Of Memories and Orchards in Autumn

Rose appeared with a quiet 'pop' in the fireplace in the centre of Astroia Greengrass' parlour. A graceful brunette, Astoria herself, looked up- quiet relief washing over her dainty features. She smiled softly and stood up, welcoming the soot covered redhead with a warm hug. She whispered, "Rose, I was wondering how much longer you'd take to realise what an idiot he'd been."

The redhead kissed Astoria's cheek before smiling a watery smile. "I refused to read the book before today. It hurt to think of Scorpius and all the time I had spent with him."

"I know, love. I know. Malfoy men tend to be a bit too… um self- deprecating and, at times and downright stupid." As an afterthought she added, "Once they've deflated their Malfoy ego of course!"

"I know exactly what you mean. Though Scorp never had that ego to begin with. All your doing Ms Gr- Astoria" replied Rose smiling at the older woman. She noticed that Astoria's once dark brown hair now had shimmering strands of grey scattered through it. She looked stunning nevertheless, her black eyes sparkling and an elegant, friendly smile playing across her lips.

"Oh you flatter me Rose!" Astoria smiled, waving away the compliment. "Anyhow, why are you here? Shouldn't you be in the orchard? He still goes there, you know. Everyday. As I recall, that's where the two of you spent all your time- reading, studying, arguing, flying, talking." Astoria smirked suddenly, "And, I'm quite sure, snogging!"

"Astoria!" cried Rose, blushing like the true Weasley she was. 'He still goes there?" she asked, now serious.

"Rose, instead of talking to me, why don't you find out for yourself?" Astoria laughed kindly.

"Oh! Yeah! I suppose, I should go then? Shouldn't I?" Rose thought aloud, flustered.

"You should." nodded Astoria, shooing Rose away with a friendly wave.

Rose smiled once again and dusted the soot of her clothes before running off.

Rose was as at home in Malfoy Manor, where she was right then, as she was at the Burrow, or in Grimmauld Place or Godric's Hollow. She'd divided her holidays between the four houses. She loved the library and orchard in Malfoy Manor. She adored the kitchen the gnomes at the Burrow and she was left spellbound by the overwhelming history that Godric's Hollow was embedded in. Grimmauld Plcae was just a house where she fed her fantasies and thought up fantastic adventures and impossible tales.

But most of all, she loved the people that inhabited these old, stately homes- Draco and Astoria and their warm elegance; Grandmum Weasley and her delicious cooking, Grandad Weasley and his Muggle contraptions and the innumerable Weasley-Potter cousins; Uncle Harry's memories and stories, the Black Family Tree and old Kreacher; Lily and James Potter's memorial and the tombs in the Godric's Hollow cemetery- each telling its own story….

Rose looked around her- the Manor hadn't changed much since she'd last been here. The upholstery was still the understated silvery-grey that it had been, the drapes were the same emerald green as she remembered. Only a few artefacts had migrated around the house and new ones had arrived while the old ones had departed.

Rose strode through the dining room- opulent without being distasteful or overbearing- and paused before the family portraits.

The largest was of the present inhabitants of the Manor.

Astoria looked beautiful, as ever. Her rich brown hair was let loose to cascade down her shoulders. She sat proud- her chin up and shoulders pushed back. Her husband and son, standing behind her, were identical, save the flecks of grey in Draco's blond hair and the almost invisible wrinkles on his handsome face. Scorpius stood by his father- a smile gracing his features as he saw Rose gazing at the portrait. His blonde hair was tousled- as though he'd just gotten of a broom and his twinkling grey eyes gave off the aura of a prankster as well as the air of an intellectual. His sharp chin had the lightest blond stubble. Astoria smiled affectionately at Rose before looking up at Scorpius and grasping his hand. Draco smiled and squeezed his wife's shoulder.

Rose smiled, realising with a jolt how much she missed Scorpius and her conversations with him, and flying with him, beating him at quidditch, studying for the NEWTS, just leaning against a tree and gazing up at the sky- with Scorpius by her side.

Not to mention the snogging…

Rose blushed and giggled softly before running out of the dining room, through the kitchen and into the impressive green grounds of Malfoy Manor. A cobblestone pat lead to the orchard- a fiery speck in the distance- with the afternoon sun setting the autumn leaves on fire. A gentle breeze had picked up, sending Rose's hair fluttering. Rose steeled herself, taking deep breath and pulling her cloak snug around her.

And she ran.

What was actually just two very short minutes, seemed to Rose like two hundred long lifetimes.

Finally, she found herself at the grand black iron gate of the famed Malfoy orchard. She stopped for a moment, admiring the strong orange-red glow of the trees, before pushing open the imposing gates and stepping into a magical world with sights, sounds and smells of its own. Rose felt a sharp pang in her heart- it was just here, just beyond the gate, that Scorpius had, so many autumns before, confessed his love to her. And that was also where she had kissed him in response- joyously, tearily.

Rose didn't bother with looking for Scorpius. She didn't waste time. She knew exactly where he'd be.

Scorpius, Rose knew, would be under the large, spreading chestnut tree right in the middle of the orchard- either engrossed by a book or pouring out his thoughts and feelings onto a parchment or gazing at the vast blue sky, lost in thought.

It was under that tree that Scorpius and she had studied for their NEWTs, where they'd filled in their application forms to various jobs at the Ministry, where they'd discussed their future, where they'd just lain in each other's arms- revelling in the others warmth and company.

As she neared the centre of the orchard, Rose felt her eyes prickle with tears. She slowed down and tried consciously to be absolutely silent- she didn't want to disturb Scorpius. Or shock him or herself. She tiptoed furtively and rubbed at her smarting eyes.

The breeze had gently crept out of the air, leaving a warm autumn silence. Rose's windswept hair now lay still over one shoulder. She bit her lip in anticipation of what was to come. And she walked to the chestnut tree.

She circled its massive trunk and peeked over the side nervously. A silvery blond head was all she could see.

Rose ran a finger through her hair, hastily trying to get rid of some of the snarls. In her nervousness she forgot all about her wand and instead pulled at her cloak frantically, trying to make it lie just so. Finally, satisfied that she could do nothing more to make herself look presentable, Rose walked to the other side of the chestnut tree.

"Scorpius?" she whispered.

And the blond looked up, his grey eyes widening with shock as they met the redhead's sparkling blue eyes.

"Rose?" was all that the blond said, questioning.

Author's Note: Hehe! Cliffihanger, isn't it? Arent you glad? This chapter is longer than the one before.

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