9 days. That's how long I have been actively avoiding Hagrid. It was easier than I thought. He doesn't come up to the castle very often and every time he does 'see' me he looks in the opposite direction. I make it easier on the both of us in class. I didn't put my hand up to answer his questions or point out 'that fire breathing animal is clearly dangerous.'

It feels necessary but not right. If mum or dad knew I'd be in boiling in a cauldron by now. Scorpius MALFOY over an elderly war hero. If I had to do it over again the outcome would still be the same. What can I say? Scorpius is my one and only. I know it in my heart.

After Herbology, I decided to break the ice. My game plan was: walk down to his hut, walk in there, drink tea, slowly steer the subject towards the dreaded topic. My game plan went on fire before I even entered the hut.

I paused halfway down the hill. There were two figures standing in front of Hagrid's hut. It was shadowy because of the dark clouds but for sure it was Hagrid and Scorpius.

Why?

Just why?

Hagrid patted him on the back. I had never seen him pat anyone on the back before. Scorpius was almost thrown into the pumpkin patch with the sheer force of Hagrid's meaty hand.

It was too cold to wander around outside without a jumper but there Scorpius stood. His tie, jumper and cloak missing. Just the white school shirt. I was close enough for them to notice me but they didn't. My heart sped up a beat at the thin layer. The damp material clung to his chest. I shook my head and dug my fingers into my palms. There was nothing to see. Scorpius was slender and long, a hint of muscle maybe, but no bulges insight. Cop on, Rose.

Curiosity kept me moving towards the unlikely pair.

Hagrid was telling Scorpius, "Yeh see Hippogriff are proud creatures, they ain't dangerous, there's always an element of danger with the magnificent."

I cleared my throat announcing my presence, "Great, you're not talking about me behind me back."

Scorpius jumped, "Where did you come from?"

"So not an ice breaker?" I said meekly. I couldn't help shifting my gaze- yeah, the school shirts are 100% percent see-through-

Scorpius followed my gaze to his chest. I could feel my temperature rising. Scorpius' cheeks flushed red probably a mirror to mine.

Hagrid, thank Merlin, was too busy looking down at Fang. The dog sat at his feet slobbering and watching me and Scorpius. I wondered if he was dying of cringe and other emotions that didn't have dictionary definitions as well. I half-expected Hagrid to ask Fang what to do. This wasn't Hagrid-like behaviour.

A drop of rain landed on Fang's nose. He sneezed, shaking his skin folds. Scorpius laughed despite the awkward silence which made me laugh which made Hagrid look at us.

"I was showin' Scorp here the hippogriffs." Hagrid cleared his throat. "He's never seen one up close. Can yeh believe that?"

My mouth twitched into a smile. I looked at Scorpius' face, properly this time. His eyes were rimmed red, the whites looked rubbed raw, his eyes altogether just looked sad and the corners of his mouth tugged unnaturally down. It made my stomach churn.

"Buckbeak let Scorp pet 'im," Hagrid chuckled. A drop of rain landed on Hagrid's forehead. It slithered down the bridge of his nose. The sky had filled with black angry clouds.

"I can't believe you didn't bring me too. I would've loved to have seen that." My words came out unnaturally. I was afraid of saying the wrong thing and ruining whatever Scorpius and Hagrid got going.

"Well, we best get inside. There's a storm comin'. It looks like a nasty one." Hagrid led the way. The second he turned his back, I grabbed Scorpius' arm turning him to me. Scorpius flinched like I slapped him. My face dropped.

"Are you okay?" I whispered.

"Yes."

"No, you're not, I can tell,"

"Then why did you ask?"

"Because I expected you to tell me more," I said taking his hands in mine. "We don't lie, remember? I never lie to you."

"Please, Rose, it's nothing." He was pleading with me to drop it. When have I ever dropped anything?

"Scorpius," I said firmly. "I love you. I don't care if it's nothing I still want to hear it."

Scorpius' expression softened at my words. My heart dialled down a few beats.

"Maybe- no, I can't," he muttered his expression hardening again. "I love you too, Rosie."

"Then tell me."

"Are yeh two goin' to stand out in the rain? Yeh will get a cold." Hagrid called from the door of his hut.

The drops had turned into a drizzle. The pitter-patter sound started. It would've been soothing in any other situation.

"I'll guess then," I concluded. "You know I'll get there in the end. Even if it takes a hundred-"

"You'll never in a million, billion years guess this." It was almost a snap but it wasn't. It was so cold I couldn't look at him. "You don't…" He sighed. "I'm sorry I didn't mean to be a... I'm sorry, Rose."

"It's fine." I murmured without thinking.

Scorpius sighed again this time in defeat.

"Hagrid," he called. "Can we come back tomorrow? I have to tell Rose."

"It's raining and-"

"Hagrid, please, this is important," Scorpius spoke so quickly all his words mashed together.

"Fine, but don't forget about me. Get back to the castle."

Hagrid stood at the door watching us as it started to slash. I tore after Scorpius up the hill, the cold raindrops hitting me and my shoes slipping on the grass.

We said nothing until we were out of Hagrid's sight.

"Scorpius, you're scaring me. Tell me." I grabbed his hand and yanked him into a clump of trees. I didn't care about getting wet. I needed to know. All the possibilities swimming in my head were driving me crazy, from breaking up to someone dying.

"Tell me," I repeated pulling him closer to me. The leaves did nothing to protect us from the rain. It pelted down on us.

"I'm worried…"

"About what?"

"That I will cry or I will scream if I try to tell you." He wasn't looking at me. His silver eyes were focused on the leaves swaying over my shoulder in the cold wind.

"Scorpius," I hugged him burying my face into his wet shirt. "I don't care. You've seen me do that and more."

"But I'm a guy."

"And?" I said still holding onto him and listening to the thumping of his heart in his chest.

There was a beat. He inhaled then finally, "I'm only telling you this 'cause I want you to leave it alone. Promise me, you'll never bring it up, Rose, or tell anyone not even Abby."

"I promise."

He relaxed a bit. "Good. Great. There was a boggart in Defence. End of story." He laughed a sort of bitter laugh.

"What was yours?"

He tensed again. That's the spot.

"Someone- my Grandfather- Grandfather Lucius… my father's father." He coughed and wrapped his arms around me.

"What did he do?"

I counted twenty seconds before Scorpius started talking,

"He begged me to help him. He was weak… it hurt because he used tough. He was desperate, kind of like father when he thinks no one's looking… like me on the inside."

"No…"

"He was wearing his Azkaban robes." He said stronger. "He was filthy, you couldn't even see his skin. You could see all his bones. Every jagged end. His hair was clung together and his eyes were dead."

"Stop," I said holding him tighter. My vision swivelled. "It's making me sick."

"And how do you think it's making me feel?"

"Worse."

"They- my mother and father- took me to see him in Azkaban when we found out his days were numbered. That's where the image comes from. He was out of his mind. One second he'd be asking for my help the next he'd be screaming at me. Everything he really thought about me. All the family suspicions came out. My father wouldn't even look at me. Mother screamed back, put her hands over my ears and dragged me out."

"That's horrible."

"Yeah, Grandfather wasn't usually so direct but he left hints all over the place, you could see it on his face. He knew. He could see right through me. I only had the Malfoy name that's it."

"What do you want me to do? What do you need?"

"Just stay here, please, Rosie." His hands were on my upper back. "Hagrid found me, out by the Black Lake. We talked. He's surprisingly easy to talk to after a couple of minutes. I know don't why I told him. It wasn't like me but the words wouldn't stop coming. He understood though what's it like to have weird memories. Then he just showed me things I didn't notice before. He's a good guy."

"He is."

"It's all out in the open now," Scorpius said. I shivered in the rain. He tightened his grip on me like I was the one who could fall apart at any second. "I forgot about it… no, it was in there just pushed down really deep in my subconscious. I didn't think the boggart would morph into him."

He released me and sunk to the ground. He sat on the roots of a tree, soaked to his skin, he pulled his legs to his chest.

"And you must think I'm such a pathetic little-"

I kneeled down next to him and shook my head, "No, I'm still into you. You're going to have to try a lot harder to get rid of me." I held one of his hands and brought it to my lips as proof.

His body opened up again. He leant into me until his forehead was against mine. Scorpius kissed me gently, his lips brushing against mine. I fell back onto the woodland ground not caring about the twigs and muck. Scorpius stayed with me his thumb rubbing soothing circles on my cheek. The sky thundered above but we didn't care. The pitter-patter of rain against the ground was our soundtrack. I was no longer cold. Scorpius made me warm everywhere.


Wet and tired, Scorpius and I returned to the castle. It was dark outside, all the lights were on full blast in Hogwarts and the halls were silent. We had missed the feast.

I pointed my wand as Scorpius in the Entrance Hall ready to do the drying charm.

"No, Rosie, no," he pushed the tip down. "I know you love it."

At least he was showing some signs of ordinary.

"Oh, yes, Scorpie, your chattering teeth are so attractive."

He laughed and gestured to his wet torso. He might as well have been shirtless. I had adjusted somewhat to the sight over the last hour. Focus on his face was my new rule.

"I saw you looking not once but several times."

"I was making up for all the times you stared at me when you thought I wasn't looking."

"All of those were accidents." A smirk filled his face but I didn't mind one bit. Recently, I liked it when Scorpius gave me that kind of attention. It made me feel powerful and giddy, for no reason. Not like two months ago when part of me would die inside if he even looked at me that way.

I tapped my wand against his shoulder and muttered the incantation. He joined me in the world of dry people.

"Food?" I suggested.

"Food." He agreed. He pushed back one of my stray hairs. A reflex. "I was thinking earlier today." He started walking, he slipped his hand into mine since no one but the portraits dozing in their frames were around.

"I'd be worried if you weren't."

"Really thinking, Rosie, about Hogsmeade."

"I'm not doing that to my hair again. When I woke up, the next day, it was stuck to my pillow."

"No, not that, before we were interrupted. We were talking about something." I hate when he does that. He tries to get me to bring up potentially awkward subjects for him in his roundabout way.

"Be clearer."

"Tell me to shut up at any point if this becomes too much," Aw my sensitive boyfriend. "Okay, well we were talking about spending a couple of days together- yuck, that sounds wrong- with each other-"

"Try again." I giggled.

"Part of the midterm in the same location."

I hadn't forgotten about that I was just waiting, hoping and praying he would bring it up. My midterm would be lonely and boring without him. Spending days and days with just Scorpius. No one else. No interruptions. It sounded like a dream. It sounded too good to be true.

"During the midterm when my parents are at some pureblood sympathy shindig."

"Why aren't they forcing you to go? I imagine that's part of the brain washing."

Scorpius tittered nervously.

"What are you leaving out?" I raised an eyebrow at him. "It already sounds too good for us."

"Don't overreact but we won't be completely alone."

"I'm not spending a couple of days in your closet."

Scorpius grinned, "You can spend any day you like in my closet. It's just I kind of have to babysit my Grandmother."

"What?"

"You heard right, Rosie, but she always stays in her bedroom. I have to be around to make sure she doesn't set the manor on fire, fall down the stairs or something."

"What?" I repeated.

"Oh, and there's the house elf. Dinky. I should probably tell you that as well."

"What are you going to tell me next? Oh wait, Rose, my parents are actually holding the get together at the house."

Scorpius shrugged, "It's not a big deal. Dinky's a great guy, he makes the most amazing pancakes and Grandmother Narcissa is… not really all there so it'll be fine."

"Define 'not really all there.'"

"The chances of her remembering slash understanding your presence are slim. She calls me Draco half the time. She's nice though, you'd like her once you get past the exterior. She can't really see either, I think. She doesn't tell anyone what's wrong with her so it's all guessing."

"Sorry, Scorpius, but shouldn't she be in St Mungo's or a home?"

"No one wants their elderly people shoved in a home with an ex-death eater and no carer wants to work with an ex-death eater. They're worried she'll have a melt down and start using unforgivables." He paused seeing the expression on my face. "She won't by the way. She broke her wand in some kind of protest. It was a weird Christmas before Hogwarts that's all you need to know."

"What about Dinky?"

"I have that figured out. I did my research." He said proudly. "I'm going to tell him to keep the secret unless father or mother asks him 'What wondrous, beautiful.'" He twirled me around like we were waltzing. "Secret is my sexy son-'"

"Ew! Seriously, Scorpie? You've ruined it."

"They're not going to ask that, now are they? 'Scorpius keeping?'" He finished. "And what will we be doing a week from now?"

"I'll pretend you've asked me again to come. Yes, Scorpius, it'll be an honour."

We dropped our hands to our sides while a group of giggling Hufflepuffs passed. Scorpius walked ahead of me pretending to pass me out.

Once they had gone I jumped up on one of the benches lining the corridor and clambered onto his back. We were getting really good at that. Whoever says piggybacks are not a skill is a liar. I kissed his neck, like letting go of his hand and stepping away from him for a couple of seconds was a big deal.

"Andrew the owl will be there and the dogs."

"You never told me you had dogs."

"They're my dad's dogs, more to guard and look pretty than anything."

"I'll be safe with you." I buried my face into his neck. I could feel goosebumps rising on his skin.

"And the peacocks," he added.

"I thought those were a joke."

"Real and embarrassing. I mean peacocks are cool but they don't belong in your garden."

"Are they pettable?"

"You could try after I throw you into the lake." Scorpius laughed.

"I'll run."

"I'll catch you."

"Not this time."

"We'll see."

"I've already given my parents the heads up I'm spending time at Abby's house." I had already discussed it with her and made a game plan. Abby, like any good friend, was willing to lie for me. I had already made fake letters that Abby would send my parents to avoid suspicion. Abby's parents decided to come into the wizarding world. They had connected up to the floo network which meant Kenny was going to be in and out of there all holiday. Abby told me, 'If there are any surprise visits, I have a red wig. I'll put Kenny in it and they won't know the difference.'

Scorpius nodded.

"They would kill me if they found out. I'm probably forbidden to do that with any boy let alone you."

"We've done worse."

"Name." I challenged.

"How about fifteen minutes ago?" He beamed.

I self-consciously touched my lips. They were puffed, hot and swollen.

"Alone in the woods. A nice sight." He pointed to his chest.

"On the floor," I giggled swatting his pointed finger away. "Tangled together in mud and leaves."

"Oh, stop, I won't be able to sleep tonight. And here we are," Scorpius announced as we approached the portrait with the pear. I slipped down from his back. "I think the real question is what are we going to do?" He said as he tickled the pear.

I grinned up at him.

"Wait and see, I guess."