Dear Rosie,
You've been quiet lately. Andrew's thanking you for that but I'm not. My mother is still giving me the cold shoulder even though it has been a week since she saw you with me. Father couldn't care less but my grandmother is exactly how you would expect her to be.
They think you're my girlfriend, isn't that funny? Well, they don't think you, as in Rose, is. They think 'you' as the fake cousin of Jane Templeton is. They're almost as bad as Lily. Is Lily still on your case?
Anyway, that's stupid you're never going to be anyway. Mother slipped in the snow coming out of the house which was hilarious but other than that nothing else has happened since yesterday.
I am about to go out for a Christmas Eve dinner with my family and other people I rather not spend Christmas with. Mother's yelling for me to come downstairs but I had to write to you first even though I risk spilling ink all over my dress robes, which isn't a bad thing. The dress robes are horrible and itchy. They would go well with that dress of yours. And the haircut ties the whole mini Malfoy get up together.
I have to go now, write back to me with something good. Merlin knows I'll need it.
Yours,
Scorpius
P.S I got you something for Christmas. It's not much, so don't bother me about it. I saw it in the shop and thought of you. I was going to send it tomorrow but I wasn't sure if you would get it on time. So don't open it until tomorrow!
I looked up from the letter in my hands to the tall box about half the size of Andrew sitting on my desk. It was wrapped in a green tissue paper type material. From its journey across the cold countryside in Andrews claws, it was already torn here and there revealing a bright purple packaging beneath the paper.
I sighed to myself and then up at Andrew. It had been a week since Lily had, in her words, 'cracked open my heart'. The realisation was still filling me up and making me dizzy. My letters to Scorpius weren't as carefree as they used to be. They were more restrained, I kept having to start over because I would use a word or a phrase that sounded like too much of a flirt or made what I was feeling too obvious.
I still enjoyed his letters, I enjoyed them even more since my feelings came to light and reread them over and over again looking for something that said, 'I like you too, Rose Weasley'. But so far nothing solid appeared, that I could see. I read some parts of his letters out to Lily, hesitantly and she saw, even more, proof that he felt the same way.
They think you're my girlfriend, isn't that funny?
'No, Scorpius,' I thought as I dissected the line again. 'It isn't.'
Even though it made me giggle, it wasn't the funny I thought he was referring to, not to me.
I pushed the thoughts aside and focused again on the present in front of me. I had no intention of leaving it be until tomorrow, anymore waiting and I could explode.
I moved over to my desk and picked the box up giving it a rattle. It gave one solid, heavy shake.
I couldn't believe he had gotten me a Christmas present. The box was proof that he thought about me when I wasn't around or exchanging letters with him, I wanted to hug the box.
"You won't tell, Andrew, will you?" I grinned at the owl heading back to my bed and rejoining Pumpkin.
Andrew was busy cleaning his feathers, he didn't show any sign of hearing what I had said so I took that as a yes. Pumpkin, sitting up straight and awake, gave the box a wary bat with his paw once it was in his reach. I hastily pulled it away from him.
"Pumpkin!"
More of the tissue paper was torn away by Pumpkin's paw revealing gold letters designed like vines entangling.
I grinned, bit my lip and ripped free the rest of the wrapping.
And I really wasn't sorry that I hadn't left it until the morning.
'Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans' it read and under it, in a smaller fancier font, it read, 'Presents: Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Perfume.'
I held in a scream. I opened the box and there it was, the coolest thing ever invented. It was a glass bean-shaped bottle that glowed with its own greatness, inside the bean bottle was a sparkling liquid that was pink. A second later it turned navy.
I wasted no time in unscrewing the top and spraying it into the air. It smelt like blueberries, exactly like the blue Bertie Bott's Every Flavour bean.
Pumpkin sniffed the air along with me and licked his lips.
I turned back to the box to see a piece of parchment sticking out the side of the box. I pulled it free, it was a note from Scorpius. What could it say? I blushed at the thought of the words that came into my head, however, unlikely.
This could either be the best idea or the worst idea ever.
Was written in an untidy hurried scrawl.
It means every flavour like the beans. Spray it when the colour is a nice colour like red or pink, earwax will make you gag.
But the note didn't stop me from spraying every flavour which took a while because the combinations were endless. 10 minutes later, Pumpkin had evacuated the room, ran outside into the cold and Hugo's big stomach had summoned him to the source of the smell.
"That's nice," Hugo said barely distinguishable with his tongue stuck out trying to catch the droplets of strawberry as they fell in front of us.
"Strawberry's brilliant compared to cabbage," I agreed finally putting the perfume down. I had to save it if I was going to use it every day from now on. It was better than any perfume I was given or tried before, it wasn't overpowering (most of the scents weren't), and didn't make my eyes water (the nice scents anyway).
I couldn't stop grinning even with Hugo sitting next me. The letter and note were safely tucked away under my pillow, my eyes flickered there, I couldn't wait to reread them.
I had more of a crush on him than ever. I grinned even wider, I wished he was there. I wouldn't mind in that moment grabbing a footstool and kissing him. I was head over heels and by the looks of it, it was going to stay that way for a very, very long time.
"Abby is such a good friend," Hugo remarked picking up the bean perfume bottle and examining it. "I wouldn't mind her sending me one of these."
I couldn't tell him it was Scorpius so Abby had to do. She was known for giving outrageous and exciting gifts and the perfume definitely was exciting.
"She is," I replied. "When are we going to the Burrow?"
"I don't know ask mom."
I glanced up at Andrew watching us under his white bushy eyebrows. I had to write Scorpius back. I wanted to pack all my feelings into an envelope and send it to him. I couldn't express how much I loved the perfume in words.
And I had to get him something.
I had thought about getting him a present for Christmas. A back and forth endless debate of whether it was appropriate or said too much. But now I clearly had to get him one. But what?
There were so many possibilities and yet there was something wrong with all of them. I had to get him something on Christmas Eve that wasn't a handmade a card. I was doomed and needed Lily.
Well, I needed the part of Lily that was sensible and wouldn't suggest love heart chocolates or a t-shirt that said 'Rose Weasley is madly in lo-'
Enough of that.
"Hugo," I said all too politely trying to not blush or look guilty. "What do you think I should get Abby in return?"
Hugo frowned at me, "Didn't you already give her a present?"
"Yes, but I think I might have to give her a second present."
"I don't know, a quill or something."
Now it was my turn to frown before I jumped in deep, "Hugo," I said still all too politely. "What do boys like to get for Christmas?"
Hugo gave me an odd look at this question before bursting out laughing.
"What?" I crossed my arms.
"Not- Nothing." he caught his breath. "Just the way you said it. Bloody hell, Rose, how are you even taken seriously?"
"Okay, Hugo, get out of my room."
"You don't have a boyfriend, do you?"
"No! I was just…curious."
"Curious?"
"Yes, curious."
"Brooms and quidditch tickets." Hugo finally answered the question. "Definitely, quidditch tickets if the presents for me."
I scowled, I didn't have either of those things. Hugo put the perfume in my lap and jumped up.
"Where are you going?"
"My room, it stinks in here."
"Ha, ha."
"Seriously there is no air in here. You might want to air it out before mom comes up." He said walking out the door and leaving it wide open.
I had to admit I may have overdosed the perfume. It all collected into one massive smell that didn't smell anything like blueberry.
I watched the liquid in the perfume bottle change colour for a while thinking out my options. The perfume wasn't what a friend usually gave another friend at least not in my experience. Perfume was romantic. Teddy had once given Victoire a bottle of French perfume for her birthday which everyone made a huge fuss over. Scorpius knew me well, I wouldn't be half as excited if it had been fancy French perfume.
I shut the door and placed the perfume next to his photograph. I was still grinning as I grabbed the letters from under my pillow and started rereading them.
Author's Note: I know this is a shorter chapter than usual but I wanted to give you something tonight. Thanks for all reviews, follows and favs still amazed by them! Longer chapter on its way!
