"Rosie! Hurry up," Hermione called from downstairs. "Your father is waiting with the car running."
"Blast!" Rose said vehemently. "I can't get my hair to pin properly and I've got a spot on my chin."Hermione Weasley grinned and fingered her wand. "Oh, go on and fix it then," she said testily.
Mrs. Weasley waved her wand several times around Rose's head, and her hair pulled tightly around her scalp and then released. Rose glanced in the mirror by her door and grinned at her reflection. "You'll knock 'em dead sweetie. Let me fix the hem on your dress robes before we go out. It's a strange storm for London in the summer," her mum commented, "We don't want all that pale blue silk to get wet and muddy before we get to the reception hall."
Rose nodded. Her stomach was in knots. She checked her hair in the mirror one last time before grabbing an umbrella and opening the door. "Thanks mum."
Hermione was the first out, and Rose locked the large red door behind her. She took a deep breath. The scent of rain made her smile. They made a run for the orange sedan that her father drove under the cover of her umbrella. She slid into the back seat and closed the door as quickly as she could. She wished she didn't have to wait to see Scorpius. She was a nervous wreck.
"I thought Malfoy would be with you," Ron commented over the seat.
"He decided at last minute to have brunch with his parents before the ceremony," Rose explained. "He is going to meet us at the ceremony."
"That's lovely dear," Hermione commented.
"They invited me, but I couldn't eat," Rose said disgustedly.
"Oh dear," her mum said as she turned in her seat and frowned. "Everything will be fine dear. You won't trip, and nothing bad will happen. All of us will be there for you and Scorpius. You know that."
Rose put a hand to her stomach which growled as if it knew what they were discussing. "I know that, mum. I'll be fine. I will eat at the reception and then we're having a big dinner at Nana Molly's house later."
Her father let Rose and her mother off at the entrance to the old building and went to park the car. Rose thought her stomach might eat a hole in itself as they stated their business and entered the antechamber. There were witches and wizards milling around, and Rose fought the urge to search for Scorpius.
Her mum glanced at her watch, "Rose, you better go or you'll be late. I'll wait here for your father."
She tried not to show it, but Rose felt relieved. She walked briskly through the halls of the lower floor until found the auditorium in the east wing. The stage door was open and pixie lights were marking the entrance along with a lime green sign that read "Graduates Enter Here" in loopy text.
Rose made the turn and ran square into Scorpius. "Oh thank Merlin," she breathed sinking into his embrace. "I'm a nervous wreck!"
He pulled back and looked at her. "I wasn't going to say anything, but you look a little peaky. I heard you in the loo last night before you made your tea."
"I'm fine," Rose said reassuringly. "I was just so nervous that I couldn't keep the Chinese food down. You remember how I was when we graduated from Hogwarts."
Scorpius chuckled a deep rumble in his chest and Rose rubbed her face against the smooth dark fabric of his dress robes like a cat.
"Mother and Father missed you this morning. They have a gift for you," Scorpius said over the top of her head.
"What is it?" Rose asked turning his face toward his. He took the opportunity and stole a long, soulful kiss.
"I'm not telling, but I have a gift for you too. Well, two gifts, but you can't have the second one until we're home." He pulled a long velvet box from the inside pocket of his robes, "Happy Graduation." She popped open the lid and was astonished to find a string of the most delicate pearls she'd ever seen. "I thought you'd like to wear them today."
"Oh absolutely," Rose said brushing a tear from her eye. "You're such a romantic. I don't know what I did to deserve you."
Scorpius smiled as he clasped the pearls around her neck. "They look beautiful on you."
"Thank you," she said wrapping her arms around him and holding him close again. "But you'll have to wait just a little while longer for your present."
They stood like that for some time, Rose's heart pattering contentedly in her chest as her best friend held her close. She could hear his even and calm breaths and wondered how he was holding it together when she was such a mess. "Line up, everyone. The ceremony is about to start!"
Rose pulled her 3x5 card from her pocket, as did the other six graduates.
"We would like to welcome friends and family to the four-hundred and forty-third commencement ceremony at St. Mungo's Hospital of Magical Maladies and Injuries on this third day of August, 2031." There was a round of polite applause. The speaker discussed the trials and tribulations that the students had been through and all the hard work it had taken to get here. "Twenty-two students began their journey here seven years ago, and only seven have persevered and remain to graduate today." The applause was louder this time. "So without further ado, let the commencement begin."
Now a woman took the microphone. "Healer Benjamin Adams," the first name was called. Scorpius and Rose were last in line. The woman, their teacher Healer Pollock, read the things on each person's 3x5 card until it was just Scorpius and Rose left.
"Healer Scorpius H. Malfoy, in Family Healing and Psychology and only one of two students to graduate with Honors" the Healer said proudly.
Rose patted his bottom and whispered, "Good luck, love."
Scorpius walked across the stage and shook hands with the board of directors and handed his card to the witch with the microphone. "Healer Malfoy would like to thank his friends and family for being here with him throughout his experience. He would especially like to thank his companion and best friend, Rose for putting up with him and studying with him. He has taken a job with the First Clinic of Wizards and Witches in London, UK and will start next week."She shook his hand and said, "Good luck, Mr. Malfoy." Scorpius went to stand with the other graduates on the side of the stage.
"Last, but certainly not least, Healer Rose Jean Malfoy, Honors in Healing of Spell Damage and Magical reversal." Rose took a deep breath and wiped her hands on the inside pockets of her robes before taking a step from behind the curtains. She spotted her family, a sea of redheads, and Scorpius' family sitting next to her parents. All of them were beaming proudly at her. Albus shot her a thumbs up from the front row and she grinned at him.
She shook hands with the board of directors and went to stand next to Healer Pollock. "This Healer Malfoy," the woman chuckled a little, "would like to thank her multitude of family for their love and support during her and Scorpius' years in the academy. She would especially like to thank her Nana Molly for providing hot meals whenever they were too tired to cook. Rose has taken a position in the Spell Damage ward here at St. Mungo's Hospital. She would also like say Happy Sixth Anniversary to her husband and to announce that she will be having her first child in March of 2032."
Rose watched as her mother and father and Scorpius' mother and father all shot up out of their chairs simultaneously and Scorpius came bounding across the stage and scooped her up in his arms. He kissed her soundly on the lips in front of the entire audience. A cheer erupted from her family's section of the auditorium and Rose blushed.
"Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy," Healer Pollock said with a grin.