"Hullo, Scorpius!"
"Rose! So, what did you get for christmas?"
"Well, loads of books, a new cauldron, some new clothes. The usual stuff. What about you?"
"Oh, you know. A...a few things. A scarf with the slytherin colors. Some chocolates. And I also got a book on potion making, so..."
"Scorp, you hate potions."
"I mean, I wouldn't say I hate it..."
"You hate it. You tell me every time we have a potions together, or even when I see you after potions, 'Rosie, I really hate potions' 'Rosie, I hate potions so much' 'I wish we didn't have potions, it's so stupid."
"That is not what I sound like!"
"Yes it is."
"You're impossible."
"That's why you love me!"
"Sure, sure. Keep telling yourself that. I gotta go, kay?"
"Okay. Talk to you later, Scorp!"
"Bye, Rosie."
Scorpius hung up resignedly. He couldn't tell Rose that his parents had bought him the Slytherin scarf and the potions book because they wanted him to be more like a Slytherin. She would get angry, and then she would try to fix it. And as smart as Rose was, Scopius knew that his parents would say something to hurt her. Despite her intelligence, Rose was very sensitive. She hid it well, laughed everything off. But Scorpius saw the pain in her eyes every time somebody said something particularly mean, and he hated it.
Rose hung up with a frown. If only she could do something. Scorpius hadn't gotten much for christmas, and from what he had gotten, it sounded like his parents wanted him to be more like a Slytherin.
"Rosie! Dinner!"
"Coming, mum!" She replied.
"What's wrong, Rosie?" Her mom asked when she walked into the kitchen.
"Well...you know Scorpius? All his parents got him for christmas was a scarf and a book."
"Well, not everybody gets a lot for christmas." She reasoned.
"It was a slytherin scarf and a potions book. He hates potions, and he doesn't wear scarves. I think his parents want him to be more like a slytherin."
"Well, 'oo can' fi erryting." Her father said through a mouthful of food. Her mother rolled her eyes, exasperated.
"Do you ever stop eating?" Her father shrugged. "Anyways...we'll go shopping before holiday is over, and you can get him something in diagon ally. Something he'll actually like. Okay?"
"All right! Thanks, mum!" Rosie hugged her, then sat down at the table.
"You do know who this kid is, right?" Ron asked Hermione later that night, as they were washing the dishes. "Scorpius Malfoy. One of the Malfoys. The Malfoy that harassed you and changed your teeth to beaver teeth, and always called you 'mudblood'. And a Slytherin to boot! I don't think I want Rosie hanging around with his sort."
"I think she'll be good for him." Hermione replied. "All that negativity in his life, he should have somebody good. A friend to help him."
"Hermione, his father is Draco Malfoy!"
"Which is precisely why I'm so worried about him." Ron couldn't argue with that.
