.*. The Only Exception .*.
What was pressing against my ankle? It felt like a bag of ice, but why would I have a freezing cold bag of ice in my bed? And it was round and soft. I opened my eyes and had to squint. Crap, I'd left the blinds open, and now thanks to the beautiful, sunny weather, I was just about blind. I rolled over on my side and squinted.
It was a person, I gasped and fell to the floor. "Oh my god," I muttered. I tried to stand, and realized my bum really hurt from the fall.
So it had been a foot; Someone's cold foot pressing against my ankle. What had happened last night? I pulled the covers down to reveal that the person who'd slept next to me was not only naked but also Scorpius Malfoy. I gasped again.
Was this a dream?
How could I let this happen? I'd long since admitted to myself that I was madly in love with him. But that didn't mean this was an excuse. This was more of a stupid, drunken mistake.
Because I'd also long since promised myself that I'd never act upon that crush. I'd seen my parents fight so often, and even if they were madly in love, I didn't want that. They always said how they were constantly at each others' throats at my age (even in the most affectionate way possible.) Back at school, Scorpius and I never once saw each other and didn't break out into a public brawl with many hurtful things being said over the years. Even if we did start dating, or possible get married, I wouldn't want to have these little spats that my parents had, I wanted that perfect man who was perfectly agreeable and who would give me a picture perfect marriage.
Scorpius however, seemed to pull down my walls when I was with him. Those rules that I'd carefully assembled seemed to crumble and I forgot things as simple as my name.
I stood up and tried to feel around for my clothes, but they weren't there. So instead, I settled with his wrinkled button down shirt and put it on.
It didn't take me long to realize that I wasn't in my own flat. I must be at his place, because everything here was so new and unfamiliar. I didn't know what to do, should I leave, should I wait until he wakes up and try to talk?
I knew that the latter was a bad idea, especially if I wanted to keep my cool. If only I could find my clothes, then I could get out of here.
Instead of making a racket trying to look, I settled for entering the bathroom to splash some water on my face, make sure I wasn't dreaming and all that goodness. His bathroom was connected to his bedroom, so I snuck in, and turned the faucet. It was embellished with a snake and he had dark green bath towels above the sink.
"You can do this, Rosie. You just have to go back out there, find your clothes, and get out. Maybe he won't even remember." But even as I said this to myself, I knew that if he forgot our night together, I'd be devastated.
I turned the water off and looked into the mirror again. I tried a half-smile, but failed. My mood was too crappy.
The light turned on in the bedroom and I froze; He was awake. Normally I'd be terrified of what was to come, but right now, I was getting more butterflies than anything else. Damn it, why did Scorpius have to be the exception to everything?
His figure was standing in the doorway to the bathroom. I spun around and we stared at each other for a few moments. I noticed that he'd thrown on some boxer shorts.
"Rose." He said, a tone of surprise in his voice. There was no hiding the wide eyes.
"You haven't happened to see my clothing anywhere, have you? I would have gotten out of your hair, but I needed something to wear."
"Looks like you didn't find too much of a problem there," he muttered, eyeing his shirt.
"Sorry," I mumbled, and pushed past him into the bedroom. Immediately I spotted my t-shirt from the night before on the top of his bureau. I tried to reach it, but was too short and tried jumping. A thick arm reached out and grabbed it for me. He held it out to me, and I snatched it.
"We must have been really going at it if it landed all the way up there," he joked, giving me half a smiled, but I kept a serious face. I wasn't going to fall for that now. I gathered my jeans that were poking out of the underside of the bed with the aid of the now shining lights and my knickers from Scorpius' pillow. I was just reaching for my bra, which was lying on his desk when he snatched it. "Maybe you should keep what you're wearing on."
"What?"
"I kind of like it, keep it on," he told me, it was more inforced this time, but I wasn't pressured and he took the rest of my clothes out of my arms. I let him, but mainly because I was so surprised by what he was saying. "You'll get them back when it's time for you to go. But how about I make you some breakfast first?" He suggested, and without waiting for an answer, placed a hand on my back and guided me out of the room.
"I'm not that excellent a cook, there were always house elves for that growing up. But I can pour cereal like a pro. What do you say?" He asked me, and held up two boxes for me to choose from. I pointed to one, and didn't remember which I'd chosen five seconds later. My mind was spinning a mile a minute. Was Scorpius Malfoy really making me breakfast?
He sat next to me and we ate our food in silence. Soon, all that was left was the milk, so I stood. "I really should be going…" I said. He stood up quickly too.
"Don't go!" He insisted, and grabbed my shoulders. "Please, just, stay a little longer."
"No," I shook myself free of his grasp and started back towards the bedroom. "I really should be going. I need to take a shower and…"
"I'll take one with you!" He exclaimed, quickly.
"What?" I repeated, for what felt like the millionth time today.
"A shower. I'll shower with you. We can use mine, come on," he took my hand and tried to lead me to the bathroom.
"No, no, I've promised Albus I'd meet him for lunch too. And I've got to get ready."
"But I'm not ready!" I gave him a quizzical look. "Not ready for you to leave I mean. Rose, last night was like heaven for me; It can't be over just like that. I want this moment to last, it's probably never going to happen again." I kept staring at him, dumbstruck. "Could you at least give me some proof that this wasn't all a dream?"
"But-"
"But nothing, Rose Weasley. I love that you woke up in my bed today. I love that you're wearing my shirt. I love that I'm making breakfast for you. And I love you. So please don't go, not yet."
"You love me?"
"Yes I do. Why do you think I always try to talk to you at the Ministry?"
"But I always try to avoid you because I think you're just making fun of me! I love you. I just didn't think you loved me too!"
"Oh, really Rose? You're not just messing with me, you really love me?" I smiled; He certainly wasn't the same boy from school. Or maybe he was just driven mad by this constant aching for me, that may sound a little conceited, but it's how I feel about him.
"I do, I love you."
"I love you too!" He exclaimed happily, and gave me a bone-crushing bear hug. "Will you stay? We can hang out, and Albus could come over here for lunch and-"
"I think I will go home actually." I said, giving him a kiss on the cheek and turning back towards the bedroom.
"What?" I could hear the hurt in his voice and could picture his face, scrunched up in confusion, even if I wasn't looking at him.
"But you're welcome to join Albus and I for lunch. We're meeting at the Leaky Cauldron at noon," I told him, and returned to him with my clothes bundled up in my arms. "And I think I'll keep this," I said, motioning to the shirt I was wearing. "It's very comfortable." And with that I kissed him on the cheek and apparated to my own flat. I couldn't wait for this afternoon!
.*. Thanks so much for reading! .*.