A/N: Ok, so here's the next chapter. Yes, Rose and Scorpius will be speaking in this chapter! No, it will not just be them fighting some more. This goes back to Rose's point of view, and I thank those of you who let me know what you thought of adding Scorpius's point-of-view. I wasn't sure if it would work or not so your comments definitely helped! There is a fair bit of filler-y type stuff in this chapter, just because it felt too sudden and rushed without at least SOME build-up.

Chapter 15

I boarded the train to return to Hogwarts a bit apprehensively. Half of my final year was over, and the second half was beginning. I only had half a year left. I knew it was cliché to have all of these moments of realization, but they just wouldn't stop. I was excited to start my real life, but at the same time I couldn't fathom growing up.

I waved to my parents out the window, glad that they were smiling back at me. I'd escaped the monotony of a career in Muggle Relations over the break without upsetting them too badly.

"Ok, well, er, um…" I stuttered around the subject for almost half a minute while my parents stared at me.

Finally, Dad saved me from my stuttering. Or, at least that's what I thought. "Are you pregnant?"

I blinked, trying to understand what he'd just said to me. "What?!"

He shrugged. "Your face looks like bad news. That's the worst news I can possibly imagine at this point."

I shook my head in disbelief as Mum hit him on the arm. Suddenly, telling him all his expectations for me were about to be destroyed didn't seem as big a deal. "No, Dad, I'm not pregnant. I just don't like Muggle Relations."

The shock I saw on their faces was expected, so it didn't surprise me.

"Well, then we'll help you look into other Ministry departments, dear," Mum said kindly, smiling.

Her ease of acceptance was quite unexpected. "I'm… Well, I'm not sure I want to work in the Ministry."

"Why on earth not? The Ministry's the most stable place to find work. It's so diverse I'm sure you'll find something that interests you there," Dad chimed in. It was clear he couldn't see me working anywhere else. He definitely wasn't going to like my new idea.

"I don't want to sit behind a desk all day. I want to do something. I've been-" I paused, about to let loose the one secret I had from my parents. "I've been taking Alchemy classes. I want to pursue that."

"Since when?" Mum asked, genuinely surprised.

"I started in sixth year. I wanted to try it out, and I liked it," I replied, wringing my hands nervously.

"But what can you do with Alchemy? What kind of career is that going to get you?" Dad demanded.

"Well, I've mentioned it to Professor Longbottom and he gave me some brochures on my options…"

"But it's not very stable, is it? It won't get you what a job in the Ministry will."

"Yeah, but it's not about stability, Dad."

"How is it not about stability? I want you to be taken care of," he told me. Mum put her hand on his arm to stop him, but he ploughed through. "I want you to have a job worthy of you."

"Don't you also want me to be happy?" I snapped.

"Of course we do, dear," Mum cut in gently, "Any job that makes you happy is worthy of you. Your dad just wants to be sure you'll be ok financially."

"I'll be fine. I want to do something that makes me happy."

"Ok, then Alchemy it is," Mum said, smiling. Dad nodded along with her after a jab to his ribs from her elbow.

I stood staring at them in shock. "That's it? You aren't angry? You aren't disappointed?"

They shook their heads, though I could see a hint of apprehension in their eyes. It was probably just the surprise of my announcement, so I let it go, wanting to believe their support to be genuine.

"Wow. Ok. After all that Scorpius was right."

"Wait. Scorpius? As in Malfoy?" Dad's head snapped back to me.

"Do you know another Scorpius?" I replied.

"Rose don't talk to your father like that," Mum scolded, as Dad said, "I knew he was filling your head with-"

"Scorpius is nothing to do with this, Dad. He just told me to go for what I want, regardless of what people thought."

At least it was all sorted now. My parents accepted my desire to pursue Alchemy much more easily than I'd expected. At least to my face. When they were alone, though, they revealed their true reservations.

I was heading down to get a glass of water, but paused outside the kitchen door at the sound of my parents' voices.

"We don't have to understand it, Ron, we just have to accept and support it."

"I just don't want her to look back years from now and regret following this… impulse. You realize that's all this is, right 'Mione? Some impulse put in her head by that Malfoy boy."

"I don't think it is, Ron. I think this is her, following her passion. That is what we've always told her to do."

Dad grumbled unintelligible noises as my heart dropped. This was what he really thought? That Alchemy was just some passing fancy that was going to implode on me?

"Ron, what is this really about? Is this about your own regrets?"

Mum's question was met by silence.

"Ron, you told me you wanted to run the joke shop with George. You told me you wanted to leave the Aurors, but I know you miss it."

"I don't regret that I chose a safer job with better hours. We were starting a family."

"But that doesn't mean you can't miss it."

"I- well, I love the joke shop. I like the light, happy, carefree work. It's a far sight better than how I spent my teenaged years. Do I miss the Auror Department? Yes. That doesn't mean this wasn't the right decision. I don't want her to regret following her heart when it doesn't work out in a few years."

"Who's to say it won't?" Mum challenged. I could almost see the crossed arms and raised eyebrow I was sure she was sporting. "She wants to try it, and she's an adult. We can't forbid her from following her passion."

"C'mon 'Mione, you have to know this isn't realistic. There aren't many successful Alchemists in the world."

"Well, who are you to tell her not to try. You've spent her entire life telling her she can do anything she wants. You can't take it back just because you don't like the choice she's made."

I heard Dad's sigh but couldn't stomach overhearing anymore of their conversation. I backed away from the door without a sound, hearing the continued murmur coming from the kitchen but no longer caring.

I'd worried about my parents' reactions, and it seems I was right to. Even though they appeared supportive, they clearly had reservations. Never once had my mother said she believed I could make it; she only told Dad that they had to let me she also expecting me to fail? Was she merely playing the other side of the argument to force both of them to see reason, or was she trying to gently nudge him in the direction she wanted him to take?

"Have a good holiday?" A voice behind me asked, startling me.

"Er, yes. Did you?" I replied, turning to see Scorpius behind me.

"It was ok. I missed the snow, though. Didn't really feel like Christmas without it."

"At least you got some peace and quiet. I could barely hear myself think the entire holiday."

He smiled somewhat wistfully, "I'd rather have that some days. Silence gets lonely after a while."

"Well I'll have to take your word for it," I replied, grinning. I couldn't help wondering, though, what brought about the sudden change. We left for Christmas break barely speaking, yet here we were on the train back having a normal conversation. "So… are we… is this…?"

He shoved his hands in his pockets almost nervously. "I reckon we could try to whole friends thing for real. I missed talking to you, too."

I smiled gratefully, feeling suddenly lighter. "Good."

"That, and you actually said the words 'I'm sorry' this time. Quite an improvement."

I rolled my eyes and shoved his shoulder before heading down the train. It was strange how suddenly we could joke around and talk normally. Maybe it was all just an act on his part, but I was going to take full advantage of it if it was. Something told me he was being genuine, though. Perhaps he was just staying angry out of principle and stubbornness before. It's what I did, and we'd proven ourselves to be pretty similar. I'd probably imagined any connection beyond friendship between us anyway.

The sight of the two of us entering the compartment brought wary glances from the occupants.

"So do we need to cast a shield charm between you two or are you going to behave?" Al asked.

"Relax, it's all sorted," I told my cousin, laughing as his face showed his obvious relief.

"Brilliant! I don't think I could take another second of you two fighting. Somehow it's worse when the two of you completely ignore each other. Either of you want to tell me what went wrong, then?"

I caught Scorpius's eye across the compartment briefly before shaking my head. "It's not important."

"Nope, not at all," he echoed, as Emily glanced between us with a slightly worried expression.

"So, you guys are trying the whole 'friend' thing again, huh?" Emily asked two days later as we sat in the Gryffindor common room.

I shrugged, "Yeah, he said he wanted to so we'll see how it goes. I don't know, maybe it was all in my head that there could have been more to it."

"Well, I would say kissing twice kind of negates that thought."

I sighed loudly. "I don't know what to think! I just want it to go back to the way it was."

"You know, that's exactly how I felt after James first kissed me. It completely complicated the friendship we'd built and I didn't want to deal with the fallout."

"Or maybe you just feared commitment. But look at you now! You're even in love with him," I teased, grinning widely.

"Maybe you should take your own advice."

"I'm not sure I need to. It was probably just a passing phase. We got really close really fast, and now it's time to take a step back and actually be friends."

"I think you're kidding yourself. You're in total denial, once again. You remind me a lot of me, you know," she told me, grinning as she added another sentence to her Herbology essay.

"Fine. I'll prove we're different. When was the first moment you realized you and James were more than friends?"

"Well, it was shoved in my face when he kissed me," I shot her a look, "But looking back I think I always had a bit of an attraction. You know, I thought he was good looking, but who doesn't? Besides his cousins, of course. Once he started talking to me, and I mean actually talking to me about real things, that's when I think I started to fall. He just seemed to drop all of the acts after a while and I liked that. He was just James with me, not a Potter or a player. He genuinely wanted to know me, and wanted me to know him. So, it was probably after our first real conversation that I started to like him as more, and I think I realized it after the first time he told me that he'd never been able to be this honest with someone before. I felt truly connected to him, you know? Like I understood him, and he understood me."

I nodded without really thinking about it. I felt like I understood Scorpius, and he understood me. The first time I'd realized that, I'd kissed him on impulse. Maybe Emily was right… But no, I wasn't going to screw it up again when I'd just gotten back to being his friend. He was too important to me.

"What are we talking about?" Dom asked, sitting down beside me.

"The love story of Emily and James," I replied, laughing.

"One of my all-time favourites!" Dom exclaimed, clapping her hands. "I bet you like having him closer."

Emily nodded, smiling happily. James announced he had a surprise for us at Christmas dinner. Apparently, he and Fred had finished their training and had been given the go ahead to start up the Hogsmeade location, meaning the pair had relocated to the village. It also meant Emily could sneak out to see him, or just do it properly on Hogsmeade trips. I was also secretly glad they were closer. It was weird, not having James, Fred, and Roxanne in Hogwarts anymore. While I wasn't as close to Fred and Roxanne as I was to James, it still felt strange not seeing them in the common room. I would never admit it out loud, but I actually missed them. Perhaps having James and Fred a little closer would ease some of that.

"Ok, I'm officially done for," Al sighed, heaving himself into the chair beside Dom.

"What? Why?" I asked, frowning at my defeated cousin. He sat in his Quidditch robes, covered in mud and looking as though he were about to leap out the window.

"O'Connor flew into the goal post trying to stop the Quaffle today. He's going to be out for a week, at least, and we can't afford to lose that many practices. We were actually getting fairly decent, too."

I looked at him sympathetically. "I'm sorry, Al. Anything we can do?"

He started to shake his head before a thought seemed to come to him. His eyes lit up as he looked at me, and I knew exactly what he was thinking. "Actually, Rose-"

"No."

His face fell. "You didn't even let me ask!"

"I already know what you were going to ask."

"Oh, really. What was I going to ask?" He countered childishly. We always seemed to have this argument when I interrupted him asking me a question.

"You were going to ask me to stand in for him at practices. And the answer is no."

"Please! Please, Rose! I will do anything!"

"No way. I have way too much to do."

"What are you talking about? Scor finds time for Quidditch and he's just as busy as you are!"

"Well maybe that's why I'm first and he's not," I shot back, grinning.

"Rose, it's just a couple of practices. Two or three hours of your time." He was pouting now. Oh, Merlin, he knew I couldn't resist his pouty face.

"No, no, no. I'm leaving."

"Way to go, Al, you chased her away," Dom scolded as I retreated to the portrait hole.

I didn't get very far, as I heard footsteps following me and turned to find Al chasing me down the corridor. I sighed in exasperation, "No!"

"Why not? And don't tell me it's because you don't have time."

"Fine, I could probably spare you the time, but I don't want to. I like flying fine, but you know how I feel about Quidditch."

"This wouldn't even be a real game, Rosie. Just a couple of practices. Just until O'Connor gets right."

I could feel myself caving as we entered the Heads' dormitory. His stupid puppy dog face sealed it. "Fine. Fine. I'll stand in for O'Connor in practices. If he isn't right by the game you're on your own."

"Wait, what's this? You need someone to stand in for O'Connor and you asked Rose?" Scorpius asked incredulously. I hadn't realized he was there. "Can you even fly?"

I laughed, "Believe it or not, yes."

"She can more than fly," Al cut in, heading over and flopping down next to his best friend, "She's a great Keeper but refused to go out for the team."

"Why?" Scorpius asked, frowning at me.

I shrugged, "I just don't see the point. I don't feel as strongly about it as you or Al, and I hated all the organization that went into it, especially when we played back home. So much chaos. The only reason I even played at first was because no one else in the family wanted to play Keeper and they needed someone to hurl balls at."

"Well. You just keep surprising me, Weasley."

"Stay tuned, I'm sure there's more where that came from," I told him cheekily, adding to Al, "Clean yourself up, you're covered in mud. And I guess get me a set of practice robes and tell me when to be at the pitch."

"Thanks a million, Rosie! You're a life saver!" He cheered as I headed up to my room.

"Don't call me that!" I yelled back.

Al was right; the Quidditch team was definitely looking up. Despite my reservations, I actually had fun practicing with them. It wasn't something I wanted on a regular basis, but it was a nice change from the monotony of homework.

"So I see you haven't managed to fall off your broom yet. Always a good sign," Scorpius mused as I entered the dormitory.

"Hah. Very funny."

"Well, I wouldn't want you to end up like me," he explained, gesturing to his bandaged hand.

"At least the cast is gone. How long do you need the bandages for?"

"Another few days. Then we'll see how much mobility I have in it. My reflexes will be a bit off for a while since I haven't been using it."

A fresh wave of guilt hit me. This was essentially my fault.

"Stop feeling guilty," he told me, reading my mind, "You didn't force him to do it."

I took a deep breath. "You're right. At least he was banned for the remainder of the season."

"At least we won the match."

"Against all odds," I snorted. "That was a truly painful match to watch."

"Thanks for your support," he responded sarcastically.

I sent him a sickly sweet smile as he glanced at the clock.

"I'm going to head out," he told me, gathering his books as he stood, "I'm meeting Rhea Donahue to start revising for exams."

For some reason, this information bothered me. It must be because he's starting to revise before me. "Already? Wow, and you say I'm the keener."

He shrugged. I got the sense he wasn't being completely honest about the true purpose behind meeting Rhea, which only served to annoy me more. What was wrong with me? I'd decided to be his friend so why did I feel… jealous? No, it couldn't be. Rose Weasley didn't get jealous.

I tried to start my own revising while I waited for Scorpius to return but my focus was completely off. Eventually I admitted defeat and headed out to Gryffindor Tower to engage in some good old procrastination. Imagine my great pleasure when procrastinating turned into Al trying to convince me to go to yet another party.

"Why is there always a party?" I moaned, dropping my head into my hands.

"It's more of a 'welcome back from break' kind of thing," my cousin hedged, "And there isn't always a party. Just most weekend nights."

I couldn't stop myself from laughing in exasperation at that one. "We've already been back for two weeks! You can't call this a 'welcome back' thing anymore. But you know what? Why not. I've given up on work for the day anyways."

Al looked completely shocked by the ease of my acceptance, but didn't waste time questioning it. Instead, he tried to enlist me to join in on his alcohol run. That, I wasn't so persuadable to.

"Oh, come on, Rosie! I need someone to help and Scor's…" he trailed off, thinking better of whatever he was going to say and rephrasing, "not available."

"Do you realize the kind of trouble we could get in if we're caught? I'm Head Girl, Al! I can't get caught smuggling alcohol into the school!"

"We won't get caught. I promise!"

"He's actually very good at it. If being an Auror doesn't work out, he definitely has a shot at making it as a smuggler," Dom's voice chimed in from behind me. "It'll be fun, Rose. We can see James and Fred?" She tried, looking at me eagerly. That look on any Weasley's face was never a good thing, and being a Weasley yourself didn't make you immune, unfortunately. So, I ended up in the Hogsmeade location of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes an hour later, trying to contain my anxiety at the situation.

"Wow, they actually got sweet little Rosie to break the rules?" James asked, grinning wickedly at me.

"Shut it," I snapped at him, turning to survey the store. Al and Dom left me with James while they went to 'secure the product' as Al put it. "It looks pretty decent in here, you know."

James nodded, leaning on the counter. "We'll be ready to open before next Hogsmeade weekend. I expect to see all your shining faces here to celebrate."

"If we don't get caught and banned today."

"You worry too much. Al's a pro. He learned from the best," he told me, winking.

"That does not make me feel any better."

James was right; we had nothing to worry about. It was weird, seeing Al as the one who got the alcohol now that James and Fred were gone. I suppose that would have to change soon, too, since we were leaving.

"Remind me to bring Hugo along next trip," Al mused as we headed back to the common room.

This caught my attention, "What? Why?"

"Someone has to carry on the legacy."

"But why does it have to be my brother?"

He shrugged, "I'll bring Lily, too. It really is a two person job."

I just shook my head, knowing that it would be pointless to argue.

"What exactly are you three up to?"

The three of us whirled at the voice of Professor Chang. I'm sure my face reflected my guilt, even if Al and Dom remained expressionless. Imagine our surprise to find the very opposite of Professor Chang behind us.

"Scor?" Al asked, completely confused. "How in the name of Merlin…?"

I felt the anxiety drop out of me as the fact that it wasn't a teacher come to bust us sunk in. Not that we were really doing anything wrong at the moment. We'd already ditched the alcohol in the Room of Requirement.

He doubled over in laughter as he explained, "I was practicing transfiguring my voice. You should have seen Rose's face. Priceless!"

I scowled, crossing my arms, "Scorpius, that was not funny."

He just kept laughing as the four of us made our way down the corridor. Dom abandoned us first, claiming a need to start sorting through her clothing for tonight, with Al following suit by explaining his plans to meet Emily to go over their homework assignment from Care of Magical Creatures.

"Merlin, I hate that class," Al groaned as he started off.

"Then why do you keep taking it?" I asked, puzzled. I always got the impression he rather enjoyed it.

His cheeks tinted faintly pink as he replied, "Easy 'A'," and scampered off.

I shook my head after him. "I will never understand that logic."

"What logic?" Scorpius replied.

"Taking a class just for the easy grade. I want a challenge."

"Which is why you're very narrowly top of the class, and Al is… not," he replied. I rolled my eyes at the 'very narrowly' comment.

"And don't you forget it!" We walked in silence for a bit before curiosity got the better of me. "So… are you going to the party with Rhea?"

I felt him give me a sidelong glance as we turned a corner. "I might see her there, but it's not an official plan or anything. Why?"

I shrugged, trying to remain casual. "Just a question."

"Would it, er, bother you if I was?" He asked tentatively.

"No, no, not at all," I replied, probably too quickly. "You're at perfect liberty to take whomever you like."

He nodded, clenching his jaw briefly before obviously deciding whatever he wanted to say wasn't important enough to give voice to. I'm sure I wouldn't have wanted to hear it anyways.

For some reason, I felt the need to seek out Dom and have her ready me for the party. I hadn't willingly asked her to make me up since last year, and she was ecstatic. She danced around her dormitory, giggling and singing off-key as Em and I laughed at her. I realized I missed the three of us just hanging out together like this. It felt like it had been so long since we'd gotten to just be us, what with James, Adrian, Dom's numerous male 'friends', my Head Girl duties, and all the stupid Scorpius drama. Factor in the approaching NEWTs and I wasn't sure when we'd get this chance again.

"What are you guys doing after Hogwarts flat-wise?" I asked suddenly. Both girls looked at me in alarm. "Sorry, it's just… Well, obviously I won't be shacking up with Adrian…"

"And we thank the almighty Merlin for that every day," Dom sang, turning back to her closet and throwing a shirt at me. I wrinkled my nose and tossed it to Emily.

"I swear you didn't hate him this much last year."

"I didn't. I liked him up until he decided he wanted to break up with you for no reason," she replied, throwing another shirt. This one I placed in the very small pile beside me. It wasn't half bad. Then, reading my mind, threw me a look over her shoulder, "Don't even try to argue. You know there was no real reason for that."

"Ok, let's just move on," Emily prodded firmly.

"Right, what was the question?" Dom asked, turning back to her wardrobe.

"Where we were living after school," Em supplied, holding a shirt up in front of her.

"I hadn't really thought of it, to be honest. I just assumed we'd find a place together."

I breathed a sigh of relief as Emily nodded in agreement. At least I had one thing sorted out.

"Whoa. Why are you letting my hard work go to waste?" Dom asked loudly as she came up to stand beside me.

"What do you mean?" I asked in alarm.

"Your face. It's all… frowny!"

I snorted, "Sorry. I didn't realize I was being 'frowny'."

"Well, you are. Why so glum, chum?"

I snorted again. "I don't know. I guess this just isn't as fun as I wanted it to be."

"Well, let's fix that! C'mon! Ben, Al, and Gage are over there," she told me, grabbing my hand and leading me away. I tossed one more look at Scorpius and Rhea in the corner talking before following her.

Eventually, I started to feel more relaxed as a buzz worked its way through my blood. I stopped caring about the slightly-lower-than-I-was-comfortable-with cut of the shirt I'd settled on from Dom's closet, and started laughing more freely. I spotted Adrian by the drinks table sulking and felt even happier, though I knew how petty that was. I tried to stop my brain from trailing back to what was happening in the corner, especially since I wasn't sure why it kept trying to go there. I shouldn't care that my friend was sitting across the room talking to Rhea Donahue. Or perhaps they were past talking by now.

One by one, our group started to disperse, as Gage ventured off to talk to some Slytherin sixth year and Dom flitted from group to group. Ben headed off when he spotted his new girlfriend, and I eventually drifted to get another drink when Al and Emily started talking more to each other than they were to me.

"Having fun?" Scorpius's voice asked behind me.

I shrugged, "I suppose so. Probably not as much as you, though."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Just that you and Rhea look pretty cozy over there."

"I thought I was at perfect liberty to talk to whomever I liked?" He asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"You are."

"Then why the third degree?"

I felt my face grow hot. "It's not… I'm not…"

"Yes, you are, Rose. My only question is why?"

"I just… I don't want you to go back to just snogging girls to snog them. You deserve more than that."

"Who says that's what I was doing? Maybe I really like Rhea."

"I… I'm just concerned for you." I felt my stomach twist. Why couldn't I just think before I spoke around him?

"No, you're acting like a jealous girlfriend and disguising it as a concerned friend. You can't have both, so pick one! What do you want?!"

"YOU!" I shouted without thinking. "I want… you."

A/N: Ok, and that would be the end of this chapter. I know there was a lot of unnecessary filler stuff but I didn't want to force it too much. Though I'm sure it was still rushed, but I figured after 15 chapters it was definitely time to stop jerking it around. Please don't be too mad at the whole Ron/Hermione reaction to the Alchemy thing. Remember, we're only getting Rose's side of that conversation, and she left before it was over. Like in His Only Daughter, I see Ron more as just saying the wrong things at the wrong times than actually outright disagreeing, so I see this more as him worried for his daughter wanting to pursue an unstable career than him not supporting her. She just interprets it as him not supporting her.