hello! hello! my fabulous readers! i know i've kept you waiting a little while and i'm sorry about that :P but y'know (or might not) uni stuff...

but anyway, thank you very much for sticking with me and the characters this far and thank you soo much for reviewing/favouriting/following/giving it a read, its awesome of you to do so :D

on with the story...

Chapter 10 – Because we're both idiots

Rose and Scorpius didn't speak to each other for the next week and a half. Anything that had to be said, in order for their duties as leaders of the student body to be fulfilled, was written down as notes. They didn't ignore each other though. Every spare second was spent with their eyes on one another, trying to gauge their feelings and emotions, whilst also trying to pressure them into cracking first and spilling all. Their age old rivalry at its finest, just without the conventional duelling.

"You're both being ridiculous," Albus chided Rose. They were sitting in the Gryffindor common room with their siblings and Frank (who seemed to have become an extension of Albus, which was surprising because he supposedly had a job) and had been discussing at length the latest developments in the Rose-Scorpius love débâcle.

"Look, it's not my fault that he won't break, I'm just going to have to up the ante, that's all!" Rose retorted.

"How?" Hugo enquired.

"I know! You could, like, walk around your common room in nothing but your underwear in front of him! His lust would definitely make him crack!" Lily exclaimed and everyone looked at her like she'd gone insane.

After a pause Frank spoke, "Actually, Lily's idea isn't that bad, you do need some kind of catalyst if you're going to force his hand."

"I don't see why you don't just tell him how you feel," Albus sniffed, acting as if he was above all this nonsense, until Frank started ticking him and he was a mess of hysterics.

"I can't just tell him! That would mean I'd lost!" Rose cried.

After recovering from Frank's tickle-attack, Albus looked Rose dead in the eyes. "If you feel like it's a battle you have to win or lose, maybe you're just unsuited to each other. You should just give up now, it'd be easier for everyone if you did."

Rose flushed red with anger and towered over him. "What the hell do you know, Albus Severus Potter? JUST WHO WOULD IT BE EASIER FOR?"

"Then what's the problem?" Albus appeared completely unfazed by his cousin's outburst. Rose didn't answer, instead turning away. "Why won't you admit your feelings to him?" Still no answer. "What's the problem Rosie, are you scared?" His voice had taken on a mocking tone.

"Albus..." Frank began to warn him.

"YES! I'M SCARED, ALRIGHT?" Rose span back to face them.

"He feels the same way you know," Hugo said quietly, "I'm not even his friend, really, and even I can see it." The Potter-Weasely (and Frank) group suddenly realised just how public their little scene was.

"I need to go, thanks for your help," Rose mumbled before rushing out through the portrait hole and back to her room.

Albus let out a long shaky breath, his face rather pale. "Rose might be one of the most terrifying people in existence."

Frank gave him a much needed hug and peck on his forehead.

Scorpius felt cold. He couldn't really say how long he had been lying there, the sky had begun to turn dark, and he had been there since after breakfast so it must have been a long time. The roar of the river around his rock had, at some point, become a peaceful lullaby. His body felt heavy, as if it had been basted with lead. I should go back. Scorpius had gone to think. He wanted to be with Rose properly, but he also felt like he couldn't afford to lose to her by admitting his feelings first. Considering their time together and the events that led up to this stasis that they were in, Rose had never really been the one to take much of the initiative between them. It had always been him. What if I've been wrong all along? It feels like it might've been my one-sided delusion... Scorpius face-palmed, feeling offended by his own words. This is stupid! I won't get anywhere if I don't try harder! He sat up trying to feel enthused but it didn't really work, his teeth were chattering far too much for that. Grabbing his broom, he pushed himself up to standing on unsteady legs. Scorpius headed back to the castle.

Rose looked up at the entranceway when she heard Scorpius returning. She was sitting on the floor with her legs covered in a blanket, her back resting against one of the sofas, in front of the common room fire. Rose shot to her feet when she saw the state of him. Scorpius was very pale, his lips were turning blue from the cold and his was notably shivering. "What on earth happened to you?!" Rose exclaimed, rushing over and bundling the blanket around his shoulders before pulling him over to sit in front of the fire. It suddenly occurred to both of them that she had just broken their wall of silence. Scorpius didn't feel triumphant though. He wasn't sure what to feel but the dominant thought in his brain was how happy he was to hear Rose's voice and concern directed at him again. Scorpius was tired and, due to freezing his arse off out on his rock, he felt quite light-headed. Rose knelt in front of him and looked up into his face. "Well? Aren't you going to tell me?"

Scorpius didn't answer. Rose sighed and stared into the fire. A weight on her shoulder surprised her. Scorpius had bent down to rest his head on Rose, he snaked his arms around her and pulled her close. They stayed like that for a little while, Rose was unsure about whether to return the gesture, even though her arms were practically aching to wrap around Scorpius' torso. She gave in, burying her face in his shoulder. This is what I want. It was probably the clearest thought that Rose had ever had. "A lot of people are probably going to be very angry at us so you'd better take responsibility, because we're both idiots," Rose's voice sounded weak and Scorpius pulled back to look into her eyes, trying to gauge her meaning. Knowing that there was no way she would back out now, Rose continued. She was going to throw her stupid competitiveness out of the window. "I'm pretty sure I'm in love with you."

Scorpius's eyes widened and a blush set his chilled cheeks on fire. Rose hadn't lost at all. She had thoroughly beaten him. Rose was one of a kind. "No, that's not good enough at all," he teased her, but hurried on when her expression snapped to one of intense vulnerability and fear that easily read as 'has he been playing me all along?' "I mean, I-I'm going to have to get your feelings to the same level as mine because, I'm definitely i-in love with you."

"Good," Rose grinned up at him. He pulled her in for another hug but he lost his balance and ended up falling off the sofa and knocking them both to the floor. "Smooth manoeuvre quidditch captain!" Rose laughed at him. Scorpius quickly shut her up by stealing a kiss.

"Dinner?"

"Dinner."