A/N: Written for the Second Challenge of the Week for the Miss Leaky Cauldron Challenge.

Honestly, the first time I met him on the Hogwarts Train, I thought he was nothing but an irritating toe-rag. He was rude, he was selfish, and he ignored others to the point where they just didn't talk to him anymore. But on that very same meeting, I also discovered a softer side to him. The side that society dictated that he couldn't have just because he was a Malfoy.

It really was that first meeting that started everything. We were tentative friends from that day on. He would sometimes hang out near me and my friends in the library, and we occasionally partnered up during assignments.

This strange sort of friendship/acquaintance continued until the day I saw him crying.

Honestly, I came upon him purely by accident. I had been heading down to the kitchens for a brief snack to tide me over when I heard a muffle cry coming from the direction of Myrtles Bathroom. At first, I thought it was just Myrtle making a fuss about nothing again, but then I realized the voice was too low for that. My curiosity overtaking me, I cautiously crept into the dark bathroom and called out a soft, "Hello?"

The soft crying immediately stopped and I cursed myself. Of course they would stop at the sound of my voice. Why else would they be in this dirty room if not for privacy? I briefly considered backing out and pretending I didn't see anything, but I was already here and running away wouldn't solve anything.

Determined now, I strode (as quietly as I could) to the stall where I heard a slight noise and pushed the door open. What I saw shocked me. The unmistakeable blonde hair and the tear streaks down his face did not match with the cold image that he had created for himself. He stared up me from the ground with bleak eyes, too tired to even put an emotionless expression on his face.

I quietly made my way into the cramped stall and sat down next to him.

"Do you want to talk?" I asked.

He didn't respond.

I didn't push him to talk. Instead, I reached out for his hand and sat with him until his tears had dried and he was stiff from sitting for so long.

Standing up, I realized that he was still holding my hand. He pulled me up and smiled a bit, that innocent, shy smile he had shown me on our first meeting. Then, he pulled his hand free and walked to the door.

"I'm here if you need me." I called to his fading back. I barely saw his small nod in return.

Smiling brightly to myself, I walked back to the dorms, snack forgotten in the wake of the event that had just occurred.

From there, our friendship had bloomed.

It wasn't an immediate thing, as most things are, but a gradual crescendo. It started simply, like walking with each other to class, discussing our favourite Quidditch teams, or comparing Chocolate Frog Cards. Suddenly, before I knew it, it was the end of the year and I probably knew more about Scorpius than anyone in the school. He knew all my fears and dreams as well.

As we settled comfortable into the same compartment, I saw Scorpius give me a worried expression.

"Are you sure you don't mind that you don't have any more friends beside me and your family?"

I blinked at him. Throughout the months that I was getting to know him, my other friends had continuously told me not to talk with him. After all, the Malfoy family was infamous and they didn't want to be seen with the 'wrong crowd'. My temper had ignited and we got into a huge argument. Even now, they were shunning me and gossiping about me behind my back. However, there were still some friends who stayed with me despite this, and they were the ones that matter the most.

I smiled at Scorpius and told him not to worry about it.

And the years slowly rolled by.

Very much like how our friendship began, our relationship developed slowly. It really was jumpstarted, though, when my cousin Albus tricked the two of us into going to the Yule Ball together. From that day on, I realized I had feelings for my best friend.

Scared at this revelation, I went to Al again for advice. Although he didn't seem like it, he was actually really observant. All the Potter siblings were, as a matter of fact but I didn't want to ask Lily, because she was a blabber-mouth and James would definitely tease me for a long time after. So, I confronted my cousin in the library, where he usually spent his time.

"What should I do?" I asked. I was secretly a bit disgusted at myself for being reduced to an irritating schoolgirl, but there was no way around it.

"What are you talking about?" He asked incredulously, "Everyone can feel the mush from the looks you exchange miles away."

With that, he returned to his book and left me to ponder my thoughts.

I decided to trust his words, and confessed the next day. It wasn't romantic at all.

"I like you." I said, in a no-nonsense kind of way.

Scorpius looked a bit startled. "What?"

"I said, I like you."

He mouth dropped open. Then gradually, he smiled, and then laughed. I grinned as well, because he had a way of doing that to me. It was the most beautiful sound I had heard.

I don't know how (probably the paintings) but the next day, it seemed everyone knew we were a couple. I ignored their whispers, revelling in the feeling of loving and being loved.

When we were alone, he would let down the rigid mask that was constantly on his face and allowed me to see the vulnerable side to him. He would smile, tease me, and laugh (Oh, how I loved that laugh). It was the secret part of him that I hoarded from the rest of the world.

There was just no getting around it. I was in love with Scorpius Malfoy, and forever would be.