The train rides were the worst.
He could deal with it the rest of the year, but the train rides were when that last ray of euphoria from summer had not yet been quashed by the prospects of another year among a thousand people who hated him. Well, nine hundred ninety-nine. There was always Albus Potter, Gryffindor seeker and newly minted king of the school, now that his older brother James had graduated. But that was one man among many.
It wasn't even that Scorpius cared, he reflected as he pressed his forehead against the cool glass of the window, staring out as the platform disappeared. And why should he? It wasn't like Scorpius was going to try to kill the Headmistress. It wasn't like Scorpius had a Dark Mark on his arm by the age of sixteen, like his father and grandfather. It wasn't like Scorpius was in Slytherin, either. In fact, he wasn't. That was what surprised everyone the most.
He was six years back, in his first year, staring up at the Deputy Headmaster, Neville Longbottom. He recognized the name from the bedtime stories his father told. Scorpius was eleven, small for his age, with pale blonde hair and striking grey eyes, just like his father. He felt smaller, he felt very small, with all those hostile eyes on him. Scorpius had been examined the entire ride, and he didn't know why; that was, until he tried to introduce himself to a pretty little redhead girl who spat on his shoes and declared "her daddy would never permit her to befriend a Malfoy".
Why did being a Malfoy matter? He wondered that all the way up to the platform at the front of the Great Hall. Scorpius clenched his jaw as he sat on the bench, aware of the whispers and glares he was getting from all the four tables. He had to prove that being a Malfoy didn't matter. The Sorting Hat, a very shabby accessory indeed, was placed over his head and began whispering sibilantly. "A brave soul, you are. But clever, too. Cunning. Slytherin would be a good fit for you, especially given your family…"
"Not Slytherin," Scorpius plead, echoing words he hadn't known he'd been echoing. "I want to prove them wrong."
"Not Slytherin, eh? That seems familiar… But no, you are not the same as Mr. Potter. I expect that with the brain I can see you have, the best fit would be… RAVENCLAW!" the Hat roared, startling Scorpius into exhaling the breath he hadn't known he'd been holding. The Great Hall fell eerily silent as Scorpius walked slowly over to the table of blue, sitting down quietly at the far end of the table. Very close to the door. The butterflies in his stomach seemed to have increased, rather than settled.
Scorpius blinked, drawing himself back to the present. Somehow, he had made it to his seventh year. Just one hundred and eighty days and he could be free of this place. Not that he didn't love learning. He did. But not at the cost of those nine hundred ninety-nine prying eyes, watching for something he couldn't begin to guess at.
Except for wait, he could.
He could guess they were waiting for him to go crazy in the middle of the Great Hall and start screaming curses at anyone and everyone.
He could guess they were waiting for him to show off his Dark Mark in the middle of Transfiguration.
He could guess they were waiting for him to decide Azkaban was a good summer home.
He could guess they were waiting for him to pull a Dementor out of his pocket.
He could guess they were waiting for him to screw up.
Well, they could all go suffocate on that breath they were holding, because he wasn't screwing up.
Scorpius released a breath and sat up, the rasping noise of the door sliding back awakening him from his reverie. Albus plopped down on the seat across from him. "Well, this is a rare treat, you're talking to me off the pitch," Scorpius drawled.
"This is a rare treat, you're not wailing on Mark Boot in the bathroom," Albus drawled back.
"Give me some time, the train just left."
Al gave me a sharp look. "When will you stop?"
"Am I too old to hide in a corner like I did in first year?"
"Yes."
"Then not any time soon."
Al shook his head. "You're impossible, Malfoy."
Scorpius didn't say anything. After a long moment of silence, he said, "I made Quidditch Captain, seeing as Ethan Belby finally left last year."
"About time," Al said, relief at the change of subject evident in his voice. "You've been a better player than Belby since you joined the team in second year!"
"He was the best older player by the time he hit fifth year," Scorpius murmured. "Shame, that. Cost us the Cup last year."
Al snickered. "Are you sure that just wasn't Gryffindor skill?"
"You wish, Potter."
The rest of the train ride passed amiably, for once. No one seemed to want to bother Scorpius when he was in the company of the King, which said king seemed to have recognized. It was a distinct change from his other twelve train rides, both to and from school.
He was back in his third year, standing in the boys' bathroom, fists raised in what had become a familiar dance. Scorpius taunted the boy standing in front of him, fists also raised. "Boot, what's the matter? Scared?" He grunted when the boy's fist collided with his nose. Blood spattered over Scorpius's crisp white shirt. "Boot, you hit like a girl!" His own fist flashed out and collided with Mark Boot's stomach. He went for more subtle, but no less effective, methods. Boot doubled over for a moment before head-butting Scorpius in the stomach. "Oomph!"
Then he was in fifth year, walking out of the bathroom after a more complex though no less vicious brawl with Mark and a few other boys. He'd become quite adept at Episkey. Scorpius had almost lost count at how many times he'd broken his nose. Today, he would need to visit the hospital wing upon arrival to the castle. Mark had crashed his head into a sink. Scorpius was just cleaning up some of the blood with a hankerchief, so it looked like he was just wiping his face.
Then a body hit his. He jumped, grunting when an elbow collided with a bruise on his abdomen. "Be more in the way, could you?" groaned a familiar female voice. Scorpius gulped, almost not wanting to remove the kerchief so she saw who it was. Finally, he lowered it and slipped into his sarcastic shield. "I could be pinning you to a wall, Weasley. That would be more in the way."
Rose sighed when she saw it was him. "Move, Malfoy." And she pushed past him, evidently not in the mood.
"Where to, Weasley?"
"Prefect's meeting, Malfoy. You're not invited." And with a swish of red hair, she was gone.
Then there had been every fight in empty classrooms, secluded corners, hidden corridors. Scorpius shook his head to clear it of the memories. This was a new year, this was his last chance to prove himself to this hypocritical, prejudiced school.
He sat in a carriage alone, Albus having rejoined his family- Rose, Scorpius realized with a twang- once they were off the train. Albus may have been Scorpius's best- only- friend, but Albus was best friends with Rose Weasley. Scorpius knew he was just a friend, or even just a community service project. Let's keep the Death Eater's son from beating up all the Gryffindors or anyone else who challenges him. Scorpius sighed. He knew that was it. And he knew he was even less to the only other person he cared what they thought of him on a day-to-day basis, Rose. Scorpius suspected that if given the chance, she would still spit on his shoes, prefect or no. Speaking of, she was probably Head Girl this year. Joy.
The rattles slowed to a stop and Scorpius hopped off, walking at a brisk pace up to the castle. He would head straight up to the Ravenclaw dormitories, and skip dinner. He wasn't in the mood. Are you ever in the mood? wondered his internal voice that Scorpius thought must be his conscience. Scorpius ignored it. No, he answered silently.
Scorpius tucked his hands in his pocket and walked faster, the cold Scotland air biting his skin even this early in the fall. Suddenly, a rustling and scuffling caught his attention. He looked to see two boys duking it out behind some shrubbery. Scorpius sighed. No rest for the innocent, huh. Resigned to his fate, Scorpius walked over and hoisted the two younger children apart from each other by the collars, for once glad of the large, muscular frame he'd gotten from playing Quidditch. "What exactly are you two doing?" he asked, noting they were both fifth year Gryffindors.
"None of your business, Malfoy," snarled one of the boys, who he vaguely recognized as having been caught snogging Lily Potter last year. The boy had given Albus a heart attack.
Scorpius shook him roughly. "It is when you're fighting over a friend's sister." Scorpius had placed the other boy as one he had seen snogging Lily Potter just this morning, on the platform. Al had looked rather constipated as he tried to ignore it.
"Since when are you friends with Albus Potter?" sneered that boy. Lorcan Scamander, if he remembered. The other was Greg Gains.
"Since I have been," Scorpius retorted shortly, looking up at the sound of more footsteps.
Rose Weasley planted her feet in the ground, placing her hands squarely on her hip, echoing the favorite pose of her Grandmum Weasley. "Mr. Malfoy, why exactly are you berating two younger students?" The venom in her voice told Scorpius she was already sure it was his fault.
"O Head Girl," he began, seeing his thoughts confirmed by a shiny silver badge, "I was merely separating a fight. Relax, Weasley. Although, I suppose I would rather you thank me, seeing as they were fighting over your cousin."
Her brow furrowed. "They were what?" she asked, taken aback. "How do you know?"
Scorpius laughed. "It didn't take much but observational skills to figure out. Scamander here was snogging Lily Potter this morning on the platform, and Gains here was snogging her right before school let out last year."
Gains fought against Scorpius' firm hold. "Let me go already, Malfoy," he spat.
Scorpius looked to Rose, who nodded, a resigned look on her face. "Come with me, boys. You too, Malfoy." She began leading the group up towards the castle.
Scorpius released the boys and gave a resigned sigh. What was the problem with the world letting him relax in peace? "Why do I have to go, Weasley? I haven't done anything."
"The Headmistress will want you there to collaborate your story."
"Story?" Scorpius protested.
"Relax, Malfoy." I've been trying, he thought defiantly. "All I meant was that these two will be denying they did anything. I've seen their ilk." She glared at the two boys, who ducked their heads nervously.
The walk passed silently and tensely all the way to the Headmistress's office. On the way there, Scorpius did notice Lily's eyes flashing when she saw the four, her eyes lighting on Scorpius like it was his fault. How novel, Scorpius thought bitterly. Al just looked concerned, which Scorpius clenched his jaw at and tried to smile reassuringly at his friend at the same time as ignoring the looks and whispers that had not stopped after six years.
Rose led them all up to the gargoyles which Scorpius had become acquainted with multiple times over the years, and spoke confidently. "Severus Snape." The stones grated as the wall turned into a door, and a staircase appeared. Rose walked up it, beckoning for the others to follow. When the boys looked as if they wanted to run, Scorpius pushed them forcefully up the stairs. Lorcan and Greg both turned to glare at him. "Headmistress?" Rose called out as they all walked into the sumptuous office.
Minerva McGonagall swept in, face unreadable. Her emerald robes were as distinctive as the bright purple ones Dumbledore had been said to wear. "Yes, Miss Weasley?"
"Scorpius Malfoy claims he found these two fighting outside the school." Rose's tone left no illusion she didn't believe him. "Lorcan Scamander and Greg Gaines, fifth year Gryffindors."
McGonagall looked over all of them, an eyebrow raised. "Mr. Malfoy, step forward. I have a simple way to prove this."
Scorpius stepped forward, mildly bewildered. "Headmistress?" he asked.
McGonagall held up a hand. "Stand still and trust I am not about to poke you in the eye. Think about what you saw." Scorpius ran over the event in his head, from walking down the path to Rose appearing and his explaining why he thought they were fighting over Lily Potter. McGonagall tapped his temple with her wand and withdrew a silvery thread- a memory, the seventh year recognized. "Why Albus never did this, I'll never figure out," the Headmistress whispered as she placed the memory in the Pensieve on her desk. She dipped her head inside the Pensieve and returned up moments later. "Mr. Malfoy, you are excused, thank you."
Scorpius nodded but didn't move. McGonagall raised an eyebrow. "I rather want to see what they get," Scorpius said, smirking at Rose.
Rose pursed her lips and turned back to McGonagall. "Headmistress, I will let you pass judgment on them, seeing as if you believe Malfoy's story they were fighting over my cousin."
The Headmistress looked between the two older students before returning her attentions to the two fifth years. "Detentions one night a week for the next month. And no extracurriculars, I know you are both in school organizations."
Scorpius swallowed somewhat nervously, realizing his detention fate would be much worse if anyone other than Al or the people he fought with found out. Possible expulsion would be on the menu. He looked over to see Rose giving him an odd look, but he just smirked and walked out, seeing McGonagall had dismissed the others.
He made his way up to the Ravenclaw tower, not hearing Rose call after him.
Finally, some peace.
A/N: So this just kinda took off. I read one good oneshot that was Rose/Scorpius, and from that was this story. Let me know what you think. (Oh, and for people who read my NCIS stuff... I've kinda lost focus on those, but I promise I will work on them, I really do.)