I'm back! I'm extremely sorry you all had to wait over a month for the next installment of Meet the Parents, but this was a tough chapter to write. Ron's character was particularly tough to write-it was hard balancing the teenage Ron with the emotional range of a teaspoon with the adult Ron who has bound to have grown up at least a little.
There is one more short chapter after this one, which I need to start working on.
Thanks as always to BeanerWeasley and Iloveplotbunnies, two of the greatest beta readers a girl could have.
Additional thanks goes to reviewer omg, whose reviews for the previous chapters gave me the kick I needed to get this finished. Thanks. :)
Disclaimer: Don't own. However, I'd love my very own Scorpius Malfoy, if someone wants to get on that. My birthday *is*tomorrow... ;)
Hope you enjoy!
Part Two
:in which Scorpius visits the Weasleys and Rose tries to keep Ron from meddling:
"Daddy, are we going to have to talk about how you're going to behave when Scorpius comes over?" Rose asked her father, standing before him with her hands on her hips, ready to do battle if need be to ensure that her father didn't scare her new boyfriend away.
It was two days before Christmas and four days after the Yule Ball, and Rose had invited Scorpius to dinner at her home, wanting to "re-introduce" him to her parents before Christmas at the Burrow. She wanted to make sure that her father wouldn't make a scene in front of their entire family when her extended family discovered that she was now dating Scorpius.
Rose had confessed to Scorpius that she loved him the night of the Yule Ball as the night had drawn to a close. Her confession had sparked a passionate kiss, the first of many to come. Scorpius had then confessed to Rose that he loved her in return, and his confession had sparked another round of kissing. They had been so lost in each other that they had only broken apart when the rest of the students started pouring out of the Great Hall on their way back to the dorms.
Sheepishly, but clinging tight to the other's hand, they had made their way back to the Heads' dorm, where they had quickly changed into pajamas and met back in the common room. They had settled on the couch, talking, cuddling, and kissing for the next couple of hours until they had fallen asleep.
Rose had woken with the sun to find herself tucked in between the back of the couch and Scorpius' side, her head pillowed on his bare chest, one hand curled next to her face and the other beneath him. His muscular arms had snaked around her, hands joining at her hip, and one of her legs was between both of his. A blanket covered them both.
She blushed a little at waking up with him like this, but she couldn't deny how comfortable and warm she was, how right it felt to be held by him. His breath softly wafted through her hair, and she turned her head to look at him. He looked peaceful and content, almost innocent—yet Rose knew the amount of mischief that lurked behind that handsome face. She smiled and made to lay back down again, but a gruff morning voice stopped her.
"I know I'm handsome, Rosie, but didn't anyone ever tell you that staring at a sleeping person is kind of creepy?"
Rose started, then chuckled softly. "I thought you'd like the attention, Scorp," she whispered.
A silver eye cracked open and looked at her. "Yes, well, it's not like I'm that fairytale princess Tow Hite or whatever her name was, you know, the one who was poisoned and placed in that glass casket because she was somewhere between sleep and death? Not only am I alive, but I'm also unabashedly, undoubtedly male." He cocked an eyebrow at her, smirking.
Oh, yes, Rose definitely knew he was male. "Snow White," she answered him automatically. "The girl's name was Snow White. And you're certainly pale enough—and you like apples.
"But yes, there is no doubt you're a male," she said in a low voice, drawing circles on his chest.
He lazily grinned at her. "I could definitely go for being awoken by a kiss, though."
She rolled her eyes at his silliness but happily obliged, pressing her lips to his for a brief second then pulling back before they could get carried away. His other eye popped open and his face softened as he gently smiled at her and ran a hand through her hair. "Love you, Rosie," he mumbled.
"Love you too, Scorp," she said, tracing the line of his jaw, causing him to shiver a little at her touch.
"What time is it?" he asked, yawning.
"It's just after dawn."
"Too early," he mumbled. "Go back to sleep, love."
"Shouldn't we go to our own beds?" she asked. She didn't really want to move, but couldn't help but ask—apparently some of her mother's and Grandma Molly's drillings on impropriety had stuck.
"I'm comfortable where I am. Do you really want to move, Rose?"
"No," she said, blushing a little. "I'm comfortable too. You make a nice pillow, and you've been keeping me warm."
"Then it's settled. We've only got a few more hours before we have to be up, anyway. Mind that hair of yours, though—I don't want to choke on a lion's mane."
Rose playfully slapped him, then settled back down on his chest. She felt Scorpius place a kiss on her hair, and then she drifted off back to sleep, pulled back into slumber by his warm arms and comforting scent.
Rose woke again a few hours later to someone incessantly pounding on the door to the Heads' suite. Scorpius was holding her tightly, and she was loath to move, but she wanted whoever it was on the other side of the door to cease that infernal knocking. She managed to extract herself from Scorpius' warm arms—it took a couple of tries because he kept pulling her back—and went over to the door, pulling it just open enough to stick her head out.
Lily was on the other side, mid-knock. "Oh, there you are, Rosie," she said. "Just wanted to let you know, we're all heading down for a late breakfast. Why don't you and Scorpius join us?"
"I think he's still asleep," Rose said carefully—she didn't want to even give Lily a hint that she had spent the night on the couch wrapped in Scorpius. "I'll let him know, and we'll be down there in a bit. Thanks, Lily."
Lily nodded and made her way down the hallway. Rose shut the door, turning to find a bleary-eyed Scorpius looking up at her. "Who's that?" he asked.
"Lily. She wants us to come down for breakfast."
He groaned, but it seemed that his need for food won out over his need for sleep, and soon enough they headed down to the Great Hall.
Rose didn't think anything of the fact that they were walking hand-in-hand until they reached the Great Hall. It felt so natural to be holding Scorpius' hand that she was shocked when they were met with cheers, hoots, and hollers from the students gathered for breakfast. Most of the cheering came from the Gryffindor section, making Rose blush. She caught sight of Knuts and Galleons changing hands, much to her surprise.
She snuck a glance at Scorpius to find him grinning. Of course he would find the whole thing amusing. She detected a bit of pride in his face, too, though—pride that he had finally won her over and that she was by his side. He looked down at her then and his grin softened as he looked at her lovingly. She giggled at him—who knew that Scorpius Malfoy could be such a sap?
In response, he let go of her hand abruptly and snaked an arm around her, bringing her flush into his side. Her arm made its own way around his waist and they walked over to the Gryffindor table together, where Lily, Al, Alice, Hugo, and various other friends and relatives had gathered.
"Finally!" shrieked Lily. "I'm guessing this happened when you two left the ball early?" she asked, motioning between their linked figures.
Rose nodded and Lily squealed in her happiness. "Pay up, Hugo!" she told Rose's brother, who looked disgruntled.
"You bet on us?!" Rose asked as she and Scorpius sat down across from the others.
"Oh, please, Rosie, everyone was betting on you two last night after that dance you shared. Some people have been betting on you for far longer than that, but I'm not at liberty to name names. Hugo said you two wouldn't get together until sometime over Christmas break, or even after the holidays, while I said you two would get together at the end of the ball or right after it. Now, which one of you made the first move?" Lily explained, accepting a few coins from Hugo, who quickly apologized to his sister—although he looked more upset about losing to Lily than offending Rose.
"I did," said Rose, blushing. Scorpius squeezed her side as he struck up a conversation with Hugo.
"Yes!" Lily exclaimed, grinning. "Pay up, Al!"
"Al? You actually bet on us? Your two best mates?"
"I did. Scorp, you idiot, you cost me two Galleons. I bet Lily you'd be the one to make the first move, but she insisted that Rose would."
"I won anyway," Scorpius said, shrugging. "Rosie loves me, Al, did you hear?"
"Of course she does. I've been telling you that she does for the past couple of months, you great prat."
"Aww, cheer up, Al, it's Christmas. No reason to turn into Scrooge just because you lost a couple of Galleons to Lily."
"Wait a minute," said Rose. "Lily, why did you think that I'd be the one to make the first move?"
"Well, Scorpius may have loved you for years, but he's always been somewhat subtle about it all. I figured that after tonight, you would have gotten tired of all the dancing around the issue that you two have been doing for ages and would have just put it out there."
"You were right—although tonight was the first time I actually allowed myself to admit that I love Scorp. I've known it for some time, but I never allowed myself to even think the words." Rose turned to Scorpius. "You've loved me for years, then?"
Rose was surprised to see faint patches of red bloom on Scorpius' cheeks. "Since we were sixteen, at least," he admitted.
"Sixteen…that was how old we were when we became friends," Rose mused. "Did you want to become my friend because you wanted to see if there was a chance that we could ever be together?"
The red patches on Scorpius' cheeks grew darker. "That was part of it," he acknowledged. "But I truly did want to be your friend, whether that was all we would ever be or not."
Rose grinned at him. "Aww, Scorp, you're such a sap," she said, hugging him.
"Only for you, Rosie," he acknowledged.
"Oh please, Scorp, you know you would have chased after Rose for as long as it took to get her to love you," Al said, still somewhat grumpy.
"Scorp? Is that true?" Rose asked. Scorpius nodded and she grinned at him.
"Of course it's true, Rose, he's been head over heels for you for years," Alice commented. "There never really was anyone else for him—we all saw it."
"And heard about it," Al grumbled.
"Hush, Al, can't you just be happy for them?" Alice asked.
"I am happy, see?" Al rejoined, plastering on a fake smile.
"I hope you're tired of chasing, Malfoy, because I'm afraid you're stuck with me now," said Rose, smirking at her boyfriend.
"Wouldn't have it any other way, love," Scorpius answered, and they all tucked into their breakfast.
The rest of the day had been spent hanging out with their friends, with both Rose and Scorpius taking a few minutes to dash off letters to their parents, informing them that they were now dating. Rose had directed hers to her mother, not knowing how her father would react. She had also asked if Scorpius could come over to their house a couple of days before Christmas.
Replies to their letters had come by owl the next morning. Draco and Astoria were delighted, and Astoria had invited Rose to come to the Manor again a couple of days after Christmas. Hermione had sent her congratulations and Ron's as well, although she wrote Rose that Ron had spent thirty minutes after she had told him their daughter's news grumbling about his "baby girl" and "that ferret." Hermione had also said that Scorpius was welcome to come over.
Scorpius was due to arrive in a few hours and therefore Rose wanted to lay out some ground rules regarding her father's behavior. She knew her father had come to actually like Scorpius over the years, and suspected that her father's irritation was due to the fact that she actually had a boyfriend at all and not so much because of who her boyfriend was.
"Well, Daddy?" Rose prompted.
Ron sighed. "Rosie, you have to understand, this is not an easy conversation for a father to have. Especially for me. You're my little girl, and you've never brought a boy home before…"
Rose sighed, although she was glad that her suspicions were confirmed—Ron's dislike of the situation seemed to stem more from the fact that she was his beloved only daughter and not because she was dating a Malfoy. However, she wouldn't hold her breath. "I've never brought a boy home before because Scorp and Al and Hugo made sure they ran my potential boyfriends off," she grumbled.
To her surprise, her dad chuckled. "So young Malfoy was in on the conspiracy to keep you from dating?"
"More like the ringleader," Rose replied. "He only admitted it to me a couple of days ago, but he mainly interfered with my dates because he wanted me for himself. He liked riling me up, sure, but that was his main motivation. Al and Hugo were just being protective."
Ron nodded absently, the corners of his mouth turning up in amusement. Before he could speak, though, Rose thought of something. "See, Daddy, you can admit it—you do like Scorpius. You've gotten along with him better the past few years, anyway."
Ron sighed. "I admit, he has grown on me. But that was as Al's friend, and then your friend. But now, it's a different story, since he's decided he wants to put his ferrety paws on my daughter," he finished with a growl.
Rose held her tongue; it wouldn't do to tell her dad that she actually liked having Scorpius' hands touching her. She didn't want him to have a heart attack.
"Daddy, please," she said instead. "He really is a good guy. He'd never hurt me. He understands me—he knows me inside and out and yet he still loves me. And I feel the same way."
Ron looked at her for a minute, then patted the seat next to him on the couch. "Sit down for a minute, Rosie," he said. When she did, he sighed again and began to talk. "I already told you, this is hard for me. You are my first child, my only daughter. When your mother told me she was pregnant with you I was so excited. Scared, but excited. I think I finally grew up when you came along," he admitted.
"So this is less about Scorpius being a Malfoy, and more to do with me?" Rose asked, wanting to fully confirm what she was thinking.
"I won't deny it, I wouldn't have picked a Malfoy for you. Not that I would pick for you," he hastily added, noting Rose's glare. "You know your own mind, and I don't hold for arranged marriages anyway. But like you said, I already know the kid, although I don't know whether that's a bad thing or a good thing."
Rose laughed—she hadn't decided whether the fact that Scorpius already knew her family was a good or a bad thing either.
"But Rose—" here she knew her father was being serious since he called her by her real name—"I guess in my mind, you should still be five years old and I should be teaching you how to fly on a broom, helping you learn to control your magic, and scaring away monsters from under your bed. But you're not—you're eighteen, you're about to graduate from Hogwarts, and then you'll move on to your career. You'll move out and get married and you won't be around as much."
"Oh Daddy," said Rose. "Are you this irritated at me having a boyfriend because you're scared you're going to lose me?"
Ron nodded, and Rose threw her arms around her father. "Daddy, you are not going to lose me. You and Mum have always taught me that family is a priority. I will move out and get married someday, but today is not that day. Even then, I'll still come back here, because you and Mum are here. I may be growing up, Daddy, but you're not going to lose me. I love you."
Ron hugged her back. "I love you too, Rosie." He pulled back, and a hint of mischief sparkled in his eyes. "You moving out and getting married is probably not as far away as you think, though."
"Daddy!" Rose said, playfully hitting at his arm. "I am only eighteen! I haven't even left Hogwarts yet. I need time to establish myself before getting married."
"You don't know how glad I am to hear that," Ron said. "However, I've seen the way young Malfoy looks at you. Don't look at me like I've grown three heads," he said at Rose's look of confusion. "I may have come late to the party, and I may not usually notice things like this, but I have noticed the way your Scorpius looks at you, the way he treats you. He looks at you like I look at your mum. And you love him too, don't you?"
"I do," Rose said, surprised that her father had caught on. "Very much."
"Very well then," said Ron, sighing. "Just make sure you make time for your old man, Rosie."
"You're not old, Daddy," Rose laughed. "And I'll always have time for you," she said, kissing his cheek. "So…you're okay with me dating Scorpius, then?"
"Well, it's not like I can do anything about it. You've chosen him, and I know better than to get on your bad side. You're a lot like your mother in that regard. Are you sure you don't want to follow your mother into the Ministry? You'd put fear in all of the Wizengamot, you know."
"I'm sure, although Scorpius has told me pretty much the same thing."
"Just be sure he treats you right, Rosie. You don't deserve anything less than the best."
"Oh, he does, Daddy. He adores me. And he's actually told me before that I shouldn't settle for anything less than a man who will love all of me…who knew that man would be him?"
Ron nodded. "What time is he coming over?"
"He should be here in about an hour and a half. Why?"
"Why don't you, me, and Hugo go out and practice a bit of Quidditch for an hour or so?"
"That sounds fun, Daddy. Just don't try to sneak a Bludger in and then try and hit Scorpius with it."
"I would never, Rosie. You and your mother would hex me in a heartbeat. I'll refrain from overly goading the boy—it is Christmas, after all—but I can't help but tease him a little."
"I guess I'll have to accept that—I tease him too, you know. Just do not bring up his parents, unless you're asking about the food his mum cooks. There is such a thing as boundaries, Daddy."
"Very well, Rosie. I'll contain myself. His father may still be the world's biggest git—don't look at me like that, Rosie, you didn't know the elder Malfoy when he was your age—but your Scorpius isn't like that."
"No, he's not. Please, Daddy, I want everything to go smoothly tonight."
"And it will, Rosie—as smoothly as any Weasley event will go. You don't have to worry about it."
Rose smiled. Scorpius and her mum had told her often that she had Ron wrapped around her little finger, but until tonight, she hadn't realized how true that was.
Ron stood up. "How about that Quidditch practice, Rosie?"
"Sure, Daddy," Rose said, and they went off to find Hugo.
An hour later, an exhausted but excited Rose sat in the living room reading while waiting for Scorpius to arrive. She was so engrossed in her book—another one borrowed from the Malfoy library—that she nearly didn't hear the sound of someone arriving by Floo. Looking up, she saw Scorpius step out of the fireplace. He grinned at the sight of her—she was sitting sideways in an overstuffed armchair, legs dangling over one of the armrests. She quickly shut her book, jumped out of the chair, and hurled herself across the room and into his arms. She snuggled into his warm chest for a moment, reveling in having his arms around her again. She'd become quite accustomed to his hugs over the two years they had been just friends, and he had been loath to let her go for the two days they had together after the Yule Ball. She spent much of those two days perched in his lap, his arms wrapped around her, even while they hung out with their friends.
Pulling back slightly, she stretched up on her tiptoes and pressed a kiss on his neck just below his ear. Pleased at the low rumble that came from his throat upon her touch, she kissed the underside of his jaw and would have gone back to the spot below his ear had Scorpius not backed up to arms' length—reluctantly so.
(She knew it wasn't a good idea to start making out with her boyfriend in her parents' living room, but that didn't mean she didn't want to.)
"Hello, love," Scorpius said softly, pushing a curl back behind Rose's ear before capturing her lips in a searing but chaste kiss.
"Hello to you, too, Scorp," Rose said, smiling up at him.
"If I knew I would get this kind of reaction from you after not seeing you for a couple of days, I would have planned to stay away more often," Scorpius told her, smirking.
"Oh really?" Rose asked. "I don't think that would work."
"You don't?" Scorpius asked, drawing her closer again.
"No," Rose said, playing with the hair at the nape of his neck. "You can't bear to stay away from me," she remarked, sending him a smirk of her own.
"True enough," Scorpius admitted, bending down to kiss her again.
After they finally pulled away, Scorpius glanced around the Weasleys' living room.
"What are you doing?" Rose asked. He had been there before; it wasn't like it was an entirely new experience for him.
"For some reason, I keep thinking that James or Al or even Lily is going to pop out from behind a door, like they've been spying on us."
"Well, they're not here. It's just me and you and Mum and Dad and Hugo."
"Not sure whether that's a good thing or a bad thing," Scorpius mumbled.
"Why not?"
"Well, if James and/or Al were here, then I could at least try and hide behind one of them in case your dad decides to make sure his Auror skills are still intact by using me as target practice. Love you, Rosie, but you're too short to provide much protection."
Rose scoffed. "Daddy won't do anything of the sort. I had a talk with him over an hour ago. He's been told he has to behave. Mum is telling him much the same thing now, I think."
"And we all know how much your dad adores you and your mum. I hope you're right, Rosie, and that he doesn't take things out on me, because I don't fancy being beat up by my girlfriend's dad, no matter if he helped save the Wizarding world or not."
"He won't beat you up, Scorp. He knows he'll have to answer to me and Mum if he even puts a toe out of line. That said, please try not to antagonize him. You need to be on your best behavior, Scorp. That means not stealing the last piece of the pie, no matter how good it looks. Let him win that round, at least."
"Now Rosie, when have I ever not been on my best behavior?" Scorpius said, pretending to be affronted.
"We don't have all day, Scorp."
Scorpius huffed, and Rose took the opportunity to walk across the living room towards the kitchen, where she knew her mum and dad were, dragging Scorpius along behind her. "Mum! Dad! Hugo! Scorp's here!"
It was a funny contrast to when Rose had met Scorpius' parents—there was no formality here. Then again, Scorpius had met Hermione and Ron years before, and was friends with Hugo, so that made a huge difference. The fact remained, however, that the Weasleys readily dispensed with formality—with such a large extended family and network of friends that might as well have been family, it was nearly impossible to maintain much order.
Hermione appeared first. "Hello, Scorpius, nice to see you again."
"Good to see you as well, Mrs. Weasley. My parents send their greetings."
"Please, Scorpius, for the millionth time, it's Hermione. Best wishes to your parents—we received a lovely basket from your mother this morning, filled with all kinds of sauces and jellies. I think Ron already got into one jar," she said, rolling her eyes in exasperated fondness at her husband's continuing love for food.
"She spent two days canning," Scorpius answered. "The kitchen still smells like tomatoes. Dad and I can't stand it. We love the results, of course, but the process…well, it's a little messy and smelly for our tastes."
"Careful, Scorp, your Malfoy is showing," Rose murmured. She couldn't help but wonder what Scorpius would look like with tomato paste all in his hair—he really would be an honorary Weasley then!
It was almost funny how quickly Astoria Malfoy and Hermione Granger-Weasley had become firm friends. True to Scorpius' prediction, his mother had owled Hermione a week after Rose's visit to the manor, and the two women had met for lunch a couple of days later. At first the two had bonded over their children's friendship—both had recognized the depth of Scorpius and Rose's feelings for one another and had hoped that one of them would make a move. However, subsequent lunches found the two witches discussing their charitable pursuits. While now head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, Hermione still had many connections and friendships with those who had fought for change after the War, and she herself still campaigned on occasion and kept up donations. She was delighted to hear of the Malfoys' foundation, especially after hearing that Teddy Lupin had been one of the first to benefit from the charity. Hermione had offered to make a donation to their foundation, which Astoria and Draco had politely declined. They were grateful for (and in Draco's case, surprised at) Hermione's offer, but preferred to fund everything from their own stores. Hermione had then asked if she could auction something off and send part of the proceeds to their foundation as one of many charities receiving donations, and the Malfoys had agreed. Hermione had then proceeded to auction off one of her many copies of Hogwarts: A History, signed by her, with the proceeds benefiting the Malfoy foundation as well as various others, such as one promoting literacy and one dedicated to the maintenance of retired or infirm house elves.
"I wonder where my husband and son have gotten to," Hermione mused. "Ronald! Hugo!"
Ron appeared a few seconds later. Rose could see a bit of jelly on his chin and dried sauce on his hands. "Sorry, 'Mione," he said. "Scorpius," he nodded at the young man standing next to Rose. "Thank your mother for the sauce and jelly, they are delicious."
"I'll do that, Mr. Weasley."
"Looks like your mum has unknowingly found the way to mollify my dad," Rose whispered to Scorpius as Hermione noticed the evidence of Ron's afternoon snack. "Just give him some food and everything's good."
Scorpius chuckled, and Hugo appeared. "Scorp, hey, mate!" Hugo came over and shook Scorpius' hand, and the two friends clapped each other on the back.
"Good to see you, mate," Scorpius said.
"You'll never guess what came this morning, Scorp," said Hugo. Rose rolled her eyes—she knew exactly what her brother was talking about.
"What?"
"The next edition of Fantasy Quidditch League," Hugo said, grinning.
After the war, many wizards had adapted Muggle technology for use in the Wizarding world. Harry and Hermione had been at the forefront of encouraging this development—they thought it would be a good first step for those who were born into the Wizarding world to see how much Muggles could accomplish without magic. Wizards had adapted music players, cell phones, computers, and video games for their use. Video games were a huge hit with wizards of all ages, although Harry had put his foot down when a company asked him if they could make a video game series based on his adventures. He didn't want to give kids the idea that his adventures had been fun or a lark—they were anything but. Hermione and Ron had backed him up on this point.
"Are you serious? That game doesn't even come out until after the new year!" Scorpius exclaimed.
"Yup!" Hugo answered. "Mum's old friend Viktor Krum sent it. He got us advance copies of the other games, too. Dad was a little annoyed at first, but he loves those games. That way he gets his Quidditch fix when it's too cold or rainy to play. Rose?" he asked. "D'you mind if I show Scorp the game? I promise not to hog him the whole time he's here."
Scorpius turned to Rose, silently pleading with her to say yes. Rose laughed—as if she'd get in the way. "Sure, I don't mind."
She'd barely answered and Hugo was rushing over to the entertainment console, getting the game out. "I was playing it earlier this morning, but we can start a new game. This edition has so many new features and new players…" Rose heard her brother tell Scorpius.
She turned to her parents. Hermione was shaking her head at the two boys and Ron sat on the couch, dividing his time between watching the game and checking the sports section of the Daily Prophet.
"Rose, honey, can you come help me finish up some things in the kitchen?" Hermione asked.
Rose was setting the table and keeping an eye on the bread warming when Hermione spoke. "I'm glad Scorpius could come."
"So am I," said Rose. "I didn't really want the first time he came to a family function as my boyfriend to be Christmas at the Burrow. He would have been bombarded all night."
"You're right. Between George and Ron and James and Fred, he wouldn't have been able to even eat in peace," Hermione said, chuckling.
"You didn't seem surprised when I wrote you that Scorpius and I were dating," said Rose.
"Not really. We all saw that coming," answered Hermione.
"'We'? Who is this 'we'?" Rose asked, raising an eyebrow.
Hermione had the good grace to look a little flustered. "Well, myself of course, and Ginny. Angelina and Astoria, too, after a while. Even Harry figured it out, and I think Ron did too."
"You mean practically everyone knew how Scorpius and I feel about each other even before we started dating? Even Scorp's mum?"
"Oh, honey, you can't tell me you didn't realize how Scorpius felt about you. He's been crazy about you for years."
Rose blushed, and that was all the answer Hermione needed. "You are so much like your father sometimes. It took him ages to figure out how I felt about him and how he felt about me."
"When did you figure out that Scorpius had feelings for me?"
"I first suspected during your fourth year, when Scorpius had played that horrible prank and then went to such drastic lengths to get back on your good side. It takes a lot for a young man to swallow his pride, especially a Malfoy, and when you wrote and said that he had offered to do anything within reason to make you stop being mad at him, well, it became clear to me that he cared for you a great deal. I just didn't know how much. So I watched him that next summer and paid attention to how you interacted with him. Then your letters from school started arriving, and with each one I became more convinced that he liked you very much. I asked Ginny if she had noticed anything, and she had. We've been watching you two ever since. As for Scorpius' mum, Astoria suspected much the same thing. Apparently Scorpius has talked about you for years, sometimes even more than he mentioned Al. She wasn't sure about how he felt until fourth year, but Scorpius' feelings have been clearer and clearer every year since, especially after you went to the Manor last summer. We just didn't know how strongly you felt about him—we knew you cared, just not how much."
Rose mused over everything her mother had said. She couldn't believe that she had apparently been the last to learn of Scorpius' feelings for her. Even her uncle Harry and her father had figured things out before she did!
"But you do love him, don't you?" Hermione asked, turning away from the pot on the stove and looking straight at her daughter.
"I do," said Rose. "Very, very much. He challenges me—he's the only true rival I have. I love bickering with him. I love his wit and his cleverness. He makes me laugh, even though sometimes his antics are annoying. He matches me in intelligence; he loves to read too, and is always up for a good debate. He understands me—sometimes I think he knows me better than I know myself. I know I can always count on him. He's always been there, whether I liked it or not.
"He does have his faults, though, don't get me wrong. He's the most annoying person I have ever met. He knows just how to get under my skin, how to push my buttons. He drives me crazy, and not always in a good way. He can be moody and grumpy, especially in the morning. He actually had a coffee maker installed in the common room in the Heads' suite just so he could have his morning coffee, which was actually a good thing, because he becomes a lot less grumpy after that first cup. Anyway, he still doesn't understand why I continue to support the Chudley Cannons, and he will never let me live it down that he has blown my scores out of the water in Potions every year. But in spite of that," she said softly, "at the end of the day, there is no one else I want by my side."
"You're very lucky, Rose, to have found someone who loves you so much and who you love so much so early in life. The two of you are so good together," said Hermione, smiling at her daughter's assessment of her boyfriend.
"I know," answered Rose. "I know we're only eighteen, but I already know—he's it for me, Mum. He's it. There's no one else."
"I can tell, Rosie. And you're not too young. I was sixteen when I realized I wanted to spend the rest of my life with your father, and we were eighteen when we finally got together, although we didn't get married for a couple of years after that. Just be sure to enjoy being together for now—you don't have to rush anything," Hermione said, pointing a spoon at her daughter to make sure Rose understood she was serious. "Your father and I would prefer to not become grandparents for a few years."
"Mum!" Rose exclaimed, blushing. "We're…we're not even…we've only been dating for a few days, Mum. We're nowhere near the point where children or grandchildren could even become an issue."
"I didn't think you were," Hermione said, knowing what her daughter was saying and glad for it. "That said, just enjoy being with Scorpius for the time being."
"I am," Rose said. "Honestly, I think we're still getting used to the fact that we don't have to hide our feelings anymore. It's strange, but freeing."
"I'm just glad you've found someone like Scorpius," Hermione replied. "The two of you are perfect for each other."
"I know," said Rose. "I'm very lucky."
"Dinner's pretty much ready," said Hermione. "Why don't you call everyone else in?"
After Rose managed to pry Scorpius and Hugo from their video game, everyone settled in at the table.
"So, Scorpius, what are your plans for the rest of the holiday? Coming to the Burrow like usual?" Hermione asked, passing Ron a bowl full of potatoes.
"Yeah," said Scorpius, cutting off a piece of roast to join the pile already on his plate, "I'll come to the Burrow Christmas evening after my family finishes celebrating. I'll stay for a couple of days like usual, but when I go back home, I was going to ask if Rose could come with me. Did she tell you that Mum invited her over?" When Hermione nodded, Scorpius continued. "Mum really wants to see her. Dad would like to as well, although he'll never say it out loud. Rose could spend the day with us and then come back here. I'll be here for the New Year's party too, and then go back home for a few more days before it's time to head back to Hogwarts."
"You'll definitely be busy," said Hermione. "It's fine with us if Rose goes to the Manor again, isn't it, Ron?"
Ron nodded, focusing intently on his food. "Rose? Those plans okay with you?"
"Of course," Rose told her mother. "I thought that would be the plan anyway."
The conversation drifted into different topics for a while—Scorpius and Hugo were telling Rose more about the new video game, as Hugo had hogged it all morning. "We'll have to have a tournament when we're all at the Burrow," said Hugo. "Scorp, do you have to leave right after dinner?"
"No, not unless your dad throws me out," Scorpius said.
"He won't do that. Mum and Rose would kill him. Anyway, why don't you and Rosie and me play a few games after dinner? We could go round robin. Rose? You in?"
"Sure, sounds fun. You wouldn't even let me touch the game this morning, Hugo. It's only fair that I get a turn."
"You sound like Mum did when we were little, talking about fairness and sharing," said Hugo. "Do I look like I'm five?"
"No," said Rose. "But you act like it sometimes."
Hugo glared at her, making Rose and Scorpius laugh.
"Rosie, love, looks like someone stole your patented glare," Scorpius teased. "Word to the wise, Hugo, that really only works when Rosie's glaring."
"We used to wish for years that the two of you would get along, and now the two of you are ganging up on my son," Hermione said, fighting a smile.
"Scorp and Hugo ganged up on me for years, Mum, it's about time I returned the favor," said Rose.
"I do believe my Slytherin side is rubbing off on you, love," mumbled Scorpius, causing Rose to roll her eyes.
"Like my Gryffindor side hasn't rubbed off on you any," she said.
Before Scorpius could answer, the couple heard Hermione and Ron laugh and turned to face Rose's parents.
"Sounds like you and me when we were younger, 'Mione," said Ron.
"It sounds like the two of you now," muttered Hugo, causing Ron and Hermione to laugh again.
"I have to admit, it is still somewhat odd to see the two of you getting along," Hermione said to Rose and Scorpius. "I remember not that long ago, Scorpius, you spent most of Christmas dinner at the Burrow—when you weren't eating, that is—tearing up pieces of bread and throwing them in Rose's hair."
Scorpius chuckled. "Well, not many people can pull off the breadcrumb look, but dearest Rosie here can."
"I remember that," said Rose. "It took me forever to get all the pieces out of my hair!"
"I just wanted to see how many I could hide in there before you discovered what I was doing," Scorpius said, shrugging.
"You wanted to rile her up, too," said Hermione.
"Of course," answered Scorpius, as if that should have been obvious. "Not much is more fun than riling up Rose."
"Plus, you wanted her attention," said Hermione knowingly.
"That too," Scorpius admitted.
"Well, you better not try that again, Scorpius," said Rose. "I left crumbs everywhere. I felt like Hansel and Gretel."
"Who?" said Scorpius.
"Never mind," said Rose.
"Anyway, that was kiddie stuff," scoffed Scorpius. "This year, I'm thinking I'll just stick all the Christmas bows in your hair. That'll take even longer to get out, especially if I use the ones with the sticky backs on them."
"You do that, and I'll take all the leftover ribbon, tie you up so you can't get to me, and tie your mouth shut for good measure," Rose countered.
"Wrapping me up like a present, Rosie? Does that mean I get to be your present?" Scorpius whispered in her ear, making her shiver and blush.
"Scorpius!" she hissed. He tweaked her nose and she glared at him. Both of them seemed to have forgotten that Rose's parents and Hugo were there.
Fortunately for Scorpius, Hermione brought out a pie before Rose could give him a thorough scolding. Rose had actually never been so glad to see a pie in her life. She knew that the argument between her and Scorpius could only end in one of two ways: either her kissing him senseless or slapping him silly-and neither option was appropriate.
That didn't mean she didn't briefly entertain the thought of throwing the pie in his face, though.
True to his word, Scorpius had let Ron have the last piece of the pie, which seemed to improve Ron's mood slightly. He had even joined Scorpius and Hugo in a discussion of the latest broom on the market—the Nimbus 5000—and whether it truly would be better than previous models. Rose thought it was ludicrous that broom makers came out with new models every year or two; she saw it as a ploy for money and said so. That started up a rousing discussion of whether the broom market was after money only or whether they were constantly developing new brooms to improve on old designs and to stay relevant.
Hermione had wisely stayed out of that discussion, and it had been shelved for further debate at the Burrow in a few days when they all returned to the living room.
Rose was conscious of her father keeping an eye on her and Scorpius—he had been doing so all night—and so did not sit in her boyfriend's lap, even though she wanted to. Instead, she sat beside him on the couch and curled into his side, her feet tucked under her and his arm draped about her shoulders.
Scorpius was gently rubbing circles into her upper arm and Rose had nearly drifted off to sleep when she heard her mother's voice interrupt the silence.
"Ronald, I know you have something to say. Just say it already."
"'Mione, I promised Rosie I wouldn't antagonize her and the boy too much…"
"Go on, Ronald. Whatever you have to say, it's been eating at you all night. It can't be too bad, or you would have just blurted it out like you usually do."
Rose heard her father sigh, and she sat up straighter when she heard her father address her boyfriend.
"Scorpius," Ron began, "I have a couple of questions for you—ones Hermione's father asked me when it became apparent how serious we were."
"Ronald," Hermione said.
"'Mione, you told me to ask!"
"I know. But don't you remember how you felt when my father asked you those questions? You were embarrassed and nervous. Have some sympathy on the poor boy, please. You were once in his shoes."
"I remember, Hermione. I didn't understand where your father was coming from then—but I do now." Ron turned to Scorpius again. "Scorpius, you love my daughter, don't you?"
"Yes, sir, I do," answered Scorpius firmly. "Wholeheartedly."
Ron looked a little surprised at the conviction in Scorpius' tone. Rose was hoping that her father wouldn't press too much further. Who knew what kind of questions he would ask!
"And so you realize how special Rosie is."
"Yes, I know just how special our Rose is," Scorpius said, a hint of mischief in his tone.
"Why doesn't it sound like you're giving me a compliment?" asked Rose.
"Good," said Ron, who had apparently missed the mischief or chose to ignore it. "See that you treat her accordingly. She deserves the best."
"I know she does, and I will," said Scorpius. "I wouldn't dare do otherwise. I don't relish the thought of Rose and her entire family coming after me if I hurt her—not to mention the fact that I never want to cause her pain. I have a healthy sense of self-preservation, you know."
Rose saw the corners of her father's mouth lift just a bit at Scorpius' words. "Then would it be too much to ask what your intentions are towards my daughter?"
To his credit, Scorpius didn't blanch. "Possibly," he said smoothly at the same time that Rose shouted "Dad!" Hermione and Hugo looked amused—and very interested in Scorpius' response.
"However, I don't think you'll let me out of here without me telling you, so I will. I love Rose, and I have for years. I intend to remain at her side for as long as she'll let me. On the off chance that she decides she doesn't want to be with me anymore"—Scorpius looked pained at even the thought of Rose leaving him—"I would stick around anyway to try and win her back."
"I'd never want to leave you," Rose told Scorpius. He smiled at her before continuing. "I'm a Slytherin—we know what we want, and we go after it. And I want to be with Rose, to love her as she deserves. I'm a Malfoy, and we deserve the best. And Rose is the best."
Rose grinned at Scorpius, kissing him soundly on the cheek. Then she turned to Ron, who looked surprised at the strength of Scorpius' words but resigned to the fact that Scorpius Malfoy made his daughter happy and that he absolutely adored Rose. "See, Daddy," Rose said. "I told you that you didn't have to worry. I don't like that you completely sprung those questions on him out of the blue, but I have no complaints about Scorpius' answers."
"And Ron, don't you remember saying much the same things to my father? Maybe not in those exact words, but your sentiments were the same," Hermione told her husband gently.
Ron nodded at his wife and turned to his daughter and her boyfriend. "Very well. Thank you for your honesty, young Malfoy. I think we would both agree that we want the best for Rose, yeah?"
"Exactly, Mr. Weasley," said Scorpius.
Later on, Scorpius had soundly beaten Hugo and Hugo had narrowly beaten Rose at Fantasy Quidditch. Rose and Scorpius were in the middle of an intense game—both still retained their need to compete with each other at various times. Rose was slightly ahead of Scorpius but he was hanging in there. Ron watched the games with interest while Hermione read.
When Rose finally beat Scorpius, her digital Seeker catching the Snitch decisively, she pumped her fist in the air. "Yes! Take that, Scorp!"
Scorpius narrowed his eyes. "You might have won this game, but tell me, Rosie, who won more Quidditch games at Hogwarts when we were both on teams?"
"Well, I played from third through sixth years, and we met once each year during the season, and twice we played each other for the Cup, so we played each other six times. If I remember right—and I do—Slytherin won three and Gryffindor won three. So we're even."
"What about games of Quidditch at the Burrow? When we played on opposite sides, who won more?"
"You actually remember that?!"
"Of course," Scorpius said. "And if I remember correctly, which of course I do, my side is one game ahead of yours."
"But I won this game," Rose countered. "So we're even again."
"You're going to count a video game in the tally?"
"Well, you counted pick-up games at the Burrow."
"I want a rematch," said Scorpius, beginning to sulk a little.
"Oh, you'll get one. Fantasy Quidditch tournament at the Burrow in a few days, remember?"
"Merlin! Will you two ever stop arguing?!" Hugo shouted suddenly.
"Nope," Rose and Scorpius said simultaneously.
"We like arguing with each other. It's fun and invigorating. Keeps us on our toes," said Rose.
"She just likes to be kept on her toes so she can be taller," Scorpius stage-whispered to Hugo.
"I heard that," Rose snapped.
"Needless to say, Hugo, we'll never stop arguing because we get too much of a kick out of it. You'd think you'd be used to it by now," Scorpius said.
"I'm starting to feel sympathy for Al," Hugo muttered.
Just then, Scorpius' wand started emitting green sparks. "Scorp?" asked Rose. "What's with your wand?"
Scorpius looked at it and frowned slightly. "That would be my mother's way of saying it's time for me to come home." He looked at the conventional clock on the wall that hung next to Ron and Hermione's version of Mrs. Weasley's Weasley clock. "It is almost 11. I guess that's my cue to leave. Don't want my mum mad at me."
Rose sighed. "Yeah, I guess you'd better."
The three teenagers stood, Scorpius making his way to Ron and Hermione, who had been sitting on the couch watching the bickering with amusement. "Thank you for having me," Scorpius said politely but sincerely.
"Of course, Scorpius. You're welcome any time," Hermione said, shaking his hand.
"Mr. Weasley, I hope things are good between us?" Scorpius asked, sticking his hand out for the older man to shake and looking a bit nervous—well, as nervous as a Malfoy got.
"Yes," said Ron, giving Scorpius' hand a firm shake. "I just want my Rosie to be happy, and I have to admit, she is with you."
Scorpius smiled. "Thank you. I'll see you all in a few days at the Burrow."
Rose walked Scorpius over to the fireplace. "I'm so glad you got to come. It went better than I thought it would when I first invited you over. I still don't like how my dad put you on the spot with those questions, even though they were pretty tame compared to what he could have come up with."
"I didn't mind answering, honestly. I'd rather have my girlfriend's father on my good side, especially if he is Ron Weasley, war hero."
"Your words were so sweet," Rose told him, wrapping her arms loosely about his neck. "Thank you for that. I knew you could be a sap with me, but I didn't realize that you would willingly, openly show that to others."
"I meant every word," Scorpius said softly, leaning his head down so his forehead touched hers. "And while I usually would prefer to keep my sappiness between us, I figured it would be to my advantage if I showed it in front of your father. Like I said, I want him on my good side."
"How very Slytherin of you," Rose said, chuckling.
"I get to be with you," said Scorpius. "Makes it all worth it, don't you think?"
"Very much so," said Rose, pulling his head down more so she could kiss him slowly. "I love you," she whispered when she finally pulled away, out of breath from his kisses.
"I love you too, Rosie."
"Tell your parents hello, and that I'll see them in a few days."
"And I'll see you on Christmas."
"I hope you like the present I got you," Rose said, kissing him one last time before reluctantly pulling away.
"I got you to finally date me, and I found out you love me," Scorpius said, grabbing a pinch of Floo powder. "Seems like Christmas came early this year."
Rose laughed. "And I finally realized how much you love me. I think Christmas came early for both of us."
"Well, we are Gryffindor and Slytherin—red and green," Scorpius said. "Bye, love. See you in a couple of days."
"Love you, Scorp," Rose said, and Scorpius grinned at her before throwing the Floo powder in the fireplace, stepping in, and calling out "Malfoy Manor!"
As the green flames crackled and transported her boyfriend back to his house, Rose mused on the holiday season so far. She'd confessed her love to Scorpius; he had assured her of his love; they were now together; and dinner with her family had gone well, all things considered.
The actual date might be two days away still, and they might still have dinner with the Weasley-Potter clan and friends to conquer, but it was already shaping up to be the best Christmas yet.
Hope you enjoyed part two of Meet the Parents! What did you think of Scorpius' first introduction as Rose's boyfriend? Did you have a favorite scene or line? Let me know in a review! I don't know if I'm doing a good job unless you drop me a line.
Next chapter: Coda-Hermione & Ron