Late Night Studies
She was screwed, that was for sure. It was already nearing 11.30 and she still couldn't get the ingredients for the Wiggenweld potion into her head. In fact, she had been staring at this page of her book for at least ten minutes now, her mind already in her bed in the Heads dormitory. She shifted her head from both hands into her left, sighing loudly and trying to get rid of the leaden tiredness that had wrapped itself around her memory mercilessly. So busy with herself, she didn't notice how the only other person in the library looked up at her movement. Scorpius Malfoy sat diagonally across from her on the other end of the rows of tables and during their study session, he had shot her several curious glances to check if she was still awake. To his surprise, Rose was just as stubborn with staying up late to study as she was with just about everything else. They never had been close, despite the close friendship between Scorpius and his fellow Slytherin Albus, who also happened to be Roses cousin. It was thanks to him that they talked at all, their relationship nothing but neutral acknowledgement and mutual respect. In fact, they had always competed in a friendly competition for top grades and he absolutely regarded her for winning most of the times, but did so in secrecy. Occasionally, the two would engage in friendly small talk when they weren't discussing Head duties, including the 'How are you?'s and 'I'll see you tonight''s, but never becoming personal. Even during the last two summers, which Scorpius had spent mostly at the burrow, they had barely interacted more than through handwaves and smiles. Just then had he realized how little their paths had crossed outside their relationship with Albus. For example, they had never been assigned on doing rounds together once in all of the years as prefects. Two months into their last year at Hogwarts, their ranks as Head Boy and Head Girl hadn't changed anything about the situation and both weren't sad about it either, perfectly fine with their completely professional relationship. Scorpius found it very easy to work with her because she was direct and always pleasant, no matter the circumstances. When he found a hot-tempered Rose discussing feverishly with her cousins at the dinner table, she always kept a professional distance with him; even if said meal had only been ten minutes ago.
The exasperated sigh caught his attention and Scorpius decided to put an end to this misery. He stood with a screeching chair, creepily echoing in the otherwise completely silent room. The lack of her reaction made it all the more obvious that she was already further in her castle on the clouds than she wanted to admit. He packed his books, parchment and writing equipment into his bag, shouldered it and repositioned his chair before making his way over to his fellow Head student. When he came closer, he could see Roses eyes staring blankly at the book in front of her, slowly starting to involuntarily lean sideways while falling asleep. Before her head could fall onto the tabletop, he lowered his upper body to be on the same eye level as her, waving at her face cautiously to get her attention.
"Come on Weasley, quit studying for today, you can barely keep your eyes open"
He said to her, waiting for an answer. Rose slowly looked up at him with cloudy eyes and a slightly opened mouth matching her exhausted expression.
"Malfoy, I didn't even knew you were still here! You should go to bed"
Scorpius frowned slightly. He hadn't expected the normally so observant Head Girl to be that tired. It was a miracle she could still hold her head up!
"Weasley, I'm fine, but you really should go to bed."
"Nah, I still have to learn for that potions test tomorrow. Did you know that Wiggenweld potion is made with sloth brain? No, wait, that was the -"
Scorpius cut her off gently with his hand slowly closing the book in front of her.
"Weasley, I'm sure you know everything you need to know for tomorrow"
He tried to persuade her, carefully holding her up to slide the parchment out from under where her elbows had rested.
"That's really sweet of you Malfoy, but I don't really think I can-"
Rose was interrupted by her own yawn that made her shiver violently. God, she was tired. Meanwhile, Scorpius had managed to pack all of her belongings into her bag and stood up to look at her questioningly. After her yawn, she had sunken into a little, pitiful pile on her chair.
"Here Weasley, I'll help you get up."
Scorpius offered his hand and pulled back her chair. Rose obliged but seemingly struggled, her usually well-in-control body was wobbling from side to side trying to maintain balance. Scorpius hand shot forward to support her back as a jolt run up his spine. He could barely suppress a gasp since he already had to concentrate on the girl in front of him behaving in a drunk-like manner. 'What was that?' he asked himself, caught by surprise from the sensation. 'Never had that before', he thought.
When Rose tried to walk out from between her seat and the table, she tripped on one foot of the chair and almost fell. Luckily, Scorpius was there to catch her, like a fainting damsel in one of those period dramas. He smirked at the involuntary comparison and tried to ignore the tingling feeling that had sparked under the touch of her skin and pulsed through his body in rhythm with his heartbeat. Eventually, he picked her up in his arms, having decided that it would be the easiest and fastest way to get her up to their dorms.
But that weird feeling didn't want to subside; it had settled everywhere under his skin where he came in contact with the exhausted girl in his arms. Astonishingly, it did not stop all the way up to their destination. Another surprise was the light severity of his freight, lighter than his full trunk on the first day of school. Scorpius felt a strange want to protect that Weasley he was carrying through the school in the middle of the night.
Adding to his confusion about the redhead, who was fast asleep by now, was an inconspicuous smell of freesia emitting from her that was oddly familiar, although he couldn't recall he had ever smelled it before. Scorpius shook his head to end the thoughts and concentrated on making his way up the stairs safely, the regular breathing against his chest hard to ignore.
After having muttered the password to the portrait at the entrance, Scorpius carefully entered, avoiding hitting his head on the frame and simultaneously not tripping over the threshold. Since he couldn't enter the Head Girls dormitory, Scorpius decided to lay Rose down on the couch in the common room. After he had, his arms immediately felt cold at the lack of her presence, and he was again startled by the feelings inside of him. He carefully spread the red blanket over her and looked at the serenely resting redhead one last time before heading towards his own dormitory. However, an unfamiliar sound made him stop in his tracks and turn around slowly.
"Wait!"
A muffled and quiet voice protested from the direction of the couch. Scorpius wasn't sure if he had heard right. He went to check on her just in case anyways, walking on his tiptoes as to not wake her. When she heard him approach, Rose turned her face towards him, eyes still closed. Her small freckled hand emerged from under the blanket and stretched out as much as she could in her state, looking incredibly inviting to him. Scorpius' brain failed to understand as to why he felt that way.
"I'm cold without you"
she mumbled. Her words caused an earthquake of mixed emotions in Scorpius mind and he struggled to keep his composure. Merlin, what was it with him today? He blamed it on the late hour and brushed it off, instead concentrating in formulating an answer for her.
"Rose, I don't think that that's a good idea"
he cooed softly, his own soothing tone surprising him. It startled him even more that he desperately wanted to avoid upsetting her. He took a step closer in an attempt to ensure she was to rest peacefully, but that was probably a mistake because she now had the chance to grip his wrist in a weak embrace, quite literally taking matters into her own hands.
At her touch, a lightning bolt ignited his veins and made his blood simmer. He felt like he couldn't escape her anymore, not for the love of Merlin. Gulping, Scorpius looked down at the Head Girl, her curls spilling over the cushions like a gory waterfall. Magical but scary at the same time. To be honest, Scorpius had always secretly adored her hair, the way it fell and bounced at her movements and that fascinating colour, a mix between a blazing, vinous red and a hint of fawn brown. The latter also perfectly described her eye colour, he mused. Wait, what?
Scorpius' mind whirled with thoughts, desperately fighting the urge to just give in to his craving to touch her, when Rose eventually became impatient. She tugged him closer with her hand, causing her fingers to nearly slip out of his grasp. Telling himself it was the better solution and painfully aware of the possible consequences, Scorpius grasped her palm firmer and stepped near her, reluctantly giving in to the spell the Weasley had put on him. She must've sensed his presence and rolled onto her side facing him, her arms lifted invitingly.
"Please come here, I'm cold"
she pleaded in a sleepy voice, lulling him into her wrath. His body couldn't wait to feel her soft skin again, fitting perfectly into his frame like a finally found puzzle piece, but his mind told him to be aware he could get hurt. More than in a Quidditch accident. Scorpius was indecisive, the internal battle raging inside of him. But he couldn't take it anymore.
Against his better judgement he lifted the blanket, the riotous flames in his body immediately ceasing to a calm ember in the pit of his stomach. Careful not to crush her, he laid down beside her small figure, still utterly flustered that this was, in fact, happening. As soon as she felt the couch sinking under his weight, she nudged forward and slung her arms around his neck, pulling him tightly towards her and tangling her feet with his.
"That's better"
she sighed with satisfaction, pleased with the warmth radiating from her new pillow. Scorpius felt like he couldn't breathe. His body was tingling everywhere, especially where their limps collided under the blanket. After a second, he allowed himself to relax, closing his eyes and deeply breathing in the flowery scent of her and indulging in the soft, soft curls. Scorpius pulled Rose affectionately close by her waist, feeling a sentiment so pure, sweet and intensive he had never felt before. He never wanted to let her go again and in this moment, she only belonged to him. Rose stretched her body under his touch, changing her position slightly and mumbled a dreamy "Malfoy" to his chest, making it vibrate.
He could feel the emotions welling up inside of him again like a tsunami, sensing an indestructible and infinitely powerful bond between them. Like no one in the world could do them harm as long as they stayed like this forever. He ran his cheek affectionately along her hair, responding to her address with an equally lightheaded "Weasley". Scorpius knew that although they were using there last names only to express respect and mere acquaintance for or to each other, but right then and there, their designation held a new sense of comfort and affection. It made him feel incredibly happy and with these thoughts, he drifted into a peaceful slumber.
Rose awoke from her dream filled sleep with a stretch and a yawn, immediately feeling a physical barrier in front of her and also between her feet. While she was opening her eyes, she wondered what it could be that limited her moving capabilities and was surprised, to say the least, when she saw nothing but a robe-clad chest. A boy? She could feel the panic rising in her throat and her eyes wandered a little further to the right, settling on the Slytherin crest stitched to the sweater. Her eyes widened even more, since she couldn't name a single male in the Hogwarts house who she found the least bit interesting or attractive.
In an attempt to calm down, she inhaled sharply and was hit by a soft scent of mint, pine and pepper. This couldn't be, could it? Rose held her breath, her heart beating in her chest like a dragon in a cage. After several seconds had passed, she had summoned enough courage to let her eyes and head drift upwards to see if her assumption had been correct. When she did, her heart did another little tap dance. Her gaze had indeed landed on none other than Scorpius Malfoy, her fellow head student.
Not knowing what to think about this whole situation, she started to study his features intently while listening to his calm and steady breathing, grazing the top of her head with every exhale. The curve of his neck was astonishingly long, graced with a delicate Adam's apple and ending in a sharp jawline that was illuminated by the first rays of sunlight of the day. His regal-looking lips were slightly apart, which felt oddly inviting to Rose, his skiing-slope-like cupid's bow casting a shadow on his cheek. Rose had never seen a nasal bone this long, but it certainly suited his features perfectly, flattening in a nearly straight curve and ending in a slightly rounded tip. For some reason, it seemed fitting to Rose to kiss it.
Her eyes trailed further upwards to his eyes, which seemed larger when closed, thanks to the long, dark lashes. Together with some barely visible freckles Rose had ever noticed before, they created a pattern of light and shadows on his cheekbones. God, his cheekbones! Sharp like a knife she was sure one could cut a telephone book of London with them easily. Above them sat his prominent, yet slender brows, which were a bit furrowed in his sleep. Rose resisted the urge to reach up to his face and brush away the adorable crease between them.
And his hair, oh gosh, his hair: a bright, bright blonde and usually gelled upwards into a style that would look pretentious on other guys, but fit his marble-statue-anatomy perfectly. Some streaks were now falling into his face and this time, Rose didn't hesitate to brush them aside with the softest touch. For a moment, she held still, waiting for a reaction from him, but nothing happened. She felt herself drawn towards him and her fingers moved along his face just like that, wanting to explore the landscape of his face not only with her eyes. They trailed down his cheeks, which were incredibly soft, to his jaw, where they rested.
Rose listened intently to the voice inside of her and couldn't deny that the initial flight of awkwardness regarding the situation had fully dissolved and instead had been replaced by a feeling of comfort, cozyness and security. She had never felt this good in a boy's arms and wanted to enjoy her newly found sentiments fully before he woke up. Gladly taking in the sight in front of her, Rose began stroking his cheek with her fingers again, the motion stirring a feeling of deep trust and intimacy in her. How the hell did they come this far in the matter of a night? She couldn't even remember what had happened, the last memory of her still sitting in the library. For a second, panic rose inside of her that he might have- no, that felt so utterly wrong that she immediately brushed of the thought.
While she was lost in her thoughts, Scorpius started to move all of a sudden, causing Rose to freeze. Before she could even think about what to say or do, he scrunched his face in a way she found way too attractive, and opened his eyes slowly, rubbing them with the palm of his hands while sitting up. The cutest noise erupted from his throat, something between a yawn and a groan, and all of a sudden, his eyes met hers, mercury colliding with chocolate. They stared at each other for several seconds, while Rose recollected her wits and decided to break the silence with an answer the questioning look in his eyes. Despite the curious tension in the air, she sat up as well and couldn't help but smile at him, still delirious from the events so far.
"Good morning"
she practically beamed at him, at which Scorpius started to smile as well, his little lopsided grin making Roses stomach fill with butterflies. The adoring but respectful look he gave her made her feel loved.
"Morning"
he coaxed in a hoarse voice, deeper than his usual one. Another thing she never realized she needed.
"Did you sleep well? It must've been rather uncomfortable"
Scorpius asked politely, his eyes still roaming her face.
"Yes, I did, thank you very much. You make a great pillow and although I don't know the circumstances that brought us here, I'm glad they did."
Rose replied, flushing slightly and grinning up to him shyly. Scorpius became a bit flustered.
"Oh, I know it looks a bit proposing but-"
"I know, Scorpius-"
she interrupted him softly while putting a hand on his chest to emphasize her words and embracing the way his first name rolled off of her tongue.
"I know you'd never do that."
she repeated. He became more relaxed at her reassuring.
"Thank you for your trust, I appreciate it and I want you to know that I'd rather die than do a woman any harm"
he grimaced in his typical Scorpius way and looked back at her. His face lit up in a small smile, before he looked down between them and mumbled
"And I'm glad they did, too."
She felt her smile grow wider and wider and in a desperate attempt to calm herself, Rose bit her lip, looking down as well at a loss for words.
"I-"
she began, her head shooting back up, only to get lost in two oceans of grey again that stared at her openly. There's this proverb that says 'Eyes are the windows to the soul' and for the first time in her life, she absolutely believed it. His gaze was honest, deferent and self-assured, not scared but also not arrogant. Rose felt like he could see right into her, see her deepest fears, thoughts and feelings, but strangely she didn't feel scared about it. Scorpius was disarming in every sense of the word, but Rose was ready to let him into her mind, welcoming him with open arms. With those eyes staring directly into her own, she felt like she wasn't able to produce a single coherent sentence anymore.
She was starstruck, in despair of his touch. Scorpius seemed to have read it in her look, because his gaze shifted to her neck, up to her cheek and to her mouth. Her entire body was dying of anticipation, waiting for his next action. Reluctantly, he reached out and the seconds seemed to stretch into eternity until his soft fingertips finally came in contact with her skin, the slow strokes eliciting waves of pleasure in her body. He looked back at her and she felt her eyes closing on their own, focusing on nothing else in that instant. The sensation she felt was so comforting it almost hurt.
Desperate for more, Rose took his hand, bringing her face closer to it in an attempt to delight more of her cells with this divine touch. She sighed with content as his whole palm stroked her skin, soft as a feather. So caught up in the moment, she realized a little late that he was slowly bending down towards her face. When the two were only inches apart, they locked eyes again and for one infinite moment, the world stopped around them, drowning everything in golden sunlight and calmness. Rose was certain that her pupils were as big as his, eyes wide with anticipation and desire. But not raw desire, a sweet, tender and loving desire; the way couples look at each other in black-and-white romance films.
They both took a shaky breath and Rose swallowed the dryness in her throat, before she leaned forward a tiny bit, their foreheads and nose touching ever so slightly. They stayed like this for some seconds, all of their senses figuring out if they were comfortable this near to each other and indulging in the intimate position. Finally, Rose gathered all her courage and looked up into his eyes again, lifting her other hand to sit at the nape of his neck, gently stroking the ends of his hair. He reciprocated her shy look with honest confidence, gulping hard at the contact.
And just then, both started to lean in a the same time, neither averting their gaze. Until . . . . . . . . their lips met in a chaste kiss, both taken by surprise. It was like Rose had eaten pineapple: her lips started to tingle in the most pleasant way at the contact, taking her breath away. It had only lasted a mere second, but she wanted more. So she carefully tugged at his neck, and he came closer immediately, this time gently brushing his lips over hers in a manner that made her combust with all emotions she had ever experienced. His lips were soft, dry and warm and tasted amazing, like lemons. She loved lemons.
When they both started to move their mouths in synchronisation, her heart did a jump of joy and she slowly pulled him closer, their proximity not yet enough. As Scorpius teeth grazed her lips, a hitch of breath escaped her mouth, causing him to let his other hand sink into her curls. 'Oh Merlin, was this even real?' Rose wondered as she held onto Scorpius neck and slid the other one into his hair, holding her close. The motion teased out a small moan from his lips and she felt like she was on top of the world. Gosh, his kisses were by far the best she had ever gotten.
But both of them needed to breathe and so they broke apart, gasping in need of air. His wide pupils and heaving chest gave her goosebumps. 'That's it', she thought, 'I can't take this anymore.'. And so she said in a shaky voice, still breathing heavily:
"I really, really like you Scorpius Malfoy"
and by the way his whole face lit up she knew he felt the same way.
"I like you even more, Rose Weasley. More than you can imagine"
and so they sat on the couch, grinning at each other like lovestruck idiots at 8 o'clock in the morning before venturing down to breakfast hand in hand. That day, Rose passed her potions test in flying colours although her view was clouded by the enormous pair of pink glasses on her nose.