Rose struggled under the weight of the book she carried. She huffed and blew her hair out of her eyes. She began to climb one of the many ladders in the Hogwarts library to return the book, only to replace it with another one, just as large, and just as heavy.

She put the book heavily on the shelf where it belonged. When she began her search for another book, she heard a voice drawl out, "Well well, what have we here?"

She sighed, she was so not in the mood for this. "What do you want Malfoy?" She growled looking at the ground.

He was standing near the base of the ladder looking straight up at her. His blonde hair fell lazily in his eyes and had the sexy I-just-got-out-of-bed look. His eyes were a striking gray that seemed to read her every thought. His white school shirt was untucked and his sleeves were pushed up his strong forearms. His tie hung around his neck. His hands in his pockets.

Why the bloody hell did he have to be so infuriatingly good looking?

"Why Rosie," using her nickname. She loved the way it sounded coming from him. Which of course made her more annoyed with the git. "I only came to see if my fellow head would be capable of making rounds tonight with her fellow head, or if she had her cute little nose stuck in a book."

Rose waved away his statement, "Of course I'll be there. Even if I have to endure it with you." She continued her search for the book, dragging her fingers across the dusty spines.

His hand went to his heart, "Ah. Rosie, you wound me."

The Slytherin smirked up at the young Ravenclaw and she glared back.

"I'll be there Malfoy," she growled.

He blinked up at her and sighed, "Patrols started five minutes ago, Rose."

She sighed in frustration, why did he have to annoy her as such? She quickly grabbed the book she needed to finish her potions essay and quickly climbed down the ladder only to find Malfoy smirking his usual smirk. She began packing her things and was surprised to see Malfoy helping her. She shook her confusion off and slung her ridiculously heavy bag over her shoulder. She misjudged the weight and almost toppled backwards. Scorpius steadied her, placing his arm around her shoulders. When she caught her balance, she shrugged out of his grip. "Thanks," she mumbled.

He nodded and surprised her by giving her a small smile.

She was caught off guard. Scorpius Malfoy never smiled. No matter how small. She cleared her throat, "Let me just drop this off in the Head's dorm and we can start."

He nodded and followed her as she headed to their shared dormitory. They were barely in October and leave it to Rose to be buried waist deep in her studies. "Oh and Rosie?"

She turned to look at him before she entered their dorm. His cheeks seemed slightly pink. "Yes, Malfoy?"

He looked at her then averted his gaze, "Well, maybe you shouldn't climb ladders with a skirt on."

She blushed at what he was saying and quickly walked inside the dormitory and up to her room to drop off her things. She went to her mirror and straightened her clothes out and applied a little lip gloss. She straightened immediately. What was she doing?

She shrugged. She fancied Scorpius. She knew it would probably never go anywhere because he always teased her. But, she thought for a second, she hadn't seen any girls around him since the start of the year. She shrugged, she guessed she could use a little of the Gryffindor blood she inherited from both of her parents. She looked at her nice reflection in the mirror and walked out quickly before she could change her mind. Then again, there was a reason she hadn't been sorted into Gryffindor.

She met Scorpius outside and they began their patrol of the castle. Only five minutes into their duties could she feel him staring at her. She looked over at him, "Do I have something on my face?"

He looked into her eyes and she cursed his good looks again. Why did she have to have a crush on the one guy who annoyed her to no end?

He cocked his head in an adorable curious way. "Do you know you're a witch?"

She stared incredulously at him, "Uh...I am going to assume I am. Only because I'm at a wizard school studying magic." Sarcasm oozed in her words.

He smiled, again a real smile, not a smirk. And then he chuckled. "No, I mean my dear Rosie, if you know that then why not shrink your book bag so you can carry it around easily?" He questioned.

It was true. Rose was the only girl, actually person, to lug around an enormous book bag. Well, at least compared to any other wizard or witch who knew how to shrink something. Once everyone learned that useful spell their third year, students shrunk their bags to slip into their robes. Rose seemed to be the only one who didn't. Instead of using that spell, she instead charmed her bag to not tear or rip but carry the enormous weight of her many assignments and books.

The young Weasley blushed the infamous Weasley blush. Her entire face turning red. "It's a stupid reason," she whispered.

They continued walking down the halls of Hogwarts, looking for students out of bed. Once Scorpius closed another broom closet door, he looked at her, "I bet it isn't."

Rose stared at her feet as they walked. Why did he have to make her so nervous all the bloody time? Why did she have to feel this way about him?

She looked up at him, "If I tell you, you have to tell me something of the like."

He placed his hand on his chin, thinking about it. He looked so bloody adorable it was unfair!

He seemed to think nothing was wrong with the terms so eventually agreed.

She sighed, "I don't shrink my bag or make it lighter because the heavy weight of it reminds me of my accomplishments and makes me feel accomplished. I enjoy the sore back and shoulder bruises that come with studying for ten N.E.W.T.s because it tells me that I am succeeding."

He nodded appreciatively, "Hmm. That's an extremely nice way of looking at the way we've been tortured this year."

Rose couldn't help it, she just didn't expect it. She laughed at his joke. And she nodded in agreement.

He looked at her for a while, "You have a nice laugh Rose, you should laugh more often."

There was the blush again. She looked at her shoes as they rounded a corner, trying to stop the small smile from appearing on her face.

He took his tie off and handed it to her. She looked at him quizzically. He smiled and said, "All my ties are made by my mum. Even though people will assume I buy expensive ties from a robe shop or other, I don't. My mum loves making clothes so I allow her to make most of my wardrobe to keep her happy."

Rose examined the tie. It seemed almost exactly the same as hers, besides the color of course, and a little stitching at the base of the tie in the back. It was a note from Mrs. Malfoy. A simple "I love you" to her son as he carried on throughout his day. Rose stared up at the Slytherin and handed back his tie. She smiled up at him softly, "Who knew the great Scorpius Malfoy had a soft side?"

He shrugged and draped the tie over his shoulders, "Only for the women I care about." He winked at her.

They finished their patrol at the Astronomy tower and began to make their way back to the Head's dorm on the other side of the castle. They walked in silence for a while before Scorpius asked her, "So, any thing you love carrying with you because your parents gave it to you?"

It was strange, to talk to Scorpius so casually. As if he didn't tease her endlessly every day. As if they weren't rivals. But she pushed that thought out of her mind as she decided that she wanted to enjoy this with him. Again, why did she have to fancy Scorpius Malfoy? Of all people?

She thought for a second, biting her lip. Then her eyes brightened as she remembered her favorite piece of jewelry. She held up her left arm and showed Scorpius her charm bracelet. It only had seventeen charms on it. One for each of her birthdays. "My parents bought this for me when I was born. It's enchanted to fit accordingly to my wrist. So as I grow, so does it. Each year, my mum and dad buy a charm to fit the bracelet." She stared fondly at the bracelet and all the little charms that hung on it.

Scorpius gently grabbed her hand and they both stopped walking. She was shocked by the touch and directed her gaze to him. He looked at her then at the bracelet. "May I?" He whispered.

She nodded. He undid the clasp and looked at each individual little charm, studying them as if he had a final exam over each one. When he had finished, he gently took her hand again and slid the bracelet back on. He fastened it and looked up at her. "Will you tell me what each one means?"

They continued walking. And she found herself telling him the story behind all seventeen charms. He laughed at the funny ones, nodded appreciatively at the moderate ones, and frowned at the somber ones. Rose found it funny that he had taken a liking to her all of a sudden and voiced it once they arrived back in their dormitory.

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, making it look even more bedraggled the it already was. "I've been lying to you the past couple of years, Rose."

"Oh?" How was she supposed to know that? They weren't exactly considered what people would call friends.

He nodded. He took her hand for the second time that night, shocking her again. He lead her to the couch in their common room and they sat down. He released her hand and she immediately wished he hadn't.

He looked at her, "What do you think of me now that we've gotten to talk on civil terms?"

She looked at him for a moment, "Honestly? You aren't mean or rude and you seem happier and more gentle." She looked at her hands in her lap. She was trying not to blush as she said, "I like this Scorpius."

He placed his finger under her chin and moved her head upward so she was looking into his eyes now. He was smiling gently at her, "You said my name."

She fidgeted under his gaze. She wasn't uncomfortable she just wasn't used to being looked at that way from a guy who wasn't related to her in some way, shape, or form.

She nodded, "Well that is it, isn't it?" Her cheeks were turning a faint shade of pink.

Scorpius took her hand with the one that wasn't holding her face. His smile widened, "It is, I was just unaware that you knew it."

She smiled sheepishly at him, "Yes...well, I am sorry for that."

He shook his head. "Don't be sorry Rosie, if I hadn't been so mean and rude to you all these years, you'd have been my friend like Al."

Her cousin. Of course. He had been sorted into Slytherin and had introduced them first year. Scorpius had teased her about her hair and she immediately didn't like him. After that, it had been a regular thing. He would tease her about how she looked or what she was doing or compliment her on how she looked or what she was doing, and she would get defensive.

She looked at him, suddenly intrigued. "So why the sudden change, Scorpius?"

He smiled again at the use of his name and Rose realized she really really liked his smile. "Well, Rosie, I need your help." He dropped his hand from her chin and released her hand and suddenly became very interested in a wayward string on the couch.

"Oh?" She asked. "Well eventually everyone does come to me for help. So if you want, I could offer my assistance."

He smiled at the string, "You see, there's this girl."

He heart suddenly plummeted. "Oh."

He nodded. "And I've been a right foul git to her over the years. Only recently did I show her my true side. The Scorpius side, not the Malfoy. She seemed to have really liked the Scorpius side. But I am unsure on how to court her. How do I when I've been rude and mean towards her all these years?"

He looked up at Rose and she considered it for a second. "Have you considered telling her how you feel?" She asked. She was going over several options in her head to help her newly acquainted friend. She didn't like the frown that had taken over his features.

He nodded somberly, "Yes, but what if she believes I am just teasing her further?"

He seemed so sad. He must really like this girl, Rose thought. "Why don't you show her? Kiss her maybe. Or do something really wild. It depends on her though."

He looked at her questioningly, "What do you mean?"

She sighed, "You boys could be so thick sometimes. I mean...well let me give you an example. If it were my cousin Molly, she would want something simple and creative like a card that she could read away from others. That way she could sort out her thoughts and return the feelings if she felt the same way. My other cousin Lily, for example, would like something wild like a banner being held in the Great Hall. She doesn't mind attention and she'd be willing to accept or dump on the spot." She looked at Scorpius, "Do you understand what I'm saying?"

He nodded, "So say this girl was in our year. Brilliant and beautiful, but shy and quiet. What should I do then?"

She was unaware of him sliding closer to him as she mused it over. "She sounds like a Ravenclaw maybe a Hufflepuff. I would assume she would like something quiet. But she's smart you say?"

She looked over to Scorpius, and he nodded, "Bloody brilliant."

She frowned a little as she thought it over. She had helped many people before with relationship advice as well as class work. She wasn't a Ravenclaw for nothing. This was particularly challenging though. And Scorpius seemed to really care about her. She sighed, lucky girl.

She looked at Scorpius and said, "Well, I expect her to be extremely shy about these things, right?" She didn't wait for an answer. She continued, "She may like something spontaneous. Something that will "short-circuit" her brain, if you must. That way she could think with her heart." She frowned, "Especially because you say you've been rude to her. But nothing big and wild, like a banner or flowers, more like a sudden kiss." She looked at Scorpius again as he nodded, taking it all in.

"So," he started. "I should just dive right in and do it?"

She nodded.

"Alright then," and Scorpius leaned in to kiss her.

His lips were soft and she was immediately enraptured by him. He brought her closer. One of his hands rested on her hips and the other went to the small of her back. Her arms wrapped themselves around his neck and she tangled her hands in his hair.

It seemed to last an eternity, but eventually they pulled apart. Scorpius was smiling at her and she was smiling back. "So what do you think?" He whispered.

She giggled and said, "I think I give pretty good advice." And she leaned forward to kiss him again.