Chapter 2

Rose did not see Scorpius the next day in class but she eyed the Slytherins in her year for clues.

Smallest in numbers there were only five in her year, two were girls, Amy and another named Magnolia Parkinson, who in her opinion, was a hag. Then there were three boys. One was a tall quiet lad named Sam Nott. Then there were Phil Goyle, a giant lard of a fellow with no table manners and the nastiest, a whiny boy with a large nose and big teeth named Corny Avery.

She would put her best bet on Avery and Goyle. Both were ruthless and mean. She could easily see them hating Scorpius for not being in their house.

Scorpius returned to class on a Friday. Rose decided last period, a free for them, would be a good time to remind him. She looked around for him in the library but had no sight of the blonde. She checked the hospital wing but it was empty. She ducked into the great hall to grab an apple and found herself nearly knocking into William Boot.

'Hey Will.' She said. Will smiled, he was always nice and probably the most neutral student you could find. He never quarried yet was a ferocious foe in quidditch with a beater bat.

'Hey Rose. What's up?' he asked.

'Do you know where Malfoy is?' she asked. He eyed her then nodded, 'Hagrid's hut he said this morning.'

'Thanks.' She said and he nodded. She hurried off to the grounds wondering why Scorpius would be at Hagrid's.

As she walked casually towards the front gate she heard a rather loud argument happening. She turned to watch as the Ravenclaw seeker, Leah Patil threw a bouquet of roses at Jeff Smith

Jeff was a fellow Gryffindor and had been for years the not so secret crush of Rose. He was tall and well built boy with curly golden hair and bright hazel eyes. But he seemed to only know Rose through quidditch and her famous last name. one year she tried to ask him to the ball and found herself losing her voice to her embarrassment and knocking her arm into a shrinking solution.

'And bugger off sending me anything else!' Leah shrieked. The two had been an on and off again couple since the end of last year.

Jeff however seemed only put off she threw flowers at him. Rose recalled how heart broken she was that year she tried to woo him. It had been Al who had calmed her down telling her Jeff was a player. It was obvious to her now.

She kept walking out into the grounds. She found Scorpius pulling weeds from Hagrid's enormous pumpkin patch. He was chatting animatedly with Hagrid, looking far happier then has had ever seen him.

'Rosie! Yer haven' visited me yet all term!' Hagrid boomed catching sight of her Scorpius. Malfoy's eyes widened and she realized he did not think he would be seen here.

'Hey Hagrid, Scorpius.' She said.

'Lookin' fer me?' Hagrid asked.

'Actually Scorpius is who I'm looking for, I was wondering if you wanted to work on the project for Grant.' She said. Scorpius pocketed his wand and nodded.

'How bout yer work in me cabin?' Hagrid suggested. Both nodded and went inside the hut. A fire was lit and his large boar hound, Fang the IV slept soundly, drool pooling at his paws.

They sat at the large wooden table and Rose pulled out her note book.

'You come down this way often?' she asked.

'Not until recently. Hagrid is my pick for the project but he has always been kind to me.' Scorpius said.

'Hagrid's awesome.' Rose replied and Scorpius nodded in agreement.

'What did you want to know?' he prodded her.

'Was Lucius a death eater?' she asked first. Scorpius nodded, 'But he helped the good side in the end.'

'Is he still alive?' Rose asked. Scorpius nodded again.

'Do you know why he switched to help?' she asked. Scorpius frowned in thought.

'I don't think so, but I can owl him and ask.' He suggested. Rose nodded.

She asked him the basics then, birth date, when he married, how many kids he had. It surprised her how little she knew of Scorpius's family.

'I think that's good for now. Did you want to let me know when he answers?' she asked. Scorpius agreed. They then headed back towards the castle for dinner.

Rose took her seat beside Louis, another Gryffindor cousin and delved into some delicious soup.

'Why are you chatting up Malfoy?' Hugo sneered from across the table.

Rose threw a roll at him, 'None of your business. Leave him alone.'

'Touchy.' Hugo said throwing the bread back. Rose easily caught it with her chaser reflexes. She smirked at Hugo and tore it apart with her mouth. It was the last roll and his stomach growled in hunger. She made sure to show off how tasty that roll was in front of him.

Later that night Rose was soon back in the air flying around surveying the pitch. Her team was doing passing drills and as she caught the quaffle she wondered if Scorpius ever played quidditch at all.

She glanced towards Hagrid's hut where she could see smoke funnelling from the chimney. She wondered if Scorpius often visited Hagrid.

Wham! The quaffle smacked her right in the head. She ducked downwards and grabbed it before it hit the ground and tossed it to the next chaser, and fellow cousin Molly.

'Pay attention!' Molly's twin, Lucy, snapped. Both girls were quidditch fanatics and chasers on the Gryffindor team.

'What's got your knickers in a knot?' Molly said as they ended practice and mounted off of their brooms. Rose shook her head as if to rid herself off cobwebs.

'Nothing.' She muttered and trotted off towards the change rooms.

She had to get her focus on, the firs game was coming up first of November and that was only a few weeks away. They would be playing the snakes and she had to keep her guard up.

Over the next few days, Rose spoke nothing to Scorpius, and decided to wait for his response.

October was soon coming to an end, and with two weeks to go until Halloween a sign was posted upon the common room bulletin boards:

This year Hogwarts will hold another Halloween Ball. On Thursday Oct 31 there will be the usual feast then one hour after a dance and refreshments will be held for students fourth year and above. Costumes are not required but are optional.

Rose dwindled on what she would dress up as. Normally there was a contest for top three costumes. Last year Albus dressed as a caveman and she dressed as a fairy. Nether costume could compare to James Potter, Albus's older brother and his infamous costume of Lord Voldemort.

It also made him the first student to hold the most detentions ever in one school year.

'Any ideas?' Albus asked her during potions class.

'Not really, maybe something muggle?' Rose said.

'I've got mine already.' Albus said proudly. Rose raised an eyebrow.

'And that is?' she prompted. But he looked mischievous and shook his head, 'Nope, not telling you. It's a surprise.'

'What's Amy dressing as?' Rose teased. Albus blushed but surprisingly answered, 'She's going as Medusa.'

'Sexy, and very Slytherin.' Rose snickered. Albus smirked in return.

'Oh it turns me on.' He said seriously. Rose smacked him on the arm as the bell rang and they finished up.

'Hey now, when was the last time you got it on with a bloke?' Albus asked.

Rose blushed, she wasn't the most innocent but she had never done the dirty deed. And she wasn't going to start broadcasting it now.

Her facial expression change was enough for Albus. He shut up and turned to another student asking them for the time. With a quick getaway Rose sighed thankful that her cousin and best friend was the most tactful boy she had ever met.

Classes ran smoothly from then on. Finally the Friday before Hogsmeade came and rose was not the least bit excited. Mostly because she still had no clue what to dress for, for Halloween.

She entered potions to find Professor Lumden assigning partners. She noticed Albus was already sitting beside Amy. He glanced her way and flashed her an apologetic smile. Sometimes you cant win every battle. Rose nodded showing she was alright.

'Miss Weasley you can partner with Scorpius here.' Lumden said passing by and handing her the assignment. Rose started and quickly sat down beside the pale boy.

The were set the task of making an antidote to a poison. Every couple had been given a different poison.

Upon the task was the list of effects the poison had, then Professor Lumden poured into one cauldron the poison. The second cauldron would be what they would make their antidote in.

Their poison was a pastel green. It was not thick but not very watery either. It had a faint minty sort of odour. According to their sheet it made the drinker break out into welts that oozed as well as knock you out cold.

'Its weird, it smells mint like, isn't that for healing usually?' Rose murmured.

'Not necessarily. Mint is used as a relaxant, it was probably added to ensure the victim would drink it.' Scorpius answered.

Rose was surprised, she should have thought of that!

'If it causing burning sensation and welts that means the temperature would've been set on high, so the antidote would be the opposite right? So probably a simmer.' Scorpius seemed to be talking more to himself, his voice low. It had a musical quality to it that Rose was again surprised by.

'What would happen if we kept putting relaxants in, like almost to drown the burning power right out of it?' Rose suggested.

Scorpius brushed his bangs away, he looked thoughtful.

'That may work, we can try juniper. And lavender.'

Rose began to assemble their ingredients as Scorpius lit the fire beneath her cauldron. As they worked Rose attempted small talk to break the annoying silence.

'So are you going to the ball this year?' she couldn't recall ever seeing him at the others.

'Probably not. I'm into sweets that much.'

'Did you ever go trick or treating when you were little?' she asked, Rose had a feeling that given his background he wouldn't be accustom to such muggle excitements.

'Oh yeah, my father usually took me. He got a kick out of the kiddies costumes. Especially the vampires since he works with them.'

Rose was surprised at that, 'What do you mean works with them?'

He tossed another ingredient into the cauldron, 'Father works for the ministry in a sort of sideline way. In recent years they began to try to cooperate with magical beings non affiliated with the department of magical creatures, mostly vampires. Since my father was always on their watch list you could say, he and some others helps them by meeting with vampires and trying to help them all out.'

'Wow. So does he see my father at all? Or any aurors?' Rose asked.

'Not really. I asked him once, but he said he only deals with the more corporate side of things.' Scorpius said, 'Also we need to now stir it counter clockwise for five more minutes.'

Rose who had been thinking while waving her wand to stir the potion clockwise shook herself awake. They finished the potion with five minutes to go until the end of class.

Scorpius began to fill a flask full and vanished the poison with his wand. As Rose started to clean up their station she grabbed his arm.

He stared at her and she found his eyes were more blue then silver.

'Do you want to maybe go to the ball?' she asked softly.

His eyes widened and his mouth gaped.

'It's cool if not-' she started to say but he cut her off, 'I would certainly go to the ball with you.' He said.

She smiled and he turned to hand in their antidote. As the classes headed outwards he caught up with her.

'Do you have a costume already?' he asked.

She shook her head, 'Nope.' And they entered the great hall for lunch. Rose noticed that Albus was sitting at her table chatting with his sister. She eventually took off as Rose and Scorpius sat down.

'You know this close to the game they'll think you're a spy.' Rose said conversationally.

Albus laughed and noticed Scorpius, 'Hey Malfoy, how's term going for you?'

'It's going.' Scorpius said.

'So what are you going as for the ball?' Rose asked. She had been all day throwing the question out at random moments hoping to catch Albus off guard to answer her. Yet just as all the other times he smirked and replied, 'Not telling you.'

Rose sighed and turned to Scorpius, 'Any ideas yet?'

'Possibly.' Scorpius said. Rose gasped, 'Already I just asked you like a few minutes ago!'

Albus looked at them, 'Asked him what?' he said sharply.

Rose blushed slightly and muttered, 'Scorpius and I are going to the ball together.'

Scorpius said nothing but eyed Albus warily. Albus however merely nodded before smirked at the blonde, 'Good luck.'

Rose snorted, 'My brother isn't that bad.'

Albus's smirk grew, 'I was wishing him good luck dealing with you.'

Rose looked outraged, yet before she could do anything about it Albus leapt up and dashed to the Slytherin table saying loudly behind him as he went, 'Got to get back to where I belong!'

'You!' she said attempting to throw a napkin at him as he ran off. Scorpius laughed.

'Oh gross Weasley, fraternizing with Malfoy? Careful you don't get a disease.' A snide voice said.

Rose turned to see Jeff Smith. His eyes were hateful and upon Scorpius. Suddenly she realized that Scorpius was bullied from more then just the snakes.

'Since when did you learn a word like "Fraternizing" Smith?' Will Boot said coolly. He sauntered from the Ravenclaw table over to them. Will was taller then most boys and stared Jeff down.

'I wanted to know if Rose here would escort me to the ball.' Jeff asked.

'Actually I'm going with Scorpius. I prefer a clean boy versus something heinous such as yourself.' Rose snapped. Jeff looked taken aback.

'Whatever Weasley I'll see you later when you're done with the pity party.' Jeff said and moved to sit at the other end of the lions table.

Rose noticed several people were watching their interaction, including Lily. Great, soon the Gossip Queen Potter would have everyone in the school knowing she was going to the ball with Scorpius.

Scorpius stood and muttered something about visiting Hagrid. He left hurriedly leaving Will to sit in his spot.

'So you actually asked Scorp out?' he asked. She caught the nickname and realized the two must be close.

'Yes. But now I'm not so sure.' Rose said sullenly she realized Jeff's words had really stung Scorpius. He must have thought she pitied him!

Will looked down at her and smiled, 'Don't worry, Scorpius is only used to being made fun of. You just caught him off by being nice. He'll come around.'

'I hope so.' Rose said.