Disclaimer: Anything you recognize I do not own.
Sorry I didn't get this posted on Saturday, but it was my Dad's birthday and he was in town for the football game so I spent the day with him. This Saturday there won't be an update either because I'm going to my Mom's for the weekend and she has no internet! However, I will try to post before I leave Friday morning, but I'm not promising anything. Also, updates might slow down because it's getting to be that time of the semester when everything is due all around the same time and then of course there are the holidays. Anyway, reviews are much appreciated and I hope you enjoy this chapter! :)
May 13, 1905
It seems as if it has been ages since I have written in this journal, but I have been rather busy. After the night I kissed Henrietta I have been courting her…albeit secretly. What we feel for each other is genuine, but we both know that no one else would understand…they certainly would not understand what has happened to us. Until then I will steal kisses from her in darkened doorways and abandoned classrooms and meet with her late at night on the grounds for a night time fly in our forms.
-Circinus Black
"Forbidden romance! It's the best!" Carmen sighed dreamily from where she sat next to me on the couch. "Just like you and Scorpius!"
I arched a brow, "How so?"
Carmen rolled her eyes, "Don't be daft, Rose. The Malfoys and the Weasleys have hated each other for a long time. Nothing says forbidden romance like you, Juliet, being with Scorpius otherwise known as Romeo."
It was my turn to roll my eyes, "This is not a Shakespearean tragedy, Carmen."
"I didn't say it had to end in tragedy. However, you have to admit that forbidden love is exciting. In fact, I would argue that it makes that love stronger."
I nodded, "Well of course. When a couple is fighting to prove their love to the rest of the world all they have is each other."
"At least you and Scorpius will have Derek and me."
"Carmen,-"
She cut me off by holding up a hand, "Don't even say it. You and Scorpius both know that it's only a matter of time before you fall in love. You two need to kiss; that's what it took for Circinus and Henrietta."
"It was obvious their feelings for each other were developing before that though. Scorpius and I have been nothing more than friends."
"Some would argue that friends turned into lovers make the best relationships. Hmm… who do we know that were friends before they married? Your parents!"
There was no winning this argument with Carmen. Of course it was hard to win arguments with her; she could go on for hours…whether it made sense or not didn't matter. She won by default most of the time because I usually was too exhausted to argue anymore. I had learned it was a family trait; the tactic was even more exhausting and frightening in fluent Spanish.
Carmen continued to ramble on in a mixture of English and Spanish about how deeply in denial the two of us were. I successfully tuned her out and picked up Circinus' journal to continue reading when Scorpius walked into the common room with his school bag slung on his shoulder.
"What are you ladies up to?" He asked with a smile.
"Rose was showing me the journal and we were reading about their romance." Carmen replied quickly. "Do you keep a journal Scorpius?"
"I do." He replied.
"Good; who knows…years from now another couple will be reading your story." With that said Carmen stood up, grabbed her bag and headed for the door. "See you two later; Derek challenged me to a broom race with some high stakes."
"What are the stakes?" Scorpius asked curiously.
"You do not want to know, Scorpius, trust me." I quickly said to which Carmen grinned. "It's bad enough I'll end up hearing all about them later."
Once she was gone Scorpius took her spot on the couch next to me.
"Were you reading ahead without me?"
"Only one entry." I replied and gestured to it with my finger.
I waited with the book in my lap as Scorpius quickly read the short entry on the page. I could smell him again. He didn't smell like he did when we were in our forms, but this scent was just as intoxicating and delicious. He smelled like cedar with a hint of cinnamon, both scents I had always loved. It was weird that I had never noticed his scent before. Did that mean he noticed how I smelled too? Oh Merlin, what if it I didn't smell good to him? What if I smelled like an old potions book or bad pumpkin juice?
"Let's read more before we start studying." He said from beside me and reached over to turn the page of the journal that still rested in my lap.
June 17, 1905
Henrietta and I both have fears for what will happen to us after gradation next week. I already know what is expected of me upon my return home. My marriage had been arranged when I was only a few months old, when the Nott family welcomed a daughter into their family. Carina is in the same year as Henrietta and I which means that this summer we will be expected to wed. I have no desire to do so. I am in love with Henrietta and though I know she loves me we have never said so to one another.
I fear for her as well. Her parents also have hopes of her making a good connection in marriage and have brushed aside her wishes to work in the ministry despite the fact that she was given a job offer immediately following graduation. Though they have not picked someone, we both know that many eligible gentlemen, which have no problem marrying a halfblood, will be presented before her in the weeks following graduation. And we have no doubts that she will be expected to wed in late summer as well.
I am determined for that not to happen, but how do the two of us avoid such a fate? The answer seems to be clear, but can we go through with it? Can we afford not to go through with it? After only a couple weeks apart we were practically dead, what would a lifetime do to the two of us?
-Circinus Black
"He must mean marriage. The question is how they managed it?"
"It is quite easy to escape the fate your parents have set before you if you're willing to commit to the consequences." Scorpius whispered.
"Sounds as if you're speaking from experience." I commented.
"My Father was always easy to bend to his Father's will. I am not like him. He did not want to marry my Mother, but luckily they grew to love each other. He thinks I will have the same luck; I doubt it. Thankfully he is not Lucius and my Mother would not allow him to disown me like Circinus' parents."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean that I am not going to marry Daisy Zabini when that time comes, nor am I going to do what is expected of me by my parents."
This was exactly why I respected him. There were years upon years of pureblood elitist thinking in his family, but he turned his back on them all and didn't care what any of them thought about it.
"Scorpius, what do I smell like to you?"
He looked at me in surprise then took a loud sniff. I watched as his mouth curved into a smile and waited for what he was going to say.
"I smelled you the other night in our wolf form and thought it was the best thing I had ever smelled; I didn't think it could be topped actually. But right now you smell bloody good to me. Like freshly baked pumpkin bread; that's always been my favorite smell."
June 24, 1905
We have done it. We have run away from our parents to France. The last week of school we made plans and I pulled all the money I could from my inheritance before it could be revoked for us to start a life together there. Then after graduation we quickly apparated away with all of our possessions shrunk and placed inside our pockets, to the town house I had bought for the two of us in Paris. Henrietta had already agreed to marry me a week ago and once we arrived we quickly made arrangements to be married at the French Ministry.
I feel no regret in leaving my family behind, for they never really loved me. No one has ever loved me but Henrietta. However, I hurt for her because I know she and her parents share a love that I will never know and because of me she has had to give that up. She assured me that she doesn't need that love as long as she has mine and I hope that is enough to sustain her for the rest of her life.
And as one last punch in the gut to my family; I took the heirloom wedding ring set that had been passed down for generations and will soon have both rings on my beloved's finger. My younger brother will have to find a new ring for his arranged bride.
-Circinus Black
"So Circinus' brother must be your great great Grandfather." I stated, never really having thought about it before.
Scorpius nodded his head, "Can't remember his name off the top of my head but his son was Cygnus which was my Grandmother's father."
"Your parents love you don't they Scorpius?"
"They do, do not worry about that, Rose. My Father has always been a bit distant, but over the years my Mother has opened him up."
"Poor Circinus." I sighed.
"He had Henrietta's love." Scorpius pointed out. "And apparently he died a pretty happy man if the number of children they had is any indication."
I quirked a brow at him, "How do you know how many children they had? Did you read ahead without me?"
Scorpius chuckled, "Of course not, but he has a family tree in the back of the journal. I only glanced at it once and-"
I had quickly flipped to the back of the book and looked over the family tree as Scorpius continued to talk…that was until I cut him off, "Oh my gosh! The tree has been charmed so that every time a descendent of theirs is born their name is put on the tree! Same with marriages!"
Scorpius' eyes grew wide and he scooted closer to me to get a better look at the family tree.
At the top of the page were Ciricinus and Henrietta. Immediately under them were ten children that carried the last name Brown. The tree continued on and I gasped when I recognized a name on the tree. My mother had spoken of her often and not very fondly.
"Lavender Brown is a descendent! That's the girl my Dad snogged in his sixth year! My Mom despised her!"
Scorpius laughed.
"Ugh… that means Jeremy Finnegan is a descendent." I sighed as I followed the line down that lead from Lavender and Seamus Finnegan's names to their only child, Jeremy. "Let's keep this to ourselves. If Carmen found out she would probably end up accidentally saying something since she hates that kid so much."
"Agreed."
We both turned back to our studying then, but I swear I thought I heard him take a sniff of the air near me again.
Xxx
It was a Hogsmeade weekend and while Carmen and her siblings went home to visit with their Mother and new brothers, Scorpius and I made our way down to the village to meet with our parents at the Three Broomsticks. Thankfully Mr. Malfoy had arranged for the six of us to meet in a private parlor upstairs so no one would overhear our conversation…especially since I knew yelling would ensue.
Today we would tell our parents what we had discovered in the journal and what that meant for our futures. Someday we would be together as Circinus and Henrietta were and there was no way of avoiding it or stopping it.
Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy were already waiting for the two of us with a pot of tea and some scones when we arrived in the private parlor. I was not surprised to see that my parents had not arrived yet. Knowing my Father, he was probably dragging his heels while my Mother was probably dragging him over here to meet with us.
"Mother, Father." Scorpius acknowledged with a nod to his Father and bent to kiss his Mother on the cheek.
"Hello Rose, it's lovely to see you again." Mrs. Malfoy smiled kindly.
I smiled back in return and was about to make a comment back to her when my parents entered the room. Sure enough, my Mom's hand was tightly grasping my Father's and leading him forcefully into the room.
"Sorry for the delay, Rose. You know how your Father can be." Mom said with an eye roll and a scathing look at Dad.
Mr. Malfoy cleared his throat, "It's good to see some things never change. Shall we begin this meeting?"
"Yes, please take a seat Mr. and Mrs. Weasley." Scorpius said kindly and I moved over to stand beside him before our parents.
I honestly had no idea where to even begin, but I knew that Scorpius would and I was more than happy to let him take the reins on this one. He was much better with words anyway, and on top of that he was a charmer.
"We have read enough of the journal to find out that Rose and I will end up together. It appears that separation causes physical pain. Therefore the four of you should prepare yourself for the idea that we will be in each other's lives for a long time. At the moment Rose and I have never really had a relationship beyond friendship, but it is clear to us that fate hasn't given us any other choice but to try something else."
I turned wide eyes on Scorpius. Did he really have to come out with all of it at once? As expected our parents did not take that well.
"You are only seventeen! Rose has a career ahead of her-" My mother cried, only to be cut off by Mr. Malfoy.
"-is arranged to be married to Daisy-"
"-she will not marry a Malfoy…a Malfoy for Merlin'-" Dad interrupted who was then interrupted by Mr. Malfoy in return.
"-and she is a Weasley not to mention a half bloo-"
"Draco that is enough! I thought we agreed that blood did not matter?" Mrs. Malfoy said firmly cutting off all other protests from the rest of our parents.
"It does when it comes down to who our son will marry."
"Do what you must Father, but this will happen. It's too powerful to ignore. Circinus gave it all up for Henrietta and they lived a happy life together filled with many children! You and mother married as nothing more than acquaintances and love grew from that; hopefully the same will happen for Rose and me as we begin this journey together. So go ahead and disinherit me, because Rose and I cannot deny what fate has decided for us."
At his words I felt something grow warm within me. I had never been as proud of anyone as I was of him in that moment.
"I am bloody well not disowning my son, Draco. So you think very carefully before you open your mouth." Mrs. Malfoy warned.
Mr. Malfoy was quiet for a long time and when he spoke we all seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, "Do what you must. I only worry for your happiness."
"Hey! Just wait a second. What about what my daughter wants? Maybe we don't want her to marry a pureblood, Malfoy!"
"Ronald!"
"You heard him Dad, it's our fate. Besides it's not like we're going to go off and get married; we're young we both want careers. And besides that, I think Scorpius just proved what kind of man he is. So if you don't mind, I think Scorpius and I are going to go enjoy our Hogsmeade trip."
With that said I waved goodbye to both of our Mothers and led Scorpius out of the room by his hand. I led him all the way out of the Three Broomsticks and down the street to Honeydukes. Scorpius said nothing as we entered the building and I only let go of his hand when I spied a display of sugar quills in the corner.
He was chuckling as he followed behind me, "What are we doing in here?"
I gave him a look like he was dumb, "To get candy. Bloody hell… after that kind of meeting I need some sweets."
He nodded his head in understanding, "Very true. Get whatever you want, it's on me."
"I couldn't do that."
Scorpius smiled, "Yes, you could and you will. Might as well get used to it now for when we're married."
He laughed at my shocked expression, "What do you say Weasley, should we make this day into a date? Give in to this fate thing?"
My heart was racing as I avoided his intense gray eyes by carefully picking out the sugar quills I wanted. When I finally summoned the nerve to look back into his eyes I smiled.
"I guess, but I want some chocolate frogs too."