The rest of the holidays passed in a blur of celebrations, large meals, playing Twister, gossiping, snowball fights and the whole thing was documented by Lily who took picture after picture on the camera her parents had given her.
She wouldn't get a chance to develop them until we were back at Hogwarts, but it would be nice to see how they all turned out.
After spending Boxing Day with the whole family, we split up and went our separate ways, each travelling back to our own houses. While my cousins spent the last eight days of their holiday catching up on all their homework, Hugo and I went to stay with my other grandparents for a few days. As always, my grandfather insisted on checking up on my teeth and gave me five different tubes of toothpaste and mouthwash.
Life was different - refined instead of being filled with jokes and pranks. Whenever we ate dinner, the conversation was peaceful and civilised, usually focusing on how Hugo and I were doing at school or what my parents were getting up to at work.
We spent just the two days with them and then had New Year celebrations at home. Uncle Harry and Auntie Ginny came round to have drinks with my parents but Lily, James and Albus had gone to a friend's party.
It was only two days later that I was sat in the prefect's compartment on the train beside Scorpius, enjoying a pumpkin juice and a licorice wand.
"You're wearing the necklace," he said with a smile, looking pleased.
I nodded.
"I don't know what I'm going to get you in return though-"
"-Rose, I don't wa-"
Cutting in, with a finger on his lips, I replied, "Don't say you don't want anything. I'm getting you a Christmas present, okay?"
Smirking, he nodded.
"So how was your Christmas?"
"Grandfather was- the same," he muttered with obvious displeasure.
Taking his hand and squeezing it, I asked, "What happened?"
"He and I had the same old argument. He told me to stop associating with, and I quote, blood traitors and worthless mudbloods'. He's the one that's worthless," Scorpius answered.
I leaned my head against his shoulder. "It's just the way he was brought up-"
"Then why am I different?" Not giving me a chance to answer, he continued to speak in anger. "He's just an ignorant, arrogant, brutish prat!"
It didn't stop there, but I started to zone out during the repeated swearing.
"Okay," Dan interrupted. "I've put you two back on rounds together. It's your turn to patrol the train now too."
I nodded and pulled Scorpius up.
He was still angry as we walked down the train, pausing to open compartment doors where loud noises were. But, there was no one actually making any trouble, except for my family of course. They'd managed to get a whole compartment to themselves again and were somehow all squeezed in though Louis was sitting on the floor.
Not only were they the loudest compartment, but they were also the only ones actually breaking the school rules. Levitating in the air, flaming balls of newspaper and the floor was littered in candy wrappers. James and Fred both had bruised eyes, suggesting they'd had a fight and while Albus slept, James and Lily drew on his face in invisible ink. It wouldn't show up till the sunset, but I was sure that whatever was on his face would land him in detention the moment the artificial lighting of the castle fell on it.
I shot Scorpius a look and sighed before clearing my throat loudly.
"Ah, Rosie! You've decided to join us," exclaimed James. "Care to add something to our masterpiece?"
I shook my head. While looking at Albus who was waking up.
Fred and James both shook their heads. the conversations continuing around them. One look at Dominique and Roxanne told me they were talking about boys, while Louis and Hugo debating a quidditch magazine and yelled out impressive statistics and facts over the uproar of James' groan of pain as Albus kicked him by accident when he stretched out his legs.
"Everybody shut up!" I shouted, drawing their attention.
"Louis, I'm afraid you can't sit on the floor so you're going to have to go and sit with some friends," I began.
He nodded and rose without complaint.
"Why should he go just to make room for you and your boyfriend?" Hugo asked angrily.
"It's not to make room for me and Scorpius," I explained. "It's against the travel regulations for people to be sitting on the floor. What if there was an accident?"
Hugo looked away, his anger diminishing as he saw that my reasoning made sense.
"Someone is going to clean up these candy wrappers because it is also the rule that we're not to litter the train-"
"-I'll do it," Scorpius murmured, looking awkward and glad for an excuse to avoid being the center of attention for a while.
"Thank you, Scorpius," I told him before going back to addressing my family. "Albus, go to the bathroom and wash your face."
"Why? There's nothing on my face...is there?"
I glanced momentarily at James, and Albus exclaimed angrily, "For Merlin's sake, James! Why can't you just leave me alone?" We stared after him as he strode out of the compartment, muttering and grumbling to himself.
James gulped and looked apologetically at me.
"Don't apologize to me; apologize to Albus. You too, Lily."
They nodded and stood up, going after their brother.
"Fred, I don't want to know what happened, but I don't want to see you with another black eye all term. If I even hear a rumor of you fighting then I'll be writing home to Auntie Angelina."
He nodded and returned to his seat, looking glumly out the window.
"Dom, Roxie, can you turn it down a notch?"
They nodded and quietly restarted their conversation.
"Okay," I breathed, finally relaxing and slumping into a seat.
Scorpius slid in next to me and whispered, "I'm impressed."
Shooting him a grin, I replied, "So am I a bit. I've never really done that."
He looked surprised but said nothing. Instead he kissed me swiftly; just a peck on the lips but it was enough for Hugo to complain.
"Oh God, if you're going to start kissing, I'm going to find Louis," he muttered darkly, standing and leaving.
"Hugo!" I called after him. When he didn't respond, I mumbled, "What a drama queen."
Fred snorted and Scorpius bit his lip to restrain a laugh. Dom cackled outright and Roxie allowed herself a grin.
"It wasn't that funny," I told them all.
And that was it. Fred and Scorpius burst out laughing, struggling to breathe.
"Was it?" I asked myself.
While I considered what exactly was so humorous about the comment, Fred apparently decided that Scorpius really was as nice as I had been saying.
"Never formally introduced myself," he said. "I'm Fred."
"Scorpius," Scor replied, shaking hands with a smile.
"What'd I miss?" James demanded as he came into the compartment breathless. "Heard laughing."
"Rose called Hugo a drama queen," Fred laughed again.
"Well we've known that for ages. He's always been like that, hasn't he?"
I stopped smiling. Could he - no, I was being ridiculous for even contemplating the thought. Wasn't I? There was no way that Hugo was uncomfortable with my relationship.
Scorpius noticed my expression of deep thought and wrapped an arm around my shoulders, pulling me close. When we got to Hogwarts, I was still trying to analyze everything Hugo had ever said to Scorpius or about him and the way he said it.
"You're a bit quiet," Scorpius remarked as he held my hand and helped me into a carriage.
I tried to smile, but I was still distracted.
"Just thinking," I told him.
"Anything I can help with?"
"Maybe another time," I mumbled.
"Okay."
We rose to the castle in silence, me too wrapped up in my thoughts about Hugo's sexuality and Scorpius probably worrying over what I was thinking about.
At the entrance hall, we kissed and went to our separate tables.
Lily pulled me to sit down next to her and commanded, "Spill."
"Sorry?" I asked absent-mindedly.
"Whatever's on your mind. Spill."
I glanced around and down the table, seeking out Hugo. I didn't want him to overhear. Satisfied that he was too far away and that everyone else was busy with catching up still, I asked, "Do you think Hugo could be gay?"
Lily sputtered and spilt the pumpkin juice she'd been halfway through drinking. "Did I hear you right?" she asked, coughing.
Nodding, "Yeah, do you think he could be gay and that he fancies Scorpius?"
"Why would you think that?"
"Well, James said he was queer and he was acting like a total drama queen earlier, and he has always been a bit girly, hasn't he?"
"But why would you think he fancies Scorpius?" she hissed.
"Well, if he did and was jealous of me, it would explain all his anger..."
"Maybe he is just being protective," Lily suggested, lowering her voice again as Luke McClaggen looked over at us.
"I suppose."
"There's only one way to find out anyway. Ask Hugo."
I nodded, but that was the one thing I didn't want to do. If he wasn't gay, he would be so offended, but what would I do if he was?
The thought stayed with me all through dinner and I spent all evening trying to work out how I would even bring the topic up with Hugo.
The next morning, Scorpius was waiting for me at the doors to the Great Hall, a stack of toast in his hand.
"Come on," he said, taking my hand.
"Aren't we sitting down?"
"Nope."
"Then where are we going?"
"Not telling."
I sighed. Sometimes getting answers from Scorpius was like getting blood from a stone.
I fell into step behind him and followed him up the grand staircase. At the third floor, I expected him to turn and head to Defence Against the Dark Arts - our first lesson of the day - but he simply carried on climbing the stairs.
When he got to the astronomy tower, he stopped and led me to a blanket spread on the floor.
"Morning picnic?" he asked with a wide smile, his eyes shining.
"I love you," I told him seriously.
He smiled again and sat down, folding his legs and patting the space opposite him. I sat down and sat with my legs to the side.
Offering me a piece of toast, he asked, "Want to talk about it yet?"
"Maybe another time," I replied, trying to avoid telling anyone else my suspicions and certainly not my boyfriend.
He nodded, munching his toast.
As we ate, I realized he really had thought of everything. Not only had he brought up toast from breakfast, but he also must have gotten up early and gone to the kitchens to get a flask of steaming tea for him and a coffee for me.
After hearing about Dad's uncle who died after seeing a grim, and hearing Uncle Harry's divination stories, I'd been unable to drink tea.
When the bell rang, we leapt up and Scorpius threw the blanket and what was left of our breakfast outside the window.
"Scor!" I scolded.
"What?" he grinned. "Filch'll clean it up."
It was no wonder Filch hated all the students when they purposefully littered.
I didn't have time to complain any more though, as Scorpius took my hand and began running, desperate to get back to the 3rd floor before Professor Howard could give us detentions for being late.
After taking a few secret passages and shortcuts - some I was sure even Fred didn't know about - we arrived just as she called the class in.
"Where we you at breakfast?" Dom began to ask before catching sight of Scorpius breathing heavily behind me and answering her own question with an 'oh' and a nod.
We hurried into the classroom and took back our old table, sitting side by side at the back of the room. All through the lesson, I was aware of Scorpius' hand resting on the back of my chair, inches away from my back.
As the end of lesson bell rang after the second hour, Professor Howard called out over the scraping of chairs, "So class, this week for homework I'm giving you a project to do in pairs. I would like you to research and write an argument for which spell you think is the best to use in a duel to be handed in next week."
I looked at Scorpius.
"Partners?"
"Sure."
"Library?"
"How did I knew you were going to say that?" he asked rhetorically.
Bumping my shoulder into him, I gave him a mock glare.
We went down a floor and to the library, for our free period. As we sat down at a table, Scorpius asked, "So, what do you think is the best spell?"
"Expelliarmus," I suggested.
"Don't you think you're a bit in a box? Why don't you try to think outside the box for once?" Scor laughed.
"What do you think is the best spell then?"
"I don't know. I've never been in a duel have I."
"What? Come off it. You expect me to believe that you've never fought anyone," I said in disbelief.
"And why is that so hard to believe?"
"Seriously? You're Scorpius Malfoy. You were always in trouble. How have you never been in a duel?"
"I don't want to die early, Rose," he told me, joking but somehow serious as well.
"Okay..."
"So Expelliarmus...why is it the best spell then?" he asked me, pulling a piece of parchment and a quill towards himself.
"Isn't it obvious?"
"Aside from the whole, block a spell and send it rebounding on your opponent," he clarified.
"It gives you an advantage, doesn't it?"
"I guess so..."
In neat writing, Scorpius noted down our first two points and then stood and began searching the rows of books behind us.
I joined him, wondering which books would be the most help.
After half an hour we hadn't found anything of use.
Grumbling, I muttered, "This would be so much easier with the internet. For once, Muggles have the easier option."
Scorpius smiled at me, remembering our Muggle Studies teacher trying to explain the internet in a lesson last term.
"Perhaps we should ask Madam Pince..." I mumbled, pulling yet another book down and flicking through it hopefully.
"What use is she going to be? Besides she's busy cooing Filch, look."
I turned, sure that he was joking, but had to stifle a giggle as I saw that indeed the school librarian was staring at Filch dreamily as he paced past the library, chasing a sixth year student.
The lunch bell rang, so Scor and I shelved all the books we'd picked up. He stuffed the barely written on piece of parchment into his bag and slung it over his back.
"Meet you later?"
I nodded. "How about Gryffindor Common Room?"
"Yeah, fine," he replied, hurrying out of the library. He had a long journey out to Care of Magical Creatures after lunch and he needed to swap his books, I was sure.
I only had History of Magic, the textbook for which was already in my bag. After lunch, I joined Albus and Dom and the three of us mentally prepared ourselves for Professor Binns droning voice and slow paced lectures.
The lesson was a blur. I was only kept awake by the cold breeze coming through the ancient castle windows, but I made so many notes that they soon became illegible.
After one torturous hour, Professor Binns unexpectedly allowed us to leave, stating that he had a meeting with the headmistress to attend.
Dominique and Albus looked at me in glee, practically running out of the room and heading back to the common room, where they would most likely forget about their argument for Defence Against the Dark Arts. It was pointless talking to them about it, because both of them would roll their eyes and say, 'We've got a week to do it, Rosie.'
Instead of going after them, I made my way downstairs and to the entrance courtyard, passing Hagrid of all people.
"Alrigh', Rose?"
I nodded and then remembered where Scorpius was. "Hagrid, aren't you meant to be teaching?"
"Got a staff meetin' with Professor McGonagall," he replied with pride, puffing his chest out and resting his hands on his hips. "Sumat abou' school policy on lateness."
I nodded and let him go, already seeing the crowd of Ravenclaws crossing the bridge.
Scorpius pushed through to get to me and kissed my cheek.
"You got let out early too?"
"Yeah, Hagrid said there's a staff meeting...I think all the teachers are going."
"Sweet," Scorpius exclaimed, happy to be out of lessons. "We going to your common room then?"
I nodded and led the way.
Judging by the number of students moving about the castle, my theory on the entire staff body meeting was correct.
When we got to the common room, it was already packed full of Gryffindors.
We settled in front of the fire by Lily and Dom who'd managed to grab the sofa and were just pulling out our homework when Hugo stormed in.
"Apparently, Firenze forgot about the meeting," he exclaimed to no one in particular. Then he caught sight of us. "So it's not enough that you have to be around Rose on the train and at breakfast and in lessons, you've got to invade our Common Room too?"
"Hey! Stop being so rude to him! You don't even know what he's done for you!"
"What are you talking about?" Hugo demanded, glaring at me.
"He paid off your betting debts," I replied, just as angry.
Hugo threw down his bag and stormed back out, ignoring my calling after him.
I stood and glanced apologetically at Scorpius, making to run after my brother.
"Allow me," he offered, pulling me back down and pushing me onto the sofa next to Lily.
"No...Scor-" I tried, but he was already gone.
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