Disclaimer - I don't own Harry Potter.
The next morning, Rose dragged herself out of bed, the remnants of shame and a pounding hangover clinging to her like a stubborn boggart. Between her disastrous Firewhisky-fueled antics and Scorpius Malfoy's relentless owls, sleep had been nothing more than a fleeting dream. Without so much as a slice of toast, she bolted to work, silently reciting her mantra for the day: Avoid your boss. And for Merlin's sake, never trust Pippin with your mail again.
When she reached her desk, something caught her bleary eye: a small bottle of Noggin Numbness Neutralizer resting smugly on her table. Underneath it was a folded parchment, unmistakably from her boss. She unfolded it with trepidation.
My favorite employee,
I suspect you had a long night—and not in the productive sense. I may not be Trelawney, but I foresee you needing this.
Stay fresh,
Your favorite boss (or your Perfect Boss)
Rose snorted despite herself. The man was incorrigible, but at least he was thoughtful about it.
Before she could take a single sip of the potion, Scorpius Malfoy appeared out of nowhere like a smug poltergeist, dropping a steaming mug of coffee onto her desk.
"For the love of Merlin!" Rose jumped, nearly knocking the coffee over. "Can't you warn me before you materialize out of thin air like that?"
"Where's the fun in that?" Scorpius grinned, sliding into the chair opposite hers. "Besides, it's a shame I don't have a signature scent like your former boss. It'd give you some advance notice."
"Please don't remind me," Rose muttered, eyeing the coffee suspiciously. "And what's this? The great Scorpius Malfoy, heir to the Malfoy empire, reduced to coffee delivery? To his employees? Should I curtsy or something?"
"Go ahead, it'd brighten my morning," Scorpius teased. "But I brought it because I knew you'd be too hungover and too stubborn to leave your desk. And I know that you'd do your best to avoid your charming boss today. Plus, after the epic novel you sent me last night via owl, I figured caffeine was the least I could offer."
"Oh, you mean the endless harassment you inflicted on me with your perfect owl, Nimbus, while my traitorous Pippin tried to deliver my letters to the wrong address?" Rose shot back, folding her arms.
Scorpius smirked. "Ah yes, your letter. You know, they were quite entertaining. The insults were creative, but the spelling was... ambitious. Did Pippin help you write them, or was that the Firewhisky's doing?"
Rose glared at him. "Excuse me, Mr. My-Handwriting-Is-A-National-Treasure, but some of us didn't grow up with house-elves correcting our penmanship."
"Touché," Scorpius conceded, raising his mug in mock salute. "But in fairness, I think you called me a 'gel-addicted ferret with delusions of grandeur.' Poetic, really."
"Merlin's beard," Rose groaned, burying her face in her hands. "Please tell me I didn't actually send that."
"Oh, you did," Scorpius said cheerfully, leaning back in his chair. "I've read it seven times now. Thinking of framing it, actually. It's not every day someone compares me to a ferret and almost gets away with it."
"Almost?" Rose asked skeptically, peeking at him through her fingers.
"Well, I'm still here, aren't I? And as far as I can tell, you haven't tried to hex me yet today."
"Yet," Rose muttered darkly, though the corners of her mouth betrayed a twitch of amusement.
Scorpius leaned forward, his smirk widening. "You know, Roe, you can admit it. You'd miss me if I stopped showing up."
"In your dreams, Malfoy," Rose retorted, rolling her eyes. "Now take your coffee and leave me alone. Some of us actually work for a living."
"But where's the fun in that?" Scorpius said, feigning mock hurt. "Speaking of fun, what about dinner tonight? We'll call it a date. You know, to celebrate your eloquence in last night's correspondence."
"Not this again," Rose groaned. "My answer's still the same: No."
Scorpius sighed dramatically, clutching his chest. "How long am I supposed to wait, Rose? A year? Ten years? Forever? Because I'll do it."
"Forever sounds perfect," Rose said sweetly. "In fact, let's pencil that in right now."
"You're impossible," Scorpius said, shaking his head but smiling.
"And you're insufferable," Rose shot back.
"And you love it," he replied with a wink.
"Excuse me?" Rose choked on her coffee. "I love what, exactly? Your overinflated ego? Or the way you haunt my office like some lovesick ghost?"
"Both, obviously," Scorpius said, grinning as he stood and sauntered toward the door.
"Would you ever give up?" Rose called after him, half-exasperated, half-amused.
Scorpius turned, his grin impossibly wider. "Never. But, Roe, I do hope you're FINE for the seventh time, after six fines in your letter."
And with that, he left, leaving Rose shaking her head, muttering to herself, and—though she'd never admit it—smiling just a little.
It was one of those brisk, sunny weekends when Rose found herself trudging to Uncle Harry's house for yet another one of their legendary family gatherings. The Potters and Weasleys were in full force, their chatter filling the house louder than the Crackling Cauldron pub on a Friday night. Rose barely had time to hang up her coat before the floodgates of conversation burst open. James's upcoming marriage to Alice Longbottom, Lily's rumored secret relationship, Albus's mysterious crush, and, of course, Rose's perpetual 'single status' were the hot topics du jour.
"Honestly, James," Ginny said, beaming at her eldest son, "You and Alice are just the perfect match. It's like a fairy tale coming to life."
"Yeah, if that fairy tale includes Alice hexing him into a swamp for forgetting their anniversary last year," Albus chimed in, dodging a playful swat from James.
"You're just jealous because no one's heard about your fairy tale yet," Lily teased, grinning widely. "I'm sure you'll find a lucky witch to bring as a plus one to James's wedding."
"I already have a plus one, Lily," Al said, raising an eyebrow.
"Yeah, always one in your hand," Lily shot back, rolling her eyes. "Who's the lucky girl this time, then?"
Rose smirked. "Hope it's not Chloé Moreau. Honestly, Al, haven't you learned your lesson after she dumped you once?"
Al scowled. "It was Scorpius, wasn't it? That traitor. I swear, he spills everything in front of you, even though he promised not to."
"Scorpius barely remembers anything when Rose is around," Lily mocked, laughing.
"So, Al, is it Moreau?" Rose asked teasingly.
"No, not Moreau," Albus replied, looking mildly exasperated. "It's Holly Goldwyn."
"Woah," Rose said, suddenly perking up. "She's a nice girl. Ravenclaw, right?"
Albus grinned. "Yep, and Scorpius set us up, actually. He told me I needed to settle down with a woman who actually makes sense."
"Well, that's an idea," Harry chimed in, amused. "And I wonder who's going to settle down with a no-sense Weasley girl like this one."
"Dad!" Lily protested. "You know I'm seeing Xander Diggory, and he's perfectly fine."
Harry shrugged. "Really? I thought it was Nate Finnigun."
"It was last week, Dad," Lily explained, earning an exasperated sigh from Harry.
"Why, it's not my fault I have admirers," Lily continued, flashing a smug grin. "It's not like I can help inheriting Mum's looks and your mysterious aura."
"Well, then I'll say we're proud of you, Lily," Harry said, his voice full of affection.
"Though, you've been awfully cagey about your relationships lately," Harry added, raising an eyebrow.
"Dad," Lily groaned.
"Merlin, someone hex her with humility," Hugo interjected, grinning.
"Yes, Hugo, I'll take that under advisement," Lily said, sticking her tongue out at him.
"So, Hugo, how is Samantha?" Ginny asked.
"She's good, little bit of busy at the Ministry," Hugo said casually.
Then, predictably, the conversation turned to Rose. Ron leaned back in his chair with a look that screamed, finally, my moment. "And what about you, Rosie?" he asked, the corner of his mouth twitching upward. "Still enjoying your free spirit, or have you finally decided to settle down before you turn into Aunt Muriel, lecturing kids about Goblin rebellions at every party?"
"Wow, Dad, what a glowing endorsement for my future," Rose deadpanned, stabbing at her mashed potatoes with exaggerated care.
"Come on, Rose," Hermione chimed in, ever the diplomat. "You're smart, accomplished, and beautiful. It wouldn't hurt to… you know, put yourself out there."
"Oh, I'm out there, all right," Rose replied with mock seriousness. "Just the other day, I smiled at the clerk at Flourish and Blotts. That's progress, right?"
"Speaking of progress," Harry said, clearing his throat in that overly casual way that immediately set Rose on edge. "Ron and I were talking, and we thought you might like to meet someone."
Rose froze mid-chew, her fork hovering in the air. "Oh, this should be good. Who's the unlucky victim this time?"
"No, Rose, you can't dodge this like last time," Harry said, shaking his head with a mock-serious look.
"Carl Shacklebolt was a decent boy, but it's not nice the way you dumped him without so much as a note, especially when he was waiting for you in that café like an idiot for hours."
Rose sputtered. "Come on, Uncle Harry, it's not my fault! I sent him my owl beforehand—Pippin's just too clumsy and got lost."
Lily scoffed, recalling the latest clumsy Pippin escapade, but wisely chose to stay silent.
"This boy is amazing," Ron interrupted, ignoring the others. "A dedicated Auror under us, tall, handsome, good with a wand. You'd like him. Oh, and he's a die-hard Chudley Cannons fan. Former Gryffindor, too."
"And his name," Harry said dramatically, "is Gareth Orion Fireheart."
"Because, you know, nothing screams romance like a Ministry file," Rose quipped. "Tell me, does he come with a pre-approved marriage contract and a list of hobbies that align with the Weasley family values?"
"Don't be so dramatic," Hermione sighed. "He's a decent man. Even Lily thinks so."
"Decent?" Rose deadpanned, glaring at Lily. "Wow, you're really selling it."
Lily smirked. "He's interesting, at least. And, unlike some people, he doesn't look like he's still trying to figure out which end of a broomstick to hold."
"Careful, Lily," Hugo interjected, raising his fork in warning. "Some people might think you're talking about Scorpius Malfoy."
"What about Scorpius Malfoy?" Ron asked, suddenly glaring at his son.
"Oh, nothing," Hugo grinned. "Just that he's been, you know, fancying Rose since forever?"
"Hugo!" Rose and Ron both yelled in perfect harmony.
"No way," Ron scowled. "He's a bloody pureblood."
"Sam's a pureblood too, Dad," Hugo said with a knowing look.
"It's different," Ron muttered, trying to justify.
The room collectively groaned, and Rose threw her head back in exasperation. "Merlin, not this again."
"Yes, this again," Hugo said smugly. "Because let's be honest, Malfoy's been pining after you since we were in first year, hasn't he, Al?"
"Always," Albus grinned, leaning back in his chair.
"Malfoy's just persistent," Rose argued, trying not to blush. "Like a rash. Or a particularly clingy garden gnome."
"Persistent?" Hugo echoed with a laugh. "Right. And yet you reply to his every owl. Curious, that."
"I reply because it's the only way to shut him up," Rose shot back. "He's like a howler in human form. Plus, he's my boss."
"Rose," Lily said with a wicked grin, "I don't know why you avoid his daily confessions like this. It's very clear he's obsessed with you. He's been waiting for you for, what, fifteen years now?"
"She avoids him because she has common sense, and a brain, just like her mother," Ron interrupted, voice full of fatherly pride. "My daughter can do better than a Malfoy ferret, with that swollen ego."
Hermione interrupted him with a raised eyebrow. "If Rose likes him, it's alright. He'll be welcome to the family, won't he, Ron?"
"Whatever," Ron muttered. "But she clearly said she's not interested in him."
"So, is that true, Rosie?" Hermione asked, turning to Rose, ignoring Ron's protests. "Can we meet him?"
"Mom!" Rose protested. "I don't like him. I don't like any boy. Oh..." she sighed, slumping in her chair. "Alright, Dad. I'll go and meet this Glenn guy." She said after a deep breath. "Only if you stop irritating me with these nonsense tonight."
"Gareth!" Ron corrected her, clearly delighted. "A much better boy than that ferret! And I'll ask him to owl you tonight."
Hugo leaned back in his chair, a smug grin spreading across his face. "Oh, I'd pay to see Malfoy's face when he finds out you're being set up with a random Auror."
"Can we not?" Rose groaned, rubbing her temples. "One family gathering. Just one. Without turning my love life—or lack thereof—into a Daily Prophet headline, please?"
"You're just mad because we're right," Lily said, shrugging.
"Mad? No," Rose said with mock sweetness. "I'm just fine, thank you very much. And if anyone else anything about my long lasting singleness, I'll hex myself into eternal singleness just to spite you all."
Hermione sighed. Ron looked vaguely horrified. Harry muttered something about kids these days.
And so, life at the Weasley-Potter gathering continued without any other word for Rose's singleness.
A/N: Thank you for reading. Hope you enjoyed.