A/N: Ciao tutti! Sorry I haven't updated NG in a while. You know, Algebra quiz, French test, History Project, etc. Yeah, the usual. But, it's back! I wrote an extra-full chapter just to make-up for it! Enjoy! But don't forget the little "Review" button!

By the end of her first week at Hogwarts, Rose had her schedule memorized. Transfiguration was boring, Charms was easy, Defense Against the Dark Arts was the only fun class, and Potions was easier than using the Easy-Brew Cauldron she'd had when she was five. But she hated riding lessons. They were the one thing she couldn't do. So she spent every cent she had on Uncle George's Nosebleed Nougat and always ate one right before everyone went to grab a broomstick. Then when she was sent to Miss Pomfrey's office, she went into the castle, wolfed down the cure, and snuck off to the library to study with the second years.

But on Monday of her second week, just after she popped the nougat into her mouth, Scorpius tripped over Albus' broom. As Rose's nose started gushing, Madam Reynolds looked at Rose, then at Scorpius, who was hopping on one foot, clutching his twisted ankle, then back to Rose. She made a noise that sounded like the chickens at Grandma Weasley's house, and put her hands on her hips.

"Rose, darling, help Scorpius up the stairs to Miss Pomfrey's office. And Scorpius, make sure you stay off that ankle and keep away from her blood." She pointed to the castle, and they set off, Scorpius putting his arm around Rose for support. She was sure he could feel the heat radiating from her ears, because they felt warmer than the time James cast a burning spell on them two years ago.

They walked back to the castle, arriving inside fifteen minutes later. But when she let go of him to eat the reversal, he put his ankle down and gave a sheepish smile.

"What-how-huh?" Rose's words were coming out in an incoherent jumble as he flashed that grin that make her weak at the knees, and pulled her up the staircase as she chewed, her upper lip still covered in rapidly drying blood.

They climbed the stairs and he pulled her into the library, leading her to a study table concealed by three bookcases, and pulling out a tissue from his pocket. She started dabbing at her upper lip, and nodded at him in thanks. He motioned for her to sit, and she pulled out a chair and sat.

Before she could ask, he answered. "I saw the Nosebleed Nougat. And riding is easy. I was wondering if you could help me with Defense Against the Dark Arts. I'm really behind, and I don't get what we're studying at all." He flashed a weak smile, with a begging look in his eyes that looked like he would crumble to the ground if she said no.

"Of course, Scorpius." She flashed him her crooked grin, which her mother refused to fix until she was thirteen, but it seemed to be charming enough. His pale cheeks were turning pink. She grabbed her Defense Against the Dark Arts textbook out, placed it on the table, and took a good long look at him. "But only if you do me a favor too."

"Oh, um, sure Rose. What do you need?" His cheeks started turning red, and he looked down at his thumbs, sincerely hoping she wouldn't ask for any help with schoolwork. He was pretty sure he was already getting a T in Potions.

"Teach me how to ride a broomstick." He noticed her ears flushing as she said this. She's embarrassed, he thought to himself as he saw her ears turn rosy, then fuchsia, then scarlet.

"Of course, Rose. Let's compare schedules at lunch." He grinned at her, and saw her ears turn maroon; a brighter shade of red than he thought human flesh could deepen to.

"But first, let's get started on the homework. Do you know how to cast the five basic protective spells?" She stared at him, her big blue eyes connecting with his. He felt his cheeks turn red.

"Actually, I don't. I'm not very good with my wand yet." His skin turned rosier, and she saw another part of him she hadn't seen before: a part of him that was embarrassed to admit this, the part of him that wished he was as good at schoolwork. The same way she wished she was good at riding.

"No problem. Let's begin."

By Friday afternoon, Scorpius had a basic concept of how to use his wand, and Rose had a basic concept of how not to fall off of a broom. Albus had seen her in the library, giggling at every joke he made. But she hadn't seen him. Every day, he put on the invisibility cloak and tiptoed into the library, over to the secluded corner they sat in, and listened in on their conversations.

"Scorpius, come on. We've got to start working on the essay for tomorrow." He heard a murmur and Rose started giggling. "Come on, Scor. I'm serious." Scor? Merlin's Pants. What a lame nickname.

Albus turned around, and almost got squashed by a pair of feet. He looked up and saw James putting a book back on the shelf. He stood up, and pulled off the cloak. James turned to face him and jumped back like a cheetah.

"Merlin's Pants, Al! What the hell were you doing?" James thumped himself in the chest jokingly, and looked down at his little brother.

"Since when do you read out of your own free will? What book were you reading?" James tried to push himself in front of the bookcase, but Al was quick and nimble. He grabbed the book that was sticking out of the shelf ever so slightly, and flipped it over to look at the title.

"Twelve Fail-Safe Ways to Charm Witches? Since when do you want to impress girls?" James clamped a hand over Albus' mouth, muffling his loud voice. But he quickly snapped back his hand when Al bit his finger. Hard.

"And who is this special witch you're trying to impress?" Al inquired, a teasing smile darting over his lips.

"Oh, well, erm, I…" James sputtered and rocked nervously back and forth on his heels. He ran his hands through his black, overgrown hair, and took a deep breath. "Flora Longbottom."

"What? Her? When? Why? We've known her and Fauna for so long!" But since Flora and her twin sister Fauna were always hanging around James, Al had never really known much about Flora except that she'd only cut her long, thigh-grazing white-blond hair twice in her life, and she and her sister were so alike, it was scary. Except for the fact that Fauna had a short, blond pixie cut to differentiate the two of them.

"For God's sake, Al! You don't need to know everything! I like her, and that's that!" James was growing red in the face, and it didn't help that some curious students were gathering around. James groaned and walked out of the library, a steady stream of wrinkled parchment floating out from behind his open book bag.

James refused to talk to Al for the entire weekend, despite his many attempts to apologize. Al had tried almost everything in the book except for getting down on his hands and knees to beg the crap out of James. But by Monday at lunch, James had forgiven his little brother.

"Al! You're a genius in a small body!" Al glared at James when he said this, but motioned for him to continue. "Somehow Flora found out about our little library conversation, and she told me she likes me too! You're a mastermind!" Albus gave a sheepish grin, which was soon replaced with a scowl when James lifted him up off the ground to give him a bear hug in the middle of the Great Hall.

After jamming Al back onto the bench of the Gryffindor table, James went off in a happy trance to great Flora, who was just know walking up from the Hufflepuff dormitories with Fauna by her side. When James went over to greet her, she gave him a hug and Fauna just nodded and walked away. It was almost like they were telepathic or something, thought Albus. Twin-lepathy.

Just as he was about to dig into his BLT, he noticed Rose and Scorpius walking down the stairs together. Rose tripped, and Scorpius caught her. She giggled, and walked over to the Gryffindor table, her back to the pair of grey eyes that were staring longingly after her.