Chapter 29: And So They Spoke

We make bread on Sundays,
And the little ones are climbing up the walls.
Nothing lasts forever,
But the sound of love astounds me every time that it calls.

Here we go,
Dancing on our own
Inside this house that we have never known.
Here we go,
Going it alone
Into the dark and wonderful unknown.
Let us go.

In the best way, you'll be the death of me.

-Ingrid Michaelson


Four Months Later

I glanced at the clock on my nightstand and cursed loudly.

I was late.

I rushed around the room, gathering up articles of clothing and accessories to shove into my bag that I needed before I left for the church.

I was running late, and Albus was going to be here any minute and he was going to murder me.

It was his fault I was going to be late anyway. He knew I wasn't a morning person, and for all his hemming and hawing about how marriage wasn't this big, huge deal, he and Hermione had been fucking adamant that Scorpius spend the night at the manor away from me because he couldn't bloody see me on the wedding day or it was bad luck. And I was not a morning person, and Scorpius was usually the one who was able to force me out of bed in the morning—that or Leo crying, and Hermione had insisted on keeping him last night—so I was late because of them, and now I was the one who was going to have to suffer their wrath even though they knew I was not a morning person.

I was in the bathroom gathering toiletries to put into my small toiletry bag when I heard the door downstairs open.

"Rose?"

"Up here!"

"You're not ready, are you?" Albus's voice called as I heard him begin to ascend the stairs.

"Of course I'm not ready," I practically shouted as I came barreling out of the bathroom with my small bag in hand and saw Albus standing there with an arched eyebrow and a bag I recognized from the bakery down the block in one hand, a tray carrying two coffees in the other.

"What is that?" I asked, eyes narrowed, flicking to the bag and then back to him.

"Two doughnuts," Albus said simply.

"Al," I said, my tone warning.

"Strawberry frosted with cream filling and chocolate cake glazed," he said, so bloody casual. "Take your pick."

"You monster."

"Like one doughnut is going to make a difference—"

"Tell that to the fucking wedding dress I have to squeeze into in a few hours!"

"Rose."

"Albus!"

"One doughnut won't hurt," he said, giving me a knowing look.

I stared back at him, my whole being screaming for that sugary goodness while I tried to tell myself that I couldn't. I had been so good over the past couple weeks, knowing that I didn't have much… wiggle room.

But I could practically smell them from here, and along with the scent of the coffee wafting over to me, my mouth was pretty much watering.

"Fine," I sighed. "I'll have half of one."

Ten minutes later, I had finished both doughnuts, and I was licking sugar off my fingers while Albus sat cross-legged in front of me on Scorpius's and my bed, leaning back on one hand while he sipped at his coffee.

"I can't believe you're getting married today," he said.

"I'm already married," I said with a smirk.

"You two are such arseholes," he said, shaking his head. "I still cannot believe you did that."

I laughed. "It was romantic."

Albus shot me an incredulous look. "He fucked you and then asked you to marry him while you were still naked and under the influence of a potion that made you want to tear each other apart. How is that romantic?"

I snorted. "That's romantic for us," I said with a shrug. "And we had just broken the curse and come back from medieval Norway. It was an overwhelming time."

He shook his head again. "Still arseholes."

"You're just mad because you know it's putting ideas in Fergie's head."

"Ever since the two of you troublemakers came back from Norway, Fergie has been hinting at marriage constantly," Albus said immediately—as if he had been holding it in this entire time.

I laughed. "Just marry him. You know you aren't going to be with anyone else."

"But isn't that romantic? Being together because you just want to be, not because of some document or ceremony or something?"

"Okay," I said slowly, reaching for the coffee I had placed on the nightstand. "I'll try not to be insulted by that."

Albus laughed. "They're both romantic in their own ways."

"I agree," I said. "But isn't it even more romantic to do something for the person you love because you know it would make him happy, even if it terrifies you?"

"It doesn't terrify me," Albus muttered.

I pointed at him with the hand that held my coffee cup. "You're scared out of your goddamn mind, Albus Severus—"

"Don't call me that—"

"—but you need to suck it up because there's not a thing to be scared of," I said. "If these past four months have taught me anything it's that marriage is fucking awesome—"

"That's just because it gives you and Scorpius yet another excuse to hump like bunnies. Since you're 'newlyweds,'" he said, holding up air quotes, although it was made slightly more difficult by the coffee cup still in one of his hands.

"Whatever," I said, trying not to grin.

"We've got plenty of time anyway," Albus said, shifting to slide off the bed. He tossed his empty coffee cup into the waste bin beside our bureau. "Not everyone needs to get married at nineteen like you and my parents."

"Well, you're both twenty, but fine," I said, watching him as he started gathering my stuff and slinging my bag over his shoulder. "But if Lysander gets married before you, I'll fucking kill you."

"I'll kill myself," Al grumbled. "Now come on." He walked over to me and grabbed my free hand to pull me off the bed. "Let's make like Alfred Doolittle and get you to the church on time."


I was standing in front of a full-length mirror in the large space that the church had given me and my bridal party to get ready before the ceremony. The men had a similar space on the opposite side of the church—more of Albus and Hermione's insistence on keeping me and Scorpius separated—where Scorpius was probably sitting down away from everyone, trying to think of subtle ways that he could murder the members of my family without anyone noticing.

I smiled at my reflection, imagining Scorpius, but I knew that Hugo would keep everything in line. He was the most cool-headed person I knew, and he had been the only person who could calm Hermione over the past couple months, despite still being at Hogwarts (let's just say there were many evenings with Hugo's head in the floo, speaking in calm tones to our psychotic mother).

She had seemed so rational when she had urged Scorpius and I to have the big ceremony sooner rather than later—she was the one suggested the damn spring wedding in four months—but about a month in she became mum-zilla, her only focus making sure that this wedding was perfect even if it meant ripping off heads and destroying everything in sight in the process.

I knew it had something to do with her not being there the first time around, but every time anyone suggested anything close to psychoanalysis, it just made her worse, so we all dropped it.

But I guess I had to be thankful for her mental break because if it weren't for her, we wouldn't be getting married—again—in this beautiful, old, gothic church, and we wouldn't be having our reception at St. Ermin's—which Ron insisted was solely due to a Confundus Charm, but Hermione said he should have given her more credit for her "negotiation skills"—and we wouldn't have flowers or a cake or centerpieces or any of the other shit that you needed for a wedding. The only thing I had secured was my dress and the band, since the band was another group on our label that owed Guy a favor.

Hermione had sobbed the day we picked out my dress two months ago. It was seriously the most beautiful garment I had ever seen in person, a mermaid style with lace all over the tight bodice and these long, gorgeous lace sleeves, making me look like some kind of royalty. There was a very deep sweetheart neckline that made my boobs look fantastic, but since the lace covered it, it was still classy. The back of the dress was almost completely open, cutting low right above my arse, with a small lace strap near my lower back to cinch the gown at my waist, making my curves look better than they ever had. The bottom flowed out into all this loose tulle material that led into an incredibly long, elegant train.

I insisted on not wearing a veil because I thought veils were ridiculous for so many reasons, and my hair was loosely piled on top of my head after Ainsley had curled my hair into ringlets, some of which fell wispily around my face.

I felt beautiful and elegant and sexy. Bloody hell, I felt like a damn princess.

I was tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear when I saw the door begin to open through the reflection of the mirror.

The rest of the party had gone downstairs to get ready, but I was here, putting on some finishing touches and waiting for Ron to come get me.

I turned around, expecting to see Ron come into the doorway, and I gasped lightly and smiled giddily when I saw who it actually was.

"You know it's bad luck to see your bride on the wedding day."

"Good thing we're already married," Scorpius said before he closed the door and quickly closed the space between us, gripping my biceps and yanking me in for a kiss. I gripped his hips, not even getting to take in the sight of him like I wanted to because he was kissing me—his hands sliding up my arms so that he could cup my face in his hands, tipping my head back and kissing me deeper.

"Hermione is going to kill us if she finds out that you're up here," I whispered against his mouth when he broke away, my heart racing. He started to nip along my jaw and I sighed and tilted my head back.

"I don't care," he murmured. "I had to see you."

"You would've seen me in like ten minutes," I said breathily, huffing out a laugh.

"Too long," he whispered against my neck before he bit and then sucked at a spot above my collarbone. "I hated being away from you last night," he said. "I could barely sleep."

"Me too," I breathed, heart skipping.

"But it was also probably because I was so excited for today," he said before he pulled back just enough to meet my eyes. "How fucking lucky am I? I get to marry you twice."

I bit my lip, trying to fight a smile, and then happily lost the battle. "And you didn't even have to divorce me to do it," I said, reminding him of his words back in our bed in Norway.

I saw Scorpius's grin flash briefly before he dove in for another kiss and I tightened my grip on his hips.

Finally, he broke away and rested his forehead against mine. "I have to go."

I whimpered in protested, breathless from our kiss, eyes shut as we held each other.

I heard Scorpius's chuckle right before he pulled back. He smirked. "I messed up your lipstick."

"It was worth it," I said breathlessly, lifting my head and opening my eyes to look at him.

"You look amazing," he said. "I'm so fucking lucky."

"I love you," I whispered, heart so full it felt like it would burst.

"Stop it," he said, voice gone low. "You're already making it so hard for me to leave, and I don't want your mum murdering us before I can marry you again."

I smiled up at him, and he smiled down at me, and I could see my own stupid giddiness reflected back at me in his gray eyes. I was just about to open my mouth to say something else when a voice broke in.

"You two better break it up before my wife finds you."

"Dad," I laughed, glancing over Scorpius's shoulder.

Scorpius turned. "Sorry, Mr. Weasley, I'm going." Scorpius turned back to me, kissed me quickly once more, and then rushed out of the room, shaking hands with my father briefly before he went, as I bit my lip and smiled after him.

"He must really love you if he's willing to risk your mother's wrath," Ron said as soon as Scorpius was gone.

"Yeah, I think he likes me a little."

Ron smiled and after a moment he held out his arms. "Cheeks… you're stunning." I smiled at him and when I saw the tears fill his eyes, the backs of my own eyes burned as I walked toward the only man who possibly loved me more than Scorpius did.

"Daddy," I whispered as I walked into his arms and he held me close.

"You're all grown up," my father said quietly. "A mother… a wife… I'm happy for you, honey." He paused. "I just…"

He trailed off and I pulled back to look at him. "What?" I asked gently.

"I thought I would have more time with you just… being my little girl."

His voice cracked on his final words, and I hugged him tightly again, burying my face in his chest, inhaling his spicy scent that was so familiar.

"I'll always be your little girl," I murmured before I pulled back again and looked at him, the man who had been there for me since before I was even born. "I'll always be that little girl with those blue eyes and fat cheeks. I'll always be your Cheeks."

Dad's chin quivered and he smiled a watery smile as he reached up to tuck another loose strand of hair back into place. "I'm so proud of you," he said in a shaky voice. "Even if you are about to marry a Malfoy."

I choked on a shaky laugh and slapped my dad's chest. "Dad," I admonished.

He grinned. "Mum told me," he then said. "About your name."

I nodded. I had decided to hyphenate my last name, just as my mother did when she married my father. It was important to me to always remember who I was, and even though I wanted to be connected to Scorpius, I always wanted to be me, Rose Weasley. I had worried for so long about my dependence on Scorpius and losing myself in my love for him, but keeping part of myself—being Rose Weasley-Malfoy—would be a constant reminder that no matter how much I loved him, no matter how much he brought me happiness and made me into a new, better person, I would always be myself—I would always have me.

"See," I said with a nod. "I'll always be a Weasley."

"We aren't that easy to get rid of," Dad said as he turned and put out his elbow for me. "Ready?"

My smile practically split my face in two. "Oh yeah."

My father led me down the stairs of the church where the rest of the party—save for Scorpius who was already waiting at the altar—was lined up and waiting to make the procession. The groomsmen—Jasper, the best man, Hugo, James, Henry (another of Scorpius's close school friends), and Nate—hadn't seen me yet and they all came up to tell me how beautiful I looked. My bridesmaids—Lucy, Ainsley, Meg, and Lily (who I had caught at the rehearsal making eyes at Henry)—all gushed as well, although they had already seen me.

My bridesmaids were all dressed in very light, soft, short lilac-colored dresses, and all the groomsman had matching ties. The only person who looked different was the man currently approaching me as the procession began and the first couple—Lily and Henry—made their way out.

"Hi," Albus said, grinning.

"Hi," I said, returning the grin to my very handsome Man of Honor. He was wearing the same trousers and tie and everything that the groomsmen were wearing, but his jacket was the same color as the bridesmaids dresses, standing starkly against his black hair and somehow making his eyes look even greener.

Albus gave my father a quick hug and they started chatting as Jasper made his way back toward us as well.

"Did he make it up there?" Jasper asked me quietly when he got over to us.

"What?"

"Scorpius?" he said with a smirk. "I was distracting your mum so he could go sneak in and see you."

I rolled my eyes. "You two are ridiculous."

His smirk turned into a full-fledged grin. "You love it."

"You just better hope Hermione never finds out," Ron interjected as Albus started messing with my hair and the bouquet of white roses I was holding—an homage to our Norwegian wedding.

I swatted him away just as the final couple before Albus and Jasper—Hugo and Meg—made their way down the aisle.

"Go on," I said, gesturing toward the entryway.

"You look beautiful," Albus said, tears glistening, making my eyes begin to fill as well.

"Stop it," I said in a watery voice, smiling at my best friend. "Go."

Finally, the doors opened and for a moment I watched as everyone in the room stood to watch me as my father led me down the aisle.

But then I saw Scorpius.

And the entire world faded away.

I hardly noticed the beautifully tailored tuxedo he was wearing, and how it fit him perfectly, making him look practically edible. I didn't notice any of the people around us. I didn't notice the decorations or the music or even my father guiding me down the aisle.

The only thing I could see was him.

See, I never really thought about getting married.

When I was growing up, I was never the girl who made her dolls get married or who imagined walking down the aisle on her wedding day. I was never that girl who had secret books filled with wedding ideas or the image of my perfect mate. In fact, before Scorpius, it just wasn't really something I even thought about at all. I guess I assumed that one day in the future I would find a guy and we would be suitable and we would get married, but it was never anything that I thought deeply about, something that I ached for or romanticized or dreamed of.

When I met Scorpius, we had been too caught up in everything going on around us to think about the future. Having a secret relationship that just so happened to be between a student and a professor at her school forced us to take everything a day at a time. We were more worried about getting through the school year without being caught than we were about what would happen after.

There were a few times when we would talk about the future—off-handed comments about what we would do after Hogwarts or vague remarks about children we might have—but there was one clear time, one moment when I knew—one moment that made me fantasize about our happily ever after.

It was the day when he first took me to Malfoy Manor.

"One day we'll live here together. One day Malfoy Manor will house me and you and our kids. And one day, our son will take a girl he loves to this spot, and he'll show her her future for the first time."

I could remember that day like it was yesterday—remember the way he looked at me, the way my heart raced in my chest, the way the tears blurred my vision as I tried to take in everything at once, the way the breeze kissed my face, the way the smell of the earth combined with the smell of him was so intoxicating that I could hardly breathe. I could remember the smile on his face, the sincerity and earnestness in his gaze, the feel of his hand in mine. And I remembered loving him so much that day that part of me didn't even understand it, part of me couldn't fully embrace the intensity of my love for him.

"I used to come up here all the time when I was younger. Just to think about stuff… You know, school, Quidditch, whatever. And once when I was about fourteen, I told myself that when I found the person I wanted to spend forever with, I would take her up here, and I would show her this beautiful view that meant so much to me. It was like… I thought, I'll show her what brought me happiness before she did."

I was so different then. He was different, we were different. It was before either of us knew about the curse, before the band signed with a label, before we ever had to understand what it meant for our relationship to face a real challenge. I was seventeen. I didn't know what it even meant to have a relationship, and in many ways I had been still dealing with the aftermath of Hadley, still learning how to face heartache when it came my way.

I loved Scorpius then, loved him more than I ever thought possible, but it was a different kind of love. It was a love that didn't really know what to do with itself. It didn't know how to manifest, it didn't know how to show itself when required or to maybe hide away when that was what was best. It was raw and it was always there, blaring like a neon sign, but it was also… naïve.

That love was nothing like the love I felt today, seeing him at the end of that aisle. That girl who cried in his arms on the floor of his classroom, that girl who cried outside the door to his office, that girl who was just trying to understand everything she was feeling—that girl was not who I was today, and the love I felt was different.

Today I was a woman, a woman who knew the man in front of her more than she ever had, a woman who could be consumed by love for that man without letting it control her entire being, a woman who felt more, who loved more, who had grown to be someone that that girl from a few years ago wouldn't even be able to recognize. And this new woman was ready to spend forever with this man in front of her.

"There's never been a girl that's made me feel like… forever… you know? Not until you."

And as he shook my father's hand and I took my place across from him, I realized that for the first time in my life, I believed in fate. I believed that fate had brought us together—that someone out there knew that I needed him and he needed me, we needed each other. I needed someone to help me grow into the person I always should have been—someone strong and powerful, not someone who let anything break her. And he needed someone to make him feel like his forever could happen, to make him believe in love.

His eyes sparkled with unshed tears when he turned to face me, his face split into the biggest grin I had ever seen on his face. I bit my lip through my grin as I looked back at him, my heart fluttering.

Uncle Harry cleared his throat. "We are here today to join in the… second union of this woman, Rose Genevra Weasley, and this man, Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy."

There was a bit of laughter throughout the large hall, and Scorpius winked at me.

I wasn't sure what Uncle Harry said next because all of the sudden, I felt this light feeling in my head, and I instantly knew that Scorpius was doing legilimency on me, something I had told him over and over that he was forbidden from doing, but as soon as the realization of the memory he was trying to retrieve came to my consciousness, I let it happen.

His hair was tousled and his beard was thick and his eyes were bright and he was sitting across from me on the bed in our Corvustad guestroom, holding the vial of potion like it was the elixir of life.

"I love you. I fucking love you. Let's destroy this bloody curse, and when we do… I'm gonna fucking marry you, Rose Weasley. I'm gonna marry you and then divorce you just so I can marry you again."

I smiled at Scorpius when he pulled out of my head, and I nearly giggled when he shifted, and I looked down and saw him subtly hold up two fingers, telling me he was marrying me twice just like he predicted.

I wanted to kiss him right then. The ceremony was going to be short, so I wouldn't have to wait that long, but god I just wanted to kiss that grin on his face.

"And now for the vows."

Uncle Harry's voice interrupted my thoughts, and briefly I turned back to hand Albus my bouquet of flowers as he handed me Scorpius's ring. Albus smiled at me and I gave him a cheeky little wink before I turned back just as Scorpius was turning back from Jasper.

Uncle Harry nodded toward Scorpius, and Scorpius reached forward to take my hand.

And as soon as our hands touched, my fingertips started to tingle.

"Rose…" Scorpius started as he held my hand. I met his eyes and my chest clenched, everything inside me too much to bear. "I never knew what true and profound love was until I met you, and since the first moment I felt it, I have been… terrified." He smiled weakly as my features softened and I gazed up at him like there was no one else existing on earth. "Every minute of every day I was terrified of so many things—of losing you, of not being the person you needed me to be, but most of all I have just been terrified of this feeling. The way it feels to love you… it's like seeing someone you love that you haven't seen in a while—that overwhelming love and relief—except it's amplified by a hundred and it lasts forever, and it scares me because all I want to do is give you back half the feeling that you give me." He squeezed my hand. "I left you once, Rose, and I left because I was scared, but with this ring, I promise that I will never let my fear control me again. This ring will bind me to you for life, and I promise to make you feel what I feel, to work at us, to give you everything I have forever."

A tear slipped down my cheek just as Scorpius was slipping the ring on my finger and I lifted his hand toward me as I began to tell him my vow to him.

"Scorpius," I began. "With you, I am strong. With you, I am brave. With you, I have never felt more beautiful. With you, I love freely and fully, without reservations. With you, I can do anything. With you, Scorpius, I am Rose." I squeezed his hand and he smiled softly. "I became the person I was supposed to be when I met you, and for the rest of my life I will work to be the best version of myself, the person you have made me into, the person that your love has enabled me to be." I slipped the ring on his finger. "Your forever."

We joined both of our hands and smiled at each other before we looked over at Uncle Harry, who just so happened to be openly crying.

"The love between you kids is beautiful," Harry said. The room trickled with laughter as Harry pulled out a handkerchief from his suit coat and blew loudly. When I looked around the room, I noticed that most people I could see were actively wiping their tears or following Uncle Harry's suit. Hermione was a blubbering mess and although I could see the tears shining in his eyes, Ron was frowning at Hermione like he couldn't believe what he was seeing. Across the aisle from them, Draco was beaming.

I grinned before turning back to Harry as he said, "Well then, for the second time as husband and wife, I give you Rose Weasley-Malfoy and Scorpius Malfoy." He held out his arms and grinned at us. "You may kiss the br—"

Before Uncle Harry could even get out the words, I threw myself into Scorpius's arms and planted my mouth on his. Apparently he was not fully prepared for my attack because as soon as I launched myself at him, we both went toppling over, but I didn't care.

I kissed him on the floor of that chapel until neither of us could breathe, amidst the cheers and roars of all those we loved around us.


Scorpius and I were standing near the center of the dance floor, his arms around me—low on my hips—holding me close, my arms hanging loosely around his neck as I pressed against him, breathing him in, loving the feeling of being in his arms, when I started to hear a vague little tinkle.

I lifted my head from his chest to meet his eyes, and he just smirked as the tinkling got louder. I rolled my eyes and he held me tighter.

"Don't look so put out about kissing me," he murmured before he pressed his lips to mine.

I kissed him back, getting lost in his embrace for a moment, still floating above myself as I had been since the moment I had seen him at the altar.

"I love you," he whispered against my mouth, staying close and breathing against me. "I can't wait to get you out of that dress later," he murmured, the heat and promise in his voice obvious. "I'm going to worship your body, make you mine."

"Scorpius," I breathed, my skin flushing at his dark promises.

He pulled back and gave me the softest, most beautiful smile I had ever seen, full of love and devotion and joy and heat and desire. There was so much in that smile, and it nearly made me weak at the knees.

"I love that dress, by the way," he said, tightening his arms around my waist as I tightened mine around his neck, smiling up at him, flushed with desire but also so happy that I could hardly stand it. "You're stunning."

"Well, don't get too eager tonight and rip it off me," I said with a grin. "And thank you." I stood up a bit on my toes to kiss the tip of his nose.

"No, no," he said, grinning just as hard at me. "I'll be going nice and slow tonight, so you don't have to worry. I'm going to take my time… savor you."

I felt my cheeks heat. "You better stop it before I make us leave this reception early," I said quietly. Actually, that's not a bad idea. I was dying for just a few moments alone with my husband, away from all the watchful eyes of overly romantic friends and family, tapping their glasses every fifteen minutes and forcing us to kiss—not that I minded kissing Scorpius, but still. I just wanted a moment to just be with him, to be held by him where it was just us. "On second thought," I said, pulling away from him abruptly and grabbing his hand. He was too shocked at my sudden movements so he just let me drag him across the high-ceilinged room.

"Oi! No funny business!"

I looked over my shoulder to see Albus and Fergie standing next to each other near the dance floor, and I shot him a narrow-eyed glare before I turned back and started pulling Scorpius along. The affect of the glare was slightly diminished since I was grinning, but he got the point.

It seemed to take forever for Scorpius and I to get out of the enormous hall in St. Ermin's where our reception was being held. We had to stop to say hello to everyone we passed as they offered their congratulations, but finally, mercifully, I managed to get him alone in a small utility closet that was down the corridor that was outside the hall.

There was a bit of a struggle as we tried to get all of my dress inside, but when we were finally in, I flicked my wand at the light above us and smiled at Scorpius when we both looked down from the light bulb and our eyes met.

"Are you trying to take advantage of me?" Scorpius said with a smirk and an eyebrow raise, making him look impossibly sexy. "Because I'll have you know I'm a married man."

"Don't worry," I said, trying to make my voice sound conspiratory. "I'm married, too, but they never have to know."

"Well in that case, why don't you kiss me and make me forget all about my wife."

"Can do," I said, right before I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed the hell out of him.

We were like two teenagers back at Hogwarts, sneaking into a broom cupboard to snog where no one could find us. It was oddly romantic, and it sent a thrill through me that Scorpius had the ability to make me feel like we were the only two people in the world.

After a while of literally just snogging, I pulled back, breathless, and smiled up at my husband.

"I think I may need to leave my husband for you," I said.

"Run away together?"

I nodded, biting my lip.

"Sounds amazing," Scorpius said, leaning in to nip at my lower lip. "There's only one problem, see, I've got this really cute kid, and I don't want to leave him behind."

I grinned, my heart swelling. "Bring him along. I love kids."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah," I breathed, leaning in to kiss him briefly before I pulled back and met his eyes. "In fact, we'll be able to bring along one more."

Scorpius's smile slipped a bit and was replaced with a mildly confused frown. "One more kid?"

I nodded, biting back a grin.

There was a long pause.

"I don't—wait." He looked at me, his eyes widening as he finally got what I was saying. "Are you…?"

I gave him a slightly nervous smile and said, "If I were, how would you feel about that?"

Scorpius pulled back slightly so he could look at me more fully as his frown deepened and I started to feel just the slightest edge of panic in the back of my mind. He glanced down at my stomach and then back up at me.

"Rose, are you…?"

I bit my lip. "I'm pretty sure I am," I said quietly.

Another pause fell, and I was starting to get antsy until I finally saw an elated smile begin to spread across Scorpius's face.

"You're pregnant?"

I nodded eagerly, still practically chewing on my lower lip, smiling nervously.

"And you're asking how I would feel about that?" he said, arching a disbelieving eyebrow.

I nodded again, and Scorpius looked down, making me shiver as he slowly slid his hand from around my waist to come and rest on my stomach. He ran his thumb in circles, and I watched his face, his eyes were so full of love that I thought I would melt right there on the spot, but when he looked up at me, he pouted.

"Well, it's sort of a bummer," he said, making my stomach drop a bit right before he said, "Because I was planning on getting you pregnant tonight."

I threw my head back and laughed, and when I looked back at his smiling face, I loved him more than I ever had.

"I love you, you tosser," I said right before planting my lips on his and kissing him hard.

"I can't wait,"—he kissed me all over—my lips, my cheeks, my nose, my chin, my jaw, my neck—"to have another baby with you"—more kisses—"I love you, Rose"—kisses—"I love you."