Awkward
Finally, it was the summer hols and Scorpius Malfoy couldn't wait! His best friend and girlfriend of almost a year was coming to stay with him at his family home in Mayfair for two weeks and then he was going to stay at her cousin, Albus Potter's home in the country before their seventh year began. Scorpius kissed the redhead next to him on the cheek as the Hogwarts Express rolled into Kings Cross Station. His mum and dad already knew her, of course, but he was looking forward to introducing Rose Weasley to them for the first time as his steady girlfriend.
Smiling, he gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. She grinned back and his stomach flipped. She always had that effect on him.
Scorpius had been enamored with her since the middle of his fifth year after he realized that underneath her tom-boy exterior was a young woman. It had taken her dating one of James Potter's seventh year dorm mates for him to realize it though. At first there hadn't been a difference in their friendship; she'd still hung out with him and Albus every night in the Gryffindor common room. Then, as the weeks went by, she had been around less and less opting to spend her evenings watching Ian Wood play Quidditch or practicing spells with he and James instead. The first signs of jealousy started to rear their ugly head.
When he'd been doing prefect patrols with his Hufflepuff partner they had caught Rose and Ian snogging behind a tapestry and Scorpius flew off the handle. He'd accused her of being irresponsible and Ian of taking advantage of her. It was then that Scorpius realized that he had a huge problem: He had a serious crush on his best friend.
It had been October when that had happened, and it was the middle of November before they had spoken at any length again. Albus had been a mediator and sat between them during all their classes. They made up just before Christmas holidays and were fighting again by Valentine's Day. Only after Albus locked them under a staircase together for six hours did they sort through their differences. When Rose and Ian broke up just after Easter, Scorpius had been her shoulder to cry on. He did not know what he wanted to do more, curse Ian Wood in his sleep for hurting her, or leave him a box of Honeydukes chocolate for giving Scorpius a clear opening to pursue Rose.
She hadn't dated anyone again until Scorpius had finally got up the courage to snog her senseless during an outing to Diagon Alley last summer. Albus ran ahead of them to get a better look at the new Nimbus racing broom in Quality Quidditch Supplies. Scorpius had grabbed her by the hand and pulled her into an alleyway next to Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. Rose had started to protest until Scorpius had silenced her with a timid kiss. Much to Scorpius' surprise, Rose Weasley had wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back! They started dating officially the next week on the train back to school.
Albus stood and pulled his trunk down from the overhead. "I'll meet you two on the platform. I'm sure Uncle Ron will want to speak to you before you head off to Malfoy's house." The grin on his face was nothing short of diabolical.
Rose groaned and hid her face against his shoulder. "You love me, right?" she asked, "because if you don't, now would be the time to bail."
Scorpius laughed.
"I'm not kidding…" Rose warned.
"I've met your dad before," Scorpius said shrugging, "And you've stayed at my house before."
"We weren't dating," she pointed out.
He grimaced as he pulled down their trunks and Rose's owl cage from the rack. He cast a silent charm and sent the trunks out of the compartment just ahead of them. Scorpius waved at his mum and dad as he descended the steps from the train. "I'll catch up with you in a minute, Rose." She nodded and ran off toward the huge mob that was her family.
"Scorpius!" Astoria Malfoy all but squealed with delight, her eyes crinkling at the corners. "Oh dear, we've missed you!" She kissed him on the corner of the mouth and he fought a blush. She always did this to him. He pushed down his embarrassment.
He smiled fondly at her and kissed her back, "Hello, mother. I've missed you too." He glanced back over his shoulder looking for Rose again, but she was impossible to spot in the sea of redheaded cousins, aunts and uncles.
"You'll see her soon enough," his father said with a smirk. He threw a casual arm over Scorpius' shoulder and gave him a tight squeeze.
"It's been so quiet without you around, dear," his mother said sliding her arm around his waist and hugging him again.
"No one playing Quidditch in the upstairs parlor," Draco Malfoy added ruefully.
"Or blowing up my prize gardenias," his mother added putting a hand on her husband's arm. Her mouth twitched at the corner. "You and Albus were quite a pair this past Easter."
Scorpius smiled sheepishly. It was a never-ending source of amusement to his parents that he had landed himself a place in Gryffindor house and befriended the offspring of his father's school-day rivals. At first his father had been somewhat appalled when Scorpius had written to him after the sorting, but more than anything he had been shocked. His mother and his Grandma Cissy had been in Ravenclaw, but never had a Malfoy or Greengrass been sorted into Gryffindor house.
"We'll try to keep it down," Scorpius promised.
"Speaking of which," his father said, slanting a glance at his wife who quickly busied herself fetching a trolley for his and Rose's trunks. "Are you and Rose…"
"Oh Merlin!" Scorpius groaned. Then, blushing to the roots of his blond hair he studied his black trainers intently.
"I just want to make sure that you are being safe," Draco said quietly, "You are being safe, aren't you?"
"Dad…"
"Aren't you?"
"We haven't… you know…"
Draco cocked an eyebrow at his son.
"Merlin, we haven't had sex," Scorpius hissed embarrassedly. "We've only been dating for 10 months."
"Your mother and I had only been dating for six months when we got married," his father retorted. "We certainly weren't virgins on our wedding night."
"Oh bugger…"
His father pursed his lips at his son's language. "I know it is a bit shocking to find out that your parents have had sex before," Draco said sardonically, "but we really care about you and Rose and we don't want to see you get into trouble before you are ready for the responsibility."
"They taught us contraceptive charms in Fifth year," Scorpius mumbled toeing the red brick he was standing on.
"And…" the elder Malfoy continued.
"There's more?"
Draco chuckled. "Yes, Scorpius, there is more." He became very serious "I know you and Rose have been friendly for a long time—"
"Since first year," Scorpius supplied.
"Yes, since first year," his father agreed, "And because you have known her for so long, sometimes you might forget that she is a young lady. I know she plays Quidditch and climbs trees, and blows things up with you and the Potter kid, but you need to remember that she is a lady and should be treated as such." He paused and put a stern hand on his son's shoulder, "If I ever get wind of you pressuring her… you won't be able to find your bits and pieces, Scorpius. You will act as a gentleman at all times. Do I make myself clear?"
"I would never!" Scorpius said horrified at the very idea.
"Good, then you had better go fetch her. You're mother has a ladies charity dinner at seven, and she wanted to dress Rose up and take her along."
***~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~***
Rose glanced across the platform at Scorpius as his mother and father greeted him warmly. She threw herself into her dad's arms and gave him a loud kiss on the cheek, "I missed you, daddy!" she said grinning at him.
Ron Weasley ruffled his daughter's short hair and grinned back at her."Where's that Malfoy kid?" he asked.
"His name is Scorpius, Daddy."
"I know, but it's so much more fun for you to remind me all the time," he said cheekily. Rose elbowed her father in the ribs as he pulled her under his wing. "Can we talk for a minute?"
"Sure daddy," she agreed already knowing what was coming. She was going to get the abstinence talk again. No sex is the only safe sex and the like. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw her mother disengage from Hugo's enthusiastic retelling of the Quidditch House Cup game and come to flank her left side.
Her father looked at her closely and sighed. His cheeks were already tinged red. She'd gotten a version of this talk when she had Dated Ian Wood in her fifth year. "You're so grown up, Rosie." He sounded sad.
Hermione Weasley looked at her critically as well, "Your father and I just want to know that you are prepared."
Rose hopped up on the crate next to the brick wall where they had stopped. She knit her brows in confusion. "I don't know—"
"For sex, Rose," her mum said. "We know you and Scorpius are serious, and we could preach to you about not having sex and waiting for marriage, but we know that while that would be the best course, it rarely happens."
Ron glanced sidelong at his wife and smirked. "Very rarely," he added.
Hermione glared at him and hissed, "We are trying to discourage her, you prat!"
"And though we both agree that you should wait to… you know… until you are married, we would rather you were prepared should the, um, occasion arise ahead of that schedule. That is," he added, "If the occasion hasn't already arisen."
If Rose weren't about to die of embarrassment, she would have laughed at her father's lack of finesse. "It, um, hasn't," she muttered looking down at her hands twisting in her lap. She didn't think that this would be the time to mention that she thought, nay, hoped it would arise while she was staying over. They were, after all, both of age now.
"Well that's good then," Ron said on a sigh of relief.
"But if it does," her mum pressed, "Do you know the proper contraceptive charms?"
"Yes mum," she said not meeting her eye.
"Good, good," Hermione said briskly, "And you know the, erm, other charms?"
Rose's eyes snapped up. Her mother's face was flushed and she was digging through her large shoulder bag. "Other charms?"
"I'm just going to… go see about that Quidditch Cup," her father said biting his lip and backing away before turning and sprinting back toward the crowd.
Rose worried her lip with her teeth and twisted a silver band around her index finger.
"Now," Hermione said, adopting her know-it-all teaching voice. "There are certain things that happen to a female when she is aroused."
"Oh Merlin's balls, mum! Stop."
"Rose Weasley!"
"Sorry," she apologized, "Just please… I don't want to hear about this in a public place."
"Well you didn't give me much choice," her mother snapped. "You went away to school and were only home for three days at Christmas and even less at Easter."
Sighing, Rose said, "I'm sorry mum. It's just…embarrassing."
Finally, Hermione pulled a worn leather-bound book out of her purse. "Here," she said thrusting the palm sized book at her daughter. It was navy blue and dog-eared, "Your Grandma gave that to me before I married your father. I think it was in her sock drawer for fifty years."
Rose read the title, "A Married Witch's Guide to Lovemaking…. Mum? You can't be serious."
"There are certain things in that book that you should know prior to having sex," Hermione said matter-of-factly, "and if you won't hear them from me, read about them. Giving up your virginity is a big deal, Rose, and I want you to be fully prepared before you do it."
"Thanks mum," she said climbing down and giving her a hug, "I love you, and I want you to know that before I do anything, I'll think it through."
"That is all I can ask for. You have sound judgment and a level head," her mum said hugging her back. "You had better get over there. I think your father and Uncle Harry just cornered Scorpius."
"Bugger… Sorry mum!" Rose called as she made line for the three men.
"I caught the snitch every game this season," she heard Scorpius say brightly.
Her dad and Uncle Harry laughed and clapped him on the back. "Good year, Malfoy," Uncle Harry said. "It's too bad it wasn't enough to get the house cup from Slytherin though. I thought when James graduated that you lot would stop losing so many points."
"They won't win until these three are gone," her father said glancing back at Hugo and grinning, "They are always getting up to something. I swear, Hermione is about to lose her sanity. If she gets called up to the school one more time because one of you set off fireworks in the dungeons, she is going to burn down that joke shop."
Scorpius chuckled.
"Now," Ron said suddenly turning on Scorpius, "If my daughter winds up pregnant while living under my roof…" He let the warning hang, "They won't be able to find any pieces of you big enough to catch the snitch and win the house cup next year. Clear?"
"Incredibly," Scorpius said glancing at her as she approached. "I'd never hurt her."
"Not intentionally," Ron said, his tone softening, "But accidents…"
"Mr. Weasley, Mr. Potter," Scorpius said lowering his voice so Rose could barely hear his words, "I want you to know that I plan on marrying Rose after school. And should an accident occur—because I cannot guarantee it won't—I would do the right thing. I love her."
Rose smiled and walked between her uncle and father to Scorpius' side. She was bolstered by her boyfriend's courage in the face of two grown Aurors. She lifted her chin, "Should we decide to take our relationship a step further, we will be careful. I have no desire to have babies before I am married." She raised an eyebrow at her father and her uncle Harry snorted. "So you can stop intimidating Scorpius."
"We were older," her father said. "And who told you?"
"Aunt Ginny told me. She also told me about her and Uncle Harry during her fifth year…"
Harry's face paled and he took a step away from Ron as the redhead rounded on his best mate. "You…? She was only 15!"
"She's my wife," Harry said weakly.
"She wasn't then… she was my little sister!"
"Woops," Rose muttered. "Bye daddy! I love you!" she said enthusiastically and wrapped her arms around her father's middle to try and diffuse the situation. She stood on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek then glanced at her uncle and motioned with her head for him to get out while she was between them.
Ron was still glaring at his brother in law, but he kissed Rose on the top of the head, "Love you too, Rosie."
"Well," said Scorpius after some time, "This has been awkward."
Rose snorted behind her hand. She couldn't have agreed more. They made their way back toward his family. "Did you really mean it? What you said to Dad and Uncle Harry?" she asked, her eyes shining with curiosity.
"I, um… You heard that?" he asked nervously.
She nodded mutely.
"Yes," he said shyly. "I meant every word. But I didn't want to bring it up for quite some time yet."
"Why in Merlin's name not?" Rose wondered aloud. "I've been planning on marrying you since we were twelve and you climbed the oak behind The Burrow to save Mr. Floppy Ears." She laughed gaily at the thought, "And then you threatened to bloody James' nose if he didn't apologize even though he and Fred were both way bigger than you."
"Hey, I'd do anything for my best girl," Scorpius said with a grin. Rose rolled her eyes. He'd been stuffed into a linen closet for that, but her stuffed bunny had been rescued.
"It was very brave," Rose said slipping her arm around his waist as they met up with Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy near the exit.
"Mum, Dad. This is Rose Weasley, my steady girlfriend of nearly a year," Scorpius said grinning proudly.
Draco and Astoria both chuckled indulgently. "Welcome to our clan, Rose," Mrs. Malfoy said taking her by the arm. "We've got to hurry up and get home if we want you fitted for your robes."
"My robes?" Rose said looking around worriedly.
"Scorpius didn't mention it?" Astoria said frowning. "We've got a lady's charity function for St. Mungo's Spell Damage ward. I am very involved, you know? And then I thought you and I could go out for ice cream and have a chat. Girl talk."
"Not you, too Mother?" Scorpius whined. "I just got threatened by Father and two Aurors."
Rose heard Mr. Malfoy snort just before he crossed through the barrier to Muggle London. She could feel her cheeks flame up again at the implications of Scorpius' words. She was going to get the talk from his mother too.
"Threaten, dear? No, I would never threaten Rose. I am just going to offer her some… advice." The blond woman gave Rose a sidelong glance and winked suggestively.
"What color are the robes?" Rose asked quickly, trying to change the subject. In her family, she spent a lot of time mediating before things escalated. It was like her purpose.
"That's a good girl," Astoria said with an approving twinkle in her eye just before she tugged Rose through the barrier into King's Cross.