"That was low, Malfoy," Rose said as she whirled around, her fiery curly strands flying to smack her across the eyes. "Going to Hugo was really low."

"Yeah, I know." He closed the door and walked into the chamber, hands stuffed into his pants pockets so he wouldn't be tempted to reach out and grab her. "Desperate times, you know…"

"You fought dirty," she snapped, interrupting him. "I'll have to remember that."

"You left me no choice." He couldn't let this go. Couldn't walk away and pretend everything was fine. Scorpius would have used whatever weapons he had at his disposal to convince her to marry him. He was, after all, a Slytherin through and through. "Besides, you won't think that I'd walk away that easy, right? You know me better."

"But going to Hugo? I wouldn't have thought you'd— you'd......." she said, letting her gaze sweep the dark grayish living room. He looked at it through her eyes and watched her noted the dusty, unadorned furniture, bathed in the bright silver moonlight.

Her gaze swept to the bleak walls which lacked of anything homey, and then to the barred windows, the reminders of pastimes, when his grandfather tried to appease his dark lord's wishes.

"This manor is awful." Scorpius sighed at her comment.

"Yes, I went to your brother, and told him about our baby, and getting this black eye, and also, fortunately, his consent upon our marriage,—and Malfoy Manor isn't that bad. Don't compare it to The Burrows" Rose frowned.

"They're incomparable. Not even the slightest. Besides, you've never been in The Burrows"

"I can guess."

"Yet, this?" She turned in a half circle, waving her hand. He watched her, as she shook her head in disbelief. "It's like a dungeon." She looked at him again. "You're taking this little gray world of yours too far."

"I'm not here a lot." He scowled.

"Good for you." She shook her head again and then—as if reminded—got back on track. "Anyway, the point is, I'm not going to marry you just because you get Hugo mad at me. Though, I thank him of giving you that black eye. That's what a brother should do. And, He's pretty good at it. Besides, you deserve it."

"Damn it, Rose," he said, walked closer to Rose, unable to keep his distance, nor his temper. "I don't want my child born a bastard."

She flinched and pulled her head back to stare at him astonished. "That's a foul word, Scorpius. And an archaic one."

He barked a laugh that scraped his throat and tore his heart. "It's so easy for someone like you."

"What? Someone like me?" Scorpius shook his head miserably.

"Yes, I know that Molly raised you two along with those bunches of happy red-headed family, that it wasn't your parents who raised you and Hugo. But the reason you didn't grow up with them is because they died. Who doesn't know about the famous Ronald and Hermione Weasley? And their legendary bravery as the aurors?"

Note: It's my first fanfiction. Since I am only a fan, I don't own the characters. I just love them as much as Rowling--the real owner--does.