Chapter 7: Dishonesty
"Oh look at this one Scorpius, isn't it wonderful?"
He was thinking more that she was wonderful. That the paintings were nice, but there was a work of art more interesting standing beside him.
"Oh yes, such nice, uh, brush strokes."
Draco had taken to sitting on the benches, observing their body language, their behaviours. Interfering with their personal time would be the last thing on the itinerary, though he was mildly concerned at what they might get up to unaccompanied.
While Rose was sighing over Café at Night, Scorpius plopped down next to his father, who then looked at him with an eyebrow raised.
"Had enough of Van Gogh?"
"No. Well…yeah. But I was just wondering if you were gonna tag along all day? Don't you have poetry to write, running to do or something?" he asked, jovial yet earnest.
"Sick of me are you? It's only 1 son, and we spent an hour walking."
"I know, it's just…I don't mean to sound ungrateful but I want to be alone."
"You do sound ungrateful. And yes I figured that, I don't want Rose's mother to have an aneurysm knowing I let you two wander off in the city unattended."
He was smirking as Scorpius' eyes rolled.
"Daaaad, it's such a buzzkill to have your parent trailing you all day," he whined, laying his head on Draco's shoulder. "Don't you trust me?"
"Oh no, poor baby," he chuckled, wrapping his arm around Scorpius' shoulder, rubbing his back lightly. "You know I do but I dunno if that's the best idea."
"Dad, I'm SERIOUS."
His hand was shoved away.
"What would you be doing exactly?"
Staring at the ground, he flexed out his fingers.
"You know, having lunch. And then…Probably going to the Anne Frank Museum," he admitted in a low voice. "She was saying how she really wanted to go, but I just said – "
"What did you say?"
The tone was sharp, Scorpius put his hands up.
"Nothing. I simply told her you didn't want to go. It's not like I don't know how to get back home. But no, it's okay dad, we can do it another time."
He stood up to return to Rose, who was still engrossed in everything.
Desperate Scorpius was, desperate to have a real date.
He was playing to Draco's weakness, realizing it or not. At 16, Draco had never gotten an opportunity to just be with a girl, spend time and get to know anyone. He had operated being a close book, and still was stuck in that rut. Did he want that for his son?
"Bored already?"
Rose pushed Scorpius lightly as he brushed against her; he stuck out his tongue in response.
"Nah, just trying to get us alone," he confessed. "If all goes according to plan, I can take you to the park."
Sliding his fingers in hers, her eyes were shining brightly, as she snuck a look back at her boyfriend's father, who grinned with a small wave.
"I feel kind of bad though," she whispered, leading him further away from parental ears. "Lying. I mean, maybe if he lets us go we should just go to the Anne Frank House like we talked about."
"Oh come on, I thought you were on board. It's going to be so depressing, I want to have fun with you."
"I do too," she stressed, looking at the ground, "But it's just…just because your dad is sad about going shouldn't be our alibi to skive off."
"Look my dad was so upset telling me about how much he would be affected by the house that it's really turned me off it. Felt so bad, he was sobbing. Er, please don't tell him I told you that. I simply have told you it's not his cup of tea."
Her face contorted into a worried pout.
"Aw, Rose. If you really want to go, we'll go. Even if he tags along, maybe I can convince him to just wait outside. Just, it would've been a good excuse for you to come back ASAP," he chuckled, kissing her on the cheek. "But we'll go."
Staring up at him, she had an internal struggle; be a rebel and impress, or let him please her whims instead.
"So, if I decide to leave you two, you won't be getting up to any trouble will you?"
Draco had strolled up to them, hands in his pockets, with a smirk.
Startled, Scorpius spun round quickly, ready for action.
"Us? Never."
"Do you even know how to get back, me old son?" was the inquiry, clapping him on the back.
"Yes, we can take the 62 bus or you know, you could give me some cash to take a cab?"
Teeth in a hefty smile, his father was shaking his head before reaching to grab his solitary unused Muggle credit card to hand it in Scorpius hands.
"Use it wisely, you silly boy."
"Oh, I love you," and Draco was engulfed in a massive embrace. "Thanks dad."
"You're welcome," he laughed.
"Thank you, Mr. Malfoy," Rose said sweetly, bright-eyed and happy.
"You know, you can call me Draco. Just not around your mother," he winked. "Please be home for six. Have fun, see you later."
And with a wave he was gone, wandering away to leave the two teenagers on their own adventure.
{}
"Scorpius, what if they ID us? What if your dad checks his credit statement?"
Though unease had captured Rose's entire being, there was something exciting about breaking the rules.
They'd just finished a great meal of sausage and chips with mayo, and were presently walking along the city streets to a café. In his shorts front pocket, Scorpius had a mickey of whisky, and in his back, a bottle of soda.
"Don't worry darling, this is Amsterdam. If I can go into a convenience store and buy liquor, they'll let us smoke a joint. And my dad is shit with technology. I'll offer to pay the bill for him, he'll be none the wiser," he assured her. "Besides, I took out cash instead of actually using the card, I'll tell him I took you somewhere fancy."
"Well okay…I'm still a bit nervous though. I feel bad abusing the trust we've been given. I've never been drunk before, and I've never tried marijuana," she whispered to him, grabbing his hand in hers as if she could hide in it.
"My dad won't find out. Your mom won't either, don't worry. We'll be fine, it's not even that much to drink. And I smoked with James and his friend Lysander last summer a bunch. It's nice."
"Okay."
Smiling so bright, she couldn't but help be swayed by it all.
"I looked up the cafes where they're more lax about serving. Plus it's only three o'clock. We'll relax, get a bit high, get a bit drunk, and then go back for six like we were instructed to. I even have a tonic I bought in Diagon Alley in my room that will sober us up if we're still a bit out of it."
"Okay."
It seemed he had put a lot of thought into this as they reached their destined building; a hole in the wall. A neon open sign was dimly lit at the window. A green and white license sticker was stuck underneath it. Across from the café was a large park, filled with giant trees and other kids their age enjoying vacation time.
Pausing in front of it, Rose stopped her date.
"What is it?"
"I'm just –" she hesitated, "what if we get into trouble? I don't want to sound like a wet blanket, but what if we get caught? My mum will kill me."
Instead of becoming annoyed, Scorpius simply grinned.
"Look around, Rose. See those guys over there?" he pointed to a small crowd of boys. "They're smoking. Those girls? Smoking. Nobody cares!"
Relenting, she let him begin pushing her inside. Suddenly she had become a bit giggly; nerves caused that.
Strutting on up to a booth, casually he sat down and patted the seat beside him as he slid over. Copious amounts of laptop research had been spent the night previous on protocol for these situations. The biggest thing was to act cool.
On their table was a laminated card with Dutch words and prices for the store's wares. He explained this to her.
"Someone will come over, don't worry," Scorpius told her, patting her shoulder as Rose had started to fidget.
He was staring at his options as a perky blonde came over to them with an apron, smiles on.
"Hallo, ik zie uw identificatie?"
Scorpius looked at Rose with wide eyes. It seemed a language barrier was the one thing he forgot to factor in. Luckily, Rose had practiced before coming and replied with, in Dutch, "I'm sorry, we don't speak the language very well."
"Oh, no problem," the girl replied with an accented chuckle. "May I see your IDs please?"
Frozen, Scorpius informed her that he didn't have his on him. And neither did Rose.
Having surely heard this a hundred times before, the waitress didn't seem deterred.
"Oh well, I am sorry but I can't serve you anything on that menu if you can't prove you are over 18. Would you like a coffee instead?"
Apparently the web forums had been wrong, and slightly trounced, Scorpius decided he'd order one to share sheepishly, not wanting to be rude.
As they waited, Rose said, "Hey at least we tried," a hint of relief in her tone that she hoped he didn't catch on to.
Sipping on the over-creamed cuppa, he was stalking a now large group of seemingly university aged people that were sitting under a spruce through the glass. He finished the last drips rather quickly and threw change onto the table.
"I haven't given up yet," he finally said with a twinkle in his expression. "Come on."
Before she knew what was happening, Scorpius had left the shop, tinkling the bell, and had run on over to the students, gesturing wildly with his arms as he spoke. Rose was tentative in approaching them, though they were laughing and speaking in kind tones to her boyfriend.
As she stepped on over, he grabbed her hand and said "Problem solved," with a wide smirk, thanking one of them, and leading her away for more privacy.
Twenty minutes later, they had sparked up their blunt, pre-rolled by pleasure of the seller, and were lying under a giant spruce, discussing various Quidditch teams.
"Cough, I don't think I'm doing this right," Rose confessed, choking on the smoke.
They were almost done the whole thing, and the boy next to her found it amusing she was just admitting it now.
"Nah, you are. You take a toke or two, then inhale. Hold it in your lungs for a bit and exhale. It definitely hurts the first time. Maybe you need a drink," he suggested in a silly voice.
Uncapping the bottles, he handed them to her.
Taking them, it appeared she was building up a nerve.
"Alright," she breathed to herself. Chugging a hefty swig of the drink, she gagged and then shoved her mouth full of chase. "Oh god, that was gross."
"You are so cute," Scorpius cooed at her grimace, grabbing the whisky to gulp it down. "Even if your favourite team is the Canons,"
"Shut up," she giggled, punching him on the chest. "Chudley is the best."
"They've never won a season! Ever! In like 300 years!"
"Whatever!"
She punched him again, so he held her tiny fists, and brought them close to him so she couldn't move. Hugging her, they fell back onto the grass together, laughing.
Both of them were now light headed, the buzzy feeling in their stomachs flowing to their brains.
"Fuck I am so stoned."
Whatever strain this was, it was strong.
Finishing their tiny bottles, stubbing out their joint, Scorpius was tossing their paraphernalia and cherry aside. Looking up at the clouds floating by in thick white wisps, they watched it together for a few moments as they felt their heads spin, holding hands.
"I think I'm drunk," Rose finally broke the hush, turning on her side blinking. As his grip loosened on her hands, she started playing with his hair. "You know you use more hairspray than I do?"
He burst out in a hearty roar, running a hand through the blonde to test her theory.
"Maybe so, but it's all to look fab for you, my dear," he insisted, stroking a thumb across her freckles, leaning in to melt his lips on hers.
Dizzy and infatuated, wasted with the one they cared about most in their teenaged lives, it seemed there was nothing better than to kiss. Losing themselves in their bodies, emotion and sensation took over.
Hours seems to pass, timed seemed to stop altogether as they were glued at the seams. Until, they noticed a shadow cast onto them. Breaking up, they saw it was a man, a man with Politie Amsterdam scrawled across his vest.
{}
Hair wet and completely naked, Draco was sprawled on top of his sheets after showering.
He had just gone on an hour long run, to find himself with unexpected company for the first time.
Warming up on the usual route, an extremely fit girl with long raven hair had caught up to him and told him 'Nice form'. Matching his pace, they'd shared no other words but seemed to keep glancing at each other as she followed him. When he turned onto his street for the final sprint, she'd waved, running back across the bridge, both of them slick with sweat and, at least for him, hormones.
Her swaying ponytail, tight abs, and shapely backside had caught his notice every time she'd gotten in the lead. He couldn't remember the last time he'd had any female attention. Presently, with his hands gripping his cock, he was imagining what she'd look like without clothes, imagining what she her dark pink lips could do below his waist.
Panting, as he was about to climax, the body in his fantasy changed. The sleek long hair shortened to brunette curls. Eyes the colour of celery became cinnamon, and breasts grew bigger.
The change had him more aroused but before his rationality let him contemplate this, he had came onto his stomach, onto his hands.
Brow furrowing, he caught his breath as confusion took over, wondering how pathetic he had to be to be so turned on by the only women he had conversed with in the past few months.
Suddenly he heard several loud rings.
Knowing Scorpius had a key, he snapped out of it and shoved on his day clothes. Peeved that he hadn't had proper time to clean up, annoyed that anyone was coming a-knocking at all.
But it was nothing compared to the fury that consumed him when he opened the door to see a muggle policeman with his son and his girlfriend; Scorpius' eyes were bloodshot, Rose's with tears filled in hers.
"Hello."
Voice cold, he noticed the fear resonate in his delinquent child immediately.
"Hello, Mr Malfoy?" the officer clarified, holding a notepad and pen.
"Yes."
"I am Constable Beulens. This is your son, Scorpius? And his friend, Rose, uh, Weasley?"
At least they didn't lie to the police, was the morbid thought running through Draco's mind.
"Yes it is."
"Well, Mr. Malfoy, I found your son and Miss Weasley in Vondelpark drinking and smoking cannabis on my patrol. Your boy also had several more rolled joints in his pocket."
Both of them hung their heads in shame as Rose covered her face with her hands and began to cry.
"Is that so?" Draco asked, grinding his teeth and glaring at Scorpius, who winced.
"Miss Weasley had identification stating she is 16, your son had none. But I am assuming he is the same age?"
"He is."
"As an official resident of Amsterdam I am sure you're aware of the laws. The legal drinking age is 18. And while marijuana is decriminalized here, he again is underage and not a citizen. Since this is their first offence, I will only give them both a warning. Unfortunately I must write up a small fine for them each. You will take custody of them both or shall I keep Miss Weasley?" he asked.
Rose sobbing harder, Draco agreed and took the slips of paper and allowed space for the two to come inside.
"When you turn 18 all this will be cleared, so don't worry too much," he addressed the kids. "Please rethink your actions so this does not happen again. If there are any more minor offences committed before you may have to spend a night in jail."
The kids nodded.
"Thank you very much for bringing them home safely, officer."
"Anytime," he replied, with a trite grin, "Be safe, good evening."
Bidding a farewell, Draco slammed the door, leaving his hand on it for a moment before turning to Scorpius and Rose.
Looking like naughty schoolchildren, they could barely look him in the eye as he placed his hands on his hips.
"You two are damn lucky that you got caught by an officer who was nice."
Rose flinched, still leaking tears as his words bit into her.
"Dad," Scorpius pleaded, "Dad it was my fault. I'm the one who – "
"I don't care whose fault it was! "
It was dead silent. Scorpius wanted to melt into the floor at Draco's angry gaze.
"I thought you were going to the Anne Frank House after lunch! Or was that just a lie so you could get me to go away?"
Gulping several times, Scorpius muttered a nearly inaudible, "Yes."
Heaving a deep intake of air, Draco smacked his palms over his face before speaking again. Yelling wouldn't get the message across, but it was so very difficult not to given the circumstance.
"I have never in my life been so disappointed."
Low voice combined with sincerity, Scorpius gave a small whimper.
Rose stood beside him, never daring to take his hand to comfort him for fear of being reprimanded.
"What I don't understand is how two very intelligent people such as yourselves could do something so bloody irresponsible! Do you understand that doing illegal things can get you banned from the country? What were you thinking?"
"I d-don't know."
"Why would you drink? Where the hell did you go that allowed you to purchase it? And where the hell did you even get weed from? From strangers, right? What if you had been sold something that was laced with other drugs? With chemicals? What if you had hurt yourself trying to get some at all? "
"I don't know."
Meek, Scorpius repeated the same phrase.
"Brilliant, you don't know. Meaning you hadn't factored any of that in. Fucking - Merlin, Scorpius, you understand now the consequences don't you?"
Still so harsh, he shook his head.
"N-no."
"First off, I have to call Rose's mother." Rose yelped through her crying, lowering herself onto the floor. "Second, I have to tell her that not only were you two written up by police, but that I let you go off on your own. That I provided you with money to buy illegal things. And even if she doesn't get cross at me, which she certainly will, what are the odds that she'll let you a foot near her daughter ever again?"
Face pale, lips trembling, Scorpius chose not to say anything, simply handed out his phone to him as he joined Rose on the ground.
Dread flooding his insides, and Draco sauntered into the study and shut the door. Pacing around the room, he pressed the call button as 'Hermione Weasley' was ready on the screen.
"Ring…Ring…Ring…Ring….Hello?"
Pulse racing, composure was faked.
"Hi Hermione…it's Draco."
"Hi. Is everything alright?"
Worry etched in her inflection, Draco swallowed hard.
"I'm afraid not."
"Oh, no, what happened? Is Rose okay?"
"In a manner of speaking…She's not hurt. It appears that Scorpius and she somehow obtained alcohol and marijuana and got caught with it in a park."
"What?"
"Yes."
"By the police?"
She was incredulous, Draco could tell. It would've been endearing she had so much faith if there wasn't obvious outrage simmering underneath it.
"Yes."
"I –why were –" she stalled. "I'm at work but I'll come as soon as I can to get her."
And then there was a click.
Her last sentence was grave; he was in for it. Poor Rose was in for it.
Returning to the front room, Scorpius was blank, leaning against the stairs with a vacant expression. Rose had her arms around her stomach.
"Your mother is coming to retrieve you Rose. As soon as she can, she said."
He expected her to say 'ok'. It was only until he got closer to her that he saw she was green, moaning in a low tine, in apparent pain.
"Are you alright?"
"I feel terrible."
A tiny gurgling sound was heard and she covered her mouth in the next moment. Taking her under the arms, Draco led her to the bathroom, closing the door so she could cower in front of the toilet away from her boyfriend as she began to vomit. Vomiting and crying at the same time.
So uncomfortable he was, but he figured Rose was much more embarrassed than he was. Draco patted her on the back, gathering her red mane in his hands so she wouldn't get bile on her hair. Saying nothing.
"I -," she was heaving, "I'm s-so – so sorry."
And she spat, weeping into the bowl, as another round of her retching came through.
He didn't reply, just stood there bent over, waiting.
He was living one of his worst nightmares, one he hadn't realized he had, when Hermione had suddenly appeared, exposing her daughter in a most vulnerable of states, Scorpius standing behind her as her mouth was twisted in reproach.
"How could you?"
This was directed towards Draco, not Rose.
"I'm sorry?"
Straightening up, he felt his heart constrict as she became scarlet about the face.
"I let my daughtercome to a foreign country, giving you, you, Draco bloody Malfoy, the benefit of the doubt that you weren't still a complete screw up! And you proved me wrong like I feared you would."
"Mum!"
Rose was aghast, still continually bawling.
"You just wait til we get home, Rose Weasley," she scolded, pointing a finger at her. "In a manner of one afternoon, no, seven hours, you let your son and another child run about a city they're unfamiliar with, and they get arrested! My daughter has a criminal record now! Because of you!"
"I understand your anger, Hermione, believe me, but Rose doesn't have a record, she got a warning. I'd be more concerned about her health, and not the - "
"Don't you dare tell me what I should be concerned about!" she yelled, face nearly distraught, fists balled at her sides. "It's because of you her health is altered at all!"
"Mrs. Weasley, it was my idea," Scorpius tried to intervene, in a weak willed voice. "It's my fault."
"It doesn't matter whose idea it was, it's that this happened at all, Scorpius. "
For such a tiny woman, she was incredibly intimidating.
"I don't know what to say to you, I was under the impression they were going to the Anne Frank Museum and then lunch. Why would I assume they'd lie to me?"
"It's not a question of that! You didn't ask my permission to let Rose go alone! You don't have a phone in case there was an emergency, they could have been seriously hurt."
"I realize that, but I was trying to lend them a little trust and – "
"And let them roam alone? What were you thinking? I'm assuming it was also you that gave them the means to do whatever they wanted! This is your fault!" she screamed, cracking her voice on the last word.
At a loss for words, he was glancing everywhere but at her, breathing heavily being cornered in the loo.
"Mum, it's not his fault," Rose snivelled. "I'm sorry!"
"Sorry doesn't fix this or cut it. We're leaving and you're not coming back here. Ever," she stressed, hoisting Rose up into a hug, sheltering her from the bad pureblood man. Walking back out into the foyer, Scorpius looked so down trod that Draco wanted to die.
"Hermione, please don't stop Scorpius from seeing Rose for one stupid mistake."
Already outside in the setting sun, Hermione shook her head furiously, her visage turning from irate to something resembling fretting. Draco was defeated, and she could see it plainly.
Hermione's fury, when active, was her absolute worst trait. So instead of giving a simple refusal, she dug deep. His regret had broken through the shield; it made her want to steel her resolve.
"Maybe when they go back to school we can figure out an arrangement. As it stands, the stupid mistake was giving you trust to take care of them for one day. I shouldn't have expected that you would ever change. You are so irresponsible, no wonder Scorpius lives with his mother."
Mouth opening slightly, the grey in Draco's irises clouded as he visibly recoiled, a strangled gasp escaping his throat. While Scorpius looked like he would like nothing better than to slap her.
"Goodbye," she finished, apparating as quickly as possible away into her own house, Rose yanking her arm away as soon as they were on firm ground.
"Rose – " she tried calling, to which she was met with the ugliest frown she'd ever seen on her.
"I hate you."
Hermione believed her.
"I know, I'm 'grounded', I don't care. I'll be in my room, and don't bother trying to give me any supper."
Turning on her heel, she stomped down the hall, bursting into a fresh set of tears.
Slumping against the wall, Hermione's emotions jumbled together. She had never snapped quite like it before.
A solitary tear ran down her skin, dropping to the hard wood.
