Disclaimer: If I'd owned Harry Potter, my name would be J.K. Rowling. But since it's not, I don't own Harry Potter.

A/N: Thank you 20Chloe02, RobynRavenclaw98 and the394thdauntlesscake (and yes, you're right...Scorpius should be saying Merlin and not God! Thanks for pointing out the mistake :) )

Now this will be a small chapter but a big shock so enjoy! :)

Chapter Seven

Rose's POV
I sit at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall. There's a variety of delicious dishes as always at Hogwarts. The Slytherin table is to our left and I always try to get a seat facing it. You know because of… Scorpius…stuff…whatever. Scorpius tries to do that too. It's not because of the romantic notion or anything (OK, maybe a bit) but mostly because, when we want to meet, we kind of signal each other and meet at the entrance of Great Hall, behind a particularly large statue.
Alex is going on about her new cat. I listen to her but only partially because Scorpius is trying to signal me. He has this weird look on his face and I'm almost completely sure that he wants to meet after dinner at our usual place.
I'm still not used to our secret dating thing so I'm always nervous when he wants to meet me alone. Mostly excited but yeah, nervous too.
After dinner, a now very old Headmistress McGonnagal informs us about the inspection team coming from the Ministry next week. No one's afraid of inspections. It's just a bunch of sweet Ministry of Magic officials checking out every class and complimenting the teachers.
Dinner finishes and I wait for everybody to leave. Alex gets a little curious.
"Hey Rose! Are you not coming? We have to finish Astronomy chart tonight right? asks Alex.
"Uh yeah. There might be a change of plans but most probably I'll be there. In a bit. You can start without me," I say dreading a question about where I am going.
But she doesn't enquire further, just gives me a queer look and leaves. Alex has been giving me those looks a lot lately. I think she's suspecting something going on with me but not sure yet. She doesn't ask because she doesn't want to pry.
Since everybody has left, Scorpius is out in the open and not behind the statue.
"Alex has started to get suspicious," I say the minute I reach him.
"I told you to tell her. She's going to come to know sooner or later Rose. She's your best friend," Scorpius says, matter-of-factly.
I rub my forehead in frustration, "I know. I just can't seem to tell her. I don't know how she'll react to this. She did used to tease me about you but she didn't think it would be anything serious. Anyway, what did you want talk about?"
Scorpius faces out his palms, "First of all, can't I meet you for no reason? And second of all, tonight's special. I've got a surprise for you." He grins.
I perk up immediately. Surprise? I love surprises! "Oh my god, what surprise?" I ask.
He gives me a look that says that I've probably said the dumbest thing in the history of dumb things, "Rose. It's not a surprise if I friggin' tell you. But I CAN tell you where it is."
"Where?"
"In the Dark Forest. Not too deep though," he says and that freezes my blood.
My eyes wide and my voice quivering a bit, I ask "The Dark Forest? What could possibly be there?"
A mischievous grin spreads on his face, "Why? Are you scared?"
There! He caught me but of course I don't give in, "Of course not!"
"And isn't that what you girls fantasize about, anyway? Going to some scary place with a boy to protect you?" he wants to know.
I say again with gritted teeth, more firmly, "I am not scared Scorpius."
"Fine…then prove it. Come with me to the Dark Forest. Now," he dares me.
And of course I go along with him, knowing perfectly well what all dangers lurk in the Dark Forest.
As we are descending down the stairs, I hear a voice. "Rose? Is that you?" A recognize it immediately. I've been hearing it for fourteen years now. I freeze in my tracks.
The voice belongs to Hugo. My brother.

Hugo takes one look at me and Scorpius and runs off.
I give Scorpius the talk-to-you-later-don't-you-dare-contact-me-till-it's-safe look. He understands and gives me a nod. Then I take off after Hugo.
He doesn't go very far. He just walks fast in god-knows-which-corridor. He probably hears my footsteps but doesn't stop.
I call out to him, "Hugo, wait!"
No answer. Doesn't stop.
"I can explain", I say out of breath.
That makes him turn back and face me. He has a furious look and I think I can almost see a kind of red gleam in his otherwise friendly eyes.
"Explain what, huh?" he asks.
I quickly form an explanation, "It wasn't what it looked like. I had forgotten my Potions book and Scorpius was just returning -"
He cut me off, "At this time? Why alone? And if so, where's your book? Don't tell me it's still with him after that long chat you two had."
I don't know what to say so I stay silent. Hugo continues, "Don't make lame excuses, Rose; I'm not a child. I know what I saw and I understand it perfectly well."
I go closer to him, "Hugo, please."
"What please? How long has this been going on? I thought you were different lately but I figured it was stress or something. Now I know...but why him?" Hugo asks beseechingly.
But I've turned on my offense mode too, "Why NOT him? What's wrong with him? What has he ever done to you?"
That catches him off-guard for a millisecond but he has an answer ready, "He doesn't have to do anything to me. His family has done enough. Don't you remember? His great aunt tortured our mother Rose. TORTURED! How can you forget that?"
For a second, I feel guilty for dating Scorpius. Then I feel guilty for feeling guilty. This is not fair to Scorpius. It isn't his fault his family was full of Death Eaters. You can't hold him accountable for that.
"I'm not forgetting anything, Hugo. I'm overlooking it. None of it was Scorpius's fault. Was it?" I say, my voice raised. I'm feeling angry now. Hugo has no right to criticize Scorpius for what he hasn't done.
He doesn't say anything, just glares at me with his hands folded over his chest and his jaw tight.
I continue, "And YOU are forgetting something, Hugo. Narcissa Malfoy, Scorpius's grandmother saved Uncle Harry's life. If she hadn't, we wouldn't be standing here arguing. So Malfoy family's not all bad. ESPECIALLY not Scorpius."
His expressions softens just a bit, "What do you want me to say, Rose?" he asks after a long pause.
My anger subsided by then, I place a hand on his shoulder, "I want you to accept this and not tell Mum and Dad."
He looks down at that. "I'm not sure I can do that, sister."
"Hugo, please," I plead.
He finally looks up and instead of rage, he has this sadness in his eyes that makes my heart ache.
"I'm sorry Rose. Goodnight," my brother says and walks away leaving me, his sister, in the quiet, dark corridor...alone.
Then I question myself.
What if Hugo's right?
What if I've made a mistake by saying yes to Scorpius Malfoy?

Scorpius's POV
Rose's younger brother, Hugo Weasley, found out about us tonight when I was taking Rose to see the surprise I had planned.
I'm in my dormitory, looking out of the window, feeling horrible. I don't know what is happening. Or what HAS happened. I want to be there for Rose because I know that whatever happened between her and her brother wasn't pleasant chitchat. But she won't let me. Not until everything's sorted out.
I want to kick myself. I should've gone with her, after Hugo...not left her alone like a coward. I could've helped her explain everything to him.
OR it also could've made the situation worse.
Maybe she made up an excuse and everything's okay and she'll meet me tomorrow and tell me what explanation she gave and we would laugh.
But I know that's wishful thinking.
I know what has happened.
And I know there's nothing I can do to make it better.

A/N: So how was it? I've got coming chapters totally planned out :D Please read and review...it would mean a lot to me! :)