Author's Note: This is my return to fan fiction. I hope you find enjoyment in my first Rose/Scorpious story. This is only intended as a one-shot.
Disclaimer: Characters and places are a product of JKR.
The January chill ran deep through the walls of Hogwarts. Scorpious Malfoy took to the library for refuge. The library was a welcome retreat from the bitter cold and drafty corridors. Not even his own Slytherin Common Room, or dormitiory could properly shield him from the harsh Scottish winter. It only helped motivate him through the near impossible work load of his seventh year.
Scorpious was one of the few seventh years, and the only Slytherin, to take more than six N.E.W.T. level classes his last year. He felt he was well on his way to his goal. He fully intended to bring some sort of respect back to his family name. He wanted to make sure that future generations of Malfoys did not carry the burdens of their ancestors, as he had. There was too much hurt, pain, and cruelty that had become so synonymous with the name Malfoy that he wanted to find a way to help ease those associations. After graduation, Scorpious was aspiring to become a Healer at St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries.
One last revision before this is due, thought Scorpious settling into a chair at his favorite table. He rummaged through his bag to find the assignment that he wanted. The essay in question was due the next morning, however, had been complete for the last week. With a sigh he rose from the table. He would need to retrieve a couple of books to cross-reference the facts. The Wolfsbane potion had some amazing and exciting breakthroughs in recent years. Potions was easily his favorite class. It was even where he was considering specializing upon being accepted into the St. Mungo's intern program. If he wanted that to come to fruition he had to make sure that his marks were to a level the hiring staff at St. Mungo's wouldn't want to turn him down, no matter what his surname was.
A soft clicking in the background signaled that another student had retreated to the warm confines of the library. Scorpious ran his hand along the hard shelves on his way to where the first book, Wolfbane: From Dangerous to Docile. It had really been a fascinating read, and had been vital in inspiring much of his point of view for the essay. He smirked as he found the book. He ran his thumb along the spine as he pulled it from it's spot on the shelf. Scorpous turned to head to the opposite end of the library for the section housing the potion making books.
The Slytherin reached the aisle he needed. A flash of red caught his eye. Down at the end of the tall row of books was Rose Weasley. She had kicked off her shoes and shrugged out of her school robes. The top two buttons of her uniform shirt were undone with her Ravenclaw tie loosened. She was standing on tip-toe reaching to acquire one of the leather tomes on the top shelf.
This was not the first time Scorpious had caught her like this. Weasley was probably the only other student in the entire school to frequent the library as often as he did. In fact, they had become somewhat comfortable with one another. Not friendly really. They had not ever spoken a single word save on the extremely rare occasion when they were paired together in classes. In those instances the conversations had only ever been assignment related. Still, he felt more connected to her than any one else in the castle.
Weasley glanced in his direction , a hint of color spread across her cheekbones as the two made eye contact. Scorpios gave her a nod in way of greeting and went on his way to find Million Uses for Moonstone.
Scorpious made his way back to his table. He grimaced as he thought of his time at Hogwarts. It had been made clear to him upon entering that the name Malfoy was not going to do him any favors. It had not come as too much of a surprise for him. His father, after all, was continually working his way to the bottom of a bottle of liquor. While his mother was growing more and more bitter that she had to nurse an alcoholic husband. Both were deluded in feeling that the name Malfoy should be held with more regard and grandeur of years-gone-by. Even still, he had not expected his own Slytherin House to turn on him. He was the butt of many pranks of all of the Houses of all ages. The reality of what a joke the Malfoy really was crushing for him at the innocent age of eleven. Still, he would not take the bullying without standing up for himself. Upon besting a particularly big Gryffindor sixth year student most people left him alone after. He liked it better this way. He took to keeping his nose in his books He had vowed then to change his lot in life; to do that he'd need to be top of his class.
This was Scorpious's last year and he wished that time would slow a bit. He felt as though Hogwarts was his home. More of a home than at Malfoy Manor with his parents ever was. The school was the first place that he was able to find peace. Suddenly, Rose Weasley's face drifted to his mind. If he were to be perfectly honest with himself, he would miss her quiet presence as well. It wasn't exactly that he would miss her. To him, she was just as much a part of the school as this library was. A steady fixture that he associated with the contentment he gained from Hogwarts. Yet, he couldn't help a completely new set of thoughts that seeped into his mind.
Maybe it was unfortunate that he had never spoken to Rose Weasley. What could have happened? Would they have found that they couldn't actually stand one another? Would a friendship form? Could something as simple as a spoken 'hello' spark into a romance? Instead of cramming for N.E.W.T. exams in a few months would they be making plans for a Hogsmeade weekend? Life after Hogwarts? Would his father finally disown him for falling for a blood-traitor? Would they have a doomed romance before it ever began? The new thoughts left him slightly confused.
Shaking his head to clear his mind, Scorpious took his seat at his table and began revising his essay on the Wolfsbane potion. He was distracted while tending his school work. The new thoughts unnerved him. He had truly accepted, even took comfort in the desire to become a respected member of the wizard community that socializing and letting someone into his life could wait until after he had set himself up into his career.
Thunk, Scorpious was pulled from his thoughts with a bag being unceremoniously dropped onto his table. He looked up to the owner of the bag. Scorpious was mildly surprised to see the girl that had invaded his thoughts was now also invading his space. Weasley offered a smile. His heart gave a beat and then another before he returned her smile with one of his own. The move would only fuel his new thoughts about the red-head, the blonde knew.
The pair of them sat in silence, though not uncomfortably. With Weasley close he found that he was actually able to keep his mind still long enough to actually revise the essay. Even so, he was hyper-aware of the girl's every move. Absentmindedly she twisted a lock of her fiery hair while she read Hogwarts, A History. She would whisper an occasional word as she read.
Scorpious had just finished the paper, when Madame Pince sounded the chime indicating to the students that curfew was approaching and the library would be closing. He was confident he would receive an O on the assignment. Across the table, Weasley sighed as she stood. The blonde was slower to follow suit. Their hands brushed as they collected their belongings. For a second time that evening, a blush colored the Ravenclaw's cheeks. The touch and then watching its affect on the girl's face both intrigued and excited Scorpious. Still, no words passed either pair of lips.
Finally having everything collected, Rose Weasley gave Scorpious one last fleeting look before turning on her heel. He watched her leave the library. Her bag seemed too weigh as much as she did, yet it did not slow her down in the slightest.
His mind wandered back down it's new, unexplored path of what ifs. What would she do if he caught up with her? Would she allow him to walk her up to Ravenclaw Tower? Would it be infinitely better to just continue along to his own Slytherin Common Room? To keep his mind steadily focused on his career goals? Continue the long silence between himself and the rest of the world?
Squaring his shoulders, Scorpious Malfoy followed Rose Weasley out the double doors and into the cold corridors.