Chapter 1 \\ New Year's Eve \\ WICELA
Disclaimer: I do not own the Harry Potter series nor everything that comes with it. The rights go to J.K. Rowling. The only thing I own are the holes in her stories that I filled with my fantasies.
A/N: This first chapter was firstly meant to be an OS. This means that there is a lot happening in this chapter. The next chapters will be more quiet. Also, if you don't want to read the whole story, you can read the first chapter as OS.
Beta: Codename Jellybean (ff)
Last edited: June 16 (2015)
"Morning Weasley! Nice to see you in such a chippy mood!" Scorpius Malfoy was walking into her office.
"Bugger off, Malfoy. I thought Albus said he would come?" Rose Weasley was sitting behind her deks and hoped that Al would appear behind Malfoy's back, saying: 'HA, you totally bought it, didn't you?' But none of that.
"He has taken the day off. Boy drama," Scorpius answered and Rose groaned. She already hated this day without Malfoy being around.
"Again?" she muttered quietly. She moved some papers on her desk to the left when Scorpius decided that he didn't want to be ignored.
"So, and who are you going to kiss on New Year's Eve?" He gave her his famous 'I'm Scorpius Malfoy'-smirk, but Rose just rolled her eyes.
"Shut your mouth and let me do my job, Malfoy. Your job will be a lot easier too if you do so," she said, hoping that he would get the hint.
"I'm just making the best of it!" He protested, but after that he kept his mouth shut. Rose had given him a look and he certainly didn't want to see what would happen if he didn't do it.
Since Rose became one of the best wizard lawyers of the time, and therefor had to defend the new generation of Death Eaters, she wasn't able to live safely. According to the law, everyone deserved a voice in the courtyard, and thereby a lawyer, but according to the people, Rose was a traitor. They thought that if she was dead, this new Death Eater group wouldn't be able to defend themselves, and would straight go to Azkaban. Some other people took that as a challenge.
"Sooooo I just have to sit here and wait for some people to attack me?" Scorpius asked, when he decided it would be safe to talk.
"Grab a book if you like," was all Rose answered, concentrating on her case again.
It wasn't Rose's fault that she had to defend them, so the Ministry decided they would find an Auror to protect her. Rose was very angry at this at first. She didn't need a babysitter! She had been in the top three in her DADA class — defeated by Albus and Scorpius. In spite of that, she decided to make the best of it. When Auror Potter, better known as Al, walked into her living room, Rose couldn't be happier. They hadn't spent much time together since they both left Hogwarts, and now they would have the chance to catch up.
"Well, I must say Weasley, you look better than all those years back in Hogwarts." Scorpius closed his book and winked at her.
"And you're still the same pain in the ass, shamefully," Rose replied, turning a page. She quickly grabbed her pencil to underline the words she was reading. That name, that phrase, she needed her.
"I try to be nice, you know, for Al's sake," he tapped with his finger on the book. Rose knew that he was asking for her attention, but she didn't want to give him the satisfaction.
"Just keep your mouth shut!" she said for the second time. It wasn't only because he was a pain in the ass, but also because she needed to concentrate. This piece...this was important.
Mary Dolohov (halfblood) - bastard daughter of Antonin Dolohov (wizard, pureblood) and Jenn Daisy (muggle) - is the leader of the Knights of Walpurgis. Rose underlined Antonin Dolohov and decided it would be time to talk to her father about this guy.
"Ey, Weasley, where is your boyfriend?" Scorpius sounded…almost nice, but Rose didn't buy it. Concentrate Rose, she said to herself.
"I said: SHUT YOUR MOUTH!"
The truth was that Nick Finch-Fletchley had broken up with her. Rose wasn't that sad about it - he had been very clingy. He totally agreed with the Ministry that she needed an Auror to protect her, but when he heard that Albus's back-up was Scorpius Malfoy, he decided that that wasn't going to happen. Rose didnt mind at the time - she didn't like the thought of Malfoy around her either - but later on she realized why exactly Nick had hated this idea. At the time it was very complicated, but in short, Nick had been so afraid of her cheating on him that he cheated on her. And that brought her here. Very single and no Nick if Albus wouldn't show up. Which was why Malfoy was here.
Rose realized too, that she should've seen it coming. She should've known that Albus wouldn't come. The day before the two of them had been talking about his boyfriend-drama and Albus wasn't very happy that they were broken up again. They kept breaking up, because Albus was afraid to tell his parents his sexuality - although they're already suspecting it. Rose hoped that she finally got through him, because all this drama wasn't good for him - and her.
:: :: ::
While reading her case, Rose realized that the names that were written down wouldn't be new for Scorpius. Antonin Dolohov, Thorfinn Rowle, Walden Macnair. His father and grandfather had been...working with those men. And now all those men had bastard children everywhere. All of them turned out to be half-bloods. Half-bloods who wanted to finish what their fathers - and so Voldemort - had started. It wasn't exactly written down like that - that would cause an one-way ticket to Azkaban - but everyone knew that it actually was exactly like that and Rose Weasley was defending them.
"A bit ironic this is, isn't it?" Rose said all over sudden. She stood up and walked with her mug out of her office.
"What exactly?" he asked, following her. He closed his book and Rose saw that he'd really been reding in the book she gave him. A soft smile appeared on her face as she walked into the kitchen.
"Coffee?" she suggested, knowing that he knew this particularly muggle-treat.
"Yes, please," He answered and she grabbed a mug for him out of her cupboard.
"Milk, sugar?" She asked, while she set coffee with the device her Granny Granger had given her.
"No thanks," Scorpius said, still curious of what she had to say. Rose pushed a button and the device made a sound. She turned around when she began to speak.
"Well, I'm in this case, where I'm defending the new generation of Death Eaters. I defend them, while I'm the daughter of the people, who fought against Voldemort, and you protect me, as the son of an ex-Death Eater." She gave him his mug when the device was done, and walked back into her office.
"I'm simply doing my job, Weasley. Like you do. Like our parents did," Scorpius answered, but he wasn't that nice anymore. What she'd done, she didn't know, but she nodded, and sat down behind her desk.
"How late am I going to be done?" He asked annoyed. Rose saw he was halfway through her book. He was a quick-reader. She knew that already, she realized. At Hogwarts, he'd been quick too. Perhaps she could just send him home when he was done reading her book.
"Soon, I hope. My parents invited me at six and I can probably be there at five and they wouldn't mind. So four more hours, I think," she answered therefore.
"Who are you going to kiss at New Year's Eve?" Scorpius asked, being his annoying-self again.
"Perhaps that question would be as interesting as who aren't you going to kiss at New Year's Eve?" Rose striked back.
"Well that would be easy. You," he smirked and she almost slapped him. The thought why she felt offended, really made her stop from doing it. Why did she felt offended anyways? She should've been happy he didn't want to kiss her.
"I told you before: shut your mouth Malfoy. Otherwise you won't kiss anyone at New Year's Eve," she answered, instead of the slap. Not really the calm remark she wanted to make, but with the discussion going on in her head, she couldn't handle herself.
"Ouch, Weasley. After you gave me coffee, I thought we were beginning to become friends." He didn't mean it, Rose knew, because he still felt offended by her remark.
"You and I can never be friends, Malfoy. Way to complicated." With that, Scorpius stole her Daily Prophet, and Rose continued researching her case.
:: :: ::
"Five o'clock. Malfoy, time to bugger off," Rose decided. She was done with his remarks on everything in the Daily Prophet and hated the fact that she slowly began to like the fact he wasn't one-of-a-kind — like Nick.
"I got the instructions, to bring you to a place where you would be safe and with other people, so you just have to wait for a few more minutes," Scorpius answered. Rose grumbled and walked into her bedroom.
"DON'T YOU DARE TO COME IN!" she shouted, while closing the door. After she put her dress on and opened her curtains, she was shocked.
"DAMN MERLIN!" she shouted again, but this time not because of Scorpius.
"AM I ALLOWED TO COME IN NOW?" he shouted back. Well, perhaps hewas doing his job.
"NO. I'M COMING ALREADY!" Rose opened her door and walked to her living room, dragging Malfoy along.
"Look at that!" She pointed at the white area outside.
"That, Weasley, is called snow," Scorpius answered dryly.
"Yes of course it is, but we can't floo here, apparating is too dangerous for me, and I can't walk out of my house, because I'm snowed in." It wasn't the first time Rose cursed herself for not having a fireplace.
"So now you don't have a New Year's party, what a pity," Scorpius answered, clearly not realizing what this really meant.
"Well, you haven't got one too, because you're not allowed to leave either." Scorpius swore when he realized she was right, and breathed in and out.
"I need coffee," he said, and Rose rolled her eyes. She made some hot chocolate for herself, as they sat there on her couch.
"I must say, I didn't expect to ever sit here on your couch," Scorpius grinned.
"How funny you are. I'm going to send my family a patrones, so they won't have to worry." Rose stood up and thought about how she was going to survive this.
"I'll send one, much safer," Scorpius interrupted her and walked away.
After a few seconds he was back and sat there again. On her couch. With her hot chocolate.
"Nice house you have," he said emotionless.
"I'm not going to be nice to you," Rose said stubbornly.
"C'mon, we're going to celebrate New Year's Eve together! Be a bit nice, Rose!" It was the first time she heard him saying 'Rose' when she was around. According to Albus, he sometimes called her Rose, too, when they were talking about her – Rose was especially curious, why they were talking about her, until she realized, he was Malfoy and not the time thinking about worthy.
"Shut your mouth," she answered.
"Please tell me, you got at least some food?" he begged.
"No! I would celebrate it at home, why should I?" Rose actually didn't know if she had some food, but if she had, he would be the last person to share it with.
"It's a bit pathetic, you still celebrate New Year's Eve at home, isn't it?" His remark came out of nothing, and was full of judgements.
"Perhaps for you it is, for me it's traditional. Everyone eat dinner at their homes and at nine o'clock we would all go to the Burrow to celebrate it there," Rose defended.
"And I imagine that everyone of your family is always present?" He said like it was that predictable. Like her family was just that predictable.
"Vic and Teddy weren't a few years ago, because they were on their honeymoon. The year after, they wanted to spend it with their own little family, and nowadays, they spent it with us again. Also, you can say anything you want, about Do and Roxy, but they're the most loyal of us all. They are always there at New Year's Eve. Boy drama or no boy drama. Albus is mostly there for a few seconds, and than goes, because of Eric. James, Fred and Louis take their birds with them, until uncle Harry and Bill got upset with them about it. Uncle George wasn't upset at all, but they decided, they were all allowed to take two girls with them. James came rarely after that incident, but came last year with his actual girlfriend. Fred comes and goes the whole time and Louis got himself a girlfriend too, but celebrates it with her family. Molly and Lucy would rather read books, instead of celebrating New Year's Eve, but they walk in, just in time to say 'Happy New Year.' Lily and Hugo sometimes celebrate it with their friends, instead of with the family. And…that's all, I think?" Rose shut her mouth, realizing she had been rambling about her family again. To Scorpius Malfoy of all people.
"And you?" he asked, like she didn't bore him.
"Me? I celebrated it with Nick for a long time, but yeah, not anymore," she answered.
"Nick?" He knew Nick. Rose knew, that he knew Nick, and he also knew, that Nick had been her boyfriend.
"Nick as in Nick Finch-Fletchley, reporter of the Daily Prophet?" Scorpius grinned.
"You wouldn't want to be called Nick Finch-Fletchley Weasley anyways," he added and Rose rolled her eyes. Marrying Nick wasn't something she wanted to think about and she didn't even want to think about why Scorpius thought that.
"Yeah, and I wouldn't want a boyfriend overprotecting, like he was. Did you never wonder, why you never had to fill in before? I mean, we both know that Albus isn't that serious at work, when Eric and he got in some trouble again," Rose laughed softly.
"Well, I forgot until this morning that I was actually Albus back-up. Also, it might have slipped your attention, but I asked you earlier today where your boyfriend was," Scorpius raised a brow, pointing out that this time she wouldn't go away with it.
"Ex-boyfriend, thank you very much. He was so protecting and jealous, that he didn't want you to protect me. Why he was afraid of that, I always wondered. Why would he think I would hook up with…you?! If I was going to cheat, I would do it with Frank Longbottem, or so. Or perhaps I wouldn't. Frank would hate me, and Helga would hit me really hard, and I wouldn't have friends anymore," Rose rambled.
"Who's Helga?" Scorpius asked curiosly. Rose looked surprised up. So of all the stuff she'd been rambling about he asked her about Helga? And he didn't remember her? Helga and she might've been the only two girls in Hogwarts who didn't want to date Scorpius.
"Really, did you ever attend Hogwarts? Remember we were always fighting? Helga Jordan? Daughter of the best friend of my uncle George? Helga, daughter of one of the owners of Weasley Wizard Wheezes? That Helga?" Rose exclaimed. It was then, that she realized, she was talking with her hands again. She never did that in a casual conversation. She only did that, if she wanted to explain something, or wasn't thinking about it.
"Tsk, I remember you from Hogwarts - you weren't exactly hard to miss. Plus being friends with your cousin didn't help either. But by any means, that doesn't maen that your friends and I...talked? And how else should I've known them? Do you, for example, know my best friends? Who are they?" Scorpius dared her, and for some reason Rose really wanted to win this dare.
"Al!" She exclaimed happily.
"And?" he asked grinning. She didn't saw that coming. She never thought he had other friends than Al, but that was also because she never payed attention to him.
"I…don't know?" Rose muttered. The thing was, Al had a lot of friends, but his best friends had been Scorpius, Frank and her. She knew how she thought of Scorpius, but never thought about what other people thought of him.
"That's what I mean. You're no better than me!" Now he was as fiercely as she was just a few seconds ago. It was strange, talking to him like this. They were fiercely, but it wasn't pairing with hate.
"Well perhaps you're right. So Malfoy, what do you do during New Year's Eve nowadays?" Rose tried to change the subject. Why were they talking about her ex-boyfriend and their friends anyways?
"With my family and a lot of family friends. Not at home, though. Al has been there sometimes, you know. With Eric, of course." Scorpius rolled his eyes at the last sentence.
"I don't get it! Why doesn't he just tell his parents he's gay? It's not like they don't know?" Rose answered, agreeing with the fact that Al could be so stupid and completely missing the fact that they were agreeing on something.
"It's kinda hard for him, you know. His parents do know it, but his mother has been talking about grandchildren as soon as James stayed as 'loyal' as always after Hogwarts. Albus doesn't want to disappoint his mother by saying, he will never get any grandchildren!" Scorpius said, knowing that someone in the room had to defend Al.
"I know that aunt Ginny has been saying that, and she regretted it the minute she realized, he was gay. Besides: Lily is there too, and she will definitely get children. She will get a whole lot of them. Probably a thousand to begin with," Rose said, defending her point of view.
"And you?" Scorpius asked. Rose didn't know what to answer.
"I don't know. First a boyfriend, I hope," she said in the hope to lighten the situation.
"But you had one, not that long ago. You must have thought about it?" Scorpius pushed. She rolled her eyes.
"I think I would like to have children some day, but I never wanted to have them with Nick. They wouldn't get the time to breath. Perhaps was that one of the reasons we didn't work." And again, they were talking about her relationship with Nick and even of having children. Still, Rose couldn't keep herself from wondering if...
"Do you want to have children?" she asked bluntly. The only reason her body didn't change into a tomato was because she told herself he was asking her this random questions too. She deserved to ask him a few questions and he could have seen this question coming. He hadn't, obviously, and he blushed a bit.
"Do I see a blush at the face of the big, beautiful, womanizer Scorpius Malfoy?" The blush was gone and he stirred.
"So what if I do? So what if I wished I would find a girl that actually likes me?" He answered with defense. He didn't even say anything about her calling him beautiful.
"It's not strange you would like that. I mean: we're twenty-five for Merlin's sake. Our nesting instincts are taking over," Rose said with some sarcasm. To her surprise, he laughed about that.
"But seriously, why are you a womanizer, if you don't want to be that?" Rose was actually wondering about that, when he told her he actually wanted only one girl.
"Because I want people to like me, you know? To know me for other reasons than 'The Ex-Death Eaters-son.' You proved it a few hours ago that I can't walk anywhere without hearing something that has to do with that subject," Scorpius and Rose fnally realized why he felt offended. She bit her lip, knowing that what he had said there was a very good point, but not knowing how to respond.
"Oops...I'm sorry," she said eventually and he laughed.
"Well thanks. I accept your apology. I think that, when I started it all, it was just...I stepped into it when I had the chance. It was better to be known as the womanizer than the Ex-Death Eaters-son," he said quietly. Rose liked to see him like that. Soft kind, less flirty, sincere and as the real Scorpius.
"I get that, you know? Perhaps it's in a different way, but people always see me as the daughter of. The fact that I'm actually a lot like my parents - as loads of people - makes me 'The True Daughter Of,' you know? They don't see me, they see my parents. Everyone just...uses me. And somehwere, being on the other side in this case than everyone expects from me, is just...a relief. Finally I'm doing something nobody expected of me. I disappointed a lot of people by taking this job, but it was smething I had to do to get to the people. I want them to see the real me, not a copy of my parents," Rose said.
"Yeah, we're different from our parents," Scorpius nodded.
"Exactly! And I'm not going to accept it anymore! They laughed for a while and sat there on the couch. Quiet, calm and accepting. It wasn't the first time they actually talked without fighting the whole time, but it was finally more than something that always ended in a fight.
"Hey Rose?" Scorpius asked.
"Mmmm?" Rose said, while resting her head on his shoulder.
"Do you think we will ever become friends?" He referred to the sarcastic remark he had made earlier, and her blunt remark.
"I don't know. Perhaps we already are," she answered in all honesty.
:: :: ::
Rose was opening some cupboards in her kitchen, while singing along with the music Scorpius had found in her living room.
"YOU NEVER BELIEVE WHAT I'VE FOUND!" she screamed in an instance. When he walked into her kitchen, she did some happy-dance, and pointed at her cupboard.
"Food!" she said happily. He immediately grabbed it, and began to eat.
"Hey, me first!" Rose protested. They were behaving like they were friends since kindergarden. They actually knew each other from then — uncle Harry and Teddy's granny had set up a meeting between Teddy and Scorpius. Albus had been there too ,and there was instantly a connection between the two of them. Rose and he had a connection too — it was hate at first sight. It was different now. It seemed like they both were in this same problem, they got over themselves, and finally just talked to each other. Rose had learned his favorite colour — green — and he hers — blue. They were actually having fun, and were decorating Rose's Christmas tree. It was true that Christmas had been over for a few days, but when Scorpius heard that she hadn't had a Christmas tree, he said they could better be late, than do it never. Somewhere in her music-collection were some old Muggle CD's of her mother, who bought it when Rose was really young.
"DO THEY KNOW IT'S CHRISTMAS TIME AT ALL?" Rose sung along. Sorpius just watcher her and looked at her like she was crazy.
"What is that?" he asked with horror.
"Muggle music. Christmas edition. This number is from the eighties, mum told me," Rose said happily. When the next number came, Rose quickly pressed the 'next'-button.
"What? Why are you skipping that one?" He pressed the 'previous'-button — Rose immediately regretted, that she had explained him how her radio worked.
"I…..don't want a lot for Christmas…" began the famous words from Mariah Carey. When she was younger, Rose dreamed on this number, that she would celebrate Christmas with her dream guy. She had skipped the number, because it was embarrassing. Scorpius wasn't that bad and she finally got it why all the girls liked him. This number was just…ruining everything.
"This is…rubbish?" He asked, but when he saw Rose miming the song, he began to listen to the lyrics.
"ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS YOU!" Her head became bright red and suddenly Rose realized what she was wearing. An old pair of jeans, her fathers Weasley-sweater — it was way to big and thereby the reason she wore it. She wore her comfy socks over her jeans. It was all very charming and when she looked at him, she saw a casual-but-a-bit-formal outfit.
"I'm…changing. Don't eat all the food. Be right back," she said, choosing to run away from the situation. Mariah Carey was still singing about how she wanted you for Christmas, and the tension in the living room became tenser. Awkward. With Scorpius. Malfoy. Scorpius. No Malfoy. Scorpius. Help?
Rose found a casual blue sweater, which was warm and properly, and her jeans were replaced by a black pair of trousers. She decided not to wear any shoes, but just socks, because it was just more comfy.
"Sometimes I forget I need to enjoy some parts of life, instead of just wearing what is lying on the ground," Rose explained, hoping it sounded like she was very busy instead of very lazy. Scorpius smiled at her.
"It's pretty," he said. Rose blushed and hoped he didn't tell her that, just to be nice.
"Thanks. I see the Christmas music decided to be over for today?" she chuckled when she heard her favorite band singing about potions.
"Yeah, well, I used your music player — which isn't Muggle, luckily — to play some songs I know," he laughed. They ate something and the Christmas-music-incident was over, Rose hoped.
At the end of the evening, they watched Rose's clock.
"Last minute of the year!" She smiled and he smiled, a bit awkward, back. The tension came back and when they counted the last seconds of the year, Rose didn't know what to do. Did she had to kiss him or hug him or do nothing at all?
"Happy New Year, Rose!" Scorpius said. He smiled at her.
"Happy New Year, Scorpius!" Rose answered. Awkward. She bit on her lip. Why was she disappointed that he didn't kiss her? Why did she feel this strange feeling inside her? When she looked up, she saw he had been staring to the ground as well.
"Eh, I'm sorry that this isn't the New Year's Eve you normally have." Rose decided to say. This wasn't hooking up with all the girls, like he was used to.
"No, don't…I never had the courage to just…do whatever I wanted at New Year's Eve, but now I finally did something else," Scorpius said.
"But it wasn't what you wanted, of course," Rose laughed, but she didn't mean it.
"Yeah, first it was…strange, but it was fun, wasn't it?" he laughed back, but it didn't sound real either. Why were they just a few hours ago talking like friends, and was it awkward now?
"Yeah…it was fun. Strange too, of course. Never spend this much time with you alone, of course," she just stammered something and regretted everything she said. It was awkward. They were awkward. But. They. Were. Awkward. A situation had to be awkward for both, to be really called awkward, James always said. So it was awkward for him, too? But why? Or was she overthinking it?
"Yeah, I think we needed time or something. We just were teenagers when we hated each other, and luckily, we can now look past that," Scorpius said, not looking at her.
"Of course, yeah. Eh, I'm sorry that I'm so boring, but I'm tired from work and…—O, shit, you need to sleep here too, of course!" Rose sighted, but laughed at the same time. She was tired, confused, and this had to happen to her, of course, but she didn't want this to be awkward.
"I'll…eh…I'll manage," he said.
"No you won't, because the sheets are lying in my bedroom, so I'll help you," Rose laughed, but she still felt disappointed, and stood there to take the sheets, when she just wanted to say that he could lie with her. Crazy.
:: :: ::
An hour later she was really lying in her bed, feeling a bit awkward that Scorpius was lying a few inches from her. She almost fell asleep, when someone knocked softly on her door.
"Can I come in?" he asked.
"Mm yes..." she mumbled. She gasped when the light turned on and she saw him standing there in only boxers. He was really fit. Not the over-the-top-really-big-six-pack fit, but the a-bit-of-a-six-pack-which-is-very-very-hot fit. She was just wearing her nightie, without a bra.
"Any resolutions for this year?" he asked grinningly.
"Being nicer to you, obviously," she murmured, as he sat down onto her bed.
"I like that one," he said, smirking. She rolled her eyes, but became bright red, because she didn't meant he would hear that.
"I just wanted to ask if you had another blanket for me, it's really cold there," he said half-flirty. Despite of the fact Rose knew, he could just conjure a warming-spell, and he could just put his shirt on, she didn't say anything about that. Despite of the fact, Rose actually had another blanket, she gave him a smirk.
"I haven't got any left," she said challenging.
"I'm going to steal your bed then." He kicked her out of her bed and placed himself under the sheets.
"You warmed it up, already," he grinned. Her bed was meant for two, thus she climbed into her bed again. He was in the middle of her bed, so she had to lie against him. He turned his body towards her, and smiled at her. He played with her hair, and Rose knew that this was how she supposed to feel with Nick. When he kissed her, she finally felt all the things Lily had asked her, when she told her, she had a relationship with Nick.
The next morning Rose woke up, feeling Scorpius holding her.
"NO WORRIES ROSE, I'M HERE ALREADY!" she heard Al scream. Scorpius woke up, clearly confused.
"What's happening?" he asked in a sleepy voice.
"Well, I think we need to get decent and quick, because Al is here," she said, almost panicking. He was immediately awake, grinned and kissed her forehead.
"I will only leave if you agree to one thing," he said with a seducing smile.
"Which is?" Rose asked, knowing that this couldn't mean anything good.
"Will you go out with me?"
