"Weasley!"
"Sorry," I took a step back, looked up and oh my Merlin- I had just walked into the one, the only Draco Malfoy. "Mr Malfoy," And his snakehead cane. "I was just-"
"You need to watch where you are going." He sniped, walking on. His polish silver snake head cane glinted in the light.
I watched him strut down the corridor with an obvious limp, his black cloak trailing across the dusty floor.
"So you know about Scorpius… Malfoy?" I cleared my throat. I didn't want to just rub Scorpius' luck in Mr Malfoy's face, no, that was an understatement.
He stopped and turned on the spot. His default aggressive expression quickly changed to one of worry. "Is he hurt? Where is he?"
"No, no it's good news. He's playing as the keeper now." Mr Malfoy didn't respond, he just looked at me like he was expecting more. "Ta-dah!" I waved my hands.
"Must you mock me, Weasley?" he finally said.
I was shocked. "I'm not." My eyes fell to the ground. He didn't remind me much of Scorpius, maybe a touch of Scorpius when he was in a bad mood but other than that… There was something glistening red growing on the leg of his trousers, his bad leg. "You're bleeding," I exclaimed. "Do you-"
"Want you to direct me the nearest bathroom? Yes." He scowled. "The layout has changed since I've been here." He winced as he moved his injured leg.
I panicked. I wanted to make a good impression and do nothing to piss him off… it was too late for that now. I didn't know the layout any better than him so I did what any sensible person would do: walk with a bleeding person and pretend I knew the way. We had to eventually find the bathroom. Leaving him alone would be more of an insult.
He followed, careful not to fall into step with me.
"You are aware that's the boy's changing room, Weasley?" he asked after five seconds of silence and about a hundred and one questions bubbling in my mind.
"Yes, Mr Malfoy, I am aware." I nodded. I smoothened out my cloak. "I was helping Scorpius get ready for the game." That sounded wrong out loud, I quickly changed the subject. "Can I ask what you're doing here?"
"I doubt that's any of your business." Mr Malfoy said, the thud of his cane putting emphasis on each of his words.
"Your son will be happy to see you though." I forced myself to smile.
"Are you happy to see me, Weasley?" he peered at me.
"I don't know you," I said, bluntly.
"But you know my son awfully well." He was sneering now. "Or you think so."
"Yeah," I smiled wider, feeling as fake as a stuffed animal. "I know his favourite team is the Chudley Canons, he chews the top of his quill when he's thinking, his facial expressions usually mimic his thoughts when he's not concentrating, his favourite duelling spell is the full body-bind curse because he thinks nothing else is more reliable, he likes sweets as much as I do, can pull off different voices, hide from people and eavesdrop better than anyone because he had to entertain himself growing up as an only child in the-"
"Enough!" he growled. "You're ability to memorises things is on par with your mother's. The brightest muggle-born of the century."
I raised an eyebrow. "I'm not a fan of being compared to my mom. I only know these things because I've been Scorpius' friend for a long time."
"He said you're something else." Mr Malfoy couldn't help himself.
"We were friends for a long time before that." I crossed my arms. "And as long as we're telling the truth. I don't know where the bathroom is." I threw my hands in the air in frustration. "I just want you to like me…" he gave me an odd look. "I know how stupid that sounds, I'm not going to connect with my boyfriend's father by showing him to the bathroom."
Mr Malfoy came to a halt behind me. He pulled out his wand and, to my surprise, didn't point it at me. He pointed it at his injured leg. He flicked it sharply. Non-verbal magic. My eyes went wide.
"I had enough of this. Let's return to the game."
I couldn't help myself, bouncing on the balls of my feet like a five year old I said, "That was that was a healing and cleaning charm, right?"
He blinked. "Yes."
"That's really hard to do non-verbally."
"I've had plenty of time to practice." He sighed, walking on again.
"Years," I raised my eyebrows falling into step with him. "Scorpius-" I paused it felt weird talking about him with an adult. "Scorpius," I continued, my mouth dry. "Is good at charms too. He can make the most beautiful bouquets of flowers. Better than the examples in the textbook. His lavenders and bluebells glow."
"Weasley, why of all the boys in the school have you taken a liking to my son?"
I shrugged my shoulders. "I didn't intend to lo-like him but I do."
"Does Ronald Weasley know?"
"No," I said quietly. "But his or anyone else's opinion isn't going to keep me away from Scorpius. At least you're ahead of my dad now that's something to brag about."
He might've smiled but that could've been my imagination.
"Sit with me, Weasley. I think you might be miles ahead of your parents."
"My friends are waiting and-" I don't want to scare the daylight out of Scorpius. "My family might be watching-"
"Your father and uncle are away on an Auror venture. There's no harm in it." Like Death from the Tales of Beedle the Bard giving out candy.
I frowned. "How do you know that?"
"I'm well connected." He stated like it was no big deal and that's how I ended up sitting next to Draco Malfoy in the back row of the parent/teachers sitting area. Mr Malfoy was smarter than I thought. He sat me between him and another parent. From it distance, it could look like I accidentally sat next to Malfoy.
No one was on the pitch yet except Monsieur Wood who was waltzing around picking at the grass. If Abby and Kenny were with me we would've laughed at it but now I could feel their eyes on me somewhere in the other stands. My heart was thumping, I couldn't decide whether I was excited or nervous for Scorpius.
Draco Malfoy seemed to like silence. I didn't and it was driving me mental. I could ask him anything, a response not guaranteed, but still, he was the Draco Malfoy- the tale of caution.
"If you could go back to your Hogwarts days would you?" I asked watching the Slytherin entrance to the field. The crowd was now singing a decades-old favourite 'Weasley is our King'.
He shook his head. I expected that to be a final answer but a couple of seconds later he continued. "That would be like asking someone to become someone else. Remember this, Rose, I am very different from the person I was back then. Be it for better or for worse."
There was more silence. "I think he's wearing your uniform. It was old looking and had the number seven on it."
He nodded and that was final.
"You're… nicer than I thought you'd be." I cocked my head at him half-expecting a snap in response. "But you're not like Scorpius at all."
"Scorpius is like the way his grandmother, my mother, used to be in private." He said still clutching his cane. "Funny with a big heart, what a Gryffindor." He chuckled like at an old joke.
I nodded keeping my jaw shut. My memory of Narcissa Malfoy now, not really there, wrinkled and covered in jewels made me shiver. All she wanted was to be read to and listened to.
"And his mother." He added. "When she was younger and at Hogwarts. I…" he looked me in the eye searching for something then he took a deep breath. "I met her when I came back to Hogwarts to finish my final year so she was then in the year below. We met on the Hogwarts Express. She was comparing the value of chocolate frogs and liquorice wands, standing over the sweets trolley. I was walking up and down the corridor, I didn't want to sit down. She grabbed me by the chin the second or third time I brushed past her. She told me if I don't stop frowning I would get permanent lines."
My mouth was hanging open. "That is so romantic."
"Really?" Mr Malfoy looked confused.
"If that was a book I would definitely reread it."
He nodded, suddenly looking uncomfortable. I couldn't blame him. "And she is the wonderful witch who sent me here to get some quality time with my son." He raised an eyebrow at me.
Red bra, red bra. I blinked my embarrassing thoughts away.
"What happened to your leg?" I asked.
"A potions accident." He said. "I work best when I'm stressed." He pointedly looked at me.
"Sorry," I said, glumly. "Do you like me?" I asked hopefully. Someone had to be hopeful.
"No."
I took that as a 'maybe.' Monsieur took his position at the centre of the field, the quidditch chest of balls at his feet. In one hand he held a highly polished broom and in the other a highly polished whistle. The sun was starting to break through the grey clouds. I pulled nervously at my scarf. I looked down at the worn wool and I wished I could turn it back to Slytherin colours.
The Gryffindors were the first to appear, in their typical fashion, over the heads of the supporters, whooping and high fiving. I could see James in his seeker robes flying high above the rest. Fred had decided to quit the team to fully concentrate on 'personal activities.' I had a feeling his activities involved fireworks and detention.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, muggles, squids, witches and wizards, it's is time for the final match of the year- GRYFFINDOR V SLYTHERIN- there will be blood spilt and snakes knotted. First out we have Gryffindor- is that a firework? I believe that is a dancing lion- wave, Gryffindor mascot, wave-"
"It was much simpler in my day." Mr Malfoy couldn't help but complain to me. "You got on the pitch and you played, none of this flashy magic."
The announcer started calling out the names and numbers of the players. I could feel the girls fainting around me.
I snorted. "Well, I'll take flashy magic over watching people hitting each other with bats any day of the week."
"And here comes Slytherin house late as usual!"
My heart pounded. I stood up to get a better look at the Slytherins flying a few feet off the ground across the pitch. They weren't as organised as the Gryffindor team, Potter 'the self-appointed captain' shot out faster than the rest at the head of the clump they formed.
The cheers turned less enthusiastic, a couple of Gryffindors started booing. The Slytherin supporters were less than half the size of the Gryffindor supporters, the bigger house with a winning streak.
"Yaxley, MacNair, Malfoy-"
I started clapping wildly at the sound of his name. He was all that mattered, the rest I didn't care about. I wasn't sure if I wanted Scorpius to see me with his dad or not. Would that equal a bang of unstoppable motivation or would that just distract him? I could picture him clearly grabbing the beaters bat and swinging it, sending the bludger out of the stadium. I winced at the thought but kept clapping.
He was too busy trying to look bigger and older than he actually was on his broom to look in my direction. His blonde hair was covered by his helmet but I recognised his mannerisms, sitting straight up, watching everything and his hands tight around the polished neck of his broom ready for action. That and the white 'Malfoy' on the back of his robes, thanks to me.
For once, I found myself excited, nervous and actually caring about the outcome of this stupid sport. My thoughts were far away from study, that could wait until later, I forgot about the exams inching closer by the second. Love does make you… forgetful in my case. The schedule would have to be reshuffled. I shivered.
Mr Malfoy finally started clapping it was much softer than I had. I glanced at his pointed pale face out of the corner of my eye. He was smiling- actually smiling- his eyes brightening and his eyebrows raising the process. Maybe fatherly love makes you forget too.
"What's going on?" I asked Mr Malfoy for about the thousandth time. He was annoyed with me and I didn't care. I usually had Scorpius beside me explaining what was going on every time the crowd cheered without me even asking. Now all I had was the announcer and his unnecessary side notes.
"Potter- the better lionish Potter- is he going out with A) Matilda Greene B) Ally Smith or C) Emer O'Reilly?"
The crowd started shouting letters. I rolled my eyes. It was James so obviously the answer was all of the above.
"He's great!" I called to Mr Malfoy over the shouting.
Mr Malfoy nodded. "He let five quaffles in."
I scowled. "And just- MALFOY! COME ON, SCORPIUS!" I started jumping as the pack of chasers charged towards Scorpius guarding the hoops. The lead chaser stretched back his arm ready to throw.
Mr Malfoy winced at my scream, his hearing would be gone by the time the match ended.
Author's Note: We are approaching chapter 100... *drum roll* this Christmas my present to you is 40,000ish words of something, but of what? More info to follow especially around chapter 100. (And this something is already written so it will not take four years to get it online). This is my way of expressing how happy I am being here with you in the fanfic community and how much I really appreciate the support. I can't believe people are still reading. Thank you!
