Yeah, so it turns out I wrote a hell of a lot more than I realised and my issue with uploading was probably based on word count...

This is the other half of what was Chapter 6 and is now Chapter 7 because I can't just go from point A to B, I have to divert to C and D whilst en route... Sorry it's another double chapter update, I'll try to stop doing this :)

Chapter 7

Within twenty minutes all the children were sat around the table, Lily, Rose and Scorpius dotted among them. Rose had made a full English breakfast, cooking up bacon, sausages, eggs, beans, hash browns and mushrooms. Scorpius sat feeding Juliette who was still overly attached to him while Rose fed Gracie and Lily kept her eyes on Sam who was picking up all his food with his hands. Suddenly the fireplace erupted into green flames and Roxanne stepped through, grinning from ear to ear.

"Thank Merlin for magical hangover cures!" She exclaimed before taking in the table, "what the hell is Malfoy doing here?! And feeding my niece too?!"

"Well, when you bailed and went on your preplanned night out, Albus wasn't far behind you which left me all on my own until Scorp flooed in and came to my rescue," Rose said, "he was looking for Al but stayed when he saw how many screaming children were about to send me insane,"

"Ha! You're trying to tell me a Malfoy has a heart?" Roxie snorted,

"Well so far it's proved to be bigger than a Weasley's and a Potter's!" Lily bit back before Scorpius even had a chance to defend himself,

"What is that supposed to mean?! You left too!" Roxie cried,

"I only left after I asked the three of you if it was okay, and it was spontaneous, not something I knew I was going to do before I'd even agreed to babysit!" Lily barked,

"That still doesn't explain why he's feeding Juliette!" Roxie said, "and why is her hair the same colour as his?!" She looked horrified.

"Because she likes him," Rose said,

"Oh! Vic and Teddy are going to go nuts!" She shrieked,

"Why?" Frankie frowned angrily, "she's too young for Scorp to have bribed her to like him, she likes him 'cause he plays with her and he's nice to her! Not like you!"

"Francois..."

"Frankie!" Frankie bellowed back, "you know I hate being called Francois!"

"It's the name your parents gave you!" Roxie yelled back,

"Fine, then I'll just call you Aunt Roxanne the whole time then!" Frankie countered,

"That's different! I'm old enough to choose!" Roxie said,

"And so am I!" Frankie screamed, "just because I'm five it doesn't mean I'm an idiot!"

"No, but it does make you a minor and you have to do as your told!" Roxie huffed,

"You're just jealous because I'm already smarter than you!" Frankie said,

"The hell you are! Being a lot of trouble doesn't make you smart! It makes you a handful and a disappointment!" Roxie glared,

"Hey!" Scorpius cut across the table, looking daggers at Roxanne, "he's five, you're twenty, act like it!"

Frankie jumped down from the table and ran out the room. Roxie didn't look half as guilty as she should have done.

"What the hell Roxie?! You haven't been here all weekend!" Rose barked,

"Yeah, he's the main reason why!" She snapped back, "I can cope with both sets of my brother's twins when they're on their own but Frankie too? It's like he gives them direction for crying out loud! It'll be a miracle if that kid stays out of Azkaban!"

"Frankie is a good kid," Scorpius argued, "and unlike you he'll actually make something of himself, *because he has direction and imagination,"

"Stay out of this, you aren't family," Roxie seethed,

"Fine," Scorpius stood up and pushed Juliette's breakfast into Roxie's hand, "you sit and try to feed a niece who's hair is Malfoy blonde while I go and try and fix the five year old you just broke," Scorpius stalked out of the room in the same direction as Frankie.

"What the hell Roxie?!" Lily reiterated, "you show up and two minutes later you've insulted the only person who's been any use to Rose all weekend and made a child cry, possibly doing irreparable damage in the process! What is wrong with you?!"

"A lot actually," Roxie huffed and planted herself down in the seat Scorpius had just vacated, trying and instantly failing as she attempted to spoon feed Juliette the rest of her breakfast.

"Come on Juliette!" Roxie cried "eat your bloody breakfast!"

"Roxanne!" Both Rose and Lily yelled at her and Roxie slammed down the bowl on the table before storming out.

"Okay, I know she's bad but she's never that bad!" Lily frowned at Rose who nodded in agreement,

"I don't know what's going on with her but being so spiteful to Frankie and yelling at Juliette is not acceptable," Rose said,

"Would you like to deal with it?" Lily grinned,

"Yes, I am definitely going to deal with it," Rose said, "I'll just let Gracie finish her bottle and then I'll go find Roxie and have it out with her..."

"I'll feed Juliette," Lily moved to sit in front of the slightly bewildered child, smirking as the now grinning child moved her head to avoid the spoon, "you really want the Malfoy back don't you?"

"Ahhhbababaaa," Juliette shrieked in affirmation.

.

About ten minutes later Rose lay a sleeping Gracie down in her Moses basket and headed up the stairs towards Roxanne. She found her in her dad's old room, curled up at the head of the bed and sobbing her heart out.

"What is going on?" Rose asked flatly as she sat down on the end,

"I didn't go out with my friends last night, it wasn't a girls' night thing..." Roxie blubbered,

"So where did you go?" Rose asked,

"I went to see my boyfriend..." Roxie cried,

"Your boyfriend? I didn't know you had a boyfriend," Rose said,

"No one did..." Roxie sniffed, "it was Richard Boot,"

"Was? Is that why you're in such an awful mood? Did you break up?" Rose asked,

"Pretty much, only problem is the dick got me *pregnant..." Roxie spat the last word out in disgust and Rose could only look at her in shock as Roxie broke down into great heaving sobs again.

"Oh Rox, I'm so sorry..." Rose wrapped her arms around her distraught cousin and sighed, this was shaping up to be one hell of a weekend.

"What am I gonna to do?!" Roxie cried, "I can't do this by myself..."

"You aren't by yourself you numpty!" Rose said, "you've got a pretty large family that will all be here for you, I'll make sure of that,"

"Really?" Roxie wiped her eyes, calming slightly,

"Yes really, providing you go and take back what you said to Frankie and apologise to both him and Scorpius," Rose folded her arms and looked at her pointedly,

"I know, I'm sorry..." Roxie looked guiltily at the floor, "I just...I couldn't help think what if this kid is just like Frankie?"

"Roxanne, Frankie is a good kid, one of the best, you could do a damn sight worse!" Rose said sternly,

"I know!" Roxie said, "and that's the problem! He is a good kid but he's so smart too, and he's probably right, I reckon he is smarter than me...how do I raise a kid like that without screwing him up?"

"Well you could start by not calling him a handful or a disappointment!" Rose scolded,

"I can't believe I said that," Roxie looked appropriately ashamed of herself,

"Neither can I," Rose said, "I appreciate you're going through a lot Roxanne and I will be beside you the whole way, but I will not stand for you taking your emotions out on a five year old,"

"I won't..." Roxie shook her head dejectedly, "I need to find Frankie and explain, I need to tell him how sorry I am,"

"Yes, you bloody well do," Rose motioned to the door, "come on..."

"Do I really have to apologise to Malfoy too?" Roxie grimaced,

"Yes! You do!" Rose frowned irritably, "you were rude and down right horrid to him!"

"You normally are too!" Roxie argued, "what changed?" She asked curiously,

"We spent over twenty four hours with each other, alone and unable to curse or kill each other..." Rose began,

"He stayed over?!" Roxie looked dumbfounded,

"Well, yes...it's a long story and...don't give me that look! Nothing happened!" Rose growled,

"You're defending Malfoy, something definitely happened," Roxie smirked,

"We talked, that's all," Rose shrugged,

"It must have been some talk," Roxie said,

"It was actually," Rose said with a nod,

"So, just out of curiosity, is he as good at talking as the girls at school made him out to be?" Roxanne winked, beginning to feel more like herself again,

"I didn't use the word talk as a euphemism! We talked! Like actually opened our mouths and said words! There was no sex, not even a little bit!" Rose glared,

"Well that's boring," Roxie sulked,

"Actually it was anything but," Rose said, "and I don't think you're one to judge...you've clearly been having far too much fun,"

"...yes, okay, you obviously have a point," Roxie scowled playfully,

"It's gonna be okay Rox, I promise," Rose flung an arm around her shoulder and squeezed it affectionately,

"You always were the level headed one," Roxie sighed, "I wish I was more like you..."

"If you were more like me this family wouldn't be as interesting," Rose teased,

"Interesting? Good choice of words..." She gave a small smile as they rounded the corner to the parlour where Scorpius was sat with Frankie.

.

"Frankie?" Scorpius called through the weird little house, he was currently learning why it was called the Burrow. There were so many twists and turns he thought he was getting lost. Finally he stumbled into the right room to find Frankie curled up in the corner of a small sofa.

"Frankie?" Scorpius called softly,

"Leave me alone," Frankie said through sobs,

"Uh, no," Scorpius moved towards him,

"You lied to me, you said that it was just because the grown ups were scared about what I could do! They aren't, they just don't like me!" Frankie cried,

"Frankie, don't listen to Roxanne, she's an idiot! She was an idiot in school and she's an idiot now!" Scorpius said,

"Maybe I'm the idiot! I shouldn't have believed you!" Frankie sobbed,

"Yes you should! Your family love you Frankie, they do like you, Roxie was just being a bitch!" Scorpius said, not caring about his language as he came over to the small boy and pried him out of his spot,

"How do you know?" Frankie asked as he allowed himself to be settled into Scorpius' lap,

"Because my family isn't the loving type, or the liking type either...I know your family love and like you because there are a number of people in mine who definitely don't love or like me..." Scorpius sighed,

"Really?" Frankie sniffed,

"Really," Scorpius nodded, "I don't know what got into Roxie, or why she said what she did but she's wrong, I'm pretty sure she doesn't even feel those things..."

"I don't know, Aunt Roxie hasn't ever liked me," Frankie grumbled,

"Sometimes it's not about liking someone," Scorpius said, "in a family, especially one as big as yours, there's always going to be people that it's hard to get on with because everyone is so different...you and Roxie are just very different people and Roxie just so happens to chose to act like a child ninety percent of the time instead of the grown up she's supposed to be..."

"So you don't think she really meant it?" Frankie asked,

"No, I think something is going on with your Aunt and she was upset so she took it out on you, something any self respecting twenty year old would do," he finished sarcastically,

"Are you really sure that I'm not a handful, or a disappointment?" Frankie asked nervously, a few tears sliding down his cheeks,

"I promise you, no one is really thinking that," Scorpius wiped his tears away,

"But how do you know?" Frankie asked,

"Because I know you," Scorpius smiled, "and there's no way you could be a handful or a disappointment!"

"But you've only just met me," Frankie said,

"Exactly...so if I know that from spending just a couple days with you, I'm pretty sure I'm right," Scorpius smiled,

"Or maybe you just aren't sick of me yet?" Frankie said,

"Okay, for the record, I don't think I'll ever get sick of you...you're like one of my favourite kids, you're awesome," Scorpius laughed,

"But you've only just met me," Frankie sighed,

"Yes, but it's not like you've been on your best behaviour the entire time...I mean, come on man! You've been trying to break me and Aunt Rose since yesterday, you've made a very poor effort I might add since I am still here and she hasn't told me to leave..." Scorpius chuckled,

"If I tell you a secret will you promise not to tell anyone?" Frankie asked quietly,

"Depends on the secret..." Scorpius said,

"It's a fun secret..."

"Then yes, I'll keep it," he nodded,

"We kind of stopped trying to break you...we all really really like you..." Frankie looked up with innocent eyes,

"Well, I really really like you lot," he grinned and Frankie visibly relaxed,

"Are we going to see you again?" Frankie asked anxiously, "we know a lot of the grown ups don't like you, but we don't know why...but you will come back though, right?"

"Yes, of course I'll come back," Scorpius smiled, Frankie's words having almost the same effect Juliette's hair colour had on him.

"Will you be my friend forever?" Frankie asked,

"I would love to be your friend forever Frankie," Scorpius wrapped his arms around the boy and hugged him tight,

"And you promise promise that I'm not what Aunt Roxie said I was...?" Frankie whispered,

"I promise promise, with all my heart," Scorpius sighed, wanting to murder the heartless cow possibly more than any other person he'd wanted to murder before. This weekend wasn't doing his anger management any good.

.

"Frankie?" Roxanne called out timidly to the boy nestled into Scorpius Malfoy, of all people, "Frankie can I come in and talk to you? Please?"

Frankie turned to face her and saw the red patches around her eyes, her puffy face and her blotchy skin. He frowned and sat up straighter, staying on Scorpius' lap but facing her fully.

"You've been crying," he said,

"Uh, yeah, I have," Roxie nodded, "but that doesn't matter...so have you and it was my fault and I wanted to say I was sorry..."

"Are you really sorry or are you just sorry because Aunt Rose told you to be?" Frankie asked, behind him Scorpius smiled at the boy's amazing intellect.

"I'm really, honestly sorry..." Roxie said, stepping into the room and slowly walking over to the chair beside the sofa before sitting down, "I shouldn't have said what I did, especially when they weren't true and I didn't mean them..."

"If you didn't mean them then why did you say them?" Frankie asked,

"Uh...I don't really have an excuse...I had a really really bad couple of days..." Roxie found her voice cracking, "and I ended up taking it out on you which was very unfair and entirely unjustified,"

"But if it wasn't true why would you lie? I don't understand..." Frankie frowned, "you must have meant it or it must be true for you to have said it?"

"I think I didn't like how true *your words were...I'm pretty sure you're smarter than me already..." Roxie sniffed, "...and after some very strange news I got this weekend it sort of scared me a bit..."

"Why?" Frankie asked again, and Roxie found herself sighing in defeat. She couldn't explain to Frankie why she said what she did without explaining the situation she'd found herself in, and she owed him an explanation if she was going to fix what she'd done.

"Frankie...can you keep a secret?" Roxie asked seriously, her eyes flicking to Scorpius briefly as she realised that he would hear it too. Scorpius gave her a small but sincere nod, his ice cold stare doing nothing to calm her nerves.

"Yes," Frankie nodded,

"It's a really big one Frankie and you can't tell anyone but Aunt Rose and Scorpius, since he'll know too...a really really big one," Roxie reiterated,

"All secrets are big ones, otherwise they wouldn't be secrets," Frankie gave her a small smile,

"See, I told you I knew you were smarter than me!" She smiled back, "okay...well...a couple of days ago I found out that I was pregnant, so I'm going to have a baby...and last night when I went out with friends I wasn't really out with friends, I went to see my boyfriend to tell him the news...except he didn't want to be my boyfriend anymore and he didn't seem to care that I was having his baby..." Roxie sniffed and looked at Frankie who was frowning back at her. She glanced at Scorpius behind him to see his glare had softened slightly.

"What's that got to do with me?" Frankie asked, "sorry that it happened Aunt Roxie and that it made you sad but I don't understand why it made you say those things?"

"Because when you said you were smarter than me I realised how right you probably were in a lot of ways and then I thought about what my kid might be like and it sort of scared me to think I might have a kid smarter than myself and then I started thinking about how badly I could screw it up and then I started thinking about how badly I screwed up..." Roxie sighed, "I was doing this thing called projecting...I told you that you were a handful and a disappointment because that's how I feel about myself...it's how everyone else is going to feel about me...and I sort of just snapped and said it to you and I really really shouldn't have done...I'm so sorry Frankie..." Roxie wiped away a few stray tears,

"So you really didn't mean it?" Frankie said, "it really wasn't the truth?"

"No of course not, no one could ever think that about you," Roxie sniffed, her tears not longer escaping but full on falling now, "I'm sorry your mess of an Aunt made you believe otherwise, if only for a few minutes..."

"It's not nice to call Aunt Rose a mess," Frankie grinned and Roxie laughed through her sobs, "thank you for telling me your secret so I could understand,"

"Thank you for giving me the chance to," Roxie said, "you're a wonderful kid Frankie, I'd be lucky if mine turned out anything close to you..."

"I'm not sure that would be lucky..." He said,

"Why not? Everyone else seems to think we're lucky we have you?" Roxie frowned playfully,

"Do they really?" Frankie asked,

"Absolutely," Roxie nodded, "can you keep another secret? And this one is even more important..."

"Okay," Frankie nodded,

"Even when you get in trouble and you get told off for stuff, our family is secretly very proud of you...you come up with the best ideas...they all have you pegged for the next leader of the clan," Roxie grinned,

"Really?" Frankie asked with wide eyes,

"Yes, really," Roxie nodded, "it doesn't mean you shouldn't take your parents scolding seriously, they're still trying to keep you safe and raise you right..."

"I will, I definitely will," Frankie beamed,

"But just because you get in trouble a lot doesn't make what I said true..." Roxie said, looking incredibly guilty again,

"I forgive you Aunt Roxie," Frankie said, "don't worry about it,"

"Thank you Frankie, it's more than I deserve," Roxie said,

"I'm gonna go find Aunt Rose and eat my breakfast," Frankie jumped down from Scorpius' lap, "thanks Scorp,"

"Told you I wasn't lying," Scorpius said,

"Yeah, but you are a Malfoy so how was I supposed to know," Frankie teased, back to his usual self,

"Be gone with you, you cruel child," Scorpius laughed as Frankie ran out of the room.

.

"Malfoy..." Roxie began,

"Don't worry Weasley, I'm not going to tell anyone your secret," Scorpius sighed, "although I will say you and your female cousins can pick 'em," he shook his head,

"What's that supposed to mean?" Roxie frowned,

"Is there any particular reason none of you can pick a decent guy with a good family?" Scorpius asked,

"Ha! Are you suggesting you're a decent guy with a good family?" Roxie snorted,

"Merlin no, I'm a Malfoy, there's no one worse than us..." Scorpius scoffed furiously,

"I don't know, I could name a few," Roxie smiled softly, "I'm not a particularly big fan of the Boots right now..."

"Rich will come round, it might take him a while to accept it but he's not a bad guy really," Scorpius said,

"You're defending him?" Roxie glared,

"Considering the fact that you very nearly broke your five year old nephew out of misplaced anger I don't think you're one to sit on a high horse when it comes to lashing out at the wrong people when dealing with unexpected emotions, do you?" Scorpius raised his eyebrows,

"...I suppose not," Roxie glowered,

"I don't agree with him, Roxie, I don't think what he did was at all justifiable, same as with you and Frankie, I'm just saying I understand where it came from," Scorpius told her, "he's scared and frustrated and confused, all things you most probably are too but you were the closest person to him at the time..."

"I'm not sure I want a relationship with him after the things he said though," Roxie let out a wobbly breath,

"And I wouldn't blame you if you decided against it," Scorpius said, "but if you're having his baby then you can't stop him from being a dad if he wants to be,"

"He's not wondering in and out whenever he feels like it!" Roxie snapped,

"I'm not suggesting he does," Scorpius huffed, "give him a timescale, two weeks, six months, whatever you think, and tell him he needs to have made his mind up by then if he wants to be involved...and after that he doesn't get to change his mind,"

"Would you stick around if it were you?" Roxie asked nervously,

"Wild horses couldn't keep me away," Scorpius gave her a sad but sincere smile,

"Merlin, I never thought I'd see the day when a Slytherin had more honour than a Ravenclaw," Roxie shook her head,

"We aren't all slimy snakes," Scorpius said,

"Makes sense since snakes aren't actually slimy," Roxie smirked,

"And there we have it, maybe she's smarter than even she thinks," Scorpius teased,

"Have you always been this nice or is this a new development?" Roxie asked,

"Uh...showing it is a new development..." Scorpius said,

"It suits you," Roxie said,

"So I've heard," Scorpius smirked,

"What changed to make you show it?" Roxie asked,

"Uh...I don't really know..." Scorpius shifted uncomfortably, knowing full well what had changed, or more precisely who had made him change.

"Sure you don't," Roxie smirked, "so it's nothing to do with my frizzy haired cousin who tore a piece out of me earlier and insisted I apologise to you as well as Frankie?"

"No offence Roxie, 'cause I can see you're going through some stuff right now, but I'm not interested in an apology if you don't mean it," Scorpius said,

"Why'd you jump at me when I started on Frankie?" Roxie said, "I mean, don't get me wrong I completely deserved it but you were faster than either Lily or Rose and I can't work out why you seem so offended for him...?"

"I've been here less than two full days and in the time I've spent with that boy I can honestly say I've never met a kid like him, he astounds me...but I think people forget that even though he's an incredibly smart five year old who can hold his own against most adults, he's still a five year old and he hurts easy..." Scorpius said, mentally preparing himself for Roxie's obvious next question,

"How'd you know that?"

"Because I was like it when I was his age..." Scorpius said, "I was smart and clever and ingenious when it came to getting into trouble, but I remember always feeling like I was being reprimanded for my personality at that age, I never meant to cause so much trouble it was just a part of how I worked things out and figured out the world around me...being told it was a miracle if I didn't end up in Azkaban all the time sort of made me wonder if maybe I was just a burden to my parents,"

"Now I feel even worse," Roxie grimaced,

"He'll be okay, he's a strong kid, and telling him that last thing about his parents still being proud was a good call," Scorpius said,

"It's the truth, I'm kind of jealous of the kid to be honest," Roxie said, "I could never get away with half the stuff he does and still be found as adorable,"

"I think it feels that way regardless of the child in question," Scorpius grinned,

"I am sorry Malfoy," Roxie said, "and I do mean it, I shouldn't have snapped at you the way I did,"

"I forgive you," Scorpius said, "it must have been quite a shock, seeing me sat casually at the table,"

"You have no idea," Roxie chuckled, "It's just that, besides Rose, I was definitely the next in line to hating your guts, so it was sort of shocking to see you sat around a table with her and happily feeding her niece without her even seeming phased by it..."

"Trust me, it has shocked the both of us more than any of you, I can guarantee it," Scorpius said,

"So, do you like her then? Is that what made you change?" Roxie asked,

"Sorry Roxie, I might be a bit more open than usual but I'm not planning on being a book," Scorpius said,

"That's not a 'no' though," Roxie grinned,

"It's not a 'yes' either," Scorpius glared,

"I'll keep your secret if you keep mine," Roxie said,

"I don't have a secret," Scorpius growled,

"Sure you don't," Roxie winked as she stood up and made her way back to the kitchen, Scorpius following reluctantly behind her so he wouldn't get lost.

.

"Scorpius! Thank Merlin you're back!" Lily pushed Juliette's breakfast back into his hands and he waved his wand to warm it through a little.

"Jules, you can't keep doing this," Scorpius grinned, "it's not fair on everyone else..."

"Ahbababadadada!" Juliette squealed excitedly and opened her mouth for her food,

"Your parents really are going to kill me," Scorpius sighed,

"Nah, they just might ask you to babysit," Frankie laughed, "a lot,"

"Great, like I haven't had my fill this weekend already," Scorpius grumbled playfully. He fed Juliette the rest of her breakfast, the other children had all finished ages ago and were now bouncing around a somewhat distressed Lily in the front room. Roxie watched in horror and ate as slowly as was humanly possible while Rose just enjoyed the karma of it all.

"Okay, who wants to go play outside?" He scooped Juliette out of her high chair as Frankie jumped down to join him,

"Me!" Came the resounding answer just like the day before. Socks and shoes were pulled on and the children ran back out into the garden.

"Saved by a Malfoy, who'd have thought!" Lily hugged a very shocked and rigid Scorpius before plonking herself in an armchair and sighing dramatically. Rose laughed and started cleaning up breakfast while Scorpius quickly made his way outside, Juliette still attached to him.

"He's really not the same kid I remember," Roxie said as she began helping Rose,

"I don't think he was ever the kid I remember," Rose said,

"You really did talk didn't you? A lot," Roxie mused,

"Yes we did," Rose nodded,

"How many secrets of his did you manage to unearth?" Roxie's eyes lit up,

"Around the same amount as he unearthed of mine," Rose said,

"Do you like him? You know, like like him?" Roxie asked,

"I'm not answering that," Rose said, going a deep red and practically squirming under the scrutiny,

"Oh come on! You have to tell me! I'm not going to be doing anything remotely exciting now, allow me to live vicariously through you and your love life! Please?" Roxie pleaded,

"I'm not telling you!" Rose shook her head,

"You don't have to," Roxie smirked, "that reaction is enough! I can't believe you fancy a Malfoy!" She squealed in delight and immediately quieted at Rose's seething glare.

"Roxie, I'm warning you...me and Malfoy are just friends..."

"For now..."

"Roxie! Please? I've had a better weekend than I thought I ever would and am still somewhat loathed to admit it is because of Scorp so I'd appreciate you not sticking your nose in and ruining whatever good thing we have going no matter what it ends in," Rose gave her cousin a sharp look and Roxie relented,

"Okay fine! But for the record, I totally ship you two," Roxie grinned,

"You what?" Rose frowned,

"Merlin you'd think I was the younger cousin!" Roxie sighed,

"Just stay out of it," Rose smiled,

"I will, just tell me there will be ample opportunity to watch the two of you interact..." Roxie said,

"He'll be at the memorial ball next week and he's coming to the family barbecue the week after..." Rose relented,

"Yey!" Roxie said, "besides, he might be two years younger than me but I can still appreciate his hotness, the man is a mouth watering sample of the male physique..."

"Roxanne!" Rose scolded,

"What?!" Roxie huffed,

"Merlin I wish you wouldn't objectify people like that!" Rose mumbled,

"Oh come on Rose! You can't tell me you haven't objectified him at all the entire time you've known him?!" Roxie laughed,

"No actually I haven't!" Rose said, "I only started finding him attractive once I started realising he wasn't the git I thought he was in school,"

"So you do fancy him! And for his personality no less...that just screams love and not lust," Roxie nodded matter-of-factly,

"I'm not in love with Scorpius," Rose huffed, "stop making shit up!"

"I never said you were," Roxie grinned, "I was just implying that you're likely to be at some point in the near future,"

"Sod off Roxie!" Rose huffed again,

"Ooo, someone's getting a bit defensive," Roxie laughed, "if it's any consolation, I believe the same can be said of him...I don't think anyone's managed to get their claws into Scorpius Malfoy the way you have, and certainly not without show casing some very specific talents..."

"I have not got my claws in him!" Rose disagreed,

"You absolutely do," Roxie said, "I don't think I've ever seen a genuine side to Malfoy and yet after one night with you he seems like a changed man!"

Rose couldn't help but smile at that, unknowingly Roxie had just given her confirmation that Scorpius was indeed trusting her and allowing himself to open up a bit more. She felt a slight elation in her chest as her heart jumped, unbelievingly she'd made some sort of impression on him. Maybe she did stand a chance with him, maybe there was some sort of future there where they were more than friends...maybe...

"Ha! I knew it! You look like a bloody Cheshire Cat right now!" Roxie pointed,

"You knew what?" Lily asked, deciding to join the animated conversation she'd been watching from the front room,

"That Rose has got her claws in Malfoy," Roxie said,

"I do not!" Rose argued again, "that would imply that I'm being predatory which I most certainly am not!"

"I agree with Rose," Lily said, "I think she's got under his skin though,"

"Lily!" Rose flung her arms up in exasperation,

"I think he's got under yours too," Lily laughed,

"It's kind of hard for him not to when you've been watching that though..." Roxie sighed as she pointed at the window where they could see Scorpius running around with the kids and a football, Juliette still in his arms, laughing and grinning seemingly without a care in the world. Lily sighed too and Rose just scoffed.

"Don't be so bloody vapid!" She chuckled,

"We aren't, we're being normal females...normal females swoon at the sight of that," Lily smirked,

"Are you saying I'm abnormal?" Rose feigned offence,

"I'm saying you'd have to be to land Malfoy," Lily said, "I've heard he's not particularly interested in girls who can't hold their own,"

"I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say Rose is probably the first girl who's ever been able to hold her own against him," Roxie mused,

"I'd agree with that," Lily nodded, "it's one thing to be an independent, strong and confident woman but to be all those things despite being around Malfoy is something you don't see everyday..."

"Girls do you hear yourselves? Not two minutes ago the pair of you couldn't believe he was even here, let alone out of the kindness of his heart!" Rose cried,

"I know I know, bad boys are sexy though...and bad boys with a soft and squishy centre are just..." Roxie finished with a small moan and Lily just nodded agreeably.

"Merlin I can't deal with you pair," Rose said, "the kitchen is clean, I'm going outside, warn me when our parents and the kid's parents get back,"

"We'll try," Roxie called,

"If you try to put on a show," Lily giggled,

"There will be no show!" Rose stormed out of the kitchen.

.

"Hey!" Scorpius grinned at Rose, "d'you wanna play?"

"No, I just wanted out of the kitchen," Rose huffed, "d'you wanna wave to our audience..." She gestured to Lily and Roxie who were both peering out the window. They rolled their eyes as Scorpius waved to them, mouthing to Rose that she was no fun.

"Your overnight stay seems to have got them overthinking," Rose grumbled,

"Who cares what they think?" Scorpius passed the ball to Frankie,

"Easy for you to say, your not the one they're berating for answers or sharing a bunch of stupid theories with..." Rose huffed,

"Come on, their theories can't be that bad?" Scorpius laughed,

"It took nearly an hour for Roxie to believe that all we did was talk last night and I'm still not sure she's convinced," Rose moaned,

"What else would you do?" Max asked confused, running around Scorpius and tackling him for the ball,

"Uh...she thinks we were cuddling...?" Scorpius offered,

"That's weird, why would she think that?" Mickey frowned,

"Because Aunt Roxie cuddles a lot of people..."

"Scorpius!" Rose glared and couldn't help her laugh as Scorpius gave her his most innocent look.

"Aunt Roxie and Aunt Lily don't think you were cuddling, they think you're falling in love," Frankie lilted the last word mockingly,

"Thanks Frankie," Scorpius sighed, "those blanks really needed filling," he ducked around the boy and tackled the ball off him,

"Okay, give me Juliette before her parents come back and catch you playing football with their daughter precariously balanced in one arm," Rose stalked forwards and plucked the girl from him, refusing to admit that what Frankie said was the truth, because then she'd have to admit that maybe Roxie and Lily weren't entirely wrong and that notion was just too terrifying to entertain.

"Hey!" Scorpius looked affronted as Rose walked off the mini pitch with the still blonde baby, "she was perfectly safe!"

"I know that!" Rose called back, "but if her parents come back early, I doubt they will see it that way?"

"I suppose so..." Scorpius huffed before turning back to the children and continuing their game of football. Rose sat quietly playing baby games with Juliette and watching Scorpius with the children from the corner of her eye. She sighed at how strange it was that her opinion of him had changed so drastically and so quickly but yet felt more real and more true than it ever had done before. Most of all, she was terrified that the way he made her feel, despite knowing her deepest, darkest secret, would all go away the minute he left. She didn't want to be dependant on him to make her feel safe or sane, but she certainly didn't want to feel scared and out of control again, not like she'd been for the last two weeks. The football game came to a natural end and the kids all started wondering back towards the house. Rose kept hold of Juliette as she stepped through the threshold, closely followed by a panting Scorpius.

"I think you might be getting unfit Scorp, are you sure you're playing professionally next season?" Rose spoke softly and laughed lightly,

"I'd like to see you do better," he smirked, walking straight into her as she stopped still.

"Rosie!" Her dad beamed at her before taking in the man behind her, the white blonde man who looked the spit of his enemy inside and outside of school.

"Oh shit!" Rose whispered barely loud enough for Scorpius to hear,

"What the hell is he doing here?!" Ron practically roared as Rose glared at her two cousins whose warning was supposed to prevent this.