The Start of Something Good

A/N: Just something my mind drabbled up. It's not the best but it's a start. I owe PrincessPearl and silveraurora for inspiring me.

Because I just love TeddyRoseScor and there isn't enough of it.

Reviews would make my day… (:

She's Rose Weasley, the proud daughter of Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley. So it's really no surprise that she's oblivious to the fact that her best friends is in love with her, is it? But he is, and maybe he has been since that first day, right after their fathers told them to stay away from each other, when she cheekily informed him that they were going to be friends. Five years later and he still hasn't done anything about it, but it's only because he's too afraid of losing her so you can't really blame him, can you?

"Rose, where are you going?" Scorpius asks, making her halt in her path across the Gryffindor common room. She considers for a moment and then rushes to his side. He puts aside his homework (that's he's doing late—as usual) and once again plies her, "Why aren't you in bed?"

"I'm sneaking out." It's a statement, a fact even. Her expression is almost unreadable, but he's her best friend, so he can see the glee underneath it. When he doesn't comment, she continues. "I'm going to Hogsmeade." She turns to go, but he clamps a hand on her wrist. Because this is Rose and she doesn't do sneaking out or rebellion or any of that crap.

"But, Rose," he sputters, "Sneaking out is Dom's thing or Lily's thing or…Lorcan's thing, not yours." He's so shocked, she can't help but laugh.

"James is helping me. I'm going to meet Teddy," she says and flashes him a grin. It's then that he realizes there's nothing he can do to stop her. Because even though it's clear to him that his cousin is simply waiting for Lily to be old enough, he won't—can't—tell Rose that. But it hurts to see that Teddy, his own cousin, is the one that can turn good girl Rose into a reckless teenage girl.

So he reluctantly lets go of her and simply warns her, "Be careful. Don't get caught." She practically dances to the door, stopping to blow him a kiss, and then she's gone.

He tries to concentrate on his potions essay—really, he does—but his mind is so full of thoughts of RoseRoseRose that he can't. Rose with her fire red curls and her big chocolate eyes and her sparkling wit and her infatuation with Teddy Lupin of all people.

And he's Scorpius and he's her best friend so he waits for her to return, even though it's already late when she leaves. Because Albus is in Slytherin, so he has no idea about Rose's late night plans and who else would fight sleep for her? He's just dozed off when she walks through the door and he wakes and grins and is about to ask her how "dear old Ted" is when he notices her face.

"Rose?" he asks. She looks utterly deflated and her eyes are glistening with—are those tears?

"Oh, Scor. He only wanted to ask me to apologize to Lily for him for their last fight." And in an instant, she's curled up against his side and he can only reach an arm around her and stroke her hair and murmur her name over and over.

Finally, she sits up and wipes the last tears from her cheeks. Offering her best friend a broken smile, she muses, "I was stupid not to see it. Even Victoire couldn't compete with Lily Potter. How could I?"

"No, Rose. He's the stupid one. Lily's got nothing on you. Anyways, she's just a kid. And you're…you're Rose Weasley. You're smart and witty and beautiful."

She doesn't answer, only stares at him like she's seeing him for the first time, and for a second, he's scared that he's overstepped some invisible line of best-friend-ship. Then she smiles—a real smile, thank Merlin—and asks with heartbreaking doubt lacing her voice, "You really think so, Scor?"

He nods his head slowly and she places her head down on his shoulder and his arm wraps back around her and they just fit. And so he kisses the top of her head, ever so gently, and assures her, "You're perfect, Rose Weasley."

She grabs his hand and laces her fingers through his and suddenly he can hear his heartbeat. For Merlin's sake, he's Scorpius Malfoy and he shouldn't be reduced to this but she's Rose and she's the only one who can turn him into a love-struck fool.

"Thank you," she whispers and reaches up to kiss his cheek before snuggling next to him with a contented sigh. And even though his heart is still breaking for her, he lays his head on top of hers with a smile because this might just be the start of something good.