-an unromance for our forefathers-

By Nanaho-Hime

Disclaimer: Eh I never own anything

For angelin's Rose/Scorpius contest

"Never thought I'd say I'm sorry. Never thought I'd be the one to bring you down." Brand New Day- Forty Foot Echo

i. ignite me, beautiful

He realizes that she can do so much better than him. And he might be handsome, and he might be the one that everyone notices but she's the one that shines (there's no other word for it). She might be tomboy Weasley, not as mind blowingly spectacular to the naked eye as some of her peers, but beneath the surface, god, beneath the surface she is something.

Only she doesn't hate him. This might not be a bad thing if she loved him, but she doesn't even like him and it's worse than getting into blazing rows every day because it's impassive, that's what it is, and he might as well be invisible.

She's as civil as she would be to anyone and he doesn't want to be anyone. He wants to be her only one just like she's his only one. And it's so stupid and it's so clichéd, this pining, head over heels in love business, and, Merlin, he's not one for theatrics, but she's the only girl who's ever been able to make him bend to her will.

He doesn't know why she's so cautious with him. It's almost as though behind her impassiveness, she's frightened of him, but he can't understand why. It's like she thinks he'll hurt her, or that society will hurt her, or prejudice will hurt her, and Rose might be a Gryffindor but she's as afraid of those things as anyone else.

"Rose!"

She looks at him with her pale blue eyes, her head tilted to the side. She's adorable, but he's smooth and he jogs a bit to catch up to her. She's a tall girl but he's taller and she speaks softly so that he has to lean towards her a little to hear properly (he is elated by the proximity).

"What can I do for you, Scorpius?" her voice is all soft cordiality, no edge and no life, merely dutiful and it kills him, the little things he hears (or can't hear) in her voice.

"I was wondering if you would be so kind as to help me with my Potions essay?" he asks, and he curses himself for the eager hope in his voice; as though he couldn't be any more obvious.

Rose gives him a quick glance from the corner of her eye. Perhaps she knows about his ulterior motives, perhaps she finds it strange that he wouldn't ask Al for help with Potions. In any case, she nods slowly.

"The library?"

Her responses are always short and concise as though she doesn't want to give him anything to use, to hold on to.

"Sounds good."

She leaves him, even though they have the same class, and he aches a little at the nothing that is there plain, passionless relationship.

(he longs to see a spark.)

ii. the dam has broke and it looks like we're flooding, baby

She arrives at the library on time, her faded satchel hanging from her arm. She offers a small, polite nod to Scorpius, before she begins arranging the books neatly around them.

Scorpius has no problems with Potions, and Rose knows this. She doesn't understand his call for a meeting under the pretense of tutoring, but she is curious to find out and she has no reason to reject him. After all, he is nothing.

"What are you having trouble with, Scorpius?"

He is leaning back in his seat, his smile is lazy, and she feels a glimmer of irritation. Scorpius is not known to be the hardest working student, but he's never been one to waster her time.

"What do you want to do after you graduate, Rosie?"

It should be a strange question, but it isn't. Rose always feels uncomfortable when the future is the question, and she stares at her hands as she gives her answer in a monotone.

"I'd like to work in law enforcement," she hesitates, "like my mother."

He frowns as though disappointed with her answer, "Why Rose? It's not like it isn't a good profession, but you love other subjects so much more."

Rose shrugs, because she's never discussed her insecurities with anyone and she most certainly isn't going to start with Scorpius Malfoy.

"I like Defense Against the Dark Arts and Charms," she responds stiffly, albeit none too convincingly.

Scorpius looks at her skeptically, "Why don't you go for Healer? Or Healer's assistant? I think you'd like working for Gringotts or being manager of a Quidditch team. I don't know Rosie, I don't think you'd be too happy in law enforcement."

Rose is surprised that he knows her so well, but even more surprised that he can see right through her.

"It's always been law enforcement."

There is a trace of vulnerability in her voice, and his eyes go soft, and her pulse is racing, and, oh god, why is he looking at her like that?

(her life is one big cliché)

"You know Rosie," (she hateshateshates how he calls her Rosie) "You have a lot of beautiful things to offer the world, that are your own, and you shouldn't just bottle them up or hide them in a box."

He is not making fun of her, and it's almost worse than if he were because, Merlin, they are Rose Weasley and Scorpius Malfoy (Juliet and her fucking Romeo) and she knows how this story ends.

But he's looking at her with soft, grey eyes and sweet words and there's no turning back now.

iii. it's consuming us, honey, but it's not going to last forever

And just like that, they're living for each other. They're living for stolen moments, and the sound of each other's laughter, and all of a sudden life is so perfect and beautiful and raw and real.

It's a secret (of-freaking-course), and there's a thrill to it and for the first time Rose Weasley is reckless and Scorpius Malfoy is just a little more cautious.

(Cause this bubble is sure to pop.)

iv. sweet, baby, it's for your own good (you'll forget these tears you've cried)

The worst thing is it's not unexpected. She knows (she's always known) exactly how this will end and it's a numb kind of feeling.

He ends it, and he hates himself for it. He never thought, he'd never intended, to hurt her and he wants to apologize but he can't (and life is suddenly veryvery gray).

She has circles under her eyes; she's been extremely withdrawn and he's gotten too thin, and it's this self destructive thing they've got going on.

(Because they belong to each other now, and it's never really going to stop)

He does it for her, because he realizes she can be happier, she can do better, and even though he knows he can't (he won't) do better than her, her family means the world to her, and this scandal? Well, it might just tear the Weasley-Potter clan apart (prejudice and old grudges tend to do that).

And he'd rather have her cry over something small with him, than cry over the tearing apart of the people she loves more than him (it kills him to say it).

And now Rose Weasley's broken and it's all his fault. (Even though he always thought she'd do it to him first.)

It is an unhealthy relationship they have.

v. reunions of the unromantic variety

She's the new manager of the Chudley Canons, and he finds out from the paper. He goes to a game to watch her from the stands, and she looks happy and healthy (she's glowing) and he feels as though, even though he messed up, something good came out of it. (In any case, at least she's doing a job that she loves.)

After the game, she's standing in the rain on the bridge that leads back to mundane, real life existence, and he figures that she would've seen him in the stand (it's that damn connection that never went away).

He leans on the railing of the bridge and watches the river. They haven't spoken in years.

"I know you did it for me."

She doesn't sound very grateful and maybe the wounds haven't healed yet.

"I'm sorry."

He's changed because of her, he's more solemn, and now he doesn't think of just himself anymore (she fills his thoughts every minute of every day). He's changed for her because, he never wants her to struggle to make her own way it the world.

"You should be."

There is no bitterness, rather it is simply accepting (he knows every nuance of her voice just like he knows every nuance of her face, her heart).

"I still love you, you know."

He says it, because he's weak, and now that he's older and lonelier he realizes that life is too short to worry about people that don't matter.

"I know."

She doesn't turn to look at him.

"Thank you, Scorpius for your words that day in the library. I'm proud of who I am now. Thank you for seeing me."

He smiles, because it's all he's ever wanted for her. It's not the most romantic of reunions, but it's a start.

"Shall we give it a go, then?"

They look like a pair of idiots, soaked to the bone and staring out at the river, as though they hadn't a care in the world. Wordlessly, Rose leans her head against Scorpius's shoulder and it's all the answer he needs.

(in the great span of eternity, they are all that matters)

the end

A/N: I was really upset today, so I wrote to vent. I'm pretty iffy about this one. I have no idea how it turned out, but eh, tell me what you think.

Don't favorite if you're not going to review!

Much Love,

Nanaho-Hime