Chapter 11- Happy Christmas?

Disclaimer: Do not own.

AN: Hey everyone. I have been planning to post this chapter for the past few days, finally found the time to finish typing it up. Apparently I've gravitated more towards the longer chapters. Always fun, I should actually be making study notes right now but I have no motivation, so what is a girl to do? Write fanfiction of course! Anyways please read and review, I find the more reviews I get, the more guilty I feel about not updating quickly :D

Rose sat across from Scorpius in the compartment on the Hogwarts Express as it chugged down the track towards Kings Cross Station the next morning. She was excited to see her family, she loved family Christmases. Every year her entire family would go to the Burrow for Christmas Day and she was so excited to see everyone, especially her grandparents. Grandma Weasley still knit everyone sweaters that nobody actually liked but wore anyways and her Grandma and Grandpa Granger were still fascinated as ever by the wizarding world that their daughter had introduced them to almost three decades previous, bringing them these little muggle trinkets that Rose had always found wonderful. Rose enjoyed the chaotic nature of the burrow at this time of year, her mother, aunts and grandmothers clamoring about in the kitchen making dinner while the kids had Quidditch tournaments and tried to beat Ron at chess. She loved every moment that she got to spend with her massive family. This year was going to be especially fun because Dominique was participating in the Tri-Wizard tournament.

Rose glanced up, noticing Scorpius studying her intently. "What?"

"Uh, nothing," he glanced down, embarrassed that she had caught him staring. "What are you thinking about?" he ran his hair through his slightly shaggy blonde locks.

"I'm just excited about Christmas with my family. Every year my entire family goes to the burrow for Christmas. We play chess, and Quidditch and get to spend time together. It's amazing!" He saw how her eye lit up when she spoke of her family, making him wish that he had a family like hers. "Aren't you excited to spend Christmas with your family?"

"Not really. It's just me and my parents. My father works constantly and my mother, well I'm not entirely sure what she does but she always seems busy. Sometimes we sit by the fire and talk, my mom and me that is. She's nice, you'd like her."

"What about your Dad?"

"Nobody likes my dad." He stated simply. "Anyways, I mostly spend time in the kitchen with the house elves. I've picked up a thing or two from them. My father despises that I interact with the 'help'. He always starts muttering something about how your mother should have just left well enough alone, or something like that. The whole 'House Elf Rights' thing still pisses him off. But that's father for you."

"You're Dad can't honestly be that bad, after all, your his son and your the nicest person that I know." Rose laughed as he dramatically clasped his hands over his heart.

"Oh Rosie, my life is now truly complete. How did I ever survive before!" Their laughter filled the compartment.

"Uh... Rose?" She hadn't even heard Hugo come in.

"Yes?" She said, trying to stop her laughter, and succeeding, barely. Hugo gave her a strange look, glancing back and forth between his sister and Scorpius looking very nervous. "Come on Hugh, spit it out"

"Uh, it's just we're almost at Kings Cross and Uh..."

"And what? There is no and. I'll see you on the platform." She dismissed him and the ginger haired boy looked at her wide eyed.

"But Dad..."

"Dad can get over himself. Scorp is my best friend and if dad has a problem with it then that's his issue not mine." Hugo looked at her skeptically before turning around and leaving the pair alone.

"Thanks." Scorpius said, smiling.

"For what?" She smiled sweetly at him, and he returned it.

"Now tell me more about the Weasley family Christmases."

Ten minutes later the train screeched to a halt at Kings Cross. Scorpius and Rose leisurely climbed off the train and collected their belongings before quickly scanning the crowd looking for their families. They spotted the Weasley-Potter group quite easily, as the mass amounts of red hair were kind of hard to miss. Rose started headed in the direction of the group but stopped when she realized Scorpius was no longer following her.

"Scorp, why are you just standing there? Come on." She walked back towards him, a confused expression gracing her features.

"I'm not sure it's a good idea for me to go over there, you know your dad and all..." He looked at his shoes, and spoke quietly. Rose laughed softly.

"This is what I love about you Scorp, you always think of others before yourself. It'll be fine, my dad will get over it... eventually." Before he could protest farther, he found himself being dragged through the crowded platform towards the Weasley-Potter clan.

"Rose!" Her mother was the first to spot her, rushing over and enveloping her only daughter in a warm hug, which Rose happily returned. When she pulled back, Hermione turned her gaze to the blonde boy standing next to her daughter, looking absolutely terrified.

"Mom, this is Scorpius Malfoy. My best friend. Scorp, this is my mom."

"Nice to meet you Mrs. Weasley." Scorpius said politely sticking out his hand, which Hermione accepted, laughing.

"Oh please, Mrs. Weasley is my mother-in-law, please, it's Hermione and I would like to say that it is wonderful to finally meet you Scorpius. Rose talks about you in all her letters." Both of the fourteen year olds blushed softly and Hermione smiled, Ron was just going to love this. "Come on you two, the rest of the family's waiting."

Scorpius gulped. The rest of the family? Hermione seemed nice, but he had a funny feeling the rest of the family wouldn't be as welcoming as she had been. "I should probably go and find my parents they-"

"Oh nonsense!" Hermione exclaimed. "You can wait with us until you see your parents, I'm sure everyone will be pleased to meet you." For the second time in the span of five minutes, Scorpius found himself being dragged towards the mass of red heads on the platform. Scorpius smiled to himself, Rose was so much like her mother, he now knew where she got her kind, determined persona from. He also noted that aside from hair colour, Rose was practically her mother's clone.

"What the bloody hell is he doing here! I thought that I specifically told you to stay away from the bloody prat Rosie!" Scorpius gulped, he knew this was a bad idea. He looked up meeting the eyes of one very angry Ron Weasley.

"Ronald, be nice." His wife warned.

"But he's-"

"Ronald! You don't even know him, so calm down." Ron scowled and Scorpius couldn't help but smile at Hermione's action. Yup, Rose was definitely her mother's daughter, well with the exception of the fiery temper and the knack for cursing.

"Ron Weasley" Ron mumbled reluctantly.

"It's nice to meet you sir." Scorpius squeaked nervously. "I'm Scorpius. Your daughter speaks very highly of you. She respects you and your family very much, sir."

"She has a funny way of showing it." Ron mumbled to himself, earning him a justified smack up the back of the head from his wife. "Owwww, Hermione!" He wined like a child causing Hermione to laugh. Ron smiled at his wife, she was still beautiful all these years later and he leaned over giving her a soft kiss on the lips.

"Mom, Dad! We're in public!" Rose said, horrified at her parents display of affection. Scorpius laughed.

"Oh come on Rosie," he tapped the tip of her nose playfully with his index finger. "It could be worse." She looked at him skeptically. "They could be full out snogging." Rose's expression twisted into one of utter disgust and Scorpius couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"Scorp that is so not funny!" She exclaimed, punching him playfully.

"Yeah, it is! The look on your face was priceless." He said, still laughing.

"Your incorrigible!"

"But you love me anyways." He teased.

"WHAT!" He forgot that he had an audience.

"Um, well see sir, uh-" He stumbled with his words.

"Dad! Calm down, he's my best friend!" Ron looked at his daughter skeptically. "Seriously." She turned to her best friend. "Thanks for the back up by the way Scorp."

"No problem." He winked at her as she shook her head.

Ron stared at his daughter and the Malfoy boy unblinking, studying their interactions. They were relaxed and teasing each other as if it were the most natural thing in the world. As much as he hated to admit it, the kid didn't seem all that terrible, you know for a Malfoy. It was clear that the blonde cared about his daughter, but why did it have to be Draco Malfoy's kid?

The foursome was joined by the rest of the clan. Rose made the introductions between her family and best friend and was pleased that they had been warm and welcoming, well most of them. Percy was polite, but clearly didn't like the idea of his niece and a Malfoy being friendly. The rest of the family however had been very kind.

"So, how was the ball?" Hermione asked.

"It vas fantastique!" Dominique exclaimed happily. "It vas so beautiful. I vas a bit nervous about 'aving to dance in front of everyone vith all ze other champions. But it vasn't so bad, especially since Rose 'ad to do eet too." All eyes landed on Rose, causing her to flush deep red.

"You went with one of the champions? How old was he? Who was he?" Her father demanded.

Rose opened her mouth to tell her father it was no big deal when Lily piped up. "Damien Krum." If looks could kill, Lily Potter would be nothing but a pile of ask on the platform. Ron's blood boiled.

"You to the ball with Viktor-Bloody-Krum's son!" Rose, swallowed backing up a bit as she nodded. Scorpius rested a comforting hand on her back.

"Ron, calm down. You're over reacting." Ginny told her older brother.

"I will not bloody calm down! First my wife, now my daughter! That oaf is ruining my life!" He turned to his daughter, who looked absolutely terrified. At least it appeared that he had forgotten that he didn't like Scorpius. "Rose why the hell would you go to the ball with a ruddy arse like him?"

"Ronald! You shouldn't judge the boy, he could be perfectly-"

"Wonderful like his bloody father, Hermione."

"Viktor was kind a charming!"

"He was way too old!"

"Oh please!" Rose snapped, drawing the attention of others on the platform. "It's not my fault that you don't like who I went to the ball with! If you hadn't sent me that bloody howler then I wouldn't have gone with him! I would have gone with Scorpius and actually had a good time. But instead, because you couldn't get over your petty little whatever the hell it is between you and Scorp's father, I wound up going with that stupid prat! I had the worst night of my life until Scorp save me from the buffoon. And you know what? It's all your bloody fault!" Scorpius rubbed circles on the small of her back in an attempt to calm her.

"You watch your mouth young lady!" Ron told his daughter.

"A Howler Ronald? You have no business meddling in your daughters life like that." Ron opened his mouth to protest, but a glare from Hermione made him re-think that. "And Rose, I know what your father did was inappropriate and I'm sorry you didn't enjoy yourself, but you have no right to speak to your father like that."

"He ruined everything!" Rose exclaimed hysterically. "If you knew what happened then you would be saying the exact same thing!" Tears were burning behind her eyes, and Scorpius, sensing her distress pulled her into a comforting hug.

"Well, well." A voice sneered. "Nice to see somethings don't change. You always did have a knack for making Granger girls cry, Weasley."

"Malfoy." Ron said coldly.

Rose pulled out of her best friends embrace. Dabbing the corners of her eyes to rid them of moisture, she stuck out her hand and shakily greeted the Slytherin in front of her. "I'm Rose Weasley. It's nice to meet you."

Draco studied the wide eyed girl before taking her hand and shaking her extended hand.

"Draco Malfoy. Though I'm sure you've heard enough stories to know who I am." Rose sniffed and cocked her head to the side, studying the tall, sharp featured man.

"Not really. I know you and my parents didn't get along at school and I know the part your family played in the war." She looked at Scorpius. "I try to make it a point to not judge people before I meet them." She turned back to Draco. "It's not fair, people can change. I prefer to make my own conclusions."

Draco was taken aback at the maturity of the fourteen year old red-heads statement, and couldn't help but notice the smile that his son gave the Weasley girl.

"We shouldn't keep your mother waiting any longer son." Draco addressed his son in a cool manner.

Scorpius gave Rose a quick hug. "See you in a couple of weeks."

"I'll owl you later." She said, returning the hug.

"Weasley, Granger, Potter, Weasley." Draco curtly nodded to Ron, Hermione, Harry and Ginny as his son bid goodbye to the rest of the Weasley-Potter clan.

"What exactly happened at the ball?" Scorpius heard Ron ask his daughter as he followed his father. He had a funny feeling that this was not going to be the Christmas that Rose had been looking forward to.