Author's note: This chapter is told from Scorpius' Perspective.


"Scorpius, can you stop staring?" Rose snapped adding a loud sniff for empathising. "I'm a bloody mess. Which is not helping anything."

As if summoned a black fluffy cat with electric orange eyes crawled out from a bench several feet up the corridor.

Rose brightened up at the sight of him.

"Why can't everyone be as sensible as Pumpkin? He loves you, Scorpius. I can't see a reason anyone shouldn't." Rose added, with a hiccup. "A fair reason."

"I can see a million reasons," I muttered but over her hiccups. Rose scowled, she could still hear me. "We'll figure something out," I said at normal volume. I slumped backwards on the bench away from her frown. There had to be a way. There was always a way. The living and breathing Harry Potter who has escaped death more times than I can count is proof of that.

Rosie pulled herself onto my lap burying her head into my shoulder.

"Let me think," she said squeezing my ribs. "Let me get my Ravenclaw logic in order. You always help me think." She shut her eyes. "But that letter could be already on its way…"

She murmured to herself plans that all sounded impossible. She was too good to accept my idea of the selective memory potion.

But maybe, just maybe... If I pulled my pureblood skills together and stood up to Hagrid alone. If I showed who I really am to Hagrid I could stop him exposing us. I'm better than a Malfoy, I can fight on my own for what I believe as much as any Potter, Weasley or Longbottom. It was the best idea I could think of. I lifted Rose off of me and stood up, living on the adrenaline of a fresh idea.

I couldn't tell her she would stop me or worse, come with me. He had to see I wasn't just tagging along with Rose.

"I have to go," I said quickly. "Rosie, stay here it's important."

"Where?"

"I-"

"You're going to confront him," she said crossing her arms.

I bit the inside of my gum hiding my surprise. Rose knew me better than I thought. I patted my wand in my cloak pocket making sure it was still there.

"Scorpius, no," she whined standing up so quickly she almost fell over. "I'm coming with you. This is our battle, not just yours. I don't need you doing all the heavy lifting- metaphorically."

"Don't start with me, I'm not going to agree," I said shortly. "A Malfoy wouldn't take on a half-giant alone."

"Hagrid not just some half-giant." Rose put her hands on her hips.

"Well, it's pureblood way now. Since your way didn't work." I raised an eyebrow at her.

"Since when has blood mattered between us?" She said looking up at the ceiling like she begging it for an answer.

"Promise me you'll stay here," I said because if Rose was anything she stuck to her word. "Please?" I added.

She sighed loud enough for everyone in the castle to hear.

"Fine," she spat throwing herself back down on the bench. "Make it quick."

Rose watched me mess up my hair into a style father wouldn't be caught dead in. She tapped her foot clearly irritated. The sidelines weren't the place for her. I would've found the display cute if I wasn't about to confront an angry half-giant. Give me Potter any day.

Rose stood up again. She pulled my hands away from my hair, "Bye?"

"No, byes. I'll be back."

"If you not back here in a half an hour I'm calling the Aurors to report you dead."

"That's not going to happen," I said heading for the door.


It only took one hard, determined knock on Hagrid's door for his blasted hound to start barking and Hagrid to appear. He looked like he always did like he had just tumbled out of a fight to the death in the Forbidden Forest.

"I told yeh-" Hagrid started, his voice riled up. When he saw it was just me and he stopped. "What yeh doin' here, Malfoy?"

"To tell you I love Rose," I said standing up as straight as possible. The words felt so weird admitting to anyone but Rose herself. The chilly cold wind whipped across the grounds in through my cloak. It was like exposing a vulnerable part of me that Hagrid could really hurt or use against me. Add this to list of things I didn't think I would do today.

Hagrid was thinking. I could see the gears turning in his brain. I stacked more sentences onto that.

"I would never hurt her. I think she's pretty, smart and just great inside and out. She's not like anyone I've ever met before she makes me… happy."

"How do I know yer not lyin'?" He said gripping the door frame.

"Give me truth serum, read my mind, I don't care it'll all say the same thing."

He stared at me for what felt like ten years. He finally, reluctantly said, "Come in, but for only a minute and no more,"

Hagrid turned back inside expecting me to follow him. His wolf-like hound tried to jump on top of me. I pushed him away, this minute had to work out.

"What would Draco Malfoy be thinkin' if he saw yeh now?" He asked bitterly.

I let out a humourless laugh, "I think we both know what daddy dearest would think. I don't care anyway. I'm here to talk about me and Rose. My father and I are a lost cause. There's no point in dwelling on it."

"Show me yer left arm."

"What?"

"Show me yer left arm." He repeated holding out his gigantic hand.

I blinked finally catching on. The dark mark. I pulled up the sleeve of my left arm. Showing him proudly the clear pale flesh. All that was there was veins running like roots from my wrist.

"I would never hurt, Rose," I repeated. "If I was a death eater she would leave me. The war is over. Don't send that letter it will crush her but it won't keep her away from me."

Hagrid sat down in an armchair by the fire. It sank under his weight. There were tears glistening in his eyes. I stepped back. Now, this was truly unexpected.

"Please," I pressed on. "All I'm asking is to prove myself and the second you think I'm hurting, Rose, you can send that letter."

"I see the way yeh look at her," he said quietly. "I won't send that letter now. But I'll send it soon. Your fancy words and feelings may slow me down but they're not goin' to stop me. I've known, Rose, since she was a baby. I love her. I don't want to see her bein' single out with yeh or see her grave in this lifetime."

I swallowed hard.

"We'll talk again," he said sounding off and distant. He wasn't looking at me. "I'm not in a state to now."

"Thanks," I said moving out of the hut before my luck ran out. When the cold air hit my face I let out a breath I didn't realise I was holding in.

"Scorpius?"

I turned to see Abby and Kenny standing at the edge of Hagrid's pumpkin patch.

I waved, moving towards them. Great. More explanations.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Abby exclaimed. "Are you lost?"

"Don't be nosy, Abby. That's his own business," Kenny inputted.

Abby rolled her eyes at him.

"It's fine," I said even though it wasn't fine. I didn't feel fine I felt like I just had the life sucked out of me. "I was just talking to Hagrid."

"I hope he didn't beat the quaffle out of you. What were you gossiping about?"

I lied, "Rose needed something and now I have to go find her." Rose could fill in the gaps I didn't feel like it.

"Thank God, no Romeo and Juliet crisis."

Kenny sighed, "Tell her we got kicked out of the Three Broomsticks because of Abby."

Abby snorted, "It was because of Potter. He seriously takes up too much space in the world."

"I second that," I said, the corner of my mouth pulling up. "Hope you hexed him."

"No, not this time," Abby stated. "I climbed on his back and gripped onto him until he cried."

I enjoyed the blissful image for a second then I remembered Rose.

"I'll see you later. Rose is waiting for me."


Scorpius!" Rose ran up the corridor to meet me as soon as she saw me. "What happened?" She wrapped her arms around me, squeezing the life out of me. "Are you okay? Are we okay?"

I wasn't going to start lying to Rose. Sure, I didn't tell her everything. Some things didn't belong in our bubble, like the stuff in the basement at Malfoy Manor and my grandmother losing her mind but I wasn't going to put on a mask for Rose. I didn't want to be alone.

"Long story short, he isn't going to send the letter. We just need to keep up good, happy appearances." I said shortly and changed the subject to something I knew she couldn't resist. "Honeydukes?"

She stepped back from me scanning my face to make sure I wasn't hiding anything. I stared right back waiting for her to cheer and sprint towards Hogsmeade.

"Race you!" She shouted, suddenly taking off in a sprint. I was right.


Rose spent the rest of our evening quizzing me about Hagrid's. She wanted the exact details. It's safe to say the night was going better than the day. We sat on one of the window sills lining the fourth floor digging into our pile of Honeyduke's sweets. Rose's curls had sprung halfway back to their full volume. It was a crescent moon outside hiding behind the clouds. Rain pelted against the stain glass window.

"You look very pretty tonight," I said breaking the silence only filled by the chewing of sweets.

"How about now?" Rose crossed her eyes and bared her teeth.

"Ugly as hell."

She pushed me. "Scorpius!"

I pushed Rose right back sending her into a fit of laughter.

"How you feeling about the Boggart next week or is it this week? The coming days."

Rose groaned, "Don't remind me. I'll grin and bare it, for the sake of my grades. When do you have Defence?"

"Tuesday."

"Unfair, I have to go first. I have it on Monday."

"I can't wait for Divination though," I grinned, resting my head on her shoulder. "All that palm reading."

"Trelawney knows something's up with us. I don't think she's seen such thorough palm reading in her time."

"Or accurate," I added.

"You predicted I would get on a broom before the year ended." She said raising her eyebrow. "Still hasn't happened."

I grabbed her hand mid-dive back into the Bertie Bott's carton. I examined the lines running through her hand in the moonlight.

"Let's see here I am." I pointed to a sharp line running from the bottom of her palm. "Your first," I said tracing with my finger right up to where it ended at the top of her palm. "And only-"

"Annoyance." She filled in.

I laughed, "Yes exactly. It's getting late. Do you want me to walk you back?" I asked reluctantly. One way or another I would end up back in the Slytherin dungeons.

Rose sighed, "Curfew is my enemy. If I had a Time Turner I would use it to go back in time and watch you eat that spicy cockroach cluster again."

"I can still taste it," I groaned.

She pecked my cheek, "I'll fall asleep on top of you if we stay here any longer."

I pressed my lips to hers pulling her closer.

"I would like that," I smiled coming apart for air.

"The prefects and teachers wouldn't," she said yawning for effect. "And we have that sleepover…"

I grinned suddenly feeling a rush of energy. How could I have forgotten about that? I had been thinking about me and Rose alone in Malfoy Manor for weeks. Ever since my parents sent the letter telling me their plans. Well almost alone if you don't count Grandmother Narcissa and Dinky the house elf. But Dinky stayed in the kitchen and Grandmother Narcissa spent most of her time sleeping so it might as well have been alone.

"You're agreeing? After the Hagrid madness?"

Rose nudged me with her leg, "Why shouldn't I?"

I laughed and stood up.

"You're a healthy strong young boy, Scorpie." She announced standing up on the window sill. She was taller than me this way. "And my legs are tired-"

"You want to climb on my back again?" I finished for her.

Rose grinned, "You've read my mind."

I turned around, she clambered onto my back. She was heavier than my school bag but I could last a few flights of stairs with her on my back.

"To Ravenclaw tower!" She exclaimed pointing to some shadow down the hall.


Author's Note: Thanks for the follows, favs and reviews! I really appreciate them. :)