SECOND YEAR. 20 YEARS LATER
EXACTLY ONE WEEK BEFORE SCHOOL STARTS
DIAGON ALLEY
Scorpius waited patiently outside Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour. He could see his mother in a coffee shop across the street, ready to start shopping for school supplies once her son had met up with his friends.
Scorpius and Albus had met up during the summer on the odd days to fly around the grounds at Malfoy manner, (but never actually going inside as Scorpius feared the reaction of his grandfather who lived with them), or they went to George Weasley's shop and one day Scorpius and Rose were invited to the beach for a few hours with the Potters. No hard feelings there, only a few awkward silences and uncomfortable glances. Rose hadn't been able to go as she spent the summer with her muggle grandparents.
"SCORPIUS!" He glanced up as he heard and excited cheer of his name. Rose came tumbling through the crowd, earning a slightly annoyed and alarmed look from her father.
Her hair was as usual. An extremely fluffy, out of control ginger mass. Her little face and hands covered in freckles. She wore muggle clothes, jeans, trainers and a hoodie.
"You haven't really met my family have you?" She spoke quickly as she saw her dad looking everywhere but at her friend. "This is my dad, Ronald Weasley." Forcing them to look at one another and Ron to give a curt nod. "My mum, Hermione."
Scorpius nodded and pleasantly shook the hand that was presented to him. Hermione Weasley looked exactly like her daughter except she was a brunette and a foot or two taller.
"Lovely to meet you at last." She weakly smiled in return, her eyes were slightly puffy as if she had been crying. "Rose talks about you all the time!" Mrs Hermione Weasley perked up.
Rose suddenly turned red and was unable to speak.
"This is my son, Hugo. He's starting his first year at Hogwarts next year, along with Albus's little sister Lily." Hugo nodded and grinned at Scorpius.
The family waved their good byes and arranged to meet Rose later so that they could buy school supplies.
"I don't talk about you all the time." Rose rushed out in one long breath. The two looked at each other and smiled. For no reason other than relief to be near a good friend again.
Albus soon arrived with his family, all of whom had met Scorpius before a they smiled politely at him before catching up with the Weasleys.
Albus, Rose and Scorpius ordered ice creams and sat and talked about their summer for about an hour and a half before their families took them away for much needed shopping for the next school year. Sure the trio had written to each other almost everyday, and had met up once or twice, but it wasn't the same as being together and being able to build excitement for the year ahead.
TWO WEEKS INTO THE SECOND YEAR
The trio sat outside in the quidditch stands, watching the Gryffindor team practise for the upcoming match against Hufflepuff. They waved to James as he sped past them, he had been made a chaser last year.
Suddenly Lucile Pond, chaser for Gryffindor who was in her third year, came to hover right in front of the trio. She had a loud mouth, not afraid to speak her mind and was not aware of how sometimes what she said may effect others. But overall she was quite nice to Rose.
"Hey Rose! Why are you hanging out with Slytherins? There are plenty of Gryffindors over there who are in your year!" She gestured to the stand directly opposite.
"It's ok Lucile, I'm fine. I've got my friends. Besides, Albus is my cousin, I thought you knew that."
Rose tried to smile politely and act a kindly as possible to her fellow students. But to be honest, she was fed up of the constant asking as to why she hung around with Slytherins, especially a Malfoy. Everything was fine last year, but all of a sudden people were asking questions.
Lucile shrugged and flew away sensing a slight hostility from Rose.
"Rose, play nice." Albus pleaded. He had a bit of a crush on Lucile.
"No!" They were all equally shocked by Rose's sudden anger. She even surprised herself.
"Look, we are only two weeks into our second year and I've been asked about a million times why I hang around with a bunch of Slytherins! Especially a Malfoy!" She was now angrily pacing in front of the guys. "It's no one's business who I am and am not friends with!"
"Rose-" Scorpius tried to calm her down.
"No!" Rose growled. "If I'm interrogated one more time, I'm going to lose it! WHY DO THEY EVEN CARE!" She grabbed her bag from under her seat and began to storm off.
"Rose, where are you going?" Albus called after her.
"If I stay outside, I can just see people staring at me, judging me! I hate it. I mean, for Merlin's sake, does it really matter? Should I have to be forced to sit in the corner of the Gryffindor common room for the questions to go away?!" And with that she pushed her way through the crowd of first year Slytherins who had spotted a Malfoy and were desperate to talk to him.
Scorpius looked at Albus, concerned. His friend just shrugged then suddenly burst out laughing.
Scorpius looked over to where Albus was looking. There in the distance was Mae Blinston, she was openly laughing in Rose's face and sent a hex at her. Rose managed to dodge out the way and the hex, which was meant to turn Rose's hair blue, hit a first year Ravenclaw instead. Even from such a distance, Scorpius and Albus could see Rose's anger. In retaliation she sent back a hex so fast that Mae didn't even have a chance to blink. Mae and her friends suddenly grew horns and ran away screaming while Rose quickly fixed the Ravenclaw's blue hair and charged her away into the castle. Everyone now jumped out of her way.
"Don't worry Scorpius, she'll get over it. Sometime she gets all riled up and just disappears for half an hour to cool down. She does that at home all the time if she and Hugo argue." Albus reassuringly patted his friend's shoulder. "It's not your fault, don't worry. But I do get where she's coming from. Since these new first years came, everyone seems to not want to leave us alone."
"That's because I have an acquaintance in the year below. A friend of my father, her son is now in Slytherin. He has a pro-pure blood superiority mother and father, who hate each other. His parents aren't together but he splits the holidays with them, although he kept his mothers last name so I guess he spends more time with her. Poor kid is getting stories of the heroics of Draco Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson at his side the entire time, although that's not true, from his mum. And then stories of Draco Malfoy the git and how Pansy Parkinson was all over him, from his dad."
"Who?"
"Lloyd Parkinson, son of Pansy Parkinson and Blaise Zabini"
"Oh him. Yeah, I think he keeps on pestering Rose." He saw the concerned look on Scorpius's face. "Nothing she can't handle though," he reassured his friend. "I mean, this is Rose we're talking about. There isn't much that she can't handle. She'll be fine. We've got potions next with her, you'll see, she'll be calm and normal."
However, Albus was wrong. Rose did not talk to either of them for the entire lesson, although she always sat on the Gryffindor table and them on the Slytherin table, she usually talked to Scorpius and Albus while they were lining up and while they were leaving. Whereas, for the whole lesson she stayed and talked with fellow Gryffindor Philomela Abel-Roy and after lessons, they saw her with a Hufflepuff, Finley Norwood.
Scorpius and Albus did not actually talk or even receive eye contact with Rose until the following morning at breakfast when they sat either side of her at the Gryffindor table, forcing her to have to talk to them, as she was the first of her house ready and dressed. She seemed almost back to her old self, although a bit short tempered, which wasn't unexpected, however she usually calmed down a lot quicker.
Lloyd Parkinson arrived in the great hall shortly after Scorpius and Albus and looked disapproving that they were eating and socialising with a Gryffindor, especially at the Gryffindor table.
"Rose, you're seriously letting him get to you?" Albus said in disbelief.
Rose didn't care about other people's opinions of her, why was this any different?
"This is different Albus," Scorpius cut in as Rose took a mouthful of toast. "This isn't like when people make nasty comments on her cleverness, 'being a geek', eagerness to answer in class or -"
"Or my messy hair or my general scruffy appearance. Yeah, thanks, I am aware that people make fun of me." Rose spoke up, knowing exactly what he was going to say. He was right. People always made fun of her appearance and her almost 'know it all' attitude.
Scorpius went a very pale pink as Rose scowled at him.
She knew that he was going to comment on her hair. She didn't mind too much as he would have been right. Her mass of hair which seemed to have a mind of its own, did bring some hushed comments and the odd joke at her expense here and there. Normally she wouldn't care.
"I can answer for myself Scorpius."
He took away his hand which seemed to have found itself trying to be comforting on her shoulder as she had stiffened.
"Look, he's right though." Rose admitted after a comfortable sigh. "This seems to be a direct attack on our friendship. I'm taking this way too personally."
"Rose, you know you are entitled to care what others think about you, everyone cares about that. But people just need to get over the fact that Slytherins and a Gryffindor are friends." Albus spoke up, loudly enough for Lloyd to hear clearly as he had been obviously trying to listen in. "Some people need to grow up. And since when did little miss opinionated Weasley care what others thought about her." Rose gave her cousin a weak smile. "You have too much pride to let this effect you Rose."
And as if by magic, Rose was back to her usual self.
"Oh, and by the way, amazing use of the horn hex!"
Rose grinned shyly.
Throughout the year, there were more whispers behind the trio's backs. But things died down a bit as they grew nearer to the Spring.
However, a certain Parkinson would not drop it. When ever he saw one of them, he would loudly make a remark on blood status or on the fact that 'superior' Slytherins were hanging around with Gryffindors. This seemed to effect Scorpius more than the other two. Not that he believed a word of what Parkinson said, but he was a friend of his fathers and that he knew he would not be able to avoid Lloyd forever.
When the summer holidays came around, Scorpius would be forced to go on his annual three day holiday with the Parkinson family to Belgium.
FEBRUARY HALF TERM
Rose woke up late on the Monday morning, she looked around her. The sun was streaming through the window allowing her to see the other two occupants of her dormitory. Annabella Gardener and Philomela Abel-Roy were still fast asleep. The other girl who shared a dormitory with Rose, Melissa Fawley, had gone home for the half term.
Rose yawned and rubbed her eyes before going down to the Gryffindor common room. This week was going to be quiet, most students went home, in fact most of her cousins had gone. Hermione and Ron had decided to spend the week with Hermione's parents, John and Mary Granger. Rose and Hugo had not joined them as Mary was weak and the children might have been too much to handle. Hugo was to stay at the Potters.
The only cousins of Rose's that were still at school were Molly and Lucy, Rose's uncle Percy's children. Molly was in Gryffindor and in her sixth year, while Lucy was in Ravenclaw and in her fifth year. Rose knew it would be weird to be without the majority of her cousins and especially without her best friend. At least Albus was going to be back before the end of half-term.
Ginny and Harry knew that there was no way Albus and James would get homework finished at home, so they would have to go back to school to make sure it was done in time. But she was also excited, this week would give her the chance to get to know the girls in her dormitory. She knew them but the three other girls always hung around and were skeptical of Rose because she was always with Albus and Scorpius. Two Slytherins. Rose was determined to make some long lasting female friendships that weren't with her cousins.
"Rose? Why are you up so early? It's half-term, we have nowhere to be." Philomela grumbled as she dragged herself into the common room and slumped on an armchair next to Rose.
Rose smiled. The girls she shared a dormitory with, along with herself, were not morning people.
"I guess I'm still used to getting up at this time to go to breakfast."
"I know what you mean, I did that all the time at my muggle schools."
Philomela was a muggle born, and when she got her letter about Hogwarts, she and her parents had not believed a word of it. They thought perhaps Philomela's older brother, Argus, who was at muggle university, was playing a practical joke on the family. So they ignored it. And a week after receiving the letter, when Professor Nye had come to tell her she was a witch, again the family thought it was just a joke. In fact, one of her mothers had laughed right in Professor Nye's face and told him to tell their son, 'nice try'.
However the arrival of an actual person, even after the letter which they had thought a joke, seemed a bit odd. The Abel-Roy family did not mention it to each other, but they were starting to believe that it might just be true. Every week that summer, Professor Nye visited the house to try to convince them, but they wouldn't listen. Philomela spent two weeks at a muggle secondary school and strange things kept on happening, shoes mysteriously hovered by the ceiling and it would randomly start snowing indoors. Nye managed to finally convince Philomela's mums when he showed them Diagon Alley.
"So, what are we going to do today?" Philomela yawned.
"Nothing." Rose sighed
Both girls fell asleep for a few hours on the armchairs by the fire. They were later woken up by Grant Hathaway and Wesley McLaggen, two boys in their year, when they came down from their dormitory.
"Morning ladies." Grant gave them his charming smile and Wesley winked at them. Which made Philomela blush.
For the rest of the day, Rose hung around with Philomela and Annabella. Both were very chatty and always had some new piece of gossip. As it was a long day of doing nothing, it was not surprising that none of the girls were tired enough to fall asleep.
Annabella, the louder one of the two, insisted that they share more about each other.
"Oh, like truth or dare?" Philomela asked excitedly.
Rose worked hard at not letting her groan sound out loud, instead she kept her dread of playing such a game inside of her head.
"No, well yeah. I was just thinking that, because we don't know Rose that well, we could play truth or dare or don't! That way we're nicer on Rose. Seriously Rose, you should hear some of the questions Melissa comes up with! She's amazing at this game! And she's especially great when you're playing with guys. She knows exactly what questions will make them blush and exactly what dares they don't really want to do, but will anyway because they want to show off. She has an older brother and two older sisters. She hears them playing with their friends all the time." Annabella talked quickly.
"Truth or dare or don't?" Rose asked skeptically. Rose was slightly irritated that Annabella thought she needed to change the rules to go easy on her.
"Yeah!" Both of the other girls enthusiastically exclaimed.
"Well, alright then. But Philomela and Annabella, you need to know I've only ever played this once with my cousins Molly, Dominique and Victoire. But that was a long time ago. And we weren't really playing properly because Aunt Fleur was listening in." Rose smiled at the memory.
"Ok, we will. But seriously Rose, you've got to start calling us Anna and Phil." Anna smirked.
"No! Not Phil!" Philomela exclaimed.
"Well, what else would we call you?"
"How about Mel?" Philomela explained as if to say 'duh' to her friend
"No! We call Melissa Mel."
This stumped Philomela, she hadn't thought about it before. Rose was just enjoying watching their conversation.
"Alright then," Philomela finally gave in. "Call me Phil. But only you guys can call me Phil! If anyone else does, I'll get Rose to hex them into the oblivion!"
The girls laughed, but Rose couldn't help but feel confused. They had complimented her magical ability, but were people really scared enough of her?
"Anyway, Phil, truth or dare or don't?" Anna suddenly snapped into action. Rose had never seen her so focused.
"Truth!"
"Have you kissed anyone yet? I mean have you had your first kiss yet? Not on the cheek and not from a family member. But a full on, dead on the mouth kiss yet? and who with?" Anna leaned forward, Rose was worried that she would fall off the bed.
"That's more than one question little-miss-chatty." Phil smugly answered.
"Ok then, just answer have you ever been kissed?" Anna rolled her eyes
"Yes."
"OH MY MERLIN WHO?" Anna almost leaped across the room to her friend's bed.
Rose giggled.
"Only one question at a time! Ok, Rose's turn." Phil smiled mischievously
"Truth." Rose surprised them both.
"How, in Merlin's name, do you know so many complicated and cool hexes? I mean, you put horns on Mae Blinston!" Anna ran over and jumped on the end of Rose's bed.
Phil joined them. "That was so cool! She didn't come to any classes for a whole week, which I think suited everyone very nicely."
"My uncle George, my mum and my aunt Ginny had a role in that. I told them about Mae last year and George gave me a couple of things from his shop. Mum freaked out when she first heard. Then she told my aunt Ginny about it, but Ginny only found it hilarious that George wanted to give advice. My Aunt convinced mum to help her teach me a few hexes."
"Do you have a favourite?" Phil was fascinated.
"I like my aunt Ginny's famous Bat-Bogey hex, but I've yet to perfect it."
"Anna!" Phil clapped her hands right in front of her friend's face which startled the other two girls. Rose toppled sideways and almost fell off her bed.
Phil and Anna didn't seem to notice this because, one, they were used to Rose constantly falling over or dropping things, and two, they were too engrossed in their game.
"Truth or dare?" Phil stared intensely
"Or don't?"
"No, the 'or don't' part is only for Rose. You and I, on the other hand, don't really have secrets. Now, truth or dare?"
Anna scrunched up her face as she thought. "Ugh, fine then, truth." she said as she rolled her eyes
"Hmm," Phil grinned mischievously. "Rose, do you have any ideas for a truth?"
"Who do you have a crush on at the moment? And if you don't currently have a crush, who was the most recent?"
"Ooh, good one Rose."
"Well, that's easy! Albus Potter." Anna spoke without hesitation.
This time Rose did fall off her bed and hit her head, hard, on the wall.
"Merlin! Are you ok Rose?" Phil and Anna ran to her side and helped her back on the bed.
"Yeah, no, I'm fine." Rose was feeling slightly disorientated.
"Are you sure? I don't think I've ever seen you hit your head so hard." Phil looked genuinely concerned.
"Meh, I'm fine." Rose finally clamoured back on to the bed. "Now what was this about Albus?"
"He's cute and I have a crush on him." Anna replied. "What? Don't you agree? He's also way too nice to be in Slytherin."
"He is nice, but also quite awkward." Phil shrugged as she went back to her own bed.
"Charmingly awkward!" Anna exclaimed as she practically jumped back to her bed. "What do you think Rose?"
"I think he's my cousin."
"Oh, right." Anna nodded disinterestedly and focused back on the game. "Phil truth or dare?"
"Well, I never like your dares, but I really don't want to answer your truths."
"Then you've ran out of options. Suck it up and choose one." Rose was trying to invest herself into the game and ignore the fact that someone found her cousin attractive.
"Truth, I guess."
"Who was your first kiss?"
"I kissed a guy at my muggle primary school, Ryan Lewis." Phil laughed as she saw Anna's unimpressed face. "Of course, you don't believe me. Ok, well even though I'm telling the truth, I'll still tell you about someone you know. My first kiss at Hogwarts was Finley Norwood, we dated for about a week but I don't think anyone noticed. I'm not exactly high up on the gossip chain."
"Wait, you mean that Hufflepuff guy in our year?"
Phil nodded. "Terrible kisser, I would not recommend him. Plus, for a Hufflepuff he's pretty full of himself. He tried to take me back to his common room so that we could snog on a sofa, but he put in the wrong code or something and I got covered in vinegar."
Both Rose and Anna made disgusted faces.
"Rose, truth or dare or don't?"
"Truth." Rose shrugged.
"Who was your first kiss?"
Rose's ears turned red. "Umm, can I change to don't?"
"Nope." Anna got excited and once again bounced her way on to Rose's bed. "You have to answer once you've chosen truth."
"Come on Rose, a first kiss isn't exactly a big deal." Phil tried to be encouraging.
"It is if you haven't had one yet."
"Wow! Really!" Anna began to laugh but Phil and Rose shot her an angry look so she just sulked back to her bed.
"Really Rose?" Phil was curious.
"I'm only 13, so I guess I never thought about it." Rose shrugged. She didn't mind that she had never been kissed, it was their reactions to it that made her feel self-conscious.
"But, Rose, aren't you worried that if you think like that now, you'll never get around to being kissed?" Phil couldn't understand Rose.
"I guess I don't really blame her." Anna insincerely sighed. "when I was in first year, I thought 'Hey, I'm only in my first year, I'll have my first kiss later.' But then my sister told me about how some people who thought the same way, don't end up having their first kiss until they're in their late 20s. Then I thought 'Screw it! I want a kiss.' So I kissed some Ravenclaw guy from our history class. I'll point him out to you next time I see him."
Rose sighed. She didn't like the judging that she was getting from Anna and the pity she was getting from Phil. "You know what guys. This has been fun, but I need to sleep, I was planning on doing homework tomorrow."
Phil seemed quite happy to drop the game and go to bed but Anna was slightly annoyed. Rose could tell that she wasn't ever going to be close to Anna. Polite and civil acquaintances who live in the same room for most of the year, but not good friends.
The next day Rose decided to get up early and go for a walk. Rose was not a morning person, she regretted the decision immediately. She managed to quietly get dressed without waking Anna or Phil, she even surprised herself by not falling over or knocking over anything with very little light in the room. By the time she got down to the lake, it was 8:30am and she could see smoke coming from Hagrid's chimney so she went to visit him for a few hours. This cheered her up and she forgot that it was so early in the morning.
They mainly talked about Hagrid's old job as the care of magical creatures teacher as Rose was very interested in taking that subject. She loved it when Hagrid or her uncle Harry retold to story of how Harry had flown on a Hippogriff named Buckbeak. By the time Rose got back to the castle, it was the very end of breakfast so there wasn't much food left other than cold toast and whatever jam she could scrape from the bottom of the jar.
It started to get windy outside and Rose could feel a draft from the windows. She ran up to her dormitory to grab her jumper from her grandma, a red one with a large navy blue 'R' on it and a small white rose in the bottom corner. She snuggled up by the fire in the Gryffindor common room and started her potions essay on the uses of Flobberworm mucous.
Rose looked up after about an hour of hard concentration to see her cousin Molly across the room with some guy, also in her jumper from their grandmother. Her's was pink with a large grey 'M' in the middle. They caught each other's eye and grinned. After lunch, which again Rose spent alone, she completed two more essays, one for herbology and another for transfiguration. Three essays in one day. She was proud of herself. So proud that she decided that she deserved a treat.
Rose had convinced James and Lorcan to let her keep the Marauders Map with her over the half term, her bargaining was 'Well you won't need it, you'll be at home. Besides, what if I want to hex someone, I'll need to plan.'
That had won over Lorcan, he thought it hilarious whenever the supposedly quiet, sweet and innocent Rose Weasley hexed someone. James, on the other hand took more convincing. However as he was coming back to school on Wednesday, he agreed to let her have it as it was only a weekend and two days until he got his precious baby back. They were both initially confused as to how Rose knew they had it. Rose just scoffed when they asked.
The truth was that her dad had told her and Hugo about hit when recounting stories of Hogwarts. Hermione always told Ron that the kids didn't need to know about it, which of course made Rose all the more curious. Her uncle Harry thought it best not to give it to any of his children as they might just fight over it. Aunt Ginny went around Harry and gave it to James on his first day at Hogwarts. Ginny could see a lot of her deceased brother Fred in James, and so she thought it best that he have the Marauders Map as it was the secret of success behind so many of their pranks.
The map helped Rose find her way to the kitchens. She was just about to use the Wingardium-Leviosa spell to take two biscuits when one of the house elves spotted her. The tiny being giggled at Rose and skipped over to the plate of biscuits. Rather than giving her two, as Rose had planned only to take two, he gave her the entire tray.
"Are you sure?" Rose whispered, but a few other house elves overheard. They just grinned at her rather than being annoyed that she was holding an entire tray of biscuits.
"We always make more than we need. There's always a Weasley or a Potter after these biscuits."
"How do you know-?" Understanding suddenly came to Rose. Her jumper had given her away. "Thanks!" She smiled with glee and said her goodbyes.
Rose found a secret passageway using the map which took her very close to the Gryffindor common room. She left the biscuits hidden in the passageway while she sneaked up to her dormitory. Molly saw her and gave her a questioning look. Of course Rose had accounted that someone would notice her so she had brought a few biscuits to share around before grabbing a book, returning the map in a safe place in her trunk and returning to the passageway for the rest of the biscuits. She had checked the map quickly to find an empty classroom where she could eat biscuits and read her book. A perfect afternoon in Rose's opinion.
It wasn't until dinner that she saw something unexpected.
Scorpius. Sitting at the Slytherin table. Mae Blinston happily chatting away to him whilst he sat quietly listening.
It annoyed Rose. First of all because Mae had been horrible to her since first year. And second of all because she didn't know Scorpius was going to be at school over half-term. 'He really doesn't tell me anything.' Was all Rose could think.
Phil and Anna were chattering away together, occasionally including Rose in the conversation, but she was distracted by the blond boy she called a friend. 'I guess we're only friends through Albus. Mutual acquaintances.' Annoyed thoughts ran through her mind.
She was briefly glaring at Mae, when Scorpius noticed her. Mae had one hand drooped on his shoulder as she babbled away, but as soon as he saw Rose across the hall, he suddenly sat up straight. Which coincidentally knocked Mae's hand off him and she stopped talking when she realised he was no longer listening.
Rose's ears turned red. She hated to be caught staring. So she instantly looked away and over engrossed herself in Phil and Anna's conversation. Scorpius sighed inwardly and was forced to return to Mae's constant gossip. The only reason he got along with her was because he just sat and listened and he was too polite to ignore her or tell her to shut up.
Scorpius managed to catch up with Rose after dinner. She was trying to make her way back to the empty class room which still had half a tray of biscuits left sitting on the windowsill but he had tapped her shoulder and gently pulled her aside to an empty corridor.
Rose waited for him to speak. But he didn't. It was irritating her.
"What?!" Rose let out in a frustrated burst.
"I didn't see you yesterday." He did not realise that she was in a mood with him.
"No, I was spending the day with Phil and Anna." Rose crossed her arms.
"Oh. And today?"
Rose couldn't help but feel proud when she said. "I managed to complete three essays, read half a book, visit Hagrid and eat a lot of biscuits." She remembered the tray of biscuits. "Speaking of…" she mumbled and walked away briefly forgetting Scorpius.
She found the empty classroom again and smiled when she saw that the tray was still there with her book. Scorpius followed her in and pulled up a chair while Rose sat on the table.
They sat there in silence again, happily eating biscuits when Rose remembered she was annoyed with Scorpius.
"So, I didn't know you were staying for half-term. Thanks for telling me." Rose's sarcasm seemed a bit bitter.
"I thought I did tell you."
"No, you didn't. You probably told Albus though, our only mutual friend."
"Mutual friend?"
"Well, that's the only reason you hang around with me right? Because we have a mutual friend of Albus. Otherwise we're just acquaintances."
"Acquaintances? You don't think of me as a friend?"
Rose shrugged and grabbed another biscuit. "I thought we were friends I also thought you thought we were friends, until today."
"What happened today?"
"Mae Blinston. She's been horrible to me since day one and yet you seem perfectly happy with her. And, of course, you didn't think me enough of a friend even to tell me that you were staying for half-term."
Scorpius considered this. "I thought I told you."
"But you didn't."
"Mae is in the same house as me, we see each other everyday. It's not like I can avoid her. And we get along as long as she's the one doing all the talking."
"Ah, talking. Something young Malfoy doesn't like to do."
"I'm talking to you right now."
"Only because you have to."
"No, only because I thought we were friends. We hang around enough just the two of us," he shrugged and took another biscuit, "I just assumed."
Roe sighed. He was right, when she thought about it, they were friends. It was just that she had seen him with Mae and it aggravated her. Of course there was no way that Rose was going to admit out loud that he was right and she was wrong. And there was no way that either of them were going to apologise for the misunderstanding. So they continued to eat biscuits and tried to forget the whole thing.
"Where did you get these?"
"I snuck down to the kitchens and a house elf gave me the whole tray. They're very nice down there. They just assume at least one Weasley or Potter will come down for some sort of food so apparently they make extra."
"I'm assuming since you let me change the subject, that we're ok?"
"Yeah." Rose smiled and she almost said 'But I need you to talk to me more, otherwise I just feel like a third wheel to you and Albus. I feel like you don't trust me and it feels like a one-sided friendship. But I'll do it anyway for Albus. And for you.' But she said nothing.
They sat there for a few hours in a comfortable silence, just reading their books. Rose had never had this with any other friends, but she enjoyed it. Sometimes when someone would talk to her, all she wanted to do is run off alone and read a book. But now she had a friend whom she could sit with and read without seeming too rude.
Scorpius was just glad he was in the company of Rose. And away from Mae, who he did't mind until she started her rude rant about Rose, then he couldn't stand to listen to her for one second longer. Of course he never defended Rose to Mae, at least not out loud. In his head he was screaming and arguing with Mae when she criticised his friend. But normally he just nodded and tried to get away.
Wednesday finally came. Albus and James were going to return later on in the evening, Rose figured that she probably wouldn't see them until the morning.
Rose and Scorpius sat together in the library. They were supposed to be writing a history essay but Rose was distracted. She was thinking about Anna and how she had a crush on Albus. After ten minutes Rose had only dipped her quill in ink and let it drip until dry on her otherwise blank page. Scorpius gently tapped her on the shoulder.
"Oh, sorry. You must think I'm really weird, just spacing out like that." Rose shook her head.
"No, it's normal to glare at a wall for ten minutes. What did it do to make you so mad?"
Rose shrugged and turned to look at her empty page.
Scorpius just watched her. A faint smile on his face.
"Ugh! Fine." Rose got annoyed at his staring and looked him dead in the eye. "Someone told me the other day that they had a serious crush on Albus, and it just weirded me out a little bit. And don't ask who."
"I won't."
"Thanks."
"I can guess."
Rose scowled but Scorpius continued.
"The only people you hang around with are me, your cousins and, most recently, the girls in your dormitory. I know I never told you this,"
"-You never tell me anything-." Rose mumbled but Scorpius had already continued talking and didn't respond.
"Your cousins certainly don't like him that way. And I know for a fact that one of the girls is at home for the half-term. But I shan't narrow it down any further than that."
Rose shrugged again.
"But that's not why you were distracted."
"It was a factor, but not the complete truth." Rose accepted that Scorpius knew her well. "We were playing 'truth or dare' and they were talking about-"
"If you are going to talk, I want you out!" Madam Prince startled both Scorpius and Rose by suddenly appearing at their desk.
Rose began to apologise but Madam Prince was having none of it. "You two are obviously in a chatty mood, so out with you. And I don't want to see you in here together for at least the rest of the day!"
Rose heard a chuckle behind Madam Prince. As she and Scorpius packed up their books and parchment, she looked over to see Molly laughing. Some guy was sat next to her also laughing. Lucy was only a few desks over and was glaring at her sister.
Rose flicked her wand while Madam Prince had turned to tell off some first years who had dropped a pile of books. Rose had used a biting jinx and made Molly's bag start nibbling it's owner's arm. This made the guy sitting next to Molly laugh even harder. Even Lucy let out a small smile and winked at Rose.
Rose couldn't see, as he was walking in front of her, but Scorpius was barely controlling his own grin. In fact, a few first years saw him grinning, and naturally they didn't know what at so they shot him weird looks.
Once they had made their way to the empty courtyard, Scorpius found them a bench without any bird poop on it.
"So, you were saying."
"We were playing 'truth or dare' and they were really getting into talking about serious crushes, dating and what their first kiss was like, with whom and how it compared to their other kisses. And all I could think was, 'we're 13! Do we really have to think about dating and a first kiss right now?'" Rose sighed. "I can't believe I actually admitted to two girls I've barely known for two years, and who I don't really hang around with, that I've-" Rose suddenly stopped short as she realised who she was talking to. She looked up and Scorpius was staring intently.
"Admitted…?" He edged her on
"I shouldn't be telling you this either. I guess I just miss Albus. Plus Lily isn't at Hogwarts yet, she's probably the only one of my cousins I trust with secrets."
"Albus is the first person I've ever trusted with anything."
Rose smiled. "He's a good guy. You know, it's probably not healthy, we should probably have more than one person we can trust completely."
Scorpius shrugged. "You can trust me."
"I've never been kissed!" Rose suddenly blurted out without thinking. Her ears turned a bright shade of red and couldn't look at Scorpius. "Oops." She stood to start pacing. "Well, I mean, it's not like it's a big deal or anything! I'm only 13. But Anna was saying that, when she was in her first year, she thought 'Hey, I'm only in my first year, I'll have my first kiss later.' But then she heard these stories from her sister, about how some people who thought the same way, don't end up having their first kiss until they're in their late 20s! And that got me worried, probably about nothing."
"Rose," Scorpius spoke calmly as he pulled her back to sit down next to him. "You have no need to worry, I'm sure the majority of people in our year haven't been kissed yet."
"Yeah, like who?" she huffed
"If it helps, I haven't. But you're right, we're only 13, well I'm still 12, we don't need to worry about it yet."
"Unless, of course, you want your first kiss to be with someone you trust."
"I like Albus but not enough to kiss him." Scorpius said dryly
Rose laughed, welcoming the comedic relief.
"Thanks for listening. But when Anna and Phil heard," Rose groaned and went on a rant again. "They made it seem like such a big deal! Phil just looked at me with pity and was like 'oh don't worry Rose you'll have it soon.' Meanwhile Anna couldn't stop laughing! I mean, do you ever think who your first kiss will be with? I mean, you want it to be someone who, a few years later, you won't be embarrassed about admitting that they were your first kiss. But then, I guess, do you have to a boyfriend first? I don't know. I really don't know what to do or what not to do, either. And what if your fist kiss is awful! You won't know if it's you or the other person, and just incase it's you who is terrible, you wont want to kiss anyone ever again, just in case-"
Scorpius put his hand on the back of Rose's neck and drew her in closer. She found herself kissing Scorpius Malfoy. Her eyes were wide in shock at first, but then, as the kiss went on, she found herself enjoying it and she closed her eyes to focus on him.
Scorpius suddenly scooted back on the bench. He couldn't look at her. He began to stutter. "I'm- that was- I'm so sorry- I shouldn't have- I mean if anyone saw- I didn't ask, or warn- it was just that you- you- um." He gave a shaky sigh and forced himself to look at Rose. "Sorry." He blurted out and began to walk away.
Rose grabbed his hand as he tried to leave. Her grip was too strong so he stopped. Scorpius did not turn around to look at Rose.
"I'm glad it was you." Rose whispered.
Scorpius turned to look at her.
"You're a good friend of mine and I'm glad my first kiss was with someone I know is trustworthy enough not to go around blabbing to everyone."
"Rose- I'm- I'm really sorry. You should have had the choice. You're amazing enough to have chosen anyone you wanted for your first kiss, and I just took that away from you."
"I couldn't have chosen any better than you." Rose leaned in and kissed him again. Rose smiled, "I think it's almost dinner time and I need to put my bag in my dorm. So I won't see you until tomorrow."
"Albus will be back after dinner."
"Good. We both miss him too much. But don't tell him that! He'll get cocky and won't let it go for ages."
Scorpius smirked. "I won't tell him anything."
Rose knew he was referring to their kiss too.
"Thanks." Rose gave him a friendly pat on the shoulder and went off to put her bag away. Leaving Scorpius to stare after her.
The next day Albus sat with Rose and Scorpius at the Gryffindor table for breakfast. They spent the next few days of half-term with him to entertain them. Rose and Scorpius pretended as if nothing happened. It would be years before either of them ever mentioned their first kiss.
BEGINNING OF JUNE
Albus was laying lazily in the sun by the lake. Meanwhile Rose and Scorpius were sitting and revising for their charms exam which was only three weeks away.
"Why can't you two relax for just one moment." Molly Weasley suddenly appeared towering over her cousins. She was in her sixth year and the daughter of Rose and Albus' uncle Percy. "Take a note from Albus and relax a little before exams."
"Easy for you to say, you've finished your O. last year and your N.E. aren't until next year!" Rose was stressed, she didn't look up from her notes to talk to her cousin.
"Hey, I'd like to say my exams count for a little more than any second year exams." Molly answered back.
"Molly!" A small voice nudged her.
"Oh calm down Merlin, she knows I don't mean it. We were all just as stressed for exams every year." Molly brushed him off.
"Except for your cousin and his friend."
Molly laughed. "I don't think James and Lorcan care about anything other than revenge on Peeves."
Rose finally looked up to see that Merlin Jordan, Lee Jordan's son, was lazily draping his arm around Molly's shoulders.
"Hi." Rose finally stood. Merlin let go of Molly to shake Rose's hand. "The name is Rose."
"Nice to finally meet you. I'm Merlin." Merlin smiled.
Rose chuckled at his name. "Merlin?"
"Yeah, my dad has a great sense of humour." he said dryly. Then smiled at Rose to make sure she knew he was joking.
Albus then introduced himself. Scorpius sat reading his textbook, feeling as though he shouldn't join in a family introduction. But Molly was so friendly, she had other plans.
"And this is Scorpius Malfoy." Molly spoke loudly and Scorpius looked up. She grinned at him
"Malfoy?" Jordan looked apprehensively at Scorpius. Merlin protectively wrapped one arm around Molly's waist.
"Oh, he's harmless." Molly chuckled. "If he's a good enough friend for Albus, he's good enough for the rest of us. And pretty much the whole family has agreed that we like him."
This made Scorpius give a small smile.
"Ok, well we've got to go." Molly announced as she ruffled Albus' hair and gave Rose a quick side hug. "I've got to introduce my boyfriend to all the cousins."
"All?" Albus looked sceptical.
"Yeah, I figure I might as well get all the cousins to like him before the protective parents and uncles and aunts and grandparents meet him."
"I think you're underestimating how protective the cousins can be. You never know, the parents might be nicer." Rose smirked.
Merlin look momentarily alarmed before he realised Rose's smile.
"Don't worry, she won't bite. Unless you hurt our Molly, and then it's hell on earth." Albus smiled too sweetly.
"Doesn't bite?!" Molly scoffed. "She bloody jinxed by bag to start biting me the other day in the library!"
Albus suddenly sat up straighter and looked confused at Rose, she had yet to tell him this. Albus saw Scorpius stifle a smile. Albus rolled his eyes.
"And I saw her" Molly continued, "make some Slytherin girls grow horns!"
"Oh, wow, that was you?!" Merlin's excitement was uncontrollable. "I heard about that! But I didn't realise it was Molly's second year cousin. I guess, since the bag biting thing, I should've put the two together."
Molly laughed and dragged Merlin off to meet Dominique. Dominique was a year older then Rose and Albus, (same year as James) she was the younger sister of Victoire, and the older sister of Louis who was yet to come up to Hogwarts and the daughter of Bill and Fleur Weasley. Dominique was also the only Weasley to be in Hufflepuff so far.
"Oi! Dominique! There's someone I want you to meet!" Was all the trio could hear from Molly as they sat back down to continue revision. Or, in Albus' case, continue doing nothing.
TRAIN BACK TO PLATFORM 9 3/4
Scorpius found an empty compartment and waited for Rose and Albus to turn up. They were trying to help James, who was attempting to catch and lock away a rogue bludger, who was given the task of putting away the quidditch equipment as a last minute detention from the games teacher, Professor Stockett, because he had pulled a last minute prank. James had bewitched the bludger to follow around and hover, just out of reach, his ex-girlfriend, Lucile Pond and her Ravenclaw boyfriend for two days straight.
"All alone, hey? I knew it. I knew your little Gryffindor & Potter were just tag alongs." Lloyd Parkinson burst into the compartment.
"Get lost Parkinson."
"Oh come now. we can't be falling out, can we?" Lloyd moved further into the compartment and slid the door shut. "I mean, we've practically been brothers-" Scorpius scowled and Lloyd corrected himself with a sly grin. "Cousins then. We've practically been cousins all our life. Plus, there's another Malfoy and Parkinson family holiday coming up. Don't let us fall out now."
"Get lost Parkinson." Scorpius repeated in the same monotone voice.
"Why can't I sit with you? The other Slytherins aren't nearly as entertaining." Scorpius did not react. "Come, indulge me. Tell me about your little tag alongs." He sighed and leaned against the door. "The Potter boy. I can kind of forgive you for that, I guess he was in your year, your house and all of your classes. Unavoidable really, in your first year. However, this year you had me to talk to." Again Scorpius did not react. "Maybe it was my fault," Lloyd speculated without sounding sincere. "Maybe I was ignoring you. Yes, I'll give you the benefit of the doubt."
Knowing what, or rather whom, Parkinson was going to talk about next, Scorpius decided to politely tell to get lost a third time. This time was said through gritted teeth. Parkinson did not comply.
"Now that Weasel girl-"
"Weasley."
"A Gryffindor as well! Tut tut. Now what would your father say?! Come to think of it, what would her father think of it. Now, now. This acquaintance will not do."
"GET LOST PARKINSON!" Scorpius raised his voice for the first time in a long time.
The last time he was this angry would have been last year when he got a howler from his grandfather. The letter screamed about this subject exactly. His friendship with a Weasley.
Scorpius had not realised that he was now standing, with his fists clenched at his sides. He may have shouted, but it was through gritted teeth- almost hissing at the annoying first year.
"What did I say about us falling out?" Lloyd answered "don't want to fight now do we?" Scorpius was still seething. "Or do you? Alright." Lloyd straightened up a bit. "Come over here and force me to leave."
The two boys stared hard at each other, both, quietly, breathing heavily. One because he was angry, the other because he was scared but wished not to show it. Scorpius was taller than Lloyd, but Lloyd was larger. As kids they had sometimes play fought if they were frustrated at not being allowed to go on the broomsticks as they were too little. But once they were older, they took out their frustration in a game of quidditch. Scorpius always won, no matter what they were playing.
Scorpius calmed himself, unclenched his fists and sat down again. This change was brought about as he saw Rose and Albus walking towards the train through the window behind him.
"No need to fight. I'm sure we will get along famously during our three days in Belgium." He bitterly retorted. "Now off you go, spend time with people your own age." He gave him a careless 'shoo' wave as he turned to open his book.
Lloyd would not accept this, he would not allow Scorpius the satisfaction of winning again, so he sat down on the seat nearest to the door.
"Do you not enjoy my company?"
"Not right at this moment, no. I guess I can tolerate you, when you are the only other person around my age and my mother is there to keep you in check. However, now I am saving this compartment for my friends, who will be here in just a minute." Scorpius was annoyingly calm and said this without any bitterness or sympathy in his voice.
"You class them as friends?" Lloyd was disgusted and stood up which forced Scorpius to look at him.
They both neglected to notice that Rose and Albus were now standing outside the compartment, listening in.
"Yes, I do. More so than you, and I've known you you're entire life." He stood up so that he could look down at Lloyd. "Now run along to your little friends."
And Lloyd left in a huff, but not without sending a rude gesture to Rose and Albus on his way out.
The trio sat in silence for a while, allowing Scorpius to cool off.
"I guess we truly are friends." Rose gently nudged him.
Scorpius gave a weak smile to Rose and Albus, who returned it with big grins.
They didn't mention Lloyd again.
"So my family are going to the beach again, just for a day. August 20th, different beach though, this year we're going to sunny hunny! Wanna come again?"
Scorpius's face questioned them.
"Hunstanton." Rose answered. "It's called sunny hunny by local muggles." She turned to Albus, "I'll ask mum when I get home. I know that we are going to be spending most of our holidays at my muggle grandparents house."
A small look of despair crossed her face but she quickly hid it by jumping up and making an excuse to go to the bathroom.
Scorpius leaned in so that he and Albus' faces were very close. He half whispered, "What was that?"
Knowing that Albus had also noticed Rose' face when talking about her grandparents.
"I know she is pretty close to them. She, uncle Ron and Hugo love going to a muggle house and they go every year! But usually only for a week, that changed last year when she spent most of their summer with them."
"Something is up. I wonder could you ask your dad when you get home? He might know wh-" Scorpius was interrupted by the sudden appearance of a Ravenclaw girl from their charms class, Robin Stirling and the Hufflepuff boy from their potions class, Finley Norwood.
"Oh!" Robin squealed, she then looked at Finley and they both giggled. "There are people in here."
A very confused Albus spoke up after a few seconds of awkward silence. "Can we help?"
"No, sorry. We were looking for somewhere to hide." Finley answered, "Robin's big sister, Maggie, is upset because she doesn't think she has done very well in her O. ."
Ordinary Wizarding Levels are subject-specific tests taken during fifth year. The score made by a student on a particular O.W.L. determines whether or not he or she will be allowed to continue taking that subject at N.E.W.T level the next year.
"Plus, James and Lorcan aren't helping. He's playing pranks on the Slytherins in the compartment next to ours and Maggie's. She's a prefect and is a mix of anger and 'wanting to burst out crying'."
"Not a fun mood." Scorpius concluded uninterested from the corner, not taking his eyes from his book.
Robin and Finley looked at him apprehensively, then asked a sympathetic looking Albus if they could sit with them until Maggie calmed down.
"Sure."
"Wait, no." Scorpius finally looked up in slight alarm. "What about Rose? There won't be much room-"
"Don't worry Malfoy," Finley interrupted. "Me and Rose are friends! It'll be fine, besides we'll go and find Robin's twin in a bit."
And so they sat in an awkward silence. Scorpius frowning at the two imposters, Albus weakly smiled and kept on opening his mouth trying to start a conversation, all the while looking like a fish. Finley didn't seem to notice as he was happily looking out the window at the rolling hills but Robin did.
Rose had been gone a long time. She was in the bathroom, crying. She hated crying. Every now and then there would be a small knock on the door, obviously people not sure if the toilet was occupied or not, but she ignored it and they eventually left.
She looked herself in the mirror. "Come on Rose, pull yourself together." She whispered to herself as she dried her tears and began to wash her face. It didn't work, she began to cry again.
There was a knock. She ignored it.
They knocked again.
"Rose, are you in there?" A small voice called out.
Shocked, Rose stopped crying and began to splash her face again. Visions of a long queue waiting for the bathroom while she was in there pathetically crying, and a prefect having to be fetched just the get the line moving, popped up in her head. She frantically began drying her face and answered in a more wobbly voice than she had hoped.
"Just a sec!"
She unlocked the door, intending to cover her puffy face and run out. But she ran straight into someone and landed on the floor.
"Rose? Are you ok?" It was Albus. She breathed a sigh of relief. Her best friend, she could trust him not to judge or go blabbing.
She looked behind her to see how silly she was, there was no queue of angry students.
"I'm fine." She lied as Albus helped to to stand. With his arm still around her, he lead to a quiet part of the corridor, near the exit doors.
"Tell me Rose, what's wrong?" He grabbed her shoulders and looked straight into her eyes. She stared back.
"My grandparents." She sighed, there was no way to hide this from him. "My grandmother is dying and my grandfather fell down the stairs last summer, he can't walk anymore."
The cousins embraced, unaware that Scorpius was now listening in as he did not want to intrude.
"Why didn't you tell us? We could've comforted you!" He sighed and understanding dawned "And this is why you've been short tempered all year. Well, more so than usual." This made Rose give a small chuckle before she began crying again on his shoulder.
"Oh Albus," Rose whimpered. "You're one of the only people I can completely trust. I hope Hugo will open up to Lilly, I think it's hurting him more than its hurting me."
Scorpius was wounded. Did she not trust him as much as she trusted Albus? Sure, they were cousins and had known each other their entire lives, but his blind frustration led him to ignore that obvious fact as he stormed back to their compartment. Where, hopefully, Finely and Robin had left.
LETTERS OVER THE HOLIDAYS
Rose and Albus wrote to each other, and Scorpius almost everyday. However there was no reply from Scorpius. He was still annoyed at what he had overheard Rose say to Albus. That Albus was the only person she could trust.
Bitter thoughts ran through the young boys mind. 'Was he not worth her trust? Was it because he was a Malfoy that she did not completely trust him? Did they secretly hate him, did they wonder why he was following them all the time? Was that why Rose had been so short tempered all year? Because he would not leave them alone.'
WEEK 2 OF THE HOLIDAYS. AFTER SCORPIUS' HOLIDAY TO FRANCE.
Scorpius,
Hey! How's it going? How was your holiday in France?
Just a reminder, my family and I are going to Hunstanton for the August 20th. Just confirming if you are could floo to our house, then we will get a muggle public transport to the beach!
You haven't answered any of my letters, but I guess you must have been busy.
See you soon! Hopefully.
Albus
WEEK 3 OF THE HOLIDAYS. SCORPIUS STILL AT HOME.
Scorpius
Hi. Are you ok? Now I'm worried that I've mixed up the dates and you were actually in France last week as I sent my previous letter to you last Wednesday. And have had no reply.
I need a reply as to whether or not you are coming to the beach with my family.
Please come, Lily is driving me mad and I don't think I can stand another whole day without any escape.
Albus
Albus
I'm still at my grandparents' house. My grandfather seems to be his old self, although grandmother is getting weaker, she who me and Hugo are the other day.
Mum said it will be fine for me to go to the beach with you guys, just for a day. I'll come via floo. Hugo might come as he misses Lily, so at least they will leave us alone.
Is Scorpius coming? Have you heard from him? He hasn't written to me at all this summer, I know he may be on holiday, but I thought France was only for a week and Belgium is in two weeks time, but only for three days!
Rose
WEEK 4 OF THE HOLIDAYS. SCORPIUS STILL AT HOME.
Scorpius
Answer us! What is going on?
You specifically told us that this week and next week you are free, then you go to Belgium for three days, then you are free again.
We are worried about you.
Rose said she hasn't heard anything from you either.
Albus.
Scorpius sat at his desk, a pile of opened, but unanswered, letters in front of him. Four weeks had gone past and he had refused to answer his so called 'friends'. He looked at the picture they had given him last year for Christmas. They looked so happy, as if their friendship would never end. To his annoyance, Scorpius saw again that Rose had her arm around him and they shared an intimate look. He shook his head to wake up, Scorpius was ashamed that he kept on imagining the look in Rose's eyes.
It wasn't Albus he was mad at, he could see that now. He had just been jealous of the bond that he had with Rose and so he was giving him the silent treatment. Albus had said nothing about Rose going to the beach with them, so Scorpius figured that she might not be coming.
For the first time during the holidays, Scorpius combed his hair. A sign to himself that he was going to pull himself together, get over himself and write back. To Albus. Not Rose, he was sure their friendship was over.
"Scorpius!" His mother called from the hallway. She did not sound too happy. "Young man you have some explaining to do!"
Scorpius ran out of his room and along the larger corridor. Only to realise that his mother was on the second floor, not the third, which he was on. He rolled his eyes and plodded down the stairs in a huff. She often would go to the top of the stairs on the third floor, call him, then return to where she was on the second or ground floor. This would trick him into thinking she was just around the corner and so he go to her quicker.
"Scorpius!" Astoria Malfoy looked up from the ever present piece of parchment which held lists of chores, meetings, appointments and reminders, then snapped as she saw her son sulking down the stairs. "Pull yourself together! You should be a proud young man, like your father. Now stand up straight." She said in a business like manner and Scorpius obeyed immediately. "Now," she stood in front of him, "I have had a letter from a Miss Weasley."
Scorpius turned pink, his eyes bulged and his shoulder drooped. They were in the sitting room along with his grandfather, Lucious Malfoy, who had heard the name Weasley and was outraged.
"A WEASLEY! How DARE they contact us? Why, we ought to go out and teach them a lesson! Filthy family! THAT ARTHUR WEASLEY made my life a living HELL when I worked at the Ministry! They take for granted that their children have jobs! Why if only I had the instinct, twenty years ago, just to-"
"Sir," Astoria interrupted her father in law politely, although through gritted teeth. "May I remind you," she was now beginning to sound more patronising. "That your grandson is indeed friends with Miss Weasley and a Mr Potter. He does not hold the same prejudices as you," she let slip some of her anger and she concluded, "and quite frankly I'm proud of him."
She took hold of Scorpius's arm and led him out of the sitting room and into the small dining room which the used daily, but was now empty.
"Scorpius, this Weasley is worried about you. She said that you have not been answering any letters from her or Potter. Has there been an incident? Are you no longer friends?" Her eyes pierced his, he would not be able to lie.
"No, it's, it's just, that." He sighed heavily. "I haven't been answering their letters. It's not Albus, it's Rose. I see that now. She never really trusted me and I feel like our friendship is just a nuisance to her. I feel like she wants to be with Albus, I mean they're cousins and have been best friends for their entire lives, but I'm in the way and so she just tolerates me."
The young man was disheartened now that he had got it all out and admitted to himself how he really felt. "I feel like an idiot, thinking that we were actually friends." He then went on to explain what he had over heard on the train, as he sat across from his mother at the table.
"My dear, do you think that possibly she meant you as well?"
"Huh?"
"She said Albus was one of the only people she could trust. Is it possible she meant you as well? I mean, you said yourself, that when you returned to the compartment, those two other students were still there. Weasley probably didn't have a chance to speak to you. Plus, you and I both know that at once you are in a mood, it is very hard to communicate with you."
Scorpius, of course, knew that his mother was right. He hated that. So he stormed off to his bedroom, ignoring the continued cries of outrage from his grandfather, and set out to write back to Albus.
Albus
I'm sorry for not answering any of your letters. I was mistaken and have believed, for quite some time now, that you, Rose and myself were not true friends and therefore I saw no point in replying. I apologise. I found that not writing back just made my foul mood even worse.
To answer your question, yes. I would love to join you and your family at, sunny unny (as I believe you called it). But that is only if you are still willing to have me. I understand if not as I have not been completely loyal.
I would appreciate a reply. However, regarding my behaviour towards you and Rose, I am not expecting one. If you do not reply, I will assume not to floo to your house on the 20th?
Scorpius
Scorpius
Do you know how annoyingly pompous and wimpy you sounded in that letter? I mean, seriously, it's just not like you! Never mind. I hope you will be back to your normal self by next week! See you then.
Please reply to Rose. She won't stop asking me if I've heard from you. It's getting annoying. Every letter begins with a paragraph of different scenarios, dangers or predicaments you may have gotten yourself into that has prevented you from answering us.
Albus
P.s. It's called sunny Hunny! Not unny. It's actual name is HUNSTANTON. With an H. See? With an H.
Rose
I'm sorry for not replying. I have been doing exactly what you told me not to do. I doubted our friendship. I'm sorry. I didn't have a chance to ask whether you were ok, as you seemed upset on the train when you mention your grandparents, because I was in such a bad mood. I hope your family is well, and I hope to see you at the beach with the Potters.
Scorpius
Before sending his letter to Rose, he ran to fetch his wizard camera. On it he had pictures saved of each of the trio. James had taken them while they were sitting on the floor outside the Gryffindor common room, which was where they often sat on Friday and Saturday evenings before curfew.
Each photo seemed to reflect each of the trio perfectly. One of Albus trying to catch a chocolate frog, once caught he looked at the card, only to realise it was his father, 'I've got loads of these' the photographed Albus mouthed.
One of Rose reading her book, sitting cross legged and her back against the wall, she looks up to see the photo being taken, then rolls her eyes and gives a small smile.
And the final one was of Scorpius, looking like his normal straight faced self until suddenly Rose and Albus enter the picture from either side of him, they all smile, and Albus waves, into the camera before it restarts to a impassive and unfeeling Scorpius, alone.
Scorpius called out for their house elf, Petit, who flashed into his room instantly.
"You called master Scorpius?" She squeaked.
"Yes, would you please have these photos developed. Three copies of each one." The house elf beamed at his kindness, especially compared to his grandparents or father, and was gone with the camera with a click.
Scorpius, despite finding Petit useful, didn't like the fact that they owned a house elf. He knew that his mother also felt uncomfortable owning an intelligent being and forcing them into slavery, as a result, Scorpius and his mother were quite kind to Petit. The only reason they hadn't freed her was simply because she was a gift from Scorpius's grandparents and new it would offend them.
Scorpius vowed to himself that the day his grandparents died, was the day he would free Petit. That or the day he moved out, however he wasn't completely sure if he could get away with freeing the house elf before his grandparents were dead.
It was soon time for dinner, and still no photos from Petit. The Malfoy's sat in almost complete silence in the small dining room on the ground floor.
"We never used this room." Narcissa Malfoy mumbled. "We always used the large dining room on a day to day basis."
Scorpius and Draco looked up to see Astoria restraining herself from replying angrily to such a snide comment.
Draco answered for her. "We find that this gives a more family feel to meal times. We believe our son deserves that much."
And that was it. No one said anything else for the entire meal, then all went about their business around the manor.
Scorpius vowed that he would never have his parents living with him when he had his own family. He would find his own home, away from Malfoy manor. It often scared him, the emptiness and darkness of it all. But he still waned to live close enough for the occasional visit. He didn't hate them, it was just that he saw how difficult his grandparents could be.
Eventually Petit jumped into the third floor library, where Scorpius was. There were only three rooms on the third floor; his room, the bathroom and a very large library. The second and ground floors were split into east and west wings with the stairs in the middle.
"Here are the photographs master Scorpius. I'm sorry it took so long." She squeaked and started to shake, tears coming. "Mr Malfoy was angry that Petit was out and almost late to make dinner," she was referring to his grandfather. "Petit had to burn her hand on the frying pan twice!"
"Petit! No need to do that!" Scorpius sympathised with the house elf. "It was my fault, sorry. Go and take care of your hand." And off she went, but not until after she had stopped crying and beamed up at Scorpius.
He ran to his room and placed three of the photographs in frames and the others he stuck into two pocket sized books. Placing the books in his Hogwarts trunk, so not to forget to bring them with him and the frames on the shelf next to his photo that Rose and Albus had given him last year.
He sent his letter to Rose as his owl, Vincent, had returned. Scorpius decided that he would save the photo albums for birthday presents, as Rose's birthday was in October and Albus' in November.
AT THE BEACH
Scorpius arrived at the Potter's house at 9:30am precisely, Hugo and Lily were in the living room as he arrived. They said a quick hello and ran off to find Albus.
"Scorpius! Thanks for coming. I know I complain about my siblings, but James is away and Lily has Hugo, so I'd be kind of alone. I mean Lily and Hugo are really close."
"Like you and Rose. You know, Lily probably feels the same way when Rose is here." Harry said as he passed by the open door and into the kitchen carrying a large pile of dry folded clothes and after briefly greeting his son's friend.
"Oh, that reminds me, Rose isn't coming. She said something about her grandmother but, Hugo is here so, it can't be too bad. What did you say to her?"
"What do you mean?"
"Well, we talked over the phone, it's a muggle communication device, and she didn't sound that great. But she did mention that you had written to her."
Scorpius was at loss for words, he had no idea what he done wrong. Then again, he had ignored his friends for a few weeks, Albus was over it but Rose always reacted differently to her calm cousin. He would write to her again when he got home, check up on her. Well, she did write to his mother. And that was before he answered Albus or Rose! No, she wasn't upset about the lack of response from him. It had to be something else.
Scorpius managed to put it out of his mind and have a good day with the Potters. He got to know Lily and Hugo, who would be coming up to Hogwarts in the coming year, and heard many stories from Mr Potter about his job as an auror at the ministry.
They went by muggle train and then by muggle bus. It was one of those few days in an English summer when it was sunny all day, and then rained as they were leaving. But overall it was a good day. Compared to last time they went to the beach, Harry and Ginny Potter seemed more at ease with Scorpius. This may have been because they were getting to know the boy for who he was, Albus's friend, rather than just the 'Malfoy boy'.
Scorpius wrote to Rose, but was given no reply. They did not communicate for the rest of the summer.