A/N: Hi! See, I'm still writing this. Just slowly. It's way harder than my other one, have I mentioned that? I think I have. Ah well. Little bit of dirty stuff in here, just a warning. Don't get too excited. It's not too much.

Disclaimer: I used to come up with really clever disclaimers. But now I waste all my energy actually writing. Anyway, I don't own anything. It's all J.K.'s. Except for my personality of Rose, I guess. But she can have that if she wants it.

Chapter 9: It

"Hey!" I shouted, as the cold hit me like a stunning spell, freezing my feet in to the top step of the Hogwarts stairs. I shivered briefly, my body shocked by the difference from the warm, bright inside of the castle to the dark, freezing night outside.

Rose smiled up at me. "Sorry. It was just so confining in there. It's much nicer out here."

She had a point. I remembered the overwhelming fires and the awkward conversation with my son. It was much nicer out here, even if it was a little cold. It was like a breath of fresh air, which technically, is exactly what it was. The air made his face tingle, like he was waking up, and the wind breathed through his robes, reviving his sweat soaked skin. "You are crazy, you know that right?" I told her, knowing that an old man, such as myself, should not come outside without his coat on a night like tonight for no reason.

"I know," she shrugged. "It's more fun that way. Besides, it's beautiful out here."

And it was beautiful. Hogwarts grounds always were when it was snowing. The snow almost twinkled in the lights from the castle, illuminating the wide spaces of the grounds. Trees covered in snow created glittering alcoves. The lake

"TAG! You're it!" Rose shouted in my ear, hitting me on the arm, and practically leaping down the front steps.

After a shell-shocked moment, I catapulted down the steps after her. She was heading towards the lake, constantly looking over her shoulder to see where I was. As I drew nearer to her, she started to run in a zigzag pattern to avoid me.

"Can't catch me!" she laughed, dodging me hands by centimeters as I reached for her. She was much more nimble, that was true. I had longer legs though, and thus, I knew I could catch her.

As soon as she was about to change directions once again, I took a running leap at her. I managed to wrap my arms around her waist and bellowed loudly. She shrieked as we both fell onto the soft snow. We tumbled over briefly, and she landed on top of me, my arms still wrapped around her.

She struggled against me, trying to break through my arms. "Nope, you're not going anywhere," I said, holding her tighter.

"Oh yeah?" she asked, and pressed her lips to mine before I could respond.

Making out on a desk in a classroom was nothing compared to the sensation of lying on your back, up to your ears in snow, with a young woman straddling you and kissing you. It was fantastic. I could feel her softness pressed against me in all the right places. I could smell and taste how sweet she was; she tasted like the chocolate mint dessert we had had earlier tonight. I ran my hands up her back, preparing to bury them deep into her chestnut hair, when I had an idea.

I let one hair fall into the cold snow, grabbed a big handful and then-

"AH!" she gasped, as slowly melting ice dripped down the back of her neck, soaking her robes. She sat up, reaching behind her to get the snow out, trying to get her breath back, and that's when I made my move.

I quickly spun her over, sending her flat onto her back in the snow, and jumped to my feet. I know; I'm spry for my age. "You're it," I said, with a casual smirk, and sprinted away, towards the lake.

I took advantage of the fact that she would be a moment to get to her feet and decided to hide. A nearby willow tree had branches that swept the snow covered ground, and I slipped behind it. I pulled out my wand and muttered a charm to erase my footprints. I knew she would find her way over to this area eventually, but not to this exact tree.

Soon, I heard slow, crunching footsteps coming towards the tree. Could only be one person. I waited until I could just see her outline in the branches around me. She stopped, probably noticing the snow fallen from the branches when I moved them.

I reached through with both arms, and wrapped them around her small waist. She let out a shriek of surprise and delight, and I pulled her into the dark, glittery seclusion of the willow tree.

Her lips were on mine in a second. I melted into her again, spinning her around so she was pressed against the tree trunk. Her arms were running up and down my back, winding into my hair, driving me crazy.

"You know," she said in between kisses, "This really wasn't what I had in mind." Her voice was a little too innocent.

"Liar," I said, smiling, and kissing her even harder.

One of her legs came up, wrapping around my waist and pulling me to her. Her hands were cold on my neck, and her breath was hot against my face. The way she was moving her hips against my erection was driving me wild. I thrust once, seeking that heat and warmth that her clothes wouldn't allow me to have. She made the most beautiful sigh in the whole world. So I had to do it again. She let loose a delicious moan, and I fastened my mouth to her neck, sucking so I wouldn't cry out from how good this felt. Even through the clothes, even in the cold, the feeling right now was heaven. The third time I thrust, she let out a scream so delightful I almost lost it like a kid right then, and the snow from the willow branches fell down around us. And then it was just her, eyes wide, and wanting me. She grabbed my hand and led me towards the castle.

****

As the snow tumbled from the tree all around us in a delicate shower, I couldn't help but remember the last time I had stood under this tree. The willow by the lake, which had such convenient coverage, brought back memories of another Malfoy. As much as I tried to push those thoughts out of my mind, they invaded my thoughts again.

It had been March, probably one of the first nice days in March, where it was sunny enough that I wouldn't wear a coat, even though I knew my arms and legs would be covered in goose-bumps the moment I stepped outside.

I always told myself that I had no specific arrangement with Scorpius Malfoy. Nevertheless, I found myself wandering outside almost every night after dinner, despite curfew restrictions. And almost every night, Malfoy would be wandering outside as well.

Coincidence, not a plan. Not a date, that's for sure.

But this one day in March, after dinner, I saw someone besides Malfoy. A familiar voice had me wander closer to see why he was out of the castle. And then an even more familiar voice might me freeze in my tracks. And then I got the news that would change the rest of my life.

Half an hour later, Malfoy found me wandering by the lake, with tear-stained cheeks and puffy eyes. "Weasley?" he said, putting a hand on my shoulder.

I shook my head and half-heartedly tried to walk away. I didn't want Malfoy to see me like this, but I also knew that everything I had heard needed to be spoken about to someone. Anyone.

Malfoy gently guided her to a nearby willow tree, yes, that willow tree, and behind the long branches. Sobs kept coming out of my throat, though I tried to stifle them. "Hey, hey," he said softly, stroking my hair. "It's okay."

Even with the thoughts racing through my brain, I couldn't help but be stunned by how caring he was being. He was still Malfoy, even if I had been sleeping with him for the last few months. He wasn't emotional, he wasn't sensitive, he was rarely even gentle. Talking usually consisted of "Right there" and "Oh God." But now Malfoy was rubbing my back and saying soothing things.

And that made me stop crying. "What are you doing?" I asked, my voice still dry from crying.

Malfoy frowned at me. "Trying to be nice?"

"Why?"

He shrugged, avoiding eye contact. "Seemed like the thing to do."

Impossible. Just plain impossible. Malfoy actually have feelings? I could hardly wrap my head around it. It was just impossible.

"Besides, you seem like you need to talk about something. Is it school? NEWTs? Your parents?" Two words was all it took for me to burst into tears once again. "Oh, hey," he said, starting to rub my back again. "I'm sorry."

To this day, she didn't know why she stated talking. But the seclusion and the comforting words somehow convinced her. "Neville was talking to my mom-"

"Neville?" he said, crinkling his forehead.

"Professor Longbottom. Anyway, I heard it them talking. It was over the floo network, I think. She wasn't actually here. But they were talking and…and…"

"It's okay, take your time," he said, kissing the top of my head.

The words spurted out of me, the way that that the insides of a rotten apple spurt out of its skin after too long. "She cheated on Dad," I said with a sob.

"…cheated?" Malfoy said slowly.

"I always thought that it was my dad's fault. He was never there, and he never cared about me at all, and Hugo was just some extension of himself. Always telling him to go get on the Quidditch team and become prefect. Never even really talked to me, but at least he doesn't make me be exactly like him. Once, after drinking too much, he told Hugo that he should go destroy the Dark Lord. Can you believe that? I mean he always did drink too much. Way too much. And I thought that was why, but Mom. My mom is the reason for… for… for this!" And I dissolved into dry sobs, scraping her throat with painful gulps of air.

He pulled me to him, cradling my head as I rested it on his shoulder. He didn't say anything as my tears soaked his expensive robes. He just let me cry, until I couldn't anymore. Then, I looked up, bloodshot eyes and all, and he kissed me. I responded egarly, looking for anything then to think about my mother admitting to Neville that she had had sex with a man who wasn't my father. Anything.

And, for the first time, he was tender, gentle. He ran his hands all over my body, over each leg, over my arms, and he gently caressed my face. Finally, when he slipped inside me, he wrapped his arms around me tight and held me too him. As I pressed against him, relishing every ounce of friction, he whispered that I was beautiful, and everything would be alright. I came in his arms, and he came after me, holding me. We lay there together until it was way past dark. And now, years later, I think that was the closest thing I ever had to making love.

And that was it. That was why. Now was just the result. Now, as I led Scorpius Malfoy's father down the path, I knew I was no longer that girl under the tree. I caught sight of a figure walking through the gates of the school, and turned Draco away from it. And I also knew that I was about to make everything that happened that day worth it.

A/N:Nice, huh? I know you liked it. So, we're getting to the end now. Probably only two more chapters. Hopefully more dirty stuff, but we'll see how inspired I get. It's way harder to write then I thought it would be. Anyway, I'll try to update soon! Please review, and maybe I'll update faster.