Rose went to the office bit late than usual next day. She fell asleep than the other days in the morning because she couldn't sleep properly until Lily's letter. Rose ran to the office and sat down in her seat, panting.
"You're late!" Emma said surprisingly. "This is the first time I saw you coming work this much late."
"Couldn't wake up in the morning." Rose managed to say, still panting. "Rough sleep, more work, busy schedule. You know right?"
Emma raised her eyebrows. "Is it becuse of Malfoy?"
Rose frowned. "What is there about him?"
"He is handsome, isn't he?" Emma winked. "He is strong and intelligent."
"So?" Rose asked questioningly though she was hurting inside. Why all the girls have to see him like that. She felt jealous.
"And he seemed having an interest about you?" Emma said curiously. Or May be she asked that to get a clue from Rose.
"Are you mad?" Rose blurted.
"Because he asked you to stop after the meeting, I thought he has something for you." Emma said cheekily. "Didn't he connive something yesterday?"
Rose gave a dry laughter. "He just needed to advice me about how to work with the team, without arguing." She glaced at Emma dryly. "Did that clear everything?"
Emma smiled faintly. "Oh," She looked happy? "So there will be nothing between you?"
"No." Rose replied shortly.
"Wow." Emma giggled. "Then I'll have a chance, haven't I?"
Rose felt her throat is dry. She grittered her teeth. She felt her heart pounding differently. Yeah, She was obviously in jealous. Rose gave a dirty look to Emma.
"Come on Rose. He looks good. I like him. Just help me, alright?" Emma pleaded.
"I don't know why anyone likes an arrogant, thick headed prat like himself." Rose muttered, ignoring that she still liked him after knowing his bad side very well than others.
Emma giggled once again and left Rose.
Rose sighed. She had to tolerate everything. She should follow Lily's advice. She should cheerup herself. "Scorpius Malfoy is nothing more than a scumbag." She muttered under her breath to herself continously.
"Did I hear my name?" She heard someone calling her. Wow, this was the only thing she needed to make her day.
"I'm sorry?" She looked up and found the filthy (and handsome) face of Scorpius Malfoy. Rose bit her lip. Scorpius smirked.
"I heard you are muttering my name?" He replied.
"Think you have mistaken." Rose said innocently.
"Alright then." He said without wiping his smirk away.
Rose looked away and paid her attention and started to talk Shacklebolt. She didn't want to pay more attention to Scorpius to make him more satisfied.
It was a hard day after all. The investigations on the crimes, were planned. They had to start them from tomorrow. Rose didn't pay much attention to Scorpius all the day after their conversation in the morning. She totally ignored him. But Scorpius didn't seem to care. He was really busy by flirting with Emma Carter.
Rose was tempered. Only thing she needed was to meet Lily in the evening.
Rose finished her work sharply at four and packed her things.
Rose didn't even dare to look back at the office, and stormed away from the office.
She apparated away and in few moment she was wondering in diagon alley.
She opened the door of the wooden door of a small but clean and pleasant pub; 'Better Beer'.
She suddenly pointed Lily Potter as she entered the pub, with her shiny, long and straight, red hair. Lily waved at Rose. Rose smiled and paced towards the table that Lily was already sitting.
"So... tell me about everything Rose." Lily demanded without letting her time to think.
"Ow, you are too impatient Lils. Let me catch my breath." Rose said narrowing her eyes. "Did you order something. I'm gonna have a butter beer though."
Lily giggled. "Come on Rose, you are an adult. You can have a fire whiskey if you want. It's not out of order."
Rose shooked her head. "No Lils. I need to go for a mission tomorrow. Can't be a drunkard today."
"Alright then." Lily replied and ordered a fire whiskey and butter beer. "So now tell me." She demanded again.
"Well, Scorpius Malf-" Rose just started her tale. But before say anything properly she was interrupted by Lily.
"Al?"
Rose turned her head and saw Albus was waving at them.
Lily quickly looked at Rose suspiciously. "You have broken the law. You told him and invited him here, didn't you?"
"I didn't." Rose said solemnly. "What is he doing here anyway. I thought he has matches to play!"
Lily shrugged while Albus striding towards them. His face was delighted like it had been a pleasant surprise.
Albus grabbed Lily's fire whiskey and had a gulp.
"It's mine idiot. Order you own if you want." Lily cried. "I'm not as rich as you."
"You two look confused." Albus ignored Lily and talked. "Aren't you happy to see your loving and famous cousin or brother in such a nice evening?" He said cheerly and then lookd at them suspiciously. "Or are you conspiring against me?"
Both Rose and Lily narrowed their eyes. "Anyway, what are you doing here?" Rose asked. "You are supposed to be in your matches."
"You said you are too busy to come home for month. Didn't you?" Lily complained. "Wait till I tell mom about this. Lying us and wondering in Daigon Alley! Very bad brother. I'm disappointed."
"I'm here to meet a friend after years." Albus replied. "That's important. I've not seen him for years. I can do sacrifices for meet him."
Rose looked at Lily's face horror-striken. Was he mentioning about Scorpius?
"I think we'd better get going." Rose said immediately and Lily nodded with agreeing.
"Oh, come on Roe, can't you wait to enjoy with us?" Albus grumbled.
Lily gave him a dirty look. "With you and your loving friend? Never Albus Potter. Why are you trying to make everyone embarrassed."
Albus looked at them pleadingly. "I know everything Rose. He is working with you. Isn't he?" He sighed.
"You knew then?" Rose asked shakily. "Why didn't you tell?"
Albus glanced at the door for once. "Look Rose." He started seriously. "I knew he was coming. But didn't tell you about that, because if you knew that, you will surely avoid him. And also, you didn't want to hear about him. You said me to never mention him in front you again."
"I have my reasons." Rose said arrogantly.
"And also, I didn't tell him that you are in that department, because if I told, he will never ever come here for help your department."
"Why do you want us to meet Albus? Can't you even remember the things happen?" Rose challenged.
"I know Roe." He replied slowly. "But, I need you two to be happy. At least you both have to remove the bane in your minds about everything happened earlier. Then we can have our old Rose back. It is same to Scorpius. I missed you two very much, you know!"
Rose bit her lip. "Now am I the responsibe for everything Al?"
"Just act normal towards him. At least try to be casual to him. I'm sure he will treat you better without avoiding you." Albus pleaded. "It will make your mission easier as well."
Rose nodded. "He is not avoiding me already. You can be happy. He needed to be casual for this few weeks at least." She sighed. "I don't know whether I can do this or not. I can't forget how he treated me then Al."
"Please, for me Roe!" Albus pleaded.
Rose exchanged a look with Lily. Lily sighed. "I told you what my brother's like." She said.
Rose couldn't help but laughed softly.
"Well, I am the peace maker everywhere, right. And Roe, please remember. I know many awful thing you don't kno-" Suddenly he was interrupted and he waved at the door of the pub. "Hey Score!" He yelled.
Rose didn't turn back and keep drinking her butter beer calmly. Finally she felt Scorpius was next to their table.
"Come on man," Albus yelled. "Join us."
Scorpius sat in front of Rose and Lily. "Weasley." He greated without embarrassment. "Nice to meet you Lily Potter."
"Hey." Both Lily and Rose muttered.
Rose catched him with the corner of her eyes, but he didn't look nervous. His scars were being more prominent over pale face with the lights of the pub.
"Didn't have a proper fire whiskey from ages Al." He said. "I'll treat you today. Four fire whiskey please."
Rose frowned. "I have my drink."
"Oh come on Weasley, you are being a hag." Scorpius winked. "Or may be a school prefect. Aren't you? Enjoy the short life Weasley. You are making everyone's mood down."
Rose gulped. Her face hardened, but her heart made a different sort of beat. Was that the reason? Did he dump her because she was boring? Well, she was going to prove that he was wrong.
"Well then!" She snapped. "We'll see."
Scorpius smirked. Lily squeezed her hand under the table and gave her a look. Albus pretended he didn't hear anything.
The bartender came with four fire whiskey and the tension in the air faded away.
The first mouthful made Rose's inside warm and a pleasant feeling bloomed in her.
"How does it feel Weasley?" Scorpius asked mockingly.
"Warm." She replied. She saw his eyes were twinkling towards her after years.
"So Scor, how was the life in whole these years mate?" Abus asked. "You seemed bit... happy!"
"Do I really?" Scorpius asked in surprise. Rose also observed that and surprised. She was sure that Scorpius seemed miserable the day before. But now, he had improved his status and looked cheery.
"Well, life is... hard." He continued. "Those magical creatures are fine. But sometimes they can be very annoying." He said dramatically. "For a moment they can be like okay, and then," He paused. "BOOM." Rose shook and fire whiskey splitted. Scorpius smirked and continued. "Explore!" Rose gave him a dirty look.
"And you know what Weasley!" He spoke to her. "It was easy for me to work in such a situation, thank you very much to you."
Rose's heart sored. Because of her? She gulped. The world seemed stopped until Scorpius split out the rest of words. "Becouse of you," Scorpius continued matter-of-factly. "I had the best experience with the world best exploring person at the school!"
Rose's heart dropped. She felt her cheeks are burning. "Shove off Malfoy." She yelled and threw her bag to him.
"Just kidding!!" Scorpius yelled between his laughter and caught the bag. "I'll keep this for now. I don't want to make myself in danger, right. Now you can't harm me anymore, though I said something again. Your weapon is with me, safely." He winked.
"Don't be that confident Malfoy." Rose snapped. "Next time it can be my glass!"
Rose was surprised to know that she was laughing along with Scorpius, as well as Al and Lily. It was easy, wasn't it? After years she started to laugh. And she was being casual to Scorpius. She felt like everything was in the right direction now. Sometimes, all she wanted was Scorpius beside her. No matter how, may be like a friend or boy friend. Or may be the competitor. That's all she wanted. She smiled and looked at the other three.
"Oh, come on man, be serious." Albus said finally.
"I was being serious." Scorpius said innocently. Looked at others faces and started. "All right. Well. It was bit hard at the beginning. But then it was okay. Travelling around the world for observe and examine creatures and their behaviour, training them and controlling them. That's my life. No time to be happy or worry about anything." He smiled.
Albus cleared his throat, while Rose glared at her glass without blinking.
"You know what Scorpius." Lily started breaking the silence. "I think I should tell you the story of my brother's fan girl-"
"Shut up Lils. You can't babble everwhere else about those silly things." Albus interrupted.
Lily and Rose started to giggle and started to babble about Albus's mishaps. The tension vanished away.
Four of them were laughing harder as they can for hours at 'Better Beer'.
A/N - Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Thanks for reading.
