Scorpius showered and dressed in muggle jeans and a plain black sweater. He wandered aimlessly in the apartment for a few minutes as he drank his morning cup of coffee, mornings just weren't the same when neither of his roommates were home. He found himself continuing to daydream about the night before, Rose was as close to perfect as he had ever seen before despite her living in a constant state of chaos. But how should he approach her now? This was uncharted territory. Scorpius leaned against the kitchen counter, sipping his coffee. I could just tell her how much I fancy her and that I really don't want last night to be a one off, but what happens if she doesn't feel the same way? Sighing, he rinsed his coffee mug and made to leave the apartment, thinking it was about time he went to see Al.
Upon walking into St. Mungo's, Scorpius tried to take in how busy the place seemed to be this morning. There were patients, healers, and healer's aides walking quickly from room to room. Ducking down into a stairwell to make his way up to the third floor, he found himself walking and wish the people he passed had a specific shade of red hair. He had often used the various stairwells throughout the hospital despite them typically only being used by employees, Rose had walked with him and Al when they came to visit her during shifts. As he entered the 3rd floor corridor he thought he saw a flash of curly red hair round the corner in front of him, but she was gone in an instant.
Walking on autopilot he soon found himself in front of room 317. He could hear Al laughing inside the room and as he poked his head in he saw a very pretty blonde healer's aide chatting with his best friend. Al was very clearly loving the attention and was grinning as he made a small blush appear on the blonde's cheeks. He ran a hand through his unruly black hair and adjusted his glasses on his face before leaning towards the witch in front of him.
Payback was too sweet a temptation and Scorpius chose this moment to walk in and interrupt the two people in front of him, "Al!" he said much louder than necessary, "I'm so glad to see you're up and awake this morning!" He grinned as his friend stared daggers in his direction.
The blonde aide smiled politely and made an excuse to sneak out of the room. "Scorp, you couldn't have come back later when you saw she was in here?" Al asked with frustration.
"Payback, my friend, payback." Scorpius moved into the room and dragged a chair close to the side of the bed, "How are you this morning mate?"
Al moved to sit up a bit more in his bed, "Great, I'm going to get discharged today, they can't seem to find any reason to keep me locked away in here. Rose told me to be on my best behavior today."
"Has Rose stopped by then?" Scorpius asked while trying to keep his face schooled into an expression of friendly interest.
Al studied him closely and handed him Rose's note, "She must have been here early this morning, I was still sleeping of course, but she hasn't stopped by again since then." He stared at his friend from behind his horn rimmed glasses, "Did you talk to her last night then? Tell her how you feel and all that?"
Scorpius looked sheepish and tried not to meet his friend's eyes. Trying desperately to think of a way out of the conversation that didn't involve him telling his best mate that he slept with his cousin without telling her how he feels about her first. "Er, well no we didn't exactly talk last night, and then your brother stopped by to chat." He glanced in the hallway, looking for a distraction and found none, "Do you know when you're discharging today?"
"What do you mean you didn't exactly talk? When are you going to talk to her?!" Al dropped back to lean against his pillows in a huff. "You two are driving me crazy dancing around each other. Just take pity on me and talk to her would you?" Squinting at his friend as he continued to avoid his gaze. "Why Scorp, are you blushing? Did something happen with you and Rose last night?"
"Al, I'm going to talk to her eventually okay? Bugger off about it!" Scorpius scrubbed his face with his hands in frustration. "I need to go meet with your dad to see if he has a new assignment for me yet, when are you discharging and do I need to come back and get you when they let you out?"
Still brimming with curiosity, Al did not want to drop the subject of Rose and Scorpius' mysterious blush, but he sensed his friend was closing himself off for an unknown reason. Shrugging, "That fit blonde aide that was in here said it would probably be after noon at some time today. They don't want me flooing or apparating myself, but I can side-along apparate, so if you don't mind coming by, I'd side-along with you to get back to the flat." Scorpius nodded, eyes watching the movement of people in the hallway, still hoping to catch a glimpse of copper red hair. "Hey Scorp?" Al interrupted his thoughts, "How would you feel about a party at the flat later? You know to celebrate yours truly getting sprung free from the hospital?" Al grinned.
Scorpius chuckled and looked at his friend, Al would never pass up an opportunity to throw a party, "And if we have a party are you going to invite that blonde you were chatting up when I got here?"
"Of course mate, who do you take me for? I had a good thing going flirting with her before you barged in!"
"Alright man, I'll come back in a few hours so we can apparate back to the flat, and you can throw a party, Merlin knows you're going to do it anyway no matter what I say!" The two laughed and settled into a companionable silence. Grinning, Scorpius spoke again, "You get to break the news to Rose that you're having a party though."
Al's grin faltered a bit, Rose wasn't always on board for a crowd of people in their flat, "Alright I'll tell Rose, I'm sure it'll be fine though. She likes parties sometimes." He tried to smile confidently but did not like the idea of having to confront Rose about a crowd of people.
Scorpius left an hour later to run by the auror office to check on his assignments. Al was chatting up a healer's aid again and there still had not been a sighting of Rose when he left. He desperately wished he could tell what Rose was thinking right now, or how she felt about last night. After apparating to the auror office, he walked slowly, not really paying attention to where he was going and lost in his thoughts. He rounded a corner on his way to Head Auror Potter's office when he caught a flash of Weasley red just before he ran into someone.
"Bloody hell!" The other man exclaimed, Scorpius looked up and found himself face to face with Ron Weasley, father of the woman he was so lost in thought about. "Oh it's just you Scorpius, do try to keep an eye out for where you're going would you?"
Trying to regain his composure, "I'm so sorry, I'll watch where I'm going sir, just distracted I guess." Scorpius fell into step beside the older man as he turned to walk alongside him heading back to Harry's office.
"Please Scorpius, I've asked you not to call me sir," Ron chuckled amiably studying the younger man. "Are you here to see Harry? He figured you'd be coming by, I just stopped to chat with him before I was going to head to St. Mungo's."
"Yeah I needed to check on my assignments here. I just came from the hospital, stopped by to see Al, he's doing well just itching to get out of there." Scorpius scratched at the back of his head, despite Ron never treating him poorly, the former auror always made him a bit nervous when one on one. "They should be letting Al out later today though, I told him I'd stop back by and side-along apparate him back to the flat later."
Ron nodded along as Scorpius spoke, "That's good that he's getting out today, I'm sure he's been driving everyone crazy. I planned on stopping by to say hi and see if I can say hello to that daughter of mine too while I'm there."
"I didn't see Rose the whole time I was there this morning; St. Mungo's seems busy today. Besides you know how Rose is, hates a distraction!" Scorpius smiled, Ron had always had such an easy going way about him and always lit up at the mention of Rose.
Ron smiled broadly and nodded in a knowing fashion. "She's very much like her mother in that way," They knocked briefly then entered Harry's office, "Hermione used to run us ragged refusing to get distracted with schoolwork, she's still like that actually isn't she mate?" He glanced at Harry as the raven haired man looked up at the two men that had just joined him, "Rose definitely takes after her mother."
Harry nodded and grinned, "She really does, she has your sense of humor and your appetite though Ron."
Still grinning, "I just bumped into young Mr. Malfoy here on my way out and walked him back in to you. I should leave you both though, plenty of things to do today!" Ron clapped Scorpius on the back and turned to walk out of the room.
"So Scorpius, what can I do for you?" Harry asked gesturing to the younger man to sit.
Sitting obediently, "Well sir, I was just wanting to see if there was another assignment that you needed me to take. With Al off work for a few more days I wasn't sure if there were any loose ends that you needed me to follow up on."
"No Scorpius, I don't think there's another assignment for you quite yet. I'm still reading through your report and there are other teams following up on the loose ends from the other night." Harry leaned back and studied the young man sitting in front of him, "Besides I think you and I both know that as soon as Al is sprung free he's going to want to have a party."
Scorpius laughed and relaxed. With no assignments for him to take care of, he was simply chatting with his best mate's dad. "I didn't know that you knew about his tendency to party!"
"Oh Scorpius, so naive of you, of course Ginny and I know about Al "party" Potter, trust me word travels fast!" Harry laughed and ran his hand through his hair, ruffling it slightly. "I'm sure you'll keep his party under control later."
"That is easier said than done, much easier said than done." Scorpius reminisced for a moment, "Al has a way of just making sure everyone's drink stays refilled and his attitude is just kind of contagious. You have a few relatives that are like that actually, just contagious to be around when they're happy."
Harry nodded with a knowing glint in his eyes, "I'm assuming you're talking about Rose, she definitely has that way about her doesn't she?"
Scorpius appeared to be looking at something far away for a few moments as he nodded slightly. "Yeah, she really does."
As Scorpius continued to stare at nothing with a glazed look over his eyes, he replayed the events of the previous night in his head. Harry watched him for a few minutes quietly, he'd often wondered if there was ever anything going on between the young Malfoy and his niece. Clearing his throat, Scorpius looked up at him as if forgetting that he was even there.
Straightening up in his seat the blonde man looked across at Harry, "Sorry sir, I guess I sort of zoned out." He was simply met with a smile from the older man, a smile that suggested that the man who lived could see right through him. He stood and made to back towards the door, "I should get out of your hair, I have to go spring your son from St. Mungo's here soon anyway."
Harry let him get almost all of the way to the door before he drew his attention once again, "Scorpius?" Scorpius turned around to look at Harry, "If you go after Rose, just do me a favor and take care of her, I think you'd be good for her." Harry smiled and watched the young man's eyes grow wide and mouth drop open. Enjoying the fact that his comment had the desired effect, Harry went back to the paperwork sprawled across his desk.
Scorpius walked slowly away from his boss' office. Apparently all of the Potters could see right through him.
All Rose wanted to do was get home, curl up on her bed under a blanket and read. The day at St. Mungo's had been a day from hell. She didn't have time for lunch, spilled her coffee on herself and had to wear a size too large of healer scrubs the rest of the day, had to deal with a patient that had been hit with a screaming curse that was impervious to a silencio charm. Sighing she walked up towards the door of the flat, she had walked home tonight to clear her head, it hadn't worked, she daydreamed about her night spent with Scorpius. As she drew near the door she grew more apprehensive as she began to hear a heavy bass line pounding through the wall. Shit, Al's having a party. I know he just narrowly avoided a brush with death in the hospital, but I really might kill him. She tentatively opened the door and walked into the party.
Rose eventually made her way to the kitchen, she clambered up onto her usual spot on the kitchen cabinet and sighed resignedly, she was in no mood for a party. She slumped a little, enjoying her own little pity party, when she felt a chin rest down on her shoulder from behind her. Whoever it was had snuck up behind her. "Rosie dear, why so mopey?"
"Hi Al, shit day at work." She leaned her head against his where he leaned on her shoulder. "I'm glad you're home though," she gave him an unconvincing smile.
"Come on Rose, cheer up!" He nudged her side with an elbow, "I'll fix you a drink and you can enjoy the party, come on!" Rose nodded and started swinging her feet to the beat of the song that played on the radio and watched Al fix her a drink, he still looked like he was moving and favoring one shoulder after his injuries. She watched him with concern as he made his way back over to her with her drink in his hand, "Rose I know that look, I'm fine I promise, please just enjoy yourself, it's been too long since you've had some fun."
"Yeah alright Al, I'll do my best to have fun for you," Rose agreed and sipped at her drink, the burning of the firewhiskey warmed her from the inside and she began to let the tension in her shoulders relax. She bopped her head along to the song that was playing and looked around the crowd. She recognized many of the people here, she saw James chatting up a scantily clad woman that she had not seen before. She wouldn't admit it to herself but she was scanning the crowd for a bright blonde head of hair. She started to get a little nervous and found herself sipping more and more of her firewhiskey, what do I say to Scorpius when I see him? Hey thanks for rocking my world last night, hope to do it again sometime? She finished her drink in one swallow and made to slide off the counter when she was stopped by a pair of hands on her hips from behind.
"Stay there Rose, I'll grab you another," a very familiar voice said close to her ear. His large hands lingering on her hips. His breath smelled like firewhiskey and she was sad to feel his body heat leave from behind her.
Rose watched as Scorpius walked in front of her grab a bottle of firewhiskey to refill her glass. He looked good tonight, dressed in muggle jeans and black sweater. The sweater was simple but was rolled up to expose half of his lovely forearms. He cut a handsome aristocratic figure in their small homey kitchen. When he turned back around, he fixed her in place with his stormy grey eyes. She suddenly felt very underdressed in her too large scrubs, with her hair nearly breaking free of the overstretched hair tie she found at work. There he was looking handsome and put together, and she was slumped on the counter in scrubs that she changed into after spilling coffee on herself. She was a mess. She felt her glass grow heavier in her hand as he poured more liquor into it.
"Rose? What's the matter?" Scorpius let his hand brush against her under the guise of still holding the liquor bottle close to her glass.
She shook her head, keeping her eyes downcast away from the man in front of her. "Nothing, just a rough day at work." She slumped and sipped her at her glass. She felt a hand rest on the outside of her knee, fingers finding the hollow in the bend of her knee and gripping slightly, it was a touch that could have been innocent, but as he leaned further towards her it felt all too intimate in the crowded room.
Firewhiskey was making him brave, and also making him do things he normally wouldn't when any number of Rose's relatives could see them. He leaned in to let his breath brush over the shell of her ear as a small curl escaped from her haphazard bun, "Anything I can do to help you relax?" He punctuated his question by pulling on the bend in her knee slightly, sliding her towards him on the counter.
"Scorpius, what are you doing?" A lovely blush settled over her features, she didn't want him to pay this kind of attention to her just to cheer her up. Here she was feeling extremely out of place in her shabby work scrubs, surrounded by all of these attractive people letting themselves have fun while she wouldn't let herself enjoy the party.
"Come on Rose, I want to cheer you up," He grinned at her then smirked, "Besides, you're bloody sexy when you're having a good time." He watched as she colored more, she looked adorable and all he wanted was to take her back to his bed again, and again, and again.
Rose huffed and made to push him away from her a little, she needed room to breathe. "Scorpius stop looking at me like that!"
"Like what?" His hand was now tracing small circles on her thigh.
"Like I'm the only person in the room, like you wouldn't rather have any of these other women who didn't spill coffee on themselves and have to change their clothes halfway through the day, they all have their lives together!" She gestured wildly almost spilling some of her firewhiskey. Dropping her voice lower, "And you definitely have to stop looking at me like you've seen me naked!"
A smile played around his lips as he looked down at her. "You really have no idea do you?" He reached out to tug at a loose curl.
Taking a long gulp of her firewhiskey, urging her skin to stop burning wherever he touched her. "What don't I have an idea about Scorp?"
He leaned in close to her again, not caring that there were several people nearby starting to glance over in their direction, "You have no idea that you are the most attractive witch that I have ever seen, you have no idea how adorable you are when you think that you're such a mess simply because you had a shit day at work, Rose you are adorable and sexy and you drive me crazy, even in those ridiculous scrubs." He pulled back slightly to be able to look into her wide green eyes that were staring at him in disbelief, "Rose I am looking at you like I've seen you naked because I have, and I want to again and again, and again. Rosie you have no idea how much I want you."
She shook her head slightly, still staring into those molten grey eyes that seemed to be turning darker by the minute. "Scorpius-"
"Rose, I want you, and I never want to have to let you go." He wasn't quite sure why he chose now, in the middle of a loud party, to tell her how much he wanted her. He knew he didn't want to miss his shot with her this time. She continued to gape at him, a deep blush spreading down her neck, and he saw two men behind her looking in their direction. James and Fred. Shit, well aware that his hand was still on her leg and he was still leaning in towards her in a way that was much too close to be strictly platonic, and two of her older male cousins were catching on to their compromising position. Shit, shit, shit. Rose still hadn't said anything. "Rose, I mean everything that I said. Come find me later okay?" He looked into her deep green eyes once more, then disappeared off into the crowd.
Rose sat still, trying to process everything her best mate had just told her. She still felt as though she could feel his hand on her thigh. She remembered the intensity of his gaze as he spoke to her, it had caused heat to pool in her low abdomen and seemed to set her on fire in the most delicious way. Oh merlin, I'm in deep, she thought to herself as she swallowed the rest of her drink quickly.