Raindrops on Roses

Chapter 7: Fourth Year Part 2: Malfoy Family Drama

2021

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The Potter-Weasley households were in a bit of an uproar, because on Christmas day it had come to light by some not-very-subtle teasing on behalf of the twins, that James had started dating one of the Gryffindor girls in their year. The subject had most unfortunately come up again during the back to school dinner at the Potter house, after James had left the table to finish some last-minute homework.

"He's fifteen, not five," Ron said from behind the evening edition of the Prophet. "Let him have a bit of fun, for Merlin's sake." The paper did not quite protect him from the spurious looks of his wife and sister, who were doing the after dinner clean-up in the kitchen around everyone else.

"As long as he doesn't have too much fun," Hermione said pointedly. "From what Fred and Roxanne were saying, this girl is very..."

"Enthusiastic?" Rose suggested. Albus snorted.

"That is not what I was going to say," her mother said, somewhat disapprovingly.

"I notice you haven't ventured an opinion, Harry," said Ginny to her husband. Rose looked up at her uncle. He had that look on his face that suggested he was only half listening. "Harry?" Ginny prompted, with mock furosity. "Our son is walking out with some random harlot. What do you have to say about it?"

"I don't see what the problem is, as long as he behaves the way we brought him up to behave," Harry said after a brief pause which suggested he was reacquainting himself with the situation. "After all, some of us weren't even fifteen when we started dating."

"Oh really?" Albus said, clearly fascinated by this turn of events. Rose looked up with great surprise to see her mother going red.

"Mum!"

"Viktor did not count," Hermione said firmly, slapping the back of her husbands head when he started to laugh. "We were friends, we were notdating."

"Try telling him that," Ron said, still sniggering.

"Who's Viktor?" Rose demanded.

Hermione sighed. "Never you mind."

"I was talking about Ginny, anyway," Harry put in.

Ginny shot him a dark look.

"Oh really?" Albus said again, grinning widely.

"That is not the same thing," Ginny protested, though she looked doubtful of her own words. "Albus, have you packed?"

"Mum, now is not the time to change the subject."

"Are you packed?"

"Yes!"

"Rose?"

Rose sighed. "Yes."

"Good. Now you had both better go along to bed, you've got an early start tomorrow."

As she and Al left the kitchen reluctantly, they could hear Ginny berate her husband for apparently telling trade secrets. Rose did think it was a bit hypocritical for her to fret about James, if she had started dating at fourteen. The idea seemed a bit foreign, to Rose. Having to share your whole life with another person seemed like a great deal too much effort, and anyway, she had her friends.

She had made up her mind to be nicer to Scorpius when they got back to school. After all, while she cared about his education, she hadn't meant to remind him that she was the only one who did. And she did feel terrible that they had to leave him every year to endure the Christmas holidays practically alone in Ravenclaw tower. She hadn't dared suggest to him that he come over for the holidays, since he always got nervous whenever her father or Albus' were mentioned. She got the feeling Draco Malfoy had portrayed them as fire-breathing, pureblood-hating monsters to his son, and while he had got on all right with her Aunt Ginny, she rather dreaded to think what sort of effect her own mother might have on the occasionally still shy Ravenclaw boy.