A.N - thank you so sooo much to everyone who's commented, followed and Favorited and for those who haven't... please do leave a review! i also want to say thank you soo much to all of you; "what is in a name?" is now a couple hundred over the 5000 reads mark and i am grateful to every single one of who has read this far! you're all amazing! and now... on with the story...
Rose was conflicted. She desperately didn't want Scorpius to see her as well as wishing that he would. She tiptoed along, peeking through the branches before her. Snap. Looking down, she cringed at the sound of the twig which was now broken beneath her foot. Due to the circumstances maybe it would simply be best to stride confidently out into the clearing.
Scorpius, who was still several trees away, was looking round a little to the left of her. His gaze traveled in her direction and her stomach flipped. On spotting her his eyes narrowed briefly before widening in shock. "Ro...Weasley?" he quickly corrected himself before calling her by her first name. Though she had no idea why, this adjustment annoyed her.
"Malfoy." She returned, a little coldly, as she entered the clearing.
"I didn't think… it's just that no one normally… what I'm trying to say is what are you doing here?" as he stumbled over his words she walked towards him. It was a good question; what was she doing there.
"I needed some fresh air." It seemed a fairly believable and generic statement to make. He nodded though looked unconvinced. The phoenix cooed, breaking the silence.
"How come it lets you stroke it?" Rose asked genuinely curiosity masking her jealously well. "it wouldn't come out for anyone else but it did for you."
"I don't know." Scorpius glanced down at the bird with a smile. When he looked up he noticed the way Rose was watching the bird she shuffled forward a step clenching and stretching out her hand. She wanted to stroke it too, he deduced. "Would you like to try?" he asked. Her eyes snapped to his, both holding the others gaze for a moment. He noticed for a second time how blue her eyes were and was suddenly nervous.
Rose nodded and came to sit next to him. He shifted a little to the side, uncomfortable at how close she had become. Expectantly she peered round at the phoenix which had now moved some distance away from the pair and was eyeing her suspiciously. "I don't think it likes me." She sighed and Scorpius desperately wanted to comfort her. Then she laughed turning to face him "I don't blame it really." She giggled.
"Just give him a moment and I'm sure he'll come up." Scorpius reassured her, reaching his hand out to tempt it over. Slowly it edged its way back towards them never taking its eyes off Rose. He stroked it and it instantly calmed. "Maybe try now." He whispered to her but again when she stretched out her hand the bird flinched away.
"Don't worry about it." Rose said trying not to show her disappointment. Scorpius wasn't giving in.
"Maybe if I ermm…" he started to reach for her hand and then stopped. "it's just that he might let you if I umm…" he could feel himself flush as he gently took her hand. Together this time they reached for the bird both trying to ignore (and not entirely successfully) the fact they were holding one another's hands.
Rose was surprised at how soft the amber feathers were and how warm the hand above hers was. Due to his snow white complexion she had always imagined his skin to feel as icy as it was pale. She glanced up at him. She had misjudged him. Noticing her looking at him, Scorpius too looked up and she smiled. "Thank you." She whispered. A moth flew lazily by them and, distracted by it, the phoenix followed. Their hands remained were they were. Scorpius tilted his head slightly, moving a little closer to her and then abruptly pulled his hand away and looked in the other direction. Rose; realising she had been holding her breath, took a large inhale of air and stood.
"We should probably head back to Hagrid's hut." She blurted out. He nodded still looking the other way and got up. They walked together in silence to the edge of the woods before separating for a second time that day. As Rose joined Sean and Alice the later looked at her questioningly. "Rose." She began, smiling; "Did you just come out of the forest or was that my imagination."
"The forest?" Sean added spinning to face Rose.
"Yes." She really hadn't meant to sound as defiant as she had. "What's wrong with that?"
"What the hell were you doing in there?" Sean laughed.
"Just walking." Rose replied.
"She's got a taste for adventure this one." He said putting his arm round her shoulders.
"Sure." Though Alice said no more about it her suspicious gaze was making Rose feel particularly uncomfortable. It was then Scorpius came out the other side of the woods and Alice giggled "That's a funny coincidence isn't it?" She muttered raising one eyebrow at a blushing Rose.
When Hagrid came out of the cabin Scorpius was pleased to see Finnigan remove his arm from Rose. As Rose turned red he remembered her behavior in the train and a felt certain pang of annoyance towards tall brunet, who seemingly remained oblivious to Rose's feelings. The idiot.
That night in the common room when Alice returned from quidditch practice she went and sat beside Rose. "Will you come with me to the dorm?" she asked with a mischievous smile. Her attempt at normal conversation did little to comfort her friend. "It's so cold," she said as she lead Rose along. "I was terrified my hands would become frozen to the broom if we didn't stop training soon!"
When they reached the bedroom Alice closed the door behind them shiftily. "What's going on?" she whispered, despite them being the only ones in the room. Rose raised her brows questioningly and Alice let out an exasperated sigh. "Between you and Malfoy I mean."
"What! Nothing… we're just… you thought… no it's not… nothing's happening!" Considering this was true Rose found herself incredibly flustered by the question.
"I've waited all day to ask you that and you're answer is 'nothing'?" Alice fell dramatically on to the bed before sitting bolt upright again, "You, Rose Weasley, are a terrible liar." She stated.
"I'm not lying."
"then what were you doing in the woods together?"
"We weren't together. I just went for a walk. By myself. Alone."
"Don't make me use Veritaserum on you." Alice threatened ruining her desired sinister atmosphere with a giggle. "I'm not going to tell anyone. You know that, and I don't care if he's a Malfoy either. Personally I think your family needs to get over the whole surname thing any way. No offense intended."
"None taken." Rose replied dryly. She managed to remain composed for a moment longer, ignoring Alice's expectant look before letting out a large, unladylike groan. "Fine. I was with Malfoy but only because I bumped into him." Following somebody and bumping into them were basically the same thing weren't they? Alice looked unsatisfied.
"You didn't have another weird argument like the last one did you? Or were you both cuddling up under an umbrella again?" Alice teased.
"We weren't cuddling up. It was raining he asked me if I wanted to share the umbrella I said yes, end of story."
"How sweet and gentlemanly of him. Offering to keep you out of the wet despite the family history."
"Alice…" Rose warned but was taken little notice of.
"And then you meet, sorry I mean 'bump into', one another in the forest." Alice punctuated the sentence with mimed speech marks. "What happened then?" she questioned. God, Rose thought, it had been a long day.
"Nothing."
"Oh no you don't! You're not trying that one again!"
"Why the hell does anyone ever think you're shy?"
"People think I'm shy?"
"Yeah, loads." Alice laughed at that
"what on earth gave them that impression?"
"Don't ask me." Rose said pleased at the change of topic.
"Now I'll tell you who is shy… your Malfoy!" she said her hazel eyes positively gleaming with impishness.
"Will you shut up!? He's not my Malfoy."
"Does he know that?"
"Will you just drop it?"
"Okay." Alice seemed to have given in Rose thought in relief "If you tell me what happened."
"You know, sometimes, I really do hate you." Rose muttered. "He was stroking the phoenix in the woods…"
"it let him?" Alice interrupted.
"I know; it's so unfair. Anyway I wanted to stroke it too and so he helped me to and that's that."
"So he's not so bad after all?"
Morgan Heart entered the room with a cheerful "hello!" and the conversation was ended. Alice's words echoed through Rose's head "not so bad after all" they chanted.
sorry for the bad fluency in this chapter! thanks again everyone and if you haven't all ready... PLEASE PLEASE PPLLEEAASSEE REVIEW!