Can't Read My (PG)
Title: Can’t Read My
Author: ladielazarus
Prompt: 092. Scorpius wins a date with Rose in a game of poker with Albus. Rose is livid.
Rating: PG
Word Count: 2,288
“What’s the matter, Potter? Bad hand?”
“That’s not it, no. The pot’s a bit too rich for my blood, is all. I didn’t bring all that much with me. I didn’t know we’d be playing.”
“Ah. Is that all? Well, I’m sure we can come up with alternative methods of payment.”
“...What does that mean?”
“It means that, if you don’t have the money, you’re going to have to come up with something else that I want.” A pale, well-manicured eyebrow arched. “Come now, Albus. Think hard...”
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“Rosie, please don’t be angry.”
Rose’s eyes, blue and blazing, flickered up to meet Albus’s.
“Albus, you lost me in a game like chattel. I am beyond angry. And my name is Rose.”
“It was an accident! I didn’t think I would lose!”
“I would expect not!” Rose threw her hands up in the air. Albus backed away slightly. He was terrified. “I don’t think that most people who bet plan on losing! The problem is, you not only bet me like I was property, but you lost! And you lost to him of all people! How could you do this to me?”
“I’m sorry. I just... I’m so sorry, Rose.”
“Albus, you need to leave,” Rose ground out between her teeth. “You need to leave because I’m very angry. And you might be a dab hand with a cauldron, but I don’t see one here right now, and I definitely have a wand.”
Albus sighed heavily and left, shutting the door behind him. Rose thought to herself that he, at least, had the decency to look miserable.
Rose locked and warded the door. She was so angry that she could barely breathe. Forcing herself to take long, steady breaths, she walked over to the liquor cabinet to pour herself a shot of firewhiskey.
She had no sooner gotten the shot down, when her mobile began chirping at her. She checked the number, groaned and thumbed the Accept button.
“Yes?”
“Hello, darling.” The silk-smooth voice felt like it had literally crawled inside her ear. She shuddered involuntarily.
“I am not your darling, Malfoy..”
“Of course. Anyway, it appears that we have plans in the near future.”
Rose dropped onto the sofa, taking the bottle of firewhiskey with her. She made the executive decision that glasses were no longer necessary. Actually, given the circumstances, she thought to herself, some sort of intravenous delivery might have been the best alternative.
“Whatever. Just let me know when so we can get it over with.”
“Well, I had no idea that you were in such a hurry, dearest. I can arrange something for this evening, if you’d like.”
“That would be fine.” Rose gritted her teeth. “What would you like to do.”
“I thought, perhaps, we could have dinner. Have you ever been to Magnum Opus? ”
“Once, I think. Dad’s promotion last year.”
“Ah. Well, I thought I could get us a table.”
“Fine. Whatever you want. I don’t care and you know that I don’t care.”
“I know no such thing.” The flip air to his voice made her want to punch him. “I shall pick you up promptly at 7. Do try to be ready by 7:15, won’t you?”
He disconnected. Rose threw her glass across the room. It smashed against the wall with a satisfying shatter. She’d need to do a repairing spell, but it was worth it.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
When Scorpius knocked on the door at precisely seven, Rose had already been ready for half an hour. There was no way she was prolonging this experience by keeping him waiting.
“Well, now this is an improvement.” He looked her up and down, and she forced herself not to blush at the way that his silver gaze was raking over her. She had no idea how he could make something as simple as looking at her seem so... suggestive.
Although, she had to admit that she looked good. The blue dress that she’d borrowed from her cousin Dominique fit her like a second skin.
“I’d say thank you, but then it appears that I’ve fallen prey to the belief that it’s a compliment.”
“Oh, it is.” He nodded enthusiastically. “I love what you’ve done with your hair, and the blue is really your colour.”
“Yes, yes. I’m stunning. Can we go now?”
“Always so eager, Weasley. Yes, we can go.” He offered his arm. “Shall we?”
Rose considered refusing to allow the side-along Apparition, but she decided that it wasn’t worth adding another topic to the list of things they would undoubtedly be fighting about that evening.
Their arrival at the restaurant was something of an event. Scorpius had apparently reserved a private room in the back of the restaurant. Any relief that she may have felt at the public location faded as they were escorted and seated.
The table was built into the corner of the room and draped with damask. There was only seating on one side of the table, which meant that she had to sit next to him.
As soon as the waiter disappeared to give them an opportunity to look over the wine list, Scorpius leaned over, and whispered against her ear.
“I like your hair up like that. It’s stunning.”
She shuddered involuntarily and moved away from him slightly.
“Well, I like not vomitting, so please stop saying things like that to me.”
“You are terribly touchy, aren’t you? What, exactly, is wrong with telling a pretty girl that she’s pretty,” he groused.
Rose responded with stony silence. She was determined not to be won over by this nonsense.
“Fine. I will accept your blushing silence as an acquiescence.”
“Don’t you d--”
“Rose, as much as I would ordinarily love for you to sit here and chastise me, the waiter is coming back any moment, so I suggest that you select something to eat.”
“Fine.” Rose studied the menu in silence for a minute or two in silence. “What is Vitella?”
“Veal.” Scorpius answered, gazing at his own menu. “It’s quite good, here.”
“Oh. I can’t eat veal.” Rose frowned.
“Whyever not? I didn’t think that there was any food that you did not consume. Are you allergic?”
“My mother would disown me.” Rose shook her head. “Something about the way they treat the baby calves.”
“So, your mother is determined to make an enemy of not only the house elves of wizarding Britain, but every four-star chef, as well?” Scorpius drawled. “Fascinating.”
“My mother isn’t making an enemy of house elves,” Rose insisted.
“Oh, we have several. I can assure you that she is.”
“She’s made them paid servants! She did a great thing for them!”
“She’s become the story that they tell each other around the campfire. It’s fairly hilarious. All one needs do is mention her name and they flee as if pursued by a pestilence.”
Rose couldn’t help it. The image of house elves the world over fleeing the mere mention of her mother’s name was enough to reduce her to helpless laughter. Scorpius joined her and they both fell back against the cushion of the booth to gasp for breath.
When Rose had gotten hers back, she flopped weakly into the cushions and looked over at Scorpius, who was still struggling to master his giggles. “So tell me, Malfoy,” Rose said, “what exactly is your game, here?”
“My game?” Scorpius raised an eyebrow and the corner of his irritating little mouth curled upwards in the sort of smug smirk that made Rose want to smack him in his pale, pointed face. “What game?” he asked.
Rose rolled her eyes. “The reason you decided that a ‘date’ with me was appropriate collateral for your poker match,” she explained slowly.
Scorpius shrugged and adjusted his silverware. “It seemed like a good idea at the time,” he demurred.
“Uh-huh,” Rose said. “Dare I ask why?”
Scorpius shrugged again.
“You always have some angle,” Rose said grimly. “So what is it this time?”
“Maybe I just thought a date with you sounded fun.”
Rose snorted, every inch the demure lady. “Yeah, okay.”
The waiter appeared, then, and they ordered their wine and dinners. Scorpius also insisted on some extravagant dessert that, apparently, took about forty minutes to prepare. The waiter disappeared, and Scorpius returned his focus to Rose.
“All right, then. Why did you agree to come along?”
Rose stared at him. “Albus lost the pot,” she said flatly. “He lost the bet.”
“Yes,” Scorpius said, that eyebrow creeping up again, “but it’s not like you had to back his loss.”
Rose stared.
After a moment, Scorpius’s mouth twitched. Something that sounded suspiciously like a giggle slipped from his lips. He coughed into his hand to hide it. “Oh, Weasley,” he murmured. “You truly are something else, you know that?”
“Gee, thanks.” Rose rolled her eyes, feeling her face heat. She hated that he’d be able to tell she was embarrassed.
“It’s just hilarious. You never even considered that it wasn’t your responsibility to cover your cousin’s bad bet.”
“Shut up, Malfoy.”
“I should have told you that he’d actually also bet a kiss or something,” Scorpius snorted.
“See! This is what’s irritating about you. It has always got to be a game with you. It’s never just straightforward.”
“Oh, I see. I should have just asked you for a kiss?” Pale hair fluttered as he shook his head, but fell back neatly into place when he stilled. Rose tried not to be jealous. “I have to be honest, Rose,” Scorpius continued, “I’ve always felt that I’d have a much better chance of ending up bleeding than I do of being kissed.”
“...Always felt? Scorpius, do you want to kiss me?”
“It doesn’t matter if I do. For me, it will end in pain and a distinct lack of kissing.”
Scorpius flopped back against the cushions in a mocking swoon. Rose ignored his melodrama, and pressed on determinedly: “But, do you?”
“Well, of course I do.”
“So do it! For Merlin’s sake, you--”
Despite the fact that she’d been the one to tell him to kiss her, Rose was still surprised when her angry retort was cut short by Scorpius pressing his lips against hers.
It was not as if Rose had ever spent any time thinking about how Scorpius Malfoy would kiss, but this was still, somehow, entirely different.
Scorpius kissed like he absolutely had to. It was clumsy, at first, but he quickly managed to obtain a rhythm, and then it was like an unstoppable force. Rose was being pressed gently backwards against the velvet-covered seat, but instead of pushing him away, she brought her arm up and pulled him closer.
Rose had had boyfriends, before, and this was not the first time that she had been kissed. She’d even felt this same free-falling feeling in the pit of her stomach. However, all of that did not change the fact that Scorpius was an incredibly good kisser. He ran his fingers through the loose curls at the base of her neck and she shivered.
Surprisingly, it was Rose who deepened the kiss, and Scorpius groaned in the back of his throat, reciprocating with great enthusiasm. She gripped his shirt front, pulling him closer, and wondering if it would be inappropriate to climb fully onto his lap.
Of course, at that time, the waiter discreetly coughed, standing next to the table with their starters balanced elegantly on a tray. He set them down and disappeared without further comment, but Rose felt her face turning red all the same.
She, hesitantly, looked at Scorpius, and the expression on his face was so equally made of shock and smugness that she couldn’t help but burst into laughter. Rose felt incredibly relieved when he joined in and, for the second time that evening, they were helpless with mirth.
“Well...um. That was interesting.” Rose picked up her fork, spearing a small bite of salmon with dill sauce.
“It was, yes.” Scorpius had, apparently, decided to start with bread, and was chewing thoughtfully.
“Surprisingly nice, even.”
“It was, yes,” Scorpius repeated.
A somewhat pensive, but not entirely uncomfortable silence fell, as they consumed the rest of the starters. They were both, apparently, taking some necessary time to reflect on what had happened.
Rose’s brain was moving at what had to be the approximate speed of light. She couldn’t believe that she had just been kissed by Scorpius Malfoy. Not only had he kissed her, but she had kissed him back.
It had been a good kiss, as well. In fact, the whole series of events had been heading somewhere very interesting before they’d been interrupted.
The waiter appeared, once again, and cleared their plates before disappearing back into the kitchen. When Scorpius spoke, Rose was so far inside her own head that she nearly jumped.
“I don’t suppose that it would do me any good to say that Albus’s bet also included you spending the night?”
Rose smirked at him. “Well, what sort of cousin would I be if I didn’t make quite certain that his bets were covered?”
“Not a good one, certainly.” Scorpius slipped back into the conversation without much delay, his usual cool expression mastering any surprise. Rose did have to admit that he was always quite a witty conversationalist. She’d always hated that about him. It was still somewhat infuriating, even as she felt herself smile.
“Well, then, let me just say that I most definitely want it documented that, if nothing else, I was a good cousin.”
Scorpius grinned widely.
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Author: ladielazarus
Prompt: 092. Scorpius wins a date with Rose in a game of poker with Albus. Rose is livid.
Rating: PG
Word Count: 2,288
“What’s the matter, Potter? Bad hand?”
“That’s not it, no. The pot’s a bit too rich for my blood, is all. I didn’t bring all that much with me. I didn’t know we’d be playing.”
“Ah. Is that all? Well, I’m sure we can come up with alternative methods of payment.”
“...What does that mean?”
“It means that, if you don’t have the money, you’re going to have to come up with something else that I want.” A pale, well-manicured eyebrow arched. “Come now, Albus. Think hard...”
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“Rosie, please don’t be angry.”
Rose’s eyes, blue and blazing, flickered up to meet Albus’s.
“Albus, you lost me in a game like chattel. I am beyond angry. And my name is Rose.”
“It was an accident! I didn’t think I would lose!”
“I would expect not!” Rose threw her hands up in the air. Albus backed away slightly. He was terrified. “I don’t think that most people who bet plan on losing! The problem is, you not only bet me like I was property, but you lost! And you lost to him of all people! How could you do this to me?”
“I’m sorry. I just... I’m so sorry, Rose.”
“Albus, you need to leave,” Rose ground out between her teeth. “You need to leave because I’m very angry. And you might be a dab hand with a cauldron, but I don’t see one here right now, and I definitely have a wand.”
Albus sighed heavily and left, shutting the door behind him. Rose thought to herself that he, at least, had the decency to look miserable.
Rose locked and warded the door. She was so angry that she could barely breathe. Forcing herself to take long, steady breaths, she walked over to the liquor cabinet to pour herself a shot of firewhiskey.
She had no sooner gotten the shot down, when her mobile began chirping at her. She checked the number, groaned and thumbed the Accept button.
“Yes?”
“Hello, darling.” The silk-smooth voice felt like it had literally crawled inside her ear. She shuddered involuntarily.
“I am not your darling, Malfoy..”
“Of course. Anyway, it appears that we have plans in the near future.”
Rose dropped onto the sofa, taking the bottle of firewhiskey with her. She made the executive decision that glasses were no longer necessary. Actually, given the circumstances, she thought to herself, some sort of intravenous delivery might have been the best alternative.
“Whatever. Just let me know when so we can get it over with.”
“Well, I had no idea that you were in such a hurry, dearest. I can arrange something for this evening, if you’d like.”
“That would be fine.” Rose gritted her teeth. “What would you like to do.”
“I thought, perhaps, we could have dinner. Have you ever been to Magnum Opus? ”
“Once, I think. Dad’s promotion last year.”
“Ah. Well, I thought I could get us a table.”
“Fine. Whatever you want. I don’t care and you know that I don’t care.”
“I know no such thing.” The flip air to his voice made her want to punch him. “I shall pick you up promptly at 7. Do try to be ready by 7:15, won’t you?”
He disconnected. Rose threw her glass across the room. It smashed against the wall with a satisfying shatter. She’d need to do a repairing spell, but it was worth it.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
When Scorpius knocked on the door at precisely seven, Rose had already been ready for half an hour. There was no way she was prolonging this experience by keeping him waiting.
“Well, now this is an improvement.” He looked her up and down, and she forced herself not to blush at the way that his silver gaze was raking over her. She had no idea how he could make something as simple as looking at her seem so... suggestive.
Although, she had to admit that she looked good. The blue dress that she’d borrowed from her cousin Dominique fit her like a second skin.
“I’d say thank you, but then it appears that I’ve fallen prey to the belief that it’s a compliment.”
“Oh, it is.” He nodded enthusiastically. “I love what you’ve done with your hair, and the blue is really your colour.”
“Yes, yes. I’m stunning. Can we go now?”
“Always so eager, Weasley. Yes, we can go.” He offered his arm. “Shall we?”
Rose considered refusing to allow the side-along Apparition, but she decided that it wasn’t worth adding another topic to the list of things they would undoubtedly be fighting about that evening.
Their arrival at the restaurant was something of an event. Scorpius had apparently reserved a private room in the back of the restaurant. Any relief that she may have felt at the public location faded as they were escorted and seated.
The table was built into the corner of the room and draped with damask. There was only seating on one side of the table, which meant that she had to sit next to him.
As soon as the waiter disappeared to give them an opportunity to look over the wine list, Scorpius leaned over, and whispered against her ear.
“I like your hair up like that. It’s stunning.”
She shuddered involuntarily and moved away from him slightly.
“Well, I like not vomitting, so please stop saying things like that to me.”
“You are terribly touchy, aren’t you? What, exactly, is wrong with telling a pretty girl that she’s pretty,” he groused.
Rose responded with stony silence. She was determined not to be won over by this nonsense.
“Fine. I will accept your blushing silence as an acquiescence.”
“Don’t you d--”
“Rose, as much as I would ordinarily love for you to sit here and chastise me, the waiter is coming back any moment, so I suggest that you select something to eat.”
“Fine.” Rose studied the menu in silence for a minute or two in silence. “What is Vitella?”
“Veal.” Scorpius answered, gazing at his own menu. “It’s quite good, here.”
“Oh. I can’t eat veal.” Rose frowned.
“Whyever not? I didn’t think that there was any food that you did not consume. Are you allergic?”
“My mother would disown me.” Rose shook her head. “Something about the way they treat the baby calves.”
“So, your mother is determined to make an enemy of not only the house elves of wizarding Britain, but every four-star chef, as well?” Scorpius drawled. “Fascinating.”
“My mother isn’t making an enemy of house elves,” Rose insisted.
“Oh, we have several. I can assure you that she is.”
“She’s made them paid servants! She did a great thing for them!”
“She’s become the story that they tell each other around the campfire. It’s fairly hilarious. All one needs do is mention her name and they flee as if pursued by a pestilence.”
Rose couldn’t help it. The image of house elves the world over fleeing the mere mention of her mother’s name was enough to reduce her to helpless laughter. Scorpius joined her and they both fell back against the cushion of the booth to gasp for breath.
When Rose had gotten hers back, she flopped weakly into the cushions and looked over at Scorpius, who was still struggling to master his giggles. “So tell me, Malfoy,” Rose said, “what exactly is your game, here?”
“My game?” Scorpius raised an eyebrow and the corner of his irritating little mouth curled upwards in the sort of smug smirk that made Rose want to smack him in his pale, pointed face. “What game?” he asked.
Rose rolled her eyes. “The reason you decided that a ‘date’ with me was appropriate collateral for your poker match,” she explained slowly.
Scorpius shrugged and adjusted his silverware. “It seemed like a good idea at the time,” he demurred.
“Uh-huh,” Rose said. “Dare I ask why?”
Scorpius shrugged again.
“You always have some angle,” Rose said grimly. “So what is it this time?”
“Maybe I just thought a date with you sounded fun.”
Rose snorted, every inch the demure lady. “Yeah, okay.”
The waiter appeared, then, and they ordered their wine and dinners. Scorpius also insisted on some extravagant dessert that, apparently, took about forty minutes to prepare. The waiter disappeared, and Scorpius returned his focus to Rose.
“All right, then. Why did you agree to come along?”
Rose stared at him. “Albus lost the pot,” she said flatly. “He lost the bet.”
“Yes,” Scorpius said, that eyebrow creeping up again, “but it’s not like you had to back his loss.”
Rose stared.
After a moment, Scorpius’s mouth twitched. Something that sounded suspiciously like a giggle slipped from his lips. He coughed into his hand to hide it. “Oh, Weasley,” he murmured. “You truly are something else, you know that?”
“Gee, thanks.” Rose rolled her eyes, feeling her face heat. She hated that he’d be able to tell she was embarrassed.
“It’s just hilarious. You never even considered that it wasn’t your responsibility to cover your cousin’s bad bet.”
“Shut up, Malfoy.”
“I should have told you that he’d actually also bet a kiss or something,” Scorpius snorted.
“See! This is what’s irritating about you. It has always got to be a game with you. It’s never just straightforward.”
“Oh, I see. I should have just asked you for a kiss?” Pale hair fluttered as he shook his head, but fell back neatly into place when he stilled. Rose tried not to be jealous. “I have to be honest, Rose,” Scorpius continued, “I’ve always felt that I’d have a much better chance of ending up bleeding than I do of being kissed.”
“...Always felt? Scorpius, do you want to kiss me?”
“It doesn’t matter if I do. For me, it will end in pain and a distinct lack of kissing.”
Scorpius flopped back against the cushions in a mocking swoon. Rose ignored his melodrama, and pressed on determinedly: “But, do you?”
“Well, of course I do.”
“So do it! For Merlin’s sake, you--”
Despite the fact that she’d been the one to tell him to kiss her, Rose was still surprised when her angry retort was cut short by Scorpius pressing his lips against hers.
It was not as if Rose had ever spent any time thinking about how Scorpius Malfoy would kiss, but this was still, somehow, entirely different.
Scorpius kissed like he absolutely had to. It was clumsy, at first, but he quickly managed to obtain a rhythm, and then it was like an unstoppable force. Rose was being pressed gently backwards against the velvet-covered seat, but instead of pushing him away, she brought her arm up and pulled him closer.
Rose had had boyfriends, before, and this was not the first time that she had been kissed. She’d even felt this same free-falling feeling in the pit of her stomach. However, all of that did not change the fact that Scorpius was an incredibly good kisser. He ran his fingers through the loose curls at the base of her neck and she shivered.
Surprisingly, it was Rose who deepened the kiss, and Scorpius groaned in the back of his throat, reciprocating with great enthusiasm. She gripped his shirt front, pulling him closer, and wondering if it would be inappropriate to climb fully onto his lap.
Of course, at that time, the waiter discreetly coughed, standing next to the table with their starters balanced elegantly on a tray. He set them down and disappeared without further comment, but Rose felt her face turning red all the same.
She, hesitantly, looked at Scorpius, and the expression on his face was so equally made of shock and smugness that she couldn’t help but burst into laughter. Rose felt incredibly relieved when he joined in and, for the second time that evening, they were helpless with mirth.
“Well...um. That was interesting.” Rose picked up her fork, spearing a small bite of salmon with dill sauce.
“It was, yes.” Scorpius had, apparently, decided to start with bread, and was chewing thoughtfully.
“Surprisingly nice, even.”
“It was, yes,” Scorpius repeated.
A somewhat pensive, but not entirely uncomfortable silence fell, as they consumed the rest of the starters. They were both, apparently, taking some necessary time to reflect on what had happened.
Rose’s brain was moving at what had to be the approximate speed of light. She couldn’t believe that she had just been kissed by Scorpius Malfoy. Not only had he kissed her, but she had kissed him back.
It had been a good kiss, as well. In fact, the whole series of events had been heading somewhere very interesting before they’d been interrupted.
The waiter appeared, once again, and cleared their plates before disappearing back into the kitchen. When Scorpius spoke, Rose was so far inside her own head that she nearly jumped.
“I don’t suppose that it would do me any good to say that Albus’s bet also included you spending the night?”
Rose smirked at him. “Well, what sort of cousin would I be if I didn’t make quite certain that his bets were covered?”
“Not a good one, certainly.” Scorpius slipped back into the conversation without much delay, his usual cool expression mastering any surprise. Rose did have to admit that he was always quite a witty conversationalist. She’d always hated that about him. It was still somewhat infuriating, even as she felt herself smile.
“Well, then, let me just say that I most definitely want it documented that, if nothing else, I was a good cousin.”
Scorpius grinned widely.
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