A/N: This is for Rose, who is an absolutely amazing friend who I love to bits and pieces – Merry Christmas, darling!
Scorpius peered over the side of the plush armchair, smiling as Rose mumbled something that sounded like his name. He grinned, resting heavily on the settee, looking down at the red haired girl below him. Her face was pushed rather unappealingly against the corner of yesterday's charms homework, ink splodges, freckles and the setting sun dusting her cheeks, her cropped hair sticking up in all directions.
Scorpius chuckled a little, and Rose twisted around, her narrow eyes blinking up at him.
Oh no.
"Scorpius Malfoy!" she snapped, trying not to yawn, "I was trying to sleep – and you come along, laughing, of all things. Do you know how much homework I've got to do? Do you know how far behind I am with my Quidditch practice? Merlin, I swear, Scorpius, I could kill you right now!"
Scorpius, not wanting to take the threat lightly, backed away from the fuming girl. Rose was on her feet now, her wand pointed in the alarmed face of her boyfriend. Scorpius backed up against the wall, not taking his eyes away from the tip of her wand.
"I haven't slept for days!" she hissed, "The exams, the stress, the cup! And finally, when I manage to close my eyes for one blasted minute, you come along, giggling like a twelve-year-old girl. Bloody typical, huh?" Her face was a furious shade of red, matching her untidy hair.
"Why don't you go up to bed?" Scorpius suggested tentatively.
"Bed!" Rose screeched, throwing her arms up in exaggerated movements, "Don't you think I've already thought of that, you absolute prat? But oh no, Carol is sat up there, reading witch weekly and giggling her head off, being unnecessarily loud. You two seem to have that in common."
"Err, Rose?" said Scorpius, as her head snapped round sharply, "Carol is your best-friend. I'm sure she'd quieten down if you asked her to."
"Oh, and sound like a pushy, hormonal teenager? No thankyou!" Rose spat, her wand shaking violently in her hands.
Scorpius, who was used to keeping the peace, said, "Okay, I have an idea."
Rose looked sceptically at him, but Scorpius continued, "Why don't you go and settle down, read a book until I get back. I'll bring you up some warm milk and biscuits, but only if you promise to stop stressing so much." He sent her an unsure smile, and she sighed.
"Don't forget the honey," she snapped as she collapsed into an old, red armchair.
/
When Scorpius returned to Gryffindor tower, rather breathless from the long climb and carrying a steaming cup of hot milk, Rose's eyes were half-closed, and pretending to focus on a book, which happened to be upside down. Her eyes lit up when she saw the frothy cup that was grasped tightly in Scorpius' hands. Her hand shot out demandingly, taking the cup from him as she began to gulp.
Scorpius sat down beside his girlfriend, and as the redhead drained her cup, her eyes became heavier and heavier. Her neck flopped onto Scorpius' shoulder, her breath tickling his neck. The sky outside grew dark and the common room began to empty.
At one point, he'd pondered waking Rose and going to bed, but that thought had left his head as quickly as it had came. For one, he didn't want to be hexed into oblivion. And for another, Rose was undeniably beautiful when she slept.
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