'Till you blew in just like paper in the wind

And I just wanted something to believe in

-The White Buffalo

Scorpius opened his eyes to darkness and the sound of a pop on Monday morning.

"Master Scorpius, its 5:30, it's time to wake up, sir"

"Thank you, Plinkin."

He stretched, and rolled out of his large, heavily curtained, four poster bed. He put on some exercise robes, left his room and walked downstairs. He grabbed some water from Plinkin, and summoned his broom on the way out the door. He descended the hill behind his house, on the other side of the estate from the main manor, and strolled onto the quidditch pitch. He took off on his broom, beginning his morning drills.

Upon returning to the house at 7:00, he got in the shower, got dressed in freshly pressed summerweight slacks, white oxford and an Italian silk, burgundy and gold striped tie. Descending the stairs two at a time, he sat down at the kitchen table. A plate appeared at his seat with eggs, toast and sausage. Coffee- black- popped into his hand. Scorpius couldn't help but look across the large table at the empty seats around him.

He flooed to the ministry around 8:30 to start his day at the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. After brushing off his shoulders he walked toward the lifts to the DMC, he had needed to address an issue about some disturbances in Scotland involving centaurs. On his way back to the lift, the doors opened, revealing his superiors, Messrs. Potter and Weasley. It also held another set of red hair, one with much nicer legs. He smiled and walked forward to greet them, only to have a distracted Ms. Weasley walk straight into him.

"O, I am so sorry, I'm such a klutz! Oh, Scorpius…it's been awhile," he heard her sweet voice exclaim. She had filled out a little more in the last five years. They had suited her. She was hardly gawky at seventeen, however, the last few years had transitioned her from a bookish tomboy to this devastating creature. He had to admit, he was rather pleased with the development. As a prominent member of Albus's mischievous clique, the Corsairs. He had always just not seen her that way, thinking somehow she was of limits. He also assumed that she saw him as an extension of her male relatives, rather than someone to be sought after. His constant stream of girlfriends and the attitude she had apparently inherited from her mother hadn't helped either. But now, she was breathtaking. He wondered how else the years had changed her.

"Why, Rose, it certainly has."

"Malfoy, see me in my office. You can catch the next lift."

"Of course, Mr. Weasley. I'll be by shortly."

He turned his attention back to the woman in front of him.

"So, how have these five years treated you? I hear you've taken up the family business, giving the purebloods hell." He looked at her, a mix of humor and something else in his eyes.

"You of all people would notice, but yes, I'm still at SPEW. How have you been? Still terrorizing Britain with my cousin, I assume?"

"Well you know we all have to live up to our expectations, Al and I just prefer to exceed them."

"Right. Well it was nice to see you again. If you'll excuse me, I have to go 'give hell' to whoever decided restricting centaur territories further was a good idea."

"O I just got back from that office, some of your clients seem to be terrorizing the north quite successfully. Maybe a reservation would do me a favor."

Her eyes narrowed at the last comment. Scorpius watched as she turned into a quite different creature entirely.

"Malfoy, I wouldn't say such things if I were you. Be careful out there, Merlin knows what would happen if a centaur went off the reservation in your generally vicinity."

Nope, hadn't changed a bit.

"Rose, I think we both know who we would need to worry about." He widened his eyes a little, relishing getting a rise out of her. She rolled her eyes, mumbled something about seeing him again and stormed off. Scorpius couldn't help but watch her walk away.

He got on the lift and walked back to Ron's office, he wasn't sure exactly what was going to happen. He suspected that Ron had just wanted to break the spell between his inferior and his gorgeous daughter. He knocked twice as he opened the door.

"You wanted to see me Mr. Weasley?"

"Uh, yes, Malfoy. Any news on the centaur case?" Ron was grasping at straws. He couldn't help but do something when he say Rose and Scorpius together. He hadn't forgotten his daughter's time at Hogwarts, and knew from Albus and Lily's teasing that Rose had had some kind of crush on the young Malfoy.

"Yes, apparently the centaur involved has a history of these incidents. I will need to go up north and ask around some more. The DMC was helpful, but I would like to interview some witnesses and see if I can get a hold of the offender.

"OK," Ron replied gruffly,"Very good. That is all." As Scorpius turned to leave, however, he heard a cough.

"Malfoy, another thing, don't be getting any ideas about my Rosie."

"Wouldn't dream of it, sir." Scorpius's countenance smoothly transitioned from serious to bemused as he turned and let himself out of the large office. As he strolled to his own, much smaller one, he thought about his recent encounter. She was still fiery, certainly beautiful and perpetually brilliant. Was she single? Did he want her to be single? How serious was Ron? Would Al care or maybe even encourage the match? A nagging feeling in the pit of his stomach brought his mind back to his empty kitchen table. Al was getting married, soon he would be a lot less available. Pat Finnegan had gotten married last year and Scorpius barely saw him outside of the office. The Corsairs's glory days had come and gone. It was time to grow up.

A.N.: I would like to give a special shoutout to iceiceice and Avanell for being my first two reviewers ever! Thanks for you kind words. iceiceice, I am definitely going to put more family moments in, and they will be a lot warmer. I wanted Rose to seem hurried. :)