I want to do Scorpius' version of his and Rose's seventh year at Hogwarts…


I groaned as we went in and got ready for the sorting. It was my seventh time sitting through the sorting of the firsties. Granted, the first time it was my own sorting. So I guess that that didn't really count.

My sorting made me a nervous wreck. I felt pressured to be in Slytherin. However, I didn't want to be. When my name was called I walked up to the stool, feeling noxious. As I looked out at the crowd of students I felt like they all were judging me. No doubt they knew that my father and his parents had been on Voldemort's side.

When the hat was placed on my head I listened for the voice and I didn't hear it. Not at first anyway. Then I heard whispering and I squeezed my eyes shut. It was whispering, "Slytherin?" and I dreaded that.

Not Slytherin, I remember thinking. I didn't think the hat would hear me.

"Oh really?" asked the hat. I opened my eyes, surprised but grateful that it was taking in my opinion.

Anything but Slytherin, I thought and as soon as the thought was thought, the hat was shouting, "Gryffindor!"

I think that the older students were surprised, but I took my seat and was patted on the back. James Potter introduced himself to me, and many others did as well. I recognized some of their last names, but Potter stood out the most. Father had told me about the Potter family.

"They're good guys, but that doesn't mean you should get too friendly," said Father when we saw the whole lot of them on Platform 9 ¾.

"Who are those red heads with them?" I asked and Father merely scoffed and said, "Weasleys."

When Albus Potter was sorted into Gryffindor the table erupted in cheers. I grudgingly noted that they weren't that excited for me to be with them. Albus sat next to me and we talked; Father's voice was ringing in my head. However, I figured since I was already disappointing him by being a Gryffindor, I may as well befriend a Potter.

After the sorting I noticed a girl sitting across from Albus. They talked together, and were friendly. She had red hair and I realized she was one of the Weasleys from the Platform.

"Hello, I'm Scorpius Malfoy," I introduced myself to her. She was pretty, and there was something about her that seemed nice.

"Rose Weasley," she said and that was that. I went back to talking to Albus and we grew close. I was excited at the idea of having a best friend. I never really spoke to Rose again. It seemed strange that she didn't hang around with Albus, but I guessed she was off making new friends.

Finally, on the ride home for Christmas break she spoke to me. After that, Rose would hang out with Albus and me. She also brought along her friend Alice Longbottom. I noticed how Albus looked whenever Alice came around. Sometimes I wondered if I would ever like a girl like he liked her.

Father didn't get upset when he discovered I was sorted into Gryffindor. I guessed that Mum talked to him and calmed him down. I had been expecting a howler. But, he didn't make a fuss and so I figured he accepted it.

"Rosie! Stop daydreaming," Albus said and I smirked. My friends had really changed. Alice had cut her long blonde hair and it now rested just above her shoulders. Al had gotten into a fight with James over the summer and he had scar from his hand from where James had stabbed him with a fork. I've seen the fights between those two; they fight like a bunch of muggles.

Rose looked different, too. She was still pretty short, but there was something that I had noticed as soon as I got on the train. Sure, her hair was less red and her boobs, well… bigger. But, there was a different air to her. She held herself with more confidence; she held herself like a woman.

"You might miss the food if your head is up in the clouds," Albus was teasing Rose. She used to be much chubbier when we were young. She may have gotten her mother's brains, but she got her father's appetite.

"Rose? Miss food? Ha!" I said. Rose glared at me and after checking if the coast was clear, she gave me the finger.

"Look, Scorp, you made her face redder than her hair," Al said.

"My hair isn't that red," Rose replied.

"Yes it is," Alice said.

"Oh now you pay attention," Rose said and Alice started to laugh.

Finally, the food appeared. I started putting things on my plate and noticed Rose piling hers high. I smirked and this time, she kicked me. She sure was a feisty little thing. I was surprised she hadn't gone out for the Quidditch team. She would've made a fair Beater.

I ate some chicken and looked around the Great Hall. It was always fun to observe the first years. They always seemed so awed by everything. On numerous occasions I have seen them forget to eat anything. I didn't like sitting on that side of the table. I had to turn my head to see people in the other houses. Rose took the seat I like; everything is right in front of her.

Rose made a face and I looked around. Sure enough, Quincy Avery was wiggling his eye brows at her. When he saw me looking at him he looked away. Good.

"I'm going to kill that kid," I grumbled and I wouldn't be surprised if I did one day. He was an ass. I hated him and even more, I hated how he acted around girls.

"Don't, Scorpius." Rose said. I looked at her and shook my head.

"I should knock him off his bloody broom," I told her. I may have already knocked him off his broom before. However, they couldn't prove if that was on purpose or not.

"You're better than him, Scorpius," Albus piped in.

"Plus you don't want detention," Rose said. That was true, I didn't want detention. I grumbled and went back to eating. Avery should just watch his back. One wrong step and he'd get it.

~*!*~

I watched Albus and Alice start sneak away and shook my head. We were only back a month and they were already going off and fooling around. They weren't tricking anyone. We all knew that they were snogging in broom closets and very possibly shagging in the Room of Requirement.

I strolled around the corridors. I had learned at a very early point here at Hogwarts that it's best to finish assignments as soon as you receive them. That left me with a lot of free time.

One day in my third year, when I was exploring I found the kitchens. It was a complete accident, but it opened up a whole new part of my Hogwarts experience. The house elves were very wary of me at first. However, Kreacher seemed to warm up to me. One day he gave me a bowl and told me to stir. Ever since then I loved cooking; and the elves got friendlier.

As I walked through the corridors that day and thought about Albus running off with Alice I remembered the first time I ever met Al's dad. Harry Potter.

It was the end of our first year. We got off the train and Al told me to write him. So we wrote and one day he invited me to his house. I was shocked and when I told my father he was very surprised as well. However, Mum thought it was a good idea so I went.

When I arrived at Grimmauld Place Albus was outside waiting for me. He took me inside and introduced me to his little sister and his parents. Ginny and Harry Potter stood with their arms wrapped around each other. Their hips were practically attached and that's what stood out to me. Al took me upstairs and I put my bags in his room.

After a filling dinner made by Kreacher we sat around the kitchen table and talked. Everyone seemed so happy. We never did that at our house. The table was for eating, not for coloring or playing wizarding chess.

"So, Malfoy," Harry said and then he stopped. "Or do you prefer to be called Scorpius?"

"Scorpius, please Sir," I said. I was intimidated by him; I could see his scar.

"Ginny, is my name 'Sir'?" Harry asked and my eyes widened. He started to laugh and Al looked over from his game of chess with James and smiled.

"Sorry," I mumbled.

"Call me Harry, Scorpius," he said. "So Al says you're a Gryffindor, I bet that's a first for your family."

"Yes, it is."

"How does it feel?"

"Good."

"How's that old hat doing? I should visit him; I really think we bonded during my sorting." Harry started to laugh again and I smiled; I was feeling less nervous.

"I think he'd like that."

"Tell me, what was your sorting like? Did the hat even touch your head? It seemed like it barely touched your father's."

I hesitated. I hadn't told anyone the true story of my sorting. I simply told people it said Gryffindor. I swallowed the lump in my throat and said, "Actually, Si- Harry, no it didn't."

"Really?" he seemed very intrigued and I nodded my head.

"Really. The hat was put on my head and I started to hear it. It was saying 'Slytherin'… but I didn't want to go to Slytherin. I asked the hat, 'Not Slytherin, anything but Slytherin'. So before I knew what was happening, it shouted 'Gryffindor'." I finished the story and everyone was quiet. Albus was staring and Ginny's eyes were wide, but Harry smiled.

"We're very alike, you and I," he said and after that Harry Potter was like my second father. Sure, my own father treated me well and cared about me but when I thought of my father, I saw two faces.

When I went to the Great Hall for dinner I noticed Alice and Al whispering about something. I rolled my eyes. I wondered if they could have made it more obvious.

"Hey, where's Rose?" I asked as I sat down across from my friends. She was always arrived early for dinner.

"Last I saw, she was going off to study in the library," Alice said. Throughout dinner I wondered what Rose was doing. I saw Avery sitting at the Slytherin table so at least she wasn't with him. She never showed up for dinner.

So I made my way down to the kitchen and picked up a nice warm bowl of soup. I said hi to a couple of the elves. Bouncy was my favorite; she was always in such a good mood. Then I took the soup and went to the library. I know where Rose likes to sit. She likes to think of it as her secret place; I think she forgets that we found it together.

"Psst, Rosie, wake up." I said when I found her asleep at her table. She was drooling and using a book for a pillow; I tried not to laugh.

"Sit down, stupid," Rose said as she started cleaning up her books. She looked around I think she was surprised it had gotten so late.

"You missed dinner. I thought I'd find you here." I sat down and relaxed in the seat.

"I was asleep." I don't know why she said it; obviously she was asleep. I smirked and then remembered the soup I brought.

"Yep. So it's Prince Scorp to the rescue. I brought you soup." I handed Rose a spoon and I could tell she found this funny.

"So why'd you fall asleep anyway?" I asked.

"I didn't sleep well last night."

"Wait! Don't tell me. Ah, I knew it. You were studying potions and that's why you fell asleep."

"Potions class isn't that bad."

"You're right; it's horrid." Rose started laughing; I loved that laugh.

"Come on, Rose, I'll walk you back to the common room."

"How chivalrous of you." I also loved when she used fancy words like 'chivalrous'.

"Alice and Albus went off somewhere. I bet they went to the Room of Requirement," Rose said. So she had seen them running off too. Although I bet that was before dinner. However, I bet they're at it again and just stopped to refuel.

"I can't imagine what they would be doing that would require a whole new room for." Rose hit me and I smiled.

"Stop, I don't want the images in my head!"

"Al and Alice sitting in a tree. K-i-s-s-i-n-g," I chanted. I group of firsties passed us and looked at us strange. I didn't mind though. We were seventh years; we could do whatever the hell we wanted and they couldn't say anything about it.

"It's all the studying, it makes you crazy," Rose said to them.

"Rose Weasley, you actually said something mean."

"What are you talking about? That wasn't mean!"

"You scared the hell out of those firsties!"

"Give me break." I saw her shift around her load of books and smirked.

"Here." I took her books from her.

"What are you doing?"

"You said 'give me a break' so I'm holding your books for you."

Rose started to laugh and something inside of me fluttered. My steps faltered for a moment but Rose didn't notice, thankfully. I stared blankly ahead. Fluttering in my stomach? That's what Al told me it was like to be around Alice. Now I was feeling that around Rose? Lord help me.

~*!*~

We had just experienced our sixth win of the Quidditch season and I was feeling good. Albus always said being a Seeker was the best part, but I loved being a Chaser. The thrill and the speed excited me.

It was the sixth game of the season and we had won every won. This particular game had been against Slytherin and I felt smug. Before the game Avery had been gloating about how Slytherin would win. They didn't make a single score. Of course that had to do with our amazing Keeper, Allyson Wood.

I walked down the hall with Rose and smirked every time I passed a depressed Slytherin. Gryffindors high fived me and Rose chuckled. I was about to say something when I heard it. The scum-y voice of Avery aimed at me. I didn't exactly hear all of what he said, however just the fact that he was talking to me irritated me.

"What did you say?" I demanded. Avery took a tiny step back; so small that only I saw it.

"I said, are you having a nice time cavorting with the likes of that?" Avery said and I glared at him. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Rose shudder a little bit. She knew that this look is not a kind one.

"You don't speak to her that way." I narrowed my eyes at Avery. How dare he say something like that about Rose? She put her hand on my arm and I looked down at her.

"Don't Scorpius, he's not worth it." I stared at her. This feeling inside of me was strange. I had first discovered it that night at the library and it was growing. Instead of only fluttering in my stomach it was every where in my body.

"I'll speak to her however I want." Avery said and I clenched my teeth.

"You're just angry because she doesn't like you," I said and Avery paled a little. The crowd that was gathering snickered.

"Why would I want that bitch to like me?" Avery shot back. Everyone gasped and I felt Rose's hand slip off my arm. Something inside of me snapped but before I had the chance to do something about it, Albus appeared.

"Break it up! Everyone leave before I get a teacher." Albus demanded and everyone scattered. Alice stood behind Albus; Rose looked at her and ran to her. Alice hugged Rose and they walked off. I wanted to be the one hugging Rose after what just happened. Instead I just got a pat on the back from Al.

~*!*~

I polished trophies and glared at my reflection in the metal. This was unfair. I got detention and I had merely been defending my Rose. Damn, I was thinking of her as mine.

It wasn't my fault though. Ever since the confrontation with Avery in the hall I had been seething. I knew something had snapped in me and I knew something was going to set me off at any moment. So when Rose said Avery grabbed her ass I saw red. I was so angry that I went straight for Avery. I beat him up and got two nights detention. It could've been worse, but I think Headmistress McGonagall understood that I was defending her.

After that I watched Rose. All of us did. We didn't let her walk in the halls alone. Even her brother, Hugo, walked with her despite him being in Hufflepuff.

As soon as I was done polishing I headed upstairs. It was my final detention for beating up Avery and I was tired. When I walked into the common room I saw someone on the couch. After moving closer I knew it was Rose. I couldn't help staring at her.

The fire light flickered across her face and she looked so peaceful in her sleep. She was smiling and I noticed that her skirt was riding up. That creamy skin was enticing; I wanted to touch it so badly. I glanced back at her face and lightly, my fingers grazed her leg. A part of me, the moral part, told me to stop what I was doing; it was wrong. What if she woke up? The horny teenager part of me locked that other part in a broom closet.

"Oh Rose," I whispered. My hand fell to my side and I crouched down in front of the couch. She was a heavy sleeper, I knew that at least. Her hand rested on her stomach but suddenly I noticed it clench the fabric of her shirt. I wondered what she could be dreaming about. Did she ever dream about me? I had been dreaming about her lately.

"Thank you," Rose said. It was barely a whisper but since I was so close, I heard it. Her breath tickled my face and I smiled. I wondered what had happened that she was thankful for.

Then, a strange thing happened. Rose reached out and her fingers grazed my face. I felt self conscious because I hadn't shaved in awhile. However, that was pushed aside when I heard the soft moaning she was making. The me that I had locked was screaming that I should walk away; watching her was wrong. He was banging on the door of the closet. The horny me, was just thinking about banging Rose.

When I realized that I was physically responding to her my eyes widened. I shook my head and tried to snap myself out of it. Rational me was right; this was wrong. Rose was my best friend and I shouldn't be doing this. I bit my lip and decided that, even though it was sexy, I had to stop Rose. The only way I could do that would be to wake her up.

So I did and I suppose she was surprised because her head shot up and collided with mine. "Fuckin'hell!" I exclaimed, jumping up and grabbing my forehead. "Jeez Rose."

"Sorry," she muttered. I saw her blush and wondered what she was embarrassed about. I was the one watching her; I should've been blushing.

"You fell asleep, I was just waking you." I sat down. Granted, I sat closer to her than I normally would but the part of horny me was still a bit, well… horny. I groaned internally when I realized the boner I had would not be going away on its own.

"Thanks. I'll just go to bed now," Rose said as she stood and started to pick up her discarded books. I grabbed her wrist without thinking about it. She looked at me and I wanted to tell her everything. I wanted to tell her that I watched her sleep and that she's beautiful. I wanted her to know that I love her laugh and the way her hair falls in her face. Most of all I wanted to tell her that I love her.

"Good night, Rose." I let her go, slowly, without saying everything that was on my mind.

"Night." She got up and walked away. I ran my hands over my face and sighed. This was not going well.

~*!*~

I paced around in the kitchen. I had arrived at Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place early that morning. Albus had invited me to spend the Christmas break there. I accepted without realizing that Rose would be there as well.

I started pulling things out of the cabinets. Kreacher had been here but after I heard the popping sound, I figured he had gone back to Hogwarts. As I prepared the soup I heard the kitchen door open. Looking over my shoulder, I saw Al standing there.

"Now where have I smelt that before?" he asked.

"At school," I said, knowing that he was teasing me.

"Which of the elves taught you that one?"

"I taught it to them." Al raised his eyebrows and started to laugh. He pulled out a chair and took a seat.

"So what'd Mumsy and Father get you for Christmas?" Al asked; I glared at him and shook my head.

"A new broom," I said, stirring the pot. We were quiet for a moment and something started nagging at my mind. Rose. Should I tell him how I felt about her? They were cousins; what if he got mad? I took a deep breath and decided that he was also my best friend and he wouldn't be mad for me confiding in him.

"Al, I have something I need to tell you," I said.

"You like Rose." I turned and looked at him, surprised that he already knew.

"Scorp, if you thought you'd been doing a good job hiding it, you're wrong." Al looked amused and I looked away.

"I love her, Al," I said quietly. It was the first time I said it out loud.

"I've seen how you look at her. I know you do."

"Do you think she feels the same?"

"I think she does, but she hasn't told me if she does or not." I nodded and added some salt to the soup.

"Is she here yet?"

"Yeah, she got here right before I came down here."

"How did she look?" I found myself asking him.

"I wasn't checking out my cousin, Scorp," he said.

"Fine, I'll just see for myself I guess."

"Ugh, just stop talking this is making me sick." I looked at Al and he was cringing. I smirked and decided to torture him more.

"She's fuckable, is all I'm saying."

"Too much information, man."

"Why, Al? I listen to you talking about wanting to screw Alice all the time. Don't you think that's too much information?"

"It's different this time."

"How is it different?" I asked. Suddenly, the door opened. I noticed Al jump and tried not to laugh. I looked at Rose. She seemed uneasy and I wondered if she'd heard us. As we looked each other in the eye, I realized she had heard. I didn't know what she heard, but she heard some of it.

"Smells good," Rose said. I looked away and returned to the soup I was making. We started talking like nothing had happened.

~*!*~

After arriving back at Hogwarts I made the decision to tell Rose. I had to tell her how I felt and hope that she would reciprocate. If she didn't, well, I didn't want to think that.

As I headed toward the Great Hall I saw Avery up ahead. I narrowed my eyes at him and he smirked at me, looking cocky. I kept walking and as I passed I heard my name. The voice in my head told me to keep going, but my feet didn't listen. I stopped and turned around.

"What Avery?" I asked, making sure that he could feel the disgust in my voice.

"Oh I was just wondering if she told you," he said, looking at his slimy friends and snickering.

"Who told me?" I asked, but even as I did I felt like I knew who he was talking about.

"Oh, just your little friend Rose." As he said that Albus and Alice came down the staircase. They saw us and walked over.

"What is this about Rose?" Alice asked. She had heard.

"She cornered me on the train on the ride back."

"And did what? Punched you in the face?" Albus asked.

"No. The little whore, practically begged me to fuck her," Avery said and my mouth dropped open. He was grinning evilly. "So I did." I lunged at him but Albus caught me and dragged me off into the Great Hall.

"I'm going to kill him," I yelled as Al dragged me to the Gryffindor table and forced me to sit down.

"Now, Scorpius, he's probably just making that up," Alice said.

"What if he's not? She did disappear for that moment on the train," I said. I saw doubt on my friends' faces and knew that they were thinking what I was. Had she really done it? I felt anger boiling in my stomach.

Albus got up and said something about going to see Hagrid. Alice and I sat together for awhile, silently thinking about what Avery told us. I looked toward the entrance to the Great Hall and saw Rose walk in.

She sat down across from me and I stared at her. I felt angry, but I also felt sad. What if it was true? If it was a really did pity her. Hell, I pitied her even if it wasn't because Avery was still telling people it was true.

"What's going on?" Rose asked. She looked at all of us, curiosity on her face.

"Um, it's Avery," Alice said. My hands formed fists and I clenched my teeth. Even his name made me furious.

"What'd he do?" Rose asked. I looked at Alice, it seemed like she didn't want to tell her.

"Well, he's uh, saying some bad things. He's spreading rumors about you," Alice said.

"What is he saying?"

"He's saying, um-"

"Common Alice, spit it out."

"He's saying you fucked him," I said. I could feel this disdain on my own voice and Rose looked shocked.

"He's what?"

"He's saying that on the train ride back to Hogwarts after break, you cornered him and talked him into having sex with you," Alice said. Rose laughed; it was her laugh that I love, though. It was an awkward, uncomfortable laugh and I hated it.

"Stupid Avery," she said.

"Well did you?" I asked. I was kind of surprised that I was asking her this. I shouldn't believe anything out of that bastard's mouth, but I had to know the truth. Rose looked hurt.

"You believe him?"

"I'm not sure."

"I was with you guys on the train."

"We know, Rose," Alice said.

"Then why would you believe him?" Rose asked me. We glared at each other.

"You did disappear for awhile," I said.

"I went to talk to my brother!" Rose yelled. I notice a couple of heads turn, but they quickly looked away.

"How do we know that for sure?"

"You should just believe me!"

"What if I don't?" I asked. Rose and I were standing, facing each other and glaring. She huffed and left the Great Hall. That infuriated me. I quickly followed her.

"So what, Rose? You're just going to walk away from me? Is it because you can't convince me that you're not whoring around with Avery?" I yelled to her as she started up the stairs. She froze and turned around.

The calm expression on Rose's face as she walked toward me was frightening. It was an eerie look; one mixed with pain and anger. She stopped right in front of me and the proximity reminded me of how much I've dreamt about her being in my arms.

Then, Rose drew back her arm and punched me in the face. I heard ringing and took a step back. I reached a hand up to my face and when I pulled it away I saw blood. I looked at Rose, shocked that she had done that. She looked at me, still calm, and said, "The hat was wrong. You belong in Slytherin."

That stinging comment numbed me inside. I felt my heart clench. As Rose walked away from me I realized that I'd been wrong. Why hadn't I just trusted her, listened to her side of the story?

"Rose! Wait!" I yelled. Albus was suddenly back and he was yelling for her too. Alice was filling him in on what happened and I stared at her retreating form. As I started to run after her, Albus got in my way.

"Let her go," he snarled.

"I have to- have to talk to her," I said. I was feeling dizzy. This was wrong; it wasn't supposed to go down this way.

"No, you have to go to the hospital wing." Albus led me away and I let him because I was starting to taste the blood running out of my nose.

~*!*~

Rose started avoiding me. My nose was fixed and I wasn't very angry anymore. Now, I was just sad. How had things gone so wrong in so short a time? Or fight had barely been five minutes long, and yet it ruined our friendship.

I decided that I had to find out the truth. I had a feeling that I already knew it, but I wanted to hear it from him. I wanted Avery to admit that he had been lying.

So Albus and I went in search of him. We used his map and found Avery quickly. As soon as he saw us approaching him I saw him go a shade paler. Al stopped further back but I got up close. I wanted to intimidate him as much as possible.

"You're a liar, Avery," I said, my eyes narrowing.

"You can't prove I am," he said, his whiney voice irritating me even more. I grabbed his arm and twisted it behind his back. It was something I remember seeing Albus do to James when they had their fights.

"That's why you're going to admit it," I snarled.

"I'd never admit it!" I pulled his arm harder. "Ow! Ow!"

I let his arm go and spun him back around. I punched him in the stomach. He was 'offing' and 'owing', but my fury was red hot. I knocked him behind his knees and he fell to the floor. A part of me thought about using Sectumsempra on him, but I didn't. I wanted to use my hands to hurt him. I pulled him up by his shirt and then I shoved him against the wall.

"You think this will make me talk?" he hissed in my face. I wrapped my hand around his neck and he looked shocked.

"You don't need to talk," I mused.

"You wouldn't kill me."

"Maybe." I shrugged; my hand tightened.

"Okay, okay. It was a lie. The bitch didn't sleep with me. I saw her on the train leaving you and figured it'd be a good cover," he wheezed. I squeezed a little tighter.

"And you're going to tell everyone you lied."

"Yes, yes, I will!" I let him go and he doubled over, gasping.

"You're scum Avery," I said and started to walk away, but as a second thought, I turned around and punched him in the face. "That was for Rose."

"You're crazy!" Avery said as he held his face. I raised my eye brows and punched him in the face again.

"If I ever see you talk to or even look at Rose again, you'll see how crazy I really am." Then I walked away. Albus looked shocked that I'd done that, but also a little amused.

"You know you're getting detention, right?" he asked as we walked away. I shrugged and looked around. I had a feeling we'd be intercepted by a professor before we even got back to the common room.

"Yeah, so you have two options. One, you can leave so you don't get in trouble for being an acquaintance. Or, two, when a professor shows up tell him or her that you were just bringing me to McGonagall," I said.

"I'll do the second, I guess." I nodded.

~*!*~

I got two full weeks of detention for what I did to Avery. I saw him around; he had a black eye and a bandaged nose. He also had a hand mark on his neck.

On my last day of detention I decided to just relax in the common room. It was a Saturday and we had nothing to do. So I just sat on the couch and read. It was actually a muggle book I got from Rose. She had a tendency to read muggle books and she gave me this one for Christmas. I was enjoying it.

As the sun was setting I heard more people coming into the common room. They had all been out doing things today, while I sat up here alone. When the portrait opened for nearly the tenth time I didn't think anything of it; until I heard her voice.

"Scorpius Malfoy!" I looked up at Rose. She stood in front of me, with her hands on her hips and narrowed eyes.

"Rose?" I was surprised that she was speaking to me.

"How dare you beat up Quincy Avery!"

"What are you talking about?" How did she know about that? Why was she saying 'how dare you'?

"Don't even deny it, Al told me everything. You beat him up. It was just to get the truth out of him too. Why would you do that? Why would you beat him up to get the truth out of him, instead of just trusting me? And further more, you know better than to beat someone up. I thought I had told you that you're better than that. Do you know how stupid it was to beat him up?" I put my book down as she ranted and stood up to face her.

"Are you done now?" I asked.

"No! I'm very mad at you! How could you be so stupid? You beat someone up, and got detention. Also, you accused me of being a whore. Then, when you find out that I'm not a whore you don't even come and apologize. Instead, you let me sit around angry and heartbroken!"

"Heartbroken?" My eyes grew wide and Rose looked at me and then to the floor, like she was embarrassed and hadn't meant to say that.

"Yeah. And you know what, you have some nerve. Coming around and acting all debonair. You think you're so charming, don't you? How dare you make me feel this way for you!"

"Rose?" She said 'feel this way'. Did she really feel something for me? I felt hope brewing inside of me and I smiled a little.

"Don't interrupt me! Why would you interrupt me? That's not helping your situation, you know."

"Rose," I said, feeling confident now. I took hold of her shoulders and looked at her. "Just shut up."

I kissed her and it was like an explosion. It was better then I could've possibly imagined it. I felt like I was flying and Rose was flying with me. Her body was finally pressed against me and I loved the feeling. She wrapped her arms around my neck and mine tightened around her waist in response. I lifted her off the floor and she laughed against my mouth. Suddenly I heard cheers and I put her down and looked around.

We pulled apart, but I still held her. Our friends were clapping and Al wolf whistled. Rose gave him the finger and people laughed. She looked up at me, her face flushed and I loved it.

"Come on," I said and I lifted her up and carried her away.

"Where are you taking me?" Rose was laughing and I smiled. I just kept walking and when we were almost there I told her that we were going to the Room of Requirement.

"Now what would we be doing that would require a whole room?" She teased me and I rolled my eyes. I kissed her and relished in how soft her lips felt.

"I could think of a few things." I set her down and smirked.

"You know; I dreamt about this." I looked at Rose and then back at the room as the door appeared. We walked inside, holding hands.

"Oh really?" I kicked the door shut behind us and smiled at Rose. She nodded her head and reached a hand up and ran it through my hair. She clamped it on the back of my neck and pulled herself close to me. I was very conscious of her chest pressed against my body.

"Want me to show you what happened?" she whispered in my ear. Her voice was smooth, like butter. I nodded my head and Rose kissed my neck. I had dreamed of this, too.

~*!*~

A month after school ended Rose and I moved in together. We got ourselves a flat in London, right by the Leaky Cauldron. It was comfortable, living with her. Being with her was natural and felt right.

Avery didn't graduate with us and that gave me pleasure. He got caught torturing muggles with magic. He was sent to Azkaban and I was happy for it.

Albus was recruited to be the new Seeker for the Chudley Canons. I was proud of him. He had always wanted to play professional Quidditch. Alice started to study Herbology. Al was planning to propose to her soon.

Rose began Healer training at St. Mungo's. She was so passionate about it and every day when she told me the stories about what she was learning I just had to smile. I decided to join an Auror program. Harry was head of the Auror Office and he told me often that I had promise; any day now I had a feeling I'd be a full fledged Auror. It was exciting to think about.

"Rosie, I'm home!" I yelled as I walked in the door

"How was your day?" she asked me.

"Good, good," I said, but then I froze when I saw what Rose was cooking. I cringed, because I couldn't even recognize what it was. "You really can't cook, Rose."

"Hey, I'm trying."

"I know, darling." I hugged her and kissed her on the forehead.

"You know, if you're not hungry I think we could work up an appetite." Rose said. She ran her hands down my chest and I felt myself hardening. I cursed her in my head; the seductress.

"What's this? Did you bring me home a present?" Rose whispered in my ear right before she grabbed me. I felt my breath hitch and Rose laughed.

"You have too many clothes on," I told her and she slowly began to unbutton her shirt.

"Damn it, Rose stop being a tease and let me fuck you." I groaned; Rose smiled and I kissed her. I lifted her up and started carrying her to our room.

"Hmm, eager Scorp?" she asked.

"Yep." Her legs tightened around my waist and I smiled at her.

"Me too," she said.

"Oh, Rose, after we do this I think we should go somewhere to eat." She sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Fine. Fine." Rose kissed me and I shut our bedroom door.

~*!*~

Rose and I decided to go to her grandparents' house. Molly and Arthur Weasley were very friendly, but I think they were wary of me sometimes. Molly was an amazing cook though and we were always welcome for dinner.

That night the house was full of people. It seemed like of Rose's cousins were there. I got to talk to Teddy and James. I hadn't seen the two of them in awhile. After dinner was over Rose and I walked out into the back yard. My pocket felt heavy and I wondered if I would be able to do it. I had already tried to propose three times.

"Rose?" I asked, taking her hand and stopping her. She looked up at me and smiled. I decided the best way to do it would to just say it. I reached into my pocket and fingered the ring.

"I love you," I said.

"I love you, too." She smiled up at me and I kissed her gently. When I pulled away I held up the ring for her to see. She gaped at it and looked from it to me and back again.

"Will you marry me, Rose?" I asked her.

"Yes," she nodded her head and I could see tears in her eyes. I kissed her again and slipped the ring onto her finger.

We stayed outside in the dark and had our moment alone. The light from the house streamed onto the lawn but we were out of its reach. We were alone and happy in our own world. We would go inside soon and the family would 'oh' and 'aw' over our engagement, but right now, it was just us. It was just us, together, and that was the way it was meant to be.


I felt like I needed to write this. I hope you all liked it. I got a banner for this story, made by RxMbanners and it's amazing. I'm going to put a link on my profile for it. Thank you all for reading.

~EM~