For Sophia: my luverly reviewer who (hopefully) stuck through it all. This one's for you.

Dusk & Summer

Chapter Seven

"dusk and summer"

"And though the shadow of a sigh

May tremble through the story

For 'happy summer days' gone by,

And vanish'd summer glory -

It shall not touch with the breath of bale

The plesance of our fairy-tale."

Rose flipped the dog-eared pages of her children's book. It was a first edition of "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" by Lewis Carrol. She was sifting through the pages gingerly and with reverence. She was parting with it today. 'Just a loan' she reminded herself. She had always been a little touchy about others borrowing her books ever since she was six and loaned her copy of 'The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe' to James and he had returned it to her at the end of the summer covered in what appeared to be blackberry jam. She remembered the tussle they had gotten into after that. Six year old Rose with her scabbed knees and gangly limbs, jumping on top of and then tackling a nine-year old James Potter like a rugby player. Their parents were struck-dumb by timid Rose's loss of temper. They had only intervened after Rose had sat on the larger boy's chest and started to bludgeon him with the aforementioned book.

No one had doubted her propensity toward the Weasely Anger ever since.

She shook her head, with a slight smile on her face. Where had the time gone? It seemed like just yesterday she was beating James with her beloved paperback and now look at them. He just graduated from Hogwarts and was headed to becoming a successful Research and Developer for Weasely Wizard Wheezes, and she was... what? A seventh year Hogwarts student, part-time worker at Nabu's, the second-hand bookstore in Diagon Alley, and was hopelessly clueless as to what to do when she graduated.

Oh and she was also hopelessly, helplessly in love.

This brought her back to 'Alice'. She scribbled a quick note, "I trust you with this and all I have (and you know how important my precious books are to me). Alice is a first edition and a lady and I'm sure you'll treat her the way she deserves. Read this and think of me, and know that somewhere I am thinking of you. -R". She couldn't help the smile that spread across her face at imagining his reaction to this particular correspondence. She sent the family owl, Bathlida (or 'Baggy') out with the parcel and hoped that no one would notice her absence.

"Check," Hugo sighed. Playing chess with Rose had been less than fun as of late. Hardly a challenge, seeing as her mind was always somewhere else lately. 'Just thinking about work.' Rose would explain whenever anyone noticed or pointed out her day dreaming. Hugo thought that it was quite impossible for anyone to have that sort of wistful look on their face while thinking about their place of employment (apart from his mother of course), but wasn't too interested in finding out more about what Rose was actually thinking about. That is until she started losing to him in wizard chess.

Of course, Rose always lost to him in wizard chess. He was undefeated by anyone who played him (except on the rare occasion when he could persuade his dad to a game. Hugo generally lost then. It was good for him. A great challenge and he always learned so much from his father's deceptively simple yet crushing strategy. It also kept his ego in check. It's difficult to have a big head after playing a game with Ron and losing in eleven moves).

But his conquest of Rose wasn't what was bothering him, it wasn't all that surprising after all, but it was the ease in which he won. Usually Rose gave him a pretty good run for his money. Making him think and rethink his moves before making a commitment. And she always fought him tooth and nail after he announced Check Mate. Claiming that he cheated or that he must have used some sort of under-handed manner of winning. Truth be told, wizard chess was the one thing Rose wasn't great at and he discovered over the years that when she lost to her younger brother, Rose became very sore indeed.

That is, of course, before she became permanently distracted. Currently she was gazing out at the blue summer sky with that wistful smile on her face again. She looked almost...sick. It made Hugo anxious.

She blinked suddenly, just as he opened his mouth to remind her that it was her turn. With a distracted air she moved her rook to capture his knight. This left her king unguarded and prime for the taking.

No challenge at all.

With another heavy sigh, Hugo moved his bishop and muttered "Check mate." Rose gave a little jolt, shrugged, mumbled thanks for the game and then popped upstairs to get ready for work.

Hugo didn't like it one bit. While he was gathering up the broken pieces and repairing them and putting them away he resolved to get to the bottom of it.

Whatever 'it' was.

Across the country, in the heart of London, another boy was thinking about Rose Weasley.

'Don't let him know that she liked them best,

For this must ever be

A secret, kept from all the rest

Between yourself and me.'

Scorpius smiled and continued to read about darling Alice's adventures. Truth be told he was never interested in Muggle literature until Rose with her red-gold locks, pink lips and sweet smile entered his world. But now, as he read each line with fascination he couldn't help but think that he had really missed out on something spectacular while growing up. These simple adventures were entrancing, no wonder Rose kept, and continued to read, her favorite childhood stories. When wrapped in precocious Alice's curious wanderings around Wonderland it felt so easy to forget all of the other obligations in his life. His need to please is family, the pressure he's under to defy (or live up to, depending on who you ask) his father's name. It wasn't unlike the freedom he felt in Rose's presence.

However, reading these fanciful stories made him miss her terribly.

Pulling a scrap piece of parchment from one of his desk drawers, he scribbled a hasty note to Rose. He requested a meeting with her, before he really thought out the consequences of getting caught.

R-

I long for wonderland, for this dreary reality is no longer enough to keep me occupied. I need to see you. My dreams of you are no longer enough. I'll be in Diagon Alley next Wednesday and suddenly find myself with the strangest urge to pick up some secondhand books. See you at closing.

'So she sat on with closed eyes, and half believed herself in Wonderland, though she knew she had but to open them again and all would change to dull reality…'

-S

As he watched his owl fly off to the country with his request he felt his heart clench at the thought of seeing her beautiful face again. It had been nearly two months and he found his resolve weakening. He wanted to be with her right now.

On one hand the strength of his emotions startled him; he had never felt this way before. As if his heart would burst out his chest cavity at any moment. It seemed as if his whole life revolved around Rose and his memories of her soft voice reading to him, of her even softer fingertips grazing his arms and twirling in the hair at the nape of his neck as she whispered sweet words to him in between fevered kisses, hidden in the dark corners and abandoned hallways of the castle. He longed for those days, that last week of school, when they were both drowning in the heat of the summer and each other.

On the other hand, he was petrified. He had never given himself over to any one person so completely. He was so enamored with her that with the tiniest flick of her wrist she could bring all his hopes and dreams and passions tumbling down.

But he knew she would never do something so malicious. She had never returned his flustered confession at the end of the year before climbing onto the train. Not throughout all their correspondences during the summer, but he knew that she cared for him deeply. It was in every word she wrote, in every glance he had stolen from her at the end of the year.

He loved her and she loved him and he felt that should be enough for everyone.

"Scorpius!"

Well, almost everyone.

His mother called to him again. She only called to him when she was too busy or too flustered to remember to send the House-elf, Binky.

"I'll be right there," Scorpius called back.

'"Oh, 'tis love, 'tis love, that makes the world go round!"

"Somebody said," whispered Alice, "that it's done by everybody minding their own business!"

"Ah, well! It means much the same thing," said the Duchess…'

Scorpius placed a bookmark in Rose's book before heading downstairs.

"Look at you!" Rose exclaimed upon seeing Lucy Woodward standing in the fading light of the bookshop's window. Rose dropped the books she was cataloguing and ran at her best friend, enveloping her in a tight hug.

"Look at me? Look at you!" Lucy giggled as she released Rose and spun her in a tight circle. Rose's normally pale skin was sun-kissed, her freckles out in force. Lucy couldn't put her finger on it but there was something different about her best friend.

"Pssshhtt." Rose waved the compliment away with a careless hand and enveloped her best friend in another tight hug.

"Bloody hell, I've missed you."

"I'm so glad that I caught you," Lucy said while walking with Rose over to the checkout counter. "I know that it's nearly closing, but Mum, Dad and I were in London, staying at the Leaky before heading home and I didn't want to wait to see you, since I knew you were here in the city and all." Lucy was off and running, rambling a mile and minute. Rose tried her best to keep up with a huge smile on her face. "We're heading home tomorrow around noon. At least that's when the portkey leaves. Al and I have plans to meet up for dinner tomorrow night and I really don't know how I'm going to wait. I feel like I might just burst if I don't hear his voice and see his face soon. I know, I know, I sound stupid and love struck. Well, I don't even care. I am. I'm love stuck. Go ahead Weasley! Tell the Prophet. Have them print it up for the morning edition."

Lucy was digging in her bag, pulling out souvenirs for Rose as she rambled. At the mention of her cousin, Rose laughed. She had her back to Lucy and the mess on the counter as she continued to catalogue a new shipment of spell books. Hogwarts shopping would be picking up again this week. Last minute shoppers and forgetful mothers with lists. They needed to keep the shop neat and tidy to keep up with demand. At least that's what Rose's boss, Mr. Barnes, kept telling her.

Lucy watched her while spouting off tales and anecdotes from her trip. Rose listened, enraptured, while she worked, asking questions about where her friend went and what she saw.

The sun was just about set, and the shop minutes to closing before Lucy started winding down.

"So I have some news. And I'm going to apologize for keeping this a secret from you for so long but I knew that if I told you too soon it would jinx it and I didn't want that. Also, it's not just my news to tell, but if I waited for Al to tell you, we'd all be old and gray and heaven knows we don't want that. So I'm sorry, but I'm telling you now and that's what's most important. Also you are the only one who knows and that's got to count for something right-"

"Luce!" Rose interrupted. "Just tell me."

Lucy took a deep breath and a dramatic pause. "Al and I are moving in together after graduation."

"What?" Rose exclaimed. She knew that Lucy and Albus seemed pretty serious but not that serious. Judging from the anxious look on Lucy's face though, it was really happening and she was genuinely concerned about Rose's reaction to the news.

"Oh my goodness!" Rose shouted. Lucy winced. "Congratulations!" Rose skirted around the checkout counter to tackle Lucy in a bone-crushing hug,

"Oh!" Lucy breathed as she hugged Rose back. "I was so worried you were going to think we were stupid and rushing into things and such."

"What? How could you? How could I be anything but thrilled for the both of you?" Rose released Lucy and grabbed her arms while they both bounced together in a girlish, joyous way.

"Tell me all about it!" Rose demanded. Lucy brushed her fringe out her blue eyes before launching into the details.

Apparently Albus and Lucy had been discussing it for a few weeks before he formally asked her before the end of the school year. That's what they had been talking about so seriously on the train platform that day. Albus plans on moving to London after Hogwarts and going though a Philosophy course; before moving on the Magical Law Enforcement classes that her mother took to become a lawyer for the Ministry. Lucy would be in the city as well interning at the Prophet to try her hand at sports journalism. The move would be both economical and clever. "Two of Albus' favorite things" Lucy explained with a giggle. As a bonus they would both be near enough to their respective families but far enough away from them as well that they wouldn't have to worry about adult supervision.

"We plan on telling everyone at Sunday dinner next week." Lucy was playing with her long black hair while Rose thought about the joyous Weasley dinner that was taking place next week. The last Sunday dinner at Grandma and Grandpa Weasley's before Hogwarts started up again. Her last Sunday dinner as a child.

"That sounds wonderful. Everyone will be so thrilled. What do you think Aunt Ginny-" Rose was interrupted by the jiggling bells of the front door.

As Rose watched Scorpius Malfoy walk in, she couldn't help but ask herself how she had been so stupid as to forget he was coming by. Lucy's impromptu visit had chased it from her mind. She only got a glimpse of him before he bowed his head and headed to the back of the shop, where they held the oldest and dustiest tomes, but she couldn't help but wonder; had he always been that tall? His shoulders that broad? His hair that blonde? She wanted to investigate further, run her hands through that blonde hair and see if his tan made his skin even hotter that ever.

"What on earth is Malfoy doing here?" Rose jumped at Lucy's question. Hearing her friend's voice, Rose remembered that she wasn't alone, and diverted her eyes.

"What do you mean by that?" Rose asked too quickly and a bit guiltily.

Lucy gave her the side-eye. "I just mean, he comes from gold. Stacks of it." Lucy leaned in closer to Rose and whispered "Why would he need secondhand books?"

Rose turned back to her cataloguing and gave a shrug. She was aiming for blasé and unconcerned. As if she couldn't give two figs less that Scorpius Malfoy had just strolled in. She didn't think she pulled it off. She glanced back to where Scorpius stood in the back corner. He was watching her, his grey eyes glinting. And then he winked and walked further into the stacks.

Rose colored and fumbled a book.

Lucy opened her mouth to ask Rose a question, probably what the hell that was all about, but Rose beat her to it. "So I'll see you Sunday yeah?" Rose turned and jerked her head toward the back. "I've got to take care of this and close up," she finished with a whisper.

Lucy squinted at her friend's odd behavior, but mercifully let it go. She and Rose wrapped up and with a kiss to Rose's now thankfully blush-free cheek and with a cheery "See you on Sunday!" over the shops tinkling bells, Lucy was gone.

Rose sighed. It was becoming clear to her that her relationship with Scorpius was never going to be easy. How much would she have to keep from her friends and family? How often was she going to have to avoid or lie to them to get a moment's peace with him? Was he worth the trouble? Rose was beginning to question. She knew that he loved her, but did he actually realize what that meant. That it meant that things were never going to be simple and easy ever again. That it would be nothing but watching their words and actions until, well, until forever.

She gazed out the windows at the setting sun. What did this all mean? To her? To her family? To his family? To him? To them?

She walked over to the shades and closed them. She didn't want to think about it. She was afraid of the answers.

She flipped the open sign to read closed and dead bolted the door. She shook the thoughts and questions away and walked into the shadows of the shops towering bookcases.

Less than half an hour later, Rose, with her hands in Scorpius' hair couldn't remember what she was so worried about. She couldn't remember much. Not her name, or where she was, or that this was very unbecoming behavior in her place of employment. All she was aware of were Scorpius' hands and lips and tongue and oh-so-talented-fingers.

She tilted her head back with a moan and Scorpius took the opportunity to nip at her neck. She gasped and dragged her fingernails across his back. Scorpius groaned and pushed up against her more. Pressing her insistently against the bookcase and his body. He needed her closer, wanted her closer. As close as possible. Scorpius' hands danced around Rose's middle, before one climbed its way into her hair, giving just the tiniest of tugs, while the other ghosted over her left breast. Rose gasped and opened her eyes to watch him. Scorpius placed his forehead against her and pressed into her even more. His breath was uneven, his hair a mess and draped over his stormy grey eyes. Rose, her breath coming faster with every moment, grabbed the hand that was near her chest and, before she could talk herself out of it, placed it firmly on her breast. Scorpius moaned and squeezed her gently. Rose gasped and arched her back to give him better access. His fingers tweaked her nipple through the fabric of her dress and Rose grabbed at him. She needed him to never leave her, never stop what he was doing. She grabbed his face and brought it back to hers and devoured him, before slipping her right foot out of her shoe and wrapping her leg around his hip. She needed him closer. Why couldn't they get closer? Scorpius ground into her instinctively and Rose gasped.

"Jesus!" Rose grabbed his hips and wanted him to do that again. He complied, slower this time and let out a strangled curse at the contact.

Rose didn't want to stop. He was right here with her and if he stopped right now she might explode. But then again, if he didn't stop right now she definitely would explode and it was that thought that brought her up short.

This wasn't right. Not here, at her work, up against a book shelf. They deserved more than that. With a Herculean effort she loosed her hold on him and murmured "Wait. No. Too much."

With a hiss, Scorpius released his hold on her and opened his eyes. Looking at her, seeing her serious face and careful eyes, he nodded. He kissed her forehead gently, before leaning his body on the bookcase next to her. His chest heaving with uneven breath. Rose, too, was gasping for breath, and silently cursing herself for stopping. They stayed there for a while. Both catching their breath and carefully not touching.

"You're right," Scorpius ground out, his voice raspy. It just made Rose want him more. "Too much, too fast."

"I'm sorry," Rose whispered, before putting her hands over her scarlet face. She stood there, feeling like a fool. Her heart still thrumming faster than normal, her foot still out of her shoe, her skin still on fire, and wanting. Always wanting. More of him, more of that. It made her feel foolish. Why had she stopped?

"No. You're right. We should stop." From the sound of his voice, Scorpius was still panting beside her on the bookcase.

Rose's face felt like it was on fire. She was mortified. What had she just done? She was pawing at him like some tramp. Oh, what did he think of her now? She buried her face in her hands and tried to stop hyperventilating.

"Rose?" She heard him approach her, still being careful not to touch her. "Look at me."

"No." She childishly turned her face away from him. Her mortification making her sick. She couldn't look at him.

"Rose." He gently grabbed her chin and turned her embarrassed eyes to his. He looked half bashful and half turned on. It's didn't help that his hair was adorably mussed. She clenched her hands into fists to stop herself from running her fingers through it. "It's alright. You were right." He looked as if he was pained to say the words.

He kissed her forehead, and then moved back to his place next to her against the bookshelf. He held her hand and waited.

After composing herself, Rose bashfully placed her foot back in her shoe, tucked her hair behind her ears and squeezed his hand.

"Would you like a tour of the shop?" Rose asked in a breathless voice. Scorpius sighed, gave a chuckle, squeezed her back and responded with a quiet "of course".

End Chapter Seven

For those still reading (since it has taken me ages to get this out), there is still one last, very very brief chapter. (I wanted to have them as one, but I thought it would be a bit overkill.)

All Quotes are from "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" by Lewis Carroll.

All Characters are JKR's.

Love to all my reviewers and story alerters and story favoriters. You guys kick so much ass.

-Wit.

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