Rose:
Everybody knows the story of Romeo and Juliet, a love so powerful, a love designed by fate. My name is Rose Weasley and I am going to tell you another story, my story. A story about Scorpius Malfoy, the star-crossed love of my life.
Our story starts on the 1ste of September. I was on my way to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and the excitement was uncontainable. Thought after thought raced through my mind. I'd finally get to see the castle with its many turrets and towers and eat in the Great Hall (something my dad told me all about, try the treacle tart – a tip from uncle Harry) and I'd get to have classes (something mum never stops talking about). I was especially looking forward to Transfiguration, the art of turning one thing into another! I'd get owl post, learn to make objects fly, sleep in my four-poster bed in the dormitory, wear my scarlet and gold, watch Quidditch. I'd get to visit Hagrid in his hut out in the grounds and have tea with uncle Neville and listen to his many fascinating stories, like when he was nearly bitten by the Venomous Tentacula or that time he was almost strangled by Devil's Snare. I was finally going to be a Hogwarts student!
I stood listening to the hooting of owls, the purr of the many coloured cats and to the steam pouring from the scarlet steam engine train. "Make sure you beat him in every test Rosie. Thank God you inherited your mother's brains" my dad was saying and the sound of my name bought me back to reality. "Ron, for heaven's sake" mom was saying with a half smile. "Don't try to turn them against each other before they've even started school!" "You're right, sorry" dad said giving mom his most placating smile. "Don't get too friendly with him through Rosie". Through a gap in the crowd I could see who my father was referring too. There stood a little family of three, the woman was rake thin and had her dark hair pulled into a knob at the base of her neck. The man next to her wore a dark coat buttoned up to his throat; his hand resting on a cane topped with the head of a serpent and with them stood a boy who had to be about my age. He had inherited his father's silvery white hair and wore a haughty expression that made him look wealthy and renowned. "Granddad Weasley would never forgive you if you married a pureblood".
I saw him again a couple of hours later as he hurried up the step and sat on the stool, his blonde head disappearing underneath the Sorting Hat. Scorpius Malfoy was sorted into Slytherin, I was sorted into Gryffindor.
Scorpius:
If you ask me when I first noticed Rose I know the answer. The first two years at Hogwarts are blurs of colour, and food, Quidditch, snowball fights and magic spells but I still remember that day of my third year in Technicolor. It was the first week back after holidays and we had Transfiguration with the Gryffindors that year and by the work of the gods both Rose and I where late (something that happened rarely, if ever). We pelted towards the door from opposite ends of the hallway and nearly ran each other over in the haste to get inside. "Watch it, Weasley" I said turning to face her smiling mockingly. Her bright red hair hung in curls around her face and it felt like the bottom of my stomach was giving out when she looked at me and smiled. "You are the one in the way, Malfoy" she said with a little laugh before hurrying inside. I knew from that moment on. After that day classes with the Gryffindors where my favourite because I got to see 'the smile'. It made my day that smile…
Rose:
I remember another day, a day when fate was toying with my emotions. It was the end of our fourth year and we were waiting for exam results. It was a beautiful, lazy summer day and a bunch of us were hanging out by the edge of the lake dangling our toes into the dark water. Some boys where braving the cold water and the Giant Squid to take a dip. My discussion with Fiona about Charms question 235 'Discuss the Cheering Charm' was cut short when we got hit with a cold spray of drops. A tall boy from Slytherin who looked like a giant sloth had just trudges his way out of the water and was shagging his hair in our direction like a giant dog. "Excuse me…" I muttered. He just looked me straight in the eye, sneered and hurried further up the lawn to where a bunch of Slytherins where lounging underneath a tree. "Cheer up, Weasley" said a voice and my eyes where drawn back to the water's edge where Scorpius stood. He was wearing silver swimming trunks and the bright sunlight turned his hair into a bright halo around his head and water dripped steadily onto his pale shoulders. I couldn't help but smile, it was involuntary but I tried to reply bitingly. "Keep you mates in check won't you!" In reply he only winked.
I admit that was the first night I dreamt of Scorpius Malfoy, I dreamt of his steely grey eyes watching me.
The gods started working their magic at the start of our fifth year. It started around my family breakfast table. It was two weeks before the start of the new term and two large tawny owls had just brought our Hogwarts letters. I had slipped open the heavy parchment envelope and there among my letters lay a perfectly round golden pin with a bright red P emblazoned on it.
It was the holidays, or the pressure of studying up my fifth year course material in advance to prepare for the OWL exams but I'd completely forgotten that prefects would be chosen this year and the round pin left me speechless. "Ro yove ok…?" asked Hugo through a mouth crammed with scrambled eggs. I nodded with a tiny smile as I reached in and put the pin on the kitchen table. My mother made a sound like an excited piglet (or a Banshee – take your pick) and kissed every part of my face she could reach before making an excited phone call to aunt Ginny and my dad just kept petting the top of my head in a way that said – 'Who's a good Rosie…"
Albus had been made prefect too and I was thankful, not only did it divide the attention and my grandmother Molly's constant coddling but it was good to know I'd have Al with me. He was with me when we boarded the train and together we set of toward the prefect's compartment at the front. Luke was elected head boy and I gave him a friendly nod as I took my seat. We had "history" (if you could even call it that). Luke was part of James's little group of pranksters, but he was definitely the most responsible of the lot, and the smartest in his year. He took me to the ball last year, where both mine and his toes where constantly stepped on followed by a very wet kiss in front of the Fat Lady. We quickly decided it was our fate to only be friends… I eyed the other chosen ones counting them of in my head: two from Ravenclaw and two from Hufflepuff. The Slytherin girl was still on her own and the head girl, a girl from Ravenclaw named Trish was just about to speak when the door slid open. "You're late" Trish barked. "Sorry about that Trish" came the slow drawl and my head snapped up. Scorpius was standing in the doorway his black robes billowing around his skinny frame with the silver pin with its green P pinned to his collar.
"Who will volunteer for first watch?" Trish was saying and instinctively I put my hand up. If I finished my shift early I could still reread that chapter on antidotes before we reached Hogwarts. "And me…" Scorpius said getting up from his seat before Trish could argue. Albus gave me a quizzical look but I got up and hurried through the door that Scorpius was holding open before he could ask any questions.
"So why don't we talk more?" Scorpius asked as we walked slowly down the corridor. "Maybe because we are not friends…" I replied peering through a compartment window. It was a compartment full of scared looking first years all staring at the ground or out a window. "We could be friends" "We could" I agreed. "Well let it state that from today, this moment, on this train, we are friends". Scorpius held out his hand and I took it. "Friends, Malfoy". He smirked, "First rule of friendship club is you have to stop calling me Malfoy". "Okay Scorpius" I whispered, my hand still in his. "Okay Rose" he replied softly. Okay.
From that moment on we where friends, as if some invisible wall between us had been broken. James, Albus, Hugo and Lily did not approve (in fact it felt like nobody approved). "He's a Malfoy" they would mutter when we studied together in the library or they saw us in the courtyard together at lunch time. I wrote of their comments as Quidditch rivalry, especially Albus's. Scorpius was the Seeker for the Slytherin team and Albus for Gryffindor and it was only a testosterone driven fight.
It was a Hogsmeade weekend (let the plot thicken). I was heading to the village with a group of my friends and we were nearing the front door when I heard my name being called. "Rooooseee!" I turned and it was hard to miss the head of silvery hair streaking towards me. "Come to the village with me today…" he said with a smile, "don't say no!" I could only manage an okay in reply my ears turning bright red. I gave my friends apologetic glances; the girls where all smiling and nodding encouragingly but Albus was giving me what could only be described as a 'stink eye'.
We talked classes and OWL's, prefect duties, food and even family on our way into the village and I was so enthralled by the conversation that I only recognised Madam Puddifoot's little shop when we were right outside the door. The though ran through my mind unchecked – 'this is not a place where friends go… this is a place where couples go'. I followed him inside without a word however and we grabbed a table in the corner. By the end of the two hours under the dim lights of the shop, with the light classical music and two cups of tea and a shared piece of Madam Puddifoot's famous four-tier caramel fudge cake I was sure it is date.
"So friend Rose" Scorpius said into a silent moment. "Yes, friend Scorpius?" I replied mockingly. "Wouldyouliketogototheballwithme?" he mumbled.
He was looking at the table, a light pink flooding his pale cheeks. The ball… After last year's attempt with Luke I'd hardly given this year's ball any thought. The ball is held every year and students fourth year and older are invited to attend. The ball is held in commemoration of the battle of Hogwarts and all the lives lost.
"Well?" he said looking up at me. His grey eyes held my brown eyes and as if from a distance I heard myself say yes.
If I though writing home for a new dress was stressful, or telling James, Albus and Hugo who my date would be or working for hours to get my bushy hair straight it was nothing compared to the moments right before the ball. We were from different houses so we met in the Entrance Hall and I counted the brackets on the walls to calm myself down. He was late.
Scorpius:
I know she thought I was late for the ball but I wasn't. I was by the door that led to the dungeons and I was staring at her from a distance. I was too scared to move, or speak or even blink - scared that this angel might disappear. Her dress was the colour of the ocean; made of some soft shimmery material that hugged her body, showing the curve of her waist. Her bright red hair, normally bushy and overbearing was slicked back and turned into a chignon on top of her head. She was in one word – breathtaking.
Rose:
I was starting to worry when I heard a familiar drawl from right behind me. "Evening friend Rose, you look …" he paused, "well you look beautiful Rosie" he said. I felt my ears turn bright red and I cursed myself internally for not wearing my hair down, but I smiled. "You look quite dashing yourself" and he did… He was wearing silvery dress robes complete with a silvery blue tie with his blonde hair slicked back making his profile sharp and striking. He walked me into the hall and to my surprise didn't head for the table where a bunch of Slytherins where seated but right for the table with James and his date Megan, Albus and Fiona and Sebastian, James's unruly friend, and his date, who also happened to be my cousin, Molly. "We don't have to sit with them…" I muttered. "Let them stare" Scorpius whispered softly before extending his hand to Albus. "Albus, is this seat taken?"
The Headmaster made a speech of remembrance to every person lost in the Battle of Hogwarts and we drank deeply from our goblets of pumpkin juice. "Now let the ball begin! he said and a band came trooping onto the little stage. "Let us drink another toast" James said. "Let us drink to Fred, raise you're glassed for Remus Lupin and raise the roof for Nymphadora Tonks".
I was afraid of our first dance and on the second song Scorpius got up from his seat and extended a hand. I gave Albus a frightened look and he gave me a smile that clearly said – just go already! The song was slow and he led me steadily across the floor, his strong arm curled around my back, the other holding lightly onto my fingers. He was dancing carefully, turning me slowly as if he was a frame and I was a piece of art he was showing off to the entire hall. We danced and danced; slow songs, even up tempo where he was swinging me in every direction to the sound of the pounding drums. I was sad as every song ended because I knew it brought the night closer to its end.
"Let's go for a walk" he whispered as I put down my spoon having just finished my treacle tart. "Okay…" I replied, my heart pounding in my throat. "See you in the Common Room Albus" I called and Albus only winked at me. It was a dark night with dark stormy clouds obscuring most of the stars and the occasional rumble of thunder joining the other evening sounds. We walked over the lawns and somewhere Scorpius took my hand in his. By Murphy's Law just as we reached the edge of the lake there was another rumble of lighting and drops started to fall, landing with soft plonking sounds in the large lake. "Oh my hair" I laughed facing Scorpius, "it's going to frizz like crazy now". "I don't care" he replied, "I love the bushy hair…" he reached and pulled the clip from my chignon and I felt my hair tumble to my shoulders. "I had a really good time tonight…" he said and he took a step towards me. "Me too" I said stepping closer still. The gap between us was so small now that I could see the strands of silver in his hair and the specks of dark blue around his iris.
"Good" he said closing the gap and pressing his lips to mine. His lips where warm and soft and seemed to fit perfectly on mine. It was as if I'd taken a large gulp of Firewhiskey and the bright heat was spreading from my stomach to the tips of my fingers and toes. I don't know how long we stood there in the rain, but when we pulled apart I was breathless. "Okay?" he asked. "Perfect" I replied.
I lay in bed that night thinking… I could still feel his lips, a memory pressed against mine. I could still feel his strong hand on my waist and the other hand curled into my hair. I could still feel the soft material of his dress robes beneath my fingers and if I closed my eyes I could still trace the line of his jaw. I lay there and thought of three things.
One: Scorpius Malfoy is a Slytherin
Two: I wondered if anybody would ever approve of him completely, least of all my father.
But third I knew that I was completely in love with him.
Scorpius and I had a long talk, stretched out under a tree by the lake. We would be together, "I don't have the power to stay away from you anymore…" he said, slowly tucking a strand of my red hair behind my ear. We would however not make it official until we tell our parents.
"My father is a very strange man; he'll be madder that I didn't tell him, than about who I am dating" "You think so? My dad just doesn't like the sound Malfoy". "Maybe I could change my surname?" Scorpius said with a tiny smile. "What's in a name? A rose by any other name would smell as sweet… So Scorpius would where he not Scorpius called retain that dear perfection" I quoted my version of Shakespeare and he smiled before kissing me.
The next few weeks with me dating Scorpius Malfoy gave the school juicy gossip. I overheard two girls chatting about it in the bathrooms and had to hide in my stall until after they left. Whispers followed Scorpius and me through the halls like an annoying shadow. My romance did however bring surprises too, people who were being supportive! Here was Albus and Fiona chatting idly to Scorpius in the courtyard during morning break. James inviting us to join him and a group of friends for a butterbeer at the Three Broomsticks. Lily patiently listening to me babble on and on about Scorpius and Hugo, my little brother, who knew everything but didn't breathe a word to our parents.
The last day of term came too quickly and it was the end of year feast. Gryffindor had won the Housecup by a small margin thanks to Albus and his skill at finding the Golden Snitch. We celebrated and Albus gave me a quick hug before hurrying down the table towards Fiona. "Congratulations I hear are in order" Scorpius said from behind me, he had left his table and was smiling down at me. "To you too, second place!" I smiled playfully. "Yes, we at Slytherin are very proud of our second place. We are not letting it go any time soon" I could only smile. He made me smile all the time. My mind and my heart struggled with each other. If this was wrong – then why did it feel so right?
My parents were waiting by the barrier and I pasted on the best brightest smile I had. We had decided together that we would tell our parents tomorrow and I planned to enjoy the first day back, in case tomorrow turned into a fight. My mother kept asking about the OWL exams, I told her everything (except the hours Scorpius and I studied together in the library or that he quizzed me before every paper until I knew every answer by heart). Hugo kept them equally busy with stories of classes, and his first year on the Quidditch team as Keeper. Every time my mother tried to ask about the ball Hugo would just launch into another story and I loved him for it.
The first day was however a grace period and before I knew it, it was the second day and it was dinner time, and time for me to tell my parents. I leaned against the wall outside our kitchen taking steadying breaths. Scorpius is worth it I told myself a thousand times. "Sis" Hugo called running down the hall "this just came for you!" he handed the letter to me, squeezed my hand and walked into the kitchen. I folded open the parchment and I immediately recognised the writing.
Dear Rosie
I know you're are scared of telling your parents. I am too, I want desperately for them to approve because I know if my parents just got to know you they would fall in love with you just like I have. I wanted to write to tell you that I love you Rose Weasley. I have loved you since the first day when your hand shot up in Potions class and you knew all the answers. I knew since that day you beat me out for first in our year. I cherished every time you looked my way or called me Malfoy. I wanted to stretch the moments I have with you for eternity and I want to thank you for giving me forever in our numbered months. I hope this letter finds you before you speak to your parents…
Yours Always
Scorpius Malfoy
His letter gave me strength and I walked into that kitchen sure of what I wanted to say and I did say it. I sat my parents down and started speaking. My dad's ears turned to red faster than a set of traffic lights but I ploughed on, begging with them to understand. I told them he made me feel special, how much we had in common and that I would really love if they would give their blessing. By the time I finished speaking I was breathless and I couldn't look at either of them so I looked out the window and out at the green lawn. "Well maybe Granddad Weasley and I can forgive you for dating a pureblood…" my dad said into the silence.
The happiness was everywhere as I ran to my room, it was in every thought that ran through my mind, it seemed to bubble from every pore and light sparkled in my eyes. The story of Romeo and Juliet I decided is a bad story. Fate bought them together, fate doesn't make mistakes. They were meant to be, but fate can't do all the work. I grabbed the parchment from my bag in the corner and pulled up a chair by my desk. You have to do some things by yourself, maybe if the two had just spoken to their parents and explained? I smiled to myself as I uncorked my ink bottle and dipped my quill into it.
My Scorpius
I am yours if you want me…
Love Rosie.