shy ↳ Scorpius Malfoy

Chapter Five

March is coming to a close, and only a few patches of snow lie here and there. Alice takes advantage of the semi-warm weather and goes outside with her favorite book in hands. She plops down near the edge of the Black Lake, crosses her legs, and begins to read.

What little anger that Rose felt towards Alice about Scorpius is no longer there, which Alice is grateful for. However, at the moment, Rose is up in the Gryffindor Common Room completing a Transfiguration assignment that Alice has long been done with.

She barely gets through the first few pages of her books before she notices a shadow looming over her. She looks up from her book and exclaims in surprise at the closeness of the figure behind her.

"Scorpius!" She says in surprise, marking her page and closing the book in her lap. "I, uh... hi."

The boy gives an awkward smile. "Hello, Alice. I'm sorry for scaring you like that." The girl smiles and shakes her head, brushing it off. She pats the empty spot next to her as an invitation to sit. Scorpius reluctantly accepts. "I couldn't help but notice that Rose is not with you."

Alice nods with a hint of a smile, knowing where this is going. "No, she's in the Common Room, finishing a paper for Transfiguration."

"So you aren't expecting her any time soon?" Alice laughs lightly and shakes her head in confirmation. "Sorry, it's just... Rose isn't too fond of me."

"I know."

"It's because of the rumors, isn't it?" Scorpius asks sadly. Alice gives him a small smile and nods.

"I've tried to tell her that they aren't true, but I don't think she believes me. I don't understand how everyone came to that conclusion anyway, because, unlike Voldemort, you've got a nose."

"That's what Albus said," Scorpius says.

"Well, Albus has more sense than most of the students here, then."

Alice absently skims her fingers across the spine of her book as a comfortable silence hangs in the air. The only sounds are that of other students in the distance speaking to each other and the wind rustling against the leaves.

"Alice, can I ask you something?" The boy says suddenly. Alice raises an eyebrow at him, cueing him to go on. "Would you like to, um... go to Hogsmeade with me on Saturday?"

Alice was definitely not expecting this. She leans back, raising her eyebrows at him. She inhales deeply and takes notice of the nervous expression on Scorpius's face. Then a smile breaks out onto her face.

"I'd love to, Scorpius," she answers. The boy's eyes light up with happiness and he grins.

"Really?" He says, a little shocked with the answer. "I mean, that- that's great!"

"Okay," Alice chuckles softly.

"Okay," Scorpius repeats, before a look of realization comes across his face. "I, um... I have to go. I promised Albus I'd help him with a Herbology essay. But... I'll see you Saturday, then?"

Alice nods, still smiling. "Yeah."

Scorpius nearly trips in his haste to stand up, but laughs it off as he heads back to the castle, resisting the urge to skip with pure joy.

He has never had the guts to ask a girl out before. The fact that the first was Alice, and she said yes, made his heart soar. She is beautiful and sweet, in Scorpius's eyes anyways, and he is sure that when he learns more about her in the future, it will only make him even more infatuated by her.

***

"Well, I think it's great!" Lily Potter exclaims, a smile spreading across her small face. She had joined Rose and Alice in the common room, and the three of them are now sitting comfortably around the fire. While Lily is happy for Alice and the fact that she got a 'date' with Scorpius, Rose doesn't seem as excited. Alice rubs this off, knowing that Rose will have to get used to it at one point or another.

"What are you going to do when you get to Hogsmeade?" Lily continues.

"I don't know, I haven't given it that much thought," Alice replies, shrugging.

"I have some ideas," Lily chirps, waving her hands dramatically. "First, you could go to Honeydukes, I'd bet all my galleons that Scorpius will buy you loads of candy, and then you could—"

Alice covered the first year's mouth with her hand, effectively stopping Lily's babbling. "You know what? I reckon I might just wing it." She pulls her hand away to reveal Lily's gaping expression.

"Wing it?!" She exclaims. "This is your first date, you cannot just wing it!"

"Relax, Lily," Rose speaks up finally, looking at her red-headed cousin. "Alice will be fine."

Alice looks over at her friend, shocked at what she said, but smiling anyways. "Thank you, Rose."

"Oh, Merlin, here comes trouble," Lily says warningly, looking somewhere past Alice. The girl turns around to see Teddy approaching them. Her smile falls and her expression hardens.

The two of them have not spoken since a few days prior. Alice is still upset about the way Ted spoke about Scorpius. She gathers her things in her arms and stands up, prepared to head for the girls' dormitory.

"Hello, Rose, Lily," the boy nods his head at the two red-heads before meeting Alice's hardened gaze. "Alice, I was wondering if you wanted to—"

"No, thank you, I'm quite busy," she cuts him off sharply. "I'll catch up with you two later, alright?" She smiles sweetly at her friends, who just look at each other in confusion until Alice begins to walk away. Teddy wishes the girls a good night before hurrying to catch up with Alice, who is speed-walking down the corridor.

"Alice, wait!" He calls out. The girl walks faster at the sound of his voice and footsteps getting closer.

Suddenly, a hand pulls her arm from behind her, successfully stopping her from walking any farther. "Teddy, I don't want to talk to you right now." The boy sighs and runs his fingers through his hair nervously.

"Yes, I can understand that," he nods. "Just... could you listen to me for a minute?"

"I suppose I could spare a minute," she says, voice still lacking its usual warmth. "Start talking."

"Alice, I'm really sorry," he begins. "It was rude of me to say those things about Scorpius, when there's a chance they may not be true."

Alice quirks an eyebrow, curious as to how honest Teddy is being right now.

"After all, you're very choosy about who you like, so he must be... pretty great. If he is really capable of making you this happy then I suppose I should just leave it alone."

Alice remains silent.

Teddy sighs. "I'm really sorry, Ally. It won't happen again, I promise."

Alice's mouth curves into a smile. "Okay, Teddy."

"So, I'm forgiven?"

"Yes, you are," she says. The boy pulls her into a hug, his chin resting on the top of her head as he wraps an arm around her. The books in Alice's arms get pressed uncomfortably between the two, but neither of them care.

"Right, I should go now," Alice says, stepping back. "Got some papers to finish."

"Well, you'd better get to it, then," Teddy says in a pretend disciplinary voice.

"You ought to study for you O.W.L.s," Alice says as she begins walking away from him and towards the library. The smile falls from Teddy's face.

"Studying?!? That wasn't part of the deal!"