"I am not fat!"

Rose's voice rang inside the Entrance Hall. Several heads turned to the Weasleys and the Potters. Lily pulled down on Rose's arm and shushed her, looking embarrassed.

"How dare you say I'm fat!" Rose hissed, but despite this, she sounded hurt. James shook his head and his hands frantically, indicating that he didn't mean it that way.

"Rose, I was only exaggerating," he implored, his handsome face muddy from the Quidditch practice looked genuine. But Rose only scowled at him in disgust.

Albus rolled his eyes and clicked his tongue, "Guys like you don't know how to handle women."

James pushed his little brother's head aside and edged closer to Rose, who was making to leave. "Rose, you're not fat—"

"You said I needed exercise!" Rose exclaimed.

"Exactly—no, Rose, I don't mean that you're fat that's why you need exercise! I meant that you just need to drop your books and try moving a bit—"

"In girl language, that means you're telling her she's fat," Albus muttered. James shot him an angry look, while Lily, Fred, Hugo and Dominique nodded and sounded in approval.

"Why don't I know these things?" he asked exasperatedly. "I'm the hottest guy that ever walked on two feet! Damn it, of course I know how to handle women. I know how their mind wor—"

"No, not really," Albus said nonchalantly while examining his shoes.

Rose scoffed and turned her back, but Lily held her. "Rosie…" she cooed. "James is being dumb, as usual," she added the last part under her breath so that only Rose and she could hear. "You're not fat and we think you're really brilliant—"

"Are you mad at me?" James asked sincerely. Rose merely rolled her eyes furiously.

"You were really tactless, mate," Fred said sympathetically.

"More like humongously moronic," Albus side-commented.

James sighed in frustration, "Thank you, Al, for having my back."

"I always do—"

"Can someone please tell me what we are doing?" Rose asked. "Besides making fun of my weight?"

"No one's making fun of your weight, dear!" Dominique chided. "James was just being—"

"Please let's stop describing how I am behaving just because of a misinterpreted message!" James said. "I'm not making fun of Rose's weight—"

"Never tell a girl she's fat, James," Albus said matter-of-factly.

"Yep," Lily agreed. "Number one rule."

On the other hand, Hugo snorted mischievously, "Except if you're talking to my sister."

Everyone threw him dirty looks.

Lily returned to James and said in a firm voice, "Al's right; never tell a girl she's fat. It hurts us girls more than you know even though it isn't true."

"Yeah," "Uh-huh…" and "You're really thick, James," were Fred, Dominique and Albus' response respectively. James huffed and ignored their remarks.

"Look Rose, all I'm trying to say is…" he hesitated. He bit his lip and peered a couple of inches above Rose's head in a very comical look of concentration.

"We're all waiting, douchebag," Albus said, which made way for a set of giggles from the set of cousins.

James scowled at him and returned his attention to Rose, "I'm trying to tell you that maybe you need to get a little more active—I'm just concerned for you! I mean, you're fit and all but, you don't seem to have the Potter-Weasley Quidditch Prowess—"

"Merlin, James!" Albus said accusingly. "Is this about what the Slytherin Quidditch team is saying?"

"What are they saying?" Rose asked with narrow eyes.

"Well…" James frowned. Dominique rolled her eyes and continued for her cousin.

"Rosie, they're saying that you could be a threat to James' reputation."

"This is about your reputation?" the red-head told James. "How?"

James shook his head vigorously. "Not just mine, heavens no! Yours too, and our family's. You know how much I care about everyone in our family, come on! I love you guys—" Rose took an aggressive step forward with daggers for eyes. James immediately squeaked the truth out in one breathing. "—They told me that they bet the Ravenclaw Quidditch team could beat the Gryffindor team if you were on in it. That's all."

"That's not all, honey," Dominique said.

Fred guffawed and said, "Yeah…Maxwell, one of the dimwitted Beaters whose left foot is about ten inches oversized, yeah that bloke said that with you on your house's team, Ravenclaw could bring down the whole of Gryffindor team because our captain over here," he patted James' shoulder "they said he's being a bit soft during one of the practices. And then James says, he says, 'Rose can't defeat the Gryffindor team! We're a whole pack of Potters and Weasleys, and even though Rose carries the bamf gene of our clan, she just can't ride a broom like how the majority of everyone in the family can!' Rose, he was insulting you—oomph!"

Fred had stopped grinning for James violently elbowed him on the ribs. Rose glared at her tall cousin and opened her mouth to speak. "So you think I can't do it?"

Hugo started to say "Oooooooh, I smell a challenge….." while Lily rolled her eyes and held Rose back.

"No—N-n—Rose…" James said helplessly.

"I get it," Rose said tartly. "Yeah I do…..You telling me I'm fat—"

"I didn't say you're fat—"

"—Yes you diiiiid…" Albus said in a mocking singsong voice.

Rose continued. "The things those Slytherin dumbots told you. And then you telling them I can't do it and that just because I'm a Weasley doesn't mean I can ride a broom and play like you lot ….I know what you're trying to prove. You're scared that I'm going to ruin your reputation once I prove and show everyone else that I'm not just academically adept; you're scared I'm going to beat you in that one thing you think you're an expert at! That's why you're telling me I'm fat and I don't have the abilities for Quidditch! Well, you are wrong there, because I know I can and I will beat your arse off in the next Quidditch match!"

Her cousins, with the exception of James, cheered for her. Meanwhile, Hugo shook his head with a disbelieving grin on his face, and James looked dumfounded. "No, no, no, Rose! I'm not trying to—please don't think…..Is someone else hearing this?" He looked around for support, but everyone seemed to agree with Rose (Hugo wasn't paying attention anymore; he was trying to scrub off the mud that crusted around his ankles).

"You're not making any sense! Why would I tell you that you need to exercise and m—move a bit or something if, theoretically speaking, I'm afraid that you'd prove me wrong and steal Quidditch glory from my hands, huh?"

Rose looked at him directly as she answered, "You're saying I'm fat and you think that I'd think that I really am fat and then it would just depress me and then—"

"I'm not saying you're fat! I'm just trying to tell you that—look, I don't care about what the Slytherin team thinks! I think—"

"Sucks for you, James. I'm going to try out."

"But we're in the middle of the gaming season? Tryouts were long over. Y—you can't—"

Rose looked at James smugly. "Of course I can. George Bobsey, one of the Chasers, is staying at St. Mungo's for an indefinite amount of time after a big Transfiguration mishap took place. The Ravenclaw Captain will be holding tryouts next week and that's only enough time for my preparation." She gave him a last look and then walked away with her nose in the air, her determination almost physically forming a dome around her shape.

"But the Captain is Scorpius Malfoy, right?" Lily raised both of his eyebrows after her cousin's retreat.

"Don't they hate each other?" James asked.

Albus shook his head knowingly, his smile telling an unknown story. "They think they do…"

Everyone looked at him in confusion, well, except Hugo; he rushed in the Great Hall as soon as he heard Nearly Headless Nick say something about chocolate pudding.

.

Scorpius peered at Rose from behind his Charms book, her expression appearing to be embarrassed but willful and resolute. He shut his book dramatically and straightened his body in a business-like posture.

"What is it that you want?" he drawled, the ashamed grimace on Rose's face giving him immense satisfaction already.

Rose cleared her throat with dignity and spoke, "I…need your help."

Scorpius composed his face before his eyebrows could even shot upwards. "Tell me more, then."

"You're interested?" she asked, flummoxed.

Scorpius shrugged. "Yeah, Rose. We've been through a lot of things, why not help you?"

Rose willed herself not to blush as a flood of memories came rushing in her, but her attempt was of course unsuccessful.

"So, what is it?" he smirked.

She took in a big breath and almost winced as her words came out of her mouth, "I want you to train me for the upcoming Ravenclaw Quidditch replacement tryouts."

Scorpius snorted and stared at her. He sat at the edge of his seat. "You do know I'm the Ravenclaw Quidditch captain, right?"

Rose nodded.

"And if I trained you and you somehow get in the team, it would look a little biased…"

Rose scowled and grunted, "Just help me, will you? I promise I'll owe you a lot. You're next to James at being best at Quidditch. I just need to show him I can do it because he has this absurd belief that I probably stink in Quidditch—"

"Alright," he said abruptly and stood up to leave.

"W—wait, just like that?"

Scorpius turned around on his way towards the boys' staircases. "Yes. Imagine, you trying to get in the team and to defy your cousins' Quidditch team? That would be something to watch. Plus, you're certain humiliation would be a very excellent entertainment. Training starts tomorrow at five in the morning."

Rose slumped back in her armchair as she watched Scorpius go up. Then after a few moments, he turned around again to address her and said, "Oh, and Rose?"

Rose tried to give him a non-violent look. "Yes?"

"Expect sweat and pain. Lots of it."

With that, a smirking Scorpius left Rose, who was suddenly filled with dread for tomorrow.

.

Scorpius squinted as Rose came running towards their spot in the Quidditch pitch, her broomstick in one hand and the other clutching her side. Rose stopped right in front of Scorpius and panted, "I'm…ready…"

"You're late," Scorpius said dully.

Rose continued to pant before explaining herself. "I had to borrow a broom—"

"Stop reasoning your way out and mount your broom."

Scorpius picked up the Quaffle he had brought out minutes before, mounted his own broom, and lifted off. Rose's purpose helped her push away any unpleasant emotion she had for Scorpius and did what he told. She ungracefully kicked off from the ground and hovered with the same height as her trainer is on the broom.

"Do you know how to catch a Quaffle?" Scorpius asked.

"Of course I do!"

He shrugged and increased the distance between them. Then he threw the Quaffle at her without any warning. Rose reacted so rashly that she wobbled dangerously in air, not being able to catch the soccer-sized scarlet ball. Scorpius zoomed down to be able to catch it in time. He heard Rose groan.

"Reflex actions," he said coolly when he was in level with her. "Poor. And fatal."

Rose scowled.

"You said you know how to catch a Quaffle," continued Scorpius.

The trainee replied, "I wasn't prepared!"

"Be always prepared," the Quidditch Captain said. "Quidditch rule."

"Prepare," Rose said to herself and nodded vigorously. "Prepare…"

Scorpius threw the Quaffle again. Rose expected what was coming, but was not able to catch the ball; it only came in contact with her fingertips. Scorpius again dived to get the Quaffle.

"What the bloody hell was that?"

"I was trying to catch the—"

Scorpius sighed. "Maybe we're being a bit too early for this."

"Yeah. Seriously, five in the morning?" Rose muttered. Then she noticed the foreboding smile on his face. She gripped her broomstick tightly and gulped. "What?"

"I'm going to make you sweat, Rose—"

"Bloody hell!"

"No, not like that!" Scorpius cried. "I meant…just get off the broom…"

Both of them flew down, with Scorpius going in one swift and smooth move, while Rose in an unsure wobbly way. Scorpius waited for her on the ground impatiently. When she was not dangerously airborne anymore, Rose gave a big sigh of relief and beamed at him.

"Fantastic," she said shakily.

"What?"

"Nothing," she mumbled.

"Alright, time for a few warm-ups—"

"Oh, so that's what you mean," Rose said.

"Yeah, erm…" A tinge of pink crept up to Scorpius' neck. "Set your broom aside and we'll do some stretching—"

"Is that necessary?" she complained.

"Yes."

Rose frowned, but she remembered her purpose so she sucked it in and prepared to do what Scorpius would tell her. Scorpius made her sit down on the grassy ground of the Quidditch field as he sat down himself. Rose determinedly did as she was told. She sat cross-legged on the ground like an Indian while Scorpius had his legs stretched and a considerable distance apart. Rose patiently waited for the next instruction, but Scorpius only curled his lip, stood up and went over to her.

"What—" Rosetried to pull her ankles away from Scorpius' grip, but his hands coiled around it firmly. Scorpius yanked her ankles so that her legs were straightened before her; Rose shrieked by the sudden action. Then, Scorpius tried to spread her legs apart but Rose kicked him on the chest.

"What's wrong with you?" Scorpius said aggravatingly while rubbing his chest.

"What's wrong with you?" Rose countered.

"We're going to stretch!" he said. "How can you stretch with crossed legs?"

"Well—you could've just told me to have my legs apart instead of—doing that!" Rose was very red in the face. "I can do it myself…"

"Are you questioning my authority?"

"Yes!"

Scorpius opened his mouth, and then closed it again. Then he said as he stood up so that he was looking down at Rose, "Well don't, because I know what I'm doing." But he sounded unsure of what he was saying. He went back to his original spot, which was more or less than two feet in front of Rose. "Now, get your legs apart and sit up straight."

Scorpius demonstrated as he told directions at Rose. Reach down to the space in the middle of your two feet—no! Don't bend your knees—"

"It hurts—"

"It's supposed to hurt—you're bending your knees again. Here," Scorpius crawled beside her and pushed her knees down. "Stay like that then bend over and reach forward."

"Like this?" She did stretch and kept her knees straight but—

"No! You shouldn't keep your head up. Bend low! Bend low!" He pushed her head down so that when she bended, her nose almost touched the ground. "Embrace the pain!"

"It doesn't like me!"

"The more you have to embrace it."

"You make no sense!"

"Just continue stretching!"

"When will I stop—"

"When I tell you to! Do you want that Quidditch spot or not?"

"I want it!"

So they continued. Next, Scorpius told Rose to fold one of her legs back and reach the toes of her stretched leg. As expected, they argued, but it was evident that they made progress. Once tey were done stretching, Scorpius proposed an exercise Rose resented.

"Go on, lied down," Scorpius urged.

"But—"

"It's necessary," he explained. "We usually do in in the team."

Rose scowled at first but decided to do it. "Aren't you going to do it with me?"

"No, I'll supervise. Now, go on."

She rested her crossed arms against her chest and bended her knees so that her body formed an angle. Rose exhaled noisily and said, "I just sit up and then—"

"Yes, yes, now get on with it! Oh—wait—"

Scorpius positioned himself before her. He knelt and held Rose's feet in place. He nodded to indicate that she proceed, and so she did. "Count."

"One…" Rose said with force as she sat up and then lied back down. "Two…three…four—"

"You're good at this," he smiled. Rose was flushed and already sweating.

"Seven…eight—Merlin!" She uncrossed her arms and used them to support her behind her back. "This is brutal!"

"We also do push-ups," Scorpius informed solemnly. Rose squeaked.

"Don't say I'll be doing that too! Please, no!"

"Well, since you said please…" he smirked.

Rose scoffed and kicked his hands away from her feet. Scorpius laughed. "You're not taking this seriously, are you?"

"Of course I am!" Scorpius said, his eyes still twinkling with delight. "It's you who's not taking this seriously. We really are doing these exercises in the team. Now get up, you."

"What's next?"

"It's time for brooms again. We're being delayed by your lack of athletic skills on ground," he said, grabbing their brooms on the ground. "Not like it's going to make much difference on air."

"So we just wasted time," Rose muttered bitterly as she received her broomstick.

"Oh no," Scorpius grinned. "I was much amused."

He flew up, followed by Rose. "Alright," he said. "You're going to try out for the Chaser's spot. You need to fly expertly, and based on my observations just now, you stink."

Rose gritted her teeth and blushed.

"But we could work on that," Scorpius said. "I promise, Rose, I'll be hard on you."

"I invite you to."

Scorpius' eyes gleamed. "I take no pity in crying, I assure you that. So suck it up. Now, let's make it a game. I want you to race against me round the pitch. Four laps. We won't stop until I lose. Every time I win, you'll give me ten sit-ups and a chocolate frog."

"If I win?"

"Then, we proceed to your catching skills."

"What? Nothing for me? Only more work?"

"Let your prize be the Chaser's spot. Okay. Ready, set…go!"

Scorpius zoomed forward, leaving Rose dumbfounded, hovering on air. After she came to her senses, she flew as fast as she could after Scorpius. For the first four laps, Rose lost. Scorpius was such in a jubilee. They went dismounted their brooms and Rose paid the ten sit-ups she owed Scorpius.

"How about the chocolate frog?" she asked through clenched jaws.

"You can give it to me tonight at dinner," Scorpius cackled. "Alright, second round. Up for it? Well, I'm in charge so you don't have a choice."

They raced again…and after owing Scorpius eight chocolate frogs, Rose finally was able to win.

"Can we stop now?" Rose whined after she flew straight down to the ground and laid on her back. "My arms are like jelly and I feel like I just lost my stomach. Everything hurts!"

Scorpius landed next to her and sat down. He shook his hair partially wet with sweat and chuckled. "You'll be fine. And think about it, you'll be doing all these for the next six days."

"Merlin…" she groaned lethargically, her eyes closed. "If I just didn't have a copious amount of pride…"

Scorpius stared at her; the sun, now unhidden from the horizon, gave her red hair a luster it didn't usually have. Her chest rose and fell heavily as she breathed. Scorpius cleared her throat and looked else where.

"What's next?" Rose asked him.

"Er…nothing. We're done for today…" he answered her, still not looking at her.

"Glorious," she drawled.

"Er, aren't you getting up now?" Scorpius asked.

"No. I'm just going to lay down here…rest…until I probably die. You go…"

But Scorpius remained. He moved and lied down beside her, his head in level with her midriff and hers with his own midriff. Their elbows almost touched.

"Do you mind if I stayed for just a bit?" he asked as he looked straight up to the cloudy sky.

"Not really," was Rose's reply. Scorpius though he heard a smile through her voice, so he lifted his head and peered at her face. She really was smiling.

"Tomorrow we'll be practicing with Quaffles."

"Alright."

"Get ready."

"I will."

"Alright." Scorpius can't help grinning.

And so their training continued for the rest of the week. Rose had it hard. They practiced every morning and sometimes every afternoon too, and it almost trampled on her school work. Also, for the whole duration of her training week, she did not talk to James. Rose's other cousins (meaning almost everyone in the Gryffindor Quidditch team), however, encouraged her to keep doing her best. Albus constantly asked Scorpius why he even helped Rose, but the Captain just shrugged and smirked.

The day of the Ravenclaw replacements try outs arrived. Not many had come, but on Rose's judgments, those present were probably better than her. She was wrong, however. Half of the Ravenclaw students who were trying out didn't do as good as her. Rose was thankful to Scorpius for training her; she scored three out of the five times the Quaffle was passed to her (she was too frightened to think about snatching it from the opponent Chaser, especially that Scorpius was the said opponent Chaser).

After the game, Scorpius and the other Ravenclaw Quidditch team members deliberated on the potential new Chaser. They have eliminated almost half of the participants. Rose quivered on her spot when she heard that there would be another round of game for further extraction after a five-minute break.

"Five-minute break?" Rose hissed at Scorpius lowly so that nobody heard. "What are we supposed to do with a five-minute break? Why can't we play now?"

Scorpius smirked. "Do you want to play now? Wow, fearless, but look at you; you're as pale as the Grey Lady."

"I just want to get it over with," she sighed. "Anyways, how am I doing?"

"You actually astound me," he replied as he dusted off his Quidditch boots. "I thought you were going to be crushed. You didn't do half as bad as I expected you to."

"You really think so?" Rose's eyes twinkled.

"But the others were better," Scorpius teased and left her. Rose scowled.

The game proceeded. Rose dropped the Quaffle twice but was able to score four times. Three aspiring Chasers were eliminated and six remained; one of them was Rose.

"Weasley, Rose," Scorpius called out. "Please step forward for further deliberation."

"Me?" Rose asked stupidly.

"No, the brunette one…of course you!"

"Deliberation? Is that necessary? What kind of further deliberation."

Scorpius rolled his eyes. "If you kindly step forward now, you'll find out soon."

"Easy, Cap," Lorcan Scamander, the Ravenclaw Seeker, said.

"I won't be easy," Scorpius muttered to him. "Our plight is in crucial state." He turned to Rose. "Miss Weasley—"

"Ooh, formal." Lorcan sniggered.

"You have dropped the Quaffle a couple of times during the first and second rounds, but the count of your scores surpasses that failure. However, it seems that you did not prefer to snatch the Quaffle from the opponent, but relied on a team member's passing. Though teamwork is important, being able to steal from the other team is equally essential. You are not as swift in flying as the others, but you make a fair flight. We could always on that if you were to be on the team."

"Who trained you?" Lorcan asked Rose with an emphasizing grin, as if he didn't know the answer.

Scorpius huffed and said, "My relation to her training does not affect the team's decision whatsoever."

"But it will go along with your inclinations," Lorcan said then he whispered audibly to Diana James, Keeper, beside him. "I know that has something to do with man pride. Obviously, Rose's blossoming Quidditch talent has been motivated by Scorpius' steel hand."

"Moving on," Scorpius announced loudly. "Rose, please step back in line. Philip Wilton, step forward…"

Rose waited skittishly while Scorpius told the strong and wek points of each student applying for the spot. Finally, after a couple of minutes of discussion between the Captain and the whole of the Ravenclaw team, the new Chaser was announced.

It was not Rose. Rose, though heartbroken, congratulated Philip Wilton with a small smile. Everyone had gone up to the castle, but Rose stayed, hoping to fly alone in the sunset to relieve some of her disappointment away.

"Hey, you," Scorpius called her before she could mount her borrowed broomstick. "You did well."

"Not well enough," she said bitterly.

"If it helps," he continued. "You came third in our decision. Anton Berks was second."

"Nice to know."

Scorpius came closer to her; her back was turned to him. He stopped and decided she wanted to be alone. He patted her head gently. "You've been a behaved trainee. Maybe if you wanted to try out for next year, or if another player needs replacing, I can train you again and then you might be able to snag the prize."

Rose turned around and gave him a sad yet appreciative smile. "You've been behaved yourself."

"I'll leave you alone now."

Rose nodded.

"But don't forget; you still owe me eight chocolate frogs."

.

"Holy Nargle…" Rose stood dumbfounded after Lorcan told her the big news that would spark a short-term amateur Quidditch career for Rose (and you'll know a bit later why it is short-termed).

"We've got practice today at five in the afternoon, alright?" Lorcan said with a congratulatory grin. "See you later!"

Rose watched him exit the Ravenclaw common room for lunch. An arm chair caught her as her knees became weak with joy and surprise. Philip Wilton's overprotective mother discovered his membership in the Quidditch team, and sent a Howler to humiliatingly rebuke him. Philip resigned after his mother threatened to come down to school to personally withdraw him off the team. Next in line for the position was Anton Berks, but fate was cruel for he received a month's worth of detention after being caught sneaking a load of forbidden Weasley merchandises inside, which he intended to sell, during a Hogsmeade weekend. So technically, Rose was on the team, with only less than two weeks of practice before the game.

Scorpius entered the common room, and seeing Rose's astonished face, he smiled.

"So…" he announced his presence as he took a sit on the arm of the cushiony blue velvet chair. "New Chaser, huh?"

Rose stood up slowly and faced Scorpius. Her face glowing with glee. She clenched her fists and grinned and wriggled in excitement. "I'm on the team!" she exclaimed triumphantly. "I'll prove James wrong! I can do it! I'm the Chaser!"

Scorpius laughed, and then was thrown back by the weight of Rose's body. She hugged him so enthusiastically and so tightly that Scorpius returned the gesture doubly. "I can't believe it!" she said, her voice muffled by Scorpius' shoulder. "I'm on the team!"

"Yeah, I know!" Scorpius laughed, his spine tingling.

"You helped me! Thank you!" Rose squeezed him and then let go. "Thank you! I mean it! Now I have to tell Lily and Al—"

"Albus already knows so by the time he sees you he'll crush you in his bear hug, just like how you almost crushed me," Scorpius joked, making Rose flush in the least.

"Thanks again," she said breathlessly. "And I'll be there at the practice later. Of course I should; I'm on the team!"

She ran off. Scorpius' skin still prickled and he could still smell Rose. It was wonderful. But he wished Rose had not gone away so quickly yet…

Let us fast forward towards the main event after almost two weeks of hardcore practice. But before that, I think it is our right to know that James was in agony during the period that Rose did not talk to him. He was being truthful that he didn't mind what the Slytherin team was saying against him being beaten. When he said that Rose needed exercise, the one thing that started all this, his intention was as pure as a unicorn. He wanted Rose to try "moving a bit" as what he said because he was just really concerned for her; he didn't want the Slytherin bullies to have a go at her directly. And when he told them that Rose did not possess the Potter-Weasley Quidditch skills, he didn't mean it like that. Let us please understand that the poor boy was only being mindless after having his love for his family being trampled on. He wished to protect Rose, to try averting the bullies' attention away from his beloved cousin's aerial athletic skills. Even James Sirius Potter, first born of Harry and Ginny Potter, knows how to panic in the face of adversity; he's only human.

And you can imagine the delight he felt for his cousin after finding out she made it. Even though he knew she still felt resentment towards him, James was first to give Rose a hug before Albus, Lily or the other cousins. Rose was taken aback for a moment but her happiness was surmounting her bitterness at the moment, so, she forgave him instantly.

"No hard feelings, though," she said to her cousins. "When our team beats yours."

"I'll even celebrate with you!" James said. "I'm just happy for you, really."

And now, the game: Ravenclaw versus Gryffindor.

Rose's grip on her new broomstick (from her proud parents) trembled as she heard the loud cheers and shouts of the houses on the stands of the Quidditch pitch. The waiting room was yet closed; their entrance has not been announced yet. She took deep breaths to settle the churning feeling in her stomach.

"First game is always the worst," Lorcan told her. "But you'll survive. Probably."

"Thank you," Rose said; her voice forgot to add a little sarcasm to her tone.

Scorpius pushed away a snickering Lorcan and wrapped his arm around Rose, who was as rigid as a board. He whispered to her ear, "You'll be fine."

Rose shook her head solemnly. Scorpius tightened his one-arm embrace.

"Prove them wrong," he encouraged. She obstinately shook her head again. "Do you know why I agreed to train you?"

"You said because you know I'll fail and it would be funny to watch," Rose said quietly.

"No," Scorpius said. "Well, yeah, I said that, but come on, that wasn't true. I was just playing around…I trained you because…because I know you can do it and I wanted to help you and—erm—"

Rose craned her neck to look at him directly. "What?"

"You can do it," he finished lamely. Rose still looked low-spirited and nervous.

"This is it," Scorpius continued. "No turning back. You have to face this doubtless. What would it take you to—"

"Nothing!" Rose said in a hushed yet hysterical voice. "I'm doomed! What was I even thinking? What were you thinking considering me for a post on this team? There's nothing to save me now. You can't do anything now."

Her eyes implored for salvation. Scorpius couldn't resist any longer. He kissed her. He dropped his broomstick and cradled her face with his hands. They broke apart and everyone in the waiting room was silent.

"That was something," he said with bated breath. "I hope that was enough."

Rose tried to make a sound.

"And also, by the way, I agreed to that training because I thought it would be a good bonding time," Scorpius shrugged.

"Highly effective, mate," Lorcan side-commented.

Before Rose could react broadly, Landon Jordan's voice echoed outside, declaring the entrance of the Ravenclaw team.

The doors of the waiting room swung open and the whole team flew, with the exception of Rose and Scorpius. He patted her back and grinned.

"Don't let us down." His hand lingered a little longer on her shoulder; he even twisted a lock of her red hair on his finger, within a nanosecond, however. He lifted off. Rose mounted her broom and flew as well, but the floating feeling inside her was more pronounced than the aerial bliss that flying a broom can bring.

The Quaffle has been released, and not more than ten seconds in the game, Rose fell off her broom; a Bludger hit her roughly on the back of her head.

So this is the missing chapter between Sleep-eating and Sleep-crying in another Scorose fic entitled Rose's Seven Sleeping Activities. If you've read this without reading that multi-chap, then it's okay, but I bet you wanna know what happens next, so I suggest you read Activities (or at least chapter 6, but whatever).

Apologies for wrong grammars and spellings.