Scorrose

two

"Who will you be going with?"

Rose snapped her head up from her books to find a third year Gryffindor girl staring at her from across the table. She had seen this girl around on multiple occasions and vaguely remembered talking to her a week or so ago when she had asked for some tips on how to deal with some of the strictest professors in the third year, although now she couldn't remember her name.

"What?"

"Sorry," the girl said quickly. "The Yule Ball. I was just wondering who you're going with."

Rose cocked her head, eyes carefully trained on the third year. "Why would you assume I'm going with anybody?"

At Rose's intense gaze, the girl visibly paled, seeming to regret having struck up a conversation. "I-I just thought... because you're pretty, and... I thought a boy would have asked you by now."

Rose lowered her head back to her book, feigning indifference on the subject matter. "Well, yes. But I've... I've refused."

As much as she tried not to think about Scorpius and what had occurred with him the previous evening, she found her eyes gliding up across the Great Hall towards the Slytherin table, where Scorpius sat conversing with Albus, passing a roll of bread back and forth in his hands. Right as he took a bite, Albus said something that made him laugh, causing his hand to fly to his mouth as he nearly choked. Rose stifled a laugh and looked away before he had a chance to notice her watching.

"Oooh," the third year spoke up, startling Rose. She'd almost forgotten the girl was still there. "Are you waiting on him? The white-haired boy?"

Rose frowned. "No, of course not." She paused, then narrowed her eyes. "And why is it any matter to you? I hardly even know you."

"You were staring at him for a long time," the girl shrugged, ignoring the question.

"Rubbish."

"He's very cute, isn't he?" the girl sighed, dreamily placing her elbow on the table and resting her cheek on her hand. "I wonder who he's asked." Her eyes brightened. "Suppose he asked me? Oh, I'd be ecstatic." She sighed again.

Rose shut her book. "I have an exam today and I really should be studying," she said in annoyance. "Lovely conversation, but I must be going now." Before she had the chance to get her things together, she noticed Polly Chapman approach Scorpius. Rose froze. Polly placed her hand on his shoulder and smiled widely, showing off her perfect white teeth. "What is she doing there?" Rose muttered absentmindedly.

The third year followed her gaze and sucked in a quick breath. "Polly Chapman," she breathed. "She is so beautiful."

Rose wanted to roll her eyes, but it was true— Polly had always been the prettiest girl in their year, perhaps even the prettiest girl in all of Hogwarts. She didn't understand why such a sensible, attractive girl would ever flirt with somebody like Scorpius, although recently she had noticed the uncanny amount of attention— especially female attention— Scorpius had been receiving since he'd become the new Slytherin seeker at the beginning of the year.

Before then, she hadn't even realized he knew how to play Quidditch— in fact, she had been almost certain that both he and Albus hated the sport. The first time her team had played against his and he won them the game, she couldn't look at him for a week. She'd been playing so much longer than him— she couldn't believe he had the nerve to show her up like that! Even worse, he didn't gloat about it. In fact, he seemed almost guilty, which angered her more. She refused to stand for his pity. She was Rose Granger-Weasley! She was not the pitied; she was the pitier.

Since then, she'd trained thrice as hard to beat him. There was a game coming up after the Yule ball and she was determined to make sure he didn't win. Slytherin would never humiliate her house like that again.

She was pulled out of her thoughts when Scorpius' head turned and his gaze landed directly on hers. She hadn't meant to stare for so long, but now that their eyes had locked, she refused to be intimidated into looking away. Polly still sat beside him, that charming, flirtatious smile lingering on her face. Scorpius broke the staring contest for just a second— she found herself letting out a breath of relief, yet hating herself for it— before looking back to raise an eyebrow at her.

She wasn't sure what that expression meant, but when his eyes subtly gestured to Polly, it slowly sunk in. She jumped when the third year gasped dramatically. "Do you think she's asked him? Polly Chapman, going to the Yule ball with Scorpius Malfoy?"

Rose found the thought hysterical. "No," she said, a strained laugh coming form her lips. "It can't be. He would never..." she shook her head. "She would never..."

She trailed off, watching as Scorpius returned his full attention back to Polly and smiled back. There was a moment of hesitation, and then a nod. Rose caught his lips forming a sort of affirmation, in which Polly grinned at him and kissed his cheek before returning to her friends. Albus looked just as shocked as Rose, although he overcame it quickly and raised his hand for a high five from his best friend. Scorpius enthusiastically obliged, laughing, confirming all of Rose's suspicions about what had just happened.

For the shortest of seconds, her heart clenched.

Silly, she thought. This is ridiculous. I'm going mad.

His enthusiasm should not have affected her the way it did. She huffed, grabbing her book bag and, slinging it over her shoulder, she stood up with her textbook in hand.

"Where are you going?" The third year asked.

"I told you," she snapped, her words coming out harsher than she'd meant. Taking a deep breath, she softened her tone. "I have to study. I'll be in the library."

"Wait!" The third year began to scramble for her things. "I'll go with you—"

Eager to be rid of the girl, she muttered a quick excuse to be alone and walked away before she could catch up. She glanced up at Polly Chapman and her clique of friends loitering near the doors of the Great Hall as she made her way out, and though she had never had any opinion of the girl before, the sight of her now made her scowl.

A/N: Hey, if you happened to read this please vote and/or comment, and thank you! (: I will be writing a few more parts to this fanfic, possibly six or seven in total but I imagine no more than ten so it'd be great if you could stick around until then and give me the motivation to update sooner :P