Scorpius stared in shock at the girl standing before him at Al's engagement party. He'd almost overlooked her, just thought she was another Weasley.
She'd rocked the emo/rocker look for as long as Scorpius could remember. Black eyelashes, mascaraed so heavily he'd often wondered how she kept them open all day, outlined in black kohl, smudged to perfection.
They'd been friends from that first train ride. She'd stomped into his compartment, ranting about her stupid cousins. He'd sat there and made a sarcastic comment that she'd returned without pausing her rant, then added self-important, pompous blonde's into her rant. He'd laughed and they'd spent the rest of the journey trying to out-so each other with stories from their childhoods.
They spent the next seven years figuring out ways to cause havoc within the walls of Hogwarts without getting caught. Oh, all of the Brood in Hogwarts know who was causing the trouble but kept their mouths shut through a combination of black-mail, bribes and manipulation. To the teachers, they were known to push the rules BUT never break them.
He'd heard rumors that she'd got a job in the Ministry, something in the Magical Law Department. She'd always been smart. Hell they both were. When he commented on it, she'd rolled her eyes and told him bills needed to be paid and made some sarcastic comment about getting her degree, so she might as well put it to use.
They'd spent hours lounging on the grass by the lake, playing the what if game. What if they weren't who they were? What if they disappeared? What if the school knew what they did?
She'd commented, absently, that she wanted to live somewhere warm, near the ocean. He grinned and replied California, sun, sea and sand. What more could they want? It was decided that day that after they graduated, they'd pack and spend the year on the beach.
She'd worked for her Uncle's in the family joke shop for years and had saved all her money. He'd spent the summers running errands for his Dad and working for his Mom, saving every last knut. They each told their families they quit and explained their scheme.
They'd argued with their parents, been told they were crazy by everyone. They'd told their parents they were seventeen and didn't need their permission, and set out to prove everyone wrong.
They use to annoy their Housemates by blasting AC/DC, Guns N' Roses, Green Day and Nickelback among other Muggle rock music at full volume in the Common Room. Running laughing from the Tower when they'd manage to piss off every last person in the Common Room at the time, retreating to the Room of Requirements were they could blast their music as loud as they wanted. Smoking and laughing as they planned their next prank.
She'd changed so much from the wildchild who fought the rules. She was a rule-followers now, blanching when he suggested they make the party more 'fun'. Rolling her eyes and informing him she'd quit, years ago.
He'd never known her to be so flippant about her friends. Sure she hadn't had many friends outside the Brood in Hogwarts, but she'd never just shrugged off losing one.
He was in shock. He kept hoping she'd suddenly laugh and tell him it was all a joke. He couldn't comprehend it.
What do you mean you missed the Screaming Rebels last month? He was shocked, they'd never missed a show when they were teenagers. Sneaking out of school and into the concerts to scream along with the songs as they drank more than they should, just to fall out of the club the concert was being held in, laughing and buzzing from the alcohol and thrill of sneaking out, and sneak back into the school and act like nothing happened.
He took in the carefully curled hair, not one ringlet out of place. Her skirt reached her knees and the blouse was conservative. Her shoes were flat and boring. So different from the tight jeans that fit her like a second skin, her tops that showed more toned flesh than they covered and normally had some stupid quote on them that made him laugh. Her long red hair, a riot of multi-colored curls that he loved to mess up even more than she did herself.
He glanced at her arms and noticed that the skin was completely free of any marks. He knew that there was a dragon curling round it, looking like it was fighting the Phoenix on her bicep. It was one of a number she had, but had always been his favorite.
Sure he had other friends, ones who were good for drinks or the occasional game of Quidditch, when they were all off at the same time but Rose had been different. They could have entire conversations about the most stupid of subjects and then in a blink of an eye continue with a completely new topic of conversation without blinking.
He hugged her bye as they left. It was good to see her again, even if she wasn't what he remembered. They'd promised to catch up later in the week to properly catch up on everything that had happened in their lives in the last five years.
She walks away from him, her same carefree laugh reaching his ears. He couldn't help but smile. Maybe his Rose wasn't that far below the surface as she portrayed.