Above All Things
By: LittleLauren:]

Chapter 4: To Throw Her Off

No one was allowed to know about us, under any circumstances whatsoever. I actually came to enjoy the secrecy… it felt like an adventure. We acted like complete enemies during most of the day, and a couple by the evening. It was fun.

However, after a few months, it was hard to play along with our little game. Ellie and Al thought Scorpius and I were "flirting" when I repeatedly said we were arguing. They let it go, but Lily was hard to convince. Unknown by anyone else, she began her own little private investigation. So, we tried our best to convince her otherwise indirectly…

Ellie and I were helping Lily with her Charms essay in the Clock Tower court yard taking in the first days of spring. It was the perfect setup for a convincing row with Scorpius.

We heard the clock strike four. Cue Scorpius from behind… "Oi! Red!" Right on schedule.

All three of us looked up from what we were doing because we all knew who it was. Only Ellie and Lily turned their heads. I stayed quite still.

"Rose-" whispered Ellie.

"I know."

Lily laughed. "Oh, look! Here comes your boyfriend."

I shoved Lily slightly and whispered harshly, "No, he is not my boyfriend!"

Then Scorpius was speaking again. "Oh, come on, Red. Am I that horrible?" He was smiling… I just felt him smiling, but I didn't give him an answer. I just dug my face in my book, inwardly grinning at Scorpius' great acting skills. "Seriously? The cold shoulder?"

I finally turned around, but I was afraid if I said anything, the plan wouldn't pan out. I just gave him the infamous 'Weasley' look, and he mockingly grimaced. "So we aren't friendly today, eh?"

"Oh, shove off Malfoy," I spat his name out like it was a stale pumpkin pasty.

"C'mon, Red," he said grabbing my hand. I tried my best to look disgusted. "Just forget about everything that we've been though and just go out with me?" He was so cute pretending.

I rolled my eyes. "We've never been though anything. What we did was stupid and irrational, and I'd never go out with someone like you." I took my hand out of Scorpius' grasp, and in turn, he folded his arms.

"Someone like me?"

"Yes."

"How so?"

This time I put my book down and slowly stood up. "Well, you think you're big and bad, you're very egotistical, you don't take no for an answer, and you slick your hair back just because you think it's cool." He looked at me, wide-eyed. That wasn't exactly part of the plan, but I think I put my two cents in quite nicely. I could tell Scorpius was impressed with my quick answer.

"You forgot one other thing," he replied.

"Like what?" I was really getting into character. I could feel anger bubbling inside of me, even if we were just putting on an act.

Scorpius smiled deviously, and it sent shivers throughout my body. "You forgot that I don't live in an old shack like your pathetic family."

That last remark was very surprising coming from him, and it kind of actually hurt me. Lily got up in front of me, facing Scorpius. "Was that necessary?" she asked him quietly.

Scorpius frowned. I guessed he realized what he said. I walked away quietly. I knew he was sorry, but I didn't look back. I didn't stop until I found myself down by the boat house. My feet dangling over the dock, I looked up at the clouds by the distant mountains, wondering what it would be like to go there. Scorpius sat down next to me silently.

"Hey," he whispered apologetically. "I didn't mean-"

"I know," I cut him off. We sat there for a while, not talk or moving… just looked out at the horizon. He daringly placed his tense hand on top of mine, and it relaxed when I didn't turn him down. Minutes passed, but it felt like hours. I finally spoke up. "I thought something like that would happen, but I didn't know if I was ready for it just yet."

"Oh," Scorpius said. He patiently waited for me to continue.

"Just out of curiosity," I looked at him to see him looking at me with rapt attention. "Why did you say that we live in a shack?" He looked lost for words.

"Well," he muttered. "My father always said-"

"Never mind," I waved it off, relieving Scorpius out of his tight situation. A couple minutes went by, in which we continued to look out at the sun beginning to hide itself behind the dark mountains. Then I said, "The Burrow."

"What?" Scorpius said in confusion.

"It isn't a shack, it's a Burrow. My father used to live there, and it's cozy and warm, and if I had the choice, I'd invite you to our Sunday get-togethers," I smiled. "You'd like it."

He smiled too. He then looked around to see if anyone was eavesdropping. When he saw the setting was all clear, he leaned in closer to me and gently pecked my lips. "You're really something, Red."

"Really?" I flirted. "And all this time I thought I was nothing to you."

"Not anymore." He got up and helped me up as well. "I think we should head back. That cousin of yours might think we've run off to France."

I laughed. "Probably. She's such a drama queen."

As we were walking back up to the castle, Scorpius put his arm around my shoulder. "I think we fooled her though," he commented.

I shook my head. "I don't think she's given up."

"Do you mean she wants us together?"

"I think she wants to prove she's right."

"So very true."

Therefore, we spent even less time with each other when Lily was sure to be watching. I spent more time with Ellie and Al, and Scorpius spent more time with his friends, Gretta Zabini and Vince Goyal. I thought we finally fooled the infamous "love investigator" who was Lily Luna Potter by splitting our tactics up, but I sadly thought wrong.

One weekend, I was in the Library doing some homework, and Scorpius was at Hogsmeade, to try to get Lily out of our hair, but that little devil was very stubborn and persistent.

She slammed her book down on the table I was sitting at. "I might be younger than you, but I'm not stupid."

"What do you mean?" I asked calmly, not looking away from my Transfiguration research. Even though I was expecting this day to come, I was still very nervous.

"What do you think I mean, Rose Weasley?" She had her hands on her hips and she tapped her foot, expecting a legitimate answer. When I glanced up at her and didn't say anything, she continued in a whisper, "You and Scorpius are going out, and I know you two are hushing it up."

I sighed. "Alright."

"Oh, don't give me that bunch of-" Lily stopped, and finally gathered what I said. When she realized, she whispered, "Seriously?"

I nodded.

"You know, you don't have to lie to me to make me feel like I've accomplished something," Lily said leaning on one side, hands on her hips.

"I'm not lying, Lily," I said truthfully. When she looked surprised, I said, "I don't know why you're confused. You were the one who said it."

"Yeah, but I didn't know you two were actually going out. I was taking a long shot, for Merlin's sake!"

I shushed her. "If you haven't noticed, we're trying to hush it up, so if you don't mind, please don't repeat anything you've heard."

"I swear." Then she sat down across from me and whispered, "Now, how did it happen?"

I smiled. "It just sort of… happened… you know?"

"No," she giggled. "But I think it's awfully romantic." She sighed longingly. "I imagine you've been cutting it lose then?"

"What?" I asked, confused.

"You know," she suggested. "Scorpius isn't exactly the type of guy whose idea of fun is doing research. He must've been showing you there's more to life than papers and studying."

"I know there's more to life than studying!"

"Oh yeah?" she asked knowingly. "Then why are you here instead of out there?" She pointed to the window behind her.

"To throw you off, of course."

"Wow," Lily laughed. "You two are horrible when it comes to secrets."

I told Scorpius what had happened with Lily when he arrived back from Hogsmeade. He was fine with it, but he wasn't sure that Lily herself could keep that big a secret.

"I don't think that's true," I said as we shared a bunch of sweets Scorpius bought at Honeydukes in a secluded part of the dungeons. "I'm kind of surprised that I didn't say anything to Al or Ellie." Then he gave me this look... a look that said, 'Now, don't be mad...' "What did you do?" I asked him slowly.

''I might've- well I did- what I mean to say is-"

"Could you tell me before you forget?" I stopped his stuttering.

He looked up at me, smiled apologetically, and said, "I told Gretta."

"Really?" I asked him, amused. "I didn't think you'd tell Gretta."

"Well, she happens to be my best friend."

"I thought I was your best friend."

"Nah," Scorpius said, putting his arms around me. "You're just my girlfreind."

A/N: I know this isn't much, but I already have the next two and a half chapters written… I just have to stop being so lazy and type! :P

Read and Review!

LL! :]