloakrooms at either side of the entrance way.

As Lily spoke to Draco she heard her mother talking to Astoria. "We're glad to be here. Lily has been talking about tonight for weeks. You look lovely, Astoria. That dress is simply stunning."

Astoria wore an ivory gown that had the likeliness of famous healers along with items and creatures with known magical heeling properties, which had been painstakingly stitched onto it with ivory coloured thread. The design was fitting considering the ball's purpose was to raise money for St. Mungo's Hospital. If the stitching had been in colour it may have looked garish but as it was, it look stunning and was one of Lily's favourite creations. Astoria beam at the compliment. "Thank you. Your daughter actually designed it."

Lily blushed when she felt the two women looking at her. "She never ceases to amaze me." Ginny said, her voice full of pride. Astoria then started complimenting Ginny's amber dress and saying that she herself could never pull of such vibrant colours.

"Are your in-laws around?" Harry asked Astoria as Draco went to stand beside his wife.

Astoria laughed melodiously and it was clear she felt more comfortable at home than she did in public. "Goodness, no. Lucius doesn't approve which makes this all the more pleasurable. Don't you agree Draco?" She replied playfully as she gazed up at her husband with such gentleness that Draco wore a soft expression few ever witnessed. There was no doubt in anyone's mind that the two adored each other. It made all the females warm and gooey, and the men either uncomfortable or surprised.

Lily heard Scorpius cough beside her; his action successfully drew his parents attention back to their guests. Both Draco and Astoria looked rather flushed. "My parents went to visit friends this afternoon and decided to stay the night in London," Draco explained as he recovered first.

As Lily listened eagerly to what the Malfoys were saying, she heard her cousin Hugo approach her brother. "Al come on! Let's go and find the dungeons." Lily almost gasped. They all knew the history of those dungeons. Tom Riddle had instructed the Malfoys to hold his prisoners there during the war; her father and uncle had been one of those held captured.

She saw Draco stiffen as he overheard the conversation as well. Not liking being reminded of that time, he turned to Hugo. "The dungeons were demolished years ago, young man. The only rooms you'll find downstairs are the kitchens, laundry room, wine cellar and the living quarters for the families of House Elves who reside here."

Hugo looked ashamed when he realised his words had been overheard. His mother glared at him, appalled by his behaviour and he winced. Hugo made his apologies and quickly led Delia towards the ballroom before he said anything else that could land him in trouble. The others decided to follow, leaving Lily alone with her parents, aunt, uncle and the Malfoys. "I'm so sorry about that Malfoy. There is no excuse for such rudeness." Hermione said, surprising herself that she was actually the one apologising to this particular Malfoy.

Draco shrugged Hugo's behaviour off as if it was nothing. "Think nothing of it Gr- Mrs Weasley. Boys will be boys what ever their age. Little interests them more than the darker aspects of history. Unless of course, if it is something they have lived through." He said graciously. "And feel free to call me Draco. We are not teenagers anymore."

After that, more guests began to arrive and Scorpius escorted Lily to the ballroom. She expected more white to match the rest of the house but met with something entirely different. The Ballroom alone was twice the size of Grimauld Place. The floors were white marble, however the marble was of a rose hue that adorned the walls. Large stone windows and French doors looked onto symmetrical gardens at either side with a patio area and identical water fountains. On the far side of the room was a double doorway that led onto a large conservatory furnished with ornate, white-coated, wrought iron furnishings. Many guests were already taking advantage of the free food while others were dancing. Looking up, Lily was stunned by the panelled artwork of the ceiling. There were four panels dividing the ceiling into equal quarters. On each one was the painted image of a woman representing one the four seasons following the cycle: winter, spring, summer and autumn. The four illustrated women talked among themselves and swayed to the music played by a string quartet on the balcony that circled the perimeter of the room.

"Would you care to dance?" Scorpius asked, having watched her reaction to the room closely.

Lily tore her gaze from the spender around them and took Scorpius' offered hand. "I'd love to." She assured him as she was eager to dance. The last Ball the couple had both attended had ended in heartbreak. Lily was determined that this Ball would make up for the one she'd attended at the end of her fifth year. As they made their way to the dance floor, she recognised some of the guests. Several worked at the Ministry of Magic, while others had attended Hogwarts with her and others were customers of LiLu's Boutique.

There were a few nods in greeting but generally the other guests were too engrossed in themselves to pay them much attention. This allowed them some privacy to talk without being overheard. "Is it true that this is the first ball held here in years?" Lily asked after they'd danced their first waltz and started on another. It did seem odd to Lily for a room this magnificent to be left unused.

"Yes. My grandfather thinks it a waste of time and money." Scorpius explained. "He always kicks up a fuss when my mum would suggest it but this year she put her foot down. She was fed up of renting venues when we have a perfectly decent ballroom here."

"Decent? It's absolutely breathtaking." Lily gushed and he looked pleased by her response.

It encouraged him to continue on other subjects. "When I'm running the estate I'd like to have them more often. The place feels more alive when it's filled with people. That is unless you'd rather not play hostess," he added looking at Lily and gauging her reaction.

Lily stumbled slightly as she dealt with the whirlwind of emotions his words invoked. She wasn't certain she'd heard him correctly. "Hostess? Wait! What do you mean when you're running the estate?" Lily asked, having previously blocked the fact that the manor would be his one day from her mind.

Scorpius regarded her uncertainly. "Err...when we're married, my family will expect us to take a more active role in the estate," he clarified.

"That is what I thought. Do you mean we will live here?" Lily asked struggling to keep her composure.

"Yes, but not right away if you prefer not to. But eventually I thought we would end up living here. When we're married my grandfather won't be a problem anymore because you would be a Malfoy. He wouldn't dream of hurting a member of the family. If there is one thing he's learned, it's not wise to go after a member of the family or put them in danger. Grandmother would murder him. I'm confident that once you're a Malfoy, there will be no need for any of those wards," Scorpius said trying to put her mind at ease.

Lily realised he thought she was worried about sharing the house with Lucius Malfoy. However, that was not the case. The place was huge. She assumed several people could live there quite peacefully without running into each other. She'd never have to spend time with Lucius Malfoy if she didn't want to. Unfortunately, the size and the grandeur of the manor was part of the problem. She wasn't sure if she could be happy living in a place like this. Of course, Hogwarts had been bigger but it had been full of students. Here it would only be Scorpius, his parents and his paternal grandparents. Although she adored Draco and Astoria, she wasn't sure if she could live somewhere with only Scorpius' family. If ever they had an argument she would have nowhere to turn to, they all undoubtedly would take his side. She imagined she'd find it very lonely living in the manor, especially up until the event that she had children of her own but that wouldn't be for many years. It would be a nightmare trying to keep an eye on adventurous toddlers; there were too many places to hide. As she thought of the emptiness of the place, she was reminded of her own family and upbringing. She was used to homes where family members would be falling all over each other when they would meet up for functions or just a small visit, which was never small in the Weasley-Potter clan. It would be so different here.

As she pushed her fears of the loneliness of the place aside, she wondered what Scorpius had meant when he had said Lucius wouldn't be a problem once they were married. She could see him not harming a family member since she was certain Lucius disapproved of her about as much as he disapproved of Astoria. She was unsure whether he meant that up until the moment she became a Malfoy she was fair game, or whether their engagement meant that he would consider her a part of the family once it was formally announced. She was fed up with having to watch her back because of the older Malfoy and realised Scorpius' protectiveness over her hadn't helped to combat her fear of him. Sure it gave Scorpius piece of mind when he wasn't around but he couldn't always be there to protect her. She wondered why she hadn't come to that conclusion earlier.

Being as confused and conflicted as she was, she realised the middle of a crowded ballroom probably wasn't the best time to have this conversation. However she had little options at the moment. "So you asked me to marry you to protect me?" Lily asked and inwardly groaned. She wondered why, out of all the questions running through her mind, she'd chosen to voice that one.

He held her close and cupped the side of her face. "No, silly. I asked you to marry me because I love you," he assured her gently. Lily knew she was being ridiculous over that and blamed it on the fact her head felt like it was going to explode.

Lily took a deep breath as she tried to digest it all. She really should have expected this since Malfoy Manor was the family home and passed down from one generation to the next. Nevertheless, it didn't seem fair to not have a choice about this. She suspected she had made that choice when she agreed to marry him but this was her future too. She should have a say in it. "And I'll have no drastic problems with your grandfather. I'd be running the household, holding balls and doing anything else you wish of me." She murmured as she wondered if she was too young to take on this amount of responsibility.

"I didn't mean it like that." Scorpius gasped, suddenly appalled with himself. "If you'd prefer we get our own place, we can," he assured her. "I just believe it would be a waste to leave this place empty, though. Just think of the family parties we could have here. We could probably fit your entire clan comfortably in the main drawing room and there are other sitting rooms and enough bedrooms for all."

As Lily gazed up at him and saw the love for her that shone in his eyes and expression, her sudden doubts began to fade. Of course she was ready to spend the rest of her life with him, and if that meant she had to one day live here, she guessed she could get used to the idea. After all, they didn't need to move in right away. "You've thought about this a lot haven't you?"

"Yes, but if you don't want all those things, that's fine with me, " he said but she knew he wasn't being entirely truthful. It was obvious to Lily how important Malfoy Manor was to her man. As she reflected on the fact that he grew up as an only child here, it wasn't difficult to imagine him fantasizing about filling the place with friends and family. "We need to build our future together. That is of course, if you still wish to marry me," he said as if afraid he'd scared her off.

She wasn't about to admit that for a second or two she had wondered what she had gotten herself into. However the temptation to run had passed and she knew she wanted to marry him more than she had ever wanted anything before. "Of course I do. But let's just enjoy our engagement first. We'll have plenty of time later to discuss where we're going to live once we're married." Lily said and kissed him gently. She wasn't avoiding the issue, just delaying it.

"That sounds good." Scorpius said and his relief was obvious. "Would you like a drink?"

"I'd love one." was Lily's quick response.

Two glasses of champagne later Lily felt a lot more relaxed as she stood with Scorpius at the side of the ballroom. They'd just finished mingling with some of Scorpius' colleagues. "Shall we tell them now?" Lily asked quietly as the excitement of their news lingered in the forefront of her mind.

Scorpius took a quick intake of everyone in the room. "Later, there are still more people to arrive. Teddy's not here yet with his family." He noted and Lily agreed that they should wait. She wouldn't dare break the news without her eldest brother and favourite cousin being there.

"What are you two plotting?" James asked.

Lily span around to see her brother standing nearby. His body half turned towards them and half towards the dancers. Momentarily speechless, Lily was unable to come up with an excuse. "Lily was just saying she wanted some fresh air and we thought we'd take a stroll in the gardens before the sun sets. Would you care to join us?" Scorpius asked and pointed to one of the doors leading outside.

"No, thanks." James grumbled and sent a quick scowl to someone on the dance floor. Lily frowned at James' behaviour. It now looked like two of her brothers were in a bad mood. James met her questioning gaze. "Amelia's dancing with Clayton Krum again and I'd rather not let them out of my sight. He's just like his father." James grumbled and his worries suddenly became clear. Clayton was Nicholina and Yakov Krum's elder half brother. Their father was notorious for being a bit of a ladies man in his day. He was thought to have fifteen offspring from ten different mothers and Clayton had recently been complaining that two of his ex girlfriends were carrying his child while he had already fathered two children from different mothers.

"James, are you jealous?" Lily asked with astonishment.

James glared at her. "I'm not jealous. Never have been and never will be," he said but his tone and body language contradicted his words.

Lily would have laughed if she hadn't seen how much his wife dancing with Clayton was troubling him. It was absurd. "Jamie, you can trust your wife. She has eyes only for you." She told him reasonably and softly.

Scorpius wasn't so diplomatic since he'd had a few drinks. He had no problem teasing James. "Can't say I understand what Amelia sees in you but I agree with your sister. You needn't worry about the legitimacy of any kids she has. They'll all be yours." Scorpius said getting straight to the point. Lily groaned suspecting Scorpius had been a little too blunt.

James' smile was pleasant but his tone was edged with warning. "And your damn lucky my sister loves you. But if you get her pregnant without a ring on her finger I'll bloody kill you." He said obviously still having Clayton on his mind.

Lily's  blush was as vibrant as her gown. "I think now is the perfect time for that stroll." She said and all but dragged Scorpius out to the garden leaving a laughing James in the ballroom. At least he was in a better mood after their conversation. Lily couldn't say she felt the same.

They stepped out into a square-shaped garden surrounded by a wall and a fountain erected in the centre. She enjoyed the fresh air and felt her heated cheeks cool a bit. Looking back at the ballroom, Lily could see the other guests continue to dance. Walking around the garden, Lily had only a moment to admire the sculpted female figure standing in the middle of the fountain, before Scorpius took charge and directed her through a series of other gardens leading away from the house. "It makes you nervous, the thought of us having children of our own. Doesn't it?" Scorpius stated with a hint of amusement as he hurried them down the path.

Lily was listening to him despite trying to take in each of the beautifully maintained gardens Scorpius whisked them through. "It does." Lily admitted knowing it was pointless to say otherwise. "It also terrifies and amazes me to think of us starting a family together," she added, sensing his gaze on her. "Doesn't it make you feel the same way?"

Scorpius shrugged. "I guess but I've always wanted a big family."

"Then it's a good job you'll be marrying into one," Lily replied as she struggled to keep up with him. It was enough that her thoughts were erratic, never mind trying to follow him in heels.

He slowed his pace only when the were beyond the line of sight of the other guests. Suddenly he had her up against a hedge, his arms blocking her exit as he leaned in close. Lily gasped and gazed up at him. "That's not exactly what I meant," he smirked.

She tried not to be distracted by his closeness but it was difficult. She twirled a lock of his platinum hair around her fingers and sighed. She knew this conversation was overdue considering they were going to be married. It was best they find out each others expectations of the future out now. "I know. How many do you want?"

"Nine, maybe ten!" Scorpius said without hesitation causing Lily to choke. She was so shocked by the number she hoped he wasn't being serious. There was no way she was going to have ten children, the pain she'd have to go through was unthinkable. Her expression turned horrified until she heard him laugh. "I'm kidding, love. You looked like you needed to be shocked out of some sort of trance. You've been in your own little world since the Ballroom. You were looking far too serious by half."

Lily slapped him playfully on the arm for his efforts. "Well you didn't have to shock me out of it like that." She complained but was smiling. His words may have horrified her at first but his humour and her relief had relaxed her. "My grandma had seven children. I'm not sure if I want that many though." Lily said as she wondered how my children Scorpius wanted.

"I believe three sounds like a good number, wouldn't you agree?"

"It's certainly better than seven." Lily replied thoughtfully and was distracted when Scorpius bowed his head and kissed the bare skin of her shoulder. Lily's head dropped back against the hedge as her body came to life at the sensation of his lips against her skin.

"You look beautiful in red," he murmured softly as he nuzzled her neck and trailed kisses up to her jaw line. Her arms wrapped around his neck and she fumbled with his hair tie until his hair spilled free around his shoulders. She knew what he thought of her in red, it was why she'd chosen this particular gown to wear.

"And you look sexy in black," she huskily replied and urged his lips to hers. Her hands delved into his hair with little regard for their surroundings. Their usual passion flared up between them. All she could do was hold on as his kisses made her feel faint. He supported her against him with one hand while the other slid to her hip and then her thigh. The silky fabric suddenly felt coarse against her sensitive skin. He gathered some of it in his fist causing the hemline to raise and the evening breeze danced around her ankles.

An unexpected rustling and murmur snapped them out of their sexual haze. They jerked apart from each other as they heard voices grow louder. Scorpius grabbed her wrist and dragged her deeper into the garden, hiding them behind a stone lion statue. Although they couldn't make out the words, they recognised Brian Finnegan's Irish accent. Lily wondered how he'd come to be so far away from the manor. He was talking to someone but their voice was too low to make out and soon they were beyond their hearing. "Here is probably not the best place for this. Especially when the Daily Prophet is here covering the fundraiser," Lily grumbled as they stepped out of their hiding place.

"You're probably right." Scorpius sighed reluctantly. "Give me a moment and then we'll head back inside." The couple found themselves a garden bench to relax on until it was time they both felt able to rejoin the rest of the gathering.

Heading back to the ballroom hand in hand, Lily froze when she recognised the figure standing at the entrance to the East Wing. "I thought your grandfather was supposed to be in London." Lily said when Scorpius turned to face her looking confused.

"He is- shit!" He cursed when he spotted his grandfather watching them and uttering something to the house elf standing beside him. He was looking far too pleased with himself to think that he wasn't plotting something. It gave them both the feeling of unease. "We better get back to the Ballroom." Scorpius said as he tightened his hold on her hand. Lily winced but allowed herself to be half dragged towards the Ballroom.

They were both wary that Lucius was watching them and had sent the House Elf towards them. "Master Scorpius?" The elderly House Elf squeaked when she reached them having used elfin magic to intercept them.

Scorpius paused and sighed having not made his target in time. Lily had the feeling that Scorpius had wanted to get her inside before he went to meet with the elf. Despite everything, he inclined his head as he fondly greeted the elf. "Yes, Taffy?"

Taffy eyed the young couple before her nervously and glanced back towards Master Lucius. She didn't want to be the bearer of bad news and she knew if Lucius Malfoy was happy, this wasn't going to make her favourite master of the house the slightest bit happy. "Master Lucius would like to speak to you in his study," she explained with her fearful glance behind her.

"Thank you, Taffy. Could you find my father and ask him to join me there?" Scorpius asked. Lily realised that he hadn't said 'us' which confirmed her suspicions that she wasn't going to be invited along. She wasn't sure she liked the thought of him going to see Lucius without her, especially after yesterday and definitely after he looked so smug as he continued to watch them.

"Toffy has been sent to ask both your parents to meet Master Lucius in his study." Taffy squeaked to reassure her master. Lily didn't find her words at all reassuring though. It sounded far too serious if both of his parents were being summoned away from their party.

Scorpius nodded and thanked Taffy. "Do you know what this is about?"

Taffy shook her head. "No, Master Scorpius. Only that Master Zabini and his wife are there and their daughter Mistress Margarita has been asked for."

"Thank you, Taffy. I'll be with him in a moment but I'll see Lily to her family first." Scorpius said stiffly but his expression was unreadable. Lily had known him long enough to know that in itself was not a good sign. She was overcome with a feeling of dread and reluctant for him to leave her.

"Let me come with you." She urged as the entered the ballroom. No one seemed to notice the tension emanating from them. He shook his head as he spotted James and headed towards him. "I wont be long. I promise." He told her in a way that wasn't at all reassuring. Before she could object further he turned to James. "Keep an eye on her will you?" he asked and once James agreed, Scorpius headed outside again.

Lily stared after Scorpius, shocked that he was leaving her behind. They were engaged now and supposed to support each other during difficult times. "What's that about?" James asked curiously and Lily let out a frustrated growl.

She shot him a look that reminded him of the one Andromeda used when Teddy had done something dangerous growing up. It was a look that demanded his obedience. She was on a mission and would not let anyone get in her way. "Have you seen Maggie or Duanne?" she demanded and he quickly replied with an honest no. "What about Teddy? Has he arrived yet? I need someone who knows their way around this place." Lily said and James realised that was about the best explanation he was going to get just then.

He sighed, thankful that he'd promised Scorpius only to watch over her and not keep her in the ballroom. The was no way he would have been able to stop her but he half hoped Teddy didn't know his way around the manor. "Teddy arrived while you were outside. He's there." he said pointing to where Teddy stood with his best friend Henry. Lily strode towards Teddy with James behind her.

"Teddy?"

"Hi Lily-" Teddy began cheerfully until he saw the look on Lily's face and she interrupted him. The fire in her eyes reminded him of his grandmother and he hoped he had the answer for what ever she was wanting to know.

"I need to find Lucius' study. Do you know where that is?" Lily demanded.

"Yes, but why do you want to go there?"

Lily huffed since she didn't want to waste time with explanations but she owed her brother one considering he did know where the Malfoys would be. "Scorpius is there with his parents and grandparents. It sounded serious and I want to make sure he's okay." She explained impatiently.

Teddy realised that was the best explanation he was going to get. "I'll take you but let me tell-" Teddy stopped mid sentence when he saw her already dangerous expression harden. "Fine, Henry can you tell Vic when she gets back that I'm with Lily and won't be long." Teddy got out just before Lily herded him and James out of the Ballroom.

The three of them headed towards the entrance to the East Wing from the main body of the house. They were grateful not to meet anyone else on their way. In the East wing Teddy led them through an elegantly furnished living room when they heard raised voices coming from a room which Teddy pointed out as Lucius' study.

"Are you sure you want to do this, Lily?" James asked as he risked her anger by grabbing her arm and holding her back.

Her distress temporarily penetrated her hard exterior as she heard the concern in her brother's voice. "I don't know, Jamie. But I have this awful feeling. Can you get mum and dad?"

As a reaction to her distress, James didn't hesitate to break his promise to Scorpius. "Just promise you wont go in there until I come back?" He asked, despite knowing his sister well enough that the answer was obvious.

"I can't do that, Jamie."

"Then I'll hurry." James said and raced back towards the Ballroom, inwardly cursing the distance he had to run.