Chapter 7

"How come you never stay with Al?" Rose asked, one Thursday evening two weeks after the Christmas holidays. The three of them had met in the library to do their homework again, and Al was searching for a book. "He never stays with you, either. In the holidays, I mean."

Scorpius looked up at her, smirking a little. "If I told my dad I was going to stay at the Potters' house during the holidays, he'd probably have a heart attack. And if I asked Al to stay, my Grandfather would probably come over and poison him."

"And," Albus added, rejoining them, "mum and dad might be OK with me and Scorpius being mates, but I can't see them being thrilled about him staying over. And there's no way they'd let me go to the Malfoys' house. Dad would spend the whole time worrying that Lucius Malfoy would poison me." The two boys grinned at each other, telling Rose they had discussed this before.

"I don't think aunt Ginny or uncle Harry would mind him stopping at yours, Al." Rose replied, shaking her head.

"Well, it doesn't matter if they would." Scorpius replied dismissively. "Because my dad wouldn't allow me to go."

"Doesn't it bother you? Either of you?" Rose asked, and both of them shook their heads. "But...Al, you don't mind, even when James or Lily have people over in the summer?"

"No." Al replied. "We write. And we meet up in Diagon Alley during the summer too."

"So that's where you always go." Rose said, as it clicked into place. She'd often wondered what Al did when he went off alone on their trips to Diagon Alley.

"Scorpius can usually talk one of his parents into taking him." Al nodded.

"And I can always get away from them." Scorpius shrugged. "We work it out."

"We're smart like that." Al replied with a grin.

"Don't you ever wish it was different, though?" Rose persisted. "Wouldn't you rather our parents weren't enemies, and that you could stay over in the summer and stuff like that?"

"Nah." Al said, and Scorpius shook his head.

"It's more fun this way."

"Uh-huh." Rose wasn't convinced.

Several minutes passed in silence, until Al jumped to his feet.

"Forgot my Charms notes." He announced. "I'll be back in a minute -"

"Aw, he really trusts us." Scorpius said, when Albus had left. "A couple of months ago, he wouldn't have dared left us alone."

"True." Rose laughed. "But a couple of months ago, I wouldn't have stayed alone with you."

"Me neither." Scorpius replied, and then after a breif heisitation, added, "I was actually a little scared of you."

"What? You were?" She grinned, because the idea of someone being scared of her was weird.

"A little. Everyone knows you're smart, and I figured you could easily curse me."

"I prefer jinxes." Rose replied, still grinning. "You can do more with them."

"Well I figured my chances of surviving were low. I still can't do a decent shield charm." Scorpius shrugged.

"You can't? Oh, come on, they're easy." Rose said. Scorpius felt a quick stab of annoyance at her tone - they couldn't all be as good as her - but he shut it down quickly. The two of them had been getting along really well lately, and he wasn't going to let the old resentment spoil that. After all, he could count his close friends on one finger.

"Well I can't do them." He shrugged.

"I'll teach you." She said instantly.

He hesitated, then nodded. "OK. When?"

----

They met up, two days later, outside, while most people - including Al - were at dinner.

It was the first time they'd met each other alone, and when they'd told Al, he'd been sure this would be where they'd go back to hating each other.

"You can't spend time alone." He'd said flatly. "Someone'll find you both dead."

"Rose wouldn't kill me." Scorpius had replied instantly. "She prefers jinxes."

And both he and Rose had cracked up laughing, much to Al's bewilderment.

"OK, show me what your shield charm is like now." Was the first thing Rose said when they met. Obediently, Scorpius conjured one up. Rose shattered it with a tickling charm.

"I see." She said, looking unimpressed. "You really can't do a shield charm."

"Told you." He said, slightly defensive. He didn't respond well to criticism.

"OK...here's what I think you should do..."

It took them almost a full hour, with Scorpius' attempts getting better and better, Rose's criticisms getting less and less, until he produced a shield she couldn't break.

"I've done it?" He asked, his eyes wide with amazement.

"Wait...let me..." She cast another jinx at him, and grinned when the shield held. "You've done it. It's a really good shield. Well done."

Grinning proudly, Scorpius removed the shield, then surprised them both by hugging her.

"Thanks. For helping me." Scorpius said, as Rose hesitently hugged him back.

"You just needed a few pointers." Rose replied with a shrug.

"You're a good teacher." Scorpius said, shaking his head, still hugging her. It didn't occur to him to let her go. "Al's tried to help me, but I've never managed a proper shield before."

She started to draw back and he surprised them both further.

He didn't decide to do it, didn't even think about it. He'd never thought about it before. Well, maybe once or twice, as a half-formed thought on the edge of his mind. But never properly. Never imagined there'd be a time when he'd kiss Rose Weasley.

But he did.

When he realised what he was doing, he'd pulled back instantly, shocked. And she'd just looked at him, stunned.

Several moments passed in silence, with them looking at each other, until awkwardness finally set in.

"I - I better - go -" Rose stammered, and turned away. He tried to say something, but somehow he couldn't think of any words. His mind was hazy.

But he was pretty sure he shouldn't have done that.

----

Rose walked quickly back to the castle, her own mind fuzzy. And when Al, on his way to check on them, saw her and caught her arm to stop her walking past him, she blinked several times before she realised who it was.

"Rose? Are you OK?"

"I - I - fine." She managed. "I have to go."

Al watched her go, through the castle doors, then made his way to where Scorpius stood, so still he thought she'd left him stunned.

"Al." Guilt immediately filled Scorpius' face. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to make sure you two were still alive. Are you OK?"

"I...just did something stupid." Scorpius said, looked nervously at Al. "I..."

"Did you say something to Rose?" Al asked, when Scorpius didn't elaborate.

"No." Scorpius replied, shaking his head. "I..."

"I've just seen her." Al said, gesturing over his shoulder. "She looked weird, all stunned and..." He couldn't have explained why it clicked, as it was the most ridiculus notion ever. But good instincts were a family trait. "Scorpius...please tell me you didn't just kiss my cousin?"

Scorpius' grey eyes went wide. "How did you -?" Was all he managed, before Albus groaned loudly.

"Lucky guess." He muttered. "What were you thinking? What did she do? Did she hex you? Are you OK?"

As his friend went from exasperation to concern, Scorpius just looked at him.

"She didn't hex me." He said finally. "She just...said she had to leave."

Satisfied Scorpius wasn't hurt, Albus fixed him with a steely stare, and repeated his first question. "What were you thinking?"

"I - I wasn't." Scorpius replied, refusing to meet Al's eyes any longer and speaking in a small voice. "I...I managed the shield charm and...just caught up in the moment..." He swallowed. "I think I like her..."

That last was said in a barely audible voice, but Albus heard it. And stared at his oldest friend as though he'd never seen him before.