8. Realize that you have to work with her for a year. IT ISN'T FUNNY!

About six and half years had passed since the 'Man-Eating Plant' incident. After that, Weasley and I stayed far away from each other.

Of course, about three years after staying away from each other, we were forced to ride a Hippogriff together then almost die again.

But for real, after that, I barely saw her and vice-versa.

So, anyways, BACK TO THE STORY!

There I was, ready to board the train to Hogwarts for the last time, but there was one problem.

Mum.

I probably should've seen it coming, seeing how she acted when I got my letter.

Before I could escape and leave Dad to tend to her, Mum said, "Oh, my baby Scorpius is all grown up!" and started crying.

Dad and I rolled our eyes. Talk about embarrassing.

"Astoria, this is the- How many times now, Scorpius?"

"Er, at least two hundredth," I answered honestly.

"Two hundredth time you've said this! We get it now!" Dad said in exasperation.

"But my baby Scorpius is an ADULT now!" she sobbed.

Al the Hufflepuff smirked at me as he passed by, mouthing "Baby Scorpius".

I groaned. Time to take some action before I became known as 'Baby Scorpius' for eternity.

"Dad, I know Mum means well, but she's slowly ruining my reputation-"

Mum let out another howl about "Baby Scorpius". People turned and stared at us.

"Ok, FORGET slowly. She's destroying my reputation single-handedly! Could you, you know, get her back home and let her vent there?" I hissed, wishing I was invisible.

Dad's expression told me that he was wishing the same thing.

"Scorpius, the last time she vented in the Manor, half the items in it were destroyed!" he hissed back, referring to the time when he made Mum vent about 'her baby Scorpius going to Hogwarts!' in the Manor.

"If she vents there THIS time, the whole Manor will be destroyed, and your grandmother will murder me!"

I bit my lip. As much as I cared about my reputation (ok, more like as much as I cared about NOT being called 'Baby Scorpius' for the rest of my life), I preferred having a home and Dad alive.

A voice that sounded like Al but NOT like Al at the same time called out, "Trouble, Draco?"

Suddenly, I got a genius idea.

I answered before my dad could. Time to count on the famous Harry Potter's 'saving-people thing' everyone talked about.

"Mr. Potter, my mum is… upset about me becoming an adult. And… she's kind of ruining our reputation, and I'm probably going to be known as 'Baby Scorpius' and my dad is probably going to be known as 'That Poor Man With An Unstable Wife Who Calls Her Seventeen-Year-Old Baby Scorpius' for the rest of our lives unless you do something about it!" I gasped out the last part, making myself look desperate, which sadly wasn't that hard.

Dad nodded so hard that he looked like those rock stars that try to shake off their heads I saw on TV at Alex's house.

Mr. Potter looked like he was going to die laughing, but he managed to form a coherent sentence.

"I'll take her to my house and have her Floo back to your house once she's calmed down. Goodbye!"

With that, Mr. Potter took Mum's hand and Apparated away, leaving me feeling a little guilty.

"Should we have warned Mr. Potter?" I asked Dad.

He shrugged. "Eh. Let them burn. Have a great year at Hogwarts!"

With that, I boarded the train and yelled, "Bye!"

"I still think it's really cool that you got Head Boy, Scorpius!" Alex exclaimed the moment he saw me enter our compartment.

I rolled my eyes. "Quidditch Captain is cooler, though."

Did I mention that Alex was made Quidditch Captain last year?

And he's jealous that I'm Head Boy.

After chatting for a bit and also saying hello to various Slytherins, I checked the gold watch that I got for my seventeenth birthday.

"Sorry, Alex, I have to go and meet the Head Girl. Bye!"

Alex nodded, beaming. "Bye, Scorpius!"

I arrived at the Prefect's compartment and opened the compartment door.

A not-in-a-good-way familiar voice greeted me.

"Oh, you're here! A bit late, but we still have plenty of time to plan- WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU DOING HERE!" Weasley shrieked.

"Voice, Weasley," I said calmly, even though I was feeling like committing suicide.

"This HAS to be some kind of joke! There is NO way I am working with YOU, Malfoy!" wailed Weasley.

"I don't exactly feel like jumping for joy, Weasley, more like jumping off the Astronomy Tower," I said dryly.

Weasley glared at me. "Let's get this straight, Malfoy, one step out of line and I'll-"

"You'll do what?" I asked, smirking slightly. "Yell at me? How terrifying."

Her blue eyes narrowed at me. "Are you forgetting that I have a lot of cousins still at Hogwarts? And my cousins who have graduated would still be more than happy to do… unpleasant things to you."

I glared at her back. "Oh really? Are you forgetting that I am friends with the WHOLE Slytherin House, which amounts to about, oh, one hundred people, give or take a few?"

"Only? Ravenclaw has twice that amount. What's wrong, Sorting Hat doesn't have the heart to put anyone in the same House as YOU?" Weasley sneered.

"No, it's because everyone wants to go to Gryffindor, the House where the famous Golden Trio and Albus Dumbledore were in, not Slytherin, the House where Voldemort and his lackeys were in," I said icily. "Haven't you noticed that Gryffindor has like five hundred students?"

Weasley bit her lip, but before she could respond, someone cleared his throat.

We turned to look at said someone.

"Ahem. Your Majesties, may we, the poor, worthless worms speak?" said Nott sarcastically.

Weasley turned bright red. I probably did too.

Twenty two prefects were staring at us, and were probably there for-

"Ten minutes! Oh, I'm so sorry, everyone! Malfoy here was being a prick," apologized Weasley after glancing at her watch.

"Language, Weasley," I muttered in anger.

Weasley glared at me but didn't respond.

Some of the prefects grumbled, but everyone sat down.

"So, what's the plan?" asked Boot, Weasley's counterpart prefect.

"Er…." stuttered Weasley.

Boot buried his face in his hands. "You don't have one, do you?"

One of the new prefects muttered, "Are all Heads like this?"

Time to save my dignity. And unfortunately Weasley's while I'm at it.

"Actually, we do. Fifth-year Ravenclaw prefects patrol the Eastern half of the castle along with the Slytherins, and the fifth-year Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs take the other half on Saturdays and Wednesdays. Sixth-year Ravenclaws and Slytherins take the Eastern half and Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs take the Western on Sundays, Mondays, and Tuesdays. Seventh-year Ravenclaws and Slytherins take the Eastern half and Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs take Western on Thursdays and Fridays," I said strategically.

Weasley looked mildly impressed.

Suddenly, the room felt warmer.

Someone must've done a Heating charm because they felt cold.

A fifth-year Ravenclaw prefect raised his hand.

"Why do the Ravenclaws have to work with the Slytherins?"

I rolled my eyes. "If I put the Gryffindors and Slytherins together, they would try to kill each other, Hufflepuffs would try to attack the Slytherin prefects and would ultimately be killed, but the Ravenclaws would too busy trying to finish patrolling the castle so that they can get back to studying to bother the Slytherins."

"…Oh."

Before we could dismiss the meeting, Weasley said, "You do realize that we have to patrol TOGETHER now, right?"

Darn.

"Stupid Malfoy. Meeting adjourned!"

Heating charm, Scorpius?

Shut up.

You're pathetic.

And you're annoying. Now be quiet.

A/N: Seventh year!