Disclaimer: As always I own nothing but the original characters and the situations all the characters, poor bastards, find themselves in. Everything else belongs to someone else and that's just the way it's got to be. Thanks so much for reading, I hope you enjoy and let me know what you think.

Ranting Roommates

Laying back on the bed Scorpius stared at the ceiling, various thoughts struggling to form in his post orgasm mind. It was surprisingly hard to do. But one thing that did manage to get through the mental haze was the fact that Potter no longer owed him and that was not the way it was supposed to be. Because really, after what Potter had just done how could he say the man owed him anything? Hell, he probably owed Potter a thank you now for so thoroughly rocking his world in some truly excellent ways.

For a Gryffindor Potter was surprisingly sneaky.

That was the final thought Scorpius had before slipping into light slumber, waking up four hours later with a curse. Getting dressed quickly Scorpius's swearing only increased in volume and creativity when he saw for his own eyes how late it was.

Getting out of the room as quickly as possible Scorpius used his invisibility to escape detection as he made his way down to the ground floor and then across the castle. When he finally entered the passageway that led to his dorms Scorpius undid the invisibility spell and headed down the stone hallway at a fast clip.

He was only ten minutes away from the entrance when he saw a large, imposing figure coming towards him at a fast walk. The torches made things blurry, but he recognized the man marching towards him having known the other man since they were infants together.

"There you are. Are you alright?" Rorake demanded to know as he hurried over, looking for any sign of injury.

"What are you doing out of bed?"

"What am I doing out of bed?" Now Rorake's voice was beginning to sound pissed, especially since there were no injuries to be seen as he got closer. "I've been up for hours, worried sick, and you've been out…stupid question, it's written all over your face." Now Rorake was really pissed. "You were out getting laid, weren't you? Figures."

Turning around Rorake headed back the way he'd come, Scorpius hurrying after him automatically.

"Wait…you were coming to look for me?" Scorpius was torn between being a little touched by his roommate's concern and insulted that the other man thought he couldn't handle himself. "What did you think had happened to me? I can take anyone here."

"And if members of the other houses decided to avenge what almost happened to Lily Potter by taking out you, a Death Eater in training?"

The thought hadn't even entered Scorpius's mind. But it was a possibility, there were plenty of people in the other houses who were stupid enough to form a mob and try and jinx him into the next century. And if there were enough of them…okay, there would be a possibility of him ending up somewhat…incapacitated.

The sound of Rorake stomping off was enough to jog Scorpius from his thoughts, the blonde automatically picking up speed to catch up with him. "Rory, wait."

Rorake stopped so suddenly Scorpius ran right into his with a thud. Cursing as he held his now throbbing nose Scorpius glared up at his roommate. "Why the hell did you stop so fast?"

Because for the first time in a very long time Scorpius had called him by his childhood nickname. But saying that would just make him sound incredibly pathetic and Rorake was already mad as hell at himself for caring about Scorpius's well being. Like caring about the man had ever gotten him anything but grief, the man thought bitterly.

Annoyed just as much that Rorake's way of answering was to start walking again Scorpius sped up and then hip checked the man over to the side so that they could walk side by side. "I asked you a question, Goyle."

"So now I'm Goyle again." Rorake muttered under his breath before looking over to meet Scorpius's gaze. "What do you want? I already know I'm an idiot for worrying."

Now he was confused and pissed. "Why are you so mad at me? I fell asleep, I didn't mean to. Do you want me to say I'm sorry for making you worry?"

"You never apologize. It's part of what makes you a Malfoy."

Arriving at the hidden entrance to their dorm before Scorpius could think of a smart comeback Rorake stated the password and, with a great deal of sarcasm, bowed and motioned for Scorpius to go on ahead as the bricks disappeared to reveal the entrance. "After you."

Getting more pissed by the minute Scorpius marched through to their common room and into the hallway leading to their dorm room. Reaching their room despite the growing red haze in front of his eyes Scorpius opened it and then made a big production of copying Rorake's earlier actions. "Now after you."

Not about to be drawn into a fight with the other man Rorake headed straight over to his side of the room and stripped down to his boxers and the T-shirt he'd been wearing underneath his sweater. Too tired to bother with putting his pajamas back on Rorake slid back into bed and ignored the looks he was getting from the other side of the room Rorake turned onto his side and gave Scorpius his back.

Neither spoke for the next ten minutes until, "Goyle?"

"What?"

"Thank you for coming to look for me."

"You're welcome."

It wasn't an apology, but it was more than Rorake had expected.

)

The next day, after their Care of Magical Creatures class, Rorake and Al set off back towards the castle after letting everyone walk off ahead of them. That way they could talk to each other without getting weird looks and pointed questions later.

"So did something happen?" Al asked as he adjusted the strap of his bag, concern for his friend written all over his expressive face. "You seem mad about something. Did someone say something to you? Cracks about your intelligence? Your dad?" Al figured the dad thing was more likely than the cracks since Rorake was used to being teased and insulted, especially about his so called lack of intelligence. Not that that made it right, but the man was pretty much impervious to those comments by now. Rory really didn't get along with his dad though and it wouldn't be the first time that a letter from his old man had had Rory ready to put a fist through a wall. Which Rory could actually do.

"Malfoy just pissed me off last night." Rorake shrugged his shoulders, annoyed that it still bothered him. "He was out with whatever piece of ass he's doing now and fell asleep, didn't get back until morning. Being an idiot I was all set to go find him when we met up in the hallway."

"He called the person a piece of ass?" Flames erupting in the depths of his eyes Al's thoughts were as dark and vicious as any Slytherin's.

A little surprised at the heat Al was suddenly giving off Rorake wisely didn't question that and simply answered the question. "No, that's what I call all his women. He's only interested in what they have below the waist after all. Though I guess if I was going to have to marry Lena Birthistle I'd get as much action beforehand as possible too. That girl could give a man frostbite just from looking at her."

"So you've met her?" Al had never met the girl gossip said Lucius had picked out for his grandson. She went to Beaubaxtons and no one seemed to know much about her. But given who'd given her the seal of approval Al was inclined to believe the frostbite comment. He'd met Lucius's wife after all.

Rorake nodded. "A couple of times. I wouldn't marry her for all the gold in Gringotts. She's living proof, I suppose, of just how much Scorpius wants Lucius's approval."

"But he hasn't asked her yet, right?"

"He will." Rorake didn't doubt it for a moment. "Maybe that's why I cut him too much slack here. Marrying her…that's going to be worse than a trip to Azkaban when it still had the Dementors overseeing the prisoners."

Wincing Al looked up at Rorake. "And you really don't think you could talk him out of it?"

"There isn't a person alive who can talk a Malfoy out of something they have their mind set on."

"That's not a cheerful thought."

"Wasn't meant to be."

)

"Why were you talking to that Slytherin?" Louis demanded to know as soon as Al had left the Slytherin's side to join him. He'd been waiting for Al outside the castle and he'd seen them walking together from class together and this wasn't the first time either. Louis was beginning to realize that Al brushed him off every time he asked why that was too.

"I was curious about the girl Malfoy is going to marry. I figured Goyle would know her."

Louis's gaze was piercing as he crossed his arms in front of him. "And why would he tell you anything? As it is the man hardly speaks in sentences, much less paragraphs."

Al's lips twitched. "You two just rub each other the wrong way. And I help him with school work for Hagrid's class. It was a trade of info."

It figured that the Slytherin was dumb enough to need help in a bird course, Louis thought with a shake of his head. And it wasn't like he was the only one Goyle refused to have a real conversation with. He'd never seen the other man have anything resembling a conversation with anyone, even Malfoy. The man would be a wallflower if he weren't so bloody big.

"Anyway, he didn't have a single good thing to say about the would be fiancée." And the fact that he hated the idea of the Slytherin marrying anyone unnerved him. He should wish a horrible wife on the jerk, Al reminded himself sternly. Even if Malfoy had helped with Lily, it was probably the first and last good deed the Slytherin would ever do.

"And it bothers you that he'll be marrying someone else."

"Louis…even if we wanted to, which we sure as hell don't, we couldn't get married. Hell, at this point, I'd settle for being able to hold a guy's hand in public without worrying about being stoned to death. And I wouldn't want to hold 'Bond's' hand if that's what you're going to suggest either."

"Oh really? Because it seems to me you've done a hell of a lot more than hold 'Bond's' hand." Louis shot back.

Understanding that Louis was just worried about him Al reached out and slugged his arm over his cousin's shoulder. "My brain is still in working order so I'm not stupid, Louis. No one gets either Bond in their bed for long."

"And how many of them end up dead because of 007?"

Louis had a point. About the original Bond anyway. But as Al had decided from the very beginning, he was not going to be just another Bond girl. He knew better.

Or at least he hoped he did.

"Are you going to start things up with him again?" Louis asked, his blue eyes full of worry as he stopped walking, moving to stand in front of his cousin as he gave Al his full attention.

Al knew himself too well to say there wasn't a chance in hell, so he shrugged.

Shaking his head Louis knew his cousin too well to think that he could talk his best friend out of continuing to meet up with Malfoy. Hell, if the bastard were his type Louis might have been tempted too. But still… "Just remember to keep me in the loop, okay? I am M after all. Making sure you don't end up dead is my job."

"And one you're very, very good at." Al gave his cousin a quick hug. "And I promise that you'll be kept in the loop, Boss."

"Damn right."

)

But Louis was still worried and so he sent the rest of his crowd off ahead of him after dinner, hanging around the Great Hall's entrance as he waited for Goyle to come out. The other man ate food like the world was coming to an end and was always one of the last people to leave. Though to be fair, width wise the Slytherin was two of him. It would take a lot to fuel a body that size, Louis mused.

Finally the Slytherin exited the hall and taking advantage of the fact that no one else was around Louis moved in to intercept.

Hearing the sound of determined footsteps Rorake turned around, surprised when he saw who was bearing down on him like a vampire scenting blood.

"I need to talk to you for a few minutes." Louis announced, his voice making to clear that he wasn't to be refused.

But then princesses generally got their way, Rorake thought with hidden amusement. He was tempted to continue walking, but the snotty little he/she would probably curse him. Better to just find out what the Weasley wanted, Rorake surmised. "What do you want?"

"I want to make a deal with you."

Well that was unexpected. "What kind of deal?"

"I want you to tell me if Malfoy says anything around you about Al that isn't one of his usual 'I hate Potter' rants. No matter how small or insignificant."

"And what makes you think I could be bribed to do that?" Louis Weasley wasn't stupid, so there had to be some sort of logic, at least in the blonde's mind.

"Because in return I'm willing to help you with your school work so you graduate with decent grades."

His grades were more than decent, but Rorake saw little point in pointing that out. Besides, he was really curious now. "So you think my loyalty can be bought for free tutorage?" He should probably be insulted.

"You aren't Malfoy's stooge or friend, so why not? He'd probably sell you up the river without a twinge of guilt." When Rorake just raised an eyebrow Louis took that as his cue to elaborate. "You aren't Death Eater material, Goyle. You don't pick fights with anyone and you don't act as Malfoy's muscle. You don't really hang out with any of the other Slytherins and we both know Malfoys don't have friends they can't use somehow." Louis added, not without some sympathy. As a people person he couldn't begin to see how not having friends couldn't be torturous.

Again Rorake thought that he should probably be insulted, but he was sort of flattered too that the other man didn't think he was Death Eater material. That would insult pretty much every other Slytherin, but he was pretty much an original in his house. So should he or shouldn't he, Rorake pondered while the Gryffindor tapped his foot impatiently. There had to be a reason for this unexpected request. Had Malfoy issued some sort of threat against Al? Or worse…had Scorpius somehow been a part of what those other Slytherins had tried to do to Lily Potter?

Just the thought had his blood running cold.

"You think…he intends to hurt your cousin?" Rorake finally asked, his face unreadable as he focused all his intention on reading the Weasley's face. Before now Scorpius had only issued threats and minor jinxes in Al's direction. Was that going to change?

"Let's just say I suspect he might be up to something where Al is concerned." Up and in in this case, Louis thought with dark humor.

Al was his friend. He would not let Scorpius hurt him.

Not having to think about it anymore Rorake held out his hand to the Gryffindor. "We have a deal."

Taking the hand Louis shook it, his gaze as serious as Rorake's. "And just so you know, if I find out you've been holding out on me, I will make you wish my uncles hadn't saved your dad's ass in their seventh year, capice?"

"Girlie threat noted." And saluting the glaring Weasley Rorake turned and continued on his way with a thoughtful look on his face.

)

Scorpius chose to be amused that the Hufflepuff he was on patrol with was scared spit-less of him. The girl couldn't be walking any further from him unless she tried walk through the walls. Did she really think they would have assigned her to patrol with him if they thought he'd harm a hair on her incredibly stupid head? But she was a Hufflepuff, he mused, stupidity was a requirement.

Watching a smile break over her face Scorpius watched as she ran over to meet the two figures walking in their general direction. Potter and that Ravenclaw twin the Gryffindor liked so much. Just the sight of the two walking together pissed him off.

At first Al thought the girl was running from an attacker but he quickly recognized Scorpius as the man followed the Hufflepuff at a casual pace. There wasn't a mark on the girl and Veronica was known to be a little…high strung. Well that and if the Slytherin had meant her harm she would have never gotten away from him this easily. So logic suggested that she was just freaked out over what had happened to Lily and feared being next.

"Malfoy." Nodding an acknowledgement Al tried not to be amused as the girl squeezed herself in between him and Lorcan. "You and Veronica are almost done your patrol?"

"Almost." Feeling infinitely safer now Veronica looked up pleadingly. "I'm really not feeling well, Albus, do you think he could maybe finish our patrol on his own? He doesn't need my help and I really do feel awful."

"No problem. Lorcan can see you back to the Hufflepuff dormitories. Malfoy and I can see to the rest of our patrols alone." Understanding where she was coming from Al wasn't going to press the matter and make her finish. And sending Lorcan with her would insure that she wouldn't freak herself out on the way back to her dorm.

Waving off the girl's thanks Al watched them walk off before turning his attention to the lurking Slytherin, who'd stayed out of the exchange entirely. Walking over Al looked up to meet Malfoy's amused gaze.

"And here you're supposed to be such a ladies man."