I only own my own creativity...

Alright so I got over my jealously of all the authors that have way too many reviews. Hopefully you will not have to suffer that again. Lucky for you readers you all will be happy with how I took your advice. I wrote what came to me but it just so happened that it lined up with many of your hopes... that made no sense oh well. Thanks again to the reviewers! Enjoy oh and I posted this sooner than later so I hope I got all the kinks out of it

"So how does your dad feel about Scorpius's and Lily's relationship? Rose asked Al once she was sure they were alone.

"He is fine with it." Albus said before he took a sip of his hot chocolate.

"Uncle Harry is fine with his only daughter dating Scorpius?" She asked trying not to mention that Scorpius was a Malfoy since Albus hated when she did that. Albus choked on his drink.

"Are you trying to kill me?" He asked once he had recovered. "What are you talking about? They are just friends." He pronounced the word friends very slowly as if that would make a difference in Rose understanding what he was saying.

"Are you sure about that?" The disbelief was easy to see on her face, "How do you know that your sister isn't hoping that she will marry her older brother's best friend like her mother did?" She pointed out.

"Well, if you are so worried about the past repeating itself then maybe you should be worried about yourself." He replied. This time Rose frustration was greater than her embarrassment so she did not blush. The two cousins sat there for a minute glaring at each other.

"Oh come on Al, I should have seen it sooner, but the way she greeted him this morning was more than sisterly to me." Rose finally broke the silence, "Besides she was his date to the Halloween ball the last three years of school."

"Yes, well the first year was as a favor to me." He explained, "I wanted my sister to get to know my best friend. James was already okay with him. The years after that there was no one that he really wanted to ask." Rose snorted skeptically. "Fine Rose, think whatever you want but why would you care either way if they did like each other?" Albus asked. Rose bit her lower lip.

"I'd rather not say." She said but then she saw Albus' eyes widen in surprise, "No! Don't even think that!It has- I do not fancy Malfoy." She sighed realizing that she was making more trouble by not telling him what was troubling her about the pair liking each other. But if she told him that she would have to explain everything. Though maybe if she did he would understand finally why his request to be friends with that boy was not easy. She shook her head and he took it to mean the conversation was over. Albus stood up and took the remaining dishes to the sink. He turned back once he had put them down. "So what happened last night?" He asked starting a new topic. Rose smiled remembering the previous' night events.

"Scorpius got his nose busted for trying to keep me warm." Albus' eyebrows shot up in surprise making Rose laugh. "No, not like that, silly. He was getting me another blanket and I woke up as he was covering me. He must have been leaning over since my hand found his face." Albus winced.

"So is he as bad of a person as you thought?" Albus asked as he sat back down at the table trying a different approach to figure out what was going on in her head.

"I never said I thought he was a horrible person. Besides, I have known for awhile now that he is a great guy." She admitted fiddling with the salt and pepper shakers.

"So why the change then?" He asked trying to draw her out. Rose sighed then shrugged.

"Maybe I was embarrassed about the way I started off the wrong foot with him. By the time I saw things differently I thought it was too late to change. I could be wrong though he does seem to have a hard time forgetting the past. Not that I blame him. I was terrible." She said playing with a stress ball that had been sitting on the table.

"Well in my opinion, you still are terrible." Al said with a smile. Rose bit back a smile and finally met his gaze. Al continued, "Scorpius is forgiving. I am sure what ever you did in the past is in the past." Her smile disappeared as the mask slipped back into place. She was fully awake now alerting him to the fact that he would not be getting anything else out of him. Like he had told Scorpius she did not shut him out with her mask. Although something from the past that had to with Scorpius made her close up even around him.

"Perhaps, but everyone reacts to the past whether they mean to or not." Rose stated noncommittally. Al shrugged.

"Maybe but it would be a lot easier if you would stop keeping secrets or whatever you are hiding." He countered. Rose's eyes focus intently on her cousin.

"Is that why you were telling him those tidbits about me?" She asked disapprovingly.

"Yes, though you are not the only one who hiding something. I think you guys would be great friends if you could just be real with him." Al answered honestly, "I told him about you because you are the one that keeps so much inside of you. Scorpius is very honest and speaks his mind most of the time. So he is the one who needs the help." Albus ended defending his actions.

"I do not know how much assistance he really needs." She said as she scrunched her nose, "I get the feeling sometimes that he can read me better than I like."

"Maybe you aren't as hard to figure out as you think you are." He mused watching for the reaction he knew he would get. Rose didn't disappoint him as she rolled her eyes at him. She got him back though when she hit him with the stress ball.

Meanwhile...

"So what are you going to do?" Lily asked as they walked along the street. Scorpius shrugged.

"Wander the streets until I am sure Al has left the apartment." He replied. "Maybe I will go shopping for my mom's birthday present."

"You sure you don't mind being my alibi?" She asked looking up at him uneasily.

"Of course not, Lily. I know how protective your brother can get. Though you will need to tell them about your boyfriend eventually." He nudged her with his elbow and she nudged back.

"So you want me to explain to Rose that was my usual way of greeting you?" Lily asked innocently but he still glared at her.

"You are as bad as your brother." He answered.

"Maybe, but I am cuter," She retorted with a sweet smile then said, "Or maybe I secretly want to be Emma."

"Who is Emma and why would you want to be her?" He asked his face marred with confusion. Lily reached in her shoulder bag and pulled out a book.

"She is a fictional character that loves to play matchmaker." She explained as she handed him the book. "I want to be her because she gets Knightly." He rolled his eyes at her dreamy smile but still took the book. Lily often gave him Muggle books that she deemed a must read for him. "You sure that I do not need to explain things to Rose? She did not seem to care for me kissing you."

"She is more likely is upset over you liking me because of my last name." He muttered not sure if he wanted her to hear him or not.

"I still think that you should just grab her and kiss her. It worked for William and you are a much better guy than he is." She said as it was the most obvious thing.

"Trust me I know for a fact that kissing a girl like that does not go well for me." He responded wearily.

"You need more confidence Scorpius. Just because other girls have not seen how great a guy you are does not make it a lie." Lily implored trying to get him to believe her.

"If I am as great as you say then why does every girl that Al tries to set up me up with end up liking him?" He asked. He was not whining just stating the facts of the past.

"Al is horrible at matchmaking. That is all it proves!" She exclaimed frustrated with her friend then she smiled in victory, "At least with Rose you wouldn't have to worry about her falling for Al," He shook his head in amusement. "And not all of them fell for Al."

"You better get going. Don't want to keep your date waiting too long." She threw her arms around him and smiled as after a pause he hugged her back. Then she disappeared before his eyes. He took out his pocket watch and decided that he would head to Diagon Alley in hopes of finding something for his mother's up coming birthday. He had no idea what to get her yet again. So he wandered aimlessly down the streets looking for something to grab his attention. He had been there for awhile when he went into Magical Menagerie. He was looking at a fierce looking tortoise when the store door making him look up to see who came in. The tortoise took advantage of the young man being distracted by Rose walking in and bit his finger. Scorpius yelped jumped back and glared at the tortoise. His glare moved to Rose when he heard her laughed.

"What are you doing here?" He snapped at her but that did not erase the smile from her face.

"I could you the same thing. I thought you would still be with Lily." He quickly thought up an explanation.

"I remembered that I needed to get my mother's birthday gift. I left Lily just a few minutes ago." He hoped that telling a half lie would go undetected. "What about you?"

"I came to look at the kittens. The owner of the shop owls me whenever there is a kitten she thinks I might I like."

"Planning on getting one then?" He asked following her towards the back of the store where the cats were.

"Not likely today but I would love to someday." She leaned down to pick a small gray tabby. "My mom had a cat during her school years named Crookshanks that she used to tell us about. I have always wanted my own though something always stops me from getting a kitten."

"You prefer the gray ones?" He inquired after she picked up another one and inspected it.

"Yes, though I do like orange tabbies also." She turned and forced the kitten into his arms against his protests. "So does Lily always greet you that way?" She did not look at him trying to not seem interested in his answer.

"Yes, somewhere along the line she decided I needed a boost in confidence and started that greeting." He smiled wryly knowing what she was doing.

"Oh, do like her?" She asked seeing he had caught on. She decided to be blunt instead.

"Not in the way you are asking. I see her as a sister." He explained not reacting to her directness.

"Then why did you kiss her in sixth year?" Rose asked not believing him. A flicker of emotion passed over his face but he hid it as he put the kitten back down.

"I don't know." He replied his face blank as he stood back up.

"You know Al thinks that I am the one who always hides from you. Truthfully, he has no idea how much you shut me out." She just wanted some reaction any reaction.

"Fine, tell him that. Maybe next Saturday he will tell my secrets instead." he retorted but he was not prepared for her laughter. He stood there staring until she stopped.

"Sorry I just realized how silly I sounded. I was being really rude and I was just trying to get a reaction out of you. I am sorry Mal," She smiled apologetically.

"Mal?" He asked raising one eyebrow at her.

"Yes, I couldn't think of a nickname for Scorpius so Mal is what I will call you. Sound good Mal?" She taunted her eyes dancing. He shook his head at her. "So do you like ice cream?" She asked then turned and walk towards the door he even replied. Figuring she wanted him to follow he did.

Review! Oh if you like my writing and stories about James Potter and Lily Evans read Better Days