So, I've had quite a few people asking about when these two are going to get it together and if we're going to get more fluff amidst the drama among other things...so I just wanted to clear a few things up that I perhaps didn't earlier on.
Some of you might remember from the start that this wasn't supposed to be a long fic, I originally planned for this entire thing to be done and dusted in 3-5 chapters but then the characters kind of started writing some stuff for themselves and it sort of just went from there. So with regards to the drama and fluff, I don't really think about it as I write tbh I generally just write whatever's next and sometimes the characters take me in certain directions making it more or less fluffy...when it comes to Scorpius and Rose, they weren't supposed to be on a slow burn but they are. I don't want to do them the injustice of making Rose totally fine again after Simon so soon after the incident and then the breakdown, because whilst the whole thing has spanned 20 chapters so far, it's only been 3 weeks since that first weekend. I promise they will be together soon, probably not as soon as you'd like but definitely sooner than the end of this fic, so in case anyone is worried that their pairing is my end game, it's not.
I so love the reviews and follows and favourites, you all make it worth writing so thank you thank you thank you so so much. There is still so much more left to write and therefore to read, so I'll get back to completing this fic and leave you with chapter 21 :)
A few hours later and Scorpius pulled Rose to one side. He grinned at her excitedly.
"You ready to see the library yet?" He laughed as her face lit up in delight.
"I was ready before I even knew I liked you!" Rose was practically bouncing on the balls of her feet.
"Come on, I'll show you..." Scorpius took hold of her hand and together they snuck out of the ballroom. Scorpius ran up the sweeping staircase pulling Rose with him.
"And where do you think you're going?" Draco called to his son as him and Rose were halfway up the stairs.
"I was just showing Rose the library dad," Scorpius said as he turned around to face his father.
"And it couldn't wait till later because...?" Draco folded his arms and raised his eyebrows at his son.
"Because it's already quarter past ten and she has to be home by midnight," Scorpius said.
"Merlin you really are just like your mother, aren't you?" Draco sighed at Rose.
"Yep." She smiled broadly.
"Go on," Draco gave in. "But Scorp you're going to have to rejoin the party quickly, I can't cover for you long."
"Thanks dad, you're the best!" Scorpius grinned as he raced up the stairs with Rose.
"Your dad is pretty great," Rose said as she puffed along behind him, her hand still clasped tightly in his but only just keeping up.
"I was lucky, for all the awful things my mother is, my father seemed to counteract her pretty well." Scorpius nodded and began slowing to a stop. "Here we are." He gestured to two oak double doors that stretched right up to the high ceiling.
Rose looked at the ornate carvings on the wood. There were a hundred different characters from a hundred different stories, some she recognised and some she didn't. There were odd little quotes here and there, littered about the space and in the middle, stretching tall and wide and connecting everything together was a large oak tree.
"There's an odd little legend about this library..." Scorpius looked at Rose curiously. "It's so beautiful that all who enter it fall in love with it, but the library doesn't fall in love with everyone...at least it hasn't fallen for anyone in centuries. If the library falls in love with you, it will mark the door with your most loved words and your most loved story, and a small token that illustrates you..."
"So all these carvings are magically made by the library?" Rose breathed in awe. "To remember those it loves?"
"Yes, well supposedly, if you believe in legends." Scorpius nodded, watching as Rose lifted her hand and lightly touched the door and some of the words and faces along it.
"It's beautiful..." She gazed at it a moment longer.
"Shall we?" Scorpius smiled and offered his hand to her as he placed his other hand on the door handle. Rose gave a small nod and stepped inside the library she'd already fallen in love with at the door.
.
Rose couldn't breathe. She felt the air get stuck in her lungs and her eyes grew wide in amazement. She squeezed Scorpius' hand and let out a small giggle of glee.
"Oh my Merlin!" Rose gasped. "I've never seen...it's just...it's wonderful!"
"It is." Scorpius nodded and had a smile so wide his cheeks were beginning to ache. He'd never seen Rose so inexplicably happy before and he really really liked it.
The library consisted of three levels with an open centre, much like the library hidden away in the Beast's castle in Disney's Beauty and the Beast. A library Rose always swore she'd build for herself as soon as she had both the time and the money. It was floor to ceiling on every level lined with books. There were cozy nooks scattered about in all different corners and elements of it reminded her of the library at Hogwarts, now her second favourite library of all time. There was a large fireplace to one side and a few smaller ones dotted about the place, Rose guessed that the big one connected to the floo network while the others were just for warmth and to add to the enjoyment of a good book.
"Scorpius, I think I want to live here..." Rose sighed. She wondered through the shelves and ran her fingers along the spines of the books. The feel of the pages, the smell of the paper mixed with the dust and the fires and it was just magical. Fairytale magical.
"Well, for the next six months you can be here for as long as you like whenever you like. That was the deal, right?" Scorpius smiled.
"But how do I get back here whenever I want?" Rose sighed.
"With this..." Scorpius pulled out a long chain from one of his many hidden pockets. On the end of it was a small silver daisy with a blue diamond gem sat in the middle of it. It was exquisite, but ever so delicate and dainty.
"What is that?" Rose walked up to Scorpius and took the daisy pendant in her hands, turning it over and gazing at it.
"It's a portkey, made especially for you..." Scorpius said. "It will bring you here anytime you like, you just have to push on the blue gem."
"Scorpius, it's beautiful..." Rose looked up at him. "Too beautiful, I can't except this..." She shook her head.
"You're not, you have to give it back in six months..." He teased her softly.
"But it must be worth a fortune!" Rose cried.
"Not as much as my word, and when we decided to tie and you accompanied me tonight, this was my end of the deal and I keep my word." He took the necklace back from her and draped it around her neck, leaning into her so he could put his arms around her neck and fasten it properly.
"How'd you know daisies were my favourite flower?" Rose asked, trying to calm her heart as he practically embraced her. "I never got round to telling you..."
"Lucky guess..." Scorpius smirked as he pulled back to look at her.
"You asked Albus." Rose gave him a reprimanding look.
"I asked Albus." He nodded with a grin and took a step back. "I'm going to head back to the party, before dad gets into anymore trouble with my mother on my account. I'll be back up here just before midnight..."
"I can come with you," Rose offered.
"No, it's fine. Stay here and enjoy yourself," Scorpius said. "I can see your fingers twitching already."
"Thanks Scorp...this is amazing..." Rose looked around the room again.
"See you in a bit." Scorpius bowed his head and walked out of the room, closing the door quietly behind him and leaving Rose alone in the silent room.
.
Rose wondered over to the nearest shelf, an excited grin on her face. She squealed to herself and tried to contain her joy. It hadn't occurred to her that she was all alone in a strange room, she felt completely safe and completely at ease. More than she had in a very long time. Rose pulled a dusty book of fairytales off a shelf and looked for a place to curl up. She slipped her heels off her feet and put them by the door before walking across to a little sofa situated by the huge floor to ceiling windows that looked across the lands belonging to the Malfoy's. She dropped in it and curled her feet up under her, taking a moment to smile at the stars in the night sky.
"This whole place is amazing..." Rose sighed dreamily to herself and jumped a little as the fireplace closest to her roared to life all on its own. Rose sat forward and looked at it and then looked around the room, rationale telling her that she should be afraid but her heart still feeling safer than ever. She smiled to herself, thinking about the door and how the room had a mind of its own if it could magically carve things into its own entrance.
"Thank you," Rose said softly with a smile before leaning back and opening the book.
She spent the next hour and a half drifting from book to book and browsing through the many isles and shelves that were in there. A house elf brought her a steaming mug of hot chocolate with whipped cream and Rose couldn't help the sweet smile that crept onto her face as she tucked her feet up underneath her again and sat back against the sofa in a state of pure contentment. She needed this. She needed a place that wasn't her bedroom, a place where she didn't have to be cooped up to feel safe and at ease. This library was a haven to her right when she needed it most, and with all the books and endless stories that lined its walls she could escape into knew and unknown worlds whenever she pleased. Scorpius let himself back in soundlessly, he watched for a moment or two as Rose sipped her drink and gazed happily out the window at the night sky. If anyone was going to make the library fall for them, it was going to be Rose.
"Hey..." Scorpius called out softly.
"Hey!" Rose grinned at him as he approached and sank down into the seat next to her.
"So, I take it you rather like the library?" He smiled.
"Like? I rather love the library!" Rose smiled back. "Thank you, for this and for bringing me here...I need this place now more than you know..."
"Oh I know, trust me I know." Scorpius nodded. "I need to get you home, it's almost midnight..."
"Oh right, yes..." Rose finished off her drink and picked up the book she'd been reading. "I'll just put this back and then say goodbye to everyone..."
"I've got that covered, don't worry. Just worry about the book and then we'll floo back to yours." Scorpius smiled. "I told everyone you were feeling under the weather and so I sent you home."
"Oh! Thank you..." Rose grinned. "You didn't have to do that..."
"Well, my dad knows where you were and so do Flick and Gabe, but the rest of them don't matter," Scorpius said.
"What about your mother? What did she have to say?"
"I didn't think you cared what my mother thought?"
"I don't, I just wanted to make sure you didn't get into trouble on my account." Rose placed her book back and did her best to remember where she'd returned it to.
"I've already got into trouble on your account more than once, you're worth it so I wouldn't worry." Scorpius shrugged with a grin and Rose felt her heart somersault. She worried about her feelings for the man stood in front of her, she worried about the intensity of them and the strength in them. She knew nothing would be happening anytime soon but she couldn't help the pull in her that wanted it too and she couldn't help the small amount of guilt she felt for stopping it. Scorpius shouldn't have to wait for her and yet it was exactly what he was doing. Rose knew she'd have to come to terms with the fact that he might not want to wait forever and if the time came where his patience had found its limits and she still wasn't ready, she'd have to let him go. The thought made her heart ache and an overwhelming sadness erupt from within her. She took his outstretched arm and invitation to lead her home, doing her best to banish those thoughts from her mind at least for now.
...
Back at Rose's home, Ron sat in his armchair staring intently at both the clock and the fireplace. Two minutes to midnight and green flames appeared, Scorpius stepping through with Rose on his arm. Ron did his best to smile but seeing the young man, who looked almost exactly like the bane of his existence for so many years, smile adoringly at his daughter just did something to him he couldn't control. He fought those thoughts down and reminded himself that Scorpius was not Draco.
"Good evening Mr Weasley," Scorpius said and extended his hand to Ron.
"Good evening Scorpius." Ron shook it, his initial and habitual anger beginning to subside already.
"Hey dad," Rose said with a tired smile. "You didn't have to wait up, you know?"
Ron gave her a deadpan look which told her that, he did in fact have to wait up for her whether she wanted him to or not. And that she was absurd for suggesting otherwise. Rose giggled at him, knowing that no matter how old she was or who she was with, he'd always wait up for her as long as she lived with him.
"Did you have fun?" Ron asked.
"Yes, it was good and then Scorpius showed me the library afterwards...it was amazing!" Rose bounced, remembering the beautiful room and all it's wonderful little secrets she had yet to discover.
"The library?" Ron frowned.
"Yes! Malfoy Manor has its own extensive library full of books and journals and stories and fairytales..." Rose sighed dreamily. "And it's practically alive too!"
"Okay Rosie," Ron said with a laugh.
"I'm serious dad!" Rose cried. "It can carve memories of the people it loved onto its own door!"
"Are you saying the library is sentient?" Scorpius frowned in amusement.
"How exactly do you expect something to fall in love with a person if it's not sentient?" Rose turned to him with her hands on her hips.
"It's a legend Rose," Scorpius chuckled.
"All legends are based in some truth," Rose said adamantly.
"It's a library..." He frowned. "You can't seriously believe that legend can you? It's just a story told to make the room seem more magical."
"It doesn't need it, the room is magical." Rose folded her arms. "You don't have to believe me, I know what I felt."
"Whatever makes you happy Rose." Scorpius smiled at her and shook his head.
"Don't you dare humour me! Or mock me for that matter!" Rose pointed at him admonishingly.
"I'm not!" Scorpius threw his hands into the air in surrender. "I promise..."
"You better not..." Rose glared before lowering her hand gently.
"Thanks for a great evening, and for keeping me company...it would have been the worst time if you weren't there." Scorpius cleared his throat and gave an awkward smile.
"Flick and Gabe were there, it wouldn't have been that bad," Rose said. Scorpius shot her the same look he had earlier that evening, the one that basically told her Flick and Gabe were not her.
"No, but it still wouldn't have been that good." He grinned, pulling her into a quick hug and well aware that Ron was still watching him avidly.
"Well, I'm glad I could help, and thanks for showing me the library..." Rose smiled as she squeezed him back, and walked towards the fireplace with him.
"See you round," Scorpius said. He shook Ron's hand a final time and stepped back into the fireplace.
.
"So, you had a good time?" Ron asked again.
"Yes, Dad it was brilliant and it was nice to get out for a bit if I'm honest." Rose hugged her father. "Thank you..."
"What for?" Ron frowned.
"For asking...for being nice to Scorpius, for waiting up to make sure I was okay..." Rose grinned.
"Don't thank me for just trying to be a good dad," Ron said with a sigh.
"Trying? Dad, you are a good dad!" Rose hugged him tighter.
"Well, I can always be better. We all can. You'll learn that when you have your own children Rosie, I won't ever stop trying to be a good dad because that would make me an awful one..." He squeezed her back just as tight. "And my little girl deserves the very best of everything, no matter how big she gets."
"Even if for me, the very best is Scorpius Malfoy?" Rose asked tentatively. Ron took a deep breath and sighed heavily, eyeing his incredibly cunning but wonderful daughter.
"Yes, even if that means the Malfoy spawn." Ron smirked as Rose slapped his arm playfully.
"Dad!" She cried.
"Look, part of being a father means that no guy is the very best for you, not ever...but I trust you and I trust for you to know who the very best for you is, and if it's Scorpius then I will stand by that and support that." Ron gave her a sincere smile.
"You really mean that?" Rose looked at him with water filled eyes.
"Of course I do." Ron nodded. "Rosie, I know I can be a little hotheaded-"
"A little?"
"Okay, a lot hotheaded! And I don't always use my brains before my braun, but as my darling wife and your darling mother has pointed out to me many a time, I am not stupid. Nor am I blind. I can see what Malfoy does to you, I can see how happy he makes you just by being close...and while I'm loathed to admit it, I'd rather a happy Rose than a life without a Malfoy..." Ron said. "Besides, it's not like I've been the greatest judge of character when it comes to your choice in men..." He mumbled more to himself than to Rose but the room was too quiet for her not hear. She gasped and turned to look in his eyes, seeing his pain and his guilt but also his resolve.
"Rosie, I trust you...I know you, the real you...if you can control our rag tag team of misfits into taking down a bunch of highly trained aurors I'm pretty sure you can control your own love life." Ron grinned as his daughter gaped at him. "Come on! You didn't think I'd not notice...you're my kid...Weasley temperament with Granger intelligence...how else was it going to go?!" He laughed as Rose broke into a grin and hugged his arm as they began moving towards the stairs.
"And all this time I thought it was so unbelievable! Two people in one night proved me wrong!" Rose huffed without thinking.
"Two people? Who else guessed?" Ron frowned.
"Oh no one...just a random-"
"Draco Malfoy..." Ron cut her off with a growl and didn't even offer it as a question.
"...maybe?" Rose grinned sheepishly as they reached the top of the stairs.
"Bloody git was always too smart for his own good!" Ron mumbled.
"Makes you think though, right?" Rose shrugged, doing her best not to manipulate her father but at the same time not really being able to turn down the opportunity to truly put the past behind them.
"About what?" Ron frowned.
"All that intelligence...he was as smart as mum in school, wasn't he? Makes you think...if he was that clever why'd he believe in some bullshit blood prejudice, maybe he followed Voldemort for an entirely different reason?" Rose said.
"Like what?" Ron gave his daughter a deadpan look, knowing exactly what she was doing. She grinned at being caught and shrugged again.
"Dunno Dad, what would make you follow a bloody lunatic to your imminent and probable death?" Rose asked. Ron stood and looked at his incredibly intelligent daughter, he narrowed his eyes and folded his arms.
"Dammit! You're just like your bloody mother!" Ron scowled.
"Huh?" Rose frowned.
"Always asking prolific questions! You realise I'm now going to have to give that question a decent amount of thought and replay everything I ever saw Malfoy do or say or get up toin order to answer that properly?" Ron huffed.
"I was kind of counting on it," Rose chuckled at his amusing scowl.
"Damn women, making me think!" He gave her a small smile.
"If I remember rightly, you told me once upon a time that if it wasn't for mum and her ability to make you think differently, you'd still be an ignorant and arrogant arse?" Rose smirked.
"Just like your mother..." Ron mumbled. "Goodnight Rose..." He hugged her tight once more and smiled as she walked to her bedroom door.
"I'm just saying Dad..." Rose smiled back. "Maybe Draco never had a Hermione? Maybe there was no one there to help him think differently, or tell him how to change if he started to...?"
"Just go to bed!" Ron grumbled with a grin. "You can bring this up another day, when I've had ample time to think about it!"
"I'll hold you to that!" Rose called as she shut her door, a mischievous smile on her face. She pulled out her phone and rang Scorpius.
"You know you can just drop by now, anytime you like?" He drawled through the phone.
"Careful Scorp, you don't wanna make it sound like you can't wait to see me again!" Rose laughed at his tone.
"I can't...but that's beside the point..." Scorpius sighed with a chuckle.
"It felt right, coming home for a bit, and I just had the most interesting conversation with my dad..." Rose grinned.
"Really? Is he beginning to like me?" Scorpius asked hopefully.
"Well yes, that was a given considering he told you we had till midnight," Rose said. "No, it was about your dad actually..."
"Go on," Scorpius said and Rose proceeded to fill him in on the enlightening conversation she'd just had walking up the stairs with her Dad.