A/N: I own nothing of what you recognize. Please tell me what you think by feeding the box below.
'I am going to die.' He mutters under his breath, as he Aparates onto the crushed gravel drive. He takes a moment to steady himself. Brushing his pale blonde locks out of his eyes, he sets his sights on the side door to the large detached garage. 'He's probably in there working on that Muggle car of his.' He thinks setting off at a slow pace towards the grey metal door. 'Lots of weapons in there.' He starts to categorize them in his mind.'Wrenches, screwdrivers, tire irons, the actual tires themselves. I can see the "The Prophet" now.' He muses. "Teen beaten to death by wizarding legend with a steel -belted radial."
He stops himself at the door. 'What's my hurry?' He asks himself. 'She said she would wait until I was ready. I can wait.' The voice in his head he had been arguing with all week responded. 'No you can't. You cowardly PRAT! Get in there NOW and do it! You've already talked to her mom. How bad can it be?
'Do I really need to answer that?' He argues with himself. 'You've seen the man, he's like 6'72" and craps bigger than me after breakfast.'
His molten silver eyes are beginning to show fear and panic. 'Besides that was her mom. We've always got along. Her dad is a whole different story. He tolerates me... barely!'
'Well here goes.' He turns the handle and pulls. "Locked!" He almost giggles out loud. He turns away from the door. 'Saved!' He rejoices to himself. 'I can see another sunrise. I can run with the bulls. I can still watch the swallows come back to … CLICK!
"You need something, Blondie?" That was her dad's irritating nick name for him.
'Crap! Did in need something?' He turns back towards the tall redhead leaning on the door jamb.
"Uhm, Uhh Yeah." He answers. 'Eloquent you moron.' He chides himself. The redhead pulls a rag from his back pocket, wipes some grease from his hands and stuffs the rag back into his faded jeans.
"Well…what?" He asks sounding irritated. "Did you plan on telling me what it is or do I have to guess?"
"Yeah, I mean yeah to the first part not the second so uhm, yeah." The tall redhead looks at the teen and arches his eyebrows. "So?"
"Mr. Weasley, sir, I have something I need to talk to you about, well tell you no wait ask you really." The teen rambles. If it was possible to for him to get more pale he would have. "Can we go in?' He asks nodding towards the garage. The large man says nothing he just steps aside and lets the teen pass.
Inside the garage is the very definition of a man's dream. On one side of the garage, with an extended levitation charm cast on it, is a Lotus Esprit that Mr. Weasley had been working on since the teen knew him. On the other side there is a couch and several overstuffed chairs. Back behind the couch there is a Muggle pool table and a dartboard set up.
"Wanna drink? I got butterbeer and water in the cooler. Help yourself." Ron says nodding to a cooler on a workbench. He takes a seat in one of the chairs. Between two of the chairs is a wizard chess set. There is a game in process.
"Still playing that Russian chap by owl?" The teen asks as he sits in the chair across from Ron.
"That and patronuses," Says Ron. After watching the teen take a few minutes staring alternatively between himself and the chessboard the redhead speaks up. "Scorpius, what did you need?"
'Speak up you idiot! Go on.' The voice prompts him. "Your knights are in trouble." He says to the man. 'Chicken-shit!' the voice scolds him.
"They are protection for the Queen's gambit." Ron answers. "Sometimes the Queen is worth more than we know."
'Wait is he speaking in metaphors or is it similes! Oh crap! He knows something and I can't even get basic grammar down.'
"How is Rose?" Ron asks.
"Hmm?" Scorpius looks shocked at his girlfriend's name. "Oh! She is great."
"And you're not at school with her now why? I didn't know you could leave whenever you wanted."
"My parents gave me permission to be off grounds today." Scorpius answers.
The large man laughs his blue eyes sparkling.
"Leave it to a Malfoy to spend his day off wandering into my garage, blubbering incoherently."
Scorpius could see so much of his Rose in her father. The way she did everything full bore and flat out. Her blue eyes that he couldn't avoid. Her flaming red hair and equally volcanic temper.
"How is your mom?" Ron asks adopting a serious tone.
"Better." Scorpius answers.
"Good. She is a fine woman," Ron chuckles. "How your father landed her is almost as big a mystery as is what Hermione sees in me. "
"So, again, what did you want to talk about?" Ron asks again.
'Well there's nothing for it. If I die at least I made an effort.' Scorpius' inner voice tells him.
"Make sure you catch him in a good mood." He remembers Hugo telling him. "And don't be a smart ass!" As if he couldn't control his tongue. "Well in all honesty, mate, you can't." Albus told him when he later relayed the conversation he'd had with Roses' brother, when he and Albus were in the Slytherin common room.
"Uhm, sir you know Rose and I have been dating for three and a half years now." Scorpius starts.
"I seem to remember it being mentioned, yes." Ron answers sarcastically.
"And with this being our seventh year and with the choices we have both made." Scorpius continues on. "It has made it even more apparent what I, well both of us really want." He takes a large breath and lets it out slowly. Ron stares at him not blinking his Icy blue eyes feel like fire on Scorpius' face.
"I am asking for your blessing sir. I love Rose and I want her to be my wife."
Ron continues to stare blankly not moving for what feels like an eternity to Scorpius. 'When did these chairs change to stone?' He thinks squirming to no avail to find a comfortable position.
"You remember earlier when we were talking about chess." Ron asks almost wistfully.
"Yes sir." Scorpius answers, his face showing confusion.
'Great, he has gone insane. Sorry Rose ,but your dad just caught the train to droolsville.'
"Rose is my queen you know that right? Actually she is more than that, she is the single most precious thing in my world."
"I know that sir. I would never…" Scorpius starts to interrupt.
Ron holds up his hand. "Let me finish. You know I had, let's call them reservations, when she brought you home the first time for the Holidays."
'Reservations hell!' Scorpius remembers he thought Ron would have a stroke. His face turned purple and that vein in his forehead (The one the cousins all took bets on every holiday, the kid who could get it to pulse the hardest won the pool. Rose won that year) looked like it was going to explode.
"I want you to know something. I never had a problem with you because of your name." Scorpius had always assumed that had something to do with the uneasiness between them. "You are not your father or your grandfather. You have their name but you are a different man. My problem was with you." Scorpius gulps. "Your group actually, teenage boys."
Ron stands up and walks to the cooler. He removes a bottle and uses the counter top to open it.
"I am a father," he says after taking a drink. "It's my job to protect her. Believe me boys are easier by far to raise. With Hugo I have to worry about one penis, with Rose I have to worry about EVERY penis." Scorpius stops himself from chuckling; he realizes that Ron is serious.
"I want to know you have given this the proper thought. Rose is going to a Muggle medical college in America. Can you provide for her and yourself while over there? I know your family has more gold than Midas but I want to make sure you are properly motivated and prepared."
"I have had the same conversation with my father. He had the same concerns." Scorpius avoided remarking how alike Mr. Weasley and his father had become. "We have decided that we will not receive any help from them that is not in the form of official loans. As far as a job goes, I have accepted a position to play seeker for the Baltimore Basilisks of the AQL."
"The American Quidditch League?" Ron asks sounding slightly impressed.
Scorpius nods. "That along with Rose's full scholarship to 'Johns Hopkins' means we should be ok as far as money goes."
Ron sits back down in his overstuffed chair. After a few uncomfortable minutes he clears his throat. Scorpius swears he sees his eyes mist over at some unspoken memory.
"I have watched you and my daughter grow from hormonal teens to a young man and woman who truly complement each other. Your love for each other is nauseatingly apparent to anyone who spends more than two minutes in the same room as you. All I have ever wanted is for my children to be happy, and Blondie it looks like you are what makes her happy." Ron pauses. "So yes you have my blessing."
'Wait did he say yes?' "Th-h-ank you sir." Scorpius says while both men stand to shake hands.
"Enough of this "Sir" crap. Call me Ron."
"And you can start calling me Scorpius." Scorpius says hopefully.
"Oh no! Not a chance Blondie, not a chance." Scorpius goes to let go of Ron's hand but the larger man holds fast.
"Hermione said Rose was afraid I was going to kill you when you asked." Ron says flashing a smile that doesn't quite reach his eyes. "I told her I would never hurt you." Ron says squeezing the teen's hand harder. His smile fades and his eyes grow dark. "But break her heart," Ron's voice goes cold and Scorpius feel a chill run down his spine. "Different story." Ron lets go of the teen's hand.
"Now come over here, Blondie, and give me a hand with this car." Ron says draping his arm over the teen's shoulders.
'Now all I have to do is propose to Rose. I AM GONNA DIE!'