Hi guys! This is my first fic, so I hope you like it! It is dedicated to my good friend Alice (Watching Stiricide) for relentlessly pestering me to get this account! I'll do some advertising for her too: her blog (RoseScorpius Fans) is a great place to discuss/find stories feturing the pairings of (who else) Rose Weasly and Scorpius Malfoy. Alright, sorry for running my mouth :)
Disclaimer: I own nothing here, I'm just dabbling in the genius of J. K. Rowling
Steam billowed out from the engine of the Hogwarts Express, and families stepped back to let their excited students board. Rose looked up eagerly at the tall red train, and shivered with anticipation. To think that she would be riding out of the station by herself in a few minutes! She had been waiting for this moment since…well, as long as she could remember, really. She rolled her eyes as he mother and father broke the receding line of parents to give her a last hug, but thought better of it when she saw the look on her little brother's face. Hugo looked like longing and jealousy were waging a battle in his mind. Suddenly she realized that she would miss Hughie, even though he pulled her hair and threw things at her occasionally. She joined in one last big hug, then ran to catch up with her favorite cousin, Albus.
Al was hanging back from the bottleneck by one of the doors, and looked relieved when Rose joined him. Unlike Rose, he had never been much of a people person, preferring to quietly listen on the outskirts of a crowd rather than join in the conversation. Rose, on the other hand, was energetic and lively, always leaping at any chance to be in a conversation (or an argument). Her huge bushy mass of flaming hair suited her personality perfectly: she, like it, was somewhat rebellious. Which was why as soon as she got on the train, she set off decisively in one direction, Al tailing behind.
"Wait, Rose, where are you going," Al shouted in an attempt to be heard over jostling students and screeching owls,
"Let's go find that blonde boy. He looked like a new kid, too," Rose called without looking over her shoulder.
"But we could go sit with James, or-"
Rose cut him off. "You don't really want to sit with James. He'll be with his loud, annoying friends, and he'll pretend like he doesn't know us. Let's go find someone our age that isn't family!"
Al mumbled something along the lines of assent, and reluctantly followed Rose as she wove through the crowds.
After a few minutes of being bumped into by other excited kids, they stopped abruptly outside of a very empty looking compartment. Rose peered into the glass door, slightly nervous. Her father had said that she wasn't supposed to be friends with this boy, after all. Still, he looked excited too, and he was sitting by himself. It was this last fact that made up Rose's mind. She was an outgoing person, and couldn't stand the thought of leaving someone to sit by themselves on their first ride to a new place. After only a few seconds of hesitation, she slid open the door for Albus and herself to enter. The boy looked up, and when he saw them, he started to study his fingernails with rapt attention.
"Hi," Rose said, figuring that if she didn't talk, no one would. She directed a meaningful glare at Albus: he could at least say hi too!
"Hullo," the boy said, glancing at Rose, then back at his hands.
"Can we sit here? Or are you waiting for someone?" Rose was now wondering why the boy was so shy. They were all first timers here.
"Sure."
Rose was starting to think that maybe she should have gone to sit with James. At least that would have meant a conversation (albeit a loud and possibly crude one, but still…). She decided to try one more time for an conversation starter. "I'm Rose, and this is my cousin, Al. What's your name? Are you a first year too?"
The boy looked up at her as if he was startled and a little nervous that she was still there. He looked like a turtle that had started to stick it's neck out of it's shell, but was ready to pull it back at a moment's notice."I'm Scorpius, but please don't laugh. I know it's a weird name. Yeah, I'm a first year."
Rose bit her lip to keep from giggling just in time. With a name like that, it was no wonder that Scorpius had taken his time introducing himself. "Scorpius is a fine name," She said, grinning in spite of herself as she hoisted her trunk onto the rack and sat down across from him. "It's unique! I wish my name was more interesting. Plain old Rose is so boring!" As she motioned for Al to sit next to her, she saw Scorpius give her a grateful look.
"Do you follow Quidditch?" Al suddenly asked. Rose rolled her eyes again. It was all Al ever talked about with other people. That and his new broom.
"Yes," Scorpius said, seizing the opportunity to break the slightly uncomfortable silence. "I saw the last game between the Tornados and Puddlemere?"
The next few hours passed in cheerful conversation about Quidditch, and Rose soon became so wrapped up in a spirited debate about the legality of betting on games that she was surprised to look out of the window and find that London was far behind them.
Fin.
Hoped you liked it! I know all these pleas can be annoying, but it would be really nice to get some feedback! I will probably continue this in a series of one-shots if I know that people like it :) Thanks!
-Accordigirl, over n' out!