A/N: Initially this one-shot was meant as a part of a bigger story.

Apparently that didn't work so well with me

So this is a Rose/Scorpius one-shot

This story id dedicated to the nutcase called Brooke73 who took this way too seriously.

Appreciate it, hon!

I do not own Harry Potter.

Review and comment

Enjoy!

THE BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

Rose Weasley was certain about one thing. Scorpius Malfoy was a beast.

Sure enough, he was a bunch of other things as well, like snobbish, unsocial, an opportunist and so on.

Still, above everything else he was a beast.

Rose had not yet been able to put her finger on the reason behind it, though she suspected it was of a genetic nature, but there was no questioning of the result:

An ugly, brutal beast.

Not many people disliked Rose. She was a kind and considerate person and knowing that smiling was her strong point she made good use of it. Of course her fiery red hair could not but be accompanied by the famous Weasley temper. But despite the rest of her relatives she had the decency to conceal it and even forget about it most of the time. That was why she was usually surrounded by people who admired her.

On the other hand, Scorpius Malfoy did everything on his own. He worked alone, he played Quidditch late at night when no one was watching and he never went out on dates. He also had no friends whatsoever. Even his study groups consisted of himself, him and Scorpius Malfoy.

Not that Rose was watching him or anything…

It was just common knowledge.

Scorpius Malfoy didn't exist.

It was as if he had created this grey, depressing palace and had locked himself in there. Alone, empty, brutal and –the worst part- happy about it.

But Malfoy's personal preferences were not exactly a bother to her. Or to anyone else for that matter. If you never came too close to his territory there was no chance he'd attack you.

What was in fact a problem was that Rose had the bad habit of interfering. It was one of her very prominent traits actually. She liked to think that she could do anything, that she could help anyone and in addition that there was always someone in need of her assistance.

She spent her free time trying to get people together, because, obviously, they 'were meant to be'. She tutored first and second years because she was sure they had 'great potential' and she dated all the unpopular guys because 'everyone needs a bit of love'.

However her nosiness was easily forgotten because, as a perceptive person, she always knew what was right for the others.

In other words all her interfering resulted in making people a little happier. Maybe she was being annoying at first but in the end of the day they boy and girl realized they really did love each other. And the kids she tutored became the best students in their classes. As for boyfriends… surely after a while they broke up but their newly acquired confidence helped them find a new girl.

The only downside –hence the word 'problem'- was that when her job was done she ended up alone once more. Surely her family was there for her but all her cousins had their own friends and at some point she felt like an outsider.

That was when she took up a new project.

"I need someone to help." She exclaimed to Lily one morning by the end of October. Lily slowly looked up from her bacon and sighed.

"Make Lorcan less weird." Her red-haired cousin muttered and pointed at a blonde boy that sat next to her and was dazing off to space.

"Why would I do that? Lor is perfectly happy the way he is, with his strange creatures and all." Rose retorted.

"Good point." Lily agreed.

"So who will it be then?" Rose hated to admit it but she could no longer cling to those two in her spare time. She needed a project to work on.

She took one bite from her toast grumpily. Everyone seemed so happy…

"What about Malfoy?" The seventh-year redhead looked up to meet with a pair of blue eyes that sparkled wittily. Lorcan was not famous for his concentration on things that actually existed. Still he had his moments.

"I have no reason whatsoever to help Malfoy." Now both Lorcan and Lily were gagging at her.

"Kidding me? He's like the perfect candidate. Lonely, eternally depressed, shy, disliked by everyone, never had a proper girlfriend." Her cousin raised her hands comically to describe his situation but Rose just shook it off.

"Correction, he is alone by choice, depressing, unsociable, badly-behaved and too picky with girls. He likes them mute." Upon seeing their raised eyebrows Rose decided to explain herself.

"Look at him!" She pointed towards the Slytherin table. There after a space of a few seats from the rest of the snakes a tall, blonde man was sitting with an apathetic look on his face and a dark aura around him.

"He doesn't want to find friends or have a girlfriend. And more than anything else he doesn't want my help. He chose this." She felt her face reddening and sensing the danger of an outburst she closed her mouth quickly.

"So you mean to say that he likes being ignored and having no one who actually cares for him?" Lily took up the thread and Rose nodded.

"But, Rose, there is no person who likes that kind of life." Lorcan put in chewing something that didn't look eatable.

"I suppose you're right. But then why is he acting that way? Why is he secluding himself?" For all Rose knew being alone was not one bit fun.

She watched as the two fifth-years stood up from their seats probably to go to the first lesson of the day.

She sighed but a hand on the shoulder stopped her from resuming her breakfast.

"Those are very good questions Rose. Why don't you ask him?" She widened her eyes at Lorcan who had spoken.

Though he had been right. She decided later that same day. Those were good questions. And if she cared- No if she was interested to find a proper answer she ought to ask the beast himself.

She stole a glance of his walking form in the empty corridor. It was really strange. Somehow it seemed that every time he walked down a corridor, it suddenly emptied. She imagined it had something to do with that dark aura he emitted.

"Malfoy!" She called after him boldly. At first he didn't stop, not used to hearing his name being called by someone else. But after a few steps his feet began moving with difficulty.

"Hey!" She shouted again and paced his way trying to keep all her books inside her half-open schoolbag.

Finally he stopped, but didn't turn to face her.

She didn't mind. Complying, she moved so to be looking right into his blank grey pools, though It did take some effort cause he was rather tall. She realized she had never noticed how tall he was. Perhaps because she'd never been so close to him before.

"I have a question for you." She said clearly afraid his passive glance meant he had not heard her.

"And you must absolutely answer it." She added. No response. Not even a nod.

"Why are you like that? Why are you secluding yourself? Why do you stay away from everyone all the time?" She breathed out content. She had said it.

"That was three questions." His voice, well it was ore like a whisper, reached her ears with difficulty.

And just like that he turned around and left.

Rose blinked numerous times, trying to figure out what had just happened.

Then crossing her arms she murmured something to herself.

She closed her school bag and run after him. He was going to the library.

She barely saw the door open and close before he disappeared from her sight.

Stubbornly, she opened the door too. The room was occupied by barely five people. Searching closely she finally noticed him. He was sitting at the far side of the room, a pile of books hiding all but a strand of blonde hair.

She marched there and taking a chair from a nearby table she sat next to him.

Her presence had startled him, she knew, but he recovered quickly.

"I'm not leaving without an answer." She muttered and took out a book of her own. He didn't even bother to look at her, let alone speak.

More than two hours passed by. Rose looked up from her parchment realizing that she had gotten carried away by studying and hadn't yet succeed in receiving a reply. She swore under her breath.

At the blink of an eye the blonde had packed up his piles of books and was descending.

She swore again.

But she wouldn't give up.

When he went to dinner she followed him to the Slytherin table despite the glares she was receiving. He sat on his corner and she sat next to him. He stood up and sat somewhere else but she followed him there too.

The next week went by with her running after the blonde and him trying –and failing- to avoid her.

On Sunday he finally broke.

He was in the Astronomy Tower observing the different positions of the stars and she sat there singing to herself when he dropped his telescope abruptly. He turned and glared at her.

It was the first time she had seen him glaring from so close. Usually he glared at people who annoyed him or pulled pranks on him. But since Rose had never been one of those people she'd never seen the real beast inside of Scorpius Malfoy.

His glare was not just angry. Angry she could cope with. But that was cold and cruel, like at that very moment he wished nothing more than to see her dead. And that was, even for her, a little hard to swallow.

"Stop stalking me." He spat venomously.

"I just wanted an answer." She mumbled fighting to stop her trembling hands. She could not believe that just a look from him had that effect on her.

"And I guess you always get what you want. Being the daughter of two War heroes that is only to be expected." He still seemed unwilling to talk freely, but words floated from his mouth with ease that surprised even himself.

"That's not-" He put a hand to stop her.

"Fine, I won't try to change facts here. I'll give you your answer and then you'll give me my space back." He took in a deep breath and messed his windblown hair that were shining under the moonlight.

"I was ten when I first met my grandfather, Lucious. Dad wanted nothing to do with him so he kept me away from him." He was looking away to the skies as if the story was written up there.

"But one day when I was playing alone in the garden I saw a figure walking towards me. I recognized him immediately from the pictures with grandma Cissy." At that he took one swift look at her to see if she was listening.

"I invited him in but he refused. He told me he was sick of putting his hopes on other people." At that point Rose stirred a bit uncomfortably. She had heard stories of that man. None of them was a happy one.

" 'Look at me,' He had said 'I am a nothing now. And you know why? Because I believed in others. I put my life in their hands and they snatched it away from me. Never put your faith on other people's hands Scorpius.' He ordered. And after that he was gone." Just like that the blonde fell silent. Like he was tired of talking.

"But I don't think he meant all people." Rose whispered still trembling. "I think he just meant bad people. Like the Dark Lord or something."

He gave her a pitiful look.

"All people are bad. Even those who say they want to help you, are just thinking of themselves. Take you for example…" She sprang up from her seat next to the window.

"You have no right to say that!" She protested, ignoring her red curls that were dancing around her head and into her face.

"Maybe. But is it a lie? Are you really gonna tell me that you don't feel useless when you've got no one to help?" She blushed at that. Whether it was from anger or mere embarrassment she couldn't tell.

"Truth is, you're not trying to relieve other people's loneliness. You're trying to relieve your own." He stated powerfully and Rose realized he could be quite opinionated if he wished to.

"And you're in fact enjoying being alone?" She retorted incredulously.

"I find it better than having to face foolish hopes and lies." He smirked.

"So you don't make friends because you're scared they might betray you. You don't date girls cause they're bound to cheat on and you stay away from people in case they try to harm you." It was more of a conclusion than a question. But he nodded anyway.

"You refuse yourself all that is good in life so that you don't end up loosing it and being miserable." He nodded again persuasively.

"You are being a stinking coward!" Rose shouted that with extreme conviction. It seemed as if all her thoughts and beliefs sank down to those few words.

She could not believe that a person's fear would reach such levels that it would make him shut the whole world out.

He had said he'd rather be that way than be hurt. And at first, hearing it so blatantly, made her furious. She wanted to hex him for speaking that way.

But when, later that night, she gave it more thought it dawned on her. She, who so bravely ignored his words, was she any different?

Many times she had preached to her 'students' that life was a race and they had to run and not just stand by watching. 'Take a risk. The worst thing that can happen is that you fail.' She always said. But when had she risked?

She hadn't risked finding a friend or getting a boyfriend she actually loved, not once. So what right had she to speak?

Suddenly before her eyes there were two cowards. Two beasts.

All those thoughts plagued her head till the morning leaving her without an hour's sleep. And such was her sleeplessness that she didn't even realize it when a tall figure walked in Potions and sat next to her.

Only when she saw a number of eyes glued on something close to her did she turn with an obvious lack of curiosity to inspect the sight.

It was him.

Scorpius Malfoy was sitting at the second row, right next to her. Not in his dark corner at the back of the class but in the middle, inches from her. Cauldrons almost touching.

There was nothing in his demeanor that indicated some change. He was cold and indifferent as ever. He cut some ingredients for his potion and poured them in quietly then he read his book and took some notes as if nothing was off.

And to her surprise, Rose had been so absorbed in watching him that she didn't even see that the root she was cutting was finished and she was about to chop off her finger.

A long pale hand appeared out of nowhere and took the knife from her hands.

"What are you doing?" She gasped alarmed.

"You were going to cut your finger off." He whispered and she almost detected amusement in his voice.

"Oh, and I'm not a stinking coward." With that he was back to his work, leaving her to consider exactly what had happened.

And that was what did it. Slowly, uncertainly, Rose began sitting next to him in every class. Even if that meant she'd be stuck at the back of the class.

She ate with him and he no longer protested about it.

They studied together in the library and sometimes they even shared the same book.

It was one of those days in the library that Rose was sweating terribly and jumping up and down under a huge bookcase making sounds that resembled those of an injured animal.

"What are you trying to do?" She heard his soft voice from her back and jumped up once more.

"I wanted that book up there but I can't reach it. I'm too short." She whined breathlessly and pointed at a book over her head.

Scorpius reached out and grabbed it effortlessly. Then he handed it to her with a small smile.

It took her three full minutes to take it. During which she was staring idly at his lips. She had never seen him smile like that before. It sort of warmed his whole face up.

She felt a blush creeping up her cheeks as she mumbled a 'thanks' and started leaving the library.

"Hey, Weasley- I mean, Rose!" She stopped dead on her tracks and turned around to see him walking to her.

"I- erm… was wondering… would you like to come and…err…sit with me like you usually do?" His eyes were avoiding her and he was messing his hair uncomfortably. She grinned.

The hardly even spoke to each other even though they spent quite some time together. As a result she didn't know he enjoyed her company as much as she enjoyed his. Learning that made her heart beat just a little faster when they were together.

"I'd love to." She replied quickly.

From that day on they had started speaking more to each other. They never blabbered, nor did they joke around aimlessly, but they did talk. And people were starting to notice.

One day as they relaxed together under some tree Rose noticed a figure blocking her sun.

She opened her eyes and came across the tall form of none other than Robert Zabini, the Captain of the Slytherin team.

Scorpius, who had taken notice of him before her was already standing up to his full height, ready to confront the boy.

"Want something?" The blonde muttered. The other boy stared back and forth between them and sighed.

"No need to get all edgy Scorpius. I just came to ask for a favor." That seemed to have caught the blonde's attention.

"I've noticed that you two masterminds always study together now, and even though I'd hate to get in the middle of… whatever's going on," At that Rose blushed.

"I really suck at Transfiguration, so I was wondering if I could sit with you some day and ask you a couple of questions." Scorpius lowered his gaze and met hers questioningly.

She motioned for him to sit down and he obeyed without a word.

"He wants us to tutor him. What do you say?" Leaning closer to Scorpius she whispered to his ear. He took a good look at her.

"Do I need to smile and be cheerful?" He mumbled giving the intruder side-glances.

"Leave the smiling to me; you just have to answer the questions." She softly replied, hiding her smile behind his blonde hair.

"Ok, fine. Tomorrow at six in the library." Scorpius announced plainly and nodding Zabini disappeared.

When they saw him again the next day he was wearing a pair of glasses and holding an awfully big bag.

He sat with them quietly and coughed to make his presence known.

When the Quidditch Captain realized he had their full attention he started bombarding them with questions which they both replied. Rose with a happy smile and Scorpius with a reluctant tone.

It was only after they had finished studying that things got a little lighter. Out of nowhere Zabini mentioned something about Quidditch strategies and Scoprius, without really wanting to, commented that it would be a good idea to borrow some moves from professional teams.

That had set Zabini on fire. He started asking the blonde which was his favorite team and whether he thought they had a chance winning the cup that year. And such was his excitement that even Scorpius got carried away and started talking about the season to come and Puddlemere's new coach.

Slowly Rose stood up trying to make no sound and picking up her books decided it was a good idea to give them some time.

"You abandoned me last night." His voice woke her up in History of Magic the day to come. She grinned back stupidly and shrugged.

"Will I ever be forgiven? Was it really that painful?" She smirked and he smirked back.

"I'll think about it. And no, it was not so painful. Actually Zabini's not a total jerk. He's fun." She cocked an eyebrow at that.

"Does that mean there will be more talking?" She chewed her quill expectantly.

"I suppose. I mean I am trying out for the team. Or at least I think I am…" He commented mildly.

"No way! That's awesome!" She had jumped up from her desk practically dropping all her books on the floor. Binns gave her a disapproving glance.

"Keep it down will ya?" The blonde hissed but didn't even try to hide a laugh.

She followed his advice and settled down. But her mind was racing.

Finally he had dared to try out. After all those years of playing on his own at night he had decided to give it a try. She was happy. So happy that it didn't even cross her mind to consider why she was so happy for someone she didn't even know that well a month ago.

Of course, he had passed the try outs. How could he not after all? He was ten times better than all the other contestants. Actually, he was even better than the current beater of the Slytherin team. She had been there to cheer for him and to her surprise when he was done, he greeted Zabini, to whom he now referred to as just 'Rob' , and went straight to meet her.

"You were great. Awesome. I mean… outstanding. Congrats." He smiled a little at her delirium and taking her hand in his, he snatched her away from the pitch.

"Ok, I'll admit I'm freaking out." He muttered when no one could hear them.

"But why? Didn't you want this?" She sat on a bench and searched his face for answers.

"I did. But it's just too much. All those people I have to co-operate with. Even Goyle. I hate Goyle!" She giggled at that.

"You don't have to be friends with everyone. Just try not to get into fights with them." She advised wisely.

"Yeah, that's what Rob said." Scorpius let his broom next to the bench and sat too.

"You're getting along with him right?" She looked sideways at him who shrugged.

"I think. I mean he's a nice guy and not a complete idiot. He says he has no real friends here." The blonde seemed to be pondering about a conversation he previously had.

"Sounds like you." She said thoughtfully.

"Sounds like both of us." Scorpius added sneaking a look towards her.

"Good point." They stayed silent after that. Like they always did when they wanted to relax.

They didn't quite need incessant talking to enjoy each other's company.

"Oh, shoot! I totally forgot." She stood up suddenly red in the face.

"I have a present for you." She shrieked as he stared at her with a troubled look.

"It's not my birthday…" He tried to protest but she heard none of it. Now it was her turn to grasp his hand and lead him all the way to the Heads Common Room.

It was quite funny actually because they hardly ever stayed in there even though they were both Heads. It somehow seemed lonely even for their standards.

Rose ordered him to wait there and disappeared to her room.

Five minutes later she was back with a blue and green box. She handed it to him happily. Scorpius blushed but took it anyway muttering a 'thanks' under his breath.

But when he opened it he was speechless.

The box was empty.

"It's empty I know." She put in with a grin.

"You see, Scoprius, when I was really small my mother had given me one box just like this. And it was full of chocolates and sweets and candies of all kinds." She had a dreamy look on her eyes as she spoke.

"It was so amazing. They had all those beautiful colors and different shapes and they tasted so good too. I loved that box. Sometimes I would just sit there looking at the sweets." He nodded understandingly.

"But one day I had gone to a picnic with my family and I was carrying the box with me. So the wind blew so much it made me drop the box and the candies ended up in a river nearby." She seemed sad suddenly.

"I was crying like a baby about it for days. Then my mother came over and said to me: 'I'll give you one chocolate every week so that you can fill it up again' ." Rose tried to mimic her mother's tone.

"But I kept weeping telling her that it didn't even matter anymore. Cause even if I filled my box with all the sweets of the world, something bad would probably happen and I would drop it again and lose them all." Scorpius raised a hand and caught her shoulder massaging it softly. He had suddenly felt the urge to be close to her.

"But you know what she said? She told me that even if we refilled the box and the wind blew it all away we'd start filling it again. And if again we happened to lose it all we'd start all over." Rose looked up to meet with his eyes that were shining. Then she took something out of her pocket and offered it to him.

It was a small chocolate covered in red paper.

"Here. I'll give you one chocolate every week till this box is full. And if the wind blows them all away we'll start filling it again. And if the river washes them off we'll get some more. And if all is lost we'll start from the bottom." She took a deep breath.

"It's really alright to be afraid that if you make friends something will happen and you'll lose them. But you should remember that even in that case you can always start over." She looked deep into his eyes, so gray, so full of emotion.

"It's ok, we'll start over together, cause trying and failing is better than having an empty box. Right?" She wanted to smile encouragingly at him, she wanted to show him that she was scared too but they had to try. She was planning to say more things to persuade him.

But she didn't.

Because Scorpius Malfoy was kissing her.

And he was giving her life, he was sweeping away her fears and she knew, deep down that so did she.

He took her in his arms and held her close to him. He didn't want to be alone anymore.

He wanted to live. For the first time he didn't mind getting hurt if she was there with him.

He deepened the kiss and she responded passionately, transforming him into something better.

She put her hands in his blonde silky hair and let her heart race against his.

He kissed her again and again wishing that moment would never end and she mumbled next to his ear something that made him shiver from joy.

"I think I'm in love with you." He stopped and stared at her.

"For real?" he asked unbelievingly.

"I know it makes it all the more scary if I say this, but yes, for real." He buried his head in her shoulder and sighed.

"I'm yours. Do with me whatever you want." He kissed her neck and then her chin and just before he could reach her mouth she pulled away.

"I want us to be friends. I want us to study together and I want us to go out on a date in the next Hogsmeade trip. Oh and I want to…" She glued herself on him and kissed him again.

From that day on Scoprius started smiling a little more. He didn't mind sitting close to the rest of the Slytherins if that meant Rose or at least Rob would be with him. He never got to like Goyle but he didn't mind playing Quidditch with a team.

And more than everything he didn't mind spending time with Rose.

Sometimes he got scared that it was all a dream, that something would go wrong and he'd lose it all.

But then he would open the box she'd given him and he'd look at the candies that were sparkling and he would relax.

He had changed. More than, that he had transformed into something better.

But then so had Rose.

She still helped people out. But she didn't try to replace her life with theirs anymore. She wanted real friends, real experiences.

But not a real boyfriend.

She already had one of those.

So who was the savior and who the saved in this?

Who helped who?

Truth was that after all they helped each other. Each one was the solution to the other. Cause honestly, all the big things in life need two people. Two people to have a friendship, two people to have a family, two people to have a match of exploding snap.

And maybe the beast was transformed because of a kiss, but a beauty could only see the true value of her virtues through the eyes of an ugly beast.

Three months later Rose found herself in the Three Broomsticks sitting even to her own surprise between two blondes. A young and an old one.

"So why did you want to meet with me Scorpius? Your father wouldn't like this too much." The old blonde, who Rose knew as Lucious Malfoy, said.

"I have a gift for you." Her boyfriend took out a brown box and handed it to his grandfather.

"It's just an empty box." The man muttered grimly and both teenagers chuckled a bit. Scorpius began telling his grandfather a story about a girl and a box of chocolates that were blown away.

The old man listened closely and slowly his facial expression began to relax. He didn't quite smile yet he wasn't so grumpy either.

"So," The younger blonde concluded. "I will be sending you one letter every week. And if something happens and the letters get blown away I'll start sending you again." Scorpius stood up decisively.

"As for you, why don't you try and send an owl to dad someday. I think he'll be glad. Now I have to go. My friends are waiting for me." He bid his grandfather goodbye with her on his tracks.

"I'm proud of you." She whispered when they were out of the shop.

And she really was.

Cause Rose Weasley was certain about one thing. Scorpius Malfoy was her prince.

A/N: Well, what did you think of it?

Please leave a review, press the little button and give me your opinion

As some people know (I nag a lot) one-shots are not my kind of thing

So I'm always really really scared when I post up one.

Again, review!

Kisses and Hugs

Sarah