Chapter 30 – Love Story

- 27th of March 2022, Sunday -

Studying on the stone window seat, Scorpius looks up from his DADA assignment when he notices Rose's silence. She had been mumbling cutely to herself to puzzle through the answers to her Transfiguration homework. Now she is leaning against the nearby pillar to her left, sleeping on the glass. Scorpius chuckled to himself, only Rose could find a stone wall comfortable to sleep on. He closed her books and put them in her bag. Timidly he shifted her weight and lay her head on his right leg. She smiled and mumble in her sleep cosying up to his leg, Man she's a heavy sleeper, Scorpius thought. Her freckles are surprisingly prominent when she sleeps, her peaceful face brings the nagging urge to kiss her forehead, he ignored it and let her sleep. Scorpius opened his book and continued his assignment readings even though he couldn't shake the giddy smile from his face. They were originally studying in the Great Hall but then the scowls from girls and guys alike had driven them to find a sanctuary devoid of people.

Closer to mid afternoon there's a sudden below from the entrance to the courtyard. "Malfoy! Where are you, you snake!"

Ah, he found out later than expected, Scorpius closed the book and waited. An exhausted and out of breath James Potter rounded the corner. "You!-"

"SHHH!" He hushed James who would have continued a loud rant.

He seemed to understand the reason once he saw Rose asleep. He whispered, "you," James pointed accusingly, "why didn't you tell me about confessing to my cousin?"

Scorpius tilted his head, "Because I didn't think you'd be opposed to it," he answered honestly.

"That's not the point she's like my sister you could have told me at least," James whined.

"Well, it just happened it's not like I could have run around looking for you first." Scorpius shook his head.

"Fine fine," He put his hands up in defence, "have you told the folks yet?"

That, is the kicker, dreading it more than his final exams, Scorpius didn't want to think about it. He could somewhat predict how Rose's parents will react but his were slightly more unpredictable. "No, we haven't and yes we know Easter Break is next week," He sighed.

"Don't worry too much there buddy, you'll have the support from us." James gave a thumps up with a goofy grin.

"Yeah, that will be helpful if I get disowned." Scorpius nervously chuckled.

"The great Draco Malfoy disown his only heir? I doubt it," James says in the most sarcastic voice possible.

They both laugh quietly and miss the knowing smile Rose gives while feigning sleep.

- 10th April of 2022, Sunday –

Easter Break is starting just like that, Rose and the rest of their friends and family pile into the Hogwarts express. How could it possibly be here already, she had avoided thinking about how to break the news of her new boyfriend to her parents. The greatest plan? No. Was it productive? No. Was it easier? Absolutely. Not to mention Scorpius' parents don't seem like the people who would be ok with it. At least her dad would just argue about it for a while and eventually accept it, she wasn't so sure about Draco Malfoy. In all truth though, she'd only seen the man from a distance and never had a conversation with him. Maybe he's nice? Would she get that lucky? Probably not.

"Rose, are you ok?"

She snapped back to reality and looked at her concerned blonde boyfriend. Grabbing his hand and intertwining their fingers she replies, "Yes, was just thinking."

He nods knowing exactly what she was worried about and let the conversation drop. Mya and Al were having fun playing exploding snap across from us. A smile started to form on Rose's lips until she realised the room felt more empty than usual. That's right, Fie is usually here. Her repressed worry and anger started to climb its way from the pit of her stomach, up to her chest where her heart sped up and her head start to throb. A squeeze of her hand and a worried stare from Scorpius helped her bury the feelings again for now.

"I've been thinking," Scorpius starts which gains the attention of everyone, "if I spend the day before my birthday at the Potters you could tell your parents then, And I could tell my parents after when I get home."

Rose ran the scenario through in her mind and concluded it was a good plan lots of people in the one place and if she needed a quick escape there's always Uncle Harry's spare rooms for guests. "Sure, but shouldn't I go with you to tell your parents?" Rose answered. She honestly was hesitant about the idea, but she wanted to show she had the courage to at least show up at the announcement. If it goes badly, she could just avoid seeing them ever again.

Scorpius stared at her for a few seconds, "Are you sure? You don't have to. It won't be the warmest reception."

She nodded and put on a brave smile, "Of course."

He seemed relived at the idea of not being alone when the announcement is made.

Scorpius and Rose's conversation made a thought spark in Al's head. Every time he meets up with Mya on holidays its always at his house and never the vice versa. He looks over the top of his Exploding Snap cards at his beautiful girlfriend, her eyebrows brought closer together from her concentration, siting with her feet up on the seat, wearing cute paint splattered shorts and socks. Is she hiding her home life from him? Is there something she is ashamed of? Surely, she knows he wouldn't care?

"Babe, it's your turn, you're spacing out is everything ok?" Mya asks with a frown and tilt of the head making her colourful hair shift showing different colours, it had grown longer.

"I'm good, just figuring out my strategy to beat you," Al redirects back to the game with a big smile. Mya not fully convinced pulls a face of concern before continuing to win the game.

Down the train in one of the cars closer to the front of the train, Fie sits silently as Jack and his buddies discuss when they want to meet up over the break to talk Quidditch. She looks out the window and holds in a gasp, there was an origami paper bird brought to life flying playfully to try and get her attention. It was nice to have anything that needed her attention outside this compartment. The paper of the bird started out as white but then it changed to blue, the same royal blue you find in the Ravenclaw colours. After an hour of staring out the window Jack got suspicious.

"What's so interesting out there?" Jack leans over so he says it in her ear that causes Fie to yelp.

"Nothing darling, just hills, nothing interesting," Fie drags her sweetest voice and smile out. Jack and his friends had been laughing at her yelp the entire time she had been talking.

He then became very serious, "then pay better attention here," it was an order not a request.

"Of course," Fie replies with her mask made of rock candy.

"Miserable airhead," Jack mutters to his friends and Fie remains silent, the bird had left.

Lily tapping the windowsill as Roxanne, Lysander and Locan all sat in silence all stuck in their own worlds. Locan quietly whistles and a blue paper bird flies into the compartment and lands on his hands and disintegrates. This caught everyone's attention, Lily asks in a high pitch, "did you use magic outside of school?"

Lysander, who is the least bit surprised, smirks at the response Lily gave, "no don't worry he didn't."

"Then how?" Roxanne asks looking livelier then she has in months, she's been down since the breakup.

"I animated it at School and snuck it past the professors." Locan shyly grinned from the attention. Lily knows how much of a rule follower Locan is, he must have had a damn good reason for risking being found out. But just as Lily goes to ask about it, James burst through the door and grabs Lysander who initial is too confused to follow and ends up getting dragged out by James. As fast as he had arrived, he had left, the silence resumed.