Disclaimer: It's JKR's world, and I'm just living in it!

This story is from Scorpius Malfoy's POV.

Stacks

"Oh, piss…"

I look up from my transfiguration essay and glance at the empty tables surrounding me, trying to find the source of this exclamation. It's almost curfew. Who the hell is still in the library at this hour?

I get up, preparing to exercise some Head Boy power and yell at the culprit, but as I step around the nearest row of stacks I see none other than Rose Weasley.

I should've known. Can't avoid me forever I guess.

I notice her sucking on the tip of her ring finger with a pained look on her face. "Paper-cut, Weasley?" I ask quietly as I conjure a bandage. She jumps, startled to see me and then scowls. I take the seat next to her and grab her hand to apply the dressing.

"I can do that myself, thanks," she says with hostility as she snatches her hand away. I smirk and lean back in my chair to watch her. A strand of hair hangs in front of her eyes and I resist the urge to give it a tug.

As I continue to watch her, I see her cheeks heat up slightly. She looks at me with a scathing glare and shoots, "What exactly do you want, Malfoy?"

"Well, I heard someone yelling curse words a few minutes before curfew and came over to investigate. Of course, when I realized it was you, I figured I might as well sit down."

I pause as she scowls.

"I haven't actually spoken to you in days, so I thought if I sat down now, you might give up on the silent treatment." I watch as her eyes widen before she scoffs.

"I'm not avoiding you, Malfoy, if that's what you're implying. I've been busy studying for mid-terms." Her cheeks are still rosy as I briefly lock my eyes with hers.

I give a derisive laugh and ask, "So you're avoiding your judgmental family, then?"

She raises her eyebrows at me in a look of disbelief. It's a look I've come to know well in recent weeks.

"My family is not judgmental, Malfoy. You don't know anything about them." So, I guess she isn't going to let me win this one easily.

"Hmm," I begin thoughtfully, "So if they aren't judgmental, what did they say when you told them about us?"

Her eyes shoot daggers at me, but I grin slightly and she almost imperceptibly softens her glare.

She shakes her head as if clearing out thoughts she doesn't want. "There is no us, Malfoy."

I feign a look of hurt to cover up my actual disappointment.

She brushes a curl out of her eyes and continues unprompted. "I was up for nearly 72 straight hours when… that… happened. You can't hold me accountable for my actions!" She is definitely frustrated now and I hide a smile. "What makes you think things are any different now than they were?" she continues to ramble, "The kiss didn't mean anything. We are enemies and always have been. Unless you forgot, Malfoy, we hate each other."

I take a split second to decide to take an honest approach to this argument.

"I'm pretty sure I've made it pretty clear that I don't hate you, Rose. Or are the past few months not evidence enough?"

She looks shocked and opens her mouth to say something, but closes it again. She wrings her hands for what seems like forever. Finally she says tentatively, "I know your game, Malfoy. I've gone to school with you for seven years. I've seen you seduce plenty of girls and then break their hearts. Heck, some of them were my friends and I had to listen to night after night of tears! I'm not some stupid bimbo that you can love and leave!"

I see a hint of hurt in her eyes before she looks away.

"You know I don't feel the same about you as I felt about the others," I say quietly. When she doesn't respond, I continue, "I thought I clarified my feelings the other night. And for the record, I was only up for about 12 hours at the time, so I knew full well what I was saying. Or do you need me to refresh your memory?"

She looks at me with her sapphire eyes, giving away a hint of feeling that I'm sure I'm not supposed to see. But I guess after all this time, I've learned to read Rose Weasley pretty well.

"Listen, Malfoy…" she begins, but I cut her off.

"Actually, Rose, maybe you should listen to me for once. I mean really listen." She stares at her hands, so I continue. "I've spent plenty of time listening to you. And watching you. And trying to get closer to you. Once I finally realized I don't give a damn what my family thinks, I really tried to make you see that I cared about you. Care about you. A lot."

She snaps her eyes back to mine and I try to ignore the nerves I feel.

"I kissed you the other night, because it's what I've been wanting to do for the past few years. Maybe longer, if I'm really honest with myself. And I really felt like you might've finally been coming around. After all, you have been spending time with me lately, seemingly of your own volition."

She gets up from her chair and starts pacing, totally unaware that we are now breaking curfew.

She picks up her quill and starts chewing on the end of it before finally standing still and looking at me. I force myself to remain seated. "So, you really are serious then?" she asks feebly, skepticism written all over her features. And maybe a hint of hope, unless that is just wishful thinking on my part.

"What else do you want me to say or do to prove it to you?" I ask with slight hostility. She locks her eyes onto mine and my heart speeds up as I wait for her next move. She leans against the bookshelf behind her and looks at her feet. God, Weasley. Don't leave me hanging.

Finally, her eyes meet mine and she whispers something that sounds suspiciously like "Kiss me."

I feel my pulse speed up even more. "Sorry, Weasley. I didn't catch that," I say. Just to make sure.

She rolls her eyes, but blushes. "You asked what I want you to do to prove how you feel." She takes a deep breath. "So kiss me."

I get up and walk the short distance to her.

"I tried this once already, you know…" I start, but I'm cut off as she pulls my face towards hers. This is different from the last kiss we shared. I feel her pull me close and I wrap my arms around her waist, trying to transmit everything I'm thinking to her without breaking our contact. She entangles a hand in my hair and I feel her give a hint of a smile. So maybe this kiss will actually convince her.

But it didn't last time. And I can't leave anything up to chance anymore.

She pulls away for a breath of air and in a fraction of a second, I decide what I need to do.

"I'm in love with you, Rose Weasley," I whisper quietly.

She locks her eyes onto mine, sapphire and silver meeting once again, and I wait apprehensively for her to respond. After a few seconds that feel like an eternity, I watch her smile genuinely for the first time tonight.

"Yeah," she says with a teasing look. "I know."

I roll my eyes and kiss her again as she scribbles a note on a spare piece of paper with the quill she is still holding. She stuffs it in my pocket and it isn't until hours lately when we're lying together in front of the fire in the Heads' dorms that I see it says "I love you, too."

As I was editing chapters for my current novel-length fic (called Intoxication, which you should all check out!), I was struck with sudden inspiration for this one-shot. I've never written a one-shot before... I tend to be rather long-winded when it comes to creative writing, so this is really a bit of an experiment.

Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this one! I'd love to hear your thoughts in the reviews! And I hope you check out my other Rose/Scorp fic! :)