"Miss Weasley," a low voice says in my ear as strong arms are wrapped around my waist. I can't help the smile that creeps onto my face as I turn my head into the lips of Scorpius Malfoy, kissing him softly.
"Mr Malfoy," I greet, coyly, turning in his arms to face him. Scorpius looks down at me with sapphire eyes which soften when he looks at me.
Our moment is ruined by mock-retching sounds coming from behind me. "Get a room, guys," my best friend and cousin Albus Potter, looks green at mine and Scorpius' public display of affection.
"Oh grow up," I snap irritably. "And in case you were wondering, it's behaviour like that which means you don't get dates." I add primly.
"I get dates, Rose," says Al defensively.
"Yeah but the clue is in the plural there, Al," I point out. "You can't get girls to stay with you."
My two best friends, Jennie and Clem look amused. Scorpius also chuckles; he and Albus are the ultimate double act, except of course for my cousins James and Dominique.
I wrap my arms around Scorpius' middle and give a little sigh of contentment as I feel the muscles in his back flex and contract in the ways that I'm so accustomed to. Using one hand, Scorpius tips my chin up to kiss me again which earns another groan from Albus.
"Oh for God's sake – put her down!"
"Aw, Al – you've never been protective of me before!" I say with a smile. "How sweet." Albus scowls at me.
"Rosie, we're off to the common room – you coming?" Jennie prompts me and I nod.
"S'later, Malfoy," I say and give him a quick kiss on the cheek.
"S'later, Weasley," he replies.
Clem, Jennie and I make our way up to Gryffindor common room and Clem pushes her arm through mine and we take our favourite table by the window. Clem and Jennie sit opposite me to work on a Transfiguration essay together. I study my two best friends; Clem's perfectly straight flaxen hair is just past her shoulders and seems to glow in the candlelight. She rakes her hand through her hair and looks up at me with big brown eyes. She makes a face at me while Jennie tries to explain something and when Jennie catches her, she smacks our friend lightly round the head with some rolled up parchment. I've always been jealous of Jennie's hair; dark in colour and softly curling in ringlets down to her waist in the way I wish mine would.
And then there's me: small at the age of 18, wild curly red hair: the colour from my father, and the body from my mother. I'm slender, I guess. But that's only because I spent my childhood running around rural fields with my many cousins and playing Quidditch before I was actually allowed.
"Yo, sis," I turn around and see my brother Hugo stood behind me. For being two years younger than me, he's almost double my height.
"What's up, Hugh?" I ask.
"Uh," he starts and I know it's not going to be good. "Have you had an owl from mum yet?"
I scowl at him. "No. Why. What have you done?"
"I got in trouble for bewitching the suits of armour on the third floor to sing Christmas carols."
"Hugo, its September."
"Maybe that's why McGonagall was so annoyed," he muses.
"You're stupid," I tell him. "Now go and do something useful." I shoo him away and watch his retreating back. Secretly, I'm a little bit proud of him – I'd never dare to break the rules like that.
"Hot damn, Rose," Clem and Jennie are fanning themselves with their essay parchments. "If your brother wasn't two years younger," Clem says suggestively.
"At least he's of legal consenting age though," Jennie interjects slyly.
"Oh my God, you two, stop it; that's my brother." I'm a little bit disgusted.
"Yeah but surely you'd like it to be one of us to take Hugo's –"
"STOP!" I say a little too loudly. "Please control your hormones; I do not want to hear about what you want to do to my brother. It's unsettling."
Clem sighs theatrically.
"So what are you and Scorpius going to do when we leave school?" Jennie asks to change the subject.
"Ah, the dreaded topic," I say, my voice heavy with meaning. It's a topic that Scorpius and I have warily entered into, but have mostly tried to pretend that it isn't happening. After all, it's only late September. "I don't know. I think we're just going to take everything as it comes and see what happens. What about you, Clem?" I turn the attention onto Clem who makes a face.
Clem and her boyfriend Rich have been dating for 8 months and they're a quietly well matched couple. "I don't know," Clem admits. "He wants to pursue Quidditch, and I want to settle down."
"Settle down!? Jeez, Clem; you're barely 18!" Jennie hisses.
"Oh calm down," Clem rolls her eyes. "I mean, he wants to work crappy Quidditch jobs in the hope of getting signed and I want to actually get a proper stable job." She sighs. I can tell it's been an ongoing thing between them. I reach across and squeeze her hand comfortingly. "I mean its fine for you and Scorpius – you two are practically married already."
"God, don't let my father hear you say that," I mutter.
"I mean it!" Clem says indignantly. "You and Scorpius don't ever seem to have any problems, and you've been together for a year and a half."
"We have problems," I say. "Every relationship has problems."
"Like what?" Clem thinks she's caught me out.
I hesitate before admitting: "I've never actually met his parents." I bite my lip.
Jennie and Clem both look like they've been slapped.
"Hang on," Jennie blinks a few times. "Rewind a moment."
"I've never met Scorpius' parents," I repeat with a half shrug of my shoulders.
"But why?" Clem leans forward on the table.
I give a huge sigh. "Because his father is Draco Malfoy and it's bad enough that his son is dating the daughter of Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger." I try to make it out as a huge deal. "And I'm also terrified of them." I add sheepishly.
"My God, you are ridiculous," Jennie shakes her head in disbelief.
The bell rings for lessons and I jump up immediately. "See you later!" I sing to avoid any more comments about my latest admittance and before either Clem or Jennie can say another word, I'm out of the Portrait Hole and racing down the seventh floor stairs.
I make it to my Charms classroom early and I'm ashamed to admit that although I'm a Quidditch player, I'm a little out of breath. As captain, James would kill me if he knew. I unpack my ink and parchment slowly and wait for the room to fill up with students. Finally, Scorpius takes his seat next to me.
"Hey," I smile at him.
"Hey yourself, Weasley," he replies and kisses me quickly.
The lessons drags by, even for me, and by the time the bell rings, I'm digging Scorpius in the ribs every ten minutes just to keep him awake.
"Mm, lunchtime," Scorpius stretches and grins sleepily. "Are you free to eat with me today? I have a surprise for you," he looks mischievous.
"Okay …" I agree slowly and Scorpius' eyes twinkle in delight.
"Great, let's go!" He links his pale piano fingers with mine and half drags me out of the classroom and I have to use my wand to pack up my remaining items.
"Where are we going?!" I ask as my boyfriend wordlessly weaves us in and out of the mass of Hogwarts students in the corridors. He doesn't reply but soon, I notice he's taking us to the courtyard opposite Transfiguration where he first asked me to be his girlfriend.
We sit down on a stone bench and for an afternoon in late September, the weather is surprisingly mild. The leaves on the floor are turning golden and ruby and the sun is warm on my skin.
"Rosie," Scorpius looks serious all of a sudden and I look into those sapphire eyes that seem to look straight into my soul.
I melt a little. "Yes?"
Scorpius digs into his pocket and produces a small box. My breath catches and my heart thumps wildly. He opens it and there nestled in crushed velvet is a simple silver ring.
"Scorpius –"
"It's not an engagement ring!" He says quickly and I laugh, relief washing over me.
"Okay, thank God," I say, still laughing and I take a deep breath.
"Alright, don't sound too relieved," Scorpius mutters, half serious. "It's a promise ring," he explains. "A promise that whatever happens, I want you in my life in some way – and a promise that I'll always love you."
For I moment I sit there in silence.
"Rose Weasley speechless: well this is a sight I thought I'd never see,"
This simple jibe is enough to bring me back. I smack him on the arm and the glint of silver in the sunlight winks at me.
"Thank you. I love you," I say and look deep into his sapphire blue eyes.
"I love you back,"
"Right, let's eat," I say. "I'm starving."
"Of course you are. Here: I got you pasta," Scorpius pulls out a sealed bowl of cold pasta from his satchel and hands me a fork. "Your favourite."
"Thank you, Scorp," I give a content sigh.
Nothing can take him away from me.
