growing up [hermione]

Rose still couldn't even believe it! She had had a bit of a crush on Scorpius for some time now and he had actually asked her to be his girlfriend! She had never in a million years thought that he would be interested in her but it seemed that maybe he was. She couldn't wipe the smile from her face as she walked into the house and spotted her mother in the living room. "Hi, mum." She said cheerfully. She wasn't sure how her dad would take the news that she was now dating Scorpius Malfoy but she knew that her mother would be happy for her. Or at least, she hoped that she would be. Though, she hadn't said anything about it just yet.

@Hermione Granger

Nestled in the living room, Hermione had been enjoying a cup of tea and a muggle nonfiction book on feng shui; it wasn't very scientific, but she was thinking it would be of tremendous use as she redecorated her office for the approaching school term. She wasn't quite sure how to take Lochlan's ascension to Headmaster as he had very different views from Camille, but Hermione was going to remain and continue to provide a safe space for her children, nieces and nephews, and students who were in need of her help. It was her duty and responsibility as a guidance counselor, one she was proud to take after leaving Ministry life.

Seeing her daughter, Hermione placed her bookmark where she sat reading and set her book aside. "Hello, Rosie!" she happily greeted. "Have you been enjoying your summer?"

Outside of the change in boss, Hermione was enjoying being a great-aunt. Alcathous was such a sweet, adorable baby! She hoped to get some kind of babysitting time in soon before she and her children would return to Hogwarts.

@Rose Granger-Weasley

Rose didn't really have any worries about the school year, she tended to be lost in her own little world more often than not and tried not to worry about things that might happen in the future. So, she was just enjoying her summer. Especially now that she knew that Scorpius actually returned her feelings! She smiled to her mom when she greeted her. "My summer has been really good so far!" She said as her smile only grew. "Scorpius asked me to be his girlfriend!" She said, never having had a problem telling her mother everything. She liked to think they were very close and that her mother would be just as happy for her as she was happy for herself.

@Hermione Granger

"That's wonderful, Rosie! I'm sorry that we didn't go on a holiday, but I think we could find a way to have one the weekend before you and your brother go back!"

Ron was, understandably, busy with Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, and she knew Harry and Ginny were getting used to becoming grandparents, and it was simply harder to coordinate now that the kids were all getting older and more independent. Well, it was more important that the children were all enjoying the time off school than it was to plan some kind of trip.

Her jaw dropped in surprise; a part of her hadn't realized that her own daughter was already at the age to think about boys. "You have a boyfriend, Rosie?" Although she and Ron aren't buddy-buddy with Draco, neither of them could deny how much he's grown and changed as a person since their youth. She was well-aware that Scorpius was a pretty well-behaved young man, definitely less prejudiced than other pureblooods.

"Oh, Rosie. Come and give me a hug!"

@Rose Granger-Weasley

"It's alright, I don't mind!" Rose had always been the type who didn't need trips or anything. As long as she had a steady supply of books to read she felt like she could go anywhere like she could be anyone. And that was all she really needed. Then there was the fact that if she hadn't been around, she would have never had the chance for Scorpius to ask her out! She knew that much of her family was busy this summer but she didn't fault any of them for it.

Her smile grew as she nodded at her mother's question. She hadn't even thought about the fact that her mother might think her too young for a boyfriend! Scorpius was her first, after all. But her mother seemed happy for her instead of lecturing her and she was quickly crossing the room and throwing her arms around her mother in a hug before pulling back a bit. "What do you think dad will think? I remember what he said about Scorp at the beginning of first year... You don't think he'll be mad, do you?" She was actually a little nervous what her father might think...

@Hermione Granger

She was being reminded of herself at Rose's age before she realized she loved Ron; she was infatuated with Viktor Krum who took her to the Yule Ball. It was such a wonderful time, but he wasn't like her Ronnie...

"I don't think your father will be mad at all, sweetie," Hermione said, trying to reassure her with light pats around her shoulder. "He and I both will just have to meet him for ourselves." After all, her familiarity with Scorpius only extended to guidance visits, and she wasn't terribly sure if he did at some point.

"Have you two done anything I should be aware of? If you did, I want to help you and Scorpius remain safe..."

It was a valid concern to have even though it was hard to grapple with the possibility; she wanted to be sure that her daughter remembered that she was safe and trustworthy and that she was always there for her as her mother.

@Rose Granger-Weasley

Rose was relieved to hear her mother say that she didn't think her father would be mad that she had started dating Scorpius. She had been really worried that he might be. After all, the stories of her parents and Scorpius' father were quite well known. They never got along when they were younger. "He did mention his father wanting to meet me as well. Maybe we can all have dinner together? Because as sad as it might sound, Rose still looked to her mother for support and she was quite nervous about meeting Scorpius' father.

Her cheeks flushed as red as her hair. [I][b]"No, mum. We haven't done anything like that!" He had only kissed her cheek, that was all! Rose was still quite innocent as far as any of that went. She had never had a boyfriend before. She often spent more time in her own world than in the world they actually lived in. "I'm not ready for anything like that yet." She assured her mother, wanting to put her a little more at ease.

@Hermione Granger

"We could do that! It may be less nerve-wracking if all of us ate together."

When it came to Viktor, they were never anything near serious enough for her to meet his family. With Ron, she'd known his family for so long that she was already a Weasley by the time they started dating.

Her mind and muscles instantly relaxed when her daughter said they haven't done anything of that sort. That was good as it still meant there was still a while before she'd have another worry as a mother. "Oh that's good to hear, Rosie! I think Hogwarts is planning for better education on that front, but please come to me if you have any questions. I'd rather have you deal with the embarrassment of talking to me than getting into danger."

"So, how did it happen?"

@Rose Granger-Weasley

Rose couldn't help but to agree. If they both had their parents there then it wouldn't be as awkward, right? She smiled at her mother. "Hopefully Scorp's dad will agree as well!" She didn't really know Draco to know if he actually would agree but it seemed like a good plan to her!

She couldn't help the heat in her cheeks as her mother went on about things she would rather not talk about with her mother. "Yeah, sure." Rose could think of a million other things she would rather do than to talk to her mother about sex. Like going swimming with starving kelpies or light her hair aflame. But she didn't want to hurt her mother's feelings or anything. It was just embarrassing!

Then she asked about her and Scorpius and she blushed even more. "I've liked him for a while and he had said something about the girls he had asked out who had turned him down. They were all horrible girls, like Pandora Carrow... But I could tell he didn't really like like them. So, I told him maybe he wasn't asking out the right type of girls and he asked if he would ask me if I would say yes. I said it depended on if he was actually asking me. Turned out he was and I said yes." She rambled on, tending to do so when she told stories or how things happened.

@Hermione Granger

"Oh, that's very sweet, Rosie!"

Hermione smiled at her daughter widely although there was a pit in her stomach as she processed just how quickly her children were becoming older. Her Rosie was going to be taking her OWLS soon! At least she'd be able to take it without any external Voldemort-related stressors... Her children would be able to experience yet another normal school term.

And it was also showing just how much Draco had changed since their days as schoolchildren if his son wasn't particularly into the higher class supremacist types...

"Do you still need to go supply shopping? Or will you be doing that with Scorpius?" she asked with a wink, chuckling softly.

@Rose Granger-Weasley

Rose smiled, she had thought it was very sweet. She couldn't believe it had actually happened but it had!

"I still need to get supplies. I don't think Scorpius and I were going together?" It wasn't like they had actually talked about it! Both of them were really new to this whole boyfriend/girlfriend thing as far as she could tell. "I think we're both new to all this, I have no idea what to do being someone's girlfriend!" She said with a sigh. Did she have to do anything differently? Or could she just continue to be herself? She had no idea!

@Hermione Granger