'Scorpius, please,' Felicity Witt cried as she followed Scorpius Malfoy through the school parking lot. Her dull brown ponytail bounced with each step she took as she tried to match his pace. 'I know we can make this work! We just need to talk about it!'

Rose Weasley leaned back against Scorpius' pickup truck and crossed her arms over her chest. She watched, amused, as the tall blond rolled his eyes. Hands in the pockets of his tattered black leather jacket, he whirled around to face the short, stout sophomore. Her green eyes sparkled with hope as she gazed up at him. It was sickening.

'Flick, it's not going to happen,' he sighed, unsuccessfully trying to hide the irritation in his voice. He muttered a brief apology, lacking sincerity. Before the girl could respond, Scorpius pivoted on his heel and walked off, leaving Felicity standing by herself.

'Fine,' she called after him. 'We're done! And don't expect me to take you back, either!' Ignoring people's snickers, Felicity stomped away, cheeks flushed in embarrassment and exasperation.

Rose rolled her eyes at Felicity and turned her attention to Scorpius, who was walking towards the truck. 'Wow, another one,' she said to him. 'That's, what, the third girl this week? Are you going for the record or something?'

'Shut up,' Scorpius barked, yanking the truck door open and climbing inside. Rose grinned smugly and joined the blond in the truck.

'So Felicity, huh? What attracted you to her, anyway?' Rose mocked, pulling the seatbelt across her frame. 'Is she, like, really good in the sack or something?'

'Don't be vulgar,' Scorpius said, frowning, as he pulled out of the parking lot.

'Oh, come on. Seriously, what was it? Is her family loaded?'

'I'll tell you what it is. She doesn't endlessly interrogate me with stupid fucking questions.'

'Someone's in a bad mood,' Rose said. 'Did you forget to have your bowl of Cheerios this morning?'

Scorpius clenched his jaw, his hands clamped firmly around the steering wheel. Rose giggled at his obvious frustration. She'd always found the utmost satisfaction in taking the mickey out of Scorpius; ever since they were young.

Hermione and Astoria were co-workers when Rose and Scorpius were younger, and had been good friends. As well as this, their families lived no more than a few streets away from each other and so since Scorpius was able to drive, he had been asked to take Rose to and from school.

Although over the years the closeness between their mothers had diminished, Scorpius was still Rose's mode of transport until she was able to drive. She found the journey to and from school as good an opportunity as any to mock.

As the car rolled to a stop at a red traffic light, the blond slithered out of his jacket, dumping it into Rose's lap. Rose pushed it onto the floor.

'Pick that up!' Scorpius ordered.

'Sure thing, Scorp,' Rose replied. She leaned forward to turn on the radio, deliberately ignoring the clump of fabric resting by her foot.

'God, how many times have I told you not to call me that?' Scorpius groaned.

'Oh, I don't know. Twelve?'

'Why are you such a smartass?' he sighed.

Rose giggled and glanced sideways at him. Scorpius was tall and slim, with a bit of muscle on him. His tousled blond hair fell messily onto his face, into his clear grey eyes. He pushed it back with his left hand, his right now resting lazily on the steering wheel. He was sporting dark jeans and a fitted off-white T-shirt that showed off his sculpted body.

She may not have liked him, but she couldn't deny that he was attractive. It was hard to believe that only a few years ago he had been a scrawny little thing, and almost as short as Rose herself. She had to commend him on his transformation.

Scorpius snapped his fingers in front of her face. 'Hello?'

Rose started. 'What?'

'Oh my God,' he smirked. 'Were you checking me out?'

'Get over yourself,' Rose scoffed, turning up the volume on the radio and humming along.

'Whatever,' Scorpius said, amused. 'What is this crap?'

'I'm sorry; I think you mispronounced "ingeniousness".' Rose retorted.

'No, I definitely meant to say "crap". If this is your idea of ingeniousness, then I feel sorry for you.'

'This from the guy who listens to stupid emo scream-o,' Rose snapped. Scorpius burst into exaggerated laughter.

'Emo scream-o,' he repeated. 'Oh, Rose, your ignorance delights me.'

'I'm sorry?'

'First of all,' Scorpius said very matter-of-factly, 'I listen predominantly to rock, not metal – or 'emo scream-o' as you call it. Most of the music I listen to doesn't involve harsh vocals. Second of all, I bet that if you gave this genre a chance, you'd probably like it.'

Rose raised an eyebrow, seemingly unconvinced. 'Right,' she said. 'It's too bad we'll never find out, isn't it?'

'God, you're so narrow-minded,' he replied. 'Seriously, just give it a listen. If you don't like it, I'll pay you. I will physically give you money that I have worked hard to earn.'

'You mean money that your dad gave you, right?' Rose teased.

'Whatever. Are you in or not?'

'Okay. I want a fifty,' she said, not at all expecting Scorpius to agree.

'Fine,' he said.

After a few minutes of silence – apart from the Top 40 playing on the radio – the truck pulled up at Rose's house. She opened the door, but before she could hop out, Scorpius stopped her. 'Hey, don't forget about the bet.'

Rose sighed overdramatically. 'Fine, give me a song to listen to, then.'

Scorpius grabbed a scrunched up receipt from the cup holder beside him and flattened it out as best he could. 'Give me your lipstick.'

'Ew, no way! That receipt has probably been in there for weeks!' Rose argued, wrinkling her nose.

'Don't be such a fucking princess,' Scorpius barked. 'Just give me something to write with.'

Rose rooted through her backpack for a pen and handed it to Scorpius, who then messily scribbled down the name of a song. He assured her of the song's awesomeness as he handed her the crumpled piece of paper.

'Uh huh.' Rose doubted it. She gave him a short 'bye' and closed the door. As if she was actually going to listen to the song. No, she'd just tell Scorpius she hated it and score herself fifty bucks; provided, of course, that Scorpius kept up his end of the bargain. Maybe next time she should bet higher?

As she walked to the front door, she heard the loud humming of the truck's engine as Scorpius drove off down the street. Once he was gone, Rose scrunched up the receipt and tossed it into the garden.

X

'Friday's finally here!' Ron announced happily as he walked through the front door. He pulled off his tie and blazer and dropped them on the arm of the couch. Rose looked up from the pot on the stove.

'Hi, Dad,' she smiled.

Ron gave his daughter a peck on the cheek and sat down at the kitchen table, panting slightly, as if walking from the front door to the kitchen had tired him out. 'Where's Hugo?'

'Upstairs. I guess he's doing homework,' Rose replied. 'How was work?'

'Ah, same old,' he said.

Rose nodded and tapped the spoon against the edge of the pot, placing it on the sink and joining her father at the table.

'Say,' Ron said. 'How's that boy? Uh, Scorpion?'

'Scorpius,' Rose corrected. 'He's fine, I guess? I don't know.'

'You two aren't dating are you?' Ron questioned, his face suddenly serious.

'Ew, Dad! No!'

'And he hasn't made a move on you, has he?'

Rose shuddered. 'Seriously, stop. Where is this coming from?'

'Hey, I'm just making sure my little girl isn't being taken advantage of by undeserving boys,' Ron said.

Rose smiled and shook her head. Her father could be such a dork sometimes, but she loved him. At that moment, both Rose's mother opened the front door, and her fifteen-year-old brother Hugo clopped down the stairs and into the kitchen, his fingers moving swiftly across the keyboard of the phone on which his eyes were fixed.

'Hey, Mum,' Rose called out.

'Ronald!' Hermione cried from the living room. 'How many times have I told you to hand your blazer in the closet when you get home from work? Honestly!'

Rose giggled. Hermione entered the kitchen, her heels clacking against the linoleum.

'Oh,' she smiled, noticing her children. 'Hello Rosie, Hugo.'

'Hi,' Hugo mumbled. He didn't avert his gaze from the device in his hands as Hermione kissed his forehead.

'That smells delightful, Rose,' she said, taking a seat at the table. Ron rested his hand gently on her knee.

'Yeah,' he agreed. 'What're we having?'

'Pumpkin pasta,' Rose announced. At hearing this, Hugo looked up excitedly at his sister. 'Just for Hugo.'

'Thanks, sis. Let me know when it's ready.' With that, he retreated to his bedroom, leaving Rose in the kitchen with her parents.