This chapter is also dedicated to CatInTheHat57. I used the prompt 'little brothers'

Before I Let You Go

Boy I see you looking over

You keep on looking back on what you knew

When will you come closer?

Closer to the one that's good for you

-"Before I let you go" by Colbie Caillat

You cannot believe you agreed to take your little brother to the Christmas Eve ball. What were you thinking? Your mother had written a letter saying he really wanted to go, and maybe your mother's influence had been too strong for you to say no. You love Hugo, of course you did, but to take him to the ball….

"Um, Hugo…." You glance around the room, looking for someone – anyone – that might want to dance with him instead. There was a rather pretty girl standing alone in the corner, but then a rather handsome boy approached her and they disappeared onto the already crowded dance floor.

"What?"

You shake your head. "Never mind," you tell him glumly. "Let's dance, Hu." You take his hand and lead him to the floor. You're not embarrassed as such (you love your brother) but it's not exactly cool, either, for a fourth year to be dancing with a second year.

And certainly not cool for you to be dancing with your younger brother when the boy you fancy is only feet away with his arms around your cousin. She's smirking at you (like she won first prize) and he's looking as if he'd rather be anywhere but there.

"Hey, Rosie!" Molly, your very loud, very obnoxious, and very rude cousin, pulls Scorpius Malfoy towards you. "Hugo! You two having fun?" There's a hint of sarcasm in her tone, but you try to ignore it. She's always fancied him (for as long as you have). She just has the advantage of being in the same house as him.

"Of course we are!" You pull your brother closer to you and force a smile. Truthfully, you want nothing more than to send him on his way, but then you would be alone and Molly would think you pathetic. She knew you fancied Scorpius and she knew he fancied you, too. She had also known Scorpius struggled to say no when asked a question.

"Well, that's great!" She gives you a warning look – one that says 'try anything and you're dead' – and then pulls him away. You try not to think about how he keeps looking back your way, longingly staring at you. He's miserable; just like you are.

"Rosie?" Your brother suddenly stops, pulling away from you.

"Yes?"

"Can we stop?"

You're not sure if you're relieved or offended that less than hour into the night and your brother is sick of you. He gets like that sometimes; quiet and moody. He doesn't really like people.

"Okay," you say. "Go and get a drink or something."

He can't get away fast enough, hurrying over to the fountain of pumpkin juice. You sigh. Now what are you supposed to do?

Scorpius Malfoy is still shooting longing looks your way and it's becoming increasingly more difficult to avoid. He wants to dance with you as much as you want to dance with him, but there is one very ugly and fat cousin of yours standing in the way. You've never liked a boy so much before, and it's confusing; especially when you know he likes you, too.

"Pumpkin juice?" Another cousin of yours appears – this time it's one you like. James is standing there with two cups in his hands, grinning at you. "Ditched by your own brother," he teases. "How humiliating."

You search the room, noticing that lack of date for him, too. "Ditched by the prettiest sixth year," you retort back. "How humiliating."

His expression darkens after that and you wonder what might have occurred. James was always after the prettiest ones, but oddly, they went out with him once and never again. Sure, he was a little full on at times, but not that bad.

"Malfoy can't take his eyes off you… in case you haven't realised. Pity Molly's ugly head is in the way." James likes Molly as much as you do, and you often talk rubbish about the annoying Slytherin cousin you both have.

You don't say anything; only return your gaze to the blond-haired boy on the dance floor.

"Dance?" Setting the pumpkin juice aside, James offers his hands to you and you accept. It's not so bad dancing with your cousin – especially when neither of you can dance with the one you want.

Hugo has disappeared somewhere (you think he might have even gone to bed) but then you see him dancing with a rather pretty girl in second year and he looks delighted. You smile. Well, at least one of you is happy.

And then, suddenly, James is ripped away from you and a white-blond haired boy is in his place. From behind, James is grinning. He gives a wink and then disperses into the crowd.

"Scorpius?" You're not sure what else to say. You were actually having quite a bit of fun with James that you almost forgot it was actually him you wanted to dance with.

"Wanna dance?" He looks at you with round, grey eyes, and what else can you do, other than say yes?

"I thought –"

"When you stopped paying attention she got bored and went to bed," Scorpius tells you before you can ask. "Thank Merlin," he then adds.

"Why'd you say yes, then?"

"Because I didn't think you'd want to go with me." It had not been a secret for about five months now that Scorpius fancied you. However, you had not given him any indication of your mutual attraction. What would your dad say? He hated Scorpius' dad. And your mum wasn't much of a fan, either.

But now… now you were certain he knew. "I'm sorry."

He shrugs, smiling. "Wanna dance?" he asks again, offering his hand to you. You accept, smiling.

"You know," he then says as the two of you begin to move in time with the music. "You know, there's one other thing I'd like to do as well as dance."

Your breath catches in your throat and suddenly your heart is pounding against your chest as if it's trying to escape. You've never been kissed before, and you kind of want your first to be with him (who cares what your parents say. Or your brother. Or cousins. Or Molly… especially Molly).

"Can I?"

You nod, bracing yourself with closed eyes. You wonder what it'll be like. Your parents kiss all the time. James snogs any girl he can get his hands on. Surely it's nice. Surely, you'll like it.

"Rose?"

"Yes?" You dare not open your eyes in case it is just a dream.

"Not here."

And suddenly, he is dragging you through the crowd, out through the doors and into the entrance where you're alone. You've thought about this moment often (not dreamt, though) and… it's not at all how you expected it. Perhaps you've read too many romance novels, but you've always thought it would be easier than this. You see your aunts and uncles and parents and grandparents; they make it look easy. They always have.

"I –"

But you don't get the chance to say anything. He leans forward, drawing his lips closer to yours, and then suddenly… it's never been more awkward. He stops.

"Er, sorry," he says, brushing a strand of blond hair away from his face. "Sorry."

You look at him curiously. He's a strange boy, that Scorpius Malfoy. He always has been; but he's also been your best friend – your only friend – for your four years at Hogwarts.

You can see that he's nervous (as if he doesn't want to mess it up). You're nervous, too, of course, but… you both want this.

"Rosie, I could never tell your mother I fancied her," you suddenly remember your dad telling you once. "It was her who made the first move." And, people have always said you're a lot like your mother – as intelligent and as bossy. Maybe you're other things, too.

Sucking in a deep breath and gathering all of your Gryffindor courage, you throw your arms around him. You've caught him off guard, and you've never kissed anyone before, so that's awkward, too; but he responds enthusiastically.

If only Molly could see you now….

Breaking the kiss, you both pull away and you smile up at him. He beams back at you. You've always fancied him – well, for a very long time at least.

"Thanks, Rosie."

You're not sure what he's thanking you for, but you smile again anyway. This has turned out to be the best night in a very long time; and to think… earlier today you had almost considered giving up on him.

This is one of those fics that was 100 percent inspired by the prompts (meaning I had no idea what I wanted to write before this) so I hope you liked it!