This is for Lolaaaa's Sensitive/Controversial Topic Challenge.
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, for I am not British, unfortunately. All of Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling. I just like playing around in the world she created.
I
He's hit a casino every once in a while. He was just getting used to living in the city, only able to go into the Strip every so often. He always had the money to gamble, of course. He was a Malfoy, his family was rich and he'd inherited a fortune.
II
But he spent most of his time at clubs, hitting on women far out of his league, making an embarrassment of his drunken self. He liked to watch them in their barely-there outfits, dancing inappropriately while he and his friends sloshed down beer after beer. The music drummed loudly against their eardrums, but it hardly mattered. They catcalled to women, and every so often he allowed himself to be taken into the private rooms for an… experience.
III
The hangovers were the worst after those nights. Usually he opted out after his friends called him up, asking if he wanted to hit up another club. Those were the nights he hit the casino.
Slot machines first. If he won anything, he'd sit for a round of liar's poker, and usually sat for a couples games, win after win. And maybe…one beer. Two, tops. He'd play to win, only to win, and he did. He'd go home at two in morning and try to be discreet about his winnings. It was hard to be discreet when you had won that much, though.
He hardly cared about the money. He had all too much of it, practically an unlimited amount, it was almost a waste, going to the casino. But it wasn't. He came to gamble.
IV
Within six months, he stops going to clubs completely. Every night, all he does is hit the casino. They know him there now. He sees the same pretty girl there every so often, and he's so taken with her, he no longer needs the strip clubs.
She reminds him of someone he used to date. Lily Potter. Same fiery red hair. Blue eyes, but Lily's were green. Same fierce personality. She asks him how often he comes to the casino.
"Every night."
She replies that it seemed kind of unhealthy, he needed to get out of there, and asks him to coffee the next night.
He responds with an immediate "yes," and he actually does mean it.
V
He's so excited for the date- it's his first in about a year. He even buys her a single red rose: it matches her name. He really is excited. But it takes all of his will power not to walk into the casino next door. She doesn't show up after five minutes. He heads next door.
He's over by the slot machines when he realizes he has a problem.
VI
She confronts him half hour later when she goes looking for him. He's right where she thought- the casino next door. She strolls in, furious, but she holds her own.
She lures him away from a big game of Liar's Poker and begins a two person game with him, convinced it's the only way he'll listen. She's not sure if its healthy to confront him about his gambling addiction while he's gambling, but what choice does she have?
"Scorpius. You have a problem."
He avoids eye contact as he says, "Maybe I do."
"Denial's not a good look on you," she snaps. "Yes, you have a problem. You need to stop coming here. I like you, I really do, but if you can't control this… this addiction you have, I can't see you anymore. Hell, the only place I've ever seen you is here. Tomorrow night. Coffee. Next door. 7:00.
VII
He comes. He does not deny he has a problem. She tells him to get some help.
VIII
He gets help.
He and Rose become a couple.
He stops going to casinos.
And it all works out.
fin
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