Albus Potter, Friends and Foes

Ch 12 A Somewhat Normal Start to Summer Vacation

"You really like Rose, don't you," Narcissa observed.

"I wish I could just break up with Cassie," Scorpius spat out. "I will, after the International Conference of Witches and Wizards. It is just that father and grandmother Black wore me down, and I want to go to the Conference without any more drama than necessary.

"What would happen if I broke up with Cassie and came back here with Rose as my girlfriend? Would you accept us?"

"Rose is a delightful witch, and as good a partner for you as I could hope for," Narcissa smiled. "There would be drama with the other members of the household, though."

"Would anyone else accept us?" Scorpius wondered.

"I think your father might, reluctantly," Narcissa suggested. "He does love you, in his own way, and wants the best for you. I would not worry about your mother. I hate to say it, but I am not sure she would be nice to anyone. I am not sure about your great-grandmothers. Great-grandmother Black really does love you, and she would be thrilled, if she could just see past her Pure Blood prejudice. I am not sure about great-grandmother Malfoy.

"I know your grandfather Lucius would not," Narcissa sighed. "We had a good enough marriage before he became enamored with Voldemort. He has never repented, either. I know he has killed, for pleasure and without remorse. I think you lose a little of your soul with each killing. I will have to say that my love for your grandfather has died.

"I have no idea if Astoria's parents or sister would accept you. I am not saying they would not; I just do not know. Her brother would, though. I've met Merlin Merryweather at the toy store, and I am rather sure he would be delighted. There is some Muggle ancestry in the Merryweather family, and Merlin took his wife's name! That means something."

"Rose's family is big enough I would not lack relatives," Scorpius admitted.

*

As the Sunday morning gathering at the New Burrow was ending Ron and Hugo left for Weasley's Wizard Wheezes.

Rose went home with her mother.

"Care to talk?" Hermione asked her daughter.

Rose glared at her mother, then sniffed, then looked down at her feet.

"Up the stairs to someplace comfortable to sit?" Hermione persisted.

Rose hiked her shoulders, indicating that maybe it was acceptable to her, and sighed.

The two witches went up to the family room at thirteen Grimmauld Place, and sat down at either ends of a comfortable overstuffed piece of furniture.

"You have been out of sorts all day, Rose," Hermione noted. "Grandmother and Aunt Ginny mentioned it to me, and I noticed it as well. Do you care to share what the problem is?"

"Boys," Rose quietly admitted.

Hermione waited for Rose to say more.

"Was dad your first boyfriend?" Rose wondered.

"I went to a Christmas Ball with Viktor Krum, and we corresponded for a while," Hermione replied. "He was never a serious boyfriend, I guess. I think your father was both jealous and clueless at the time."

"The famous Quidditch player?"

Hermione smiled a big smile, and giggled a little.

"Did dad have any other girlfriends?"

"Yes. Who is for him to tell you. I was the jealous one then."

"Is that why I invited Percy to spend the week with us? Just because I am jealous that Scorpius has a girlfriend, or that I think maybe I could never ever get another boy interested in me? I mean, I'm not really interested in Percy or any other boy, except maybe Scorpius but even if he didn't have a girlfriend it would never work out, and so I'm just hopeless."