Rose walked swiftly out of the Great Hall, throwing her bag over her shoulder. She'd wolfed down breakfast, and her first class for the day was Potions.
Rose was in her seventh and final year at Hogwarts, right on track to becoming the Healer she'd always wanted to be. After achieving Outstandings in all her OWLs, she'd taken all the necessary NEWT classes that becoming a Healer required. That included getting top marks in Potions, and she wasn't going to compromise anything by being late.
It was late March, and exam time was fast approaching. She was already studying hard, always the first one to enter the Gryffindor common room in the morning and the last to leave in the evening. As she descended down into the dungeon, she was already planning her evening. It was Friday, which meant Quidditch practice. After that, she had an essay for Ancient Runes with various translations to do and another essay for Defense Against the Dark Arts. Then, on Saturday, she could-
But her thoughts were interrupted by a tall Slytherin with white-blond hair and striking platinum-gray eyes, who walked right into her, causing her to stumble and trip over. The contents of her bag spilled onto the ground, Rose sprawled on the dungeon floor next to them. Brushing her long, Weasley-red hair out of her dark blue eyes, she saw a hand stuck out towards her.
"Sorry!" Scorpius apologized, looking sincere. She accepted his hand and he helped her up, picking up her school supplies, too, and stuffing them back into her bag. "I didn't see you, and I was going to be late, so I was rushing, and-"
"Scorpius!" Rose laughed. "It's fine."
Over the past few years, since Albus and Scorpius had gone on their adventure in 4th year, she and Scorpius had become somewhat friends. They were always paired together in their classes because they had the same level of intellect, and she'd found that when Scorpius wasn't being an annoying prat and asking her out all the time, he was funny, smart, and nice.
Scorpius gave her a relieved smile and handed her bag back. They fell into easy conversation as they headed for the Potions classroom, discussing their teachers and NEWTS and normal school things. He flashed her another smile as he made a joke about how Albus had tripped over Scorpius's broomstick last night, (since Scorpius had finally made the Slytherin Quidditch team as a Seeker in his 6th year) and her heart skipped a beat.
Rose! she scolded herself. He's... Scorpius Malfoy. You can't fall for him. But there was no denying the fact that Rose might one day slip out a yes when he asked her out. She mentally scolded herself again. She had studies to focus on, and the path to becoming a Healer wasn't easy.
"Rose?" Scorpius asked, waving his hand in front of her. "Hello?"
"Oh, sorry, I was just thinking," she explained sheepishly. She'd zoned out completely.
"About what?" Scorpius asked, arching an eyebrow mischievously. "How irresistible I am? You know you love me!"
Rose was saved from replying by Professor Slughorn. She and Scorpius had reached the Potions classroom, and they were just starting to sit down at their table when Professor Slughorn announced, "Today we are brewing Amortentia!" Murmurs filled the classroom.
"Now, I know this is a very hard potion to brew, but there's been an advanced way discovered, and as NEWT students, I think it's just your level! But I expect you to empty your cauldrons at the end of class. No sense in having lovesick students wandering the halls, eh?" Slughorn joked. He waved his wand at the blackboard, and instructions to brew the love potion chalked themselves on the surface. "You will be working with your partners today, and your time starts... now!"
Rose and Scorpius were partnered together at the beginning of the year, and they worked very well together. Rose scanned the board, looking at the ingredients, while Scorpius went and collected them. "I think I know what I'm going to smell," he said confidently. Rose raised her eyebrows. Amortentia was said to smell different to every person, and the odors they sniffed could be identified as the person they were meant to be with.
"Oh?" Rose prompted.
"Why, roses, of course!" Scorpius proclaimed. Rose didn't reply, but she could feel the blush spreading across her cheeks.
About an hour later, they'd added the roots, eyes, tails, twigs, and various ingredients to the potion, and Scorpius was stirring it. They were very close to being done. Rose added the last of the boomslang skin, and the potion changed color to become the distinctive mother-of-pearl sheen Rose had only read about before. The smoke was rising in the characteristic spirals that were associated with Amortentia, and Rose knew this potion was another Outstanding in Professor Slughorn's gradebook.
She high-fived Scorpius, beaming. "We're both smelling it, right?" Scorpius asked expectantly.
"Of course! How do you brew Amortentia and then not smell it?" Rose laughed.
Scorpius leaned forward and inhaled the smell. His whole face lit up as he smiled at Rose.
"I was right! Nothing smells better than roses in springtime!" he confirmed. Rose knew he could see her face turning red. Was that really the odor he detected.
Rose leaned forward to take her own whiff of the potion. "Wait!" Scorpius said, holding up a hand to stop her.
"What?" Rose said, looking at the clock. The bell was going to ring any minute now, and her time was running out. They'd already given Professor Slughorn a vial of their potion, but Rose still wanted to smell it.
"Just so you know, my cologne is Fresh Pine, and my other favorite smells are vanilla and lavender." Scorpius listed off.
"And?" Rose prompted.
"That's just what I expect you to smell," Scorpius said with a grin, expectant. Rose rolled her eyes, but her heart was beating fast. She didn't want to give away how much she actually wanted to smell those three scents. She leaned forward and inhaled sharply.
The smell of snowy pine trees wafted toward her, mixed with the scent of vanilla. A hint of lavender brought it all together. She leaned back, her whole face turning red. Scorpius raised an eyebrow. "So?"
Rose opened her mouth to say something, but couldn't. The bell rang just then, and she grabbed her bag and bolted for her life. She was halfway up the marble stairs leading to Gryffindor tower, before she heard Scorpius yelling behind her. "ROSE!" he called. She didn't turn back.
She had a free period after Potions, and she intended to spend it in shock in her dormitory. She didn't think she'd get any work done, because she was in love with Scorpius Malfoy!
Rose reached the Fat Lady and almost screamed the password. She could hear fast footfalls behind her, and she didn't really know how to face Scorpius right now. "Amortentia!" she said to the Fat Lady. Even the password was reminding her of what had happened. Rose flew through the portrait hole and ran up to her dormitory. "ROSE!" Scorpius screamed behind her. She just raced up the stairs to her dormitory.
Rose could hear the Fat Lady saying, "Break-up, dear?"
"No," Scorpius said. "To break-up we'd have to be together, wouldn't we?"
"Oh, she'll come around," the Fat Lady assured him.
"Yeah," Scorpius said, sounding distracted. "Any chance you could let me in?"
"Sorry, dear. Gryffindors only."
"Fine. I'll just sit out here until she comes down." Scorpius said, determined.
Rose plopped down on her four-poster bed, eyes wide. But she wasn't alone. Her four best friends, Amy Longbottom, Thea Thomas, Ivy Finnegan, and Dominique Weasley were also in the dormitory with her, and they noticed her distress.
"Rose?" Thea asked. "What's wrong?"
"We brewed Amortentia in Potions," Rose said, still in a daze. Her friends gathered around her, excited.
"Ooohh, what did you smell?" Ivy asked.
"Lavender," Rose began. "And vanilla and pine trees."
"I'm lost," Dominique said, confused. "So who are you meant to be with?"
"Scorpius Malfoy," Rose said.
"I knew it!" Amy piped up. Everyone turned to her. "Oh, come on! The boy's head over heels in love with her! We all knew they were meant to be!" Nods of agreement passed around the group. Rose stayed silent.
Everyone turned suddenly to Rose. "Isn't he your partner in Potions?" Thea asked.
"Yes..." Rose said, knowing they would make the connection soon.
"And what did he smell?" Dominique leaned closer to Rose.
"Roses," Rose confirmed. Everyone else squealed.
"Are you two together now?" Ivy shrieked. Rose shook her head. Everyone groaned. "Why?"
"Haven't you liked him for a while at least?" Amy asked. "I saw it!"
Rose nodded reluctantly. "So why on Earth aren't you together?" Ivy asked, confused.
"Well..." Rose began. She paused, unsure how to explain it. "I sort of ran away from him when he asked what I smelled..."
"Rose!" her friends groaned in exasperation.
They sat in silence for a minute as her friends contemplated what to do. Unfortunately, Scorpius chose that time to yell, "ROSE!" from just outside the portrait hole. The common room downstairs was empty, so the sound carried pretty well up to Rose's dormitory.
"Is he sitting outside the portrait hole waiting for you to come out?" Dominique asked, astonished. Rose nodded sheepishly.
"Rose! If you don't go down and talk to that poor boy right now then I'm dragging you down there!" Amy said, her hands on her hips. The rest of Rose's friends nodded.
Rose groaned and sprawled out on her bed. "But-"
"No buts!" Everyone chorused together. "GO!"
Rose sighed, ran her hands through her hair, and stood up. "Okay."
Everyone cheered. "You got this, Rosie! But if you break his heart..." Thea threatened.
"Don't worry," Rose reassured them. She went down the steps of the dormitory and into the still-empty common room.
"Rose!" Scorpius was yelling. "Are you mad at me or something? I've got class soon, too, and I really don't want to skive off, it's Herbology! Please come down here. Rose-" Rose cut him off by opening the door to the portrait hole. "ABOUT TIME!" he roared, silver eyes narrowed. "What's wrong? Why'd you run away?"
"I-uh-" Rose began nervously, fiddling with her dark red hair. She took a deep breath and told mentally told herself to get it together. "I never told you what the potion smelled like to me, did I?"
Scorpius shook his head, but Rose could see that his eyes were twinkling with hope. "Well... it was pinetreesandlavenderandvanillaandIthinkIloveyou?" Rose blurted, closing her eyes. She sounded like an idiot.
"What?" Scorpius said, confused. She forced herself to open her eyes and meet his gaze.
"It was pine trees, vanilla, and lavender. Just like you said," Rose said, sounding calmer than she felt. Her heart was racing.
Scorpius's grin was so wide Rose thought his face was going to break in half.
"I think you missed something?" he prompted. Oh, no. She wasn't going to be the first to say that again.
"Nope," she said, a slight tremor in her voice.
Scorpius rolled his eyes. "Don't worry, Rosie. I love you too."
It was Rose's turn to wear the face-splitting grin. She couldn't stop herself from throwing her arms around him. Scorpius laughed and spun her around. He pulled away from the hug, arms still around her. He leaned in a little, and Rose did, too. Her heart was pounding even more than earlier. Were they going to...?
"Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!" A loud squeal made Rose and Scorpius jump apart. It was Thea, Amy, Dominique, and Ivy. All four of them were standing at the foot of the stairs, jumping up and down. "That. Was. ADORABLE!" They all declared.
Rose blushed redder than her namesake.
"Dad's going to be very happy about this," Rose told Scorpius, grinning.
"Oh, yes, mine too. He's wanted nothing more than for me to go out with Rose Granger-Weasley," Scorpius chuckled.
"Are we going out now?" Rose asked. "I was under the impression that to be going out, you have to actually go on dates?"
Scorpius looked down, shy all of a sudden. "Will you go out with me?"
"Of course!" Rose accepted. Another round of squealing filled the room. "OI! ALL OF YOU! SHUT IT!"
They just laughed and continued to act like buffoons.
Back in the Potions room, Professor Slughorn was grading their Amortentia. He picked up the vial labeled "Rose and Scorpius" and opened it, expecting perfection. And he was not disappointed.
Slughorn had his NEWT students brew one extremely complicated potion every year. For some, it was Felix Felicius. For other years, it was Polyjuice Potion, or even Veritaserum.
It had been decades since Amortentia had been brewed in a Hogwarts Potions class. Slughorn chose it specifically when the right occasion arose. Slughorn chuckled as he remembered the last time it had been brewed. Those two students had ended up becoming James and Lily Potter.
He was quite sure he had achieved a future Rose and Scorpius Malfoy.
And, seven years later, his two favorite students did exactly what he'd expected them to do. And once again, he wasn't disappointed.