First attempt at a oneshot. Written in Third POV.
Disclaimer: I do not own the Harry Potter phenomenon. Brilliant J.K. Rowling does.
February 14, 2023
February fourteenth, also known as Valentine's Day, is only an ordinary day for Seventh Year, Rose Weasley. You still have to attend classes, do the homework that is assigned, and do the duties as a Head to keep couples from ditching lessons for having 'special time' in broom closets.
So there was Rose, alone, clutching her books with one arm and trying to fix her loose wavy auburn hair with the other. Her robes were already askew: a sleeve was arm-less and the edges of her robes were getting very dusty from the cobblestone corridor floors. There was just too much for Rose to do and so many to commitments she had to attend. In approximately two minutes, she had to get across the whole school to host a prefect meeting about patrolling on this peculiar day and right after that, she had to cross the school again to get to the dungeons for potions.
And it was still morning.
Once after almost tripping on her robes, she hopped over to the wall on her left, dropped her books by her feet, and fixed her appearance. Now, her robes were properly hanging on both shoulders and her books were halved so she can carry them with both arms.
As she scurried through the halls, a familiar Gryffindor came by, catching up with her and clasping his palms together as if he was pleading.
"Would you please go out with me, Rose?"
"In your dreams, Finnigan."
Connor pursed his lips, and smiled, "It's Valentine's Day, so I hope you are dreaming." He added, "Or at least, thinking about me."
"Yeah, I'll think about you when I have a bazillion things to take care of." Rose stopped in her tracks. "Besides, what happened to Sara?"
Finnigan put his hands on his hips while glancing around for any eavesdroppers. "She ditched me for a bloke in Ravenclaw."
"Well, good luck, and I better be going, now." Rose raised her arm to look at her watch. She only had a minute left.
"Fine." Connor grunted, and skipped off.
Rose bumped up her pace to running through the corridors.
She didn't bother to look where she was going, since she kept her eyes on her watch, observing the hands move towards the time of ten o'clock.
So she was running with her eyes off the path, but on her watch. Accidents were bound to happen.
Just as she was about to reach the empty classroom the prefects and the Head Boy and her decided to meet, the accident commenced, and she slammed into a boy's shoulder, knocking all her books to the floor. Rose bent down to pick the books up, while the person who she crashed into just stood over her and leered at the helpless Head Girl.
"You have a wand, did you know that Weasley?" Scorpius Malfoy said from above her head. His companion, Rodney Flint, stifled his chuckles. No one stopped him.
"When you have somewhere important to get to, it's very complicated to trouble with books on the floor when it really wasn't meant to happen anyways." Rose retorted. She rose to her feet, also wearing a victorious smirk, "Especially when the reason it happens because there are two witless bricks blocking the way."
"Well, who's the one in the hurry though?" Malfoy crossed his arms, shifting his weight on another foot.
"Never you mind," Rose huffed, leaning in. "I'm a Head that has very complicated responsibilities to do, while you're just a lousy prefect."
"At least I don't boast around with my power." He said leaning in closer, their faces inches from each other.
Rose cleared her throat, noticing how close from proximity they were. She changed topic, "At least I won't be late like you're going to be."
She turned on her heel and scuttled away.
Scorpius smiled, his breath evaporating into giggles from his nose, laughing at how he had pissed off Rose Weasley again. Rodney grinned very idiotically, trying to follow Scorpius when he didn't even know half what was even happening.
Rose Weasley arrived fourteen seconds late, also counting the seconds on how much it took to reach the front. She didn't have the reputation to be late, nor she will ever have it.
"So," she clapped her hands together, and all of the prefects and the Head Boy, Timothy Boot stood straighter. Rose grabbed some papers from the desk behind her and replaced it with her books. "As you all very well know, today is February the fourteenth, the hardest day in the whole entire school year to patrol.
"This year, it would be slightly easier for us prefects and Heads since everyone's going to Hogsmeade for lunch today, but during the night hours, where students would believe that teachers are asleep, they would meet up and—
Scorpius Malfoy busted through the classroom, fixing his tie and combing his hair all at the same time. He positioned himself off to the side of the room, being partly obscured by the tall Hufflepuff, Evan Yeary.
Rose crossed her arms and leaned back on a teacher's desk behind her. "You're late, Malfoy. What's your excuse?"
"He probably got molested by Bulstrode," A sixth year Ravenclaw muttered to his friend in fifth year. Everyone apparently heard and started sniggering. Rose held an index finger for silence, gaze still on Malfoy.
Scorpius stopped fussing with his hair and copied Rose's stance. "You know, he's almost right."
"What do you mean by that?"
"I was harassed by Caroline Bulstrode because she was going to Hogsmeade alone on this holiday, so she was desperately looking for a date." He stood on the tips of his toes, checking the door for his stalker.
"Okay," Rose said weirdly, noticing Malfoy having the same problems she's having today. "Back to what I was saying, where couples would meet up at night and snog for the sake of this day. I would like to review the things that we have to do as prefects for the safety of other students."
"Number one, is that we must check every broom closet every time we come by one. It doesn't matter if you have check that closet a hundred times today, you must still check it. Number two, you must make sure that there will be no vulgar actions in the hallways in front of younger ones."
Everyone sniggered again.
"Lastly, number three," Rose ceased the laughing. "Confiscate any love potions."
Everyone raised their eyebrows.
"You know what I mean," She rolled her eyes. "Anything to add, Timothy?"
"Um," He hesitated, leaning off the desk. Timothy looked at Rose, than looked at his audience. "Please excuse Rose for being such a downer today. She doesn't know what its like to love anybody, really."
The audience grinned, some chuckling, which were the prefects in Slytherin.
"Thank you Boot for that off-topic comment." Rose said sarcastically. "You guys are dismissed."
As a relief to Rose, they all shuffled out, leaving only the Head Girl left by herself in the classroom that was once again empty.
Out of the blue, a loud voice erupted from nowhere, saying announcements.
"Students intending to go to Hogsmeade must leave in an hour, and will come back at seven o'clock." Allie Jordan announced. She's probably using the Sonorous Charm, Rose thought.
"Anyways," Allie continued, "Candy-Grams are back in Hogwarts, so those wishing to buy themselves some specialty Honeydukes candy, or wanting our delivery team to give to a loved one, they could buy a box for five galleons and a bag for three in the Entrance Hall and write their name on the box whom it is intended to. Alright, so, to those who are celebrating it, Happy Valentine's Day!"
Rose snorted, intended to mock the holiday. She picked up her books again and left for potions.
For seventh years, you may take classes on the weekends if you like for extra credit. Of course, Rose did, and delightedly, so did Scorpius. And also in a mere coincidence as Rose called it, they were partners for this N.E.W.T. year.
So half an hour later, they were in a quarrel about stirring instructions.
"It said to stir clockwise twenty times, then stir counter-clockwise twenty-four times!" Rose screamed, her patience running out. Scorpius looked at her with ease.
"So what's the difference between what I did?"
"You only stirred counter-clockwise twenty-three times!" Rose slammed her potions book down, her blood boiling.
"Bugger this!" Malfoy shouted in frustration, running a hand through his pale blond hair.
"Now, now," Professor Slughorn trotted over to their cauldron, peering into it to examine its contents. He grinned. "everything seems to be in order, Miss Weasley, so there is nothing to worry about." Slughorn frowned at Malfoy. "Also, please do mind your language, Mr. Malfoy, you are still in school."
Once Slughorn was smiling sheepishly at another cauldron, Malfoy groaned irritably.
"What's got your knickers in a twist all the time, Weasley?" He asked his face in hands to recover from the stress.
"Nothing really, it's just that you're here." Rose said simply, adding powdered oak roots into the milky liquid in their cauldron.
Malfoy sat up, his hands on the edges of their table, "Without me, you would look like a loner like you will always be."
"At least I don't have knuckle-heads as friends."
"We're just badasses who like to strut around the school, happy?" Malfoy half-confessed, trying to make Rose to be silent. Instead, she giggled.
"Yes, you are."
"Glad that we settled that then." He nodded his head.
After moments of quiet stirring and plunks of ingredients going into the liquid, Malfoy broke the silence, "What are you doing for Valentine's Day? Prowling around the library again?"
"By the way, I don't 'prowl' in the library, I read." She scoffed. Malfoy continued to listen. "I have—
"—important things to attend to. I get it." Malfoy finished her sentence. "Do you have any more hobbies that doesn't involve school, Head duties, or studying?" He added.
"I talk to my family, and—
"Besides talking to your over-expanded line of cousins," Malfoy interrupted. Rose bit her lip, unsure on what to say.
"So Miss Weasley is for the first time in her life, stumped." Malfoy teased, crossing his arms.
"It's not like you participate in any school activities." Rose sighed.
"Well, let's see. I'm a prefect, the Slytherin Quidditch Captain, and I tutor first years." Malfoy smirked triumphantly.
"Um, the last one isn't true. You don't tutor first years. You give them the wrong advice." Rose dropped bubotuber eggs into the pot.
"But you should really see their faces when they found out that what I told them is incorrect." Malfoy chuckled. Rose sighed deeply again.
"Sometimes, I wonder why you became a prefect."
"I do too, Weasley. I do too."
"Well class," Slughorn rubbed his hands together. Rose ceased stirring to listen. "I think we have had enough for today. You should all go to Hogsmeade and have good fun with some friends." He said while peering into some cauldrons.
"You are all dismissed."
Rose gathered up her books and hopped off her stool and pushed it in.
"Have a wonderful lonely Valentine's Day, Weasley." Malfoy shouted, waving, while leaving the dungeons. The Slytherins and Gryffindors glanced back at her.
"Thanks," said Rose very weirdly, surprised that Malfoy actually made half of a greeting.
It was almost nine o'clock, which was the curfew for fifth years and above, and also the time where most will be out of bed. So she started from the Astronomy Tower, and descended down the stairs.
As she trotted down from each step, she thought about something. Malfoy had been half nice today. It was an intriguing fact that they had actually had a conversation without jinxing each other, or worse, strangling each other. He was actually quite decent, nice, kind, considerate. He suited the messy look that made him look kind of better…
Rose skipped a step, almost causing her to almost fumble.
She then shuddered at the thought that had actually distracted her from her own control of her feet, and stepped down to the stone floor of a long lighted corridor.
It was that corridor that branched off the spiral flight of stairs towards the Gryffindor Common Rooms and the dungeons, but it was also outdoors and faced the courtyard. In February, it was remarkably cold and chilly when spring was about to arrive in a few weeks—
Something had hit her.
Lying at her feet was a tiny bag of assorted chocolates and candies, all tied up by a ribbon shaped like a heart. There was no tag at all—
Far off in the corridor, a tiny first year was sprinting away towards the staircase. Rose immediately took out her wand and casted a silent body-bind curse.
The first year froze, one foot in mid-air. Rose ran to the boy and reversed the curse, leaning down to his eye level.
"You do know that it is past curfew, right?"
"Yes, but s-somebody told me to come out here, t-though." The boy in first year, in Slytherin by the look of his robes, stammered.
"Who did?" Rose asked, very concerned. Who would make a first year come out of bed?
"Him," He pointed to a tapestry hanging on the walls of the corridor. Rose patted him on the shoulder and dismissed him back to bed.
The very annoyed Head Girl strode over to where the boy had directed her to, she held out her wand and muttered "Homenum Revelio"
Appearing in her midst was Scorpius Malfoy, smiling innocently. Rose grabbed him by the scruff of his shirt and dragged him off the wall.
"Why did you get a first year to throw a bag of candy at me?" She asked while holding up sack of sweets.
"I think he's part of the delivering team, don't you think?" Malfoy thought, smirking up at the ceiling.
"Obviously, but why didn't you deliver it yourself?"
"Look it wasn't my fault that he threw it at you, I only paid him a sickle to hand it to you and run—
Rose tilted her head and pecked him on the cheek. Malfoy was taken aback at the change of atmosphere.
"What did you do that for?" Malfoy asked with one raised eyebrow. Rose rolled her eyes.
"You should never act nice, y'know. It makes things already weirder as it is. So, I did that so you can stop talking."
"Oh, if you put it that way," Scorpius snatched the candy from Rose's hands and opened it up. "I should have some of this candy too because I paid for it."
"All yours, then."
"Good."
Afterwards, sharing the candy fairly, they patrolled the halls together, their voices echoing an argument about whether Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans should stop making the grass, farm dirt, vomit, earwax, and bogey flavoured beans, or whether to keep the pack just the same.
Happy Valentine's Day Everybody! Please R&R and please also kindly check out my story called Your Apprentice? on my profile. Thanks!
