Title: Crystal Frogs
Category: Books - Harry Potter
Challenge(s): Fanfiction Terminology Challenge
Prompt(s): Fanfiction Term Ship: Write a fic with any sort of romantic relationship in it.
Length: Oneshot 2,255 Words!
Rating: T
Pairing or Characters: Rose Weasley and Scorpius Malfoy.
Thanks: Tara!
Disclaimer: Though it pains me to say so, I do not own the rights to anything that belongs to the Harry Potter universe, nor do I make any money from writing about them. The only thing(s) that I can claim as mine own are the ideas and/or characters that may be woven into the wonderful world of all that is Harry Potter. Everything else is used in the spirit of good-natured fun or naughty shenanigans. What can I say? I just like to play!
Author'sNotes:

Crystal Frogs

A chilly breeze blew through the fall leaves that were scattered along the ground of the grassy knoll. It called playfully to the long strands of brown hair that cascaded over Rose's shoulder. She sat quietly against the slender trunk of an autumn tree that had all but lost its leaves. Her eyes drifted from the book lying in her lap to the beauty of the leaves gentle dance. It had been far too long since the very last time she had sat beneath her favorite tree to appreciate the calm. The splendor of the Hogwarts land had always called to her very soul. She had missed the serenity and Hogwarts greatly over the summer holiday. But now that she was back, she wasn't exactly sure she was happy to be there.

The teasing gusts of wind whispered through the spindly branches and down to nip harshly at Rose's skin. Absently she drew her thick velvet cloak around herself protectively. The midnight blue material was drawn closed at the neck and clasped with a row of delicate sapphire fastenings that intensify her brilliant blue eyes. It was the very first time that she had worn or owned something that magnificent. It had been given to her as a gift for her birthday by her father. From her mother she received the first volume of Magical Maladies and How to Prevent Them. She couldn't hold back her excitement when she had torn it from the wrapping paper, already she had known what it would be. She was, after all, her mother's daughter, and Hermione knew her only daughter very well.

As excited as she had been about her gifts, she had been disheartened by the fact that her friends, and her little brother, had seemed to forget all about her birthday. All day she had drifted through the corridors with James, Albus, Lily, and Hugo, but not a single one of them had wished her a happy birthday. On top of it all, Scorpius had completely disappeared from Hogwarts altogether. She had spent hours looking for him and had come up with nothing. Her heart had fallen by mid afternoon. She needed to get away, to be alone. Quietly Rose had slipped away from her brother and friends without them taking any notice. Donning her cloak and grabbing her new book, she had escaped the confines of the castle. Her feet had known where they were going before she knew herself and they led her straight to her favorite place to get away.

But, now she had been away from the castle for hours. The afternoon was drifting too quickly into evening. She would have to get back to the castle soon, students weren't allowed outside at night unaccompanied by an adult. Besides, the temperature was dropping and even the warming charms her mother had put on the cloak wouldn't keep her warm enough in the evening chill. Pages of her open book blew in a sudden burst of cold air, drawing her attention back to it quickly. It seemed to her that it was getting colder and winder by the minute. Rose sighed heavy at the thought of the walk back to the castle, but she closed her book knowing that she needed to head inside.

Just as she was about to get up and make her way back, she saw a darkly clad figure walking toward her. She knew immediately who it was of course. The smooth way that he walked, his shoulders squared with that haughty assurance, gave him away. She could feel his silvery gray eyes watching her has he made his way toward her. Butterflies began to flutter in the pit of her stomach and her heartbeat quickened within her chest. It was no secret that Rose Weasley was most definitely in love with Scorpius Malfoy.

"Rose, you shouldn't be out here in this cold. What are you trying to do, get yourself sick or something?" Scorpius' scolding concern sent her heart into a furious dance. She could practically hear it hammering in her chest when he pushed back his hood to reveal a very handsome and familiar face. He dropped down in front of her fluidly so that he was merely inches away from her.

Nervously she tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear, "No, of course not. I just needed to get away from everybody for a bit, that's all." A shy smiled played across her chilly lips as she spoke to him. This was very much how all of their conversations went. She would become embarrassingly shy and make herself feel like a fool and all the while he would be calm and collected.

"Why, what's the matter Rosie?" He lifted a pale eyebrow at her with questioning apprehension.

The sweet nickname rolled off of his tongue gently. It was something that many people had called her, but it never felt the same way it did when he said it. Rose stuttered over her words, causing a blush to brighten her pale cheeks, "II...ermneeded to be alone. Why do you ask if something is the matter anyways?"

He extended a hand and held one of hers in his grasp sincerely, "Easy Rose, you don't need to get defensive. I was merely asking because I know you too well. I can see that something is troubling you because I can read it in your eyes."

Rose didn't know what to say. She dropped her eyes so that he couldn't stare into them any longer. Scorpius had constantly been able to read her moods. He had once told her that he would always be able to read her soul just by glazing into her eyes. Her blush deepened, "Well, it's just that today, of all days, I felt very alone."

Scorpius put a finger beneath her chin and brought her gaze back up to his. Once she was looking into his eyes he dropped his hand down to join the other that was holding hers. His face, only moments before, had been a mask of worry. Now an all too familiar smirk tugged on the corner of his lips, "Why did you feel alone? The last time I saw you, you were surrounded by your friends and family. That's why I didn't tell you that I wouldn't be around to spend time with you. I thought that you would be too busy to notice that I was gone."

"What do you mean? How could you think that I would notice you were gone? Of course I noticed that you had disappeared. I looked all over for you and couldn't find you anywhere. I even ask Alexander where you were. He just shrugged at me and then completely ignored me. Where were you Scorpius?" The wheels in her mind turned quickly. Rose felt the first inkling of dread blossoming in the pit of her stomach. The butterflies had scattered and there was nothing left to show that they had even existed in the first place. What if he had been with Belladonna Nott?

"Oh I didn't go anywhere special really. There was just something of importance that needed to be done. Not much to read into if you ask me. Alex wasn't trying to hurt your feelings by the way. I told him not to tell you where I was because I didn't want you to find out what I was doing." Rose didn't think she was imagining it when his sudden smirk turned into a pleased grin.

Her other hand came to rest on top of his, "Please tell me Scorpius. I spent an entire morning looking for you until I came out here. I needed somebody to be with and you were missing. Did you know that today is my birthday and even my own little brother neglected to wish me a happy one? I was heart broken! I never forget one of their birthdays and they acted as if I didn't even exist. When I couldn't find you, I came out here to be alone. Normally coming out here would cheer me up, but today it didn't an-"

The look on her face broke his heart and he couldn't stand it any longer. Quickly he interrupted her sudden outburst, "Rosie, they didn't forget about your birthday, love. They've planned a surprise birthday party for you later tonight. Just don't tell them that I've mentioned it to you or they'll kill me. As for me, I was locked away in a Slytherin dungeon working on something for you."

Rose gasped at that, "They're throwing me a surprise birthday party?"

"Yes, I was actually sent out here to retrieve you. Well, actually I volunteered to do it because I wanted to give you this," he had pulled his hand way and from somewhere within his black cloak he produced a smell velvet box. He was smiling at her gently from mere inches away.

"What is it," she asked hesitantly.

Scorpius reached up to caress her cheek softly with the back of his hand. Rose's visible shiver had nothing to do with the evening chill. Softly he murmured, "I think that you would agree with me when I say that we've had something for one another since the beginning of our friendship. I'm ashamed that I've put it off this long, but really I wanted to give you something that lets you know just how I feel about you," he opened her closed hand gently and placed the small box on her palm, "open it."

Scorpius moved so that her hands would be free to open the gift. His arm slipped around her waist with an assured poise. Rose's head was swimming. The boy that she had secretly been smitten with had just said that he felt something for her too. She had thought that him liking her, such a plain girl, would have been very unlikely. But here he sat with her, so close to her that she could smell the cologne that he was wearing. The warmth of his arm was around her waist was drawing her closer too him.

Gingerly her cold fingers caressed the top of the velvet box. She gave the pale boy one last sideways glance before she slowly lifting the lid. A gasp slipped from between her lips as she looked down at what was inside the box. Her brand new cloak was second hand compared to the beauty of the pendant that was resting gently on a bed of white silk. The pendant was about the size of a silver sickle and absolutely gorgeous. In its center there was a clear crystal frog sitting upon a pale green lily-pad. The outer workings were very intricate silver designs that swirled into the shapes of a small lioness and snake surrounded by the Celtic knot of eternity.

Rose looked to Scorpius awestruck, "It's beautiful Scorpius."

"I thought you might like it. Most of my day was spent working on the two of them," From beneath his shirt he pulled a pendant on a sliver chain that matched hers exactly. "But you see they're very special Rosie."

Scorpius took the pendant, already on a beautiful silver chain, and clasped it around her slender neck. She touched it softly with the tips of her fingers, "Of course, they're special because you made them."

He chuckled softly, "Yes there is that factor, but the real reason they are special is because of what they can do. They've been charmed so that whenever we think about each other and we're not side by side, we'll be able to see it and feel it. Watch this," he got up and moved a few yards away from her. Instantly she missed the comforting warmth of his body beside hers. Scorpius stopped and stood quietly for a moment, and Rose wasn't sure exactly what he was doing until the pendant at the hollow of her throat began go glow lightly and hum quietly against her skin. "It'll work for you too. All you have to do is think about me."

Rose beamed at Scorpius, she was eager to try it out. Her eyes squeezed shut immediately and she began to think about Scorpius. Slowly she peeked through one eye and saw the pendant around his neck begin to glow in the darkness. Eagerly she jumped to her feet, spilling her book onto the ground as she did so, and rushed to hug Scorpius breathlessly.

"Thank you Scorpius, it's wonderful. You have no idea how much this means to me!"

"I'm glad that you like it Rosie," he squeezed her against his muscular chest. Scorpius enjoyed the feeling of having her in his arm. Her feminine form fit against him as if they were made for each other. He disliked the thought of having to let her go but they were running late, "we need to get going or they're going to come looking for us."

Sighing she said, "Alright, let me grab my book."

When she back at his side he took her hand in his and laced their fingers together. As one they began the descent toward the castle. But Scorpius suddenly stopped. He turned to Rose and smiled into her questioning face, "Oh and Rosie, you're welcome. Happy birthday sweetling." He ran his fingertips along her cheekbone again, a light caress that sent her heart into a frenzy. Like the flutter of a butterfly's wings he leaned in and brushed his lips in a silky caress against hers.