Rose was walking down the hall way to Charms, minding her own business but at the same time still scanning the hallway for troublemakers. Being a prefect isn't something you turn off and on you know. Amid the regular noise of scuffing shoes, the latest gossip, and the sounds of hundreds of teenagers passing through a small corridor, was maniacal laughter.
"Merlin's pants, what's so funny?" Rose thought, "Maybe Professor Slughorn has finally cracked..." Rose picked up her pace just in case her ancient professor really did have a few too many Felix Felicitouses
As she got closer to the noise she realized it was Scorpius, not Slughorn, that appeared to have jumped off the deep end, he was practically crying he was laughing so hard.
She decided to stop and make sure her favorite cousin's best friend hadn't actually lost it.
"Scorpius?" Rose asked. "Are you feeling okay? Did James or Al hit you with a overzealous Tickling charm again?"
He stopped laughing long enough to give her a munificent grin and handed her a piece of parchment paper.
'Damn, his smile is perfect,' she thought. And then read the paper he had shoved in to her hands.
And read it again.
And again.
And again.
A smile slowly spread across her face, and after the fourth time re-reading her ridiculous cousin's note to Scorpius, she threw her head back and laughed right along with Scorpius.
After a few minutes and more than a few odd stares from the passing students Rose managed to regain her composure.
"Merlin help me, that boy is CRAZY. Where in the world does he get these insane ideas?"
Scorpius shrugged and laughed a bit more, but thought to himself, "Insane, why does she think it's so insane? I thought she liked me!"
"Completely off his rocker that boy is."
It was Al who interrupted their laughter.
"Is something funny or did James hit you two with a tickling charm again?" He asked, folding his arms across his chest.
Scorpius solemnly shook his head no, but Rose let out an uncharacteristic squeak and let a giggle escape.
"Al I just…just, WTF? Really? You write the weirdest notes, and if Scorpius and I started to "secretly date" you be the first to know. And why the hell would you think we were secretly dating anyways? Despite sharing a best friend, we barely know each other. Also the mere suggestion that I would have a secret boyfriend is a little insane. You know I don't care what other people thing about me. Why would I hide it?"
Al shrugged nonchalantly. "Well you two have been out of it lately and kind of secretive, so I put two and two together."
"And some how came up with fish?" Rose joked.
Scorpius laughed and Al pointed at him and shouted, "See! You're acting like a couple!"
"Are not!" They said at the same time. They gave each other an awkward glance and turned away, both a little bit pinker.
"Riiiiiight." Said Al, skeptically. "That doesn't explain the out of it and secretiveness."
"Well, I can't speak for Scorpius, but I've been hiding up in my common room studying, hence the "secretiveness", and I've been staying up late doing homework, which explains my "out of it-ness. "
"And you Scorpius?"
"I've been hiding in the library, and staying up late listening to music or sneaking off to the kitchens, and, you know occasionally I'll have to stay up super late working on homework." He embarrassedly rubbed the back of his neck.
"Really Scorpius?" Albus was shocked. Nay, flabbergasted. "You are, and I quote, a man whore. You don't go to the library or stay up late doing homework!"
"Oh shut up, can't I do both?"
"No." Al said, scrunching his nose petulantly.
"Well I have to! My dad said he's offering a job to the top student in my class, and if it's not me 'oh well', I'd have to find some other law firm that's the best in business. Anyways, I have to study a lot for NEWTs so my father didn't disown me."
"But those aren't until next year!"
"But Al!" Rose interjected. "The exams this year are basically just practice for next year! If you don't do well on those you might not do well on the NEWTs."
"HUMPH!" Al glared at both of them. "You two are no fun." Rose rolled her eyes.
Albus suddenly remembered something and his eyes lit up. "Rosie mah darlin'." He exclaimed in a drawling fake southern American accent.
"OH BOY." Rosie groaned. Albus tended to talk in weird accents when he wanted a favor.
"I need to borrow your History of Magic notes from last class."
"What? Al! I needed your notes!" Scorpius glared at his best friend for being so irresponsible, momentarily forgetting that he probably shouldn't be so upset because he did the same thing.
"You can borrow my notes after Al." Rose rolled her eyes again. 'Honestly, how hard is it to take some notes?'
"Is the Quidditch thing still on?" Al asked interrupting her thoughts. "Its been raining all day and its really muddy."
"Since when was mud in the sky?" She shot back exasperated.
"But my hair!"
"Oh, honestly Albus! You're such a girls sometimes!"
Al grumbled and yelled out, "FINE! RUIN MY HAIR!"
"I love you Al!" She called back sweetly as she turned the corner in the direction of her common room.
Albus turned to Scorpius and wiggled his eyebrows.
"What?" Scorpius stared at Al a little freaked out.
Al laughed, winked and headed towards the direction of the Slytherin dorms.
"WHAT?"
Wheee...more editing. On to the next chapter :) Please review, if you feel so inclined! DFTBA
~Lavender