I'm back! Yay. I felt a bit stale for quite a while but recently, inspiration struck. I've already got Chapter 12 and 13 done too, so they should be following soon. Also, if anyone had any idea what time of the year we're at in this story, please let me know, I am so lost. This is what happens when you just write shit and forget to record how much time is passing. Anyway, enjoy!

Chapter 11

I was sitting on the stairs of my home, wringing my hands as my mum and dad rushed about the house getting ready.

Well, my mum was rushing, my dad- not so much. It was almost like he wanted to be late for our meeting with the Malfoys at Malfoy Manor.

"Ron put your tie on," mum told him, hastily pulling some heels on her feet.

"I don't want to wear a tie," dad responded grumpily, throwing the thing over the bannister. "I bet Malfoy won't be wearing a tie."

"Oh, grow up Ronald," Hermione scolded him, throwing the tie back around his neck. "Just put it on, would you? I need to do my makeup."

I checked my watch, "We have to be there in two minutes," I reminded my parents, exasperated. I had been ready to go for about 45 minutes. But, unfortunately, my parents weren't quite so organised.

Well, of course, my mum usually is organised, but something about this particular outing had her all flustered. I assumed she was just nervous to meet Astoria- or maybe it was about the house and the memories she had there.

I wasn't sure.

"Alright!" Mum appeared back from the bathroom and clapped her hands together, "let's go."

I jumped up from my spot on the carpeted stairs, smoothing down my own outfit, before linking arms with my mum and dad.

I had never been much of a fan of sidelong apparition, this journey was no exception. But, as we walked through the black, iron gates towards Malfoy Manor, I couldn't figure out whether the sick feeling in my stomach was because of the chosen method of transport, or because of what we were about to do.

I knocked on the door, wondering if anyone would even be able to hear me in a house this big. But sure enough, seconds later the grand double doors opened.

A house elf stood on the other side, beaming at the prospect of visitors as she hurriedly invited us inside the mansion.

"Welcome Weezey's," The elf greeted, taking my dad's jacket and hanging it on a rack. "We have been told you were coming." She continued excitedly. "Roe is so glad to meet you."

"We're glad to meet you too Roe," my mum responded kindly, and I was reminded of my mother's love of house elves. Apparently, she had once set up a whole organisation to protect their rights.

"That's very kind mistress Weezey." The elf blushed, before turning and padding down the corridor. "Follow me, the masters are waiting in the dining room."

"Thank you, Roe, and please call me Hermione."

I cast a glance at my dad, who rolled his eyes.

Unsurprisingly, the walk to the dining room was hardly a short one- and I was reminded just how grand the mansion was. As far as I knew, the Malfoy's had worked in the ministry for a good few generations- I wondered what a Malfoy ancestor had done to earn this sort of fortune.

Probably something shady, I decided, just as Roe led us off of a corridor and through a door, into one of the most expensive rooms I had ever seen.

But I hardly had time to dwell on the chandelier the size of a table, or the marble statue in the corner, because my attention was stolen by the three people already in the room.

I pointedly ignored Scorpius, but it wasn't hard, because he wasn't who my gaze was drawn too.

Draco Malfoy stood by the empty fireplace, a glass in his hand and platinum hair, slicked back. He didn't smile as he noticed the new arrivals, in fact, there was very little reaction at all. The only acknowledgement he offered was a searching gaze over the three of us. When it landed on me, I had to look away.

Astoria was sitting at the table, but beamed when she looked up and saw us hovering in the doorway.

"Mr and Mrs Weasley, it's a pleasure!" She gushed, standing elegantly and crossing the room, offering a dainty hand to each of my parents in turn.

"Please, call us Ron and Hermione," my mum returned, smiling her most gracious smile.

"Of course," Astoria, replied. "We are family now, after all?" She added, jovially, missing the slightly green colour that my dad turned as she engulfed me in a vanilla-scented hug.

"Weasley, Granger," Draco Malfoy approached, holding out a hand for each of my parents in turn. "It's been a while."

"It's good to see you, Draco." My mum replied, her tone undecipherable. My dad, however, did not respond at all, other than the shake the blond man's hand perhaps a little too firmly.

When he turned towards me, I felt my heart beat a little faster- regardless of whether the rumours about him were true, Draco Malfoy cut a formidable figure, especially if he was your father in law.

"Rose, is it?" He asked, to which I could only nod.

"I'm glad to finally meet you, Mr Malfoy."

He didn't say anything for a moment or two, before stepping back and gesturing to the table in the centre of the room. "Take a seat."

I cast a look at my mum before we joined the Malfoy's at the table, where Scorpius greeted my parents- using the utmost manners of course- yet the air between me and him remained cold and silent.

I sighed as I sat down, thinking back to when we'd arranged this family meeting- we'd been in a time of peace for the first time in six and a half years. It had been so short lived.

Well, I scowled internally, that's because he had to go and kiss me, isn't it? I still couldn't wrap my head around why he had done it. Probably something to do with the Slytherin ego- of course, he had to make sure every girl in the school was in love with him.

Ha, I thought snarkily, this was one girl that was never going to work on.

It wasn't long before the house elves began to bring us food, a time which was filled with idle chatter between our parents. Well, honestly, it was mainly my mum and Astoria filling the silence, whilst my dad sat sourly at the corner of the table.

Once the food was out, there was silence as we all ate. Most of us with passable manners- I was really making an effort to use my fork correctly and everything.

Unfortunately, my dad wasn't putting in quite the same amount of effort.

He was shoving forkful after forkful into his mouth. I glared at him from across the table until eventually, my mum nudged him with her elbow.

"What?" He asked, looking up, around the table, then back to her.

"Please, have some manners," she told him sternly, under her breath- but Rose had no doubt that everybody heard.

My dad rolled his eyes in response, but slowed down his eating all the same.

"So Rose," Draco Malfoy began, after a good few minutes of silence. "I hear you kept your last name as Weasley."

My eyes darted to my mum, panicked, before returning to the man who was staring me down from across the table. "Yes, sir," I responded, wincing at how formal I sounded- not to mention the tremor in my voice.

But he didn't seem phased by my nerves as he raised an eyebrow. "How... modern."

Astoria gave her husband a look, "well, I think it's a wonderful idea."

Draco took a sip of his drink. "Well, what about the last names of any children you may have?"

My dad spluttered, choking on his water. When I looked back at Draco Malfoy, he was watching his childhood enemy with an evident sense of satisfaction- I got the feeling he had only said that to earn a reaction.

"Now now, Draco." Astoria shot her husband a stern glare, who only looked amused in response.

There were a few more moments of silence before my mother-in-law spoke again. "Where do you two think you will live after Hogwarts?" She asked lightly.

Draco scowled. "They'll live in the Manor, of course, where else?"

"No they will not," My dad blurted out, a look of deep offence written over his face. Astoria seemed taken aback by the outburst, while Draco just looked at my dad, entirely unbothered.

"Ron," my mum began, placing her napkin on the table, "can I see you in the hallway for a second?"

My dad looked a little abashed but was led- without protest- into the hallway nevertheless. What followed was a heated, muffled conversation. I picked up the words 'civil' and 'Malfoy', but the rest was indiscernible. Yet despite the wall between us, I could tell my dad was whining.

I buried my face in my hands, mortified at my current situation and the fact that my parents were embarrassing me in front of the Malfoy's, even more than I'd already embarrassed myself. Which was quite a lot.

I expected to look up and find three grim faces around the table, but instead, I raised my head to see Scorpius failing to hide a snigger, causing Astoria to hit him gently in the knee whilst stifling a soft laugh of her own. Draco, the formidable ex-death eater himself, just seemed vaguely amused.

I frowned inwardly- this was not the family everyone described them as.

The next day was Sunday and another family meal at the Burrow- well, actually, it was the Weasley family watching Roxy's first game as official beater for the Holyhead Harpy's. But after that was dinner at the Burrow.

They Harpy's were currently playing the Appleby Arrows, so let's just say it wasn't a very high stakes game. The Harpy's would have to lose four players and become magically blindfolded for the Arrows to even have a chance. Nevertheless, we had come to support her in the first match of the season.

Brannon, Roxy's big-shot quidditch star fiancé, had come too, which Dom and I agreed was sweet of him as we sat side by side in the empty stadium. It was so empty, that the only Harpy supporters present were my family- but they still had triple the amount of supporters as the Arrows.

Despite the lack of tension in the game, Weasley's did not take quidditch lightly- especially not when one of their own was playing. When the Harpy's scored, we screamed and whooped and waved home-made banners, and when Roxy hit the bludger, we celebrated just as fiercely. James and Fred even went as far as to send a few fireworks off from their wands- which earnt them a good scolding from the referee. Something about 'distracting and endangering the players'.

A mere 25 minutes after we had sat down in the stadium, the game was over. The Harpy seeker was holding a struggling snitch in her fist and grinning as her team swarmed her. I cheered along with my family, and we stayed in good spirits all the way back to the Burrow.

A few additions turned up for dinner as we were setting the table. Alice came first, then Molly's fiancee and Daisy. Of course, Malfoy wasn't coming. Even if I had felt any desire to invite him- which I hadn't- he would never have come anyway.

He was still being icy cold to me, and I was still reciprocating. As far as I was concerned, I had made a mistake, yes- but he had made an even bigger one. If he expected me to apologise then the prick had another thing coming.

When we sat down to eat, I was next to Daisy again, who had James on her other side. I scowled at my cousin, waiting for him to make conversation with his fiancee- but nothing. It seemed he still hadn't grown up.

We began to eat and the table came alive with chatter. Mostly centred around Roxy and the quidditch season, or our upcoming NEWTs. The couple to my right, however, remained quiet.

"So James, how has work been recently?" Daisy attempted, earning nothing but a non-committal shrug that had me wanting to box my cousin's ears.

The pair fell into silence again, leaving me to do my best at starting up a conversation with Daisy. We spoke about her job and my own aspirations for the future- but eventually, it seemed we ran out of things to say.

"Which Quidditch team do you support, James?" The girl turned back to my cousin, her voice remaining gentle despite the frustration she must have been feeling.

He shrugged again, before muttering, "Puddlemere," and looking away.

"Oh, that's nice- my dad supports them."

James gave nothing in way of response. I was about to get to my feet and start shouting something but, as it turns out, I didn't need to.

"You know what, James Potter?" All of a sudden, Daisy was yelling and the sweet, calm girl that had occupied her seat moments before, was gone. "I have tried again and again to make friends with you. You might not like me, and you might not like this law- but guess what? I'm not your biggest fan either! This law is unfair on everyone, so you don't have to be so fucking rude!"

She broke off, breathing heavily as she started and stared around at the table that had been stunned into silence- there was no noise as my family stared with slack jaws at the girl who seemed to then realise what she'd done. She dropped back into her chair, wide-eyed, and put a hand over her mouth.

Somewhere down the end of the table, Fred started clapping- and in the next moment the whole family had joined in. Most of us were on our feet, including me, laughing and cheering as Daisy blushed furiously- but I noticed a small smile creep onto her face. James, at least, had the decency to look embarrassed. Something told me that he would be acting like less of a jerk from now on.

It was Defence Against the Dark Arts with the Slytherins last lesson the next day and I was practising with Al again. I was trying to disarm him without my wand, again- but this time I was having more luck. The first few times I had tried, I had failed. But I'd gotten his wand to fly into my hand at least twice now. After which, Professor Green made us practice shielding ourselves from expelliarmus using non-verbal protego.

He disarmed me on the first try, but I hadn't expected to get it right straight away.

"How are things going with Scorp?" Al asked me, handing me back my wand before returning to his duelling position.

"Good," I lied, before hitting him with an expelliarmus to prevent any more questions. His wand flew from his hand and I caught it easily.

"Really?" He asked, taking it back from my outstretched hand. "So where have you been sleeping?"

I felt myself blush furiously, but did my best to remain composed and casual as I replied, "In my dorm, of course."

"Liar." He replied, shooting an expelliarmus at me.

I rolled my eyes in exasperation as my wand flew from my hand. "I should have known I couldn't lie to you, your buddy-boy Malfoy tells you everything, after all."

"He didn't tell me, Rose. I went to your dorm to see you both this morning, but you weren't there." Al told me, using a voice that told me he was running out of patience.

"I'm sorry, ok Al. But I can't stand that boy!" I practically cried in frustration, hitting him with an expelliarmus that was perhaps a little stronger than I had intended- sending him staggering back a few steps.

"I don't understand." He shook his head, retrieving his wand from my hand. "I thought things were going better, you slept in your own room. You even met his parents. What happened?"

I blushed, my memory pulling me back to that shameful night.

"Nothing happened," I told him as earnestly as I could, but my cousin only narrowed his eyes suspiciously. I was dreading what he was going to say next but then, mercifully, Professor Green interrupted us.

"Weasley, Potter," she barked from across the room, "less chatting, more charms."

We had our second apparition training session that afternoon, something that had once excited me was now only tedious. My mind was elsewhere- and the overly enthusiastic voice of the portly man in front was doing nothing to help me stay concentrated.

All that was on my mind was Malfoy. And all that I wanted on my mind was my studies- which I was itching to throw myself into after the school day was done. It was already May- NEWTs were approaching fast and I hated how this whole marriage law was distracting me from it.

So as soon as the government man dismissed us, I left quickly- hurrying towards the library to stick my nose in a book for the next few hours. Which I did, drowning myself in defence against the dark arts and potions.

I focused mainly on wandless magic- one of the most advanced things on the curriculum. Of course, it was something we'd all been doing unwittingly since we were children and we'd displayed our magic for the first time. The hard bit was channelling the magic.

So that's why I was sitting in the library, alone, viciously glaring at a book.

I was trying to get it to levitate- so far, all I'd managed was to open the front cover. Well, I reasoned, it was a great deal better than nothing. Nevertheless, I reclosed the book, sat back down- and tried again.

The room went from empty to even emptier and my tiny corner of the library grew dark as the sun slipped away, but I didn't notice. Wrapped up in my concentration, I didn't even notice as Mrs Norris Jnr. prowled into the library. At least, not until her glowing green eyes caught mine through the dark and made me jump.

"Merlin," I clutched a hand to my chest, breathing heavier than normal. "Mrs Norris you scared me-" I broke off, my eyes finding the window, and the pitch black sky beyond. "Oh no..." I muttered aloud- at this point, curfew must have been far behind me.

The cat blinked, then- silently- turned and trotted out of the library. I couldn't help but wonder why no one had put a bell on that thing yet.

"She'll have gone to get Filch," I spoke aloud again as I hastily began to collect my belongings back into my bag. I found that my voice was a comforting presence in the dark and otherwise silent castle. Hogwarts was my favourite place in the world- but it could still be slightly scary at night.

I rushed from the room, being careful to make as little noise as possible against the stone floor- but nevertheless, my footsteps seemed to echo and bounce around the corridors. I only hoped that Filch's (extremely) advanced aged had begun to affect his hearing.

Practically running now, I leapt up the staircase- carefully avoiding the trick steps and praying to Merlin that the stairs wouldn't choose this incredibly inconvenient time to start moving. Graciously, they didn't- and I made it to the seventh-floor landing with practically no trouble.

I was rushing down a corridor feeling quite pleased with myself and my success, actually, and ignoring the paintings as they groaned at me to 'nox' my wand- when, suddenly, there were footsteps coming round the corner in front of me.

I skidded to a halt, but the person who came round the stone wall and into the puddle of my 'lumos' was not Mr Filch.

In fact, in that moment- I would have preferred if it was the aged caretaker.

"Weasley," Malfoy greeted me coldly. Ah, so he was still pissed. Well, that was fine by me.

"Malfoy," I responded, doing my best to match his tone.

"What are you doing?"

"What are you doing?" I retorted. Perhaps it was the adrenaline of running from Filch, or the night time atmosphere, but my voice was snappier than usual. I gave him a moment to respond to my question, but he didn't.

"Listen Malfoy," I continued, hearing the exhaustion in my own voice. "I could stand here and talk to you, but I'd much rather just go so..." I started to walk around him, when he reached out a hand and caught my arm.

"Wait-" he began, then stopped short, turning and looking into the gloomy corridor behind. I frowned, caught between shaking him off and curiosity at what had distracted him. That's when I heard the footsteps.

These ones were uneven and hasty- but more of a shuffle than a walk. This time, there was no mistaking that it was Filch.

"Quick," I whispered to my counterpart, before leading him into a broom closet off of the corridor. I squeezed into the tiny space, my feet squished in beside a bucket and a stool. Malfoy stepped in after me and shut the door behind us. And suddenly, we were plunged into darkness.

"Where are they, Mrs Norris?" Filch's raspy voice appeared as his shuffling steps grew closer and closer. "We know there are students out of bed!"
My breaths were coming out loud and ragged. The next thing I knew, a hand was placed over my mouth.

"Oi," I tried to say as I pulled at his fingers, but it only came out as a muffled protest. In response, Malfoy didn't remove his hand- but only hissed at me to be quiet. Even in the darkness, I felt his glare. I hoped he felt as I rolled my eyes.

We listened as Filch shuffled into a classroom on the other side of the corridor. Malfoy let his hand fall back to his side. I squinted, my eyes slowly adjusting to the dark.

I had never understood the appeal of making out with someone in a broom closet. It was something nearly everyone did, but I had never been able to fathom why people enjoyed it so much. A small space, hard wooden walls and random brooms sticking into your back at odd angles. What was sexy about that?

But now, as I stood in the dark with Malfoy, pressed so close up against him that his heavy breath warmed my face and I could feel his body with mine, I understood it. There was something so intimate about. Despite myself, I let my eyes trace his face in the low light. The only sounds I could hear were our heavy breaths and my heartbeat pounding in my ears. I told myself it was the thrill of almost being caught by Mr Filch, but there was definitely another reason my heart was beating so fast.

No, Rose, get a grip. The adrenaline seemed to be making me slightly delusional.

Perhaps, I mused- sighing, if he were any other boy this could have been a perfect moment. A moment that 30 year old me would look back on and remember as the height of my teenage years.

Unfortunately, it was Malfoy- the boy I hated. The boy I was bound to for the rest of my life.

"You're staring, Weasley," he spoke, eventually. I averted my gaze from his face, staring at the closet door as if I could see right through it.
I didn't respond, which I hoped would mean we could return to silence, but no such luck.

"Why are you out so late, Weasley?" He asked, and the small space of the closet meant that I could feel his breath on my face as he spoke. "Visiting a boy? You moved on from Scamander fast."

My eyes snapped back to him, and I gave him a look that I hoped showed him just how much I wanted to slap him into next week. He didn't seem all that phased.

"Not that it's any of your business, Malfoy, but no I wasn't. I was in the library... studying." I breathed out hotly, knowing that if I didn't keep my temper in check, Filch would hear me. "Which I'm sure you already knew, since it seems you've been spying on me with Al's map recently."

Silence as my mind rushed back to the sad, sad night in the classroom when Malfoy had entered the room holding that map. At the time I hadn't been bothered, but now it felt like a violation.

"I gave that map back to Al." He responded, rolling his eyes. "Besides, I didn't see you complaining seven days ago."

"I didn't have time to complain you-" I hissed, cutting myself off when I heard the classroom door open and Filch's uneven footsteps enter back into the hallway. We both kept silent, me, fuming and him, well... as ever, I couldn't decipher the look on his face.

Eventually, after some disgruntled muttering, Filch and his cat faded from earshot.

I pushed past him, opening the closet door and tumbling out into the stone corridor.

I turned back, finding Malfoy standing in front of me, watching. I opened my mouth as if to speak, but no words came to mind, so instead, I shut my mouth again, turned on my heel and walked away.

Chapter 11, done! Sorry it's shorter than normal. I don't know how I feel about this one guys, but it's a necessary set up... I think. I'll be honest, there isn't all that much planning ahead in this story. Anyway, leave a review if you enjoyed please! It really means a lot, I do all this writing for two reason: a) because it's fun and b) on the off chance that someone out there might enjoy reading it. So the interaction is very much appreciated! Don't be afraid to message me either, if you have some more in-depth thoughts you would like to share or even just for the lols.