Chapter 4: Started With A Comment

"Okay," Al began, trying to process things, "So let me get this straight. You two are going out now."

"Pretend going out," Scorpius corrected, "She and I don't fancy each other. But we agreed on that we'd go out until Mia gets jealous and end up wanting to snog me senseless." Rose made a face of disgust as he added the last bit.

"Uh-huh," Al replied slowly, before exclaiming, "Mate, I should hex you!" Flailing his arms, before turning to his cousin, "And you! Why are you even agreeing to this?!"

Rose rolled her eyes and said, "Look, Al. You don't like it, he doesn't like it, and I don't like it. But I agreed to doing it. Like it or not, this deal is going to happen. He gets the girl, and I to prove a point and once again be right. As always." Scorpius began to say something, "-Don't even start, Malfoy."

"I feel like I should've put some sort of off limits sign on dating family. I don't feel like I'm fulfilling the whole 'protectiveness' part, yet." Said Al.

"Well, we're not technically dating. Only pretend, Albie." Scorpius replied, "No worries. I won't touch your precious little cousin. Maybe a snog here an-"

"ARGGGGHHHH!" Al let out, making Scorpius laugh as he ran away from a raging Al. Who, in turn, began to chase after his male best friend but stopped as the blonde ran away from them.

"I'll meet you at Zonko's, Weasley!" Malfoy shouted as he ran down the hill and into Hogsmeade.

Al sighed, while Rose chuckled, "He'll be the death of me, I swear it." He said.

"He's a handfull alright." She said, as she and Al began walking towards the village.

"Rosie?" Al said after a few moments of silence.

"Yeah, Al?"

"You sure you know what you doing?"

"What do you mean?"

"I- I just don't want to see you get hurt. I feel like you might."

Rose snorted, "From Malfoy? Please, Al. It's not like I'm going to fancy him in the end and then end up heartbroken when he finally gets what he wants. I mean, can you believe that idea? Totally preposterou-"

"Rosie." Al spoke seriously, looking at her in the eye. "Just be careful. You never know." And with that, Al walked off to the village leaving Rose standing alone with her thoughts. Wondering what her cousin could have possibly meant.

Rose eventually caught up to Malfoy in Zonko's. She didn't find it that hard to spot him. After all, he was a blonde. And by blonde, Rose meant platinum blonde. White, silvery...She could go on. He could've been considered as a neon light in Rose's eyes. Rose could even still recall the first time she questioned Scorpius and his hair. She had directly questioned her cousin on whether Malfoy's hair was naturally blonde or not. Of course, unknowingly, Scorpius had been right behind her in the common room when she had asked.

It was natural, she had found out.

Within the sea of people that crowded the shop, she immediately spotted him by the love potions. Raising her eyebrows, she said, "Not thinking of drugging her, are you?" As she approached him.

"Smuggling a love potion in her drink isn't really consider drugging, Weasley." He smirked.

"Considering that potions are often used to affect our bodies and such, medicinal or recreational. It's basically a drug. I hope you're not really considering to use love potion on her!" Her eyes widening.

"Oh Weasley! You wound me!" Malfoy feigned hurt, "You think that I would stoop to such low measures just to get a girl?"

"Well-" But he stopped her.

"I don't need silly little potions to get myself a bird, Weasley. I'm Scorpius Malfoy. Think my good looks are just as effective, thank you."

Rose scoffed at his arrogance, "Full of it, aren't you?"

He rolled his eyes, "Do you honestly think I'd resort to a stupid love potion? Come on, Weasley. I'm not desperate. I mean, look at me." Scorpius' said rather in a smug tone before looking over at Rose who was in the process of shaking her head. Smirking over at Rose, he said, "But maybe you could buy yourself a bottle. Get yourself a bloke for once. With the state of your hair, you'll need all the help you can get." And with that, he tossed the bottle over to his fellow red-head who carried a look of disbelief on her face, and strode to another isle of the store.

With her face turning red, completely fuming, Rose Weasley shrieked in anger. "Aargh!" Threw the bottle of amortentia back to where it belonged and stomped out of the joke shop. Not even turning back to see if Malfoy was following or not.

The audacity of that- that- JERK! Well there's no way in hell that he's going to be getting my help! She screamed in her mind. Most of her was angry at Malfoy's taunting and teasing. But another part of her was hurt inside. She wasn't ugly! Sure her hair was unruly and an embarrassing shade of red. But it had its moments of charm. Her sometimes wore glasses as well, but it wasn't all the time! She didn't think it looked bad. It was practical.

Boys had liked her before, as well. There were a handful of boys that had taken fancy to her in the past. She didn't know about now, but it's happened before.

Rose fought the tears that threatened to build up. But she wouldn't dare let them. Whether he saw it or not, she couldn't give Scorpius Malfoy the satisfaction of letting his words get to her. She couldn't let that vile moron any credit to his name. And just when she had almost deemed him decent company, he goes out and opens his big fat gob and insults her. She should be use to his words by now, shouldn't she? After all it's always been like this for years. They've always argued.

Yeah, She told herself, But then again he never really did throw out that she wasn't appealing to any boy.

But he did. Another part of her told her. Second year, Valentine's Day.

Rose had remembered that day. But then again, she was only twelve. She barely cared about what boys thought of her. But now that she was way past that age, she couldn't help but feel that pang of hurt in her heart. As much as she hated to admit it, Scorpius was considered a very good looking bloke to all girls, and even to some gays. Although he knew it, which was quite disappointing really, didn't his opinion matter then? A good looking bloke at a good standard makes an opinion about Rose. So is that the same for other blokes as well? Like other fellow good looking blokes like Fabian Peters, or Ian Harding? No? Yes?

Rose was confused. Of course in the back of her mind she knew better. She knew that everyone had a different opinion. She couldn't let Malfoy get to her. She really couldn't.

Finally looking up, she realized that she hadn't even been looking where she was going. It was the late fall, and winter was on the verge of starting. There was a slight fall in snow, but it was almost as if there was more of it due to the cold. She continued down the road, which was making its way to the Three Broomsticks. She needed warmth and she needed it fast. Rubbing her hands and crossing her arms in front, she immediately regretted not bringing a thicker coat. All she had on was measly jumper that Nana Weasley had sewn together for her and her family for Christmas. Although she loved it, she was freezing cold.

Cold enough to not even notice the faint calls that were going out to her, "Weasley!" The calls became clearer. And she immediately groaned at sound the familiar voice.

Malfoy.

Ignoring his calls out to her, which became evident that were becoming clearer and nearer, Rose continued her way down ignoring the blonde fellow. "Weasley!" He was so close to her, "Come on, Rose!" And before she could speed up, his arm caught hers. Looking down at his hand that now gripped her forearm, he said, "Merlin, Rosie. You deaf or what? I've been looking for you. Then you made me run. After you. I don't just do that, Weasley."

"Well, Boo-hoo, Malfoy!" She spat, surprising the blonde boy, before turning back to make her way her way to the pub. He followed her.

"Oi. What's with the attitude? If anything you should be apologizing to me. You just left me there." Rose halted in her footsteps. As did Malfoy.

"That was the plan." She snarked, "And if my attitude towards you isn't any clearer. I'm done. I don't want to help you in your stupid little game." And with that, she continued walking.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, Weasley!" He exclaimed, rushing up in front to stop her, "What did I do?!"

"What did you do...What did you do?! You completely insulted me. And for your information, heaps of blokes have fancied me over the years!" She fumed. And at first, Scorpius stared at the girl for a few moments before he started chuckling. "What?!"

"You're honestly mad over that?"

She nodded hastily, "You're so arrogant. You're not god's gift to women, Malfoy! Then you go around, picking on people and saying they're not good enough so they'd have to practically drug someone just to have that person fall in love with them."

Malfoy furrowed his eyebrows, "I was just teasing, Weasley."

Somehow, Malfoy was able to calm the ginger down. Though she did put up a fight with a rather large argument, she eventually gave in and calmed down once he realized that she was only wearing a jumper to protect her from the cold. Realizing that she was probably freezing herself to death, and that he'd been the one to stall her way to the old but warm pub, he did something that surprised both of them.

He gave her his coat.

He didn't honestly mind, considering his enjoyment of the cold and the amount of layers he was already wearing underneath it. But naturally, and due to their usual behavior towards one another for the past years, Rose stared at the coat as if it was a foreign object she hadn't seen before. And for the first time in his entire sixteen years of life, he witnessed a look he'd never seen on Rose Weasley's face: Confusion.

After staring at the jacket for what seemed like an eternity, Rose ignored his gesture and walked off. Only for her to stiffen as Malfoy placed his coat around her, finally giving her warmth. And with that, she stared at the boy as he walked on ahead of her.

Apparently that did the trick of calming down the red headed beast.

And when they were walking in silence, he couldn't help but try to remember what he had said to her in the joke shop. It was hard for him, he admitted. He barely remembered the things he said to Weasley due to the amount of arguments and vile words they've exchanged in the past. They'd never really taken each other's words seriously. He didn't think she'd take it personally. So was she suddenly sensitive? Had he made her cry? He briefly wondered. It wasn't possible, he thought. He knew she was more stronger than that.

Scorpius couldn't help but wonder.

But what he did need though was Rose. To help help get with Mia, of course.

Now, they both sat in the corner of the pub in silence. Both with a half-empty butterbeer in hand. They'd been sitting in silence and Rose hasn't spoke. And frankly, Scorpius was getting impatient.

"Look I'm sorry, Weasley."

"Sure you are." She muttered. But he heard.

Scorpius sighed before settling his eyes down on the red-headed girl. She had her drink in her hands, and she kept her head down. Almost as if she was staring viscously at it. "You know, stare any longer at that drink of yours and you might as well burn a hole through the glass." She didn't move her head but raised her eyes to him instead, "See? There she is." She rolled her eyes. "Now, really. I am sorry. I won't try to offend you anymore."

Sighing, she begrudgingly gave in, "Fine."

He smirked, "Knew you'd come around." Readjusting himself in his seat, "Now, on to bigger plans. About Fawley-"

She gave a pointed look and said, "Hold up. I'm not helping you anymore. I told you that."

"Oh come on, Weasley!" He pleaded, "Help a mate out."

She scoffed, "Mates? We're barely even friends, Malfoy!"

He waved it off, "Details, details. We're conversing civilly, we're practically mates." She heaved a sigh, "But come on, Weasley. Help me out."

"And give me a reason why."

"Well, it would look quite slaggish of you to be snogging one of Hogwarts most eligable bache-" Rose snorted, "-lors. Only to not start something with me. It would very well tarnish your clean reputation." Rose Weasley sat in her seat, gawking at the smug ferret in front of her.

She scoffed, "Th- That's blackmail!" She spluttered.

"Call it what you want, Weasley. But those are the facts." He stated.

An: Hey guys! Glad you lot love it so far! I've been quite liking this plot so far, and I've already got the next chapter planned out! Stay tuned for that! Be sure to check out my other stories as well! For any typos, etc. Message me and lmk! PLEASE REVIEW! I'd love your feedback and opinions and suggestions!

And I'm now searching for a cover for my story. So if you lot are into the whole photoshop things. Please message me or send me some pictures! I'm very OCD about text positioning, so make me proud guys!