Chapter Four: Aftermath
Rose had been hiding in the library all day. She had skipped breakfast, leaving the tower before anyone else was awake. She had been dozing off in front of the library doors when Madame Pince arrived. The librarian hadn't said a word or asked the question that Rose was sure she wanted to. She simply unlocked the doors and marched into the room silently. Rose followed behind, equally as silent. She retreated to her spot in the back, immediately shedding her sweater to make a temporary pillow and rested her head on top of it.
The previous night had been exhausting. Once James had found out what really happened on the field, all hell broke loose. He had come after her at dinner, asking questions non-stop and glaring over at the Slytherin table every chance he got. Jasmine had finally snapped at him to get him away from Rose, but by then her appetite had left her and she was ready to leave. No sooner had she got up from her seat, and then James was back at her side, asking her where she was going. It was at that point that things took a turn for the worse.
Out of nowhere, Scorpius had appeared, stepping in front of Rose, facing James. "Back off, Potter. She's been through enough today."
"Don't presume to tell me what to do with my cousin, Malfoy. She's not your concern."
"May she should be. After what I saw today on the pitch, I can say for a fact that she isn't yours."
"How dare you," James had pulled out his wand then.
Rose had stared at both of them, not even breathing. Scorpius did not take out his wand, but his hand twitched in the direction of his pocket. She had pushed past both of them and ran out of the Great Hall. There was no other option at that point. She couldn't turn on Scorpius but she couldn't turn her back on her family either. She hadn't gone back to the tower and the library had been closed for an hour already. Impulse had made her head for the third floor corridor, a place which was secluded and normally vacant.
As she had raced around the pillar to the East corridor, someone had grabbed her. She had opened her mouth to scream but a hand clamped over her lips before the noise could be released. "Rose." Upon hearing the voice, she had stopped struggling. Rudolph had let her go and Jasmine had appeared out of the shadows. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."
"What are you guys doing here?"
"Keeping you company…away from James," Jasmine had answered, rolling her eyes when she said his name.
"Thanks."
Silence had followed. Rose had leaned back against the column, closing her eyes. She pushed back against it and slid down onto the floor. Jasmine had done the same across from her. Rudolph had stayed standing, watching both of them. "Sooo, that was some show," he had commented, breaking the lack of sound. "I'm sure it is going to have everyone talking for a while, the professors inclu- Ow!"
"Way to go, Captain Smooth," Jasmine had snapped, moving to smack Rudolph.
"No, he's right," Rose had sighed, leaning her head back. The three of them had stayed there for a while, in silence before heading back to the Common Room.
James and Hugo had been waiting, seated by the fire with Lily and Albus. Rose had been sure what would be said, but before James had had the opportunity to start his onslaught again, Jasmine gave them all a death glare, while Rudolph had shielded Rose until they reached the door to her dormitory. Once Rose had gotten into bed, no force could remove her. She had pulled the covers over her head and gone to sleep.
Sleep had not come easily. She had overheard James and Jasmine yelling back and forth down in the Common Room. Once or twice she had heard Lilly sit on the edge of her bed and whisper to her, a weak attempt to get her to come down and join her family. Eventually, Rose had fallen asleep, but even then she had been plagued by unpleasant thoughts. She had had a reoccurring dream of falling the entire night. It had been just like her fall earlier, only no one was there to catch her.
It had been a rough evening to say the least. The peaceful library was a pleasant contrast. Rose was soothed by the complete silence and lack of other students. Though her sweater was not a contender against her pillow when it came to comfort, it sufficed for the moment. It took her several moments to close her eyes. She was afraid the nightmare would return. However, the pull of exhaustion overtook her and she slipped into unconsciousness.
She didn't fall this time. Things were simply dark and tranquil. There was no noise. There was only the long-awaited solace she craved. She was unaware of how much time had passed. She felt soothed and the gentle pressure on her back was furthering her state of relaxation. The massage went deep, working out all the tension of the previous day. It wasn't until she opened her eyes and realized she was staring at the library floor that she also realized that she was awake.
Without another moment's hesitation, she grabbed the person's wrist and slammed them down on the table. "What the hell do you think you are-,"
"Hello."
"Scorpius!"
"Yes."
"What are you doing here?"
"Borrowing a library book," he selected a random book.
"Can't you find someone else to torment?" she cried, exasperated, grabbing the book out of his hand and returning it to the shelf.
"Probably," he shrugged, "but I doubt it would be nearly as amusing. Besides," he stepped in front of her, cupping her chin in his palm. "I have a soft spot for you."
Rose froze momentarily. Scorpius never touched her in public and he never touched her without reason. He had held her while she cried in third year after Gretchen Beguin called her a teacher's pet and he often helped her align herself when they practiced Quidditch together, but this was new. He was looking at her like he was thinking of doing more. She felt her cheeks redden to match her hair and quickly moved aside.
He stopped her, propping his leg up against the wall and blocking her exit. "Do you remember in third year when you got your first detention?"
"My only detention," she reminded him, more annoyed now that he had brought up the one black mark on her record.
"Whatever," he shrugged. "Still, do you remember that afternoon in McGonagell's office?"
Rose thought back. She had been so mortified when her parents had found out. There was no Howler, thankfully. Instead, her parents had come to Hogwarts, worried that she was ill or something had happened to her. They couldn't comprehend that she had completed such acts of her own free will.
It had been in their third year. Rose had been practicing with Hugo and Albus all afternoon for her upcoming transfiguration test, when Adam Beardley of Slytherin House started in on all three of them about their parents. Rose had gotten so mad when neither her brother or her cousin had said anything more than "Sod off," that she had pointed her wand at Beardley and shouted, "Tullipedias!" One second Beardley was standing before him and the next he was a flowerpot, complete with blooming tulips. Hugo had started laughing, but Albus had gone stark white. Rose had only enjoyed her success for a moment, before McGonagell had appeared out of nowhere and sentenced her to afternoon detention.
She recalled how ashamed she had felt when she had to walk through the door. Though it was all in her head, she had felt as though everyone had been staring at her when she was walking down the hall to McGonagell's classroom. It wasn't until she walked through the door that she had really felt humiliated. There was utter silence as the five students in the room stared upon her. Apparently, none of them could believe that she of all people would be in this room with them.
Scorpius broke the silence by bursting out laughing. "You can't be serious."
"As a matter-of-fact, Mr. Malfoy, I am indeed serious. Ms. Weasley, perhaps you would take a seat aside of your friend?" Professor McGonagell suggested.
Rose did as she was told, keeping her eyes down. She could only imagine what her mother would say when she found out about this. A howler was sure to arrive in the mail any day now.
"What did you do?" Scorpius poked her arm with the end of his quill, leaving a small blot of ink on her uniform.
"Silence!" McGonagell snapped, striking the tip of her wand against the front of their desk.
"Sorry," Scorpius said, still chuckling to himself. He waited for a brief moment for McGonagell to turn her back on him, before leaning over to whisper to her. "Seriously, though, Rose, what did you do?"
She had refused to answer him. He had pestered her all through detention, but she remained silent. It wasn't until that evening, when they had been set free that she opened up and spoke about it with him. She shook her head, ending the memory.
"What is with you?" she snapped, hurrying to the librarian's desk.
He didn't respond. When they both got to the desk, Madame Pince raised a brow at the pair of them standing there together. Rose stifled a growl. The last thing she needed was some ancient witch giving her disapproving glares. The librarian didn't say a word out loud. As she stamped the book, her eyes spoke volumes about what her opinion of Rose and Scorpius was. She handed the book back over the countertop, still glaring. Rose snatched it up in a second, whipping around to leave. Scorpius followed close behind.
He matched her stride step for step, not pushing past her nor staying behind her. Rose was biting her bottom lip, trying to keep her anger in check. She knew she had inherited her hot temper from her father, but she resented how easily her calm demeanor could shift. They walked past other students in the hall. Some passed by without even a glance in their direction. Others openly stared and one Hufflepuff girl stumbled over her own feet when she lifted her eyes to meet Scorpius's glare. Rose almost laughed at that…almost.
They walked in complete silence. He didn't try to speak to her and she wanted nothing more than for him to leave her alone. She needed to sort things out on her own before she could deal with him and the aftermath of his actions. Being around him so closely and so frequently only confused her further. Plus if James spotted them together now, after his little talk, she would never hear the end of it from him or her parents.
When they reached the stairs to Gryffindor tower, she couldn't stop her outburst. "Why did you even do it?" she hissed, turning around sharply to face him. "Why didn't you go after the snitch like James? I would have been fine. They could have grown my bones back."
"Rose, I-,"
"Were you trying to prove something? Do you think I can't handle myself out on that pitch," she pointed her finger in the direction of the field. "I am just as good as any guy out there. Just because I got struck by that bludger doesn't mean I am done. I can still fly better than my brother, better than my cousin, and better than-,"
"Rose!"
Scorpius grabbed her arms, pinning them down to her sides, and pushing her up against the wall. She opened her mouth to snap at him, when his lips crashed down on hers. She wiggled in his grip, trying to move away at first, confused and too shocked to understand. But he held on, not relinquishing his grip on her. She felt her eyes close and she sighed. He bit down gently on the edge of her lip, causing her to gasp. He kissed her deeply, savoring the soft way her lips touched his and moving his hands down to her waist. She trailed her hands up his chest, feeling the rise and fall of his breath. Her fingers ran up his neck, behind his ears, to hold his head. He pulled her closer so that their bodies were up against each other with barely enough room for them to move.
"Stop," she whispered, leaning her head back slightly. She looked at him with her eyes slightly out of focus. "I can't breathe." He smiled, and took a step back, releasing her. "Wh-what just happened?"
He shrugged. "I had to shut you up somehow."
Her eyes lit up with anger and she raised her hand. He chuckled, catching her before she could smack him. He yanked her forward, causing her to lose balance and fall into him. "Don't fight it, Rose. You can't win this one." He kissed her quickly once more, then let her go and headed off toward the dungeons.
Rose was laying in bed, staring at the ceiling as she had for the past hour. She couldn't sleep, didn't want to eat, and she was certainly not going to attempt to do any form of homework at the present moment. Her head kept on playing the memory over and over again against her will. Scorpius in the library and following her down the hall and then that kiss…She felt her hands ball up into fists as she bit down on her bottom lip. What in Godric's name was going on with him? It had to be a joke. He was probably laughing about it with his blokes right now. She was reading way too far into it.
Only she had a nagging feeling that she wasn't. Scorpius was not the type to take action lightly. Suddenly, she felt light-headed. Rolling onto her side, she closed her eyes and groaned. She had kissed her best friend. There was no way to take something like that back and it wasn't as if she could avoid him. They played on their House teams, attended the same classes, and lived in the same castle. Where could she go?
"Rose, time for dinner," Hugo called up the steps. She felt her heart stop. It hadn't dawned on her until now what her family would do if they ever found out. "Rose, are you up there?"
She heard foot steps, soft and quick on the staircase. Lily. She did not want to see her family, not after all their antics and her betrayal. She rolled off her bed in one swift motion, landing on the balls of her bare feet. As the common room door creaked open, she slid under her bed, and pulled herself up, hugging the wooden frame so that she was suspended over the floor. Lily didn't even bother to poke around. With a sweeping glance, she surveyed the room and retreated. Rose remained frozen in her hiding spot for a moment, listening to her cousins and her brother speak downstairs. She couldn't make out what they were saying, but she didn't care to know. She was more interested in hearing them exit then listening in on their gossip.
Normally, she would go to the library at a time like this, but since that was how she had gotten into this mess, she decided against it. There was always the Quidditch pitch. A good evening ride would be nice and relaxing, but the pitch was a spot frequented by Scorpius and younger students searching for a place to make-out. She had no intentions of seeing either this evening. So she came out from under the bed and sat on the floor by the wide windows that overlooked the castle grounds.
It all appeared so peaceful and serene. If she didn't know any better, she would have thought it had always been like this, but the castle had been rebuilt after the war of her parent's era. Her mother often complained about how it wasn't the same anymore. However, her father found the renovations to be a grand opportunity for updating the old structure. One of the things that had changed was the secret passage-ways. Once a route of escape for her uncle and her parents, all the hidden doors and tunnels leading in and out of Hogwarts had been eliminated as a means of protection for the future generations. It had never bothered Rose until now, when she truly needed an escape.
Fight or flight syndrome ran in her blood. Her mother had often chosen the former in her life, which explained why she was one of the most sought after witches in the Ministry of Magic. The other reason was that she had been in the war and had survived. With the exception of Rose's uncle, her mother, Hermione Granger Weasley had been in the most peril of any in the army against Lord Voldemort. Though it was true that she had voluntarily put herself in such a position, it hadn't made the fights any less harder. Hermione tended to be mute on the details of the final battle against the Dark Lord, but Rose had once heard her say that it was the worst time of her life and that she wished such an experience on no one. Another indicator and lasting impression of how horrible a time it had been was the physical marks. Rose had seen her Uncle Bill's scars and could see the pain in her Uncle George's eyes each time someone said his name outloud. Though she had never met her Uncle Fred, she understood how close the two had been. She often saw the same connection between her cousins, especially James and Lily.
Hugo and Rose had been close all their lives, but they could function without one another. James and Lily were very similar in the way they moved and spoke and acted. They were a pair through and through. When Rose had been younger, she had been jealous of their relationship. She had longed for a companion who could relate to her and talk to her like Lily and James did with each other. That had all changed the day she met Scorpius on the train. They had connected instantly the way only children could, without limits, rules, or past history. And they had continued that friendship over the years despite the dispproval of their family members. His friendship meant a great deal to her. She couldn't lose it now, especially for something as pathetic as a crush.
Glancing at the clock, she realized that her family would soon be back from dinner. Not wanting to hide under her bed again, Rose got up and headed out of the Common Room. No one was around. The corridors of the castle were empty and silent except for a few portraits that were up talking. As she went down passageway after passageway, she barely took notice of where she was going. She didn't have a plan. She only wanted to stay away from everyone who would bring up questions that she did not want to answer. As she rounded the corner in the East wing of the castle, she heard footsteps approaching from further down the hall. Turning on her heel, she retraced her steps backwards and jumped inside a small broom closet. She waited, holding her breath by the door until the footsteps had gone by and faded away.
She reached down to take hold of the doorknob, when she heard a strange sound. Looking over her shoulder, she saw the room growing larger. The walls began to widen, breaking apart and creating a huge open space with a table, chair, and bookcase stocked full of various novels and textbooks. Rose stared at the spectacle in wonder. She remembered her parents mentioning a room like this in the castle, but no one had seen it since the war. It had not appeared in a generation. Most had thought it had vanished along with some of the original architecture. She made her way slowly over to the desk, pausing at the edge to run her fingers over the wood. She didn't believe that it was real. But the tabletop was firm under her hand and the soft light from the glowing lamps that hung from the ceiling helped to put her mind at ease. She grabbed a novel from the shelf and sat down.
Three chapters later, she heard the same footsteps in the hall as earlier. She closed the book, waiting. Her eyes were transfixed on the door in front of her. The footsteps stopped. She felt her breath hitch as she saw the shadow of the person in the crack beneath the doorframe. The handle of the door jiggled as the person outside tried to turn it. Rose leapt up from her seat, darting behind the bookcase. The door didn't open, until the person performed the "Allohamora" charm. It swung open freely, allowing the stranger inside. Rose pressed her back against the firm wood of the bookshelf, cupping her hand over her mouth to silence her breathing. She didn't know what the rules were for using this room, but she was certain that by now it was after curfew and she would be getting at the very least detention if this was a professor or a Prefect. The unknown person came into the room, walking slowly towards the desk. She cursed inwardly, realizing that she had left the book on the table, a good indicator that she had been in the room only moments before.
As the person came closer, the room began to change. On the far back wall, the stone morphed to allow for a fireplace, which set itself ablaze instantly. The table and chair also changed. They became a coffee table and a dark leather couch. Then the bookcase started to transform. Rose knelt down as the shelf started to shrink into the floor and become another couch. She had not been prepared for the room to start moving. She kept herself as close to the furniture as possible, but the couch was a completely different form than the bookcase had been. She was spotted. "Hello, Rose." She peered over the couch to see Scorpius lounging on the opposite one, his eyes staring at the fireplace.
"You," she stood up, perplexed. He didn't seem all that surprised by the room. In fact, he seemed right at home.
"You were expecting someone else?" He asked, his attention still on the dancing flames.
"Not exactly." She stood next to her sofa, watching him. He didn't say anything right away. She knew she should leave and going back to the Common Room. She was sure James would be waiting for her when she arrived, but right now she would rather take on her angry, overbearing cousin then try to speak to Scorpius. There was too much she could say, most of it she wanted to but couldn't. She needed time to clear her head before they discussed the kiss. She had to figure out how to make him her friend and nothing else. "Did you know I was in here?"
"Not initially, no."
Silence filled the room. A log broke in the flames, cracking into a few pieces that scattered in the hearth. Rose felt her heart pounding in her chest. Fight or flight. Being out this late was a bad idea. Being out this late and being in the company of a Slytherin was an even worse idea. Being out this late with a Slytherin named Scorpius Malfoy was an idea bad enough to get her a Howler the following morning.
"Come here," he said, looking at her.
She shook her head.
"Come here," he repeated himself.
"No."
"Have it your way then." He was off the couch and in front of her in an instant. If she hadn't grown up with so many males in her family, she might have jumped. But since James and Hugo had tortured her from a young age on, she wasn't all that surprised by things guys did anymore. What she wasn't expecting was what he did next. He squatted down, wrapped his arms around her thighs, and picked her up, dropping her over his shoulder.
"Scorpius!" He laughed, walking her over to his couch. "Put me down!" He dropped her on the cushions, taking a seat next to her. "I am not your plaything! You can't just pick me up and cart me around whenever you want."
"May I remind you that I did ask nicely. Twice."
"Whatever, I'm going back to the tower," she growled, standing up.
He pulled her back down and into his arms. "Still fighting it, huh?" He made a tsking noise at her. "You might as well give up now."
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Us, darling. You and me." Rose stilled. She felt the warmth of his body against hers and the strength in his broad arms. They were the same arms that had saved her on the pitch and the same ones that had pushed her up against the wall for that kiss. Her cheeks flushed. She closed her eyes, pausing for a moment to relish the sweet scent of his cologne and comfortable embrace. "Will you go to Yule Ball with me?" Rose's eyes shot open. She turned her head to look at him directly. "I promise I'm a good dancer," he grinned.
"Scorpius, I- I can't. We can't. It-,"
He pressed his lips against hers, pulling her up against him. She wasn't surprised this time. He was so close it was intoxicating. She felt his hands holding onto her hips, firm and controlling with a hint of possession there. She in turn let her hands run up along his arms to his shoulders, holding on as he deepened the kiss. Biting on her lip, sucking on the tip of her tongue. She couldn't catch her breath, but unlike last time, she didn't pull away. She didn't want to stop. Maybe it wouldn't be so hard to be more than friends with Scorpius. It was starting to look very appealing. There was a heat growing in the body. It was radiating off of her and she was sure the same could be said for him. She bit his bottom lip, hearing him suck in a breath. His one hand came up behind her head, under her hair to turn her face slightly. Then his teeth were nibbling light on her earlobe. Rose sighed against him, closing her eyes.
"Scorpius," she breathed his name.
"Say yes."
"Ok. Yes."
"Mmm," he captured her lips with his own, smiling as he kissed her. "I knew I could get you to say yes."
Rose pulled back, studying his face. "This is crazy, you know."
He sighed, running a hand through his hair, his eyes never leaving her. "Some people might say that. And I would say, Sod off, to them."
She smiled, shaking her head. "What about our families?"
"They'll learn to deal with it," he shrugged.
"Classes?"
"We have assigned seats, but between periods is a different story. I plan on snogging you every chance I get." Rose smiled again, rolling her eyes.
"Quidditch?"
"We are still going to kick Gryffindor's ass, but what else is new?" Rose punched him. "Oui!" He grabbed her in a hold, running his hand down her side lightly tickling her. She squirmed and let out a small scream. He chuckled and let her go, moving to kiss her again. "Any other questions?"
"Yeah," she sat up, hands on her hips. He waited. Her face broke into an evil smirk. "What took you so long?"
