My second fic! Hopefully it's a bit better

Slower Than Molasses

It was my first day at Hogwarts, my first day away from my parents in my life. Pretty pathetic, I know.

I was ecstatic. I would finally be separated from my parents, who insisted on perfection all the time, with everything.

I waved goodbye to them out of the window, but it was a half-hearted wave.

Walking along the train's richly carpeted corridor, I started looking for a compartment. They were all full. Eventually I passed a compartment with an empty space, but it was full of redheads. Weasleys.

"The Weasleys," my father had muttered at the station. "Those little-"

"Draco!" My mother's hands fluttered uncertainly. "Be grateful."

My father sneered. "Be grateful for what, that Potter didn't tell the Ministry to throw us in Azkaban?"

"He saved your life, Draco." My ears had perked up. My father refused to talk about the Battle of Hogwarts. Ever.

"Harry did, not Weasley," my father muttered. "And sometimes I wonder if he should have."

My mother had leant forward and kissed him. "You don't mean that," she said firmly. "Besides, it's good you're putting the past behind you."

"Who says I am?" Father had said, putting his head in his hands. "Every night I see Crabbe die- every night I hear screams- how do you know I am?"

"You called him Harry," my mother said softly, and for a moment they looked into each other's eyes fondly.

Then they had remembered I was there and had hurried me onto the train. That was the way it always was with my parents. They forgot I was there.

The jerking of the train, and my stomach, brought me back to the present. Catching my reflection in the smooth paneled walls of the corridor, I could see I didn't look too good.

The Weasley family watched in astonishment as I stumbled into their compartment and was promptly sick all over the floor.

Looking up, I noticed one boy who looked my age grinning. He was the only one amused. The others were disgusted. He was also the only one whose hair wasn't a fiery shade of red. I extended my arm to him. "Hello," I croaked. "I'm Scorpius. Good to meet you."

The boy took my hand and shook it vigorously. "I'm Albus. Good to meet you too."

"Al!" one of the girls said. "That boy is Scorpius Malfoy!"

"Al!" I mimicked. "That girl is talking like I'm not even here!"

Her face turned pink. I was a bit worried Al might be angry with me, but he just grinned and moved over for me. "Don't dish it out if you can't take it, Rose."

"Here's an idea," a pretty girl with strawberry blonde hair said loudly. "How about we all stop sitting in sick?" She waved her wand once, muttered a few words, and the mess was gone.

I laughed appreciatively. "Sorry about that. I get a bit motion-sick," I explained to the girl named Rose. She looked slightly wary. I stuck out my hand. "Miss Rose Weasley, I presume?" I cocked an eyebrow at her.

"How do you know my name?" She looked astonished.

"Merlin's pants, Rose, everybody's going to know your name," a red haired boy said exasperatedly. "Just wondering, do you know who your parents are?"

I snickered. She shot me a filthy look and fingered her wand.

I egged her on.

She hexed me.

I went to the hospital wing.

And a great friendship was born!

FIVE YEARS LATER

It was past midnight. Everything was quiet, except the heels of my shoes, which clacked loudly against the polished floor. I was looking for someone.

Soon I found her, curled up in a nook between two statues. "Rose," I said, shaking her awake. "Rose, we have to go back to our dormitories. Our watch is over."

Her eyes fluttered open. "Scorpius?" she said faintly.

"That's my name, don't wear it out." I crooked a smile.

"I'm too tired..." she mumbled and fell back asleep. Sighing, I scooped her slim body up in my arms. Thankfully this time our prefect duties weren't too far from Ravenclaw house.

"You know, you give me more of a workout than Quidditch," I told the sleeping girl in my arms. "I honestly don't know why you do night watch when all you do is sleep."

When we got back to the Ravenclaw common room, I laid Rose out on a squashy sofa and collapsed into a chair next to her. At first it had been a bit annoying, but now there was a strange calm to our routine.

Once a week, Rose and I got night patrol for our prefect duties. And every week, I would inevitably come across Rose slumbering some place or another.

As I watched Rose sleeping, a strange desire took hold of me. Leaning forward, I kissed her softly.

She opened her eyes partway. "Why did you do that?"

"I don't know," I said, shrugging. "I was curious."

"Okay." She went back to sleep. Slower than molasses, but sweeter than honey, a silly smile crept onto my face. As I sat and watched the girl my family wanted me to hate sleep, I had never felt happier.