Under The Veil (Next Generation Harry Potter FF #1)

7 {Kiss On The Cheek}

ROSE AND SCORPIUS were having a good time during their nightly adventures in the Quidditch field. Though, like all good things, it seemed these sessions would have to come to an end. Today was the day for Quidditch try-outs and everyone was abuzz with excitement. The Great Hall was filled with chatter as they ate their breakfast. Everyone wished those who wore Quidditch Robes a good luck today, but the person who seemed to need it the most was Scorpius Malfoy.

Albus and Eloise could only do so much to calm Scorpius's nerves.

"If you don't make the team... well we can just drink a bunch of butterbeers at the Three Broomsticks."

"Malfoy... think about it... would it really be that terrible to not make the team this year?"

Instead of answering the two, he kept his head down and stared at the porridge in front of him.

Scorpius was ready to give up on Quidditch until Rose gave him a sense of purpose again. She was right, if he truly wanted to quit Quidditch he should do it because he didn't enjoy the sport anymore not because he was being forced out.

Normally, Rose would be having an exciting breakfast before the Quidditch tryouts. There would be a time when Rose, Roxanne, and Tiya (her fellow Quidditch Chasers) would chant "Go! Go! Gryffindor!" to distract James from his Quidditch notes until he too was chanting along. Unlike Scorpius, she felt at home with her Quidditch team and had no trouble eating her breakfast. Yet, this year, she couldn't help but look over at the Slytherin table to make sure Scorpius was doing okay. Each time she looked over, he caught her gaze and smiled back at her.

It seemed as though it was only Rose's gaze that managed to calm Scorpius down.

Dominic York, the Slytherin Quidditch Captain, stood up and rallied the Slytherins up and out to the Quidditch field for try-outs. They would go first, then the Gryffindors, then Ravenclaw, and finally Hufflepuff. It was like this every year.

Scorpius took a deep breath as Albus gave him an encouraging pat on the back and Eloise asked if he was sure he really wanted to go through with this. Neither made him feel better.

In the midst of Tiya antagonizing the Beaters, Rose watched the Slytherins getting up to begin their try-outs. Despite the fun she was having with her Gryffindor pals, Rose got up from the table and caught up to Scorpius and the rest of the Slytherins before he left the Great Hall.

He smiled at her arrival and puffed out his chest a bit, "Here to wish me good luck?"

"That's exactly what I'm here to do," Rose said, and without even thinking she leaned towards him and gave him a soft kiss on the cheek. "You got this!"

She left Scorpius standing there, his face burning red until one of his fellow Slytherins had to pull him along.

Once Rose sat back down at the Gryffindor table, she was not only met with James's glare but her whole Quidditch team and then some. "Is... is everything okay?"

"What the bloody hell was that?" James asked, his hand holding tight to the parchment in his hand. Alice snorted as James accidentally ripped some of the parchment.

Rose shrugged, her face growing hot, "I was just wishing him good luck..."

"Why?" James growled.

Alice couldn't help but continue to laugh as she said, "Well, she's been giving him private Quidditch lessons for the past week."

Rose snapped her head at Alice wanting her to shut up. Her roommate just shrugged her shoulders and continued to giggle.

"What?!" The Gryffindor Quidditch captain's eyes were bulging out of his head. "Why the bloody hell are you helping the Slytherin Quidditch team? Malfoy being horrible is one of the main reasons I love playing against the Slytherins."