Year Five

After the horrible things I did in my sixth year, I realized something. If getting Scorpius to notice me means causing a member of my family so much pain, then it just wasn't meant to be. So, in my seventh year, after spending the majority of my Hogwarts career dwelling on Scorpius Malfoy, I finally moved on. And I did the right thing for once.

Scorpius hadn't associated with anyone in my entire family since the incident. Not even Al, and the two of them had been best mates since our second year. But I went up to him one night in the library and changed that. I needed to fix things.

"Scorp? I need to talk to you."

When he saw it was me, he slammed his book shut and started to get up to leave, but I shoved him back into his chair. "I need to talk to you, and you are going to listen." I pulled up a chair and leaned in toward him so no one would hear us talking. Reluctantly, he settled back into his seat and prepared to hear me out.

"I want to start by saying I'm sorry. For everything. I had absolutely no right to go and tell my uncle about you and Lily like that. You have every right to hate me for the rest of your life." His expression stayed hard and unforgiving, but I had expected that.

"I only did it because I had had a crush on you since we started at Hogwarts. I know that isn't an excuse, and it only makes me seem like a horrid, jealous brat, but I just wanted you to know. Now, that being said, I have moved on." He narrowed his eyes at me, like I had only confused him by telling him that last bit. I ignored him. "You and Lily were meant to be. I hope I haven't ruined what you two had by making that stupid mistake." With that, I stood up to leave, but then remembered the other, most important thing I needed to tell him. "I spoke to my uncle again. He gives his blessing. But if you want, I'll tell Lils you convinced him." I winked at him and walked out of the library.

I was halfway to the Gryffindor common room when I heard someone's heavy footsteps behind me. "Rose, wait!" called Scorpius. Surprised at the urgency in his tone, I whirled around. When he caught up with me, he grabbed my shoulders and stared right into my eyes. "He really is okay with it? I can go out with Lily?" I nodded. Joy flooded his face and he just stood there for a minute. "You did this?" he finally got out. Again, I nodded. Without notice, he leaned over and kissed me on the cheek. We were all alone in the corridor, but I still checked over my shoulder to make sure none of my cousins had seen. "Thank you!" he whispered. He hugged me tightly and then ran off.

"Where are you going?" I hollered after him.

"To tell Lily!"

"She's in the common room, smart one!"

That night, I lay in my bed and reflected on everything that had happened that night. I pictured my thirteen-year-old self receiving a kiss on the cheek from Scorpius Malfoy. Laughing silently, I realized how much time and energy I spent on "loving" him. That was time I would never get back. I also realized how much I had resented one of my closest cousins up until, like, right now. If I hadn't moved on, the bond the two of us shared might have been permanently severed. And nothing, nothing in the world, would have been worth that.