DISCLAIMER: I don't own Rose, Scorpius or Pride and Prejudice!

Opposites Attract.

He's just awkwardly confessed his love for her. She's just turned him down. They have nothing in common … he decides to prove her wrong. :Rose/Scorpius NextGen:

Chapter 8: Opposites can work.

"Why did you do that for Hugo?!" she cried, bursting into the office.

"Rose!" Malfoy obviously went straight to pure panic mode as he jumped at her entrance.

Rose stared, heart slamming in her chest so hard that it felt like it was seconds away from ripping out of her. She still didn't know if she was thankful that he was still here or not. A part of her hoped that he would have already gone home and she wouldn't have to deal with her insane feelings … the rest of her screamed, 'thank Merlin!' Hell, she hadn't seen him in weeks …

Malfoy stood quickly after a moment's hesitation following her outburst, only to re-think and sit back down. Then, not having been seated for more than two seconds, he was standing once more and moving around his desk towards her. Not ready for that kind of confrontation, Rose recoiled and he stuttered to a stop just before his desk.

The tension was as palpable as the evening they had spent in each other's company, arguing and climbing Quidditch towers. Only this time, so much more had happened since then, and Rose found herself quite incapable of thinking of something to say. For god's sake, come on! she thought, frantically. You're not the socially awkward one, here! Say something! ANYTHING!

"I … I'm sorry," she muttered. "I should have knocked."

Not knocking had to have been the least of her concerns, but Malfoy accepted her apology nonetheless. When, once more, they were stuck in a maddening silence, Rose opened her mouth with the intention of just blurting out whatever it was that had forced her legs over here in the first place.

"You … you turned those men into the Aurors," she said, avoiding his gaze.

Malfoy stared for several more moments, mouth gaping as if unsure what to say. Then, he mumbled back,

"Er, yes."

"Why did you do it?" Rose demanded. "Actually, more importantly, why didn't you say anything? What you did for my family … effing hell, Malfoy, it's not something we could ever repay you for!"

"I do not expect payment," Malfoy quickly put in.

"I know – oh, hell, I don't know," Rose took a reluctant step further into the office, more so she could close the door behind her than anything. For a moment, she was glad that he transferred; if they had still been in his office down her corridor, the nosy buggers that she called her work colleagues would have been crowded around the door, their ears pressed to the jams in a heartbeat.

"May I ask," Malfoy then said, quietly, and Rose glanced up at him, still hovering awkwardly next to his desk. "how did you find out?"

"My brother knew and he told me – look, it was an accident, I wasn't supposed to find out, I know that. But," The thought of Malfoy actually having to request days off work to help the Aurors in tracking down those bastards across the country was kind of making her feel sick. Sick with what, she couldn't decide. "The thing is, I'm just trying to understand it, because what you did … did you do it because you care, or was it just because you recognised George Wickham and it was the right thing to do?"

"Rose, I think you know why I did it," Malfoy said, his voice barely audible as he stared at the ground.

"I … I know," her voice was scratchy, and she had to cough to clear it before she added, "but I want to hear you say it."

When Malfoy looked up, his expression was as fierce as she'd ever seen it. He met her eye and didn't glance away.

"I did it because I did not want you to be unhappy," he said, simply.

It was what she had suspected. Still, hearing the words made her heart hurt more than it was when she had stormed into this office and she figured that she would forever be in debt to Scorpius Malfoy.

"Malfoy," she said, her voice barely a whisper. "Thank you."

"It is ok."

"No, you don't get it!" she added, more forcefully. "Thank you. What you have done, is hasn't just affected me – my brother, my mum and dad, my entire family are in debt to you! Weeks, years, maybe a lifetime of constant worry and security have no meaning now because of you! You could have easily ignored it, not come forward and have nothing to do with any of this, but you did and I seriously don't think I can express quite how much I–"

She cut herself off quite suddenly. She had been about to finish that statement with a rather dangerous thought that she wasn't exactly ready to face yet. Malfoy seemed to take it in his stride, however, muttering yet another, "You are welcome," to the floor.

But there was still something she didn't understand. "Malfoy, I honestly appreciate everything you did," Rose said, voice soft. "but … why didn't you tell me?"

"I did not need your thanks, as welcome as they are," Malfoy said. He was as passive as ever, but Rose could see a hint of emotion that she was starting to realise came out whenever he was around her. She wanted that emotion. "and … I have already admitted that I did it mostly for you. If your opinion of me was to ever … change, I would want it to be because of who I am, rather than my actions."

"Ever change …?" Rose repeated in disbelief.

"Of course," Malfoy said at once. He suddenly seemed determined, sure. Much like that first day in another office, where this had all started. "I could not stand by and do nothing while you were clearly so unhappy. I have never enjoyed seeing you unhappy."

He couldn't still have feelings for her. He couldn't. Not after everything, not after all this!

"Malfoy, did you ever think of coming and talking to me?" Rose asked, then.

"I –" Malfoy hesitated. "I assumed that your attention would be on your brother. I thought it was likely you were feeling … um, embarrassed at your display of emotion when your cousin told you what had happened, and figured you would want some space from me."

"Malfoy …" Rose shook her head, almost feeling like laughing.

"Plus," Malfoy added and if she wasn't going insane, she thought that she might've seen a slight hint of a smirk. "didn't you say that you would come and see me?"

"I … I did," Rose admitted. "I'm sorry. I got stupid about it."

"You are not stupid, Rose."

"Aw, c'mon, you've gotta admit," Rose said, smiling slightly. "We're both a little stupid at the moment."

Malfoy smiled back. "At least you are coming to see me now."

"True," Rose said, softly. "and I mean it. I want to be here. I wanted to see you again, even though I had half a mind that what with everything that's happened, you'd want nothing more to do with me."

"Rose, I could never not want you in my life," Malfoy said, steadily.

It was close, so close, to what she wanted to hear. But she knew that their entire relationship, he had been the one to constantly put his heart out on the line. He made it clear from the start how he felt and must have been crushed when she coldly rejected him, on more than one occasion, too. This time, it had to be her turn, and yes, it was still rather terrifying! Blimey, was that really her heart trying to burst out of her chest like that? She needed to sit down …

"Did … did you get my book?" she asked, faintly.

Malfoy didn't seem to mind the fact that she was obviously stalling. He gave a genuinely quizzical look and asked, "I don't believe so. What book is this?"

"I guess it's still there," Rose sighed. "Fair enough, I only had the guts to buy it on the way to work today and I don't know why I thought you'd go back to your old office. C'mon …" She gestured for him to follow her with an outstretched hand. Somehow, this led to her taking his hand as they left his office. Or maybe he took her hand. She wasn't entirely sure which way round it was, but either way, it went on too long for it to be an innocent leading someone to the door gesture. In fact, out in the corridor, which Rose took at a decidedly slower pace than the last time she'd walked it, she felt his fingers curl around his and she squeezed tighter as if to say it's ok, I like this.

She led him all the way back through the corridors and back into International Events. The entire office was basically deserted now, even the receptionist having gone home for the evening. She found that she was glad that no one was around to see them holding hands and asking questions that they themselves hadn't even really discussed yet. She let go once they reached his old, bare office and she picked up the hastily bought book that she'd placed there several hours ago now. Only this time, she handed it straight to the man it was intended for.

Rose watched with bated breath as Malfoy took in the title, opening up the front cover and slowly reading her inscription. Then, he looked up at her with a look that seemed almost disbelieving.

"You bought this for me?" Malfoy asked.

"You bet," Rose said, weakly.

"But … why?"

Rose shrugged. "I wanted to."

"Rose … thank you."

"It's just a book."

"Rose, this isn't just a book," Malfoy suddenly said, voice intense. "This is … something that I mentioned offhand, weeks ago. This is something that other people have put me down for in the past. But the fact that you remembered what I said and how I feel, the fact that you've done this to help me, to thank me … I can't tell you how much it means. You honestly did not need to get me this."

"Yes," Rose said at once. "It was."

They were silent once more. Rose was pretty sure that if she didn't do something soon, she would quite rightly explode from the tension in the room. Needing to do this, she held onto whatever courage she had and, before she could lose it, blurted out,

"Malfoy, I'll admit that I am terrified," She took a step forward, but faltered when he looked up at her once more, still holding her book in his hands. "Because it seemed that the moment my feelings changed, yours did, too. And I want …"

His eyes had gone wide at her statement, but it was nothing compared to when she thought, to hell with it, and moved. Within three strides, she was reaching up and pulling behind his head, kissing him hard. She heard a thump and felt a slight pain as he quite clearly dropped the book he was holding, but she ignored it. When she pulled back, it was to see that Malfoy was staring at her in a kind of bewildered shock. Still with her hands gripping his hair, their faces inches from each other, she finished her statement from before,

"… you. Malfoy, I want you."

And he was the one suddenly kissing her. His lips were on her before she could even take a breath and she felt her heart leap out of control. This time, his arms wrapped around her, pulling her as close as possible. Her mouth moved against his, hard and exhilarating. It was hardly the first time she had done this, but a whole new wave of feeling was coming out of it, something she certainly hadn't felt before. Kissing deeply, she let her arms wind around his neck, feet almost leaving the floor. She could have been flying.

When he pulled back, she almost let out a whine in protest. However, when she looked up and saw the smile on his face, she thought it was almost worth it. She had only seen that full-blown grin on his face once before: when he had looked at her, having just reunited young Danny with his mother during the WAM festival. In that moment, she had felt that he was truly happy at having brought two people who missed each other together again and at the time, Rose had wondered if that smile had simply been left over from his joy at seeing the mother and son together, rather than for her.

But now she knew. That smile was all hers.

"You know, I never thought that our offices could ever be romantic like this," she mentioned.

"Admittedly, it could be better," Malfoy said.

"… my place in five?"

Malfoy paused for a moment.

"That sounds acceptable," he said and she laughed as he kissed her again.

Rose was fairly certain that alarm clocks were the spawn of Satan.

"Ungh," Rose moaned, rolling over haphazardly and reaching out like she did every morning to make the bloody thing shut up. However, there was something in the way and instead of reaching her wand, her hand only hit something large, warm and soft.

"Oh, good, you are awake," Malfoy said, voice far too pleasant and cheery for seven in the morning. "Please, tell me, what do you think about this as the place setting for the Australian Embassy?"

Somehow, Rose's mornings had suddenly become full of contradictions. For the longest time, she had loathed waking up with a passion. Whether it was because she had to, or simply because it was heading towards lunch time and she was getting hungry, Rose had always cursed whatever higher being it was that made it impossible for human beings to spend the entire day in bed.

Now, Scorpius Malfoy became a part of her mornings and everything had changed.

She peered through half-opened eyes to see that he was sitting up in bed like he usually was, shirtless and pouring over what appeared to be event plans. She had no idea what the hell possessed him to do it, but he had told her that he often woke up naturally around five thirty in the morning and couldn't usually go back to sleep. As such, the entire last two weeks that he had spent in her bed, rather than his own, she had woken up to his soft voice murmuring under his breath as he worked, or to rustles as he turned the pages in one of her books.

She used to hate mornings. Now, they were full of Malfoy, who without fail greeted her enthusiastically, let her snuggle into his side as she forced herself to get up, and often had a steaming cup of tea waiting for her. Every morning she woke up and saw him in bed next to her, she would feel a smile come to her face, regardless of her feelings towards the loathed time of the day.

She never thought that she could ever like mornings, even just a little bit.

It was kind of frightening.

"… what?" she muttered, rubbing her eyes as she tried to sit up. She somewhat failed, only getting halfway before she gave up, slumping into the pillows once more, her face pressed against his side. She felt his arm wind around her and she smiled into his skin. The reason he was still shirtless was no doubt because she was currently wearing his t-shirt herself, having stolen it in the middle of the night.

"The embassy," Malfoy reiterated to her sleepy brain, gesturing with his event plans. "It is scheduled for next month, if you remember the note I sent to your office last week. It was decided that you would be the spokesperson."

"Malfoy, I am non-functioning," Rose complained. "At least until you get some tea in me. Please tell me that's what I can smell?"

"It is," he said, simply. He leaned over to reach for the steaming mug and it was worth hauling herself upright just so she could practically inhale the hot liquid. The moan she gave was rather embarrassing, but Malfoy had probably heard a lot louder (a moment the night before was particularly vivid in her mind …).

"God, it is so worth having you around in the mornings," she said into her tea.

"I am glad you think so, though I would hope it is not just for my skills in brewing tea," Malfoy said.

Rose turned to glance at him. He watched her with barely controlled adoration on his face. Two weeks ago, that look had been enough to petrify her every now and then, where she would stop and simply have a meltdown, thinking, shit, I've just jumped into a new relationship with a man who's desperately in love with me! Now, it still sent her into freak out mode, but she was thankfully learning to control her panics.

Being with Scorpius Malfoy was an altogether excruciating and thrilling experience. She imagined to most outsiders (like herself for the past seven years) he would seem aloof and distant. She might have felt sorry for the poor person who ended up stuck with that prick for life. She could imagine him being meticulous in his love life, insisting that they never go out, never letting someone in. She had even amused herself from time to time, thinking the douchebag probably even scheduled when they would have sex.

But what she had learnt was almost the complete opposite. Sure, Malfoy was reserved, but when wasn't he? That was just the man he was. But he was also fiercely dedicated and passionate. He was quiet in expressing himself, but in the past two weeks he had learnt a lot from her about when she was teasing and when she actually was pissed off. She was learning when he needed prodding to get that thought out, or when he just needed to be alone for a moment. She didn't understand all his cues, but she knew that she would get there, and she already knew the look on his face that was code for, oh my god, I don't know what to say, and the way he would breathe in deeply when he needed space.

He was the same man, yet someone completely different.

"Malfoy, you know that I appreciate more than just your epic ability to brew tea," she smirked.

"Oh, really?"

"… I also like the way you insist on making my bed."

"Rose–" he cut himself off when he noticed her expression. "You are teasing me again, aren't you?"

"You'll get the hang of it," she grinned.

"I am unsure about that," he admitted. Then he added, "Also, you are still calling me 'Malfoy'. I have told you numerous times now that you can call me Scorpius."

"Look, I just can't!" Rose cried, huffing into his side, his arm once more coming around her. She held her tea close to his chest, sipping it in between words. "You've always been Malfoy. Calling you 'Scorpius' is …" She shuddered. "It's weird. It's like a different person."

"You are seeing me as a different person now," Malfoy pointed out.

"I'm seeing you naked, there's a difference."

Malfoy snorted at that and she smiled as she finished the last of her tea. Leaning across him to place the mug back on her bedside table, she then said,

"Look, if you really want me to call you 'Scorpius' I will," Rose moved back to snuggle time, pressing her cold toes into his legs. "It's not a big deal."

"No …" Malfoy told her. She glanced up and he pressed a kiss to her forehead. "I mean, I never said I didn't like it."

Rose smirked at him. "In that case … you gonna kiss me properly, Malfoy?"

He took her to heart on that. She breathed him in as he rolled her over, pressing her back into the mattress and pillows, and he kissed her with a kind of enthusiasm that had thrown her at first. Now, she was starting to get used to it. She tangled her legs in with his, wondering vaguely if she could convince him to take his shirt off her. However, just as she entertained this thought in her head, he pulled back. He nuzzled her hair and she panted against the skin of his shoulder.

"Oh, that's not fair," she complained.

"Do you still believe we are opposites?"

She glanced up in confusion. "Come again?"

"Opposites," he reiterated. He rolled off her, but pulled her in close, continuing on in a voice not unlike a teacher lecturing a class. "It was the reason you turned me down, originally. You believed that we were too different to ever work. Since we are now in a relationship, has your view on the subject changed?"

"Blimey, you really know how to get me going in the mornings …" Rose muttered.

"Rose," Malfoy watched her with a genuinely curious expression.

Figuring that her shirt wasn't going to come off any time soon, she forced her mind to go there. Rose realised that she hadn't really considered it. That disastrous conversation of theirs felt so long ago that she could barely remember what she had said (which she was rather thankful for. If she had no desire whatsoever to relive that afternoon, then she couldn't imagine what it would be like from Malfoy's side).

"I don't know," she mused, settling into him and covering his arm that he had wrapped around her waist. "I think … we are still very different," she knew she had to point out. "You're quiet, I'm loud. You're reserved, I share way too much. You're claustrophobic, I grew up surrounded by what felt like millions of people. I still agree with my past self in that we are opposites."

"I feel like you are about to say 'however'," Malfoy suggested.

Rose rolled her eyes. "I was going to say 'but' … same difference," she muttered. "But, back then, I didn't believe that two people so different from each other could ever work. I didn't think it was practical to expect people like us to be able to get along, let alone tolerate each other's presence enough to keep up a relationship. Since then … I've learnt that it is possible. I mean, I have no idea what might happen in the future, but for now it's enough."

"We have had many conversations in which we didn't want to kill each other," Malfoy pointed out.

"Yeah, sure, I wanted to shove you off a roof from time to time," Rose grinned. "but ultimately, I enjoyed your company."

"I agree with you," Malfoy said, lightly. "I had thought that the only way to be with you was to prove that we were not different. However, I was wrong. While couples who are more similar in personality might work just as well for others, I believe that you and I have something special. We are able to learn from each other. I am certainly learning how better to converse with strangers, thanks to you."

"Have I ever mentioned that you honestly talk sometimes like a classroom professor?" Rose grinned up at him.

"Is that … uh, a good thing?"

"I like it."

Malfoy smiled at her, but then he moved, pulling back his arm and gathering up his event plans. "I am afraid, unfortunately, that I must cut into this peaceful moment," he told her. "since it is nearing on quarter past and we really must get ready for work."

"Ugh. Do we have to?" Rose complained, already mourning the loss of his warm body.

"I am also afraid that it is a job requirement," Malfoy pulled back her duvet, bending down to the bedroom floor to find his clothes. However, just as Rose reluctantly started moving herself, he quickly swung back towards her, leaning on his hands to kiss her soundly on the lips. Startled, she kissed him back, before he was suddenly pulling away and muttering, "I love you, Rose," Then, before she could respond, he moved off the bed to get ready for his day.

Oh, that.

Yes. She was still learning about some things.

Like how the hell she was supposed to say those words back to him.

A/N: I think there's going to be one more chapter after this one. Also, I'm totally going to have to drag out Darcy!Scorpius some other time in the future, 'cause I'm honestly having too much fun with him here, haha. :D

I went to my graduation ceremony and it was honestly DA BOMB. Thank you so much for all your congratulations! If you want to see some photos, I put a few on tumblr (because I think I've finally got the hang of that thing now, haha). Also, in two weeks (30th May 2015) I officially leave NZ and travel to America! Shit really is a-happenin' now, and I'm honestly going to miss you all while I'm gone.

I hope you liked this chapter! Please let me know what you think. :)

Until next time -

- Moon. :D