Author's Note: This is one of my fics that is longhanded in a notebook before it is typed & posted. For those of you who have read/read my other fics, this is a very different type of fic than, say, "Bound with Silver Threads." It's the same writing style, naturally, because it's my writing style, but while BWST tells the entire story of Lily's 3rd-7th years (or will once it's finished), including every aspect of her life along with the romance, this fic just focuses on the relationship between the two main characters. Other aspects of their lives are only touched on as they pertain to the scenes I'm writing, and all the scenes which I write are the ones that take place with them together or somehow have to do with their interactions with each other. Essentially, I'm skipping from "good part" to "good part". Perhaps the BWST style is more novelistic (is that even a word? My old computer said no but this one says yes) and in the end more fulfilling, but this style is more fun and fast paced (not that I'm racing through the building of the relationship though, don't worry). Anyway, long story short, here is my first Rose/Scorpius centered fic. I hope you like it.

-SQ

Disclaimer: I'm pretty sure not one person reading this actually thinks I own Harry Potter.

Chapter One: Head Girl

Rose looked in the mirror one last time and adjusted the silver badge on her chest.

"Rose," groaned her younger brother from the doorway. "It's straight already. Come on. We're going to be late for breakfast."

Rose shot him a glare over her shoulder.

"You have no appreciation for the importance of the honor that—"

"Being Head Girl is a big deal, Rose, I get it," said Hugo. "But your badge looks fine, I swear. And it can't have come as much of a surprise. I mean, you're the top of your year and everything, a model student, never broken a rule in your life..."

"That isn't a guarantee of anything," said Rose, turning away from the mirror and flicking her wand at her trunk. "There were plenty of qualified candidates to choose from."

Hugo rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Can we go now?"

"You have to stop taking so many things for granted, Hugo," his sister admonished. "You can't coast through life simply because that's the easy thing to do."

Hugo just shrugged.

"Maybe if you had a little more pride in yourself you'd be wearing a badge on your chest too," said Rose sniffily. "Now come on," she added, levitating her trunk over her brother's head. "We're going to be late for breakfast."

"For the love of Merlin..."

*****INEBHG*****

"Have a good term," said Hermione, standing on tiptoe to kiss her son on the cheek.

"Mu-um," protested Hugo.

"Behave yourself," she added. "And Rose, make sure your brother keeps up with his schoolwork."

"Mum!" said Hugo again.

"I don't want any more owls home telling me that you haven't turned in any of your homework in two weeks."

"That was one time!" said Hugo. "In my third year! And I did it, it was just at the bottom of my bag."

"That makes it all the worse," said his mother sternly.

The train whistle blew.

"That's the whistle," said Rose unnecessarily. Hugo rolled his eyes. "We should go."

"Cream Slytherin in Quidditch!" their father called after Hugo as the two of them boarded the Hogwarts Express.

As the doors slid shut they heard their mother sigh. "Oh, Ron..."

*****INEBHG*****

Once on board the train the two Weasley siblings went their separate ways. Hugo to find his friends and Rose to the front of the train to greet the new and returning prefects and lead their start-of-term meeting.

Rose was the first to arrive in the prefects' compartment. As she waited for the others to arrive she went through her mental list of last years' sixth year prefects, wondering who this year's Head Boy would be. Of course it could be someone who hadn't been a prefect, but that was an unlikely possibility.

Her fellow Gryffindor prefect was Jasper Creevey. He would be a good choice, but Heads were rarely chosen from the same house.

Bernard Lincoln from Hufflepuff was a good prefect but, in Rose's opinion, lacked the initiative needed in a Head student.

Nicholas boot from Ravenclaw would be her choice, if the decision were up to her. Tall, handsome, and incredibly intelligent, Rose had had a bit of a crush on him since their fourth year. She wouldn't at all mind spending the required time as co-Heads with Nicholas Boot of Ravenclaw.

A cold, drawling voice woke her from her musings.

"Please tell me this is some kind of utterly tasteless joke."

Rose's head snapped toward the doorway of the compartment.

No. Please no. This couldn't be real. Headmaster Longbottom couldn't have. He just couldn't. Anyone, anyone would have been a better choice for Head Boy than—

"Malfoy."

"Weasley."

Scorpius Malfoy. The one person in all of Hogwarts whom Rose hated with an unequivocal passion. Everything about him, from his slicked back white-blonde hair to the over-polished loafers beneath his school robes made her feel ill with disgust and fury. He was so full of himself, so smug and falsely charming, so utterly and completely...ugh! She didn't even have words to describe him!

"Nice badge," said Malfoy sardonically. "Don't you think it's about time you gave it back to its owner?"

Rose bristled and touched her fingers unconsciously to her Head Girl badge.

"I earned this badge, Malfoy. Which is more than can be said for you."

The Slytherin just laughed.

"Is that any way to treat your new partner?" he drawled.

Rose clenched her fists at her sides. She would not let Scorpius Malfoy get to her, she would not. Not on their first day back at school. Not on her first day as Head Girl.

"Kneazle got your tongue, Weasley?" Malfoy taunted.

The confrontation was thankfully cut short by the arrival of the prefects. The two Heads turned to greet them.

"Good morning, please take your seats," said Rose, completely in her element. "My name is Rose Weasley, and I have the honor of servings as your Head Girl this year." She glanced covertly towards the corner where Nicholas Boot was sitting as she said this, trying to gauge his reaction to the news.

"I assure you that I take this position very seriously, and I encourage you to come to me with any questions or concerns you may have, especially the newly selected prefects among you." She nodded toward her cousin Lily, who was sitting near the front of the group.

"I know you are all here because you have a genuine interest in the preservation of the order and safety of our beloved school, and..." Rose trailed off. No one was listening to her. All of their attention had turned to Malfoy, who was reclining with his chair tilted back, pretending to doze off. As she looked at him, he opened his eyes, brought his chair back to the floor, stretched showily, and looked around.

"Now that that boring little speech is over," he said. "I hardly need to introduce myself. You all know who I am." He flashed them a smirking grin.

"Fifth years, welcome to the land of privilege. Sixth and seventh years, welcome back. Now, what else..." He tapped his fingers against the arm of his chair. "Ah yes. Prefect meetings are every Monday evening right after dinner in the room behind the great Hall. Just like they have been for the last fifty years." He paused for laughter then continued. "Patrol schedules will be handed out tomorrow morning with your class schedules. Requests for changes must be made no less than three days in advance."

He paused for a moment and then said, "Well, I think that about covers it. I foresee a fun and happy year ahead for all of us. Now if you'll excuse me..." and he rose from his chair and exited the compartment with an easy swagger, leaving Rose gaping in fury in his wake.

If the first hour was any indication, this was going to be one hell of a long year.

AN: The thing about Hugo doing his homework but forgetting to turn it in. Yes, my own little brother actually did that.

Thanks!

-SQ