A/N Well it's the holidays, so I'm on a writing spree. Hopefully my updates will be a little more consistent from now on. Thank you to all reviewers! Your feedback is awesome. XD
'My life is utterly miserable,' wailed Ling as she sat at the huge dining table laden with food in the Great Hall, eating her breakfast with Rose and Mia.
Rose looked up from her plate of pancakes, a silver fork in her hand. 'Why, what's wrong, Ling?' she asked, concerned.
'Everybody's got a boyfriend except me!' she cried. Rose just stared at her incredulously and sighed before continuing to pour some syrup on her pancakes.
'Rose, don't look at me like that; I'm not being superficial!' Ling protested, 'It's just that I realised how much I missed being in a relationship now that you have Noah, and,' – she turned to Mia –, 'you have Scorpius!'
'That's not quite true,' Mia muttered.
Rose turned her attention to Mia. 'Why would you say that?' she asked, frowning in concern.
'Well, no one has Scorpius. He has you,' she replied matter-of-factly.
'What do you mean?'
Mia just shook her head. 'You wouldn't understand.' Especially you, thought Mia spitefully. She was Rose, what would she understand about Mia's need to struggle to be the first priority in Scorpius' life? She already was. Mia scolded herself silently for having those thoughts about her friend.
'Try us,' Ling prodded, eager to participate in any boy talk.
'Yeah,' said Rose, a small smile of encouragement on her face. 'If there's a problem, we're happy to try and help.'
Mia sighed. 'He likes us just dating. An open relationship,' she stated bluntly. 'And I like him way too much … I want us together. For him to be, like, a real boyfriend – where I'm the only one.' It was the most Mia had ever spoken in one go like that, and Rose noticed it.
A real boyfriend? That was certainly a new term associated with Scorpius. Mia and Scorpius together? Rose knew they were dating, but Scorpius never really mentioned Mia much and it was only times like at the Three Broomsticks when she was reminded of it. Images of the two on a double date with herself and Noah flashed through her mind and she immediately grimaced at the thought. It didn't fit; it wasn't right.
Rose shook off the feeling and smiled reassuringly. 'Don't worry; you'll be fine. I know he does like you.' She promised herself she would go talk to Scorpius in private later. They were her best friends; she wasn't going to let their relationship crumble just like that.
Mia smiled back at her, but she didn't look all too reassured.
…
True to her word, Rose sought Scorpius out during Potions to discuss Mia.
'Scorpius?' she began as they chopped up various roots and animal parts. 'I think we should talk.'
Scorpius laughed. This was the second time in a week he was asked to 'talk' by a girl. Not that Rose was that kind of girl, but anyway.
Rose ignored his laugh. 'Look, I'm gonna ask you something that probably seems like none of my business…'
'But?' interjected Scorpius, smiling.
'How do you really feel about Mia?'
Scorpius sighed in exasperation. 'Did she put you up to this?' he asked, running his hand through his hair.
'No!' Rose insisted. 'Merlin, Malfoy. It's just a question.'
'Yeah, and then the answer will be discussed extensively at your silly gossip sessions with your friends,' he muttered under his breath as they walked back to their bench.
'Whoa, since when do Igossip?' demanded Rose, frowning.
'Merlin's pants, Ling, have you seen how hot that prefect badge looks on Noah?' Scorpius mimicked, putting on a high-pitched voice. 'And Brooke's sister can be so up herself sometimes, I can't believe she did that to him!'
Rose narrowed her light brown eyes, furious. 'I said he deserved that prefect badge, and I don't even know who Brooke is!' she exclaimed, her ears going red.
Scorpius' expression softened. 'I was only teasing, Rose,' he muttered.
'And I was only asking a question,' Rose retorted. 'Were you expecting Mia to put me up to this, or something?'
Scorpius just continued brewing his potion.
'I was only trying to help,' she said, shrugging her shoulders. 'If there's a problem, spit it out. I've never spilled before, have I?'
He sighed. 'Look, Mia is fine… until she starts asking things of me.'
'You don't like that.'
'Nope,' he stated matter-of-factly.
Rose nodded like she understood. 'But I think she really likes you.'
'They all do,' Scorpius drawled offhandedly.
'Yeah, but I think she really likes you.'
'See previous answer.'
Rose sighed. Trying to get Scorpius to talk about his feelings about girls was like trying to get Ling out of a shoe store. Possible, but not a task for the impatient.
'Yes, all right,' she said patiently. 'But Mia doesn't want to be just one in many. So,' Rose continued, shrugging, 'how do you really feel about her?'
Scorpius sighed and ran his hand through his hair yet again, a tell tale sign he was stressed. He didn't have the same control over Rose that he did over other girls (like Mia). He couldn't just silence her with a kiss or a seductive smirk to avoid questions he didn't want to answer. And all his other friends were guys, who wouldn't even think of asking a question like this. He thought about how to tackle the question.
'Look, like I said, Mia's fine. If I wanted to break up with her, I would have ages ago. But being exclusive is just so restricting, you know?'
'Not if you like them enough,' said Rose softly.
'Well, then I don't,' Scorpius said flatly, chopping up some brightly coloured roots. 'I'm not going to sacrifice my lifestyle for some girl.'
Rose frowned angrily. 'Your lifestyle? You mean you don't want to sacrifice your weekly dose of sex with multiple girls for someone who actually likes you! How can you treat girls like they're pieces of meat?'
Scorpius raised his eyebrows at her little outburst. Scorpius knew Rose was not one to judge others like this, but he also knew that if she wanted to help people she cared about, she was willing to say something about it.
'Hey, they come running to me,' he pointed out. 'I'm really doing a service to the community,' he drawled, shrugging. 'And besides, if Mia had a problem with it, she can leave anytime.'
Rose frowned. She had to admit he was right with the last part. Scorpius wasn't going to change his mind and if Mia had a problem, there was nothing Rose could do. Yet at the back of mind she couldn't help but feel oddly relieved for some reason.
…
After classes, Noah and Rose strolled around the grounds, before stopping near the lake. It was frozen over and the sun's reflection on it looked brilliant. Rose held Noah's large, warm hand while standing and admiring the view.
'It looks beautiful, doesn't it?' asked Rose, turning to Noah.
'Like you,' he replied smiling, cupping her chin in his hand, his bright green eyes looking at her like he could see right to her soul.
Rose felt her ears go red. Damn the bloody Weasley blush! she thought.
Noah placed his large hands on her waist and stepped in closer until she could smell the musky scent of his aftershave. He leaned into her and kissed her slow and deep, making Rose melt inside. She closed her eyes and kissed him back, entwining her hands in his hair. He brushed his lips against her freckled neck, causing her shiver in delight. Rose didn't care that there were probably people who could see them; this moment just felt too nice.
She wrapped her arms around Noah, and leaned her head against his broad chest, his coat a little stiff from the cold. She looked up at Noah. 'Would you like to spend Christmas at my place?' she blurted out suddenly. 'I'd love for you to meet my parents and all,' she added a little shyly.
Noah smiled in surprise. 'If your parents are okay with that, of course I would,' he exclaimed, before planting a soft kiss on her forehead.
'Oh, yeah, of course they will be! In the summer holidays Scor – ' Rose cut herself off just in time. Noah would definitely not be interested about the years of summer holidays Scorpius had spent with the Weasley and Potter family.
'Yes?' inquired Noah politely.
'Oh, don't worry,' reassured Rose, 'They'll be just fine with it!'
Noah smiled in delight at the thought of meeting the Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger-Weasley. If he was lucky, maybe even Harry Potter himself. And with his beautiful girlfriend by his side, too. This was going to be one heck of a Christmas.
A/N Please review and tell me what you think! Pretty please with a cherry on top? Chocolate sauce and marshmallows too? I know all you people who put this story on story alert but never review… *narrows eyes* Just kidding. :P But reviews really do help me and I seriously appreciate them. Thank you very much! :)
