Sixth chapter...for something that was originally just going to be a Rose/Scorpius one-shot that's not bad.
Enjoy the chapter :)
The sixth floor was empty, as most of the school was outside enjoying the sunny Saturday.
"Remind me how you, a perfectly smart girl, got yourself in this mess?" Joseph asked as he walked briskly to keep up with Evelyn and her long strides.
"Remind me why I am relying on you for moral support?" Evelyn snapped back.
Joseph shrugged "Because I was the only one capable of breathing after laughing so hard?"
She hit him lightly on the arm "Shut up!"
He laughed "Oh come on, if you had a sense of humour you'd find it funny"
"And if you had any sense at all you wouldn't wind me up" she said quickly with her feline smile.
He raised his eyebrows and stepped behind her as they passed a bunch of curious Slytherin first years "What you looking at midget?"
The tallest squared up to the older boy automatically "You, that a problem?"
He laughed and ruffled the younger boys hair before walking off "See you Bobbins, can you remember us being that cheeky Eves?"
She smiled reminiscently "Oh we were much cheekier than that, remember how we used to drive our older siblings mad?"
He nodded "Yeah I don't think Natty particularly liked having to keep fighting Dominique Weasley"
She shrugged "Well I'm pretty sure that Jonathan had fun hexing James Potter on my behalf"
He nodded, fiddling with his sticking up hair as they passed a reflective window "Probably"
Evelyn stopped just short of the Library "Remember, you just come up with an excuse of why I have to leave if I give you the signal"
He nodded seriously "What's the signal again?"
She considered for a moment "I'll cross my fingers behind my chair o.k?"
"Got it" he grinned "So what do I get for being your Prince Charming this morning?"
She raised her eyebrows "I'll do your Charms essay for you"
He cocked his head "That's it? I think I deserve for than that"
She put her hands on her hips fiercely "Take it or leave it Warrington"
He smirked and wrapped his arms around her shoulders "Aww I'll do it"She jabbed her thumb into his sides and he released her with a grimace.
She smiled at him sweetly "Does that mean I don't have to do your Charms?"
He nodded incredulously "You are so doing my charms homework for me Zabini"
She rolled her eyes and glanced at her watch "I'm very early"
He inclined his head and bowed slightly "Ladies first"
She smiled and slipped into the quiet Library, Joseph following like a grinning shadow.
She settled herself at window desk and watched the entrance nervously, swallowing as she heard hurried footsteps.
Albus ran in, his trainer laces trailing "Oh you're already here, hi"
"Hi" she smiled politely and gestured to a desk near the window "Shall we sit down?"
"Yeah" he said, moving over to her desk dropping his bag with a dull thunk on the carpeted floor.
She raised her eyebrows "What have you got in there?"
Albus glanced at his bag and shrugged "School books I guess?"
Evelyn pulled out several thick books "We can start with these first, they should give us plenty of background knowledge on Egypt and Rome at the time of Cleopatra."
Albus nodded and moved to sit next to her, then froze and sat down opposite her with a blush.
For her part though Evelyn's face betrayed no emotion she clenched her unseen fist under the table before passing him the book about Ancient Egypt.
He looked away from her as he took the book, unfortunately meaning he grabbed her outstretched arm rather than the book.
She yanked it away automatically and the book fell to the desk with a clunk, causing Madam Rowling to look sharply in their direction.
Albus snatched it up hurriedly "Sorry that was an accident, I didn't mean to..."
"Well that is the definition of an accident" Evelyn said, a little more sharply than she had intended. She could practically feel Josephs mocking stare on the back of her neck "Anyway, we should probably just make some notes on how we are going to do this presentation"
"Everyone else is doing a PowerPoint" her partner said helpfully "You know on the computer?"
"Of course I do" she said quickly, silently resolving to ask Harrison what on earth a PowerPoint was at the first opportunity.
He nodded enthusiastically "Great so you don't mind us doing one?"
"Why not?" she bluffed brightly "But we won't really be able to work on that until next lesson"
Albus nodded and bit his lip as Evelyn engrossed herself in a book about Romans "So you like to read?"
She looked up at him slowly "Quite a lot, why?"
"I was just wondering" he said quickly, hiding behind his own book.
She glanced discreetly at her watch, three hours left until she could feign hunger.
They read in silence which, bit by bit as they snuck glances at each other's studious expressions, soon became companionable. As they scribbled their notes both of them started to convince themselves that this was actually turning into what they'd meant it to be, two friends meeting in the library to research a joint project.
Albus was getting to the stage when he was planning when they could meet up again when the bubble was burst with the library door bursting open.
James stormed in "Al! You're supposed to be at Quidditch practice!"
He walked over to Albus then stopped dead when he saw Evelyn.
Albus swore and glanced at Evelyn's raised eyebrows "Err..."
Fred, who had followed his cousin in, gave a low whistle "Hello madam, have we met?"
Evelyn glanced at her purple summer dress, wishing she'd worn green "Not really..."
A look of recognition crossed Fred's face "Wait, you hang out with Lucy..."
James recovered his voice and turned on Evelyn "Al she's a Slytherin, you're a Slytherin!"
Albus blushed scarlet and tried to distract James "It's not like that..."
Evelyn crossed her arms defensively and glared up at her brother's enemy "I know that"
Fred grinned "Jamie boy she's not just any old Slytherin chick, if I'm not mistaken that is Zabini numero dos"
Evelyn glanced at him coolly "My name is Evelyn, not Zabini number two, Weasley"
He inclined his head with a wink "Call me Fred"
James glanced at his best friend incredulously "You flirt with Slytherin's now?"
Evelyn's hands curled into fists "Well judging from what I've heard you need the biggest field you can get Potter"
James pulled his wand out "You're lucky I don't hex girls Zabini, even if they are death eater spawn"
Evelyn froze, fiery fury dancing in her dark eyes "What, did you just call me?"
Joseph darted out from behind a bookcase and grabbed his friends arm "Come on Evie, he isn't worth it"
Evelyn allowed herself to get dragged from the room, leaving Albus to deal with his brother and cousin.
As they reached the staircase Joseph released her arm "You alright?"
She scowled at him "Why'd you stop me?"
He smirked "If you landed yourself in a week's worth of detentions, then who'd do my Charms?"
She nodded with an unbidden smile before taking control of her temper "Damm, I left my bag in there"
He rolled his eyes at her "Summon it then little Miss-top-of-the-class-in-Charms"
She raised her eyebrows and displayed her empty eyes "My wand is in it genius"
Footsteps made them turn around and Joseph immediately pulled out his own wand "What do you want Potter"
Albus gulped, faced by the two Slytherin duelling club champions "You forgot your bag"
He held it out by the strap and she took it with a sharp "Thanks"
He glanced at the hostile Joseph "Could I talk to you Evie, in private?"
"No" Joseph said before Evelyn could speak "Get lost Potter"
Evelyn gave her friend a little push "I'll see you back at the common room"
"But..." he began but at a looks from her fell silent "Fine, five minutes"
She watched him go before leaning against the stone wall "What do you want?"
"I didn't mean for it to be a date!" he burst out. "I just wanted to meet up as friends, you know to do some research. But then Tilly and everyone said that you probably thought it would be a date and I didn't know what to do. And then James came running in and got the wrong idea and I'm just so sorry! I do like you; I just like you as a friend. And I really hope..."
"Silencio" Evelyn said quietly and Albus clutched his throat "Firstly don't flatter yourself, I thought that we were meeting up as friends and if your babyish friends thought otherwise then that's their problem."
He looked at her, obviously hurt but she pressed on "Secondly I would warn your brother that as far as I and the rest of Slytherin are concerned death eater spawn is just as insulting as Mud blood. So warn him that if he calls someone who is holding their wand that he may find himself in the Hospital Wing"
She looked away from him and stared out towards the lake "Finally, I will do some research before the next Muggle Studies lesson and we can start our PowerPoint, clear?"
She waited for him to nod but he shook his head and pointed to his throat. She lifted the charm cautiously and he coughed quietly "I'm sorry about James..."
She blinked and tucked her hair behind one ear "Don't worry about...Thank you."
He smiled "I'd better get to that stupid practice, see you around?"
She nodded and turned to walk down the stairs "See you"
He moved towards a hidden passageway but she spun around at the last moment "Oh and Al, I'm sorry too"
He cocked his head to one side "For what?"
She smiled sadly "Jonathan, I'd stay away from your brother if I were you."
And with that she swung her bag onto her shoulder and walked down the spiral staircase.