Don't Get Too Friendly With Him, Rosie
Blurb: It really was quite ridiculous how big of a fuss Ron was making over this. After all, it is his fault that it all happened...
Disclaimer: If it was mine, Dobby would still be alive.
...
It had started when Ron and I had received that letter from Rose during her fourth year at Hogwarts. No, wait. The beginning was really during Rose and Albus' first year there, when they had both sent letters home to their parents around Halloween, informing them of their new best friend. He was in Slytherin, they said, but it was ok, because he didn't act like the people in all the stories they had heard about the house. Ron had flipped when he read that their friend was Scorpius Malfoy, but I simply rolled my eyes and asked him what the problem was.
He then looked at me like I was insane. "Are you mental, Hermione? The son of Draco Malfoy? You know, the one who gave us hell for our entire six years in school?"
"I'm perfectly aware of who the boy is, Ron," I replied calmly. "I just thing you're jumping to conclusions awfully fast. Scorpius could be nothing like his father, for all we know. After all, look what Rose put in the letter- 'Scorpius is smart (2nd in our class only to me!), and really nice and funny too...before I got on the train I was worried, because I thought I'd only have Al, but then we met Scorpius, and we've hung out ever since! Dad, I know you said I shouldn't get too friendly with him, but he really is nice, and we're getting to be pretty good friends- I don't think Grandpa will mind too much, do you?'. See, Ron? Don't you think we should trust our daughter's judgement?"
"Not when it comes to the Malfoy kid," grumbled Ron, but I could tell he was weakening.
I rolled my eyes. "You worry too much, Ron. Anyway, I'm off to bed. Don't stay up all night wondering about Scorpius and our daughter." I kissed him and started to head to our room when I heard him call after me.
"Wait! You...you don't think that Rose and...this boy are going to end up to-together, do you?"
"They're only eleven, Ron. And they've only known each other for what? Two months? I wouldn't worry about that yet." This seemed to calm him a little, so I quickly left to go to sleep before I could be roped into talking about this any more.
...
Now, it's a little over three years later, the Easter holidays for the kids at Hogwarts, and Ron and I have received another letter from Rose. It is about the same person as the one from first year that we still remember, but one thing is different- this time, Albus didn't send home the same letter. This time, the letter is about how Scorpius asked Rose to Hogsmede, how she went with him, and about how they are now 'officially an item' (Rose's words, not mine).
Needless to say, Ron is going crazy again. Though I suppose he has a better reason this time, I still can't see it as the huge problem that Ron does. Right now he is still in that storming around, yelling 'What is she thinking?!' stage. Oh dear. I believe he just broke something, as I heard a crash coming from the kitchen. I suppose I'd better go calm him down.
I walk into the kitchen, noticing that yes, Ron has indeed broken a ceramic container that used to rest on the shelf. I sigh and walk over to my husband, placing a hand on his shoulder in an effort to calm him. "Ron...is there something wrong with what our daughter wrote to us?"
"Yes, actually, there bloody well is! I can't believe I'm going to be related to that slime that is Draco Malfoy. And why would our Rose even want to date Scorpius? Besides...she's too young for all this anyway."
"Ron, first of all, I really doubt they're ready for marriage- they're only 15. Second, they've been friends for over three years. It happens all the time- girls and boys who are best friends sometimes start to like each other. Can you think of two people that happened to?" I grin at him.
"Thirdly, wasn't it in our fourth year when all of us made such a huge deal out of the Yule Ball? You and I definitely liked each other then...why else would we have gotten in such a huge fight over Victor Krum? Anyway...my point is that everyone in our year had dates to that ball...and so did Ginny, who was only 13. So you can't very well say that Rose is too young to date."
I notice Ron's face gradually turning from red to it's normal state, so I figured my points were doing a good job of convincing him that Rose going out with Scourpius was not necessarily a horrible thing. But, I couldn't resist throwing something else in as well. Because after all, it really was ridiculous how much of a fuss Ron was making over this. So I point out, "And Ron, you have to admit that it is your fault that this happened."
This gets his attention. "Wait. What?" He defends himself. "No way! I would never encourage something like this, I-"
"I'm not saying you did," I tell him. "But do you remember when we went to King's Cross to drop Rose off that first year, and you gave her that whole speech about not being Scorpius' friend, and beating him in everything? I'm sure that convinced her, at least subconsciously, to befriend him, and if you ask, I'm sure anyone else in our family who was around will agree with me. You pushed them together, Ron, by doing that." I say this smugly, almost enjoying watching his face drop.
"Oh my god...I did, didn't I? I caused my only daughter to end up with a Malfoy!" Ron seems utterly distraught by this news.
"Oh Ron, it's ok," I try to comfort him. "Rose is happy! And deep down, I'm sure you know Scorpius is a nice boy, just like I do. You just can't admit it yet."
He sighs. "You're probably right- as usual. I know it's pretty cliché, but I guess it's mainly just that whole, 'I can't let my daughter go' thing."
"Probably," I agree. "Now that you're feeling a little better, you should go relax or something. But if this still bugs you later, just remember that Rose is happy with her choice- she said so in the letter. And also remember that she knows Scorpius better that we do, so if she thinks he's worthy of her, then so do I."
...
A few hours later, I lay in bed, trying to let sleep claim me. Ron was much less panicky the rest of the evening, and I was proud of him for that. I really do hope he can let this whole Slytherin prejudice thing go, and accept Rose's choice. I know he will eventually, because I know how much he loves our daughter. But for now...well, let's just say I think I heard him muttering something about death, the Malfoys, and karma.