Do you believe in love at first sight?
Chapter 2
"Lily, Roxy. Lets go!" Rose leapt out of the bedroom window landing lightly on grass making very little noise. She watched as, first Lily then Roxy, did the same.
"Give us a swig Rosie?" asked Roxy taking the bottle of Firewhisky that they had sneaked with them in Rosie's wellies. Rosie rooted around in her bag and produced a packet of muggle Cigarettes, she tapped one on the top of her packet, and ignited it with her wand. She inhaled deeply and passed it on to the others.
Rose Weasley had led a privileged life.
She had never wanted for anything, she supposed she was lucky, but her young life had also been very sheltered. As a child her family were always followed by paparazzi wanting to get a picture. Being the first born of two of the – What did those morons call them? – the Golden Trio she'd never allowed to slip up. All through Hogwarts, she was expected to be top of class, be a prefect, then head girl, be the best. All this pressure to succeed found Rose in her final year of Hogwarts with no friends and very few acquaintances. But at least she got all 'O's' in her exams – some comfort. All this had hit Rose hard she had realized that she hadn't experienced anything. She'd never been drunk, she'd never snuck out of her dormitory at night like the other girls, never dated, or got detention; she hadn't lived at all. Her younger cousin Lily had, if possible, more pressure than her. She was the daughter of Harry Potter, but unlike Rose, Lily didn't care. She snuck around Hogwarts, drank, smoked snogged various boys, and still managed to do it in complete secrecy.
This summer however, Rose was going to live, she was going to do all the things she'd missed out on.
"Are the boys meeting us?" Rosie exhaled a cloud of smoke.
"Nah, don't think so, James and Fred might come along later but they've got other plans they said." Roxy passed the fag on again, leaning against the side of the tent.
"Oh bollocks we've been caught!" Lily laughed nodding toward the window of the Malfoy tent. The son, Scorpius, was looking down at them from his window.
"We're going to a party." Called Lily in a hush voice, "Care to join us?"
Scorpius looked slightly taken aback but nodded.
"Two minutes." He mouthed back at them.
"We've made a friend!" Exclaimed Roxy sarcastically.
Scorpius climbed out of his window, his long limbs so elegant as he gently touched grass.
"Lets go!"
The four of them passed tents of sleeping people and tents of raucous partying, they spoke quietly passing the booze and fags. Rose thought how effortlessly cool Scorpius was, tall and a bit broody, the elegance in his sharp features made him look quite intimidating. He didn't talk much, but maybe that was because her cousins could always talk enough to fill any awkward gaps in conversation.
They reached what – on the outside – just looked like a shabby tent. But the inside was transformed into party zone, music was blaring, young witches and wizards were dancing and frolicking on a make-shift dance floor, there were saggy looking sofas dotted around where couples sat lazily drinking, snogging, and in some cases, having a quick power nap before getting up to boogie again.
Lily was asked to dance almost immediately by a French boy, Rosie didn't catch his name, and she was pretty sure Lily had neglected to ask him. Roxy, Scorpius and Rose found a wizard handing out drinks. They each took a shot, wincing as the liquor hit the back of their throat, and slamming the glass down.
"Do you wanna dance?" Rosie was tapped on the shoulder. He was young, pretty handsome in an average way but not for Rosie who shook her head.
"I'll dance!" offered Roxy taking his hand and leading him to the floor.
"Do you want another drink?" asked Scorpius
"What?" Rosie lent in, it was too noisy she couldn't hear a thing.
"Do you want another drink?" he made a 'drink' sign with his hand.
"No thanks" Rosie shook her head, "Do you want to get some air?"
"What?"
"Air! OUTSIDE!" Scorpius nodded and took Rosie's hand leading her out of the tent and into the night air. "That's better." Rosie arched her back letting the gentle breeze cool her.
"What was that about, you know with our parents earlier." Scorpius asked lightly.
"I dunno, Dad can seriously hold a grudge, I'm never told the details of the war."
"That makes two of us." Scorpius sighed, noticing that she was even more beautiful close up. Alabaster skin with freckles smattered across her nose, curly red hair and a mouth that formed a perfect 'U' when she smiled. "So…shall we go back in?"
"I don't feel like now…" She paused, knowing what she wanted to suggest but not knowing how to phrase it. "Tell you what, let's just find a nice place to sit and get pissed?"
Scorpius smiled back with relief and the pair walked into the woods together.
This was officially the longest dialogue Scorpius Malfoy ever had with a girl.
"You went to Hogwarts didn't you?" Rose had blurted it out, after about three bloody minutes as well, she couldn't hold it in she wanted to know all the details.
"I was waiting for you to ask me that." Scorpius smiled at her, "Five whole minutes I'm impressed!"
"…Actually it was three…but that's besides the point. What happened? One day you were there and then you weren't."
"You mean, you didn't hear what happened?" Surprised flushed his pale features, "I assumed the school informed you all."
"Nope, no one said a word about why left, we thought you'd gotten home sick, or changed your mind about Hogwarts. We'd only been there a couple of weeks when you left."
"Got beaten up, couple of weeks in, some bastard jumped me. I didn't know much magic and I was just a little kid so I couldn't defend myself." Scorpius clenched his fist making tiny red marks in his palms.
"Shit! What did they do?" Rose exclaimed unconsciously placing her hand on his.
"Kicked my head in. Smashed my nose. Left me in a pool of blood, I was found by Professor Longbottom, my parents were summoned and insisted I was taken out of Hogwarts." Scorpius' spoke in an uninterested drawl, this incident had written the rest of his young life, instead of growing up at Hogwarts with friends and stories to tell, he grew up within the confines of Malfoy Manor with his parents and a tutor for company.
"Why?" Whispered Rose.
"My surnames Malfoy." He stated simply but after a confused look from Rose felt the need to continue. "My Grandparents were supporters of Voldemort, all I know is after the War the Malfoy name was as good as Leprechaun gold…And my father struggled to rebuild a life and a reputation." He glanced at Rose who was listening intently her hand still on his. "…But I supposed parents warn their children to stay away from a boy like me, told them stories and they felt like they needed to seek revenge for everyone who died…" Scorpius didn't need to go on, he looked down again at their hands, he liked the way it looked. Her smaller hand closed over his long fingers.
"Did you ever find out who did it?" Rosie looked into his eyes; she felt a peculiar stab of guilt. Her father, as he said goodbye on the platform 9 ¾, had warned her of the Malfoys. What was it he'd said… 'Don't get too friendly with him Rosie.'
"Nah…" His eyes filled with bitter regret, the life he could have enjoyed if it hadn't been…he pushed the thought away. This was how resentment evolved into revenge and all he wanted was Rose.
Rose had never felt, or perhaps properly understood, the notion of sexual desire. She'd lusted after famous singers and the unattainable boys at school, crushes that had soon withered and died. But she'd never been in such closer proximity to a boy and felt her insides pulse and tingle. She'd never felt that sensuous, almost carnal, desire for another human being. That was, until now.
Rose had been daunted by his good looks and their family feud, but he wasn't what he had initially appeared. He wasn't cool and brooding or even the slightest bit intimidating now.
He was interesting and thoughtful. He was human and awkward. He was a misfit. He had a past. He'd missed huge chunks of his childhood…He was Just like her.
"I think you're brave."
"You do?" Scorpius taken aback, had he'd told the story right? He had mentioned that he'd been beaten to a pulp, and not fought back? "Why?" But before he could enquire anymore she bent over and kissed him lightly on the lips. They smiled at each other then lent forward and kissed again. And again to the distant sounds of partying.
