Okay, so I hope you're enjoying this. If you've read it before (Hopefully you have, ha-ha!) you'll notice a few changes. If you haven't, well, of course this is the original! ;) All I mean is that I've gone through and corrected the many spelling errors Word failed to pick up. (Like when you say that you though it instead of thought it, or your scrawl instead of scowl… that kind of thing.)
But I hope you're enjoying the idle world of Hogwarts that I've created. Well… you haven't made it to Hogwarts yet, but you will. I promise that they won't spend all of their time on the train. Because that would be weird. And awkward. And boring.
Love, Mia!
The next morning, the Great Hall was packed with people. Scorpius held his book in his hand, and his bag was over his shoulder. He headed towards the Slytherin table without much excitement. He'd eat what he ate for breakfast very day he was at this school – bacon and eggs – he'd also read, like he did at every breakfast.
Only, this time, while he read, he'd be thinking about how he and Rose had talked the day away in the train, changing in complete silence at sunset, and sitting down eerily in sync, opening their books and reading without exchanging a word.
He'd kept looking up to make sure she was still there, make sure she hadn't left, make sure she was still as beautiful as last time he'd looked.
He sat at the Slytherin table, swinging his legs over the bench. A group of nearby girls looked up at him and left the table, leaving him quite alone. Only one person sat across from him – Parthenia Crabbe.
It'd become some kind of joke that her name meant 'Virgin', as she was the biggest… skank in the school. Talk about legs wide open. She was practically the definition. Her uniform always violated dress codes. She was lucky that she hadn't inherited her father's fat body, or she'd be disgusting. Parthenia was a year below Scorpius, but acted though she owned the school. She spoke with a deep, man's voice, and had wider shoulders than even her father. He'd never had the guts to look at her feet, but he thought she'd probably make a good swimmer, judging by the length of her arms and shoulders alone.
There was a creaking in the bench as someone sat down next to him. He figured it'd be someone who'd mistaken him for someone else, and they'd scoot away, desperate to leave him alone.
But they didn't move. He looked up in surprise.
He saw the red hair.
'Hi!' Rose said breathlessly. Her hair was tumbleweeds of red curls. She had one clip holding her fringe back delicately, and again, her face was make-up free.
Scorpius looked over his shoulder, then back at her. Half the Great Hall was staring at her. 'Hi, Rose.' He mumbled back.
She smiled at him. 'I thought I'd come eat breakfast with my newest friend.' Rose had a way of saying things, all in one breath and then breathing out heavily at the end, breathless. It was kind of nice. She smiled over at Parthenia Crabbe, and then started a little, realising who she was. She looked back over at Scorpius.
'What about your family?' Scorpius asked, looking way over at the Gryffindor table.
Dominique Weasley and Lily Potter sat with their mouths wide open, staring with open betrayal and disgust. Albus Potter gave Scorpius a once-over glare and then smiled, the friendliest he'd been in five years of school. Rose looked over at them, at her little brother, pigging himself out, and back at Scorpius. 'They'll live,' she muttered.
She must really like him.
She looked up at the ceiling. 'Did you know that the enchantment on the ceiling broke during the Battle of Hogwarts?'
Scorpius looked up at the bright, sun-lit ceiling. 'Nope.'
Rose gave a smirk/smile. It was almost smug, and it was slow to grow on her face. 'I've always wanted to see the roof. My Aunty Luna has.'
Scorpius looked up at the roof once more, then back down at his fried breakfast. 'I think I'd know what it looks like.'
Rose nodded, but didn't say anything more. The conversation seemed to be over.
Talk about short-lived. Actually, they weren't talking.
Why was he so hilarious, even inside his own head? Scorpius smirked into his bacon. He looked back up at Rose, closing his book. He supposed it was bad manners to read while a girl sat eating breakfast with him.
Rose plonked her book on the table. 'Read,' she encouraged him, 'it's what I'd do if I weren't sitting here. I just though company while we did the same thing would be nice.' Before opening her book, she ran her tongue over her teeth and helped herself to cereal. She didn't pour milk in her bowl, though; she just picked up her spoon and ate it dry.
Scorpius turned to his book and meal, and began to eat it.
He supposed that, to anyone else, the silence would look awkward. Scorpius tried to initiate a conversation, several times, but remembered his lame attempts at conversation yesterday, and how she'd blushed constantly.
He kept eating, steadily reading the same page three times before remembering to turn the page. He'd already figured out that Rose's presence had a strange effect on him; he forgot what he was supposed to do to be normal. He would happily stare at her, without words.
Slowly, their breakfast disappeared.
Rose turned the page at erratic intervals, telling him without actually telling him that the book had sucked her deep into its confines, and she was lost to the real world, the one surrounding her.
Scorpius slowly shut his own book and looked openly at Rose. Her cheeks were flushed, her hair still doing the weird floating thing. He blushed and looked down at his plate.
It was empty of food, and soon disappeared through the table, waiting to be washed by the house-elves.
Suddenly, as her plate disappeared, Rose looked up. Her eyes were glazed over and she looked disorientated. She breathed heavily for a moment, arranging herself within the new and exciting (not) real world surrounding her, it looked like.
She then caught Scorpius' eye. She grinned at him, one corner of her mouth rising faster than the other, giving the impression of a lopsided smirk.
Scorpius smiled back. 'Breakfast any good?'
Rose nodded, apparently still too lost for words. She looked over her shoulder at the Gryffindor table. Her relatives weren't watching her anymore.
Scorpius followed her gaze. 'So. School begins,' he murmured to her.
Rose threw him a happy look. Pretend as they might, they both horded a secret passion for the knowledge school brought them. 'Finally.'
Scorpius grinned at her and stood, hesitantly offering her his hand.
Rose ignored it, twisting her mouth slightly. They both knew she'd seen it. They both knew that the other knew.
Awkward, Scorpius thought, using the hand he'd held out to scratch his thigh, as though it were his intention all along. Now they were looking at each other with wide eyes, both silent. So bloody awkward, he thought to himself, forcing a very fake smile onto his face.
Parthenia Crabbe stood when they did, struggling to get to the end of the table at the same time as them. 'A word, Malfoy?' She asked, in her deep voice. She caught his wrist and pulled him away from Rose easily.
As he was being dragged away, he saw Rose's eyes widen, and what he believed to be fear filled them. 'Sorry,' he saw her mouth, before her was turned to face Parthenia and he posse.
Parthenia was smiling. So not a good sign. Scorpius managed to work his wrist free.
'Oi, Malfoy,' Parthenia growled, stepping closer. 'I saw that, all of that,' she said, loud enough that anyone passing by the large group. Did she need to gather all her posse to talk to him? Honestly. 'Weasley, hey?' She smirked at him. 'But what would Daddy say?'
Scorpius turned and began to walk away. She was just teasing, angry and upset because he'd turned her down last year, he reminded himself. She's just full of spite.
'I'm not finished, Malfoy,' she said, louder again.
'I am.' Scorpius said, tucking his book under his arm. 'And I'm not going to sleep with you, Prairie,' He watched her blush at her father's pet name for her. He walked backwards for a few paces, getting enough distance between him and Parthenia before turning and walking away.
He rounded a corner, and Rose was right in his face. 'Are you okay?' She asked, in her breathless voice. Her face was a little pale. 'I haven't upset any Slytherins, have I?' She asked, paling again. Her face was about as pale as his. She was sincerely worried. It looked cute on her, though.
He shook his head. 'Prairie's an old family friend. She just wanted to tell me that my father wouldn't approve of the newest company I've decided to keep.' He wondered, as soon as the words were out of his mouth, if it was the right thing to admit.
Rose bit her lip. 'Are you okay with that?' She asked, her wide eyes widening again. Her chest heaved and fell.
Great. Now he was looking at her chest. Her… round… large… chest… breasts he'd wanted to touch for some time, now. He shook his head clear. 'I'm not who my father wants me to be,' he told her face going red with emotion, 'I choose who I want to keep company with. And that includes you, Rose Weasley.' His voice wasn't too loud – not like Parthenia Crabbe's, but it wasn't soft.
Rose smiled again, her eyes seeming to fill with tears. 'For the record, I'm not who my parents want me to be, either.' She bit that bottom lip yet again and took his hand in hers.
Scorpius almost dropped his book.
Rose was suddenly interested in avoiding eye contact, though her hand was warm in his, squeezing him as though he meant something to her. She took a deep breath.
Scorpius held his, waiting for her to rip her hand away. 'We need to collect our timetables,' he muttered, so low he doubted she'd heard him.
Rose exhaled loudly, not quite a sigh. 'I guess I won't dread our classes with the Slytherins so much,' she said, a smile forming. 'Not now that I have my new best friend, anyway.' She giggled and bit her lip.
She still didn't let go of his hand. Scorpius pulled his hand away and walked over to the Head of Slytherin, Professor Bullstrode, a complete blunder of a teacher – fat, stupid and ugly. She taught Ancient Runes, the one subject you didn't need to have brains to teach. It was also one Scorpius didn't take.
She shoved his timetable at him and gestured him to move out of the way.
He looked over his shoulder at Rose, who had approached Professor Longbottom with familiarity, smiling and talking before receiving a single sheet of paper.
She looked up and caught his gaze.
Scorpius looked back down at the timetable, searching for the word 'Gryffindor' anywhere. There, by Divination. And there, by Defence Against the Dark Arts. And again, by Charms.
He swallowed. Three classes. That's all he'd have with her. But he'd have lunch, dinner and breakfast. He'd have afternoons, and he'd have nights.
That was, if she wanted to be his friend.
But, she had called him her best friend.
Already.
That was a good sign… wasn't it?
Of course it was, he
First period on a Monday, he had that old bat, Trelawney. Fantastic. He'd be staring 'certain death' for the next hour. She was kooky and old, and had no idea what she was talking about. He only took Divination because it was a bludge subject, something so easy that you could fluke an 'O'. He took Potions and Arithmancy, he took Transfiguration and DADA; he wasn't stupid, but Divination was a break.
Rose sidled up to him. 'Looks like we've got a trek to the topmost tower, right?'
He gave her a look. 'You do Divination?'
She grinned. 'No. But I've got Astronomy first up. Have you got Divination?' The hikes were similar, until, at the portrait of an old geezer of a knight, Divination veered left, and Astronomy veered right.
He nodded. But he now wished he hadn't given Astronomy up.
She nodded back. 'But, hey, Albus does Divination. Got some kind of future-telling knack no-one else in the family has. Perhaps you'll be able to wheedle my future from him. He won't tell me, but I know he sees something whenever I ask him.' She grinned again, the intent in her eyes crystal clear. She wanted him to see the Albus she saw. The best friend she'd clung to for most of her days at Hogwarts.
'I can try,' Scorpius amended. 'But tell him I might talk to him, or he may bite my head off. After all, I am a Slytherin, and he is a Gryffindor.'
Rose smirked at him. 'I'm a Gemini, what of it?'
Scorpius grinned. 'You're a Pisces.' He took her hand this time, trying to remain oblivious of her flinch. 'And I'm a Gemini…'
Rose blushed. 'Oops.' She pursed her lips. 'Albus is a Capricorn. Did you know that they're an underwater sea-goat?'
Scorpius furrowed his eyebrows. How was he supposed to know that? He didn't even know when Capricorn was. He knew Pisces because his mother was one, and he knew Virgo, because his father was one. But… Capricorn? 'Nope.'
Rose let go of his hand to swing her bag around and rummage in it. She pulled out a folder, already half-full of paper. 'How were your OWLs?' She asked casually.
Scorpius nodded. 'Fantastic. You?' he wasn't being sarcastic. He enchanted the paper to make his 'O's 'EE's when his father looked at it. He was proud of his son, all the same. He always down graded himself in front of his father. He didn't want to seem like the kind of person who tried.
'Same.' Rose tucked her timetable away. 'Do you do Potions?'
Scorpius considered how to handle this. 'Does the sun shine?'
Rose blushed. 'I wonder if that will be a mixed class. Being such a hard class, only few get into NEWT stage.'
Scorpius took her hand again. It was warm in his own, and smaller, more delicate. Her fingers were long, her palm smaller than his. Her skin was smooth, but slightly damp with sweat. He wondered why she was sweating, but realised that he was, too.
Nerves, nerves, why did they have to get in his way now? He closed his eyes against the nerves, willing them away. Once he felt confidant, he opened them again.
Rose was scanning the crowd, and she pulled her hand away. She lifted it in the air and waved it. 'Albus,' she called. 'Oi, Al!'
Scorpius shrank away from her, as Albus approached. He didn't look Scorpius' way, and for that, he was grateful.
He didn't want to have to actually talk to Albus. He didn't want to. He wanted Rose, and he didn't want to have to share her.
Rose grinned and began to chatter mindlessly, still using her breathless voice. Albus agreed with what she was saying, before gesturing that she should walk ahead of him, in a gentlemanly manner.
Now that he thought about it, he realised that Albus wasn't too popular, either. He could be, if he wanted, like Lily Potter, but instead, he chose to hang around with his dorky, friendless cousin more often than not.
'I wanted you to meet someone, Al,' Rose said, then, turning to the space Scorpius had been standing.
He'd vacated the spot, standing quite a while behind them. Rose turned and locked eyes with him.
She blushed then, and bit her lip. Her eyes were wide and apologetic. Her shoulders dropped a little, and she turned back to Albus. 'My newest friend,' she mumbled, 'St John.' She motioned to the empty space beside her and curtseyed. She nodded at nothing and turned to Albus with a fake smile.
Albus looked over Rose's shoulder at Scorpius, and then at the spot beside Rose. 'Nice to meet you, St John.' He held his hand out and pretended to shake a hand.
'Silly,' Rose said, leading the way toward the topmost towers, 'St John is my imaginary friend. You can't shake his hand.' She started to climb the staircase, with Scorpius tailing close enough to keep her in earshot. Her voice was soft, and sounded a little hurt.
Scorpius wasn't one for being courageous, or even slightly brave. He knew that his father was the same type of person.
Upon thinking that, Scorpius decided to do something about that. He'd already told Rose that he was nothing like his father. He had to prove that to her; he had to show her that he could be trusted. He stepped up a few stairs quickly, managing to skip the false step, and drew up with Rose.
'Sorry, bathroom,' he said, loudly enough to make her turn.
She looked weary, taken aback. 'Oh.' She flinched then, her left hand hitting her right and clasping them together.
'Sorry,' he said, 'should've told you.'
Rose bit that lip. 'Yeah,' she agreed half-heartedly.
Scorpius reached over Rose and shook Albus' hand. 'Hi.'
Rose watched them with wide eyes, slowing her pace. Scorpius wondered if he was doing the right thing.
Albus also watched him a bit wearily. 'Hi.' He took his hand away and stopped, waiting for Rose.
She had stopped, some way down the staircase, and her eyes looked ready to overflow with tears.
'Rose,' Albus said, his voice low, 'come on, love.'
Rose just shook her head.
'It's not that bad, Rosie.' He continued, holding his hand out for her.
Rose seemed to deliberate, but her voice held no hesitation at all. 'No.' She turned on her heel and ran down the stairs. Her class wasn't downstairs, it was above his own. Her red hair bobbed around, until it disappeared in the sea of heads trudging to their first classes of the year.
Albus turned to him. 'Well done.'
Scorpius felt his face flush with anger. Albus didn't have to be a prat. He had absolutely no right to be! Scorpius knew he'd done the wrong thing by Rose, already, he'd been there to see those eyes she'd given him. 'I know,' Scorpius said, rather harshly.
'Listen, mate, if you're gonna be her friend, you've got to be extra careful.' Albus said, actually talking to him. They climbed the stairs, their steps in time with one another. Albus lifted a hand to his head and ran his fingers through his hair.
Scorpius thought he was incredibly naff, but didn't have the guts to tell him so. He shrugged. 'She's strong, right?'
Albus snickered. 'She's completely pathetic.'
Scorpius had to look at the ceiling to keep from glaring at Albus. Who was he anyway, trying to destroy a barely kindled relationship? 'We must know different sides of Rose, then.'
Albus laughed. 'I know every side of Rose. I think you'd be surprised by our relationship, Scorpius Malfoy.'
Scorpius shrugged, pretending not to listen. He didn't have to talk to Albus bloody Potter if he didn't want to.
'I'm being deadly serious when I say this,' Albus said, veering left with a nod at the knight, galloping around on a fat pony. 'There are a lot of people that would kill you if you stepped on Rose's heart.' With that, he stopped walking and glared at him. 'Me included. And probably my father. Don't forget that he defeated Voldemort.'
Scorpius could detect the joke in the sentence, but he didn't want to be jokey with Albus Potter. 'Not without the help of a lot of other people,' Scorpius repeated Rose's words.
Albus chuckled, almost darkly. They continued to climb the stairs. 'I see you've been talking to Rose. I practically heard that in her voice, then. She tells me that almost every day, you know. You'd think she'd give it up, but no…'
Scorpius cleared his throat. 'Well, she's my friend. I'll listen to whatever she has to say.'
Albus sneered at him. 'For now. Until you move on. That's how it always is.'
'No. I won't.' Scorpius shot back, pulling a face that could curdle mil if given the chance.
'And how long have you liked her? I mean, really honestly, how long have you looked at Rose and thought to yourself 'Yeah, I'd go there.'?' The way Albus phrased it made it sound incredibly crude.
But it wasn't. It was something genuine. He'd show Albus Potter that.
Scorpius raised an eyebrow. 'Why do you care, Potter?' He asked, voice harsh.
Albus gave him another once-over. 'Because, twat, she's my cousin.'
Scorpius watched Albus carefully. Nope, that wasn't it. Not all of it, in the slightest. Maybe a fraction – a one hundredth of the problem. 'Tell the truth.'
Albus ran a hand through his hair. 'You know, how if you are focusing on someone as you look into the crystal ball, you see their future?'
Fourth-year stuff. Scorpius wasn't retarded. He didn't even bother to nod.
'I see her crying, and you're standing next to her, pulling this face that makes me think it's your fault. You're holding hands.' Albus stopped at on the North Tower landing, facing Scorpius, and not the rest of the Gryffindors crowding the space.
Scorpius let out a shaky breath. 'I wouldn't.' He could never. 'Even if I could, why would I?'
Albus quirked a dark eyebrow. 'I don't know. Maybe because you've only known her for… er, hang on, you've known her how long?'
Scorpius glared at him, again. 'Prat. I'll try not to, at any rate.'
Albus stepped closer, his mouth almost touching Scorpius' ear. 'Try harder, jerk wad.'
Scorpius took a step back, and Albus grinned at him.
'Friends?'
He didn't even look like he was joking. In fact, he looked rather sincere, with only the faintest hint of a smile on his face.
If anything Albus felt about made him as passionate as he was concerning his cousin, Scorpius thought that he might be able to handle being Albus' friend. Probably in small doses, anyway.
Scorpius eyed Albus' extended hand. 'The most unlikely.' He shook his hand, feeling accomplished.
'At least I'll have someone to sit with in Divination,' Albus muttered, when they finally reached the North Tower classroom.
Scorpius grinned at him. 'Future-telling knack, hey? I just fluke it. I'm useless at Divination.'
Albus gave him a funny look. 'Honestly? Scorpius Malfoy, crap at something? The world must be coming to an end! Save yourselves!'
Scorpius grinned. 'I should have kept that to myself.'
'I'll remember it for ever,' Albus said, hand over his heart, dramatically.
'Drama queen.' Scorpius rolled his eyes, laughing despite himself.
Two days in, and he'd found two new friends. It was like some kind of fairy-tale.