Your vision will become clear only when you look into your heart. Who looks outside, dreams. Who looks inside, awakens. ~ Carl Jung
One week had passed since that afternoon in the library. The week came and went in a flurry of test preparation and Holiday cheer. The first snow of the season had fallen on Thursday, and was already being washed away by a slow, steady rain. It was the first week in December, and decorations were starting to appear around the castle. Bells had been hung on the front door to the Castle and the occasional sprig of enchanted Mistletoe chased unsuspecting students.
It was common on days such as today, for students to gather in the Great Hall between meals, particularly her family who was spread between the houses. Albus sat next to Rose on a sofa in front of a great roaring fire and his younger sister, Lily Potter sat on the rug playing Gobstones with her brother, Hugo.
Rose pulled her worn paperback from her book bag and began to read. For some reason, she felt drawn into the pages of the historical romances her mother and grandmother sent to her. It was like stepping into another time. This one was about Lady Arabella and a Rogue by the name of Jack with dashing good looks, and a broad chest.
"Are you reading that trash again?" Albus admonished with a groan. Rose shrugged a shoulder and ignored him. He preferred reading the funnies in the Daily Prophet. Who was he to give her a hard time about her choice of escape? "Don't you have something better to do?"
Arching an eyebrow Rose said, "And what, pray tell might that be, dear Cousin?"
"And that's another thing, you've been talking funny since Aunt Hermione sent you that stack of books," he crossed his arms over his green and silver Weasley jumper. "It's like you've gone back in time."
Grinning she said emphatically, "Exactly the point," and went back to her book.
Albus turned his attentions to the game on the rug and cheered Hugo on. Rose felt the hair on her neck raise and then she heard a familiar voice.
"Hey Al, Rose," Scorpius Malfoy said as he sat on the couch between them. "Are you reading that trash again?"
Rose glared at him and Albus snorted behind his hand.
"It is not trash, you buffoons! It is historical romance… a word you two have undoubtedly never heard of!" she flicked her hair behind her ear and buried her nose in her book. She wasn't reading though, she was having trouble concentrating and could not for the life of her figure out why. Her stomach had been tied in knots a good deal of the time over the past week. Initially she'd thought she was coming down with influenza, but she'd gotten no worse over the course of the week.
Scorpius snatched the book from her hands and flipped through it, "You'll lose my place!" Rose exclaimed, her cheeks flushing. She'd just gotten to a particularly steamy love scene before being interrupted.
"Is there anything about a quivering member, or a sweet honey pot?" he asked with a devilish smirk.
"Not in front of my sister!" Albus said shoving his elbow in Malfoy's ribs.
"I wonder, Malfoy, where you would get an idea like that?" Rose said testily, not bothering to inform Albus that she passed the books directly to Lily as soon as she'd finished them.
"My mother reads this trash—and as a randy teenage boy I often skimmed through them for the, uh, good parts," he said waggling his eyebrows at her. Rose's stomach flipped.
"Mon Dieu," Rose muttered slapping her forehead.
"You're doing it again, Rosie," Albus complained.
"Oh stuff it, Al," she said nastily.
Scorpius laughed and skimmed through the book. A slow smile pulled at his lips. Rose all but melted. Her heart started to slam against her ribcage. Not again, she pleaded Please, Merlin, not again? She tried to take the book back from Scorpius and he slapped at her hands.
"Not yet," he said grinning, "Can't you see I am reading?"
Rose growled at him and lunged. "Bloody wanker!" she tore for the book, grabbing and assailing him. Scorpius held the book out of her reach and wrapped a strong arm around her waist to hold her still. She buried her face in his arm. Scorpius yelped. Albus was beside himself with laughter, Lily and Hugo had stopped to watch with amusement. "Give. Me. My. Book."
"Nuh-uh," he said breathlessly laughing. "You have to give me something first." Scorpius puckered his lips and Albus opened his mouth to protest. With her fist at the back of his head, she wrapped it tightly in his long hair and pulled, "My book. Now," she growled, her brown eyes alight with fire.
"Feisty wench!" he said still laughing, he pulled her closer. Rose's eyes met his and for an instant, she was thrown back into her dream, unaware of those watching. Her eyes went misty. She had collided with his solid chest and was staring into the cool gray eyes of a rogue. Scorpius Malfoy. Only his eyes weren't cool, they were molten steel.
"Rose?" he said letting her go gently. "Are you okay? I was just teasing."
Book forgotten, Rose jumped to her feet. "I'm just going to… go. I'll see you all at dinner." And she fled the Great Hall. She ran through the castle, not bothering to acknowledge the stares that students were sending her way as the Head Girl ran in the corridors. Her mind was reeling. Had he felt that? The delicious shock of electricity as she was hauled against his body? The smell of his soap, spicy and masculine, still clung to her senses. The stone walls and portraits flew by as she made her way up. She found herself climbing toward the astronomy tower. She slid down the wall at the top of stairs and gulped lungful after lungful of air trying to catch her breath.
The coolness of the stone at her back had her calming. It was solid, unmoving, and supportive. Rose slowed her breath letting her head fall back against the rough rock. A cool wind whistled under the door leading outside and Rose welcomed it. Her face was hot, she was undoubtedly blushing to the roots of her red hair. Had Scorpius known what he was doing when he tried to barter with a kiss? Or had it merely been a jest?
Despite their differences in opinion, the two had gotten along well from the start. Al's being in Slytherin and making a quick friendship with him had seen to that. He was handsome and tall, and had always been simply like an extension of her cousin—family. From the time they were old enough, Scorpius had always had a girl on his arm whether it be at a Quidditch match or a Hogsmeade weekend.
What had the brute meant by trying to get her to kiss him? Surely he hadn't set his designs on her. It was simply impossible. Just as he was family to her, she had always been family to him. He was nearly a year older than her and had always taken his duty as big brother quite seriously. Whether fending off the odd offensive bloke or making sure that she was well looked after when sick. James had said he'd even gotten a good punch or two in on Zachy Smith after he'd made suggestive comments about her being a good shag during their fifth year. Of course, Rose had never given anyone a shag, let alone a good one. And most assuredly when she did, it wouldn't be with Spotty Smith The Pig—as Rose and Lily had taken to calling him.
"Rose!" she heard Scorpius call from below. She flattened herself against the of the spiral staircase and willed herself not to breathe. Her heart jumped into her throat. "Rose, Godric saw you come up here—"
"Damn," she muttered. She and her friend were going to have a chat. Godric Longbottom was two years younger than her, the same age as her brother. Rose suspected he fancied her, but not equal to how he looked up to both Albus and Scorpius. He was a surrogate brother—something Rose had an abundance of.
"He said you were running," she could hear the smirk in Scorpius voice, "and getting all sorts of looks from lower classman."
A tentative footstep, and then he was climbing the staircase. She muttered another curse and buried her head in her hands. She imagined that Scorpius would find her even if Longbottom hadn't opened his mouth. Rose only had three hiding places, her room, the kitchens and this tower. And he knew all three. Damn. She could hear his soft footfalls growing closer. In the low light, Rose could see him come around the bend. He was wearing his favorite black denim trousers and a soft black jumper that Rose hadn't taken the time to notice before.
He slid down the wall to sit on the stair below and held the book out for her, "I'm sorry." His tone was soft and apologetic. He was equal in height to her and looked into her eyes.
Rose took the peace offering. "I'm sorry I pulled your hair."
"And bit me?"
"I did no such thing…" Rose said and then recalled sinking her teeth into his bicep in an attempt to retrieve her book. She groaned, "Yeah, sorry about that too." Scorpius laughed. It was low and melodic and caused Rose's blood to boil under her skin. She chastised her hormones and took a deep breath. This reaction to him was something new, and would take some getting used to.
He put his arm around her shoulders in companionship, "I'm sorry for the things I said, too," he took a breath. Rose's heart hummed franticly in her chest. "I sometimes forget that you are a girl and have delicate ears—I shouldn't say such rude things around you. My mother would have my hide if she knew I'd been discussing—well you know."
The humming stopped. He didn't think of her as a girl? She felt like a bucket of ice water had been poured over her. "I'll have you know, Malfoy, that my ears aren't so delicate. I did grow up with Fred and James."
"They're family," Scorpius said shrugging his shoulders. "James can regale you with his bawdy language all he wants, but I know better than to say things in front of a lady… particularly one whom I am not related to."
Thump. Thump. Thump. Her heart started to beat again.
"You're just always with us though," he continued not noticing the sound of her heart beating frantically, "I forget to censor myself so you don't feel uncomfortable… I don't make you uncomfortable, do I?" He sounded genuinely worried.
Rose took care not to laugh. She was entirely uncomfortable right now. She could feel his heart beating against her as she rested under his wing—though he didn't seem to be having the same problem she did. Her heart was absolutely racing. Rose could smell his soap and noticed that it had a hint of cinnamon mixed with clove. His aristocratic profile was silhouetted against the light of a candle below. She leaned a little harder against him, absorbing his warmth. "No, you don't make me uncomfortable." But even as she said it, her nerves were threatening to combust.
Turning, he rested his forehead against hers. Scorpius looked into her eyes and she had the impression of depth and sincerity. With the slightest upturn of his lips, he murmured, "Good."