Pranks
Scorpius made his way through the small house, grant you not too small. He was currently staying with the Potters. Albus and James were fighting in the backyard, couldn't even remember what exactly they were arguing about. Scorpius had run away while Hugo seemed to be itching for some popcorn.
When he turned down the hall he heard the faint sound of tears emanating from the middle door. Some excellent evaluation work on his part and Scorpius figured out that it was the bathroom. Then he remembered what the Potter boys were fighting about, the color and length Rose's hair came out during their early morning prank.
You see, the Potters and Weasleys -of the Ron variety- live next to each other. The kids usually end up fighting over the undetermined lot lines that vanished years ago. See he had been on the right track with his 'animalistic characteristic' comment; Albus and James were very territorial when it came to that back yard.
Scorpius knocked on the bathroom door and heard a muffled yelp from the other side. "You okay in there?"
"Go away, Malfoy." She seemed the same as ever except for the whimper and nasally edge to her voice.
"What's wrong?" Scorpius hated it when she cried; sometimes it took him weeks before he could get some real sleep after insulting her. The door burst open, for only a second, long enough for one freckled hand to race out, grab his shirt by the fistful, and pull him into the bathroom. The bathroom was laid out in much the same fashion as the Potter one, though the colors varied drastically. The Weasleys' bathroom was a baby blue color with white wood, while the Potter one was yellow with dark wood furnishings.
Rose looked up at him; he tried his best to avoid her eyes, though failed miserably. Her eyes were puffy and red, blue as ever though, and her cheeks were blotched highlighting certain groups of freckles from the rest, she was one pretty sad girl... Not as in really pitiful... No, more a beautiful girl that blesses the frown. "Why did you not stop them from doing this?"
"Cuz' at the time I thought it would be funny.". She shot him a death glare. His eyes traveled along the outline of her face until he came to her hair, where her red locks should be, stood a short spiky mess of green. He felt bad but at the same time, would he been in a small bathroom with Rose Weasley with no shame if they hadn't done this to her hair, no.
He reached to her hair and ran a hand through it, it reminded him of when he met her on accident at the ministry when they we younger. He mumbled the 'Magic Words' -that had been printed on the underside of the Wizarding Wheezes bottle- to the hair she currently sported. Under his fingers her hair grew longer and bounced into it's usual curls. She was looking up from under his hand and arm in an amazement or admiration he couldn't help but get a fuzzy feeling from. This girl was definitely growing on him.
"Katherin!" Scorpius was trounced out of his pleasure as a shriek came from the other side of the bathroom door.
"Well. You should have known better." Scorpius opened the door a crack. He felt Rose squeeze her head under his arm to see. Scorpius blushed but made sure no one saw it.
James was growling at Katherin from Hugo's room. James hair was long and blue. Katherin was grinning with an innocent voice.
"Well, this just keeps getting better." If Hugo hadn't been itching for movie snacks earlier he would be now.
Scorpius couldn't help but roll his eyes at the soon-to-be first year. "Stupid boys." Rose shook her head with a pleasant that didn't really go with her sunset features.
Scorpius looked down at her. "Hey, I'm a boy."
Rose turned her head to look at him. "Yeah, but you're not a Weasley, and you're already a dainty little thing, Mally."
Scorpius grumbled as he left the bathroom. Rose stayed there as Scorpius got closer to see. "What's wrong with you?" James got closer to her.
Scorpius took pride in not understanding James Potter. Scorpius watched confused yet unblinking as James got close enough to Katherin to touch her cheek with his nose. Then that was exactly what he did. "A lot of things." Katherin say it cold and Scorpius winced.
Hugo actually had popcorn in his lap by now and Albus was next to him with nachos. Scorpius mentally agreed with Rose, most boys were stupid.
"I don't mean like that, what did I do?" James looked so concerned Scorpius resolved his not admiring James Rule.
Scorpius wanted to show someone that much concern, it would be nice. Scorpius gave a glance to Rose who was blushing but watching her cousin and Katherin. Scorpius actually wondered whether James and Katherin were dating or not. "A lot of things."
James seemed to get irritated. "Can you tell me what I did so I can apologize?"
Katherin thinks for a moment. "No." Scorpius and the rest of the Potter/Weasley audience were surprised. Katherin usually agrees to simple requests like that, especially if it would award her an apology.
James took a step back from her showing the same reaction as the rest of them. Katherin stared at him cold. "Are you sure?"
"Yes." Katherin turned and stomped out. Scorpius ducked back so she wouldn't see him. Scorpius could see a few faint tears pooling at the edges of her eyes.
Katherin turned suddenly. Hugo's eyes got big with anticipation. Scorpius almost hissed trying to stay concealed from her. Even though it was his first time at the Weasley/Potter household he knew Katherin's wrath from the Hogwarts teachers, staff, and students.
She walked up to a curious James. Scorpius figured James had a death with a long time ago, being friends with Katherin and acting the way he does. Now Scorpius Malfoy can dub James Potter a lunatic -nothing to do with Luna Lovegood/Scamander, though many people think it does- he is actually waiting for his death at the hands of Katherin Markus.
Katherin put her hands in his blue hair. "You be nice to me for the rest of summer?"
Hugo covered his eyes anticipating a gushy moment from his grumblings about cooties and Lily had picked that moment to sit herself beside Hugo with wide eyes toward James and Katherin sipping her juice.
Rose was extremely red due to a Weasley blush, and Albus sat with a horrified expression, he still like-liked Katherin –just another thing that Scorpius didn't understand. Scorpius was reddish, too, but he had known off Katherin for a while and they had met formally once when they were little, he had to admit he had a little bit of a crush on her, one he was trying to smother.
James looked at Katherin from under heavy lids. "I'll try." Scorpius saw the emotion he always saw in Mrs. Weasley's eyes when she looks at Rose's Dad. He saw that look his dad gave his mom, and even the one that Mr. Potter tried to ignore from his wife, until all the kids were supposedly asleep, of course –according to Albus's night escapade stories. Scorpius didn't understand it.
Katherin studied him, like how Rose usually poured over her potion's textbook. "Ceasar's Sunrise." Part of James' long, blue hair fell off, the rest returned to its red-brown color. James smiled at her and Katherin turned to the door again. She tilted her head back over her shoulder. "Don't expect any more favors from me."
James smiled and Katherin smiled back playfully. "Yes ma'am."
Katherin started skipping out of the house, a red blush covering her cheeks. James noticed that he had been watched and growled at each of them individually before following Katherin out to practice Quidditch, they would both be on the Quidditch team the next year and Katherin was going to make sure James was good enough for tryouts.
Rose scurried over to Scorpius. Scorpius was busy watching Lily lecture Hugo about how girl's cooties are better than boy's cooties. It was funny, Hugo gagging and Lily shaking her finger at him.
Rose looked up to Scorpius. Scorpius was –proudly- taller than both Rose and Albus. "Do you think anyone would do all that for me?"
Scorpius hadn't enough energy to say something nasty.
Albus was following Lily and Hugo trying to help Hugo win the argument. Scorpius looked down at Rose. "Someone probably already does."
"Well, that's a lie." Scorpius wanted to tell her it wasn't, but it would have been out of character for 'Mally' to say something like that.
Scorpius wanted to say he would do all that for her, she's a good friend after all. Scorpius had a gut feeling it was more than friendly, but he didn't much care at that point.
"See 'ya, later, Scorp." Rose bounded up the stairs to her room and closed the door, probably to read or write or do homework. Scorpius couldn't quite bottle up the fuzzy feeling in his stomach.
"No, girl's cooties aren't as smelly anyway." Lily told Albus and Hugo
"Well, boy's cooties aren't as bossy." Albus shot back at his sister looking pathetic losing to such a tiny goblin sized creature of a girl compared to him. Scorpius realized that was mean, but it was in his head, and it wouldn't hurt to say what he really thought in his head.
Scorpius couldn't help but notice how bossy Lily was.
"Girl's cooties are smarter." Lily put her hands on her hips and sent them a hard glare. Scorpius walked up to them.
He stood lazily between Albus and Lily with his hands in his pockets. "Albus, would you agree that she is a lot like you're mum?" Albus nodded.
Lily and Hugo looked confused. Scorpius drew on every reserve of maturity he had and dug into the graceful Malfoy genes he had so long ignored. "Would you also agree you are much like your dad?"
Albus nodded again. Scorpius was starting to lose his flowy-ness. He could feel his grownup part melting. "Does your dad ever win in an argument with your mum?"
Lily shook head no like she was her mother and she took credit for the wins. Albus shook his head, too. "Then why would you win against her?'
Lily hopped triumphantly like a jack-rabbit that ate a chocolate frog whole. Scorpius started walking way. Albus followed obviously agreeing. Hugo and Lily carried on their argument, but from Scorpius' experience Albus' Mum and Rose's Mum, if they argued, were about even.
Albus was slumped and it made him look immature next to the still Malfoy façade that Scorpius was about to ditch.
"We are so going to get back at Lily." Albus kicked some rocks on the ground as they made their way from the Wealsey residence to The Potter's.
Scorpius thought back to Rose's crying spell that morning. Scorpius dropped the Malfoy act; it was just him and Albus anyway. "No, no, no, no!" Albus eyed him funny. "I don't like pranks."