A/N: Inspired by the pairings I dish out at my own A Quiz & A Challenge thread at HPFC, I started this collection of short one-shots.
Title: "This Waiting"
Pairing: Scorpius/Dominique
Rating: K+
Summary: He loves her but he loves himself too. He knows he doesn't deserve this drama, this waiting.
She's always running away from him—always running. He can't decide if it's because she's a year older and being with him makes her feel silly and insecure or if it's because he's she's in love with her sister's boyfriend or if it's because her cousin is in love with him.
But Scorpius is tired of stolen kisses between classes. He's tired of awkwardly fumbling in broom closets. Dominique is beautiful and intelligent and exquisite and divine and he loves her but he loves himself too, and he knows he doesn't deserve this drama, this waiting.
There's a hallway that few people ever venture down because it doesn't lead to anything. He meets her there sometimes and they kiss and generally don't talk. Sometimes he asks to take her to Hogsmeade the next weekend and always she declines. "I love you," she says, "but I love my family too and I can't bear to upset anyone."
Next time they meet there he'll say something similar to her. "I love you," he'll say, "but I love myself too and I can't bear to do this anymore."