I know a lot of you have been waiting anxiously for this chapter...or at least, I hope you have. This was already partly written when I last updated, and the rest has been written sporadically during classes. It was finished today when I should have been working on the two papers I have due tomorrow. Those will get done at some point.
I cannot promise a quick update for the next chapter because the homework and tests are piling on and I want the next chapter to be absolutely perfect. This chapter and the next are probably the most major chapters in this story!
Without further ado, since I'm sure you're tired of me prattling on, Chapter 11!
Scorpius woke up the next morning and it took him a moment to remember where he was and why. His head was throbbing slightly, but he'd had worse hangovers. Little pieces of the previous day began falling into place – the letter from his mother, the Firewhiskey, and Rose.
Rose. Scorpius's eyes shot open and he was greeted with the sight of Rose's back and her red waves spread across the pillow. His arm was wrapped around her waist and he became very aware of the fact that neither of them were wearing any clothes.
He slowly closed his eyes and opened them again, praying that he would find himself in his own room, alone, and that this would all have been a dream.
Rose shifted next to him and he froze. She exhaled and rolled onto her back, the sheet sliding down to her hips.
She wasn't wearing any make-up, he realized. He had only seen her maybe twice this year without make-up, and it was a shame really. She was beautiful, he couldn't help but think, she had always been beautiful. Even before she went to Greece and met Amber and Nikolas and changed.
Scorpius's eyes drifted downwards, over her chest and to her hips, then back up again and felt something stir in his groin. Not only was she beautiful, she was unbelievably sexy.
One of her hands came up and started to rub her eyes, and she slowly opened them.
"Hey," he said softly, and her hand stopped moving. Rose looked at him and they just lay there for a moment, looking at each other. Rose didn't blush or look away – she met his gaze steadily and he thought he saw a hint of challenge in her eyes.
"How are you?" she asked calmly, apparently unaware or unconcerned about the fact that she was still almost completely exposed to him.
"I'm not sure," he answered tonelessly. They lay in silence for awhile longer. Thoughts were running through Scorpius's mind faster than he could process them, and he didn't know what to say, what he should say.
When the silence and staring became too much for him to bear, Scorpius rolled over and sat up on the edge of the bed, scanning her room for his pants.
"What are we going to do, Scorpius?" Rose asked from behind him in that same calm, measured tone. He turned to look at her and saw that she had covered herself up and was staring at the canopy of her bed. A feeling like disappointment lodged itself in his stomach. "About this," she added, gesturing between them. He turned back around and Summoned his clothes to him, thinking while he slowly put them on. He had never been a cheater and, like it or not, Caroline Nott was still his girlfriend, even if they were on a break. Scorpius may have been a notorious womanizer and skirt chaser, but when he was with a girl, he was faithful.
Standing, he turned to face her and Rose knew she wasn't going to like his answer.
"You want to forget about it," she said flatly, and she stood as well, walking around and gathering up her clothing. She didn't seem nearly as self-conscious as he had felt. Scorpius couldn't help but study her legs, which were even longer than he had though, her slim figure, and her arse. His pants began to feel slightly tighter and somewhat uncomfortable.
Frustrated that she couldn't find all of her clothing, Rose instead pulled the sheet off her bed and wrapped it around herself.
"It's okay." she said in a tone that clearly said it wasn't. They stood there for a moment before she continued, "Don't worry about it. We can just forget this ever happened and go back to normal."
"Are you sure?" he asked uncertainly and Rose nodded slowly.
"You had some bad news and I was there. It was comfort sex." she said simply with a shrug. "No big deal." Her hands gripped the sheets tighter and she mentally begged him to tell her she was wrong, that it was a big deal, that it was more than comfort sex. Rose's heart was beating so loudly he had to be able to hear it.
"Okay," he heard himself agreeing, and he regretted it instantly. Something seemed to deaden in her eyes, and he wanted to take it back and tell her that it was a big deal and it meant more to him than he could begin to say. He wanted to tell her he was going to end it with Caroline as soon as he left.
The words wouldn't come. Scorpius stood there, staring at her.
"Thanks," he added awkwardly, turning to leave when he couldn't look at her any longer.
"No problem," she said tightly from behind him.
Scorpius had one hand on the doorknob when he paused and turned to face her again.
"Can we talk later?"
"Sure," she agreed flatly, already knowing how that discussion would go.
"Good," he replied, smiling slightly. "See you then."
"Yeah, see you then."
And then he was gone. Rose stared at the door for a minute before sinking down onto herd, the sheet still wrapped around her.
She shook her head furiously. She wouldn't cry, she wouldn't cry, she couldn't cry. Rose bit her lip harder and harder until the pain there caused her to focus on it rather than the pain in her chest.
A tear rolled down her cheek, followed by another, and another, and another, and another…
*\*
Scorpius made his way to Ravenclaw Tower in something of a fog, not even really aware of answering the question at the door or making his way to his thankfully empty dorm.
He was still in shock over last night's events. Rose, of all people. He had had sex with Rose. Amazing sex, sex that left him wanting more.
Dazedly, he entered the bathroom and grabbed a towel, setting it on the sink before removing his clothes and stepping into the shower. He tapped the showerhead with his wand, relaxing when steaming water hit his shoulders and began loosening the knots in his back. His thoughts slid back to Rose.
Even without having sex with her, just being with her all night, waking up to her this morning, had left him feeling content. Happy, even, an emotion that had been absent for awhile.
Scorpius had never stayed the night with a girl before, in spite of the efforts of pretty much all his previous girlfriends. He knew that doing so would only encourage them in their dreams of dating him steadily, being with him forever and ever. He sighed – he almost felt arrogant and conceited thinking that. But he had heard the same thing from Albus and Johnathon Thomas and even Rose once.
But Rose hadn't assumed that – she would never assume that because she knew him so well, he realized. She had seen him with every girl he had dated and watched how he treated them, how he avoided them, shagged them and walked away.
Exactly like he had done to her this morning.
The thought hit him like a hippogriff. He had used Rose for sex like he had used nearly every other girl in the school at one time or another. His best friend. Shagged her and walked away like it was nothing.
She was going to hate him.
The guilt overwhelmed him and he scrubbed his hands over his face and through his wet hair, making it stand on end. Frustrated, he shut off the water and stepped out, wrapping the towel around his waist. His dorm was still deserted, and he threw himself face down on his bed.
Scorpius had no idea how he was going to make it up to Rose, or make it better. He supposed he could start by doing what she had asked and forgetting last night.
Except that he didn't want to.
It wasn't just the sex that he wanted to remember.
It was the fact that it was with Rose.
Rose had been the one to be there for him and comfort him. Rose had helped him deal with the letter. She made him feel better, cheered him up. She always had.
She had helped him study for tests, snuck decent food to him in the Hospital Wing, cheered for him at Quidditch games, laughed with him, made him feel better, talked to him, or just sat with him when he didn't want to talk.
Just thinking about this gave Scorpius a warm feeling that seemed to start in his chest and flood through the rest of his body, leaving him with the notion that he could probably float ten feet off the ground if he tried.
But, the little voice in the back of his head chirped, would you even have realized any of this if she hadn't gone to Greece and come back looking the way she does now?
The thought unsettled Scorpius. How would he feel about Rose if she still looked like she did in fifth year? He closed his eyes and imagined her, pale, freckly, curvy, her hair a mass of tangled curls.
The warm feeling in his chest grew even more, and Scorpius nearly laughed into his pillow. Rolling onto his back, he kept his eyes closed, allowing his imagination to drift. In it he could see him and Rose, sitting by the Lake, arms around each other while he told her how much he loved her. Laughing, she said it back.
A noise drifted up from the Common Room, making his eyes snap open, the vision of heaven on earth vanishing.
The love had always been there, no matter what age or what Rose looked like. Rose Weasley had always been it for him, from their first meeting on the train to when she left for Greece.
He had to find her and tell her so they could work this out.
Scorpius was halfway off his bed, desperate to put on clothing and find Rose, when a more sobering thought occurred to him.
What if she didn't feel the same way?
*\*
Lorcan caught up with Rose outside the library. He couldn't believe he was doing this.
"Rose!" he called out. She turned to look at him, and he was shocked by how red her eyes were and pale her face was. "Can we talk?" he asked gently.
She looked tempted to say no, like she would love nothing more than to be left alone and go curl up in the library.
"Please?"
"Fine," she responded tiredly. He took her hand and began leading her in the direction of the Heads' Common Room.
"I wanted to apologize," he began when they were sitting next to each other on the couch, "for my behavior a few months ago, at the end of our relationship. That wasn't fair of me and," he took a deep breath, "I would like another chance." Rose looked up at him in surprise – of all the things she had been expecting, this hadn't been anywhere on the list. Lorcan plowed on. "I've missed you, and we were good together, you know we were."
Rose laughed sadly. "Do I look like someone who should be in a relationship right now?"
"Do you want to talk about it?"
She sighed. "I don't think it would be anything you would want to hear," Rose murmured, looking at her hands.
"Try me."
Rose looked up and met Lorcan's gaze. "Scorpius and I slept together last night. And then we agreed to forget about it, which would be a good idea if I wasn't completely in love with him." A tear slid down her cheek but she brushed it away.
Lorcan was surprised, to say the least, and he felt like an idiot for everything he had just said.
He couldn't do this – Rose deserved to know, all of it. Caroline could kill him later.
"There's some things you need to know," and Rose looked up at the edge to his voice.
"Yes?"
"I'm not interested in getting back together with you. In fact, I was never interested in dating you – no offense," he added hastily. "I was bribed to ask you out," Lorcan took a deep breath, avoiding Rose's intent gaze, "by Caroline Nott. She wanted me to keep you away from Scorpius."
He expected anger, and he wasn't disappointed. He hadn't known Rose could pack such a punch. But, he reconsidered as he got up off the ground, he did know her cousins and uncles, so he really shouldn't be surprised.
Rose was pacing.
"I'm sorry," he offered feebly, making sure he was well out of swinging range.
"Are you kidding me?" Rose shrieked, advancing on him. Slightly scared, he backed away. "You're sorry? I dated you for two months! I had sex with you! And you're just sorry?"
"Let me explain though," he cut in quickly.
"Oh, you're gonna explain!" she replied angrily.
"Caroline paid me to keep you away from Scorpius because she felt you were a threat to their relationship, and -"
"How much?" Rose interrupted, and he could see her hands balled into fists.
"Fifty Galleons if I got you to say yes, and then fifty for each month we stayed together."
Rose's jaw dropped, then she narrowed her eyes. "Did she pay you for having sex with me too?"
"No," he replied quickly. "She did suggest I sleep with you, though, but she never paid me for it. I was broke, Rose, and you were nice and pretty, so I figured why not? But think about it," he continued earnestly, "she got me to do this because she perceived you as a threat. Not that I blame her, I mean he did break up with her this morning for good and I'm assuming it was because of you. But anyway-"
Rose spun to face him, holding up a hand. "Wait…did you just say he broke up with her this morning?"
Lorcan nodded. "Yeah, that's why she sent me here, she figured he was dumping her for you." He could see traitorous hope spark in her eyes as her face flushed.
Turning away from him again, she replied, "It's not for me. He probably just couldn't stand staying with her after cheating on her. He's never been a cheater before."
A disbelieving sound came from behind her and she shook her head. "Believe what you want Lorcan, but I know him better than anyone in the world, and I know he's not a cheater. He didn't end it because of me."
He could have laughed. "Rose, everyone has noticed how much Scorpius stares at you this year, and people were starting to place bets on how long before the two of you got together."
"Doesn't mean anything," she shrugged, beating down the side of her that was urging her to jump for joy and go find Scorpius to snog the daylights out of him. "And I believe we were discussing you and Nott's decision to manipulate everyone."
Lorcan sighed. "Caroline is a desperate person with messed up priorities and she saw this as a solution, Scorpius having feelings for you being the problem."
Rose spun around, hands flying to her hips. "She's a desperate person with messed up priorities?" she repeated incredulously. "Oh sweet Merlin, you like her don't you?"
"Yes I do. And don't ask me why," he added as she opened her mouth, "because I honestly don't know. I have tried really hard to figure it out. It's just one of those things I can't help."
That, at least, Rose could understand.
"But," Rose stuttered, "this is a girl who is obsessed with someone else, paid you to keep me away from said someone else, and now sent you to try to get me back! She's never going to stop, Lorcan. She will stop at absolutely nothing to be with Scorpius! And yet you want to be with her. How long can you honestly put up with all this?"
"She's coming around to me," he replied, his tone becoming slightly hopeful. "And she's so determined to be with Scorpius because of her father. She wants to make him proud."
"And that makes this all okay?" Rose cried incredulously. "She's been playing God with peoples' lives!"
"I wouldn't go that far," Lorcan interjected hastily.
"Why not?" she demanded. "Because you like her or love her or whatever?"
"Listen," Lorcan replied quietly, taking a slow step towards her, "I'm not excusing what she's done, I know it's wrong. I'm just trying to tell you that there is more to her than being a manipulative bitch, which I know is your opinion of her." Rose opened her mouth, most likely to agree, but he shook his head. "But she won't be after Malfoy for much longer, I know she won't. He's yours for the taking now, Rosie."
Rose sat down on the couch, rubbing her temples. "This is a lot to deal with," she muttered. "This whole year has been so ridiculously stressful, and not even from classes. There's just been so much drama. I feel like I'm on one of those Muggle soap operas my mum loves so much like All My Children or whatever." Lorcan perched himself on the edge of the table across from her, and she looked up at him. He could see the hope and fear warring in her eyes. "Do you really think I have a chance with Scorpius?" she asked him softly. "You've never been one to mince words or refrain from speaking your mind. Do you think I have a chance with him?"
Lorcan could have laughed – not at Rose's question, but at the fact that she was actually worried.
"Rosie," he replied with a small smile, "there was never a time, even before you went to Greece, that you didn't have a chance with Scorpius Malfoy. He has probably always been in love with you, it just took you leaving for him to realize it."
"And getting a makeover," she added sullenly.
"He's a guy," Lorcan admitted, still smiling, "and sometimes we don't see what's right in front of us. You coming back looking so different was the equivalent of a slap in the face for him and every guy in the school. But judging by the jealousy he displayed whenever you and I were together, it's more than him being hot for you or wanting to get you into bed. He's protective of you because he sees you as his. His friend, and his woman."
"I want to believe you, but -"
Lorcan sighed. "Has he complimented you at all? Especially your looks?"
"At the Fall Festival, back in November," she replied quietly, "he said I looked beautiful." Rose looked up at the sound of him chuckling.
"Oh, he's got it bad for you. Only a guy in love, or well on his way to love, would say beautiful. Someone with a crush says pretty, if he wants in your pants then you're hot."
"And I'm supposed to take your word for this?" Rose asked skeptically.
"Yes Rosie, you are. Honestly, I do have other motives because of Caroline, but I also want you to be happy. I know that Malfoy is a key part of that."
"Yes he is," Rose sighed, "despite my best efforts. But he acted this morning like I was one of his girlfriends that he sleeps with and ditches the next morning. He acted like it didn't mean anything."
"Considering the fact that he broke up with Caroline less than an hour later, I'd say it meant something."
"And she went running straight to you, did she?" Rose asked wryly.
Lorcan smiled sheepishly. "Yes, she did. And she sent me running to you to try to get you back."
"That's what I don't get though!" Rose exclaimed, frustration becoming evident in her voice again. "You believe she's coming around to you, yet she sends you here to me as soon as Scorpius finally says he's done. She's never going to stop, Lorcan!"
"I just have to get her past this insane obsession for her father's approval," he replied uncertainly.
She sighed, almost pityingly. "Take it from me – the daughter of two-thirds of the Golden Trio – the desire for your parents' approval never goes away. I'm lucky that I have my parents' and family's support for everything, but it doesn't mean that I don't still worry about it. Why do you think I never told Scorpius how I feel? I didn't want to lose my father's approval by being more than friends with the son of his worst enemy." Rose smiled slightly, thinking of her Christmas discussion with her father. "I found out almost too late that he only ever wanted me to be happy, even if it is with a Malfoy.
"But judging by what I know of Theodore Nott," she continued, "and what you have told me of Caroline's need for his approval, I don't think it will be easy for her. And I think you are setting yourself up for some hurt."
"I think you're wrong," Lorcan said, although without all of the confidence he had possessed earlier.
"Then I won't say I told you so. And I still can't believe you want to be with her after all this."
"I do."
"Has she told you about Katie Wood? Lizzie's mom?" Lorcan shook his head. "It's not really my story to tell, but I think you deserve to know, considering your desire to be with her.
"Aunt Katie was pregnant when Theodore Nott pushed her down the stairs at the Ministry. She lost the baby – Lizzie's little brother – and nearly died. Caroline has taken a lot of opportunities this year to remind Lizzie of that, even threatening to push her down the stairs and 'teach her a lesson'," she marked the words with air quotes, "like her mother was taught."
Lorcan paled.
"Still think you want to be with her?"
His head dropped into his hands. "I don't know. I care about her, and I don't have a clue why. It's so easy for me to forgive her things."
"She will take advantage of that," Rose said softly, rubbing his knee.
"I know," he groaned, running his hands through his hair. "But it doesn't change how I feel about her."
Rose arched her eyebrow.
"Much," he amended. "I do need to talk to her though, just like you need to talk to Malfoy."
"Do I have to?" Rose whined, anxiety welling in her stomach at the thought of it.
Lorcan smiled. "Yes Rosie, you do. You and Scorpius have a lot of issues to work through."
"Understatement of the year," she muttered in response.
"But," he continued, "I think the two of you will be good together, if you would just get over everything and take the chance."
"I hope you're right about Scorpius having feelings for me," Rose said worriedly.
"If I'm not," he promised, "I will…never speak to Caroline Nott again."
"You must be confident."
He stood and headed towards the statue, Rose following. "I am extremely confident about that."
They slid the statue aside and Lorcan stepped into the hall.
"We okay?" he asked, looking down at her.
"Yeah," she replied with half a smile, "we're okay."
Impulsively, he leaned down and hugged her, planting a quick kiss on her cheek. "Wish me luck," he muttered in her ear. "I'm off to talk to Caroline. Say something nice at my funeral, will you?"
Laughing, Rose playfully shoved him away. He sauntered off down the hall, whistling a jaunty tune.
Still smiling slightly, Rose turned and walked back into the Heads' Common Room.
Scorpius watched the statue of Elizabeth I slide into place after her and leaned against the wall behind him.
He wasn't quite sure what to be feeling.
Jealous, there was no denying he was jealous. He felt an instant rage towards any male outside her family that so much as looked at her.
Not that he had any right to be, he admitted to himself. Right now Rose was his best friend who he happened to have slept with one night.
He wanted to change that though, and he had been on his way to talk to Rose when he saw her and Scamander coming out of the Heads' Rooms. Judging by the looks on their faces and the way he had hugged her tightly and kissed her cheek, Scorpius could only come to one conclusion.
They were back together. And he had just lost his chance with Rose for good.
Dejected, his chest feeling slightly hollow, Scorpius turned and headed back to Ravenclaw Tower.
*\*
"What do you mean you told her everything?" Caroline shrieked.
Lorcan shrugged nervously. He'd already been punched once today and would like to avoid it happening again.
"Great," she fumed, more to herself than to him, "now the little bitch is going to run and tell Scorpius and everything will be ruined! How could you do this to me?" She whirled on Lorcan.
"Because she deserved to know," he answered, sounding calmer than he felt. "I wanted to put an end to this ridiculous charade of you chasing him, him chasing Rose, and me chasing you. I'm nearing my breaking point Caroline, and I've ignored a lot of things you've done to try to be with him. I'm even trying to overlook your treatment of Elizabeth Wood because of what your father did to her mother." The color drained out of Caroline's face. "But I can't take you continuing to obsess over Scorpius Malfoy much longer."
"My father -" she began uncertainly.
"Forget your father!" he exclaimed, taking a step towards her in the narrow corridor they stood in. "For once, think about what you want to do, Caroline. Who do you want to be with?"
They stared at each other for a moment, hearts pounding.
"You," she finally whispered. "I think I want to be with you."
"You think?" he demanded.
"I don't know!" she cried. "I'm not used to the way you make me feel! I get butterflies and goosebumps and feelings that only happen in cheesy romance novels! I want to be with you, I just don't know how."
"Like this," he murmured, before wrapping an arm around her waist and dipping his head to kiss her. She kissed him back with an eagerness that surprised the both of them, and he backed her against the wall, lacing his fingers through her hair. For all the feelings that were behind the kiss on both sides, it was surprisingly gentle.
Lorcan finally pulled away, coming up for air. Caroline wound her arms around his waist, pressing her cheek against his chest.
"I know we can't do what I want," he murmured softly into her hair, "and just announce to the whole school that we're together. I know you don't want that, because you need time to accept that you are doing what you want to do. That's new for you. So for now, how about we settle for keeping this to ourselves?"
Caroline looked up at him. "And you're okay with that?"
He shrugged. "If it means I have you."
"You do have me," she replied, surprising him with the intensity of her words. "And I will do my best to get past this whole thing about my father. I really do like you, you know?"
A grin split Lorcan's face. "I've been waiting a while to hear you say that."
She smiled back, the first genuine smile he had ever seen from her. "Well then I'll say it again. I like you a lot Lorcan Scamander."
Butterflies soared in her stomach as he kissed her again.
*\*
Albus sighed, sinking down onto his bed and laying his head on his pillow. It had been a long day, even without classes, and he was happy to finally have a little peace and rest.
The door to the dormitory slammed open, causing Al to jump with a yelp. He saved himself from falling off his bed. Glancing up, he was greeted with the sight of Scorpius throwing himself on his bed and yelling obscenities into his pillow.
So much for his peace and rest, Al couldn't help but think.
"Scorp?" he ventured, when the yelling had finally stopped. His best friend's blonde head lifted off his pillow and looked at him, surprised.
"I didn't even see you there," he replied, nonplussed.
"I bet the only thing you were seeing was red," Al attempted to joke. Scorpius's face darkened, making Albus sigh. "What happened with my cousin?"
"She's back together with Scamander!" he practically yelled.
Al shook his head, sure he must have heard wrong. "What?"
"I saw them outside the Heads' Rooms. They looked pretty cozy," Scorpius all but snarled. "They're back together."
"It doesn't make any sense," Al muttered to himself. "Why would she get back together with Scamander?" He directed the question at Scorpius.
"Beats me. When I first saw them it upset me, made me sad more than anything, but as I was walking back here I just kept getting angrier and angrier. I couldn't figure out why she would just go back to him all of a sudden. I mean, we had sex last night!"
Albus could have sworn he got whiplash, his head swiveled towards his best friend so fast. "Say what?"
"Oh," Scorpius had the grace to look slightly embarrassed. "I didn't mean to just blurt that out. But yeah, she and I slept together last night. I got a letter from my mum and the contents made me down a few bottles of Firewhiskey. Rose was making me feel better and one thing sort of led to another." Scorpius frowned, thinking. "I drank like four bottles of Firewhiskey, yet I was still more sober than not." He looked at Al.
The young Potter rolled his eyes. "Firewhiskey has a magical property. When it gets within the school boundaries, its effects lessen with each bottle you drink. To actually get drunk here at Hogwarts, you would have to drink about two cases of Firewhiskey continuously. They added that to it after my uncles Fred and George snuck it here and got students drunk a few times too many."
"Well that makes sense," Scorpius muttered, pacing back and forth.
"So you slept with my cousin," Al said in a deadly calm voice. "Then what happened?"
Scorpius rubbed the back of his neck. "I kind of…left?"
He ducked as Albus's fist came swinging at him.
"Dude chill, it's not like I took her virginity and then ditched her!" Another fist headed his way. He dodged it, but wasn't quick enough. It connected with his jaw just enough to knock him off balance.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Al asked menacingly.
"I mean I stayed the night!" Scorpius said frantically, backing away from Albus. "And she had already slept with Scamander when they were dating!"
Albus stopped moving. "How do you know that?"
"I kind of saw them," he replied, the anger creeping into his voice. "They were out on the grass by the Lake and I happened to see them from a window. But I stayed with her last night and this morning we agreed to forget about it and try to get things back to normal.
"Except that I don't want to forget," he continued softly. "It was the best night of my life, and she could have been wrapped up like a mummy. And I went to tell her that, but she was with Scamander, so my chance is gone." He sank down onto his bed, his head hanging.
"It doesn't make sense!" Al finally burst out. "She wouldn't go back to him, especially if the two of you slept together. Rose has been in love with you since second year!"
Scorpius slowly looked up at him. "What?"
Albus knew he should shut up, but he was tired of his friends dancing around this and getting nowhere. He was, in a word, desperate.
"Rose! She's loved you since forever, and she's never said anything because she never thought you would or could feel the same way about her!"
"You're just saying this to make me feel better," Scorpius insisted. Al could have screamed with frustration.
"You don't get it! Just like she didn't get it when I tried to tell her you had feelings for her! You love each other so suck it up and get together already!"
Scorpius was shaking his head.
"Merlin forgive me," Albus muttered, before picking up his wand and Stunning his best friend where he sat. "But desperate times call for desperate measures."
*\*
Rose sat staring at the fire, wearing her oversized Weasley jumper on. Under it was her bra and a pair of sleep shorts. The fire gave off enough warmth that she didn't need a blanket, even in March.
She was mulling over everything she and Lorcan had talked about earlier. His feelings for Nott surprised her almost more than everything Nott had pulled to keep her away from Scorpius, and his determination to stand by her was astounding.
Rose wouldn't let herself dwell on his insistence of Scorpius's feelings for her. No, that she had to hear from Scorpius himself before she would believe it. The fact that he had agreed to forget everything from last night and walked out of her room so easily confirmed what she thought, and the fact that he hadn't come to talk to her as promised cemented it in her mind.
The sun had begun to dip below the horizon, casting shadows through the Common Room, when Rose heard the statue being pushed aside. Heart racing, she stood, the neckline of her jumper slipping off her right shoulder.
What she hadn't expected to see was Albus coming backwards through the passageway, struggling to drag something invisible.
"Al?" she asked confusedly. He looked at her over his shoulder, letting go of whatever he was dragging.
"This whole thing between you and Scorpius is about to get settled, once and for all." Before she could ask what he meant, he yanked what turned out to be in the Invisibility Cloak off of what turned out to be a completely immobile Scorpius Malfoy.
"Albus Severus Potter!" she exclaimed. "What did you do?"
"Stunned him," he said flatly. "And lugged him all the way from our dorm to here."
Rose rolled her eyes. "Why didn't you just levitate him?"
Albus looked stumped for a moment. "I didn't think of that. Either way, he's here now. And you two are going to have a nice long chat."
Not giving her the chance to interject, Al pointed his wand at Scorpius. "Ennervate."
Slowly, Scorpius opened his eyes, looking at the ceiling above him. The last thing he remembered was talking to Albus in their dorm about Rose.
Sitting up, he glanced around, catching sight of Al standing with his arms crossed. Rose was near the fire, in a too-long jumper and short shorts, her hair falling around her shoulders and her fingers playing with the hem of her sweater.
Merlin, but she was beautiful.
She watched nervously as he stood up and faced Al.
"You Stunned me?"
Albus nodded briskly. "This whole thing between you two is getting ridiculous and it's driving me absolutely nuts. Now, I'm going to lock the two of you in here with a spell my mum taught me, James, and Lily. It won't unlock until you have worked everything out."
Both of his friends immediately began protesting, but Al shook his head and held up a hand. "No, you're staying here. I can't take being in the middle of you two and your romantic issues anymore. You're in love with each other, whether you will admit it or believe it or not."
Rose and Scorpius glanced at each other. Caught looking, they each diverted their gazes.
"Goodnight, you two!" Al called jauntily as he made his way towards the statue. It slid shut behind him, and a faint blue glow emitted from in front of it as he sealed them in.
"You wouldn't happen to know the countercharm to that, would you?" Scorpius asked, not looking at her.
Mutely, Rose shook her head. He glanced at her, and quickly looked down again.
This oppressive, awkward silence thing was becoming a habit between them, Rose couldn't help but notice as they stood there not speaking to, or even looking at, one another. She hated it, she was tired of it, and she could understand how Albus had been going crazy over the two of them. All of her feelings for Scorpius and about everything that had happened so far this year was threatening to suffocate her.
Al had said 'you're in love with each other' – not 'Rose loves you Scorpius', but in love with each other. Hope sprang in her chest and she tried to smother it. It was just yet another person telling her that Scorpius loved her. She wanted to hear it from him, from his lips.
"It's going to be a long night if we don't talk," Scorpius muttered, shooting another glance at her. She hadn't moved and was staring at a spot past his head. At his words, she seemed to shake herself out of a trance.
"What do you want to talk about then?" she asked softly. He shrugged in response and she sighed, her hands toying with a loose thread at the hem of her shirt.
He certainly wasn't going to bring anything up, she realized. It was up to her, with whatever Gryffindor courage she possessed, to start this.
"Why did you break up with Caroline?"
The words came out before she could stop them. Scorpius's head shot up and he met her gaze for the first time that night. He felt like the air around them was beginning to spark, like there was a current between them finally coming to life.
"What?"
She repeated herself with a confidence she didn't quite feel.
"Why did you break up with Caroline?"
The question hung in the air as they stared at each other.
*ducks behind Scorpius* Don't hurt me! I beg of you! I gave you your chapter! Admittedly, it probably made you all want to kill me, but if you kill me I can't update!
I believe it goes without saying that I would like some REVIEWS! Even if they just consist of you throwing deadly objects through the internet at me. Much love!
