For Arithmancy, task 2. Thanks to Amber and Bex for looking over it.
For Love in Motion, next gen: Rose/Scorpius.
Finally, for Emily.
Rose has one hand on her textbook, marking her place, while she chews on the tip of her quill. She's calculating the answer in her head when someone slides into the seat across from her.
"Can I read your tea leaves?"
The redhead snaps her head up to meet the intruder. Scorpius is sitting in front of her, wearing a smile. His green-and-silver tie is loose, as if he's been repeatedly tugging at it, and she's sure if she inspects him further, his shirt will be untucked.
"I thought you haven't had to read tea leaves since third year," Rose comments as she pulls her quill away from her mouth.
Scorpius shrugs. "I like reading them," he answers noncommittally. He motions to her cheek. "You have a bit of ink right there."
She blushes, averting her eyes as she rubs at her cheek quickly. She looks at her Arithmancy homework, frowning. Surely, a few minutes to entertain the blond wouldn't hurt; she does need a break before she incinerate the book.
"Alright, I got a bit of time before I need to meet Lily and Hugo," she answers. She marks her page and moves her book and parchment to the side.
A bright smile crosses Scorpius' face. He pulls out a cup, a teapot, and his Divinations book from his bag, leaving Rose to wonder why he carries them around all the time. After a few quick spells, Scorpius passes her a cup of tea.
She takes a sip of the tea, grimacing briefly, before dumping the rest of it back in the tea pot. She passes the cup to Scorpius, enjoying his pleased smile. She watches as he twists and turns the cup before consulting his book.
He shows her the cup, pointing towards the rim. "That appears to be a leaf," he says. Rose doesn't see it, but she supposes that it's because she was never any good at Divinations. "You'll get some news soon. So be on the lookout for a letter."
"Good news or bad?" she asks idly.
He shrugs. "I don't know." He twists the cup, where the clump of leaves that look like a leaf is near the top of the table. "See this one? It looks like a duel. You've been trying hard to make everyone in your life happy."
"No, I don't!" she immediately protests. "They're wrong."
Scorpius looks up from the cup, meeting her eyes. His smile fades as he furrows his eyebrows. "It's just what the leaves say," he assures her evenly.
Rose packs up her items as quickly as possible. She swings her bag over her shoulder, standing quickly. "I've got to go. Lily and Hugo are waiting for me."
She stomps away angrily. She doesn't stop as he calls her name behind her.
She's eating breakfast with Lily and Hugo two days later, when her owl comes swooping in. The owl takes off almost immediately after Rose grabs the letter. She tears into the letter eagerly. She grins widely as she reads. Her heart is beating wildly in her chest.
Hugo tries to snatch it away from her, but she swats his hands away. "What is it?" he demands.
"Uncle Bill is going back to Egypt for a little bit this summer. He said that I can go with him," she squeals. "I get to see Curse-Breaking up close!"
Rose digs in her bag for a quill, ink, and parchment, wanting to write her uncle back as soon as possible. She's barely set up the ink of the table when Louis sits down next to her, groaning.
"Hey Rosie, could you help me with my Herbology homework?" he asks.
The word yes is on the tip of her tongue. Then she thinks back to Scorpius' tea leaf predictions. She's overwhelmed by her own coursework and Quidditch practices, but she has been agreeing to subjects she doesn't want to take and helping her family through their own homework. Something has to give.
"I have something to do. Why don't you ask Uncle Neville or Al for help?" she asks.
She hears Louis sputter almost indignantly as she packs up and heads towards Professor McGonagall's office. She's going to start reprioritizing. Starting with dropping a class or three.
It's near the end of her fifth year, which means studying for her exams. As she studies, she's glad that she dropped Arithmancy, Care of Magical Creatures, and Herbology. It's less to study for, allowing her plenty of sleep and more time to help her family.
She's pouring over her notes and her books when someone blocks her sunlight. She looks up, squinting her eyes. Scorpius hesitates momentarily before sitting next to her, his back against the tree, looking out on the lake.
She notices Scorpius' messy uniform; his tie is missing, his shirt's untucked, and his normally pulled back hair is loose. Her crush on him has only gotten bigger since she was a second year. She tried to buy it under family conflict, but it's never gone away. She tears her eyes away and flushes, realizing she's been staring too long.
"Revising for the O.W.L.s already?" he asks, noticing her scattered notes.
"It's never too early to start," she answers. She starts closing her books and gathering her notes. "But I can definitely use a break."
Scorpius grins. "Fancy a game of Exploding Snaps?"
She bites her inner cheek. "Actually, your last tea leaf reading really helped. Would you mind doing another one?"
Surprise colors his face. "Oh, um, sure," he says nervously. He digs through his bag.
Before long, he places a cup of tea in her hands. She takes a sip before throwing the rest towards the lake. He takes the cup from her with a laugh.
He looks at the cup and then at her. Color flushes his pale cheeks, and it takes her a moment to realize he's blushing.
"What is it?" she demands. She grabs the cup back, trying to see what is making him blush. All she sees is clumps of leaves.
He points to the middle of the cup, his cheeks still flaming. "It's a heart, which means a relationship is close."
Her hands tighten on the cup reflexively as her heart skips a beat. "What?"
"Nothing," Scorpius waves off. He takes the cup back from her, starting to twist and turn it again.
He's pointing things out and explaining them, the color in his cheeks never fading. Rose can't concentrate on anything other than the blush. She wonders why he's blushing at the thought of her starting a new relationship.
When it finally fades, she meets his eyes, noticing his eyebrows are furrowed.
"What are you staring at?" he asks.
She searches his eyes, looking for some answer. "I know it's last minute, but would you like to accompany me to Hogsmeade tomorrow?"
"As in a date?"
"Only if you want it to be," she says hesitantly.
His face lights up and Rose can't help grinning at him. "I definitely want it to be. I'll meet you in the Great Hall in the morning?"
"Perfect." She motions to the cup he's still holding in his hands. "Maybe your predictions aren't wrong."
"The leaves never lie," Scorpius says, matter-of-factly, before kissing her. Any argument she had against it goes out the window.