Chapter 2: Lovers Apart

Dear Scorpius,

I can't write long, my whole family is at the Burrow for Christmas. I love my family, I really do, but I can't wait to get back to Hogwarts. I miss you terribly. I hope Christmas with your family is going well, I know how much you were dreading seeing them all. I wish I could write more, but I hear someone coming up the stairs now. I'll see you in just a few weeks!

Love,
Rose

Rose Weasley finished up her letter and hurriedly stuffed it into the non-descript envelope sitting on the desk. Suddenly her older cousin James burst into the room.

"James, have you never learned basic manners, say like knocking on the door? And look, you're dripping mud in my room?" James and most of the rest of the family had been enjoying Christmas together downstairs. Rose had excused herself briefly to use the bathroom, conveniently waiting until she knew someone else was using the downstairs room to give her a reason to go upstairs.

Grinning, James said, "First, Rose, this is not 'your room,' this isn't even your house, remember? Second, it's…" James trailed off as he stared at the envelope on the desk. "Writing to someone?" he asked.

"Just writing to Amy, you know, checking in on how her holidays are going," Rose said as she walked over and grabbed the envelope. "I was just about to go take it out to Gawain and have him deliver it."

Rose started making her way to the door, but James was standing in her way, the grin wiped off his face. Rose was unused to seeing her cousin wear such a serious expression. "Rose," James began, "I know you're lying."

Rose's face turned a shade of red brighter than her hair. "What do you mean lying? Get out of here!"

"I know you're seeing Malfoy," James said simply. Rose flew towards the door and slammed it shut.

"Please, keep your voice down!" she begged.

"So it's true," he said. "I had figured it out about a month ago, but I had been waiting to make sure. I didn't want to say anything unless I knew."

"Look, I know you all think he's horrible, and I know you probably disapprove of me dating him, but he's now how you think, he's-"

"I know," he interrupted. "I know he's not that bad. He seems like a truly decent guy. I'm not going to judge him just because in the family department he really lost out. Besides, Al's grudges are not my grudges.

Rose gaped for a moment, amazed by her cousin's maturity. "So you really don't see a problem with me dating him?"

"No, I said Ihave no problem with you dating him. When Al finds out though… And I don't even want to speculate about how your dad might react. There's a lot of bad blood between our dads and Draco Malfoy. I assume that's why you are keeping this a secret."

Rose considered this a moment. "That's definitely a part of it, at least at first. But I think if it were just Dad and Al I was worried about then we would have come forward by now. They would have been angry at first, but they would have gotten over it and understood in time, especially if they actually sat down and talked to Scorpius. But it's his family I'm worried about. What his dad might do, and possibly even worse, old Lucius Malfoy…"

James nodded at this, and then turned to head out of the room. Just before he opened the store, he stopped. "Do you love him?"

Rose was taken aback by the question. "Why do you…"

"Rose, I've know you your entire life. You're not exactly one to take risks, or to act impulsively. I don't think I have to tell you that you're risking a lot for Scorpius. Your family, his family, possibly even more given what the Malfoys are capable of doing. So what I guess I'm asking you is whether or not he's worth it."

"I do love him. And James, you and I are both Gryffindors. You take crazy risks all the time, and that makes you brave. But at the heart of Gryffindor is standing strong behind what you believe. I really believe I'm in love with Scorpius, and about this he and I are both Gryffindors."

"That you are cousin," James said. "And I know Gryffindors. We're a stubborn lot, and there's not a person who can ever tell us we're wrong." He smiled, then left the room.

Ginny Potter stood in her kitchen, preparing yet another tray of food to take out to her seemingly endless supply of guests. Turning to her mother, who was her sole accompaniment, she said, "I still will never know how you always managed this with all of us growing up."

"Oh, dear, you do a good job of it yourself," Mrs. Weasley said, putting the final touches on some Treacle Tart. "It's in your genes, looking after a large family such as ours. Besides, I never had quite so many people to deal with as you do. Remember, I had seven children to feed. Our family now is…" She looked towards the kitchen thoughtfully. "Quite a bit bigger."

Ginny considered this, then said, "You did however have to watch Fred and George."

"Well, I do think each of them should count as three children," Mrs. Weasley said with a smile. Ginny was relieved to see the smile. Her mother had finally gotten to the point where she remembered Fred and was happy, but there were still moments when she slid back into grief.

"Now I don't think that's fair," said George, who had just walked into the kitchen. "Fred and I were quite ambitious. I think we should rightly be declared as much trouble as four children." He took a piece of one of the Treacle Tarts Mrs. Weasley had just finished and popped it in his mouth, earning him a familiar glare. "Besides, Harry and Ron were always in far more trouble than us. They only get a free pass because they saved the world a few times."

"It does tend to justify the trouble," Ginny said with a smirk.

"Speaking of Harry," George said, "Do you know yet when he's supposed to get in? We're all waiting for him to eat, being the host and all, but I don't think some of the kids will wait much longer."

Ginny sighed. "I have no idea when he'll be back. Honestly, I'm not even sure where he's gone. He and Teddy just sort of disappeared, but they said they'd be back by a quarter past." Suddenly there was a crack in the room, and Teddy appeared standing right next to Mrs. Weasley, who almost dropped the Treacle Tart out of shock. Fortunately Ginny steadied the plate with her wand and put it back on the table.

Ginny looked appraisingly at her godson. "You're alone," she said, more as a statement than as a question, but her look made it clear that she expected an answer quick.

"I'm so sorry Ginny," Teddy said, clearly wishing he had Apparated into a different room. "We got called in to the office on some important business and-"

"Teddy, stop. Is this going to end with you actually telling me where you two have been?"

Teddy looked down at his feet. "Its not… you know I can't tell you that. Harry's orders."

"Yes, I've heard his speech," Ginny said. "He trusts us all, but if he told us we would all be in danger. Teddy, you've really started taking after him in the stubborn nobility department. Can you at least tell me why you're back already and he's not, or when he's going to get here?"

"I don't think you need your dear godson for that one," George interjected, pointing up at Ginny's clock, a duplicate of her mother's. Harry's hand was pointed at "Home." "It looks like he's already here."

Ginny looked out the window, and through the heavy snow she saw a dark figure slowly approaching the house. She suddenly felt both relief and annoyance, not sure whether to attack Harry or hug him. She drew out her wand just in case she decided upon the former option.

Entering the door, Harry saw Ginny and his hand quickly shifted to the pocket where he had the wand stored. Ginny gave him a cold look. "Teddy arrived a decent bit ago Harry. Why weren't you with him?"

Harry looked at her, hand still ready to draw. "Well, I figured Teddy would be safe no matter what. You'd just want to have a go at figuring out where I was. I figured I could use the extra few minutes to practice a counter-hex to the Bat-Bogey Hex." He smiled at her, and her heart melted on the spot, just as it always did when he flashed his smile at her. "After all, we both know the most important rule in the magical world."

"Constant vigilance," they said in unison, then both laughed. Harry drew Ginny in for a hug, and instantly all the anger left her. They stayed in an embrace for several moments (the rest of the family saw fit to go rejoin the party when Harry walked in), then went to go celebrate with everyone else.