(A/N) This story is dedicated to the Anon who sent me a request for a fanfic based on 'All Too Well' by Taylor Swift. I originally planned this to be a 1000-word oneshot, but after writing a nearly 4000-word monster, I am only about halfway through, so I'm going to separate this into 2 chapters because I don't do things half-assed.
Maybe this thing was a masterpiece, 'til you tore it all up
9:34 p.m. April 10th, 2027 - London
"Fine," she huffed, slamming the door to their flat. Tears were rolling down her cheeks as she forgone the lift and ran down the stairs.
Before she knew, she ended up in a Muggle park near their once-home, and just as every relationship ends, she thought right back to the beginning. This time, she didn't need a pensieve to remember, as every memory of them was etched into her mind. She knew their story all too well.
You used to be a little kid with glasses in a twin-size bed
11:23 a.m. September 1st, 2017 - Hogwarts Express
"Hello there, I'm Rose," she stuck out her hand to the blond hair boy with black rimmed glasses in front of her.
The boy looked at her up and down, before stopping to stare at her outstretched arm, "Charmed," he scoffed, turning his head back towards the window.
Though stunned at his reaction, she swallowed her anger and tried again, "Well, this is the part where you're supposed to tell me your name," she was determined, unwilling to let it go, that was for sure.
"Why do I have a feeling that you know exactly who I am before you even entered this train compartment?" He asked sarcastically, looking at her from the corner of his eyes.
Rose flushed at the thought of being caught. Of course she knew exactly who he was. Scorpius Malfoy was a well talked about subject in her household every since she got her letter to Hogwarts. Her family, more specifically her father and grandfather, had been frequently mentioning him in conversation as that "Malfoy spawn", and whenever she asked her mother about it, she would say "Don't you worry, Rosie, your father is just holding onto grudges, remember what we taught you and you'll do just fine"
So here she was, remembering what her parents had taught her, to always be open minded and kind, because whilst kindness and empathy were free, friendship was priceless. And she had feeling this lonely boy in the last train compartment was in need of a friend.
"Right… You're Scorpius Malfoy, and I'm Rose W-"
"You're Rose Weasley, you've mentioned"
"Well technically, I've only ever mentioned that I was Rose, and as for the Weasley part… I'm guessing it was more than just my red hair that gave it away" she smiled teasingly, having caught him out.
He sputtered for a moment, but chose not to respond.
"You know what, Scor," he flinched at the unfamiliarity of this new nickname, "I think we're going to get along just fine"
But you keep my old scarf from that very first week
'Cause it reminds you of innocence and it smells like me
6:19 p.m. November 18th, 2017 - The Great Hall
"Do you know what would be really cool?" Rose slid into the seat beside him with a huge smile on her face.
"No," he drawled, "But I can see you're dying to tell me. You're at the wrong table by the way"
She ignored his less than enthusiastic demeanour, knowing by now he's probably incapable of any other emotions, "In order to cement our friendship, we should exchange something of sorts"
"Like what?" He asked horrified, "Friendship bracelets?" His eyes widened in horror as he thought of having to wear the cheesy accessories that seemed to have bled in from the Muggle culture to the Wizarding society.
"As fun as that sounds, I was thinking of something less… fashion cringeworthy," Rose grimaced at the same thought, "How about our scarves?"
"You mean this?" He waved the end of his green and grey scarf, "Isn't that somehow against the school rules? You do realise you're in Ravenclaw and I'm clearly not?"
"According to what I've read, which is a lot, there are no specific school rules which state we must wear the scarves of our own house colour. It's more of house pride thing, really," she explained, taking off her own scarf, "What say you, Scor? As a totem of our friendship?"
Her smile was so bright and her eyes so eager that it pulling ever so slightly on his heartstrings. Wordlessly, he took off his own scarf, let out a sigh and exchanged it with her.
"Don't think too much of it, Weasley," he mumbled, embarrassed.
"Don't worry, Scorpius, I'll take good care of it," she said happily. He was about to turn back to his dinner when he heard her whisper, "I promise I'll take care of it," her voice was low but in his mind, he knew she would, and despite his frosty exterior, he knew he would keep hers safe too.
Photo album on the counter, your cheeks were turning red
12:37 p.m. August 23rd, 2019 - Malfoy Manor
"Woah," she looked around, completely mesmerised at the museum of a house, "You never told me your house was this beautiful"
"It's not," he said with a sad smile, he knew of all the horrible things that had happened in this very house decades ago.
Rose caught the look on his face and quickly dropped it, she tugged onto his hand and she led him further into the house as if it were her own.
"Would you look at that?" She tried to lighten up the atmosphere by pointing to the photos on the counter, "Weren't you a cute baby?"
Scorpius blushed, as he turned the photo frames around, "Oh, shut up"
She laughed melodically as her voice echoed in the foyer that must have garnered the attention of his mother.
"Scorpius! You're back, and you must be Rose," Astoria Malfoy came down the stairs to greet the two, "I've heard much about you. Why don't you kids head to the garden whilst I make some snacks for you"
"Oh, Mrs. Malfoy, it's okay, I wouldn't want to impose," Rose said politely.
"Nonsense, it's the first time Scorpius brought over a friend, it's a special occasion!" Astoria exclaimed.
"Mum!" Scorpius whined, "Please stop talking," Rose chuckled beside him, finding the situation extremely amusing, but also feeling very honoured at the same time.
"Now, how about some scones?" His mother turned to the kitchen, leaving behind the two best friends.
'Cause there we are again in the middle of the night
We dance around the kitchen in the refrigerator light
2:14 a.m. December 31st, 2021 - The Burrow
"Stealing food again?" He smirked, leaning against the stairs.
"I wouldn't call it stealing if it were my own home," she rebutted, her face illuminated by the opened refrigerator light. They laughed quietly, afraid to wake the rest of her family.
"Somehow, I don't think that's how your family would see it when they wake up to find half the Christmas pie gone," he walked towards her into the kitchen.
He watched her scavenge through the refrigerator for something edible and easily unnoticed even when partially consumed, when he heard her humming to herself.
"What's the song?" Recently, the two had been obsessed with muggle music, with Rose finding a second hand iPhone from a store near Diagon Alley.
"It's called Paris in the Rain, I think it came out a few years ago, but there's just something about it that soothes me," she told him, "It sounds silly, but it makes me imagine myself dancing on the streets of Paris with an umbrella in hand"
"Have you been?" He asked softly.
"No," she replied, "My cousins say it's lovely though, they go to Beauxbatons. I've always wanted to go, but my parents have been too busy. They try their best to spend as much time with us as possible, but taking days off at a time is not something they can afford so frequently. I mean, I don't want to sound ungrateful because I know their jobs are important, and they do it to support Hugo and I, but…"
"I get it," Scorpius said understandingly, "My father is the same, and I know he means well. He has a lot on his shoulders, having to rebuild my family name and all, so he involved himself with a lot of projects to show just how 'good-will and generous' us Malfoys are"
"I guess for now, we'll just have to be patient," she mustered a smile, "One day"
"Or…" a thought came into his mind, "We could go together"
"Really?" Her face lit up at his suggestion, "Do you really mean that?"
"Sure, why not? I'd go anywhere with you," he said, his cheeks turning red as he thought of what his statement may have implied.
"I'd like that," she whispered, as he let go of a breath he didn't know he was holding.
She took out her phone from the pocket of her pyjamas and placed it on the kitchen counter. She turned on the sound, so quiet that anyone outside the kitchen wouldn't be able to hear, and the soft music that she was humming started to play. She closed her eyes and sang along.
"Maybe we can't go to Paris right now, but…" he said, stepping closer to her, his eyes holding her gaze, "Maybe we could do something about that dance," he offered her his hand.
The look she gave him was more dazzling than ever, as if she couldn't imagine that he was real. She took his hand and together they swayed to the music, both lost in the moment, unbeknownst to the other.
It was until that morning that Hermione Weasley woke up to find the refrigerator door still opened and her daughter asleep on the dining table next to her best friend that she smiled knowingly. One day, she thought to herself.
You almost ran the red 'cause you were looking over me
Wind in my hair, I was there, I remember it all too well
3:45 p.m. August 13th, 2023 - The Burrow
"Don't make me use the It's-My-Birthday card," she warned, pointing a finger at him, trying to appear as menacing as she could.
"No way," he stepped backwards, away from her, "No amount of emotional blackmailing is going to get me into that death contraption"
The Ford Anglia stood proudly in front of the two, it's engines newly reinstalled for this very purpose.
"Oh come on," Rose whined, "It's fun, I promise!"
"This thing is at least 60 years old," he pointed, looking at the worn off paint, worried lines etched onto his face.
"It's vintage," she argued, "There's a difference"
"No, Rose" he tried to reason, "Some muggle must have used this car for decades before your grandfather found it in a dumpster of all places, and turned it into something that should be classified as extremely illegal. Then, your father used it to fly to Hogwarts, where he subsequently wrecked it in the Forbidden Forest, but somehow managed to salvage it with his super Weasley powers, and it's now been used time and time again by your very, very reckless family members for some very, very dangerous activities. I don't even want to know what James and Fred were using it for last week"
"You're being dramatic," she rolled her eyes, with her hands on her hips, "Muggles use these things every single day to get to places. If they can travel safely without magic, I'm sure it'll be fine for us. Look, I've even charmed it to include extra safety measures, and you trust me, right?"
She knew she had him there, all she had to do was look at him with her puppy dog eyes and he was putty in her hands, and she knew it. Evil, evil best friend, he thought.
"Fine, but if anything happens-"
"You'll kill me, got it," she laughed at his empty threats, satisfied that she, once again, got him to agree to go on a little adventure with her.
It was Rose's birthday, and their last summer before graduation, and whilst he wanted to surprise her with something special, it was clear that when Rose Weasley wanted to do something, she would go to lengths to get it done. And today, she wanted to teach her best friend how to drive.
Her own father taught her a year ago in the fields of Ottery St Catchpole, behind her mother's back of course, as she was still underaged, but she had been practicing ever since. She felt a sense of freedom with it, and she now understood why some Muggles loved to take road trips.
Scorpius hesitantly got behind the wheels and adjusted the chair, as she excitedly bounced into the passenger seat.
"This is going to be really fun, Scor," she said, closing the door.
"The things I do for you," he muttered, deadpanned.
She taught him the basics before he fired up the engine and began moving as slowly as possible around the fields.
After nearly an hour of snail-pace driving, she encouraged him to go a little faster, and he found himself having fun.
"I told you, it's exhilarating," she sounded so carefree, as she let her hair done, her curls flying loose as the wind blew in from the opened windows.
He watched her close her eyes, as she revelled in the feeling, and he couldn't help but take advantage of her shut eyes to admire her from aside.
Ever since that night in the kitchen, he couldn't shake her from his mind, not that she was ever far from it. Rose Weasley was a force to be reckoned with and she became a constant in his life ever since she entered it. But since that day, he caught himself staring at her, and realising what a blessing she is to him. She lightened up his life and opened him up to opportunities he would've never taken on his own. She was brave, she was witty and she was unapologetically herself.
And he was knowingly falling in love with her.
Not that it mattered, because as much as he wanted more, he didn't know if she felt the same way. There were moments where he was certain she did, but a voice inside his head was telling him not to be ridiculous.
By the beginning of sixth year, she had even gotten a boyfriend, and he lost all hope. He tried to hang on to her, but he felt her slipping as she had to balance her time between her boyfriend and her best friend.
On one of those days he was left on his own, he had decided to fill his void with a myriad of girls that lasted no more than a week each, which led him deeper and deeper into a state of indifference. He could tell she was worried, and she tried to talk reason out of him, but it was only when she finally broke up with Gregory Thomas six months later that he began to feel more himself.
It was like she was his drug that he knew he had to quit, but just couldn't. The least he could do was try, he told himself time and time after, and try he did.
But now, he was looking at her, with her eyes still closed, and as much as he wanted to suppress his feelings, he could feel them bubbling right back to the surface again.
It must've only been a few seconds, but she quickly opened her eyes as a siren began to wail.
"Scor! The tree!" She shouted.
He quickly pressed onto the brakes as the car came to a screeching halt.
"You're lucky I charmed the sirens to warn us when you're within proximity of something," she let out a deep breath, "Merlin, you had me in a right panic! What did I tell you the first rule of driving was?"
"Eyes on the road," he said shamefully at his momentary loss of concentration.
She sighed, "I'm glad you're alright, though," she looked over to him, a small smile reassuring him that it was all going to be okay.
"I'm really sorry, Rose," he said, "I put you in danger and I…"
"Hey," she said softly, putting her hand over his, which was still gripping tightly to the wheel, "It's okay, we're both fine, that's all that matters. Everyone makes mistakes, especially when you're just starting out. I shouldn't have closed my eyes either, I'm here to teach you, not wander off into dreamland"
He smiled at her, knowing that she was trying to make him feel better, as it was clearly his fault.
"Come on," she broke their silence, "Let's go back, I'll drive this time," she chuckled, making light of the situation, trying to turn something negative around, like she always did.
The sun was setting as it turned the sky a beautiful pink, but no matter the beauty, it couldn't hold a match to the one beside him.
After plaid shirt days and nights when you made me your own
10:52 a.m. June 14th, 2024 - Heads Dormitory
"Uhhhh," she groaned, "My head," she rolled over onto her side, in effort to soothe her throbbing headache.
No difference, she thought as she tried to squeeze her eyes shut tighter.
She continued to roll until she hit a warm barrier that she knew wasn't her wall.
Panicked, she opened her eyes abruptly and saw the back of his blond head. She sighed in relief that it wasn't some random stranger, until she realised she was most definitely… naked.
She jumped up, grabbing onto the blankets that were sliding off her body. The room was a mess, as she had now noticed, with his plaid shirt on the floor, her white dress hanging from the lamp, her underwear haphazardly thrown onto her bedside table.
Her sudden movement must have alarmed him, as he opened his eyes, squinting at the brightness from her opened windows.
"Rose?" His voice was husky from sleep, something that she found incredibly alluring, "What're you doing in my room?"
"Take a look around, Scor, this is most definitely my room"
He looked around slowly, "Oh yeah," he muttered, as he closed his eyes and went back to sleep.
She rolled her eyes and slapped him lightly on the arm, "Scorpius Malfoy, wake up," she said in her most authoritative tone.
"What?" He asked, clearly annoyed that she was interrupting his sleep.
"What happened last night?"
"End of year party, as always? It happens every year, Rose, nothing new"
"No, but what's new is the fact that we're both certainly not dressed right now"
He pondered at her words, before lifting the blanket and looking at his bare body, "Oh…"
"We're naked, and all you have to say is 'Oh'?" She stared at him like he grew an extra head.
"Rosie, I'm really sleepy," he said in a voice that she found irresistibly adorable, "Whatever we did we would've still done after I sleep some more"
She couldn't help but relent, despite wanting to smack him over the head and demand to talk right now. But she knew he was right, whatever happened had already happened, and he looked like he really needed the sleep.
Using the moment of silence, she looked fondly to his sleeping figure, and decided that if there was one person she would've been reckless with, she was glad it was him.
He was her best friend, and she trusted him more than any other person in her life, including her own flesh and blood. She didn't know when it started being this way, but she woke up one morning knowing that she couldn't lose him. Maybe it started that day in the kitchen, where he made her feel like she was most loved person in the world, or at least in his world, and suddenly, all that mattered were the two of them in that very moment.
Or maybe it was when she taught him how to drive, and the moment she lost herself into a fantasy where they went on a road trip and they would kiss inside the car under the pouring rain.
Or maybe, just maybe, it was right back in the beginning, when she met him on the train and insisted they become friends. She knew he would be someone special, and she was never wrong.
It was just before noon when she heard him mumble in his sleep, "Rose…," he said subconsciously.
She felt her heart flutter, hoping that she wasn't the only one who wanted them to become more.
Gently, she prodded his arm, and he opened his eyes once more, "Rose?" He repeated, this time in a much more conscious state.
"Yeah?" She responded, looking into his stormy grey eyes.
"Was I dreaming?" He asked groggily, as he lifted the blanket another time to find himself naked, "I guess I wasn't," he chuckled lightly.
"Glad you find this amusing," she said sarcastically, trying to remain calm.
"What a night, though," he ran his hand through his hair, making it messier and even more attractive.
She remained silent as she took him in. From a boy to a man, she watched Scorpius grow up beside her and it was surreal to know that in a few weeks time, they would be thrusted into the real world, where everything would change, and it scared her to bits.
His deep sigh shook her out of her thoughts, "I fucked up, didn't I?" He sounded so disappointed, but it was as though he was talking to himself.
"Scor, it's not your fault," she reasoned. After all, it takes two to tangle.
"It is, and now you're going to regret it, and I… I really don't know if I can handle that," he closed his eyes, shaking his head ever so slightly, "I don't know if I can handle losing you," he said honestly.
"You're not going to lose me," she reassured, "It's going to take more than this to shake me off," he refused to answer, his eyes still sealed shut "Scorpius, look at me," she pleaded.
She was met with a look of fear and despair, "I can't lie to you anymore, Rose" her heart skipped a beat, "After this, I don't think I can go back to being friends"
"Scorpius, please, don't say this," she felt tears threatening to shed, as she imagined the prospect of never seeing him again, never talking to him at 2 o'clock in the morning, never listening to him sing his favourite song.
"Listen to me, Rose, please. I can't go back because now that I know what it's like to hold you in my arms, I can't just forget it," he paused to look at her, "I love you," he said with a tone of sadness and desperation, as if he was trying to memorise her face one last time.
"Scorpius," she was sure she had never felt her heart beat so fast. She raised a hand to cup his face, and looked at him earnestly, "I love you too"
His face broke into the brightest smile she had ever seen from him. They both felt a weight lift off their chests, and the secret they held inside them for years was now finally out in the open.
And with that, he kissed her like she had always dreamed of, suddenly, the future didn't seem all that scary.
(A/N) As I said previously, I'm going to continue this in the next chapter. Cue the angst and fluff as we find out more about their relationship (and their break up) in the present day. (I'm a sucker for happy endings, so don't worry)
Please review if you liked it, as it would greatly motivate me to write more!