It was a mistake. She had consumed one two many butterbeers and found herself under the mistletoe. It meant nothing, really. Just a minor screw-up, a result of too much alcohol and a should-be-fun Christmas tradition.

It had never been her intention to kiss Scorpius Malfoy.

Rose trudged through the snow, her head down to block the bitter cold. It was late and she was the only member of her family that opted to stay at Hogwarts over Christmas break. Her hair was damp from the snow and her cheeks brought a whole new meaning to her name, nipped and tickled by the wind.

She kicked snow out of her path - annoyed with herself. If the kiss meant nothing - there shouldn't be an ever-present shadow of Scorpius face in the back of her mind.

She turned off the path and made her way toward the Black Lake. She just needed a minute to think and the beautiful ice-covered lake would be the perfect backdrop for her musings.

But as she walked, she lost her footing. She fell to the ground, landing with a rather unpleasant thud on the snow-covered ground. She attempted to stand - wincing as pain shot through her ankle.

"Great," she murmered, falling back into the snow. She closed her eyes, contemplating her situation.

"What are you doing?" Her eyes fluttered open and met - all too familiar - ice blue eyes.

"None of your business, Malfoy."

The blonde boy scoffed and crouched down beside her, "so, I imagined you falling down?"

She felt her cheeks turn hot. "Are you saying you've never fallen?" She glowered at him, eyes narrowed.

"On the contrary, I was just going to help you up. But if you are going to be a prat, I'm not going to bother." He retorted.

She snorted, folding her arms over her stomach. She ignored the fact that he might be the only help she could get and there was not way she could walk back to the castle on her own.

He shook his head and smiled. The git actually smiled at her, "Stubborn one you are" He rose and she felt her spirits sink. Then, he seized her hands and pulled her up. She yipped with surprise as he scooped her up - just like the new brides in the muggle movies her mum always watched when she was little - and carried her to the castle.

She ignored all messages from her brain telling her not to trust Scorpius and let her forehead rest on his shoulder. He smelled like pine soap and expensive cologne - the kind her dad wore on special occasions - and her eyes closed, taking in his scent.

They only fluttered open when he set her down. She looked around the room. She was sitting in front of a large fire, the room decorated in silver and green. He had taken her to the Slytherin Common Room.

She said nothing - instead she watched him as he moved about before the fire. After a few minutes he approached her, handing her a steaming mug. "I would have taken you straight to Madam Pomfrey but, she's out." He took the seat beside her.

She nodded, her head spinning. She needed to apologize but, she didn't want to. She wasn't even sure if she was sorry about the goings-on at Hogsmeade. Her fellow prefect sat, tapping his fingers to an unknown rhythm.

Was he actually nervous. Who'd have thought Malfoy could be nervous, he always seemed so smug.

"Look, we need to talk." She started. "I owe you -"

He held up a hand to silence her, "I've never really been one for talking." He said, leaning toward her. There's that stupid cocky smile again.

Her heart rate doubled, tripled, beat so fast she lost count.

Then his lips overtook hers. His fingers tangled in her flaming curls.

He rested his forehead against hers and whispered, "I've been waiting to do that... again."


an. This is for the lovely Amber. I Love you, darling! Merry Christmas.

this is also my first time writing Rose/Scorpius... so, I hope it was okay.

Merry Christmas Everybody.