A/N: This is my first ever fanfiction. I've been in love with the idea of Scorpius and Rose becoming a couple despite their families' backgrounds, and well, I decided to give it a try.

Disclaimer: J.K. is bae, and owns everything but the story line.

Chapter One: Hold Your Breath

With a deep breath, Rose Weasley ran her trolley onto Platform 9 3/4. The bright atmosphere and sounds of hundreds of people made her feel more alive than she had felt all summer. She reveled in the welcoming warmth she felt as soon as she had appeared on the other side of the barrier and shivered as she shed the remnants of the cold atmosphere of the Weasley household that had encompassed her soul the past few months.

She managed to suck in another breath before she heard the rest of her family bustle through the barrier. Hermione Weasley, nee Granger, her mother, was pushing Ronald Weasley, her father, in his wheelchair. After nearly twenty-five years an auror, Ronald Weasley had been forced into retirement after a serious injury had damaged his spine. The spinal injury had left him immobile from the waist down. The healers swore that his spine had healed well and that he should be able to walk, but his immobility proved difficult to overcome.

The traumatic series of events that had unfolded had left Ron in a progressively darkening mood. His mood swings had been growing and his pessimism increasingly deepening over the months at home. His depression was not alleviated by the fact that Hermione had just been promoted head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Not only was she spending less time at home, but she was progressing in her career while her injured husband had just been honorably discharged from his own.

He had a stone cold look on his face, trying to maintain any dignity he had left. One third of the Golden Trio being unable to stand to bid his children farewell was a deep blow in Ron's dwindling pride. Hermione was trying her best to look happy, but it was clear that she was irritated and even on the borderline of impatience.

Eagerly waiting for the moment she can drop dad off and escape to work, Rose thought bitterly, but isn't that what I'm doing, escaping?

Hugo trailed sullenly behind their parents. While Rose and Albus, her cousin, were both starting their sixth year, Hugo and Lily, Albus's younger sister, were starting their fourth. Hugo was as much Ron's son as Rose was Hermione's daughter. While Hugo was inching toward six feet in height, Rose had stopped growing at five foot four. Hugo had Ron's bright blue eyes, while Rose had inherited Hermione's soft brown ones. The only thing that they shared was that of the perfect combination of their parents' hair: bright orange and untamed.

Rose could tell that Hugo was just as relieved as she was to get back to Hogwarts.

"Well Rose, I suppose this is goodbye till Christmas, honey." Hermione pulled Rose into a hug before holding her an arms length to get one last look at her daughter, "you've gotten so beautiful and grown up, where has time gone!" Her mother planted a kiss on her cheek before heading over to wish Hugo goodbye. Rose wanted to shudder at how artificial her goodbye had felt.

Her mother's absence had left Rose with Ron. This time, Rose actually shuddered.

Ron barely looked at Rose before issuing a gruff, "I love you, be good."

Rose nodded, before grabbing her trunk and heading toward the train without turning around. Her father's cold farewell had stung like winter wind biting at skin. Rose chastised herself for even feeling hurt. He had been no better to her all summer, she should be used to it by now.

She boarded the train and began rifling through compartments looking for an empty one where she could finally get the peace and quiet she so desperately craved. Finally, toward the rear of the train, she found exactly what she was looking for. She stretched out on one of the sides and threw one arm over her eyes to block out the light that managed to get through translucent blinds. The train lurched into motion.

Rose was just starting to fade out of consciousness when she heard the door to her compartment sliding open. She frowned before peeling her arm away from her face to see the intruder. There stood in the doorway was Albus's best friend and fellow Slytherin, Scorpius Malfoy.

Rose had never paid much attention to Scorpius Malfoy in her six years at Hogwarts. He had been a shadow in her life, a player on the sidelines. They had shared a few words, a few conversations, Albus being the main reason they ever came in contact with each other.

Before Hogwarts, Albus and Rose were incredibly close. Being the same age, they were nearly raised together. However, once they had come to Hogwarts and got placed into different houses, Rose to Gryffindor and Albus to Slytherin, they had drifted apart. Albus was still her favorite cousin, and by far, her closest friend at Hogwarts, but they didn't do everything together and most definitely led separate lives from each other. Scorpius Malfoy was a prime example of this fact.

When news had reached home that Albus had been sorted into Slytherin, the entire Weasley Clan had been shocked. It was the first time ever that a child of Weasley blood had been sorted into a house other than Gryffindor, and as a Slytherin for that matter. While some of the Weasley relatives hadn't taken too lightly to this news, they were at least accepting. Imagine their surprise when everyone found out that Albus sent home a letter a few weeks before Christmas break asking his parents for permission to bring home his new best friend, Scorpius Malfoy.

Their friendship had been supported by most of the Weasley family. Her father and her Uncle George only just tolerated Scorpius now, since he had become a presence at family get-togethers. And yet, over those six years of Albus's and Scorpius's friendship, in juxtaposition to Rose's and Albus's friendship, Rose had never really developed past being acquaintances with this reserved boy.

She had never really wondered why she they hadn't been friends, or at least talked outside of the occasional small talk and classwork. Reflecting on it, she realized that it was probably just a manifestation of her dad's lack of acceptance toward the boy and his family and now here he stood before her looking incredibly uncomfortable.

"Morning Weasley, would you mind if I took a seat here? All the other compartments are occupied and Albus is er…otherwise occupied with his newest girlfriend." Scorpius looked at the ground, clearly embarrassed by his inability to find another compartment to occupy and ashamed by his friend's behavior.

Rose considered this. She considered him. Should she let him take a seat? Should she talk to him? Should she try to forge the friendship that her father had so adamantly warned her against over half a decade ago? As these questions whirled through her mind, she kept reflecting on one thing: this could be it.

Rose had her friends, a majority of which were her cousins, she had her classwork, all O's (she had to follow her in her mother's footsteps, didn't she?), but even while surrounded by people she knew loved her and her accomplishments, she felt as if her life was falling apart. Her father was essentially bed-ridden, her mother nearly apathetic, she felt on edge and the worst part was that her cousins pretended everything was fine. She felt something drawing her in. She needed something new, she needed a fresh start, and here was the opportunity presenting itself in the form of none other than Scorpius Malfoy.

"Sure, take a seat."