Scorpius Malfoy was nervous. It was an out of character feeling for him, to be sure. Though Scorpius was much more quiet and reserved than his father, the boy still held the confidence of a true Malfoy, making his new nervous affliction even more terrifying for him.

However, he did have a good reason to be so agitated. You see, Scorpius Malfoy was in love. Lily Potter, daughter of famed Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley, was the most amazing girl he'd ever met, and he was absolutely crazy about her. That, in and of itself, wasn't what caused his anxiety, though. No, Scorpius Malfoy was nervous because he planned to propose to her.

The only problem was, he had no idea how to do so. He wanted it to be magical for her, something amazing that she could tell all of her friends about proudly. But he was at a loss as to what he should actually do for her. What would make her cry tears of joy? What would make her say yes a thousand times over?

His nerves were what brought him to the doorstep of Rose Weasley one chilly morning in late May. Rose, like Scorpius, had graduated Hogwarts the year before, and now resided quietly in her parents house as she worked her way up in the Ministry. She greeted him with a small level of surprise, and quickly ushered him in, wondering what he was doing there so early in the morning.

"Scorpius," she said, shutting the door behind him. "My, I feel like I haven't talked to you in days."

"I've been busy."

"You've been shutting yourself away from Albus and I," Rose corrected with a glare. "Would you care to tell me why?"

Scorpius took a deep breath. "I want to propose to Lily."

A gasp sounded from the doorway to the kitchen, and Scorpius' head jerked sharply towards the sound. His eyes came to rest on twenty-one year old Lucy Weasley. "Propose?" Lucy said, her voice raising an octave. "But she's only seventeen!"

Scorpius glared. He hadn't realized she would be there as well. "Your point?"

"Scorpius," Rose said gently. "She's only graduating from Hogwarts this week-"

"So? Why can't I ask her to marry me?"

"Because you've only been together for two years," Lucy said drily. "Because you're both so young and you're following all too keenly in Romeo and Juliet's footsteps."

"Who?"

"Lucy," Rose protested. "Romeo was much older than Juliet."

"My point still stands. Marrying young is rarely a good idea," she said with a shrug.

Scorpius snarled. "Just because Lysander hasn't asked you to marry him yet-"

"We're waiting until we're both ready to handle the responsibility," Lucy countered.

"You've been dating since your sixth year at Hogwarts," he said with a roll of his eyes. "If that's not a sign that you're right for each other-"

"It doesn't matter," Rose said, stepping into their fight. "Scorpius," she said, turning to one of her best friends. "What exactly did you want from me?"

"I want... I want to ask your advice," he said, swallowing. "I want to know how I should propose."

"Romantically," Lucy said with a small smile. "It should be romantic."

"I know that!"

"Bring her flowers," Rose said, a far-away look entering her eye. "Or chocolates."

"You could buy her some new books-" Lucy began, then paused, frowning. "Oh, was Lily the one who liked magical mystery novels, or your brother?"

"It's Hugo," Rose answered.

"Right, then. Never mind."

"You could take her to the seaside. Like to my Uncle Bill's cottage. It's so beautiful there, all of the shingles and the seashells..." Rose said with a smile.

"Or to the Shetlands in Scotland," Lucy said. "They're very under visited, you know. They're much prettier than people make them out to be."

"Give her something she'll like," Rose continued. "And a ring. A ring is very important."

"Extremely important. Don't forget it."

"A proposal will fall apart without a ring."

"Is that it?" Scorpius asked, surprised by the lack of information. "That's all you have for me? Buy her a ring? Be romantic?"

"Well, what else do you want, Scorpius?" Rose asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I don't know... Anything else would be more helpful at this point!"

"Scorpius, we're women," Lucy confided. "We don't spend our whole lives planning how to propose to someone. We don't have to do that."

"Nor do we think up dream proposals," Rose continued. "It would just lead to disappointment."

"If you want someone's opinion, ask a man," Lucy said. "They'll tell you what they're thinking. It'll probably be loads more helpful."

"Ask Albus," Rose volunteered. "He'll probably have some ideas for you. Not to mention that he'll want to know what you're planning."

"Go and get the guy's perspective," Lucy agreed. "It certainly can't hurt you."

"You're proposing?" Albus said, his eyes going wide.

"Yes."

"To my sister?"

"Well, she is the woman I'm dating, Al," Scorpius said, a note of annoyance permeating his voice.

"But... but she's still in school!"

"Albus!" Scorpius said, pinching the bridge of his nose. "You know I love Lily. You know I want to be with her forever. So I don't see why I should have to wait-"

"Scorpius, if you muck this up, I swear to Merlin-"

"Oh, so suddenly you're on my side, now, are you?" Scorpius said, raising an eyebrow. "Ten seconds ago, your biggest worry was why I was proposing to your young sister."

"You're much too stubborn, Scorpius," Albus said with a shake of his head. "I know I'll never talk you out of it."

"So you'll help me? With the proposal, I mean."

Albus shrugged. "I don't know how I can be of much help, really. I've certainly never proposed to a girl before. Or to anyone, for that matter."

"But... but what should I do? How should I... this moment has to be absolutely perfect for her, Al," Scorpius pleaded.

"Then take her somewhere nice," he suggested. "Somewhere she'll like, with fancy food and good wine... Steak and shallots, or whatnot. She'll like that."

"Anything else?" he pleaded. "Albus, I'm desperate. Please, I want this to be the world's best proposal."

"Then ask my brother," Albus suggested. "He's always been the more romantic one of the two of us, after all."

"You're insane," James growled, crossing his arms stoically over his chest.

Scorpius sighed. He didn't expect anything less from Lily's oldest brother. "I love her, Potter."

"She's my sister!"

"She's my girlfriend."

James' eyes narrowed into a glare as he leant forward slightly. "If you break her heart, Malfoy, Merlin help you, because I will turn your life into shambles. Is that understood? The Unforgivables will be too good for you." Scorpius gave a brief nod of comprehension. "Good." James turned away. "You have my blessing."

The blond boy blinked. "Wait - That's not why I came here!"

"Then why did you come?" James asked, raising an eyebrow.

"To ask for your advice," Scorpius admitted begrudgingly. "Albus says that you are a, er... sybarite, so to speak. He said you'll know of some romantic ways I can propose."

James let out a guffaw of a laugh. "He did, did he? Well I wouldn't necessarily take my word, Malfoy."

Scorpius couldn't help but groan. "And why not?"

"Because I use the same old standbys with every girl I date. A picnic by the sea, a bottle of champagne... Nothing unique at all." His eyes narrowed. "And my sister deserves more than some standbys, Malfoy."

"But... but then what do I do?"

"Ask Lorcan and Lysander?" he suggested. "They're more creative than I am, after all. I'm sure they can help you somehow."

"Of course they can," Scorpius muttered. "Of course the only people who can help me have to live in bloody Wales."

"Actually, Lorcan just moved in with Dominique in London," James offered. "Lysander should be over at their new flat, helping them unpack. If you hurry, you might be able to catch them both."

"And if I can't?"

James tilted his head to the side. "Be... be honest with my sister. Don't sugar-coat anything. Don't lie to make the moment better. Be honest."

Scorpius sighed. "I meant if I can't catch up to Lysander and Lorcan."

"Oh." James shrugged. "Then you might have to go to Wales."

"James sent you here?" Lorcan said, his eyes narrowed. "Seriously?"

"Why?" Scorpius said, feeling rather weary. "Should he not have?"

"I think he was having a go at you, Malfoy," Lysander said with a shake of his head. "Because I certainly don't know how to help you."

"Oh, wonderful," he muttered. "I have been hearing that quite a lot today."

"Not to mention that I don't even like you," Lorcan said with a roll of his eyes.

"You're being ridiculous," Dominique jumped in as she began to fold up the now-empty boxes. "Scorpius, this isn't that hard. You need to stop over thinking it."

"What do you mean?"

"Do something simple, yet elegant. You know Lily would like that. Simple, yet elegant. And romantic," she added hastily. "There has to be some form of romance in it, after all."

"Such as?"

"That's for you to decide, Malfoy," Lysander said, sending him an apologetic smile. "The only way this proposal is going to be perfect is if it comes from the heart. And if we tell you what to do, that'll never happen."

"Plus, I'm not going to give you all of my trade secrets," Lorcan added in a sing-song voice. Dominique slapped him on the arm in annoyance.

"You know," Lysander continued. "If you want the perfect advice on this sort of scenario, there's really only one person you can talk to."

"And who might that be?"

"Teddy Lupin," Lysander said with a shrug. "He is, after all, the only one of us who has proposed before. If you want advice, don't go to the other students in this situation. Go to the master."

"Scorpius, right?" Teddy asked later that night in a muggle bar. He leaned forwards onto the counter as he took a shot of vodka. "You're Draco Malfoy's son."

"I am," Scorpius said, feeling rather uncomfortable. He was, to be frank, exhausted. He'd spent the entire day running from home to home asking everyone he could think of for advice. And what did he have to show for it? Nothing.

"What can I do for you, kid."

He took a deep breath. "It's about Lily Potter."

Teddy raised an eyebrow. "My pseudo-sister? Aren't you dating her?"

He nodded quickly. "Yes, sir."

"Ah," Teddy said, understanding coming over him. "Sir... So you're going to ask her to marry you, aren't you?"

The boy blinked. "How did you-"

Teddy chuckled. "Your nerves," he said with a grin. "I remember feeling the same way." He motioned for the bartender to poor him another shot. "You do realize that Lily's still in school, right?"

He nodded. "Believe me, James and Albus have already pointed that fact out to me numerous times. But it's only for another week. After that, we'll both be free, legal adults."

Teddy sighed shaking his head. "As long as you're sure."

"What should I do?" Scorpius asked. "To propose, I mean. Do you have any advice?"

"Don't force the moment," Teddy said after a moment's pause. "Be patient. Bide your time. When the moment's right, you'll know."

"I want this to be perfect," he confessed.

"Then talk to my wife," Teddy offered. "I'm sure she'll have loads of ideas for you." He stood and slipped on his jacket. "Though you should probably wait until tomorrow. If I bring anyone around this late, she'll have my head for sure."

"So you wish to get married, do you?" Victoire asked as she poured him a cup of tea.

"Teddy filled you in, then."

"Indeed," she said with a nod. "I have to say, I'm rather surprised. I always thought Lucy would be the next one to walk down the aisle. Not you and young Lily."

Scorpius groaned. "Everyone keeps bringing up our ages!"

"Well they are pretty significant, you know. Because if you're too young to know for sure what you're doing-"

"I love Lily," Scorpius drawled for what felt like the hundredth time. "I have no reservations about marrying her. We're perfect together. That's all you need to know. Do you have any advice for how I should propose or not?"

"Wherever you do it, make sure it's clean," Victoire said with a quick nod. "Teddy failed to do so, and I walked right into a spiderweb. It nearly ruined the moment."

He raised an eyebrow. "I don't think I'll be taking her to any spider-infested areas when I propose, thanks."

Victoire shook her head. "You don't matter, Scorpius. She matters. Propose based on her needs and what she wants. If you're truly ready to marry Lily, then do what she likes. And if she likes going to spider-infested areas, then you best get used to them. Understood?"

He sighed. This wasn't exactly the advice he'd been looking for. "Yes, ma'am."

"Good." A wicked gleam entered Victoire's eye, and she leaned forward in her seat. "You know, Scorpius, it's been so long since Teddy proposed to me - almost three years. If you want someone's opinion - someone who, as far as I can tell, might be in the market for a wedding soon, you should ask Lily's cousin Roxanne."

Scorpius raised an eyebrow. "Roxie? I didn't know she was seeing anybody."

"Officially," Victoire said. "She's not. However, I can tell that she's lying to us all. So can Dominique. And we'd really like to know who this mystery person is."

He sighed. "You want me to ask her for you?"

She shrugged innocently. "Well you'll already be at her flat to ask about how to propose. You might as well ask about her love life as well."

"Me?" Roxanne Weasley asked, her eyebrows raised. "Why am I involved in this?"

"I don't know," Scorpius said, throwing his hands up in the air. "Victoire Lupin sent me to you! She said that you've been seeing someone - apparently, you think you've been secretive about it, but everyone knows anyway - and she thinks your input in my proposal might be valuable."

Roxie raised an eyebrow. "Everybody knows?"

"According to her, anyway. She stressed that I should press you for information on who the lucky guy is, by the way. She's dying to know who you're with."

"The same person I've been with for four years now," she said with a roll of her eyes.

"Four years? Really? And who might that be?"

But Roxie just gave a sly smile. "Oh, Malfoy. If all goes well, you'll be finding out soon enough, don't you worry."

"But-"

"Look," she interrupted, quick to change the subject. "I'm not going to bring up the fact that you're both really young-"

"You just did!"

"Because," she continued, as though she hadn't heard him. "I'm sure you're sick of people telling you that. Nor am I going to pretend to be a soothsayer able to predict the outcome of this union. It may not be a good idea. Proposing might be a huge mistake. But it's your mistake to make, and I respect that."

Scorpius blinked, taken aback. "Uh, thank you."

"I don't... I don't know what Victoire expects for me to say that's so superb and life-changing. I don't know why she thought I was the right person to ask. I don't why she sent you here. But if you really love Lily - if you want this proposal to be magical for her - then just be yourself, Malfoy. That's all you have to do. Be yourself."

Scorpius made a face. "I could have come up with that on my own, thank you very much."

"Yeah, but you didn't," Roxie said, crossing her legs. "Now if you don't mind, I have something rather important to tend to, so I'm afraid I'm going to have to kick you out now."

He was taken aback. "You're - Seriously?"

"Seriously. I have dinner to make and bags to pack. The loved one and I are going away for the weekend."

"And you still won't tell me who it is?"

Roxie just gave a sly smile. "Good-bye, Malfoy."

"But... but I still don't know what to do!"

"Here's a thought," Roxie said as she ushered him towards the door. "Ask your father for advice. He's proposed before. He's bound to have some answers for you." She paused, reconsidering her words. "And then I'd consult your mother. Make sure what he did was actually romantic in her eyes. After all, it's the woman's perspective that really matters, here."

Scorpius took a deep breath as the silent seconds stretched into minutes in the Malfoy family sitting room. His hands were clasped together, gripped tightly in a painful white-knuckled grip as he stared at his mother and father across from him. The two sat side by side on the couch, looks of surprise covering their faces.

Finally, Scorpius couldn't take the silence anymore. He sighed, briefly closed his eyes and spoke. "Well? Mum? Dad?"

Draco Malfoy was the first to recover. He opened his mouth, as though he were trying to say something, and then shut it, reconsidering. He opened his mouth once more. "Scorpius... are you sure it's wise?"

Scorpius blinked. "Wise... Dad, I love Lily!"

"She is a Potter-"

"Oh, you hush, Draco," Astoria snapped with a roll of her eyes. "If our son wants to marry Lily Potter, you will not stand in his way."

"But-"

"No, Draco!" Astoria turned to Scorpius, a small smile blossoming on her face. "Have you given any thought as to how you'll ask her yet?"

"Well," Scorpius said slowly, tilting his head to the side. "That's just it. I've given it... perhaps too much thought. You see, I don't know what to do... That's why I'm here. I want your advice."

"So not only are you going to marry this girl," his father said with wide eyes. "But you'll do so whether we give our blessing or not?"

"Draco!"

"Astoria, I have valid concerns-"

"You do not!"

"She's a Potter!"

"Scorpius has been friends with Albus for years, and you've never said anything about it before!"

"But this is different," Draco pleaded. "This is him joining our two families together. A Potter and a Malfoy... oh, this will kill my mother!"

"Well at least Lily Potter is a somebody," Astoria hissed. "He could very well have fallen in love with a muggle."

Draco waved the thought away. "He knows that's unacceptable-"

"To hell it's unacceptable-"

"Um, excuse me?" Scorpius said, waving his arms back and forth. His parents glanced over at him in surprise. "Right, see I came over here for a reason, remember?" He turned to his father. "Dad, how did you propose to Mum?"

"Oh, er..." Draco rubbed at the back of his head, his hand smoothing through his grey-blond locks. "Well... I-"

Astoria snorted. "You were absolutely pitiful," she said with a shake of her head. "Scorpius, darling, whatever you do, avoid your father's poor example."

"Hey, I wasn't that bad-"

"You were solemn," Astoria said with a glare. "I thought you were about to tell me that someone had died." She turned back to her boy. "He approached me out of the blue one evening in The Three Broomsticks, his face all gray and sickly, and he said he needed to talk to me in private, that it was very urgent, and that his news simply could not wait."

"Well it couldn't," Draco protested. "I was nervous, I didn't want to wait any longer-"

"Then he shoved his hands in his pockets, looked down at the floor, and started apologizing to me. Like he was going to tell me bad news!"

"I was trying to say that I was sorry for being nervous!" Draco pleaded.

Astoria turned back to her son. "No, Scorpius. If you want my advice, here it is: however you do it, don't make her think someone died! Don't apologize, don't look sad, don't avoid her gaze... Don't scare her like that!"

"Astoria-"

Scorpius gave a sharp nod as he tried not to laugh. "Right, got it. Thanks Mum." He stood to leave. "I should probably be going. I have an early day tomorrow. Conference in London."

"Well, get a good night's rest, dear," she said with a grin. "Oh, and Scorpius," she called out. He turned around. The smile that had previously flourished on his face dropped at his mother's words. "You should tell Harry and Ginny Potter about what you plan to do. It's only polite, after all."

Scorpius' leg wouldn't stop bouncing up and down as he awkwardly sat across from Harry and Ginny Potter in their living room. He wasn't sure how to do it - he'd never told someone he was marrying their daughter before. He swallowed as the silence permeated the room. He feared for his manhood.

Suddenly, Harry started to laugh. "I can't take it anymore, I really can't."

Ginny rolled her eyes. "You ruined all of the fun."

"Oh, come on, Ginny. Surely you must feel bad for the boy."

She smirked. "I didn't say it was fun for him."

"Um, excuse me, sir," Scorpius said, directing their attention back to him. He was reminded of his conversation with his parents just the night before. "But could you please tell me what's going on?"

"Oh, we already know," Harry said.

"Know?"

"That you're here to tell us you're asking Lily to marry you," Ginny explained.

Scorpius blinked as surprise colored his face. "But.. how?"

Harry chuckled loudly. "Are you kidding? Scorpius, you've told practically everybody we know. Rose told Hermione, who told me. Lucy told her sister Molly, who felt it was her duty to warn Ginny. Victoire 'accidentally' told Bill, who told me. Teddy told Arthur and Molly Weasley, who passed the news on to Ginny. James told Fred Jr, who warned Albus. Lorcan and Lysander told Louis, who in turn informed Dominique, who told Roxie, who you'd apparently already told. Or so George says, anyway." Harry shook his head. "And Albus... Albus came to me straight off."

Scorpius cursed under his breath. "Traitor."

"Not to mention," Ginny added. "That your mother wrote us last night. She thought it best to inform us of your impending news. Didn't want for you to shock us."

"But Lily, does she..."

"No, I think she's clueless," Harry said with a shrug. He looked skyward. "The only one in the family... Besides Hugo, I think."

"It wouldn't surprise me if Percy was oblivious as well," Ginny mused. "He always did turn a blind eye to these sorts of things."

"So... you aren't mad?" Scorpius clarified.

"Mad? Well, I suppose we were a little, at first," Harry admitted sheepishly. "Though by the time you'd gotten around to filling in James, we'd begun to understand a bit. Ginny and I always knew you two were right for each other. It's just..."

"You're both so young," Ginny finished for him. "That's our only misgiving. You're only eighteen. Are you sure you two are ready?"

Scorpius nodded. "I can't speak for Lily, Mrs. Potter, but I am. I love her with all of my life, and I want to make sure that she'll be mine. Always."

"Well then," Harry said with a grin. "You have my blessing. Go forth. Don't break her heart," he said, his voice taking on a surprisingly serious tone with those last words.

Scorpius nodded quickly, giving the Boy Who Lived reassurance. "Yes, sir. Thank you." He stood to go, but then paused. "Any... any advice?"

"Don't hesitate," Harry said. "Just go for it."

"You know what she likes, Scorpius," Ginny added. "Or at least, you should, given that you want to marry her. Do something she'll like. And sweep the lucky girl off of her feet."

"I can't believe I've graduated," Lily Potter murmured with a shake of her head as she and Scorpius lay back against his bed. Her eyes were wide, her body unclothed. A sheen of sweat coated her recently loved skin. She rolled over and propped her head on her hand, staring at her naked lover. "We're finally on even terms, it appears."

"Not really," Scorpius teased drily. "You still have to get a job."

"Oh, I won't have any trouble with that," Lily said with a laugh. "Thus is the perk of being the daughter of the Boy Who Lived." She leaned forward to kiss his lips, but he remained unresponsive. She pulled back with a frown. "Is everything all right?"

Don't make her think somebody died, he thought to himself. "No, no. Everything's fine."

"You sure?"

"Positive." He took a deep breath. Something fancy... simple yet, elegant. "You want some wine?" he asked suddenly, getting out of bed.

She blinked. "Wine... Scorpius, it's three o'clock in the afternoon."

"So?"

"So it's a little too early to be getting drunk, don't you think?"

You know what she likes... He pulled the bottle out. "But it's your favorite. Silver Oak cabernet. All the way from California."

She raised an eyebrow. "And you just happen to have my favorite bottle of wine with you?"

Be honest... "Well... no. But I thought we could... celebrate," he said slowly, carefully choosing his words.

She shrugged. "Somehow, that doesn't bother me." She reached for her wand and grabbed it off of the bedside table. "Shall we pop that bottle open, then? You know I'd like it to breathe before we actually have any." She conjured two glasses for them.

"As you wish." Even though he wished desperately that she didn't want the bottle to decant - he wanted to just get the proposal over with, for her to have a drink in her hand and a 'yes' on her lips. Be patient... Her opinion matters more than yours.

She crinkled her nose at him as she ran her fingers through her silky red hair. "Really now, Scorpius. What's wrong? You've been acting... moody ever since you brought me up here."

Be honest... "I'm sorry," he said after a moment's pause. "I suppose I'm just a little... nervous."

She blinked at his answer. "About what?"

"Uh..." he briefly shut his eyes as Harry's words rang through his mind. Don't hesitate. "Well... there's something I wanted to ask you."

"Okay..."

"Listen, I... Sometimes there's so much beauty in the world I feel like I can't take it, and my heart is just going to cave in... And I... Lily..." Screw it, he thought. Be yourself. "Lily Potter," he said slowly, reaching over to grasp her hand. "You are that beauty to me. You are the most incredible... amazing person I've met, and I love you more than anything."

Her eyes went wide as it dawned on her what he was going to do. "Scorpius-"

"Lily Potter," he said, kneeling down on the floor before her. He felt a bit ridiculous, given that he was naked, but that couldn't be helped. She leaned over the bed, staring at him with her mouth slightly open. From underneath the bed, he pulled out a small, black jewelry box. Don't forget the ring! "Will you marry me?"

"S-scorpius," she stuttered. "I... you.. Scorpius-"

Panic flooded through him as her words met his ears. He quickly stood and gave her a curt nod. "I see. Well, never mind then-"

"Scorpius!" she grabbed his arm and shook her head. "No!"

He sighed. "Yes, I figured that out, thank you. You didn't need actually say you didn't want to be my-"

"No! I mean, yes! Yes, I'll marry you!"

His eyes brightened at her words, and joy flowed through him. "You will? Lily, you will?"

"Yes!" she said with a laugh. "Now come here and give me that ring!"

"You'll marry me," he said with a chuckle as he took the white gold diamond ring from its box. "Oh, Merlin, I'm engaged!"

"We're engaged," she corrected in good-nature as he slid on the ring. "Oh my - We have to go to Grimmauld Place!"

He was taken aback, his head automatically shaking with confusion. "Why?"

"We have to tell my family," she said, using her wand to dress the two of them quickly. "Come on!" she said, pulling him towards his fireplace.

"Wait, but the wine-"

"This is much more important than the stupid wine," she said with a laugh.

"That stupid wine cost me a few hundred pounds," Scorpius growled.

"We have to tell my family!"

"But Lily-"

"Come on!"

"There's something you should know-"

But it was too late. The pair of them were already whirling and spinning through the floo network, falling uncontrollably to their destination. Lily's happy laugh was in his ear, and Scorpius shut his eyes, waiting for the dreaded impact-

She yanked him from the fireplace, a grin on her face. "Daddy!" she called out.

Scorpius scowled. "I don't know why we couldn't have just apparated. You know flooing makes me nauseous!"

"Oh, quit whining," she said with a roll of her eyes. "I was much too excited to apparate. I'd probably have splinched us both. Daddy!"

"In the kitchen!" her father's voice called back.

"Come on," Lily said, giving her fiance's arm another yank. "Let's go!"

"Lily, wait," Scorpius said, trying in vain to slow her progress. "I should warn you of something-"

"Daddy!" she said, throwing open the door to the kitchen. "I have something to - Why... why is the whole family here?"

For it was true. The entire Weasley clan sat camped out around the Grimmauld Place kitchen, knowing grins on their faces. Everyone from Percy's family to Bill's family. Ron's family and George's family. Even-

Scorpius blinked. "Mum? Dad?"

Draco gave a nauseated smile as he glanced warily at the other Weasley's, while his mother grinned warmly. "Hello, sweetie."

"What's everyone doing here?" Lily asked cautiously. "Is everything all right? Are Grandma and Grandpa-"

"No, no. They're fine, Lily," Ginny said with a grin. "We're just... here. Go on, now. What did you want to say?"

"Hopefully nothing good," her uncle George muttered.

Eyes narrowed, she glanced around the room before she finally set her sights on her father. "Well... I know it's a bit sudden, Dad, but... Scorpius and I are engaged!"

She expected gasps of shock and outrage. She expected anger and surprise. Hell, she expected excitement. What she did not expect, however, was for Roxie, Ginny, and Astoria to burst out laughing in glee, and for the rest of the room to let out groans.

"What the-"

"Why couldn't you have waited two more hours, mate," James said with a shake of his head. "Just two more hours, and I would have won the prize money!"

"Uh, sorry-"

"What are you talking about?" Lily asked, glancing from face to face. "Two hours? What-" And then it dawned on her. "You knew? You all knew?"

"Well... yeah," Teddy said with a shrug and an apologetic smile. "Though I was hoping for tomorrow..."

"And you bet on when I'd ask her?" Scorpius drawled. "That was rather classy."

"Well we had to make it interesting," George teased with a grin. "Your father even played along. Though he was, admittedly, a long-shot."

"Oh really?" Scorpius asked, raising an eyebrow. He turned to his father. "What did you guess?"

"That you'd propose never."

"Never? That's just cruel, you kn-" The boy frowned. "How would you have collected the prize money?"

Draco sighed. "I hadn't thought that through, at the time."

"Obviously."

"I'm sorry," Lily said, holding up both of her hands. "But I still can't get past the fact that you all knew? How?"

Albus shrugged as he approached his sister. "Scorpius told most of us himself. Word of mouth filled the rest of us in."

"Right," Lily said. "I figured that much out, thanks. What I don't understand, though, is how you knew yet I didn't! This family is absolute rubbish at keeping secrets! How the bloody hell did none of you tell me?"

Lorcan rolled his eyes. "Because that would have severely impacted the bet, Lily."

"And then what would we have done for fun?" Dominique teased.

"Hold on, now," Scorpius interrupted, raising his hands. "So Mum, Mrs. Potter, and Roxie won, right?"

"Correct," Harry said with a nod. "I was so close. I thought for sure you're propose on her graduation day... I was waiting sentinel the entire ceremony for something that didn't happen."

"Uh, sorry... Okay... I understand how Mrs. Potter and my mother won - they know Lily and I fairly well - but Roxie? Was that just a lucky guess, or-"

"Oh, no," Roxie said with a laugh. "No, trust me when I say that my reasoning behind my bet is fairly solid. It's also, however, something I can't tell you."

"Does it have something to do with your mystery boyfriend?" Victoire said, her eyes narrowed.

"Boyfriend," George said, his head snapping around to stare at his daughter. "You have a boyfriend?"

"No, Dad," Roxie said, surprising Scorpius significantly. Hadn't she already told him that she was seeing somebody? "I'm single. I have no boyfriend-"

Scorpius opened his mouth to argue. "But-"

"Excuse me!" Lily said, drawing the attention back to her. "I do hate to sound like Dominique over there, but I just got engaged. And I would love it if my mother wanted to see my ring!"

Dominique snorted. "Gee, thanks."

"No problem."

"Of course, Lily," Ginny said with a laugh. "Come over here. Show it off to all of your unmarried cousins. Now is the best time, you see, to make them feel jealous."

"Once again, thanks!" Dominique said, raising an eyebrow in Lorcan's direction.

"I believe," Harry said over the noise of the family. "That a toast is in order. To the happy couple." He conjured up champagne glasses for the occupants of the room, and smiled over at his daughter and her fiance. "May the two of you enjoy life to its fullest. And Scorpius," he gave the boy a dark smile, "if you break my daughter's heart, I will kill you."

Here's yet another NextGen story! I know I have a couple of WIPs that I haven't updated on my normal Sunday, but I really wanted to finish this! So ta-da! I love Scorpius and Lily, and I hope you do too!

This piece was written for the Alliteration Competition, the Proposal Challenge, and the Academy Awards Competition. For that last challenge, a quote from the from film American Beauty was used: ""Sometimes there's so much beauty in the world I feel like I can't take it, and my heart is just going to cave in." ~Ricky Fitts, American Beauty.

Anyway, thank you for reading! I hope you liked it! If you did, check out my other NextGen piece staring Lily and Scorpius called A Wedding to Remember!

Please leave me a review and let me know what you think!

Thank you!

-Selene