A/N: Okay, I've decided to continue this. Thanks to everyone who reviewed/favorited/followed from the last chapter! This is Scorose as well, but there will be other pairings soon. Please leave suggestions in a review or PM me if there are any specific couples you would like to see. This is in Scorpius' POV. Enjoy!

It was a pleasant day in Hogsmeade, with eyes twinkling with the loud sunlight and windswept laughter all around. Scorpius was thankful for such a day, to dissolve his scholastic grievances and to reveal a denim shorts-clad Rose. And although he would have liked to spend the day with both of his best friends, it was a relief that there was no Albus to slap him every time he looked – well, looked – at Rose. Al had divulged to him more than once that he wouldn't be surprised or the slightest pissed, and would in fact be the opposite, if Scorpius ended up admitting to harboring feelings for Rose. However, if that was not the case, Al had said that he "might jump off the Astronomy Tower" if the two of them didn't stop flirting.

Glancing at Rose as they turned a corner, Scorpius laughed to himself. Feelings. He told Al everything, and if he didn't say that he liked Rose to him, then he didn't like Rose. That was that. Unless, of course, he just didn't know it, which was stupid. How could you not realize your own feelings for someone who you had spent the majority of the past six years with? He snorted. He wasn't that daft. Rose was awesome; she had a sharp humor and a fiery way about her when angered, both of which made the softer but still wholly passionate side of her all the more endearing and surprising. She was easy to talk to and intelligent and, as she flaunted today, she was very attractive. But any time that Scorpius' mind drifted to a place where liking Rose was a possibility, he quickly retreated as if it were a crime to enter that territory. Their long friendship made it seem as if it were to Scorpius.

"Scorp?" said Rose quietly as they walked past the familiar storefronts.

"Yeah?"

"I – I know what you're thinking about." Scorpius turned to her and said, bemused, "Um, you do?"

"Yeah," sighed Rose. "I've been thinking about it a lot, too."

"Really?" What was she getting at? How had she known what he was thinking? He became more confused as he saw a wicked smile and glinting eyes take place of her previously pursed lips and knit together eyebrows.

"How in Godric's name are we going to execute an adequate prank on Al for ditching us for a girl yet again by tomorrow?"

"Oh!" Scorpius was a little flustered by the unexpected turn of conversation but recovered quickly.

"I don't know, I think we should let it go. Merlin knows we're about to fucking drown in schoolwork, so we shouldn't really be giving ourselves extra assignments. And besides," his well-worn smirk assumed its place on his lips, "I'm sure that you're secretly relishing this alone time with the hot blonde sixth year Titan pack of awesomeness that is Scorpius Malfoy."

"Actually, Scorp," said Rose, stopping and turning to face him, "I really, really am. But it's difficult for me, you see…" He knew she was kidding, but that didn't stop him from being quite affected by her close proximity as she stood on her tiptoes to whisper in his ear, "…because I can hardly keep my hands off you." He decided to play along for a bit.

"Who says you have to keep your hands to yourself? I say let them roam freely…" and he placed his hands on her sides gently for a moment.

"FUCK!" exclaimed Rose with a shriek as he began to ferociously tickle her. "You asshole! Stop, oh my GOD, stop!" she laughed, halfheartedly slapping at his chest.

"Alright, alright. But only because you asked so nicely." He noticed that they were standing in front of the Three Broomsticks and suggested they head in.

"Sure," said Rose. "But you're paying to make up for your little attack earlier."

"Done," Scorpius smiled. Soon, Rose had grabbed his arm and was pulling him to her favorite seat by the window. They sat down next to one another and he gestured to Madame Eliza. "I'll have a butterbeer with ice, please, and the lady will have hers heated because she's crazy and doesn't like her butterbeer cold even when it's scorching like today." Rose slapped his arm and Madame Eliza laughed.

"You know, it would do you some good to be nicer to your girlfriend. You don't want to lose her after so many years of chasing."

Rose coughed and Scorpius let out a choked, "Excuse me?" causing Madame Eliza to cover her mouth in embarrassment. "I'm sorry, I just saw you two outside and without Al and I assumed…" Scorpius laughed.

"Please, it's fine. But we were just messing around. Purely platonic stuff, I assure you," he glanced amusedly at Rose and couldn't quite place her expression before she changed it to match his.

"Yeah, no, seriously. Scorp is like family, like my brother or something." This seemed to sober him, and he stuttered out an "Um, yeah, totally, we're like siblings," as he stiffened from his relaxed position. Madame Eliza smiled. "Well, I'll just go get those drinks then." As she left, Rose turned to Scorpius.

"Hey, is it okay if we visit Uncle George after this? You'll love this, he's putting out some limited edition stuff soon, but first he's giving – "

"Yeah, sure sis, whatevs," he interjected, lightly punching her arm. In response, she burst out laughing. "What's so funny?"

"Since when do you call me 'sis' and since when do you say 'whatevs?' Merlin, you sound like a snobby try-hard third year."

"I call you 'sis,'" said Scorpius, running a hand through his hair, "Since you pointed out a few moments ago that we're like siblings, which is totally, one hundred percent accurate." Their butterbeers were soon handed to them, and Scorpius snatched his in a slightly unpleasant manner before taking a large gulp.

"Scorpius, are you okay? You seem a little off." Scorpius made an exaggerated innocent face and said,

"What? I'm fine. Leave it to Rose to needlessly worry about her bro. I just think it's great that our relationship is so close that we're like family to each other. It's great. I love it."

"Look, Scorp, clearly what I said bothered you, what's the – "

"Problem? Nothing! Look at me, finishing your sentences like we were birthed from the same womb."

"Um, Scorpius…"

"Yeah, Rosie? Come on, lighten up!" As he said this, Scorpius caught her in a headlock and gave her a noogie. She agitatedly shoved him off.

"Fucking hell, Scorpius, did you actually just noogie me?" Scorpius had the grace to be embarrassed. He scratched the back of his head.

"Um, yeah…?"

"…"

"…"

"What the fuck!"

"I don't know!"

"No, seriously, what the fuck? I don't know whether to crack up or slap you right now! Now, can you please explain why you were so damn bothered by me saying you were like a brother to me?"

"Because…that's not what our relationship is like."

"So? Then what is it like?"

It's like you're awesome and I'm awesome and life is exponentially more awesome when we're together.

"Hello? Come on, why is it so bloody hard for you to think of me as a sister?"

Because I'm in love with you.

"It's nothing, sorry. We're both stressed out from school and I'm being hormonal. Sorry, I'm just being a stupid shit. I'm gonna go to the loo - here's the money - then we'll go the joke shop like you wanted and you can find the most explosive thing there and throw it in my face."

Rose stared after him as he walked away, eyebrows raised and mouth slightly parted. She didn't see, however, as he banged his head against the wall of the men's restroom, repeating to himself over and over, "Stupid. Stupid. Stupid!"

Because I'm in love with you.