You tell all the boys no
Makes you feel good yeah
I know you're out of my league
But that won't scare me away no
You've carried on so long
You couldn't stop if you tried it
You've built your wall so high
That no one could climb it
But I'm gonna try

((Scorpius))

As she walked into the Great Hall, familiar feelings came rushing at him. Her red curls were down and flowing every which way, the typical look they sported. He could see her blue eyes crinkling in delight because of something Al had said. God, she was beautiful. Every guy in their year surely thought it, too. Yet Rose had never dated a single one of them, which had caused a great many bets to be made about who could finally catch her. Scorpius knew better though. Roses are meant to be viewed, never touched or picked, because everyone knows that roses have thorns. So, Scorpius gradually got closer and closer to her, eventually landing the title of "second best friend," but he never got any closer. He couldn't bear the thought that Rose might reject him. After all, he was just her friend, practically her brother, and he was certain that was the only way she thought of him.

"Scor, guess what?!" Scorpius was snapped from his thoughts to find that Al and Rose had joined him at the Ravenclaw table. Rose was staring at him expectantly.

"What?" He replied half-heartedly. He honestly wasn't sure if the exciting news she had for him was going to be pleasant or not. The usual news involved a prank or some sort of gossip or a reminder to do homework (which usually was needed, but he'd never admit that).

She narrowed her eyes at him, huffing out a sigh. "You could act more excited, you know!" She said, shaking her head at him, causing her curls to bounce every which way. Then she smiled at him from ear to ear. "Al finally asked Nina if she'd go on a date to Hogsmeade with him!" She gushes out, her eyes alight with joy. This news happens to be extremely pleasant, despite what Scorpius had previously been thinking. He turned to Al, wondering if the news was true, but Al just shrugged, grinning like a fool. "It was adorable, Scor. I wish you'd seen it."

After that, they all dug into their breakfast, wanting to fill up before making the trip to Hogsmeade. Once finished, Al leapt from the table, off to find Alice, leaving Rose and Scor to just stare at each other while Lucy and Hugo chatted next to them. "So, find anyone particularly enticing to ask to Hogsmeade?" She asked him playfully, getting up from the table as she did.

He rolled his eyes at her, getting up as well. "Yeah, actually, there's a girl I've wanted to go with since first year, but I'm not even sure if she likes guys." After earning an odd look from Rose as they exited the Great Hall, he continued on, "She's turned down every guy whose ever asked her to go, so either she has very little interest in them or very little interest in guys in general."

Rose nodded, her eyebrows furrowing as if she was deep in thought. "Maybe she's just been waiting for the right guy to ask her." She tried to reason as they turned down another corridor. As they walked, Lysander Scamander sauntered toward them. Rose's eyes widened, slightly panicked, and Scorpius knew why. Lysander just never gave up with asking Rose out, and everyone knew it was only because he wanted in her knickers.

He stopped in front of them, eyeing Rose up and down, which made Scorpius want to hex his ugly guts. "Hey, Rose, you look fine as ever today." He stated, causing Scorpius to snort, which Lysander only ignored. "Willing to accompany me to Hogsmeade today?"

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Rose smiling, and Scorpius honestly thought she was about to say yes to the git. "Ah, I'm sorry, Ly, but I've already said yes to going with Scor on a date." At this, both boys' eyes widened. What?! "But I'm sure Alice would love to go with you." She said, and then she grabbed Scorpius' hand, tugging him away and leaving a frustrated Lysander Scamander behind.

Once farther away, Scorpius stopped them, turning to face her, acutely aware that they were still holding hands. "We've got a date?" He asked, still bewildered by the whole situation. While he certainly didn't exactly mind going on a date with Rose, he was still confused.

She grinned sheepishly, "I didn't know what else to say. I hope you don't mind." No, he certainly didn't mind at all if it meant that he got to pretend to date Rose. Beautiful, clever, funny Rose. But roses have thorns, and don't you forget that, Malfoy.

You let all the girls go
Makes you feel good, don't it?
Behind your Broadway show
I heard a voice say please don't hurt me
You've carried on so long
You couldn't stop if you tried it
You've built your wall so high
That no one could climb it
But I'm gonna try

((Rose))

God, she couldn't believe this. She'd somehow scored herself a date to Hogsmeade with Scor. Thank you, Lysander Scamander, you stupid git, thank you. Here she was, grabbing butteerbeers with Scor, and they were still holding hands. Could the day get any better? But this was Scorpius, she reminded herself, and he was only doing her a friendly favor. She could still indulge a bit though, couldn't she? After all, with his platinum, just-fucked hair and his tall, muscular build, he really was quite a catch. Yet he was a catch that no girl could manage to hold onto. He'd never been with a girl for more than two weeks, and lately he'd stopped dating altogether. No girl seemed to be quite what he wanted, and Rose doubted that she was the girl he did want. That didn't stop her from holding out hope. But he was Scorpius, and like a scorpion, he could sting. He could hurt her if she got too close.

But he was holding her hand. Still. That had to mean something, right? Yet Scor had said that he'd wanted to ask a different girl to Hogsmeade. She was probably pretty, and smart, and funny. Curse that stupid girl. What did she have that Rose didn't?

"You know, this situation is awfully funny," murmured Scorpius, before taking another sip of his butterbeer. God, his lips, why was she staring at his lips? Control yourself, Rose.

She rolled her eyes at him, trying to shake her new thoughts that involved snogging Scorpius' perfect lips. He was actually the only person she'd ever kissed. Back in third year, a bunch of girls had taunted her for never having kissed a boy, and then Scor came up and planted one on her in front of the whole school. She was mortified at the time, but in the end, she was glad it was him.

He smirked at her. "No, really, it's hilarious considering I was going to finally ask you out today anyway." What?!

Rose gawked at him. Had she just heard that correctly? Scorpius Malfoy, the guy that no girl can manage to hold on to, her best friend, devilishly good looking Scorpius Malfoy wanted to ask her to Hogsmeade today. And did he say "finally"?!

His smirk only widened, "I guessing this is news to you, although I can't see why." God damn, here she was, completely thrown off, and yet the damn git was smirking his ass off at her.

"Yes, this is news to me, why would it not be?!" She exclaimed, earning looks from other Hogwarts students, whose looks only got more incredulous at the sight of Rose Weasley and Scorpius Malfoy holding hands. "You're Scorpius Malfoy! You never stay with girls more than a week or two! And you always poke fun at me! And I always thought we were just best mates! And you never… No, this literally makes no sense, Scor." All of her words were just running together as she let them out. God, why was she so terrified and confused? Because like the scorpion, he will sting, and it will hurt, Rose.

I'm gonna climb on top of your ivory tower
I'll hold your hand and you'll, you'll jump right out
We'll be falling, falling
But that's okay
Cause I'll be right here

((Scorpius))

He stared at her, honestly shocked that she had completely no idea how he felt about her. "Rose, let me explain this to you. First, you are the most brilliant girl I've ever met. You know everything, and while some people may find that obnoxious, it's fantastic and awfully helpful to me. Second, you're fearless and brave, but you're so kind and impossibly nice, even to those who don't deserve it. Third, Rose, you are so beautiful, inside and out, which sounds cliché, but I mean it, because when I accidentally walked in on you taking a bath in the Prefect's bathroom during fifth year, it gave me a lot to think about at night." When he saw that she was blushing, he winked, only making her turn a deeper red. "And you were my first kiss, did you know that?" She shook her head, and he could see the ghost of a smile forming. "You just looked so cute, and so furious at the girls making fun of you; I couldn't help myself. And you were so mad at me after, but I was on top of the world."

He stopped, letting all he said sink in. "So it's always been me?" She asked softly after a long while.

"Oh yeah, it's always been you." He replied with a smile. "So, now I'm just wondering if, perchance, Rose Weasley, has it always been me?" He watched as she rolled her eyes, taking a sip of her drink. That mouth, that smart mouth. He'd do anything to kiss her right here, right now.

Would you let me see beneath your beautiful
Would you let me see beneath your perfect
Take it off now boy, take it off now boy
I wanna see inside
Would you let me see beneath your beautiful tonight

((Rose))

"You honestly have to question it? I haven't dated anyone for all my life because I've been waiting for you, you git. What took you so long? For Christ's sake, it's almost the end of seventh year." She muttered grumpily.

He smirked, and she wished she could wipe the smirk right off his damn beautiful face. "You just always turned guys down. I didn't think I stood a chance." He replied sincerely.

"You are so daft. Honestly, Scor, I used to ask for homework help all the time, and you know fairly well, I didn't need it at all. And then I purposefully would mess with all of your girlfriends by being unnecessarily touchy with you. How did you not catch on when I "accidentally" straddled you in front of Holly Simmon? Straddled you." Rose stated, exasperated with him.

Scorpius nearly spit out his butterbeer, and once he swallowed, he started laughing uncontrollably, which was highly unusual for him. Yet she loved when she caught him during moments like this. She adored when his usually calm and cool demeanor suddenly faltered, giving her a glimpse beneath. "I've always wondered about that actually, the look on her face was priceless!" Hearing this only caused Rose to start laughing with him.

Once she was certain they both were finished with their laughing fit, she said, "So, there you have it. It's always been you." She couldn't help herself from smiling.

After a while more of talking, they decided to leave and head back to Hogwarts. They even stopped to snog in an empty corridor while everyone was still gone. The news spread like wildfire throughout the entire school the next day. The dangerous scorpion was with the thorny rose. And when Scorpius kissed her in front of the whole school, at first she was mortified, but in the end, she was glad it was him.