Rose was sitting in the library absentmindedly flipping through the pages of Hogwarts: A History. She was not entirely sure why she was there as the Christmas holidays were only a few days away and most teachers had lightened up on homework assignments. She looked out the nearest window and watched as the snow fell lightly onto the earth, creating a thick white blanket over the Hogwarts grounds. It was nearly six in the evening and beginning to darken so Rose decided that she should be getting back to the dormitories. From around a large pile of books to her left came a loud collection of giggles from many girls, immediately reminding Rose why she had left the girls' dormitory in the first place. She grabbed the book she was reading along with a couple rolls of parchment discarded on the next table and her copy of The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 2 and slowly began to put them in her bag. An extremely loud laugh followed by a snort came from the group of girls nearby. Rose sighed heavily and fastened her bag shut with a soft "click".

"Would you mind shutting up?" A voice Rose recognized all too well came out from another section of the library, clearly frustrated and annoyed.

There was a brief moment of silence before the girls continued in hushed voices. Rose picked up her bag, slung it over her shoulder, and proceeded to walk towards the frustrated voice she had heard earlier. She rounded a towering bookcase filled with dusty copies of wizard encyclopedias and saw Scorpius's hunched figure dimly lit by a few candles hovering above him.

She briefly recalled their first meeting and how he had insulted her without mercy. She remembered everything that happened their first year last term and how thrilling it was to compete with him in every class. Rose had prided herself on spectacular study habits and a sharp memory that came useful after a night's work of pouring over books and found it infuriating that Scorpius was able to do just as well if not slightly better than her. She had often questioned whether or not they were even friends. She enjoyed his company, yes. Rose liked to have someone to argue with and his sharpness in class motivated her further. She didn't like, however, that Scorpius could get really mean when he wanted to. But she had decided a long time ago that she could put up with little things like that when it was worth it.

"I liked how you told them off," she said. She had walked over and faced him across the table as he stayed buried in his book. "Very impressive."

"What's impressive," he started, still reading. "Is that you managed to get through life that ugly without jumping off the nearest ledge." And with that he looked up and smiled.

"Har, har," Rose said sarcastically. She was at a loss for a comeback as she usually was when he smiled at her like that. Since last year, he was still very boyish, yet taller. He was the same old Malfoy.

"You want to sit down or continue lumbering over me like a troll?"

"Oh, be quiet Malfoy." Rose had already gotten her studying fix and was now extremely hungry. "I was just thinking of going down for dinner," she paused for a reaction but there was none. He had continued reading. "So, do you think you might want to come with me?"

"Sure," Scorpius said. "Would you be so kind to help me put these books back?" He gave Rose a smile that made a blush creep up her neck and onto her cheeks. She quickly picked up his books and turned around, desperately trying to find the right shelves to put them on.

"Oh come on now!" Scorpius was bouncing on his feet like a child. "Let's go already!"

"Fine, fine," Rose said almost laughing at the sight of him. "Is that how you beg your mother for sweets?" She dumped the books on the nearest shelf, thinking how her own mother would have scolded her for this.

"Well you mention food and then expect me to wait around all night for you," Scorpius complained.

You know what?" Rose turned around to face him. "Why don't you just go by yourself then?"

"Maybe I will, Weasley," he started walking backwards while he spoke to her. "You ought to learn to control that temper of yours. You're just too," he paused, thinking. "Snappy."

Rose could not find any words in her vast vocabulary to say to him. She watched him turn a corner and walk out of the library, waving to Madame Pince on the way. She couldn't even remember how she got to this moment. One minute she was inviting Scorpius to dinner and gushing over his smile and the next pushing him away. She decided to put his books on the proper shelves and found it much easier when she wasn't distracted by a certain blond boy. She walked out of the library practically starving and hardly paying attention when she ran right into Scorpius.

"Weasley, watch out there," he said. He had caught her by the shoulders. "About time too," he said softly. He let her go and looked at her long nose before turning around and walking in the direction of the Great Hall.

"I didn't know you were waiting for me," Rose said quietly. "I wouldn't have taken ages." She had started walking and caught up with him.

"Putting the books back properly?" he asked. She hated when he knew what she was doing or what she was thinking. She scowled.

"Yes," she said, wanting to end the conversation that proved he was right. But she quickly fumbled around for words when she saw his smirking face. "Well I couldn't just leave them lying there! It's rude."

They were at the doors of the Great Hall when she said this and all Scorpius could seem to do was laugh at her as he walked in and she followed. Since their first year Rose and Scorpius had shared three dinners together. The first was the most awkward with Rose's cheeks an almost permanent shade of pink throughout the whole evening and the second slightly better with only a few insults being thrown across the table. Both had received disapproving looks from the few haughty boys from the Slytherin table. Scorpius had insisted that they sit at the Gryffindor table for the sake of the Slytherins as Rose's face was "too ugly to inflict that kind of pain on anyone." Rose liked to think to herself that the reason they did not sit over there was because Scorpius wanted to spare her the likely insults brewing at his house's table.

The tables of the Great Hall were already adorned with food of different sorts and students and teachers were happily eating to their content. Rose and Scorpius took seats next to James Potter and two girls to whom he was animatedly describing the recent Quidditch match. Scorpius, Rose noticed, hastily busied himself with a helping of baked chicken, keen to avoid anything related to Quidditch. In the last match Gryffindor had effortlessly squashed Slytherin and the fact that Scorpius had caught the snitch did not even help as the difference between the scores was so great.

"I think the only person undeserving of the blame for the loss is you, Malfoy," Rose said hoping to lift his rapidly sinking spirits.

"The whole lousy team deserves to be beaten with broomsticks after the way we played," he said darkly.

Rose tucked in to her pie and shrugged her shoulders. She wasn't the biggest Quidditch fan and Scorpius knew that but he still talked to her endlessly about it.

"Are you coming to the next game?" he asked as he looked up from his potatoes.

"Most likely, you know, if I don't have studying to do," she said back. His mood seemed to change immediately and considerately changed to a topic Rose was fond of.

"So tell me Weasley," he said as he reached across the table and stabbed his fork into her piece of pie. "What extra classes are you taking next year? I need to know so I can pass you up in all of them."

She pushed her plate toward him, feeling full and suddenly very interested.

"My mother said that Arithmancy is fascinating so I'll be for sure taking that," she rambled. "And I don't think Muggle Studies will be much different than anything I already know seeing as, well you know, and Divination also seems pointless and not beneficial to any sort of career goals," she paused to exhale and inhale and then continued before Scorpius could open even open his mouth. "Care of Magical Creatures seems interesting enough but I think that I've decided on Arithmancy and Ancient Runes."

"Well alright, I'm going to bed," Scorpius said as he put his fork down. "That was enough talking to last me a lifetime."

"Well aren't you going to tell me what you're going to take?" Rose looked taken aback at his almost sudden departure.

"Let's just say I was thinking the exact same thing," he said. "I mean, Divination isn't going to benefit me in any way and Care of Magical Creatures? Seriously? And I've got my Muggle Studies right here," he nodded in her direction. "So the other two just make sense," he concluded with a stretch and a yawn.

Rose was delighted to hear that she and Scorpius would be, yet again, competing in all of their classes. She decided to ignore the muggle jab and get up to leave the Great Hall. They walked out and parted ways when they neared the entrance. She went west towards the seventh floor Gryffindor common room and he towards the dungeons to sleep in his Slytherin bed. He waved goodbye nonchalantly and continued on his way. Rose stared at the back of him for a moment and then walked towards her own dormitory.

By the time she had reached the seventh floor and told the yawning Fat Lady the festive password ("Christmas cracker") she was dead tired. Other students were scattered around the circular common room talking and laughing, their books cast aside and their backs to the large fireplace for warmth. Rose often tucked in early to bed and walked up the staircase to the Second Year girls' dormitory to find it empty. She laid down on her bed and kicked off her shoes then drew the curtains around her bed frame. She closed her eyes and thought of her Christmas holiday that was soon approaching.

Her mother had promised they would take a trip to France and then come back to the Burrow to see the family. Rose was relieved to have a break from Albus, James and Lily, along with all of her other cousins from her father's side. It was nice to spend time with only her mother and father and Hugo for a change, and on such a luxurious vacation. The only flaw in the plan was that she would most likely become lonely. Talking to Hugo was alright if it didn't last too long. He was more stubborn than she and childish beyond belief. Rose was reluctant to admit to herself that the only person she would miss, even if it was a little bit, was the boy she just had dinner with. Her eyes snapped open and she could no longer drift off to sleep as she wanted. She got out of bed and looked at her watch. She had an hour before curfew and thought her time would be better spent walking the corridors and losing herself in thoughts.

Rose walked past the crowd in the common room and quickly went down the stairs, trying to avoid the moving staircases. She rounded a corner as she fantasized about new classes next term and a certain familiar face. She was so absorbed in random musings that she didn't notice someone standing in the corridor until she bumped hard against him and staggered on the floor for a moment before regaining balance and rubbing her nose.

"Oh, Merlin's pants!" she swore aloud. In her moments of dizziness and utter confusion she saw two blurry figures slowly converging into one. "Oh great," she said as she realized who it was. "What are you doing here?"

"Thought I'd get a bit of fresh air," Scorpius said back. "Not that it's any of your business, Weasley."

Rose couldn't understand how they could go from eating together to insulting each other. Of course, they were always insulting each other, with him more than she. She glared at him while she rubbed her nose and wished she had enough Gryffindor nerve to slap him across the face.

"Is your face okay?" Scorpius asked concerned. He pulled her hand away from her nose and looked at her closely. Rose became extremely self-conscious under his gaze and turned away.

"I'm fine," she said. It was strange to have him touch her like they were good friends. As far as she could tell before turning away was that his hands were soft. Not wanting to embarrass herself further, for this was the second time she collided with him tonight, she walked away.

Scorpius followed her down the corridor.

"Did you just come out to think also?" he asked her.

"Yes," she snapped. "And I would like to do it alone."

"Oh come on, Weasley," he said as he slid down against the wall and landed cross-legged next to a suit of armor. "Sit with me."

Rose looked down at him. He was tugging on her wrist trying to pull her down with him.

"Alright," she said with a heavy sigh. She sat down next to him, her body an inch away from his. He leaned his head against the wall and spoke quietly.

"What are you doing for Christmas?"

"My dad and mum and Hugo and I are going to France."

He arched an eyebrow at the unfamiliar name.

"My brother," she answered his puzzled look. "What about you?"

"Practicing Quidditch for the most part," he said gloomily. "I'll be spending all of my time at home though."

"Does your family still live in the Manor?" Rose asked him. She had known very little about the Malfoys but what she had heard, or rather overheard, from her parents was that there was a place called Malfoy Manor. That was the extent of her Malfoy knowledge.

"Yeah but it's only my dad and mum and I now," he said. Rose didn't ask about the rest of his family because the tone of his voice was not very happy.

There were several long moments of silence that were filled only by the occasional rattling of the suit of armor. Rose looked down at her hands and happened to catch a glimpse of her watch.

"Damn!" she whispered as she stood up. "It's past curfew!" She kicked Scorpius in the leg repeatedly until he stood up as well. Both of them practically ran through the corridor, skidding around corners and listening for teachers.

"Wait!" Scorpius hissed as he grabbed a hold of Rose's hand before she turned a corner. "Filch."

"Children, always making noise…" Argus Filch the caretaker grumbled to himself. Rose felt her heartbeat pounding away in her chest and Scorpius's hand tightening around her own. If Filch turned left instead of right they would each be doomed to at least a week's detention. Rose stepped back as quietly as she could and felt Scorpius's chest against her back as she did so. She was glad that his heart was beating just as quickly. She heard Filch's footsteps as he turned right and they both made a dash for the stairs. She took the one going up and he took the one going down, both not bothering to look back. Rose came to a halt, remembering something she wanted to ask him.

"Hey!" she whispered loudly. He turned around already halfway down the staircase. "Will you write to me this Christmas?"

He gave her a smirk.

"Don't count on it."

Rose turned and smiled to herself as she ran back to the Gryffindor common room and up the staircase to her bed.

Christmas

Rose sat on the edge of her bed in the French cottage her family had been staying in for the holiday. She was taking off her boots and feeling full after the bouillabaisse she devoured an hour before. Her mother and father had gone walking together through the countryside, something she thought they were mad for considering the cold weather. Hugo was in the kitchen eating no doubt so Rose was left with the silence of her room. She laid down, her legs still dangling over the edge, and closed her eyes.

As soon as Rose thought she might fall asleep in this awkward position she heard a soft rapping noise coming from her window. She opened one eye and saw a large brown owl staring back at her through the glass. She got up and opened the window, curious to see who the letter was from. The owl nipped at her wrist and arm while she untied the letter from his leg until she walked over to the nightstand, picked up the remains of biscuits she was eating earlier, and gave it to him. Rose heard the flutter of the owl's wings as he made himself comfortable by the window while she opened the letter. Inside was a lengthy paragraph or two with slanted letters and hurried handwriting.

Don't fall over now, Weasley, but I am actually writing to you. I was sitting here in my room feeling sorry for you as you've got no friends and how excited you would be to get this letter. I'll probably make your Christmas! My Christmas is as quiet as ever and I got a whole Quidditch set from dad, quaffle and bats and everything, and about a million different sets of robes from mum. I also got some imported sweets from Bulgaria from my aunt so I'll bring some to school for you to try. I had this ridiculous idea one night that maybe after Christmas had winded down and there was only a day left before school that you could come to the house and see my Quidditch set. Then it dawned on me that your family would probably murder you in your sleep before you could get over here and that you are going to your grandparents' house at the end of holiday anyway.

I hope that my owl reaches you in good time and that you're having fun in France. Tell me about your Christmas but don't expect me to write you back. I could barely stand the thought the first time.

Hoping you didn't drop dead,

Scorpius Malfoy

Rose read the letter twice, three times, before grabbing a quill from her draw and a piece of parchment. She dipped the quill in ink and began in a neat print.

You're not at all funny Malfoy. You know that, don't you? I'm glad that you wrote me though. I don't think, no matter how much I practice, that I would be any good at Quidditch. So I think I should be the last person you ask to break in your new set. Also, I don't think my parents would have minded that much. Why would they? My Christmas has been different. Usually I'm surrounded by noisy family but France is beautiful and serene this time of year, especially in the countryside. For Christmas I received a whole new set of quills in purples and pinks and greens, a hand-knitted sweater from my grandmum, and a French handbag with an extension charm put on it from my parents.

I hope you are looking forward to the start of term like I am. I love your owl by the way. I was thinking of getting one because they're so useful but I think I would like a cat instead. Since you're not keen on writing me again I guess I will see you on the train.

Grateful that both of us are not dead,

Rose

Rose rolled up the letter and tied it to the leg of Scorpius's owl. The owl flew away into the cold night and Rose crawled into her bed, drew the covers up to her chin and dreamed about owls, Quidditch and quills, and the smiling eyes of Scorpius Malfoy.

A/N: Thank you so much for the reviews! This is my first fanfiction (as if it wasn't obvious).