Love Story
Chapter Four: We're Dead if they Knew
R&R!
So I sneak out to the garden to see you
We keep quiet cause we're dead if they knew
So close your eyes
Escape this town for a little while
Disclaimer: I do not own Romeo and Juliet, Harry Potter or Love Story.
December 25th, Potter household.
The house was in full festivities, with singing, chatting and fun ensuing in the large house that was the Potters residence. Harry, Ginny, Hermione and Ron rotated each year as to where they have Christmas Dinner. Hermione and Ron visit Hermione's parents first, then make their way to the Potter's afterwards in the evening. The day after Christmas everyone goes to Molly's dinner.
Rose decided to push thoughts of Scorpius out of her mind for Christmas and resolve to be her happy, yet slightly cynical self. Christmas dinner was always joyous and fun, and Rose was going to make the most of it.
They were all at the Potters this year; Harry, Ginny, Hermione, Ron, James, Rose, Albus, Hugo and Lily. Hugo and Albus were playing video games on a nearby television, while James talked with the adults and Lily and Rose planned their escape.
Neither was sure how Harry's aunt would react, nor what kind of person she was, so they didn't know what to expect. Showing up on Christmas Day wasn't the best idea, but it was the only day they could think of leaving without anyone really noticing. They were hoping that the woman would be nice, but Rose reminded Lily that Harry hadn't talked to her in years, and there had to be good reason for it.
They were going to pretend to visit Brooke, but instead catch the Knight Bus to Privet Drive, where Harry's aunt lived. They also found this information from Hagrid, who was thoughtless at times and let a lot slip.
Together, the two crept downstairs to the adults, hoping they were coming off as nonchalant. Rose had never been a good liar, a fault of hers which was a result of her honest and good personality -- or so Rose liked to tell herself. Brooke, however, was a brilliant liar and was always the one to spout the white lies in their group.
Lily wasn't a very good liar either, but she was at least better than Rose.
"We're um.. Going to Brooke's for a while."
Ginny nodded, "Have a good time. Be back by nine though, you're supposed to spend Christmas with family."
"Have fun, put on a jacket though, Lily." Lily groaned at her Dad and ran to retrieve a jacket, leaving an uncomfortable Rose alone.
"Look after Lil, Rosie. It's a bit of a walk to Brooke's." Ron frowned, "I should probably walk you--"
"No!" Rose exclaimed, and everyone turned startled eyes towards her, "I mean -- we'll be fine. Lorcan is meeting us halfway up."
Hermione narrowed her eyes at her daughter and Rose inwardly cursed, her mother always had the ability to see through her like glass. "James… didn't you say Lorcan was out to dinner for Christmas?"
James shrugged, "He's probably finished."
"Hmm… and Rose, I didn't know Lily was friends with Brooke."
Rose tried to show her Mum that she was desperate, and that she should just let them go. "She's not. But I wanted them to know each other … they're my best friends, after all."
Hermione scrutinized her daughter for a minute before nodding, "Okay, be careful. Remember to be back before nine."
Lily chose that moment to enter the room, a disgruntled expression on her face, "I had to rob James' black coat. Mines nowhere to be seen. And I got a new one, Mum! Where is it?"
"Oh, you didn't leave it in the restaurant yesterday, did you?"
"Probably." She moaned and then fastened James' jacket on her, "Anyway, I'll see you all later!"
The two walked out of the door and simultaneously breathed sighs of relief, making the other laugh. They couldn't believe their luck as they waited for the Knight Bus.
~Romeo and Juliet~
Rose had heard from many peers and relatives that the Knight Bus was an unpleasant mode of transport and was not recommended. But Lily and Rose had ignored that advice and took the bus anyway, and Rose now wished she hadn't. Lily had thrown up when she got off the bus, and Rose felt a little nauseous herself. Rose wasn't the type of person to vomit though, she had a strong stomach and even when she was sick, she never vomited.
But holding Lily's hair back as she did so behind a bush was nearly enough to make her keel over.
Eager to get back on track, Lily wiped her mouth with a tissue from her back before turning to Rose, "Have you got a bottle of water?"
Of course, Rose always kept one in her bag, "Yeah, here. Drink up."
Lily did so and then tugged on her cousins sleeve, "Let's go."
"Should we have told Albus and James? They probably would've liked to know, too."
"No. Albus would probably tell and James wouldn't care. Or at least act like he didn't -- and then he would make a fool of himself in front of our aunt."
Rose snorted, "Sounds like James."
"Yeah, I heard he messed up with Brooke again." Lily said as the two walked.
"Yep. Again. I wish the two would just get together already!"
Lily was quiet for a minute, "I always thought it would be Lorcan and Brooke that ended up together."
"Lorcan and Brooke?" Rose had never even thought of those two dating, or the possibility that they fancied each other. It just never occurred to her. She noted silently that Lily looked rather morose as she suggested it. "I don't think they really look at each other that way."
"You think?" Lily's tone sounded strangely hopeful, but Rose dismissed it.
"I'm positive. Now look, there's the house." They stood outside.
Lily nodded, "Number 4."
Rose clasped her cousins hand, "You ready?"
She inhaled deeply, "As I'll ever be."
~Romeo and Juliet~
They had stood at the door for five minutes with nerves before knocking, not knowing at all with how it was to turn out. Lily was shaking somewhat, and Rose was still clutching the younger girls hand tightly.
Rose had slowly reached towards the door, knocking it an abrupt three times before lowering her hand.
It was less than one minute before the door was answered, but it had felt like an hour to Rose. The anticipation and unawareness of what was to happen made Rose feel like a bundle of nerves.
The door was then opened, and a tall woman appeared in the doorway. She had brown tufts of curls, with grey tinting the edges. Her eyes were a dark brown that conveyed a loneliness that shocked both Rose and Lily. Her face was worn, with wrinkles embedded into the areas around her mouth and eyes. It seemed she didn't smile much, judging from the places were her skin creased.
She was wearing a pale pink dress with frills and a white apron, which made Rose feel less uneasy. Judging by the woman's attire, she wasn't going to be horrible. However, the look in her eyes was making Rose feel unnerved.
She stole a look at Lily out of the corner of her eye, and saw that the girl was in slight awe of the woman, which Rose didn't understand. Rose nudged Lily lightly.
"Um, hi. We're from the local … Scouts club and would like to talk to you for a moment about our newest charity fundraiser." Rose's eyes widened, and she sent Lily a 'what?!' look. This hadn't been in their plans, and Rose definitely hadn't been informed of it.
The woman eyed them before speaking, "Would you like to come in for tea?"
Rose sensed the politeness was fake, but accepted nonetheless, "Yes, please."
~Romeo and Juliet~
The atmosphere, to Rose, was tense as the Aunt waited for either Rose or Lily to talk. Lily was still staring at the woman, which made the Aunt nervous, Rose thought. The aunt was glanced apprehensively at Lily every few minutes, willing the girl to look away. Lily seemed to be in her own world though.
Rose couldn't take anymore, and she certainly couldn't lie her way through the evening. She stirred her tea once more before setting it down, "We're not from the Scouts club."
"I knew it," She started coldly, "You're one of his offspring, aren't you?"
Rose saw Lily begin to panic, "I--I,"
"I can't believe he had the gall to send you here to inspect my house. I'm doing fine, as you can see! I'm just fine. Dudley and the grandchildren visit me every Sunday and have just left an hour ago."
"You're lying," Rose spoke as she looked around the room, "Clearly, no one was here today."
Her nostrils flared, "How dar--"
"What's your name?" Lily asked, striving to avoid argument. She could almost hit Rose had she not been so grateful that the girl was with her.
The Aunt was surprised now, "You don't know?"
"No. I don't think we're who you think we are.." Rose trailed off.
"My name is Petunia Evans."
Lily gasped, "Evans.. I--I can't believe it's you. I mean, I suspected and expected it, but to actually meet you is… amazing." She breathed.
"You know who I am?"
"I know of you."
Petunia now felt threatened, "Who are you two? And what are you doing here?"
"I'm Harry Potter's daughter."
"Oh, and I'm her friend. And his niece."
~Romeo and Juliet~
"You're one of them!" She accused, pointing her finger. She slowly backed away, "Don't come near me."
"Please, just listen to me! I don't intend to harm you in any way, and my Dad doesn't even know I'm here!"
This halted Petunia in her tracks, "He doesn't know?"
"No. I didn't know how he would react, so I didn't tell him. I just want to know about my namesake! I want to know her before magic, I want to know the sins! I want to know the real Lily Evans and not the saint-like painted version!" She cried, pleading with Petunia to understand.
Petunia stared at her, "You want to talk about her?" Her voice was soft, almost a whisper.
"Yes. My name is Lily, and I'd like to know more about my Grandmother."
Rose felt invisible at this point, and wished she could blend into the horrible flower wallpaper. Looking at her watch, Rose swore. It was nine.
"Lily, we have to go." Rose spoke regretfully.
"We-we'll visit again!" Lily told Petunia, who in turn shook her head.
"Don't visit again. It's not safe for you, and it's not fair to your father. And I don't think I'm ready to see magic.. Or see someone who is reminiscent of my sister." Lily visibly deflated, and tears welled in her eyes. "But we can exchange letters, even if it is through those terrifying owls."
Lily beamed, "Oh, that would be wonderful! Thank you so much. I would like to know more about you, too, Ms. Evans. I'll send you a letter soon, I promise. I do hope you're not too lonely here alone."
Petunia smiled sadly, "I'm fine. But you must go home, you're parents will be worried."
"I'll leave now. I'll talk to you later, Ms. Evans."
"Bye, Ms. Evans." Rose smiled and waved. The two girls had reached the door when Petunia's voice halted them,
"Did Harry marry that friend? The brunette with bushy hair?"
Lily's brow wrinkled in confusion, "Hermione?"
"I think that was her name, yes. They seemed infatuated with each other.."
"Um, no. They're not together, but still good friends. Hermione's my Mum, actually."
"Oh, I see. My apologies."
"It's no problem. Well, bye." The two girls then left, reflecting on the odd experience they had just been through. It had ended for the better though, Rose concluded, as it could have gone a whole lot worse.
~Romeo and Juliet~
It was eleven o' clock when Rose returned to her own house, bidding farewell to her cousins and their parents with a smile. Lilly had hugged her very tightly whilst whispering 'Thank you' repeatedly in her ear. Rose felt loved, that was for sure. She just wished she could experience that feeling with Scorpius again.
She couldn't believe she had told him that she loved him. How stupid of her, to say it after they had broken up. It made her look like a desperate little girl.
Feeling up to some company, Rose entered Hugo's room, spotting him on the bed with his earphones in.
She pulled one out playfully, "What up, H?"
He smiled, "Nothing much. Just getting away from the 'rents."
"Yeah, fighting again." She nudged him over so she could lie beside him, "They always fight. I don't understand how they're happy."
"Lily says her parents are the opposite and barely talk. I don't know which is worse. At least fighting shows they care."
"Or they're fed up with each other."
"That's plausible, too, I guess." She stuck his spare earphone into her ear and listened to what he was.
"Before the worst, before we mend
Before our hearts decide
It's time to love again
Before too late, before too long
Lets try to take it back
Before it all went wrong..."… The song blasted in Rose's ears and she quickly pulled out the earphone. It reminded her too much of her own situation and Rose wondered why on earth Hugo was listening to music that old, "That song is ages old. What're you listening to it for?"
"The Script are legend. Their new album's out next week. Why do you listen to Michael Jackson sometimes, even though the music is old?"
"Touche, my friend." She laughed then sobered up, "So what the hell were you doing with Raine Nott last week? A girl in my year."
He shrugged, "I wanted to make Sabrina kind of jealous. She was with that Keith weirdo. Anyway, it worked and.."
"And?" Rose asked excitedly.
"We're together now."
"Oh that's brilliant, H! It's about time! I've been waiting years for you two to get together. The chemistry and love there is just unmistakable." The two laughed and then Hugo smiled, "Thanks. But how are things with you and Scorpius?"
The question was said so nonchalantly that Rose thought she had heard wrong, but after asking him to repeat it, she knew she had heard right. Her heard pounded as she scrambled to think of something to say.
Some reply to shake off whatever Hugo thought he was catching onto. "I don't know what you're talking about." Go Rose, not a ramble in sight!
He rolled his eyes, "It's obvious to anyone who looks that you two were together. You weren't very discrete with all your eyes and touching."
"You make it sound disgusting."
"It was." He replied, "So you're admitting to it?"
"I guess…"
"When you going to tell Mum and Dad?"
"Hopefully, never." Hugo sighed at his older sisters naivety and put his earphones in. If she thought that she could keep that relationship secret, Rose was more naïve and stupid than Hugo first thought.
~Romeo and Juliet~
The night was cold and frosty, and Rose searched her bed for her hot-water bottle with her feet. She shivered as she felt another breeze and wondered where the draft was coming from. It was sure to snow tomorrow, she thought. Or maybe it was too cold for even snow. The room was pitch-black, and the house was deadly silent as everyone had gone to bed. She suspected her parents were not sleeping in the same bed, but didn't care at that moment. Rose tightened her hold on her duvet and thought back to her conversation with Hugo.
Had she and Scorpius been obvious? Rose hadn't thought so. They hadn't talked unless necessary outside the Room of Requirement and they didn't act like a couple unless they were alone or with Brooke and Lorcan. They hadn't told anyone except their mutual friends and they hadn't given any hints to anyone either.
Rose quickly concluded that Hugo was just extremely perceptive. He had always been, it was just in his personality.
Although, Rose could admit that she looked at Scorpius when she thought no one was looking and now presumed he did the same. Which gave her a fluttery feeling in her stomach that she stomped on viciously. Metaphorically, of course.
Tap
Rose sat up in her bed, her eyes scanning the room for any misconduct. No one would ever have the audacity or brains to rob Hermione and Ron Weasley, but Rose could never be too sure. She put the sound she heard to her imagination and lay back down.
TAP
It was louder this time, and Rose realised it was coming from her window. She rushed towards it, and opened her double doors. She lived in a Mansion, or something very close, as did the Potters. Her balcony was small, but Rose crept out onto it, wrapping her arms around herself for warmth. She was wearing a yellow tank-top and pink cotton pyjama bottoms.
She glanced nervously over the balcony, and nearly tripped over herself when she saw who was there. Anger burned in her before it was quickly overrode by a mixture happiness and nerves.
"What light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Juliet is the sun.
Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon,
Who is already sick and pale with grief
That thou, her maid, art far more fair than she."
Rose laughed lightly, "What are you doing Scorpius?" Although her heart pounded and she felt light headed as he climbed up the drainpipe to her room. He had never been incredibly romantic, but she had told him numerous of times how much she loved the Romeo and Juliet play, and he had jokingly named them accordingly. No matter how sappy Scorpius had sounded just a minute ago, Rose felt a rush of love towards him as he spoke the words.
"I'm attempting to gain my fair lady's forgiveness." He announced as he climbed over the balcony to stand beside her.
"Oh, Scorpius. I knew there was a romantic somewhere in there."
He took a step towards her, "Do you think you could ever accept me back?"
"You hurt me, Scor." She was annoyed to find her voice was hoarse, "I never thought you would hurt me like that. I trusted you with my heart, with myself. And you just threw it away as if it weren't worth the trouble! And here, not one week later, you're asking for forgiveness. Did you have some kind if epiphany?"
He shifted, "No. I knew right through that I was hurting you, that I was ruining the, arguably, best thing that ever happened to me. I did it with intentions of avoiding hurting both of us, but in the end, we were both hurt."
"Both?" She almost screamed, but quickly remembered her parents.
"I hurt, too. Saying all that stuff to you.. It wasn't easy. Please, Rose. We can be together and stand against anyone who dares threaten that. I've learned from my stupid mistake, and--and I'm sorry for giving you reason to doubt me. But I'll never let you go again, Rose." She stared at him, torn between her head and heart, "I love you, Rose."
The reaction was swift. She took one step and grabbed his head towards hers so she could kiss him. She let out a moan instantly, relishing the taste of his lips after so long. It may have only been a week or two, but it had felt like years. Theory of Relativity, and everything.
She pulled back for a moment, "What about Molly?"
He kissed her again, "What about her?"
Rose pushed him away, remembering Molly's words, "You're her 'Romeo',"
He laughed, "No, I'm not. I never even kissed the girl! She was all over me, and all I had to say was 'pass the butter' in a husky voice. She's pathetic. You know you are my Juliet, and vice versa." His cheeks were a pale pink now, and Rose was shocked to see him blushing. Scorpius never blushed.
"I felt like your Rosaline." she admitted.
"That may be your name, but you'll never be my Rosaline." He then captured her in a kiss once again.
The two kissed passionately until Rose managed to murmur, "Stay over." Between breaths.
He stepped back quickly, "What? Are you sure?"
Rose nodded shyly, "I'm more than sure." She took his hand then, leading him into her room. Rose didn't just give Scorpius her virginity though, she was giving him her heart.
She just hoped he treated it well.
~Romeo and Juliet~
Rose was sleeping peacefully when someone shook her awake, shaking her shoulders gently and calling her name softly. Rose didn't want to wake up; she had been having the best dream. Reality suddenly hit her and she realised that it wasn't a dream.
If the soreness was any indication, it definitely wasn't a dream.
Rose couldn't help but blush as she looked up at Scorpius, "Morning." Her voice was raspy.
He smiled, "Morning, Red. How you feeling?"
"Sore." She replied bluntly and then laughed, "But wonderful!"
Scorpius beamed, basking in the light of her happiness as well as his own. Rose seemed to light up a room when she was happy, and every smile she had was infectious.
"I'm sorry to dampen the room, but I've got to go before one of your family comes in. You are going to your grandmothers today…"
She sighed regretfully, "Yeah. But you'll visit later, right?"
"Of course." The two dressed in silence, but both were overjoyed. Rose didn't care if she took him back to easily, or if friends judged her for last night because she was on cloud nine. And anyone who could put her there was worth whatever the cost.
Both now dressed, they began to say goodbye. Scorpius winked at her, "I'll see you later with your present."
"I don't have one for you!" Rose fretted, feeling bad that she had nothing.
He chuckled, "Don't worry about it. That's my fault. Now, do I get a kiss before I leave?"
Rose rolled her eyes and leaned forward, "I guess." The two smirked as their lips touched.
Rose would later wonder what twist of fate would have her cousin walk through the door that moment.
~Romeo and Juliet~