Draco and Astoria Malfoy weren't specifically what she had been expecting, then again her imagination was a bit distorted. Astoria Malfoy had long dark hair, with warm bright blue eyes, and a slender elegant build, and Draco Malfoy looked, well, like an older, worn version of Scorpius, which was comforting and unsettling all at the same time.
Astoria Malfoy shook her hand politely whereas Draco Malfoy merely nodded at her. It was awkward, but it wasn't until they were beyond the platform that Rose wondered how they were going to get to the Manor in the first place. She couldn't see the Malfoy's owning a car, if they did it would have to be like a stretch limo or something fancy like that.
"How are we getting to your house?" She muttered under her breath as they weaved through the crowd of people.
"Apparating dear," Astoria answered though there was no reason she should have been able to hear Rose through the crowd.
Scorpius smirked. "My mum has ears like a …" He paused, "What animal has good hearing?"
"Owls," His mother responded promptly.
"And cats." Rose added, amused by his mother.
"Dolphins."
She paused, "Elephants…"
"Bats." Mrs. Malfoy retorted competitively though Rose could see she was enjoying it.
"….Uh…" Rose struggled as they nearly made it out of Kings Cross. "Wait! Whales!"
Stumped, Mrs. Malfoy turned and gave her a small smile. "Not bad."
"She is HeadGirl." Scorpius said like it was to be expected, but there was a gleam of pride when he said it that Rose didn't catch, but both of his parents did.
Once they made it outside of Kings Cross station and off to the side, Scorpius's hand slipped into Rose's. She tensed up in surprise; her brown eyes flickered from the crowd to his eyes in an instant. Her hair was half in her face as she starred up the few inches of height difference into his light grey eyes. He saw her face heat up and felt her pulse quicken in his hand.
"What are you doing?" She whispered unsurely.
"We're apparating."
"Oh." She breathed in a complicated mixture of relief and disappointment.
Scorpius wasn't sure how he felt about this. He'd held her hand before so he didn't think anything of it at first because all he was thinking about was apparating. It never crossed his mind that Rose wouldn't see this coming. Her response to him touching her in public, let alone in front of his parents wasn't what he would have expected. He could have predicted the surprise and then confusion, but there was something else there to. The weirdest part was the only reason he recognized what the expression she had was, was because he felt that way too. But then he realized that was crazy how could he not only understand the way she was feeling and also know that he felt the same way?
It was mad, and he immediately pushed the thought out of his mind. Then he compartmentalized it as bringing her to his childhood home jitters. It was nothing more than him over analyzing her surprise.
Rose tried to act like it was the brisk spring wind that brought the instant rush of crimson to her face, but it wasn't. Instead in the few seconds before they apparated she allowed herself to examine how his hand felt interlocked around hers. His grip wasn't tight, but it wasn't loose either. It was firm, secure and not sweaty at all. In the scheme of things it really should have matter to her at all what this felt like. She'd held a bunch of guys hands in the past few years and none of them were particularly memorable, but for some reason anytime something happened with Scorpius she wanted to remember it. Rose logged it away with a special Scorpius tag on it, knowing full well that as soon as the spell was broken that would be one of the little things she'd hold onto. That along with their kiss in the shower, and their accidental cuddle in the room of requirement would be the things she'd think of to remember a time where there was a spark of something unexpected in her life.
As soon as they arrived at the Malfoy estate he released her hand and walked forward without hesitation. It was that moment, as she trailed behind him, her suitcase occasionally smacking the back of her shoe, that Rose came to the conclusion that this too would be a moment she would look back on with nostalgia and a hint of regret. Nostalgia because she was young and had the entire world at her feet, but regret because soon one of the options she desired wouldn't be available to her much longer.
It was a kind of knowledge that went hand in hand with disheartenment. She was a realist and somehow in a matter of minutes she went from wondering where they were headed to knowing with depressed certainty exactly how far this could go. And it wasn't even about his parents. They had barely said a word to her so far, and none of those words were rude or anything less than polite. It was them. They could never be anything more.
Rose followed Scorpius to his room; she placed her bags near his and listened as he explained how they had gotten into this situation to his mother. Her face ranged from furious to amused in a matter of seconds and a few times during the story her eyes darted in Rose's direction to see her reaction, but Rose was too lost in her thoughts to notice much. It was difficult once you notice something to stop noticing it. Rose would have given anything to have not traveled down that ugly rocky road in her head. She would have much preferred having a socially awkward, but hysterical three days here with a bunch of questions and anxieties. But now that was gone, and all she felt was sad for what could have been if things were different.
"Rose?"
She blinked and looked up to see it was Mrs. Malfoy that was addressing her. "I'm sorry, I must have spaced out. What was the question?"
"What do you like to eat?"
"Oh anything will do. My grandmother cooks a bit of everything so I'm used to trying things." Rose replied lightly.
"Can your mother cook?" Mrs. Malfoy asked curiously.
Rose winced remembering her mother's attempt to make turkey the past Christmas. "She tries, but she's really not that good."
"Oh really? I've always heard she was an exceptional witch."
"Well thank you," Rose smiled sincerely, "She is, but domestic work was always her weakness."
Astoria Malfoy scrutinized Rose for a moment. "And you?"
"Potions, Quidditch, finding pants that are long enough… a lot of things really."
She seemed satisfied by that answer because she said, "I will go check on dinner. You two get freshened up and after dinner Scorpius can give you a tour."
"Thank you Mrs. Malfoy."
Scorpius gave Rose an odd look, pushed off his bed post and sauntered towards her. His blonde hair dropped down into his forehead, he tilted his head to the side and peered down at her.
"What's with you?"
"Nothing, just out of it." She lied unconvincingly.
"You've been acting weird ever since we got here."
Rose let out a short breath. "Please just leave it okay?"
"Are you mad at me?"
"No."
"Then what is it?"
Rose wanted him to just back off and not make her say out loud the things she as thinking. Was it really that much to ask he just stop? She wanted him to stop questioning her, to standing so close, to stop looking at her the way he was. To just stop. Scorpius wasn't the nosy type. Often he kept to himself and never went too far outside of his comfort zone. The only person she'd ever seen him terrorize was well…her and lately he hadn't been doing that. He just looked at her that he was looking at her now. It was a look that tried to be impassive and uncaring, but the longer he looked the softer and more determined his gaze became.
"Rose-"
"Just stop! Stop!" Rose shouted furiously. "I can't have this conversation right now okay?"
Scorpius was about to ask again, but when he saw she was about to cry he stopped. He didn't understand what had gotten into her. She was anxious and a little freaked out the whole day, but this was a whole different thing. It would have been so much easier if she had told him what was wrong. Maybe if she could get more than three feet away from him it wouldn't matter, but at this range everything was explosive.
"I don't want to push you." Scorpius said simply, "I just can't act like nothing is wrong with you when we have to constantly be this close to each other."
Rose put her hand on her forehead, and rested the other one on her hip. "I understand that. I do…I'm going to change."
Scorpius opened his mouth, but shut it when he realized it was pointless. Anything he said would just set her off. So he just nodded, rolled her luggage to her and sat outside the bathroom as she changed.
He couldn't imagine what had gotten under her skin. Both of his parents had been extremely polite and his mother even went far enough to ask her questions about herself and her family. Something she honestly didn't have to do. So wouldn't that make Rose feel more at ease? From what he saw Rose seemed to genuinely like his mom. What was it that was upsetting her then? His father?
Draco hadn't said a single world to her, how could that bother her? It couldn't be that. It had to be something else. But no matter how long he thought about it he didn't seem to be able to figure it out. Eventually he gave up and changed out of his clothes into some black slacks and a black polo. He knew that Rose would scoff at him for wearing it. She'd call it, 'typical Malfoy wear,' because of the all black crisp look to it, but when she opened the door, she said nothing.
Instead he was gaping at her, because for once she wasn't wearing a school uniform or baggy muggle wear. This time she wore a simple, but pretty knee length black dress. It had a sweetheart neckline, and grazed down just past her shoulders. The material looked soft, it made her pale skin glow and her hair shine in contrast. His almost invisible eyebrows furrowed as his eyes lingered on her body.
"Where did you get that?"
"I figured your parents dressed up for dinner." She shrugged. "Is there something wrong with it? I'm fully covered. I did the bend test and everything is appropriate…Should I wear pants? I don't have any nice pants-"
Scorpius's hand shot out gently to cup the side of her face as he wiped away one of her bangs. It wasn't intentional, he actually watched himself do it with the recognition that he shouldn't be doing it. Her throat clamped up, her eyes widened, but she didn't stop him. He'd kissed her a few times in the past few days, but this time there would be consequences. The other times it was impulsive, and unstoppable. This time he could stop himself and think of where they were and why it wasn't a good idea. He saw why he shouldn't do it, but as he looked into her big brown eyes he knew he was going to do it anyway.
Slowly he dipped his face into hers and she eagerly kissed him back. His arms hugged her up into him, as her hands clung to his shoulders. She tugged him closer and his arms dug into her back as he pressed her body to his. Rose wanted to fight it so that way the next week wouldn't hurt so much, but as soon as he looked at her she was a goner. It was undeniable.
Rose Weasley fancied Scorpius Malfoy. It wasn't just a fleeting thought in her head, it was a fact. There was no protecting herself from getting hurt. No matter what happened now her feelings were on the line.
"You are not making this any easier." Rose groaned as their foreheads rested together.
"Making what easy?" Scorpius asked brushing his hands through her hair.
"Scorpius! Rose! Dinner!" Mrs. Malfoy called from the dinning room.
"Come on," She pulled away from him. "Your mother is waiting for us."
He straightened his shirt and rolled his collar all the way. "Yes Ms. Weasley."
