The next day was almost as bad as the previous. Beating up Dimitri and staring into Rose's fragile eyes while hold her did not help him like he thought it would. He wanted even more answers, if possible, but he didn't know how about to get them. Scorpius knew he could not just go up to Rose and ask her, due to her delicate state. But Scorpius wondered if anyone else knew about this.
It would have to be someone close to her, someone who notices everything about her and someone she feels comfortable talking to. Scorpius knew Rose was friends with a majority of the school, but she did not have many close friends. He knew if she had told someone, which was very unlikely, they would have had to pry it out of her.
Scorpius was alone, on his way to the library, and was completely consumed in his thoughts. He felt his legs moving, and knew he was walking, but it felt like someone else was controlling his body; like he wasn't the one moving his feet. Why is she so damned befuddling, Scorpius thought full of anger and frustration. Although, Scorpius knew his anger wasn't towards the little confounding lady, but towards the thought of her. Scorpius stepped through the barrier to the library and was instantly at ease.
The library, to Scorpius, was like a second home inside of Hogwarts. He knew that most all problems could be solved within the walls of the aging room. He made his way to the back of the giant room, swerving around bookshelves with familiarity, having almost memorized every book in the place. He sat at the table no one else dared to sit at for some reason, it was the best one Scopus thought. It was right below a huge glass window, giving off amazing natural light for reading, and was isolated from the rest of the world.
After a boring hour Scorpius sighed and slammed his book shut, his mind was in far off places and he could not concentrate on the poetic words in front of him. He picked his head up and looked around at the other students, trying to finish essays last minute or do homework that was due days ago. He looked at the table a few rows down that was empty, aside from a lone boy. Normal when seeing this certain person Scorpius' stomach would churn and a scowl would appear on his face...but not today.
Something suddenly clicked in Scorpius' busy mind and he shot up, stuffing books into his bag, with the speed of lightning. Albus Potter seemed to be deeply interested with the book he held protectively, because he did not notice his blonde enemies presence until he cleared his throat rather obnoxiously. Albus was very surprised to see Scorpius Malfoy near him, without an evil glare in his eyes. "I need to talk to you, Potter."
This just keeps getting weirder and weirder, Albus thought to himself. "Yeah, I think i'll pass. Not really in the mood to talk to total wankers." Albus could almost sense anger coming from the blonde boy, and knew he probably didn't say the right thing to calm him down.
Scorpius all of a sudden slammed his palm down on the table, creating a loud bang, drawing eyes. "No, Potter, now!" Albus now knew that Scorpius wasn't in a mood to be messed around with and nodded his head.
"Okay, okay. Talk." Scorpius shook his head, looking around at the people glancing at the odd pair. Scorpius turned around and immediately walked in the other direct, giving Albus no other option than to follow like a lost puppy. Scorpius' strides were long and purposeful, leading Potter down intricate halls, deeper into the castle. Scorpius stopped in the abandoned part of the castle, and walked into an empty classroom, locking the door behind Albus. "Listen, if you're going to confess your undying love to me or something, you can just send a letter and some chocolates like the rest. I have much better places to be."
Scorpius turned around to face the boy, and glared at him. Albus noticed, though, that his glare wasn't completely full of hatred like usual, he saw curiosity. Scorpius took a loud deep breath, and after that it was silent. Albus was about to let out, yet another, rude comment when Scorpius finally spoke. "Does Dimitri Goldstein," Scorpius saw Albus visibly tense up. "ever...hurt Rose?" Albus' green eyes shot up, shock absorbing them.
One second the boys were stand across the room from each other, and then next second Albus had crossed the space. Albus was a great deal shorter, but he still was extremely intimidating as he grabbed Scorpius' collar. Albus was looking around wildly, as if checking to make sure they were alone. "How...how the fuck do you know about that?" Scorpius could feel Albus' grip getting tighter, and shoved him off,
"Wait, you know what he does to her? You know that he hit's her and beats her and you still let him near her? What in bloody hell is wrong with you?" Scorpius spat every word at him, and couldn't believe him. He knew just how protective Albus was over her, and the fact that he let the psycho bastard go in the same room as Rose was shocking.
"How do you know that? Rose surely didn't tell you, she just got over it herself. Why on Earth would she tell you?" Albus seemed to be talking more to himself by this point. "What he did to her was awful, and it took her forever to even realize what he was doing was wrong. But he stopped and promised to stay that way. We tried to convince her to stay away but she won't leave him for some reason." Stopped, Scorpius thought to himself, what does he mean stopped?
Scorpius saw the nearest thing, a large stack of test books on the dusty old desk, and shoved them to the ground with all the force he had. This seemed to get Albus' attention again, and he look bewildered. "What are you talking about? How bloody stupid are you?! He didn't stop, why would he stop? Rose is weak...and Goldstein knows this. Why would he just stop hurting her if he knows she is going to stay with him no matter what, it makes no sense Potter." Albus seemed to be at a lost for words and just stood there, paralyzed, staring at Scorpius.
Albus, suddenly, started shaking his head fast, and took small steps backwards. "No, no, no… No, you have to be wrong, you can't be right. He promised he wouldn't do it again." Scorpius scoffed, folding his arms, and rolled his eyes. "She said he didn't do it anymore, she swore!" And just like that Albus turned on Scorpius, unlocking the door, and ran out of the classroom.
Scorpius didn't want to go to detention...he really really didn't want to go to detention. He didn't want to see her, because he feared what he would do or say to her when he finally saw her fragile face. And yet he found his feet dragging him down the long corridors to the Hospital Wing. For the first time Scorpius got to detention before Rose, and he placed himself down on one of the white beds. He was enjoying the silence he received for the first time that day when she arrived. She was watching her feet take steps as she walked in, and when she looked up from her black shoes she looked genuinely surprised to see Scorpius already there, staring at her. She smiled, and Scorpius was happy to see that it was one of her real smiles and not the one she used for shows. He didn't know why he was happy, but he was. "Hello Scorpius." He noticed a small blush and nodded his head, not trusting himself to speak. She tucked a piece of shinny scarlet hair behind her ear shyly, and sat into one of her hips. "Uh, yes. Well today we just have to sort those potions in alphabetical order." She was pointing to a large carton of colorful liquids and Scorpius sighed.
"Okay." If she wanted to play games and not talk about the other night, Scorpius would play. He got off the bed and started towards the carton. Rose sat at the top of the bed and Scorpius at the end, the potions separating them. "How are you doing on the potions project with Samuel? What are you doing, the Barfillio's Elixir?" Scorpius nodded, not it the mood for her games. "You must be really good then, Professor Sabatino rarely gives out level five potions to students. That particular potion is rather difficult if I am not mistaken, but I am sure you will do brilliantly." She smiled at him and Scorpius felt a certain warmth spread through him. "What ingredients are you responsible for?"
Looking up at her, Scorpius could see her biting her lip and staring at her from beneath her dark lashes. She's nervous, he could clearly see, but why? "Uh I need to get the rose thorns and the Norwegian pine juice for tomorrow." He saw her look up further, more confident, and smile at him. She got off the bed and walked into Madam Ponish's office, leaving Scorpius with no one but himself. A few minutes later Rose showed up with a couple of jars in hand.
"Here." She smiled a slightly mischievous smile at him, holding the jars forward to him. She could see Scorpius giving her an odd look and she laughed lightly. "I know that those are particularly hard to find, and I have full access to the potions. I am allowed to take any and as much potions as I need, because I am Head Girl and for me to practice for next year. Don't worry, those two are rarely used, and I am sure that will go to better use with you." Why was his mystery so keen on getting more and more confusing with every day? He sighed and grabbed the potions, putting them in his bag while mumbling a thanks at the kind girl.
"What position are you assigned?" Scorpius had tried so hard to ignore the girl but the words just slipped from his mouth. She seemed pleased he was replying though.
She laughed her small trademark Rose Weasley laugh, and smiled her beautiful trademark Rose Weasley smile. "Um, none. I took seventh year advanced potions last year. So I am sadly without potions this year. But I practice a lot." Scorpius nodded silently, he thought he had heard this before, and wasn't surprised at the scholar student. He realized he enjoyed talking to her, as he was placing the Dogbane Potion next to the Dizziness Draught. "It's quite hot in her, is it not?" Scorpius looked at Rose to see her taking off the thick grey cardigan she was wearing over her crisp white dress shirt.
He didn't notice the large faded purple bruise on her wrist, until she went to grab for the bright red potion, Rat Tonic. The bruise was wrapped around her child sized wrist and Scorpius was disgusted, not because of its ugly appearance, but how she got it. He knew who did this to her, and his blood boiled uncontrollably. Rose apparently followed his gaze to her wrist and snapped her arm back into her lap, out of his view. "I-uh. I fell down the stairs the other night." Scorpius could just taste how pathetic of a lie that was and glared at her.
"Oh really," Scorpius said in a suddenly very interested voice. "is that how you got that one too?" Scorpius pointed at her other wrist, which had a twin bruise, equally as painful to look at. Rose looked like a deer caught in the headlights and she stuttered across phrases and stupid excuses.
She shook her head very fast, all at once, and stopped with a hefty sigh. "I wanted to thank you, Scorpius. Thank you for the other night." She was trying, and failing, at changing the subject. The couple hadn't had a chance to talk about what had happened the other night, and Scorpius didn't want to talk about it at that moment either.
Scorpius was mad, but he didn't know why, and this just made him more enraged. "Rose that's not what we are talking about." Scorpius felt like he was talking to a three year old. Rose suddenly stood, putting her sweater back on and wrapped her arms around herself protectively. She took a couple of steps back, shaking her head yet again. Scorpius stood too, walking until they were past personal space. He stared down into her eyes, the eyes that could bring a grown mad to his knees. "What does he do to you, Rose. Tell me, I can help you. You just need to tell me first, please Rose." He stopped talking for a moment and a wickedly thick silence was placed between. "Please." Scorpius hated this, he hated begging. He never had to beg, he always got what he wanted with the snap of two fingers, and he felt like he couldn't stoop lower when doing it.
Scorpius took a step closer and Rose a step back. He grabbed her upper arms gently and yet hard enough to get her attention, and get her to stay still. He felt her flinch when he touched her, and he felt something in his heart drop. "I-I don't know what your talking about. Nobody has ever hurt me!" He could hear that she was trying very hard to keep her voice strong, but he heard her weak side too. He couldn't, for the life of him, comprehend why she was doing this; why she was staying with her bully, and why she was denying everything he does to break her.
Scorpius felt his hands grab her tighter, and saw Rose shut her eyes, as if anticipating him to hurt her. This was final straw for Scorpius, the bastard had hurt her so much and now she actually thought he would hurt her too. He slightly shook her, trying to burn his words into her. "Rose, what the fuck is your problem? He's breaking you down, he is hurting you! And you know this, why can't you just admit this?! Just admit it and I can help you- I need to help you." He took a deep breath, letting words free fall from his mouth now. "You're too perfect to be broken down and destroyed like this! Rose, look at me!" Her previously wandering eyes snapped to his steel grey ones, he saw the ache and pleading in her's. His hands now moved to either side of her face, tenderly forcing her eyes on his. "Please..please Rose. Just let me in!"
Scorpius saw tears gather in her eyes, and he so desperately hated himself for causing them. "Scorpius, I can't." The built up tears spilled from her eyes. "He will...he will hurt you." She looked down and before Scorpius had a chance to yell at her for thinking such shortsighted thoughts, she pulled herself out of his grasp. Scorpius helplessly watched her run out of the wing, sobbing and broke as even.
Scorpius was rooted to his spot for what felt like hours, until his mind snapped. He turned on his spot, enraged, grabbed the nearest few potions and slammed them into the ground. He dropped to his knees, pounding the stone ground with his fists, so many emotions flowing through him. And then Scorpius did something he hadn't done in a painfully long time; he cried.