Author's Note: Written for…
The Battlefield Wars. Team/Position: After All This Time-Always, Front Line Cadet #2 Mandatory Character: Rose Weasley. Assisting Character: Draco Malfoy. Prompts: "You can't do it unless you imagine it" – George Lucas, can't use 'said', kiss
Kiss, Marry, Kill Challenge. Prompt: Rose Weasley, kiss
Open Category Competition 3. Category: fanon
If You Dare Challenge. Prompt: Reality bites
Unusual Ships Challenge.
Sensibility
"Who are you getting all dressed up for?" Ron wondered, watching from his daughter's bedroom doorway as she pulled back her hair into a long ponytail and applied a light layer of lip gloss.
Rose smiled, looking at him through the mirror. "I'm helping Albus with the wedding, remember?"
"I thought that was yesterday. You two went to dinner."
"I don't know how things were when you and Mum got married, but it actually takes quite a bit of preparations to put together a wedding these days, you know."
Ron rolled his eyes at her, moving to sit at the foot of her bed. "I just don't want you burning yourself out. You've got a big heart, Rosie, and I know you want to help your cousin, but you've just started a new job and planning a wedding is a big responsibility. It was absolute torture for me, and I had an entire fleet of relatives to help."
"It's not that much. Aunt Ginny's taking the brunt of it anyway, and I'm only helping out with Scorpius' side of the family. Honestly, the boys really need the help. They're clueless. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to meet with Scorpius' dad about the venue."
Ron wrinkled his nose. "Good luck with that. I don't know how your aunt and uncle can stand the idea of a Malfoy for an in-law. I don't think I would have forgiven you if you brought home a Malfoy."
"Lucky for you Scorpius was gay, then," she muttered, spinning around to hide the worry on her face. "I'll be back before dinner. And please, try to keep Hugo out of my things while I'm out."
:-:
There were precisely four things Rose had promised her mother she would never do no matter what. Two through four were boring trivialities about underage drinking and standing up for herself, but number one was never lying to her family. Rose had always taken the promises seriously, never once considering going against them. And then she promised Albus and Scorpius she'd help plan their wedding and all other promises went out the window.
She tapped her foot restlessly on the ornate carpet in the waiting room outside Draco Malfoy's office while well-manicured fingers drummed on the file in her lap.
"Mr. Malfoy will be with you in a moment," his secretary assured her.
Rose was used to the long wait. She'd been working on the wedding all summer, after all. And before that there had been meetings to discuss the regulations for the new line of broomsticks that both of their offices needed to sign off on. At first Rose had thought it was funny, working so close to her best friend's father. Now she regretted not going into law like her mum.
She bolted into the office the moment the door was opened, not bothering to wait for her name to be called. She took the seat across from Draco's desk and resumed her foot-tapping and finger-drumming, waiting for him to close the door and sit before she launched into what was bothering her.
"So, the venue, yes?" he asked, shuffling through the papers on his desk. "Scorpius and I were talking yesterday and we're in agreement on the gardens. I can speak with the owner this afternoon and-"
"Can we put aside the wedding for a moment, Draco?"
At his name, he smiled and dropped the papers. "Of course. What would you prefer to discuss?"
She resisted the urge to smile back. If she smiled he would think everything was okay and everything was definitely not okay anymore.
"We've got to stop this," she started slowly, ignoring the way her stomach twisted at her words. "It's gotten out of hand."
"I'm sorry, are we still talking about the wedding? I know Scorpius has grand ideas, but it is his wedding and if he wants a unicorn there then, as his father, I really must insist."
"For Merlin's sake, Draco, you know what I'm talking about." He at least had the decency to look guilty as he came around the desk and took the chair beside hers.
"What's the problem, then?"
She sighed, slumping in the chair. "It was just something my dad said today, about Scor being a Malfoy, and I guess I just…"
"Realized I'm one, too?" he finished for her.
"It's not just that, really. We've got to be realistic, Draco. This can't last."
He leaned over the arm of his chair to grab her hand. "I'm not seeing a problem."
Rose scoffed. "I'm seeing my best friend's father, for starters! Hugo almost walked in on us snogging at the engagement party-"
"I told you, I charmed the room. No one would've found us."
"-I can't keep making up excuses to see you. If my family finds out we're together, they'll throw a fit. I'm even scared of being near Scorpius in case I slip up," she listed, looking at him sadly. "I can't do this anymore."
"You can't do it unless you imagine it," he told her, taking the moment of quiet to kneel by her chair and kiss her. She pulled away quickly.
"What's there to imagine? Where can we possibly go from here? Can you honestly see yourself with a woman the same age as your son?"
He chuckled. "There was a time when I couldn't imagine a future at all, and then I met Astoria and Scorpius came along. It took me years after she died to consider marrying again, but to be honest I still didn't really think it possible until I started seeing you." He gently brushed a loose strand of hair from her eyes. "Rose, I'm not asking you to marry me – not yet, at the very least. I realize we have some things we need to overcome, and it'll be difficult. But please, don't give up on the possibility just yet."
Rose smiled, letting out a deep sigh as her stomach untwisted itself. "I suppose I can hold out a little longer," she allowed. "But if the day comes when we decide to get married: no unicorns."