Chapter 6: Touchdown Turnaround

While Draco was conversing with Rose, Lyra and Astoria were assisting Missus Forsyth set the table for dinner, and Scorpius was sitting uncomfortably in the lounge with the Cipriani's.

"Grandma, Rose seemed nice, have you met her before?" Lyra asked the graying woman,

"Briefly, years ago, before you were... Born, I suppose." Astoria told the girl, placing the silverware along where Lyra had just placed plates, "She used to be your father's best friend. Along with Albus Potter. Grandpa wasn't exactly happy with that."

"Why not? Rose was really nice!" Lyra asked, her childishness showing clearly,

"Old family rivalries, among other things. It's ridiculous, of course, but sometimes your grandfather can be stubborn." Astoria answered, smiling down at her granddaughter, "Now, let's go see your father, alright?" she said, leading the young girl to the lounge to save her son from the awkwardness.

"Hello, it's very nice to meet you, Lyra, I'm Valeria!" Valeria gushed at the child, the fakeness of her behavior painfully obvious.

"Scorpius, I'd like a word with you" Draco said, interrupting the spoiled Italian woman from spewing more falsehoods. "'Tori, dear, if you could join us?" he added, his tone softening slightly when his eyes rested on his wife.

"Can I come?" Lyra asked almost a little too quickly, giving away how badly she didn't want to be around the Italian family.

"Sorry, Lyra, but this is something between your Grandad and me." Scorpius said, picking up his daughter and giving her a hug, and kissing the top of her head, "Why don't you go find Miss Weasley for me? Dinner should be soon, and she might've gotten lost."

"Okay!" Lyra said excitedly, glad to escape having to be told mean things.

"Why don't I go with you?" Valeria suggested with more false kindness, "I wouldn't want Rose lost..."

"No, no, I saw her only a little bit ago, so I'll be faster!" Lyra said quickly, before darting out of the room, not giving anyone a chance to object.

"Son, let's talk in the Study." Draco said, directing the attention off of the eleven-year-old.

"Right." Scorpius said sheepishly, having forgotten for a moment, "Excuse me, we'll be back shortly." he added to the Ciprianis, before turning to head into his study.

The moment Scorpius pulled out two seats for his parents, and Astoria took her seat, Draco spoke.

"I don't want you to marry Valeria Cipriani." he said, straight to the point,

"I wasn't planning on it." Scorpius mumbled quietly, trying not to anger his father.

"I assumed as much, but you do need to get married, and I've found someone I think you won't object to." Draco told his son, giving him a look of warning.

"And who would that be?" Scorpius asked, sounding tired,

"You'll have to ask her yourself, or she won't even consider it, but it should work well. I think she'll agree. And she seems to like Lyra." Draco added, ignoring Scorpius's question,

"She sounds nice. Who is she?" Scorpius said bluntly, not wanting to beat around the bush.

"Rose Weasley."

"He wants him to marry her? My lousy assistant?" Valeria fumed to her parents, after eavesdropping on the Malfoy's conversation, "Why her?"

"I don't know dear, but we can easily make the girl look like a fool at dinner, and he'll have to change his mind. You're obviously the better choice." Mister Cipriani told his daughter, who's face was clashing terribly with her hair.

"You had better have a plan, Daddy. I refuse to lose the chance at the Malfoy money and power, to Rose Weasley." Valeria said venomously.

Lyra came bounding down the hallway towards Rose at such a speed, that she almost knocked Rose over, if not for the fact that Rose caught her, lifting her up and spinning her around to lessen the momentum.

"Thanks! That was fun!" Lyra laughed as Rose set her old friend's daughter back down,

"You're welcome, Lyra!" Rose said easily, trying to act normally, despite her shock from her earlier conversation with the girl's grandfather.

"Oh, Daddy said it's almost dinner time, and I should come get you!" she told the older woman, "D'you think you can sit next to me and Daddy? That'd be fun!"

"Well... Maybe..." Rose said thoughtfully, "If it's alright with your dad, I suppose it would be alright..." she answered, completely unable to refuse the girl.

"Oh, I'm sure it will be! You're his friend, right? So it's okay!" Lyra insisted,

"We'll ask him first, before I go taking a seat that isn't mine." Rose told her, "Now, how about you lead the way to the dining room?"

"Okay!" Lyra said, taking Rose's hand, and pulling her along the hallways, at a slower speed than she had come at, to the dining room.

By the time Rose and Lyra arrived, the older Malfoys had finished their conversation, and Scorpius was looking extremely nervous as he stood at the head of the table.

"Daddy! Can Rose sit between me and you?" Lyra asked as soon as she saw her father, smiling excitedly, "I promise to be extra good, and not bother her!" she added, wanting to make sure she got what she wanted,

"Of course, I had hoped that Rose would sit next to us anyway." he answered, pulling out the two chairs to the right of his seat, "My ladies..." he said, with an animated bow.

Rose took the seat that would be closest the Scorpius's, leaving the next seat open for Lyra, who took her seat very quickly.

The Cipriani's, on the other side of the table, were all looking furious. Not only did Draco want his son to marry Rose, but Rose was sitting in a seat that should only be for someone who was actually related to, or married to the head of the house.

Everyone else at the table was content though, all smiling pleasantly, even Rose, who's nerves were returning full-force.

"Rose, do you think I could speak to you after dinner, outside? I'd love to catch up." Scorpius asked quietly, not wanting to cause any problems for his old friend, "I have a few questions, as well."

"I'd... I'd like that." Rose said softly, smiling weakly at the white-blond man.


A/N: I hope this chapter isn't too all over the place, but I needed to get these small scenes in, but they wouldn't work well, much longer than they are.

The song for this chapter is Touchdown Turnaround by Hellogoodbye.

Reviews inspire me to write faster, so please review if you have the time!

~Syl~