It'd had been a long semester and Christmas had sprang upon her just as quick as it had last year. They got through the weeks together in the library, focusing on assignments whilst holding hands under the tables. Each note got more aggressive and threatening and both Scorpius and Rose had reached their limits, tension mounting between them.

"I'm supposed to be protecting you from this harassment!" He yelled.

"Protecting me? Like you protected my last year?" She yelled back at him, stomping on the ground like a petulant child would. "Look how well that went!"

Taken aback he was lost for words, "I tried goddamnit. No one asked you to be so stupid! Why couldn't you just do what you were supposed to do and kill the slimey Slytherin boy?"

"I'm the Slytherin! Not you! Or do you forget" Rose barked, "It's me who sleeps under grey and green! Do us Slytherins disgust you that much?" She knew she was being dramatic somewhere in the back of her mind.

"Rose." He warned.

"Don't you Rose me!" She crossed her arms, Scorpius folding his in return. "I don't understand how a great guy like you could hate his father so much! So much everything that connects you to him disgusts you!"

Scorpius took a beat, his anger subsiding. "I don't hate my father."

She considered him cautiously, waiting for him to divulge further.

"I love him actually," he plopped down onto a rock beside the lake. Their spot. "You know he was younger than we were when he made most his mistakes? I don't hate him, I know I get mad at him. Its not him really, its everything else I hate."

She took her place in between his knees and held his sunken head against her belly, running her fingers soothingly through his silvery hair.

"You may not have legions of fans like my cousins do, but you have a few solid friends. Melinda, Don?" She whispered, "You have me."

"Sometimes I feel like I don't deserve you," His eyes shone like mercury once more as they sought her out for support, help and guidance.

"Sometimes?" Was all she managed to say under such a gaze.

"Yeah, other times the Malfoy ego comes out and says 'Of course I do'," he laughed. Feeling better, she hoped.

"Come on," She offered him a hand up, "Let's find a dark corridor to make out in or something!"

Scorpius finally laughed and their argument was soon forgotten.

"You're dating Scorpius Malfoy aren't you?" Albus began his interrogation as soon as the train left Hogwarts station. Lily Potter bouncing beside him, Roxanne and Fred Jnr. listening in as soon as the promise of drama became apparent.

"It's okay if you are," Hugo promised beside her, his nose deep in a copy of The Revised Edition: Quidditch Through the Ages.

"Yeah Rosie, it's okay, you can tell us," Lily smiled.

She hadn't realized it mattered to her but it was Albus's reaction she waited for most. He gave nothing and she debated quickly. Wasn't it just last year that they'd argued over this same thing, didn't she defend her right to date Scorpius even though she wasn't at the time?

"You can't stop me Albus," Rose crossed her arms over defensively.

"Didn't say I would," He mimicked her arm movements, either in defensiveness or playfulness she couldn't tell.

"I mean it Albus, you try anything-"

"I won't. I just wanted the truth." His eyes beseeched hers, "The whole Vayne thing, this isn't like that is it?"

She chuckled, "Double date gone wrong. Pretty sure Scorpius and I both agreed to our dates just to be close to each other!"

Her Weasley counterparts ooh'd and ahh'd, whilst Lily practically squealed. Albus seemed stoic against all the noise. "You've been together this whole time?"

She nodded guiltily.

"Is he serious about you? I swear Rose, if he-" Albus began but Lily had thrown a silencing spell (wandlessly!) and he was now scolding 'on mute'.

"Let's get him to sit with us!" Lily beamed, "Then Albus can judge for himself."

All in the cabin watched the muted Albus who only nodded in agreement.

Rose sent her Patronus, a small hound dog, down the length of the train to look for Scorpius. Nerves bundled within her as soon as she released her magic. Secret rendezvous aside what if he didn't show up to meet her family? She knew he didn't like who his family was, but could he handle the scrutiny of hers? What if he didn't even try?

He appeared cautiously, looking as though he'd walked the plank to his death.

"Sit," She gestured for him to sit between herself and Hugo, whom already said he was onboard with the idea. He did as instructed, saying nothing only nodding a 'hello' to everyone in the cabin.

"What's all this then?" Scorpius couldn't help ask after all the awkward staring.

"Hi, Lily." Lily introduced herself, "Albus here asked Rose about you, and we've decided for his nosy benefit to invite you here formally for an introduction and so that Albus can get over his issues!"

"His issues?" Scorpius wavered.

"Oh, you know, the usual, what are your intentions with my cousin? I will perform unholy acts of violence if you hurt her! The usual!" Lily cried, all too enthusiastically.

"And why isn't he saying all this?" Scorpius raised a brow at him, noticing Albus's obvious silence.

"Oh! I put a silencing hex on him. He has a terrible predisposition for sticking his feet in his mouth. Don't worry it's better this way," Lily pinched Albus's cheek lovingly but Albus grimaced snarling with empty venom, rubbing his cheek like a wounded animal.

"Okay… Shoot I guess?" Scorpius turned to Rose for help but she shrugged, if it had to happen it had to happen.

"Okay, we'll try a lightening round. I'll ask you questions, you answer them. Simple!" Lily was enjoying this too much.

"Seriously?" Rose asked, concerned.

Lily shot her a scathing look, the kind she knew she'd learnt of her mother, Rose's own Aunt Ginny.

"Let's begin!" Lily chirped once more. "When did you first lay eyes upon our lovely Rose?"

"Lil!" Rose whined, falling back into her seat as Lily returned her scorn.

"Diagon Alley, few weeks before first year of school began. Didn't know it was her though, she was wearing a pink sundress."

What? She shot a glance at Lily, who promptly ignored her.

"When did you first kiss our Rose?" Did Lily have these questions sitting on a clipboard or something somewhere?

"First Hogsmeade weekend this year," Scorpius answered without hesitation, obviously determined to pass whatever test this was. Albus however muttered mutely at his response.

"When did you first want to?"

Scorpius stopped, his ears turning a little red she noticed. He leaned in with his elbows resting on his knees, gestured for Lily to lean in as well before whispering his answer.

"Hey! You can't do that!" Rose argued.

"Yes, yes he can." Lily said triumphantly before turning back to Scorpius, "Acceptable answer let's continue."

Rose rolled her eyes and slunk back into her seat, flailing her arms into Hugo, who nudged them off with brotherly irritance.

"How many girlfriends have you had before Rose?" Lily put on her 'play' scowl as she asked this question awaiting the answer, probably deciding on the punishments his answer would receive.

Scorpius glanced back at Rose and back at Lily, "Can I whisper this one as well?"

"Nope!" Lily announced with a degree of volume that peeked the other Potter-Weasley's attention. "I think Rose should know this one."

Scorpius hung his head defeatedly before murmuring, "MMone.."

"One?" Lily cried?

One other, who was this girl? It was a girl right?

"Who is she?!" Lily demanded, but Scorpius would not lift his head, instead he pushed his face further into his hands.

"No, I said none. There were none beside her okay not many people are interested in dating a ex-Death Eaters son! Let's just drop it!" Scorpius dug his face back into his palms once more and a light sort of warm feeling glower within Rose.

"Alright, alright. When did you first realize you were in love with our Rosie?" The others weren't listening, Albus's voice had come back and they were all laughing at the prospect of Scorpius being with no one else, and all that implied. Only Rose and Lily were still listening as Scorpius answered:

"I don't know, it's just been a gradual thing."

"What?!" Rose heard herself shout. The cabin silencing upon her outburst. "You love me?"

Albus couldn't decide who to stare at Scorpius or herself. Scorpius kept his gaze from hers, was he hiding from her now?

"When were you going to tell me?" She couldn't get her voice to calm down.

"I don't know," his face was back in his palms now.

"Boxers or briefs?" Lily chirped through the awkward silence.

"Briefs, wait, what does that have to do with anything?" Scorpius whined and the cabin returned to laughter.