Chapter 3

After the bumpy ride up to the castle all of the student made their way into the Great Hall for the Sorting Ceremony.

I loved seeing all of the first years as they each had their name called out, went to the stool, had the lovely talk with the Sorting Hat, and their faces when they found out what house they were in. I loved it when I was sorted, even if I was the only one of the entire family to end up in Ravenclaw.

I looked to my cousins sitting at the Gryfindor table and Albus caught my glance and smiled broadly. I think that he enjoyed this as much as I did.

Once all of the new students had been sorted, we ended up with six new Ravenclaws, the feast appeared on the tables before us. I didn't realize how hungry I was until my stomach growled at me.

"Was that you?" Andra, one of the few friends I had in Ravenclaw, asked me.

I blushed as I nodded to her. "I didn't eat anything on the train."

"Oh I heard about that!" A bright smile came on her face.

"Heard about what? Me not eating anything?" I drew my eyebrows together but when she continued to grin at me my stomach dropped.

"No! About you and Scorpius! How come you never told me that you fancied him Rose?" Andra spoke loud enough for the whole table to hear, but thankfully no one was paying attention to us.

"What are you talking about? And I don't fancy him." My blush increased slightly as I said the words.

"I heard that you went to find him on the train for some time alone."

"I went to find the trolley and tripped. I didn't go looking for him. He found me." I told her. Was this something that was spreading around the castle already?

"And then what happened?" Andra leaned forward as if I was about to spill some juicy details.

"And then nothing. He helped me get my balance and we went our separate ways." I shrugged it off as I tried not to think of his arms around me, holding me steady.

"That is so lame. You could spice that story up you know." Andra speared some food with her fork.

"It isn't a story. And who told you that rumor anyway?" I filled my plate with the delicious smelling food before digging in.

"It's been going around since we got off the train."

I groaned and let my head hit my palm.

"What's wrong? Don't you want to be the subject of a good gossip?" Andra nudged me in the ribs and I jumped.

"No, I don't want to be a part of any gossip." Andra opened her mouth to say something but I gave her a look that kept her mouth shut. Thankfully the rest of the dinner consisted of us talking about our summers.

The next morning I rolled over in my fluffy bed to be greeted by the sunlight through my window. By some work of magic, I had a dorm all to myself at the very top of the tower. I loved it, but Andra complained when she had to climb stairs to visit me.

A new tradition was started at Hogwarts after the War ended. The teachers felt that we should have one day before classes started to spend time with our friends.

After I stretched I went to my bathroom to bathe before I started my day. I will admit, I was spoiled in my room and mostly because of my bathroom. I had a bathing tub under a window and the stone floors were never cold under my feet. I padded to the tub and turned the water on and immediately the room was filled with steam. I picked through a couple of bath soaps and chose the one that was my favorite. Lavender.

Once I was relaxed from my bath, I got dressed in comfortable cotton pants and a V-neck t-shirt. I slipped on my trainers and made my way down the spiraling staircase to the common room. No one was up at this hour, which meant that I didn't have to talk to anyone as I slipped out the door and into the corridor.

I smiled as I passed all of the paintings. Many of the subjects smiled kindly to me and waved. Others turned their nose up at me for being awake at such an early hour. But I honestly did not care as I made my way down to the Quidditch pitch. I loved coming here before the matches started, the grass was plush under my shoes and everything just smelled so green. I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply finding myself at peace.

"It's quite wonderful, isn't it?" A male voice said from behind me and my eyes flew open to find Scorpius standing there.

"Scorpius, you scared me." I placed a hand over my beating heart as he grinned sheepishly.

"Sorry, I didn't means to scare you. What are you doing out here so early?" Scorpius put his hands in the pockets of his trousers as he tilted his head to one side.

"I like to come out here before everyone and just be." I shrugged then blushed when I realized that I had spoken my inner thoughts.

"This is an interesting choice to pick. I love the pitch because I play, but you don't." He looked at me quizzically as I sat down in the grass.

"I like all of the green. The feel. The smell. All of it." I looked up at Scorpius as he processed my words.

After a moment he nodded and sat down next to me and I was instantly hyperawre of how close he was to me.

"I can see that." He smiled at me then leaned back and stretched to his full height. I could just see the smooth skin that peaked out from under the hem of his shirt and had to look away.

I drew my knees up to my chest and rested my chin on them but I could feel him looking at me.

"You don't have to be afraid of me you know." He said after a moment.

"What?" I looked over at him to find him propped up on one elbow.

"You don't have to be afraid of me." He repeated.

"I'm not afraid of you Scorpius." I said truthfully.

"Then why are you so tense around me?" A genuinely hurt look came across his features.

I looked at him and found myself getting pulled into those grey eyes that I recently found to my liking.

"Because you make my stomach flutter." I said quietly.