The Potters

POV: Scorpius

I apparated back into my room feeling deflated and uncomfortable. Rose's father had made his feelings about our relationship clear from the beginning, and to be honest after the things my family had done, I didn't really blame him. But I couldn't help but linger on Mr Potter's reaction when it was his daughter I was dating. He had shaken my hand and joked with me, had always treated me like an individual and not a Malfoy, ever since I first became friends with Al. I kicked the leg of my bed in frustration and began to consider the merits of changing my name. But my name was so god awful I'd have to change the whole thing, and that seemed like too much effort.

"Scorpius?" called my mother from downstairs,

"Yes?" I half sighed, half shouted back.

"Could you come down here please? Your Dad and I need to talk to you."

I sighed loudly and heaved myself off the bed, making my way downstairs, finding them sat at the kitchen table, waiting.

I sat down and looked at my father expectantly.

"I received an owl today, from my mother."

I raised my eyebrows, genuinely shocked.

"It seems my… father… is dying."

I leant back in my chair in surprise.

"The thing is…" started my father.

"He wants to meet you, Scorp," interrupted my mother sharply.

I looked from one parent to the other, trying to register their reactions. My mother looked tense and irritated, and my father just plain uncomfortable.

I knew that he had continued a terse and distant relationship with his parents after the war, but quickly moved out when he decided to pursue a career in Healing. I always assumed it was a way to atone, and it must have worked because that's where he met my mother, a fellow healer. My father eventually, tentatively introduced her to my grandparents, who condemned her as "ridiculous" and as far as I knew they hadn't spoken since.

"What do you think Scorp," said my mother slowly, eyeing me carefully.

Of course, I should refuse. That's what she was hoping for. But I had to admit, it peeked my curiosity. Having forgiven my father and taken note of how he has tried to change, it intrigued me to see what Lucius Malfoy had done with his life.

"Can I think about it?" I ventured quietly.

"Of course," my mother said briskly, standing up and busying herself.

I felt a twinge of guilt and turned to my father, "Are you going to see him?"

He sat there a long moment, simply staring at me thoughtfully before he said, "Perhaps."

I nodded and stood, heading back upstairs.

I sat on my bed for a while, trying to decide. In the end I knew I just needed to talk to Rose, so I fished the mirror from my pocket.

"Scorpius I'm so sorry, I…" Rose began, but I interrupted her.

"I just had some news."

She looked taken aback "Oh, sorry, what's happened?"

I took a deep breath, unsure how to phrase it, but decided to be blunt.

"Apparently my grandfather is dying…"

I saw her raise her eyebrows in shock, just as I had, "You don't mean…?" she started, but I didn't want to beat around the bush,

"Yes, I mean Lucius Malfoy. He wants to meet me."

Rose was subdued into a stunned silence for a long minute until she finally asked, "Do you want to meet him?"

"I… I don't know," I said, slightly ashamed, "I'm… curious, to see if he's… remorseful I suppose."

Rose nodded before saying, "I think you should go."

"You think?"

"Well if you meet him and he turns out to be… a tool, well, then you can put it behind you. But if you didn't meet him, I know you'd regret not giving him a chance… even if he doesn't deserve it," she added.

I smiled, "How is it you know me so well Rose Weasley?"

"Um, try because I'm the bestest most super, mega… foxy, awesome… hot girlfriend in the entire world?" she smiled.

"Damn straight," I laughed, "so what happened with your Dad after I left?"

"I called him a narrow-minded git and gave him the guilt trip."

"The guilt trip?" I queried.

"What? I didn't say that, I don't do that…" she trailed off vaguely.

I laughed again, "Damn I miss you Rose, I need to see you, properly."

"I know," she sighed.

"Maybe we can run away together?"

"Yeah, my father hunts dark wizards for a living…"

"Do a Romeo and Juliet?"

She laughed, "Or we both go to the Potters this afternoon?"

"Well personally I think my idea made more sense, but I guess we can try yours."

The idea of an afternoon at the Potters cheered me up greatly as I walked down their garden path. They'd been on holiday since the beginning of the summer, and I was beginning to miss Al's humour, but Lily was the one to answer the door.

"Oh… hi, Lily," I coughed awkwardly.

"Scorpius," she said blushing and looking down, "Al's in the… uh… garden," then she gave a brief, eye-contactless smile and slowly closed the door.

I headed round the side of the house now feeling painfully discomfited, to find Albus and his brother James lounging around in shorts, sun-bathing.

"Malloy," James grinned at me.

I rolled my eyes at him. This name had been his way of goading me when I was younger, which, I'm ashamed to say had worked like a charm. Now I found it amusing. I smiled back opening my mouth to speak when I tilted my head at Albus, who I now realised was dozing. So I of course flicked out my wand and shot a jet of cold water at him.

"Jesus!" he said, springing up in horror, he then punched me hard in the arm whilst James and I laughed, "jackassses," he grumbled, wiping himself down.

"How was France?" I asked, pulling my t-shirt off and joining them on the sun-drenched grass.

"Alright," said Al as James said, "Crap."

"Good," I replied, smiling as I lay down with my hands behind my head.

We didn't speak any further, it was too hot to think, but when the back door opened I shot up, smiling when I saw Rose smiling back, and scrambled over to her. I saw her widen her eyes at my bare chest and I grinned, slipping my arms round her waist and catching her mouth with mine as I heard groans emanate from behind me, but I was more interested in the longing sigh that Rose was making. We kissed eagerly and she sent chills down my back by running her hands down my chest and then round to my back, which tickled so I had to break the kiss with a snigger.

"Seriously Malloy, that's basically my sister you're making out with in front of me, don't make me curse you," drawled James lazily.

I smiled, staring at Rose and running my hand down her cheek lightly, brushing a few curls behind her ear and kissing her softly. I desperately wanted to be alone with her, but we had nowhere to escape to, so we ended up returning to the occupied spot of grass.

Rose leaned back on her arms and tilted her face into the sun, "Did you tell them?" she said.

"Tell us what?" Al stared at me with interest.

I sighed, "Lucius Malfoy is dying and wants to meet me."

"You're not going to, are you?" said James, suddenly angry.

I tensed a little, "I don't know…" I mumbled.

He glared at me, then got to his feet and went into the house without another word. I snuck a tentative look at Al, now worried about his reaction.

"Curious to see if he feels bad?" said Al, his eyes still closed as he relaxed in the sun.

I breathed out a sigh of relief, "Yes."

"Ok. But if he turns out to be a tool, punch him in the face for me, or cruciatus his ass or something," and then both he and Rose tensed, "Sorry… Rose," he said remorsefully, "I didn't mean…"

"It's ok," she said quietly, and I leaned over and pulled her toward me, kissing the top of her head as she rested it on my shoulder.

"Want me to punish him?" I asked, and she nodded sadly, so I whipped out my wand and blasted him with water again. I followed him around the garden as he let out girlish screams trying to escape, finding it highly amusing that he couldn't fight back because he was still sixteen.

Then I turned it on Rose and we spent the next couple of hours as blissfully ignorant and immature teenagers.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

AN: Aah more blissful teenageryness. Sorry for (in my speed terms) the time it took for me to get this up, I'm on a little bit of a writing burn out from, as one reviewer pointed out "posting 15 chapters in under a month!" she called me her hero, hear that guys? I'm a hero :) I'll try and start churning it out again but I think it's coming out a little bit rushed so! Please review! (especially any Starkids...)