Scorpious' POV
I was in. Sure, I was balancing on the edge of a knife to get this 'in', but where's life without a little risk? Now, if only I could pull this off. I've spent years watching Rose Weasley out of the corner of my eye. Not intentionally at first, of course, in the beginning she was just this strange girl that happened to be related to Albus. He sought her out for advice because he claimed she was the only smart, unpsychotic one in the Weasley clan. Even excluding himself. I wasn't sold on the idea. What could this small, auburn-haired, know-it-all have that fascinated Albus so much. Why was she so special?
Then I met her.
She was quiet and shy at first when she saw me, but then the talking began and she gained momentum. How can you sum up Rose Weasley in words? At eleven I didn't like how such a loud voice could come out of a small thing like her. She didn't appeal to me in the least. She was bossy and up in your face all the time when she wanted to be whenever she felt like it. Throughout that year I'd heard whispers about Albus and I. I had girls talked to me purely to get their names in the Hogwart's gossip mill. It was down right ridiculous, yet we lapped it up. We were naïve.
It increased as we got older. Then it got to the point where it was just downright ludicrous and degrading to my own self-respect. Yet, for all the fame and followers we acquired Rose never followed us around once. Never even tried to ride on our coattails once unlike all the others. She could have, I mean I would have understood. Albus was her cousin and all, she had a right to if she wanted, but she didn't. She couldn't have given a damn about what Albus and I pulled or what we were doing at the moment. She was just there when we needed her, with her own different set of friends whenever we wanted to escape the hectic life of living in the fast lane just for the time being.
It was then, around fourth year, when I developed my temper. Rose came back from the summer with clearer, shimmering skin. Her hair had become sleek not the wild mess of tangles that she had up until recently adorned. Her body had filled out, she'd become taller with legs and everything else I can only imagine. She had always had a bright mind and strong personality, but with her new beauty she now rivaled her veela cousin, Dominique. Now that's saying something. Then the queue of boyfriends came, right around the time that I could be found hitting the roof at odd points in time preferably whenever Rose had a date. I wonder if anyone else noticed the peculiar times I always happened to throw a fit?
I couldn't identify the jealousy at first. It seemed absurd to me that I should care; mind you I hadn't really thought about Rose much in the past four years, so it puzzled me for a good while. It still didn't click.
I watched. I watched them all come and go. It was easier than you can imagine as Albus thought I was just spying for him, he didn't like it her popularity too much either, but really I was spying for my own personal pleasure. I didn't really think about why I became so happy when each boy failed to meet her expectations. I only knew that none were ever good enough for someone like her. Rose cared deeply about each of her boyfriends, no matter what happened to them. She was just like that. She was just a people person. She loved to help others. She loved to share anything she knew on any subject. She had opinions, goals, and dreams. That was downright sexy.
Then one night I saw her in the Astronomy Tower. Her head leaned against Michael, a sixth year prefect at the time. He leaned down to press a chaste kiss against her forehead. He whispered in her hair as he stroked her side that she was the most amazing person he'd ever met and that he was lucky to have her and, here's the kicker, that he loved her.
I saw only red and felt the surge of rage rise in me as I reached for my wand only to have Albus drag me back and away from the corridor.
"What the hell's wrong with you?" Albus questioned me breathlessly as I yanked my arms away from him once we were out of earshot. I was seething and tried to find a way around back to the doorway. To no avail. "He's not doing anything! He's only treating her like he should." Albus was fighting me back pushing me once, twice, before grabbing my collar to look me in the eye.
"Did you hear him? Are you going to let him say those things?" I cried in near hysteria. I was in disbelief I couldn't believe this kid was saying those things to her when clearly none of it was the truth. It wasn't! It just couldn't be!
"Why can't he say that he loves her? Maybe he does." Albus shrugs nonchalantly. I only gape at him. "What? Why can't she be loved by him? It's not as if you'll love her. Rose deserves happiness." Albus finishes before beckoning me to walk off with him. I only gape some more.
I searched somewhere deep within myself in those few seconds. I really did. Then things flashed before me. Pieces fell into place. Rose how she loves to tuck her hair behind her ear. Rose when she yells at me for being an idiot, putting me in my place. Rose when she knows something already and lets her hand sail into the air to answer the question from the professor. Rose when she laughs in a weird menacing way that use to frighten me, but now only makes me smile fondly. Rose when she looks at me and she is truly interested in what I have to say. It's for all that, when I finally understood how much I knew about this girl from just watching her, that I realized I was truly, completely, smitten with her. I hadn't spotted it in my non-existent eleven year old brain, but she was the girl that I wanted. That I needed. That scared me to no end. Yet she was there. A constant when I didn't even think my unstable life even had a consistent thing in it.
And for all that, I loved Rose Weasley. And I told her cousin Albus Potter.
He didn't believe me. He still doesn't, I can see it in his eyes even two years later. It's a shame. I declare my love for Rose and Albus makes me swear to not touch her. How is life fair? It isn't, but what could I do? I had to choose between Albus' happiness or mine. Generally, I'm a selfish person, but no matter what, I could never betray my best friend. He suffers already. Well, I suffer too, but I'd rather be unhappy than him. I'll live through it and I do. I date girls. I hate who I date, but it's the hand I've been dealt and I'm dealing with it the best way I know how.
Then this opportunity. This golden opportunity arises. Thank Merlin that I've finally found the one chink in Albus' unbreakable armor. Being put in his place. He hates it. Despises it. Doesn't like being told what to do. In fact he tells others what to do. Does he know that he does this? Maybe… but I'll use it against him all the same. I can't thank fate enough for sending me this girl, Beulah. She was a whizzing bludger I hadn't seen coming, but I'll take what I can get and help Albus out in the process. I don't think he can see how self-destructive his behavior is becoming. I know I'm not the perfect person to preach to him, but even I know that it's time to grow up. We're half-way through sixth year for Merlin's sake.
I think this is the girl to do it. She was different. Well, she was slightly older, but I think Albus likes her. So I'm helping us all out in this situation. Now I just have to get Rose to see it my way. Maybe I'm starting a little early with my plan. I mean I am being a little bit too optimistic here thinking that Beulah will be 100 percent effective on Albus, but then again I've waited long enough. I decide to take immediate action.
"Hello Rose" I lower my voice a little and grin at the girl seated on a bright red chair in the Gryffindor common room. Her hair clashes with it terribly.
"Scorpius? How did you get in here?" Rose questions as the smile on her face falters and dies upon spying me. Wonderful, I'm really starting out well here.
"Lily" I respond in non-chalance and wave my hand as if I just casually throw away the question. It was actually a hassle to get that damn password from her. Only one thing worked on her. Bribery. Rose and I stare at each other and one of her friend's clears their throat in the uncomfortable, awkward silence.
"So, Lily let you in, but why are you in here?" Rose continues still struggling to pull together why I'm in here in her mind. She hasn't gotten it yet and it's been three years of harmless flirting banter back and forth. I haven't openly declared myself to her, but it she really that dense?
"I really needed to ask you something…." A girl to her left giggles slightly and I can just feel this conversation spiraling downwards at maximum velocity. I was crashing and burning. "…about potions!" I invent wildly.
"Potions?" she repeats flatly and gives a sideways glance to the giggling girl. "Did you bring your book?"
"Well, no" I stutter out and start to loosen my tie a bit. Is it unnaturally hot in here or is it just me? "I left it in my dorm. Do you want to come get it with me?"
"Why would I want to do that?" She echoes dumbfounded and shudders. "The dungeons scare me as it is. I wouldn't spend unnecessary time down there. Did you know that there it less oxygen-"
"Humor me, Rose." I state firmly and her eyes widen marginally. Her face blanks out still trying to comprehend that I interrupted her. I clasp my hands behind my back and wait patiently for her answer. I'll never admit it, but I had my fingers crossed.
Good luck held and Rose simply shrugged numbly before getting up to follow me. She left a large gap in between us. Not a good sign of trust there.
"So what do you need help on? Is it the reaction boomslang skin has with copper cauldrons? That confused me as well at first because…" Rose prattled off. I think she was nervous, but I'm not sure. I'd seen her do this sometimes with other boys she liked, but she was never this high-strung. For instance when I made a move to close the distance between us she just fell to the ground in a heap and pretended to tie her shoe. The situation was unnerving and uncomfortable. By the time we got down to the Slytherin Common room I had heard just about every use for lacewings you can imagine.
"Here we are." I told her and walked through the entrance after spitting out the password. She hesitated only for a moment before strutting in before me with her head held high. I only chuckled and followed.
Most Slytherins didn't bother with looking at us. Sure, it was uncommon for Gryffindors to be in our headquarters, but not unheard of.
"Wait here." I motion for her to take a seat on a long chaise and I run upstairs to grab my book and come back down within seconds. Rose had made herself comfortable by laying low in the chaise. Her body covered by the tall back of the couch. Rose might have looked like she was about to seduce me except for the expression on her face. She was frightened.
"I've never like the dungeons." She tells me warily before looking around the musty room.
"Yes, you've made that quite clear." I comment politely before sinking down opposite to her. I open the book and flip to a random page. I shut the book with a snap immediately.
"Here's the thing" I say swiftly as I look up to see her awe-struck face "I like you." I'll admit, it's a bit of an understatement, but I don't want to scare the poor girl.
"W-what?" She stumbles out and sits up on her elbows. Her long hair falls all around, her hair color fits much better with the light green furniture in here.
"You heard me."
"This is a joke right? Albus put you up to this, yeah?" Rose comments dryly and looks around for him. "Ha ha really funny, you almost had me fooled." Rose tells to the non-existent Albus, really she's talking to air.
"This isn't a joke, Rose." I tell her slightly hurt. I let the emotion show on my face. She doesn't believe it.
"Scorpius, we don't match." She enunciates. Ouch, that stings. "We shouldn't play around like this." She points to the both of us and makes to leave.
"You really think this is a big prank?" I ask in disbelief. She narrows her eyes and leaves her mouth parted slightly.
"Isn't it?" Rose asks me in all seriousness.
"Umm… no."
"Don't" she warns
"Don't what?" I bite out in frustration as she stands and backs away from me. I get up as well and watch her cautiously. Rose looks like she's about to make a break for it.
"Leave me alone." She commands. I've never seen her quite this unsure. She looks like a wild animal on the run from a predator. Normally Rose's so sure-footed and level headed. It was as if I'd sent her sprawling on her back with a boulder strapped to her and she couldn't get up.
Rose scrambled away from me and just my luck as she went to remove herself from the common room Albus walked in the door and into her. He looked in a right mood.
"Rose?" he looks at her through his green eyes and holds her gently by the shoulders.
"How could you?" I hear her question him with a meek voice and Albus' gaze finds mine. I'm utterly confused. What just happened again? I did not think she was going to act like this. This was madness.
"What did you do?" Albus demands of me and Rose takes those few moments to leave our present company. She's gone in a flash and I'm struck dumb.
"Nothing!" I protest but he doesn't believe me.
"You told her something." He pushes and walks towards me with folded arms.
"I just told her I liked her. That's all I swear. I didn't ask her for anything. Not even a date." I blurt out honestly and Albus' dark face lightens up as he sighs out in frustration.
"You haven't won the bet yet." He tells me pointedly and falls in the same chair Rose just recently vacated.
"What the hell just happened?" I inquire to his resting form.
"You really want to know?"
"I wouldn't have asked if I didn't."
Albus sits up and presses against his temples with his fingers. "The thing is," He points his palm face up to me, gesturing as he explains "and I promised Rose I would never tell you this, but well she liked you." I look at Albus in shock for a whole five minutes. Was he serious?
Apparently.
"What?" I screech and jump up a little in my seat just to add to the effect. I liked to be a little dramatic every once in a while, but this situation definitely called for me to pull out the dramatics.
"I know. I know." Albus compensates "It was back in first year." I squint and try to remember any types of hints she might have given off. I could think of none.
"I didn't know!" I object. Albus just holds up his hand to stop me.
"Look, she didn't want you to know. The only reason I even knew was because I caught her staring at you one time. When you didn't even pay the slightest bit of attention to her back then, well, you sort of hurt her, badly. She was torn up about it. She made me swear up and down never to mention it to anyone. It's why I wouldn't let you date her. It was the saddest I've ever seen her the day you kissed Melinda Baker down by the lake." Albus pointed out and that scene flashed before my eyes. I wanted to vomit. It was so unfair that I would loose out on love because of one girl who turned out to be a really bad kisser and my unperceptive eleven year old self.
I sank back in the cushions unable to open my mouth for fear of my voice cracking in agony.
"I know" Albus nodded along with me as if he could follow my train of thought. "It sucks." We sit there for longer than I care to know.
I finally speak. I couldn't stand the silence anymore. "How's the librarian quest?" I don't really think I care. What was the point of this bet now?
"Shitty." He replies and sulks as he leans his head on his fist. I can't help, but feel that's a perfect adjective to describe this day.
