A/N: Hey my lovely readers! Here's the next chapter in this melodrama :P Be warned- there is some language in this chapter... I know it's late, but... I couldn't work on it Saturday, and my life is super-crazy right now. I hope you all enjoy, and I want to thank everyone who reviews. You guys literally make my day. So if you want to make me happy or inspire me to write more, review? Please...?

June 6, 2020

"You and Axton studying together?" Sasha asked as we walked down to breakfast. The boys had gone Dow without us around a half hour ago, according to my dear cousin Roxie.

About a month ago now, Axton and I had a serious discussion of how he was treating me. It wasn't that he was rude... Just... Controlling, I guess. We talked a lot that day, and things seemed to get better... I'd started going to the library again and talking to Scorpius more regularly. It was a lot less pressure.

"Haha, yeah right. That would require Axton to study and me to be able to study with him," I said, playing with my hair.

"So you'll be in the library?" Sasha asked.

"Of course. Scorpius was getting up early to go claim the table we've used the past two years..." I said.

"So you're not studying with your boyfriend, you're studying with the guy you're not supposed to be friends with?" Sasha asked me.

"Don't make me overthink it, Sash. I... When I study with Scorp, I get good grades, okay? Just... It works."

"Fine, but if Axton asks me, I'm telling him what your plan is."

"Go right ahead," I muttered.

"Still surprised Boyfriend is letting you out of his sight to study..." Scorpius said as I sat down at our table.

"Shut up," I said, pulling out my books and blushing. "He knows how angry I'll get if I fail, and he doesn't want to risk it."

"And he doesn't know I'm here?" Scorpius added.

"Yes, Malfoy, okay? I might have left that one detail out..."

"Lying is no way for a relationship..." Scorpius said.

"Neither is controlling every aspect of their day, something Axton is learning."

"He's still trying? Even after your talk?"

"We're both trying to build a relationship... But I dunno how long it'll last. It's not like I can't live without him or something. I just..."

"But he's still trying to control you?"

"No... He just wants to know what is going on, what I'm up to... He'll say something if he has a problem with it."

"Rose, I -"

"Malfoy, listen. I love that you care, but we need to study, not talk about my love life."

"Okay. Wanna work on Care of Magical Creatures?"

"So Malfoy, is there any special person in your life?" I asked after a while.

"Err, not really..." Scorpius said, but he was blushing.

"Oh, come on, tell me!" I said, giggling. "You can trust me, Malfoy."

"Ironic, being that the last thing our parents would do is trust each other..."

"I believe you are avoiding the subject," I said. "Just tell me."

"There's a girl that I like," Scorpius admitted, "but it's really complicated. We're friends now, but she's seeing another guy..."

"That sucks, Scorpius," I said. "You deserve a really great girl."

"It's okay. Sometimes it's worth the wait. I'm sure she'll come around eventually..."

"Awe, Scorpius, that is too sweet!" I said, smirking at him. "Who knew Malfoy had such a warm heart under the cold exterior..." Scorpius blushed.

"It's lunch time..." Scorpius said around noon. I glanced at my watch.

"So it is..." I replied.

"Are we going to break for food?"

"We can..." I said, "or we could continue. It doesn't matter to me. I'm sure, teenage boy that you are, that you want food?"

"Rose, I'm not a garbage disposal like some guys..." Scorpius said, trying not to laugh. "I had a big breakfast. Honestly, I'm not that hungry yet."

"Yet," I replied, "as in, you will be. Believe me, my brother is eleven and eats more than I do at every meal."

"Well, I'm not that kind of guy. At least not yet," Scorpius said with a shrug. "From what my dad has said, your's ate a lot as a teen..."

"Least I know what to expect if I have a son, then," I jokingly said.

"What if your husband/baby daddy-"

"My baby daddy? What?"

"Okay, just forget I said anything.."

"No, I want to know where you were going with this," I said, shaking my head. "Keep talking, Malfoy."

"Well, Weasley, I was merely going to ask what it would be like if the father of your child wasn't a pig," Scorpius said, blushing.

"Like you?" I suggested. Scorpius gave a curt nod.

"Potentially..." he muttered.

"I guess it's possible. Not like I'm going to be having kids with Axton..." I joked.

"Oh no?" Scorpius asked.

"I don't see us lasting," I said with a shrug. "Kids are ages down the line."

"I see..." Scorpius said.

"Why don't we talk about something else..." I suggested, blushing slightly.

"Yeah, that's fine," Scorpius said, flipping his notebook open again.

"THIS is your studying?" an angry voice asked from behind me. I whipped my head around to see Axton, Albus, and James, standing, staring at me. Behind them, I could see Bridget looking at me scornfully, and Sasha looking nervous.

"We are studying," I said as confidently as I could muster.

From behind Axton Sasha mouthed "sorry - he asked".

"Sure you are," Bridget muttered.

"I thought you 'couldn't study with anybody'," Axton spat.

"I thought we told you before not to mess with Malfoy," James said. "His whole family is bad news, Rose. They were in Voldemort's inner circle."

"Yeah, and they've repented! Are they in Azkaban? Don't you realize why Scorpius and I have become friends? He gets what it's like to be in the media. Merlin knows they still pick on the Malfoy name." I crossed my arms, standing up to face off.

"Fuck that," James spat. "You've got all of us... We all deal with it too!"

"You git! I'm allowed to have friends that aren't related to me that understand me..."

"You're not supposed to be hanging out with other guys behind your boyfriend's back!" Axton practically screamed.

"We're studying together, Axe, nothing else. Merlin, we've always studied for end of year exams together."

"You have?" Albus said, shocked. "I thought you couldn't study with anyone, that it was too distracting?"

"It is distracting with you guys..." I said. "You drum your fingers when you read, Axton, you only like to study when it's noisy and you get distracted easily, and the girls end up gossiping and getting distracted, too..."

"And Malfoy is better?" Albus said.

"By far," I replied. "We study alone, ask each other questions, and eventually talk about other things when we need a break..."

"That's really all we do," Scorpius said. "We study, talk, study, part ways. The end."

"I don't care what you fucking do and don't do with my cousin because you shouldn't be doing jack together, Malfoy!" James said, his voice booming.

"Well too bloody bad," I said. "We're friends, and I'm not going to ignore him. At this point, I could care less if Dad were to scream about it."

"Yeah, Potter, how would your dad, savior of Muggle-borns, like you bullying someone because of his parents?"

"Don't dare bring my dad into this, Malfoy! Can't believe your dad is happy with the fact that you're hanging out with the halfblood daughter of his sworn enemies..." James said.

"My father wouldn't care. He respects that people are different than their parents. My mother, however, is happy. She's glad I have friends outside of the normal circle."

"You've told your mum?" I asked, surprised.

"Well... She asked..." Scorpius shrugged. "I didn't exactly tell father though.."

"Well, Uncle Ron would turn maroon and break whatever he's holding if Rose told him," Albus said, chuckling. I laughed, nodding.

"Albus," Axton growled. "He's the problem. You're not supposed to be laughing..." Everyone fell quiet.

"Screw you, Axton!" I said finally. "You can't control my life. And you won't. If that's what you want to do, go find a different girl. Hermione Weasley's daughter isn't going to let some man control her. Never."

"Finally she grows a backbone!" Malfoy muttered behind me. I bit my lip to stop from smirking.

"Are you breaking up with me?" Axton asked, stunned.

"Yeah, I guess I am." Al walked over to me, stood next to me, and squeezed my hand.

"Wow, Rose, what a player. Hanging out with another guy, giving your boyfriend a reason to be jealous, and then breaking up with him when he calls you out on it. Wow..." Bridget said before grabbing Axton's arm and leading him out of the library.

"C'mon, let's get away from Malfoy scum..." James said.

"Actually, James, you can go. I think it's best for Rosie to avoid the Common Room right now. Sasha and I will make sure she stays away from Malfoy," Albus said. James must not have known his brother well, because it was obvious to me that he had no intention of doing anything but talking to Scorpius.

James nodded and left. Al motioned for Sasha to come join us at the table, and we all sat.

"I'm Albus S. Potter. Pleasure to meet you," Al said, sticking out a hand to shake.

"Scorpius A. Malfoy," Scorpius said, taking Al's hand.

"Um, I'm Sasha..." Sasha said, smiling softly.

"So Malfoy's actually pretty cool... Who'd have thought?" Albus said as we walked back to the common room later that evening.

"I knew that. And I believe you yelled at me for it?"

"She did try to tell us..." Sasha said.

"So how long has he been telling you to break up with Axton?" Albus asked.

"Pretty much since it started..." I said. "The first time he really cornered me was Hogsmeade..."

"That's why you were late!" exclaimed Sasha. "Not just because of the books!" I tapped my nose and nodded.

"Yeah, he cornered me, and it was the first time we'd been able to talk in weeks... I knew you guys and Axton were waiting, but I couldn't bring myself to care."

"He did keep you on a leash..." Al said. "He's my mate and all, but he needed to respect you, too. He kept talking about how you'd be together for years, and how he planned to..." Al blushed.

"To what?" Sasha asked.

"To have Rose's first time..." Al said, turning slightly pinker. I flushed as well.

"I wouldn't have given it to him. I had no desire. It's... That's icky." Al and Sasha laughed.

"Password?" The fat lady asked. Al said it and the portrait hole swung into view... And the entire common room was staring at us, eerily silent.

"Rose, I can't believe you would give up such a good guy that even met and was liked by your dad for a guy your dad'll never like." Bridget said as we were all turning in that night.

"Bridget, butt out and go to bed. I think that Rose's dad will be glad she's single. She's not dating Malfoy. They're friends, like you and Chase or Di and Liam..." Sasha said. I flashed her a smile and closed the drapes around my bed.