Scorpius! Scorpius! Scorpius!

I couldn't stop smiling. I knew I was only moments away from seeing him again. I wanted to burst into a giant ball of excitement. It was the first time I would see him face to face with my newly discovered emotions.

I took a deep breath when a short boy in a Hufflepuff scarf gave me an odd stare. I had to control myself, but then again what was there to control? I knew I wasn't going to snog his face off once I saw him (that didn't stop Lily predicting it) or scream at the top of my lungs at him. I had spent the night before and the car ride to King's Cross planning our meeting out in my mind. I couldn't think of any conversation topic that didn't revolve around my new found crush on Scorpius. I finally decided, when I stepped on the train, to just say hello and let him take it from there.

And if letting him take the lead meant him confessing he likes me back then I might faint on the spot.

The Hogwarts Express whistle blew and the train lurched forwards. The groups of parents and their children shouting goodbye to each other got louder. The train corridor was packed as I moved in and out of people trying to find one person in particular. I had already hugged my parents goodbye on the platform and waved at them out the window I couldn't wait any longer to find Scorpius. Anyway, Hugo was doing enough waving for the both of us. He didn't seem as excited as me to be going back to Hogwarts.

"Rose!"

Not now! I knew straight away from the shrieky shout, the sound of running followed by a tight hug it was Abby. I was happy to see Abby, she's one of my best friends, but on this occasion, I wanted to see Scorpius and be with him. I had planned to find Abby and Jane later.

I turned around to see her bright toothy smile. I grinned back and returned her hug.

"There you are! I've been looking all over for you. Why are you wandering the train all daydreamy like?" Abby cocked her eyebrow and put her hand on her hip.

"I-"

"Good afternoon, Abigail."

Abby deflated with annoyance and whipped around to the sleek voice behind her. I followed standing at her side with my own look of irritation. It was Eric and his Ravenclaw companions with Jane and another girl tagging along.

"It's not the afternoon it just turned eleven o'clock in the morning," Abby said adding in a rude hand gesture that I will not describe.

Eric shared a glance among the group of boys who all looked embarrassed for him.

"Abigail-"

Before Abby and I could retort Jane stepped in jumping in between Abby's pointed finger and Eric's crossed arms.

"Eric, Abby and I have asked you not to call her that," Jane said firmly. "Her name's Abby. Don't be thick."

Eric looked completely taken back by this. His face twisted and his took a step back at his girlfriend's retort. I hid a laugh into my scarf, 'you go, Jane'.

There was an awkward silence. I don't think Abby felt it because she was busy tapping her wand against her leg. Little red sparks fell out of the tip. I resisted the urge to tap my foot impatiently. Couldn't this just end so I could find Scorpius?

"Hi, Abby." A curly haired boy clutching a heavy yellowing book to his chest stepped forward, Kenny.

Kenny clearly didn't feel the awkwardness or he wanted to break it. He was like a nervous mouse next to Abby, a greatly excited owl.

Abby kept the tapping rhythm going and said unexpectedly, "Come with me and Rose. There's no place for you here amongst these… give me a word, Rose!"

"People?" I shrugged watching Kenny's eyes dart back and forth from Abby to Eric. This was a big decision for Kenny.

"No," Abby sighed. "Dementors."

"Abby!" Jane scowled. "That's unfair."

Eric proudly put his arm in front of Jane's chest and said with a fake sad tone,

"Leave them. Ravenclaw wasn't meant for some people."

"What in merlin's name?!" I shook my head.

But no one took any notice instead Abby grabbed Kenny's hand and walked away dragging him with her.

"I'll see you later, I guess," I said to Jane who was looking sourly up at Eric.

I hurried after Abby, who yelled behind her,

"I've captured Kenny! I now know all your secrets!"

I caught up with Abby and Kenny just in time to hear Eric laugh. Abby, being the boss witch she is, put a stop to that.

"WE ALL KNOW ABOUT YOUR SMALL BROOMSTICK, ERIC LONGFORD! ERIC LONGFORD'S SMALL BROOMSTICK IS NO SECRET!"

I almost choked on my tongue. I wasn't sure whether to laugh or run. Everyone in the train corridor, which had to be about half the school, burst out laughing.

Well, we'll be hearing about that for the next month.

"Why?!" I half-yelled to her over the laughter and shouts.

"Because karma wasn't happening fast enough!" Abby answered.

"That's not how karma works!" Kenny added in trying to shake his hand free of Abby's grasp.

"Kenny, you're the new and improved Jane," Abby said.

"What?!" he replied completely bewildered.

"Which means," Abby continued. "You're on team Rose and Abby. You're not a squealing pig."

"Abby," I started. "What's with all this?"

"Something happened over the holidays, Rose," Abby said.

"What?"

Abby didn't reply so I turned my attention to Kenny.

"What?"

Kenny finally pulled his hand free from Abby. He hugged his thick hardback closer to him like I was going to swipe it from him if he didn't hold on to it tight enough.

Abby opened a free compartment door and stepped inside.

"Centaur dung, Rose. A big piling heap of it and I can still smell it."

Kenny sank into the corner watching us from a safe distance.

I chewed on my lip, "Say it, Abby, you're making me worry. Jane didn't do anything, did she?"

Abby sighed and I felt a pang of sympathy for her. I could tell something was bothering her, it had to be something big since nothing ever bothers Abby. She always has her sense of humour and smile but the last couple of minutes on the train it was definitely a big hollowing absence and it was starting to make everything feel off.

Abby laughed bitterly, "She's stupid. She doesn't realise she's done anything wrong, has she? She's miss perfect."

I swallowed and sat down next to Kenny. Abby copied and sat before us.

Kenny dropped his book into his lap, "Not this again, Abby."

"What?" I said desperately for what felt like the tenth time.

"I'll spare you the details-"

"Please don't."

"I want to… Actually, I don't want to tell you."

"For merlin's sake!"

"Alright! Go on, Kenny. You're the John Green of storytelling in the wizarding world."

"I'm the what?" Kenny asked confused.

"Muggle reference." I inputted.

"Okay, correct me if I'm wrong. Abby met Jane in a bookstore during winter break."

"Without me?" I said.

"It wasn't planned," Abby said. "I walked in there. I strutted my way through the bookshelves. And there she was with a girl, the one you saw her with now. They had matching earrings and everything-"

"I thought I was the Joe Green in this." Kenny interrupted confused again.

"It's John Green. Continue, Kenny, I think I smell the trolley lady approaching."

"You smell the old lady who pushes the trolley?"

"Don't mind her," I said wanting them to get on with the story. "That's normal. It's a sign she's becoming the old Abby again. The one with sweet sniffing abilities."

"Right," Kenny said still not understanding the strangeness that is Abby. "Anyway, as you said the pair screamed best friends. You went over to the girls and started talking to them. You were friendly-"

"Then," Abby interrupted. "This snotty-fourth year-Barbie doll-blonde hair-toilet air freshener smelling-"

"A girl who is in the year above us in Ravenclaw who is a girlfriend of another Ravenclaw boy." Kenny clarified for me. I was liking him as part of our group already. I nodded.

"She asked me about my blood," Abby said.

"What the hell!?" I snapped already sensing where this was going.

"Indeed what the hell!" Abby agreed. "I said, innocently, 'I'm muggle-born'. She turned her snotty nose up at me."

"What did Jane do?" I groaned. "Please tell me Jane did something."

"Kenny was the only person who did something."

Kenny's face heated up.

"Wait a second, Kenny was there with you?" I asked.

Abby giggled, "Well, he did invite me."

"You invited yourself," Kenny said under his breath and Abby ignored him.

Abby continued and smiled, "He sneezed, that's what he did."

"On Jane and the fourth year?" I asked wrinkling my nose at the idea.

"He scared them off faster than any of my Dungbombs and Rocket Rashes could," Abby said. "Kenny is a special guy."

"And that was a good thing?" I said.

Abby gave me a 'how could it not be?' look.

"Clearly, I wouldn't want to waste a drop on them." Abby flicked her wrist in an elegant manner.

"That's the spirit," Kenny said slowly zoning out of our conversation and opening the contents page of his book.

"Abby, are you and Kenny together?" I asked grinning.

"We're not together in any sense," Abby replied not missing a beat. She cast a glance over at Kenny who didn't seem to hear the question. "It's just one of those things you know. Like on those reality shows where you're forced to survive in the wilderness or an island with another person. You can't abandon them or get away from them."

Most of that didn't make sense to me but I could relate to the last part, not including the surviving in the wilderness.

"Yeah, I understand," I said smiling a bit to myself.

"On the subject of boys-" Abby started.

"We're not on that subject," I said quickly. "I'm still wondering about Jane. What's happening with you and her?"

Abby huffed and threw herself back into the plush red cushioning of the compartment seat.

"Well, she thinks nothing is going on. We're probably just her second friends now, me, you and Kenny. Omg we are more than Kebby, we are now Roskebby." she made a wide gesture with her hands and I made a grimace at the sound of our names stuffed together. "And there's Janic."

"I don't mean to sound thick but I still don't know what's going on with Jane. Do you still like Jane?"

Abby blew out her cheeks at the question.

"I don't know. I don't want to be her second. I don't want Longford… I mean 'Abigail' what is he? Five? But, Rose, I have a theory and Kenny nodded when I said it to him. Do you see the amount of books he reads? He's intelligent. I think that Eric is going to drop Jane by the end of the year-"

"That's a horrible theory, Abby, I hope she drops him. That's more likely."

"Bloody hell, that was what I was about to say," Abby said and then added quietly. "But whichever way is quicker, right, Kenny?"

There was no response whatsoever from Kenny except the turn of his page.

Abby shifted her position and laid down across the compartment seat using her bag as a pillow for her head.

"He should be grateful. I single-handedly rescued him from that dung heap." Abby muttered into her pillow/bag.

I observed Kenny.

"Abby, I seriously think he couldn't care less."

"Good for him then. But he owes me three galleons."

Abby continued to chatter on about a bet involving something about her new broom when I saw a bright and shining light or AKA SCORPIUS. From my view next to Kenny I could see him coming in my direction to the compartment.

I sprang up to my feet frightening the life out of Kenny who clutched his chest and his book.

Abby jumped up too.

"Rose, what is it?! Is it the return of the big V or have you grown a scar-!?"

"No, no," I said cutting across a panting Abby. "Go back to whatever you're doing, please."

From Abby's angle, she couldn't see what I was seeing which was Scorpius. He had seen me and was watching me from the corridor with a grin on his face.

I glanced behind me. Kenny was back into his book completely unaware of the reason for my jumping up.

Abby didn't sit back down, instead, my words only made her more alert.

"I need to go to the bathroom. I'll be back in a minute." I frantically gestured at the compartment door.

Abby cooled down at this and threw herself back in her seat.

"Oh, it's your witch monthly."

Kenny coughed.

"What? Nevermind. I'll be back… later." I said slipping out the compartment door.

It was not as much as of a love-filled reuniting as I had thought. Instead, it was me pushing him in the chest trying to get him to walk backwards as fast as he could in case Kebby saw us.

"I thought you were happy to see me." He teased.

I looked up at him properly for the first time away from my hand spread out over his heart. He didn't look any different, except his hair had gotten back to its usual length (magic?).

That's when I learnt the true meaning of tongue-tied. My tongue felt like it was made of lead, heavy and useless. I looked up at him with gawking eyes. I didn't stick to my plan and say 'hi' and let him take it from there. It was too late for that. I might have gotten too distracted. It wasn't like in the books, I couldn't feel his heart, I had no hope under his thick winter cloak and robes.

"Hi," I murmured too high and girly to be my own voice. I crumpled inside when I heard it come out of my mouth. Yeah, he's totally going to confess to liking me back.

I could feel my cheeks flood with colour. I took my hand off his chest but didn't take my eyes off him. I was too overwhelmed to move.

Merlin… why am I in Ravenclaw, again?

"I think we're past that," Scorpius said with a raised eyebrow.

Say something! Anything- that isn't what you're really thinking.

"I-I missed you." I blurted out my voice still on the high side. I could already see being normal, if I was ever normal around Scorpius, was going to take some work.

Scorpius didn't laugh, instead, he looked down at his shoes and back up at me with a smile, not a joking smile, a sincere smile that made my heart skip a couple of beats.

"That's nice, Rosie."

I relaxed a bit, "This is the part where you say I missed you too or I missed you more. I would prefer to hear the second one."

Scorpius' smile turned into a grin.

"I've missed you more than you can imagine." He said giving me a playful shove.

I returned it and said before I could stop myself, "You're really cute, you know that."

Scorpius laughed, "'Cute' I'm not a baby animal."

"Can see that," I said trying to hide my slip up. We were standing in the middle of the train corridor up against the window. I pretended to be looking out of it at the passing countryside but all I could see was my reflection staring back at me, my fiery cheeks matching my red hair.

If I had a slip up that big already how many was I going to have by the end of the day? A thousand? A million?

"I have a reason to meet you." he said shoving his hands in his cloak pockets casually, but his cheekbones reddened. The blemish was so small that it could've been a trick of the light.

I stood to attention and turned my face away from the train window. A group of laughing Hufflepuffs hurried passed us. I could hear the croaky bright voice of the trolley lady a few compartments away, 'Anything from the trolley?'. So Abby's sniffing abilities were still on point.

I felt my face drop. So he wasn't here just for me as I had hoped and had thought.

"What is it?" I asked.

"I don't think I have the words to describe it," Scorpius said with a nervous laugh. "I'll show you."

"You'll show me…" I repeated blankly as he pulled his left hand out of his cloak pocket.

From the thick fabric, his hand came with a pink bottle. That was when my eyesight got unnatural. I could see every one of the small pink bubbles floating around the vial in a calming sort of way. The label around it was the start of lettering 'K' I could see before Scorpius' hand covered the rest of it.

But I knew exactly what it was, 'Kissing Concoction- Let the Romance Bubble'. Never in my wildest dreams had I pictured Scorpius before me holding that, well maybe in my wildest dreams I pictured myself holding it and him being more that obliging to take a swing of the potion.

Colour flooded my face in a wave. If I got anymore redder I would be a Gryffindor.

Lily's Christmas present the one I had thought I had lost had shown up again in the most unexpected place. Oh, why couldn't it be that Pumpkin ate it like I thought?

"I can explain!" I burst out before Scorpius could speak even though I had nothing to explain. I hadn't even pieced together a shred of lies.

Scorpius' mouth hung open while I mercilessly tried to snatch the potion from his grasp but he was quicker than me. He raised his arm high above me. I crossed my arms and frowned at him. I had been in that situation (not with the Kissing Concoction) far too many times. I had learnt through experience jumping was a waste of my time and energy. The only thing I could achieve through jumping for the vial was embarrassment, Scorpius' 'haha I'm taller than you' smirk and looking completely stupid.

"You didn't even let me explain," Scorpius said in response to my pouting act.

"Oh," I said going even deeper into my pouting act. "Can we just throw it out the window and forget about it?"

"Rosie," Scorpius said softer.

My ears perked up at the combination of tone and word. It was enough to push the cringe to my feet and allow me to focus on another blooming emotion that sustained my blush.

"Rosie," he said again then in a neutral tone added, "I'm not sure if this is the best Christmas present ever or a joke."

Without even thinking I pulled off the flirtatious smile I had been practising in front of the mirror.

"It's anything you want it to be."


A half an hour a later I hadn't returned to Abby and Kenny's compartment instead, much to my delight, I was still with Scorpius. In our own compartment, we sat as close as we could the Wizard's Chess board separating us.

"Pawn-"

"I swear to merlin I'll never speak to you again, Rose, if you say what I think you're about to say."

I considered this for a long second. Was definitely winning the game worth it?

"I spent ages building my defence," Scorpius complained gesturing to his crooked row of chess pieces.

"Don't tell me about it then!" I said just as exasperated. "You're setting your chess army up to fail if you give away your tactics."

Pumpkin had sniffed us out and sat next to Scorpius more than happy to be stroked by him while his jack-o-lantern eyes overlooked the game. He let out a yawn.

Scorpius smirked, "You're just overcompetitive because I beat you at Exploding Snap."

"That was ages ago," I said before saying, "Now that was overcompetitive. Knight to B9."

"Yes!" Scorpius clapped his hands in victory. "Bishop to B9."

The black bishop stepped forwards and with one swift stab of his stick through the horse's chest and through my knight's armour my chess piece fell to pieces on the board but I didn't bat an eyelash.

"Queen to B9."

In a similar fashion to the bishop the queen took off her tall spiky crown and spun it with surprising force at the bishop's knees separating them from his body before he could do anything to fight it.

"You witch."

"Thank you," I said then I switched the subject to something other than the chess pieces. "Are the Slytherin team still practising on Saturday?"

"I guess, why does it matter? I'll be in the Library with you then." he said casually.

I couldn't help but beam at him.

"This is getting boring and I think Pumpkin agrees," Scorpius said putting the Wizard's Chess board out of my reach onto the floor. "I was going to win anyway."

"In your dreams," I said pushing into the empty space. I acted slyly like I was just shoulder to shoulder with him to stroke Pumpkin.

"You know what my father said to me before I got on the train?" he started, I could feel his breath against my ear.

"What?"

Scorpius snorted, "Hannah Bulstrode is quite nice and respectable. He said that all because of you."

"And do you agree?"

Scorpius paused for a second, "You're much better looking than Bulstrode."

I tried to very quickly think back to all Lily had told me and instructed me to do. I wanted to touch him, I needed to touch him. My heart felt like it was about to escape out of my chest. I was lost for words. I looked down at Pumpkin next to Scorpius' leg. He provided no answers, this must've been entertaining for him.

I picked up my courage and I grabbed his hand resting on his leg. He didn't flinch away when I took hold of it. I gave it a quick squeeze and tried to leave it go only to find he was holding my hand. A wild electric current shot up through my arm all the way to my neck to the tips of my ears.

What do I do?

What do I say?

When I imagined the possibility of Scorpius making a move I didn't imagine it like that. I didn't imagine it feeling like that, completely and utterly paralysing.

Scorpius, after what felt like a year or two, let go of my hand. The way he let go of my hand made the electric currents spike in my fingertips as he delicately lifted each of my numb fingers and released his hand.

"You're quiet," he observed nudging his leg against mine for old times sake. "And serious. I'm not sure if I like that combination."

I snapped out of my daze and looked up at him. I tried to relax my concentrated expression. I nudged him with my leg and stood up. I immediately regretted my decision. when I stood up I felt cold and lonely without his presence beside me.

He immediately reached out and tried to pull me back to him, holding my hand again. I burst into a fit of giggles at his touch.

Scorpius said, "You're not leaving me. I've waited a long time to see you."

"I have to change into my uniform and I've no intention of doing it in front of you," I said. "Besides you have Pumpkin for company."

"He's not nearly as fun to mess with as you are," Scorpius said leaving go of one of my hands and reaching into his cloak pocket. "And I don't think you can give this to cats."

He produced a vial of Kissing Concoction. Maybe mistakenly giving that to Scorpius wasn't such a bad idea. Then a sudden nervousness came over me along with about a hundred worries and doubts that had never occurred to me before.

"Are you joking?" I said sounding as serious as I felt inside.

Scorpius didn't answer instead he used my moment of lack of focus to pull me down next to him almost squashing poor Pumpkin. I was closer to him than I was sitting next to him before, practically on top of him. I couldn't control my breathing. In my ears, it sounded jagged.

He threw the Kissing Concoction up in the air and caught it with one hand.

The tension was killing me. I wanted more than anything to tell him everything. I wanted him to tell me exactly what was on his mind. But the possibility of him wanting me as just a friend broke my heart.

Scorpius stared down at the bottle like he was thinking deeply and carefully.

"Do you like me, Rose?"

My mouth went completely dry.

"Yes,"

"But do you like-like anyone?" Scorpius asked his eyes not leaving the bottle. "What about that guy in the compartment with you and Sliver?"

"Merlin no!" I said quickly and then without thinking I added. "But I like someone else. Who do you like?"

Scorpius suddenly became alert, "What makes you think I like someone?"

I shrugged, "Do you?"

"Yes."

"In Slytherin?" I wanted to bite my nails in anticipation.

Scorpius' eyes flickered towards my scarf, "She's not in Slytherin. What house is he in?"

I swallowed and tried to fight back the nerves, "I can't say."

"Do I know him?"

"Very well," I said quietly. "Tell me who the girl is. I can probably help you."

Scorpius frowned, "I don't want people to know."

I frowned. I was at the point of desperation.

"You should give the Kissing Concoction to that girl."

"How do you know if a girl likes you?" he asked.

"There are signs," I said. "How long have you liked her?"

"A really long time," he said. "I tried to ignore it but it wouldn't go away."

"I've liked him since Christmas," I said. "I think it was there all along."

There was a long silence, I broke it.

"Scorpius, who do you think should make the first move the boy or the girl?" I asked trying to sound upbeat, not like the nervous wreck I was.

"I should, shouldn't I?"

"Yeah, you should."

"But what if she doesn't like me back?"

"I don't think she could say no to you."

Scorpius leaned closer to me and I held my breath.

"Who is he?"

I took the deepest breath I could. This could be my one and only chance.

"He's in Slytherin," I said my heart pounding in my chest. "I don't like any other boy in the whole entire world the way I like him. He's brilliant.

I was close enough to Scorpius to feel him take a deep breath at my words.

"She's in Ravenclaw." he mused. "Has red hair that I think is pretty but she doesn't. She hates every Slytherin but me. I like the way her brown eyes go really wide when she smiles."

I grabbed his hand and held it tight I thought I was going to faint if I didn't.

"He doesn't need to use any Kissing Concoction on me."

Scorpius came as close to me as he could. I could feel his hand shaking in mine. It was like a dream. He didn't kiss me on the lips but he came close. He pecked next to my lips shyly. I sat there frozen and far too stiff for it to be considered unawkward and romantic by anyone besides us, but in my book it was.

It was exactly what I wanted.

I gave his hand a reassuring squeeze as soon as I recovered and told him, "I like you a lot." Then I let out a nervous giggle. "I can't believe you like me."

Scorpius, unnaturally red, said, "I've been planning this for so long. I can't believe it worked."

Pumpkin sat forgotten about in about between our legs. He sneezed at our new found affection.

My feelings for him were skyrocketing. I let go of his hand, wrapped my arms around his neck and gave him an overdue proper hug. I wanted to hold onto him forever. I was afraid that if I let go we would return to our usual friendship.

I hugged him until it was announced the train would be arriving in ten minutes. I hesitantly let him go when Pumpkin batted me with his paw, the only living creature with their sense still intact in the compartment.

I reluctantly parted ways with Scorpius to finally get ready and find my bag. I hurried, practically skipping, to Abby and Kenny's compartment that I had abandoned hours ago. Merlin, hours ago I only had a crush and now I had Scorpius. The thought made me want to shriek with glee.

I arrived at the compartment to find Abby and Kenny gossiping over the latest issue of The Quibbler.

"Cutting it close, Rose," Abby said pointing at her own uniform. "Where were you? And why are your cheeks so red? Is it guilt from abandoning me with Kenny?"

I grabbed my bag from the overhead, unable to fight the smile stretching across my face.

Abby jumped up from her seat and followed me out.

"Rose… ANSWER ME!?"

A couple of first years jumped out of their skins at the sound and volume of Abby's voice.

I turned to her but all I could do was laugh. I was in the clouds and it felt like nothing could bring me down.

"Cheering charm?" Abby wondered. "Or, oh no, did you find a hot sexy boyfriend machine in the bathroom?"

"Maybe," I replied hurrying to the girl's bathrooms. Abby followed me in.

Abby glanced around the white tiled room as if she was seriously expecting a 'hot sexy boyfriend machine' to be sticking out of one of the walls.

The bathroom wasn't as crowded as I expected it to be. I took one of the free cubicles and locked the door.

"Okay, so no machine… but a boyfriend." Abby's voice came through the door.

Boyfriend! Was he?

I could hear Abby tap her foot.

"Who is he? If you don't tell me now I'll hunt him down. I have connections with the ghosts."

'Oh, Merlin.' I thought as I pulled the first part of my uniform on. That was a big enough anchor to pull me back down to earth. Well, for a few seconds.

"What boyfriend?" I replied but I still sounded giggly. "Ohhhh what I was suggesting was a fictional boyfriend. You know books can take you to wonderful places."

"Ew, what kind of book are you reading?" Abby asked not sounding a hundred percent convinced.

I buttoned up the final part of my uniform and unlocked the door. The quickest change ever.

It felt like the best day of my life! I couldn't wait to tell Lily.


Author's Note: Sorry for the long wait! I feel really guilty but I hope this reveal made it worth it. Thanks for all the support, it's amazing.

And because you are totally amazing I have one question for you: Scorpius' perspective or not? I feel like there's a lot to his character that isn't being shown. Of course, Rose's perspective will remain the main one and the most important. I was thinking maybe Scorpius' perspective as a bonus entry every couple of chapters or so. I want to hear your input on this. After all, you're going to be reading it.