"Drinks tonight," Catriona peeked her head over Scorpius's cubicle wall.
Scorpius leaned back in his chair and ran a hand through his hair and let out a slow breath. "I'm swamped; I'll probably have to stay here late -"
"Sorry, sir," Catriona smirked. "It wasn't a question. Your presence is demanded."
Scorpius rolled his eyes before meeting her eyes, "Demanded?"
"Strongly requested," Catriona shrugged. "I'm not allowed to leave here without you."
"I see Albus every bloody morning," Scorpius grumbled. "I leave early one day and -"
"It was James and Fred who demanded it, actually," Catriona was grinning widely now. "Albus was just the messenger. They claim you're working too hard now that you're back in the field."
"I've been out in the field twice," Scorpius grumbled again. "I'm not overworking, I just saw -"
"Have fun talking to yourself, sir," Catriona walked away with a wave. "I'll come get you when I'm ready to leave!"
Scorpius tilted his head back to stare at the ceiling for a long moment, taking a deep breath before he stood up and stretched, knowing full well it would take him a bit of time to focus on the task at hand. He closed the folders on his desk and put them in his top drawer, waving his wand to lock the drawer before he walked away to get a tea and take a walk around the Ministry.
He was supposed to be focusing on the plans and tactics for the - now larger than ever - mission back to mainland Europe. It still bothered Scorpius, taking up real estate in his mind, this nagging feeling, that a larger group of going to Europe was not the right move. He had expressed his concern to Harry that he didn't think it was necessary that the task force within the Ministry was so large, but Harry had reassured him that it was always a good idea for people who didn't think like Aurors to be part of the planning process. Scorpius hoped he was right, but he was still reluctant.
He was stirring his tea and milk absentmindedly when Walt cleared his throat from the doorway, "You okay there, ol' sport?"
Scorpius blinked and glanced at his partner, "Yea." Scorpius dropped the tea bag in the trash. "Just thinking -"
"I'm starting to think you're right," Walt's voice was low as he stood right next to Scorpius now.
Scorpius's grey eyes widened, "You do?"
"I think too many people know," Walt nodded, his eyes darting around the small kitchen. "And I think we need to talk this through -"
"Ready to go in 30, sir?" Catriona asked from the doorway with a grin. "You're welcome to come too, Walt."
"Can't," Walt flashed a smile. "But you lot have fun," he slapped Scorpius on the shoulder and walked out of the kitchen.
Scorpius flashed a fake smile at Catriona, "Let me grab my things, then we can be off." He walked out of the small kitchen, sipping his very hot tea too quickly as his eyes scanned the room for Walt; he didn't think their discussion could wait until tomorrow. "I can Floo you, or meet you," Scorpius's voice was harsh as he walked past Walt's cubicle.
"Tomorrow," Walt didn't look up. "Early. The park."
Scorpius walked to his desk and scratched his chin as he gathered up his things; tonight was not the night for drinks and now instead of enjoying himself he'd have to try incredibly hard to fake how pleased he was to be there, knowing full well his two best friends would see right through him. Taking a deep breath, he met Catriona at the lifts with a smile, "Shall we?"
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Scorpius ran a hand through his hair and was ready to flash a smile when Catriona turned back to look at him before she pushed open the door. He was equally prepared to be bombarded by Weasleys and Potters.
"There he is!"
"The best Auror in the whole country!'
"Finally he has time for a drink -"
"With us nobodies -"
"Yes, yes," Scorpius waved a hand and rolled his eyes at James, Fred, Lily, and Roxanne who all yelled from across the relatively empty bar. "You saw me mere days ago," he let Lily and Roxanne kiss his cheeks at the same time. "You are so bloody dramatic."
"You love it," Lily giggled before leaving him to pull Catriona in for a hug. "Catriona, dear, thank you so much for bringing him -"
"Truly. You are a darling," Roxanne continued. "Fiona said you were the best Auror for the job."
"He nearly didn't come," Catriona's voice dripped with drama and Scorpius turned to glare at her. "Busy, had to work, all of that."
"I'm here, aren't I?" Scorpius scratched his chin and nodded at James and Fred. "You buying my first round since you were so desperate to see me?"
James pointed at Fred who pointed back at James. "You wanted him here?"
"No, you wanted him here," Fred responded.
Scorpius pushed past them to the bar, his glare softening when Albus handed him a pint. "When did Catriona meet the rest of the gang?"
"Came by the apartment yesterday when you were still in Kent, rather unexpected," Albus sighed. "Homefield advantage, at least."
"She handled it well, I take it?" Albus grinned and sipped his beer and Scorpius laughed. "Of bloody course she did." Scorpius clapped his best friend on the back and sipped his own beer. "So what's all this about then?"
"Today?" Albus shrugged. "Rose asked Fred to gather everyone for drinks, then the two of them decided that since they didn't see you last night -"
"When they intruded into our home," Scorpius chuckled. "I thought it smelled rather -"
"Now, now," Fred was by his side now. "No one likes a liar," Fred smirked.
"Mum told me I smelled lovely just the other day," James grinned from Albus's side.
"And your not calling James's mum a liar, is ya?" Fred puffed his chest up slightly.
"If anything," Scorpius drawled, "I'd be calling James a liar." He arched an eyebrow at his friend, but James was staring at the door of the pub. Scorpius followed his eyeline to see Rose and a woman beside her, but Scorpius paid very little attention to the other woman; his grey eyes focused on Rose who was wearing short black boots, black jeans, a bright blue top, and the same distressed denim jacket she had worn to the barbeque. Scorpius tore his eyes away when Rose met his gaze and said to the group, "Who's that with Rose?"
"I think the reason we're here," Albus's voice was low as he watched James and Fred walk towards Rose and her friend.
"Since we know it's for James, it'll be fun to see them wingman," Scorpius started to say before James turned his head back towards them for a split second. "Merlin, he looks nervous."
"Better go and help," Albus shrugged and nodded to Scorpius. "Let me get Catriona a drink and I'll be there in a mo." Catriona was walking over to them from where she had been talking to Lily and Roxanne and put her hand on Albus's back; she arched an eyebrow at Scorpius and he hesitated from rolling his eyes at her before going to see what was going on with James.
"Ah, Scorpius!" James's brown eyes were wild with fear even as he had a charming smile plastered on his face; he put a hand on his shoulder.
"Malfoy," Rose nodded at him and gestured to the woman next to her. "This is Aisling Walsh. She works at St. Mungo's with me."
Scorpius stuck out his hand for her to shake, "Pleasure to meet you, Aisling."
Scorpius smiled at her and before he could say anything else, Aisling cut in, "Gryffindor, year ahead of Potter and Weasley here," she stuck her thumb out at James and Fred. "So Healer Weasley's the first one of you lot I'm friends with," Aisling was smirking and Scorpius bit back a wide grin. "Muggleborn, MediWitch, live in Muggle London."
Scorpius arched an eyebrow at her and smirked, "Well I know everything I need to." His eyes darted to Rose and then to James who was still staring at Aisling. "Would you ladies need a drink?"
He very discreetly elbowed James who jumped slightly, "Ah, drinks, yes. They do a lovely pint here," James said before running a hand through his hair.
"I should hope so," Aisling chuckled. "It's a pub."
James's cheeks pinked slightly, "Of course, no I mean, they've got a wonderful amber," he started towards the bar, Aisling alongside him.
Scorpius turned to Rose and before he could open his mouth, Fred covered his mouth to contain his loud laughter. "Bloody 'ell," he managed. "I've never seen him like that before."
Rose's smirk was devious, "I rather thought he'd get tongue-tied around her."
"This will be so fun," Fred sighed and put a hand to his heart. "I can't wait to -"
"You will let James figure this out on his own," Rose's voice was low and gruff; she jammed a finger on his chest. "You leave him be and don't tease him."
"She's right," Scorpius glanced at the bar. "He's having a hard time of it already."
Fred looked at the bar and grinned again, "I can at least watch from afar, mum?"
Rose pulled the finger away from him and nodded, "Just don't go messing anything up, all right? I really think those two could work out."
"Put him in his place, you mean," Fred laughed again.
"If only we could find someone like that for you," Rose's voice was sickly sweet and Fred jumped slightly.
"Oh no, thanks, I'm quite alright, thanks anyway," he muttered, obviously scared, and hurried towards Lily and Roxanne for safety.
"When did you come up with this brilliant idea?" Scorpius arched an eyebrow and moved to stand alongside Rose so they could both watch James and Aisling at the bar.
"When Aisling forced me out of my office late last night to have dinner with her," Rose glanced up at him. "She's exhausting too," Rose smirked, "but in a different way than James."
"A complimentary way?" Scorpius asked with something in his voice that Rose couldn't quite place.
Rose hummed in agreement, staring at Scorpius for a long moment before she tore her eyes away from him again and he felt his traitor heart clench. "She's got a good bullshit meter on her," Rose tilted her head slightly as she watched her new friend and James talk at the bar. "I think that'll be good for James."
Scorpius let out a low chuckle, "It's why he's so afraid of my dad."
Rose looked confused as she turned to Scorpius, "He's afraid of you -"
"Sorry I'm late," Dominique said loudly as she walked through the front doors right behind them. "Mum Floo called me and wouldn't leave," she stood on her toes to give Scorpius a quick air kiss against his cheek before doing the same to Rose. Dominique did not miss the look that quickly crossed Rose's face when she tore her eyes away from Scorpius. "Are you not drinking?" She nudged Rose playfully. "Pius, did you not offer Rosie a drink?"
"That's a terrible nickname," Rose made a face as though she had tasted something foul. "You let her call you that?"
"It's a very rare occurrence," Scorpius tilted his head slightly, his eyes narrowed at Dominique, but he did not elaborate.
"I was waiting for James and my friend Aisling to talk a bit longer before I went over there," she jerked her head slightly to the bar.
"You playing matchmaker?" Dominique's pale blue eyes lit up. "Wicked," she grinned and looped her arm through Rose's. "Tell me everything before we try not to interrupt." Scorpius paid little attention as Rose briefly described how she knew Aisling and how she rather thought she'd be a good match for James.
"And Aisling knows you're setting her up?" Dominique asked with a wicked smile across her face.
Rose shrugged, a playful smile on her face that Scorpius tried not to stare at too long. "She's a year ahead of James, so I asked if she had anything against dating someone younger."
"Of course she doesn't," Dominique scoffed. "What does that matter?"
"Not after she saw a picture of him in the paper," Rose snickered. "Then she cared less."
Dominique looked scandalized for a moment before she broke into a fit of laughter. Scorpius pulled at the knot of his Muggle tie. "I'm not sure I was meant to hear that," he muttered.
"She was joking," Rose eyed him sideways.
"Everyone knows what James and Albus look like," Dominique pointed out. "Just like their dad, remember?"
Scorpius tried not to frown openly and nodded, "Ah, but of course." He took a small sip of his beer, very aware of Rose's eyes on his face.
"You think James has been struggling to flirt long enough?" Dominique nudged Rose. "That we can get a drink?"
Rose pulled her eyes away from Scorpius and smiled at her cousin, "We should at least see if he needs help." She turned to Scorpius, "Need another?"
He raised his still rather full pint, "I'm alright, thanks."
"You nursing that?" Dominique tilted her head. "Come on, drink up," she said as Rose pulled her away.
Scorpius let out a long breath and took a very small sip of his beer as Lily sidled up next to him, "You alright, cowboy?"
Scorpius's eyebrows both raised as he turned to Lily, "That was -"
"Awful," she groaned. "I know, I was trying it out."
"Why?" He bit back a laugh. "Where did you even hear that?"
"Uncle George showed me that book you got him," she shrugged. "And the modern day cowboys wore boots and flannel and a denim jacket like you did the other day." She laughed and leaned her head against his arm as she kept laughing, "I'll never say it again, I promise."
"Thank, Merlin," Scorpius shook his head. "I hated every moment of that."
"Well stop dressing like a cowboy," she jabbed a finger into his arm.
"But I looked devilishly handsome," he ran a hand through his hair. "Why else have a beard i I can't look like a cowboy?"
"Are we calling that a beard?" Roxanne was there, her arm around Fiona's shoulders, who had just arrived.
"I think we have to," Fiona shrugged, her cheeks pink when she saw Scorpius. "Hiya, sir."
"Not you too," he groaned and tilted his head back to look at the ceiling.
Roxanne threw her head back and laughed, "Sir, drink up so we can get you another." She pulled Fiona to the bar.
Lily shoved Scorpius slightly, "Why are you nursing that?"
"I've been here barely 15 minutes," Scorpius ran a hand through his hair again. "I haven't eaten since lunch," he continued. "I'm allowed to enjoy this beer -"
"You're full of shite," Lily accused him quietly. "But I'll let you drink slowly in peace." She watched him carefully, her bright brown eyes scanning his face, "Are you alright?"
"Course," Scorpius smiled at her, hoping she couldn't see through it.
"You're so full of shite," she shook her head and let out a breath. "You're full of absolute shite." But she didn't elaborate because James, Aisling, Rose, and Dominique were all walking towards them now and Scorpius took another small sip of beer.
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Scorpius liked Aisling immensely and he could admit to absolutely loving James being at a loss for words; it was so rare for James to be stunned into silence or too flabbergasted to have a witty or goofy response. "This is absolutely killer," Fred had leaned over to whisper to Scorpius. "Not even Katya did this to him."
Scorpius nodded before whispering back, "And I like her a lot more than I did Katya."
Fred ducked his head to keep from laughing and raised his pint at Scorpius in agreement. Aisling was now talking to Hugo, who had just arrived and suddenly looked around at all the Potters and Weasleys that were there. "None of you look alike," she said with a dramatic sigh.
Hugo laughed, "You're out of your mind!"
"That's all anyone ever tells us," James agreed, pointing at Albus and him.
"Your hair is similar," Aisling shrugged. "But that's it. And Lily has red hair -"
"So do I," Dominique flicked her hair behind her with a sly grin.
"Not the same at all," Aisling shook her head. "My cousin has red hair too and she's not related to you lot," she added to make her point; Scorpius hid his smile behind his beer.
"Fred and I look alike," Roxanne said.
"I mean, if I stared at you long enough," Aisling made a show of narrowing her eyes and staring at Fred and Roxanne. "But I mean, bloody hell, Hugo here is a giant compared to Rose. Albus is taller than James -"
"And more svelte," Albus chimed in.
"I need muscles as a Beater," James huffed.
"You don't look a like," Aisling took a sip of her beer. "I don't know what all the fuss is with your family."
Scorpius let out a laugh, unable to contain his reaction to the bold, joking statement Aisling had just made. James stood there, his mouth hung open, unable to form words.
"I mean, like I told Rose" Aisling shrugged, her eyes dancing with mirth, her lips twitching. "I know what they did, I'm very thankful I was able to go to school, but, don't see the fuss now."
Hugo laughed the loudest as they all broke into relieved laughter. He clapped James on the back, "It's a nice surprise when someone doesn't care who we are."
"People care?" Aisling raised a dark eyebrow, her eyes landing on James. "That's a shite way to live."
"We like to think people care about us because of Quidditch now," Fred grinned.
"Here we go," Scorpius rolled his eyes and before he could make an excuse and leave the pub, Dominique took his empty glass and shook her head at him. "I've had two, Nic, I'd like to leave," he whispered to her as he followed her to the bar. "I have things to do -"
"You have to hang out with me," she pouted at him. "I've barely seen you since the barbeque -"
"That was last week," he rolled his eyes at her. "And you've been practicing a lot, from what I seem to remember of this week," he said gruffly.
"But it's Friday night," she whined in a soft voice.
"And don't you have a gentleman friend that can -" Scorpius's voice was equally low.
"Reggie went back to Australia today," she sighed and put the two empty glasses on the bar.
Scorpius put his arm around her and pulled her to him, "I'm sorry, Nic -"
"There's nothing to be sorry about," she leaned into his side and let out a breath. "Am a bit more disappointed than I thought I'd be."
"Two lagers, please," Scorpius nodded at the bartender. "Do you want to talk about how you feel about it or -"
"I'd rather have another pint and make a plan for how I'm going to start dating more wizards," she looked up at him with a devilish smile. "And you're going to help -"
"I'm not helping you with a plan," Scorpius let out a soft laugh and let go of her to take the two pints from the bartender. "Pay the man, won't you?" He arched a blonde eyebrow at her and turned to lean against the bar, only to see Rose's head turn quickly towards Aisling and away from Dominique and him at the bar. Now that was odd -
"Why am I paying, exactly?" Dominique's mouth hung open.
"Because you guilt-tripped me into staying longer," he smiled at her. He could always just pick up a Sober-Up potion before meeting Walt.
Dominique huffed but didn't argue, "You going to help me find a man, Malfoy?"
"A real one?" Scorpius scratched his cheek, the short hairs coarse against his hand. "Not a fake friend?"
"A real one," Dominique nodded and leaned against the bar next to him. "I think I'm ready to go on a real date with a wizard." She tilted her head slightly, "I'm not opposed to just a one night -"
"Got it," Scorpius interrupted her. "Maybe Aisling knows people?"
"Maybe," Dominique shrugged. "Gotta see if she and James work out first, don't we? Before I get involved with her friends."
Scorpius nodded and took a sip of his beer, "I'll keep an ear out for someone at the Ministry. Not sure how helpful I'll be." He felt Dominique lean into him again but didn't think anything of it, his eyes roaming around the room at his mates. "There's no Aurors I'd set you up with," he continued, as Dominique leaned her head against his arm before he moved it to wrap around her shoulders. "But maybe Walt has a mate, I haven't met all of them."
"Hmm," Dominique agreed. "Maybe someone who didn't go to Hogwarts?"
Scorpius chuckled, "That a requirement or just a preference?"
"Preference," Dominique responded with a smile. "Now this is interesting," she continued, her voice soft.
"What is?" He leaned his head down slightly to hear her.
"Hmm?" She looked up at him with a small, knowing smile.
"What's interesting?" Scorpius repeated.
"Oh, nothing," Dominique turned her head back to their group of friends, a sneaky smile on her face as she took another small sip of her beer. "Nothing at all."
Scorpius looked back up to see Rose, sensing she'd been caught staring, turn back to Aisling and laugh.
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A/N: Please review - they are very much appreciated! :)