The ball was in full swing. Fireworks of confetti hearts and mischievous, flying cupids danced overhead while students swayed below, the Great Hall transformed with reds, pinks, glitter, and gold. Plump cushions lined the walls, as did the professors; love was in the air but public displays of affection were at least attempted to be kept under control.

Rose, however, was not enjoying the festivities. Her date, Gavin McLaggen, had been charming, well dressed, and on time. The seventh year Gryffindor met her in the common room, kissed her hand, and swept her off her feet. That is until he swept a flask of firewhisky out of his coat pocket and into his punch. Five times.

She had enough when he stumbled through their last dance, his hands sliding where they shouldn't have, and his gaze wandering around the room. Rose left him reaching for his now empty flask and escaped out of the Great Hall for some fresh air. Her task led her up the stairs, past more than one snogging pair, and to the astronomy tower. Luckily her retreat was found empty. Or so she thought.

"This seat's taken, Weasley."

The voice startled her and steeled her. Clearing her throat, she moved to lean against the railing. "Run off on your date, Malfoy?" she sneered, eyes on the sky.

A chuckle came from behind her as Scorpius pushed up off the floor and stepped out of the shadows. "Didn't you?"

Rose did not reply. Shifting her weight, she braced herself against the mid-winter chill, regretting the bare shoulders of her dress. Her eyes remained on the icy surface of the Black Lake.

Scorpius hesitated several feet from her, his hands in the pockets of his dress robes. "Eh, I don't blame you. Gavin's an arse."

"People think you're an arse," she snapped, folding her arms over her chest as a shiver ran down her spine.

His hand flinched toward the edge of his outer robe, but he hesitated. "Do you?"

Rose bit her lip and shivered again, refusing to look at him. "At the moment… yes."

Scorpius was silent a moment.

Suddenly she felt the warmth of fur-lined silk draped around her shoulders. Her immediate impulse was to shrug it off and push it back towards him. "Scorpius, stop."

He, in turn, pushed it back towards her. "Rose, don't be stupid. It's freezing out here."

"No," she said, pushing it back at him with finality. "I'm tired of this. We're not friends. We're not… anything! So just leave me alone." Rose released her grip on his coat and let it fall to the ground as she stalked around to the other side of the tower. What was he trying to do to her?

Chill bumps raised on her arms and her shoulders shook with the cold, but Rose refused to relent. She would stand her ground, away from him. Leaning her back against the railing, she sank to a seat on the floor of the tower.

Seconds later, two shining dress shoes came into view, and the robe was extended toward her once more. "Take the damn cloak," said Scorpius, a tinge of amusement in his voice. "You'll catch your death out here and will have to watch Slytherin beat Gryffindor from the sidelines.

Rose didn't move. Flakes of snow settled onto her bare shoulders, and she sighed.

"Fine," she groaned, snatching the robe from him. Draping it around her shoulders, she shuddered, but warmth immediately surrounded her. "And you're not going to beat us."

Scorpius smirked and sank to a seat beside her. "There she is."

"Who?"

"My favorite potions partner."

Rose threw him a look and scoffed, pulling her legs in beneath her. His chuckle faded and he draped his hands over his knees, content to wait at her side. This both bothered her and intrigued her.

The steadily falling snow caught in her eyelashes and dampened her hair; Rose brushed them away as the pair lingered in silence.

"So.. Gavin McLaggen?" Scor said finally, his words appearing in a puff of air before him.

Staring at her manicure, Rose shrugged. "Yeah, what about him?" The pink paint was pearlescent in the light of the moon, she thought. Anything to get her mind, and eyes, off him.

Scorpius shifted to better look at her and a smirk tugged at his lips. "That's who you picked to be your date to this thing?"

"Coming from the bloke who's been arm-in-arm with Patty since Christmas?" Rose quirked an eyebrow at him above her disdain-filled gaze. "Besides, he asked me. And I like giving people the benefit of the doubt." It had gotten her into trouble more than once, namely with Scorpius himself, but she had learned her lesson there.

"But he's an arse. And he's ugly to boot."

"No, he's not," she retorted, moving to face him. "You're the arse in this picture, Scor."

Scorpius held up his hands in surrender. "Me?"

"Yes, you."

Snow was falling in droves now, the romantic flurries turning to heavy dregs. Hugging the cloak more tightly around her shoulders, Rose struggled to stand and took shelter beneath the awning of the tower. Scorpius followed, brushing snow off his trousers and from his hair. The pair squeezed into the small doorway at the same time, Scor catching her arm before she could flee.

"What happened to benefit of the doubt?" he asked.

Rose's eyes flashed up at him, but something in his gaze caught her attention. A vulnerability, a softness. A pleading glance. "I tried that," she huffed, pulling her arm gruffly from his grasp. "I won't make that mistake again."

"Bloody hell, Rose, I…" Scor ran his hands through his hair and dropped all his defenses for a single, fleeting moment. But anger, hurt, and embarrassment still bubbled in Rose's heart.

"What, Scor? You what?" she snapped, shrugging out of his cloak. "You need me?" Rose wadded up the fine fabric and pushed it into his arms. "You need your precious potions partner to help you pass so you can play your precious quidditch? Well, I won't do it. I'm finished. I'm through with-"

Suddenly, his lips captured hers in a kiss, and her words fell short.

When exactly he made the decision to do it, Scorpius didn't know. But the desire to hold her in his arms had overtaken all sense, all speech, and commanded obedience. He drew her to him, one arm around her waist, his free hand caressing her cheek.

Rose froze in shock then, much to her surprise and his delight, she melted into his embrace. Her eyes fluttered closed, her arms wrapped around him, and her kiss matched his. The mid-February snow was not the only reason for the chill running down her spine.

When they parted, they lingered, holding one another close. Rose looked up at him with shy eyes, her heart pounding out of her chest. Scorpius Malfoy had kissed her. She had kissed Scorpius Malfoy. And she wanted to kiss him again.

Scorpius was the first to speak, his signature smirk appearing mere centimeters from hers. "You were saying?"

Rose blushed crimson and bit her bottom lip. "Something about being through… with you…"

"That's obviously working so well," he chuckled, his gaze flickering from her eyes to her lips and back again as he brushed a curl behind her cheek.

Rose laughed, too and stepped forward, closing the space between them. She was long gone now. "You're still an arse, you know that?" She shouldn't be here. She shouldn't be doing this. She knew better.

"I do," he grinned, his nose brushing against hers.

Her heart leapt to her throat and her grip tightened around him. "You know what else?" she added quietly, finally finding those bright gray eyes. One look and she was lost in them.

"What?"

Stepping up on her toes, Rose pressed her lips to his in another kiss.

"I lied."