"Hey, Rose. Wait up!" I called running through the corridor to meet her in front of the Great Hall. She was a little taller than last year but still shorter than me. Her hair was this fiery red color that you could spot a mile away. It was wavy like her mother's, but it was controlled and sleek.
"Hey Scorp," she smiled at me.
"So, is today at your smarty-pants table, or Al's where they don't mock you for not knowing every single thing in the world?" I questioned, walking with her into the Great Hall. We took turns alternating from house table to the next, so that we'd never lose contact between each other. Yesterday we sat at my table, Slytherin.
It seemed Rose was somewhat of a seer. We all ended up in the houses she predicted we would: Albus was in Hufflepuff with Alice, Rose was a Ravenclaw just as she had hoped, and I was in Slytherin where I befriended my only in-house companion-Stephen Zabini. It wasn't that they were unkind to me or anything. Quite the contrary, most Slytherins' were overly nice because they feared what I might do to them otherwise. I was a Malfoy after all, and proud of it. I may not agree with everything my father has to say, but he's still mine!
Over the year Al and Rose had become my best friends, as I was sure I had become theirs. On the days we sat at the Gryffindor table to hang out with the Potters and Weasleys, they defended me, claiming I would never be the menace my father was to their families. And we spent a majority of our time in one another's company-either studying or having fun. Sometimes Alice even joined us because could never say no when she asked to join, and there were other occasions he just wanted her to come along with us.
"Today is Hufflepuff, I believe," we walked towards the Hufflepuff table and saw Albus already sitting there, across from Alice.
"Oh, look," I cheekily said. "Al's already getting it on with Ally over there," Rose rolled her eyes and giggled a little while sitting next to Alice. I sat across from her, next to Albus.
"Hey guys," Albus welcomed. "Ally and I were just discussing the upcoming Quidditch match."
"Yea," Alice confirmed sweetly, "So it's Ravenclaw vs. Slytherin. Should be interesting!" She started eating her scrambled eggs and drank some pumpkin juice.
Rose placed some scrambled eggs on her plate, as well, and was spreading jam on a piece of toast. "Yes," she replied, looking up at me, "It should be. You know I'm going to take you down Scorp."
"In your dreams Rose," I retorted, grabbing a fork and eating the eggs off her plate. We had both tried out for our respective teams. She made Ravenclaw seeker and I made Slytherin seeker. Today was our first match against each other. Al was also on the Hufflepuff Quidditch team, but he was a Chaser so there wasn't as much competition between us.
"Scorpius Malfoy, I've beaten you in every test last year and this year, even if just by half a point sometimes. I will beat you in Quidditch as well. It's only logical," Rose replied smugly. She started nibbling on her toast.
"Rose, you're too brainy to be any good at an actual sport and I bet in front of all those people watching, you'll lose your nerve," I shot back cockily. I kept eating off her plate as she angrily glared at me.
"Scorp," she said softly, venom dripping from each word. I just smirked, "You'll find that I'm also a Granger. If it comes down to it, I will punch you senseless."
I remembered Father telling me gruffly about a time in his third year when Rose's mother had punched him and broke his nose. "Darling," I drawled, "you'd never be able to hurt me and all my godly manliness." I flexed me muscles above me head to prove my point. Rose rolled her eyes and Albus lightly punched my arms, making me drop them to my sides. I went to grab more food of off Rose's plate when she smacked my hand away. I must of really pushed her a bit too far. Well she was pushing it too; we both could tell that we were not just mocking each other like we usually did. There was too much tension for it to be "like usual." Even Albus and Alice could sense that we were pushing the border of "friendly." They both looked back and forth between us and shared worry-filled eyes.
"Use your own plate and eat your own food. I understand it must be such a difficult task for you, but try," she hissed.
"Down tiger," I raised my hands up, trying to burn her eyes out with mine.
Alice started giggling, which made both Rose and me look at her. She laughed out, "You guys are so silly." Al started laughing with her and added, "You both are going to bite each other's heads off before the match even begins."
"Come on you two," Alice was now serious, staring us both down, "You're best friends. Whoever wins, you both should just be happy for each other. This should be a healthy competition." Albus smiled at her and nodded his head in agreement.
I looked over at Rose about to give in and put this behind us. Her pretty chocolate eyes were telling me her anger was faltering. Then out of nowhere she grimaced and replied, "Sorry Ally, but I can't be as sweet as you. This busybody over here just said I was too weak to beat him. He is going down!" Oh hell ... i didn't mean it like that. I knew never to tell Rose she was weak, especially since I didn't even think she was.
"Rose, you misunder-" she cut me off, I hated when she did.
"Yea whatever Scorpius, I personally don't care to listen to your pathetic excuse," she said picking at some eggs, and refusing to look my way.
Merlin, this girl could seriously piss me off. "Rose, you know what. I really don't care either. If you think you are going to beat me, then go right ahead. I just hope a bloody Bludger gets you in your attempts." I refused to look her way as well and was biting into hotcakes.
"Well Malfoy, if that's how you bloody well feel," I was shocked. What the hell did I just do? Never in our entire friendship had she ever used my surname, not even when I really pissed her off. She rose from the table and stomped out of the Great Hall. I looked at Albus who was glowering at me and Alice who just shook her head in disapproval. Oh man, I really messed up.
"Scorpius, your my mate and all, but Rose is still family and I will not let you threaten her like that! Now if you don't move and go apologize to her, I swear, your losing both of us." Albus informed me.
"You don't need to tell me twice Al. I'm sorry, I didn't mean that. I'm on my way right now to try and make her understand." I rose from my seat and Al just nodded solemnly.
I exited the Great Hall screaming after her. "Sod off, Malfoy," was all she said. She didn't even look my way, and quickened her pace. However I was running and I stopped in front of her. She came to a halt and crossed her arms across her chest and she gave me the most deadly glare. Merlin! I vowed I'd never make her look at me like that again.
"Rose believe me, I mean am so sorry. I didn't mean that at all. I was just really fired up is all," I was rushing the words. Never in a million years would a Malfoy, even a reformed Malfoy like me, think he'd be apologizing to anyone.
She stared up at me and I thought she was about to forgive me so I smirked. It was the worst possible thing I could have ever done. She gave me a cold stare and replied, "Sorry Malfoy, but you don't get the privilege of using my last name."
She was making me mad again. Couldn't she see I was doing my best, that I really was sorry? "Fine!" I huffed, knowing I shouldn't have, "Have it your way, Weasley." I snarled. She continued staring at me with that horrible look. My anger melted away and i raised my hands in surrender for the second time that day, but this time it was sincere. "Ok, ok, Ro – I mean Weasley. I am sorry. Truly I am. Come on, be a sport and forgive me off my jerk-ish ways."
"Jerk-ish isn't a word, Malfoy," her eyes started warming up, and she uncrossed her arms and let them fall to her sides. "But you were being a bit of a prat."
"Yea, I suppose I was," I lowered my arms too, "But you were being a bit off an uptight competitor, Rose. Is it ok if i call you Rose again?" I was smiling at her and she was laughing.
"Yea it's ok. I know I was. I'm a Ravenclaw after all; I get pretty competitive, if you haven't noticed." We were now heading out to the fields, and i knew everything between us was fine again. We were about to split to our respective teams, for a pregame speech by our captains. Merlin, did I hate those pregame speeches. Gregory Mulciber, the captain, could just drawl on and on for hours. His speeches were the epitome of boring!