Chapter Nine: MORE THAN FRIENDS?
As Rose got up to the top of the stairs she was half hoping that Scorpius would not be there, but as she looked up from her feet she saw his glowing gray eyes looking at her. She had the urge to turn around, and run back to the Gryffindor common room, but she kept walking toward him as if she was being drawn toward him. As Rose got closer to Scorpius, he pulled a red rose from behind his back and gave it to her.
"Thanks, you do realize giving me a rose would almost certainly be the most clichéd thing to give me considering my name and all."
"Yes, I recognized that, but I thought it would be a nice gesture."
They both sat down and gazed out toward the lake. Neither seemed to know where to start and what seemed ages they sat in silence without looking at each other. Rose was comfortable in this silence though she could have enjoyed staying in this science she was ready to see what was ahead for her and Scorpius.
"So why did you ask me to come up here tonight Scorpius?"
Scorpius turned his head at her and gave her a crooked smile. Usually Rose found these kinds of smiles unattractive, but on Scorpius she thought it looked eye-catching.
"Well, I first really wanted to apologize for that one day in Defense Against the Dark Arts class. I can kind of have a temper and I was upset that I thought I had lost my mother necklace, and then seeing it on you kind of pushed me over the edge. I regretted doing that ever since and I just wanted to say that I am sorry and I will try the rest of forever to try to make that up to you."
"Okay. Well thank you. I don't know if I could say that I forgive you, but I understand. I understood a lot about that day in Dark Arts class, when we had our talk about a month ago."
Scorpius gazed into Rose's eye and put her hand into his.
"Rose, no one has ever been as kind to me as you have been. I know that we have had our difficulties in the past, but I think that we have found a common ground. Ever since we were last up here in the Astronomy Tower I haven't been able to stop thinking about you and I know that you can't stop thinking about me either. Why, else would you have come up here to talk to me? Rose I think that I am falling for yo…"
"Do not say that! Scorpius! We don't really know each other. All we know is hear say from family members and friends. None of which I know about you is most likely not true. Other than a month ago we never talked other than you making fun of me and my cousin yelling back at you. Yes, I think I have feelings for you, but I really believe we could only be friends."
Though Rose knew that she was falling for Scorpius just as fast as he was for her, she knew she had to be rational. She was not the typed to just fall head over heels for a person. After all her and Malfoy logically didn't make since.
"You are right Rose; we should try to get to know each other better."
Rose and Scorpius talked through the rest of the evening, both discussing their new found friendship. They each talked about their families, friends, school, and their many interests. They each had something they wanted to tell the other and they were eager to hear what the other had to say. Not once did they not have something to tell the other and they were each delighted to have someone in their lives they felt they could trust with their inner thoughts.
For three weeks straight Rose and Scorpius would meet at the Astronomy Tower to talk. They never missed a night other than when there was the midnight Astronomy class. Their nights were almost surreal, on clear nights they would lay on the floor with Rose's head laying on Scorpius' lap staring off into the stars talking about many different things or just enjoying the silence and the breeze of the cool winter air.
"So Hogwarts' Christmas Ball is in a few days." Scorpius said as he ran his fingers through Rose's flowing auburn hair that waved gently on his chest. Scorpius loved her hair; he thought it was most stunning when her curls were against her ivory skin.
"Yeah, it sure is."
"Rose, I know it is short notice, but would you like to go with me?"
Rose sat up and looked at Scorpius. She wasn't smiling like he thought she would be. Rose had more of a dismayed look. She was not happy hearing Scorpius' question.
"Scorp, we can't go together. No one would like that idea. My family would go ballistic, not to mention that all the people in Slytherin would never talk to you again. They would make your life a living hell for the rest of the school year. No one would ever talk to us ever again! Besides, even all that aside I can't go with you."
"Rose, these past few weeks being with you have been extraordinary. The more we get to know each other, the more I know that we should be together. I don't care about what the other people in my house think and I am sure your family will love me once they realize I am not like my father and grandfather. I would like to move forward in our relationship. I want something more. We can do this as long as we have each other!"
"I can't go to the Ball with your Scorpius. I don't think that the two of us being together as a couple would be as easy as you think. And I'm already going with Corey McLaggen."
"Why must you be so logical all the time?! Why don't you just follow your heart, how you feel? And what do you mean that you are going to the Ball with McLaggen?! That guy is the biggest ass in the school! You would rather be with him than me!?"
Scorpius had jumped to his feet and was pacing back and forth around the Astronomy Tower. He was filled with a fiery anger at the idea of Rose going to the Christmas Ball with McLaggen. Rose was still sitting in the same spot as she was before. A downpour of tears was coming from Rose's eyes, she had to pull all her strength to speak.
"It's not like that at all Scorpius! His sister and Albus' girlfriend set it up for us to go together. I didn't choose to go with him."
"Maybe not, but you are choosing now. You won't go with me because you are scared to follow your heart. You would rather go with jerkass McLaggen than with someone you really care about because you are too fearful of the complications of our relationship!"
Scorpius had stopped moving and looked at Rose. There was a long silence between them. Rose wanted to tell him her true feelings for him, but she knew he was right. So instead of following her heart she followed her head.
"Scorp. I'm sorry, I just can't."
"Rose, I can't continue this anymore if you won't admit to yourself that you want to be with me. I can't just be friends with you, not anymore. I can't do this one-sided anymore when I know you love me as much as I love you! I hope you and McLaggen are very happy together."
Scorpius left the Astronomy Tower without another word. He wanted Rose whole heartedly regardless of the cost, but knew she was never going to give in. It was the hardest thing for him to do to leave Rose who was weeping behind him. A horrendous pain was developing into his heart; all he wanted to do was go back to her, to comfort her, to kiss way her sorrows, but he kept on walking.
