Thank-you so much to sparklyshimmer2010, marrou, Zekepay and BelleDilbert for adding this story to their alerts, and to Allya Ride for reviewing aswell - You convinced me to put some effort in and add a new chapter.

Scorpius

We were sat opposite each other at the Gryffindor table, as always. Tristan Wood was continuing our earlier discussion about Quidditch with Pete Finnigan next to me, but I didn't feel like contributing. Rose was laughing. She occupied my entire mind. Her and him. David McLaggen. I wanted to rip his head off from the moment he sat down next to her. What right did he have to make her smile like that? To make her laugh? That's my job. How dare he think that he can just jump right into her life? I hated the sight of him after a few minutes. I proceeded to glare at him over my goblet but he didn't take his eyes off her.

My chest was throbbing painfully and I felt light-headed, even though I'd just eaten a huge three-course meal. I stared at her eyes, the depth of the blue causing knots in my stomach. I felt like I could see her true self in them, every emotion seemed to flicker through them and it made it so much easier to read her. I stared at her long brunette curls, gently forming arcs around her creamy pale face. I stared at her hand, curled slightly, resting on the table next to her glass and felt a pull in my chest telling me to seize it and never let go. I watched her carefully and noted how her eyes would flicker across the plates on the table to somewhere close to my chest before they'd flash back up to McLaggen. I watched how her smile seemed a little forced and she'd run her other hand across the wood of the table absent-mindedly. It made me feel better. Her lack of attention seemed to lighten the weight in my chest, but the fear and anger I felt didn't evaporate with it.

I spent the rest of the feast stealing glances at her. My mind was still raging a battle between her apparent lack of interest and the fact that she was still talking to him. My Rose was polite, she wouldn't want to hurt his feelings I told myself sternly. It didn't stop a second voice creeping into my head though. Maybe she is interested in him, she's spent the entire feast talking to him and why would she consider your feelings into it? You're just friends remember? He lifted his hand from the table and tenderly moved a curl from in front of her face to behind her ear. She blushed slightly and shuffled in her seat, seeming uncomfortable. Good, I thought, let her be uncomfortable. She let him touch her; she let his actions taint her beautiful face with a blush that shouldn't belong to him. I could barely conceal my jealousy and longed for nothing more than to be able to touch her face and be the one she blushed at. I fixed a cold stare onto my face. She looked up at me and smiled before shifting her expression to one of hurt and shock. I regretted making her feel like that instantly but there was nothing I could do about it, it was the only way I could keep my emotions in check.

"Rose..." I stated coolly, "We have our perfecting duties now" I reminded her.

She seemed startled by my tone and looked at me with a stony expression.

"I didn't forget Scorpius" she said coldly and I hoped to every God that it was only in response to my own hurtful tone. She stalked away from McLaggen without so much as a goodbye and I could barely contain my grin, I gave a quick laugh before carefully turning it into a coughing fit. Al shot me a strange look, one of knowing that told me he knew there was something going on. I flashed him a smile before jogging to catch up with Rose.

I caught her escorting the first years halfway up the first flight of stairs. Half of them turned slightly green as the staircase began to move and many wore expressions of shock, clearly hoping that this was a regular occurrence rather than a strange anomaly that would get them in trouble or hurt. I reached Rose and slowed my pace to match hers, glancing at her. She still seemed mad from my attitude at dinner. I couldn't blame her, I'd been cold towards her for no reason what so ever, it seemed easier to think properly now that I was close to her side and McLaggen was nowhere to be seen. I knew I'd pay for my stupidity later so I tried to be as helpful as I could, assisting stragglers into finding the portrait hole.

After I was sure that I'd found them all, I ducked into the common room. Rose was sat in an armchair in the far corner with the rest of our friends, she didn't look happy at all. By the looks of it, Hannah Gregor and Elizabeth Cross had given up talking to her. I walked towards her swiftly, planning on making my apology as soon as possible and attempting to come up with some reasonable explanation about my actions. I had nothing. I reached the chair she was sat in and cleared my throat when she didn't look up. She still ignored me. I gently placed my hand on her shoulder and her eyes shot up to my face, staring at me with irritation.

"I'm sorry about before Rosie; I didn't mean to be like that with you at dinner. I was just thinking about home and stuff and I was letting family stuff get to me, I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have taken it out on you." I mentally praised myself for my quick thinking but it hurt a little to lie to her.

"Oh... that's okay, I'm sorry too Scorp." Her expression softened and she smiled slightly as she looked up at me.

She had no idea what that smile was doing to my insides. I felt like my heart was beating at least twice as hard as normal and my insides all seemed to twist together giving me a slightly nauseous feeling, but it didn't feel bad. On the contrary, it felt amazing; being this close to her after months of separation I felt that I was complete again. I returned her smile, hoping it would tell her everything that I was unable to. Her smile faltered faintly and turned into a look of concern.

"Are you alright Scorp? You don't look yourself tonight." Her eyebrows furrowed slightly like I was a difficult Charms problem and I felt my blood rush to my cheeks.

"Err yeah, I'm fine, why wouldn't I be?" I wanted to slap myself for sounding so stupid but I barely seemed able to remain coherent around her.

"As long as you're sure, I don't want you bailing out on our major Quidditch practise tomorrow," she beamed at me. I felt my own smile grow even wider.

"Ha, like you'd ever let me. You'd have me playing on my deathbed if it was up to you!" I joked, happy that we were finally reaching some form of normality and common conversation. I seated myself on the chair next to hers and leaned in slightly towards her without being able to stop myself. She smelt like flowers and vanilla; it felt homely to me. She continued to smile at me but I could see the question to my actions in her eyes. I immediately rectified myself, sitting properly upright in my chair.

"I wouldn't go that far, but you could definitely use the practise," she joked. Her eyes still seemed to be looking at me full of questions and I wished I was able to give her the answers. I had to prove myself to her first; I had to show her how much I loved her without scaring her off.

"No more so than you, what was the score last time? 270-30 to me, Pete, Meg and Al? I think so." I laughed, never taking my eyes off hers.

"You know I had a cold that day, I wasn't playing at my best." She sulked, pulling a small pout with her mouth. She looked unbelievably cute and I felt my brain getting side-tracked by her lips. I snapped myself out of it just quick enough to respond.

"Yeah whatever Rose. I'm off to bed now; I'll see you tomorrow yeah?" I got up from my chair unwillingly, knowing the longer I stayed there the more tempted I'd be. She nodded and smiled again; I felt my knees go weak but managed to pass it off as a stumble. She really had no idea of the effect she had on me, it was almost unfair. I glanced back at her as I reached the bottom of the staircase. She'd pulled out a book and I couldn't help but smile. That was my Rose, she just didn't know it yet and things were going to be harder than I thought. I stole one last glance before starting to climb the staircase to my dormitory.

Thank-you for reading - I have a few ideas for this story now so hopefully it'll speed up a little bit :)

- Sarahh