The familiar sound of the Hogwarts Express chugging into King's Cross Station sends a shot of excitement and pure joy through me. I will finally be coming back. To see everyone I have grown up with at Hogwarts struggle with trunks, hug friends, show off new brooms, and reignite Quidditch rivalries makes me happy.

I push my trolley through Platform 9 ¾, my little brother Hugo close behind. I love him to death, really, but he can be a pain at times. He's nine and reminds me of Lily when she was his age.

"But, Mum can't I come this year? It's only two years!" Hugo whines as he trails behind our parents. His red curls bounce as he hops up and down, "Please! Please! Please! Please!"

Mum turns and places a hand on Hugo's shoulder, "No Hugo. You'll just have to wait two more years." she says and her tone means the discussion has come to a close.

"Don't worry Hugo, I'll write to you." I say, ruffling his hair.

Dad hands me the Hogsmeade permission slip with his scrawl at the bottom, "Have fun this year, Rosie. Study hard but don't stress. OWLs aren't as bad as you think they are."

I hug him and plant a kiss on his cheek, "Thanks Dad. Love you."

"You too, Rosie." he replies.

Mum's standing by Hugo. I give her a big hug and a kiss too. "Bye Rosie, we'll see you at Christmas, okay? Don't forget to give Neville and Hannah our love."

I blush, "Mum, he's my professor."

"Well, he's still family."

"Fine, Mum, fine." I giggle, thinking of Professor Longbottom in a knit jumper with a giant N on the front.

I catch Albus walking to a compartment. He's my cousin, Aunt Ginny and Uncle Harry's son. He defied the tradition of Potter/Weasley children always going to Gryffindor. He's Slytherin which is about the most un-Potter/Weasley thing to be.

"Rosie!" Al says and hugs me, "I was just going to put my stuff away and find you!"

I smile and straighten my blue and bronze striped tie. I'm already in my uniform. I have always done this and Mum said she did too.

"Let me go find Lily, she's probably around with her friends or something. I'll be right back." Al says.

I shrug, "Take all the time you need. I'll be reading, you know me."

The Sorting Hat put me Ravenclaw, a decent and well-respected house in our family since my cousins Roxanne, Louis, and Lucy are in it.

I slide open the compartment door, not paying attention. The other person who is as much of a surprise with their sorting is-

Oooff! I step back in surprise and trip on my trunk in the hallway. Who would be the idiot standing in the doorway?

"Bloody hell! Don't you know not to stand in the doorway. People are still coming in!" I huff angrily at the victim of my rage.

"Watch where you're going next time, Weasley." I can already tell who it is I bumped into without looking. I aristocratic tinge to his voice annoys me yet makes me blush. If he wasn't Albus' best mate I would give him the time of the day. Or would I…

"Malfoy." I glare at him.

He shrugs, takes my hand, and pulls me up.

"Ever the gentleman, are you, Malfoy?" I smirk at him.

He smirks back, "Absolutely."

I feel my ears get red and I cover them with my hair. Easy. My fiery curls are the best curtains.

We both stand awkwardly until I clear my throat and lug my trunk into the compartment with my bag over my shoulder. My furry cat, Fluffy (a nod to my parents' and uncle's adventures), scampers onto my lap. I hear Malfoy sigh and look up over my book to see him turn his head towards the window.

Malfoy is Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy, a thoroughly blonde haired and steely grey eyed Malfoy at that. He's his father's son as much as I am my father's daughter (with a bit of Mum mixed in). In addition to being the arrogant prig he is, I have to admit he is stunningly handsome. It doesn't help that he's in Ravenclaw (another interesting sorting, eh?).

He's got practically every girl in Hogwarts drooling over him (even Lily, embarrassingly enough), except me. Well, maybe.

Albus comes in and I can see with his frown he is hit by the awkward and hate radiating from the room.

"Yeesh, Scorp, lighten up. You look like you've been set up on a blind date with Millie Parkinson." he says.

Lily follows him in, giggling madly. I don't know why she is at first but then she mouths to me, "The romantic tension is killing me." and pretends to fan herself.

I stand up and squeeze her arm tightly, leading her to the seat next to me, grumbling things about freckly cousins who should mind their own business.

"Ow, Rosie." she squeals but doesn't sit down, "I want the window."

I heave an annoyed sigh, "Lily, I'm not getting up just because-"

Then, to my surprise, Malfoy get up. "Stop arguing, honestly. You're giving me a headache. Potter, just sit here." and he motions to his spot.

Lily is genuinely surprised but the twinkle in her eye makes me realize it was her plan. And it has delighted her that it has worked.

I hit my forehead with the palm of my hand. Stupid Rose.

I think by this time Albus catches on. He blushes and hisses, "Lily…"

She merely giggles and plops herself down in Malfoy's former spot.

And Malfoy tries to place his long limbs (did I mention he's very tall?) in a comfortable position. I smirk because I've never seen him so awkward in his life.

I am happy to report the rest of the train ride was most displeasing (or was it?), considering I was kissed by Malfoy.

Yes, my friend, you heard me right, kissed by Malfoy.

First, there was the whole incident of Slytherins coming to fawn over Albus and seeing Malfoy there is an extra bonus for them. He's every Slytherin girl's dream. One thing we have in common (besides our intelligence and pride and house), is a burning passionate hate for a girl known as Millie Parkinson. Plus her group of giggling fawny eyed followers.

Millie comes in, dressed in Slytherin robes, twirling a lock of her black hair. The whole lot of them giggle madly behind her.

She looks at Al and back at Scorpius and chooses Scorpius.

"So, Scorpius, what do you do at Ravenclaw? I'm sure it's terribly boring." she flashes him a smile.

Her cronies giggle on cue.

"Well, if you must know," Malfoy drawls rather rudely (good for him), "I spend much of my time studying and that. Of course, I wouldn't expect you to do that. You can hardly spell your own name. That's why your mother made it so short." he says, emotionless.

She and her cronies let our identical gasps of shock. "Well, I, never! Scorpius Malfoy! You are the rudest arse who walked the Earth!" she shrieks and turns on her heal, slamming the door closed with a loud crash.

My mouth widens with a smile of amusement. For a second we lock eyes but I see the blush in his cheeks and feel the redness of mine, and we turn away.

Next, it is the ever so annoying Jonathan Smollen, who's been trying to date me since I saw me at the library first year.

Leave it to Malfoy to save me. Really, how can my day get any stranger?

I get a creepy feeling and I look over to Malfoy, but it isn't him. Then, he's sees Jonathan before me. Out of the corner of my eye, the door opens and a blur of brown hair pops his head in.

I mutter a string of curse words under my breath and quickly try to put the book up in front of my face but someone is quicker.

Malfoy pulls me close to him and drapes an arm lazily across my shoulder. "Lean in," he hisses in my ear.

As shocked as I am, I do what he says.

"Oi! Rose! I've been wanting to talk-"says Jonathan but as pops his head in he sees Malfoy and I in an affectionate embrace.

"Oh, well- I- um, see ya Rose." he stutters and turns ten shades of red, closing the door.

I sit, absolutely shocked. Why would Malfoy ever help me? More importantly, why would I let him hug me?

I realize we have been sitting locked in each other for a very long time. A disturbing amount of time.

I jump back and he lets go of me smirking.

I hear snickering and both Albus and Lily have each other's hands over the other's mouths, their faces red.

I turn scarlet and slump in my seat.

Malfoy smirks with his arm crossed over his chest, "Mission accomplished, Weasley."

Then, the grand finale, my friends. Malfoy's ex-girlfriend, Emily Bletchley, is a spoiled pureblood fool. She is so thick and only thinks about boys, her hair, and her nails. I'm surprised a smart prig like Malfoy could last so long with her. The most important thing about Emily is that she wants Malfoy back, but he wants nothing of her.

I see her first, this time. She throws open the door and flips her blonde hair for dramatic affect.

"Scorp, we need to talk." she bats her eyelashes at him.

Malfoy chuckles, "I think you've forgotten. We broke up last year and I no longer associate with you, or any Slytherins."

Albus looks considerably hurt.

"Sorry Al." he mutters.

Emily also looks considerably hurt. "I thought you loved me! You said you did!" she screams as fat tears stream down her cheeks.

"Bravo! Bravo! Great acting!" I cry and applaud her before I can stop myself.

She glares at me as Malfoy laughs. A sincere laugh. One I've never heard before.

"Oh and who are you?" Emily says with her hands on her hips.

I stand up and face her, my hands on my hips, "Rose Weasley, for your information."

Malfoy lets out a low whistle.

I turn to him, "Not helping Mal-"Then, I get a great idea.

I wink at Al and Lily and finish my sentence," Not helping matters at the moment, Sc-Scorpius." Saying his name unnerves me. But the effect is good.

"Are you dating Rose Weasley? Are you?" she screams again. What a drama queen.

Malfoy- excuse me- Scorpius replies simply, "Yes, yes I am." and spins me towards him.

At this point I'm genuinely surprised. Not part of my plan!

He bends over and plants I kiss on my lips, holding my hair and waist. I grab his shoulders, almost naturally. I loose my breath for a moment and I'm not thinking straight.

We stay like this for a very long time. A very, very long time. A very, very, very long time.

"Geeze, come up for air, will ya?" complains Al.

"Go get a room!" That's Lily. I'll kill her.

I turn around. I hear a frustrated huff and see a blonde blur turn and storm out of the compartment.

I turn back and see Lily, Al, and Scorpius Malfoy staring at me. Lily with pure bliss. Al with pure amazement. And Scorpius with something- I'm not sure. I see light in his steel grey eyes but his mouth is firmly set in a trademark smirk.

He comes over to me and bends over, whispering, "You liked that, didn't you, Weasley?"

The Hogwarts Express' whistle shrills, signaling that we have reached Hogwarts.

I take a deep breath and begin to follow out Lily and Al, who have already left. Scorpius catches my wrist. "Hogsmeade, first butterbeer of the school year?" he says, putting his arm around my waist. Wait, excuse me?

I hesitate, and pause to think. Well, no harm would be done…

Scorpius grins and kisses me again. "You think too much, you know that, Rosie?"

My heart flutters.

I feel every stare of every girl on me, glares of pure envy, as Scorpius and I get off the train together. News travels fast.

Then, to make it better, we kiss again.

The look on their faces was worth it.