This started as an idea for Rose and Scorpius first encounter. And then it just grew.
This may be weird: it's not exactly what I use to write, but I like how it turned out. the plot bunnies where just raving at me to get it done, and who am I to disobey them? I had fun doing this: I could imagine this happen.
I'd like to make a longer story with these two one day, but seeing as I don't have the time, I made this oneshot instead. I hope you like it, and that you will take the time to review :) It might not be good at all, but it's late and I felt the need to write and post something. Sorry for any mistakes that might occour. As I said, it's bloody late over here :p
Written while listening to 'Run' by Snow Patrol
Field of Roses
The first year, she wasn't impressed at all.
She'd barely perked her ears, as his name had been announced, had been unsurprised to find the Sorting Hat shouting 'Slytherin' for everyone to hear. She'd been much too busy holding tightly onto her cousin Albus' arm, afraid she would get lost if she let go of him.
She nearly jumped when her name was announced, and with knees that where only a wee bit shaky, she walked up and seated herself on the chair, very much aware of everyone's eyes on her.
"If you're not in Gryffindor, we'll disinherit you."
She mentally rolled her eyes at that one, making the Hat chuckle. Of course she knew her father wasn't serious. Still, she felt relieved when the Hat shouted 'Gryffindor'. Clapping noises filled her ears as she ran down to sit beside James, eagerly waiting for the food to come forth.
And during the speech, she cast a quick look over her shoulder, a blur of blonde hair catching her eyes. He looked bored. Very disrespectful. Rose scoffed and focused on listening to the Headmaster.
*
She remembered coming home in the holidays, showing her parents her grades and her dad would ask what Malfoy had gotten. Her mother would smack him across the head, and he would pout, before blinking at her and asking her again when mom wasn't there.
She always shrugged, stating that she didn't know and most certainly didn't care.
*
Their first real encounter happened right after Christmas in their first year.
It was during a very cold Herbology lesson with the Slytherins. Her teeth had clapped together in her mouth despite the warmth-spells Professor Longbottom had done to make it more comfortable for the students. They were all crammed together around one table, hoping to get warmer that way. Neville seemed very oblivious to the cold, too busy gushing over the plant he was currently holding a monologue about. Despite the want to listen, Rose found it hard, what with the cold and the constant chatter behind her being very distraction.
She could feel her temper – inherited from her father no doubt – becoming more and more edgy, until suddenly the chattering devils behind her started pushing gently at each other, clearly trying to play a game without their teacher noticing. Suddenly, someone shoved too hard, causing the person behind her to stumble right into her. With a shriek, she fell towards the ground, her arms flailing everywhere and hitting someone in the face. A hiss of pain was heard behind her, but she didn't register it, because in that moment she landed on the floor, the other person falling halfway across her legs. She cracked one eye open as the other students got moving, running around the two persons on the floor and the one she'd accidently injured. With an annoyed huff, she kicked the unknown stumble-boy off her legs, ignoring his vague mumbles. She craned her neck, surprised to see blonde hair and grey eyes, hands cupped over a nose as blood seeped out through his slender, pale fingers.
"Oh God!" She cried, stumbling to her legs, just as Neville had reached out to help her out. "I'm so sorry!" She shoved another student out of the way and looked at him worriedly. "I didn't mean to!"
Malfoy smirked slightly, the half of his mouth that wasn't hidden by his hand turning upwards in amusement, before flickering back in a grimace of pain.
"I think it's broken." Neville's voice sounded behind her, and Malfoy just nodded.
"I'll take him to the Hospital Wing!" Rose announced, looking closely at the boy. "I really am sorry!"
He merely shrugged, allowing her to lead him outside and back into the castle. Not a word was spoken from him, but he kept sending her glances that where both disturbed and what she assumed was thank-full. She kept chattering away over how sorry she was, but shut up as they neared the Hospital Wing, figuring that he would take when his face wasn't drowning in blood.
Madam Pomfrey simply shook her head at the sight, asking what had happened while fixing Malfoy's nose in a matter of minutes. Rose had quickly replayed the events, yet again apologized to the boy. It seemed just then that the Healer had become fully aware of the two kids, as she shot them both weird looks, before an amused smile spread on her face.
"Well, this wouldn't be the first time a Weasly attacked a Malfoy." She'd laughed, causing Malfoy to look at her as if she was nuts, while Rose started apologizing until her tongue curled yet again. When Madam Pomfrey had left shortly to get something in the cabinet, Rose had tiptoed a little, her gaze looked on the floor.
"I really am sorry." She repeated for what seemed like the hundred time. "I didn't mean to hit you."
"I know." He said and she jumped a little: it was, after all, the first time he'd spoken to her. Sure, she'd heard his voice before, but she'd never actually paid attention to it. It had a nice ring to it, laced with politeness and acceptance. "It's… Um…" He frowned. "It's allright."
Rose wondered if he'd ever said that before in his entire life. Or maybe it was just because she was a girl. Or a Weasley.
"You can go if you want to." He suddenly said, interrupted the awkward silence that had lapsed between them. "I don't think we absolutely have to go back to class." He pondered, looking like he was talking more to himself than her. "You don't have to stay here."
"Oh… but then you'll be all alone!" Rose blurted out, trying to keep logic in her head. He would be alone for all of the, what, three minutes it would take Madam Pomfrey to get back?
He smirked again, suddenly looking a lot older than the twelve years he'd just turned.
"My dad always says that I have to be polite to you and your family, but still get better grades than you." He then said, as if they'd been discussing that subject for hours. Rose let out a laugh.
"My dad says the exact same thing. And then my mom tells him to shut up and not pit us against you before school's even started!"
What looked like a real smile was forming on his face, thought it still looked more like a smirk than anything else. Just then, Madam Pomfrey came back, and one of Rose's friends came skidding in, ready to take her to the next class.
*
When she got home for the next holidays, the first thing she did was telling her dad that she'd accidently broken Scorpius Malfoy's nose. She'd never seen him laugh so hard before. Even her mother cracked a tiny smile.
*
On their second year, he helped her out of the lake after James had decided to throw her in.
She was cursing like a sailor, splashing around in the cold water, desperately hoping the squid wasn't near. Despite the gentleness of the beast, it still terrified her sometimes.
"James you bloody scoundrel!! Get bloody back here, or I'll…"
"What, tell your mum?" He teased, standing on the edge and laughing like a fool.
"No! I'll tell your mum!!" He looked terrified for a second, before smirking.
"Well, then I'm sure your parents would be delighted to find out where you'd learned to curse like that."
"Oh bloo…" Rose stopped herself, and waved an arm in the water instead, causing a giant wave to fly towards her cousin. He didn't have time to duck, and got half of his clothes drained instead.
"Ha bloody ha!" She shouted after him as he walked backwards to the castle, accidently inhaling a mouthful of water and choking on it. She cursed herself for not being a better swimmer, as she grasped after the edge.
Slim fingers grabbed her wrist, and pulled her forwards. Surprised, she looked up, grey eyes meeting blue. She blinked one time, grabbing the long grass with her other hand and helping him pull herself up. He smirked at her as laid herself on the grass.
"That's a nice family you've got." He remarked, one eyebrow lifted, his tone sarcastic. Rose fought the urge to stick out her tongue at him, reminding herself to be polite. After all, she hardly even knew him.
"I guess." She laughed instead. "No, they're great really. James' just a tease. I got him back for that anyway."
He just nodded, hands stuck down in his pockets. She watched him a little, the sun enlightening his light hair like a halo. She got a sudden urge to tug at it.
"Do you… hmm… do you have any siblings?" She asked, pretty sure she hadn't seen anyone around. He shook his head.
"Not really. No cousins or other family my age either. At least none my parents would like me to spend too much time with."
Rose frowned. "Why not?"
"Well, Weasley, we can't all have perfect little lives." He said, his tone laced now with forced politeness, retreating sarcasm and bitterness. She frowned again.
"Sorry Mr. Malfoy, I didn't mean to impose any hurt under your mental shield. I was merely curious, though I see now that it was misplaced."
His eyes widened, amusement flickering over his face before it was hidden by his mask of indifference yet again.
"Where the hell have you learned to talk like that?" He blurted out, the swear sounding indifferent with what she was used to. Rose laughed.
"My mum does it when she's really annoyed with my dad – It's to freak him out I think."
"It works." Malfoy mumbled, but at least he didn't look angry or hurt anymore. Rose was relieved, smiling up at him. He moved a little, not blocking for the sun anymore and making it shine right into her eyes.
"I think lessons start in a minute." She said, standing up and blinking. "I better get dry." She smiled. "I'll see you around."
*
The next time her father asked her of anything concerning Malfoy, she simply said that he was a nice boy. He'd looked at her like he was questioning her sanity, but shrugged it off, while her mother had smiled brightly, mumbled something about 'nice making friends' and had changed the subject to Hugo's start at Hogwarts next year.
*
On their third year, they talked more frequently.
They were often helping each other in classes the Gryffindor's and Slytherin's had together. None of them would exactly call it a friendship yet, but Rose found that she enjoyed and even wanted his company more and more often. He was intelligent and easy to talk with about things that didn't even matter.
James came up to her once time, after she'd just left a potion class waving goodbye to him. He'd looked at her with his head tilted.
"Does someone have a crush?" He teased. Rose didn't blush or look affronted, simply smiled at her cocky cousin.
"No. He's a friend." She said. "He's nice, you got a problem with that?"
"No." James had said, leaning against the wall beside them. "A Weasley and a Malfoy together is just… weird."
Rose couldn't figure out why he thought that, but didn't comment more on it. It didn't matter anyway. Scorpius was her friend, nothing more. She stopped short in the hall, realizing she'd admitted to any sort of friendship between the two of them. Oh well. It was what it was after all. No point in avoiding it. Why should they?
She asked her mom in a letter why her dad seemed to resent the Malfoy's so much. As far as she knew, some of them had been Deatheaters, but that was a long time ago. Rose didn't believe in judging people by past sins, if they'd condemned them already.
The answer was short, simply stating that they hadn't gotten along in school. Well, she couldn't use that for much. Her curiosity sparked, she took it up with him in their next Potion's class.
"Why do you think they dislike each other so much?" She'd asked while they were hacking away on their roots. He cast her a surprised look, neither of them having really talked during the class.
"Who?" He asked.
"Well, our dads." Rose continued. "They seem to be holding slight grudges towards each other."
Scorpius shrugged. "Not really any of our business." He said. Rose smirked.
"Really? Because you sound curious." She teased, waving a finger at him. He let out a snort, staring intently at the roots he was hacking.
"I'm not. I could care less."
Rose didn't know what to say to that, and she soon went back to hacking the roots.
*
"So, how've this school year been?" Ronald Weasley asked his daughter, leaning comfortably back in his chair. Rose looked up from the book she'd been engrossed in.
"It was fine." She said. "Like the others. Though James seems to be developing against less annoying – to me at least. I think his new victim is Louis."
"Poor kid." Ron smiled, looking at her closely. "Your grades just keep getting better and better." He then said. "You've got your mother's brain, be glad for that!" He waved his arms in the air as if cheering for it. Rose rolled her eyes, but smiled and pretended to read on. She knew what question would come next.
"So… you doing any better than the Malfoy's kid?" He utterly failed at being casual. Rose didn't look up from her book.
"Scorpius and I are on the same level in intelligence." She said, making sure to speak in the tone her mother always used when explaining something. "I'd rather compare to the ones better than me, as to see where I can do better myself." She clasped the book shut as if to emphasize her point. Her dad huffed proudly.
"That's my girl – you got the competition-gene."
Rose rolled her eyes again, not bothering to trying to explain that it wasn't competition. She got up, ready to help her mother in the kitchen.
It wasn't until right before Ron fell asleep that night, that it had hit him that Rose had called the kid Scorpius instead of Malfoy.
*
On their fourth year, he helped her cut her long, wild reddish brown hair.
Albus had refused, saying he wanted no part in something that would no doubt baffle her parents so much. And he couldn't understand why she wanted it either: that was James' and Lily's and Hugo's reason too. They all loved her hair, everyone did: it was thick, but nowhere near was it the same as her mothers, and it was straight like her fathers, with both of their hair-colors blending in. It was long, reaching almost to her waist, and she always kept it either hanging or the front braided to keep it out of her face during Quidditch or other activities like that.
Everyone loved her hair. And she was sick of hearing everyone go gooey over it. She wasn't quite sure what had spurred it on, at least that's what she told people. She would never what the real reason was: it was simply too embarrassing.
After all her friends, her brother and her cousins had all refused to help her, she instead went searching for Scorpius, marching straight up to him and breaking directly into his conversation with some fellow Slytherin's. He looked at her with slight amusement in his face, as always when she did something extravagant.
"I'm going to cut my hair." She said. "And you're going to help me."
"Why me?" He asked, as one of his friends started snickering. "Get a girl to do it!"
"Well, none of the girls want to!" Rose protested. "And you're much better!"
Then he just shrugged. "Allright. When?"
A giant smile broke onto her face: she should have gone to him straight away (though she knew the reason she hadn't, but again, she wouldn't admit that!). He would respect her decision and not get in the way of her plans like certain others.
"Right now." She said, grabbing his hand, and ignoring the shock it sent through her body. She hauled him with him to the bathroom inhabited by Moaning Murtle and handed him the scissor.
"Cut!" She ordered, pulling the doomed hair in over the sink. She could almost hear his eyebrows raise in surprise.
"What if I mess up?" He tentavily asked. Rose just shrugged.
"We'll find a way to fix it – I am not afraid!" She declared, snickering at herself. "Come on, don't be such a baby Scorpo! Cut."
"Urgh!" He mumbled. "Don't call me that."
"I will if you don't cut, Scor…"
"Allright, allright." He leaned in, and she smiled brightly as he started cutting.
"… Pius."
He sighed. "Why do you want it short?" He asked as he finished. Rose stood up, shaking out the loose strand and admiring the work in the mirror. It actually looked quite good, though it needed a little adjusting. She reached for the scissor as she answered.
"Short hair looks good." She simply said. "You don't like it?"
"It's allright." He slowly said, looking like the question confused him a little. Rose almost laughed: he was a boy, of course he didn't care.
"Stella has short hair." She said, trying not to let annoyance seep over the name.
"Yeah."
"Do you like her?"
He looked at her oddly, while Rose bit hard down on her lip.
"I guess."
"Allright."
"Allright?"
"Yeah." Rose turned back to the mirror. "Allright."
*
Both her parents did a double-take as they picked her up at the station.
"Wha…" Her dad's mouth hang open, while her mother looked utterly shocked. She could hear Hugo sigh behind her.
"You could have warned them you know."
Rose just smirked.
*
On their fifth year she avoided him.
It wasn't until about two months into the school year, that it became apparent for her that he was going out with Stella. The whispered rumors had never been taken seriously on her part, but now she listened to them, searched them out like a thirsty man after water. She wasn't quite sure why she felt so hurt by the news, or why she found herself glaring at Stella every time the girl entered a room she was in, but she couldn't help herself.
All she knew was, that as long as he was with Stella, she didn't want to see him. And since he didn't seem that sad over the fact that she was obviously avoiding him, she quickly justified the selfish excuse.
Not that it tore at her heart or anything.
"Hey! Rosie! Wait!"
She stopped, turned around surprised at the nickname only her family used. It was McLaggen, the captain of the Ravenclaws Quidditch team, running to catch up with her.
"Hello." She said, surprised. He smiled warmly at her.
*
"So… you're with that McLaggen, huh?" Her dad 'casually' asked, as if he'd been trying to sneak the question in. Rose was sure he'd been burning to ask for the last hour of their conversation.
"A little… I guess." Rose slowly mumbled. Truth was, despite having fun with Derek McLaggen he was… blah. There was nothing special about him.
More importantly, he didn't have blond hair or grey eyes or looked at her as if she was both insane and a genius….
Right. Brilliant reasons not to have a relationship.
"Well, you could do worse." Her dad mumbled. "You know his dad and your mum went out a few times?"
"No? Really?" Rose said, only half listening. She was pretty sure her mother had mentioned it, but she was too distracted to take bigger part in the conversation right now.
"Yeah. A real jerk. But his son might be better." Her dad mumbled. Rose bit her tongue not to make a remark about that one.
*
On their sixth year, she decided that she was being silly and went to seek him out.
"Hi." She said, poking his shoulder. He turned around in surprise, and she was stunned for a moment.
Watching him from a distance for the last year had definitely not done him justice. The mere sight of him up close took her breath away.
"Hi." He said back, smiling slightly at her. They stood there for a few moments, smiling like fools at each other. No one said anything, until Rose lowered her gaze.
"So… how is Stella these days?" She mumbled. She wasn't looking at him. She didn't see the hurt look that flooded over his eyes and disappeared again quicker than one could detect.
"She's… fine." He said curtly. "How is McLaggen?"
"Fine."
*
She went home for the summer, well-worn out and ready to have fun before her final year. She smiled brightly at her parents when she got home, but locked herself in her room as soon as she could get an excuse to do so.
Her mother came up, sitting beside her on the bed. It wasn't until Hermione pointed it out, that Rose realized she was crying.
"Mom… did you always know that you loved dad?"
Her mother laughed at that. "Oh no, not at all!" She laughed even harder, as if Rose had said something extremely funny. Then she sobered up a bit, gently running a hand through her daughter's still short hair. "Sometimes it takes time to figure things like that out."
Rose couldn't help but agree with her.
*
On their seventh year, she walked straight up and kissed him. In the Grand Hall. In front of everyone. Even some teachers.
It had James giggling for hours on end. Rose didn't see the funny part: her heart was slowly breaking, the longer she was away from him. But she didn't have the courage to seek him out again.
Luckily, she didn't have to.
"My dad was right." Was the first thing he said to her, when he suddenly appeared behind her. She jumped a little, turning around and stared at him.
"About what?"
"You Weasley's really are slow."
He kissed her before she could punch him.
*
"Dad, I've started dating Scorpius Malfoy. I'm in love with him, and if I one day plan to marry him and have his kids, you better be bloody allright with it."
He stared at her. She stared back. Then Ron started laughing, nearly falling out of his chair while doing so.
"Good one! That's a good one Rose!"
Rose sighed. Her mother shot her a knowing look and a gentle smile before patting her shoulder.
"Don't worry. He'll come around some day."
Rose smiled. She knew he would. After all, he didn't really have a choise, did he?
Even someone as stubborn as Ronald Weasley couldn't stop love.