When the day of the actual Ball came, Rose was damn nervous. Yes, she had passed all her exams – passed them as well as she could have. She was not the best in their year, a bit better than Scorpius overall and as good as Albus. She was very proud of herself and her achievements. But she was still nervous. Simply because she didn't know. She didn't know what life held for her. She didn't even know what the next weeks held for her. Or this particular evening. She didn't know if, in the end, she would sleep with Scorpius. She didn't even know if she wanted it to happen! Rose had thought a great deal about it during the last few days, now that it was an actual possibility. He was so good-looking, they were best friends, she trusted him. Plus, he would be wearing a suit. Rose was very keen on men in suits. And Scorpius was definitely a man. He had grown so much, inside and outside. His face was beautiful. As hard as she thought, she could not name a man who had such a pretty, delicate and yet manly face as her best friend. He looked like a picture, as if he was the personification of a painter's perfect man. And his eyes! How could anybody have such amazing eyes? She was always amazed at how well she could read them, at how full of emotions they were. Scorpius' eyes were like the mind of a writer. Okay, maybe she was exaggerating it a bit. But that what made Rose so nervous. For her, he was perfect in every way. And yes, she came to the conclusion that she was attracted to him. But what if he wasn't attracted to her? None of his former girlfriends shared any of her trades. On the other hand, none of her former boyfriends looked anything like Scorpius.

"You're ready, Rose?" called her friend, Albus' girlfriend, towards the bathroom.

"I guess I am. How do I look?" Rose stepped out of the bathroom. "Well, you do look amazing, I have to say."

"So do you, Rose. It's stunning! I'm sure Scorpius will love it."

"Of course he will." She giggled and looked one last time into the mirror before she and her friend headed towards the portrait hole in the common room. They agreed to meet up with the others downstairs, so Al's girlfriend could have a big moment walking down the stairs. Rose loved to watch her cousin's face lit up as soon as he spotted his love. To be honest, she envied them a bit. They loved each other so much and they were only 17 years old. Lucky bastards. Of course, she got lots of compliments, too, but no-one looked at her like Al looked at his girlfriend.

A few stories downstairs, Scorpius got ready for his Ball. If he only knew how nervous Rose was. He thought that for her everything was just a piece of cake. Not a big deal. She went with her best friend, what could possibly go wrong? Did she even care about their Firewhiskey plan? Yes, they've talked about it. But what if it was actually going to happen? Scorpius was on the edge of freaking out a little. But he was desperate to see Rose in the dress she had promised. And when they met at the entrance of the Great Hall, the blond Slytherin was stunned. The Hall looked amazing. Green, yellow, red and blue everywhere. Candles were flying around and high above their heads the stars were glistering and beaming. But the most beautiful thing, the one that had caught his eye before everything and everyone else, was of course Rose. She didn't promise too much. Her dress was the exact green of the house of Slytherin and went all the way down to the floor. Of course, as it was Rose, it couldn't have just one colour. Scorpius had expected a rainbow-coloured dress, but a Slytherin-green, poofy skirt mixed with a Gryffindor-gold top looked amazing on her. It complimented her skin, her eyes and her hair.

"You should wear green more often, Pumpkin Pie. It looks... I cannot even find words for how amazing you look like."

"Thank you, Scorp." Rose blushed a little and placed a soft kiss on his cheek. "You don't look bad yourself, not at all! You should rethink your career choice and choose something where you can wear suits all the time instead. Your tie is Slytherin-coloured!"

"Of course it is. House pride must be shown. And I match your dress. As if I had known it."

"You look so shocked. Is it so hard to believe that I look good?"

"You always look good, Pumpkin Pie. Even in pyjama pants and your hair tied up, you still look magical. Today you look especially splendid." Scorpius smiled at her. He had never seen her that way before. Well, he had seen her dolled up for New Year's Eve and similar occasions, but today was different. Today, the tingling sensation in his guts was back, the burning in his chest, the dizziness in his mind. This cannot be happening, Scorpius told himself, this should not be happening. Not again. "I am waiting for my compliments, Rosie" he grinned at her.

"Okay, let me try and tell you how amazing you look. I can't. There are no words for it. You look so different, so grown-up and manly and so damn hot. Your hair is awesome!" Ross beamed at him and Scorpius beamed back.

The pair of them didn't even notice that all of their friends were already inside the Great Hall, while they were still outside, telling each other how attractive they were.
"Shall we go inside, Mylady?" Scorpius held out his and for Rose to take it.

She followed him, smiling from one ear to another. He did look gorgeous, no doubt. Ross couldn't really put her finger on what was so great about him today, but something was different. Somehow he looked more mature, more attractive, more like the kind of guy she could fall in love with. And Rose really didn't like those thoughts. She wanted to fall in love because of someone's character, not because of his looks. And she really did not want to fall in love with her best friend. She was not falling in love with him, she told herself, it would be a very stupid thing to do. But you can't help your feelings, can you?

"Would you like to drink something, Mylady?"

"Why, yes, certainly, Mylord" giggled Rose, letting to of the blond's hand. She joined a few friends while Scorpius was getting drinks for them.

After a while of drinking - non-alcoholic punch, of course -,chatting and gossiping about how everyone else looked, Rose and Scorpius decided to separate from the group for dancing.
It wasn't at all awkward, with Scorpius' hand on Rose's back and Rose's hand on Scorpius' waist. It felt real, true and good. Comforting, even. They were very comfortable with each other. So much, Rose could hardly believe they've known each other for no longer than two and a half years. Properly, that is. For her, their relationship seemed to much much closer, much more intimate than any relationship with any of her cousins. Maybe that was the reason. Because he wasn't family. Maybe because she was attracted to him.

"Scorp? Al and I have some bottles of Firewhiskey in the kitchen, perfectly safe for only us to find. Shall we go down and get some?"

"You remember what happened the last time we both drank that stuff?"

"I certainly do. I don't regret it and we said that we will wait and see what happens."

"Okay. Then we can get some. After another dance?"

"Yes please. Dancing with you is easy and I love it! You don't step on my toes, thank you."

Scorpius laughed and kissed her cheek. "And you hardly ever step on mine."

"You're so mean! But I still love you, Cupcake, don't worry." As Rose uttered the l-word, she felt a small tingle in her stomach. Maybe it was just her imagination. Little did she know that Scorpius felt the same, thought or rather wished the same.

After a few more dances, they made their way into the kitchen and then towards the lake, a bottle of Firewhiskey as well as friends with them.

"So, Louis" began Albus, "Hugo said you'd like to have the Room of Requirements for this night?"

"Yeah... Well..." He flushed bright red and nodded slightly. "I've told my boyfriend about it and he was quite eager to see it and well... Use it. If you know what I mean."

"We do know" laughed Hugo and hugged his cousin, "and we approve of it."

"That means we go into the Shack?" Albus asked his girlfriend, who nodded in approval.
"And me? Where can I go with my boyfriend?" Lucy wanted to know. "Oh, I know. I can ask a friend of mine, he's a Prefect and I am sure he can get us into their bathrooms."

"You know, you seem to think you are the only ones to have a partner" Scorpius chuckled, "but there are a lot more people on Hogwarts who might want to have a good night."

"The Shack and the Room of Requirements are quasi family business" Rose grinned, "we have the right to claim them for ourselves! And the others are clever enough to use classrooms or their dorms. Are you afraid there's nothing left for you and me?"

"We still don't know if there needs something to be left for us."

"So you two think about breaking the pact? You can't do that!"

"Of course we can, Hugo. If I don't want do sleep with Scorpius, it's fine. If he doesn't want to sleep with me, it's fine, too. It might be too awkward and everything."

"But I want you two to be together so much! You would make an amazing couple."

Scorpius just shook his head and sighed. "Seems to me that everyone has this opinion. Everyone but us."

"That's not true. There were times when even you thought you'd be in love with Rose."

"He... What?" Rose looked at he slightly tipsy Albus, completely dazzled. "He did think that?"

"Thanks a lot, Albus. We agreed that I would be the one to tell her. Rose, it is half as bad. I do not think it anymore. The story I told you about Amelie was really about you. That is why I was so confused the whole summer before this year. But turned out that I was just exaggerating everything. So do not worry, everything is perfectly fine."

"Oh, okay. Glad you told me." Rose smiled at him. "And you could've told me earlier. Maybe it would have been easier for you if I had known it. I think we're very close, no wonder you thought you'd have a crush on me. The whole world expects us to have one on each other!"

Scorpius smiled softly. "I am glad you understand." He kissed her cheek and took a sip of the brown liquid.

Throughout the evening they went back and forth between dancing in the Great Hall and having something to drink at the lake. One after another vanished, going to bed alone or with their partner. At the end, only Rose and Scorpius were left, giggling uncontrollably about bubbles in the lake's surface. It wasn't even funny but by now they were more than tipsy.

Suddenly, Scorpius stood up, looking what Rose considered to be mischievously. Without hesitation, he scooped Rose up bridal style, kicking his shoes off his feet.

"We are going for a swim, Mylady."

"No! Scorp, no no no!"

But it was already to late. Only a blink after her complained, Rose found herself under water, the poofy skirt of her dress clutching to her legs, her curls clinging on her face. Spluttering, she dived towards the surface, catching her breath. At first she was a bit cross with Scorpius. But as soon as she saw his grin, his wet hair and the suit so tight on his body, she couldn't do anything but laugh.

"That was fun! But! I want to get undressed. My dress needs to dry and I think I lost a shoe. You're with me?"

"Already ahead of you." Scorpius sprinted out of the water, quickly getting rid of everything but his boxers. After Rose undressed, she followed her best friend back into the lake, hopping onto his back.

"How come you went into the lake? I mean... You're afraid of bottomless waters!"

"But with you on my side I feel safe."

"Thank you!" Rose smiled proudly and placed a soft kiss on his neck. Another one on his cheek quickly followed.

What came next, both of them couldn't have guessed, even if they had tried very hard. Rose slowly slid down Scorpius' back, taking his hand to lead him deeper into the lake, until she was covered in water up to her shoulders. Without thinking, Rose kissed Scorpius. Fully on the lips. At first, Scorpius was hesitant, but it vanished soon enough and he was kissing her feverishly.

The pair of them didn't even think. They just went with the moment until a few hours later, Rose and Scorpius were both laying in the grass under a widow, panting heavily, trying to catch their breath again.

It was dead silent, apart from a few early birds giving sound every now and then. Neither of them spoke, not even when Scorpius lay his jacket over Rose's naked figure to shield her from the fresh night's breeze.

"I think I have a crush on you" muttered Rose after some minutes of silence.

More silence followed before Scorpius answered: "That makes it very awkward. I think I have a crush on you, too. Makes it even more awkward, does it not?"

"So what do we do then?"

"Nothing. I am off to start my healer's training, you are off to your internship and then off to see the world."

"So we do nothing. Pretend it never happened." Rose nodded slightly. "Fine with me."

"No. Do not pretend nothin ever happened. But the crush we might feel... I bet it is just the heat of the night, the moment, the closeness, the intimacy. Nothing more but also nothing less."

"We do nothing at all about it."