Growing Up and other Desasters

2. Cornered in a Carriage

A/N This is now the real chapter 2.

Enjoy!

                                            +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

Somehow Lilly's friend had managed to corner him into riding in their carriage instead of with his own friends. Lilly had looked rather apologetic, clearly indicating that it hadn't been her idea. Scorpius was glad he had his ring on. There would have been no chance in hell he would have been able to concentrate enough to protect his mind using Occlumency alone. He really needed to practice more. One of these days these girls might get him without the gift of his mother.

"So, Scorpius, you being a fifth year and all, what is it like to know that you'll be doing your O.W.L.s at the end of the year?"

"Hard work." was the simple answer.

The witches looked at each other. Giggling and whispering amongst themselves for a moment while trying to make Lilly understand she was supposed to get him to open up a bit. She just ignored their attempts.

"You'll be sixteen soon, won't you?"

Wishing his little brother in first year to the other end of the earth for spilling his birthday was coming up when a group of Slytherin girls had passed by Scorpius just nodded.

"So you'll be of age next year."

Another nod.

"Will you get married straight away? My mum says your dad did."

Lilly hid her face behind her hands pretending to be no longer present while her male friend was looking just as shocked as he felt. The girls in his own house had been starting to badger him at the beginning of last term, as if the hunting season had been opened and he just so happened to be on the list of game to be free for all. But these Gryffindor girls were even worse! Talking about getting straight to the point.

"What?" he finally managed.

"You being a Malfoy and all, we reckoned you'll be married quite young." the witch speaking flattered her eyelashes at him in a weird way, "Do you already have a bride? Or will your parents go with tradition and select one for you?"

Mentally counting to ten in order to not hex all and every girl present except Lilly he steeled himself for his answer. He could only hope that Lilly would give him the chance to explain later. Should she still be talking to him that was.

"My parents would never decide a question as important as that for me. No, I'll be choosing my future partner in life myself." he put on a conspiratorial smile, "I have already decided who it's going to be though..."

He leant back into his seat enjoying the stunned faces glaring at him, smirking widely.

"It had to be an exceptional witch, of course, in order to satisfy my high standards." he added in a nonchalant tone.

Even so he knew the danger he opened his mind just a bit and tried to focus on the witch opposite him. His friend was shocked like her classmates, but he could also feel something else underneath it. She was wondering. There were doubts rising. To his own surprise it wasn't her doubting, if he would choose her, but if she would be choosing him. He frowned. If she started to have second thoughts before they even decided to openly date...

One of the girls had managed to get her voice back as she now interrupted his thoughts by asking in a squeaking tone, "You have already decided? Is it somebody we know? Somebody... in this carriage?"

It didn't happen very often, but in this very moment even the normally pale face of Scorpius was turning a deep shade of pink.

"Is it?"