Fallin' Ch. 9- Conversations (Winter Holidays- Part III)

Rose's POV:

I didn't want to walk down the stairs. I knew we would get endless shit for what happened. But, alas, I would take the blame for it. I sighed.

"Coming mum." I managed to get out in the strongest voice I could muster.

I didn't understand why everyone was so upset. It was a bloody kiss. A bloody amazing kiss. But that's beside the point. The point is, it's just a kiss. A kiss that I've only been wanting since first year but- SHUT UP ROSE! Get a hold of yourself!

I walked out of my room and down the stairs only to find everyone down there. And when I say everyone I mean everyone. My parents, Draco, Scorp (looking amazing as usual but scared to death), Albus, James, Lily, Hugo, Victoire, Dominique, Louis, Molly, Lucy, Fred, Roxanne, and Teddy. The rest of the adults are at their own houses but all the cousins gather together at the Burrow for each Christmas. I didn't understand why all my bloody cousins needed to be in the room. It wasn't their business.

"Get out." I said, practically snarling.

"Excuse you?" Mum said. Whoops. Maybe that was rude.

"This is between Scorp, me, mum, dad, and Mr. Malfoy. Everyone else better leave before I flip out. You'll find out what happens later anyways I just need to have this be a conversation and not a speech in front of a crowd." I said as calmly as possible.

Scorpius's POV:

I looked to Rose to give her a look of gratitude. It was one thing to even be preparing to have this conversation with her parents and my father but adding all of her cousins into it would just be ridiculous.

Her cousins looked upset at first but realized they would indeed find out what happened as soon as it was over. There was a collective sigh and everyone got up to leave the room. Rose cast a silencing spell on the room and turned back to face her parents. Draco and Scorp sat on one couch and my parents and I sat on the couch across from them, just a table in between us.

My father was the first to speak.

"I always knew he would do this to you." He said, looking at me.

Rose's POV:

"Excuse you?" Mum and I said at the same time as Scorpius and Draco's eyebrows shot up at the same time.

"Come on, he's a guy. She's his best friend. Of course he's bound to do something like this I mean come on." He said and I felt my jaw drop.

"If you're saying that he's only doing this because I'm a girl and his best friend you're off your rocker. What got your wand in such a knot? He has more respect for me than that! He's not some bloody pig. He's only had one girlfriend and it lasted less than a month. I'm his best friend. I- I trust him with my life and I know he wouldn't just use me." I said most of it for myself but I did truly mean it. I couldn't bring myself to look at Scorp, I was crying and didn't want him to see me like this and think I doubted him.

"Rose, I know you don't understand. You're a girl. You don't know what goes through a boy's mind. You-"

"Sir, may I say something?" Scorpius said, interrupting my father. I almost forgot he was there.

"Fine." My father huffed. Mum shot him a reproachful look.

"I can assure you that none of this was to hurt your daughter, you see, I lo- like her very much. I mean like you said, she's my best friend. She means the world to me and I wouldn't do anything to ruin that. Her friendship means far too much to me. I may be a teenage boy but I have been raised properly."

My father gave Scorp a doubtful look but Draco was positively beaming. He ruffled Scorpius's hair and smiled at my father who's face now resembled a scowl. Draco's smile faded.

"Ron, I have raised my boy to respect women. He wouldn't use your daughter. It's not like they slept together, it was a bloody kiss." Draco said calmly. THANK YOU! Someone agrees. I mean it was an amazing kiss. But just a kiss none the less.

Scorpius's POV:

God. Why was Rose's father so upset? Like my father said, it was just a kiss. A bloody amazing kiss. But that's not the point. I sighed mentally and tried to look like I was paying attention. I mean her father thinks I'm some pig that's just trying to use Rose as a piece of meat or something.

"It was my fault daddy." Rose said. Yeah that's right. It was your faul- WAIT WHAT?

"It was not!" I said, jumping up.

"Scorp, sit down." Rose said giving me a look I knew meant she was going to give him her story if it was the last thing she did.

"But I-"

"SIT. DOWN." She said. I said immediately.

"Look, daddy, it wasn't just him trying to snog me for no reason. You see, I was falling asleep on the couch and Scorpius was carrying me up to my room. We passed under the mistletoe and the only way to get out from under that damn thing is to kiss. Whoever set it up is bloody stupid. I mean pretty much everyone here is related besides Scorp and his father. So, we did what we had to, we kissed. That's all it was. I don't know why you're making such a big deal out of this little thing. Like you never snogged mum. I'm almost 15 you can't expect me to never kiss a guy and better have it be Scorp than some random pig. I'd appreciate it if you had more faith in my best friend. You don't even know how much he's helped me get through and how amazing he's been these past years. I've needed him more than anyone and I know he wouldn't do anything to hurt me. I know him. You apparently don't. You guys are all so bloody protective of the women in this family, it gets to be obnoxious when you're protecting us from the ones we're perfectly fine with. I don't know what you want either of us to say. Yeah, it happened, no he's not a bad guy, nothing we say is going to make it so it never happened." She finished, finally allowing herself a breath. Damn that girl can talk. I smiled weakly at her but her father glared at me. Uhh okay, did you listen to a word your daughter just said? He sighed and turned to Rose.

"I'm sorry Rosie. I know he's not a bad guy, I really do. I just worry about you sometimes. I know what it's like to be a teenage boy. I know what goes through their heads. I just don't want you getting hurt." Her father said.

"Sir, I can assure you that while I may be a typical boy I don't mean to act on most of what goes through my hear and I do not want to hurt your daughter. Ever. I want to protect her from those asshole guys not join their ranks." I said.

"I understand. And I can see that now. I'm sorry that I jumped to conclusions and that I've been so rude. I just can't help it. She's my only daughter, I'm sure you understand. I have to protect someone and I've learned over the years Hermione sure doesn't need it." He finished and beamed at his wife who couldn't help but smile back. "Although, I'm coming to realize Rosie doesn't either. It's hard as a man to have all these strong women to protect. I am sorry."

"It's fine Mr. Weasley." I said and smiled at him. "I know you just want the best for Rose but I can assure you I want the same."

"I've come to see that you do, and I appreciate it. It's good to know that she's protected at Hogwarts. It makes me feel better. She has all of her family and then you. It's the reassurance I need." He said.

"It's my honor."

"Uhh. Thanks guys but you know as well as I do I can protect myself." Rose said.

"We know you can. We know. We just like making sure you're extra safe." I said.

Rose rolled her eyes.

"Well, are we done now?" She asked.

"Yeah, I suppose we are." Mr. Weasley said.

Her parents and my father stood up.

"Tea?" Hermione asked my father.

"That would be wonderful." My father replied. The three of them made their way to the kitchen.

Rose and I sat in silence for what seemed like forever.

"Rose." I said, "Rose, did I do something?"

"No no. It's not that, just thinking is all." She replied, still not looking at me.

I got up and moved to the couch she was on, sitting next to her. She still wouldn't look at me so I moved her head to face me by holding her chin and moving it towards me. She was crying.

"Rose? What's wrong? I am so sorry. I feel awful. I don't know what to say. I don't want to see you crying like this." I said, unsure of what to do. I absolutely hated seeing her cry. It made me want to punch whoever made her cry.

"No Scorp, don't feel bad." She said shaking her head, "I hate when you feel bad for my being upset. I just don't know what my father expects me to do. Apparently I can't ever be in a relationship without him freaking out about it. Even when the guy is you."

"Rose I love you." I blurted out. Shit.