Sparks of Fyre (a Scorose FanFiction)

Chapter Eleven (Rose)

          Professor Longbottom offered Rose a sympathetic smile when he told her the meeting point for her and Malfoy that night.  She could tell he hadn't thought up this particular disciplinary action.  He clearly felt sorry for her.  And how could he not?  She would have to spend every other night patrolling the halls with Scorpius Malfoy for the next two months. 

          When the pair had arrived back at their Potions class after the meeting with McGonagall, Malfoy had gone straight to his station with Vritra and Gorgon.  By the looks of disdain that she was shot by the other two Slytherins, Rose could only guess that he had told them immediately what had transpired.  Vritra, after all, was the female Prefect for Slytherin.  She would have to work alongside the other Gryffindor Prefect Frank Stalley from now on...

          Rose had told Albus a shortened version, to which his eyes had still bugged.  It was clear to Rose that everyone thought the same as she; this was a recipe for disaster!  The castle would become ruins before Rose and Malfoy learned to work together as a team. 

          Rose sighed as she made her way towards the library, where she would be meeting her new partner.  It was half past nine that night but there were still plenty of students running about the castle.  Rose and Malfoy would spend the next half an hour rounding up the stragglers and getting them into their respective Houses before curfew at ten o'clock.  Then, they would patrol for another two hours, until twelve o'clock, when the morning patrol would be taken over by Filch and his age-old cat. 

          Two and a half hours with Malfoy.  Two and a half hours of Hell on Earth.

          In the dim light of the corridor, Rose caught sight of a head of messy, white-blonde hair.  Malfoy was leaning against the wall next to the library doors.  His head was down, watching his own feet scuff the floor.  He had his hands stuffed lazily in the pockets of his black trousers, and he wore a black jumper with the Slytherin crest on the left breast. 

          Rose, too, wore her red Gryffindor sweater as patrolling Prefects were required to present themselves as representatives of the House.  Rose knew it was so that students would see them coming and wouldn't wait around to be told off before heading back to their dormitories.  At one point, she had had the same reactions to the Prefects. 

          Rose cleared her throat when she reached her partner.  Malfoy, her partner.  That was becoming far too common a title for Rose's liking. 

          He glanced up briefly, his expression giving nothing away.  "You took your time," he muttered.

          Rose checked the watch that her Grandfather had given her for her sixteenth birthday.  "It's only just half past.  I'm perfectly on time."

          Malfoy snorted.  Whether at her use of perfect or just because he felt like it, Rose didn't know.  She didn't care.  "Okay, Weasley.  Let's go."

          The two began to patrol, weaving through corridors and down moving staircases.  They didn't speak a word to each other, only the occasional warning to younger students to head back to their Houses. 

          Lily, Roxanne and Hannah were lounging around the courtyard when Rose and Malfoy arrived there. 

          "Rose!" Lily squealed, waving.  "We came to see how you were getting on!"

          The three Gryffindor girls made their way over to Rose.  Roxanne looked like this was the last place she wanted to be.  Hannah looked embarrassed and refused to look at either Rose or Malfoy.  Rose didn't doubt that Lily had dragged the two girls unwillingly to spy on her and Malfoy.  And if the way the youngest girl was bouncing on the balls of her feet with excitement was anything to go by, then Rose was correct.