Give It All for You -Scorpius x Lily pt 33

Lily's POV

We went back to school and spent all of our spare time together. It took me getting mad and ignoring Scorpius for almost a week to get him to admit what was bothering him the past few weeks. After he did tell me it bothered the two of us for another few weeks but at least we were bothered together. Scorpius would be finishing his seventh year in three short months. He would start work in a mere six months. Our time together was about to become so limited. Why he would be moody and rarely talk to me when our hours together were numbered was beyond me. After a month the looming future wasn't bothering us too much anymore. I had accepted the fact that he was older and that I would have to be alone these next two years at school. Besides, alone was an overstatement Scorpius loved to use; I had friends here. I was quite popular. He was afraid people would come on to me and try to date me now that he was graduated. Our binding had stayed in a tight knit group of friends but anyone outside of those who knew wouldn't dare ask. Everyone knew Scorpius and I had been through so much and couldn't be separated easily.

Suddenly Scorpius was modeling his graduation dress robes, black with the Hogwarts emblem in the right corner and a collar and hood trimmed in silver and green. The sleeves were slashed with the same colors underneath. How had three months passed? Sure, Scorpius had taken his much anticipated tests and I was certain I had aced my O.W.L.'s but why had June come so quickly. Once we got over the idea of long periods of separation the time had forced itself on us. Out on the lawn in front of the lake a myriad of slender white chairs had been set up around matching ornate tables and parents were starting to fill the seats. I could see a table full of red-haired people and further away two bright blondes sat with their heads together. The Weasley's and Malfoy's had never gotten over their brief acquaintance while Rose and Scorpius dated. They still couldn't sit comfortably in each others presence. Scorpius was looking out the window as well and wrapped his arms around me as we watched together. Tonight would be our last night in the castle together. As I thought all this I heard a large exhale behind me and I left, fingers intertwined, and made my way down to the chairs after leaving Scorpius with the other seventh years.

Most schools didn't celebrate their graduates with a ceremony like American schools, Hogwarts was no exception, but after the fall of Voldemort a tradition of graduation feast was created. Families came and socialized with the graduating students and their families. Students were permitted to attend until the last section which included a dance on the lawn and light drinking. Family's of graduates and their dates danced and socialized until dawn when the party ended and graduates returned to the dorms for a final few hours to snooze.

I found my parents sitting with Professor Longbottom, an old friend of theirs. They grew quiet and had an awkward air about them by the time I could hear them. They had been talking about next year. I knew it. They knew I knew it. After hugs and greetings from them we ate fruit and chatted until the graduates in their black robes and house colors streamed from the castle and made their way to family and friends on the lawn. Scorpius came first to collect me then to speak with his parents. We meandered around and I soon lost interest in the celebration. This was really it. Our time together ended at dawn. We would go to sleep next to each other and wake up in time to catch the train and that would be the end of our Hogwarts adventures together.

Scorpius POV

Lily looked at the ground or out to our little island when she wasn't being addressed or speaking to someone else. It had come and after the end of it all I was glad Lily was a little behind me. She would treasure this time to play and grow more in the years to come. I had aged in the past six months. Realizations had hit me, things I never thought of became crystal clear. Lily and I were young, so young, and we needed to grow a bit before  living together and getting married. Harry had been right in saying what he had after Halloween. We have some growing to do. Luckily Lily cared for me more than anything else and nothing could persuade her from my side. These next to years would be good for us, both together and separately.

Lily ran inside to use the restroom and Harry asked me to walk with him. He had been watching us and looking for this opportunity all night. What he said came unexpectedly.

"Well, feeling any older now?"

"Today I feel years older and years more tired as well. This whole leaving school thing is more stressful than I thought. For some reason I thought it would be..."

"Easy? I thought the same thing. It hit me about six months after graduating when everyone was coming home from Hogwarts for the holiday and I was working through it that my life had changed quickly. At least I had Ginny. She helped me through it. Lily will keep you in touch and tied into the going-on's at Hogwarts. I doubt you will have as much separation as I had since she is still here. How are you two doing, by the way?"

This was what he had been waiting for.

"Same as always. It's been more rough than usual these past few months because we keep forgetting then remembering that I won't be back next year but over all things are better than ever."

"Now that you have finished school I see no problem in telling Lily about the ring. Obviously you can't move forward until she graduates but there's no problem in reassuring her that you two will still be together then. It might give her something to focus on while you are working and she is finishing school."

"I see a problem with it. I'm too old fashion for that. I couldn't tell her then not show her and I would feel manipulative if I told her and didn't put it on her finger, which I don't want to do until she is a bit older. You were right, by the way, we are still so young."

"Ginny and I married almost a year after school let out. We were young too. I'm glad you've come to realize the difference between fifteen and eighteen. There is a lot of growing in that time. You yourself have grown a lot in that time. Remember, you starting dating Lily at fifteen and made all the same stupid mistakes everyone makes. Now you can look back and laugh at those. Luckily you will be around to help Lily through them."

"Yes sir. I plan on proposing in February of Lily's final year. I have it all planned out, I'm just waiting for her to get there. Would that be suitable?"

"As long as it's not cliché I don't mind at all. Doing it at Madame Puddifoots' would not be very creative."

"It won't be cliché; I couldn't be all mushy and gross about it. Oh, and both Lily and I abhor Puddifoots' tea shop; it's avoided like a plague."

Lily was back and looking curiously back and forth from Harry and I. After quickly thanking him for the advice I turned and watched that lovely redhead give her father one more look before we ran to meet Albus, who had just escaped his mother's praise in front of all her friends. He couldn't wait for the dancing to be over so he could go to bed. All the seventh years were given the option of making an appearance then going to bed but I assumed most would stay out as late as possible.

Lily and I laughed and danced and played until the darker blue sky had streaks of color. It was then we said goodbye to our parents, told them we would see them tomorrow in the train station, and decided to head back to the castle for one last look around the Slytherin Common rooms. I summoned my broomstick and soon Lily and I were dismounting. I flew Lily to her window so she could grab a more comfortable outfit then she remounted and we flew to the roof. It was there we watched the sun rise over the lake and watched the world color itself for my last day here in Hogwarts. This place had become home and a source of so many joys and heartaches. I wasn't sure I could leave it behind. Just after the sun let go of the mountains and rose on its own a scarlet engine pulled up in Hogsmead station. About thirty minutes later the first of the students began trickling down to the carriages that had pulled up ten minutes previously. There was no more putting things off. Lily once again went in through her window, her last time being escorted back, and I went to hurriedly pack the last of my things.

We met on the stone steps in front of the school and got into a carriage with Albus, who had a hang over from the night before. He had been sloshed by midnight and passed out on the lawn next to him parent's things just after two. Now he held a mug of steaming tea and spoke in mostly mumbles. I didn't mind his mumbled talk. I really only had eyes and ears for Lily who seemed more distressed than ever now that what we had been dreading since we started dating had shown it's ugly face. As the three of us jolted forward with the engines of the train Albus leaned forward and whispered a goodbye to Hogwarts. I joined him and we both looked at Lily as she sipped from Albus' tea mug.

Our trip was fairly quiet and we only began joking and laughing an hour out of London. As we pulled in we said our farewells to friends we'd probably never see again and left quickly to avoid bawling fan-girls Albus and I had collected in our younger years. My parents invited Lily over for a summer vacation that would start in a week and once they finished Harry invited me to join their family vacation after my family trip was over. It looked like we would be seeing a lot of each other this summer. That, at least, brought a smile to my face. Lily looked happy with the outcome and it was with smiling faces and the promise of exciting months ahead of us that our two family's parted ways and Lily dropped my hand for the first time since boarding the train.