It's been a long time since I wrote any kind of fanfiction. And infact this is my third attempt at a HP one.

So. The usual.

I dunney own Harry Potter. That be belonging to JKR!

***

Rose lept onto the train, her robes billowing out behind her. Even after six years she still couldn't shake the need to change early. It was a symbol of control, she was dressed and so she was ready for anything. She patted her wand in her pocket, reassured that she hadn't dropped it in her rush to the train. She swept down the train compartment to find a vacant window, and as the Hogwarts express pulled out of the station she waved to her parents and, like every year, she felt a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. It was a mixture of excitement and apprehension, a lethal combination, and this year more than ever, it was intensified.

She walked through the train, squeezing past other excitable students as she searched for her usual carriage. Rose meandered down the train slowly, savouring the experience. Suddenly a first year, or at least she assumed he was, stumbled out of a carriage, his robes over his head. Frowning, Rose stood patiently as he bumbled about the passage way, struggling to pull his robes down. Laughter echoed out of the compartment he had fallen out of. He crashed into Rose as he failed to emerge from his tightly buttoned robes.

"S-Sorry!"

He mumbled, and then straightening up, his whole body bent sideways, his body language mimicing that of a confused tilt of the head. A muffled voice echoed from underneath the robes, a hint of desperation etched in his question:

"Colin? Is that you?"

Rose struggled to hold back a laugh as the boy squirmed some more, after a few moments, she couldn't stand it anymore.

"Need a hand?"

She asked, bending down slowly, suddenly wondering when she had grown so tall, and if she had ever been that small. A mess of blonde hair poked out of the head of the robes, followed by a very red face.

"N-no thank you."

He scurried back into the carriage where he was met with rapturous laughter. Rose felt a pang of jealousy, knowing that they still had years ahead of them at Hogwarts while she only had one. Rose walked past the carriage where the boy was being slapped on the back merrily, pushing her way further down the train she sighed. It had all gone so fast, but at the same time it felt like she had spent a lifetime at school already. Before she could be left to slip further into her musings she realised that she had made it to her carriage, she opened the door and squeezed herself into the small space.

"Hey Rose! You okay? I've got sandwiches, want to share?"

Albus held up the small container that held, what Rose assumed to be some kind of dead creature, but on closer inspection did in fact seem to be sandwiches.

"Err, I'll pass thanks"

She smiled and shrugged her shoulders as she sat next to Lily. Rose's stomach churned, a wave of nerves washed over her, she checked her watch and glanced out of the window, not really taking any notice of what was outside. She looked at the others expectantly, Albus had already tucked into the sandwiches, devouring them loudly. Hugo was chatting away to one of his Gryffindor friends whose name, Rose suddenly realised, she didn't know. And Lily was plaiting her long red hair, her eyes down and fixed with concentration. Rose checked her watch again, the swooping sensation flooding through her stomach every now and again, she had twenty three minutes.

It was then that Rose realised; it had been six years to the day that for the first time she had sat in this carraige. Six years ago she had been checking her watch, scowling and cursing those around her. Oh how things had changed, she smiled to herself. Only, she had moved on since then, she had made friends, passed exams and met…people. People who she had never expected to like, people who she had been told not to like, but people nonetheless who she liked.

*

Five minutes. That's all she had now. She walked slowly down the train, hoping to time it perfectly. It had taken her fifteen minutes to peel herself away, they had insisted on buying a mountain of chocolate frogs to constitute as good luck charms, and her pockets bulged with the left overs. Another tummy pang.

She couldn't place the feeling, it wasn't like she was going to turn up and they were going to tell her it was all a horrible mistake. Were they?

No. It wasn't that. And she knew it.

It was what had been bothering her ever since she got the letter. She didn't know who the head boy was. Not that it was particularly important; you did a few duties together, it wasn't a prearranged marriage. Was it?

She could see the end of the train and the compartment she was meant to be aiming for. And suddenly she couldn't do it. Her legs faltered and she stopped, her breathing jagged, she could feel her short hair frizzing on the spot. Frizzing like it always did when she worried, emotion wasn't good for her hair. She tried in vain to flatten her hair, as her legs shook. She needed to sit down, she dragged her hand along the wall and found a handle. Pushing down on it she stumbled into a carriage.

What if it was him? She hadn't spoken to him since last year, they'd had that falling out, and he'd never written back. What if it was him? Her heart pounded at the thought, and she couldn't tell whether it was through excitement or fear. Rose. She could almost hear his voice, a voice that constantly threatened to laugh. She missed his voice, the way he said her name, the way they used to-

"ROSE!"

Rose jumped, turning she realised that she hadn't pushed her way into an empty compartment. Far from it. It was his. Her face flushed violently and her mouth opened and shut wordlessly.

"I,"

She started, unsure just how to justify her behaviour. Her previous dizziness had gone, replaced by a deep feeling of embarrassment. She almost wished she had fainted, anything would be better than standing here. A fool in his carriage, surrounded by curious stares.

"I need to go, I, err, I'm late."

"Me too"

Scorpius flashed a smiled and Rose felt a fresh blush rise on her cheeks. He strode forward, closing the few steps that separated them. Rose turned on her heel and put a hand out to open the door. She felt his hand resting on her lower back, and her heart fluttered.

But he hadn't written back.

He leant forward and his right hand brushed hers as he opened the door for her, his other hand slipping from her back to her waist. He moved behind her, and she could feel his breath on the back of her neck. Rose felt the sudden need to stop, and stand there forever, but she refused to swallow her pride that easily. After all, he hadn't written back.

*

They had sat in the carriage for over fifteen minutes. The details of what their job entailed was dictated to them, and Rose diligently kept notes. She glanced up every now and again to ask a question, but her eyes never strayed. Not that they needed to.

She knew him inside out. He was a foot taller than her, broad but not powerfully built. She knew how it felt to hug him, how he could envelop her and how he rested his chin on her head.

He had grown into his pointed features, and out of his gangly phase. His hair was shaggy, he would brush it and flatten it, but it would always bounce up and fall in front of his eyes. She remembered what it was like to brush his hair off his face, and see his grey eyes, and see him smiling.

But she didn't know what it was like to kiss that smile.

The teacher stood up, nodded curtly at them, wished them luck and swept out of the carriage.

And then there was silence. She couldn't bring her eyes up from her notebook, her neat handwriting blurred as she stared intently.

"How come you never wrote back? I mean, I know we had that argument, but I tried to explain in the letter. I didn't want to ruin our friendship, and I didn't mean that I didn't like you. 'Cause that wasn't it at all, I just thought you were playing one of your pranks. But then I realised you weren't and…well I wrote, but you never wrote back."

She still couldn't take her eyes off her notebook. It almost felt like, if she didn't look at him ,that he wasn't there and that made it easier to say. She doodled swirls around the margin.

"Well done to you too."

Rose could hear a hint of a laughter in his voice, and she glanced up to see him smiling, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. She fought down a blush and carried on, her voice faltering slightly.

"I wrote, but-"

She was cut off Scorpius standing up suddenly. He crossed the carriage in one stride and sat down next to her. She glanced up at him and he was staring at her so intensely that she had to look away.

"You wrote but?"

Rose had been sitting on the edge of the seat. Her knees pointing towards him, her arms crossed in front of her. As he spoke he lent forward, leaning on his right arm, his face was inches from hers. She looked up, she cringed inwardly at her voice as it came out in a whisper.

"You never wrote back"

A frown flashed across his brow, a look of confusion sweeping across his features. Rose was finding it hard to look at him without going cross eyed, she unfolded her arms, and leant back slightly.

"But I did!"

Scorpius' voice rang with such sincerity that Rose found it hard to disbelieve him. She could feel the heat coming from his body, and she had to fight down the urge to lean forward and snuggle against him.

"You did? What did you say?"

The words slipped out of Rose's mouth before she could stop them. Once again a blush crept up her face, her pale skin glowing with her embarrassment.

"What did I say?"

Another look of confusion flashed across Scorpius' face. He tilted his head to one side, as if trying to remember. Then, his face lit up, he brought his hand up, pointing with one finger, a look of mock inspiration swept across his face.

"Ah yes, I remember now."

And no sooner were the words out of his mouth than his hand caught Rose's jaw tenderly. His thumb rubbed her cheek lovingly as he lent in, painfully slowly he lent in. She felt his other hand move onto her him again, and she felt the heat from his hand sweep across her. He smiled and tilted his head, his eyes closing. Slowly. Why must everything be so damn slow.

Rose swept forward quickly, kissing his teeth, knowing now, what it felt like to kiss his smile. Scorpius' eyes flashed open, a look of surprise across his face. Rose smiled sheepishly at him and it was his turn to blush.

Their lips crashed together and she lent into him, smelling him, feeling him, kissing him. His arms wrapped around her as he deepened the kiss.

She revelled in that thought. That a summer filled with doubt had culminated in this. A kiss.

They broke apart, breathing heavily, Rose loosened her grip on the front of his robes. He smiled at her, his lips slightly swollen, he started talking, unable to keep himself away from her, he spoke one word at a time, interrupting each one with a soft kiss.

"I-think-I-will-have-to-talk-to-father-about-that-missing-reply."

*

Okay. Its been so long I feel like an old person being taught the ways of the world by some young whippersnapper.

So please. Review! Even if its just one word of encouragement. It makes me happy. After all, it is half three in the morning!

Anyway. Reviews are greatly loved….Thank you!!!