I walked down a dimly lit 7th floor corridor. I was enjoying the whisper of the snow outside, falling hard and fast. So far my Christmas holiday at Hogwarts was going well, but then, it was only the first week of December so I guess I can't really make assumptions.
As I was gazing out a window with a particularly pleasant view of the lake, and walking at the same time, a bad idea, I tripped over something lying across my path. I caught myself using a sculpture that handily happened to be there, and looked down to see what I had stumbled across. I realized it was a familiar face.
"Oh I'm so sorry! Why are you sitting in a deserted hallway?" I queried, trying to regain my composure and blushing deeply.
"I was just contemplating the snow, same as you. I am allowed to do that aren't I?" he replied in a sarcastic tone, which made me blush even deeper, if that was possible.
"Yes- I mean No- I mean. Sorry." I stammered. He had tossed an annoyed glance at me and I had caught his eyes. They were like nothing I had ever seen before, blue-grey and bright with an intelligence and interest that shone out. I felt as though he could see right through me.
"Well it's alright. You didn't do any damage." he said, politely but still keeping up his sarcastic attitude.
I felt stuck. I tried to say something more but forgot it as soon as I opened my mouth.
"Well? Are you just going to stand there, or are you going to go on your merry way and leave me be?" he said. I could tell he was getting annoyed and that was pissing me off. I mean HE was the one sitting in the middle of a walkway and HE was the one who had tripped me up and caused this whole mess, and now he had the nerve to tell me to go away?
"So what if I do just stand here?" I inquired angrily. "Maybe I like the view from this window. Maybe I like watching the snow. Maybe I like talki-" I broke off before I said something I didn't want him to know.
"Maybe you like what? Talking? To me? Ha! And anyways why are you mad at me? You're the one who was wandering along not looking where you were going and you're the one that didn't just apologize and leave, no you stayed and now you're making a fool of yourself." he stood up and faced me fully. His tone was still annoyed, almost angry, but in those blue-grey eyes I could see that he was enjoying this, just a bit.
I flipped back my pin straight red hair and glared at him. I realized that I had to look up to stare him in the face. Since I couldn't think of anything to say I crossed my arms, hoping to make a point.
"What? Are you speechless in my presence? Is that it? I'm too good looking for you?" he sneered.
"No! And besides do you think I would admit something like that to some kid I almost never talk to? All I know about you is who you are and that you need an attitude adjustment!" I said now becoming absolutely livid. I was minutes away from yelling.
"Well, I didn't expect you to. Listen, I'm sorry. I didn't mean any of it, I just got carried away with the sarcasm." he said quietly. His face fell, and he seemed almost to wilt. My heart went out to him, but I didn't show it. If this was a sympathy trick I sure as hell didn't want to fall for it.
"Well, I guess I'm sorry too." I said, looking down at my feet. When I looked up he was holding his arms out and open.
"I, well I mean, I want to fix this. Hug?" his face had changed completely in the space of a few seconds. He looked shy and almost like he was trying to beat back hope.
"I, um, I mean, sure I guess." I almost whispered.
I expected it to be one of those stiff awkward hugs that happen with guys. Instead he wrapped me in his arms in a warm, tight, complete hug that projected everything he was trying to say.
We broke apart and I looked up at him. He looked slightly amused.
"Well, I guess I better go think about my Yule Ball dress," I muttered.
"Speaking of Yule Ball, do you know if there's someone who can help me learn some ballroom dancing? I...don't know how," he said. A touch of color tinged his pale cheeks, though I didn't know why.
"Uhm..." I decided to use the first name that came into my head. "I think you could ask Tom Fallow. He might know somebody. He's in Ravenclaw so you'll have to catch him at dinner," I said and started to walk around him, going back the way I came, even though I knew that route would take longer to get to the other side of the castle to the Ravenclaw tower.
"See you," he called.
"Right," I replied.
"By the way, my name is Scorpius," he said walking backward in order to keep his eyes on me.
"And I'm Rose," I said, wondering if I really would see him again.
That night as Tom and I entered the Great Hall together, as we did every night and, most of the time, morning, I caught myself glancing down at the Slytherin table, hoping to catch a glimpse of the white-blonde head belonging to Scorpius.
Tom and I took our usual places, sitting across from each other at the very end of the Ravenclaw table and waited for the golden plates in front of us to fill with food.
"Tonight I have only one announcement to share with you. This year we will hold the annual Yule Ball on Christmas Eve, December twenty fourth. It will be formal so dress robes will be required for the boys and a dress or gown will need to be worn for the girls. Tuck in," Professor McGonagall's voice boomed out over the anxiously waiting students.
I reached for the plate nearest to me, which had filled it self with mashed potatoes. As I was reaching for the gravy boat I noticed that someone had come over to talk to Tom and looked up to see who it was. I nearly fell off of my bench when I realized that it was Scorpius and quickly looked down at my plate, letting my hair fall in front of my face. I picked up my fork and began moving my food around rather than eating it.
"I was told that you might be able to tell me who I could go to to learn some ballroom dancing. I'd like to be able to for the Yule Ball, just in case," Scorpius queried to Tom.
"Well Rosie could do it!" he said, gesturing to me. "She's an expert! I bet there's nobody in our year who's as great a dancing partner as she is,"
I looked up, slightly stunned. Now why would Tom do this to me?
"Well Rose? Are you up to it?" asked Scorpius, turning to me with a slightly amused expression.
"Well, I, I mean, yeah sure. I mean yes," I stuttered, wondering why he made me so high strung.
"Well, then it's a deal. I'll let you know when a good day would be," said Scorpius with a smile as he turned to go back to the Slytherin table.
"Alright, See you," I muttered to his back.
As soon as he was back at his table I looked up from my plate and glared at Tom.
"Tom, why would you do that to me?" I said angrily.
"Well he is a nice looking guy, I thought you would enjoy it!" he said, "Plus I saw the way he looks at you,"
"And how is that?" I snapped.
"Well, he looks at you like maybe he could be getting a thing for you, y'know? Like the hots. And you know what else? I think you have a thing for him too. You never get so high strung around people!" Tom said, still shamelessly.
"I don't believe it." I muttered, looking down at my plate again, this time actually eating my food.
