A/N: Hello everyone! My first stab at a Rose/Scorpius fanfiction. I have written HP fanfiction before, but this is the first one I'm publishing on this site, and also my first next gen fic. I'm a big fan of the Rose/Scorpius pairing and have always wanted to write a story about them, so here it is! Do feel free to point out any mistakes I may have made, be it grammar or spelling or even if certain things are inconsistent with the book (I try to be as accurate as possible in following what JK Rowling has mapped out).

She ran through the barrier and onto platform 9 and 3/4, and grinned when she saw the scarlet train. There was the loud chatter of students, some already clad in their Hogwarts robes. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. As corny as it sounds, Hogwarts had always felt like home to her, and she was always glad to return to it.

Her cousin Albus came up beside her and put his arm around her shoulder.

"Sixth year's gonna be a blast Rosie!" he said. She was about to utter her agreement when someone clad in Slytherin robes arrived in their midst.

"Hey Al!"

Albus turned and gave a high five to Scorpius Malfoy. She rolled her eyes. Seriously who still high fives now?

"Scorp! How was your summer?" he asked.

"Oh please, that is such a redundant question considering Malfoy was over at your place practically half the summer, and you over at his the other half," she quipped.

"Well good morning to you too Red," Scorpius said. He had a habit of calling her that, Red. No one else did, and she didn't remember when it started, but Scorpius insisted on referring to her as such that she gave up trying to stop him, if not that would just add to the million and one things on the list of things they bicker about. "Someone sure woke up on the wrong side of bed eh? Not excited to be going back to Hogwarts?"

"On the contrary I am very excited. However your presence now just reminded me of the one thing I hate about Hogwarts, which is having to see you almost on a daily basis," she replied, lifting her chin up.

"Aw shucks Red, and I was so looking forward to us spending quality time together this year," Scorpius laughed. Albus shook his head in exasperation beside them while Rose glared at him. She knew Al has always wanted them to get along, but in her opinion it was 'impossible to even have a decent conversation with this sodding prick'.

"Eat grass, Malfoy," she said, before walking away.

Her mother was doing her usual routine with Hugo, her little brother.

"- packed in your trunk. And Hugo, for the last time, no more note passing in class, or throwing dungbombs anywhere in school. The amount of detention you got last year –"

"Relax 'Mione, the kid's fine," Ron said as he ruffled Hugo's hair.

"Ron, it's exactly this kind of relaxed attitude you've been treating our son with that he's acting out in school!" Hermione said anxiously. Hugo just stood there fiddling with a chess piece in his hand. Rose rolled her eyes. She loves her brother but thought that sometimes it's hard to tell if he's fourteen or four.

"Don't worry Aunt Hermione, we'll keep an eye on Hugo!" James said as he, Lily and his parents strolled over to them. This earned him a smack on the head from his mother.

"Ow! That's child abuse woman!"

"Don't think we don't know where he got those dungbombs from," said Ginny. "And I warn you James Potter, if we get another letter from the headmaster I am gonna send you ten Howlers this time."

James gulped at the memory of his mother's Howler in his fifth year after he and Fred had pulled one of the largest pranks ever. Let's just say the fourth floor corridor is still cordoned off because they could never completely get rid of what Fred and James had put there. And Ginny's Howler screaming at James about shutting him in his room for eternity is still ringing in everybody's ears today.

Hermione turned to Rose now and brushed a few stray strands of hair off her face.

"Now you take care of your little brother ok sweetie? And just owl us if you need anything, like if your brother gets into any trouble or –"

"I know Mum, don't worry," she patted her on the arm. Hermione nodded and gave her daughter a kiss on the cheek.

Rose turned to her Dad and grinned as he reached out to hug her. And in the midst of their embrace he murmured, "Give Malfoy hell."

She giggled as he kissed her on the forehead.

"Hey Al, do you remember what the Professor said about Puffapods during Herbology class? I need about two more inches to finish up my essay but I really can't think of anything else," Rose asked.

She was curled up on the couch before the fire in the Gryffindor common room, trying to complete her Herbology essay. Albus on the other hand was playing wizards' chess with Hugo.

"Hmmm? Yeah sure whatever you say Rosie," came his reply. She rolled her eyes. She should have guessed he wasn't listening to her.

"I don't know why you even try Al, Hugo always beats you."

Just as she said it, Hugo cried out, "Checkmate! I win! Again. You owe me ten galleons."

Albus groaned, digging into his pockets and dumping the ten galleons on the chess board. Besides inheriting his father's looks, Hugo had also inherited his skill in chess, and Albus has tried and failed over the years to beat Hugo in a chess game.

"Shouldn't you be doing your homework Hugo?" Rose said. Despite having inherited her dad's hair and eyes as well, she had also inherited her mother's features and intelligence, and along with it, her bossiness and rule abidingness. James and Albus called it the 'goody disease'.

"You're not the boss of me!" Hugo made a face and ran upstairs. Rose sighed. For a fourth year, he can be extremely childish.

Albus glanced at the time.

"Well I'll get going as well. Need to meet Scorpius and –"he stopped in midsentence when he saw her wrinkle her nose and give him a look. "Oh come on Rosie, it's been what? Five years? Scorpius is great fun if you'd just get to know him."

"No thank you. I wouldn't be caught dead within two feet of that arrogant jerk of a Slytherin."

Albus shrugged. "Suit yourself," he said, then he climbed of the portrait hole.

She hated that her cousin and close friend Albus was best friends with that creep. In her opinion, he was the most annoying and pompous git to ever fall upon the face of earth, and sometimes when she couldn't control herself, she'd send a good hex his way, which most of the time he managed to avoid much to her annoyance.

The both of them were also top in their level for most of the subjects. She loved it when she beat him in tests. But she hated how he could easily match her score without even trying.

The incident that Albus was referring to earlier on had occurred in their first year, when they had all just met.

"Traitor!"

"Death Eater!"

"Going to use an Unforgivable Curse on us Malfoy?"

Scorpius scowled at them and seemed about to retort when he was cut short by another voice. However this voice was not hurling insults at him nor his family.

"Leave him alone! He didn't choose all that!"

He glanced at who had said that. It was a girl –a pretty girl –who had said that. She had long red hair that she had tied up in a plait, though a few strands had fallen out. And she had the bluest eyes he had ever seen. It took him a moment to realize she was a Weasley. And the boy beside her was a Potter. His father had told him about them.

"Stay out of this Weasley. I can handle my own business," he replied in a lazy manner.

"Excuse me!" Rose Weasley put her hands on her hips. "I was only trying to help! A 'thank you' would have sufficed-"

"No one asked you to be nosey."

"Rosie, don't. Dad said to be nice," the bespectacled boy beside Rose had tugged at her sleeve.

"But Al this git here-"

"Listen to your pal there and run along will you," Scorpius drawled.

"Well aren't you just like your father then," said Rose. A look of distaste crossed Scorpius's face. "You're right, we should have minded our own business and let you be. You deserve it anyway."

"Come along Al," she linked arms with Albus and dragged him away.

It certainly didn't help that he teased her mercilessly and she constantly called him names in return. But that didn't stop Albus and Scorpius from becoming best friends. They did have a lot in common. For one, they both loved the sport Quidditch. Scorpius played way better than his father ever did, and Albus on the other hand seemed to lack the natural talent his father had, but nevertheless still played relatively well. For another, they both wanted to be known for themselves, not who their fathers were. And somehow through the mix, they became best friends. Even so, up till now, Rose still could not understand what her cousin was thinking when he decided to befriend that 'sodding arse of a Slytherin'.

Rose heard the giggling of a few girls in the common room and looked up to see her cousins James and Fred entering the common room. James's hand immediately jumped to his hair to mess it up as he grinned smugly at the girls. Fred rolled his eyes at him, and spotting Rose, came over and sat down.

"Hey Rosie, what's up?" he asked, lounging casually on the couch beside her. James had followed and settled himself in an armchair.

"Trying to finish this ruddy essay. I just need two inches more on Puffapods but I can't seem to remember anything else the Professor mentioned!"

"Ah homework, we learnt back in fourth year that it's pretty redundant, didn't we Fred?" James said. Fred nodded in agreement.

"Come on Rose we've only been back here 3 days and you're already fretting about homework?" Fred said.

"Well excuse me for wanting to do well. Shouldn't you guys be studying? It's your NEWTs year if you haven't realized," she said.

James coughed and Rose was sure she heard 'goody disease'. She scowled at him.

"Yeah well, we have more important things to do," Fred said, exchanging grins with James.

"If Aunt Ginny finds out you've been slacking off again –"

"Aw come on Rosie, you wouldn't tell her would you?" James pleaded.

"No. I don't have the time to write a letter to Aunt Ginny just to tell her about all your misdeeds James. That letter would take forever to write," she replied.

James and Fred certainly lived up to their namesake, being the most notorious pranksters in the school. And it certainly boosted James's ego to know that girls absolutely fawned over his dashing good looks. It helped that he was Quidditch captain for the Gryffindor team as well, playing Keeper, while Albus had followed in their father's footsteps and got the spot of Seeker. Fred too was on the team playing Chaser. He had flaming red hair and looked a lot like his father, and though he spent half his time pranking with James, he was still fiercely protective of all his younger cousins in Hogwarts. Considering there are so many of them, they were practically like a huge Weasley and Potter gang in Hogwarts. They were all pretty close, and Fred was the big brother they could go to. He had a more sensible head than James at least, though still a complete disregard for rules.

"So anyway, where's Al? Haven't seen him around today at all," said James.

"He's off somewhere with Malfoy," Rose said distractedly. She reached for her Herbology textbook on the table and started flipping through it, trying to find some mention on Puffapods.

"Ah Scorpius. I think Uncle Ron never really got over that," Fred chuckled.

"I doubt Daddy will ever get over it. Really, he looked like he wanted to throw a party when I announced that Malfoy and I were enemies," she smiled fondly at that memory of Dad's shock and anxiety when he found out about Albus and Scorpius, and how his expression eased into relief as Rose assured him that she and Scorpius hated each other. Well ok Scorpius didn't hate her, but he always thought it was funny how he could infuriate her to no end. Rose on the other hand certainly hated him with burning passion.

"Still haven't gotten over it?" James asked.

"You're going to go on about how silly I'm being again aren't I? I think it's rather obvious that Malfoy and I, well how should I say this, we just don't get along. Different views. Very different views," Rose said.

James and Fred exchanged knowing glances and didn't say anymore.

"So anyway, we kinda need your help Rose," Fred grinned at her.

She glanced at them suspiciously.

"You see there's this prank we wanna pull but we need this charm that –"

"No," came her flat reply.

"Rosie!" James whined.

"No. I've told you guys I'm not going to have any part in the pranks you guys play. Do you know what Mum would do to me if she ever found out?" she said.

James and Fred shuddered at the thought of their Aunt Hermione.

"Well whatever it is it can't be as bad as what my mother does to me," James said.

"It's still a no. If you want to do your pranks, it'd help if you listened in class and learned the spells to do them," she replied.

"But –"

"No."

"Rose!"

"No."

"Just this once?"

"No."

"Please?"

Rose sighed. She needed a way to get these guys off her back so she could concentrate on her Herbology essay. Not looking up from her rolls of parchment, she said, "You know, I think I saw Lily heading into an empty classroom with Carl Simmons from Hufflepuff this morning."

"Carl Simmons? That big bloke from fifth year?" James asked, jumping to his feet. Fred too had stood up.

"No way! We caught him snogging Jenna Smith last week! Come on James," said Fred. She watched as the two of them marched out of the Gryffindor common room in search of James's little sister and probably Carl Simmons as well.

Rose sank further down in the couch and sighed. Finally cleared of all distractions, she tried once more to tackle her essay. Her textbook was now abandoned on the table once more.

Then another distraction came in the form of Terra Jones. She had just come down from the sixth year girls' dormitory and plopped herself down beside Rose. She took one look at Terra and observed that she was still dressed in her pink flannel pyjama pants and a pink t-shirt that said 'I Love Pudding!' Her light brown hair was falling all over her face, shading her light blue eyes.

"Good morning to you," Rose laughed, taking in her best friend's look.

"Morning," Terra stifled a yawn. "What time is it?"

"It's eleven. You missed breakfast. And if you haven't realized, you're in the common room in your pyjamas," Rose said, grinning at her. Terra had a tendency to sleep in whenever she had a chance to. And weekends were such chances. You couldn't catch her before ten o'clock on a weekend.

"Mmmm, yeah ok," she replied, stretching her arms and stifling another yawn. Rose wasn't sure she had heard what she just told her but shook it off anyway. It was normal for Terra not to comprehend anything at this time of the day. She could only be fully awake after twelve. She considered asking her about Puffapods but decided against it. Terra probably was not in the best state to answer her right now.

"Why don't you go take a shower? A cold one. I think that'll help," Rose suggested. Terra merely nodded and got up, going back up to the dormitory. Rose was pretty sure she was gonna go back to bed. She shook her head and glanced at her essay once more. Finally deciding that there was nothing she could do about it right now, she cleared her things and went back upstairs.

Entering the sixth year dormitory, Rose found that Terra had not gone back to bed. Instead, she seemed to be in the middle of a somewhat heated argument with Sandra Langton.

"...can't keep your things to your side of the room!" Sandra shouted.

"It's not my fault I happen to be a little messy!" Terra retorted. Rose noted that she seemed fully awake now.

"A little messy? You call this a little messy?" Sandra pointed at Terra's side of the dormitory, that was littered with books, parchments, a spilt bottle of ink, clothes, and plenty of other things. Terra was never one for tidiness, but most of the time her mess was only confined to her own space.

"Well just because my Transfiguration book and my jeans were a little too near your bed doesn't mean I can't keep my things to my side of the room! All you had to do was move it back!" Terra yelled back.

Rose groaned slightly to herself. She knew she was going to have to break this up.

"Alright that's enough you guys! Seriously, do you want the whole common room to hear you?" she said. Terra and Sandra turned to her, as if they just realized that she had entered the room.

"Well tell her to keep her things away from mine!" Sandra said, pointing her finger accusingly at Terra, who glared daggers at her. If looks could kill, Sandra would be a goner.

"Terra will make sure she keeps her things away from yours from now on," Rose sighed. Terra opened her mouth to argue but she gave her a look that clearly said 'drop it'.

Terra and Sandra had been rivalling forever. The two never got along. They couldn't stand being around each other and never wanted to share the same space if they could help it. But they did share something though, a common attraction for the same boy. One Albus Potter. Personally Rose thought it was weird to have her best friend crush on Al, but she got used to it after a while. At least Terra never chose to gush about Albus like the way Sandra did to the other girls. And Albus, being a thick headed boy, never so much as noticed the way those two girls acted around him. Well maybe he did notice how Sandra flirted shamelessly with him, much to the displeasure of Terra, but he certainly never noticed how Terra would blush when he smiled at her or how she tucked her hair behind her ears when she was with him, like she does every time she was nervous. Boys, they can be so dumb really.

Sandra gave a smug glance at Terra before leaving the dormitory with her nose in the air.

"Oh I could twist that –" Terra made a motion like wringing a neck.

"Forget it. She's not worth it," Rose said, stowing away her book and parchment in her drawer.

"Fine. Come on, let's head to the kitchens. I'm starving," said Terra.

"Can't. Got to get to the prefects' meeting we're having before lunch. It's starting in about ten minutes," she said, glancing at the clock on her table. "I'll see you at lunch ok?"

"Alright. And sweetie, whatever Scorpius says or does to annoy you, ignore him ok?"

"I'll try. As long as he tries not to be a prick, I'll be nice too."

A/N: I hope you enjoyed the first chapter and didn't find it too dry! Not much of Scorpius/Rose interactions in this one, but it's mostly laying groundwork and introducing characters for the story. Please leave a review I'd be happy to get feedback! Thanks!