Chapter Two

"If you hadn't been annoying me, we would be in the compartment on time, composed with minutes to spare probably but no!" waffled Rose as they walked as quickly as they could to the other end of the train. Running would be quicker but as there were a few other people in the corridor, they wouldn't be giving a proper example for the younger students. "You're so insufferable! Why an earth would McGonagall make you Head Boy- Ahhh"

Scorpius firmly, but as gentle as he could, pushed her so her back was against the train wall, holding her hands above her head with one of his own. His other hand was clamped over her mouth.

He watched with amusement as she attempted to wriggle out of his grasp. When she realised she couldn't do that she tried to thrash her legs and kick him. He stepped closer, pressing his body into her own, his legs around hers, keeping her still. Her bright blue eyes widened at the sudden contact before settling into the familiar glare.

"Right, you need to shut up, Weasley," smirked Scorpius, his hazel eyes twinkling with mischief. "But of course now you have no choice in the matter. Let's face it, you annoy me too so you can stop blaming me for everything because you are not so perfect yourself. I'm going to let you go when you stop glaring at me and then we can calmly go to the prefect's meeting that we are not late to cause they can't start it without us."

He enjoyed watching her have a tormented battle with herself, as she couldn't decide whether to stop glaring or not. He used this time to rake his eyes over her. She was a very tall girl, at five foot ten-ish, he thought, and that was whilst wearing flat slip on shoes. She was slim and toned; with beautiful curves in the places he liked curves best. He couldn't help but glance down at her legs, that were bare due to the black school skirt she wore that went down to mid-thigh, legs that seemed to be endless. His eyes were drawn to the creamy skin that crept out from under the top of her white fitted school shirt (that just so happened to have a few of the buttons unbuttoned). He couldn't deny the beauty that was her body, nor her face for that matter. With bright blue eyes that contrasted with her big, curly vivid red hair, she was startling attractive.

His heated gaze fell to her eyes; eyes that were no longer glaring at him, but were staring at him softly in confusion. He had to agree with the majority of the male students of Hogwarts that Rose was one of the most gorgeous girls there; in fact if it wasn't for the fact that the stuff that came out of her mouth was pure acid then he would have been highly attracted to her. Though he would never admit that; ever.

"I figured that would shut you up efficiently," grinned Scorpius, taking his hand off of her mouth, and sliding it down the side of her body, finally settling on her waist. "Aww I think I've missed you over the holidays."

"And I'm pretty sure I hate you," glowered Rose, starting to wriggle beneath him again. "So let me go before I hurt your little guy."

"He isn't a little guy," said Scorpius defensively with a mischievous glint in his eyes. "At least, he won't be if you don't stop grinding against him.

Rose stopped moving abruptly. "Just get off me, Malfoy. I have better things to do."

"Like being in the changing room showers with McLaggen," smirked Scorpius, satisfied as the way her hair was tucked behind her ear revealed how the top of her ear glowed red.

"Actually, we shagged on top of his desk in the Gryffindor Quidditch Captain's office," replied Rose, with no embarrassment. "So at least you'll have something to think about when you're sat in there thinking up plays and moves."

"I'm more of a doer than a thinker."

"That's clearly evident by the way I beat you in most exams," smiled Rose sweetly.

"And why I'm better at Quidditch than you," quipped Scorpius, just as sugary.

"Whatever. I'll watch from my Quidditch hoops and wait until you fail dramatically at it," said Rose assuredly. "Now for the last time: let me go."

Scorpius heaved a great, and theatrical, sigh as he released her arms and took a step back from her. "Merlin, Weasley, why didn't you just say so? We're late for the meeting now."

"I hate you!" screeched Rose. Scorpius missed the look of pure fury adorning her usual un-red face, as he was already running down the corridor with a victorious grin on his own face.


"How was the meeting?" asked Al, with an innocent smile as Rose and Scorpius entered the compartment. His eyes widened in the bewilderment as he received a dark glare from Rose, as she sat down next to him. "Not well then I'm presuming."

"It was fine," said Scorpius light-heartedly, taking his own seat opposite Rose, and next to Lorcan Scamander whose twin brother Lysander was squished in by the window.

"No it wasn't," corrected Rose with a huff. "He burnt my hair."

Al raised his eyebrow in a silent question, his mouth clamped shut in effort not to laugh at his poor cousin.

"It was a spell gone awry," said Scorpius in defence. "Besides, it's not as though you'd ever be able to tell if your hair was actually on fire."

"I don't think setting her hair on fire is very mature," said Lorcan haughtily. Scorpius only smirked because he saw Rose roll her eyes. She did that a lot when she thought the person who spoke, wasn't worth her having to listen to them. She liked Lorcan; sure, it's just that he liked her whole lot more which Scorpius found absolutely hilarious.

"Oh shush, Lorcan," laughed Lysander, ruffling his twin's matching dirty blonde hair. "Don't be such a stick in the mud." Lorcan frowned and started reading a large brown leathered book.

Scorpius grinned. He preferred Lysander a lot more than his bookish twin brother. Lysander was funny and popular despite having the dream like oddities that the twins' mother, Luna Scamander, possessed. He was strange as he believed in ridiculous creatures (ones that Rose heartily did not believe in) but he was out going and up for a laugh. That and he was a brilliant Quidditch commentator. His brother, Lorcan, on the other hand was quiet, a library dweller and quite frankly, Scorpius was under the impression that Lorcan believed everyone to be beneath him. The two Ravenclaw Fourth Year twins were completely different to each other; Scorpius always wondered how on earth they physically got along.

"How did he set your hair on fire?" quizzed Al.

"He stuck his wand into my hair!"

"How was I supposed to know my wand would spark up in distress," laughed Scorpius. Al and Lysander chuckled. Lorcan scowled into his book. Rose glared.


Hours into the journey, long after the sun had set, the train eventually slowed down to a halt. The sudden clatter of everybody standing and pulling the trunks off of luggage rails filled Scorpius' ears. As the train's doors opened and Hogsmeade air rushed inside, a small smile flittered across his face. In one rare decent moment, Rose caught his eye and one side of her lips lifted into a wonky smile. Despite their differences, he knew she loved being at Hogwarts too.

"We have to stay on the platform until everybody has left, Malfoy," said Rose, pulling on her school robes over the uniform she had been wearing before she had even gotten to King's Cross. "It's part of our Head Duties."

"How do we get to school then?"

"There's a Head Carriage that stays behind for us," replied Rose, dragging her large black leather trunk behind her as the five of them exited the train. They were stood on the tiny, dark station, that although was called Hogsmeade Station, was not in the town itself

"I'll save you two some seats in the Great Hall," offered Al, walking backwards with a smile on his face.

"That'd be great," laughed Rose. "If you don't fall on your arse first, that is."

"I'll try not to," answered Al, as he started walking normally, turning away from them and the crowd to leave the station to the carriage area with the twins.

Scorpius watched as the hoards of teenagers dragged their trunks and caged animals off of the platform with what seemed to be increasing loudness and general annoyance. Hagrid, the half giant game keeper and Care and Magical Creatures professor, was stood at the other side of the platform guiding the little First Years into the rickety wooden boats. Boats that, if Scorpius was unaware of magic, he would not have trusted at all. Hagrid's large booming voice could be heard from where Rose and Scorpius were stood.

"Firs' Years," called out Hagrid, his dustbin lid hands beckoning the children over. "Follow me!"

Rose was staring wistfully out at the black lake, at the little wooden boats, her eyes sweeping up to take in the majestic view of the Hogwarts castle itself. It was a most spectacular sight to see. He wondered what it must be like to see it through fresh eyes. A surge of jealously went through him as he heard the First Years 'oohing' and 'ahhing'. His first view of the castle was one of his most vivid, favourite memories.

"Can you believe it'll only be less than a year before it'll be us on there again?" commented Rose softly. He looked at her in surprise. Not only did he not have a clue what she was talking about, she seemed to be talking as though she hadn't realised who exactly she was talking to.

"Pardon?"

"The boats," stated Rose, her eyebrows knitted in confusion. Her voice was still gentle; in some strange trance like state where she had half comprehended it was Scorpius she was talking to so normally. "After we graduate, we ride on the boats back to the platform. We leave the same way we came in."

"How come I don't know that?"

Rose gave a little laugh that was more like a sarcastic snort. "Our parents never got a proper graduation, I suppose."

"Our mothers did," offered Scorpius. This was strange. Officially.

The noise had quietened down to a near silence. Apparently it did not take long for the whole student body to clamber into carriages. Even the boats had set off floating mystically towards the school.

"We should probably get into our carriage now," suggested Rose, grabbing the handle of her trunk more firmly. He nodded without speaking, and followed her down the pathway to where the carriages were held. He was anticipating something horrible, and as they ventured closer he stopped still.

"What is it?"

"I can see them," replied Scorpius, staring at the winged, skeletal horses. He noticed Rose looking in the general direction of the carriages but as her eyes lacked focus, he knew to her the carriages looked as though they stood alone.

"I'm sorry, Malfoy," said Rose, with a softness in her bright blue eyes. He had never seen her look at him like that before. "May I ask who it was, who..."

"Who died do you mean?" asked Scorpius bluntly. Rose nodded silently. "It was my Grandmother; on my father's side. That's part of the reason as to why I got bundled off to France over the summer. Grandfather Lucius is meaner than ever without his wife."

"I'm sorry," expressed Rose, again. "My mother once told me that when she was a little younger than I, she wished she could see them too. Of course after the war, she despises the fact they aren't invisible any more. Part of me, wishes I can see them too. I know what they look like, but, it's like a secret nobody has shared with me."

"It's the type of secret that tastes bad," said Scorpius sharply. "Weasley, you're mother has the right attitude now. I wouldn't want anyone to have the burden of being able to see them, even you Weasley, surprisingly enough. Now just hurry up and get in the carriage. It's chilly and I don't want to miss the Sorting Song."