By Any Other Name

Chapter 1

"Students, I am pleased to announce that two of you have received perfect scores on the unannounced written examination from last week," Professor McGonagall said. "As sixth years, you have no major exams, but time does fly! Before you know it, your NEWTS will be upon you, and here are two of your very own who have a head start in achieving academic success!"

The room began to buzz with anticipation, though most of the class knew who had earned the top grades.

"Congratulations to Scorpius Malfoy and Rose Weasley," Professor McGonagall continued, beckoning both Scorpius and Rose to come forward to accept their assessment. The class clapped respectfully for the two of them. It was a little embarrassing for them both, as both were humble and quiet students. Scorpius took his paper with a quick nod towards his teacher, and was grateful to find the comfort of his seat again.

Out of his five year old habit, he stole a glance at Rose once he'd sat down. He'd been doing it as discreetly as he could since the first time he'd seen her on the train as an eleven year old boy, utterly terrified at leaving his parents for the first time. She, in the midst of loud, confident family members, had offered him a brief, fleeing smile before being pulled to her seat by whom he knew now as her cousin Albus. Her smile had stayed with him all through the train ride, bringing him comfort in ways he could not explain. He'd looked for her once the train had pulled up to the gate of the massive and magestical Hogwarts School, but there were simply too many witches and wizards about. He'd kept his fingers crossed during the Sorting procedures, but they were not assigned to the same house. However, he'd been delighted to share at least three classes a semester with her from first year on to this year, their sixth, when he had only two, Transfiguration and Care of Magical Creatures.

Scorpius glanced her way again, noting the way she tucked her ankle under her bottom in her seat, as she'd been doing since First Year. She pulled her hair over one shoulder, and caught him by surprise when she turned to look at him. Mysterious gray met curious blue for a moment before she blushed and looked away. Her cousin, Roxanne Weasley, hugged her.

"I'm proud of you! You'll be the first one accepted to Auror School," Roxanne told her cheerfully.

Auror? Scorpius found that a bit of an oxymoron, as he thought Rose far too tame and beautiful for such dirty work.

"Don't bring shame to the family. We've had enough for a lifetime without you expressing interest in anyone who isn't a full witch. You are absolutely forbidden to bring any witch through these doors who is not a Pureblood. Unless she is such, she will not be welcome, no matter what. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, Sir," Scorpius had answered his father on several occasions.

But the truth was that Rose Weasley was beautiful to him, no matter how often he tried to convince himself that she wasn't. Her hair was a full, long cloud of auburn waves that she seemed to hide behind quite a bit. She was of average height, leaning towards petite, and quite thin, except for her curvy hips and full bosom. Average height, yes, average body, no. Body of a goddess, Scorpius had always thought.

Scorpius began to sketch a picture of her absentmindedly on the margin of his parchment. He sighed. She was off limits, and that was that. He would have to set his sights on one of the Slytherin girls, though that would prove difficult, as he'd been sorted to Hufflepuff. To make matters worse, he had few friends besides his colored quills and parchment for drawing. He knew he was a disappointment to his father, whose family had been in Slytherin for generations. His father was obvious in his disapproval of all the artwork Scorpius spent so much time on, insisting it was nonsense to be content sitting quietly in a corner making pictures when you could be practicing for Quidditch. But Scorpius didn't have an interest in playing Quidditch, not really. And he didn't really have an interest in finding the perfect girl for his family. He was interested in getting to know the one girl he would never be able to have.

One of the things he liked about Rose was her modesty. Though she could have been the type to, she didn't brag or boast or gossip, and perhaps that was another way in which they were similar. He came from quite a wealthy and attractive family, but he preferred not to use that to his advantage. His father and his grandparents' haughty attitudes often embarrassed him. And though Rose was always in the center of her gigantic cousins, who practically ran Hogwarts, she often seemed uncomfortable of the rowdy behavior of her famous family.

Her cousins from the Potter side may as well have been celebrities. There was James, whom the girls were mad about. He was a notorious prankster; there were Al and Lily, who along with Rose's younger brother Hugo, were remarkable Quidditch players, thus catapulting them to popularity. There were Rose's exceptionally good looking cousins Roxanne Weasley and her older brother Fred, who were simply vivacious, charming people wherever they went.

Scorpius was an only child, close to his mother, who was supportive of anything he did, yet craving the affections of his father, who he seemed never able to please. Scorpius had everything he could ever want as far as material possessions, so he supposed he oughtn't have complained. He couldn't imagine having such a large, strident family. Sometimes he felt it might be fun to, though he would never admit it. Rose was lucky, though she was the quietest of them all.

At the end of class, Scorpius began shoving his things into his bag.

"Congratulations, Scorpius."

He looked up in surprise to see her standing next to his desk, biting her lower lip. Oh, no, the sketch he'd drawn of her! He snatched it quickly and thrust it to the bottom of his bag.

"Thank you. Same to you," he said, his voice coming out much calmer than what he was feeling inside from her being so close. He stood up, towering over her. There was a moment of something in between awkwardness and a surge of intense emotion. Desire, perhaps. Red hot chemistry. They rarely spoke to each other, aside from the normal formalities, but all the times they had, she had made the first move.

He was mesmerized by her effect on him this close, and found at the moment that he could think of nothing to say. Rose blinked as her cheeks colored to nearly the same shade as her hair.

"Well, um, I-I guess I'll see you–"

"Rose, come on! We've only an hour of free time, let's go!" Al boomed from the doorway of the class room. Roxanne was waiting with her arms folded.

"My cousins are so impatient," she said in a half whisper, almost apologetically. She threw up a half wave, saying, "I'll see you next period, then."

"Right. See you," he said and though they were both leaving the room, he quickened his pace to avoid walking beside her.

He didn't know what to say to the girl who made his heart skip a beat, the girl who was as pretty as a flower, but would only be a thorn to his family, especially his father, whom he wanted to please the most.