A/N: Okay, so I know that I used to update twice a day, and now none for a week.

That is because I am working on my novel. It is difficult, but will be worth it when I'm done.

I have also been looking for work, which is exhausting and tiring and I have to wear a stupid skirt. I hate skirts. Job hunting sucks, especially when you're fifteen with no retail experience and a nose stud.

I like my piercing, thank you very much. I think it's pretty.

Thanks for reading!

-Elle

Between them realizing that I didn't have shoes to wear and one line of the dress apparently not fitting right, it was another whole hour before I escaped, and even then it was by the rescue of Teddy, telling them that it was nearly time for stags and hens, which I, as a minor, was excluded from, but all of them, including Indy, were part of. They all filed out, chattering like innocent partygoers, not the sadistic seamstresses that they really were. When they were finally gone, I let out a big breath.

'Thank Merlin.' Teddy laughed.

'Difficult bunch?' he asked sympathetically.

'You're a dude. You have no idea. With guys, they just throw you in a suit which roughly fits and have done with it. If you're a girl, you have to wear dresses and matching shoes and jewellery. It's insane.'

'You do look nice.'

'I look like an idiot.'

'Yes, but a very well-dressed idiot.' I elbowed him and he laughed. I was reminded yet again of just how awesome he is. 'It really isn't that bad, Rosie-Pose. You look really…grown-up. I remember when you were a year old and I used to swing you up into the air to make you laugh.'

'And I remember when you were twelve and having mud fights with Victoire. Now you're marrying her!'

'Yeah. I can't believe it.'

'Are you nervous?' I asked.

He laughed. 'Would you believe, not at all? Not one little bit. I'm just so happy I could burst.'

I didn't know what to say, and said so. He just laughed again.

'You don't need to say a single thing. I know that you're happy for us, and you congratulate us, and you idolize me.' I didn't try to protest; it was true, and I'd told him this many times before.

'You're just too amazing, Teddy Bear.'

He groaned. 'Rosie-Pose, I'm getting married tomorrow. I'm twenty seven. Isn't that too old for Teddy Bear?'

'I've been calling you Teddy Bear since you used to swing me up into the air! I'm not about to stop now.' I poked him in the ribs.

'To preserve my street cred, I ought to poke you back, but I'll muss your pretty clothes.'

I groaned. 'Don't mention the clown suit. Oh, and they'll make me wear jewellery and make-up-' Just then the door slammed open, admitting Al, Louis, and Scorpius.

'Oh, hi Teddy, we were just looking for Ro-Rose? Is that you? In a dress?' I ran into the bathroom, slamming the door behind me and leaned against it. This was what wearing a dress caused me. My own cousin barely recognized me!

I changed back to my jeans, resisting the urge to stuff the hated garment down the toilet. I emerged and hung the dress back on its hanger.

'Aw, Rosie, why'd you change? You looked pretty!' Al teased.

'Shut up, Albus Severus.' He winced at the angry use of his name. I levelled my finger at the three of them (Teddy had disappeared.). 'If there are any comments made or any pictures taken, you three will be shredded in a blender. Understood?'

Scorpius raised a tentative hand. 'Yes?' I demanded.

'What's a blender?'

'It's a Muggle thing for blending up fruit into smoothies and stuff. I'll show you later. Speaking of which…' I went to the fireplace and lifted up the jar of Floo Powder, pocketing the small key which lay underneath.

'Now that the hens have stopped mothering, it's time for us to find the littles and head home.'

We did find Scarlet and Saffron, who were with Sha, Sha's boyfriend Asher, Lily, Hugo, and two Veela cousins too young to be part of the adult festivities, and all Flooed back to my place, me holding the sleepy Scarlet.

Once home, I took the little girls up to my room where they were sleeping. Their pyjama's were already there, so I got them changed, then took Scarlet down to the kitchen on my hip to make her bottle, which she had every night before bed. I turned the kitchen lights down so they didn't hurt her sleepy eyes, and then set a small pot of water to boiling. I filled the bottle with milk from the fridge, put the lid on tight and set the bottle in the pot, careful to cover the top first. Scarlet fussed a bit, so I rocked her, singing gently until she calmed. Then I took the bottle out, tested the milk on my wrist (warm but not hot), and shifted her in my arms so that she could drink, giving her the bottle.

'You do that very well.' I turned, and saw that everyone else was sitting around the kitchen table, watching me. I hadn't even noticed them. Whoops.

'It's practice.' I left the kitchen and headed upstairs to settle the girls in. When I got back, they were still sitting there talking, Scorpius, Al, Louis, Hugo, Sha, Asher, Lily, and two awkward-looking Veela cousins, a girl and a boy who looked fifteen or sixteen.

I went to the liquor cabinet and unlocked it with the key in my pocket. 'Okay, so what do we want?'

Malfoy looked taken aback. 'You're seriously drinking your parents booze?' he looked between me and Albus. 'Head Boy and Girl, mister and miss perfect goody-goody?'

I laughed. 'Scorpius, just because they won't let us go to stags and hens, doesn't mean that they won't let us party. It's expected. See, mum even took out all the really expensive stuff that they don't want us having.'

Half an hour later, we were all getting slightly tipsy, all sitting in a circle on the living room floor, couch cushions and throw pillows all piled up around us. Someone had suggested 'Never Have I Ever' and we'd all agreed, for some reason.

At that point, it was Malfoy's turn. 'Never have I ever…snogged someone in a broom cupboard.' Everyone drank to that one. How could you not have, going to a magical boarding school?

Since he was on my left, it was my turn. 'Never have I ever…danced on a table when drunk.' Everyone but Hugo and the girl Veela, whose name was Veronique, drank. I caught Lily's eye and mouthed 'Martians' and we both cracked up.

Veronique's turn. 'Never have I ever…kissed Hugo Weasley.' She, Sha, and Asher drank!

'Hugo!' Things I didn't know about my little brother. I stared at him.

Malfoy gave him a high five, while Hugo turned the colour of a ripe tomato. Who knew he was such a dawg. Things I didn't want to know.

Sha and Asher were staring at each other, speechless. Then they both said, at the same time, 'He started it.'

We all laughed until we cried.

We talked and drank and played drinking games and laughed ourselves sick for hours. Hugo was the first to drop, because my little brother is a lightweight. Lily followed him, and around that time Sha and Ash snuck off. (I chose not to ask.) The drunken Veela cousins Flooed home, and Lou and Al took Hugo upstairs, then Flooed Lily home.

And then there were two.

When we realized this, there was a moment of awkward silence. Then Malfoy leaned forward and said

'You know, we still have a game of Truth to start.' His face was inches from mine, and my breath caught in my throat. I noticed that his grey eyes had flecks of green and blue in them; his breath touched my face, both sweet and boozy. I felt that feeling again in the pit of my stomach. I sat back.

'It's too warm in here.' I could have said anything in the entire world, and my choice of words was 'It's too warm in here.' What an idiot.

'It really is, and you're avoiding the Truth.' He sat back as well, and nearly fell over. What an idiot. (This appears to be becoming the catchphrase of the evening.)

'I'll open the window, and then we'll play.' I got up, and nearly fell over, because I was drunk. I could hear his unsmirked smirk, and the thought in his head: What an idiot.

I opened the window; letting in a swirl of cool air, then stumbled over the cushions back to the middle, tripped over a throw pillow and fell right into Scorpius' lap. I got up, thankful that the dark hid my blush.

'I have a Truth question for you, Rose,' he said. 'Why are you always falling around me?'

'I am not always falling around you!' I cried.

'Are too. You're not clumsy, so what's with that?'

'Tonight, I'm drunk. This afternoon, you startled me. Last week, you knocked me off the loveseat! It's always your fault!'

'It's my fault that you're drunk?' he asked.

'Yes! It is! Your horribility has driven me to drunkenessess.'

He cocked an eyebrow at me. 'I can see that. You really are drunk.'

'You aren't?'

'Nope.'

'Drink more.'

He laughed and lifted the bottle to his lips, taking a good swig of Firewhisky. 'Your turn.'

'All right. Why do you hate me?' I asked bluntly.

He blinked at me. 'I don't hate you. Why would you think I hated you?'

I snorted in a most unladylike manner. 'Hmm, let's think about that…' I ticked points off on my fingers. 'From my very first hour at Hogwarts, you went out of your way to make my life a living hell, starting with tripping me at the feast. Since then, you have spent every opportunity insulting my family, hexing me, breaking my stuff, embarrassing me, getting me in trouble, and telling me that I'm an ugly, big-nosed stick who'll never get a date because she's too fucking ugly.'

He was taken aback. After a minute, he said 'I never thought of it like that.'

'Like what?' I demanded. 'Like being a teenager from a humongous family with a perfect record isn't bad enough without a bully?' I sniffed. Oh, Merlin, if I start crying, I will never, ever, ever live it down.

'I never meant to hurt you. Well, not really. Like, I tripped you, yeah, and hexed you, and stole your stuff, and insulted your family, and called you names. But I never thought you'd take it seriously.'

'Okay, so if you don't hate me, how do you feel about me?' Someone said. Then my mind caught up with my mouth, and I realized that it was me. Oh, shit. If I ever consider drinking again, remind me of this night.

'Nope. It's my turn.' He leaned towards me. In the slanting moonlight, half of his face was lit, the other in shadow, I had a sudden urge to bridge the inches between us and kiss him. Then I told myself that it was the liquor.

But it wasn't. I found him dead sexy. I didn't love him, hell, didn't even like him, but I wanted him.

I expected him to ask something really crazy intimate after my revelation, like he knew what was going on behind my eyes, this turmoil as I wrestled around this new idea. But he didn't.

'What's your least favourite part about yourself?'

'My eyes.' I answered automatically. 'They're absolutely ridiculous.'

'What d'you mean?' he asked.

'They're too bright for my face, and my eyelashes are too long and dark. They're not eyes for me. They'd look good on Lily, or Indy, hell, even Louis, but not on me.'

He looked at me. 'No. On Lily, they'd look stupid. Your frighteningly fierce cousin Indigo already has eyes that are good on her; yours would be too dark blue. On Lou, I couldn't say. I don't swing that way.'

'So, it being my turn, what do you think of my eyes?' Who is this girl inhabiting my body, and why does she keep saying these idiotic things.

'I think that they are absolutely stunning.' He leaned even closer and the tip of his nose brushed mine. I jumped like I'd been scalded and turned my face away, shifting the way I was sitting. He appeared to realize himself, where he was and who I was, and leaned back against the sofa behind him.

'My turn. How many girls have you fucked?' I was curious about this; I had bet money down with Louis.

In the moonlight, I almost missed his blush. 'Aww, come on, Rose. Does it have to be that personal?'

'Of course it does. It's Truth. And don't get like that with me; you're the one who wanted to play.'

'Fine. If you must know, none. Zero. Zip. Nada.'

'Really?' I was shocked.

'Really. I could have my pick of nearly anyone, even your pretty little cousin Lily there, but nope. I'm waiting.'

'For what? A goddess? Marriage? Oh, don't tell me. The great womanizer Scorpius Malfoy has taken a vow of chastity?'

'Nope. I'm just waiting for the right girl.' He crossed his legs and sat up straighter.

I looked up at him; Merlin he's tall. 'Do you know what that information could get me?'

He looked down at me, then at the empty bottle in his hands. 'More booze?'

I laughed. 'More booze sounds good.' He got up using the couch behind him as a crutch. He reached a hand down to me for the second time that day. This time, I took it. It was big and warm, dwarfing my own thin fingers. He pulled to help me up. I rose a foot and then dropped again, him falling on top of me. For a moment, I was stuck under him, face to face, our hands trapped between our bodies. His breath tickled my face. I couldn't even breathe, and not just because he was heavy.

'Scorpius?' I whispered.

'Yeah?'

'You're crushing me.' He used his free hand to lever himself off. I was glad I could breathe again, and at the same time wanted him to still be crushing me. Hey, I said he was; I never said I didn't like it.

He stood again, and again, offered me his hand. I eyed it warily, and he laughed.

'Promise not to fall on you again. You're so light, it startled me.'

'Gee, thanks.' I took the hand anyways. We walked very carefully through the fuzzy drunken darkness to the kitchen, where we grabbed another bottle of Firewhisky, since we'd gone through all the decent Muggle booze earlier, when everyone had been around. I glanced at the clock as we tiptoed through the darkness.

'It's four am.' I whispered.

'Indeed,' he whispered back.

'I don't think you're drunk enough.'

'I don't either. But you're drunk enough.'

'Drunk enough for what?'

He shrugged. 'I dunno. Drunkenness?'

'Now you sound drunker.'

'You sound fairly sober.'

'Why are we whispering?' I collapsed back onto a pile of cushions.

'No idea,' he whispered back, collapsing next to me.

'Whose turn is it?' I asked.

'Mine. Um…oh, here's a good one.' I braced myself for the worst. 'Why are you dating that asshole?'

'What?'

'I know you heard me. You aren't that drunk.'

'But I don't know what you mean. He's not an asshole; he's actually a really nice guy.' Ish.

Scorpius snorted, actually snorted. 'He treats you like shit. He never asks you what you want to do. He always wants to snog, never to talk, I can tell. He knows nothing about you. And then there's the whole coffee thing.'

'The coffee thing?'

'You know, how every morning you come into the Great Hall and sit down next to him, he pours you a cup of coffee, you thank him but pour yourself tea or juice in another cup, and he hasn't noticed. It's been a month and he hasn't noticed. And he's really possessive.'

'He's not that bad, just…imperceptive.'

He snorted again. 'He's an asshole. You deserve better.'

That got me angry. 'It's my turn. And I'm asking, what d'you know? You're just an arrogant, superior, arrogant…I don't know. Who are you to judge? What do you, Sir Superior, think I deserve?'

'Firstly, I think you deserve a guy who knows you haven't drank coffee since that time in fifth year when you were all jittery, and then-'

'Yeah, lets not.' I'm still embarrassed about that.

'Anyways. You deserve someone who…gets up early to send you an owl with flowers to wake up to. You deserve someone who knows that your hair is copper, not brown or red. You deserve someone who can talk to you all night and doesn't need to kiss you, just loves to hear what you have to say. You deserve someone who notices when you're miserable, who asks you how your day went, who knows you hate makeup and jewellery and dresses, and appreciates that you're beautiful without all that. You deserve someone who would go through a dinner with your family and stay alive just because you asked him to. You deserve someone who'll kiss you like he means it, like he wants to be kissing you and only you, because you're clever and funny and graceful and beautiful and absolutely you. That, Rosie, is what you deserve.' He let this all out in a rush, and when he finished he just looked at me.

I opened my mouth to speak, but no sound came out. I took a sip of Firewhisky, and the burn cleared my head. I opened my mouth again, but he stopped me with a finger to my lips.

'My turn.' He said his voice slightly husky. I found myself feeling drunk and woozy and thrilled and electric and alive. 'Can I kiss you?'

I didn't answer, but he still lowered his face and pressed his lips to mine.

There is no way to describe it that is not a total cliché, so I'll use a couple.

It was like an electric shock, the good kind.

It was like fireworks exploding behind my eyes.

It was like every kiss I'd ever had before had been playacting, practise, and came nowhere close to this.

His lips were slightly chapped, and he tasted of booze and boy. I couldn't think of anything to do but kiss him back. We kissed for a minute, then I pulled away a bit.

'That was stupid.' I whispered, and kissed him again.

He pulled away a bit. 'Uh-huh.' He brought his mouth back.

I sat back and nearly fell over; he steadied me with a hand on my waist. 'We really ought to stop.' I said, and kissed him again, wrapping my arms around his neck. He tangled one hand in my hair and used the other to pull me closer, so I was pressed right up against him. I melted into the kiss, running my fingers through his hair, exploring his broad back with my hands. He slid one hand under the hem of my shirt and up my back. I pulled his shirt over his head, begrudging even the second it made me take my face away from his. He brought his lips back, hard, desperate, kissing my lips then along my jaw and down my neck, one hand still under my shirt. He brought his lips back to mine, and took my shirt, pulling it off, untangling his hand from my hair, running it down my spine in a way that made me moan with pleasure, bringing up to rest on my breast, on top of my bra. I pushed against him so hard that we fell over, half-laughing and drunk on the floor. He fumbled with my bra snap for a second and then it came open and his hand was on my breast, and I was lying on top of him, and then he was on top of me and he kissed and sucked down my neck and chest, giving me a hickey on my left breast and I could barely breathe as I fumbled with his belt and it was just so intense...

My common sense hit me with a bang, cutting through the lust and the alcohol. I let go of his belt, pushed him away from me, fastened my bra back up.

He looked at me drunkenly for a second, then shook his head, getting it back in shape.

'We're drunk.' He said.

'Yep.' I said, casting around for my shirt.

'And we were just snogging.'

'Snogging, that's one word for it.'

'Yeah, that went a little farther than snogging.' He ran his fingers through his hair. 'Rosie?'

'Yeah?'

'You're a damn fine snog.'

I threw a look at him, to see if he was joking. He wasn't.

'You too, Scorpius. And don't call me Rosie.' I pulled my shirt over my head.

He tickled the bottom of my bare foot. 'Would you prefer Rosie-Pose?' he teased.

'If you ever utter that nickname again, I will hex you into oblivion. I'm not even kidding, just ask Jimbo or Al, because Lou's too smart to piss me off, but they know, don't fuck with me because I will hex-'
He'd kissed me again, in the middle of the sentence. 'Shut up, Rosie-Pose.'

I resisted the urge to kiss him back.

'I'll deal with you when I'm sober.' I said, leaning back on a pile of cushions.

'I'm sure.' He leaned on the pile next to me, still shirtless. We lay in silence for a while, until I was almost asleep. Then, he spoke.

'Since you didn't answer my last question, I get another.'

'Sounds fair,' I said, sleepily.

'Did you enjoy it?'

'You're an idiot.'

'That's not a proper answer,' he protested.

'Too bad.'

'So do I get the next turn, or do you?'

'Both. That being said, I'm drunk, and I'm too drunk to look for a blanket, so I'm sleeping without one. Goodnight.' I curled up on my side. A while later, through a half-asleep haze, I heard him leave. I was awake only for one last thought; What an idiot. Then, I fell into a deep, alcohol-aided sleep.