Written for Hogwarts Online II prompt of the day, also written for the Ten, twenty, thirty chapter challenge by aimz666 at the Harry Potter Fanfiction Challenge Forum.
Prompt of the day September 15
with the prompt:
"Just put one foot in front of the other"
Author's note: Disclaimer. I don't own any stories of mine you have read. I keep forgetting to mention that.
'Just put one foot in front of the other,' her mother's voice reminded her as Rose walked up to the train. She turned slightly and saw her mother and father waving at her. Her brother Hugo was already in the train. Rose felt her heart pounding in her chest as she took a baby step to the train. On the way out of the train, someone knocked her down as they were hurrying. A blonde raced past her as she fell over her bags. In an instant, she wanted to shout, but couldn't for she was still in shock. The person stopped walking, turned around and offered his hand.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to knock you down," he replied kindly to her.
"That's okay." Rose glanced at her parents. She saw the looks her father was giving her helper.
"Thank you, Scorpius," she said brushing off her father's glares.
"He's nothing like his father," Rose read the lips of her mother talking to her father. Reading lips was a talent of hers she took great pride to. Her mother and father would always spell things quickly, then when she learned how to spell, they stopped and started moving lips so low that only someone who was watching them could see. She started reading lips when she was old enough to read.
"How do you know who I am?" he asked for they had always seen each other in school, but never personally met each other till now, in their third year.
"You're in Slytherin, Your hair is a dead give away. Also, You look like your father," Rose said pointing to his father. She had never met the man before, but knew that her father often complained about Scorpius' father.
Rose stood up with the help of Scorpius. She brushed off, feeling a slight color come to her cheeks as she watched him watching her. Rose then put a strand of red hair behind her ears as she felt it fall out of place when she fell. He was still staring at her.
"What?" she asked.
"Nothing. Excuse me. I have to go meet my father before the train leaves." Scorpius brushed past her.
Rose turned to her parents, as her father started to shake his head "NO" about Scorpius. Her mother lightly punched her father, making him stop and Rose laugh. Hermione then mouthed to Rose "I'll talk him into liking Scorpius for you."
Rose grinned, waved goodbye to her parents, and picked up her bags as she walked onto the train.
Once she was seated next to her brother, her cousins Lily, Albus and James came to their train car. Each had a curious look on their face.
"We saw you with Scorpius." James started off as Albus punched his brother. "What?" James said confused as he rubbed his arm where his brother had punched him.
"You said you weren't going to tease her." Albus stated as he sat next to his brother. Lily sat next to Rose as they heard the whistle call.
"I'm not teasing. I'm simply stating the facts." James fought back.
"Come on, let's go try to find the food trolly. I'm starving," Hugo stated standing up.
"Mum packed us food," Rose said truthfully to her brother.
"Eat mine. I've been saving my pocket money all summer." Hugo replied.
Hugo left with his cousins, leaving his sister and cousin alone to talk.
"So, tell me, is he as nice as everyone says?" Lily questioned her cousin.
"I guess." She shrugged.
Lily stared at her confused.
"Well, I was more focused on the fact that he knocked me over, that I didn't really pay attention,." She started searching through her bags with a curious look.
"What's wrong?" Lily asked.
"My purse is missing. It's got my permission slip to Hogsmeade folded inside it. I put it there so I wouldn't forget it."
"Maybe Scorpius has it." Lily suggested.
"Doubtful, because he walked off before I did."
"He could have found it when he came back to the train."
Rose stood up and sighed.
"I'm going to the loo," she stated.
"Sure, sure." Lily winked at her cousin as she knew what she was really after.
As soon as Rose was out of her cousin's view, she quickly changed directions to the last car on the train. The last car was known as the 'Slytherin's car.' Only Slytherins were allowed in there. Rose knew Scorpious would be there, or at least she thought she knew he would be there. Part of her hoped he wouldn't be there, for she didn't want anyone to see her talking to the Slytherins. Not paying attention, Rose bumped into someone.
"I'm sorry—" she started to say before she looked up. When she stared into those deep grey eyes, she knew automatically who it was and blushed.
"We seem to be having a 'bump-into-you' deal today." He smiled at her. He held out her bag from under his shirt as he watched her give him a curious look.
"Um—"
"I didn't want anyone from Slytherin knowing I had a Gryffindor's bag, and was returning it. I said I was going to the loo," he admitted.
As their fingers touched when he gave her the bag, she noticed her guard came down. The guard she developed when her father warned her about him. She knew he was nothing like his father. A single touch told her everything she needed to know as she nodded in agreement.
"I told Lily I was going to the loo, but I wanted to find my bag. How did you get it?" she said as she strapped the bag across her chest.
"I watched you get on the train with your other bags, the purple one is what you left behind. So when my father turned to talk to my mother, I said a quick goodbye, ran to the train and rescued your bag."
"Did you peak inside it?" she asked.
"No. Mother taught me to never look in a lady's bag unless you are given permission," he said properly.
"You can look if you want," she said taking off her bag and handing it to him. She had nothing to hide, but was curious to see if he would look in.
Several students walked past them as she could have sworn she saw Scorpius blushing.
"Hey, Scorpi—Oh. Sorry. Didn't know-well well well, a Gryffindor. Stealing from her I presume?" A seventh year Slytherin that Rose didn't know walked up to them.
"Yes, he was, and I was just getting my bag back." Rose glared at him and hoped he knew she didn't mean it as she snatched her purse back.
"Well done Scorpius. I knew you were like your father." the seventh year Slytherin slapped him on his back as they walked away. The seventh year Slytherin put his arm around Scorpius' shoulders as Scorpious turned to look at her. He looked as if he didn't want to be there.
Rose sighed. What could have been a perfectly good conversation was ruined by someone thinking Scorpius was like his father.
Whatever this new school year would bring, Rose knew she had made a friend in Slytherin. She also knew having a friend in Slytherin might come in handy some day later on that year. Rose happily put her bag over her shoulder and turned to walk back towards her car with her cousin. She smiled, knowing that Scorpius really was as cute and nice as everyone said he was. But that was a secret she would keep to herself.
Author's note: I might continue. yes, you might have seen this story up yesterday, but I took it down so I could add more to it in the note of what it was written for, and I needed to fix something.
Special Thanks to Slytherin Head for beta'ing.