The Red Rose That Has Green Thorns

The next time I woke up, it was because Scorpius was gently shaking me.

“C’mon, Rose. Up we get.”

“Aren’t you the one who wanted me to sleep?” I mumbled groggily. He laughed.

“It’s time for lunch.”

I shot straight up. “Already?!”

“It’s more towards the ass-end of lunchtime, actually,” Scorpius grinned. “There’s about forty-five minutes left.”

“Couldn’t you have woken me up earlier than this?!” I exclaimed, heading toward my room. “I still need a shower, and need to change - you probably need to do the same, staying in the hospital wing with me last night - ugh!”

“I would’ve woken you earlier,” he called after me sheepishly as I started up the stairs, “but I just woke up myself.” (This was only half-true, as he had been up for 15 minutes watching how peaceful Rose seemed while she slept.)

“Well, move it! I want to go eat as soon as I’m done and I don’t want to have to wait on you! Go get your clothes and go shower first!” I pointed to the bathroom.

“All right, all right, just go.” Scorpius grinned again as he, too, headed up his set of stairs.

In a record time of ten minutes, I came out of the bathroom drying my hair with a charm and grabbing Scorpius - who had waited for me, isn’t that sweet? - and started dragging him to lunch. Five minutes later and I was happily eating with Scorpius, Joe, Demetri, and Andy. Andy stared at me like I was insane, as I was scarfing down any food I got my hands on.

“Healthy appetite,” commented Joe as he watched me.

“Unlike some girls,” I retorted, murdering my mashed potatoes.

Andy didn’t take offense - she laughed right along with Joe, Demitri, and Scorpius. The Scorpius-stalker Sandra, however, looked absolutely offended and disgusted at what I’d said and how much I could devour. I didn’t care…ham was the next thing on the menu.

“Geez, take a breath, Rose-Posy!” the easily-excitable Al bounced over.

“Keep calling me that and I’ll take to hexing you like I do Hugo when he calls me that,” I warned, helping myself to more of the potatoes. “And I’ll stop helping you in Ancient Runes.”

He groaned, but was silenced as he squeezed between Andy and Joe, across from me.

“What are you doing?” I asked, staring at him blankly.

“Checking up on all the Weasley-slash-Potters! Madam Pomfrey mentioned something about ‘second one today!’ when I got my nose fixed.” Al stated matter-of-factly.

“Nose…fixed?” I asked calmly but with a Hermione-ish sternness in my voice.

“Oh, that. Me and Hugh were getting in a little bit of practice before you kill us all in our team practices and Hugh just hit the bludger a bit too accurately.”

I sighed. “You need to stop sneaking into the Quidditch storage, Al.”

“How could we have practiced efficiently without a bludger and the quaffle?” he retorted indignantly, puffing up.

“You couldn’t exactly be efficient with just one chaser and just one beater.”

“You must love your Quidditch,” Andy remarked from beside Al.

“Just like Headmaster Krum,” Joe nodded.

“Did I just hear Quidditch?”

Viktor Krum stood with a half-grin behind his student. Joe, that is, not Sandra.

“Yup!” Al chirped. “Rosie-Posy’s gonna make all of us Gryffindors drop dead sometime soon in practice.”

“What did I just tell you about calling me that, Albus?” I warned, using his full first name.

“Ah, yes. ‘Ermione did mention something about you making Gryffindor Quidditch captain, Rose.” Viktor nodded in approval. “Congratulations.”

“Thanks, Un - Headmaster Krum.”

“Don’t worry about that, Rose!” Al laughed, then turned to Viktor, “You don’t mind if we still call you ‘Uncle Viktor’ while you’re here, do ya?”

Joe, Sandra, and a few other nearby Durmstrang students looked at Al as though he’d said a horrible Wizard Swear in front of their headmaster. Viktor, however, laughed.

“Of course not. Call me what you’re used to calling me.”

“Thanks a lot, Uncle Viktor!” I chirped in unison, relieved that I wouldn’t have to try adjusting to a name I didn’t know him by and could continue calling him by the name all the Potter-Weasleys had been calling him for years.

“When is your first ‘Ogwarts Quidditch match?” Viktor surprised many by squeezing into the seat between Albus and Joe, right across from Scorpius.

“I’m not sure,” I said, finally starting to get full as I started on my chocolate pudding.

“I think it’s two weeks from yesterday,” Scorpius said with a calm drink of pumpkin juice.

“Eh?!” I cried, spilling my own pumpkin juice on the tablecloth that instantly cleaned itself. “So soon?! When I’ve only just had tryouts and two practices?!”

“It’s just an exhibition match, I think,” Scorpius said soothingly. “And I’m sure you already knew that, am I correct, Headmaster?” this last was directed at Viktor, who let out a deep throated chuckle.

“Yes, yes,” Viktor admitted.

“What? Exhibition?”

“The staff will select the best fourteen Hogwarts players, despite their houses,” said Scorpius, “but I don’t know anything else from there.”

“I do,” Viktor grinned. “And so do my selected students and the Beauxbatons select group of students.”

I stared blankly.

“There will be a match between Beauxbatons and Durmstrang, and a match between ‘Ogwarts and ‘Ogwarts on the date that…Scorpius, no? - has already mentioned. The winner of the Beauxbatons versus Durmstrang match with take on the winner of the ‘Ogwarts match a week later, and two weeks before the first task will be the winner of that match against the special guests.”

“ ‘Special Guests’?” Al and I asked simultaneously, our curiosity aroused.

“You’ll see,” Uncle Viktor winked and stood. “I really must speak with Professor Collins, who ‘as just arrived. With only ten minutes of lunch left, on top of that!”

And he was gone just as quickly as he had shown up, leaving us all to ponder.

“…Wow.” I said simply.

“That sounds awesome!” Al burst happily. “I probably won’t be picked, but still!”

“It’ll be fun to watch,” Scorpius said.

“What are you two talking about?! You’ll definitely make it!” I cried out. “If any of us make it, it’s likely to be you two, or at least one of you!”

They stared at me as if I’d gone crazy.

“Rose…” Scorpius said slowly.

“You’re the one who’s more likely to make the cut than I am,” Albus said firmly, looking at me. I gave them another blank look and took my last bite of pudding.

“Think what you want,” I said, sighing and patting my stomach. “I’m too stuffed to argue. Let’s get outta here.” I jumped up, brushing crumbs off of myself.

“Um…okay?” Scorpius said as more of a question than anything.

“I gotta go check on the others,” Al said, also standing. “I’ll see you guys around.”

“Yeah,” I waved to him, then to Andy, Demetri, and Joe. “See you guys later!”

I walked out of the Great Hall and paused in the Entrance Hall before making my way to the Library.

“What d’you need the library for?” Scorpius asked, following me in as I started to browse the shelves randomly. “We practically have a library in the dorm.”

“Well, I wanted out for a bit,” I stated matter-of-factly, shrugging. “I’m tired of just laying around in there. Even if I do need the rest.”

Scorpius sighed, but a slight grin was on his features that I couldn’t see because my back was to him. He followed me through the aisles as I fingered the spines of several titles I recognized from past years. I passed a battered copy of 101 Hexes You’ll Probably Never Use, which was only five years old but highly popular. The vast majority of Hogwarts aimed to prove that they would and could use all 101 of the hexes. I smiled at the thought and moved on. As he passed the book, Scorpius just laughed and shook his head, thinking the same thoughts about it as I had.

After fifteen minutes or so of this random browsing, I decided to leave the library. After all, I’d read most of what I’d wanted to out of the library by fourth year. And besides, those muggle books are absolutely fascinating! They had an imagination, that’s for sure. Like Eragon! Riding dragons? HA! Uncle Charlie had only managed that one once, and on pure accident!…then again, Mum, Dad, and Uncle Harry had all ridden one completely on purpose.

So much for sanity.

I finally did walk out, five minutes after I had decided to do so, with Scorpius not too far behind.

“Rose--” he began.

“Back to the dorm is where I’m headed, if that’s what you wanted to know,” I interrupted him. I heard his chuckle and knew I’d been right on. “But I’m not going to bed. If anything, I’ll be taking another nap on the couch.”

“Rose,” Scorpius sighed, but otherwise said nothing.

“Although I might be lulled to sleep if someone else would read to me…” I hinted, making my way up the stairs.

He chuckled again and said, “Can do.”

When Lily came to ask about rounds, she took it upon herself to “relay” orders from the Heads to continue as normal. She also took it upon herself to tell her partner that Rose and Scorpius had been in the midst of a very important meeting and had asked that Lily and Zachary discreetly cover their portion of the rounds, as well. The reason for this was not that Rose and Scorpius had expressly asked it of her. It was a completely different matter entirely.

It was that Lily couldn’t force the two to wake up from their comfortable slumber on the couch (the three sections of the couch had been turned into recliners, it seemed, for Scorpius’ feet were propped up), with Rose’s head tucked snugly against Scorpius’ chest, a book laying open in Scorpius’ free hand while the other was draped around Rose in a gesture that would normally seem just brotherly. However, to Lily, a whole new world of possibilities involving her cousin and Scorpius Malfoy started to form in her mind.

I found myself waking up, slowly but surely, whilst being quite warm and comfortable. I opened my eyes, first taking in the fact that Scorpius must have, at some point after I’d fallen asleep, turned the sections of our sofa into recliners. I took in second the fact that he was asleep in one on the end closest to the door, stretched out, with my head on his chest, Eldest in his limp right hand, and his left arm draped about my waist. I got up as carefully as I could, turning away and blushing furiously. Scorpius grunted and moved slightly behind me. I spared a glance at the clock, telling me it was 2:42 AM (I could tell it was AM by the darkness outside), thus much too early to get up.

I flushed as I stole another glance at the sleeping Scorpius, then I curled up on the remainder of the couch to go back to sleep. After thirty minutes, I shivered a little and sat up. I realized that my feet were still quite warm…but they were tucked right up against Scorpius’ leg. I sighed softly and scooted closer, intending to fall asleep sitting up as he had. Before I fell asleep, I allowed my mind to drift over things, wondering what was getting into me lately. Vaguely, I recalled thinking the same thing before, and wondering what it was about Scorpius that was different. There had to be something different about him for me to be acting so strange around him.

I began to drift off to sleep again, and eventually - without even noticing - I ended up falling fully asleep in the same position as I had been in when I had awakened.