He slammed the door in frustration and apparated without really thinking. In reality it was almost a miracle that he didn't get splinched but at the moment his judgment was completely clouded with anger. Not even realizing how lucky he'd gotten or the intense stare of awe the little girl on the corner was giving him he walked. Just continuing forward he walked, muttering incoherently until he hit a stop sign. As his forehead started to swell up he glanced around and took in the surroundings for the first time. A Muggle suburb close to the Turkish restaurant his Mum loved he soon discovered.
He stood there in the middle of the walkway for a few minutes just collecting his thought. Sure, he had friends- many different people from all four houses in fact he contemplated. Yet he knew he couldn't call any of them in this circumstance- a few of them wouldn't understand why he needed to run away from his Grandfather and he rest of them wouldn't let him stay the night out of fear for Lucius Malfoy.
Sighing he realized he didn't have any place to go and turned into the nearest café. As soon as he set foot in though, he immediately regretted it. A mass of bright hair could be seen sticking out of the furthest booth. But not just any hair, oh no, it was distinctly Weasley Red bright. Now it could no longer be categorized as "unique," the family was so large in itself that they filled up much of Hogwarts and the Ministry but identifiable? That it definitely was. There was a certain quality that made it distinguished from other reds- the red of Lily Potter, though similar in shade was not Weasley Red like the girl sitting so close to him he thought.
Finally he sunk into the nearest seat deciding she probably wouldn't even see him. She was facing in the other direction and completely engrossed in whatever new issue of Witch Weekly has just come out. He ordered a tea, and sipped it lost in his own little world not even realizing what time it was until he heard a thud.
He jumped up in his seat, his mind crashing back to where he was. A book dropping on the floor- that's what the noise was, he became aware as he spotted it on the floor next to the door. Looking up he noticed the Red haired girl again and all he could do was stop and stare.
It was not a Witch Weekly in her hands, but a novel- muggle he presumed. Rose Weasley he realized- not Lucy like he had automatically assumed apon first glance. It made a lot of sense now that he thought about it, what would little Ravenclaw Lucy Weasley be doing in a Muggle café by herself? They were on the Quidditch team together and had a special odd relationship- they weren't close, not by any means but they had an understanding as the black sheep's of their respective families. He was the only first Malfoy out of Slytherin and she was the first Weasley out of Gryffindor. Later, Fred Weasley would be placed in Slytherin but for that one year little Lucy was lost. He had been in the same position, just a year before her- not unhappy but just a bit lonely. Their families hadn't been disapproving, no, on the other hand- they tried their hardest to be supportive. But that was just it, they treated them like an outsider that needed to be made comfortable. A fragile outsider at that, not someone that was the same as they had been their whole lives. It could be worse they reasoned, they could be flat out disapproving or angry but that didn't stop the awkward sympathetic glances they got when they looked away. Quidditch- that's what bonded them. It didn't matter there on the field- who their parents were or what the tabloids thought about their sorting.
But this was not little Lucy, oh no, this was the polar opposite- Rose. The one that he knew nothing about. Vic was a Hogwarts legacy, everyone knew everything about her, Domi was loud, outspoken and made sure everyone knew everything about her, Molly's father was constantly boasting about her latest achievement, James, Albus and Lily's entire life could be put together in magazine and news paper articles, Hugo's Quidditch commentations always included personal snippets, Fred seemed to know everything about anyone, Rox was Head Girl and Louis was one of his first friends.
She was a prefect, she was an excellent student, she was a seeker- she seemed to everywhere yet nowhere to be found at the same time. Looking back, he couldn't pinpoint which side of the table she sat at breakfast or an instance where he'd seen her getting in flying practice on the pitch.
He snapped out of the recollection when a quiet voice cleared her throat. He had been staring right at her this whole time!
"Didn't expect to see you here Scorpius" she said in her soft voice.
He didn't know anyone that could be so timid and confident at the same time.
"Neither did I Rose" he replied
She smiled, nodded and exited in such a blur that he didn't even get the chance to ask her why she had been here in the first place.