Meeting My Daughter's Boyfriend
Written for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry (Challenges and Assignments) Divination Assignment #2
Task 2: Write about a mother or a father (or both), and how they feel while their adolescent daughter is beginning to date/bring home a boyfriend/girlfriend for the first time.
Pairing: Rose/Scorpius and Ron/Hermione
"Ronald, you need to stay calm. He will be arriving soon, and I want you to be on your best behaviour. This boy is important to Rose, and you need to remember that tonight."
I resisted the urge to snort as Hermione says this to me. Be calm? Of course, it's not like my sixteen-year-old daughter is dating Scorpius bloody Malfoy! After everything I have told Rose about the Malfoy's over the years, she decides to date one and has apparently "fallen in love" with him.
I snap out of my thoughts to see my wife looking at me worriedly. "I'll be perfectly calm, Hermione, but isn't a father allowed to freak out a little when his daughter starts dating a boy for the first time?"
"You are going to be civil aren't you, Ron?" Hermione still looks anxious, and I hesitate before answering.
"I'll do my best, love," I answer honestly.
We hear a door upstairs closing and footsteps can be heard coming down the stairs. That will be Rose; I think to myself as we both walk into the hallway. Sure enough, my baby girl is stood on the last step, but she doesn't look like my baby girl anymore. I groan as I realise she has put on makeup and has put something in her hair to make it straight and shiny. Last, of all, I notice she is wearing a knee-length black dress with a pair of high heels. Where the bloody hell she get them? She looks far too grown up! I open my mouth to speak, but Hermione has predicted what I am about to say and nudges me painfully in the ribs.
"You look stunning, Rosie! Where is Scorpius taking you?" Hermione says while beaming encouragingly at our daughter.
Rose beams back at her mother, looking pleased with the compliment. "Thanks, Mum. Scorpius is taking me out to dinner, but I don't know where as he wants it to be a surprise."
Great! My daughter is going off with a Malfoy, and I don't know where he's taking her. I choke back my anger and smile at Rose when she looks at me, apparently waiting for me to say something. "You do look beautiful, Rosie. A little too grown up for my liking, but beautiful."
Rose giggles and rolls her eyes at me as she walks forward to hug me. "Oh, Dad, I should have known you would say something like that. You're not going to embarrass me in front of Scorpius, are you?"
I put on a mysterious air and shrug my shoulders. "Now that would be telling, Rose. After all, isn't it a parent's job to embarrass their children as much as is humanly possible?"
Before she can reply, there is a knock at the door, and Rose rushes to answer it. She opens the door and in steps a young boy who is the spitting image of his father, Draco Malfoy. Just the sound of his name makes me want to grit my teeth and tear my hair out. I remind myself that his son is said to be very different to his father and I do my best to keep thoughts of the ferret out of my head.
Rose greets her date with a hug and brings him over to us. "Mum, Dad, this is my boyfriend, Scorpius Malfoy."
"Hello, Mr and Mrs Weasley. It's great to meet you both finally. Rose talks about you so much that I feel like I already know you." Scorpius smiles nervously.
"Hello, Scorpius, it's nice to meet you too. Please call me Hermione as Mrs Weasley is my mother-in-law," Hermione jokes as she smiles warmly at the boy.
The boy looks at me, and I can see the fear in his eyes. He seems to have been dreading this moment as much as I have. Good. I hold out a hand, and he shakes it, wincing slightly at my grip. "I'm Ronald Weasley, and it's a pleasure to meet you, Scorpius," I lie in a way that I hope is convincing.
"I'm delighted to meet you, Sir." Sir? I like that.
"So I hear you are taking my little girl out to a restaurant?"
"Ron!"
"Dad!"
I continue to stare at Scorpius and ignore the cries of my wife and daughter. Scorpius surprises me by staring right back. "That's right, Sir. Is there a certain time you would like me to bring her back by?"
"I would like her back here no later than eleven."
"That's fine."
He turns to Rose and grins. "You look amazing! Are you ready to get going?"
Rose smiles and nods in response, giving us both a hug. "Bye! I'll see you later!" Her excitement is contagious, and I can't help but feel happy for her.
"Have a wonderful time, Rosie."
"Thanks, Dad!"
I exchange nods with Scorpius, and he says a final goodbye to Hermione before they are out the door. Hermione laughs and turns to look at me. "Well apart from the 'my little girl' comment from you, I think that went pretty well. I'm proud of you, Ron."
I roll my eyes and kiss her. "Always the tone of surprise, Mrs Weasley. I thought you would have more faith in me by now."
"You know I always have faith in you, Ron. I love you."
"I love you, too."
