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“Despicable woman”
Slamming the latest number of Witch Weekly shut, Rose Granger-Weasley begun pacing about the kitchenette of her cousin Albus’ apartment muttering a series of expletives that would have put her father’s best repertoire to shame.
Albus tried to suppress a groan in his soggy cereals each time Rose shrieked her displeasure with the article written in the tabloid. He was way too hungover to bear a furious Rose first thing in the morning.
She’d suddenly appeared, about half an hour prior, in his bedroom shaking him awake. Then, she had proceeded to drag him out of bed and read him the piece in question, after they’d made their way to the kitchen.
“Rosie,” he started hesitantly, “please…”
“What?” she screeched. Had Albus felt less like dragon shite, he would have found Rose’s red-blotched face incredibly amusing. “That cockroach of a low-life hack decided to target me with her cheap-ass slander and this utter rubbish of a magazine” she raised her fist that was currently crumpling the paper, “really had the audacity of publishing such falsehoods passing them as news”
“It’s not as if she’s completely missed the mark” Albus mumbled crossly.
“Huh? What did you just say?” Rose’s eyes narrowed dangerously.
“Nothing, I said nothing”
Before Rose could harm him, his best mate and roomie entered the kitchen rubbing his eyes with a yawn.
“What’s all this noise so early?” Scorpius passed Rose on his way to the fridge brushing his hand on her hip and Albus let out a gagging sound, promptly ignored by the other two.
Rose scowled unconvincingly at Scorpius. “I decided to strangle Rita Skeeter and find a way to shut down Witch Weekly”
“Why’s that, flower?” he asked, looking at the contents of the fridge.
“Don’t call me that” she said petulantly. “Here, read this” she handed him the crumpled tabloid as he turned to her with a pomegranate juice carton in his hand, which he placed on the table before reading the article.
Weasley-Malfoy: The 21st century Star-crossed Lovers
The latest charity gala organised by the philanthropist Astoria Malfoy has been an interesting event for attendees, to say the least, but not in the way one would think.
The event, hosted in the lovely garden of Malfoy Manor – which could almost make one forget about the place once being the headquarters for He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and his posse –, was meant to raise money for the Janus Thickey Ward of St. Mungo’s Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries. However, the scene was completely stolen by the appearance of Mr and Mrs Malfoy’s son, Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy, accompanied by none other than Rose Granger-Weasley, daughter of the two closest associates of the infamous Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ronald Weasley, golden girl extraordinaire.
The couple appeared arm-in-arm on top of the stairs leading to the garden fashionably late: a great entrance certainly fitting the image of Harry Potter’s niece. The two hesitated on the steps for a few moments, giving all attendees the time to admire their sparkly figures. A lavish set of dark dress robes, stylishly tousled blond hair and rakish smile Scorpius Malfoy held out his arm for his belle, all wrapped up in costly silk falling dangerously low on her décolletage.
Miss Granger-Weasley surely seemed to have no qualms about showing just how much more appealing her appearance is than her mother’s looks. She also didn’t seem to mind the flattering glances of most male guests, while the same cannot be told about her escort. The show carried out by the Malfoy heir was nothing short of territorial, considering the excessive display of sliding his arms and hands all over his lover. Although, I guess readers may not find it in themselves to fault such attitude. Ah, to be young and in love, am I right?
Seeing the two lovebirds interact with Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy definitely left an impression on yours truly. Apparently, Miss Granger-Weasley seems to be well-received by her family’s well-known rivals. Is this all for show? Or is this a sign of Miss Granger-Weasley’s relationship with her family being strained? Surely her family must not be overjoyed with the latest developments in her love life, considering the generations-upon-generations long conflict between the Weasleys and the Malfoys.
The eldest daughter of Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger, Head Girl in her last year in Hogwarts, apparently perfect in every way, must have finally reached her rebellious phase, showing off next to a young man with not only the reputation of being a ladies’ man, but whose family’s notoriety rivals hers in a contrasting way.
But, no matter how her family might not accept her relationship with the Malfoy scion, his parents seem much inclined to welcome her with open arms. I ask myself if Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy may have a secret agenda of some kind, appearing so suspiciously affectionate towards Miss Granger-Weasley? Could they be thinking of exploiting her image to try and restore the family name for once and for all?
And you, my dear readers, what do you think? Are we going to be witnessing a peace treaty between the two families? Or a bloody and devastating war?
Only time will tell.
Rita Skeeter
Scorpius closed the magazine and threw it on the tabletop, reaching for a glass and his pomegranate juice. “So?” he asked, taking a sip while looking back at Rose.
“So?” Rose sputtered, scandalised at his lack of reaction, “That pathological liar wrote nonsense after nonsense about the two of us being in love – not to mention all the insinuations about our families – and you don’t care?!”
Albus and Scorpius exchanged a glance and the former stood up to take his leave.
“Well?” the girl said impatiently, once her cousin left the room, closing the door behind him.
“Why does it bother you so much?” Scorpius leaned against the kitchen counter. “You know how Rita Skeeter is and it definitely isn’t the first time someone has written about you in the gossip column”
“I-” Rose hesitated, blushing furiously, “I just dislike when people lie about me”
Scorpius hummed, looking at her intently, as Rose couldn’t meet his eyes and shifted her weight from one foot to another, clearly in discomfort under his intense gaze. “You’re a terrible liar, Rosie,” he sighed at last, “you’ve always been”
“W-why should I lie?” she crossed her arms.
Scorpius stood up and neared her, leaning down to be face-to-face with her. “Because you don’t wish to admit that the reason why you’re mad about the article is that it makes it impossible now to deny there’s something between us”
“That’s ridiculous”
Even to her ears, her exclamation had been too weak to be truthful.
Scorpius sighed, shaking his head at her stubbornness. He brought a hand to cup her cheek. “Love, you can’t keep hiding like this” he whispered, his lips mere inches away from hers.
“I can try” she murmured back while her gaze fell to his mouth.
He kissed her, then. Sweetly and for a handful of seconds, leaving her soft lips only to ask “Why would you?”, before kissing her again, with more ardour and passion and longing this time. Her hands were clasped at his shoulders, holding for dear life, as he was set on making her melt in the wake of the burning fire that his kiss lit up in her.
Once they parted for much-needed air, Scorpius nuzzled his nose against hers. “Why would you?” he repeated his question, caressing her hips delicately.
“I don’t know” she sighed, brushing his hair away from his eyes. “It doesn’t seem important, anymore”