Albus prodded Scorpius in the ribs. Startled from his trance, he turned to Albus. "What was that for?" He asked.
"Stop staring." Albus said blankly.
"Staring? I wasn't staring at her." Scorpius quickly let out.
"If you weren't staring at Rose, then why did you automatically know I thought you were staring at her?" Albus asked with a laugh.
Scorpius hunched over the Slytherin table and prodded at some roast beef with his fork.
"So what if I was staring?" He asked. "It's not like she ever looks this way." His face was dark and sullen.
Scorpius and Albus were in their sixth year at Hogwarts. Scorpius had had a very obvious crush on Rose since the moment he had saw her, in their first year on the Hogwarts Express.
"Hey," Albus said softly. He wanted to cheer up his friend. "I've always thought there could be a good chance between the two of you. You know, ever since that whole time turner business, her attitude has changed a lot about you."
"Yeah, but that doesn't change the fact that I'm in Slytherin, and she's in Gryffindor," Scorpius murmured, stabbing his roast beef with his fork.
Albus turned his head to look at the Gryffindor table. He could see Rose looking disinterested as a gangly boy with blonde hair attempted to impress her with a spell he obviously hadn't mastered.
"Not to mention," Albus added, "I don't think she's interested in anyone at the moment."
Albus continued to look in the direction of Rose. At that moment, she turned her head toward him and gave a smile, and a friendly wave. Scorpius sat straight up in his seat, and raised his right hand, an awkward grin plastered across his face. Rose seemed to giggle and turn away. Scorpius kept his hand raised and grinning face frozen in place for an agonizingly awkward six seconds.
Albus prodded Scorpius in the ribs again. "Scorpius," he hissed. "If you want her attention, you're going to have to be a bit less... awkward and weird."
"Right," Scorpius said, seeming to have some newfound confidence. "Less awkward, less weird. Right."