Hogsmeade

                                    

                                          
       Rose woke up late on Saturday morning and blinked sleepily as she crossed to her window. She opened the curtains and sunlight poured into the room. Fortunately for her, all of the girls in her room were early birds and so Rose had the room to herself while she got ready. She pulled on an old pair of jeans with a hole in the knee that she really ought to have mended by now when she thought about it, and a green shirt. As she glanced out of the window to check how chilly it looked outside, her eyes fell onto a vase with a snapdragon flower in it. Scorpius knew how much she hated being given roses, so gave her a snapdragon instead as his condolences for beating her in the charms test. She smiled to herself.
                          
Deciding that the frost on the ground probably wouldn't clear by noon, she crossed to her trunk and pulled out her scarlet and gold quidditch jumper with "WEASLEY 03" across the back and stuffed it over her head. 
                          
When she got to the entrance hall, she suddenly became aware that her hair was all over the place and quickly combed her fingers through her curls a few times. As she entered the great hall, she quickly spotted Scorpius and Albus sitting at the Slytherin table and ran over to join them. 
                          
"About time too." teased Scorpius
                          
"Shut up,  I overslept" Rose sighed whilst pouring herself some pumpkin juice. She took a sip and felt the icy liquid slip down her throat as she wrapped a long red curl of hair around her index finger. 
                          
Scorpius smiled. He loved Rose's hair. It always smelt like apples and was as soft as fur despite being very out of control.
                          
"So, Hogsmeade today then?" he asked. Rose nodded in reply. At this, Albus drew his eyes away from his map and finally spoke.
                          
"Sorry, I have to help train our new beater before tomorrow's match." he said.
                          
"Oh okay cuz, no worries." Rose reassured him. "Looks like it's just us Scorp"
                          
"'Spose so" he replied.
                          
"I'll just go and get my bag from my room and then we can go."
                          
And with that, she had disappeared off towards the stairs. Albus looked Scorpius in the eyes and raised one eyebrow.
                          
"What?" Scorpius asked.
                          
"Nothing, nothing. Have fun in Hogsmesde with Rose. Just you two. Anyone would think it was a date."
                          
Albus smiled as they both stood up and made their way to the courtyard. His favourite thing to do was tease Scorpius about Rose and Scorpius was beginning to regret telling Albus how he felt.
                          
They got to the courtyard just as Rose did. She slipped her canvas satchel over her shoulder and walked over to meet them.
                          
"Okay, see you later Al." She said and gave him a swift kiss on the cheek.
                          
Albus smiled to himself as he watched the two of them walk off together. How long was it going to take for them to finally realise their feelings for each other? 
                          
*              *             *
                          
Scorpius and Rose sipped their butterbeers in the Three Broomsticks,  grateful for the warm feeling it gave them.
                          
"Merlin, it's cold out there," Rose said. Her and Scorpius had been friends for so long that small talk about the weather wasn't at all awkward.
                          
"Maybe you should have worn a thicker jumper"
                          
"Yeah all right smart arse." she laughed.
                          
As they finished the rest of their butterbeer, Rose glanced out of the window and noticed something she had never seen before. It looked like a gazebo.
                          
They both stood up and Rose pulled her jumper sleeves down so they covered her hands, bracing them for the bitter cold they would soon encounter. Scorpius pulled his jacket off the back of his chair and slipped it over her shoulders. 
                          
"No, Scorp. I'll be fine. Honestly, you wear it." she insisted.
                          
"Don't be silly," he began, "you need it more than I do."
                          
"You're such a gentleman" she remarked.
                          
She gratefully accepted the coat and pulled it close to her as they left the little pub. She grabbed his hand and pulled him in the direction of the gazebo she had seen from the Three Broomsticks. It was in a small paved square that was off of the main street and was much quieter than the bustling environment around the shops.
                          
"I've never seen this here before. Is it a gazebo?" she asked.
                          
"Looks like it. It's quite big though, probably used for dancing." Scorpius said matter-of-factly.
                          
"Dancing?" Rose asked.
                          
Scorpius nodded and held out his hand. "May I have this dance Miss Weasley?"
                          
She smiled and took his hand. It was much warmer than hers and closed over her small hands. He led her to the centre of the gazebo.
                          
"Do you know how to dance?" Rose asked. She always thought she knew everything there was to know about Scorpius. He was her best friend. Scorpius turned slightly pink and nodded.
                          
"It's a Malfoy tradition," he explained "my parents insist that every Malfoy man needs to know how to dance should such an occasion arise"
                          
He took her right hand in his left and stepped closer to her. He placed his right hand on her lower back as she put her left on his upper arm. She was so close to him that he could've counted the freckles on her nose. She looked up at him and her green eyes focused on his grey ones. 
                          
"I don't know how to dance." she stated.
                          
"Don't worry, you'll pick it up." 
                          
He stepped foward. His body pressed against hers causing her to step back. He led her around the gazebo, twirling her occasionally. Rose spent a considerable amount of time looking at her feet. They slowed down, until they they were barely moving at all.
                          
"Rosie -" he whispered.
                          
"Will you teach me how to dance properly in time for the ball?" she asked suddenly. 
                          
Scorpius was snapped back to reality. He cleared his throat quickly, nodded and quickly put his hands into his pockets.
                          
"That's only two months away and, well, you're simply terrible" he joked and gave her a cheeky wink. She punched his shoulder lightly.
                          
"It's getting dark, we should head back" she said after looking up at the sky. She looked over at Scorpius, gave a small smile and battered her eyelashes. 
                          
"Go on then," he sighed. Her smile broadened and she jumped onto his back. He held onto her legs and began to walk back to the main street. Rose always knew how to wrap him round her little finger and always knew what it took to get a free piggy back from him.