A/N: This is the first M story I have published here since moving my smutty stories to another site. In accordance with the challenge it was written for, this story does contain sex and the use of a mind-altering illicit (albeit imaginary) substance. I have tried to keep it within the bounds of this website's official rules, but it is nevertheless intended for adult audiences only.
"I saw that."
Rose wore an exaggerated expression of innocence as she looked up at her cousin.
"Saw what?"
"You, yawning," James chuckled. "Admit it, you're dead on your feet."
Rose frowned. It was true, she was exhausted. Although she was technically on holiday, the intensity of her training program was such that she was forced to spend most of her free time studying. She'd been awake for nearly eighteen hours already, running errands and visiting people while still trying to dedicate a few hours to revision.
"Don't say anything in front of Scor," Rose pleaded. "He'll insist we go home and go to bed and it's less than an hour until midnight. I don't want to miss it."
A mischievous grin spread across James' face and he pulled something from his pocket.
"Try this," he said, pressing the small bottle into her palm. "That should keep you awake for a few more hours."
"What is this, Wideye?" Rose asked curiously, looking at the tiny bottle of bright pink fluid. "No, Wideye isn't pink."
"It's something Fred and I have been working on," James explained. "Wideye keeps you up, but it doesn't keep you from stressing out. Good if you want to revise all night, bad if you're trying to have a good time. This is designed to, er… take your mind off of things."
"James Sirius Potter!" Rose exclaimed. "You can't just go handing out experimental potions to people! That's illegal! You've got to get ministry appro –"
"Relax, Rosie," James soothed. "Fred and I have both tested it on ourselves and you're not exactly a random stranger. In fact, I believe you're still on the R&D team. Consider this preliminary research."
"So you want me to take this and report back about the effects?" Rose asked warily.
"Mm-hmm," James confirmed, smirking.
"You're sure it's safe?"
"Of course!"
"Fine," Rose sighed, pulling the stopper and swallowing the potion quickly. "Hmm, sorta tastes like strawberries."
The giant grin that James wore as they carried drinks back to their table did not go unnoticed by Rose. Some part of her brain knew that she ought to be suspicious of his glee, but she found that she simply couldn't muster any sense of concern. In addition to being relieved of her fatigue, she was experiencing an overwhelming sense of serenity and bliss. She slid into the booth next to Scorpius and immediately snuggled into his side. He wrapped his arm around her reflexively, continuing his conversation with Fred across the table.
A short time earlier, Rose might have found herself lulled to sleep by the warmth and familiar smell of Scorpius beside her, but now she was far too alert and energetic. She shifted in her seat, playfully running her fingers up and down Scorpius' leg beneath the table. After several restless minutes, he finally turned his attention to her.
"Can I help you?" he asked bemusedly as she attempted to sneak her hand beneath the hem of his shirt.
"Mm-hmm," Rose nodded. "Come dance with me."
"As you wish," he replied, laughing as she pulled him from the booth and onto the dance floor.
Rose closed her eyes as she began to dance, feeling the music as much as she heard it. The bass thrummed through her, beating in time with her pulse. She felt Scorpius' hands on her hips and her body sought his, pressing against him as she moved. She ran her hands over his shoulders and arms, rolling her hips in time with the music.
"You know you're making it really hard-" Scorpius muttered.
"I'd noticed," she interrupted, her hand moving across the front of his trousers.
"Hard to dance," he clarified with a laugh.
"Same thing," she shrugged, singing along with the vocals as she continued to sway.
Cast colloportus on the door
You know you've got me wanting more
Just you and me, You know the score
Magic never felt like this before
"You know, I made the best decision of my life three years ago," Scorpius murmured in her ear. "Kissing you was easily the smartest thing I have ever done." He demonstrated, much to her pleasure. "I love you, Rosie."
"Mmm," she replied. "I love you too. I also want you. I want you really bad. Like, now."
"I can have us home in thirty seconds," he promised with a smirk.
"Noooo," Rose complained. "If we leave now, we'll miss the countdown to midnight."
"Well you can't have it both ways, " he chuckled.
"Don't you tell me what I can't have, Scorpius Malfoy," she replied in a low, seductive voice.
"Merlin, Rose, are you high?"
But Rose was too busy kissing her way up his neck to answer. When she took his earlobe gently between her teeth, he struggled for a moment to remember what it was they'd been talking about.
"Seriously, Rose, stop," he held her by the shoulders so that he could look into her face. "I'm worried about you. I think someone slipped you something."
"No, not slipped," she argued, shaking her head. "I took it. James'… experimental potion. I'm testing the effects. It's a stimulant, inhibition suppressor, and…" she trailed off for a moment, an expression of befuddled concentration on her face. Then she broke into an amused, mischievous smile. "Aphrodisiac!"
"Leave it to you to use big words when you're blitzed," Scorpius observed dryly.
"C'mon," she begged softly, resuming her ministrations along his collarbone. "Let's just have fun. I want to have fun with you."
"Rose," Scorpius groaned. He knew that if he let her to make a fool of herself, she'd be furious when she came to her senses. On the other hand, if he insisted on taking her home, she'd probably make a scene and draw even more attention to them. Glancing around for a solution, he noticed an empty booth in the corner, well darkened and largely out of sight. "Let's go sit down."
Instead of sliding into the booth next to him, however, Rose climbed into his lap, straddling his legs and placing her chest at his eye level. He groaned again as she rolled her hips while slowly undoing the buttons on her blouse to reveal the lacy undergarment beneath. Instinctively sliding his hands up her legs, he was startled to find only skin beneath her skirt.
"Rose, er," he cleared his throat. "You seem to have forgotten some of your clothing."
"Oops," she giggled, leaning in for a kiss while moving her hands to unfasten the button on his trousers.
"Dammit, Rose," Scorpius muttered when they broke apart. "Let me take you home. This is hot and everything, but I'm not an exhibitionist and neither are you."
"Don't worry," Rose murmured in his ear. "It's not an exhibition if no one can see." With that, she drew her wand from her boot and tapped it on the top of his head and then her own. He felt the telltale chill run down his body as he watched Rose blend into their surroundings. Although he could no longer see her, he could feel her body against his and hear the little sighs and whimpers she was making, which was enough to crack his resolve when she reached for his trousers once again.
Neither of them noticed when the music stopped or when the crowd began to chant. Instead of cheers and whistles at the stroke of midnight, all Scorpius could hear were Rose's gasping moans in his ear as she shuddered with satisfaction.
The next morning, Rose awoke in bed to find an extremely apprehensive Scorpius looking down at her.
"How much do you remember?" he asked as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes.
"Everything," she answered. "Clear as day."
"I tried to talk you out of it," he reminded her sheepishly. "You were, erm, extremely persuasive." Rose laughed. "Also, you've had an owl from James. He wants your feedback on the potion."
Rose scowled before a wicked grin spread across her face. She took the parchment from Scorpius' hand and grabbed a pen from the table beside the bed to scribble a reply.
The side effects are terrible. Worst hangover of my life. Memory is completely blacked out. What the hell did you give me?!
"You know he's eventually going to realize you're lying, right?" Scorpius observed.
"Of course, but it'll set his research back at least a week and in the meantime he'll feel horribly guilty," Rose answered. "Which is the least he deserves for not warning me about the aphrodisiac component. Speaking of which," she continued with a little smile. "I think some of the potion might still be in my system."
"I'm sure I can help you with that," Scorpius grinned. "As long as we're not going to leave the flat."