2011

"Rosaline Marie, do not go too far!"

"Okay, Mum!"

She was never left alone; at almost seven years old, Rose felt as if her mother should trust her with more adult things; for example, picking a book out for herself without pictures rather than her mother picking it out for her. They (her mother and Hugo) disappeared from view as she skipped down the book aisles.

She squinted up at a section that glittered; the sign above it said Fantasy. She liked those kinds of books, but they were all rather high…

So she started to climb.

"What," a voice drawled. "in Merlin's name are you doing?"

Rose glanced worriedly over her shoulder, her arms quaking with strain. Holding one's self up on a bookshelf was not an easy task; being that she was only six years old, almost seven, Rose thought that she could easily climb the shelf, grab her book and get down. She had climbed three shelves, with still three more to go before the fear of falling had overwhelmed her.

"Can you get me down?" Her voice shook in fear, as only a child's would.

Draco Malfoy raised a single eyebrow at her before grabbing her by her waist and placing her on the ground at his feet.

A pair of silver eyes and blond hair peeked around his legs at her. She made a face at him and then dusted off her dress.

"Red hair," Draco muttered. "A Weasley, no doubt. But whose?"

"I just wanted a book," Rose said, pointing up. "Just a book. That one, there!"

Eyebrows still raised, Draco plucked the glittery book from the shelf and flipped through it.

"There aren't any pictures in this book."

"I can read!" Rose said, incredulously cross. She stretched for it, her fingers barely skimming the bottom of the book. "Can I have it please, my mum-"

"Rose!"

Draco looked up as a slight women with bushy brown hair, holding the hand of another toddler, rounded the corner.

"Rose! What did I tell you-"

"Hello, Granger."

Hermione looked up, surprise etched across her still youthful face. Her hair had calmed down since her teenage years, though still thick in volume. She had thinned, and seemed a bit more tired.

"Well. Hello, Draco."

"She's yours?" Draco nodded at Rose.

"Indeed. I hope she didn't give you any problems." She raised her eyebrows at her daughter expectantly. Before Draco could reply, Rose stamped her foot.

"D'you see? I told you! Now she's angry at me!"

Draco didn't say anything, but handed the girl her sparkling book, then bent down until they were eye-level.

"Sorry," he told her.

Shocked by his apology, Rose just stared at him. Before standing, Draco grabbed the silver eyed child at his side and swung him up into his arms.

"What's going on?" Hermione asked and she grabbed Rose's free hand.

Draco shrugged. "Scorpius and I were passing by and we just so happened to notice this one-" he nodded towards Rose. "-scaling the side of the bookshelf. She was stuck."

Hermione gaped. "Th-thank you, Malfoy-"

"It was Scorpius," Draco interrupted. "He was the one who saw her."

Hermione allowed a small smile at Scorpius.

"Thank you," she told him.

"You're welcome," he said quietly.

"Did you say thank you to Mr. Malfoy, Rosie?" Hermione said firmly, looking down at her daughter.

Rose rolled her eyes. "Thanks," she muttered, scuffing the ground with her trainer.

Draco stifled a chuckle. "Feisty, that one."

Hermione huffed in agreement. "Just like her father."

There was a small silence.

"So I take it you're a Weasley now?" He eyed the wedding band on her hand.

"Yes," Hermione said warily.

Draco nodded once. "You'll always be Granger to me."

"Some things never change," Hermione said with a small smile. "Where's your wife?"

"Around here somewhere," Draco said, looking around. "We must be going, though. Say good-bye, Scorp."

"G'bye!" he said, waving his fist.

"Rose," Hermione nudged her.

"Bye," she muttered. Draco chuckled again.

"Bye, Granger."

"Bye, Malfoy."

:::

2017

"Well," a silky voice said. "This is rather familiar."

Rose gasped, falling off the second shelf of the bookcase and onto her backside. When she opened her blue eyes, they were met with stormy grey.

Draco Malfoy. She recognized him from the Daily Prophet; he had just given Hogwarts an insane amount of galleons; not only that, but she noticed that her parents had been arguing a lot lately, and his name always seemed to come up somehow.

"You're Draco Malfoy," she blurted out before she could stop herself. She blushed.

Draco raised an eyebrow. "And you're Rose Weasley."

Her eyes grew wide. "How'd you-"

"We've met before," Draco told her. He reached out his hand, grabbing her arm and pulled her to her feet.

"We have?" Rose said doubtfully. She wiped the dust from her cloak. Draco nodded.

"Six years ago. You had climbed a bookshelf. You became stuck. I-"

"-helped me down," Rose murmured. "I remember now."

There was a small silence. It was not awkward. They studied each other.

"Did you need a book?" he asked her.

She bit her lip and nodded, pointing. "Please."

Draco got the book she pointed to. He glanced at her, before flipping through it. "Quidditch Through the Ages?"

She nodded, her hands clasped behind her back. He handed it to her, watching her thoughtfully.

Rose noticed. "What?" she asked nervously.

"You look astonishingly like your mother," Draco muttered. "Except your hair."

"Thank Merlin," Rose mumbled. Draco burst into laughter. She smiled.

"Thanks for the book, Mr. Malfoy."

"Dad?"

Rose watched a smaller version of Draco Malfoy turn around the corner. Rose blushed when his eyes locked with hers and looked down.

"Scorpius," Draco said and nodded towards her. "This is Rose Weasley."

"Hi," Scorpius said suspiciously.

"Hullo," Rose muttered. She still didn't look up.

"Are you starting at Hogwarts this year, Rose?" Draco asked her and she nodded. "Ah! Scorpius is too. What House would you like to be placed in?"

"I'm not sure yet," Rose said shyly. She glanced up at the both of them from under her lashes. "I should get going-"

She started to back away but Draco stopped her. "What?"

"You're welcome."

He smiled faintly at her. She grinned, then left, her book clutched tightly in her hand.

:::

2021

"I'm nervous," Rose admitted.

"About?" Scorpius asked.

It was almost midnight and the both of them were on their hands and knees scrubbing the floor of the Great Hall. Scorpius had a toothbrush in his right hand; Rose had a dirty rag. They were serving detention under Hooch's orders for sneaking onto the Quidditch pitch the night before to snog, cleaning the Great Hall the muggle way.

"Meeting your mum and dad," she said, slapping the wet rag onto the tile.

"That's bullocks," he scoffed, looking up at her. "You've already met my dad and mum-"

"No," Rose corrected him. "Not as your girlfriend and your mum-"

"-will adore you," Scorpius said. He jumped up and smirked at her; the smirk that made her stomach drop.

"Seriously Rose, you needn't worry. I should think to be more afraid of your dad!"

"Please," Rose laughed, moving a piece of her fringe from her face. "My dad couldn't hurt a fly, even if he wanted to."

She leaned up to kiss him but there was a cough from the entrance. They both spun towards the door.

"Madam Hooch said to go back to your dormitories," Hugo said accusingly.

"Thanks, Mate," Scorpius said amicably.

"To your dorm, Rosie," Hugo warned her.

"Last time I checked, I was the big sister, Hugo, not the other way around," Rose said hotly.

"Rose," Scorpius warned. Hugo glared at her.

"Well, I don't think Mum or Dad would be too pleased to hear that you got detention for sneaking out onto the pitch to snog your boyfriend!"

Rose's jaw dropped. She let the wet rag slip from her grip before she lunged at her brother. Luckily, Scorpius caught her before she could do any real damage and Hugo ran off.

"Why didn't you let me pummel him?" she fumed, turning to glare at him.

"Because not only would we not be able to see each other, but we'd probably be serving separate detentions as well," he reminded her. "And I don't care how many detentions I have, s'long as it's with you."

Rose rolled her eyes at his sappiness and he laughed, pulling her close and kissing her.

:::

2024

"Rose Weasley."

The voice that Rose had gotten accustomed to over the years filled her head and she shuddered, turning around.

"Mr. Malfoy," she said in greeting.

He lifted an eyebrow.

"You're not looking for a book today."

Rose also lifted an eyebrow, staring around at all the books. The Malfoys library could definitely give Flourish and Blotts and run for their money. "I hardly think I'll try to find a book to buy in your house, sir."

"Touché."

There was a silence.

"Where's Scorpius?" Malfoy asked, turning around. He closed the door. Rose's face turned red.

"He went after his mother."

Malfoy frowned. "Why?"

"She got rather…upset," she struggled.

"Why?" he repeated.

"Scorpius told her that we were…" she stammered. "er, getting married."

There was a pause.

"Well," he said. "It's about time."

Rose let her jaw drop. "Excuse me?"

Draco swept around her, sitting at his desk and gesturing to the seat in front of it. She took it, still very confused.

"Please excuse my wife," he apologized. "She's rather attached to him."

"I understand, sir," Rose acknowledged. "But why-"

"Do you remember the first time we met, Miss Weasley?"

"Rose," she corrected. "And very vaguely…why?"

Draco looked at her flatly.

"He hasn't stopped talking about you since that day."

Rose stared at him.

"…what."

"When you became friendly, he was over the moon- I've never seen him so excited before-"

"So why is-" she started to say but Malfoy stopped her with a look.

"She doesn't want you to take him away from her."

Rose's heart slowly broke.

"I…I would never," she said quietly.

Draco shook his head, leaning back in his chair. "Don't promise things you can't keep, miss. Because you will. You'll get married, you'll have children, grow old-"

Rose's face turned red, but he trucked on.

"You'll have your own family. Astoria has to realize that he is growing up." Draco shrugged. "He's 18. He has to."

"I- I don't know what to say…" she muttered. "Should I…apologize?"

"No," he said firmly. "She will apologize to you. You've done nothing wrong-"

"What's going on in here?" a voice said.

Rose turned around to see Scorpius standing in the doorway. Astoria was no where to be seen.

"Dad," he said, moving into the room. He placed a hand on Rose's shoulder. "What are you doing?"

"I'm speaking with your future wife, Scorpius," he said in his silky voice. He smiled at Rose. "What does it look like?"

Scorpius's face paled. "Dad-"

Draco waved impatiently. "Where is your mother?"

"In the garden," Scorpius muttered. "She's rather upset-"

Draco groaned and stood up. "I'll go to her," he said, clapping Scorpius on his shoulder as he passed. "Miss Weasley?"

"It's Rose, sir," she reminded him.

"Rose," he conceded with a nod. "It's been a pleasure."

He swept from the room.

"What was that about?" Scorpius asked.

"Your father told me something interesting," Rose said with a smile. She stood from the chair and placed a hand on his chest, playing with his collar.

"And what was that?" he asked nervously.

"The length of time you've been enamored with me," she said with a giggle.

Scorpius groaned, then wrapped his arms around her neck, hugging her fiercely.

"That's dirty," he said into her hair. Rose laughed, and pulled away, kissing him softly.

"I think it's cute, " she told him.

"Yeah?" Scorpius asked hopefully.

"Yeah."

They kissed again but were interrupted by a stiff voice.

"Scorpius."

"Mum," he said, pulling away.

Astoria stood there, in all her glory, looking disdainful. Rose decided she was beautiful, even at her age, though she wasn't old, and even though she was frowning rather heavily.

"Are you okay-" Scorpius started to ask.

"I'd like to speak with Rose if you don't mind," she said in a tight voice.

"Mum-"

"Please," she said, sighing. "I mean no harm."

Scorpius took a deep breath, then lightly cupped Rose's face, kissing her chastely on the lips and then left.

Rose's face was as red as her hair when she face Astoria.

The older woman took a deep breath.

"I want to apologize, Rose Weasley, for how rude I acted earlier." She seemed to have rehearsed this. "It was extremely rude of me and I hope that you accept my apology."

"Apology accepted," Rose said quickly.

Astoria sniffed. "I don't want you to think ill of me. I want you to know that…it's not you at I'm adverse to."

"Not me," Rose repeated.

"If Scorpius were dating anyone else," she said. "I'd have acted the same way."

Rose faltered. "I-"

"I don't want you to think it's because I'm biased," she said, continuing. She stepped further into the room, the light from the open windows lighting her face up, and making her appear younger. She really was beautiful. She sat down at Draco's vacated seat.

"It's not because you're a Weasley, or because you're a Half-Blood," she said, staring at her hands. "Just because I was a Slytherin-"

"Mrs. Malfoy," Rose interrupted. "I would never think- I'm a Slytherin-"

"I know, dear," she said. "Please, just let me finish. I need some peace of mind."

Rose stayed quiet.

"It's not you, I promise." she seemed to struggle with herself.

"I just- my sister and I, we never really had much. We were orphaned at a very young age. I wanted Scorpius to have everything he ever wanted. I guess…I got too attached in the process," she faltered and trailed off. Before Rose knew it, she was crying. "I just…I love him so much."

"I love him too," Rose whispered. "I promise. I promise to take really good care of him."

Astoria nodded, wiping her eyes.

"Rose?"

They both turned.

Scorpius and Draco stood in the doorway.

"Are you ready to go?" Scorpius asked.

Rose nodded. Astoria stood and when she did, Rose went over to her and wrapped her arms around the thin woman's middle, hugging her tightly.

"I'm not taking him away forever," she whispered.

Astoria smiled at Rose when she pulled away, patting her on the cheek and wiping the tears from Rose's eyes. When she turned back around, Draco was smiling at her.

"I'm sure we'll be seeing you soon, Miss Weasley," he said, bowing slightly.

"It's Rose, Mr. Malfoy," she corrected him with a roll of her eyes.

"Of course."

She smiled at Scorpius when she got to his side, intertwining her fingers with his. They were at the door when Draco called out.

"Rose?"

She turned to him.

"You should really stop scaling the sides of bookshelves, my dear."

She laughed. "I'm sure you'll always be there if I ever need a book, sir."

Draco smiled and shook his head. "No, not anymore."

Rose tilted her head.

"I will be," Scorpius told her quietly. Rose smiled, and they left, leaving Astoria still wiping her eyes, and Draco standing beside her.