Hello everyone! First off, thank each and every one of you for all the amazing support. If you haven't guessed by now, I have decided to start posting once a day, by popular demand. Now, this being said, there will be days that I am sure I will be unable to post, but I do believe that will hardly ever happen.
In the last chapter we got a look into Rose's family, so it is only fair we take a peek into Scorpius'. You can bet this will not be the last time you see the Malfoy bunch, as they are my absolute favorite family in the entire series, and I am always overjoyed to sneak them into a chapter whenever I can. The pair also meet again for the first time after their fallout… will Scorpius be able to redeem himself…?
The sharp tapping of hail against his large glass windows broke through the thick silence, giving Scorpius a migraine. There, in the center of his massive bed, in the center of his massive room, he laid on his back with his hands folded over his stomach. His lids were closed, but his eyes moved back and forth furiously behind the darkness. It had been days since the affair, but he couldn't stray for less than a minute without his mind dragging him back to her.
He thought of her endlessly; the crestfallen look on her pretty face, the tears that sparkled in her innocent eyes, the shaking of her small hands. He physically ached all over; his body was punishing him for what he did, even though his mind was doing a grand job of it. Scorpius had never felt such regret than in that moment when he saw her heartbreaking face, wishing he had said something only a second sooner. He knew he had ruined everything he had worked so hard for.
With her he felt different. She didn't treat him like everyone else did, like they are frightened of him, like he is evil. She judged him on what she knew, not what she thought, and he felt relieved for the first time in his life. That's why with every moment he knew she was disappointed with him, it was another moment he had wasted.
Rose Weasley was tearing him apart.
A nervous tap was heard at the door, but Scorpius ignored it, picking up his wand and silently locking it. "Young Master," he heard his anxious house elf, Dopee, say. "Young Master, your presence is required in the dining hall." Minutes ticked by and Scorpius laid there, unmoving, and finally the shuffling of feet drifted away from the room.
Ten glorious minutes of silence passed by, but footsteps returned, this time much louder and steady. A firm knock was heard, "Scorpius," his father's deep voice asked out. Scorpius heard a 'click' and his father was suddenly standing before him, an exasperated, yet not angry, look on his pointed face. "Dopee just returned, saying you are 'unresponsive'."
Draco stood at the end of Scorpius' bed, arms crossed over his chest in a stance that would have given his son shivers, a mere five years ago. "I'm not hungry," was all the boy said, eyes still closed, hands still folded. "Have dinner without me, the world won't come to an end, believe it or not."
Staring hard, Draco sighed, cursing the attitude his wife had passed on to their son. "What's got you so bothered, you've been hiding in your room since you arrived home. You're never like this..."
"I've fucked up," Scorpius said simply, and the older blonde raised his eyebrows, not having expected to get an answer. "I seriously fucked up, and I can't do anything to fix it." The young man finally opened his grey eyes, and peered down to see his father's face hard with confusion.
"What do you mean," Draco asked carefully, shocked as Scorpius rarely ever confided in anyone. Looking around the room he noticed various objects shattered on the floor.
Sighing, Scorpius sat up, "it doesn't matter. She'll never forgive me, and I'll never get her back." The tall man made his way into his bathroom, not saying a word to his father as he shuffled by.
Shaking his head, Draco forced himself to not push any further on the subject, knowing it would just end up making Scorpius upset. He walked up to the closed door, and spoke through it, "your grandparents have come all this way, your not going to starve yourself in your room. I want you cleaned and down stairs in three minutes, no less!" Draco used the mean voice he had mastered when Scorpius was a mischievous young boy, knowing it had almost no effect anymore. He heard a groan of sorts from the other side, and knew he would be down.
After scrubbing his face with icy water, making sure his blonde beard was neatly trimmed, and putting on a nice set of dinner robes, Scorpius made his way down to the dining hall slow as he ever had. He waltzed past several portraits, all the old Malfoy men mumbling their protest on not being placed in other various parts of the manor. There was a small elf waiting at the large double doors of the hall, and Scorpius could vaguely hear the disapproving voice of his grandfather on the other side. "Young Master," the house elf said as he bowed and opened the heavy door, gaining the attention of everyone in the room.
"Ah, darling," Scorpius' grandmother said, excusing herself from her conversation with his mother, and handing her glass of white wine to a random elf. Narcissa, with her cold beauty that only improved with aged, walked towards her lone grandchild with arms open wide. Scorpius leaned down a bit and hugged the tall, thin frame, allowing her to kiss his cheek gently.
"That looks quite dashing on you," the older women said, motioning to Scorpius' thick beard, with a hidden wink. "How have you been, is school going well?" Narcissa asked gently, grabbing his arm as they made their way across the room to the others. Scorpius nodded, and his grandmother smiled fondly at him, her cold eyes shining happily.
His grandfather stood from the chair he was in, next to the large marble fireplace, walking towards Scorpius. "How are you, boy?" Lucius was one of the few people that reached Scorpius' towering height, and steely silver eyes clashed as they shook hands. Scorpius could feel the iciness that came with his strong touch, the Malfoy ring freezing against his skin.
One of the kitchen elves announced dinner was ready then, shivering when they received Lucius' telltale mean glare. "Thank you," Astoria said with a kind smile to the fear filled servant. The small family took their places at the table; Lucius and Draco at the heads, Narcissa and Astoria on one side, with Scorpius across from them.
The young man bounced his leg impatiently, his mind far off, as he peered at the grand chandelier that hung right above them, watching it sway ever-so slightly. Steaming food appeared on the table on the finest crystal bowls and plates, their glasses being refilled with 1865 Chateau Lafite. "How are your grades," Lucius asked, and Scorpius knew he wasn't simply curious.
Scorpius nodded, tapping a finger on the top of the smooth table top, "good enough." He met his grandfather's eyes, and he could practically feel the impatience rolling off of him in waves.
"And Quidditch," Lucius inquired, raising a blonde brow. His back was straight up in his chair as he sliced his sharp knife into his steaming steak, coolly composed as always.
He knew his parents and grandmother were watching, so he gave a false smirk, showing off his immaculate teeth. "Better than ever. We are more than capable of winning the house cup, yet again. Of course, anyone could with the competition we have."
Lucius nodded, content with Scorpius for the time being, and rejoined his conversation with his son about the ministry. The meal ticked on quietly, his mother and grandmother gossiping about other various pureblood women.
Draco grabbed his son's attention as their plates were being cleared away. "Scorpius," the older man paused, waiting until his son looked to him. "I met with Blaise Zabini some days ago, and he old me you went to see Bentley at the restaurant." Scorpius nodded, and he could feel everyone's eyes on him. "He said you took a lovely young lady to dinner… Blaise also mentioned that he didn't recognize her."
His father didn't push any farther, but it was clear he wanted an explanation. There was a long moment of silence, and the hard rain could be heard perfectly through the windows. Scorpius sat, thinking over his response carefully, finally saying, "I did."
"Really," Astoria asked excitedly, smiling at her only child. "Who is she?" The woman held her wine glass in her attractive, manicured hand, bringing it up to her mouth to sip daintily.
Scorpius sighed, "no one any of you need to worry about." The entire table became tense, and Scorpius bounced his leg faster, until he shook from the force.
"Have you talked to Melody Caldwell recently," his grandfather asked minutes after the dessert had been served, grabbing Narcissa's attention.
"No," Scorpius' deep voice rang out. "And I certainly don't plan on changing that anytime soon." Melody was a seventh-year Slytherin, whom Lucius believed Scorpius was 'required' to marry after graduation. The only reason an arranged marriage wasn't pulled up was because Draco stepped in and refused anything of the sort. Melody was pretty enough, from a good family, and smart too, but she was the blandest girl Scorpius ever had the displeasure of speaking too. He knew if he was forced to spend the rest of his life with her he would end up jumping out one of the manor windows due to boredom.
"She's a nice girl-" Lucius said coldly, his voice raising with authority.
"I am more than capable of finding my own possible wife, thank you." Scorpius cut in, standing from his chair. "This has been swell, but I do believe it is time to take my leave." He walked over to his grandmother, helping her stand and giving her hug. "See you at Christmas," he said kindly, kissing her hand.
His shoes were the only noise made as he left the hall, stopping just before the door to say his goodnight.
That night, Scorpius laid awake in his bed until the early rays of morning light shone through the windows. He felt trapped, he knew he need to do something, anything. He couldn't lose her.
His brain was a wreck, and he tossed and turned in his bed, until suddenly he flipped over to come eye level with his bed stand. There, laying innocently was her book, the book he had read now five times over. And then he knew, he knew what he had to do.
Jumping out of his bed, not noticing that it was only five o'clock in the morning, he grabbed his jacket and hurried his way out of the manor. He only stopped once to tell an elf to let his parents know he would be back soon, rushing out the front doors, past the iron gates to the apparition point.
Scorpius had a huge grin on his face as he pulled his wand out of his pocket, knowing he wouldn't lose his Rose.
His pale forehead laid against the icy window, his head vibrating from the trains speed, his face turning red from the temperature. Scorpius' head pounded from the loud squeals of laughter coming from outside the compartment, and he closed his eyes in frustration. "They were really nice though; not too firm, not too droopy." The blonde heard Luciano brag on for the tenth time that evening.
"Dear Merlin, help me. If I hear one more detail about Zoee's breasts, I'll poke your eyes out so you can never see them again. And frankly, I'm sure she wouldn't want you to go around telling your mates about the fucking texture of her tits." Scorpius snapped, and he could see Quinn visibly relax from his spot next to Luciano.
He knew he had upset the Italian by the way his face contorted. "You don't have to be such a bloody ass to the rest of us just because you haven't had a good shag in a couple of months." Scorpius said nothing as he grabbed his jacket and stood, leaving the compartment for air.
"Scorpius-" he heard Quinn holler just before the door slid shut, as he made his way down the near empty corridor, searching for any vacant space. It took him awhile, but he found a room, and sat in a seat, propping his feet up opposite him, just as the train signaled the twenty minute mark.
Folding his arms behind his head, Scorpius reclined comfortably, closing his eyes and listening to the sound of wind whip past the train. As he laid there he felt a odd sense of nervousness creep upon him, the small object in his jacket pocket burning him. The rest of the journey blinked past, and by the time the grey eyes reopened, Hogwarts was glowing peacefully in the distance.
Scorpius held back a sigh, tapping his foot impatiently on the ground, waiting for the useless conversation to come to an end. He had been sucked into an incredibly lengthy chat with the Slytherin Head of House, Otto Blackband, professor of DADA. Don't get him wrong, he liked the guy, admired him even, Scorpius had just been on his way before he was stopped, so long ago. "Anyways, I'm sure an admirable man like yourself has somewhere to be on a Saturday evening. Good talking to you, Malfoy."
The young Slytherin said his goodbye, thankful as he finally escaped the older man's grasp. Only a handful of students were in the corridor, most of them relaxing after a day of travelling. As Scorpius made his way with his feet leading him by memory, his brain began to go into overdrive, worrying him over all possibilities. And for the umpteenth time that week, Scorpius realized just how much that tiny witch could do to him.
He walked down the long corridor, coming to face the two old men in the portrait at the end. "Ah, Gilbert, look! The dark knight is back. How have you been, boy, come to retrieve your fair lady?" Scorpius ignored the blathering old men, knocking hard on the door.
It only took a few seconds but a frazzle looking Rose suddenly appeared in front of him, as if expecting a visitor. Scorpius felt ill when he finally saw her, she look remarkably beautiful, causing the man to forget his proper intentions. "Albus, I already told you, I don't know where-" the small girl finally looked up, seeing that her visitor was in fact, not her cousin. "Oh," was all she said, her heart clenching as she took in all of the glorious man. "Scorpius," she whispered, as if not believing he was there.
"Rose, I need to-" he paused for a minute, rethinking his demanding words. "Could I talk to you," his beauty bit her lip, and he knew she was fighting herself. Finally, she nodded, stepping aside to let him in. The common room was unoccupied, and without the fire going, the large room seemed so empty and cold. Turning back to her, Scorpius began the speech he spent hours perfecting. "First, I need you to know, I will-"
The tall Slytherin almost groaned aloud when someone called out his company's name, interrupting him yet again. "Rose," Dawson appeared from the his staircase, his eyes immediately drawn to his cousin, standing in the middle of the room with the Head Girl. "Scorpius," the dark haired boy said slowly, his eyes matching the Malfoy's normal danger.
Rose watched as the two boys stared each other down from across the room, and she could practically feel the thick tension. "Did you need something, Dawson," Rose asked sweetly, finally grabbing his attention.
The Head Boy shook his head slowly, his eyes returning to Scorpius. "It can wait," was all he said, but made no move to leave. Rose had never seen him so tense, and it was frightening her.
"Alright," she said, turning back to the handsome blonde. "We can go to my room," Rose said, hardly stopping herself from reaching out and grabbing his large, warm hand. Nodding silently, Scorpius gave Dawson one last look, then turned to follow Rose. She led him up the short staircase, and walked into her open room, closing the door after he followed inside.
The reality of where he was hit Scorpius like a ton of bricks. Looking around the room he noticed it was much larger than the dorms provided for students, her walls painted a light blue, with several windows on each wall. On one side of the room was a couch facing a fire, on the other side was a spacious study area, and pushed against the wall across from the door was a deliciously comfortable looking bed. The large bed was covered in plush white sheets, begging Scorpius to grab Rose and snuggle deep into them.
The room smelt glorious, heavily. It smelt floral and sugary sweet, just like Rose, and Scorpius knew he wanted to spend all his days in there. "Come," she said quietly, and Scorpius' heart leapt when he saw her hand twitch out to reach to him. She led him to the couch, and sat down on one side, her back against an arm as she curled up to face him. Scorpius sat and could feel the comforting heat coming from the bright fire, making the water in the glass that sat on the coffee table glitter.
Scorpius could see she was hiding, that she was stopping herself from acting normal. He knew he had hurt her, he saw it in her eyes, and he knew he had to fix it. "Rose," he saw her move her eyes anywhere but to look at his, her hands twisting together. "I'm not ashamed of you; I never have been, and I sure as hell never will be." This got her attention, she looked up, and he could see the small sparkle in his Rose's eyes. "You're the most magnificent and marvelous person I have ever had the uppermost pleasure of meeting. And I need you to know, every moment I spend with you is all I could ever ask for."
He watched as he smallest of smiles crept on her face, and he had to stop himself from grinning too. "And I would be honored if you would allow me the immense pleasure of getting to go to know you, Rose Weasley." The goddess across from him smiled fully, her captivating features lighting up.
Though suddenly, reality caught up with her, and she bit her lip painfully hard. "But, I'm a halfblood." Rose said it so hushed he barely heard her, and he knew immediately he had made her feel ashamed of herself. "And you-"
"Fuck what I did, Rose, shoot it down to the depths of Hell." Scorpius said with passion he had never felt before, as he leaned forward, trying to get closer to her. "I am telling you here and now, that I could care less about what you are. Who you are is beyond perfect." He scooted so he was next to her, as he caught her pretty blue eyes. "I did what I did in the dungeons because I knew how they would react, how they would treat you if they knew. But I don't care anymore, I just know I can't go one more day knowing you're upset with me. Can you forgive me?"
"Oh, Scorpius," Rose murmured out, and Scorpius suddenly found her in his arms, hugging him like she never had. She pulled back, her legs draped over his, as she reached out to hold one of his hands. "I hated that past week, I never want that to happen again."
"And it won't," Scorpius was quick to promise, pleased when Rose smiled huge at him. "I've got you something," he said, reaching into his jacket pocket, seeing Rose's eyes light up.
When he handed her his gift, Rose squealed in excitement, jumping off the couch, examining the object gleefully. "Scorpius, this is- how did you get this?" She rushed out, sitting back down next to him, their thighs brushes together, as her blue eyes gazed with amazement at him.
In her small hands, Rose held a signed, limited edition copy of her favorite novel, 'Catcher In the Rye'. "How did you do this, J.D. Salinger passed away over ten years ago." She lightly traced her fingertips over his signature on the front cover, her mouth open, eyes blinking fast.
"I have my ways," Scorpius said slyly, winking at the delighted girl, never having been more pleased with himself. If he was going to be honest that book had cost him an arm and a leg, not to mention hours of tracing and tracking down. But he knew it was more than worth it.
Leaning forward again, Rose half sat in his lap as she wrapped her arms around his neck and embraced him. She breathed in his mesmerizing scent, enjoying the warmth his body gave her. "Thank you," she whispered into his neck, pulling back to give him a sweet kiss on the cheek.
Scorpius hugged his Rose, pressing her soft body into her, leaning in to inhale her beautiful scent. And as he held her tight, he couldn't stop himself from praying that he could stay that way forever with her.