It could have been seconds, it could have been centuries.
Neither Rose nor Scorpius knew how much time had passed since Rose had finally - finally - pressed her lips to his, but it didn't matter. Nothing mattered.
Aside from their lips slanting together, a hand lost in his hair, a hand gripping her hip, bodies pressed together, hearts beating wildly, a hand cupping her chin, a hand holding on tightly to his arm for support.
It could have only been mere moments, but it wasn't long enough.
"Scorpius?!" A shrill voice washed over them and Scorpius jumped, pulling away, his hands dropping to his side instantly at being caught, but Rose held on to his arm firmly, her other hand moving from his hair to his shoulder.
He tried to turn his body, his eyes actively avoiding Rose's face, to explain himself, but Rose held firm and peered over his shoulder. "This doesn't concern you, Poppy," Rose's voice was low in warning, husky from kissing.
"How dare you," Poppy stomped her foot, her face twisted in rage.
"Go away, Poppy," Rose said again, her eyes narrowing. Scorpius swallowed and let his eyes drift to Rose's face.
Poppy let out a frustrated scream but didn't budge.
"I'm not afraid of you, Poppy." Rose was using the voice Scorpius had heard her use with Thomasin and occasionally at Hogwarts as Head Girl; he wouldn't be surprised if this was the voice she was sometimes forced to use on her cousins too. "I can come up with very creative ways to hurt you," she drifted off and smiled slightly when Scorpius heard the door slam shut. "Now," Rose whispered, turning her head back towards Scorpius. "Where were we?" Her hand moved lightly up his neck and she twisted some of the hair at the base of his head.
"Rose, I," Scorpius tried to say, his slate-grey eyes darting between her eyes but she silenced him with a bruising kiss.
That he wasn't expecting. None of this he was expecting.
He was bloody kissing Rose Weasley. And they were bloody sober. And she was in a gown. She looked bloody fit in that gown.
And then she was slipping her tongue into his mouth and he let out a soft groan, a hand skimming down her back to sit right above her bum. She was so soft against him even as she kissed him hard, as if she didn't trust he wasn't going to pull away and leave at any moment.
How could he? He was finally finally finally finally finally kissing Rose Weasley.
She pulled away slightly to take a quick breath, their noses touching, pressing a kiss against the corner of his mouth, her eyes closed, and Scorpius took that moment to bend his head down and place slow, long kisses against her collarbone, her head leaning back to give him more access to her skin.
"Scorpius," she whispered, her voice husky with desire that it made Scorpius groan again slightly in anticipation. "Scorpius," she tugged lightly on his hair so his eyes were even with hers. Her eyes were heavy-lidded, and Scorpius kissed the corner of her mouth as she whispered, "We should go."
"I don't want this moment to end," he kissed along her jawline.
"Neither do I," she leaned her head back again before she caught herself and pushed against his shoulder again. "But," she put both her hands on either side of his face. "We can't snog out on your balcony."
Scorpius sighed. He knew they shouldn't, but he was scared that if they left this balcony, this safe space, he wouldn't be able to kiss her again. One of them would see sense and they wouldn't -
"I can hear you thinking from here," she tilted his head up slightly so he met her eyes again. "Come on," she let her hands fall to his shoulders. "You need to take me home."
Scorpius took a step back from her, his hands falling from her waist, his eyes drifting down to her bare shoulders and collarbone again and he nodded silently.
He opened the balcony door for her silently and they walked through the nearly-empty ballroom silently. Scorpius got their coats and Rose smiled so sweetly at him as he helped her into her coat he hoped for a brief moment that maybe that snog, that wonderful, beautiful, incredible snog wasn't just a one time thing.
And when Rose surprised him by slipping her hand into his once their coats were on and they were stepping outside, he turned his face to her and gave her a wide, happy smile.
And when she sat so closely next to him in the cab, his heart beat so quickly he thought he could pass out from happiness.
And when Rose invited him inside for a nightcap, he thought that he was surely going to die.
And when Rose pulled him into her flat and pushed him against the door to kiss him soundly, he knew he was going to die.
When they finally pulled apart, breathing heavily, Scorpius still pinned against the door, Rose let out a soft, disbelieving laugh.
"I don't know why it took me so long to do that," she admitted softly, her dark blue eyes nearly black as they traveled across his face. "I mean, I do know why," her hands played with the lapels of his tux. "Because I'm an absolute idiot."
"Petal," Scorpius whispered, his hand caressing her shoulder with such a feather-light touch it made her shiver. She bit her lower lip and leaned into him again, clearly wanting to kiss him, but Scorpius stopped her. "Wait," his thumb was on her cheek, his hand cupping her head.
She didn't move to speak, her eyes searching his.
"I've wanted this for so long, Petal," his voice was low and soft and Rose leaned her head into his hand. "I don't want to ruin this by going too fast."
She closed her eyes in frustration but nodded, "I understand."
"I don't want to scare you off," he admitted and Rose opened her eyes to see that he was scared.
"I'm not going anywhere," Rose pulled on his lapels so his face was close to hers. "I'm here."
He blinked and leaned down to kiss her chastely before she snaked her arms around his neck and kept his lips on hers for a little while longer.
"Goodnight, Petal," Scorpius kissed the corner of her mouth.
"Goodnight, Scorpius," Rose's whisper ghosted across his face.
"We'll talk this over soon," he assured her.
"All we do is talk," she groaned in frustration and Scorpius let out a light laugh as she stepped back from him so he could push off the door.
"Before the gala," he promised her. "We'll talk before the gala," he put his hand on the doorknob and bent his head to kiss her cheek. "I promise."
And before Rose could argue that they should talk now, or talk tomorrow, Scorpius had opened the door and slid out, his eyes never leaving hers until the door shut behind him.
Rose leaned against the door and let her head fall back. He better talk to her before she changed her bloody mind.
She put a hand to her lips and let out a small laugh. She was never going to change her bloody mind.
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A/N: ok, ok, ok, ok! I couldn't do that last chapter to you, so here is some snogging for ya! :) Rose is all in, don't worry.