Rose Weasley was in a foul mood.

She always was, this time of the year for the last five years.

It meant lots of humidity that caused her hair to frizz and it meant she was away from Hogwarts.

It meant she had to deal with her father and his obvious anger that she, a Weasley, was in RAVENCLAW.

"Hurry up, Rosey!" Hugo called up the mountain to her.

Hugo - to their father's absolute delight - was in Gryffindor. Going into his second year of Hogwarts, Hugo was already a shoe-in for Chaser on his house team.

But when ROSE, like her father, became Keeper for her house, her father hadn't even batted an eye.

Rose scowled down at her family before slowly following them back to the wizarding village they were staying in.

She was just reaching the foot of the mountain when she was seized from behind.

"BOO!" her attacker shouted.

Screaming, Rose swung around while pulling her wand out, ready to curse her attacker to the moon and back.

She stopped, frowning an confused, "Scorpius?"

The tall blond Slytherin grinned down at her. "Surprised?"

"What are you..?"

"Dad decided late last night to take us on vacation. I easily persuaded him that this was the perfect place, plenty of room for broom-races," Scorpius laughed at her confused expression. "Come on, I want you to meet my folks."

He grabbed her hand and proceeded to drag her towards their waiting families.

But when they reached them, the two teenagers found their dads loudly comparing their kids.

"Scorpius is the best Seeker Hogwarts has ever seen!" Draco Malfoy bragged.

"Well, my Rose got all O's on her O.W.L.'s," Ron returned.

Rose scowled, "That's right, Dad, the RAVENCLAW daughter beat even her mum's score!" She marched away swiftly before tears could flow over the old argument.

Confused, Scorpius turned to follow her but Hermione gently grasped his shoulder, holding him back.

"You'll have to forgive her, Scorp," Hermione frowned after her daughter. "She gets that way when she's at home. Best to leave her alone." She raised her voice so Ron could hear, "Of course, it's her father's fault. When Albus was sorted into Slytherin, Harry patted him on the back and some of the greatest men he knew were from Slytherin. But when he letter came announcing Rose was in Ravenclaw, the WISEST HOUSE, Ron barricaded himself in the bathroom until Harry came and blasted it open."

Ron scowled at his wife.

"That's really interesting, Mrs. Weasley," Scorpius promised, "But you've really only seen the strong side of Rose." He shrugged her hand away and dashed after Rose.

Astoria Malfoy joined Hermione in smiling after their children.

"I thought it was so when he insisted on coming here for vacation," she muttered to Hermione who laughed happily.

******

Rose ran up the mountain as far as her legs would carry her, finally stopping at a rocky plateau halfway up. She angrily brushed her tears away. Sitting on a flat rock, she rested her forehead on her knees and sobbed.

Would they ever accept her for her? Her father almost ignored her because she wasn't in Gryffindor, her mother kept insisting she would follow in her footsteps to become a Healer when her true passion was to be an Auror like her Uncle Harry, dad, and Aunt Ginny.

A hand was placed gently on her shoulder and Rose stiffened until she recognized the new presence as Scorpius.

"You okay?" he asked sympathetically.

Rose shrugged, but her shaky breathing gave her away.

"Your mum told me about your dad-problem," he began. "I can't say I blame you, I would murder my father if he did that to me, and hang what the Aurors say. Fact, I think your uncle might thank me for saving him the trouble."

Rose laughed and Scorp's heart skipped a beat.

He LOVED her laugh.

"I'm serious!" he wanted her to laugh again, "Might even insist on getting me an Order of Merlin for helping dispose of an old Death-Eater."

Rose laughed - This wasn't the first time Scorpius had made jokes at his father's expense for her sake.

He continued to joke about murdering his father and being rewarded for it until she was laughing freely at is fully-detailed description of where and how he would do it.

"Thanks, Scorp," Rose smiled warmly at him.

"For what?" he asked, returning her smile.

"For being my friend!"

"What are you talking about? I should be thanking you!" Rose frowned at his fervent statement and he elaborated, "Without you, I wouldn't have passed as many O.W.L.'s s I did! I would never have worked up the courage to tell my dad I wanted to be an Auror instead of taking over the family business. Or," and here Scorpius turned bright red, "or have been able to tell him about...the girl I like."

"Oh." Rose turned her gaze to the scenic view below them. Her hear was throbbing, Scorpius liked someone and he hadn't told her.

OF COURSE HE DIDN'T! Rose thought angrily at herself. WHY SHOULD HE? I'M JUST A FRIEND!

"I suppose it's Alice Henrift," Rose named a Slytherin half-blood who seemed to have every boy at Hogwarts chasing after her.

"Oh, no," Scorpius said disgusted. "This girl is more down-to-earth."

Rose frowned at him. "Who is it?"

Scorpius turned bright red and looked away, "Um... Er, it's, um, you." He said in a low voice.

Rose was so shocked she actually froze, her heart pounding to escape her chest.

"Rose?" Scorpius asked nervously, taking her hand. "Are you alright?"

"Er, yeah," Rose lied.

NO, YOU IDIOT! she thought. YOU CAN'T JUST SPRING SOMETHING LIKE THAT ON SOMEONE!

Then her thoughts took on a different tone: OH, MERLIN! OH, MERLIN! SCORPIUS SAYS HE LOVES ME!

"Are you sure you'r alright?" Scorpius asked reaching out to test for a fever.

Rose laughed and brushed his hand away. "I'm just not sure how to react."

"Oh," Scorpius sat back. Then he muttered quietly so she could barely hear him, "You could say how you feel about me."

Rose laughed nervously, her heart racing.

It was so like Scorpius to be frank at times like this.

"You know I'm not good with verbal words," she pointed out.

It was true; Rose was a wiz when it came to writing essays for school, but when it came to giving speeches, her tongue and brain refused to work properly.

"Alright," Scorpius frowned. A slow smile spread unwilling across his face, "Scowl if you hate me and smile if you feel bad for me."

Rose arched an eyebrow.

"And, if I return your feelings?" she asked, hesitantly formal as she avoided his gaze.

Scorpius swallowed audibly. He had obviously not even considered that she might.

"Then... you won't mind... if I do this."

Carefully, as if he were handling the most fragile of glass, Scorpius took her face gently between his hands and turned her towards him. He kissed her softly on the lips and Rose closed her eyes, enjoying the sensation of her heart doing back flips as she kissed her best friend.

Scorpius pulled back after a few minutes and grinned boyishly. "What would your dad say?"

Rose sorted and smiled happily at him. "My dad could join Voldemort for all I care."

Laughing, Scorpius pulled her back to him and kissed her passionately.