Sunlight tripped over the edge of the clouds and onto the meadow below, where the princess lay in a bed of cerise sweet peas and blushing peonies. Her azure dress of silk georgette and velvet rippled in the cool breeze. She focused on the wind gliding past her, stirring the blades of grass she rested upon, far away from the marbled towers and vaulted ceilings of the castle. Her mind wandered to what the servants would do in her absence. Would they cause a commotion, alerting the guards that she was missing? Would they search her room for clues as to where she had gone, and somehow stumble upon the crooked picture frame above the window, where she kept all his letters hidden away? Would they find the box that he had given her the last time she had seen him, the one that held the -
The restlessness of her beating heart, rushing in her ears, faded to a steady, distant thump. She breathed in and out slowly, letting the fresh air fill her chest. All the what-ifs that flitted and floated through her mind like a kaleidoscope of butterflies were just the symptoms of a hyperactive imagination. There was no reason to worry. They would sort through it all together, and all her anxiety would wane into nothingness. But this is serious. This is not the sort of situation where I can say, "Whatever happens, happens." I have to think not only of my future, but of my family's as well.
The whinny of a mare interrupted her thoughts. At once, her agitation was replaced with a nervous giddiness. She schooled her features into tranquility, suppressing the urge to smile. He's here.
Footsteps trudged their way up the hill, then stopped abruptly.
Something soft brushed her nose. She furrowed her brows in confusion as the sensation increased, giving way to laughter as the object swept over her face, tickling her.
"Hey!" she said, giggling. Rose opened her eyes, squinting slightly, to see him crouching beside her, holding a tawny brown feather in hand. "Bastard."
Scorpius smirked as she pushed his hand away, now sitting up to be level with him. "Your vocabulary never fails to astonish me, Your Highness. I actually believe that you miss your English lessons."
Rose scowled. "I only miss history lessons, for your information."
"Maybe that is why you enjoy my company," he said, leaning towards her. "Because you do not bother to learn my past."
"I find your company enjoyable for other reasons, Prince Scorpius." Their faces were inches away. "Besides, I like to think of the future."
"And what future is that?" He asked, his voice as low and gravelly as the pebbles cementing the dirt path that led her here.
Rose produced a fine, gold chain from within her dress, upon which hung his signet ring, engraved with an elaborate M for Malfoy. "Ours."
He lowered his mouth to hers, and she sighed into the kiss. It was difficult to believe that it had been two weeks since she had seen him last; the way his lips moved against hers felt as though she had done this a thousand times.
Scorpius moved her scarlet tresses aside to press kisses down her jaw, and smirked slightly as she closed her eyes.
Rather than continue his ministrations on her ivory skin, his hands found her sides as he began to tickle her. Rose laughed into the open skies. "You conniving little -"
"I wouldn't finish that sentence if I were you, that's not the language wives use to respectfully address their husbands."
"Damn you," she replied, and he tickled her again, laughing as they rolled down the other side of the hill.
They caught their breath, both sprawled out on the grass.
"What are you going to do about Vice?" A thoroughbred mare, she was Scorpius's favorite horse to ride of all the breeds they kept in the Malfoy stables. She accompanied him on their every visit, as the journey here would take more than an hour if he attempted it on foot.
"What about her?"
"Anyone could see her if she's in plain view, right?"
"I secured her to a tree deeper in the forest," he replied.
"And no one will notice she is gone?" Rose asked, concern getting the better of her.
"Your paranoia is showing," he murmured, smirk in place. She wanted to kiss it off his stupid, devastatingly handsome face. "I will tell my father I was out riding again, alright?"
"Okay." The unease within her calmed itself, and once again she closed her eyes.
He rolled over so he was next to her, and lifted the chain on which hung his ring. It glittered in the midday sun like a medal of valor.
Rose raised herself slightly to undo the clasp on the necklace, and let the ring drop into the palm of his hand. Scorpius gently took her own and slid it onto her finger.
She looked at him with apprehension.
"I should have given you a proper engagement ring," he said quietly, lacing his fingers through hers.
"I don't care if it's rusted or beyond all repair. The meaning is the same, is it not?"
"Your parents will not take too kindly to the sight of our coat of arms. They will not trust anyone who bears this as though it were nothing. That is why I wish I had given you something else."
Rose let the ring slide off her finger, and placed it back on the chain. She looked around, and found the lilting stem of a poppy, upon which a singular red bloom swayed.
She tied it in a knot around her finger, making sure it was strong, before discarding the remaining stem. "Will this work?"
Scorpius lifted her hand and examined the makeshift ring. "Your handiwork is shoddy as always, but I daresay it will suffice."
Rose rolled her eyes, and lay down once more. "I will start receiving marriage proposals soon. Mother will have arranged most of them, but Father has the only say in my future. He wants someone who will protect me, so they must have a large, capable army with advanced weaponry and the willingness to fight to the death for me. Someone who is also wealthy and will share in our riches rather than steal from us. And they must be courageous, compassionate, and a fair leader."
"That was almost an accurate description of me, but you forgot to mention, 'dastardly handsome gentleman who steals the heart of the princess'," Scorpius interjected, to which Rose smiled.
"I believe that goes without saying," she deadpanned.
"Either way, I have not told my father of my plan to ask your hand in marriage, so he believes my mother will take care of it."
"She is more understanding than your father, I take it."
"Correct. If anyone could persuade him, it would be my mother." Rose had seen a portrait commissioned in honor of his mother once, and remembered how the robes of royalty flowed over her gracefully. She was beautiful inside and out, just as a mother ought to be. Rose only hoped that she would approve of her son's request.
"Then our fathers are the same. Quick to not only anger, but judgment as well." She gave his shoulder a reassuring squeeze.
"My father acts the way he does because he was influenced by my grandfather. He had no choice but to partake in war, not knowing who was right or wrong."
"I'm sorry," she said. "Hopefully he has learned where his loyalties truly lie."
"Indeed." Their hands remained joined as the song of a lark filled the air. The melody whistled through the branches and hung in the breeze, descending on the green leaves and glittering on the surface of a pond in the distance.
"I don't suppose you've…. thought of running away, have you?" Scorpius's question hung between them like dirty laundry in the back courtyards.
"Right now?"
Scorpius smirked, shrugging his shoulders. "Why not? I doubt either of our fathers will agree to the idea of our marriage, no matter what our mothers say."
Rose leaned her head against his shoulder. "I couldn't do that to my family. They might not always have my interests in mind, but I would never abandon them out of spite."
He leaned his head over hers. "Never mind then. That was too much to ask for."
"If anything, it would complicate the situation. My father would think you had kidnapped me, or taken me hostage and were forcing me to marry you. How is that any better?"
"You daydream too much."
"I only daydream of spending time with you," she said. Scorpius smiled at that, and let her head fall onto his lap. He stroked her hair, letting his fingers run through it.
"Stop that," she complained. "I just brushed it this morning."
"So what are you gonna do about it?" he taunted, making no effort to stop.
"I'll distract you and let Vice free," she said confidently.
"How do you plan on doing that?"
"First, you're going to read to me. It's all part of my plan."
"Fine," he said, and Rose smiled, closing her eyes as Scorpius produced the book from a pocket in his trousers. She liked the sound of his voice, and the oddly calming effect it had on her.
"'My bounty is as boundless as the sea, my love as deep; the more I give to thee, the more I have, for both are infinite…" As boundless as the sea indeed, Rose thought, and sank into slumber, thinking nothing of parents or marriage or the future, only of her and Scorpius together now…
"... I wonder, how does one fall asleep in a tree?" The voice was playful, low, and whispered closely in her ear.
Blearily she opened her eyes and found herself no longer reclining on the flowery expanse of meadow beneath eternal sunshine, but nestled in the bough of a carnation pink tree. Her hair was crowned with cherry blossoms that released cream-colored petals onto her shoulders, as well as onto the volume weighing down her hand. She removed her hand, therefore relieving it of its bookmarking function, which had creased a straight line across her palm and wrist. The cover of the book depicted a girl wearing a tiara, its ornate crystal design meant to represent a castle. Kingdom of Love and Hate, the title read. Intriguing way to describe our relationship, although we never really bordered on hate.
Rose turned to Scorpius, who hovered beside her on his broom, surveying the scene with amusement twinkling in his grey eyes. "Probably by reading this book."
"You know better than to take book recommendations from Lily seriously," Scorpius commented, offering his hand so she could mount the broom.
"I know. I fell asleep before the first chapter ended." He smirked, encircling a hand around her waist as they descended to the ground.
"Nothing of interest then?"
"Just a bootleg copy of Romeo and Juliet, some forbidden romance in the Middle Ages. The only thing it's good for is a nap." And a very weird dream, she added silently, producing her wand from the pocket of her trousers to shrink and stow the book in her windbreaker. "Are Zabini and Pucey gone?"
"They just left. I had to call Vaisey as well, considering you were too wrapped up in your romance novel to join us for a fair two-on-two game." Malfoy Manor was so far isolated from the Muggle towns that they could fly as high as they desired, away from prying and suspicious eyes. Scorpius often liked to call his mates over for an 'informal scrimmage', now that they were busy working their respective jobs and didn't see each other as often as they would have liked.
"I'm meeting Lily tomorrow for coffee, and the first thing she's going to ask me is if I've read that excuse of a book."
"You technically didn't read it if you never made it past the first chapter."
"Semantics." Rose could probably invent some rubbish about the character development and leave Lily to do the talking.
"So what's your real excuse then, for not joining us?"
They slowed their walk back to the Manor. Rose glanced down at her hand, where glittered a diamond ring offset by rubies and emeralds. She swallowed, and tucked her hands out of sight.
"I just wanted to take my mind off of things."
"You wanted to forget you're engaged. Touching, Rose."
She regarded him sharply. "No, I -"
Rose chewed on the inside of her cheek, conflicted. It was a miracle she hadn't imploded yet; she'd been a professional worrier since her first year at Hogwarts. What if I forgot to explain the difference between Emeric the Evil and Uric the Oddball? What if I forgot to bring my cauldron to Potions? What if this all goes wrong?
Not for the first time, birdsong filtered through the demesne of Malfoy Manor, interrupting her internal skeptic onslaught. From the branches of the cherry tree swooped low a meadowlark, twittering and chirping. It landed on the edge of the marble fountain, where Scorpius had proposed to her earlier that day. The cinnamon-speckled bird ruffled its feathers, beady eyes flickering between Scorpius and her. You know what to do.
Rose turned back to him. "I think you're overreacting. We will have to tell our parents, but you're not giving them the benefit of the doubt. Our mothers could persuade half the Wizarding World to turn their hair blue and breathe fire. Therefore, they should be able to calm down our fathers, if they do have reason to be angry." She highly doubted her father would resort to anger when they broke the news to him; he was aware of their friendship since Rose had owled her parents about it in third year.
"They'll be disappointed."
She narrowed her eyes at him. "Maybe you should've thought of telling them first before you proposed. Save yourself a receding hairline, hmm?"
Scorpius arched an eyebrow, but nevertheless combed a hand through his hair for reassurance. "I still wouldn't mind eloping."
Rose thought back to her dream, of the two of them lying in the meadow with the world against them. "You're even more paranoid than I am. We can kid ourselves all we want saying that we don't care what our parents think of us. But in the end, it's not true, is it?"
Scorpius's silver eyes searched her face, before asking wryly, "You always have to be right, don't you?"
She smiled, and retracted her hand from the pocket of her trousers, intertwining their fingers. The rubies gleamed as bright and red as the poppy had. "Let's go tell your mother first."