title: madness, in all it's forms
author: Madeline (fractured fairytales)
for: Tatoe (heading for a huge collision)
Rose Weasley took another sip of her firewhiskey, watching the crowd made up of mostly family members dancing in the extravagant gala room. Her eyes roved over Louis and Anna, who were doing the chicken dance, with much catcalling from Freddie and James; zoomed past Hugo and Jenny, who were dancing – or attempting it, despite Hugo trotting on her foot every few seconds – and to Scorpius and Dominique. She felt an unfamiliar feeling in her gut, one that twisted and writhed and screamed to be let out, and although she suspected that it was something akin to jealousy, she never let those thoughts develop in her mind, lest this ruin the easy friendship between her and Scorpius. Forcing her eyes away from the dancing couple, she started when she noticed her cousin Lucy beside her. "Jealous?"
"No!" Rose said, a little harsher than she'd intended; Lucy, however, seemed to not be paying any attention whatsoever; instead, she was watching Lily dance with Lysander with the same look that Rose figured she'd been wearing not moments before. "I could say the same about you."
"I'm not jealous!" Lucy protested. "I just don't get why she likes Lily of all people. I mean, what's so special about her?"
"The same thing that seems to be special about Dominique," Rose groaned quietly.
"Aren't we pathetic?" Lucy wondered a minute later, "I mean, this is the party of the year, and we're mooning over to guys who won't look twice at us." Rose laughed, when Lucy phrased it like that, it was indeed very pathetic.
"May I have this dance?" said another voice, holding out is hand towards Lucy.
"Sure, Lorcan," Lucy said obliviously. As her cousin waltzed away with one of the Scamanders in her arms, Rose couldn't help but feel another twinge of jealousy. Not for Lorcan – heavens no! – but for the fact that Lorcan looked at Lucy the way her parents, even after twenty years of marriage, looked at each other: like she hung the stars in the sky.
Rose Weasley took another sip of the champagne, wishing it was something stronger. Watching Scorpius dance, she decided, was one of the funniest things she'd ever seen. It was obvious that he'd had a few too many drinks as he twitched and jerked on the dance floor. Dominique looked torn; she could laugh at him, take photos and use them as blackmail for later use, or she could slip away, unnoticed, into the crowd and pretend she didn't know him.
Incidentally, the way he danced reminded her of another party … one from her Sixth year that she'd never forget…
It was ten pm, or maybe it was ten am, she couldn't tell anymore through the haze of Muggle vodka mixed with firewhiskey. Her throat seemed to be burning, she could vaguely remember yelling, "My throat's on fire!" And the sound of the other student's jeering laughter.
She wondered why she'd come, but remembered with a glance at his white-blond hair: Scorpius. He'd invited her to a Slytherins only (and invite) party and she was flattered. Everyone, including her, had expected him to invite Dominique or Lily, they were the party girls of all the Weasley-Potters, and he had been spending more time with them lately, but when he'd asked, the prospect of going to the party with Scorpius – and perhaps becoming a little more than friends – enticed her. All dreams of grandeur, however, were spoiled the moment she took a sip of the toxic drink.
"Rose, are you OK?" Scorpius' worried voice had pierced through her alcohol-induced state. Like some stupid bimbo, she'd giggled, grabbing his shirt, and pulling him closer to her.
"Yes, I'm fine, Scorpy," she giggled, taking another long dreg of the alcohol. Scorpius attempted to grab it away from her, but she ducked out of the way, giggling even louder. "But do you know what I want?" She'd pulled him even closer and the sounds from the rest of the party disappeared in the smell of vodka and firewhiskey. Scorpius had shaken his head, obviously regretting his invitation. "I want you, Scorpius Malfoy."
He'd pulled back then, for she'd tried to straddle him. "No, Rose … you're drunk."
"So?" She'd slurred back. "I want you." The last thing she remembered was unzipping his pants, and Scorpius' flabbergasted face…
Bringing herself back to the present, Rose's face turned beet red at the mere thought of that party. Like he'd promised, he'd never again invited her to a party, and she'd sworn to never drink again. Of course, twenty was much older than sixteen, and therefore, her choices would be much wiser … right?
Their friendship had never been the same after that: now there were sticky moments, where previously, they would have been able to gloss it over. "I'm never drinking again," Rose muttered. "After, of course, I try some of that gin Freddie has."
; ;
Out of the corner of his eye, Scorpius spared a glance at Rose. She was sipping her champagne, standing there, her eyes roving through the party. Her blue orbs had caught his for a second – caught his and held them into their strong gaze. As soon as their eyes met, there seemed to be electricity, a spark, almost, of some sort, and she must have felt it, too, for she quickly glanced elsewhere. He noticed Lucy sidle up to her, and ask her something, to which Rose snapped something back. "Scorpius, are you listening to me?" Dominique's angry voice snapped, bringing him to the present.
"Sorry, could you repeat that?" Her green-blue eyes seemed to shoot sparks.
"I said, if you want to dance with Rosie so much, then why don't you?"
"I — me — fancy Rosie — what?" his face turned pink, as only a Malfoy's could.
"Scorpius, I'm not blind. I see the way you look at her."
"What?" he sputtered. "Preposterous! I'm going to dance." And he threw himself into the most ridiculous dance he knew, so he wouldn't have to face the truth of what Dominique said. Because he didn't like Rose as more than a friend. Sure, she was pretty and smart, and his best friend, and a bloody good kisser, as he recalled from the party…
No, Scorpius! the voice inside his head yelled. Get your mind out of that gutter!
Besides, she was drunk. It's not like she meant what she'd said, right?
"Nice try, Scorpy," Dominique smirked, lifting him up. Damn, that girl was strong. "We're going to talk to Rose."
"But," Scorpius began. "What if she says no?" Dominique smacked him upside the head.
"Fine, then!" Dominique hissed. "Stay unhappy!" She marched off toward the food table without a second look back, leaving Scorpius in the company of only his thoughts.
A flare of jealousy, white-hot and burning, bubbled as he saw Frankie Longbottom lead Rose out onto the dance floor, her giggles becoming more and more pronounced with every extravagant twirl. She looked so radiant tonight: a dress so silver it seemed to simply be made out of individual stars, hair a shimmering crimson hanging town in tendrils framing her face, eyes the colour of a cloudless summer's day. He took an involuntary breath in when she twirled by him, "Go say something to her," Al said, coming up behind Scorpius.
He jumped, "Thanks for scaring me!"
"No problem," Al smirked, his green eyes flashing.
"And why do you all assume that I have a crush on Rosie?" Scorpius asked, eyebrows raised.
"Because everyone can see how you two act around each other – you guys are basically married!"
"Shh!" Scorpius hissed. "She's right there!"
"And you're jealous about that,'' Albus said wisely. "You're jealous that she seemed to be having so much fun with Frankie when you like her."
"Am not!" Scorpius lied.
"Yes, you are," Al grinned. "The same way she was jealous when you and Dom were dancing."
"I am—wait, she was jealous?" Scorpius turned to face Al, his face the colour of moonlight, "Dom and I are just friends."
"Yes, but she doesn't know that!" Albus said impatiently. "Go tell her."
"But she's dancing with Frankie!" he said feebly. Of course, at this second, Frankie had finally disentangled himself from Rose and was chatting to Roxanne at the drinks table. "Okay, then … fine – fine, I will!"
; ;
After her dance with Frankie, Rose sat down on one of the chairs near the side of the dance floor, absolutely tired. She allowed herself to close her eyes for a few moments, pretending that Frankie's strong arms had been Scorpius' and than when 'Scorpius' had dipped her, he'd kissed her. In this discreet fantasy, colours danced before her eyes, and fireworks exploded when their lips met, it was as if every thing was like it was supposed to be.
"Hi," Lucy said again, seemingly appearing into the chair next to Rose.
"Hey!" Rose grinned. "I saw you – ahem – having fun with Lorcan." Her cousin's usually pale face flushed with embarrassment and a little happiness. "Well, anyway, Luce, I'm really happy to see you and Lorcan together; it's obvious that he really cares about you."
"I know," Lucy said quietly. "But I just think, what if – what if I'd realized that he was the guy for me earlier?" Rose frowned at her cousin.
"Well, you guys are together now; that's all that counts."
"What about you and our dear Scorpy?" Lucy asked slyly, suddenly all brisk business. Rose flushed, reminder of her earlier fantasy of kissing Scorpius underneath the silent sky.
"I haven't seen him all night: he was dancing with Meeka, then he left the dance floor," Rose replied carelessly, trying to pretend that this didn't affect her in any way. Obviously, judging from Lucy's Cheshire cat smirk, she wasn't buying it.
"Why don't you look for him?" Lucy suggested.
"Why is everyone under the impression that I want to – need to – find him? I'm perfectly fine here. Can you pass me another bottle?" Lucy shot her cousin a very dirty look.
"No, I'm cutting you off, Rosie," Lucy glared. The two cousins, both engrossed in their conversation, didn't notice the young man slip out of nowhere.
"Hi, I'm not interrupting anything, am I?" Lorcan asked, cheeks flushed as he stared at Lucy.
"No," Rose replied carelessly.
"Good. Lucy, may I have this dance? I heard it's the last song," Lorcan said, holding out his arm like a true gentleman. Lucy giggled and permitted herself to be taken to the dance floor, allowing herself one last look at Rose.
"I need to get some fresh air," she said to no one in particular. Outside, the air was cool and dark, almost an eternal nix of darkness. The only sources of natural light were the divine rays of moonlight scattered against the lawn, and the twinkling stars above, and finally, Rose allowed herself to breathe.
"Hi," a voice said behind her, interrupting her musings. She turned, face already red. It was the person she'd thought of more than any other tonight, and now, there they were, underneath the silent black sky, just like her fantasies. "I've been looking for you."
"Really?" Rose couldn't help the blush that covered her cheeks. "Why?"
"Because," he paused like the next part was going to be really difficult for him – "I love you, Rose Weasley. I've loved you since I first laid eyes on you, since we were kids. Please, Rose, will you be my girlfriend?" As the final notes from the last song wafted in through the open door, Rose Weasley finally allowed herself to live in her fantasies. She lifted up her chin and kissed him.
It was better than what she'd imagined – there seemed to be explosions everywhere, colours dancing, fireworks, sparks; it was everything she'd always wanted of her first kiss with Scorpius and more. As her hands tangled themselves around his neck, Rose breathed three words than she'd been meaning to say for a while. Three words that could change everything—
"I love you."
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