Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of it's wonderful characters, it all belongs to J.K. Rowling.

I was so sick of Rose Weasley! I was sick of her always getting the best grades. I was sick of her famous family; the famous Weasley/Potter clan. I was sick of her annoying attitude and our constant bickering. I was just sick of her!

So, to get away from her, so I decided to go to the lake on the grounds. I was sitting on the edge, throwing stones into the water, when the person I least wanted to see came up to me.

I groaned up at her bushy red hair that was now blocking the sun from my view. "What do you want Weasley?"

"Oh, I just came out here to bother you," she sneered sarcastically.

I smirked, "you just couldn't resist me could you?"

She rolled her eyes at me and said, "actually, McGonagall wanted to see you, she sent me to come and get you."

I groaned as I got to my feet, "Fine, where is she?"

Rose pointed to the castle, "in her office."

I took a step towards it when suddenly, a great wave overcame me and Rose and we were pulled into the lake.

"Malfoy!" Rose screamed at me, "What did you do?"

"Why would I have done that?" I asked her annoyed. By now the current had taken us almost to the center of the lake, and I was treading water to try and keep my head above the surface.

"I don't know!" she cried, "I didn't do it!"

"Well neither did I!" I said irritably. She looked as though she was having difficulty keeping her head above the water.

"What's wrong Weasley?" I sneered, "Can't swim?"

"I can!" she cried indignantly, "It's just—"

The water pulled her under for a moment before her head managed to break free again.

"The waters too rough okay!" she cried, close to tears now.

I chuckled, "Chill Weasley."

She sent me her best death glare—which I can tell you is pretty terrifying, so I shut up.

"Aw, shoot," I muttered as I saw a giant shape looming towards us, "Weasley, look out!"

She turned around just in time to see it take one of its long tentacles and splash a giant wave of water into our faces. Rose went under again, and I could just barely manage to keep my head up. The Giant Squid took another of its tentacles and sent another massive wave towards us. This time my head went under again, but I managed to pull it out. Rose still hadn't risen yet, where was she?

As much as I might hate her, I couldn't let her drown. I took a great gasp of air as I dove into the water while the squid sent another wall of water our way. With difficulty I opened my eyes. The water was extremely murky, and I could barely see a foot in front of me. I looked desperately for any sign of her, but I couldn't see anything.

I came up again, panting for a breath, before I dove back down once more. The squid was really upsetting the water, making it even more difficult to see, if that were possible. Finally I spotted a familiar flash of red hair, and sped towards it. She was almost motionless, and I grabbed her pale arm, forcing her to the surface with me.

We both came up, me gasping for air. Rose still seemed immobile. I slapped her on the back a few times, trying to make her breathe again, to no avail. It was difficult; with the squid making giant waves and trying to keep both my head and her head above the water. I needed to get her to shore, and quickly.

I tried to swim, but it was too much work to try and make it through the fierce water with her in tow. I looked around hoping for something—anything, to help us get to shore, when I spotted a bent piece of metal floating near the surface of the water. It looked as though it had broken off from an old submarine. I grabbed a hold of it and started kicking to push us back to shore.

I started running as soon as I could stand up in the murky water, and dragged Rose up to dry land. I threw her down rather unceremoniously and started slapping her on the back, trying to make her breathe again. After a few seconds, she started coughing uncontrollably, spewing up water.

I laughed a bit manically, "Gross Weasley!"

She looked up at me in disgust (which was a bit unfair considering she was the one who has just spewed up half the lake and I had just saved her life.)

She started coughing again, and I gained control of myself.

"Are you okay?" I asked concernedly.

She just glared at me.

"I think you should go up to the hospital wing," I said.

"I'm fine!" she cried, before going into another coughing fit.

I looked at her, "You don't look fine."

"Go away!" she screamed, "I'm FINE!"

This time I glared at her. She had no right to talk to me that way, not after what I did!

"You are obviously NOT fine!" I screamed at her, "and DON'T tell me to go away! I'm just trying to make sure you're okay! I'm the one who pulled you out of that lake! I'm the one who bloody saved your life Rose!"

She coughed again and looked up at me in amazement.

"You called me Rose," she said.

"I—I—" I sputtered. Really, of all the things I told her she had to pick that out?

She smiled up at me.

"You saved my life," she said, "and you called me Rose."

I looked at her strangely, "I think the lake water has gone to your head, Weasley, I really should take you to Madame Pomfrey."

This time she just nodded, and I pulled her up, dragging her to the castle.

When Madame Pomfrey saw Rose she cried, "What happened?"

I started wearily explaining what happened in the lake.

Madame Pomfrey started muttering crossly as she began tending to Rose, "Really, what are they thinking, keeping a Giant Squid in a lake at a school!"

I just nodded, glancing worriedly over at Rose now and again.

"Is she going to be okay?" I asked.

"What?" said Madame Pomfrey distractedly, "Oh yes, she's going to be fine. She just needs some pepper-up potion now, that's all. Thank goodness you had the courage to pull her out."

I smiled timidly, when the hospital doors burst open, and none other than Headmistress McGonagall came striding in.

"Oh, Professor I'm so sorry!" I started, having forgotten all about why Rose had come to talk to me in the first place.

"It's quite alright Mr. Malfoy," Professor McGonagall stated briskly, walking over to where Madame Pomfrey sat with Rose, "Now, tell me Poppy, what happened?"

I just sat there watching Rose, who had fallen asleep, as Madame Pomfrey told the Headmistress what had transpired down at the lake.

"You showed real courage back there," Professor McGonagall said, turning to me, "Godric Gryffindor would have been proud."

"I—" I sputtered, at loss of words, "But I'm in Slytherin!"

The Headmistress smiled down at me, "Oh I know Mr. Malfoy, but that doesn't mean Gryffindor wouldn't have been proud. As Albus Dumbledore once said, 'I fear we sometimes sort too soon.' Gryffindor would have wanted you in his house as well. But, as we now have the sorting hat to determine this, I suppose Slytherin has gotten you. However, just know that you showed great courage down at the lake, and anyone would have been proud. I award you 50 points to Slytherin."

I looked up at McGonagall in shock, "Thank you!"

She smiled at me, and then turned to Madame Pomfrey once more, "I trust Miss Weasley will be all right then?"

"Oh yes!" said Madame Pomfrey.

"Good." And with one last look at me, Professor McGonagall strode out of the room once more.

"Oh, wait!" I cried to her.

She turned to me, at the door. "Yes?"

"Um, what did you want to talk to me about?" I asked.

"Oh yes," she said, "do not worry, Mr. Malfoy, I assure you it is of no more importance. It is already taken care of."

I looked at her, confused, and opened my mouth to say something, but she had disappeared once more.

As the doors started to swing shut, they burst open once more, and in ran Rose's cousins, James, Fred, Louis, Albus, Lily, and her brother Hugo.

"Is she okay?" Lily cried, clearly distraught.

Madame Pomfrey nodded, "she'll be fine, she's just resting right now."

"What are you doing here Malfoy?" sneered James, "Come to tease her for nearly drowning?"

"No." I glared at him, "I'm the one who saved her life. I pulled her out of the water."

James clearly wasn't expecting this, but Fred said, "And did you push her in in the first place?"

"No!" I cried, upset, "I would never do that!"

"Sure," muttered Louis. I glared at him.

"Well, you can leave now," said James, recovering.

I looked at Madame Pomfrey panicked. I couldn't leave her, I mean; I had to make sure that she was okay. But why do you care? Said a voice in my head, it's not like you care about her. But what if I do? Said another voice, what if I do care whether she's okay or now? What if I do care about her? The moment those words appeared in my mind, I knew. I knew, unbelievably, that I cared for Rose Weasley. That I care whether she lived or died; that I cared whether or not she was okay; that I cared for her a lot more than that.

"No." I said defiantly to Rose's cousins. I gave them a look that they didn't dare cross, though they were confused. I, however, must have been the most confused. I had feelings for Rose Weasley. I kept repeating in my head. I like Rose Weasley. I love Rose Weasley. How on earth did this happen? This morning I hated her! For six years I hated her! We were always fighting with each other; we despised each other more than anyone else I know. And yet…I suppose it wasn't that far-fetched. I mean, we had been bickering for years, but constantly needing each other. It had always felt wrong when we ignored each other. I sighed in resignation. I was in love with Rose Weasley.

There was no way she could like me back. I was a Malfoy, and she was a Weasley. We just didn't get along. But…at least she was alive. And I had made sure of that. At least she was okay.

After nearly an hour of staring at Rose's motionless body, she finally stirred. She opened her beautiful stormy blue eyes, and looked around at her cousins, gathered around her bed. She seemed to be looking for something. Finally, her blue eyes rested on my grey ones and she opened her mouth to say something to me.

"You saved my life," she said, looking at me amazed.

"That I did," I agreed.

"And you called me Rose."

"I—I did." I granted, "are you sure you don't still have water in your brain Weasley?"

She smirked at me, but only said, "Thank you."

I smirked back, "Now the water's definitely gone to your head."

Her face settled in to a smile, and she said, "No, thank you, really…Scorpius."

She said my name as if testing it out for the first time. I raised my eyebrow at her, and she beckoned me closer.

"I really do thank you," she whispered in my ear, "for saving me, for everything."

"I—you're welcome," I said, slightly confused. She smiled at me and then did the thing I least expected her to do. She kissed me. I widened my eyes at her, but kissed her back willingly.

He cousins sputtered indignantly, but I ignored them.

"I love you," I whispered in her ear, half afraid of what she might say back. She just smiled up at me.

"I love you too," she said, and I felt a flying sensation in the pit of my stomach. I was kissing Rose Weasley. I loved Rose Weasley. She loved me back. I could sing. (But I didn't because she'd probably make fun of me.)

We sat there kissing for who knows how long, her cousins still gaping in shock, until Madame Pomfrey came in.

"Well," she said, a bit taken aback. "Er… I suppose you may go now Miss Weasley."

Rose grinned at me, and I grabbed her hand, leading her out of the Hospital Ward, her cousins still staring after us, astounded.