Rose Weasley hurried around a corner and paused. Left or right? Left took her out of the castle and into a courtyard. There was a high probability of running into other students, which would potentially be helpful. Right took her deeper into the castle, but was a more direct route to her actual destination, the Ravenclaw common room. The sound of shuffling feet behind her propelled her toward the courtyard, and a more immediate solution.

She quickly scanned the students scattered around, hoping to find a cousin or close friend, but she was out of luck. Weighing her options, she considered "plan two". There were a handful of first and second years scattered around, too young for her plan. A sixth year Hufflepuff girl was strolling across the courtyard. She stored the information in her brain and kept scanning for a boy, ideally close to her own age. There was only one.

Scorpius Malfoy sat alone on a bench, reading some textbook or other. Rose thought it might be their herbology book. Desperately she scanned a second time, hoping to find someone else, anyone else. But there was only him. She eyed the Hufflepuff girl one more time in desperation. The girl was a year older than Rose, and Rose couldn't recall her name, besides, in this particular situation, a Hufflepuff was the worst person to go to for help. Her eyes slid back to Scorpius.

Steeling herself, she stomped over to his bench. He looked up as her shadow crossed over his book, marking his page and setting it down next to him. Before he could ask what she wanted, and before she could change her mind, Rose opened her mouth and managed, "I don't have time right now, so please, please, just play along."

Her eyes were desperate and pleading as she practically threw herself into his lap. A voice from across the courtyard, originating where Rose had just exited, called out, "Rose, there you are!" and Scorpius managed a startled, "Wha-" a moment before Rose's lips crashed over his.

Adrien Cooper, seventh year Hufflepuff, stopped short at the sight in front of him. "Rose, what are you doing? You're with this jerk now? You said you'd give me a chance. Get off of him right now and tell me what's going on."

Rose pulled her lips back from Scorpius', eyes wide in fear, and sighed inside with relief when Scorpius carefully schooled his features from confused to a calm neutral. She cautiously looked back over her should at Adrien, brushing a copper curl behind her ear. She opened her mouth to say something, but her oh-so-brilliant "plan two" had only gotten this far in her head. She didn't know what to say. But apparently, Scorpius did.

"Hey, mind your own business, Cooper. This one's taken, so go find another girl to bother relentlessly."

"Get your hands off of her, she's mine." Cooper said. "I think you're the one bothering her. Rose, should I hex the snot out of him? Get off of him right now and I'll forgive you for getting assaulted by this jerk."

Scorpius raised his eyebrows at Rose after those remarks, as if to say, What's with this guy? And she made an uncomfortable face back at him. Despite their silent exchange, Scorpius didn't miss a beat. He wrapped his arms around Rose, pulling her closer. "I said, this one belongs to me. And if you have a problem with that, then I'd be more than happy to curse you six ways from next Sunday. Are we clear?"

Adrien flushed red with anger and said, "Whatever man. That slag's not worth it anyway." He stalked off, mumbling some more rather impolite things.

Rose looked down at her fellow fifth year in gratitude, her shoulders slumping from relief and her cheeks burning in equal parts rage and embarrassment from Copper's last remark. In five years of going to the same school, she had barely said more than passing words to Scorpius, and now…

"So, you going to sit there all day, Weasley, or what? Don't get me wrong, you're welcome to throw yourself at me as much as you'd like, but try and put a little less force behind the next kiss, huh? I think that one was mostly teeth."

Rose's face turned an even darker red as she scrambled off of his lap. "Look, um…"

Scorpius interrupted her, "Yeah, I get it. Everyone knows Copper's been dogging you for ages. You were trying to shock him into leaving you alone, right? I have to say though, usually these types of situations work out much more smoothly when all parties are informed of the plan in advance."

Once again a wave of relief came over her. He was apparently quick on the uptake, and it had worked to her advantage. "I was a little pressed for time, and I was really desperate. He used to leave me alone after I said no, but then he started waiting for me outside my classes, and following me. He keeps trying to corner me when I'm alone and, I'm so sorry. I'll do anything you want to make it up to you. Transfiguration essay? Study help? I obviously can't bribe you with Prefect privileges, but if you need an errand girl or-"

Scorpius gave her an amused look and interrupted her, "I'll let you know. But I think you may have slightly bigger problems right now than just owing me a favor." He nodded over Rose's shoulder and she turned her head to look. Lorcan and Lysander Scamander, first year twins and close friends of Rose's family, were staring at Rose and Scorpius with mouths hanging open. As soon as her eyes met theirs they ran off, laughing impishly.

"Oh no, they'll spread this to my whole family, not to mention the whole school, faster than apparation. I'll run after them and make them keep quiet… somehow."

She glanced back at Scorpius and saw an amused grin on his face. "Somehow, I don't think that's going to work. Unless you're willing to bully everyone in sight, not to mention Copper, into silence."

Rose shifted uncomfortably as Scorpius continued, "How long, exactly, did it take you to formulate this plan? Now, I'd like to think you came looking for me in particular, since I'm so charming and handsome, but were you just going to throw yourself at any random guy and hope for the best? Not everyone is a perfect gentleman, like me, you know."

Rose's embarrassment grew, and she said, "Well honestly, I was trying to find a cousin or someone to help me, but no one was around, which is crazy, because I swear there's like, a million of them. And then everyone here was basically a first year, except that Hufflepuff girl, but you were sitting here, and…" she faltered. "And now there are going to be tons of rumors about us and I really didn't think this through as well as I usually do. I have no idea how to explain this to everyone without it getting back to Cooper somehow."

"Well, looks like you got yourself out of one bind, and into another." Scorpius replied. "It seems as though you're in sudden need of a pretend boyfriend, specifically, me."

"Oh," Rose tilted her head to think, "that might actually work. I mean, we'd have to plan things out a little more, obviously. But what are the chances I can bribe you into some kind of arrangement, temporarily?"

"Bribe me so you can keep throwing yourself at me? I guess I could consider it. But just to let you know, for future reference, you didn't have to set up that whole bit with Cooper, there are easier ways to ask a bloke out." His crooked grin and sarcastic tone indicated he was highly amused by the whole situation.

Well, I've learned one thing about Malfoy today I didn't know before, he's certainly sarcastic, Rose thought to herself.

She ignored his last quip and said, "Yes, well, unfortunately you seem to be involved already, like it or not, so, what do you say?"

Rose braced herself for his answer, not sure what scared her more: the thought of him refusing, or the thought of him accepting.

He gathered up his book and his schoolbag, slinging it casually over his shoulder. His tall, thin frame loomed over her, light blonde hair falling into his eyes as he looked down. "Well, why not? I was just thinking life was a bit too boring recently, anyway. And, as you already pointed out, I'm already involved, so, I might as well get some favors out of it. And trust me, I plan on cashing them in."

He walked away, grinning, as if suddenly he had a new toy to play with. Rose stood there for a few seconds more, letting her heart beat slow back to normal, and wondering just what she had gotten herself into.