A/N: Wanted to do another Rose/Scorpius story because they are fun characters and I like doing them. THIS IS NOT BASED ON HP&CC which I have not read nor seen and probably will never do. But I do like that Hermione isn't necessarily white so I've gone with that.
I'm terrible at naming stories, so…sorry in advance!
I don't own anything.
Please review!
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"Rose is coming back."
Albus had said it so offhandedly, with no fanfare, that Scorpius had barely even registered that his best mate was speaking of anything besides Quidditch.
"You hear me?"
"Something about Duncan wanting to meet for drinks after the match?" Scorpius was flipping through the Muggle paper he had snatched up earlier that morning.
Albus put his hand over the paper so Scorpius was forced to look up. "Rose is coming back," he said clearly, his bright green eyes watching Scorpius' face intently.
"It's no where near the holidays," Scorpius replied.
"No, moving back, I mean. Took a job at St. Mungo's."
Scorpius wanted to squirm under Albus' intense gaze, but pressed his feet firmly to the ground to resist. "You must be pleased," Scorpius smiled, "you've missed her."
"I have," Albus agreed, "will be nice to have her around again." Albus hesitated, "Are you pleased?"
Scorpius arched a dark blonde eyebrow, "I don't hate her, Albus. I never have."
Albus watched him for a moment but felt like ages to Scorpius. "I never said you hated her, mate." Albus waited, expecting Scorpius to argue and when he didn't, he continued, "I expect Grandmum will throw a luncheon since the weather's nice. James and Fred were talking about a round when she's settled in."
Scorpius hummed in agreement as he turned his attention back to his Muggle paper.
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Hogwarts, Sixth Year
"All right, Weasley?"
She didn't look up, "Better to use my first name, Malfoy. There's so many Weasleys it's hard to tell to whom you're speaking."
He sat down next to her with a grin, "You're the only Weasley I take Charms with, aren't you?"
Rose breathed through her nose, "Still prefer my –"
"I know you do, Petal, but it's so fun to see you riled up," his smile grew as he watched her reading a pamphlet. She grimaced when he called her 'petal'. "What ya reading?"
"St. Mungo's pamphlet about Healing," she said with a slight shrug.
"Definitely leaning towards Healing then, are we?" He arched an eyebrow.
"Think so," she looked over at him, her blue eyes a shade lighter in the light of the classroom, her freckles noticeable against her golden-brown skin. "Want to help people, of course," she seemed to be taking to herself more so than to him. "Hard to start on my own at the Ministry with mum," she drifted off. "Well, I'd like to do my own thing."
Scorpius watched her for a moment, "Very noble." He understood what she meant. It would be hard to be her own person at the Ministry when her mum was the new Minister of Magic.
"What about you?"
He opened his mouth in genuine surprise that she was asking, "Oh, I –"
She rolled her eyes, a small smile playing on her lips, "Don't act so surprised, Malfoy. You're my favorite cousin's best mate, aren't you?"
"I just didn't think you'd be actually interested –"
She very nearly snorted, "I'm not a monster. But I am losing interest –"
"Quidditch at first, if I can, while I'm still young and able," he shrugged. "Always need new Beaters. And then maybe something in the Ministry, not in dad's department, maybe an Auror."
Rose nodded, "Both of us picking something our parents don't do."
He smiled, "How predictable of us."
The rest of their class had sat down by now and Scorpius took a deep breath, ready to throw caution to the wind – she was being pleasant, wasn't she? – and ask her to Hogsmeade when her friend Tilly sat next to her, pulled on Rose's long braid, and started chattering on about something almost immediately. Scorpius turned away and swallowed his question. There was always tomorrow.
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"How's your bird, kid?"
Scorpius stared openly at the man, "What bird, Bruce? I don't have a bird," he frowned, "a lady, I mean. I don't have a girlfriend or –"
"What about that redhead you were chatting with?" Bruce's deep voice was gruff with age.
"Lily Potter, you mean?" Scorpius laughed as Bruce's dark eyes widened.
"Blimey, you're seeing the Head Auror's daughter?"
The Head Auror himself popped his head into the room, "Meeting in five, couple emergencies it seems."
"Not seeing her, no. She's my best mate's sister and a good friend," Scorpius bit back a grin, "you might want to retire soon, Bruce, you're observations are –"
Bruce waved a hand as he stood up, "Point is, you need a bird, don't you?"
Walter, another Auror who was only a few years older than Socrpius, was Scorpius' partner and best work mate, clapped him on the shoulder, "I've been telling him that for ages, Bruce. Needs to find a nice girl – or boy –"
"Girl," Scorpius assured him, "although I was flattered your mate was interested."
Bruce's brows were furrowed and he frowned, "I don't bloody understand you young people."
They walked out of the office into the large conference room, "That's why you're the best teacher, Brucie," Walter winked at the older man.
"All right," Harry started, loosening his Muggle tie slightly and Scorpius was surprised to see it wasn't in Gryffindor colors that he usually favored. "Multiple reports of some sort of shenanigans at a farm in the Highlands, unrelated to last week's," he sighed, "I want a team up there to investigate. I want to know what exactly is going on. Malfoy, MacDonald, pick a team, I want you up there within the hour. Banner and Wallis, I want you over at Hogsmeade, there's been a break-in. If it was students, let me know and I'll meet with the Headmistress," he looked around the room. "Magical dispute outside of Surrey. Ferguson and Lowry, bring a recruit or two in case." He looked at his assistant, "Was there another?"
The elderly witch pushed her glasses further up her nose as she read from a parchment, "Doesn't seem to be, sir."
"Good, dismissed. Malfoy, MacDonald, let me know what team you've assembled before you leave."
"Yessir," Malfoy nodded and turned to Walter. "Catriona, obviously. And Fiona."
"Gregson," Walter nodded, "and Timmy."
"Make sure they bring their Wellies, it's going to be muddy."
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Scorpius had spent nearly 10 hours in the mud and rain of the Highlands of Scotland. Talking to farmers who didn't want to talk, scouring the woods for Merlin-knows-what, and trying to cajole the mutterings of an elderly, blind witch and her squib of a son who only spoke the Gaelic.
And they'd be going back the next day as well. Walter and Catriona had kindly turned down his offer of a pint, but he walked to a small Muggle pub anyway. Before he left the Ministry's Atrium, however, he heard someone calling his name. "No, no, Thomasin, I don't have a story for you –"
"But your in jeans and Wellies," the dark blonde witch laughed, "how is your strange fashion choice not a story?" He continued walking but Thomasin kept up. "Come on, dearie."
"It's late, I'm tired, you know I can't talk to the press, love." He turned to her with a small frown, "You're my favorite reporter, but –"
She frowned, her amber eyes watching him carefully, "You're no bloody fun."
He let out a genuine laugh, "Oh, Thomasin, I do miss you and your blunt way of talking." He patted her on top of the head, knowing it would infuriate her, "You know I'd go to you first if I ever had a story."
"You bloody better," she tried to grab his hand to stop him patting her again. He turned to go, continuing towards the door. "Rose's back," she called after him, "how are you feeling?"
"Writing a story on her return, are we?" He turned and waved at her with a smile before finally leaving the Ministry.
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With a sigh, he pushed open the door to the Muggle pub and nodded at the bartender who asked, "Pint of lager?"
"I come here that often?" Scorpius smiled at the man as he took his glass.
"Often enough and you always order the same thing," the older man shrugged. "Not many lads with hair like yours either."
Scorpius' hand went to his head automatically, "Aye, suppose you're right." He handed the bartender some Muggle cash, "Thanks, mate." He went and sat at a small table near one of the very few lights and pulled out of the Muggle paper, skimming for any reports of weird goings on in the Highlands. He had long finished his pint, engrossed in the paper, when someone took away his empty glass and replaced it with a fresh one, "Oh, I don't want," he looked up and there she was, smiling down at him.
"Was rather surprised to see you here too," she said and gestured to the chair across from him. "May I?"
His mouth was suddenly dry and he was acutely aware that he was gawking at her. All he could manage was a nod.
"It's just as I remember. This place, I mean. Exactly the same," her steel blue eyes wandered around the small bar before landing back on him. "You've changed," she said simply.
That brought him out of his stupor, "For the better, I hope." He arched an eyebrow, his slate grey eyes scanning her face, her freckles invisible in the dim light of the pub. Her hair, pulled back into an intricate knot low on her head, looked dark brown and Scorpius wondered briefly if it still looked red in certain lights. "When'd you get in?"
"The other night," she sipped her lager, "start tomorrow."
He noticed the thin bright red jumper she was wearing, "Why come to the pub then, this pub, no less?"
She took another sip and Scorpius knew she was trying to find the right words. "Nerves, I guess."
"Didn't want to run into anyone," Scorpius stated, "I presume, of course."
"You know what they say," she said lightly. "I'm surprised you still come here."
He watched her closely, "It's nice to go somewhere no one else knows about sometimes."
She swallowed but her eyes were laser focused on him. "That was a long time ago, Malfoy."
He leaned back in his chair, "A different time," he agreed, hoping his voice sounded light. "Have you seen Albus yet? Or Thomasin? Just ran into her, actually."
"Oh, did you?" Scorpius' lips twitched at how irritated her voice sounded.
"Yea, hounding me for a story, mentioned you were back," he replied casually.
"No, I've only seen mum, dad, and Hugo so far," she managed a smile, "reckon Grandmum will have a party for the family soon."
Scorpius stared at his pin glass for a moment before taking a long drink, "What brought you back?"
"A position –"
"I'm sure you've had plenty of offers from St. Mungo's over the years –"
"The right position," she corrected, rather crossly. "My training in Sweden was complete and I missed my family."
Scorpius nodded and took another drink, "What's the position?"
"Well," her steel blue eyes lit up, "I'll actually work across all the floors."
His eyes widened, "What?"
"I'll have patients who are there for spell damage, or Muggle reasons, or bugs and other creatures," she was talking quickly as she did when she was excited. "And I'll be the junior Potions master."
"Bloody hell, Petal," he muttered before he knew what he was saying. Rose froze and stared at him, her eyes widening. "I mean, are they," he coughed, "are they grooming you to be the Healer-in-Charge?"
She blinked and Scorpius hoped she would ignore his "petal" slip up. "Maybe. Trying not to think about it, actually. Long way off."
Scorpius looked at his Muggle watch, "I need to get home. I have a long day tomorrow," he met her eyes, "and so do you." He stood up, "Come on, I'll show you where you can Apparate."
She drained her glass and stood, only a few inches shorter than him in her boots. "I remember –"
"I will see you out, Weasley," he said firmly.
Scorpius breathed in the crisp London night air and watched Rose look around the street, her golden-brown skin reflecting the blue of the pub's neon beer sign. "I missed London," she turned to him and smiled.
"Won't you miss Stockholm?"
"Oh, sure. Already do," her smile faltered slightly. "It really was lovely and wonderful, but," she shrugged, "there's just something about Britain."
He smiled at her and gestured for her to walk with him, "Everyone's glad you're back, Rose."
They reached the alleyway.
"Are you?"
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A/N: I started this off as a one-and-doner, but I just kept writing and I have a bit more and I'm not even at the finale bit I want so….going to be a quite a few chapters, I think! This one was awful short because I wanted to get it out!
There will be some flashbacks and those will have the 'time' on them…
I got the 'Petal' nickname because I just watched seasons 1 and 2 of Broadchurch and my goodness….HEAVY. Hit me hard. But was bloody wonderful.
Please review! More cousins and friends next chapter!
