Rose Weasley and the Sneaking Slytherin

Rose Weasley and the Sneaking Slytherin

"The Resolution"

Rose rolled away from the brilliant sunlight piercing her window. Had she wanted to go back to sleep, so would have needed to shut the curtains, silence the birds outside and somehow block the glorious smell of coffee and eggs coming from the main room. But, like her father, she could not resist the pull of a good breakfast, and so she resigned herself to wakefulness.

I can't believe it is already the fourth day. Only two more like this, and then back to Hogwarts. Cold, rainy, stressful...wonderful Hogwarts.

Rose was enjoying the sun and the sand as much as everyone else, but she could not deny her desire to get back to school. She had gained relaxation, which was her goal, and she was even going home with a little color.

You could have gone home with a boyfriend, if you weren't such an insecure, petty sod.

The redhead sighed and poured herself a cup of coffee. He wouldn't even look at me yesterday. Al tried challenging the Slytherins to another round of volleyball, but Scorpius just said that they had other things to do. And then, when everyone was at dinner I didn't even see him.

I've really blown it.

This thought depressed Rose, but she was not going to waste for vacation moping in a kitchen when her friends were all enjoying the beach. She grabbed her swimming costume and her favorite book (Hogwarts, A History) and headed for the shore.

~*~

You are such a coward. Since when do you hide behind trees? Gryffindor my arse!

Rose stood petrified behind a small clutch of palm trees, watching him. She had intended to lay out at her favorite spot, down by the pier, but when she got close she noticed the shock of blond hair beaming in the sunlight. She thrust her body behind the vegetation before he could see her.

Or so she thought.

After standing there for a few minutes, she saw Scorpius stand up, lazily brush the sand off of his shorts and wander back towards her. She tried to hide, but when he passed, she heard him say, "Fine. I will leave you to hide in peace, Weasley."

She pushed down her humiliation and summoned up enough humility to shout out, "I'm sorry."

He froze. "For what?" he asked, without even turning around.

"I'm sorry for... for hiding like this... for hiding from you."

"Is that all?"

You're going to make me spell this out, you prat.

"And I'm sorry... for my behavior the other night. It was unfair of me to take those shots at your dad." Even if you started it. "I should been a better friend."

A silent moment passed, and she barely heard him say, "I don't want to be your friend."

He was by no means crumbling, but it was less composed than she had seen him in a very long time. He wasn't pretending everything was going according to his plan, he wasn't acting like nothing phased him. He was showing the slightest bit of vulnerability.

And all at once, with shocking clarity, Rose realized that she had loved him for years.

She steeled her will, took a deep breath and forced her legs forward. "You asked about my courage the other day."

When she reached him, she touched his arm and thrilled to feel him shiver. He seemed rooted to the spot, so she swallowed her embarrassment and stepped around to face him. She caught his eyes in a penetrating stare.

"Don't you ever doubt that I am a Gryffindor again."

Before he could open his lips to retort, she had arrested them with hers. Beyond the initial crushing contact, this kiss was softer and slower. So different from their first frenzied encounter, and yet the feeling was the same. She pulled away from him, her eyes still closed, and let out a small sigh of relief. That had been exactly what she had always pictured.

"How could I," he teased, "when you are always turning red to remind me?"

She opened her eyes to see his wide smile.

"Git," she played back. She couldn't hold back her grin.

~*~

"So what are we going to do? It's not as if no one ever dates outside their house, you know. Slytherins don't as much as others, of course. Especially since I'm not pure-blood. How are we going to handle this? Who do we--"

Rose's manic tirade was cut short by Scorpius' scorching kiss. He moved her slowly down onto the sand on the hidden side of the pier. When she was fully on her back, with him next to her on his side, he let her speak again.

"No fair," she pouted, and then laughed. "But seriously, what are we going to do?"

"Why do we have to do anything? What does it matter? So the two smartest, most attractive students in school finally got together?" Rose rolled her eyes at this. "Other than the added tension during Quidditch, no one will even care."

Rose looked down at her hands, watching her fingers twisting nervously. "My father will," she whispered.

"Listen to me." Scorpius sat her up and gently took her face in his hands.

"Stuff your dad. And stuff mine. They will get over it... eventually. Look, our mums can handle our dads. All we have to handle," he added mischievously, "is each other."

He grabbed her by the waist and lifted her so that she was laying across him on the beach and kissed her deeply. I guess I can leave worrying about dad until later, Rose dreamed, seeing as how I have business to handle...

~*~

RW and the SS Chapter 04 1