Picnic
Rose felt pathetic.
She had just gotten dumped by Daniel McLaggen, in the most ungraceful way.
After dinner, she had been walking by an abandoned corridor when she had heard some noise. Which she had soon found out to be her boyfriend's(currently ex-) snogging of a Slytherin trollop. Not only did he refuse to apologise, he also called her a 'swotty, boring bookworm' and told her that they were over on the spot.
Being a girl of quick impulses, she had immediately took 15 points from Gryffindor and Slytherin and provided them with two weeks worth of detention. Having being Sorted to Ravenclaw, this didn't affect her house's chances of the House Cup.
As she sat there next to the Black Lake, she couldn't help but wonder - was she that unexciting that boys didn't want her?
While she pondered on for an answer, she failed to notice the presence of someone else flopping on to the ground next to her. When she finally did though, she felt like digging a hole and diving ten feet under.
The said presence was none other than Scorpius Malfoy, who had been her fellow housemate and academic rival for years. He was fawned over by girls in every house for his brains and brawns, famous for his excellence in Potions and Ravenclaw Quidditch Captain - a position Rose was envious of, even though she was the staff's favourite blue-eyed girl.
He was known to be a playboy and the school's all-round heartthrob, breaking whoever's heart was in his hands. Rose had detested him for his cocky, arrogant attitude, and his irritating tendency to pull on her aubrun ponytail. He he was the main reason why she studied so vigorously for Potions, because it irked her that he always beat her in that subject.
He was the last person Rose wanted to see right now. He'd probably come to tease her about her lack of boyfriend, and for being a crybaby. She could feel her swollen eyes tearing up again, hiding her face in her palms to prevent herself from seeing what she was sure to be a smirk on his face.
"Go away," was all she said.
"No." That was definitive.
"Leave me alone Malfoy!" She screamed.
"What's wrong Weasley? Trouble in paradise?" She could hear the teasing tone in his voice, it made her want to cry.
"Sod off. My love life's not your business."
"Not mine, but the whole school, it seems." He snorted. "News travels fast - heard you finally broke it off with that wanker McLaggen."
"Yeah, so?" She wasn't in the mood for this, she needed her peace and quiet.
"So, your single now. You know, as in, alone." Rose felt hurt, how dare he! She was anything but alone with her family!
"Bugger off!"
"Since your a free woman now, I've been wondering if you'd end up a spinster, with two cats and only birds to accompany you. And..."
Before he finished, she cried. Bawling her eyes out and heaving with sobs. She felt broken, like her heart had been stabbed with a thousand daggers, those words stung.
"Wait, wait, don't cry. I'm not finished, just a few more lines Rose, then you can decide." Scorpius held out his hands to try placating the hysterical girl. "And since I think that it would be such a waste for a beautiful and talented girl like you to not be coddled on, I was wondering if you'd concede to having a nice luncheon here - with me."
When Rose had calmed down from her high, the words ultimately did register in her mind.
"Scorpius Malfoy, are you asking me on a date?" She was paralysed with shock, mouth hanging open like a fish out of the water.
"If you'd like to consider it was one." Rose felt better, more than better actually, she felt flattered.
Rose was jumping with joy, and before she knew it - she'd wrapped her arms around Scorpius' neck and kissed him smack-dab on the lips. Scorpius reciprocated with arms around the waist.
"Now, shall we?" Scorpius enlarged a basket he had hidden in his robes and spread out the picnic blanket.
They had a nice time outside with the view of the Great Lake and Giant Squid. Scorpius had brought some of her favourite food - apple juice coupled together with peanut butter jelly sandwich with a hint of margarine, a salad consisting of tomatoes, mangoes and lettuce, a strawberry cheese cake and for dessert, and lastly - profiteroles.
They passed the time by getting to know each other more. And Rose found out that Scorpius fell in love with her when he took a Bludger she sent to his head in fourth year.
"Malfoy, why did you ask me out?" Rose couldn't help but be curious.
"Didn't I just inform you that I've been head over heels for you since that Quidditch match?" Scorpius ate some of his spaghetti.
"Yes, but what's with the sudden picnic? Besides, we've been battling it out in everything from Herbology to Transfiguration since Year 1. And, I've just broke up with Daniel, what made you think it was a good time?" Rose took a bite out of her sandwich.
"I didn't think it was a good time at all until I tried it out, Zabini's been pestering me about it. He questioned, and I quote 'You've been in love with that Rose Weasley for as long as I remember, you gonna take her on a date now she's gotten rid of him?'." Now eating with fork in hand, with a meatball near his mouth.
"So, your best friend prompted you for this?" Rose continued on with her cake.
"Correct, right after what he considers as my jealous ranting of that git McLaggen. Tells me I'm blind, and then calls me a mindless idiot for not taking you for myself when you were single."
"I think it's sweet that your envious of Daniel for his girlfriend, well ex-. I believe Zabini saw something we didn't."
"And that would be..."
"Chemistry," Rose carefully phrased her next sentence."I'm sure that I loved you ever since just now..."
"So, you love me?" Scorpius looked hopeful.
"Nope." He was crestfallen. "I'm in love with you."
He was elated, "To finalise it - Rose Weasley, would you have the honour of being my significant other?"
"Yes, yes," Rose hugged him tightly."Yes. Yes. Yes!"
As they sealed it with a scorching lip-lock, it began to ran back to the castle quickly, hand-in-hand while one of them brought the basket along. Their laughter echoing through the grounds of Hogwarts.
It was the beginning of their something wonderful, one that gave them all the precious memories.
And as they walked through the doors into the Hogwarts castle after their impromptu first date - drenched in rainwater and whatnot - whispers could be heard. And, for the first time, Rose didn't care. She was in the blissfulness of being giddily happy while stuck in the euphoria of being Scorpius' new girlfriend.
Weeks passed and though Rose still stood beside him, never wavering, there were bets saying that Malfoy was playing with Rose's heart and also to see how long they would last.
The male relatives of Rose became satisfied after a thorough interrogation of Scorpius, and her female relatives continued to tell her how lucky she was. Her parents approved, but it did take lots of convincing on her dad's side.
It took quite a while for everyone, including her grandparents to accept Scorpius as her boyfriend. This was only because of her letters of complaint about him since young, and also the insults he had sent her way along those years of bickering.
Picnics became a daily occurrence in their relationship : The second one was in the Weasley backyard when they were gathering together for New Years. The third one was after graduation, when Scorpius decided to propose near the Great Lake, in front of the entire student body and their parents. Their fourth one was after Rose gave birth to Leo Malfoy and a feast was held in the grounds of Malfoy Manor. And the list continues on...
In a nutshell, picnics were the turning points in their relationship and they'd never prefer it any other way.