Disclaimer:
My fourth Harry Potter fic and still don't own a thing.A/N: This was the first Rose/Scorpius gem I thought of in my mind…hope you take the time to read it! Just a warning, there is a lot of text rather than dialogue in this chapter, but please don't be put off by it! Hope you like it…
Rose Weasley lay between crisp linen in the hospital wing. It was Rose's seventh year at Hogwarts and merely a day until the Easter holidays. Unfortunately, instead of getting ready for the break, she was biding her time in the hospital wing due to a quidditch mishap. As she was going for the quaffle, Rose was hit in the shoulder by a well aimed bludger and fell off her broom, only to hit her head sickeningly as she hit the ground. She had been in the hospital wing for two days now, and although her shoulder was healed up, Madame McKinnon wouldn't let her go due to her head injury. Apparently head injuries took time to heal, even with magic and potions involved. Rose was always quick to protest when Madame McKinnon said she couldn't leave yet, but every time Rose tried to make her point by getting out of bed and gathering her things, she would quickly resign as her head would throb and she would become dizzy. Resigned to laying in the hospital wing with nothing much to do but wait for random visitors to arrive, Rose was becoming rather bored, not to mention worried that she wouldn't be ready to catch the Hogwarts Express back to London the following day. While Rose's immediate family consisted of herself, her brother and parents, her extended family was rather large and family occasions were always a huge affair. Each Easter, Christmas, birthday and, well let's face it, every Sunday was considered one of these occasions and Rose couldn't bare the thought of not being able to make it to this years Easter festivities. Trying not to think of this, Rose shifted her gaze from the ceiling to the curtain covered bed beside her. During her second day in 'captivity', another patient had joined her, but she was unable to see who it was as the white curtains were drawn around the bed. This had her mind reeling over the possibilities of the other occupant's injuries. Normally they only closed the curtain if the injury was extreme or disfiguring. As Rose mused upon the possible ailments of her new companion, a visitor arrived. Rose looked up and smiled.
"Hello miss Liluna!" She said cheerfully. Lily Potter rolled her eyes.
"Thank Merlin only you call me that."
"Oh you love it! And besides, it's my own special nickname and you should feel heart-warmed by my generosity!"
"Whatever you say Rosie." Lily responded with a smile. She furrowed her brow and gave Rose a once over glance.
"So how are you feeling?" Rose's smile faltered slightly.
"I feel fine...when I'm sitting or laying down. I've tried convincing McKinnon to let me go but each time I protest my body doesn't want to let me get away with it."
"Why, what happens?"
"Well, my head consistently wants to submit to gravity's force, the world lets me know its spinning and my food doesn't really want to stay down."
"That's one hell of a reaction."
"Tell me about it."
"So do you think you'll be ready to leave by tomorrow?" Rose sighed.
"I don't know. I haven't tried to get out of bed yet today, just trying to build up to it. I've got a new roommate though, did you notice?" Rose said, changing the subject. Lily looked to the bed to Rose's left.
"Ah, something serious I see. Don't think they'll be great company. What do you think it is? Spattergroit? Long lasting Bat Bogey hex?"
"Why, was it you who did it?" Rose laughed, "I was thinking along the same lines, although then I just thought maybe they're just really ugly normally and don't want anyone to witness their vile visage."
Lily laughed out loud. Rose was known as being one of the most kind people in all of Hogwarts, there was no way anyone would ever take a comment like that seriously from her. Rose was the type of person that was friends with everyone. She would flit from group to group and table to table, always having someone to talk to. She didn't have any 'best' friends but Rose didn't care. She had her family.
"So, why hasn't your brother attempted a visit yet?" Rose asked, referring to Lily's older brother Albus.
"Funny you should mention that. He's been trying to put something together for you while you've been stuck in here. He says it's his way to make the time go faster in what he called 'that pristine hell hole'."
Rose had to laugh. Trust Albus to spend so much time organising something sweet and miss the timeframe for being actually useful.
"By the time Albus is finished, I'm sure I'll be out of this place. Just tell him to get his arse up here so he can break my boredom, not his stupid present."
"I'm sure he'll resent you for that comment. He was going to get you a whole bunch of chocolate but seeing as though its coming up to Easter, he figured you may not appreciate that, so he had to start from scratch. I'm sure whatever he's planned with at least be useful the next time you're in the hospital wing?" Lily offered optimistically.
"Don't worry, after this stint, I'm not looking forward to coming back here any time soon. Hey, don't you have to be in class or something?" Rose asked. Lily shook her head.
"Nah, I don't have to be in class until one o'clock."
"Ah, Lils?"
"Yeah?"
"You do realise its actually quarter to two?"
Lily looked at her watch. It was a muggle waterproof watch her dad had bought for her to use at home. Years ago Lily's brother had gotten what she described as a 'wicked underwater muggle watch' and insisted that she get one too. She always wore it but often forgot that the concentration of magic at Hogwarts rendered the watch unreliable.
"Shit! I've missed half of class. Oh I'm dead. Gotta go Rosie, see you round?"
"Only if you're round here I will!" Rose yelled out as Lily sprinted out the door. Rose sighed again. She had never been so bored.
Having nothing else better to do, Rose had fallen asleep. Upon waking she realised that the curtains around the bed next to her had been drawn. Looking over, she noticed a familiar blonde, bespectacled boy reading a book.
Scorpius Malfoy had a strange reputation at Hogwarts. Every student knew who he was by name, but his reputation was somewhat of a mystery. Scorpius was the Slytherin enigma. Everyone knew of his family's reputation and many students' parents had been affected by his father and grandfather's actions. But Scorpius himself hadn't carried on that reputation. Scorpius didn't seem to fit in Slytherin. He wasn't openly cocky or arrogant. He didn't tease or bully people as others expected him to when he began at Hogwarts and was sorted into Slytherin. However he rarely complimented people either. In fact, he rarely spoke at all. Scorpius was often seen in class writing furiously, some would say non-stop. He wore black rimmed glasses whenever in class or when out of class reading a book or magazine of interest. If not reading out of class, Scorpius could usually be seen wandering the castle aimlessly, always alone. Even at the Slytherin table and in class, Scorpius was usually alone. In her early years, Rose often wondered whether the other Slytherins had shunned him because he wasn't what a typical Slytherin should be. However, then she remembered that the prejudices of the past were not as strong as they used to be and over the years she had made her own friends within the rival house. All people could actually say about Scorpius was this: He was tall, blonde, possibly very smart and a loner. Of anything else, no-one knew for sure.
Rose, being Rose, decided to start up a conversation.
"Ah so it's Scorpius Malfoy that's my new roomie!" She said with a smile. Scorpius started and looked up from his book, not expecting to be addressed. He glanced at Rose in her bed and grimaced slightly before going back to his book. Not to be deterred, Rose continued.
"I'm glad to see the curtains are open now. Usually they only draw the curtains for something really serious. Must mean you're getting better! What are you in for anyway?"
During the long pause before Scorpius replied, Rose could have sworn she saw his lips mouth the words before finally replying.
"Good spot to read. You?" He finally replied cryptically.
"Ah, I get it, I'm being nosey. Sorry! Well I'm in here bored out of my mind because Sean Martin is far too good at being a beater."
"I know." Scorpius replied much quicker this time and Rose didn't mistake the force behind his words. Rose chose to ignore his fierce response and continued.
"Yeah well, he aimed the bludger at me, hit my shoulder and of course me being me, I fell off my broom and hit my head. McKinnon won't let me go until she's convinced I can walk 50 metres without wanting to fall over or throw up. What good is modern magic if it can't even cure brain trauma? Did you see the game anyway?" she asked conversationally. Scorpius was now looking back at his book and was shaking his head.
"I suppose not. Don't think I've ever seen you in the stands during a game. Quidditch not your thing ey?" She asked. Scorpius shook his head again, still not looking up from his book. Rose realised that she was disturbing his reading.
"Sorry, I'll let you get back to your book." She said, disappointed that the conversation didn't go any better. She was really excited that someone was finally joining her in the hospital wing. Just her luck that she was stuck with probably the most mute person in the school. She couldn't even talk at him because he was clearly busy reading. Rose decided to interrupt him one more time.
"You wouldn't happen to have another book there I could read do you?"
This time Scorpius looked up. He shifted his gaze down as if thinking and then leant over to his bedside cabinet and pulled out a thick book. He silently handed it over to Rose. Luckily Scorpius' long reach allowed him to close the gap between the beds. Rose flicked through the book and glanced at the final page.
"One thousand and twenty four pages? You sure don't muck around do you? I hope I'm not in here for the whole length of time this takes me to read!" She said with a chuckle. While Scorpius had gone back to his own book again, Rose swore she saw the corner of his mouth twitch slightly. This lightened her heart and she began to read the blurb of the book. While her new roommate was not very vocal, at least now she would have something to do.
Rose woke up the next morning almost forgetting that it was the first day of the holidays. She had started to read the book Scorpius leant her the previous night and had been up all night getting through to the 400 page mark. She wasn't particularly taken with the storyline, but she was sure if she kept reading something spectacular would happen. She figured the author was slowly building up the storyline to create intrigue and then everything would start moving at a fast pace. Rose only realised that it was the start of the holidays when Madam McKinnon came along with her usual bundle of potions.
"Miss Weasley, how are we feeling this morning?"
"We are feeling pretty good, if not very tired. How is Madame McKinnon feeling?" Rose asked with cheek. The older lady smiled slightly.
"Madame McKinnon would be better if Miss Weasley wasn't talking in the third person. Makes me believe your brain trauma was worse than I feared. Now, have these potions and wait half an hour before getting out of bed." Rose was about to protest but Madame McKinnon quickly continued, "And before you argue Miss Weasley, I wanted to let you know that if you are able to walk around all morning under the supervision of your friends without feeling ill or dizzy or like throwing up, then you may take the train home for the holidays."
Rose was uplifted but before she could say another word, a potion was thrust into her mouth and a cup of another potion was forced into her hand.
"Yeuch," exclaimed Rose. She downed the next potion and held the cup up to Madame McKinnon, but she was now placing potions on Scorpius' bedside table. Rose didn't think it was fair that he got to sleep in while every morning that she had been in here she had been shaken awake to take her potions. Madame McKinnon returned to grab her cup.
"Half and hour Miss Weasley, then you may go downstairs for breakfast."
Rose nodded in understanding. As the nurse left the room, Rose felt the usual boredom creeping up on her. In half an hour she could continue with the book that was leant to her. As she reached over to collect the book, she took a glance at Scorpius' bed. He lay with his blonde hair falling into his closed eyes, one hand under the pillow and the other hanging over the edge of the mattress. Rose smiled. She had acknowledged that Scorpius Malfoy was rather attractive in fourth year, just about the same time she acknowledged all the other handsome males in the school. Many of the girls had late night gossip sessions and fantasised about what Scorpius Malfoy was really like. Some of the muggle born girls had come to the conclusion that he was a superhero like in the comic books; silent and brooding by day, clad in tights and saving civilians at night. Others were more intrigued by him being a super villain, which seemed fitting with the Malfoy history. Rose however, hadn't given it much thought. She just wondered whether the boy was that way by choice or by nature. She hoped by choice because that way, someday someone would have the chance to get to know him properly. Like the book he leant her, she was simply intrigued by him. Nothing more. Nothing less.
Rose made her way down to the great hall in good spirits. Scorpius was still sleeping when she left so she never got to wish him a happy Easter, but she couldn't help but think that she felt perfectly fine and would be able to head home for Easter. Rose cheerfully joined her cousin Albus at the Griffindor table.
"So, didn't get to finish my present? You know I could have used with something to kill my boredom, or at least some chocolate." Albus looked almost horrified.
"I didn't want to get you chocolate because it's almost Easter! And I promise I'm nearly done with your present. You may just have to use it to kill the boredom next time."
Rose furrowed her brow.
"Why is it that everyone thinks I'll end up back in there so soon?"
Almost half of the Griffindor table turned around to give Rose disbelieving glances. Rose sighed.
"Fine. That place is like a second home to me, I get it! Al, you're lucky Scorpius was in the hospital wing yesterday. I was able to borrow a book to kill the boredom."
Albus raised an eyebrow.
"You with a book voluntarily? I would have liked to see that. Did you get much out of the brooding blonde?"
"Well I tried, but all in all, no. He seems alright he just…doesn't talk. It's kind of weird."
"More like kind of creepy." Albus corrected, shuddering to make his point.
"What was the first thing our parents taught us when we were kids? Judge a person by who they are, not their parents. Merlin knows you should sympathise with that. And besides, hasn't Scorpius' dad at least reformed or something?"
"Still doesn't mean he and his dad aren't creepy. And he calls me Potter."
"Um, Al, he calls you 'Potter' because you call him 'Malfoy'. Don't come complaining to me because you two have some strange boy thing where you don't use first names. Other people call you Potter, why does it matter if he does?"
"It's not that he calls me 'Potter', it's how he says it. It's like…forced out of his mouth or something Potter." Rose laughed.
"You are such a girl 'it's not what he says, it's just how he says it!' You haven't asked me how I am yet."
"Sorry, how are you? Feeling alright I see?"
"Yep, which means I still get to go home for Easter, bully for me! I should really go and pack, I've been in that 'pristine hell hole' for three days now."
"Okay then, I'll see you later if you're going to pack."
"Actually I need to wait for someone to escort me to the common room. McKinnon said I couldn't go anywhere unassisted this morning in case I need, well, assistance for a dizzy spell or puke fest."
"If that's what might happen, I bags not being the one to escort you."
"You couldn't anyway mon petite champignon as you cannot go up to my dorm room. I'll just wait for one of the girls to finish."
"Why am I forever a mushroom to you?"
Rose was waiting for her dorm-mate Maree to finish her last bite of toast. Maree had gestured to Rose that she could accompany her up to the dorms. As Rose got up from her seat, she turned to Albus.
"Coz I like to leave you in the dark and feed you bullshit." Rose said with a cheeky grin and waved to Albus.
Walking up the numerous flights of stairs to her dorm was starting to wear Rose down. Walking down the stairs to the great hall was fine earlier but now she was starting to feel a little odd. As Rose finally made it up to the dorm, she slowly dragged her trunk from under her bed, feeling rather sluggish.
"You okay Rosie?" Maree stopped her chatter about how annoying her boyfriend was to check if Rose was alright. Rose put a hand to her head.
"Yeah I think I'm fine. Just a bit breathless from the walk that's all." But Rose was beginning to think that she wasn't as fine as she was making out to be. She was currently breaking out into a cold sweat and she didn't seem to have much energy as she selected clothes from the closet.
"Rosie, I think you should sit down and rest for a bit, you look really pale." Rose laughed.
"I always look pale Maree, it's what us redheads do best." But Rose sat down anyway. Maree put her had to Rose's head.
"You don't feel too warm, but your eyes are a bit glassy and you're sweating. Rosie dear I'm not sure you're fine at all. I know holidays and stuff are important for your lot but you really need to go back up to the hospital wing."
Rose's stomach plummeted, from her head injury or from disappointment, she wasn't sure. Either way, she wanted to prove Maree wrong.
"No no, I've sat down a bit and feel better now. I'll be fine. Can you help me pack, I'm running out of time."
Maree nodded and folded some clothes for Rose. Rose eventually decided to get up from her bed but one wobble and she needed Maree's hands to steady her. Rose looked at Maree and almost cried. She wouldn't get to go home after all.
Rose was lying in the hospital wing again. She had just said goodbye to her family who were going to get to go home while she was stuck at school for two whole weeks. She couldn't verbally express to them how upset she was about missing her first family occasion, but she was sure the fact that her constant tears and inability to talk from fear of sobbing that they understood. Rose glanced to her left and saw that Scorpius was still here, head in a book. Rose figured there was nothing else to do but pick up her own borrowed book and to finish reading.
It was another two days before Rose could leave the hospital wing. Madame McKinnon was finally satisfied that Rose was not going to drop dead without bed rest or supervision and decided to let her go. Rose carried her borrowed one thousand and twenty four page book down to the great hall for breakfast after having finally finished it. She planned to return it to Scorpius as she knew he would have missed the Hogwarts Express also. Upon entering the hall, Rose saw Scorpius sitting in his usual spot at the end of the Slytherin table. Only a small smattering of students had remained for the holidays. Rose did a quick count. There were 11 people all up. Rose strolled confidently over to the Slytherin table and sat opposite Scorpius. She put the book on the table and slid it toward the boy.
"Thanks for the book. It did its job of curing my boredom for a while. Can't say I liked the ending though."
Scorpius stared at her and looked at his surroundings. Once he was convinced that he was indeed at his own table, it was too late to reply as Rose continued.
"I mean, fair enough that there needed to be that whole back story to explain about the trials and tribulations of the country and people, but I was expecting it to actually take off somewhere in the middle, not just continue to dwindle on. And the romance between Lady Olga and the army sergeant, I just didn't find that believable."
Rose expected Scorpius to reply but he continued to stare at her disbelievingly. She continued on.
"Oh please don't tell me you actually thought their romance was believable? It was such a bad match. He was abusive and put his army men before her and he hated children, I mean, she could have done so much better. Well she could have if she had not been such a snob."
During her rant, Rose scooped up the plate that had appeared in front of her and began piling it up with pancakes. Scorpius realised that he had been staring, and now that it appeared Rose was settling in for breakfast, he decided it might be prudent to answer.
"Ah, thanks." He said. Rose looked at him quizzically, unsure of what he was thanking her for. Worried that she had offended possibly one of his favourite books, she apologised herself.
"Oh sorry, I tend to get carried away with my rants on book reviews."
"N-no, I just meant thanks for b-bringing it back." Hearing Scorpius' nervous reply, Rose felt a little guilty for forcing her company on the guy. It was obvious he didn't usually talk to people. However, it was two days until Easter and she was stuck at Hogwarts by herself and couldn't bear to be alone. She was hardly ever alone.
"Oh, well that's alright! I wasn't going to steal your book now was I? I don't really read if I can avoid it anyway."
Scorpius looked up from his breakfast quickly and raised his eyebrow at Rose. Rose smiled and rolled her eyes.
"Ugh, I know. Everyone thinks that I must like to read because of my grades and who my mum is but to be honest, I only read if there is a benefit, like passing an assignment. My uncle Harry tells me that I have my mum's intelligence with my dad's motivation. So in other words, smart but lazy."
Scorpius merely nodded and went back to his breakfast. Unperturbed, Rose continued with her breakfast. After a long period of silence where both students finished eating, Scorpius rose from his seat.
"Thanks," he said, holding up the book. Rose smiled in response and finished the last sip of her orange juice. Scorpius turned around and made his way to the front entrance. Before too long, Rose was matching his stride.
"So, what is there to do at this school when there are no classes?" she asked, not noticing the mildly panicked look on Scorpius' face as he glanced at her. Again, it took him a while to reply as he was trying to think of something that would deter her from wanting his company.
"Walk." He replied.
"Oh great, I haven't walked around the grounds since third year I reckon! Where do you like to go?" Scorpius looked at her incredulously.
"Around the lake." He answered, hoping that the prospect of a long trek around the lake would finally discourage her.
"As in around the whole thing? Wow, that's amazing. Do you do that often? How long does it take you?"
Scorpius grimaced and closed his eyes in mild frustration while she wasn't looking. Truth be told, he had only ever walked a quarter of the way around the lake, not wanting to venture too far from the castle or civilisation.
"A-a while." He replied, not even knowing the answer himself.
"Well we certainly do have a while!" she responded and smiled at him before taking off at a quicker pace.
"Come on!" she urged.
Scorpius sighed and quickened his pace. Hopefully, after they walked around the lake he would be able to shake her off.
Two hours into the journey, Rose insisted that they take a break. Not because they were becoming tired, but because they needed to 'enjoy the view'. Scorpius sat down on a protruding tree root while Rose made a spot for herself on the ground. As Rose looked out onto the lake and toward the now distant castle, Scorpius rubbed his temples. Rose had not stopped trying to make conversation with him the whole way and during this time, he had barely replied. The result was that Scorpius had now learnt all about Rose's family, her studies, her favourite quidditch teams, subjects and foods. As Rose turned to talk to him yet again, Scorpius decided he couldn't take much more. As Rose's mouth began to open, Scorpius bet her to it.
"Sorry b-b-ut could you p-please just – st-stop talking for a while?"
Rose was shocked more by his sudden burst of speech rather than what he was saying. She immediately apologised.
"Sorry, I tend to talk a lot. Verbal diarrhoea my dad calls it. You know my-" Rose stopped abruptly as Scorpius gave her a bit of a glare.
"Okay, I get it. Shutting up for the rest of the trip." She promised, and true to her word, they made it around the lake without another word.
The next day, Rose made her way down to the great hall for breakfast yet again. She had spent a rather boring night in her tower listening to music and testing out some new handy spells. Rose eyed off the Griffindor table with its two young occupants and then spied Scorpius in his usual spot at the Slytherin table. Rose automatically drifted toward the person of her own age and sat across for Scorpius yet again. As happened the day before, Scorpius looked up at her questionably.
"Morning!" Rose greeted. Scorpius nodded slightly in response.
"I hope you don't mind, I thought I would join you again."
Scorpius looked slightly panicked.
"Don't worry, I won't talk too much. Or at all if I can help it." She stated.
Rose spent the day following Scorpius around again, this time to the library and then out onto the grounds as he read a book. Rose occupied her time next to him by drawing simple sketches and occasionally talking to him about something that she thought up. Each time she expressed a thought or opinion, she would receive either a mild glare or blank stare from Scorpius. Rose was beginning to think that being alone would trumps being in the company of someone who was so passive. However, she continued to seek out Scorpius' presence by the third day.
By the time Easter actually came, Rose hadn't said any more than 'morning' and 'see you later' to Scorpius each day. She had become accustomed to the silence. Coming from such a boisterous family she had never had this level of peace. As Easter Sunday approached, Rose received the expected abundance of chocolate eggs and letters from family. Looking at her overflowing parcels surrounding her on her bed, she chose a selection of eggs from different packages and put them together in some left over cellophane. She completed her usual morning routine of heading down to eat at the Slytherin table. Scorpius was, of course, sitting in his usual seat and looked up with his eyebrows raised in a greeting as he had done the previous mornings before going back to his breakfast and reading the morning paper. Rose placed the cellophane package in front of him at the table. She smiled.
"Happy Easter Scorpius. Hope you like chocolate." She laughed slightly as she said the last part. Scorpius looked up from his paper at Rose with an expression she had never seen before. Rose simply smiled at him again and began collecting her breakfast.
"Thanks, I love chocolate." Scorpius said as Rose finished piling up her plate. Scorpius looked down at his paper again almost sheepishly.
As they finished breakfast, they followed their usual routine. Scorpius would finish first and simply keep reading the paper until Rose was finished her food. Then Scorpius would stand up and wait for Rose to join him before they made their way out on to the grounds to sit under a tree or beside the lake. Today, they were positioned under a large beech tree near the lake. Scorpius continued to read his paper while Rose got out her notebook and began drawing idle sketches. Scorpius couldn't concentrate on his paper as the breeze continued to ruffle the cellophane on his Easter present. He couldn't believe that after a whole week of barely talking to the girl beside him and shunning nearly every attempt she made at conversation, that she would continue to want to be around him and show him as much kindness as he knew she did everyone else. He decided that for once, he had to put aside all his insecurities and pre-conceived notions and take a risk.
"Why are you hanging out with m-me?" He asked, almost as shocked as Rose was at the sound of his own voice beginning a conversation.
"Well, why not?" She replied, honestly perplexed at his question. Scorpius thought for a moment.
"I just thought that you w-wouldn't want to associate with me b-b-ecause of my name," he paused, "and how I've treated you."
Rose was so shocked at the fact he was talking to her that she couldn't fully grasp what he was asking her.
"Why would I care what your name is? I mean, Scorpius is hardly a strange name for a wizard, and you haven't been that bad to me."
Rose looked up at Scorpius with furrowed brows as he looked at her incredulously. Rose stared at him for a second and then smirked.
"Okay, so you have been pretty rude to me this week. But apart from getting irritated at my constant talking, you really haven't been that bad. I've enjoyed the company."
Scorpius shook his head in disbelief.
"Sorry for that, I'm just n-not used to talking to people that m-much. And I meant about being a Malfoy, not my first name."
Rose looked at him and realised that here sat before her a boy who clearly had many insecurities despite his strong presence. It made her think that he was this way by choice which made her glad.
"Merlin, you sound like Albus, all this business with last names. You should know that it doesn't matter. I mean, you do care that I'm a Weasley?"
Scorpius shook his head.
"Well, there you go. You don't have to have an opinion of someone just because other people think that's how you should act."
Scorpius thought for a moment.
"Too b-b-bad other people don't think the way you do." He said matter of factly.
"Don't worry, I know that there are plenty of people who do. Maybe it's just got to be your job to find them!" She said cheerfully. Scorpius was beginning to think that Rose only ever said things cheerfully. She never seemed perturbed by anything. He wanted to smile but stopped himself.
"I can point you in the direction of them if you like, and I have to say that most of them are of the female persuasion."
Scorpius raised an eyebrow at her.
"It's true! I promise you! You are the constant topic of debate at any girl gathering. 'Ooh what do you think he looks like with his shirt off?' 'I think he just wears those glasses because they look good, he can see perfectly fine.' 'Oh if only he'd talk to me, I know I could get him to open up.' Blah blah blah."
Scorpius couldn't hold back his smile anymore.
"Ah so it's what all the girls say? N-not just one girl in p-p-particular?" he said with a grin. Rose looked at him with mock shock.
"Oh sweet Merlin! Did Scorpius Malfoy just crack a joke and smile? I have to take this back to the fan club. I was the one who cracked the Slytherin Enigma!"
"Slytherin En-nigma?" he asked.
"That, I am not making up." Rose reassured him.
"If I'm the Slytherin Enigma, you're the Griffindor Gab." He replied, becoming shocked at his own ability to continue the conversation. Normally he tried to censor himself and plan what he was going to say, but after spending a week with the usually chatty girl, he had realised that maybe the way he spoke wasn't that much of a concern, at least to her. Rose simply smiled at the boy in front of her. She didn't know exactly what had cracked him but she was enjoying hearing his voice after almost a whole week of silence. She tilted her head as she watched him.
"You should smile more often. You're beautiful when you smile," she said directly.
Scorpius didn't know how to react to that. Was it a compliment or an insult for a boy to be called beautiful? Rose must have noticed how uncomfortable he was with this comment as she laughed and then tried to reassure him.
"Relax, all I meant was that I've hardly ever heard you talk, let alone see you smile. It makes you look much more attractive, you should do it more often!"
Scorpius tried to digest what Rose had just said but still found it unbelievable. Girls weren't usually interested in him, openly anyway. He knew that Rose's comment didn't steam from an attraction to him though. He had learned enough about her during the week to realise that she was simply an open honest person, almost too much on occasion. He thought maybe it was time that he took a leaf out of her book.
"It's n-not that I don't w-w-want to talk to people, I just t-try not to. And if it's going to m-make girls call me beautiful then I don't think I'll start talking any t-time soon." He said with a small grimace.
"Sorry, but 'handsome' or 'hot' don't really suit you at the moment. Beautiful doesn't just describe looks, but personality as well, and you have a real personality tucked away in there somewhere, I'm sure of it. You've just got to let other people see it too." Rose said with a smile. She was beginning to understand why Scorpius was the way that he was.
"Yeah w-well it's kind of hard to be yourself w-w-when you sound like I do." He replied, averting Rose's gaze. Rose rolled her eyes at him but he didn't see it.
"I can't believe that you have been putting up a façade for almost 7 years just because you stutter!"
Rose continued to watch Scorpius. His head was bowed even further now and Rose could see that he was embarrassed to talk about this.
"I have to say I'm impressed that you have kept this from the whole school for that long. Maybe you do have super-powers. Can I ask how many people know?"
Scorpius cleared his throat before answering.
"M-my family of course. And now you."
There was another pause as Rose tilted her head at him yet again and smiled.
"Wow, so I'm the only witness outside the Malfoy family to know your secret. I should sell this story to the Daily Prophet: "Scorpius Malfoy, Mute and Moody or Disfluent and Delightful?"
This comment got Scorpius to laugh again.
"Delightful? I thought I was b-beautiful?"
A/N: PLEASE REVIEW! I really wanted to create a completely different and unexpected Scorpius so I hope I succeeded…I also promise that this story has a definite plot as of the next chapter…I will also explain the stuttering thing a bit more in the next chapter, so you read what he is saying how I want it to sound in my head...and sorry but no, Rose will not cure his stutter...just in case you were wondering! I know it must be weird to have to read a stutter but please just bear with me! Let me know what you think!