Chapter One

AN: hey, so this is my first story, and so I figured I would start with a multi-chapter. I hope you like it… And pretty please review, because I would love to get feedback on anything. Thanks!

Summary: Scorpius isn't as perfect as everyone thinks, but he's close. And when you are this close to perfection, you'll do anything, and he'll do anything to get her this time. A glimpse into Scorpius and Rose's sixth year, as Scorpius tries to win Rose's heart.

Disclaimer: Naturally, the characters and setting and just about everything belong to J.K. Rowling. Only this plotline belongs to me. And perhaps some minor characters that pop up along the way.

If Scorpius had to tell you his fatal flaw, his true downfall, he would have to say her. Just her. But perhaps it was his pride or narcissism even, but in reality, she was his biggest flaw by far.

The whole mess began on the first day of term. Rose had finally been sorted after years of eagerly waiting her fate. She sat upon the stool and felt the hat being placed upon her head. A voice, quiet at first, began to whisper, getting louder and louder with each consideration.

"A wise one, you are, but not stupid enough to say it. Naturally, the Weasley spirit is alive deep within you, so my choice should be so simple." This time, the voice practically screamed "Gryffindor!"

A large mass of people stood up and cheered at the table elaborately decorated in red and gold banners and tablecloths. Rose hopped cheerily from off the stool and took her place among her family members, right across from her cousin Albus. That was the first time he ever truly looked at her. She was sitting there, swaying in her seat, almost dizzy, with the biggest and silliest looking smile he had ever seen. She had so much life, so much energy within her and all he wanted then was to know her. So being the Gryffindor he was, eager to prove himself different, he stuck his hand diagonally across the table and spoke up with the confidence of a fourth year.

"Rose Weasley, right? I'm Scorpius." He smiled, hoping to the heavens that his smile was charming and showed how genuinely great of a person he could be.

"Malfoy?" She raised her eyebrow slightly, and upon seeing him nod, took his hand and continued. "It's a pleasure."

He should have realized then, how quickly she could grab a hold of him. How difficult she could make his life, and with such ease. But he didn't care. He was already a goner.

"Hey Rose?" I whispered.

The library was packed for a Saturday afternoon, and voices could easily be heard in full volume conversations. Rose turned to look at me and rolled her eyes.

"You'll get me kicked out!" she whisper-shouted back.

"And one more conversation is really going to be a problem? I think your brother is more likely to be kicked out right about now." We both turned to look towards Hugo, who had, until a moment ago, been carrying on a conversation with some girl in his year. However, in the time it took me to get Rose's attention, they had moved on. And I had just directed her attention at her little brother, snogging the face off some girl in the library. I almost smacked myself. "Anyways… moving on. I need a favor"

"What is it?"

"I need you to forgive me."

"Not happening."

"Why not?" She rolled her eyes and began to gather up her belongings. "I'll write your charms essay!" I almost shouted my suggestion, causing several heads to turn in our direction. At this, she actually turned and walked out the door. I ran after her. Suddenly, a crazy idea popped into my head. "I'll take you to see the Weird Sisters." She turned around, puzzled.

Now, normally I would never offer something like that on a whim. Honestly, I would rather have my ears mutilated by Celestina Warbeck's idea of Christmas songs than I would go see the men who call themselves 'The Weird Sisters'. But Rose was upset with me and they are her favorite band, so I had almost no choice. A few hours of torture was a worthy price.

"You're joking." Her statement was almost a question.

"I swear to you. This summer, we'll go."

"But you HATE them."

"But you don't." And then I got exactly what I had been hoping for- a smile. Rose was smiling at me for the first time in two miserable weeks. "So do you forgive me?"

"Fine, but you still owe me an explanation." I put my arm around her shoulder as we walked along the corridors and back to the Gryffindor Tower as I explained to her exactly why I had been such an arse. "Well, you see Tabitha- you remember her, right? Well, anyways, I promised her I would take her to Hogsmeade. Albus said he was going to go with you since he didn't have a date, but he never told me he was going with Longbottom. Yes, I should have asked you if you were okay with me ditching the group, but I wasn't really thinking straight was I? I mean I had exams and Father's been nagging me and, honestly, my excuses aren't that good are they?" She shook her head violently.

"Rather awful, actually. But it's okay. I forgive you, anyways." She hugged me around my middle and we walked through the open portrait and into our common room. We sat on the couch for a long time, with her spread across the couch and over me, continually on the brink of sleep, but talking to me nonetheless. I told me all about the boredom that has ensued in the last two weeks, during which she refused to even speak to me, and she told me about her Hogsmeade trip. Sometime around midnight Roses sentences became a dull mumble and her eyes kept closing. Within a few minutes, she was fast asleep in my arms. For a moment, frozen in time, everything was okay again and I had everything I ever needed.

Then I remembered that my bed was waiting for me up the stairs. I groaned and looked around to see if anyone could help Rose up to her room. Of course, it was only the two of us left in the common room, and I wasn't about to go up to the girls' dormitory. I had made that mistake once before, and it ended with a laughing Rose at the top of the stairs as I tripped down the newfound slide that had taken the place of the steps. So groggily, I picked Rose up and climbed up the stairs to my dorm.

The room was dark, but I could hear Albus and my other roommates snoring on the other end of the room. I laid Rose down on my bed and tucked her in. Satisfied with my solution, I grabbed a spare pillow and blanket and took my place on the floor and fell fast asleep.

When morning came, I had almost forgotten that Rose was sleeping in my bed and that she was more a morning person than I was. So naturally it came as a shock when she peeked over the bed, hair as wild as a brush fire, and poked me in the ribs mercilessly until I woke up.

I was resisting the urge to wake up, until she grabbed my hand and pulled me off the floor. I rubbed my eyes and wobbled around.

"Come on, Rose. It's only 8:30." I grumbled.

"But I talked to Dumbledore and McGonagall, and we can go to Hogsmeade, but the passage is closing in an hour." Her girlish whine made it difficult to argue

As a duty of the prefects, Rose and I were permitted to take approved trips through the numerous passageways that connected Hogwarts to the outside world. After the Second Wizarding War in 1998, the castle ruins had left some gaps in security, taking form as the 73 secret passages that provided non-magical transportation into Hogwarts. This came as a way for Muggle parents to bring their kids to school at the beginning of term, but it made it difficult to ensure the castle's security. Prefect duties expanded as a result, and now prefects could travel to and from Hogsmeade, the Quidditch pitch, and the ruins so long as they had clearance from Headmaster McGonagall or a Head of House. Naturally, the most convenient and favored way was through the Room of Requirement, behind the portrait of a quiet young woman, which led directly into the Hog's Head tavern. Referred to by the professors as 'the eighth passage', this one required the permission of Aberforth but was the safest and shortest, and only used by students. There was no risk of having to be chaperoned or caught by sinister forces. It was simply for personal use when free time arose.

Once I was up off the floor, Rose took off to go get ready. Across the room, each of the guys was quietly dreaming. All except for Albus, who sat up in bed, half hidden by the shadows, grinning expectantly at me.

"Wipe that smirk off your face and help me find my badge, would you?" He still continued to grin, waiting patiently.

"So why was Rose in our room last night?" His eyebrow raised, the face plastered nearly permanent now.

"Quit looking at me, or you'll be stuck like that. She's talking to me again. Back to normal." Al and I were pretty sure that ditching Rose wasn't going to make or break our friendship, but you never know.

"I swear if you don't make a move one of these days, I'm going to tell her myself. Now hurry up. She's probably already waiting for you."

As Albus predicted, Rose was sitting on the couch, reading a book. When she heard my footsteps behind her, she jumped off the chair, and dragged me towards the Room of Requirement.

"Hurry, we have to get there before the breakfast rush."