Watching a Wilting Rose
Author's Note: This story has been on my mind, so I finally decided to put it on here. I have already started the sequel to it as well. I hope you like it, and yes it is a bit out of the normal for what we normally see of Rose and Scorpius.
"Hello?" I asked answering my trusty phone the only lifeline I had to my other life. "Yeah, this is Rose, and you must be Jack." The voice on the other side of the phone was gruff and didn't sound very friendly. Then again who was in my world?
"Yeah, I know what you want, but I'm not selling out my family for some pills. Sorry not happening." I could hear the irritation in the man's voice. He wanted fame, so what you're selling pills to the war hero's daughter/niece….you think that is going to make them like you or something?
"Well, I have your money so get me what I want, and my family is not part of our arrangement." I said hanging the phone up and slamming it down on the counter. Now I just had to wait for him to call back.
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Four words changed my life forever…four tiny words that I didn't think I would ever hear. Drug and Alcohol Addict….she was my love, and you just never hear those words in our world. I didn't know what to say, think, do, or feel. How was I supposed to help her with this? Did she even think she had a problem? All I could do was ask, so I gathered my things and left to find her.
Her door was so close, and I could see that her lights were still on. She didn't even know I was back in town, let alone right outside her house. What would she say? What would she do? Yell, scream, hit, punch, cuss…all of that I could handle, but I just didn't know if I could handle her telling me it was all true. As I reached out to knock on the door I saw through the glass the thing I feared most…she didn't even have to tell me it was true. The bottle of Jack Daniels and the blue pills spread around the table said it all.
Now what would she do? Would she vanish them with a flick of her wand, or was she so strung out and drunk that she would forget? It is now or never.
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*Knock*Knock*
"Who the hell?" I thought as I quickly vanished the bottle and the pills to my room. It is 12:00 at night and someone is knocking at my door. "Just a minute!" I called checking myself in the mirror over the couch. I walked to the door and opened it without even looking to see who it could be… "Scorpius? What are you doing home? Aren't you supposed to still be at the conference in America?" I asked my best friend and long time boyfriend.
I hoped he couldn't smell the liquor or see my red eyes. I didn't care if anyone in the world knew, but I couldn't handle Scorpius hating me. I wouldn't know how to handle that.
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Wow she was trying to change the subject back to me and why I was here. Maybe I could use that to my advantage. "Yeah, I am supposed to still be there, but I missed you Rosie." I could see the guilt start to cloud her eyes, and she looked as though she was trying desperately to formulate a plan. "You know I can only take so many nights in a lonely hotel room. I needed to see you. How has work been?"
She had been keeping this secret to herself, or so she thought. However, her little brother had always acted more like a big brother when it came to protecting his sister, and I just so happened to work with one Hugo Weasley. He claimed he had only recently found out about Rose's addiction. He said he had seen her try to casually slip into the pathway that led from Diagon Alley to Knockturn Alley, only the most dingy criminal invested place in the entire wizarding world. As I thought about my conversation with Hugo; I could see the wheels turning 90 to nothing in Rose's head. How exactly did she think she was going to get out of this one? She is one of the cleverest witches I know, so I am sure her story will be very entertaining at the least.
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"My week," Why was he here, and what did he know, "Well it's been lonely without you. I actually thought about trying to come and surprise you tomorrow. I guess great minds think alike, huh?" That's it Rose make it look like you missed him as much as he obviously missed you. "Now I don't have to make the trip…when are you going back? Not anytime soon are you?"
I didn't know what he would say, and I still didn't know why he was here. I could see in his eyes there was more than what he was telling me. Scorpius was never very good at lying to me, and now was most definitely no different. I just hoped that if his visit led to something intimate, I could pull off a turn on the couch. If not I didn't know what I would do about the bottle and pills that were no doubt laying right in the middle of my bed.
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She is trying so hard to cover. I don't know how I am going to bring up the fact that I know all about her little "problem," but I had to think of something and fast. "Well, I don't have to go back tonight if that's what you are asking." And just like that the idea hit me. "I left your brother in charge." I could see her eyes widen. She knew that Hugo knew of her little problem.
On the day he had followed her into Knockturn Alley, he didn't just stop at following. He saw Rose talk to shady looking character, money changed hands, and then so did the pills. Hugo said that he didn't know whether to tackle the guy selling his big sister the pills, or wait and see if Rose actually took them. She had started to walk away as Hugo contemplated what to do, so he only had one choice…follow her. He followed her down the street to XYZ, the wizarding equivalent of the muggle ABC store. Rose walked slowly inside, and Hugo quickly followed. Hugo knew his sister was a social drinker, hell even I knew she liked to drink at parties, but when she picked up the two bottles of Jack Daniels he knew this was something else entirely. He didn't wait to see more.
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Oh god he has been talking to Hugo. Hugo knows about the pills and the drinking. He practically killed me at the XYZ store. I had barely made it to the cash register when I felt the hand on my shoulder, "What do you think you're doing Rose?" He is my little brother and I could see the disappointment in his eyes. I sat the bottles down trying to completely ignore him. The woman rang up the bottles and I handed her my money. As she bagged my items I stole a small glance at my brother. He had the Ronald Weasley look of pure anger on his face, so I just grabbed my bag and hoped he would just leave. Hmm…Weasley stubbornness too.
"Are you going to answer me?" I just kept walking. "Rosalynn Ginevra Weasley you both stop and talk to me, or I go straight to mum and dad." I knew I couldn't hide now.
"What do you want to hear Hugo? So your sister keeps a little alcohol, big whoop. "
"Yeah, see if that was all I had see today it wouldn't be a big deal. Although I think you know it is not all that I saw." Oh shit I was caught. Would he really tell dad, or worse Uncle Harry?
"No Hugo, I know that isn't all you saw. I like to live a little what is wrong with that?"
"Normally I would say nothing, but when it puts your life in jeopardy I have to say everything!" I didn't know what to say to him, so I just hoped he wouldn't tell anyone and apparated away.
Now I looked into Scorpius' eyes. How can I keep up the lie? Surely he doesn't know or the Malfoy temper would have already surfaced. Maybe he doesn't know. Just carry on the conversation…You. Know. Nothing. "Really you left Hugo in charge? Are you sure that is wise babe? You know my baby brother has never been the brightest crayon in the box." Good Rose paint Hugo to be lying.
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"Oh I think you underestimate your brother. He is the perfect man for the job. Truthful, caring, intelligent, and always looking out for his family." There you go Scorp, make her see you know exactly what is going on. She will cave in just a bit, that look in her eyes says it all.
Hugo did care and really was always looking out for his family. Especially Rose, so when he had knocked on my hotel door earlier today I knew something had to be wrong. He was shaking and pale as a ghost. "What's wrong Hu?"
"Rose" My heart instantly dropped. One word and I fell silent hoping he would continue. "Pills and alcohol."
"You aren't making sense Hugo. I need full sentences if I am going to know what is wrong with Rose."
"Scorpius, I was supposed to meet Mom for lunch today, but I saw Rose and followed her. She bought pills and alcohol. When I asked her about it she just said she was living a little and apparated away."
"No, Hugo there must be some mistake. Rose wouldn't jeopardize her life like that."
"Yeah, I didn't think so either Scorp. I didn't want to tell dad, and I was sure she would freak more if you knew, so I thought if anyone could help it would be you."
"Hugo can you run things here for awhile? I think your sister needs a good 'dose' of reality" At that I had apparated away.
Now I really could see the wheels turning in that gorgeous head of hers, she didn't know how she was going to fix this, but she was going to try something.
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Hugo knew exactly what to do. The one person that I wanted to know even less than dad and Uncle Harry is Scorpius. Good job Hugo; you did it if you were trying to hurt me. "You're right Hugo does care about the family, but what does that have to do with leaving him in charge?" Maybe I can still change the subject.
"Rose, stop it. Quit lying to me. Where are they?" Scorpius asked rage evident in his voice. Those eyes scared me more than anything. He looked like he could kill me.
"I don't know what you are talking about."
"Really? Are you sure about that?"
"Yes I am. Who do you mean when you say they Scorpius? No one is here."
"You're right Rose they aren't, but SOMETHING is…do you have any ideas now?" And there it was that Malfoy temper that scared the daylights out of me.
"No, I still don't have a clue." I was playing with fire, but I wasn't giving in easily.
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"Rose, you know exactly what I am talking about. You also know I was second only to you in all our classes…all I have to say are two little words and we will see how good your memory is then." I said holding my wand so tight I thought it would snap, and slowly walking towards her as I looked her in the eyes.
"Scorp, baby please. You know I can't lie to you. I'm not hiding anything." So she thought guilt would work. Normally it might have, but this was not a normal circumstance. I held up my wand and held out my hand. The fear in her shown like wildfire.
"Accio pills," As soon as the words left my lips tears filled her eyes and a bag of pills flew to my hand, "Ring a bell now Rose?"
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I knew as soon as the words left his mouth, I couldn't hide anymore. He knew about the pills and more than like the alcohol too.
"Scorp…"
"Save it Rose. You lied to me. What kind of hold do these pills have on you that you would have to lie to me? I love you, but I want to know everything. When it started. Why it started and most importantly why you didn't think you could talk to me about whatever it was that was bothering you so bad." He said walking towards me arms stretched. I knew he cared and I knew I was going to have to come clean about everything, but right now the only place I wanted to be was in those arms.
"I know. We have a lot to talk about, but tonight….tonight will you just hold me?" I asked with pleading eyes.
"Yeah Rosie. I will tonight, but tomorrow we have to talk." With that he enveloped me in a hug and rubbed the small of my back. I knew everything would change tomorrow, but right now I was right where I needed to be.
A.N. I don't Harry Potter or any of J.K Rowling's characters. Please review
