Chapter Eleven

Scorpius was glad to be walking down Diagon Alley and to not be in the Weasley household for a few hours. He was grateful they had let him stay for the holidays and he did think they were all really nice people but it just wasn't what he was used to. Christmas at home was always a quiet affair, with only his parents and grandparents for company. The Weasley's were loud and there was a lot more of them (if including the Potters) in the house heaven forbid what it was going to be like when they met up with their extended family.

He had turned down Al's offer to accompany him and had instead opted to go for a little afternoon shop on his own. Despite this giving him the peaceful solitude he enjoyed it did mean he had no advice when it came to buying a Christmas present for Savannah. He had no idea what to get her as he had never bought a girl a present before.

Okay, sure he'd bought presents for female members of his family and sure he'd occasionally bought flings gifts (although he doubted Savannah would appreciate lingerie and chocolate sauce) but he had never actually bought a girlfriend a present. Would she want jewellery or clothes? Chocolate would surely be too impersonal and Savannah was a Quidditch fan but would a present from Quality Quidditch Supplies really be good enough?

Scorpius was too wrapped up in his musings to notice what was going on around him and so only saw the girl in front of him until he collided into her.

"Hey, watch it!" exclaimed the aggravated female, bending down to try pick up her fallen bags. A flash of bright red hair caught his eye, and the angry tone of voice came crashing to him in the form of a smirk on his face.

"Weasley?"

Rose looked up with surprise before her face settled on a glare. "Merlin, Malfoy, will you watch where you're walking."

"I could say the same to you," said Scorpius pointedly, as he helped her with her stuff. Although he knew it was his fault he would never admit it to her. "Doing some last minute Christmas shopping?"

"Nope," grinned Rose, her eyes sparkling. "I'm being a selfish cow for the afternoon."

"Just for the afternoon?" smirked Scorpius, grabbing her arm and pulling her to the side of the alley so they didn't get in the way of the other shoppers. "I thought that was your mantra for life."

"Haha," chuckled Rose sarcastically. "No it's not. I decided I didn't like any of my dresses and so I thought I'd buy a new one. You know what with the Ministry's New Year's Eve Ball, and most of the Ministry attending, a girl needs to look her best."

Scorpius glanced at her. Even wrapped up in a dark green duffel coat with matching cream woolly hat gloves and scarf, she still looked beautiful. For some reason, the girl had been given amazing genes whether she deserved them or not. "You know full well you would have been the best looking at that ball even in an old dress."

"Was that a compliment?" asked Rose with an eyebrow arched.

"Actually it was a backhanded insult that you were full of yourself," commented Scorpius quickly. "Have you finished being selfish now?"

"Yes, I have actually, why?"

"I need to buy a present for Sav, and I need a girl's opinion," replied Scorpius honestly. He watched the internal cogs in Rose's mind turning. "Please, Rose."

"And you're that desperate you want help from a girl who doesn't particularly like either of you?" asked Rose. Scorpius nodded and stuck out his bottom lip playfully. It worked as Rose reluctantly broke out a smile. "I'll help you."

"Thank you," said Scorpius earnestly.

"Do you have any ideas at all?"

Scorpius looked at her blankly with a weak smile.

"To Madam Dally's Diamonds and Jewellers."


Madam Dally turned out to be elderly witch with multiple gold rings on every wrinkled finger and many different coloured floaty scarves attached to her velvet robes. Scorpius was a bit intimidated by the crazy looking witch and was glad he was not in this store by himself. The wizened witch reminded him of a muggle fortune teller and had he been on his own he would have most likely purchased the first thing he saw just to leave in a hurry.

"Shopping for an engagement ring my dears?" asked Madam Dally, her grey eyes eerily wide next to her big curly grey hair.

Scorpius' eyebrows raised and Rose started laughing. "Most definitely not. I'm helping him get his 'girlfriend' a Christmas present."

The old woman narrowed her gaze. "Are you sure? I have been in the business for nearly nine decades and I know these things."

"No offence, but I think you're losing your touch then," chuckled Rose. "We're shopping for a Christmas present for his dear love, but I think we'll be fine on our own."

"Well if you require any assistance or change your minds about that ring, I'll be in the back," said Madam Dally before walking through a beaded curtain.

"Merlin, it's warm in here," moaned Rose, stripping off her layers into a pile next to one of the cabinets until she was down to her long sleeved black t-shirt, jeans, and knee length black leather boots. "And dark, I think the old bat is trying to make the place as creepy as possible."

"Hey, be quiet she might be able to still here you," warned Scorpius.

"Just because you're scared of her," teased Rose, hitting him gently with her scarf.

"And so I should be," smirked Scorpius, grabbing the scarf and tugging so Rose stumbled towards him. "She's trying to pair me off with you."

Rose laid a hand on his chest to stop herself from falling over, and all of a sudden her face was very close to his own. Her hand felt as though it was burning a hole through his clothes, her breath tingling on his face. He stared into her bright blue eyes not daring to move. His breath hitched as he saw those same eyes flicker towards his lips.

"We should find that present then," said Rose, pushing herself away from him and smoothing down her top.

"Yeah," agreed Scorpius, clearing his throat. He ran a hand through his blonde hair and walked towards the nearest glass cabinet. "What about one of these?"

"A ring? Seriously?" asked Rose with an eyebrow raised. "There's only one type of ring you get a girl, and I don't think it's quite the time for that."

"I'm such a clueless bloke, aren't I?" said Scorpius with a sad smile.

"You're better than most," said Rose gently, a soft smile gracing her face as she looked at him.

"How about a necklace?" suggested Scorpius.

"A necklace would be perfect," chuckled Rose, looking around the store. Scorpius watched her as her eyes widened excitedly. "This one! This one would be perfect!"

It was a beautiful piece of jewellery. A huge blue sapphire surrounded by sparkling diamonds on a long white gold chain. It was classy and seductive; a necklace to be treasured. Rose carefully removed the necklace from the black velvet mannequin head and put it around her own neck. She stood in front of the full length mirror to see what it looked like and grinned. "You've got to buy this."

"I can't buy it now," groaned Scorpius. He stared at the sapphire (not fully aware how much it looked as though he was staring at her chest) and realised how similar it was to the colour of Rose's eyes.

"Why not?" asked Rose, bemused.

"It's gorgeous," stated Scorpius, adding to her confusion. "On you."

"Oh," said Rose, biting her lip. "I probably shouldn't have put it on."

"It wouldn't have mattered," replied Scorpius. "You were too excited about it. If I bought it for Savannah, you'd only hate her more."

Rose sighed, as she placed the necklace back where it belonged. "I'm not being helpful."

"I probably wouldn't have even come in here on my own, if it wasn't for you, so yes you are," said Scorpius. "There's a pretty silver bracelet over there, I think that would be a lovely Christmas present."


Scorpius couldn't sleep. It wasn't the howling winds or deafening thunder that was preventing him drifting off; it was the lack of footsteps out in the hallway. A lack of footsteps that was transpiring into worry. He wanted to hear Rose walking along the hallway and into her parents' room so he knew she was okay, so he could stop worrying and get some sleep. Rose hated people seeing her weaknesses and whilst Lily and Albus were also in the house she would stay in her room.

He groaned, knowing what he was going to do and knowing that he was always going to do it. He placed his bare feet on the soft carpeting. He pulled a pair of grey jogging bottoms over his boxers in case someone else decided to take a midnight stroll, especially if it was Rose's father. He walked quietly along the hallway and gently pushed her door open. He put his head around it and looked in.

The grateful tear strained smile on Rose's pale face, made any second thoughts about coming here fade away. He closed the door behind him and sat on the opposite end of her bed, leaning against the board.

"I thought you might not want to be alone," offered Scorpius for an explanation.

"How did you know I was alone?" asked Rose, pulling her legs in so she was sat cross legged. She was wearing what must have been pyjamas from a Christmas past. A red vest top with black bottoms with moving Rudolph's on them. Add the scared look to her pyjamas, she looked years younger.

"I figured you wouldn't want Lily to find out," replied Scorpius, with a smile. "I know you'd prefer to sit in here crying to yourself."

"Lily takes digs at me whenever she can. I don't exactly want to add to the ammunition," sighed Rose. "You didn't have to come though."

"Well I figured I owe you for helping me out today," smiled Scorpius. "Besides I'm not heartless. I don't want you to cry."

Rose wiped her face with the back of her hand and smiled. "Thanks, you're nice when you want to be."

Scorpius rolled his eyes. "I'm nice all the time, Rose, but only to you when you deserve it."

"Like when I'm half a mess just because of some loud noise outside my window," said Rose, looking down.

"Hey, it's not your fault," said Scorpius gently, grabbing her foot and squeezing it softly (he couldn't reach her hand).

"I honestly don't know why I'm in Gryffindor," admitted Rose weakly. "I'm not brave."

"You're confused as to why you're in Gryffindor?" exclaimed Scorpius, with a laugh. "I'm not brave and I come from a family of snakes – I think I'm more out of place than you."

"You're not a snake though and you don't cry at thunder," said Rose, wryly.

"I shouldn't be in this house, though," said Scorpius. "My family has been in Slytherin for as long as anyone can remember, nor have I been particularly brave at any point in my life."

"You're not defined by your family."

"Yeah, well, neither are you."

"Touché," laughed Rose.

"But seriously, I think the Sorting Hat put us both in Gryffindor for a reason," explained Scorpius. "And, I for one trust it. Perhaps, it senses we'll be brave in our futures or we'll take a risk and be courageous."

"Or perhaps, it thinks I'm like my parents when I'm clearly not," sighed Rose, miserably.

"You're probably going to hate me for saying this," warned Scorpius, with a smirk. "But since I've been staying here, I've been seeing you in your parents all the time."

"Really?"

"Its little things that you probably don't notice," said Scorpius. "You and your dad eat identically. Congratulations on your figure by the way because I have no idea how you keep it the way you eat. I've also realised that you've got your eye rolling thing from your mother. You're parents are really great people, but you need to realise you're pretty great yourself."

"Thank you," smiled Rose. "It's weird, we're not even friends and I can talk to you about stuff I've kept to myself all my life."

"Sometimes it's easier to talk to someone you don't like."

Rose was about to reply when her bedroom door opened and her worried looking father came in.

"Rosie, darling, I'm so sorry I didn't realise there was a storm out – WHY THE HELL IS THERE A HALF NAKED MALFOY IN YOUR BED?"