Scorpius sighs and signals for another bottle of Firewhiskey, ignoring the loud ringing coming from the stupid Muggle device she gave him. It's called a mobile or something and it's supposed to be a form of contact so she can talk to him on it. He hates it but he doesn't tell Rose. She would probably go on about all the advantages of it and how useful it is and blah blah blah. When she does this, he tries to blocks out her words (he's tried walking out of the room but the annoying bitch just follows him) and think about the days without Rose Weasley. He smiles. Wake up, find a hot witch to shag, eat, and sleep.
His thoughts are interrupted again by that blasted piece of metal. People are looking at him now so he quickly answers it. "What?" Scorpius almost shout, annoyed. He knows it's her; who else would use this to call him? She tells him to come home- dinner's ready. He grunts in response and ends the call. Finishing his drink in one gulp, he slams some Galleons on the table and Apparates back to their flat.
She moved in his flat six months ago after a massive argument from her family trying to reason with her. But she had her mind set and reluctantly the Weasleys relented but frequently stops by to keep their threats of hexing him into oblivion and to visit her. Whenever they come, he can't resist insulting them and riling them up. Every time ends with Rose in tears and both parties with mild injuries. They always have arguments about them. She asks why he won't be nice to her family since they're soon to be his family too. He sighs and lies that he'll try and get on with them. She doesn't believe him and turns away from him. He doesn't care and sleeps peacefully, oblivious to her silent sobs in the night.
When he arrives, she runs to greet him and takes his cloak. She ushers him in the dining room where dinner awaits. Red candles floats above them and a bottle of red wine sits in a bucket filled with ice. Rose petals are scattered on the floor. He stares at their dinner. The steak is slightly burnt and the sauce is has big clumps in it. They sit down and start to eat. She starts talking about how her day was and he manages to block out most of it and nod and say yeah and agree with her. The asparagus is dry and too hard and it's same with the steak. He tries to eat most of it so not to offend her but when she goes to get more wine, he vanishes the food.
He wonders what brings on this "romantic" dinner. He racks his brain and realizes it's their two year anniversary as a couple. She's obviously going to expect something so he excuses himself to the bathroom and conjures a bunch of roses (He always found it ridiculous that her favourite flower had to be her namesake). He finishes it off with a nice ribbon and pink tissue paper. He approaches her and gives her the flowers. She gives him a smile but her eyes don't light up. While she washes the dishes (she insists on doing it the muggle way) he thinks she's crying. Cautiously, he takes a look and his suspicions are correct.
Groaning inaudibly, he takes out the ring his parents had forced him to buy. It's quite nice really but he doesn't want to give it to her. His parents want him to marry soon and produce an heir as soon as possible. He only decided to go out with her to get back at his ex but he doesn't realise the consequences from this union. The wizarding world approves of the relationship since it means that the old prejudices will be forgotten- if the biggest and most known pureblood family can move on and take a half-blood daughter-in-law then the other purebloods would follow suit. Most of the old purebloods were death eaters therefore were condemned by society but since the old War heroes could forgive and forget then they surely would be forgiven too.
He wouldn't be allowed to break up with her. Their family would lose their precious status that they had regained and people would hate him and all the other old death eater families. Only marriage was the thing left to secure the whole bloody thing. And seal his fate of ever having another woman in his bed again, the loss of his freedom. His parents knew this and could do nothing about it. This situation made him hate Rose and he couldn't fall in love with her. This makes him desperate to do something that weren't expected of him.
As he drops down on his knees and asks her to marry him, he regrets ever asking her out. Even when she beams and grabs him for a kiss, he feels strangely detached. Like someone merely observing this supposedly happy moment. His brain starts making a plan, something outrageous and wrong. He didn't know what but he knew he had to do something. Before he lost his freedom.
For the fifth time this morning, he's fiddling with his engagement ring. It's a simple gold ring, nothing special to it. He was in a bad mood and didn't even want to buy it. So he'd randomly selected one and paid for it. And now he was wearing it. He wasn't bothered by the fact it was so plain and boring (rather like her) but it acts as a constant reminder of his impending loss of freedom. He feels trapped and he finds himself unconsciously taking it off. Scorpius isn't ready to be tied down and face a pathetic, typical life of a family. He doesn't want children- they're annoying and loud brats. He knows he will be a terrible father, just like his own. Scorpius just wants to escape from all the damn expectations of him. He's so sick of the congratulations from everyone he meets but mostly upholding the facade all the time.
When the door knocks he automatically let them in. The door opens and reveals a new and sexy woman. She's stick-thin but has a big chest which is prominent from the low neckline of her dress. She deliberately brushes her straight blonde hair from her face and smiles at him. "Hi, I'm new. My name's Tia." Her eyes spots his empty ring finger and the ring besides it. He quickly slides it back on but she only smiles. Tia approaches him, leaning forward to provide an excellent view. He hasn't been subjected to such affections in a long time- Rose wants to wait till their wedding night to make it "extra-special". He plays the part of a loving, sensitive boyfriend so he agrees. He doesn't care especially since this is the chance he's been waiting for. He tears his eyes from her cleavage and smirks at him, deliberately caressing her hand. "Tia. What a beautiful name for such a beautiful woman." He smirks seductively at her and sees her cheeks turn pink.
He knows it's wrong to do this, yet his urge to do something condemned is too compelling and he lets that side of him emerge.
The past month has made Scorpius feel more relaxed and less trapped as he flirts with Tia. No one knows of their secret attraction of course and she doesn't say anything. She knows that he's engaged but this doesn't deter her. He's pleased with this and no one suspects anything. Rose doesn't- she completely trusts him and accepts his excuses of working overtime. She spends most of her time at her office so she doesn't question him.
He lies back on his chair and smiles. It's not long when Rose comes in with her home-made lunch for him. She grins and gives him a peck on the cheek, handing him his lunchbox and coffee. Rose watches eagerly at his reaction and he forces his face to appear delighted and he kisses her on the cheek. The truth is he hates the lunch she makes him. It's always the same and tastes horrible- he hates tuna but he knows better than to tell her.
So when she leaves he vanishes the content and throws the box carelessly aside. She always wants the box back to see if he finishes it (she says it can be re-used again as an excuse). A moment after Rose leaves, Tia enters. She closes the door and silences it. He smirks.
After work, they Apparate into the Leaky Cauldron and order drinks. They both ask for Firewhiskey and he smiles. Rose never drinks Firewhiskey, she prefers Butterbeer. After they go through a couple bottles they are both hot. They go through more Firewhiskey and by his fifth bottle he's forgotten everything apart from the sexy woman next to him. He drags her along to the Floo and calls his address.
As soon as they arrive, he grabs her face, kissing her and she responds passionately. They knock things on the way but he doesn't care. Even through his befuddled mind, he can hear a distinct loud clatter of books falling on the floor. They break apart to find the source of the noise.
He realises too late that this isn't his flat anymore. He turns slowly, and he sees her. Her arms are hanging loosely on her sides and her books are scattered on her feet. They stand there frozen until Tia speaks. "Oh Scorpy, what's wrong?"
He ignores her, dread coursing through his body. He opens his mouth to speak but he realises he can't explain. What can he say? She seems to know this too and walks away. He blinks and he finds himself running to stop her. There's nothing he can do though, she's already seen what he's done and she won't forgive him. Scorpius grabs her arm and forces her to face him. Then he sees her.
He doesn't understand the almost painful pang in his chest at the sight of her tears. He has always remained unaffected by them, yet the look she levels on him deepens the pain.
"Why, Scorpius? After everything I've done for you? I've gone against my whole family to be with you, giving up my independence and dignity for your happiness, and having to tolerate how you treat people I love!" Rose screams at me, utterly broken. "I loved you! I never want to see you again." She rips the ring off and tosses it at him.
And then he realises the magnitude of what he's done. How he's broken her trust and heart all because he felt trapped. He knows he's done nothing for her. She hates cooking but to please him she does it. And I don't even appreciate all the things she's done for me, little things that I remember now, Scorpius thinks. How foolish and idiotic he is. He cannot express how sorry he feels for what he's done and not done. The love for him that was shining in her eyes is gone. It's replaced by cold hatred now.
So he stands there and watches her leave, the ring digging into his palm from the force of his fingers. He wonders why it took the end of their relationship for him to realise that he loves her too.