Chapter 2

Scorpius withdrew his Extendable Ear from the wall. He didn't want to hear the rest of the conversation. In fact, he regretted eavesdropping. Now he simply couldn't get it out of his head. Rose Weasley, twenty years old, best Auror the Ministry had seen since Moody (yes, he admitted she was better than him), daughter of war heroes—Ron and Hermione Weasley, pregnant? It didn't seem like something she would do. She was not irresponsible. Not even a little. She was always punctual, never forgot a meeting, always had case files at the ready, she always prepared for everything that happened in her life. So why wasn't she prepared for this?

And then it hit Scorpius like a shit ton of bricks. He had seen Weasley just fifteen minutes ago himself. He'd seen the angry red finger marks on her throat, had seen her face littered generously with scrapes and bruises, had seen her legs shaking beneath her, almost as if refusing to support all 102 pounds of her. He had seen the signs, but he was too busy yelling at her to put them together. As much as he hated Rose Weasley, he knew that she didn't deserve this.

To be clear, Scorpius did not have a soft spot for Weasley. He hated her because she was a know-it-all, she walked around like she owned the world, she always thought that it was her way or the highway, and her surname made her entitled to almost anything. Scorpius had to work twice as hard for everything he got in life. His surname had the opposite effect in society; the Malfoy name had been dragged in the dirt and now Scorpius was the one with the responsibility to dust it off and try to present it with it's previously held splendor. Their rivalry existed because they both knew that they were perfectly matched for each other—they both knew that they were brilliant and deserving of the same praise. Grudging respect, was what they gave each other. No one else had ever been a worthy opponent to either of them.

Scorpius couldn't help but feel sorry for Weasley. If she found out that he was feeling sympathy for her, she would probably hex him into the next century. She never really accepted pity from anyone, not even that overly large Potter-Weasley family of hers. But it didn't change the fact that Scorpius really did feel bad for her.

He settled back into his seat and hid his Extendable Ear in his clothes. He flipped through the magazines that Becka had left him with, his mind reeling with the fact that Rose Weasley was pregnant.

When Healer Longbottom finally walked in ten minutes later, she apologized for the wait. Scorpius waved away the apology and continued to mull over the news as she fixed him up. He choked down a glass of SkeleGrow before thanking Healer Longbottom and leaving. He changed back into his half decimated clothes and exited the ward, still consumed by his thoughts, when he ran into the object of his musings. He immediately reached out to steady her already wobbly frame, and watched as she attempted to put up a strong façade.

"Watch yourself Weasley," Scorpius said without any venom. He wasn't in the mood to give her a hard time. She didn't need it right now. But Weasley didn't know that he knew about her delicate situation. She squinted up at him as if she was waiting him to say something extremely insulting. He held her gaze for a few seconds. He couldn't help but look at her with some of the sympathy he was feeling. But he didn't let that show for too long. When it was apparent that neither one was going to say anything to the other, they both walked towards the elevators at the same time.

Both were heading back to Headquarters to report to the Head of the Department about how their separate missions went. They proceeded there in complete silence, both lost in their own thoughts about the same topic.

~:-:~

Scorpius held the door open for Weasley as they both entered the Head Auror's office. They both took a seat and waited as Ginny Potter finished scribbling out a memo. When she sent the memo on its way, she reclined in her chair and pinched the bridge of her nose and squeezed her eyes shut, as if willing all her troubles to simply vanish once she opened her eyes again. Ginny Potter's once shiny auburn hair had lost its lively luster, and was now peppered with gray strands. The corners of her eyes had crow's feet. Proof that she used to smile and laugh once upon a time.

Harry Potter's death had affected the whole wizarding community, but as far as Scorpius could tell, Ginny had attempted to put up a strong front for everyone. Scorpius thought it would probably be better if she just cried it all out; contrary to popular belief, Scorpius thought crying was much healthier than bottling up grief. He knew from experience. After a few seconds, Ginny snapped back to attention and summoned both Scorpius' and Rose's case files to her desk.

"Let's see. So you were both deployed out to missions three days ago. Same time in fact… Oh now this is interesting." She had both files open on her desk, and she was looking between the two record sheets as if comparing the information there.

"Well, it seems as though you were both deployed out to the same mission. Same time frame, same target, same everything. And you both didn't run into each other?" Both Rose and Scorpius shook their heads. "That is truly odd…odd indeed."

"Well if I may, ma'am," Scorpius cut in. "We were under glamours and Polyjuice. So even if we were to run into each other, we wouldn't have known it."

"Malfoy's right. We very well could have run into each other, but we would've had no idea," Weasley affirmed.

"Right so this mission was assigned to you by Shacklebolt? Well he must've really had high hopes for the two of you. We've been trying to catch Theodore Nott ever since—" she broke off and composed herself. "—ever since Harry's and Draco's death. Did either of you successfully infiltrate their ranks?" They both nodded. No surprises there, we're the best, Scorpius thought. Ginny breathed a sigh of relief and her eyes were shining with unshed tears. But she quickly gathered herself; she was back to business so fast that Scorpius thought the tears he had seen in her eyes were merely a trick of the light.

"It says here you both just came from Mungo's? Healer Longbottom has not yet updated your files about your medical conditions. Any serious injuries or conditions I should know about?" Ginny looked between Scorpius and Rose, squinting as if she could diagnose them just by looking them over.

Scorpius suddenly felt rather uncomfortable, knowing exactly what was coming. He could practically feel the waves of apprehension rolling off of Weasley. She took a deep breath before spurting it all out in a jumbled mess.

"Theodorenottrapedmeandtheniwentpsychoonhimandcuto ffoneofhisearsandalsobrokeafewofhisribsbutanywaysi mpregnantbutidontwantobesoitsgoingtobeaborted." Scorpius was amazed by her lung capacity, but at the same time he was impressed at the fact that she didn't bother beating around the bush. She was sitting on the edge of her seat, her face was flushed and she had a slightly manic look about her.

Ginny's expression changed from confusion to slight understanding to realization to shock and then to sympathy all in the span of thirty seconds. She leaned heavily back into her chair and stayed silent for a few minutes. And then she looked up at Rose with what could only be described as sympathy in its purest form. Scorpius could see Rose squirming under the look her aunt was giving her. Rose Weasley hated sympathy, even if it was for something like this.

"Dear, I'm so so so very sorry," Ginny said, her voice cracking with emotion. She leaned forward and grabbed Rose's right hand off the desk and placed it in between both of hers. "I had no idea—if I had known—I can't believe he—"

"Aunt Ginny," Rose cut her off and pulled her hand away from her aunt's. "It's alright. I'm alright. I just want to be cleared to continue with my field work. There's still so much more to be done." Ginny looked taken aback aat her neice's unexpected lack of sadness. It was as if she had expected her neice to break down crying in her office. Hell, Scorpius wouldn't have minded if she had broken down crying. It would've been normal. But this—this indiffereance, as if Rose had merely fallen and scraped her knee—well, it was scary, quite frankly.

"Honey, have you told your parents yet?" Ginny asked Rose in that tone people use to address abused puppies. Rose was having none of it.

"No, it's not like they'll care anyways. Aunt Ginny, every second we waste here is a second that he gains. Please, just sign our release forms and let me go do my job."

"Of course they care sweety! You're their daughter. They'd want to know—"

And that was when Rose Weasley snapped. "Yeah just like they cared about Hugo and I before they split up, right? Just like Mum cared before she had that affair and before Dad cared before he "accidentally" jumped off that bridge, right?" Rose was breathing hard, but her voice had remained dangerously low. Scorpius felt unbelievably out of place, and he had a feeling that the two Weasley women had forgotten his presence altogether. He was also shocked. Shocked to hear Rose speak about her parents with such absolute loathing. Scorpius was appalled that the Weasleys weren't all that they seemed. He was pulled out of his musings when a suddenly enraged Ginny Weasley stood up and raised an accusing finger at her neice.

"How dare you talk about your parents that way, young lady! They have done nothing but take care of you as you've grown up, and this is how you speak about them? Who kept you away from the paparazzi, huh? Who protected you from the people who threatened to take away all semblances of privacy in your life? Who—"

"They did that to protect themselves! Hugo and I were never in the picture! It was all about keeping their lives off the tabloids, but they were never around for us when we needed them! Who cleaned up my scrapes when I fell? It was my nanny! Who was there when I lost my first tooth? My nanny. Who did my boyfriend come home to meet? My nanny! Who had to hand me my diploma at Hogwarts? MY FUCKING NANNY! Do NOT try to tell me that my parents cared. The never did."

Scorpius had his wand out faster than anyone else and cast a quick shield charm between the two redheads. He knew he had done right when he saw a jet of purple light, coming from the Head Auror's wand. As the hex dissolved into the shield, both Weasley women turned to Scorpius and eyed him with anger and confusion. Clearly both witches had forgotten that he was there. He cleared his throat awkwardly, and addressed his boss, "Ma'am, I hate to be the one to say this, but this is your neice. You cannot attack her like this, and especially not at work. Please, I don't want to be witness to manslaughter." Then he turned to Weasley Jr. and gave her a look that he had given her many a time throughout school. It was a look that said sit the fuck down and shut the fuck up. To his extreme surprise they both listened. Granted, there were a few colorful curses muttered under their breath, but they complied nonetheless. Scorpius waited for a good two minutes before letting down the shield.

Ginny Weasley cleared her throat and collected herself before starting again. "Auror Weasley, I'm afraid I cannot clear you for duty because of your newfound health complication. You have two options: get a legal abortion and present me with the paperwork after it is done. Or, you may wait out the duration of your preganancy, and have this child. However, if you choose the latter, you will not be eligible for field duty because we cannot risk the life of an unborn child. Please let me know your decision, whichever it may be, by the end of this week." At this point, she turned to Scorpius and looked over his file briefly before addressing him. "Auror Malfoy, it seems to me that everything is in order for you to continue your field work. I want you to report to Auror Shacklebolt tomorrow morning for you to receive your next assignment." Scorpius nodded and made to get up. "Hold on, both of you," Ginny said. "I need fully detailed reports from the both of you regarding your latest assignment. I want them on my desk by this time next week. Now you may go."

As they left the Head Auror's office, Scorpius held the door open for Rose Weasley for the second time that day. That was two more times than he had ever hoped to do so in his life.

Ok. I hope I didn't disappoint :|

So question of the day: Should Rose get an abortion? Why or why not?
Leave it in the reviews!