I knew from the first time he sneered at me that I was in love with him. There was something about me that seemed to offend him so deeply that the distaste would etch itself on his face. And it intrigued me.
"Don't get too friendly with him now, Rosie."
Yes, because that really makes an eleven year old girl listen.
That was the first time he interested me. Dad seemed to hate him, Mum seemed amused. I couldn't really see him in the crowd. After that, Albus and I were jostled through the throngs of students and parents until we reached the train that would take us to the next seven years of our lives.
The rest, they say, is history.
"Watch it, Weasley. Try minding your surroundings the next time you decide to stop and drool in the middle of the halls."
Ah, and there he is now, the object of my keen affections. He had it all in my eyes. Maybe not the devilish good looks that, as much as it pains me to admit, my cousin James has. But rather a sort of beauty that only comes with being the aristocrat he is. Gorgeous grey eyes, sharp features, a debonair sort of attitude that commanded attention…
Yeah, I sound like a bleeding idiot. But hey, I'm just being honest. Half the girls in Hogwarts can tell you that much. Maybe even some of the guys. It is the 21st century after all.
"Rose, are you coming or not?" Trust Albus, my dearest cousin, to break me from my reverie.
"Yeah, Al. Of course I am." I hitch my book bag up on my shoulder and catch up to the untamable mop of hair that is my best friend.
"Alright there, Rosie?" Albus gives me that famous Potter grin and ruffles my own red mess of hair. It's nearly unmanageable, just like Mum's was.
"Yeah, yeah. Just fine, Dad. What have I said about calling me Rosie?" I give his hand a swat for good measure. He only grins at me.
"You were thinking about the little Malfoy again, weren't you?" I try not to flinch at his words. Yes, there is someone who knows of my, dare I say infatuation. I mean, it wasn't hard for him to guess. He does know me better than anyone in the world. I'd say he found out around third year, right before Christmas. If I was to guess.
"I was not," I bluster, "I was simply reasoning out an Arithmancy problem between classes."
"You weren't," he teases back. "How about you just admit to the world that you fancy the bloke, Rosie?" I sigh. Boys really have no common sense.
"I can think of a few good reasons to do absolutely not that, Albus Severus. And don't call me Rosie, damnit." He only sighs back at me, looping a casual arm around my shoulder.
"Just because the guy hates you is no reason not to tell him of your amorous intentions."
"I can think of a better reason," I snarl back. "Have you forgotten about our cousin?" Al pretends to scratch his head.
"Which one?" I want to throttle him, I swear to God I do. I know we've got enough family in this school to form a small militia, but honestly.
"Maybe the gorgeous, French, half-veela one that has been flirting with him for the past five months?" I whisper yell as we stop to wait for the staircases to stop moving.
"It's really been five months since the start of term? I guess it has," He reaches this conclusion after counting the months out on his fingers. How he's one of Gryffindor's brightest, I'll never know. Well, second to me of course. Not to toot my own horn or anything, but I'm pretty smart. Al says that's why Scorpius hates me so much.
"Yes Al, from September first, to today, Dominique, if you haven't figured it out by now, has been ardently pursuing Scorpius." I say the last bit with an added dash of melancholy.
Al rolls his gorgeous eyes at me. Yes, I do say gorgeous because I am in fact quite jealous of them. I've got the short end of the stick, really. Dad's red hair and Mum's brown eyes. It might have worked for Aunt Ginny, but it's doing nothing for me.
Damn Hugo, my not so darling third-year of a brother for getting all the recessive traits. Oh well. Life's short, then you die.
"Rosie? You've spaced out again and the staircase is done changing. Please stop whatever internal monologue you've got going so we can make it to Potions on time." My morose feelings immediately dissipate.
"Did you say Potions, Al?" He stops whatever fiddling he's doing with the strap of his book bag.
"Yes, Rose. Potions is our second period. Right after Charms, just like it has been all year." I grin at him and grab his hand to pull him along.
"Then what are we waiting for, slowpoke?" I love Potions. Truly, I really do. First of all, Slughorn is still teaching it, wrinkly old walrus that he is. I'm not particularly fond of the man but he just adores me. What can I say? I have charm. Well, maybe Scorpius doesn't think so, but those are just details. He'll come around soon enough.
Anyways, second of all, I'm rather ace at Potions anyways. Albus and I always pair up and let's just say we rock. And finally, Potions is one of the few classes Gryffindors and Slytherins share together. We've got Defense, Divination, and History of Magic with them as well. But as for Charms, Arithmancy, Herbology, Care of Magical Creatures, and Transfiguration? Well, I have to brave those alone. Okay, not alone. I've got my best mate Al by my side. But no lovely blonde head of hair to distract myself with.
And it's suffice to say that I want to throw myself over a cliff or at the very least feed myself to an angry hippogriff during the lessons we don't have with Slytherin. Why is that? Because Slytherin shares those classes with Ravenclaw. And guess who Ravenclaw's most prized student is? Dominique Weasley.
And, consequentially, my other best friend. Shoot me now. If you can't do that, I'll settle for having my eyes poked out with my wand.
Yeah, I'm a tad dramatic. Mum says I get it from Dad. I don't doubt it.
"Slow down, Rose. I'm going to fall down the stairs and my mangled body will be on display in the dungeons for all the Slytherins to mock. Plus I won't be able to play quidditch this weekend."
"Don't be such a baby, Al," I yell back as we careen down the stairs. I come to a screeching halt at the bottom as I see Scorpius entering the classroom.
"Hey, Malfoy," Al calls out good naturedly. Scorpius' back stiffens and he turns around.
"Don't suppose I could help you, Potter?" His manners are a fraud, I can tell. But he pulls it off well.
"Want to know a secret?" I immediately enter panic mode and tug on Al's robes.
"Don't you dare," I hiss, knowing only he could hear me. Thank God. Al makes no move to show that he's heard me. He only grins a little wider.
"I don't care to know anything from you, Potter."
"Good, because I wouldn't tell you anything anyways." Al sticks out his tongue and blows a raspberry. Scorpius takes the time to look mildly offended and stalks into the classroom.
"Oh real mature, you git. You nearly gave me a heart attack. I'd kindly appreciate it if you would never do that again."
"Oh, Rosie, darling. Like I'd ever give away your secret. A secret so huge it could destroy our entire family. Uncle Ron would go ballistic, Aunt Hermione would probably cry, Dominique would never forgive you, Scorpius just might vomit. The list goes on and on you see."
"Stop calling me Rosie," is the only response I dignify him with. My best mate really is a git. But then again, the other one is after my man. At least that's one thing I know Al will never do.
Al and I sit down next to each other in the back, our preferred area of seating. This way, Slughorn doesn't notice us as much. It's a lame attempt that rarely works, but hey, we've got to try. Al is setting up our cauldron and laying out the necessary ingredients as I skim over the pages in our text that dictate today's lesson.
"Oh, crap," I mutter as I realize my elbow has knocked my quill off the desk and onto the stone floor. I reach down to pick it up, only to brush hands with someone who is also trying to retrieve it. I shiver at the coolness of the skin.
"Here you go…Oh, it's you Weasley. Take your quill." My heart nearly explodes out of my chest. He's looking at me. He's actually looking at me and acknowledging me. I must have done something right today. Especially since he's seated exactly to the left of me.
"T-thank you, Scorpius." He doesn't say anything back, only looks mildly startled. But he is quick to smooth the emotion out of his face. I can hear Al snickering to my right and I kick him in the shins. He discreetly flicks my quill to the ground again.
Scorpius looks at me, probably because I've been looking at him. Damn.
"I'm not going to get it again, Weasley. You've really got to learn to keep a hold on your things." I sigh and pick up the quill. I should have known.
"Alright, class. Before we begin today's lesson, I have a surprise I'm sure you all will love." Rose groaned. Whenever those words left a Professor's mouth, it only could only spell trouble.
"New potions partner!" The walrus clapped his hands together excitedly. "I find it high time to have some of our exceedingly exceptional students," he looked pointedly at Al and me, "help out some of our…less focused…students." This time he cast a gaze at Scorpius who was twirling his wand in a bored fashion.
Before I could say Merlin's trousers, hopscotch, or any other nonsense, Professor Slughorn and started spouting out pairs. I watched dismally as Albus collected his things and sat next to Lorcan Scamander, the less bright and more trouble-oriented of the Scamander twins.
"Rose Weasley and Scorpius Malfoy." I dare say Slughorn looked mighty pleased with himself, but I was ready to kill him. Yes, I had fantasized that this moment would come, but I was in no way prepared for it. It was only a silly cliché in my mind. Great, now I would have to keep a steady hand around the love of my life. And he looks like he's about to be violently ill. Lovely.
Oh and look. Albus is simply in stitches from his seat by Lorcan. Remind me to kill him, won't you? I can see Scorpius is about to start verbally protesting, so I quickly move my stuff to the seat next to him. Not very far. We sit in silence as Slughorn continues to call out names and rearrange seats. I can't bring myself to say anything. But it looks like I won't have to. He's about to speak.
"Alright Weasley, don't talk to me. I won't talk to you. I give you the ingredients, you add them. Despite what Old Sluggy seems to think, I'm actually fairly brilliant at this." I look up at him in awe. I always knew he was smart.
"I'm sure you are," I mutter sincerely, not actually thinking he'd hear me.
"What did you say to me, Weasley?" Oh great. I turn red and tell him.
"I said I was sure that you are. Brilliant at Potions, that is." He glares at me. Merlin, you'd think I just stoned his owl. The guy obviously can't take a compliment.
"Don't mock me." He thinks I was mocking him? Hardly. I think he's amazing. Though I'd never really say that.
"I wasn't mocking you," I snap back. Alright, so I'm a little offended he thinks so low of me.
"Whatever." And we're back to silence. But on one hand I'm ecstatic. To be honest, this is our longest conversation to date. I'm not kidding.
In first year, I shyly went up to him as we were getting out of the boats that ferried us across the Black Lake and tapped him on the shoulder. He turned around, pale eyebrows raised.
"Hi, I'm Rose Weasley." I gave him my best smile. It was time to meet the boy that Daddy seemed so against. What can I say? I've always been rebellious.
He sneered at me then. And as mentioned before, that was what did it. That was when I fell in love, as I've said.
"Scorpius Malfoy. My father says not to associate with the likes of you." We already had something in common.
"My Daddy said that too. But I don't care," I told him, trying to sound tough under his calculating stare.
"Well I do." And that was it for the first year of our education. I found out all I could and about his family in the extensive Library that Hogwarts offered. I understood why our fathers didn't want us to associate with each other. The term mortal enemies springs to mind.
Second year, he joined Slytherin's quidditch team as Seeker, just like Al. They had quite the rivalry going on. Still do, I'd reckon.. It was that year that I'd joined up as Chaser to get a little more face time with Scorpius. I mean, play the game I love and adore. We'd exchanged a few heated words on the pitch every now and then. I couldn't wait for those games. Still can't.
Third year, Fourth year, and this year, our contact was limited to those brief moments when we would fly past one another on the field or pass each other in the halls on game day. But now…he's my Potions partner. He's stuck with me every damn day until we take our OWLs. And I'm stuck with him. My hands are going to shake, my voice would quaver if we were actually going to be speaking, and the butterflies in my stomach are going to run rampant.
"Watch what you're doing, Weasley!" He snaps at me as I almost empty a handful of lacewing flies onto the table instead of in the cauldron. I really need to pay more attention.
"Sorry, Scorpius," I say under my breath.
"No one calls me Scorpius, Weasley. It's Malfoy to you." Well, I can see why. Of course the poor boy's got a bloody complex. I would too if my name was Scorpius Hyperion.
"What about Dominique?" I whisper back, putting extra emphasis on my best friend's name. Dare I say that Scorpius turned pink? It must have been a trick of light.
"I thought I said no talking, Weasley." Boo. I don't bother to say anything else. I'm too disappointed.
"Rose! Oh, Rosie!" Dominique is practically skipping over to the Gryffindor table at supper. She usually sits here anyways. "Classes have been so dull without you and Al." She sticks out her tongue in obvious distaste.
"We've missed you too, Dom" Albus choruses back. It's like this every day, at every meal. Ravenclaw and Gryffindor don't share a single class. It's rather disappointing. As much as I've mentally abused Dom, she is my best mate, and of course family. Plus, Al's a boy. There isn't the same unspoken bond. Or whatever.
"So, see any blokes you like in lessons today?" It's always the same to her. She asks me this every day, and the answer is always the same.
"Of course not, Dominique. I've got to focus on my studies this year. OWL's are –"
"Yes, I know, Rosie. Just around the corner," she finishes for me. "And you say the same bloody thing every year. I'm so tired of it. It's so boring. It's so dull." That's the thing about Dominique. She's got to be constantly entertained. Probably why she's been after Scorpius for so long. And yes, five months is a long time for Dom.
"You'll never guess what's happened to me, Rose." I can tell she's been waiting to tell me something from the moment she sat down.
"Malfoy has asked me to be his girlfriend! Me, Rosie! Can you believe it?" I first fight the urge to vomit. Then the urge to remark sarcastically that it was just waiting to happen. A ticking time bomb of lurve. And I was ever so happy for her.
"No way." I automatically say. But I make sure I sound playful, just the cue she needs to recount the entire story. Yeah, I know my cousin too well.
And so it begins, the tale of how she was just struggling so much with this one thing in Transfiguration and how McGonagall (how she's still teaching I'll never know. I suspect she and Slughorn are in cahoots) was chewing her out. And then, in swoops Scorpius, showing her how to properly pronounce the incantation. And how just minutes later he too was struggling and she needed to show him the proper wand movements.
I fought the urge to say "that's what she said," I promise. It didn't stop me from muttering it into my napkin. Al heard, of course. The wanker.
"We're going steady," Dominique gives a breathy sigh. Oh honestly, we're not in the 1950's anymore. Have some dignity, Dom. "He's my boyfriend. I'm dating Malfoy." And it's time to begin dealing out congratulations. I try to squeal in excitement with her, but it comes out sounding like a dying animal. But it's okay. She doesn't notice. Al does. And he's laughing. Again. Or maybe he's still laughing. Didn't know I amused him so damn much. Maybe it's just my misfortune. That's got to be it.
"Oh, Dom, I'm so happy for you! I know how mad you've been about him." I really have to congratulate myself on my acting skills.
"If he makes you cry, I'll beat him up," Al promises halfheartedly. I know he's sort of been wishing I was the one he would say that too. Well, me too.
"You two are the best!" Dom hugs us both tightly at the table, not an easy feat let me tell you.
Dom actually leaves at this point, to flounce over to the Slytherin table. Looks like she'll be spending her meals with her, gag me, boyfriend now. The other Slytherin's don't really mind her, considering she's a Ravenclaw and ridiculously beautiful. If I was sitting over there with him, it would be a different story.
"Don't say that Rosie. You're just as pretty as Dominique." Albus smiles at me.
"I was talking out loud again, wasn't I?" He nods at me.
"But don't worry, no one else heard. But seriously, you're just as pretty. Promise." Alright, so my cousin does have his cuddly moments as well. I suppose he's trying to redeem himself for laughing before, but I don't care. Albus is my favorite, and I'll take whatever crap he gives me any day.
"Al's right, Rosie sweet," I look up across the table and come face to face with another one of my cousins.
"Thanks, James," I sigh before stabbing a piece of roast with my fork.
"I mean, sure Dom is part veela, and she's got blonde hair instead of your messy, but endearing, red. And she might be a few inches taller –"
"But you're curvier," Lorcan Scamander throws in suggestively, although he receives stony glares from Al, James, and Fred, another one of the Weasley militia, who is sitting next to James.
"As I was saying, you may be a little shorter than her, and you may have a few more freckles on your nose, but you're totally just as attractive as Dominique."
Yeah, I'm not really sure what to say to that. I think James was trying to be nice, but he certainly has an interesting way about him. I wouldn't expect him to be able to land a girlfriend to save his life, but as Quidditch captain and pro Chaser (besides moi of course) it kind of comes with the territory.
He's got girls all over him, of course. But there's one he really fancies. Can't remember her name or face to save my life. Oh he's looking at me expectedly now. I think he wants reassurance that he's cheered me up.
"Wow, thanks James." He only salutes me and leaves the table with Fred, totally immune to my sarcasm. Thank God I have Albus around. Speak of the devil; he's leaving the hall without me, trailing after James and Fred. I take it back. He's the worst best mate ever.
Okay so that's fully not true. He just waved and me and smiled. I guess I can forgive him. It looks like everyone is leaving to return to their respective Common Room. I can see Hugo's curly head of brown hair leaving too. I wave at him and he sticks his tongue out. Gotta love 'em.
I unwrap a peppermint I found in the pocket of my robe and stick it in my mouth to get rid of the taste of tonight's roast. It was good, but on the off chance I am attacked by some deliriously good looking boy who wishes to snog me, I'll be damned it my breath tastes like meat and potatoes.
It's pretty quiet now in the halls, I realize, as I make my way to the bottom of the first staircase leading up to Gryffindor Tower. I look longingly at the stairs leading down to the dungeons. The ones that don't move. The nice ones that aren't quite as steep.
"What are you staring at, Weasley?" I let out a squeak, thinking for half a second that there really was a deliriously good looking boy wishing to snog me. I turned around hopefully. Scorpius Malfoy. Deliriously good looking boy? Definitely. Was he wishing to snog me? Not in a million years. He was actually kind of glowering at me and looking annoyed.
"Uh, staring? Oh, I was staring at the stairs." Okay, that sounded completely ridiculous. Even I know that. But what can I say? He's got this silly way of making me crazy for him. I can't help it.
"Why do you care?" It didn't come out mean like I had kind of hoped it would. No, it was sickeningly pathetic. Like I was begging him to say he cared. I disgust myself sometimes. I thought I had my acting skills down with Dom. I was obviously wrong. He sneered at me. That lovely sneer that started it all. Maybe I'll tell him one day. He won't laugh. He'll just look at me like I'm mad. Like usual.
"I don't care about Weasley's." I somehow find that highly ironic. And rude. Hello? Does the name Dominique ring a bell for him?
"You're dating my cousin!" I fire back. I've stumped him now, I'm sure.
"Fine, let me rephrase that, I don't care about you."
Ouch. That was low. Lower than I expected him to go. Dad's words ring in my ears but I push them away. There is something more to Scorpius, I'm still sure of it.
He turns and continues down to the dungeons where I know, even after all of that; he'll sleep like a baby. Well I won't, I can tell you that much.
What a jerk.
But that's okay, because he's my jerk.
But not, because now he's technically Dom's.
Damnit.