Hey everyone! Welcome to the new year! First post in 2014 WOOT WOOT. Enjoy and see you on the other side ;)

DISCLAIMER - I do not own Harry Potter or its characters

Obscurity

Chapter 6

Albus Potter rocked back and forth on his heels to divert attention from the awkward meeting taking place before his eyes. He didn't know two people could stare at each other for so long without being turned into stone.

"So…" Albus started, "Now that we've all been introduced, don't you think its time to clean those shoes up, Rose?"

No reply. Okay, this was getting old.

"Rose!" snapped Albus.

The redhead flinched. "Huh?"

Albus rolled his eyes. "I said 'do you want to go and clean up your shoes'?"

"Why, what's wrong with her shoes?" asked Scorpius.

"Oh, nothing, well, I just spilt some champagne on them and now they're pretty sticky," Rose weakly laughed.

Scorpius smiled in amusement.

"Are you always this clumsy? Here," he set Rose's empty glass down on the table and took a hold of her arm. "I'll take you to the bathroom to clean up.

"Oh, no, it's alright. I'm 20 years old Scorpius, I don't need a chaperone," Rose persisted.

Scorpius threw his hands up in mock defeat. "All right, go ahead."

Rose nodded before turning to go… where exactly? The ballroom seemed to stretch on for miles, she wasn't even sure if there even were any rooms adjourning to this one.

"Lost?" smirked Scorpius.

Rose glared at him.

"Thought so."

And with that, Scorpius took her by the arm and began guiding her though the crowd, leaving an ignored and slightly befuddled Albus behind.

Walking into the monumental spa that was the Manor bathroom, Rose's head was spinning. She couldn't remember the last time she had felt this dizzy and light-headed, not even the time when she rode the Horruitus Rollercoaster with James and Albus.

She had followed Scorpius down what seemed like a tower of winding staircases, through eerie and abandoned hallways with sheet covered portraits.

If she hadn't known any better, she would've thought she was in a haunted house at a carnival.

Though, she did get quite a view of Scorpius's muscles as they rippled through the almost see-through dress shirt he was wearing. It also helped that he had quite a lovely tush.

Currently, the said owner of the lovely tush was leaning against the doorway, watching her struggle with her shoe with an amused smile on his face.

She wanted to slap it right off.

Or kiss it. Either one.

Rose glared at him before fumbling with the clasp of her stiletto. It had been much easier to put on than to take off. Well, that and of course being covered in sticky champagne residue didn't help.

"Here, I'll take care of the shoes, you just wash your pretty little feet," said Scorpius, kneeling down to take off her shoes.

Rose watched as his long, pale fingers worked the clasp effortlessly. She thought he must have been a Muggle piano player in his past lives.

The image of Scorpius playing the piano made her stomach quiver, so she banished the thought right away.

"Thank you," Rose said when she stood up to hose off her feet.

"No problem," replied Scorpius and he meticulously toss the pair of heels into the rubbish bin by the door.

"Wha – HEY!" exclaimed Rose. "Those were expensive! What do you think you're doing?"

"They're ruined. Do you know how hard champagne is to get out?" He honestly didn't know either, but he was willing to do anything just to spend a few more moments with her.

"Well, what am I going to wear now? I hardly think going barefoot would meet the required dress code of that freak show going on up there."

Scorpius chuckled. "It's Di, did you expect anything less? She's perfectly studious and sane on all occasions except her birthday and Christmas. Then she goes crazy."

Rose softened, listening to him talk about his cousin with a warm glow in his eyes.

She smiled. "You're really fond of her, aren't you?"

"Of course," Scorpius began, "she's all that I have left."

The moment of comfortable silence was broken by the sound of Scorpius clearing his throat.

"Um… come with me, I'll get you a new pair of shoes."

Groaning, Rose reluctantly followed him back out to the labyrinth he called a home.

"Now, since you're a guest and everything I have to be courteous and ask, but by the look on your face I assume you wouldn't want a tour?"

"You assume correctly," replied Rose. "How do you live here by yourself?"

"I don't. I barely even come down here. I live on the top floor. Everything I need is up there."

"Oh, then who lived down here?"

Scorpius stiffened a little. "My parents."

Taking a hint to Scorpius's stiff posture, Rose backed off on the topic. She had heard what happened to his parents on the news. She thought it was a tragedy. Draco Malfoy might've been a terrible person but he didn't deserve to die that way. Astoria Greengrass especially didn't deserve that fate.

"We're here," Scorpius announced quietly, "my mothers closet. I haven't been down here in ages."

Rose gawked at the room now lit up by overhanging chandeliers. This was every girl's fantasy. Even a quidditch-playing bookworm couldn't deny the appeal of this room on her girly bits. She was on the verge of jumping in the air, clapping her hands together and squealing with glee.

How pathetic.

Scorpius watched her with a smirk. He'd seen the way her eyes lit up, even though she tried her hardest to hide it.

"Well, why are you just standing there?" he started. "Go on, take your pick."

Rose's eyes widened. "Oh no, no, I couldn't, this stuff is all way too expensive for me and plus, it feels weird taking your mothers things."

"It's not like she's going to hunt you down and demand her shoes back," he joked.

Rose didn't find it very funny.

Rolling his eyes, Scorpius examined the rows of shoes before stopping on a pair of strappy, simple while elegant, black heels with a good 3 inches on them.

He smiled. They were just her type. Simple and doesn't draw much attention, yet undeniably beautiful.

"Like?" he asked.

Rose let out a small smile and nodded.

"Good. They're yours," he replied and handed her the shoes to try on. "Now, don't worry about the price, they're the least expensive ones here."

"Thanks. Gosh, I think that's like the fiftieth time I've thanked you."

"And I never get tired of hearing it. It's always a pleasure to help a damsel in distress."

Rose clipped the final latch on her shoes. Perfect fit. She almost felt like Cinderella.

"Do you do this often?"

"Huh?" Rose looked up at him. "Do what?"

"Cause accidents at parties and drag the host along to get you cleaned up."

Rose blushed. Quite beautifully, Scorpius might add.

"Maybe a few times, this is why I don't go to parties."

"Don't go to them or don't get invited?" he teased.

Rose glared at him. "Hey! If I recall, you were the one who dragged me here. And what about you? Do you do this often?"

"Maybe a few times," he mocked with a smirk.

Rose didn't smile. She felt stupid for asking a question she knew the answer to in the first place. But she asked anyway. Because of hope.

That stupid fragment of everlasting hope that one day, Scorpius Malfoy could be hers.

But that was all nonsense of course. He would never settle down. And even if he did, it wouldn't be for her. He had plenty of prettier, skinnier and sexier women chasing after him.

She swore to herself that she wouldn't ever stoop down so low to become another notch in his bedpost.

She vowed that she would never be tempted to fall into the trap of Scorpius Malfoy for one wild, dream-fulfilling night.

So then why was she standing in front of him? Allowing herself to be tempted?

"Hey, are you alright?" Scorpius tentatively asked the girl with the blank eyes.

Rose snapped her head up.

"Yeah," she replied a little too quickly, "yeah, I was just marveling at this room, at your entire house actually."

Scorpius looked at her skeptically but didn't question her.

"Anyways, we should head up back to the party right?" Rose chuckled nervously. "Wouldn't want to miss out on any of the fun."

"Do you really want to go back up there?" said Scorpius, not buying any of her crap.

Rose's shoulders slumped.

"No. I don't. How'd you pay for it anyway? The party, the decorations, the drinks and food. It must've been pretty expensive."

Scorpius looked surprised at this question. "I don't know, I just… paid for it."

"Do you work?" inquired Rose.

"Uh, yeah… yeah, I have a great job… down by the uh… Diagon Alley," rambled Scorpius. He didn't want her to think of him as an arrogant jerk who's had all his money handed to him.

Even though it was true. Still.

To his surprise, Rose laughed. "You've never worked a day in your life, have you?"

He ran a hand through his hair. "Is it that obvious?"

She thought he was adorable.

"Well," he started, "its just that I've never gotten the time and chance to find a job. As well as the fact that I've never needed one. My inheritance leaves me enough money to spend the rest of my life like the Minister of Magic."

"But everyone has to have had a job! Even a small one like delivering the Prophet to houses," suggested Rose.

Scorpius shook his head.

"Merlin, when you were sixteen, didn't you spend your summer holidays searching for a summer job like every other kid in the world?"

No, when I was sixteen, I spend my holidays pining over you and thinking of ways to finally approach you before I had no more chances, he thought.

"You know what," Rose said firmly, "it doesn't matter. I'm going to fix it. I'm going to get you a job."

Scorpius's mouth fell open. "You can't be serious," he insisted.

But he saw the spark ignite again in Rose's eyes and knew she meant it.

"Nope, nope, you have to have the experience! Trust me Scorpius, there's nothing like earning your own money through your own hard work."

She has got to be kidding me, Scorpius thought. Merlin, he didn't know why he was putting up with this. If this was any other bird, trying to talk him into dirtying his hands through manual labor, they would get themselves dragged out of this house by their hair.

Rose placed her hand of Scorpius's forearms. "Come on, it'll be so much fun. And I'll help you!"

Seeing that beam on Rose's face, Scorpius knew he wouldn't be able to say 'no' to her.

Hmm… he thought. Maybe spending more time by Rose's side won't be such a bad thing after all.

"Fine… I'll give it a try," he said hesitantly, "But I'm only doing this to please you."

Rose giggled at the sight of Scorpius pouting like an 8-year-old. "That's great! We'll start on Monday."

A/N - Just some good ol' fluff. How'd everyone like that? They get to spend more quality time together! Yay! Leave me a comment, make my day.

MidnightStreetlamps