Chapter 10 – Hogwarts' Express
Sunday, 10:45 AM, September 1st 2023 – Platform 9 ¾ , Kings' Cross Station
At Platform 9 ¾ there was a much joyous reunion and good-byes and lots of hugs as well as kisses were shared. Harry and Ginny were there together with James to see Albus and Lily off. Ron was also there so say good-bye to Rose and Hugo.
"Alight, quickly now. Let's take a picture before you all leave!" Ginny demanded and gestured to the group to turn their attention to her.
"Mum, we don't have time!" Lily complained.
"We take this picture every year. This year will be no exception!" There was no room for negotiation in Ginny's voice.
"Don't fight it little sister and we'll all be done much quicker." James assured Lily.
The whole group gathered and Ginny levitated the camera so she could be in the picture aw well.
"Alright, you lot. Pretend we're all happy now and smile!" Ginny said.
By a flick of her wand Ginny made the shutter go off and a flash of lightning blinded the group for a split second.
"There, now you can board the train." Ginny smiled.
"Have a good year you two. I love you. Promise to write all the time!" Hermione said and kissed her children goodbye.
"Have a great last year, son." Draco said and kissed Scorpius. "Stay out of trouble." he said to Scorpius and Albus.
"You too, dad." Scorpius said and waved to his father before he boarded the train.
As Draco absentmindedly smiled as he watched his son board the Hogwarts' Express for the last time Blaise Zabini and his wife Pansy walked up beside him.
"Finally, some peace and quiet around the house, am I right?" Pansy joked, causing Draco to turn his attention to the couple beside him.
"No doubt. Finally poker night is back on." Draco smiled.
"That's what I've been waiting to hear! When do we start?" Blaise asked cheerfully.
"I've got a hectic couple of weeks coming up. How about we start in three weeks?" Draco suggested.
"Rose, come on, the train is leaving!" Hugo called from the train.
Rose hugged her father goodbye, and as she did leaned in and whispered something into his ear. When she pulled away Ron's expression was somewhat shocked.
"Okay, love you, bye! See you at Christmas!" Rose said rushed and jumped on the Hogwarts Express that departed only seconds after she managed to get on-board.
Sunday, 11:00 AM, September 1st 2023 – Hogwarts' Express
"What did you say to him?" Scorpius asked Rose as he watched the still shocked Ron become smaller and smaller.
"I told him we were dating." Rose shrugged.
"Rose, really? You think that was wise? To spring that on your father and then leave for a almost four months?" Scorpius said and followed Rose down the hall of the train.
"No, I don't think that was the ideal way to tell him. But it was probably the best I could do. I know he won't be happy at first, but he'll calm down, just give him time." she smiled and took Scorpius' hand in hers.
"Well, I suppose you're right." Scorpius sighed.
"Go ahead you lot, I'll come and find you in a minute." Rose said to Scorpius and Albus and the two boys made their way to look for an empty compartment.
"So I take it thing went well for you after the party." Albus said suggestively when they had taken their seats.
"It did indeed." Scorpius answered and was not able to hide the grin spreading from ear to ear.
"I'm happy for you, mate. Now, give me the dish." Albus said and leaned forward in his seat just as Melania Zabini opened the compartment door.
"All right, fellas? Mind if I join you?" Melania said.
"Absolutely, you're just in time. Scorp was about to tell the tale of how he landed Rose Granger-Weasley." Albus said.
"So that finally happened! Good, so this year we might be spared the whole 'I love Rose, I hate Rose, I love Rose, I hate Rose' repertoire. That will make studying in the common room much more productive." Melania said, gave Scorpius a sly smile and took a seat next to Albus.
"I wasn't going to tell you anything, Albus. A gentleman doesn't kiss and tell." Scorpius said annoyed.
"Well, something else then? You know the train ride is where we gossip over what happened during the summer." Melania said.
Before Scorpius could answer the compartment door opened again and Rose, Lily and Hugo entered.
"Oh, good the whole gang is here now. Just in time for the gossip meeting." Albus declared.
"I love gossip meeting. I'll go first." Lily said and her eyes twinkled. "So, mum tells me she thinks Teddy and Victoire might be planning to elope!"
"I don't know who either one of those two are." Melania said.
"Sure you do Mel, you've met them. Teddy Lupin is Lily's and my, well, he's our father's godson. And Victoire is our cousin, Uncle Bill's and aunt Fleur's are her parents." Ablus explained.
"You have such huge families. It's impossible to keep track of everyone. Everyone seems to be related to everyone." Melania complained.
"I know, I still can't keep track of you lot." Scorpius agreed.
"Well, since you're good on your way of becoming a part of our huge family you better keep track." Albus grinned.
"It's old news for this compartment now, but that might be this years hottest gossip; Rose and Scorp being an item." Hugo said.
"I hear that wanker McLaggen made prefect this year." Melania said.
"Oh, I hate that self-righteous bloke. Such a nasty temper. Did you know I placed a Confundus Charm on him on his try out for keeper so he wouldn't make the team" Rose said with a look of distaste on her face.
"I bet McLaggen will be pissed to hear you're no longer available for courtship, Rose." Lily said. "He's been fancying you for years."
"Must run in the family then." Hugo said. "Apparently his father fancied mum back at school."
"Did you know your mum did the exact same thing to McLaggen's dad on his Quidditch try-out when they were at school? Safe to say feelings was not returned back then either." Albus stated.
"I had no idea the Minister used to be such a bad ass." Melania said and it was obvious she was impressed.
"What ever happened to chivalry being a Gryffindor trait?" Scorpius wondered.
"Well, the rule is more like 'don't get caught', really." Rose laughed.
"Alright, gossip is running dry now. Does anyone have something that's really juicy?" Albus asked his friends.
"Well, this is still confidential and on 'family-only-basis' still. But since I consider you all to be family and trust no one here will spread what I'll tell you." Rose begun and looked carefully at each and everyone in the compartment.
"Get on with it, Rose!" Albus demanded. "No one here's going to tell."
"Alright then, mum is seeing someone." Rose said.
"Mum is seeing someone?" Hugo shouted.
"Brilliant way to not let this leave the compartment, Hugo." Melania said and Rose shushed her brother.
"Yes, Hugo. Mum is seeing someone. She didn't have time to tell you before we left for school so she asked me too give you a head up." Rose said to her brother.
"How come you know then, and I don't?" Hugo asked glumly.
"I sort of found out be accident." Rose said a little vague.
"Who is she seeing then?" Lily asked.
"Well, that's the thing. That's how I found out. Or, that's how we found out, rather." Rose said and looked over at Scorpius.
"No way!" blurted Albus who was the first to catch on what Rose meant.
"Yes way. The Minister of Magic is seeing my dad." Scorpius said.
"You're joking!" Hugo said, still not believing this to be true.
"I would never joke about this, Hugo. Imagine our surprise when we went up on Saturday morning to have breakfast at the Manor and find no one other than my mum in the kitchen, snogging Scorpius' dad!" Rose laughed.
"Wasn't it awkward?" Lily asked.
"Well, a bit, yes. But it was fine once we got over the initial shock." Scorpius admitted.
"Well, I guess you lot might be too close to this to have seen it coming, but for the rest of us who are not involved in this twisted family saw this coming years ago. And I mean no offence, but I saw Scorp and Rose happening years ago as well." Melania smiled at the shocked expressions of her friends.
"You knew this would happen, Mel?" Albus asked. "How? And I don't mean Scorp and Rose, we all saw that happening since the first time we sat on this very train. I mean Hermione and Draco."
"Well, Draco is over at out house all the time to see my parents and I happen to hear things. I mean, he's never mentioned her by name but I knew there was someone he fancied. And now it all makes sense, it was Hermione all this time." Melania explained.
"How come you knew about that and I didn't?" Scorpius asked; annoyed with himself for missing something that must have been pretty obvious if Melania picked up on it.
"He's your father, Scorp. I wouldn't expect you to think of him in that way. But a while ago I started hearing him saying he was much happier. My dad asked him if he was seeing someone but Draco just said that there was someone he fancied but that it was complicated. Later that evening Hermione came by our house to drop some work papers off to my mum, apparently they were for a meeting and it couldn't have waited until the morning. But anyhow, I heard Draco and Hermione talking before she left. They didn't say anything particular; I think they even talked about the budget or something else completely boring. But when Hermione left Draco had the cutest smile across his face and he couldn't stop smiling for the rest of the night. That's when I figured it out; it was Hermione he'd been talking about earlier. Because no one is that happy about talking about the budget." Melania said assuring.
The rest of her friends just sat there, staring at her.
"You got all that from a smile?" Albus asked sceptically.
"A smile can tell you a lot, it you only know what to look for, Al." Melania answered and gave Albus a kind smile.
Scorpius smiled at his friends.
"Well, I have a feeling this will be the year of 'I saw it coming years ago', then." he said and gave Rose a kiss on the cheek.
All right, that's it for now. I do have some ideas for a sequel, which would continue in the same fluff-ish style. There really isn't a storyline here; I just find it very therapeutic to write what ever comes to mind. Sorry, by the way for mentioning the budget through out the story. That's just me venting my own frustration from work. Any how, even if no one is interested in reading a sequel I'll probably sill write it anyway as it, well, fun and relaxing ^^,
Update 2017:12:29
If you enjoyed this, have a go at the sequel "The Further Endeavours of the Malfoy Men".
Cheers!