A/N: I meant to post this chapter on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day as like, a bit of a present for my readers haha, but it never happened. I've had this chapter roughly written for quite a while, have just been tweaking it a lot. I sat down yesterday feeling inspired and made quite a few changes and additions, which I'm glad I did, because it's much better than it was. Anyway, hope you all had a wonderful Christmas! Mine was lovely, had family over, and I welcomed in a new addition to my family... a beautiful snow white kitten with bright blue eyes. She's adorable :)


Chapter Twenty-Eight

The busy school cafeteria was buzzing with the sounds of chatter and scraping cutlery and laughter. In a corner, Rose and Sam were sat at a small table next to the window, polishing off the last of their school Christmas lunch. The fluorescent strip lighting inside didn't do much to fight off the gloom outside.

"Ahh. That was good. I wish school food was always that good." Sam leant back in her chair and rubbed her flat stomach appreciatively.

"Mmm... wasn't it just." Rose agreed.

"Only ten days now till the real thing... Do your family do a big Christmas dinner on Christmas Day? My mum does... Gets the grandparents round, and my aunt, and our crazy next door neighbour usually joins us. It's all a bit mental."

"Yeah sort of. It depends. Some years we go to an aunt and uncle's house for Christmas, sometimes to my grandparents, sometimes to other relatives, or some years they come to us. Now I think of it, I'm not sure what we're doing this year. I think we're going to uncle Harry's place..." Rose said. The pair of them got up and carried their plates to the hatch to be cleared away.

"Oh yeah, you have a humongous family don't you, I almost forgot." Sam laughed. "Must be nice. Harry is Albus's dad, right?"

Rose nodded, strangely glad she'd remembered.

"Ooooh... So will his best friend Scorpius be joining you by any chance?" She winked, giving her a nudge, and Rose almost dropped her plate, and slid it onto the counter quickly before it slipped out of her hand. She laughed, but then pouted at Sam.

"I don't know..."

"What do you mean, you don't know?!"

"He's staying with his mum in London over Christmas... I'm not sure if I'll even see him." Rose frowned. They headed out of the cafeteria together.

"Shit! No, that sucks!" She said.

"You're telling me." Rose sighed.

"Awww... Seriously though that's awful. You haven't seen him in ages 'cause he's been at that damn boarding school of his... Surely he could make the effort to come and see you?"

"It's not about the effort... He's had some family issues recently, and his mum's been out of the picture for a little while. They're just getting things sorted again, she needs him right now."

"Screw that, you're his girlfriend!" Sam said, making Rose smile.

"I know... But it's important."

"You are seriously too nice... Dammit and I was so hoping I might finally get to meet him!" Sam laughed.

"Ah, you will eventually I'm sure." Rose smiled at the image of Scorpius being faced with Sam in all her loud and outrageous glory.

"Good. And I'm still holding out on the possibility of him having a good-looking friend you could hook me up with." She winked, "And oh! That reminds me! Girl, we need to pick a date for meeting up next week, mum said she'd love to have you over, to stay the night if you want!"

"Oh sure, that would be great. I can do any day really, I've not got anything planned yet. I'll see Albus a lot, but that's about it."

"Albus, but no Scorpius... Awww." Sam pulled a sad face and threw an arm round Rose.

"We'll get you through it! I tell you what... I bet you I can find a movie hottie to take your mind off him. God, how about Leonardo Di Caprio in Titanic. Blonde hair, blue eyes, dashingly handsome. Sound like someone you know?"

Rose laughed. "Now you're talking!"

"Trust me, you'll have forgotten all about him once I've given you the full movie-hottie treatment."

"I look forward to it!" She grinned, knowing there was no way anything would take her mind of Scorpius right now, but equally loving the idea of a girlie movie-day with Sam.

By now they'd stopped at Rose's locker. A little further along the corridor, Jake was stood at his own locker, sliding a few textbooks in his bag. He looked up at the characteristic loud laugh of that Sam girl Rose called a friend these days, his brow furrowing in mild annoyance.

Sam looked over catching his glare, and her smile soured.

"I'll meet you after school anyway, I have chemistry now." she said, looking back to Rose smoothly.

"I have History... I wish it was the end of the day already. I'm ready for the Christmas holidays! This term has been so long..."

Rose was oblivious to Jake's presence just behind her.

"God I know." Sam slung her bag over her shoulder. "Um, Jakey-boy's skulking about, think he's on his way over." She raised an eyebrow. "I'll leave you to it. See you here after last lesson, yeah?"

"Yeah, okay, see you then." Rose said, turning to look over at Jake, who was indeed coming her way with a rather stormy expression.

"Ready for history?" he asked, his even-toned greeting at odds with his expression. His eyes - framed by long dark eyelashes that most girls would kill for - were overshadowed by his dark eyebrows that were pulled together unhappily.

"Yeah, just gotta get my file." Rose said, pulling out the blue ring binder and shutting the locker. "Ok." she said, and they began to walk.

"So. How was lunch?"

"It was great. Sam and I were saying earlier, if only school food was always as good. Did you enjoy it?" She was bubbly and conversational, buoyed up by the Christmas spirit and excitement for the end of term that filled most of the students (and teachers…) in the school.

Jake almost scoffed. Sam and I.

"Yeah, if only. It was good, yeah. Better than my old school." he raised one eyebrow, which disappeared under his fringe.

"Oh?"

"Yeah. they did crappy food." Jake said, attempting to smile. God like he wanted to be in this foul mood. It all just pissed him off *so much*, and he just couldn't help it, not today. These lies, that stupid Sam girl, and Scorpius. Oh yeah. Him. No wonder Rose had knocked Jake back, it was all so clear now.

Funny though… he hadn't heard any of that from Rose herself, only what he saw that day, and the stupid giggling from Sam that you can't drown out however hard you try…

"What about your brother's school? Fancy boarding school eh, bet they have great food." Jake said carefully, his screwed up brow smoothing out a little.

"Oh yeah, well, from what I've heard their food is second to none." Rose said, a little taken aback at the question, but happy to answer. "Their food is great everyday, but on special occasions it's even better. I'm sure they should be four stone heavier than they are…" She'd heard so much about the Feasts at Hogwarts, fit for kings and queens.

Jake laughed lightly with her. "I seem to remember Scorpius and Albus are in pretty good shape actually."

"Yeah, they are I guess. Al's just a skinny kid really, but Scorp does a lot of sport, so I guess that's why." She said, almost smiling at the thought of lanky Albus stood next to tall, broad and muscular Scorpius.

"Oh really? What sport?" Jake asked with unfeigned interest.

Rose hesitated. "Oh, um, football mainly. Basketball, rugby, tennis, cricket… lots of things. He's good at it all from what I hear."

"Oh wow. Bet he's got all the girls after him." Jake smirked, catching Rose's eye briefly.

"Umm. I guess he must do. But actually Scorpius and I are together." Rose said awkwardly. She hadn't ever told him; it just had never exactly come up in conversation… Not a conversation she'd wanted to have really.

"I had thought I'd heard you talking about some guy to Sam… but I'd just assumed it was either some pop-star or some guy from school or something." He lied with ease before, but this seemed a little weird coming out of his mouth. He'd gotten to know Rose well enough to know she'd wouldn't giggle over some pop-star or other guy like one of the other daft girls at this school. He'd always known she wasn't like them.

As for Rose's apparent honesty on this one, he couldn't decide if he was surprised or not. Maybe it was just because she'd already told Sam…

"Yeah… well Sam's hoping he's got some good-looking friend I can set her up with."

He ignored the mention of Sam's name yet again. Rose spent more time with her than she did with him these days. "Does he know any pretty girls?" he decided to crack a joke instead.

"Ha," Rose laughed, "No one good enough for you, I'm sure."

Jake turned to look at her, meeting her pretty blue eyes with his deep brown ones. "Steady on Rosie." He laughed deeply, smiling right across his face. "Aren't you quite the charmer."

"Only the very best for my best friend Jakey." Rose smiled, glad to see his body language soften.

"Jakey? Hey, enough of that." He said in a false stern voice, while inside his heart warmed. He reached out to scruff up her hair playfully, and she grabbed his arm and pulled it away, and he somehow managed to manoeuvre it so he ended up with his armed linked with hers.

She giggled. "What are you like." She said, shaking her head with the smallest of smiles on her face, dropping his arm gently as they walked into the history classroom. She walked on ahead of him and took her seat, and it was like someone switched off a light nearby.

Jake stopped smiling. "An absolute fool, that's what..." he murmured under his breath, unheard by anyone. He slipped his backpack off his back and sat down in his seat next to her. Really he was. Look at him, smiling and laughing again; it only took a few words from her and he'd all but forgotten everything. He was more than a fool, he was a bloody idiot.


Rose stood on the platform, her scarf tied up tight to her neck and her hands in the pockets of her navy duffel coat. Her blue eyes swept the crowd of waiting families, wondering curiously if she'd see Scorpius's mother among them, assuming she'd recognise her if she saw her that is. However before she managed to spot her, somewhere further along the platform someone's baby brother began to shout, pulling his mother's sleeve. "Train!" He called repeatedly, craning his head excitedly to catch the first glimpse of the scarlet engine.

The engine could definitely be heard approaching, Rose thought, pushing herself up onto tiptoes in the hope it might help her see better. Moments later the train chugged in alongside the crowd, filling the platform with sound and smoke and energy. It drew to a slow halt, brakes squealing, whistle blowing.

Rose's eyes darted from carriage to carriage, searching for familiar faces; one in particular of course. The platform was suddenly alive, parents and families all doing the same, searching for the faces of their children or siblings, calling out and waving. It didn't take her more than a moment to spot him climbing of the second carriage, his eyes likes hers, searching her out. Rose lifted up an arm and waved, and as he spotted her, his face broke into a broad grin, and he began to hurry, pushing through the crowd.

Rose did the same unthinkingly, leaving her parents and moving towards him. She weaved around huddles of families and students with large trunks with growing frustration, wishing the platform was empty so she could just run straight to him.

He dipped in and out of view behind different groups of people and then disappeared completely for a horribly long moment. Rose slowed down, looking around her. She came to a dead stop right in the middle of all of the hubbub and activity, stretching up on tiptoes and craning her neck to find him again.

Suddenly he burst through from between two tall men.

"Rose." He called out, his voice rasping and husky. With not a moments hesitation he strode forward and swept her up into his arms like he'd longed to do for so many weeks.

Rose breathed out a deep sigh of relief and contentment, engulfed by his strong arms and his soft, musky smell.

She let her head rest on him, fitting just perfectly in the small place across his chest and shoulder just under his chin. He stroked a hand through her hair, tucking a stray strand gently behind her ear. His soft touch raised goosebumps on Rose's skin. She lifted a chin to look up at him.

"I missed you." She said softly, her arms dropping from his back to place on either side of his face.

"Bloody hell you're cold." He flinched, chuckling and leaning down to kiss her. Scorpius couldn't deny, he'd been dreaming about the next time he'd be able to kiss her again. He'd missed her voice, her smile, her twinkling eyes, the sweet smell of her skin, and yes, the taste of her lips.

He glanced over her shoulder to see the Potter-Weasley clan stood awkwardly, trying not to look in their direction. Ron was red-faced, while Hermione was pointedly fiddling with a button on Hugo's coat.

Further behind them, right by the platform entrance, Scorpius spotted his mother, her pale skin, long blonde hair and silver-grey fur coat hard to mistake. His chest tightened. This would have to be goodbye.

"Rose I'm sorry." Scorpius whispered, gently pressing his lips to her cheek as he spoke, his breath tickling her skin. "My mother's here. I don't have long."

"It's okay. It's alright." She whispered in response, her heart squeezing painfully. Neither of them knew when they'd see each other next.

"I know you'll have a lovely time. Write to me. Send me photographs, tell me all about it." She held onto him tightly, talking straight into his ear, her breath tickling Scorpius's neck.

"Write? You just try and stop me. Three letters a day. At least. I promise. It'll be like I'm right there with you." Rose could hear the smile in his voice.

"Good." She whispered. "God I'm glad I saw you. Go on... Don't keep your mother waiting. I should get back too. I'm sure they're all ready to leave now…" She dipped her head and stepped back, lifting the handle of Scorpius's trunk to his hands.

"I'll... See you soon, Rose. Have a lovely Christmas, won't you."

"Of course. And you."

Scorpius made no move to leave. They stood there for a moment, before Rose darted forward and placed one last kiss on his lips.

"Go. Go on." She hurried him along.

No, she didn't want him to leave, but if she didn't they would no doubt stay there in each other's arms until the platform had long since emptied. Scorpius took the first step away from her, then another, and then turned round. "I love you." He said, smiling widely, flashing his straight white teeth.

"I love you too." Rose mouthed, smiling back. She walked in the opposite direction back towards her family, looking over her shoulder every few steps, occasionally catching Scorpius doing the same. He'd grin and wave and turn away, continuing to walk, and Rose would turn a pretty shade of pink.

Rose reached her family, some of whom smiled sympathetically, some of whom just looked a little embarrassed having witnessed her snogging with Malfoy.

Scorpius met his mother with open arms.

"Oh there you are. My boy." Astoria smiled, tears coming to her eyes as she hugged him. He seemed to have grown taller since even the last time she saw him a few weeks ago. He wasn't her boy anymore, he was a handsome young man, and the image of his father. Scorpius hugged her back tightly, realising with a painful pang how much he'd really missed her.

"Hello mother." He smiled, letting her go. She stood back and gave him a proud, watery smile. She looked older too, to Scorpius. He could see the lines around her eyes and on her forehead, and flecks of grey appearing in her hair. He suddenly felt a surge of protectiveness and affection for his mother, and he linked his arm with hers. Taking his trunk with his other arm, they walked out together.

"Good term?" She asked, looking up at her son.

"Fantastic, thank you."

"Good."

"Glad to be coming home though." Scorpius smiled across at her. Astoria beamed. Home.

"Yes... I'm glad you are too, dear."


A/N: Awww. Scorpius got his mumma back. I'm actually looking forward to writing about their new house, I have a great picture of it in my head xD We'll see how Rose and Scorp cope being apart this Christmas, and what happens with Jakey-boy... :)

lots of love x