Author's Note: Hi everyone! Here's the next chapter :) I had a ridiculously busy weekend, so I wasn't sure that I would get this chapter done before Thursday, but then I sat down to write it and kind of got on a roll, so here it is! I worked pretty hard on the Quidditch match in this one, so hopefully I pulled it off.
Only two more chapters and then the Epilogue. It's so crazy! We're wrapping things up, but there's still one more big dramatic event to get through...and then, of course the parents have to find out. Also, since we're nearing the end, it would be great if you guys could start thinking about some moments in Rose and Scorpius's life that you might like to read about. I'd love to hear ideas that might spark my imagination for one-shots! I already have three started, so don't worry that there won't be any more Scorose goodness from me :) Once this story is finished, I'd be happy to take requests, so long as I am inspired enough to come up with something for the topic mentioned.
As always, thank you so much for reading! I hope you enjoy it and please don't forget to let me know what you think!
Chapter 24: Quaffles, and Snitches, and Bludgers, Oh My!
Rose and Scorpius eased themselves into the chairs across from Professor McGonagall's desk, their expressions wary. They shot a nervous, and very brief, glance in one another's direction before turning their attention to the headmistress.
"You should know," McGonagall began, "I have been keeping a very close eye on the two of you since your incident in December. I have spoken to your teachers, your classmates, and, of course, your families to determine whether or not you have sufficiently fulfilled the agreement that we made before you left for winter holidays." She peered at Rose and Scorpius over her half-moon spectacles. "I have to say…I am very pleased with your progress."
Both students slumped in relief.
"I have listened to how you conducted yourselves over the holidays and I am impressed with how you have been behaving in the three weeks since you have been back at Hogwarts. However, before I make a decision about your probationary status, I would like to hear from the two of you. Has the way that you view one another changed since last term?" McGonagall looked at Rose and Scorpius expectantly.
They exchanged glances before Rose spoke up, careful to word her thoughts in a way that McGonagall would approve of. "I think so, Professor. I mean…I think I'm beginning to understand that this whole rivalry started for petty reasons and then somehow escalated to the point that we were both out of control. I had a talk with my father and he made it clear that his problems with Scorpius's father should not have been passed down to us, so it has definitely made me rethink some of the animosity between us."
McGonagall nodded, thoughtfully. "And you, Scorpius?"
"I agree with that," he answered, attempting to sound contrite. "And I also think that we may have been using each other to work out some of our problems and aggravations. The rivalry was a convenient excuse to attack someone whenever we were feeling particularly frustrated or angry."
"And so do you think that you will be able to continue coexisting peacefully?" McGonagall asked.
When both students answered in the affirmative, she smiled. "That is a very good thing to hear. And I am very satisfied with the reports that I have been receiving from various sources in regards to your improved behavior. As a reward, I am going to suspend your probation and reinstate your Quidditch privileges."
Rose and Scorpius both sat up straight at this, their expressions full of disbelief. "Really? We can play Quidditch again?" Scorpius exclaimed.
McGonagall's lips curved just slightly at the cautious joy on her students' faces. "Yes, Mr. Malfoy. I am going to allow you and Ms. Weasley to play Quidditch. And I believe that this reinstatement comes at just the right time. It seems that the match between Slytherin and Gryffindor will be on this coming Saturday."
"So you're going to let us play against each other?" Rose asked.
"Yes. I feel that it will be the perfect opportunity to test just how committed the two of you are to ending the animosity between you. What better place to demonstrate that you have truly committed to ending your hatred of one another than a Quidditch match?"
Rose and Scorpius were both slightly dumbfounded. "Thank you, Professor," Scorpius murmured.
"Yes, thank you," Rose echoed.
McGonagall raised a finger in the air. "Let me be perfectly clear. I expect this improvement in your actions towards one another to continue. Any sign that you are beginning to revert to your old ways and I will not hesitate to, once again, place you under probation. Or expel you, depending on the severity of the relapse. Is that understood?"
"Yes, Professor," they answered in unison.
"Then you are dismissed. I'll let your captains know that you are cleared to play on Saturday."
Rose and Scorpius jumped out of their chairs, again thanking the headmistress profusely, before heading out of her office and down the spiral staircase.
As soon as they were out of earshot, Rose turned to Scorpius. "We get to play Quidditch!"
Scorpius grinned. "Gryffindor versus Slytherin. You're going down, Allamanda."
"Oh, I don't think so, Malfoy," Rose countered, narrowing her eyes at him.
"You wanna bet?" he smirked, wickedly.
"Absolutely. There's no way that Slytherin's beating Gryffindor."
"Are you willing to put your body where your mouth is?" Scorpius growled suggestively.
Rose raised an eyebrow. "What is that supposed to mean?"
Scorpius's voice was low, and more than a little dangerous as he slowly made his way closer to her, forcing her towards the wall. "It means…that whoever wins gets to call the shots for the rest of the night." He took yet another step forward, causing Rose's back to hit the solid stone behind her. "It means…when I win, you're mine until the sun comes up." Caging her in with his arms, Scorpius lowered his head until his lips hovered a hair's width from hers. "It means, Ixora…that when I win, I can do whatever I want to you until you completely forget everything but my name."
Rose's heart rate had sped up considerably and her breath hitched at his words. "And if I win?"
"Won't happen," Scorpius asserted, brushing the tip of his nose over hers.
"But if it does, the same rule applies," Rose whispered, rolling her body into his. "I win…and you're mine. Deal?"
His cocky grin would have pissed her off if she wasn't so aroused. "Deal."
On Saturday morning, Rose found herself eagerly anticipating the match against Slytherin. She was crowded into the Gryffindor tent with the rest of the team and there was an atmosphere of excitement that just couldn't be found anywhere but right before a Quidditch match. Especially when it was a match between the two biggest rivals in the school—Slytherin and Gryffindor, of course—although the fact that Rose and Scorpius would both be playing was causing quite a bit of anticipation as well. And apparently, Rose and Scorpius were not the only ones who had thought that wagering on the outcome of the match—and the likelihood that the two opposing Beaters would kill each other at some point—would be a good idea. There were currently an unprecedented number of bets being placed among the student body and, although they would deny it, among the staff as well.
Rose finished lacing up her gloves and picked up her bat, twirling it around to loosen up her wrists. She couldn't help but smile as her gaze swept over the rest of the tent's occupants. Liam O'Connor, a fourth year, was doing his own exercises with his Beater's bat, a look of concentration on his face. Ronan Thompson, one of the Chasers, was sitting in a corner, his eyes closed, clearly visualizing various plays in his head. Nathaniel Wood, who had followed in his father's footsteps to become the Gryffindor Keeper, was nervously jiggling his leg as he worked on stretching out the muscles in his upper body. Albus, Roxie, and Lily were joking with one another in somewhat hushed tones as they too warmed up for the game ahead. Albus and Roxie were both Chasers, while Lily was also fulfilling her father's legacy—or rather, the Potter legacy—as Seeker.
James had been the Seeker the previous year and Fred had been a Beater. In fact, most of the Gryffindor Quidditch team had been made up of Weasley/Potter family members for the last several years. Albus had been the captain for the past two years because, although James and Fred had been seventh years and, therefore, outranked him, their constant pranks and mischief-making (honestly, they rivaled the Weasley twins in creativity and sheer nerve) made them poor candidates for positions of authority. That wasn't to say that Albus didn't pull his fair share of stunts, he just managed to avoid getting caught. This tendency for misbehaving was the same reason that most of the Weasley/Potter clan did not tend to get named as Prefects or Head Boy and Girl. Molly (Percy's daughter) and Dominique (Bill and Fleur's daughter) were the sole exceptions to the trouble-making streak that seemed to run through the rest of the bunch like a genetic marker. Even the less adventurous members of the clan—like Lily, Lucy, Roxie, and Hugo for instance—were swept along in the roguish tide by their numerous siblings and cousins.
"Okay, listen up!" Albus called out, getting the team's attention. "We've got Rosie back for today's match, so that'll definitely be an asset, but be sure to remember that that means Malfoy will be playing for Slytherin as well and, since McGonagall has made it very clear that they are to behave themselves," he shot a meaningful look in Rose's direction, "Scorpius will be at the top of his game as well. Do not forget that. Their usual antics on the Quidditch pitch make it very easy to underestimate just how good at their positions they are, so be aware."
At the team's nods of agreement, Albus continued. "Now the Slytherins are a bigger team than we are, I don't think there can be any doubt of that, so we're going to have to use their size and sheer brute strength to our advantage. That means that Lily, Ronan, and I are going to have to fly fast, and fly stealthy. Quick turns, sharp dives and ascents, and bursts of speed at every opportunity. We have to outmaneuver them. Rose and Liam, we're going to count on you to have our backs out there." Albus turned to his cousin. "Please be sure not to get distracted, Rosie. With the pace that we're going to have to keep up during the match, we need to be confident that a rogue Bludger isn't going to come flying out of nowhere and knock us off our brooms. Got it?"
Rose nodded. "Don't worry. I know what I have to do out there. I'll be focused."
"Good," Albus smiled at her. "Nate, when the Quaffle comes at you, it's going to be hard and fast, so do everything in your power to anticipate their moves before they have a chance to take their shot. With the strength of some of those gorillas, they could easily snap your hands off at the wrists so try and get in front of Quaffle if at all possible. And Lily, my lovely sister...last but not least," Albus turned with a grin to the small redhead. "Catch the damn Snitch before they do."
"Great advice, Albus. You really should write motivational literature," Lily retorted.
"I'm a man of many talents," Albus shot back. "Now let's get out there and kick some Slytherin arse!" At the cheer from his teammates, he turned and led the way out of the tent and towards the Quidditch pitch.
As they entered the enclosure of the stands, Albus used the roar of the crowd as cover and slipped back so that he was walking beside Rose. "Are you really going to be focused going up against Scorpius?" he hissed into her ear. "You're sure you're ready for this?"
Rose pulled her head back to lock eyes with her cousin, a wicked gleam in her eye. "Game on."
"It's a crisp January morning here on the Hogwart's Quidditch pitch, and I'd like to welcome you all to what promises to be a hot-blooded battle between Slytherin and Gryffindor Houses," the resonating voice of Pip Silverston, a comfortably rotund, sixth year Hufflepuff with a deceptively diminutive name called out over the screaming spectators. "As I am sure everyone knows," he continued, "Rose Weasley and Scorpius Malfoy have been granted permission to play in today's match, after having all Quidditch privileges suspended by Professor McGonagall when they tried to kill each other in one of their more epic fights this past December. It will be interesting to see how well they interact on the pitch today, now that the headmistress has been very clear about their actions towards one another. Needless to say, nothing can ever be boring when those two are anywhere near each other."
Pip craned his neck, watching as both the Slytherin and Gryffindor teams made their way to the center of the field. "Albus Potter, stepping forward to shake hands with Slytherin captain Morris Crutchley—looks like a bit of an intense staring match going on down there. Madam Hooch gestures them apart…" The shrill sound of a whistle cut through the air and fifteen brooms took flight. "And they're off!
"And Slytherin has possession! Rufus Horton with the Quaffle…he's speeding down the pitch towards the Gryffindor goal posts. Passes to Myer—Myer to Quimbly—Quimbly to—and a Bludger from O'Connor knocks the Quaffle from his hands!
"Roxanne Weasley snatches it up, and Gryffindor is in control! Weasley to Potter—Albus Potter flying down the pitch—it really is amazing just how fast he can fly—and he passes to Thompson. Thompson just manages to dodge a well-aimed Bludger from Malfoy—he swerves to the left—and a beautiful pass to Potter! Potter weaves through the Slytherin Chasers—he's heading towards the goal! He shoots—and he scores! Albus Potter lobs the Quaffle right over Slytherin Keeper Lars Volton's head! And just like that, it's ten points to Gryffindor!"
Rose whooped along with the cheering crowd, a broad smile on her face. She couldn't help shooting a glance in Scorpius's direction. The heated look he sent her momentarily drew her focus from the game, but she quickly pulled herself together and dove back into the fray. She couldn't afford to be distracted by the very vivid images of just what the two of them had planned for that evening.
"Myer has the Quaffle—he passes to Horton—and it's snatched away by Weasley! Roxie Weasley somehow manages to dive in from above and steal the Quaffle right out of the air! She's streaking down the field and—ouch! That had to hurt! Crutchley sends a Bludger right at Weasley, striking her in the back. And now Quimbly has the Quaffle. Well, that's a bit of a tongue-twister, isn't it? Quimbly is quite quick with the Quaffle—" Pip laughed before a strict glance from the headmistress caused him to get back on track.
"Sorry, Professor," he mumbled. "Quimbly passes to Horton—Horton shoots—and a fabulous save by Nathaniel Wood! He threw his body in front of that one, preventing the Slytherins from tying the game. And now Thompson has the Quaffle—Thompson to Weasley—Weasley back to Thompson—he shoots—saved by Volton!
"And let's check in with our Seekers, shall we? Lily Potter and Cornelius Munt are both still hovering above the pitch. Clearly, neither one has managed to catch sight of the Snitch yet.
"Back in the action, Myer has the Quaffle—he passes to Horton—"
Rose saw a Bludger veering in her direction and accelerated towards it, swinging her bat with all of her might and sending the black sphere hurtling towards Horton. It grazed his shoulder, throwing him off balance enough that his shot flew wide of the goal posts.
Her momentum carried her close to Scorpius and when she turned her head, he shot her an enormous grin. She couldn't help but return the expression. It felt absolutely incredible to be flying again. She hadn't realized just how much she had missed playing Quidditch.
The game picked up in speed, the Quaffle being passed back and forth between the two teams with such frequency that Pip could barely keep up his commentary. Rose was beginning to work up a sweat, despite the freezing January temperatures. She darted across the field, firing Bludgers at various Slytherins, deflecting their trajectories away from her own teammates, and trying to do everything in her power to keep Gryffindor in the lead.
"And a Bludger from Scorpius Malfoy knocks the Quaffle into the hands of Rufus Horton! Nice shot from Malfoy there. I have to say that whatever Professor McGonagall did to discipline Rose Weasley and Scorpius Malfoy seems to have worked miracles. I don't think I've ever seen a Quidditch match where the two of them were both playing that didn't have half of the focus on their antics. With Rose and Scorpius actually focusing on the game, rather than merely slinging Bludgers back and forth at one another, the match has certainly become more exciting!
"And now Quimbly is making a run on the Gryffindor goal posts! Wood dives—but he can't quite get there in time! Slytherin scores and the game is tied!"
The intensity of the match continued to escalate as Slytherin and Gryffindor began trading goals. No sooner had one team managed to battle their way across the field to score, than the other took up the challenge and evened the tally once again. They were nearly three hours into the game, and everyone was beginning to show signs of fatigue. While Albus's strategy of outmaneuvering the larger Slytherin players was definitely working, it was starting to take a toll on the members of his team. Fortunately, Gryffindor was not the only team to be tiring. And still, there was no sign of the Snitch.
Finally, Rose spotted two streaks of color out of the corner of her eye. She turned to see both Seekers plummeting towards the ground after a tiny speck of gold.
"And the Snitch has been spotted!" Pip called out excitedly. "Cornelius Munt and Lily Potter go into a steep dive, with Munt just slightly in the lead. Whoever catches the Snitch first wins the match! And it looks like Munt is pulling further ahead!"
No, no, no! Rose thought, watching the green and crimson blurs racing towards the ground. Slytherin could not win! There was no way that Scorpius would ever let her live that down. And, although the images that he had conjured in regards to exactly what would happen were he to win their bet were enticing, she refused to let her pride suffer the enormous blow that would result if she lost.
As she frantically searched the skies above the Quidditch pitch for a solution, Rose's gaze landed on a Bludger. She narrowed her eyes in determination before putting on a burst of speed and hurtling herself towards it. She aimed as quickly as possible and, using all of her forward momentum from her frantic flight, smashed her bat into the Bludger. It sped off towards the diving Seekers, and Rose crossed her fingers, praying for luck. Just as Munt reached his hand out for the Snitch, his fingers mere inches away from the fluttering golden ball, the Bludger crashed into the tail of his broom, sending him careening off through the air. Lily managed to swerve around the Slytherin Seeker, powering towards the Snitch, and snatching it out of the air.
The stands erupted. Slytherin supporters were cursing and moaning and stamping their feet in protest while the Gryffindor fans jumped up and down, screaming in excitement.
"Gryffindor wins!" Pip shouted out, his voice nearly drowned by the volume of those around him. "Gryffindor wins! A superb move by Rose Weasley! Gryffindor wins, 230-80!"
Rose was swarmed by her team. They all shouted and hugged her, completely beside themselves. She managed to look over Roxie's shoulder to see Scorpius, a wry smirk on his face. He shook his head at her and she didn't even try to suppress the mischievous grin that split her features.
Rose lagged behind the rest of the team as they changed out of their Quidditch robes. She wanted a minute alone with Scorpius, which meant ensuring that she was the last one to leave the tent and head back up to the castle. "I'll see you inside!" she called to her teammates as they gathered their things.
"We can wait for you, Rosie," Lily objected.
"No, that's okay. I kind of want a minute alone. You know…to savor this," she quickly fibbed. "I didn't think that I'd ever get to play Quidditch at Hogwarts again."
Lily smiled in understanding before ushering the rest of the team out in front of her.
"Great to have you back, Rose!" Liam called over his shoulder.
"Thanks!" Rose waited until she was sure that they were far enough away before quickly changing, grabbing her broom and robes, and making her way towards the Slytherin tent. She stood quietly, out of sight, until the Slytherin team pushed through the tent's opening, still grumbling about their loss. When Scorpius emerged, Rose peeked around the fabric and caught his attention.
Scorpius slowed his pace, allowing the rest of his team to outstrip him before he silently stole back into the tent behind Rose.
"So…good game," he muttered.
"Oh, come on, Scor. What's the matter?" Rose couldn't resist taunting him a little. "Scared of what I might make you do?"
Scorpius's gaze snapped to hers and the blazing heat in his eyes took her breath away. "Are you sure I'm the one who should be scared, Sunflower?" He stepped closer, his hands reaching out to grab ahold of Rose's hips. "What do you say we get started a little early?" he growled in her ear as he pulled her body flush to his.
She couldn't control the gasp at the sudden contact. "I'm expected to attend the celebratory party in Gryffindor Tower. But after that…"
Scorpius groaned, clearly unhappy for the delay. "Midnight? The Room of Requirement?"
"Sounds like a plan," Rose whispered, levering herself up so that she could crush her mouth to his. "I'll see you then. Just remember who's in charge. I won, fair and square." Tearing herself away from him, Rose slipped outside and took off towards the castle.
She was still running on the adrenaline from the game, as well as her all too brief encounter with Scorpius in the Slytherin tent, when she began to make her way up the stairs to Gryffindor Tower. Today had been a very good day and, after she snuck away from the party, it promised to be an even better night.
Lost in her thoughts, Rose didn't notice the hulking figure in the shadows of the fourth floor landing. Suddenly, something crashed into her side, throwing her off balance. She could have sworn she heard a mumbled, "Stupid mudblood bitch," before another shove sent her hurtling headfirst down the stairs and the entire world went black.
Sorry about the cliffhanger! But I write so few of those that you have to forgive me, right? :P The next chapter is..."The Moment of Truth." I'm really excited about this chapter. It probably has my favorite Scorose scene to write in it. I've been anticipating this scene like crazy - so much so that I've had a good portion of it written since around Chapter 2 or 3. It's actually one of the things that finally convinced me to write this story. That means that the chapter will probably be posted in a couple of days, since I already have about half of it written. And I have to say...I am really excited to write bad ass Scorpius!
And special thanks to AshBronze17824 for the flower names (Ixora and Allamanda) that I used in this chapter!
Hope to see you next time!