Chapter 10 \\ New Year's Eve \\ WICELA
Disclaimer: I do not own the Harry Potter series nor everything that comes with it. The rights go to J.K. Rowling. The only things I own are the holes in her stories that I filled with my fantasies.
Updated: May 4 (2016)

"So Kels, what did you do today? I highly doubt it will be even a tad more eventful than my day?" Scorpius asked, while he put his arm around Kelsey. She laughed and leaned against him. Rose had gone to bed already and the rest of the friends who had visited were long gone. He'd felt lonely after the hearing. Rose had been really quiet and they hadn't talked much. Like he was used to, Scorpius put his loneliness in the game he loved so much; a drink and a girl never bored him before. So there he was, sitting on Rose's couch with a girl who was almost throwing herself at him. It hadn't even been much of a game and it made him laugh. That kind of girls were so pathetic.

"Actually," Kelsey begun cheerful, "I saved a kid's life today." Scorpius tried to be the kind boyfriend that was impressed and admired her, but he wasn't. He knew this girl now for a few weeks and she didn't do those kind of things, so he was waiting for the moment she told him it wasn't actually her save - which she did as soon as he sort of began to fall asleep.

"You're a hero," he whispered in her ear and she laughed again. His cheek touched hers and she stopped breathing for a second.

"Don't kill yourself, you might need your breath," he said and yet again, she laughed.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine as long as I'm with you," she whispered back. It was cheesy and desperate, but it had to do. So he kissed her and she kissed him back. It wasn't passionate or fiercely. It was more desperate than the cheesy pickup-line she'd used, plus it was desperately sentimental. She'd been like this the whole time they were together. Maybe they just needed time so he could get used to it. Maybe he should try to make it work. He'd been drunk, too drunk, every time he'd been with her. Kelsey wasn't the right target for that kind of fun. She actually liked him more than only for the looks and the cheesy talks and he was confused. Last time he'd done a reality check, he'd found himself fallen in love with Rose Weasley. The only question that remained was: was she worth waiting for? She was like a dead end. She'd turned him down a million times. Part of time he'd been joking, the other part he hadn't, even though he wasn't even aware that there was another option than joking about it. There was one time that Rose actually didn't turn him down and he'd seen how that ended. They opened up to one another, but only to fight about it some hours later. Would it every time go like that? Scorpius knew that acted like someone who didn't care that much and partly, he really didn't care, but Rose had somehow managed to get a grip on things and let him care. She made him care about what he was wearing or how he was acting around her. Caring about even the smallest of things and it was crazy. On the other hand, she also hurt him a lot with every time she ignored him or gossiped about him or turned him down again. How many times of turning him down was he going to tolerate? How many times getting hurt was going to be too much? Kelsey had been a lot easier and a lot less complicated. She liked him, she admitted it and she acted like it. She wanted him in more than only a sexual kind of way. And maybe, she was starting to fall for him. He'd been teasing her - or, as she saw it: flirting with her. It didn't feel wrong, it actually felt more like teasing a friend to him, but it didn't matter. Perhaps it was for the best if he let his complicated feelings for Rose fly away and be more of a boyfriend to Kelsey. That girl deserved it too.

:: :: ::

"So...you and Kelsey, hm?" It had been the first in over a week that Rose talked to him - that, if you'd say four words and a scratching throat counts as talking. Still, Scorpius wasn't surprised she wanted to talk to him, as she caught them an hour ago in the kitchen and let just add for the love of Merlin that they weren't naked. Not fully. Yet.

"Yeah, me and Kelsey, hm," Scorpius decided to answer. The same amount of words in the same kind of voice, typically something that would irritate her. He could read on her face what she was dying to ask, but didn't, because it was Rose. He also knew that she would be way comfortable if he just told her what she wanted to hear, but this time, he wouldn't be that easy. He and Kelsey were going strong and Rose just had to be clear about every little thing she said. He wasn't going to be distracted. She wasn't even that fair - as Kelsey had pointed out a few days ago. Even though the girls were sort of friends, Kelsey didn't like the way Rose had rules for everything. Rose always thought she could make up all the rules and be the one in charge, while actually she's the one being locked up for safety reasons. Scorpius didn't even see his parents that often - not that he really hated that, but it wasn't about that. Because of Rose, Scorpius lost his freedom and now Kelsey lost hers almost too. When Kelsey talked to him about that, Scorpius began to realize how much Kelsey had talked about their relationship to other people. In this case, Kelsey could be in so much danger, because she was linked to Scorpius and indirectly linked to Rose. So Scorpius finally did the right thing and didn't involve himself further than he already was, with Rose. He wasn't going to finish her unspoken sentences in his head, he wasn't to know what she thinking and he certainly wasn't going to let her in any further.

"I mean, it wasn't like I didn't expect it - I really did expect it. Did you saw Kelsey? She was eying you since, I don't know, since she knows you? Pa-the-tic. I don't understand her, but still, Kelsey is my friend, Malfoy. You got to treat her like a princess, or even more. If it comes to my ears that you broke her, I will break you too and I'll do it with everything I can, it will be my pleasure. Just so you know," Rose answered. It wasn't like her, how she reacted. She started rambling weird words with all kinds of emotions and when she'd fixated on one emotion, it had been anger. She would deny, Scorpius realized, but he actually did know her best nowadays. Even though he wouldn't let her more into his life, he did know and remember everything she'd said before to know she was acting strange. Suddenly so interested in all the best for Kelsey while she'd been given the girl a bit of terror herself. Of course Kelsey had noticed it, but his genius explanation had been something like 'Rose is going through a rough time,' which, by all means, wasn't exactly a lie.

"Oh, I'll be counting on it," Scorpius answered without a flinch. He wasn't actually looking forward to the moment it would happen. Or maybe he was. Maybe it would be a big moment where Rose would unexpectedly declare her love for him - no, he wasn't that desperate. He could see it was bothering her. That Kelsey was bothering her, but still, he couldn't exactly get it why she was so bothered. She wasn't so afraid for her friend, but what was it? Scorpius decided to let it go. Rose had her own world and her own chance. She didn't take it, so it was over. Easy as that. He needed to let her go. He needed to stop thinking about what she was thinking. Rose wasn't his problem anymore, Kelsey was. Kelsey trusted him. Kelsey knew that they could be together and he could do his job, professionally.

"Look, Rose, I got to get back to work. Just scream when you need me, okay?"

:: :: ::

Rose didn't like it. She absolutely didn't like it. She didn't like Kelsey, she didn't like Scorpius and she didn't like the 'new Scorpius' he was becoming and that everyone liked it. Some people gave her a bit of an odd eye when Scorpius and Kelsey became official, but most of them just moved on and found it all amazing. They didn't even know each other for a very long time and still everyone was sure this would be the girl for Scorpius. Because Scorpius Malfoy was the great hero who protected their little cousin slash niece and now he had finally a steady girlfriend and it was spectacular. Of course it would be unfair to say to him that he couldn't date. It wasn't in his files nor in his job description, so she couldn't possibly make it up. Even though she wanted to. Even though she was desperate to. She had a few ways she could stop it all, but she knew her uncle Harry; he was a sucker for love.

But what really made her feel that she would go so far? Why was she the pathetic one, instead of Kelsey, who she always called the pathetic one? Not in her face of course, but in her head only. After a rough start, she and Kelsey made it up and were friends again. Friends, who shared boyfriend stories with each other and where Rose always heard more than she wanted to. She needed to stop. To stop thinking she was attached to a man like Malfoy. He was just the same womanizer he'd always been. He was just the same bully. She hated him, but she had to stay professional. The weird acts of friendship were over. The weird one-night-stand-on-new-years-eve act was over. Everything they had was over. They were just to strangers who had to work with each other and secretly Rose hoped that Albus would come to the rescue. Now he and Eric were steady again after Al's outburst, he was perhaps happy enough to help a cousin-in-need. Because she needed him. Badly.

"Rose are you okay?" Lily asked. Scorpius was just two rooms further and able to hear every single word they said. It didn't mind which charm they chose for secretly talking, Rose wasn't allowed to use any of them. If there would come someone to kill her, Scorpius would be too late and Rose would be too dead. So Rose couldn't cry her heart out and tell her cousin what really had been breaking her, because he would hear it, and Rose still had some kind of dignity left.

"Yeah, just...you know, death treats," she answered. Lily hugged her tight.

"Did you open the Howlers?" she asked.

"Hadn't really choice in that matter, had I?" Rose answered. The Howlers were worse than anything, but still better than the feeling in her heart. It was silly. It was really silly. To cry or to feel something like this for such a dumbass guy who didn't even want her. But it had been love. It still was. And that was why it hurt so much. Love. The Howlers had kind of the same affect as alcohol. It takes mind of the things that hurt, but it also makes you feel lonelier than ever. Like no one loves you.

"What do they say?" Lily tried. She tried to get it. To feel it. Of course, the girl had been through hell herself — she had been in love, too. But still, people ought to think their pain is the worst and Rose was no exception.

"That they hate me. That I'm pure evil. That they don't understand why I'm doing this — surely not the money. That I'm only seeking for more attention. That I'm making the Knights of Walpurgis stronger. That..." Rose summed up.

"Yeah, I think I get it. They hate you. But Rose, please don't think about it. Do you remember when we were kids? Al was already a few years best friends with Scorpius and I was like twelve years old and the plan was to go to the concert together. You remember? Al, Scorpius and I would go to a concert together and then Al got sick, so I asked you to come along and the press noticed it. You thought it was an absolute bummer and that they came to destroy our evening while I was just showing them my outfit and not caring that you just wanted to go. So I took Scorpius by the hand to convince you that we had to go to the concert and not to go home already and there are a lot of photos made of that moment. Weeks later there were still remarks in the paper about it and everyone thought I was dating Scorpius. And at home, my father just said to me: "Lil, you seem to have a boyfriend," and my mother said: "Oh no, according to this article, the two of you just broke up," and than Al picked up a magazine and said: "Well, in here it says that your relationship has been given the number six out of ten, so it won't last very long, I suppose," and James was there and said: "Just be safe, sis," and then everyone laughed," Lily said. Rose laughed a bit and turned to her cousin.

"But why are you telling me this?" she asked.

"Well, just to explain to you that whatever the papers or other people think of you, there will always be your family to love you no matter what happens and we do this for free. We love you, Rose," she smiled and Rose smiled back.

"Thank you, Lils, I needed that. With talks like that you're going to be a great mum someday," Rose said. Lily laughed.

"Someday real soon," she added, while still laughing.

:: :: ::

"You're pregnant," were the words the Healer said.

"What?" Helga answered. She didn't understand. She...it...no. No. No!

"I'm not pregnant," she said. Even though her Healer was leaving her room, she didn't want him to do so.

"Yes you are, Helga, and congratulations," he said.

"Don't 'Helga' me, I'm not pregnant. Not possible! I'm a Healer, too, you know. I know when I'm pregnant and I know that I'm not pregnant!" she answered. This couldn't be true. It better wasn't.

"Helga, please remain calm, you've got nothing to worry about. You and your baby are completely healthy and everything will be alright!" he said, but instead of calming her down, she was becoming furious. The use of the word 'baby' didn't make it any less calm.

"Nothing to worry about? What do think about money, huh? I just moved, I've got a pretty expensive house, so I can't pay it. Besides: I'm not married. I know this is kinda old-fashioned, but my parents will hate me." Helga sat down on her chair.

"Helga, I can't do anything to you to help you. I can't make you un-pregnant. You should tell your boyfriend and you know there are loads of therepy..."

"Look Thomas, normally I give these chats myself to the patients so I know what I can do or not do. Please, just...Merlin...pregnant. What will Frank say?"

:: :: ::

"Pregnant? Are you sure?" Helga couldn't really recall if Frank was happy or not to hear this.

"Euhm, quite sure yeah," she answered a bit shy. Looking towards the ground, she hoped that he wouldn't be angry or something. It wasn't like Frank to be angry, but still. She hoped him to at least like the idea of having a mini-Frank-and-Helga walking around them, but still, she didn't know what to do.

"Helga, that's fantastic!" Frank exclaimed. She looked up and saw the joy in his eyes.

"Really?"

"Yeah, of course it is, why wouldn't it?"

"Because...the money and...and...everything?"

"Helga, everything that happens to us is going in flash-forward. There is no minute that we get boring, like you seemed to think earlier. But there is nothing I would do to stop that. Flash-forward suits us. It's nice. We'll figure this out," Frank explained. Helga hugged him.

"I really hoped you would like it," she said. Tears fell down of her cheeks. The whole day she had been worrying about what being pregnant would be like and what kind of negative things it would cause, but now, with Frank, she totally saw the point. They were having a baby. A kid. It would be fantastic.