Well, here it is - think of it as an early Christmas present. I wanted to finish this really bad for you guys because you have been wonderful with me having to take a break and not updating in so long. So here it is, and I hope it is everything you expected :) It's all Rose and Scorpius, nobody else! Enjoy!


Last time:

"Why did you break up with Caroline?"

The words came out before she could stop them. Scorpius's head shot up and he met her gaze for the first time that night. He felt like the air around them was beginning to spark, like there was a current between them finally coming to life.

"What?"

She repeated herself with a confidence she didn't quite feel.

"Why did you break up with Caroline?"

The question hung in the air as they stared at each other.

*\*

Scorpius dropped his gaze first. "Why does it matter why I broke up with Caroline?"

"It matters." When he showed no signs of responding, Rose heaved a frustrated sigh. "Fine. Then why did you stay with her?"

He shrugged, still staring at the wall. "I got tired of being stalked by every girl in the school. She was intimidating enough to keep them all away."

Rose snorted. "Lazy much?'

Again he shrugged and said nothing.

"Well this is going swimmingly," Rose remarked, more to herself than to him.

"Well why did you and Scamander break up?" he snapped, finally turning to look at her. She looked taken aback but recovered.

"Why does it matter?" she asked, mimicking him. His eyes narrowed.

"Because he's an ass and you never should have dated him. And you definitely shouldn't have gotten back together with him."

"I'm not back together with Lorcan," she replied quietly. "I don't know who you heard that from, but it's not true."

Relief spread through Scorpius.

"Who did tell you that though?" Rose asked, unable to control her curiosity. She had a pretty good idea of the source anyway.

"Nobody," he muttered, his gaze landing on the fire behind her, trying to ignore how the light from it danced on Rose's legs. She hid her surprise at his answer. "I saw the two of you outside here a few hours ago, and the way you were acting…" he trailed off. "I guess I assumed."

She smiled softly. "Assumptions make an ass out of you and me." She said lightly, repeating something her mother had told her when she was a child. Scorpius cracked a smile, but it faded quickly.

"So what were the two of you doing then?"

"Talking." Rose seated herself on the arm of the chair.

"About?"

"You and Nott," Rose replied simply.

"Care to elaborate?" He shoved his hands in his pockets and looked at her. Her gaze was steady.

"Not at the moment."

They were silent again. A thought occurred to Rose.

"Why did Albus suddenly go nuts, Stunning you and dragging you in here?" She avoided mentioning his words – you're in love with each other – and hoped he didn't notice her hands fidgeting.

A faint blush tinged Scorpius's pale cheeks. "I may have let something slip to him?"

Rose stood slowly, her eyes narrowing dangerously. Her jumper slipped further off her shoulder, drawing Scorpius's eyes to the exposed skin and thin red bra strap.

"What did you let slip?" she demanded, snapping his eyes back to hers.

He rubbed the back of his neck, praying that no violence occurred. "That you and I had sex last night." Rose's jaw dropped and Scorpius decided to just get it all over with. "And I may also have told him you slept with Scamander when the two of you were dating."

That stopped Rose.

"How did you know that?" she whispered.

"I saw the two of you on the grounds," he admitted, the memory flashing before his eyes. "Why, Rosie?"

She looked at him blankly.

"Why him?" He stumbled slightly over his words, trying to figure out how to phrase his rather delicate question. "I mean, why did you…I don't understand…" he sighed, seeing the still confused look on her face. "Why was he your first?" Scorpius finally burst out.

Rose blushed. He really wasn't going to like this.

"He wasn't," she mumbled indistinctly.

Scorpius's brow furrowed, not sure what she had said. "I'm sorry?"

Rose sighed, feeling that soon she was going to run out of her inherited Gryffindor courage.

"Lorcan was not my first," she said, speaking clearly this time.

"What do you mean he wasn't your first?" Scorpius asked in a low voice, hands balling into fists.

"I mean I've had sex before!" Rose exclaimed, her cheeks turning pink. She ran her hand through her hair in an aggravated manner.

"Who?"

Rose eyed him cautiously before exhaling and answering.

"Nikolas."

His eyes shot to meet hers. She lifted her chin as if daring him to express what he thought about it. He had no right, she couldn't help but think, to judge her for her choices when he had been shagging his way through the school since fifth year.

That smarmy Greek, of all people, he fumed inwardly. The thought of Rose with him made him ill and made him want to punch things. Preferably Nikolas's face.

"And you didn't tell me because…" he finally said, his anger barely masked.

"Because you're as eager to hear about my sex life as I am to share it with you?" she shot back sarcastically.

"Fair point," he conceded, his voice cold. They fell into silence again.

"You really want to know why Lorcan and I ended in December?" Rose finally spoke.

Scorpius shrugged as though he couldn't care one way or the other.

"He got jealous of my friendship with you and asked me to choose." She said simply. "Actually, he didn't ask so much as demand. And of course I chose you – you're my best friend and I valued that over my relationship with him, because you would never do that to me." Rose stood and walked over to Scorpius slowly. "I still do value our friendship over pretty much anything, Scorpius. And I want to fix this between us."

The Malfoy's gaze stayed locked over Rose's shoulder, one word echoing through his mind over and over.

Friendship. Friendship. Friendship.

Hearing her acknowledge the fact that all she felt for him was friendship sent a stab of pain through his chest.

"I'm glad our friendship means so much to you," he replied harshly, part of him pleased to see Rose look taken aback. "And honestly, dumping Scamander was probably the only intelligent thing you've done regarding guys." Scorpius looked her up and down almost scathingly, lashing out at her for hurting him. "I never pegged you as someone to think with what's in their pants."

Her hand made a noise that echoed around the Common Room as it connected with Scorpius's cheek. His head snapped painfully to the right.

Rose dropped her shaking hand to her side, ignoring the pain that had erupted in it. "Is that really what you think of me?"

Slowly, Scorpius turned his head back to face her. Her eyes were brimming with tears and regret seared through him.

Rose turned away from him and made her way to her room, swiping at her eyes. He watched her go, trying desperately to think of something to say to fix it.

She turned the doorknob. The door didn't budge, and she tried again.

Apparently Al's spell kept her out of her room as well.

Rose pounded her fist on the door, frustration overwhelming her. All she wanted now was to sleep and wake up to pretend this was a nightmare where her best friend insinuated that he thought she was a whore.

Resting her forehead against the door, she made an impulsive decision. She wasn't getting out of here until she and Scorpius resolved everything, and she had nothing to lose now but her dignity. She couldn't help but wonder why she was always the one taking chances and putting herself out there for him.

Rose turned around to face Scorpius, pressing the palms of her hands against the door behind her to steady her.

"I'm in love with you," Rose said boldly. Scorpius's jaw dropped and Rose plowed on. "I've been in love with you since second year, actually. I never said anything because you see me as a sister and our fathers would never approve. I went to Greece to get away from you, to try to get over you. I'm not over you though. I'm never going to get over you because I am absolutely head over heels in love with you and this year has been utter hell for me to see you with Nott."

Rose stopped speaking, her chest heaving, and waited for Scorpius to respond. He stood in the middle of the Common Room, his mouth opening and closing like a fish. Tears threatened to overwhelm Rose, and she pressed the heels of her hands into her eyes to keep them at bay. When she lowered them she saw Scorpius standing in front of her, looking slightly dazed.

"Rosie, I love you too," he replied, his voice full of wonder.

Rose's eyes widened, but before she could respond, his lips descended on hers.

Scorpius tangled one hand through Rose's hair, his thoughts spinning. She loved him. She loved him. He was in complete shock.

Rose pushed him away, needing space to think.

"You can't do that," she cried, "telling me one second you think I'm a slut and the next saying you love me and kissing me!"

"I didn't say I thought you were a slut," he replied, astonished.

"You implied it." She ran her hands through her hair, pulling it into a messy ponytail. Her hands fell to her hips.

"I'm sorry," he said gently. "You know that's not what I think of you."

"Then why would you say it?" Scorpius could hear the hurt in her voice. He brushed a stray piece of hair out of her face, his hand resting on her cheek.

"I was angry and hurt. I thought you only saw me as a friend and that you would never see me otherwise."

Rose couldn't help but smile at the turn of events. "Now you know how I've felt since second year."

"Why didn't you say anything?" Scorpius took her hand and led her over to the couch. They sat, Rose draping her legs over Scorpius's lap.

"I was going to," she said, still picking at the hem of her jumper, "Valentine's Day of fifth year. But then I overheard you and Albus talking. You said I was like your sister and that you would never see me any other way. Or that even if you did, you would never jeopardize our friendship like that."

"Oh."

"That's when I went to McGonagall. She had already approached me about an exchange program, and I figured going to another country for a year would help me get over you."

Scorpius remembered how only a few days later she had announced that she would be spending their sixth year in Greece. For the rest of fifth year she had seemed distant to him, but he had just put it off as O.W.L.s and preoccupation about the next year.

"Did you get over me?" he couldn't help but ask quietly. Rose looked at him in surprise.

"What kind of crazy ass question is that?" she asked jokingly. When she saw he was serious, she took his hand and laced her fingers through his. "No, Scorpius, I didn't. I thought I had, but as soon as I saw you on the train, I knew I was never going to get over you."

Relief flooded through Scorpius and he smiled, leaning over to kiss her lightly on the lips. "Good."

Rose smiled back for a moment, before frowning and biting her lip anxiously.

"What is it?" he asked gently. She looked at him uncertainly.

"Why are you with me?"

Scorpius sat back – he hadn't been expecting that.

"What do you mean?"

She sighed. "You said you loved me, but it seems like it kind of came out of nowhere. Why do you love me?"

"Because you're Rose Weasley," he said with a smile. She had to tell herself not to melt – that wasn't a satisfactory answer. He brushed another stray piece of hair back behind her ear. "And you're amazing and funny and smart and beautiful."

The last word stung slightly. "And because I got a makeover," she added in a small voice.

Scorpius drew back and cupped a hand under her chin. Lifting her gaze to meet his, he asked softly, "Is that what you think this is about, Rose? The fact that you went to Greece and then came back with a makeover?"

She lifted her legs off his lap and turned herself to face the fire. "That's when all this started isn't it?"

In spite of himself, Scorpius laughed. When Rose shot him a glare, he tried to quiet himself long enough to explain. He stood and seated himself in front of her on the coffee table, blocking her view of the fireplace.

"Rosie, this started when you practically forced me to be friends with you and Albus about six and a half years ago. That first day when you barged into my empty compartment on the train – I should have known then that we would end up here."

Rose simply looked at him, clearly unconvinced. He sighed.

"I asked myself that same question when I got back to my dorm this morning," he admitted. "I was afraid that I just had the hots for you because you got a makeover and you look gorgeous. But I laid there and imagined you how you were every year since I met you. And I just felt…" Scorpius paused, unsure of how mushy to get in explaining his feelings. "I felt like floating. I was getting warm fuzzies in my chest with every memory I thought of." He could feel himself blushing furiously and found he couldn't quite meet Rose's eyes. "And you coming back looking so different…it made other guys notice you even more and it made me realize one of them might take you from me, or that I might lose you. And that absolutely terrified me."

Being sappy paid off when Rose leaned forward and pressed her lips against his. Pulling away, she smiled at him.

"Thank you," she said softly. "I needed to hear that. With Roxanne and Lizzie telling me you had feelings for me, I was terrified that it was just because – to use everyone else's words – I'm hot."

"I won't lie, you are pretty hot," he replied with a smirk. "But it's not why I love you – you're funny and you're smart and you're crazy and you make me smile and you're just…you."

Rose could feel her face heating up – she had never been told anything like that before, by anyone. Not that it would have mattered – she only wanted to hear that from Scorpius. It had always been him for her.

"I love you too," she muttered, her blush intensifying.

Scorpius watched Rose blush and a small smile creep across her face. He really had never seen anything as amazingly beautiful as her.

He couldn't help himself – he leaned forward and kissed her again, winding his fingers into her hair and pulling it from its ponytail. Eagerly, she kissed him back. Neither of them noticed the blue light echoing down the hallway as Albus's spell ended.

Rose pulled away from him breathlessly. "There are some things you need to know," she told him hesitantly.

Looking unsure, he simply waited for her to continue. Slowly, she told him everything – what had happened to her Aunt Katie because of Theodore Nott, how Caroline had treated Lizzie because of it, Caroline bribing Lorcan, everything. She wasn't sure what surprised him the most out of all of it – he just sat there for a few minutes after she finished talking, staring past her as he absorbed it all.

She let him think for a bit, finally placing her hand gently on his knee. "Scorpius?" His gaze moved back to her.

"It's weird," he said in an offhand voice, "I was with her for so long, almost a year – I thought I knew her. I knew she was possessive and manipulative, but I never could have imagined her going so far to keep me away from you."

Rose hesitated, guilt at keeping it from him creeping up on her. "I should have told you sooner. I mean, I only found out a few hours ago, but I should have gone and told you instantly. I'm really sorry."

Scorpius smiled. "Rose, you have nothing to be sorry for. You didn't do any of this, you didn't play a part in this – you were a victim just like I was." He paused. "And Scamander actually still wants to be with that crazy bitch after all this?"

Rose shrugged. "Apparently. I don't understand it, but it's his life, and if he wants to be stupid like that, then there's nothing I can do about it."

He looked at her strangely. "Would you do something about it if you could?"

"Well yeah. I've known Lorcan practically my whole life, his parents are practically my aunt and uncle, and I still consider him a friend."

Scorpius just stared at her, before shaking his head. "Let's not talk about this right now. It's only going to stress us out and probably make us fight. And I don't want to do that. All I want to do is sit here and stare at my gorgeous girlfriend. And maybe snog her a bit."

She felt like her heart was beating a million times a second. "Girlfriend?"

"Well, yeah." His brow furrowed and his expression became nervous. "Unless you don't want to, that is."

It was Rose's turn to laugh. "Don't want to? Are you kidding? I've been dreaming about being your girlfriend since second year!"

Scorpius grinned. "Thank Merlin." He snaked his arm around her waist and tugged her to sit on his lap, burying his face in her neck. She pulled away for just a moment, a mock serious expression on her face.

"This does not mean I will be putting out on the first date like every other skank in this school, though."

"I don't expect you to," he replied, his grin growing. Rose lost the serious look and smiled so much it hurt.

"In that case, would you like to stay the night?"


Review, yes?
And keep an eye on my profile page - I have recently sparked an idea for another Rose and Scorpius story and I will be posting information about that soon or a poll or something, because I also kind of have two Lily/James stories in progress...although not much progress has been made on them lately lol. Anyway, keep an eye out for that please :) Hopefully I will be able to continue writing and update again soon.