As soon as Scorpius' door slammed shut behind her, Rose felt the tears falling from her eyes. Somehow she managed to stumble home, barely wasting a second in shedding her coat and hat before she collapsed onto her couch.

The letter was now wrinkled, still clutched tightly in her fist. Before she started fully processing any of it, she wanted to know what he had to say. But reading that letter also felt like the last thing she wanted to do.

Swallowing the sob that threatened to escape, she quickly broke open the familiar seal and felt a fresh wave of tears threaten to overtake her as his familiar penmanship swam before her eyes. But this time, it was her own name written out at the top of the letter. How beautiful and painful it had been to hear him say her name tonight as she walked away. Rose braced herself as she began to read what appeared to be the longest letter Leo… Scorpius… had ever written her.

Dear Rose,

I'm sure you've figured out the truth by now, if I haven't already told you myself.

I don't even know where to start, other than at the beginning. I want you to know everything, at least from my perspective. I'm done hiding the truth from you.

When I first read your article, I thought it was brilliant. I probably read it about a dozen times before I was actually able to get in touch with you. As we got to know each other, it felt wonderful to have found someone who shared my passion and desire to learn and grow in their craft. Your words encouraged me to pursue so many things that I had been scared to want. I never would have applied for that research grant if it hadn't been for your encouragement, and now look where I am.

As things began to change between us, I saw a girl that was so much more than just a brilliant potions scholar. I saw someone who was passionate about her work, yes; but she was also passionate about the people she loved. You care so much, Rose. It's a beautiful thing to witness. You're strong and you know what you believe, and you know when to admit you're wrong. I felt like the luckiest bloke in the world when I realized you started to care for me as I'd grown to care for you. It made me feel invincible. I had to meet you.

Before we get to what happened next, let me say that I truly believe that there has never been a time when I didn't want the best for you. And when I say you, I mean Rose, not Daisy. Throughout our time at school, even when it was obvious how much you disliked me, I couldn't help but see something in you. Something that intrigued me. I found myself wanting you to succeed, even when I made it difficult for you, sometimes on purpose. I suppose part of that had to do with the fact that you were Al's cousin, and he wouldn't have taken too kindly to it if I actually hated you, so I never really did. But I think my regard for you has more to do with who you are as a person than anything else.

Our seventh year, I thought things were finally changing between us. I thought we might even become friends. I don't know what went wrong, but it did, and it felt like there was no going back to being anything other than enemies, for lack of a better word. It didn't help things that we wound up in the same field after Hogwarts. You're one competitive witch, Rose Weasley, and I've been cursed with a rather competitive side myself. Doesn't usually bode well for the most peaceful coexistence.

As soon as I saw the burn paste in your shop and I discovered you were the girl that I'd begun to fall for last autumn, I didn't want it to be true. How could life have been so unfair to allow you, the one person who I never saw being able to give me the time of day, to turn out to be the same girl I wanted everything with?

I was angry and I was confused and I had no bloody clue what to do. I talked to Al that day, who you should give a good kick in the pants for not telling either of us the truth as soon as he figured it out. Amidst all the crazy ideas I'm sure you can imagine him spewing about what I should do, one thing he said, as I went on about how much of a disaster this was and that you and I could never possibly work, resonated with me; you'll never know unless you try.

I went to meet you that night, unsure of what I was going to do. I brought a few letters along as proof, just in case I decided to tell you. If I had trouble believing it, there was no doubt in my mind that you'd laugh in my face or slap me. Maybe even a combination of the two. I didn't anticipate what actually happened. I was angry and I was disappointed and you were beautiful and hopeful, and I knew how much I would be letting you down if I had gone in there and told you the truth.

I do forgive you for what happened that night, especially because you only had half of the story. I knew exactly why you were having a rough night, and I did nothing but antagonize you and make it worse. For that, I am so incredibly sorry. I shouldn't have taken my frustrations out on you. You didn't deserve that just as much as I didn't deserve your hurtful words.

I figured things were well and done between us and you were out of my life. But then you apologized and of course I forgave you. I don't think there's anything you could ever do that I wouldn't forgive.

I couldn't stand lying to you after that, so I had to stop writing. I wanted to explain everything, but I knew the night we played chess at the Potter's that it wasn't over for me, and I was completely at a loss for what to do. The girl in the letters started to morph into the girl I'd known all those years. Or thought I'd known. And I found the real you to be even better than the version I'd cooked up in my head. Faults and all. Arguments and all. Your bloody temper and your irrational actions are a part of who you are, just as much as your ability to care for others and your drive to better yourself. I've never seen someone so willing to learn from their mistakes. You're stubborn, so it might take you awhile to realize you've made one, but you've shown me what it means to humbly accept grace and correction when you realize you're in the wrong.

There were so many things about you that I never saw because I was so blinded by the fact that I believed you hated me, and I developed a strong dislike for you in return. Al was nice enough to point that out as well. You should probably thank him when you give him that swift kick up the arse. He made me see quite a bit of sense a few times.

I'm telling you all this now because you deserve to hear it. I should have told you the truth the moment I knew it, and I'm hoping that you'll accept my apology. I'm truly sorry for the hurt this might cause you.

I never wanted to manipulate you or convince you to do anything, like giving me a chance to prove how much I care for you in spite of my actions. I'd very much like to be able to do that, but I realize that might be more than I deserve. I choose to do this now, with the full knowledge that I may never speak to you again, and that you would be perfectly within your rights to abandon any type of friendship we've managed to form, as Rose and Scorpius, or as Daisy and Leo.

I won't make a grand declaration of my feelings for you. I think you're smart enough to figure out what those are on your own. And that's not what this letter is about. It's about making sure you know the truth about everything, so you can proceed with your life however you wish to. I know I've probably lost any trust you might have had in me, so I'm not going to try and talk you into any particular choice. Just know how truly sorry I am.

I still want the best for you, Rose, and I hope you're able to find whatever that is. I wanted it to be me, but someone who truly deserves you would never have lied to you the way I did.

I want nothing but your happiness, and I wish you all the best things this world can offer.

Affectionately and completely yours,

Scorpius

Rose was full on sobbing by the time she reached the end of the letter. Laying down on her couch, she let herself be overcome with the emotions pouring through her.

She was angry. At him, at herself, and at the mess this whole thing was. How could he not have said something sooner? She could have avoided becoming attached to him if she'd known. She could have moved on from her relationship with Leo sooner. It infuriated her to think that she let herself get swept up in the romanticism of falling for someone she didn't even know. And then for her to take a fancy to Scorpius Malfoy once again? When he'd been keeping this from her? And now it had all been the same person the entire time?

That was hard to swallow. It was understandable that he'd felt the same way that she was now when he'd first found out. Who would want to spend most of their life thoroughly disliking someone, only to discover that it had all been a waste and a mistake that whole time? It was obvious now that Al had always been right. If they'd just tried to get along, they would have been able to. Their letters and the past few weeks were proof of that.

And she was disappointed. But not that it was him. She was disappointed with how everything had been handled and that what she thought she wanted would be more difficult to have than she ever anticipated. Did she even know what she wanted anymore? It was frustrating that it was this complicated, though that didn't even seem like a strong enough word.

She managed to pull herself together enough to look back over the letter.

Thinking back to those first few letters they'd exchanged, she had a sweeping feeling of nostalgia. It had been exciting to have an admirer, and fun to have a new friend who shared her interests. And once things had moved further, she'd felt the same way he had. That this was finally someone who could understand her and bring out the best in her. Especially when compared to someone like Scorpius Malfoy, who always seemed to bring out the worst. How was it possible that he actually did both?

It had pained her more than she expected to see that he'd been hopeful about forming an actual friendship when they were in seventh year, and then she'd gone and ruined it because she was proud and embarrassed. What would have happened if she'd swallowed her pride? Was he actually interested in her back then? She didn't want to think about that, because it just made the past few years almost seem irrelevant if that was the case.

With all that had followed as they grew up, never, not once, had she seen this coming. And she'd moved on, hadn't she?

But he said he wanted everything with her. Was that in reference to her as Daisy? She'd certainly wanted to see where things could go with Leo, but that all seemed different now that she knew he and Scorpius were one and the same. And that he'd kept all this from her.

Could she even trust him?

As angry and frustrated as she was by the whole situation, Rose realized she did appreciate the fact that he'd cut things off as Leo. If he'd kept writing to her, that would have seemed very underhanded and even more dishonest.

The letters.

She sat up suddenly and couldn't help running to her room and pulling open the drawer of her bedside table. All of the letters he'd ever written to her were there, and she quickly began pulling them out. She spread the letters out on her bed, sitting cross legged in the middle of it so she could pour over them, anxious to gain some sense of clarity.

It was almost midnight by the time she'd thoroughly read through everything he'd ever written her. She was overwhelmed. It was all too much. There was so much that she'd dreamed up about the man on the other side of the letters, and now reality was entirely different from what she'd expected. She'd wanted so much with him, but that very same him had turned out to be Scorpius Malfoy; the one person she'd convinced herself never to want.

And she'd done a brilliant job of it. She'd pushed him away and she'd created this divide that had lasted for years and had only recently started to heal. Of course, part of the reason things were better between them might have had to do with the fact that he had known the truth. It certainly explained the way he'd been looking at her lately. Now she knew she hadn't been imagining it.

As she crawled under her covers, still in the clothes she'd worn to work and the letters still scattered around her bed, it struck her just how well he knew her. The letter he'd given her today was proof of that. Her faults and her weaknesses as well as her strengths were listed out with beautiful understanding. It hurt to know that she probably knew him just as well, but hadn't realized it because she didn't want to have anything to do with him for so long.

The question still remained; did she want to have anything to do with him now? He'd practically told her he was in love with her, or at least very close to that. He wanted her to make her own choices, and he wished he could deserve her. His closing regards - his own name finally written out - stuck out to her almost more than the rest of the letter.

Affectionately and completely yours.

No one said that unless they meant it. It was obvious how he felt and what he wanted. This was all entirely in her hands. If she said she wanted nothing to do with him ever again, he'd understand. If she'd only ever want friendship, he'd live with that. If she told him the truth? That she'd fallen for him too? She had no doubts that he'd be more than pleased to know that. And they could actually be something. After all this time, she could break down all of her walls completely; the ones that had been there with Carter and Abel and had always kept her from Scorpius. If she could ever break those down, he'd be the one to enable her to do it. She knew that now.

But the thought terrified her. Especially because she wasn't sure she could trust him. He'd kept this from her. Yet she also couldn't help but realize that, had she been in the exact same position, she probably would have handled it worse. She could see herself finding out and reacting horribly. The place they'd been in their relationship when he found out wasn't a good one. And if neither of them had known until they'd shown up at the cafe, it would have gone horribly. Even if she was upset he'd lied to her, he'd handled it far better than she would have.

So what was she supposed to do? How could she make any type of decision? She didn't even know what she wanted.

It exhausted her to continue to think about it all. Somewhere amidst her tossing and turning and the whirring of her mind, she eventually drifted into a fitful sleep, hoping that tomorrow would bring clarity.

Scorpius barely slept that night. He'd been restless for hours until he decided he might as well make himself a cup of tea and do some reading. This hadn't served to be a sufficient distraction, and his mind slipped back to Rose at every opportunity.

She'd seemed so broken and angry and disappointed. And he'd done that to her. He'd kept secrets and wormed his way into her life and she'd actually started to trust him. He'd ruined things before they'd really even been given a chance to start.

He spent the next day in a haze, not entirely sure what to do with himself. If she had any desire to talk to him, he'd have to wait for her to be ready. To let her come to him. And he didn't want to talk to anyone else about it. That didn't seem fair to her. The less people that knew everything that was going on, the better.

Scorpius was left mostly to his own thoughts all day. He knew he could always get some work done, but every time he sat down to go over plans for the shop or schedules and planning for research, it just all reminded him of her. He'd eventually decided to try his hand at baking again. Cooking had always come easier to him, and after his nearly failed attempt last week, he found himself wanting to hone his baking skills. Plus, it would be distracting.

By mid afternoon he'd succeeded in making another batch of pasties as well as his mum's recipe for ginger biscuits. He'd just sat down to eat a dinner comprised of sweets when there was a sharp knock on his door and Archie walked in without waiting for an answer.

"I need your help," Archie said as soon as he entered. He did a rather comical double take and arched a curious brow when he spotted Scorpius sitting on the couch, still in his pajamas with a large plate of biscuits and pasties in his lap.

"I had a rough night," Scorpius said as a way of explaining his current state. Understanding crossed Archie's face.

"Right, sorry. I'm assuming it went horribly, but can I be selfish and ask that we forget about that for a moment and you help me?"

He had Scorpius' attention now. Archie hadn't seemed this fired up about anything in awhile. There was life and determination in his eyes as he nervously shifted from foot to foot, waiting for Scorpius to respond.

"Honestly, a distraction would be nice. What did you have in mind?"

Archie pulled a slip of parchment from his pocket and eagerly shoved it towards Scorpius, who stood as he took it.

You're forgiven. For everything.

M

Scorpius looked up at Archie in confusion to see his friend grinning nervously.

"Fancy crashing a dinner party?"

Rose had been able to go through the motions of her day with Scorpius shoved thoroughly to the back of her mind. For the most part.

She'd woken from her restless sleep to find the letters still strewn across her bed in a harsh reminder of the day before. Rather than dwelling on it, she threw herself into her day, showering and cleansing her tear stained face, hoping the redness in her eyes from lack of sleep and crying would go unnoticed throughout the day.

She ate breakfast, fed Rhea, and read the morning Prophet. It crossed her mind that she should respond to Healer Osborn, but that was too close to the subject she was trying to avoid.

Rose didn't plan on telling anyone what had happened and was fully aware that she was running and hiding from it all. At this point, that was the easiest thing to do. And she wanted to be fully present and active in Molly's last full day in the country without her own issues overshadowing it.

She'd gone to lunch with all of the female cousins that were able to be there, which turned into everyone but Victoire. Even Dani and Abigail had come. It had been a nice time to just be all together once more before Molly had to leave. The sadness of the day was brightened by the fact that Molly would be back at the end of February for Lucy's wedding.

Rose had gone to the Burrow with Molly and Lucy after that to help prepare for the family feast they would be having that evening. Molly was slightly overwhelmed by the fact that such a big todo was being made over her, especially since she'd be back in a little over a month's time. It just showed how much they all loved and missed her.

The whole family was there, minus Teddy and Victoire and Amelia. It had been remarkable that everyone was actually able to be there, and Rose was especially thankful for her close knit family today. People had started to arrive no later than four o'clock. They'd sat around and talked and laughed and kept in good spirits throughout the afternoon as they prepared for dinner. By the time they were sitting down to their meal, Rose felt like she'd had the chance to say hello to every member of her family.

There was a large table set up outside and one inside. The older generation typically took the inside, since the younger one had more than outgrown them. Some were mixed around, such as George and Harry and Ginny sitting outside, and Al and Abigail inside since they wanted to stay near Holly who was dozing in a crib in Ginny's old bedroom.

There was a warming charm placed in the backyard of the Burrow, and the snow was cleared around the patch where the table sat as well as the walk up to the house. The food was impeccable, as was typical of Grandma Molly's cooking, and conversation flowed easily with the comforting food and the more than familiar surroundings. Rose was sat towards the end of the long table outside next to the honored cousin, with Dom on Molly's other side and across from Ben, James, and Lily.

"Why not just stay till the wedding?" James asked from his seat across from Rose through a mouth full of potatoes.

"I've already stayed later than anticipated as it is and I can't take that much time off work," Molly explained. "Besides, it'll be nice to get back to the routine of my normal life for a bit. It's actually quite exhausting to not have a schedule to keep to."

"How long will you be back for in February?" Lily asked.

"Just a week. Should be as long as I need to be here for."

"Are you going to see Archie before you leave tomorrow?"

The question caused everyone within hearing distance to fall silent. Hugo and Louis weren't hiding the fact that they were listening closely from Lily's other side. Molly seemed completely caught off guard by James' question, and Rose was giving her cousin a look of annoyance for his lack of tact.

"Why would I?" Molly was finally able to ask. James shrugged, confused by the reception of his question.

"Didn't you sort things out after the benefit? I figured you would have after he stood up for you like that."

Molly was speechless, and Rose was beginning to think that James' line of questioning might not be the worst thing in the world.

"Not that it's any of your business, but no," Molly finally said with as much conviction as she could muster. "I've barely seen him let alone talked to him since then."

Rose knew this was true, with a few exceptions. Molly had seen him a few times, and Rose had even watched as she sent off an owl that morning with a simple note, easing her conscience with a few honest words. She wanted him to know he was forgiven before she left, for her own peace of mind and, hopefully, for his. It was hard to miss the change in Molly as soon as the owl had flown off. She seemed almost at peace with everything, if still a little sad.

"If we were supposed to work, we'd work," she'd told Rose when asked if she was really okay with that being how she left things. "It's not like he'd even want that anyway. At least there aren't any hard feelings anymore. That's all I can ask for."

But Rose was having a hard time not agreeing with her cousins as they continued to ask questions.

"Why?" Ben asked, doing his best to hide a grin at the way Dom was glaring at him. Molly just grew more flustered.

"We're not together. He apologized and I forgave him. No one is owed anything else."

"It's not about that," said James with a roll of his eyes. "I'd have thought you would've wanted to talk to him after that. I think any bloke who's willing to lay out their dad for the sake of a girl is worth saying something to. Especially a dad who has that much influence."

Molly just stared at Ben and James who, Rose noticed, were both doing their best to remain nonchalant. It almost made her think they'd planned this.

"Not to mention it's obvious he's still in love with you," Louis threw in from the other side of Lily. "I practically heard him say it that night."

"What?" said Molly, the word almost coming out as a gasp. Rose had a hard time believing that the thought of Archie still loving her hadn't even crossed Molly's mind, but if it had, it was obvious Molly had never truly considered it to be an option.

"Come on, Molly," Lily said, unable to continue to hold her tongue. "It's been bloody obvious for years that he never stopped loving you."

"And I think I can speak for all of us when I say we heartily approve of him," said James with a grin.

Molly glanced around at her cousins to see most of them giving various forms of affirmation.

"Alright you lot," Dom said, having had enough. "So what if he does love her and he's proved himself a bit. That doesn't mean Molly still loves him, right?"

Dom went back to her food, not paying any attention to Molly's reaction. But the others were all watching her, and Molly's face was shifting from confusion to disbelief and then finally to realization. And Rose beamed when Molly looked at her in shock.

"He does, doesn't he?" she said quietly, and Rose nodded.

"You do too, right?" Rose asked. She couldn't help but grin even wider as Molly gave a slow and disbelieving nod.

"What should I do? Should I do something?" Molly asked her. "I should do something, right?"

Rose chuckled. "Up to you. What is it you want to do?"

She looked at Rose helplessly for a moment before resolve seemed to overcome her. Molly abruptly stood, Dom staring up at her in shock as everyone else grinned. She tossed her napkin on the table before pulling her chair out. Something made her hesitate and she glanced around the table.

"I have no clue where he'd be," she said regretfully.

"Al's inside," Hugo was quick to point out. "He'd know."

They all nodded in confirmation of this and Molly looked determined once again as she turned to go into the house, but she stopped short before she could get more than a few paces. Everyone's attention was drawn towards the house at that moment when the back door banged open and Al stuck his head out, a grin lighting up his face when he saw Molly standing only a few yards away from him.

"Any chance you'd be up for one more guest?" he asked. Molly looked at him skeptically before Al moved back into the house. The door started to swing shut and they only had a moment to wait before it was pushed opened fully to reveal the newcomer.

The tension in the air rose drastically as Archie confidently stepped out onto the back porch, his eyes instantly on Molly, whose mouth was open in shock. He grinned at her, obviously nervous but determined as he shoved his hands in the pockets of his jeans. He wasn't even wearing a coat, so Rose assumed he must have been unable to hesitate in his determination to get to Molly as soon as he'd made up his mind. He'd probably gotten her note.

"Hey, Mol," he said with a grin, and Rose felt her own heart skip a beat at the old familiar nickname. Molly's heart had to be going haywire by now. Archie took a deep breath before moving down the few steps that led to the yard. There were roughly a few meters separating him from a completely still Molly.

"Sorry to crash," he said. "I just knew this might be my last chance before you leave. I realize it's a little last minute."

He wasn't talking very loud, but that didn't matter. No one else was making a sound and his words came out clear. Rose saw a slight grin threaten to form on Molly's lips, but she restrained it as Archie gathered his thoughts. His attention focused completely on Molly, he didn't seem to notice that they had a full audience now. Not only were the occupants of the yard watching unashamedly, but those who'd been in the house were all looking through the doorway or various windows, and Rose tried not to be distracted by the fact that Archie hadn't come alone. Her eyes met Scorpius' for a brief second before she shifted her attention back to her cousin as Archie continued.

"I also realize that the timing is horrendous and it's much too late for me to be saying any of this. I know I already apologized and told you the truth about why I did what I did all those years ago, but I don't think I could ever apologize enough for how poorly I handled everything and how much I hurt you. I didn't think you would be able to forgive me, but you did."

A brief smile flickered across his lips, but it didn't last long as he continued to press forward.

"Pushing you away and letting you go was the worst decision I ever made. I think I've known that all this time, and I know I'd be a fucking idiot if I made the same mistake again."

He paused to collect himself, his voice strong and his eyes vulnerable and determined as they never strayed from Molly, who was watching him and listening with bated breath.

"I'm not going to tell you to stay or ask you to turn your life upside down for me. But I will ask you to consider letting me spend every day of the rest of my life proving to you that I never stopped loving you. I never will stop loving you. And even if you walk away from me today, that's not going to change. I'm not expecting you to feel the same and I wouldn't blame you if you didn't, but I'd forever be ashamed of myself if I acted like a bloody coward and didn't fight for what I wanted for once. I know I'd only be letting you down again if I didn't, and I can't bear to be a person you're not proud of. Whether you love me or not."

Molly now had one hand resting over her heart as the other covered her mouth as she did her best to keep from crying, and Rose knew it was only a matter of time before she spoke up and put all his fears at ease. But he wasn't quite finished.

"I don't have much to offer, since I'm currently out of a job and a family, but I can promise you that I'll love you the best I know how. I like to think I've learned from my mistakes, and I know we're not the same people we were before, but I think that means we'll only be better this time around. If that's what you want."

He fell silent, watching her with a type of calm anticipation. Archie Davies was fully aware of what he was doing, and knew exactly what he wanted.

All eyes turned to Molly. She lowered her arms and searched his face as if reassuring herself that he was really there. There was a pause and then a collective intake of breath as she slowly moved toward him, her face betraying nothing. She stopped a foot in front of Archie, arms crossed and her eyes searching his nervous face.

And then she smiled at him. The most genuinely happy smile Rose had seen Molly give all month.

It was so quiet in the yard that everyone could make out Molly's softly spoken words.

"If you can get a bag packed tonight, I might be able to swing a tag along on my portkey tomorrow."

Archie's brow rose in surprise.

"What?"

"Well it's not like you have a job or anything to stick around for, right?"

Molly hadn't stopped grinning, and Archie's expression began to match hers.

"I suppose I don't."

"Good," Molly said with a nod. "And thanks. You just saved me the trouble of ditching my party and having to track you down."

Archie's mouth opened in shock, but he was still somehow grinning.

"You're serious?"

Molly nodded, her grin now overwhelming her every feature. "I'd sort of made up my mind to be brave as well."

Archie laughed in delight and almost made to move towards her, but decided against it and crossed his arms, mirroring her stance.

"It'd be a shame to put all that bravery to waste then, wouldn't it?"

He looked at her expectantly and maybe even a bit uncertain. Molly let out a laugh, shaking her head in amused disbelief.

"You're lucky I love you."

That was all Archie needed to hear. He reached her in a second, his arms wrapping around her waist as he pulled her close, and everyone present let out a loud cheer as he lowered his mouth to hers in a long overdue kiss.

Rose was trying not to cry and Lucy actually was. James was whistling as Lily laughed and clapped her hands in delight while Hugo and Louis exchanged a few galleons with George. And Molly and Archie were holding each other tightly, both pink in the face as they broke apart and remembered their surroundings. Archie gave her an apologetic grimace, but Molly just threw her head back and laughed as Al and Abigail ran at them from the house, Rose quick to stand and join them.

Everyone was hugging everyone and words of excitement and various versions of people saying they knew it was all going to work out were shouted over the din in the backyard. And Rose held Molly tightly, thrilled and happy and knowing that things had been set right.

"Bloody hell, you'd of thought we'd just gotten engaged," Molly said with a chuckle as she pulled away from Rose and took in her family. Someone had brought out bottles of champagne and glasses were being distributed. Just about everyone was in the yard now, save one person.

Rose watched Scorpius as he observed the proceedings from the porch, taking it all in with a small smile on his face. Molly was approached by another family member, but Rose's attention didn't waver from the young man whose eyes were scanning the crowd. When they eventually landed on her, she felt her breath catch in her throat as his smile faltered and he searched her face.

They were at a stand still, not just in this moment but in their relationship as a whole. And things would remain that way until one of them made a move, and Rose knew it had to be her.

"Scorp! Quit being a prat and join the party!" Archie hollered from somewhere to Rose's right. He'd secured a glass of champagne and Molly was by his side once again, her arms encircling his waist and one of his around her shoulders as she beamed up at him.

Rose's gaze flickered back to Scorpius, who smiled at his friend before moving to join the recently reunited couple. Molly let go to allow Archie to embrace him. It was impossible to tell what Archie was saying to Scorpius, but Rose knew it was heartfelt and grateful as the two broke apart, brotherly love obvious in the way they addressed each other.

Maybe it had been Archie's idea and overall his doing, but Rose had no doubt that Scorpius had played a role in getting Archie Davies to the Burrow that day. And if he was feeling anything close to the way she had been the past twenty-four hours, she couldn't help but wonder how he'd been able to put aside all of the uncertainty and turmoil in his own life in order to help his friend. Sure, she'd had to ignore it all as well, but this seemed different somehow.

If Archie or even Al knew anything, it was hard to tell. And if they did, Scorpius must have done a superb job in assuring them that they didn't need to be worried about it. Al hadn't done much other than ask her how she was. She'd been able to act like nothing had happened for the sake of her cousin, and it seemed like Scorpius had done the same for his friend. But he'd gone above and beyond by helping Archie face his fears today and get exactly what he wanted. That couldn't have been an easy task. Especially knowing that coming here would inevitably cause him to see her.

She'd never thought of Scorpius Malfoy as a selfless human being, but he really was. How many times had she made his life hell, yet he'd accepted her apologies? And after everything, he hadn't thrown the truth in her face. He handled it with care, knowing that, as hard as it was for him to carry it all, she hadn't been ready for the truth yet.

But she was ready now. And she couldn't deny that he was a far better person than she'd ever known, and that she couldn't really do much better than having someone like Scorpius Malfoy in her life.

As he turned to hug Molly, Rose pulled her gaze away, determined to focus on tonight and letting it be what it was supposed to be. The rest she could sort out later, whatever that was going to turn out to be.

A/N: CUE THE FLUFF FEST ISN'T IT AMAZING?! Sorry. I just love them and about dang time, right? It was fun to see different and torn opinions on who should do the chasing and I hope you like how it played out. I realize some of you were disappointed either with how Rose found out and how she reacted which I understand because we all want that happy ever after scene. WE WILL GET THERE! Someone's just got some things to learn and realize first :)

P.S. To my friends from the good 'ol U S of A, HAPPY 4TH!