(A/N: So I love the whole Rose/Scorpius pairing idea. I even have this whole long story in my head about how their relationship progresses over more than ten long years, as they start out rivals, and sort of move past that and all, but I haven't written it out yet. I might do so in the future, when I have more time on my hands, but for now, I just wanted to try this shorter little story about after they get together, and they're talking about marriage and families and stuff. If you like how I portrayed their relationship, tell me, and I might try writing out the longer story sometime...Enjoy!)

The little café just outside of London was famed as the home of the best tea in the entire United Kingdom. And yet, the grey-eyed boy with the white-blond hair didn't seem to be enjoying his cup at all. He was staring at the fiery-haired girl with blue eyes sitting opposite him, a little frown etched between his brows.

"So…I was thinking it's time to tell them."

Rose Weasley glanced up at Scorpius Malfoy, her teeth automatically biting at her lower lip. She searched his face for some reaction, but it stayed annoyingly blank.

"Tell them what?" Scorpius asked, quirking up an eyebrow.

Obviously, this was not the response Rose had been waiting for. Exasperated, she glared at the boy across from her. "That the Chudley Cannons are going to miraculously win the championship after a ten-year streak of being dead last. I've got a really good feeling about them," she snapped, sarcasm dripping off of her tongue.

Sarcasm suited her, Scorpius had noticed. It made her eyes spark like firecrackers.

"While the Tornadoes still have breath left in them? I think not," Scorpius replied, playing along and smirking when she opened her mouth to retort furiously. Rose Weasley was an ardent supporter of the Holyhead Harpies, and completely hated their rivals, the Tutshill Tornadoes.

"That's not the point, Malfoy," she told him, irritated.

"Now you're only saying that because we've debated this before, and Tornadoes wipe the floor with your Harpies, Weasley," Scorpius smugly informed her, mocking her use of his last name. They had called each other by their last names for years, and even though they infinitely preferred using first names now, every so often (like when someone was irritated), last names just felt more satisfying to use.

"Scorp, let's be serious now, all right?" And Rose's eyes turned pleading, widening innocently. It was a trick she'd learned only recently, despite the many years the two had known each other, and it had yet to fail her.

"Only saying that because you'd lose," Scorpius muttered, more to himself than to her. His plan at distracting her had failed. Because of course he knew what she was talking about, and he'd been dreading this discussion ever since he first realized it was coming.

Rose looked at her boyfriend – fiancé, she mentally corrected herself – and grudgingly admitted to herself for the millionth time that he was quite beautiful. But very annoying. Especially when he wanted to avoid a subject. But that wasn't going to stop her from getting to the point.

"Scorp, I want to tell them…together."

His eyes narrowed instantly. "Together," he repeated slowly, drawling out the word. "As in, you and I both go to your family, which consists of skilled, experienced Aurors and curse-breakers and half-werewolves and extremely dangerous women with very accurate aim, all of whom share a delightful interest in hating Malfoys, and tell them, simultaneously, that their precious darling little Rosie is engaged to the hated Malfoy heir, that spawn of Satan, Scorpius Malfoy?"

Rose bit back a grin. It was always amusing to watch Scorp be dramatic. His voice always got so slow and drawly it made the whole effect much funnier. "Yes," she nodded brightly.

"You know, Weasley, if you don't want to marry me, a simple 'no' would suffice. There's no need to get me killed."

Rose rolled her eyes. "I think you're being a little overly dramatic here, Malfoy. We both know that I could think of much less complicated ways of killing you." She picked up her teacup and sipped nonchalantly.

Scorpius stared at her sourly. "Thanks, Rosie. Exactly what I needed to hear." Disconcerting though her words were, he had to admit that his fiancée's eyes twinkled like the stars whenever she made little jokes like that. She looked beautiful and alive and radiant with happiness. It was nearly enough to make a man overlook her family entirely.

Rose reached across the table to cover his hand with hers. "You're being too anxious. They'll love you," she told him, a convincingly upbeat expression already in place.

Scorpius lifted an eyebrow.

Rose hated that eyebrow. She sometimes had dreams about burning it off with a flamethrower.

Her cheery face disappeared instantly under his skepticism. "All right, they'll tolerate you," she amended, making a face at Scorpius. "They'll tolerate you because I love you."

It was interesting how those three words never got old. The one phrase that was never really a cliché, in Scorpius's opinion.

"And you'll tolerate them because I love them."

And it was also interesting how much he hated hearing Rose place any other word besides 'you' after 'I love'.

Scorpius sighed. "I still don't see why we have to tell them," he argued petulantly.

"Because family is important, Scorpius," Rose told him patiently.

"You sound so much like my father, it's uncanny," Scorpius informed her.

Rose decided to ignore that comment. "Look, it's traditional to inform your family that you are getting married. Otherwise, there wouldn't be anyone to eat the expensive yet horrid filth they serve at weddings."

"Yet another reason not to have weddings!" Scorpius couldn't help pointing out. "Filthy yet expensive food – it's a travesty. Not to mention that it would be much much much... healthier for both of us if we just send your family a postcard from Fiji or wherever after we're safely eloped and married and far far away on our honeymoon."

"We are having a wedding, Scorpius," Rose firmly informed him.

It was funny how he was the one with grey eyes, and yet hers were definitely the more steely ones.

"Rosie. No," Scorpius stated firmly. Short but sweet.

"Yes." Even shorter, but much less sweetly said.

"Why?" he asked, exasperated.

"Because I'm not fifteen and knocked up," Rose told him, her lip curling.

There was really very little he could say to that. But Scorpius Malfoy didn't give up that easily.

"That was offensive," Scorpius said at last. "Plenty of non-pregnant people elope, you know."

"Well, we won't be one of them!" Now Rose was beginning to get agitated. "Dammit, Scorpius, I want a wedding, and I want my family to be there, and I want it all to work out! I'm not asking for a fairytale ending here, just a normal boring ordinary happy ending like everyone else!"

Her mouth was turned down, lips slightly parted in indignation. There was an angry flush creeping up her neck. But her eyes still had that pleading expression he had never been able to resist.

Scorpius sighed. He hated losing arguments. "Fine," he muttered. "Fine, fine, fine. We'll have a wedding. Family, friends, fairytale ending, the works." A smile was beginning to form on her face. "But on one condition!" Scorpius hastily added.

Rose resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Scorpius was famous for his 'one condition's. "Go on," she said patiently.

"The food is not only edible, it is sublime. None of that crap stuff they serve usually."

"Ever the aristocrat, aren't we, Malfoy?" Rose replied drily, but Scorpius understood it was her way of not only saying yes, but agreeing with his sentiments.

"Oh yes. Edible food. The Malfoys always set their standards high," he replied in the same vein.

She chuckled. This was what she lived for, this strange banter they had – half-serious, half-jokes, and yet they understood it all perfectly.

"So…when shall we tell them?" Rose asked, aware that they had come back full circle to the same question she had asked ten minutes ago.

Scorpius hid a smile. "I'm sure you already have something in mind, don't you, Rose?"

Rose grinned. He knew her too well. "As a matter of fact...I am now officially inviting you to the annual Weasley Christmas Eve dinner. As my date."

"You Weasleys bring dates to Christmas dinner?" Scorpius asked, curious.

"Well, no," Rose admitted. "Actually, it's family only. By tradition."

"Ah," Scorpius nodded. He had come to hate that word over the course of his life. Tradition. It was like a net that trapped people within themselves, never allowing them to do anything they wanted simply because nobody had done so before. "Good thing we're so good at breaking those."

"Technically, if I brought you, it wouldn't be breaking tradition, though, would it?" Rose asked, a small smile on her face. "You're going to be part of the family soon enough. Part of my family. Probably the most important part."

There was no smile stretching across Scorpius's face, but Rose could see by the way his eyes lit up how much that realization meant to him. His hand gripped hers tightly, and for a moment, it felt like this was eternity, just him looking at her and her looking back at him and last names were inconsequential and nothing and nobody else in the world mattered. Rose couldn't help but feel like the luckiest girl in the world when she saw Scorpius Malfoy gazing at her like that.

And then, of course, he had to go break the spell.

"It's going to be Dad's proudest moment, learning that I'm part of the 'Weasel' family. He'll probably die of happiness."

The glow on Rose's face faded, and Scorpius hurriedly continued. "We'll just have to convince him otherwise, won't we?"

Rose looked up, instantly suspicious. "We?" she asked hesitantly.

"Of course!" Scorpius exclaimed, fake-excited. "We're going to tell them together, aren't we? At the Annual Malfoy New Year's Eve Dinner!"

"What?" Rose asked stupidly.

"Well, that's part of the whole fairytale wedding dream, right? Family! The Malfoys and the Weasleys, under one tent, sipping champagne and toasting the happy newlyweds together!"

He was evil. And he knew it too. He looked angelic, with his blond hair and pale skin, but Rose could see the wicked spark in his eye. It made the pit of her stomach fizzle – the sensation she usually associated with a challenge. And Rose Weasley liked challenges. Especially ones she could win.

"All right," she nodded back at him, and Scorpius stared, a little unnerved by her quick recovery. "But you do realize," and here she leant closer, until they were eye to eye, "that you have to survive Christmas Eve before New Year's Eve, right?"

Scorpius grinned broadly, moving closer still. "I figure it will all be worth it in the end."

"Really," Rose murmured. "And what, exactly, would be worth it?" He was close enough so she could smell his cologne. She breathed in a little deeper.

"Well…" Scorpius answered. "I'm beginning to see the advantages of a wedding. Well, only one advantage, really."

"And that would be…?"

"You," he replied simply, a hover of a smirk around his lips. "You, in a beautiful white dress, with blue stuff along the sides. Walking up the aisle – right between all those Weasleys and Malfoys – towards me. And I'll be waiting at the end, in fancy black dress robes, with a sparkly little ring in my hand, watching you. Waiting for you."

(A/N: Well? How'd you like it? The next chapter is going to be Rose basically teaching Scorpius about her family, and then him teaching her about his, and all that cute stuff. Please review, and tell me how it was, so I can improve!)