Committed

Scorpius had only been working at the Department of Magical Law Enforcement (DMLE), sub department Magical Creatures, for one week and he was already exhausted. He had joined the department just before a big deadline, to finish a law proposal that would aid in giving magical creatures a job much easier but the days had been long, about 10 hours per day, each day. The deadline was Friday 8pm and by then everyone was in need to unwind after a crazy week. Even though Scorpius had only been working there a week, he had already made friends with the colleagues he shared his office with beside Rose. Ross Ulster, Jennifer Stone and Savannah Johnson. It was a small world, as all three had been to Hogwarts, Ross and Jennifer a few years before Scorpius and Rose did and Savannah had been in their year. Ross was a broad Irish fellow, who had piercing blue eyes, a huge head of red hair and a full beard. While his posture might've looked impressive in the beginning, Scorpius soon came to learn that the guy was very friendly and willing to explain much about how a specific law was made. Jennifer Stone, heiress of the Stone-Hotel empire was a cool and calculating girl who had a specific no-nonsense attitude at work. She was always professional and straight black hair that was always tied in a bun together with her thin lips accentuated the no-nonsense attitude. Savannah Johnson he already knew as Roxy Weasley's girlfriend and it was nice to see that the warmth she displayed when being around Roxy at the Burrow, was also extended to Rose and himself in the department.

Rose had been a different subject all together because he was best friends with Albus Potter and he had been at the Burrow each Christmas where Rose also was. They had both been each other's firsts in the biblical sense, after getting drunk and he confessed his love for her. The day after, Rose had been gone by the time he'd woken up and when he tried to talk to her about it, it appeared that she had completely forgotten his love confession to her. Rose had started dating Robert in their 7th year and both Albus and Scorpius hated the guy. When they broke up after one year, it took Rose a while to start dating again. She'd bumped into a new guy, Michael and even while Scorpius tried to hate this guy, he really couldn't. That didn't mean that Scorpius wasn't incredibly jealous, but when he started dating Samantha that seemed to fade mostly. Sam was wonderful in every single way. She was a year below Scorpius, sorted in Hufflepuff and a truly kind spirit. She would never hurt a fly and it made Scorpius like himself being around her. Sam was a Healer at St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries on the first floor where patients came in for creature-induced injuries. Sam made long hours, but was a warm and well-accomplished person and most importantly, his parents had completely loved her since day one. Astoria Malfoy-Greengrass, Scorpius' mother, had also been a Hufflepuff and been connected to Sam immediately, bonding over House-pride.

When Rose had found out that Scorpius would come to work at her department, she had stopped by his place and offered to show him around in advance and give him a few pointers. He had enthusiastically accepted and found himself in the friendly company of his former crush.

Before long, the week had flown by and everyone had agreed to floo home and change into something a bit more comfortable which Scorpius didn't find especially necessary, but Jennifer had insisted. Upon entering the Werewolf Cub Pub, a modern wizarding pub located in a secluded area of London, he looked around to find his colleagues. He found Ross fairly quickly and next to him he found Jennifer who he almost didn't recognise. She was dressed in a low-cut red dress, wearing more prominent make up and her hair suddenly was very long to halfway down her back. She waved Scorpius over and he smiled back, making a stop at the bar first.

"Hey Scorp, will you get me a bottle of elfwine?" Rose asked while bumping his shoulder. He turned to look at Rose and found his eyes wandering over her bright eyes and gorgeous body that was now a bit more visible in a simple black dress that didn't do Rose any justice. Additionally, Rose hadn't put on any extra make-up but she did release her hair from its tight bun that was expected at work. When he realised he was staring, she simply put a few galleons into his hand and smiled friendly. He had to remind himself of Sam, who had just started the night shift at St. Mungo's. Shaking his head to rid himself of the thoughts that riddled his tired brain, he ordered a few butterbeers and a bottle of elfwine and joined Rose to the table. After a few minutes Savannah entered and joined the group with a bottle of firewhiskey in her hand. While plumping down next to Rose she placed the bottle of firewhiskey on the table and said, "Let me tell you, the weather forecast is horrendous. It's going to storm tonight. So I brought us something that will keep us warm."

Savannah grinned wickedly and conjured some shot glasses and filled them before passing them to everyone. Jennifer immediately raised it in the air, "To making this world a better place for everyone!"

Scorpius was surprised by these words, as he had not expected to hear those words come out of Jennifer's mouth. At work she'd been very technical, even if they were talking about the future of magical creatures, but right now she seemed a little warmer than she had shown previously. And what followed after everyone at the table downed the shot surprised him even more. Ross kissed Jennifer on the lips and said, "So proud of you, woman."

She smiled wicked, kissed him back and replied, "Thanks, babe."

Scorpius looked at Rose and Savannah in shock when he realised that they were just refilling their glasses, as if it was the most normal thing in the world. Jennifer who had apparently noticed Scorpius' shock started to grin and sent Scorpius a humoured look. "You didn't know about Ross and me, I'm guessing?"

"No, I didn't," Scorpius replied smiling.

"Ah, so now you know." Jennifer said simply and moved to sit on Ross's lap.

"Yes," Scorpius replied dryly.

Ross grinned and took a sip of his butterbeer. "Say, Scorpius, are you seeing anyone?"

"I have a girlfriend, her name is Sam, she's a healer in St. Mungo's."

"Long?" Ross asked.

"We've been together for nearly 3 years now."

"Oh, same as Rose with her Michael and Savannah with her Roxy then! What happened, you all went to the same club or something?"

"We actually met at the 33rd annual Second Wizarding War Remembrance. I was 25 then, just like Rose."

"Ah, I see. So did you and Rose ever hook up during your time at Hogwarts?"

Scorpius choked on his butterbeer and his eyes went wide. "Excuse me?"

"No, we didn't. I already told you this, Ross." Rose joined in.

Scorpius refrained from frowning as it was a blatant lie, but Rose apparently didn't want any of her colleagues to know, not that Scorpius could blame her.

"Nope, did always find her hot though," Scorpius added and as soon as the words left his mouth, he knew he made a mistake. Luckily, Jennifer interrupted Ross's line of question.

"You hardly seem like the person who is all about looks. I've seen you work the past week through all that dry material for paragraph F and there's more to you than just nice looks. I'm guessing you're a brain-man who finds passion for a good cause in a woman the most attractive quality there is."

Oddly enough, Jennifer guessed it just right. Frowning, Scorpius took a sip from his drink and nodded silently. Trying to get the line of questions off of him, Scorpius turned to question Jennifer and Ross, "So how long have you been together, Jennifer and Ross?"

"Six years, we've gotten married last June."

"Wait, really?" Scorpius asked unbelieving.

Jennifer laughed and showed Scorpius her wedding ring. "We are 32, Scorpius, we are allowed to be married. We just make our wedding rings invisible during work hours. We don't want our personal life to interfere with our professional life."

While the conversation continued, Rose found herself thinking of what Jennifer had said. Savannah had apparently noticed and excused herself and Rose to go to the bathroom. Once the music had faded behind the bathroom door, Savannah looked into Rose's eyes. "Hey, Rose. You alright?"

"Yeah, I'm just… I always thought that Scorpius was more of a looks guy than a brain and passion man. Well, maybe not in the beginning, but his last year at Hogwarts and the years after that, definitely."

"Oh, come on, he was young! Now he has a stable relationship, a charity, works in a department where the pay sucks but the idealists thrive if they don't bow under work pressure and I haven't heard him complain once this week. This morning he was even in before I arrived! I hardly deem him as the one who goes after meaningless arm-candy with no content."

"Mmm." Rose agreed and admittedly, she had forgotten about his charity for orphaned wizards and witches.

"Thinking about it, he seems too good to be true, right?" Savannah asked Rose softly.

"What are you talking about? I'm happy with Michael!" Rose replied laughing, not sure if Savannah meant it as a joke or was serious.

"Are you, though? You hardly talk about him," Savannah asked, this time sounding serious.

"Yes of course. I wouldn't stay with someone if they made me unhappy. Michael is great, I love going to parties with him, he can make great conversation and he is one of the best in his field."

"Okay, so what is his field?"

"Developing potions for the ill and sick."

"Okay, that's great but what do you do on a lazy Sunday? What do you do beside the Saturday night parties? What do you do when you are alone with just the two of you?"

"We do loads of stuff! We go to the zoo, go see a muggle movie, go to conferences in either of our professions."

"Then you are not alone with the two of you," Savannah interjected.

"Fine, what do you and Roxy do when you are alone together?" Rose retorted.

"We paint, we have sex, I cook for her, she takes me away on spontaneous short holidays, we surprise each other! And we talk about what our children will look like, we talk about what we would do if either of us died, we massage each other, go to a spa, we discuss politics, we rile each other up, fight and then make up, and do the same thing all over again. We dance together, making up our own steps. She sends me love notes or flowers, I kidnap her from her work once in a while to go somewhere, like to the beach. Next week I'm going to take her to see the northern lights, Aurora Borealis. It's something she wanted to do for a long time. And best of all, I tell her I love her every day and then kiss her."

"Okay! I get it. But with our work… we've just been so busy that we can hardly be spontaneous. It's not that we don't want to, it's just that we don't have the time."

Savannah raised her eyebrows and pointed at herself, "Rose, we have exactly the same job. I just make time for Roxy, because I want to."

"But-" Rose interjected.

"No, Rose. Just answer me this, do you want kids with Michael?"

The reply was instant. "No."

"Do you see yourself having kids with anyone else?"

This reply was also immediate. "No."

"Oh, then I guess you've got nothing to worry about."

The bathroom door opened and Jennifer appeared in the door opening. "What are we talking about?"

Savannah sighed, "Relationships."

"Oh, are you and Michael alright, Rose?"

"Why? Why ask me and not Savannah?!" Rose asked, feeling attacked by both Savannah and now Jennifer.

"Uhm, because you hardly share something about Michael and I can see a hickey in Savannah's neck through her not-so-covering make up."

"My relationship with Michael is fine. Nothing wrong. Now let's head back and get drunk, we've deserved it after all."

"I'll be right behind you," Jennifer said, popping into a bathroom stall quickly. "Yeah me too," Savannah added while jumping into a bathroom stall as well.

Once Rose returned at the table, she poured the shot glasses full of firewhiskey and raised it to Scorpius and Ross's glasses. "To our new law and to not thinking!"

"Here here!" Ross joined in.

Scorpius did the same and when the two other girls came back, Rose made a statement, loud enough for everyone in the pub to hear.

"Because we have been working our arses off this past week, I suggest we stop thinking for tonight and just be!"

"Here here!" Ross and Scorpius agreed instantly and after Savannah and Jennifer shared a look, they quickly joined in too.

When the clock hit 2am, Savannah, Ross and Jennifer got up from their seats to go home. Scorpius was going to follow until Rose grabbed him by his arm, "Scorp, come on, just a few more drinks? Aren't you having fun?" Rose begged.

"Yeah but…-"

"You are free tomorrow, Sam is in the night shift, just be you for a little while," Rose pleaded.

Scorpius knew he should go, but his intoxicated state didn't help in making the right decisions.

"Alright."

"Yay! Bartender, another round for me and my friend over here!"

The bartender nodded and while he prepared the drinks, Rose and Scorpius waved their colleagues goodbye.

It didn't take long until they were talking about how Rose had made the potions lab explode in their first year and roaring with laughter. "Well, no sane person puts Armadillo bile with Jewelweed and not expect it to blow up. I still remember Professor Lawrence's look of horror when you said that you were brewing it for five minutes already. And I still remember the second before it blew up in his face," his voice was filled with so much joy and happiness that Rose couldn't stop laughing. Laughing so hard her stomach hurts, she suddenly realised that he made her forget time completely, something Michael never had done. For some reason she was always very much aware of time when around Michael. And Savannah's questions haunted her, did she really not want children? Rose bet that Scorpius children would be perfect, with so much heart and warmth for the right cause. Taking another sip of her elf wine she looks into his eyes and almost drowns their depth. Somehow it felt very intimate. After being silent for what seemed like hours, Scorpius opened his mouth.

"What?" he asked softly.

"It's possible isn't it? It's possible that you could meet somebody who is perfect for you even though you're committed to somebody else?"

Scorpius frowned while thinking and quickly shook his head. "No. No, I think if you're committed to somebody you don't allow yourself to find perfection in someone else."

"You're just telling me what I don't want to hear."

Scorpius was silent for a second, trying to read her face and eyes with what she meant by that. "What do you mean?"

His eyes searched for an answer in her eyes but when he realised what she was saying she suddenly got up from her seat, smashed a lot of galleons onto the bar to pay for their drinks and stormed out of the Werewolf Cub Pub. She ran into the street to go to the apparation point three streets further.

"Wait, Rose! Wait! Hold on, will you?"

He took her arm and only then she turned around, only to jerk his hands off her arm.

"Look, I'm just drunk and I don't know what I'm saying. Just forget everything I said, alright? I'll see you at work on Monday," she bit out.

"What do you expect me to say? You know how I feel about you!"

Rose narrowed her eyes at him and suddenly realised that it was pouring rain outside.

"Apparently not! You're this perfect guy who has the perfect life! Why don't you go home to your perfect Samantha, huh?"

"Rose, come on. You're not being fair. I haven't made it a secret that I want you. Never have. Not while we were at Hogwarts, never after Hogwarts, not to your family and definitely not to you." Scorpius said heated, while wiping off some of the rain that was leaking out of his hair and streaming down his face.

Now, Rose's eyes went wide. "You cannot be serious! You were always horsing around with your clique of girls that stalked you like, 24/7! You have slept with all of them and you don't think-…"

"…- Wait. That is what you think? That I've slept around with all of them? I've never touched any of the Slyther Clique girls. The only girls I've slept with were you, Michelle, River and Sam, Rose! And River doesn't even count, she was a one-night stand!"

Thunderclaps caused Rose to look away from him for just a second while the rain was coming down hard.

"What?!" she jelled in disbelief while lightning strikes again.

"I never slept with anyone of the Slyther Clique, not a single one. I promise, they were just making that stuff up."

"But you never denied it! Not even when I joked or teased you about it!" Rose yelled, slamming her fist backward while taking a step towards him.

Tension hung in the air because a new set of lightning and thunder would come soon and the air was loaded with all the electricity, but somehow it was silent for just a moment.

"Because I was trying to make you jealous."

Another thunderclap.

"Fuck you, Scorpius! Just go back to your perfect life!"

"Perfect life? Is that what you think? My life was hell before I met you."

"What are you talking about?"

"Until you approached me on the Hogwarts express, I had been pointed at, cursed at and yelled at by people claiming I'm the devil's incarnate. When you told me that you weren't going to continue our family's feud and decided that all the friction between our families should disappear completely because you wanted to focus on your school and not be distracted by some revenge-acting and you pushed Albus to be my friend since day one, I've never been treated like that again. Even my parents are free to walk everywhere again without being pointed at and whatever. You were the one who started all of that Rose. You were fucking 11 and changed my whole life. I've been in love with you since the day I met you. I realised that I was in love with you when all my decisions began to revolve around you."

"And this is how you repay me? By fucking with my mind? Screw you, Scorpius! I was completely happy with Michael until you dropped this bomb on me."

Scorpius gritted his teeth. "No. You started this the moment you asked me that question."

"Yeah and you jumped on it," she reproached.

He grabbed her shoulders and stared deep into her hazel brown eyes. "Enough. You know I would give everything up for you the minute you say it."

"I'm engaged!" Rose yelled, showing him her ringed finger.

"Yeah, well so am I!" Scorpius yelled back, showing her his finger too. Pushing it up close to her face.

Shock was written on Rose's face. "You proposed to her?"

"I was tired of waiting for you, but…"

"So what do you suggest, Scorpius? That we're both just breaking off our engagements and get together?"

Rain was pouring down Scorpius face and both of their clothes were drenched but neither of them felt it. Scorpius put his hands around Rose's face and said, "Rose, we're destiny. Meant to be. You and I."

"I don't think so!" Rose yelled while a lighting strike lighted up the whole sky.

"Then I have one question for you. Have you ever fought with Michael like we do?"

"No," Rose admitted.

"Didn't think so. Because you don't care that much. When I walked into the office Wednesday morning, I heard you yelling to one of the Wizengamot judges about how important this law is and how important it is that this law will make it. You yell because you care! Hell, I yell because I care! The only person who makes me scream in frustration, is you."

"How dare you say that I don't care? I love Michael!"

"No, you like what he represents! What is favourite colour? His favourite Quidditch team? What does he think of the law we just made?"

"He doesn't know," Rose said quietly.

"What?" Scorpius asked, feeling like he was on the verge of a breakthrough.

"He doesn't know what this law is for. I tried to tell him over dinner, but he had to work some more," her voice sounded small and she wouldn't meet his eyes anymore.

Scorpius looked at the tears that were now dripping down Rose's cheeks. He opened his mouth, "I'm sorry."

"It's okay. Look, can we just forget this happened? I have to go home and break off my engagement, not that it will be a surprise to anyone…" she grumbled while slowly starting to walk away again.

"Rose, do you love me?"

Rose stopped.

She turned around, narrowed her eyes and then just looked at the guy that was standing in front of her. She remembered how Scorpius had helped her little brother Hugo with improving his potions grade. How Scorpius had punched Tommy when he turned out to be cheating on Dominique. How he was a groomsman for Teddy and Victoire's wedding together with all the other Potter/Weasley boys. How he had kissed her the night of Yule ball. How he had confessed his love for her that same night, and how she had lied to him about forgetting all about it. How jealous she felt when the Slyther Clique claimed to have slept with him. How proud he looked at the opening auction for his charity, how grateful he was that she showed him around at work. That when her first law was passed, he was there to congratulate her. The charming way he had brought her coffee on his first workday. The moment when he asked Rose's help when he was failing History of Magic. The moment she overheard him saying to his parents to be nice to her, because she was important to him. The way he made her feel like she was herself and that she didn't have to be selling this idea of the perfect couple like she had felt many times with Michael. The way he made her feel when he said he would choose her in a minute. Over Sam… She couldn't break them up. Sam truly was pure gold. She really did deserve Scorpius.

"What about Sam?" Rose asked.

Scorpius looked down at the ground, "She is not you."

It was silent for a few seconds before he continued. "I really love Sam, I do. But she's too sweet for me. I have known for a while now. Don't get me wrong, I like myself when I'm with her, but I can walk over her as soon as I want to. You will never allow that to happen. You make me push myself harder than I thought I could, she supports me, but doesn't make me push myself. Sam is the most wonderful girl, but she's not for me. You are for me."

"I-" Rose tried but couldn't find the words to reply. Scorpius looked into her eyes again and asked, "Do you love me, Rose?"

She nodded and said, "I do."

When he leaned down to press a kiss on her forehead, she pulled him close into a hug. They stood there for a while until Rose began to shiver.

"Rose, I can't kiss you properly until I have broken things off with Sam, it's the least she deserves."

Rose nodded. "I'll talk with Michael when I get home. Feel free to stop by whenever you are ready."

"Will do, love."

Scorpius smiled so broad that Rose had begun smiling as well.

"It's going to be explosive, isn't it? Our relationship?"

"I'm counting on it," Scorpius smirked.

Scorpius and Rose parted their ways but both knew that they just chose the path to their destiny.